Title: Intruder Alert

Author: Haze

Disclaimer: I don't own everyone in Vision of Escaflowne so don't sue me…

Chapter Dedication: esca chick, jess131346, Leiliiani, Fushizen na, Fuzzie, Taiyl, Waterwing_13, anime_luver, naria, Kat-Tastrophe, yukari, faraday, Blue Demon, Ledophole,                 , Yukishin, chibi-ken14, Magicman/Smokegirl, Princess Neptune, dreamer, caitie, who cares, Enfant de haine, Michelle, Karen

Chapter 8: What happens when they are together?

"So we decided something very important."

Dilandau shot Hitomi a look which was exactly the mirror of the look Hitomi gave him. They were sure having a VERY bad feeling about the 'decided something very important' part of Mr. Albatou's speech.

They both drew in a deep breath and waited for the judgment of the court --- death sentence or lifetime imprisonment with each other.

"We're ordering both of you to spend time with each other for the rest of the year and even next year if it'll take you both that long to get to know each other or else."

"Now would be a good start to think of plans," Mr. Kanzaki interrupted but the two teenagers stayed unmoving with an almost blank expression on their faces. "Well then, perhaps you two would talk if we leave."

The teenagers still didn't move. And when their parents couldn't interpret their silence as anything, they left hoping that they did the right thing by leaving the two.

"Tell me exactly what went wrong?!" Dilandau asked with annoyance.

"How the hell should I know?!" Hitomi shot back.

"So what now?! We move to your plan?! I doubt it'll even work!"

"For you it wouldn't! I'm sure you've had so many bad records!"

"As if it'd work for you!"

Hitomi was hit by Dilandau's retort. The plan didn't work for her and she'd been telling her dad about how serious she was with Allen since he became her boyfriend. And now her father engaged her to this pain in the neck.

Dilandau noticed Hitomi's silence and had an unwanted feeling of guilt. He had retorted because what she said about bad records hit him. The plan would never work for him since he NEVER once had a serious relationship with anyone.

"So what now?" He asked with impatience after at least fifteen minutes of tense silence between him and Hitomi.

"Why don't you suggest, smart pants?" Hitomi's voice sounded calm but was laced with sarcasm.

"You want suggestion? Fine!" He said, slamming his fist on the table. "Since we can't get out of the mess, then we'll have to go through it!"

"What do you mean?! I will NOT and NEVER marry YOU!!" Hitomi exclaimed, pounding her clenched hands on the table.

"It's not as if I want to marry YOU!" He snapped back. "But we have no choice!"

"Why can't you just commit suicide so I won't have to marry you?!"

"Why don't YOU commit the suicide?!"

"Because MY life is much more precious than YOURS will ever be!!!"

"Whatever!! We marry, then divorce!! They engaged us to be married but they didn't specify that we'd have to stay that way!"

"Fine!" Hitomi snapped. "So we spend time together?!"

"Didn't you hear what my father said?!"

Hitomi rolled her eyes. "So what now?!"

"Duh! We spend time with each other."

"All the time?" Hitomi asked in a voice of despair.

"Of course not." Dilandau frowned. "Only at our houses when our parents ARE around."

"Good. I wouldn't want to spend all my time with some arrogant ass like you."

"Neither do I want to spend all my time with a green-eyed ogre like you."

"What?!" Hitomi exploded once again and at that moment, Dilandau wanted to take back what he said.

It was not because he was afraid of what Hitomi would do to him but because he remembered the fun of annoying the hell out of her. His lips quirked upwards; now that he couldn't get out of the engagement, then he might as well enjoy the given opportunity to make Hitomi flare up like no other girl could.

The very same night, Dilandau had had a plan. And he drifted off to sleep smiling wickedly and anticipating the very next day he'd set his plan into action. He would just have to change the deal he and Hitomi had about spending time.

Lunchtime finally came. Hitomi sat down on the usual spot she and Celena occupied and stared at the tray of food she had which consisted only of a sandwich, milk, and an apple. Minutes later, someone sat on the chair to her right.

"Finally," she began and looked up to see an amused pair of red eyes. "What are you doing here?!"

