Last Night

Based on the second book Raiser of Gales. Takes place on Lina's last evening before she's supposed to go off to the Capital. Probably, you should have read the book before reading this. Spoilers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Hunter D obviously. Kyuuketsuki Hantaa D and the series are owned by Hideyuki Kikuchi.

Lina felt tears running down her face as Cuore walked away to die. D's hand was the only thing preventing her from following Cuore. The second provided her a chance to think. She had to let Cuore go if that was what he wanted. After all, what could she say for comfort? What could anyone do to comfort them now?

Suddenly, Lina felt D's arm around her waist, holding her in almost a hug. She looked over her shoulder at the tall, silent figure. "When will it happen to me?" she asked through her tears.

"He is letting you have one more night." D's voice, for once, betrayed his emotion, although she couldn't place it. It seemed he was awed, grateful… and this infuriated her.

She choked back her tears, glaring at him. "Why are we the ones who must die?" she whispered at him.

He blinked, his long eyelashes falling across his cheek. She knew from this small gesture that she had hurt him, which she didn't want to do. He… cared, one of two people who actually cared… and she didn't know the other.

"You care about me, don't you?" she asked.

He closed his eyes. "I would not have things as they are, but I am not the one who decides."

The emotion in this single statement surprised her. That sadness and awe could combine to make a voice sound so raw was something she had not previously known. The emotion served to tell her that there was truth behind the words. It also gave her a sliver of a sense how important the being who had done this to them was. Could she really be angry at such an important creature?

"You love him, don't you?" she surprised herself by asking. When it came out, it didn't sound the way she had wanted it to, but she didn't have another way to ask it.

He didn't answer, but she felt his arm stiffening. "It's getting late: you have a speech to make tomorrow, remember?"

She had to choke back another sob. "Why should I go back? I mean: I'm going to die, and your job is done. You could leave. I… could come with you, at least until tomorrow."

"You can do as you wish." When he spoke, he was looking away again, back at the place Cuore had died.

She blinked up at him, understanding that he wanted her to go back and give her speech. "D? I'll go back if…" She found, now that the moment had come, that she couldn't ask it.

D stared down at her. She noted a softening of his expression. Could it be taken for a "yes"?

"Could I say what I really want to study?"

D nodded.

An idea occurred to her then. "What if it doesn't happen? I could really study it, couldn't I? Or could I come with you?"

D's eyes showed her his sadness. It would happen, regardless of what she wanted.

She turned in his arms, leaning her head against his chest to hear his heartbeat and pulling his arms tighter around herself. He let her, and in this allowance she found the strength to say it:

"D, could I spend the night with you?"

He moved his hand from her waist to her shoulders, tucking her head under his chin as he hugged her.

"You can." She felt him smile, or what she hoped was a smile.

"D?" she asked. "Why is he allowing me one more night?"

He didn't answer, but in her heart she knew. It was because he wanted her to be happy. She couldn't help smiling, because she knew he cared.