When You've Been Hurt, Too

Chapter 25 – Moving Too Fast

By Threshie

AN: I don't own Escaflowne. Wowee, this fic now has a quarter of a hundred chapters. (Grin) I'm glad I didn't end it back there at chapter 10.

Enjoy chapter 25!

It took twenty minutes for their train to arrive, and in that time the strangely familiar man was forgotten again. Dallet heard something announced on the intercom about delays due to construction on the track, but the reason didn't seem to matter to Dilandau, who had been fidgeting impatiently from the moment they had purchased their tickets and come to wait for their ride.

"Finally," the albino grumbled, as the sleek silver vehicle slid past them on the tracks, slowing until it sat there like an immense, long bullet on wheels.

The glass doors on the side slid open all the way up and down the train; people in each of the lines began to shift anxiously as the previous passengers disembarked down separate ramps.

"Ouch!" Dallet blinked, head turning quickly in the direction of the familiar voice. A young man with dark blonde hair and tiny rectangular-lensed glasses stood in one of the lines near theirs, hugging his suitcase and looking a bit bewildered. Hey…it's Kagero! Dallet had only ever seen the businessman twice now, but it was unmistakably him. Four immense men in black suits stood around him, and while all of them looked extremely tough, one also looked apologetic.

"Sorry, boss," the latter intoned in a deep, gruff voice.

"Eheh…that's okay," Kagero smiled and sweatdropped simultaneously, "It's just so crowded here, you stepped on my foot…"

The passengers in the vampires' line began to board the train just then, and so Dallet missed out on any further conversation that came from the businessman and his bodyguards. Weird that somebody so rich would be traveling on a public train, the brunette mused, allowing Migel to lead him through their car's sliding door by the wrist.

The inside of the train was almost as cramped as the standing spaces in line had been; they didn't have much time to be choosy about their seats, either, for the people behind them in line were shoving to get inside, and thus they were nudged further inside every moment that they tried to stand still.

"This way," Dilandau frowned, leading the childeren down toward the back of the car and staying close to the wall.

"Hey, watch it," Migel grumbled at the other passengers as he all but dragged Dallet after Dilandau and was jostled and bumped the entire way.

Seating himself near the window in the back, Dilandau frowned and crossed his arms, already impatient for the train to start moving. Migel sat down beside him, beckoning for Dallet to take the seat to his own left. Sitting down a bit absently, the brunette glanced at his two traveling companions and sweatdropped. No recognition whatsoever, he noted, of their reaction to Kagero. They must not have seen him or something.

For a few moments, he just sat quietly and watched the other passengers filter in, feeling almost as anxious as Dilandau for them to start moving. He observed with a reserved sense of amusement that no passengers chose any of the seats near him, Migel or Dilandau. Maybe it's the dark shades, the brunette thought to himself half-jokingly; at the moment he imagined that they looked something like gang members, especially since he and Migel were dressed in matching navy blue muscle shirts and black pants, and Dilandau wore a black trench coat and red boots. It looked almost like a gang uniform…or perhaps like the two brunettes were the albino's bodyguards.

He fidgeted in his seat, crossed and uncrossed his arms, and eventually ended up tapping his fingers on one knee before the train's doors finally slid shut and they departed. There was no whistle, this being a subway train, but there was a somewhat sleepy warning over the intercom to sit down or hold onto one of the metal poles set firmly into the car from floor to ceiling for those passengers who were standing for the duration of their trip. After that, the train jostled into motion and soon a steady, speedy rhythm was established thanks to the slight uneven spots in the tracks.

Dallet was beginning to think that being able to sleep last night had been a fluke of the Kiss; he was feeling more restless than ever now. Maybe it didn't wear off so fast after all, he thought, fidgeting some more. He found himself tapping his fingertips on his knee again; Migel quirked a brow at this, though, and so he made himself stop for the sake of not being stared at.

Sighing, he propped his face up on both hands, leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, and resorted to people-watching just for something to do. He started with Dilandau; the albino vampire sat with his arms tightly crossed, gazing out of the train window into the blackness of the tunnel as they sped along, and a faint throb of crimson could be seen even through his dark shades; he was still displeased enough to make his eyes flare. Thankfully, his face was turned away from the other passengers, him being in the corner.

