Circles

"Ah, Sarah! You are soooo lucky! Waiting on him!"
Sarah Tittered. "Yeah...but he doesn't say a single thing. And he doesn't order anything but coffee."The aforementioned Man sat in a booth in the corner. He really didn't like the way his life had turned.
He was tall, dark and mysterious. Covered head to toe in white, only his eyes showed between the mask and hood he kept pulled over his face. His skin was not skin, but blue stones, and where his hair escaped around the deep blue eyes was a metallic silver wire.
He sighed.
Zelgadis Greywyrs took another sip of his coffee. After Lina and Gourry got together, he saw no point in staying. He just felt like he was invading, and that he ought to leave them alone.
He wasn't jealous or anything. Lina was his partner, nothing more. And to be jealous of her taking Gourry....ugh, the thought disgusted him. Not a man's man n the first place, Gourry was not the type to send him changing. Nnooooooo... So he'd left early one morning and hadn't come back. Amelia had already returned home to Seyruun, and they were so infatuated with each other they didn't notice until he was long gone.
But...now it was back to the despairing loneliness again. No one else took his curse so in stride as Lina did. No one else treated him like a person. His followers had shown respect, Amelia showed childish infatuation, Gourry...Well, Gourry showed stupidity. But Lina had been the only one to forget occasionally...most of the time, actually, that he was stone. But no one in the group treated him like a monster. But he could deal with it. It had been like this before he met them, and he had lived with it then. He would live with it now. He paid for the coffee and walked out of the tiny café. It wasn't as if he needed anyone, after all. He didn't need anyone. * * *
Three months. Three months, two weeks and five days. Zel had made a few half hearted searches for a cure, but it didn't really drive him anymore.
Zel stared into the leafy green canopy above, as if searching for an answer.
He's forgotten how lonely it was without anyone around who didn't shrink in horror from his face. He missed having someone he could honestly relate to, who would pick him up when he fell. He'd dealt with it before, hadn't he? He'd assumed he could again.
He'd gone so long with people who cared that he forgot what it was like when no one did.
And he kept remembering...
Lina, smiling that fiery grin that would betray the fire inside, looking down at him when he was sulking. "Oh, no, sir Sulk a lot. You're going to enjoy yourself of we have to tie you down and force feed you sake."
Mock scolding "Hello? We're a team, remember? I'm not letting you go off alone." Offering a hand to help.
Her and Gourry cheerfully squabbling when he was in a bad mood.
Lina always saying something to make him smile.
When was the last time he'd smiled? He couldn't remember. It was so long ago...
So far away...
"Message for Zelgadis Greywyrs."
Zel jumped with a start. He was in the middle of the forest! How did anyone find him? How-
Oh. A cheerfully demonic face smiled down on him. The tracking demon hovered about a foot away from him.
(Hah! I bet you thought it was Xellos! Fooled you, fooled you, fooled you!)
Zel wordlessly took the ivory colored envelope, and the demon happily faded from view.
He turned it over and over again, studying it. It was expensive paper, with gold lettering neatly stating that it was for Zelgadis Greywyrs. Who could have sent it? The tracking demon was fairly high level magic. The sender would have to be either very rich, or very powerful. He opened the letter.
A...a wedding invitation. Of all the things he'd hoped Lina to send him, this was the last. He hated being surrounded by people, and without his usual escape, hiding out on the balcony talking magic with Lina, was barred entirely for multiple, obvious reasons. A) She was the bride! Everyone wanted to talk with the bride on her wedding. He wouldn't get a word in edgewise. B) Her and Gourry would be all over each other, as per usual newlywed procedure. No doubt feeding each other, as if they couldn't themselves. C) Old relatives of Lina would all be dying to know what she was up to recently, and he was the last one with them that he was aware of. C) He was supposed to be best man. Man? And he was certain the tux didn't come with a mask.
He sighed. Torture. Pure torture.
In fact, he would have ignored the invitation all together, if it had not said, at the bottom, in neatly printed letters,
"Please, Zel."
He sighed. He should be there at her wedding. Even if it did entail torture, He was her friend. Oh well. *