"Joining you for lunch, Hitomi."

"Where is Celena?!" She hissed.

"She's with her friends," he said casually and looked at the corner of popular girls.

Hitomi saw Celena talking to Merle and some other popular girls. She then turned her attention to Dilandau and narrowed her eyes. "Why aren't you with your group?!"

"Because I'm joining you, obviously," he replied with an arrogant smirk. "You know Hitomi, you should learn to stop hissing while talking to me. Before we know it, you might turn into an actual snake."

Hitomi clenched her hands. She knew his game instantly. He was here to annoy her since his arrogant and composed self was here once again.

"You know, Dilandau, you should learn to shut up because your voice rather irritates me."

He looked at her with mock hurt. "Oh, sorry to hear that. I didn't know your ears are defective enough not to be able to decipher a nice voice from an irritating one."

'Damn it!' Hitomi fumed to herself. 'You may have had the last word now, but I'll get back on you soon. And it wouldn't be pretty for you.'

~*Ten days later*~

Dilandau smiled triumphantly as he again managed to shut Hitomi up with a good insult and retort.

For the last ten days, Hitomi had been forced to hang around him and his group since Celena had been specifically told by their parents to leave Hitomi with him. But of course she wasn't told the reason why nor was she told that her brother and Hitomi are engaged.

Dilandau's group had not been able to ask any questions on Hitomi's presence since she was always there by his side. So they dismissed it, thinking that maybe Dilandau was having fun annoying Hitomi. Enough fun to make him keep her by his side and provoke her all the time.

Moments with Hitomi included lunch time, after soccer practice which was in tune with her kendo, and till the evening before Dilandau takes her home. There were also random times when he'd call her at night just to annoy her.

"That's it," Hitomi mumbled irately. "I am leaving."

She stood up and turned away. But before she could walk away from the table, a hand gripped her wrist firmly. She looked back with annoyance at Dilandau. "What?!"

"Lunch time isn't even over yet," he drawled. "It is rather rude to just walk out on us when we are having a good conversation."

"Good conversation? What GOOD conversation?"

"You are so rude," he said, shaking his head slightly.

"So what?!" Hitomi hissed and pulled her wrist forcefully before stomping away.

"See you later," Dilandau called out, smirking more as Hitomi continued to stomp away, this time, more angrily.

When he turned his eyes on his friends, they were looking at him curiously.

"Seriously," Van began. "What is with the two of you?"

"Nothing," the red-eyed teenager replied. "I just enjoy annoying her. That's all."

They all looked skeptical, but upon his dismissive look, they said nothing but merely changed the topic.

"By the way," Gatti interrupted, looking at Dilandau. "You didn't join us last weekend at the bar."

"Just busy," he answered nonchalantly. 'Busy annoying Hitomi.'

"Celena and her crowd were there," Guimel noted. "Van and Celena even spent the entire time together."

"I had to watch her," Van stated defensively. "For all I know, a guy might grab her or something."

"Van is right," Viole interrupted. "If it was Merle, I'd be sticking by her."

Dalet rolled his eyes. "Which you did all the time."

Viole sent Dalet a death glare.

"So, what did Miguel and Chesta do?"

"Chesta spent his time entertaining a pretty girl," Dalet proceeded to ignore Viole and the now blushing Chesta. "And Miguel? Well, he just got himself drunk and had a fight with some boy regarding a girl if I can remember correctly."

"Care to do a little story-telling?" Dilandau smirked, silently daring Miguel to defy him.

Hitomi stomped into the computer room angrily. How she wanted to get back at Dilandau!

"Are you alright?" Eries' concerned voice came.

"No. I just want to kill someone so badly!"

Eries shook her head. "That is not a good thing to do. You should learn that patience is a virtue."

"But he annoys me like hell!"

"Maybe he likes you."

"What?!"

"Or maybe he just has that attitude which seems annoying to you."

"I think I'd buy that more than the first one. Anyway, can I surf the net while the bell still hasn't sounded?"

"Why of course."