Migel, whom Dallet chose to observe next, wasn't doing anything particularly interesting; he had propped his face up on one palm, leaned to the side toward Dilandau slightly, and was now staring into nowhere with a somewhat bored expression. I wonder if he used to ride on the subways a lot, the brunette thought with a sweatdrop. He definitely doesn't look like he's interested in the surroundings at all…

Sighing, he directed his gaze to the strangers a little further up the car; since no one else sat nearby the vampires, those were the next-nearest people to them.

An elderly woman sat on one of the seats, reading a newspaper with her purse sat carefully on her lap. She looked almost like the stereotypical grandmother, with short curly white hair and a sweet face, except for the fact that she was dressed in a neatly-ironed grey pinstriped suit and had a very sharp look about her eyes. Businesswoman? Dallet wondered briefly, but lost interest almost immediately. He found that he wasn't content to remain observing one person for long, and shifted his gaze to the people up the car from her.

…It was no good. He wasn't really interested in looking at any of them. He felt that antsy, almost impulsive urge to get up and move, travel, just like he had done when he was a vagrant.

It's a train, Dallet, he reminded himself, fidgeting again, There's nowhere to go—just up and down the cars, with dead ends either way. He glanced at Migel and Dilandau again; no change whatsoever in their expressions or positions. …It would just be up and down the cars, but I'd still be moving. And hell, there's nothing else to do for the whole night while we ride this thing, anyway!

Migel immediately glanced up at him when he stood.

"Where are you going?"

"I thought I'd take a walk," Dallet shrugged, glancing up and down the train car. "We're going to be on here for awhile, right? And there's nothing to do, so I'm going to look at the different cars."

"They all look pretty much the same," the other brunette raised an eyebrow. "Hey, Dilandau-sama, Dallet wants to go explore the train...that okay with you?"

Dallet crossed his arms, looking to Dilandau now. That's embarrassing--he's acting like the middle-man like I'm a little kid who can't ask Dilandau-sama for myself.

"We're going to be riding on this train for a day and a half," the silvery-haired vampire murmured absently, not breaking his gaze out of the window. "And it's not like he could get lost, Migel."

"I'll take that as a 'yes'," Dallet nodded, then without waiting for a reply he headed off up the train, past the elderly businesswoman and into the next car up.

The urge to move didn't really dampen with the walk, though; in fact, it seemed to steadily get worse. The brunette wandered from car to car, then back down toward the other end of the train, and still felt like he couldn't hold still. He passed Dilandau and Migel, the latter of which watched him skeptically as he disappeared through the door to the car down from theirs, and then into the next car after that. At each, he paused, wondering why he had even come, but that antsy feeling remained, and so he would keep going.

Ugh…what the hell is wrong with me? He couldn't keep his eyes on one person for more than a few seconds now; people-watching held no interest or relief from the restlessness. He was almost to the very back car of the train before he realized it. All of the passengers looked boring, but they smelled…tempting. They had such a strong draw, in fact, that the brunette took several steps toward one of the nearer passengers before realizing what he was doing.

When the man raised an eyebrow at him, asking, "Can I help you?" however, it snapped him back to the present.

What…the hell? Dallet sweatdropped, hurriedly shaking his head and giving the skeptical-looking passenger some space. Am I losing control of my own body? He ducked into the caboose car, which was reserved for janitorial supplies, it seemed, and did not contain any passengers. In fact, it had an open window leading out to the tracks that rushed by below the train—most certainly a safety hazard should any passengers venture in.

Somebody must've…forgotten to lock it? Dallet shook his head, trying to clear it, and slipped the sunglasses off, rubbing his forehead. They're all so warm…ugh, no, I've got to get a grip! Please, don't tell me this is what I think it is…it can't be happening now, w-we're on a train—and the Kiss isn't supposed to wear off for another few days...

But the heightened senses and the sudden appeal of the human passengers both pointed to just that.

Though…I could sleep last night, which shouldn't happen if the Kiss was still in effect…but….no, that's not it—that can't be it, the brunette babbled silently to himself, unnerved by the new sense that was now clearly making itself known. It hadn't really been smell earlier. No…he was in a separate car now, surrounded by cleaning fluids that had to have more pungent scents than most of the passengers, and yet he could still sense them somehow…their warmth, their pulsing life forces.