*


*
Amelia skipped down the halls. Maid of honor!
(I actually misspelled it the first time, typing 'maid of horor.' With one R. Yeah, I thought it would fit, but it didn't quite go with the flow.)
She felt so happy. And Zelgedis-san might be there too! Maybe he would notice how she'd grown...
"Oh, Lina-san!" She trilled happily, for the umpteenth time. "Thank you!"
Lina smiled. "You're welcome."
It was the day before the wedding, and all the guests were happily in their hotel rooms. All except on stone faced young man who had no idea he was missed.
"Where is Zel?" Lina said aloud, voicing Amelia's worry. "He was supposed to be here!"
Amelia groaned inwardly. "Well, He didn't RSVP...he might not be coming--"
"He'll come." Lina said angrily. "He knows I'll blow him up if he doesn't..." She looked out the window. "Zel, please come..." *


*


*
"I'm sorry sir. The only room available is right next to the bridal suite." The cleck said, embarrassed. "I am truly sorry--"
Zel winced. Much as he wanted Lina to be happy, He really didn't want to be right next door on their wedding night. The walls weren't very thick, and if he felt like he was invading before...
But there was no way around it. He sighed, accepted the key, and turned to leave.
And was swept away by a barrage of emotions, flooding his senses and causing him to fall to the ground. There was fear, hope, despair and loneliness...worry and uncertainty. And behind it all was that stubborn flickering flame that was Lina's trademark.
"Sir? Sir, are you all right?" The concerned Clerk asked.
"Fine, fine," Zel muttered absently. Then he ran up the stairs to where the flood was coming from. *


*


*
Lina-san was being awful quiet. She hardly ate anything that morning, and she hadn't yelled at Amelia once. Amelia wasn't worried, though. It was her wedding! She was supposed to be nervous.
"Amelia?" Amelia jumped.
"Yes, Lina-san?"
"Could I be alone for a bit?"
"Of course, Lina-san." Amelia left and closed the door.
Suddenly Zel came streaming down the hallway at top speed. Amelia flinched, expecting a rather unpleasant impact, but he slowed when he reached Lina's door.
"Zelgadis-san! Um..." Amelia paused. "Lina wanted to be alone for a while..."
"I'll just let her know I'm here, then, ne?" He replied absently.
"Um, right. I'll...be in the buffet room...." Amelia retreated.
Zel rapped gently on the door. "Lina?"
"Come in," She said quietly. Too quietly. Waaaaaaay too quietly. He opened the door slowly.
Lina was silently brushing her hair in front of the mirror.
Zel took a moment to look around. The room was neat and tidy. There was no broken furniture, not scorch marks, no pieces of glass. She was either very high on valium, or she was very preoccupied. Well, it was her wedding...
The room service breakfast tray was hardly touched.
Come on, we all know Zel isn't stupid.
Zel sat down next to her. "Lina?" He asked quietly. "What's wrong?"
Lina looked up. "It's that obvious?"
"Your food is hardly touched." Zel pointed out.
Lina smiled sadly and looked away.
Zel put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Lina looked up into his face. Her eyes were full of unshed tears. "Oh Zel, I can't!" She hugged him hard, not caring that the chest she pressed her face against was solid stone. Or maybe just not noticing. She always tended to look past it, or forget the curse was even there. "He's-oh, Zel, I love him to death, but I can't marry him! I-I can't relate to him, I can't live with him for the rest of my life! He forgets everything important, I can't hold a decent conversation...what happens when we get old? What will we talk about? What color the sky is??" She sobbed into his chest.
"Then you should tell him." Zel said softly. "He deserves to know."
"How?" She said bitterly, "he wouldn't understand. It would be like kicking a puppy..." She sniffed. "It's not that I don't love him, I just can't marry him! And all this-" Lina gestured about the room, and then on the dress. "Hasn't brought us together, it's pushing us apart. I...spending so much time with him is weird, he feels more like a big brother. And how are we supposed to marry when we've only kissed?"
"You've...only kissed?" Zel asked, surprised.
Lina nodded ruefully. "I get uncomfortable even then, like I'm doing something I'm not supposed to." She sighed. "It's just not going to work."
"Then tell him."
"I'm ....afraid to." She said softly. Zel felt a warmth in his soul that she trusted him enough to admit she was afraid. She hardly even admitted fears to herself.
"Lina." She looked back at him. "Lina, you've always been there for me. You are the greatest friend I have ever had before."
"Z-Zel, I--" She said, blushing, "What are you talking about? I haven't done anything out of the ordinary--"
"Yes, you have." Zel sighed. Lina always tried to hide the kindness she had deep within. He had only caught a few glimpses of it in the open, and usually it would show up quietly in the background where it could do good and not be noticed. She preferred for people to see her as a greedy, immoral child. "I have had very few people I could trust when I was human. My curse has only made them scarcer. Even Amelia, who thinks she loves me, doesn't really see me as a human. You keep forgetting I'm not human."
Lina looked uncomfortable. "I--"
"If so need help telling Gourry, I will. I trust your feelings on this, Lina. If you don't think you mesh, than you don't.
Lina stared at him. "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me, Zel. Even Gourry. Thank you." She hugged him once more. He couldn't help thinking she's be getting bruises in some very unpleasant places..."Thank you. But I think I need to tell Gourry this myself."
Zel nodded. "But if you need me..."
Lina nodded back. "I know." Then she opened the door and left. Zel followed at a distance.
They met Gourry halfway to his room.
"Lina, I--"
"Gourry, I--"
"Can't." They finished together. Neither seemed to have heard the other. Zel leaned against the wall.
"We're from separate worlds. I could never really understand you."
"We can't relate."
"You're more like a sister--"
"Brother--"
"I can never follow what you find important--"
"You can't remember--"
They stopped.
"Then you--" They said in unison.
"I'm not going to--"
"You aren't-"
"My Gods, Lina, I thought you were going to throw a fireball at me and go into hysterics!"
"I thought you'd get that hurt puppy look that always makes me feel so awful..."
Zel smiled and turned to leave. Better notify everyone of the cancellation.
Lina turned. "Zel!" He stopped. "You're my best friend, too." She smiled that grin that betrayed her fiery soul, The flames on the edges of her psyche.
He was about to reply when the world blew apart. *