Hitomi smiled. She liked her computer instructor very much as well as she liked her gorgeous science instructor and kendo coach.

Surfing the net would make her forget Dilandau for a time.

While surfing however, she came to a very interesting topic featured in one medical website and somehow just the word BULIMIA made her day turn bright.

For the entire day the following day, she thought about whether she would buy that certain medicine that could possibly make someone feel nauseous and by the end of the day, she decided that she would. So risking being late for kendo, she raced off to a nearby pharmacy.

The next three days were devoted to her debate whether to actually use the medicine. After all, if she wasn't careful, it could lead to death.

And now, she was seriously considering just using it to kill someone.

"What are you doing?" She asked the moment Dilandau stepped inside the house with her.

"I'm hanging out for a while," he answered plainly.

"Why can't you hang out somewhere else?"

"Is it so bad to spend time with my fiancée?"

Hitomi glared at Dilandau. "Why are you so damn happy when I'm annoyed?!"

Dilandau grinned and shrugged at her, pulling her into the kitchen.

"Now what?!" She hissed.

"Aren't you going to let me eat?"

She glared but in the end, pushed him to the refrigerator's direction. "YOU find something to eat. I'm not going to feed you like you're my boyfriend or something."

"But I'm not your boyfriend," he drawled teasingly. "I'm your fiancé."

"Just shut up!"

He laughed at her and walked off to the fridge. "You're joining me, Hitomi."

She raised a brow. "Since when are you allowed to order me around in my own home?"

No answer came to her as Dilandau was too busy deciding what to eat. Hitomi just sighed and sat by the kitchen counter, waiting for Dilandau. She watched him hover about bringing out ingredients.

When his back was turned to her, she started noticing some things she never noticed before. She never noticed that he had a nice hair. And soon, she was wondering how it would feel between her fingers.

'Damn! I'm going nuts!' She thought crossly. 'How could I ever wonder about the feeling of his hair?! What's next?! Me wondering how his hug would feel like?! Seriously now, I think I'm really going nuts!'

Hitomi stood up and headed for the door. When she was about to make her exit, she looked back at the still busy Dilandau. "I'm going to give Celena a call."

She left immediately thereafter, not really caring if he heard her or not.

Celena had wanted to ask Hitomi the story behind why Dilandau had been with her most of the time but Celena didn't have the chance. But now that Hitomi had given her a call after Dilandau brought her home, Celena wouldn't have a problem asking Hitomi without her brother's intrusion. After all, Dilandau must still be on his way home.

They have been talking about clothes for a long time now and Celena had an idea on how to get to her question casually. "I think I should change wardrobe. Do you think things like tubes and micro minis would fit me?"

"I don't think micro mini skirts would be overly good. But the tube could go well with you. But why change? Boys would still be attracted to you even if you stick to your wardrobe."

"Speaking of boys, you seem to be hanging out with my brother and his friends."

"I know. And more girls hate me by the moment."

"Well, by the attention that you get from my brother---"

"He hates me. The attention he gives me is merely for annoying me."

"But then girls in school would do anything to be paid attention to by my brother. It wouldn't even matter to them if they're being teased or what."

"They're just too mesmerized. But I'd gladly change places with one of those girls. I'd be happier. Your brother just hates me too much that he makes my life so downright miserable."

"I don't think he hates you. And I don't think getting noticed is bad enough to make you miserable. Besides, why trade places just to leave the position most girls have been wishing for?"

"Because I just want to end my misery."

"If spending time with him is such a misery, how come you two are almost never apart?"

"Ask him what circumstance FORCED us to be together."

"Forced? What do you mean? He doesn't look like he's been forced."

"That's because he finds enjoyment in aggravating me. What a twisted sense of humor!" Hitomi noted in distaste.

Celena laughed. "Well, why don't you tell me about the circumstance?"

"Do not even ask me to. It's so frustrating! And I think HE can stand it better than I can seeing that he's crazy already to be even pushed to insanity."

"Well, I don't think he'll tell me anything. So why don't you just try to last the frustration and tell me about it."

