A/N: Well, what did you think?  Allen bashing ahead, please skip next few chapters.

I'm Not Iseult

Seventh Chapter: Understanding No

3 months later

Aidana smiled.  Dilandau and Hitomi were a cute little couple.  Back in the beginning when he'd been such a baka, and went and shoved her, she'd thought there'd been no hope for the two.  But when they'd hit it off that night, the only hindrance was Van who kept telling her he wanted her to be happy, and she liked Dilandau more.  But Aidana knew that his heart broke every time he saw them together.

Dilandau was Sakura's friend, and she was always saying how much Hitomi loved him.  Hitomi would blush and find something to do.  Aidana suspected that happened even when she wasn't there.

"But now what will she do?" she spoke aloud, allowing Celesi the barest of hints of what was on her mind.  "Allen intends her for his girlfriend.  And I know neither Van or Dilandau will appreciate that much."

Celesi nodded, watching Allen's approach to Hitomi's locker.  This ought to be good. She thought with a smile.

Hitomi leaned against Van's locker, which was next to hers, and smiled at the collage on her locker wall.  A tsking noise behind her alerted her of the basketball player's inspection.  "I thought you'd have better taste in friends.  Maybe I should show you some of mine before you become my date."

Hitomi finished pushing the photo of Dilandau swinging Sakura around onto the wall, and slammed her locker.  "Not interested."  She pressed her books to her chest, and started walking away. 

Allen easily fell in step beside her.  "The most popular boy in school asks you out, and you refuse without a second thought?"

Hitomi forced her face to remain clear of all emotion.  "Yes.  Now I have class to go to."

Allen caught her wrist, and slammed her against a locker.  He pressed her against it, and glared into her eyes.  "Allen Schezar has never been turned down, and it doesn't start now.  You will say yes, you'll go to the winter dance with me, and I'll consider letting you go back to whoever your boyfriend is among the losers."

Hitomi's face wrenched up, but not in pain.  "How dare you call them—"

SLAP!

Hitomi cupped her cheek, glaring at Allen.  "How dare you." She hissed.

Allen smiled, and pressed her against the locker, and ran kisses down her neck, holding her hands that wanted to scratch out his eyes against his chest.

Aidana noted with a smile that Van was angrily approaching them.  Celesi smiled back.  "Now the theatrics begin."

Van saw the fear and anger in Hitomi's eyes, and the determination in Allen's.  She may not love me, but I'm not going to let a player like him hurt her.

"Allen." He hissed the word, shoving his backpack into Allen's back.  "Don't you know French starts early today?"

Allen straightened, releasing Hitomi the littlest bit.  Hitomi began carefully edging herself away.  Van could hear her mentally pleading at him to distract him.

"And how would you know, Fanel?"

Van smirked, very Dilandau like.  "That's not important.  What is is that I'm going to turn you in if you don't leave her alone and go to class."  Van realized a second too late he'd said the wrong thing.

Allen smiled, slamming Hitomi back against the locker, muttering sick things in her ear as threats if she didn't say yes.  To Van, he replied,  "No, I think Hitomi and I were having a pleasant enough conversation before you broke in." his smile vanished.  "I'd recommend you skip along to class, and stay out of things that obviously aren't your business."

"Oh, I quite agree it's none of his business." A third voice agreed right before it's owner pulled Hitomi against his chest, and his other fist connected with Allen's face.  "But you can't use that excuse on me."

Hitomi held onto Dilandau, afraid to open her eyes.  She was comforted to hear Dilandau snarl, "You will keep your filthy hands off my girlfriend, and if anyone I know sees you within ten feet of her, I will deal with you personally, Schezar."

Aidana watched the drama with Dilandau's silent approach.  She turned to Celesi.  "You know, winter formal could be very interesting."

Celesi nodded.  "Look, he's getting up."

Aidana turned back to their free show.

Allen dusted himself off, and stood.  "You and your followers can't be everywhere, Albatou." He smiled at Hitomi.  "I'll see you in class, love."

When Allen finally left hearing distance, Dilandau thanked Van.

Hitomi moaned, leaning against Dilandau.  "He's in my next class." She whispered.  Dilandau looked over her head at Van. 

Van mouthed, gym.  Dilandau winced.  None of his group was in that next period.  He stroked the top of her head.  "Do you want to report him?"