*


*
It didn't really blow apart, per se, but that was what it felt like to all the magic users in Seyruun.
Magic lives in all living things, constantly flowing, changing. Sorcerers and magicians are constantly taking it in, unconsciously, making the parts that leak out into what they call magic.
Someone had just stripped the entire city dry. *


*


*

"Zel! Zel!" Zelgadis awoke to Gourry Shaking him so hard that if he was human Gourry would have snapped his neck. "Zel! Wake up!"
"I'm awake, I'm awake..." Zel mumbled, sitting up. "What happened?"
"I don't know." Gourry's usually untroubled face was a mask of concern. "I've been trying to wake up Lina, and she's...just lying there."
Zel jumped up and...well, collapsed next to Lina...his head wasn't exactly stable, it seemed. He gently probed her mind and body.
"Hm." Zel said when he slipped out of his trance. "It seems she just had more magic taken from her than I did. Don't worry, she'll be fine if she gets enough rest. A day or so and she'll be back to normal." He looked down at her unconscious form and picked her up. "We'd better get her to bed." Said quietly, wrapping her in her black cloak. "She needs rest." He carried her gently to her room, trying hard not to hurt her on his skin. He didn't want to lose his truest friend on something like a concussion because she hit her head on his arm. *


*


*
He set her gently down on her bed and pulled the covers over her, under the worried gaze of Gourry. Zel smiled. Ever the protective big brother.
"You're sure she'll be fine?" Gourry asked worriedly. Zel nodded.
"I promise. Now shoo! Let's give her some rest, Mr. Worry-wart!" Zel and Gourry exited and closed the door behind them. Zel grinned. "And don't go back in there until she wakes up!"
"Yes mother." Gourry said sheepishly. He wasn't used to this cheerful a Zel, but might as well make the most of it. It was so depressing when Zel was sulking. *


*


*
Lina sighed. Big brothers Gourry and Zel wouldn't let her leave her room, so she had to get all her news second hand. She grimaced and sat back in bed.
No one knew what had happened. Someone had taken all the magic from the city. All the stray magic, that is. If they had really taken all the magic they would have killed every living thing there. But magic users were feeling woozy and many were bedridden. Zel would have been as badly off as her if he had still been human.
This was not good. What spell could possibly require that much energy? Well, she could actually think of several, but they were all highly destructive or extremely nasty spells. She was pretty sure she didn't want any of them happening.
Not that she could do anything about it. Not with Her new brothers fussing over her so much. What had gotten into Zel, anyway? He wasn't usually this bad! His overall attitude was usually "Get yourself killed, just don't complain that I warned you against it."
Lina sighed and lay back. She wanted to get out there and beat up the bad guys now. She hated waiting. *