Hitomi was just about to tell Celena not to push her on it when someone took the phone from her. She looked up and saw Dilandau and immediately glared at him. He on the other hand placed the phone near his ear.

"Celena, you two can talk some other time," he said and he casually placed the phone back on its cradle.

"Just what are you thinking?!" Hitomi demanded as she stood up to give Dilandau another glare.

"Nothing." He shrugged and proceeded to drag her to the kitchen.

"You can't do this to me in my own home!"

"If you walk then I wouldn't have to drag you," he stated matter-of-factly as he pushed her to her seat by the kitchen counter where two plates of spaghetti were. "You grew up in the west, I'm sure you'd prefer that." He then proceeded to eat his spaghetti.

She stared at her spaghetti. It did look appetizing and so is the smell but what if he placed poison on it?

"It's not poisoned, Hitomi," he assured upon noticing her stare on the food. "But then again, even if it's poisoned, it wouldn't kill an ogre like you."

Her eyes narrowed and pretty soon, she was engaged in an insult exchange with Dilandau. She was too pissed and was planning on shoving the spaghetti together with the plate down Dilandau's throat when her mother's voice broke through.

"I see you two are having a quality time together."

They both looked at the kitchen doorway and saw Mrs. Kanzaki entering and walking towards them.

"Why Hitomi, since when have you learned to prepare a dish?"

"I didn't prepare it," Hitomi informed flatly. "Dilandau did."

At this, Hitomi's mother had engaged into a talk with Dilandau, all the while praising him. She on the other hand was still as pissed off as she was and when she couldn't take it, she cunningly placed some of the medicine on Dilandau's food when no one was looking.

He wasn't feeling too well. He had been throwing up the food he had eaten at Hitomi's house the moment he reached his bathroom. It was weird since he hadn't placed poison on his food. Very certainly he didn't. Hitomi couldn't. I mean, she didn't even want to eat the food he prepared.

Could it be possible that he had poisoned himself?

No way. Maybe he was just a bit sick today.

~*Three weeks later*~

'I hope I don't throw up this thing,' Dilandau thought the moment he set his food in front of him.

"Do you want your food changed, Dilandau?" Chesta asked.

"Not really," he replied in his now raspy voice.

'Afraid to throw up, Dilandau?' Hitomi's mind asked HAPPILY to herself. 'Don't worry. There are much too many people for me to put something in your food.'

"Sorry," Viole said as he and Merle sat and joined them at their table in the mall's food court. "I had to help Merle with her shopping."

The boys then proceeded to talk about things Hitomi did not care about.

"Hi, Hitomi," Merle greeted and sat on the other side of Hitomi. "Did you enjoy the shopping the boys did?"

"Actually, the last part, yeah."

"Last part? Why? What about the first part?"

"The first part consisted mainly with their trying out of spiked shoes for soccer and all that, coupled with walking from one sports store to another. And it took them almost forever to find things that they would ACTUALLY buy," Hitomi explained, looking at her food as she ate it.

"And the last part?"

"Dilandau began to MIRACULOUSLY gain some sensitivity and niceness to actually allow me to shop for my own wants."

Merle smiled. "Alone?"

Hitomi frowned but continued to look at the food she was eating. "Unfortunately, NO. He took me away from the group and followed me around every shop to comment on my BAD tastes on EVERYTHING! The nerve! I DON'T have bad tastes."

"You mean he went with you even to some lingerie shops?"

"Could you believe that he did?"

Merle's smile widened. "You have got to tell me about that!"

"Nothing to tell, I just grabbed a couple lingerie and paid for them before Dilandau starts taking girls to 'heaven' right on the spot."

"Run me on that again. And this time, could you make it clearer?"

"It's like this. It's very unusual for a boy to join a girl while she shops for panties and bras. And you know Dilandau always manages to have girls flirting with him. And since that is a girl's shop, you know the rest."

"So, were you jealous?"

Hitomi choked on her food which caught Dilandau's attention.

'Don't tell me she's going to throw up. What's this? Some kind of disease on throwing up is spreading?' Dilandau mused as he unconsciously patted Hitomi's back.