…Their blood? A-am I sensing their blood, not them…?

The suddenness of the caboose's door sliding open startled him so badly that he flinched. Whirling, he sensed the warmth before he had even sighted the owner—a man, tall and dressed in a suit. Probably on a commute, forty-something with streaks of silver in his dark hair. He looked concerned.

…He felt warm, throbbing with life….tempting…

"Is everything okay in here, young man?" The newcomer asked in a fatherly tone, raising one eyebrow. Dallet had never known his own father, but he'd heard that tone used many times on other children while out on the streets. However, this man didn't know that he was treading on dangerous ground…

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," the brunette answered hurriedly, too anxious to really sound like he meant it. "Leave me alone." Thank god the light shines through the door on me; he might've seen my eyes glowing, th-that'd be bad….can't blow our cover, got to seem human still…

"Son, I think maybe you should come back in here with the other passengers," the man persisted, stepping inside the door slightly. The warm feeling around him swelled, like an aroma that beckoned Dallet towards him, but the brunette resisted, scrambling to the back of the car. The tracks rattled loudly by out of the open window right beside him.

"I said I'm fine! Leave me alone!" He raised his voice, half-pleading and half-demanding. Dammit, stay away from me—I don't want to hurt you! I don't like how you make me feel… The restlessness that had caused him to set out on this little walk in the first place had grown all out of proportion, washing over him now with such an urge to move, to do something, that it was a feeling verging on panic. He gritted his fangs, shrinking away from the passenger. Go away…!

The man raised his hands in a placating manner, "All right, all right, let's just calm down now…" His voice was carefully lowered to a soothing tone, and he slowly took a tiny step forward.

Dallet noticed it, though, and jerked away further, pressing himself back against the wall.

"Stay back, I said!" His voice shook slightly, panic clear in the tone. I shouldn't have wandered off, should've stayed with Dilandau-sama—warm—g-go away! He pressed both hands over his face, shuddering at the way he was compelled toward the warmth—he wanted to touch it, taste it…it was so tangible that he could almost already taste the coppery flavor in his mouth.

Back in their assigned car, Dilandau was lost in thought, recalling the last time he had traveled by subway with a childe. It had been the trip to bring Migel home after rescuing him from his family...the albino Sire recalled that the brunette was much too injured to be seen by other passengers, and so, in a bit of a panic, he had bought out tickets for an entire car to have it to themselves…

I'll bet he doesn't even remember much from that incident… Crimson eyes sliding over to glance at Migel sidelong, he sighed a little. I suppose having a stake driven through your chest would be distracting, never mind being betrayed by your family and losing your humanity in a single day…

An abrupt sensation surged through him suddenly, alarming in its strength. He recognized the feeling of this mind. It felt like none of the other childeren; warm, but also very distant—very tightly concealed into itself.

Dallet.

Frowning, the Sire concentrated on the emotions that he felt from his childe, focusing down on the present ones and ruling out those that were only echoes of past hurts. An overwhelming sense of panic made his chest tighten; wherever he was, Dallet was in trouble, or at least emotional distress.

Standing, the silver-haired vampire told Migel shortly, "Follow me." Which way did he go last? Dammit…! I should have been paying better attention! What could be wrong, though—has he blown our cover? Whatever the problem was, he had to locate the ex-vagrant, and soon. As he had done with Viole in the Abaharaki hideaway, he closed his eyes and felt around him for Dallet's presence. The unmistakable signature was to his right, down the train…

Could it be…no, no, the Kiss shouldn't wear off so soon at all. It must be something else. I have to find him!

Migel followed as Dilandau swiftly traveled down the train several cars, toward the caboose.

"It's Dallet, isn't it?" He asked in just above a whisper, not wanting to cause a commotion that the other passengers might be curious about.

Dilandau ignored the question, entering the second-to-last car and making a beeline for the open back door.

He's in there… He frowned at the sight of a man's back when he stepped inside, But not alone? Disinterestedly, he noticed that Migel came in and closed the door behind them.

The man there glanced back over his shoulder at the sound of the door closing; that same moment, Dilandau spotted Dallet in the back of the car, his face hidden in both hands.