*


*
"-pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease--"
"Lina--"
"-pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze??????" Lina begged Zel. "Pleeeeeze can I leave the room? Pleeeeeze! I'm fine! I swear! See?" To demonstrate, she aimed a small fireball at his head. He put up a windy shield and the fireball exploded, dong no harm.
Zel sighed. "Okay. I guess you're well enough to get up."
"Yippee!!" She yelled, glomping him in an Amelia-like hug. He tried hard to breathe. "We'll start on the trail of that guy today!"
Zel's oxygen depraved mind tried desperately to keep up. "W-wait, I never said--"
Lina ran to the hall. "Hey Gourry! Amelia!" She called. "Zel says it's okay to leave today! Start packing!" She ducked back into the room and started putting things into her knapsack.
Zel was desperately trying to regain control over the situation. Not likely, he never did when Lina was around, but he tried anyway. "Lina, you're still not okay enough to go out adventuring..."
"I'm fine Zel! Now start packing, or we'll have to leave you behind."
He sighed. "All right, all right. I concede defeat." He said, putting his hands in the air to signal surrender.
She grinned. "Good. Now go!" He left and closed the door.
Her smile faded. She stopped cramming things into her bag and sank to her knees.
She hated sitting still. It gave her too much time to think. To worry. To Have all the self confidence she had worked so hard for to come tumbling down. And after the wedding, the cancellation, blasting holes in her self defense, the time thinking had nearly demolished them entirely.
But she had to keep smiling. After all, she was Lina Inverse, and if she didn't smile, everyone would get worried. Lina Inverse always smiled. Lina was the sarcastic, powerful sorcereress! Nothing could bring her down.
Except for the things that were supposed to bring her up.
She finished packing silence. *


*


*
"All right!" Lina said loudly to the group, now ready to go. She had her knapsack cut down to only a pouch of essentials, and Zel, as usual, didn't carry anything. Gourry never packed, he always forgot it somewhere if he remembered to pack it at all. Amelia was too caught up in the justice of things to pack anything.
"Let's go!" Lina cried, making her way out of the gates as the rest of the group followed. She was trying to be as cheerful as possible, and was doing a rather good job, if she said so herself. Not that she rather needed to. Gourry was too stupid to notice, Amelia was too caught up in the justice of the world to notice, and even if she did, she hated thinking about things that disrupted her happy little world. She'd shove it to the back of her mind and ignore it.
And Zel was too aloof to notice. But then, he always turned out to be memorizing every detail all the time, so maybe she really should try hard to hide it. He might notice. *


*


*
She was forcing it. Every gesture, every pose, every nuance of cheerfulness...it was all forced. Especially that smile. She hadn't smiled that open, honest smile since before they were hit, and the only ones that she gave were saying Please, in tones heard only by the observant, please, notice I'm not happy.
She was eating less. She ate slower, which gave Gourry and Amelia more time to snatch up the rest of the food. This alone told him there was something wrong.
He was amazed the others didn't realize it. But then, Gourry was a bit dense, and Amelia hated things not fitting in her view of the world. So maybe it wasn't their fault. *


*


*
They stopped to eat in a nice little restaurant in the nearest town. Amelia and Gourry inhaled their food...Lina barely picked at it. Zel Decided something was wrong, something was very, very wrong, and he'd better figure out what it was.
So, without a word or a by-your-leave, he promptly picked Lina up, covered her mouth, and high-tailed it out of hearing distance of the town. *