When Hitomi had recovered, she noticed that everyone was eyeing her and Dilandau like they were extraterrestrial beings.

Van cleared his throat and looked at Dilandau before looking at his hand which was still patting Hitomi's back. The rest also did that and Merle smiled with mischief. Dilandau immediately retracted his hand and glared at his friends. Hitomi on the other hand tried her best to prevent herself from killing everyone from her embarrassment.

"I remembered I need to do something," Hitomi lied and stood up while gathering her shopping bags. "See you all in school tomorrow."

With a last glare, Dilandau stood up and followed Hitomi to bring her home. As they walked away, it was obvious to the rest that the two were now arguing about something. And knowing the two, they must have been blaming each other for the embarrassment that they were in mere moments ago.

"Well, that was interesting," Merle noted before turning to her look at the rest who showed their agreement in different ways.

"We trade," Dilandau announced in his raspy voice the moment they sat down for lunch break.

"What?!" Hitomi exclaimed in an outraged tone.

"We trade!" Dilandau grabbed Hitomi's food and proceeded to eat it.

For more than three weeks now, Dilandau was having food problems. There were times in a day where he would vomit his food more often and at times when he'd just vomit once. And since all that vomiting had been happening, he developed a sore throat and truth be told, he was losing weight.

Hitomi suppressed the urge to smile. 'Got you again! I placed the medicine in my food.'

When they all had finished lunch, they hung about for a while continuing the usual things to discuss about and do including the insults and teasing between Hitomi and Dilandau.

"Just shut up!" Hitomi snapped.

Dilandau grinned triumphantly, but felt a bit nauseous. "Need to go for a moment."

He stood up abruptly and left in a hurry. He had always done that more often than not in the last three weeks and they were all wondering why. Well, except for Hitomi who knew PERFECTLY why.

"What's wrong with him?" Hitomi asked *innocently*. "He's been doing that most of the time. What does he do? Vomit his food out?"

Chesta and Gatti looked uncomfortable for they had accidentally seen Dilandau a couple of days ago throwing up his food and he was seemingly doing it purposely since they saw him putting his finger in his mouth as if he wanted to remove something.

"Well, I think I'll go see," Miguel announced and he stood up.

Gatti looked at Chesta who stood up and followed Miguel.

"Wait!" Chesta called out to Miguel.

Miguel slowed down and was soon walking together with the uncomfortable Chesta to one of the boys' room.

"I think we should just leave Dilandau to his thing," Chesta began.

"What thing?" Miguel asked, looking curiously at Chesta.

"Nothing really. But you know, he could be, uh, making out with some girl."

Miguel snorted. "Yeah right. Hitomi would kill him."

"Hitomi?"

"Yeah." Miguel suddenly frowned. "Kanzaki."

Chesta would've raised a brow but Miguel had already rounded the corner and was now facing the boys' room door. "Are you sure you want to intrude Dilandau's privacy?"

Miguel looked at Chesta. "What is really going on?"

"Nothing."

"Then, why are you trying to prevent me from checking on Dilandau?"

Chesta weighed his choices. 'Miguel deserves to know the truth. And he'd keep it a secret anyway so', "Alright, open the door and peek in."

Miguel looked disgusted. "Peek in?"

"Just do it."

And Miguel did although a bit reluctantly. What he saw was unexpected. Dilandau was hunched over the sink and was vomiting his lunch out. A bit later, he was putting his finger in his mouth again and was soon vomiting once more.

Miguel withdrew and looked at Chesta for a time. "You mean he's…" He trailed off.

Chesta nodded. "He's bulimic."

Just then, Dilandau opened the door.

~tbc~

Author's Note: Four weeks… it took me that long?! I'm really so sorry for taking so long. School and all the usual things that keep people busy. I know this is not good enough especially if we take the time in consideration. But I will try to do better the next time around and I'll try to be faster in uploading. Actually, I'm about to have an exam a couple of hours from now but I decided to upload this now coz I might not be able to have another time near the computer or the internet for that matter like the past four weeks.