"You!" He snapped at the businessman, eyes flaring behind the shades, "What the hell do you think you're doing!"

"Oh, thank god," the man didn't seem to notice that he was being accused of anything—nor the flaring eyes--and looked relieved. "We've got to do something, I-I think he's going to jump!"

"Jump?" Migel raised an eyebrow, looking at Dallet.

Oh, hell…the man thinks he's suicidal? Dilandau sweatdropped to himself, crossing his arms.

Dilandau-sama…! And Migel—they found me, Dallet realized; he didn't move from his position, but could hear their voices. Much to his relief, the man hadn't advanced any further into the room, but his warmth—his blood—was still tugging at the brunette, an almost irresistible pull.

 Dallet realized; he didn't move from his position, but could hear their voices. Much to his relief, the man hadn't advanced any further into the room, but his warmth—his —was still tugging at the brunette, an almost irresistible pull.

"D-Dilandau-sama," he pleaded, "Make him leave—please!"

"He's not suicidal," the albino vampire told the businessman flatly, "He's claustrophobic, and you're crowding him." I am…? Oh…r-right, can't exactly tell him any real reason, so of course he'd have to lie…whatever it takes, j-just make him leave...

"Claustrophobic?" The man was surprised, "I-I see…well, you seem to be his friends, so perhaps you can help him. I think I've just done more to irritate the situation than anything…" Dallet could hear him sigh. Go away, dammit, I can't…I can't stop myself…

The warmth was pulling away suddenly—a second later, there was the click of the door, and Dallet felt the overwhelming urge to pursue the pulsating feeling of the blood that had just left.

Standing shakily, he started toward the door, but Dilandau snagged his arm before he could make it there.

"Stay right here—dammit, it's like you've already had the Kiss for a week!"

"I think it wore off early, actually," Migel put his two cents in, crossing his arms. "You wanted to bite that guy, didn't you Dallet?"

Dallet stared at him.

Did I? Was that what it feels like…? He shivered, tugging at Dilandau's grip on his wrist, H-how do they live with this…? I've got to find that man…I need to…b-but, can't blow our cover—what should I do? What should I do

Pulling off his shades, Dilandau caught the brunette'seyes with his own. You're not going to follow him. The voice made itself known to Dallet quite clearly, despite the fact that it wasn't spoken aloud. You're staying right here—calm down.

A familiar hazy warmth settled over the brunette's mind, strong but gentle. It and the restlessness combined to overwhelm him into silence and stillness; he stood where he was, transfixed by the crimson eyes gazing into his.

Dilandau felt a multitude of emotions swirling around in Dallet's mind; with the direct gaze as a connection, he could sense his childe's thoughts far more strongly and clearly. There was uneasiness there, and a slight fear.

Why did you hide here instead of coming to me? He demanded silently, a bit irked that Dallet could be on the verge of his first crimson and he hadn't even noticed it. There was a slight swell of panic from his childe, though, and he in turn projected calming feelings to the brunette, not wanting to upset him any more than he already was.

There was no time to come back to our car, Dallet explained uneasily in his mind. As with most inexperienced vampires, he carefully thought everything in actual phrased words; a wasted effort, really, for Dilandau was actually paying attention more to the emotions that came with the thoughts than the thoughts themselves. The emotions that were currently a jumble—Dallet was more upset than even his mind let on, it seemed.

I was just walking, the brunette explained shakily, and then suddenly everybody…felt so warm…I-I had to get away from them! If I stayed, I-I'm not sure what I would've done—would I have bitten that man, Dilandau-sama? I-is that what this is?

It's normal, Dilandau sighed a little, Faster than usual, but normal—just stay put, it'll be all right.

But how will we get off the train? I can't go out n-near those people again, I—I can't control myself around them! I could've killed that man unless you came in! The panicked feeling returned, swirling and clenching at Dilandau's chest tightly again, and Dallet almost broke the gaze, trying to cover his face with his hands. The silvery-haired vampire snagged those hands, shaking his head but keeping their gaze steady.

No—I felt it, and I came. Don't you dare doubt that I will come, Dallet—you're my childe.

"So…now what?" Migel ventured to ask; he couldn't hear their conversation, and so to him it must have seemed like a very long silence. Dilandau estimated they had been standingquietly for perhaps ten minutes now.