*


*
He set her down gently and got a ringing slap for his troubles. Not that he hadn't expected it.
"What the hell was that for???" Lina screamed at him angrily. Understandable.
He didn't even blink. "Cut the act." He said evenly.
She hit him in the arm, hurting herself more than him, and not really caring. "What are you talking about, you stone faced creep?" She snarled.
If the comment hurt him, he gave no sign. "Lina..."
"The others are going to get worried. We're going to go back and--"
"We're not doing anything, Lina, until you tell me what's wrong." He replied stubbornly. "Not until I know what's bothering you." He crossed his arms and dared her to contradict him.
Ooooh, he was so infuriating sometimes! And yet...he really was worried...
"Nothings bothering me." She said, calmly. Oops. Now he knew he'd hit it right.
He didn't budge. "Lina, You have been moody and vacant the entire trip. You're pushing everyone as far away as possible and you pretend to be having a wonderful time as you tear yourself to pieces inside. What. Is. Wrong?"
"I'm fine by myself, Zel. I'm a big girl now, and I do as I please." She turned towards the stream. "And I've survived alone before, I can do it again, anytime I feel like it."
To her complete and total surprise, he laughed out loud.
"What?" Lina demanded, embarrassed and a little hurt by his mirth.
Zel smiled sadly. "That's exactly what I told myself when I left the group." He sighed. "It still hurts, doesn't it, Lina? Gourry not minding that you didn't want to marry him--"
She punched him in the jaw so hard his head snapped around and he bit his cheek. "I don't need him!" She screamed at him, punching him in the chest over and over again. He would have hardly felt it, but she couldn't stop. "I don't need anyone!"
Zel just sat there quietly.
"I'm fine! Just leave me alone!" She said, delivering a ringing slap that would have hurt him if he hadn't caught her wrist.
"Lina." He said quietly. "Look at your hands." She stopped and stared.
Scraped and bloody from trying to beat up rock, her hands dripped deep red onto the grass. There were probably even a few broken bones. Zel held them and whispered a recovery spell.
"You forgot that I'm stone, Lina. Again." He put a hand on her shoulder. "Please tell me Lina. I'd help, but I can't if I don't even know what's wrong." He lifted her chin so she looked at him. "Gourry, right? It still hurts."
She nodded slowly. "Of course it does." She said sadly. "You have to truly love a person to even concede to marriage. But..."
"You're confused about your feelings, not sure that you did the right thing. And it hurts that he didn't want to marry you, either."
She sighed. "And it broke off so suddenly! I..." She paused. "I'm not used to this. I don't like not having someone who will hold me when I'm sad, to protect me from silly things when I'm afraid. To be so...alone. I just wanted to close off and smother the pain." She smiled slightly. "I guess you feel that way a lot, don't you?"
"When it comes to loneliness, I'm an expert." He smiled sadly. "Being a monster doesn't help."
"Oh Zel,' she said, reaching for his shoulder, "you're not--"
"On the outside, I am." He replied. "On the inside...I think I was." He turned away. "I was full of hate and anger, Lina. I would stop at nothng to find my cure. I was cruel and heartless. But...you didn't judge me by my looks. You judged me by my actions. You in particular, Lina, keep forgetting I'm even stone at all. No one else ever has."
"Z-zel..."
"He changed the subject abruptly. "Just remember I'm here for you, Lina, no matter what. You always have a shoulder to cry on or a heart to confide to. It's no fun being alone." He frowned. "Believe me, you wouldn't like it. You're not the type who deals well without friends, Lina.
"And even if you've dealt with it before, it's unbelievably worse when you've found companionship only to lose it again." He clapped a hand on he back and smiled. "Shall we head back?"
Lina smiled, a true, happy smile that Zel hated seeing her without. "Yeah." *


