In The Sun Again!

You thought he might have taken a shine to you, despite being adversaries — he always seemed to like you more than your peers, anyway. Giving you attention, interest so pointed it felt both flattering and threatening.

But it's hard for you to catch him, aboard the Express. He manages to evade you with an almost shocking success rate. He took the room furthest from yours. He takes all his meals alone. Does his chores in the wee hours, when the whole train is quiet and empty.

He won't even look you in the eyes.

And it's not because he hates you. Not because you woke him up from the dream, upended his whole life. Quite the contrary —

You fascinate him. Your humor, your sincerity, your unquenchable urge to throw yourself into everyone else's terrible problems.

You fascinate him; you frighten him. The very things that charm him are a danger to yourself. People will take advantage of your earnestness. Every heartfelt bid for friendship from a stranger in distress is putting you in harms way.

These things he cherishes about you — things he would snuff out, if he let himself get too close.

His love is poison for the independent, so he's come to find. He never intended to hurt anyone, but it's simply his nature. The violence and woe he sought to relieve was the very thing that bore him, after all.