"Now we have a situation to deal with," the albino answered in a passive, soothing tone, not looking away from Dallet; as long as he held the gaze and didn't do anything too startling, the brunette could not hear anything that was spoken aloud; he was in a trance, of sorts, that only allowed him to perceive the thoughts that Dilandau directed at him.

"No kidding—it was pretty stupid to leave at a time like this in the first place," Migel pointed out, "I mean, his Kiss has been wearing off since yesterday, and we up and take him on a train trip…"

"The Kiss was wearing off that early?" Dilandau asked, and if not for the carefully-maintained softness in his voice, it would have been said sharply. "Why the hell didn't you tell me?"

"Well, hmm…" Migel pretended to think for a second, then stated deadpan, "I guess I was stupid enough to assume his Sire was already onto the situation. Guess not."

"Migel…" Dilandau's tone had become just a little too gentle, "Sometimes, you know, you really test my patience…"

"Yeah, well, sometimes you don't like hearing the truth, too. What are we gonna do about this situation again?"

The albino vampiresighed at this.

"No choice—we have to find him a donor on the train."

"A donor?" Migel grumbled, "Oh, great, yeah—we'll just go out there and ask the operator if he'll ask over the intercom if there are any vampire blood donors aboard! C'mon, this is gonna blow our cover for sure."

"Then it does," Dilandau answered firmly, frowning. "My childeren come first, Migel—I don't care how you do it, but go and locate someone to be Dallet's first crimson. I can't release him until someone is here—he would be drawn to the first person who came near the door."

"Who the hell on this train's gonna be a donor?" Migel asked incredulously, frustrated with the whole situation.

"I don't care who—find someone. Now." Though spoken gently, Dilandau's words still left no room for argument. Frowning, Migel turned and exited the caboose, carefully closing the door behind him so as not to slam it and startle Dallet.

He had to find a donor, and soon—but how to even start looking?

--End Chapter 25

Hurt Akugi! Volume 25

----Akugi #75

Narrator: Migel immediately glanced up at him when he stood.

Migel: "Where are you going?"

Dallet: (Sweatdrop) "Can't you recognize the signs from all the fidgeting?"

Migel: "…?"

Dallet: "Please tell me this train has a restroom!"

Migel: (Sweatdrop)

----Akugi #76

Dilandau: (Snaps) "You! What the hell do you think you're doing!"

Businessman: "Oh, thank god—another vampire!" (Grins fangedly) "Hey, if you help me catch this guy you can have some of his blood, too. Whaddya say, will you help me?"

Dilandau: (Twitch) "He's my childe, you moron—he's a vampire, too!"

----Akugi #77

Migel: "I think it wore off early, actually." (Crosses arms) "You wanted to bite that guy, didn't you Dallet?"

Dallet: (Stares hungrily at him since the businessman is gone now)

Migel: "…Eheh, Dallet? You know staring like that gives me the creeps, right? …Dallet?" (Inches away) "Dilandau-sama…help me…."

----Akugi #78

Migel: "Well, hmm…" (Pretends to think, then deadpans) "I guess I was stupid enough to assume his Sire was already onto the situation. Guess not."

Dilandau: "Why, you…!" (Abandons Dallet and slaps Migel upside the head instead) "How dare you talk to me like that!"

Migel: (Coolly) "I have no idea—however, I do know one thing."

Dilandau: (Twitch-growl) "And what would that be?"

Migel: (Listens to screaming and snarling noises from the car next to theirs, and smirks a little) "Dallet seems to be enjoying the buffet out there."

AN: ; The idea behind that last Akugi is that Dilandau got distracted and didn't keep Dallet in the trance, so Dallet escaped and went to bite the first human he got near while Dilandau was busy being mad at Migel. Hopefully I got that across alright…. (Sweatdrop)

This chapter's rather aptly-named for a train scene, isn't it? Hehe. It's a play on both that and Dallet's Kiss wearing off too fast. Actually, Dallet's whole embrace went a little strange…more on that later. Next chapter's a fun one—Dallet's first crimson! (Well, fun for us, not for him, I'd imagine…)

Thanks for reading, and please review! (Heart)