[C] The Panic

Dario nodded with a soft smile, his dark eyes cracking open a little.

"Of course." If all he wanted was some company until someone came to pick him up, then he'd happily sit around with him.

His eyes slid shut again, giving the man some privacy while he made his call.

Cy's voice sounded from the other end of the line.

"Why are you calling, Honey?"

"Thanks." He muttered, a small smile gracing his pale lips before turning back to his phone.

Rayner's lips pursed a little as Cy answered, he didn't know how best to word this.

"I...there was a fight outside that nightclub in town while I was walking past....I had another panic attack and um....I was wondering if you could come get me."

He murmured, waiting to gauge the man's response and what his mood was currently like.

A heavy sigh sounded from the older Vampire.

"I do hate it when you create messes to clean up, Honey. How many people did you kill? How many others saw?"

Cyneric wasn't amused.

There would be quite a severe punishment for Ray in the near future. Ray needed to learn to not try to kill when he had his panic attacks.

He'd have to beat it into him.

"None, I swear."

He muttered, slightly fear entering his voice, Cy had to believe him, he was telling the truth.

"I was just about...but um...this h- uh guy helped me calm down, he is with me at the moment, in one of the back rooms in the club."

He knew Cy wasn't amused with him, he just hoped the news he hadn't killed would please the man somewhat and make it so that he wasn't punished, even if he was currently with a human.

Cy gave a pleased but shocked sound at the news of Ray not killing anyone.

"I'm impressed, Honey. You'll still receive a punishment for having an attack. You'll learn not to have these attacks some day."

A silent pause.

"All right, where are you? I'm on my way."

A look of utter despair appeared on the man's face, he was still going to be punished.

"Cy, please don't, I didn't mean to, you know I can't help it!"

He knew his pleading would land on deaf ears but that wouldn't stop him from trying to beg for mercy.

The man hung his head slightly and rubbed moisture from his eyes, he would have to endure.

"At that strip club, I don't know what it's called."

Dario's brows drew together a little as he listened in.

Ray sounded so terrified. Was his partner abusive? It certainly sounded like he was.

Dario suddenly wasn't certain about waiting around for this Cy person. Abusiveness wasn't something Dario condoned. He didn't want anyone to have to deal with an abusive anything; family, lover, friend.

"Wait there." Cy hung up.

Dario grit his teeth as he chewed over words, trying to find the best way to word his thoughts.

Rayner sniffed softly as he shoved his phone back in his pocket, sitting up in the chair and resting his head on his knees as he did as he was told and waited.

His gaze was locked on the door, for the millionth time he debating running, fleeing as far as he could and hiding, but he knew it would be useless, it would only make it worse when Cy eventually found him.

"You should go now."

He muttered softly, his saddened eyes still locked on the door as his arms wrapped around his knees.

"Thank you for helping me."

It sounded genuine, Ray couldn't remember the last time someone had helped him like that for no apparent reason, this man didn't know him, he wasn't even a Vampire.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?"

He didn't want to leave Ray alone.

Not with the possibility of an abusive partner coming to pick Ray up. He didn't want to leave Ray to suffer.

"I can stay with you until Cy comes," he murmured gently.

He wouldn't push but he did want Ray to know that he would be here if Ray wanted him.

"I'd rather you not be here."

If Dario tried to say or do anything with Cy around, there was no telling what his Sire would do, he had proven possessive and easily jealous.

Rayner rarely got to speak to anyone other than Cy, even then he normally remained silent, he had found that the man didn't like it when he spoke too much.

"You've already done enough for me, more than anyone else ever has, please go."

He murmured, a smile gracing his lips as he looked over at the man for the first time, the expression had a sad edge to it, but he really was grateful.

Dario pursed his lips in an unhappy expression but nodded reluctantly.

"All right, I'll leave."

Dario pushed himself to his feet and approached the Vampire slowly.

"Can I borrow your phone for a minute before I leave?" he asked, holding his hand out.

Rayner felt a flood of relief, the man was going, at least now he wouldn't come face to face with Cy.

His Sire was cruel and this human was kind, too kind, Ray didn't want any harm coming to him.

"Alright..."

He murmured, pulling it out of his pocket and handing it over. It was a simple enough request, there was little he could do with it, the phone was completely blank except for Cy's phone number.

Dario only had the phone for a few moments before handing it back to Ray.

Complete with a new contact.

If You Ever Need Help.

He wanted to make sure Ray had some way of being safe if he ever needed help. Ray could call him any time he needed to.

"Thank you. Goodbye, Honey."

Dario smiled at the young man before leaving the room.

"Bye."

Rayner murmured back, his small smile fading as soon as the man shut the door.

He opened his phone and noticed what the man had done, another sad smile appearing on his pale lips, he debated deleting it for a moment, what if Cy saw it, he was only given the phone when he was going out, sometimes Sonia was given it.

He knew then that he couldn't keep it, she was tell Cy, the two of them had grown closer while Cy grew more impatient with Ray's behaviour.

"Thank you."

He murmured to the phone before hesitantly deleting the contact, he could repay the man by protecting him the only way he could, by forgetting him.

Slowly he put the phone back into his pocket and rested his head on his knees yet again.