            About Dilandau's raspy voice because of his *ehem* 'bulimia', that's really common among bulimic people. They really develop sore throats and it's actually one of the signs, aside from losing weight, that a person is bulimic. And oh, about the part where they caught Dilandau putting his finger in his mouth again, he was trying to get it all out. You know… when you vomit there's this feeling that something is still there, stuck in your throat. He was trying to get the 'stuck food' in his throat out even if there wasn't really food anymore. But of course, when one pokes the back portion of the tongue, a person's normal reflex to that stimulus would be to gag. That's why he vomited again further giving the others the wrong impression that he was indeed bulimic. I hope that my explanations are not messy and I hope I was able to give additional info or something.

            Before I forget, to pyro'sgirl, if you're still reading this, I just discovered that I can't email you coz there's a problem with the e-add you gave me. I don't really know but please correct me if I'm wrong. Your e-add is: Frogsgirl101@Aol.com , right?

            Enough about that. I'm taking this chance to give replies coz I guess I owe this much to the reviewers for sticking with me no matter how lousy my story gets and no matter how much time it takes me to be near a pc and update.

esca chick: I know this is far too belated, but I feel bad about you being sick. I would say get well soon, but it's far overdue. I do apologize. I hardly get time with the net. Well, always take good care of your health.

jess131346: Don't worry. When I have time to get off my schedule and sneak out my father's net account, I'm gonna check yours out. And btw, I found it funny you had to repeat and make sure I wouldn't think it a flame.

Leiliiani: Well hope this update would do you good before you go absolutely nuts. Lolz. But just for a fact, I'm going nuts myself.

Fushizen na: About the realizing thing, with Hitomi and Dilandau, nah. I mean, not yet I suppose. But I'm cooking up something sweet for them, especially Hitomi. Hope she doesn't kill me though.

Fuzzie: Glad you dropped a review even if it was short. Lolz. A review is still a review.

Taiyl: I'm absolutely touched. I never knew I was that tolerable.

Waterwing_13: Hope you also drool for this one and get baked up for the following chapter. Lolz.

anime_luver: Wow! With you always telling me my chaps not boring, it's definitely a go signal that at least I'm still not having a boring syndrome.

naria: Here goes the update. Hope you'll continue to think this as a great story.

Kat-Tastrophe: Two words. And it made me happy.

yukari: Yeah, you have to keep on reading. And you're right. I'm an evil person who likes to give tidbits. Lolz.

Faraday: Lolz. Another nice person assuring me that I'm not having a boring syndrome. Well, this is the sooner I could get in updating.

Blue Demon: I will, really. I wouldn't want to leave this story hanging.

Ledophole: Yeah, a good hell pit. I wish I was Hitomi. Lolz.

              : You didn't exactly leave a name. But whoever you are, I'm glad you found the turn of events funny.

Yukishin: I especially like the 'as usual' part of your review. About the two hotheads, I don't exactly find them poor. Gosh they're even lucky! Two cute people together.

chibi-ken14: Now you know how they'd spend time. Lolz.

Magicman: Yeah, you're definitely right about Donkirk and Mr. Kanzaki. But I hope they're not getting too offensive in your POV. Especially since they're the reason why the two are together.

Princess Neptune: I will especially coz I'm happy with the reviews' contents.

dreamer: Touchy, touchy, touchy. The 'ages' part… that's so touchy. I almost feel as if I'd been a writer in a past life.

caitie: A V/H fan liking my D/H story is pretty flattering. Lolz. I hope I don't get too flattered to come out flat. Excuse my attempt for a joke.

who cares: Hope you're still there coz here's the update. I'm smiling coz the cool thing was taken personally. Lolz. I think I'm cool. Joke.

Enfant de haine: I hope I can keep you in love with this one. I'll really try.

Michelle: Lolz. You didn't have to tell me really. You've been prancing around me trying to make me speed up in writing.

Karen: Well, here it is. I hope you'll still look forward to some more.

            I am so happy with the positive feedbacks. And I must look a positive idiot grinning widely while looking at the reviews and answering them. I give you all my heartfelt thanks for the reviews. THANK YOU SO MUCH. REALLY. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR THE VOICED SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT. ^^