Hitomi's head didn't move.  She managed to whisper, "Not yet."

Van looked at her sadly.  Dilandau grinned.  "What's your next period?  Hadley'll have my head if I sneak her in again."

Van nodded.  With a nod from Dilandau, he gently took her from Dilandau's arms.  "Hey, I'll just say this is your day of the month.  We'll walk around, and he won't come after you during class."

Hitomi embraced Dilandau a second time, this time kissing him, then timidly taking Van's hand.

(Remember the sick things he said?  Well they're worse than what she hears regularly.  That and Hitomi needs to be ic once in a while ^^)

Dilandau took off for Hadley's, and tried not to be too apprehensive.  She's Hitomi.  We've been close for four months, going out for three.  Nothing's going to happen.

Van had gone in early to class, Aidana volunteering to be late to make sure Allen didn't do anything.  During the five minutes Van was gone, Allen did try.

Allen smirked, and spoke one word to Aidana.  "Move." 

Aidana spread her feet, eyes flashing.  "Make me, @$#%0!&."

Allen blinked.  "Such language, and for such a pretty girl."

Aidana smirked.  "My brother taught me well." The smirk disappeared.  "Now get lost."

Allen smiled confidentally.  "We both have Physical Education this period, I'm merely escorting her in."

Aidana's eyes' fire grew.  "You're going to class alone, Schezar.  Now go, before I have to hurt you."

Allen laughed.  "Your protégé couldn't hurt me, what makes you think you can?"

Aidana's knees came up between his knees.  Allen's eyes bugged out.  "She would have done it if you'd tried to do anything physical.  Now get lost or I'll hurt you more, %$#@&*."

Allen hurried into class, glaring as Van walked out.  Aidana reluctantly let Hitomi walk ahead of her.  "Be careful.  That's one %$#@&* you can't trust to understand no."

A few minutes later, the two were creeping onto the gym roof.  They couldn't see the floor, but they could just see the numbers on the clock.  That way they wouldn't be able to lose track of time, but were unfindable to Allen's limited brain power if he started looking for them.  And if he did, it would be all too simple to make him fall back whatever way he climbed up.

Hitomi leaned against Van, her uneasiness returning.  "Van, I'm sorry—about everything that's happened." 

Van pulled her against him, knowing Dilandau would forgive him anything if it got Hitomi back to normal.  "It's all right, 'Tomi." 

Hitomi pushed herself away.  "No—I meant, about kissing Dilandau when we were still going out." 

Van's lips met her own, and her protests died on her lips.  She relaxed into his arms a minute later. 

"I said it's all right.  Nothing you do is wrong to me, Hitomi."

A few minutes later, when Van was sure she was fast asleep, he picked her up, bridal style, and started making his way down the various roofs.

They made it into the office.  He set her down in a chair, then sat down next to her.  When the nurse came back, Van asked for a bag of ice.  Seeing Hitomi's cheek, she hurried to get some.

"What happened?"

Van's one word answer sufficed: "Schezar."

The nurse nodded, but Van interrupted her work again.  "I want to ask that she's transferred from any classes they share, and I know when her family finds out what he did, they'll agree.  If not, I want transferred into all of her classes."

The nurse smiled.  "You're very devoted to your girlfriend…" she trailed off as Van shook his head.

"No…" he smiled, shaking his head sadly.  "She's not my girlfriend.  But I love her more than that."  He met her eyes.  "That is one thing both her boyfriend and I agree on.  She is the most precious thing to walk on this earth, and Schezar has no right to reduce her into a trembling mass of nerves."

Allen meanwhile had used his current girlfriend, the one who worked in the office to get Hitomi's address, and was sitting on her window sill.  He smiled, recalling the words Aidana had thought he hadn't heard. 

"This is one %$#@&* you can't trust to understand no."

A/N: Allen's a psychopath.  I can't promise I'll be good enough to let him live.  All Allen fans should leave this fic, or start saying they support Allen in their flames.  But Dilandau and Van fighting someone else together is promising.  Whether I set Van up with someone else is up to you, just hurry up and vote!  Well, last chap had lotsa h/d, this one h/v.  which did you like better?  That's what this is about, you know.  Who should Hitomi end up with?