*


*
The restaurant was a mess. However usual after a meal with the Slayers gang that may be, Lina hadn't been there this time. Zel and Lina stopped in amazement at the mess in front of them.
Zel recovered first. He jumped for the nearest frightened rabbit of a waitress and was ready to yell in her face when he thought better of it. It would probably only make her blubber more. He'd had enough of Amelia for that. But crying women really weren't his forte. He glanced to Lina for help.
Not that she was likely to help. She was probably just as short on straws as he was, so...he couldn't really blame her.
But to his total surprise, Lina calmly walked over to the girl and started soothing her with soft, comforting words. After a little while, the waitress calmed down enough to inform them a large, dark figure had come in, ripped the place apart and had left the establishment entirely Gourry and Amelia deprived. Details were extremely vague, she had been scared out of her mind. The establishment was known for being in the middle of nowhere, it rarely even got a brawl. No one was used to heavy-duty magics.
Zel and Lina slowly walked away from the diner. It was silence for a while, then,
"I can't believe it. I feel so guilty."
Zel shook his head. He'd been expecting this one. "I think you had nothing to do with it."
"If I had been there--"
Zel sighed. "I'm pretty sure this was planned. What better way to defeat us than to split us up and take us out individually? They would have found a chance no matter what happened, and we weren't ready, so they could have picked any time."
She smiled up at him. "How come you always know exactly what to say, Zel?"
He grinned, faking pride. "When it comes to human weaknesses, I'm an expert." He quoted. (Author's note: If ya really wanna know where the quote came from, read Battle angel Alita, Angel's Ascension, I think it was.)
She smiled. "Hm?" She stopped. "Do you notice it, too?"
He paused. "I don't believe it."
"They couldn't be stupid enough to leave a trail of sapped magic, could they?"
"Apparently. But..."
"It could be a trap."
"In all probability."
"Do we follow it anyway?"
"Do we have a choice?"
She shrugged. "Not really." *


*


*
"Mouuuuu, this goes on for miles!" Lina complained, getting into her food. "I hate this! How long are we going to follow them?"
"Until we catch them." Zel replied, sipping his coffee.
Lina sighed heavily, then attacked the food with gusto. Zel smiled behind his coffee cup. Funny, she wasn't as...vicious with her food when not battling Gourry for it. But she could still tuck it away at paranormal speeds. He watched with amusement as a waiter filled her glass with something out of a bottle.
Then he saw the label.
"Lina, don't drink that!" He yelped, jumping to his feet.
Too late. She'd already finished half the - Zel covered his eyes - huge tankard. Full of an extremely alcoholic beverage. "Shit." He said politely and paid the bill.
"Zel? What?" Lina asked, a flush already coming to her cheeks.
Zel sighed. Not good. Not good not good not good. The last thing he needed on his hands right now was a drunken Lina. "That was Jestian Wine. Very, very alcoholic. Not as much as your hometown, but..." He shrugged. "Within five minutes you will be drunk off your, to put it bluntly, ass."
Lina stopped short. "Oh. Oh shit." Then giggled. And hiccuped. Zel prayed for help, then raywinged the hell out of there. Preferably out of dragu slaving distance. *


*


*
Zel landed in the forest and set Lina gently down on a log. Funny, she wasn't acting like he thought she would.
He'd expected her to be more greedy, temperamental...he'd expected her to get, well, drunk. But she was acting more as if...as if the barriers that she had worked so hard to put up over the years were....
All coming down. She was acting more emotional, not just temperamental, and...
Well, Zel certainly knew what it felt like to have those walls come crashing down.
"Zel?" A slightly slurred voice yanked him back from la-la land. "I think I'm drunk." Such a grasp on the obvious, he thought. She paused. "Ya know what? Ye know what ye know what ye know..." She trailed off. "It wasn't Gourry not being right for me. Nononono. Well, yes. But...I wouldn't have just broken it off with him for that reason. I'm not that brave. I could have lived with him." She smiled at a tree as if it would smile back. Zel's thoughts stopped in their tracks.
"What?" He said intelligently.
"I was in love with someone. Else. An'..an'....no matter how hard I tried, I kept thinkin' bout him an' not bout Gourry. I didn't wanna do that t' Gourry. Y'know?" She blinked sleepily, pulling her red, unruly hair out of her face. She blew at the strands making their way across her face, and grinned.
"Who?" Zel asked, curious in spite of himself. Probably someone from her hometown...
"If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret, would it?" She grinned at him, "I'll tell you about him...but I don't think you'll recognize him. Maybe you don't even realize he exists." She looked thoughtful.
"I've known him for a really long time, but it seems like longer. He's intelligent, always looking for answers. He's kind, caring. He thinks of others, but doesn't notice it. He thinks he's strong, has a heart of iron, but it's really glass, shattering, cracking into a million pieces. He's strong, he's beautiful. More beautiful than you could ever imagine. As they say, his face could launch a thousand ships. Not all female." She grinned ruefully. "But he doesn't believe it. He thinks he's hideous." She looked sad. "He...he thinks he's the most repulsive, hateful thing to walk the face of this earth."
"I takes a certain kind of idiot to do that." Zel said, wondering why he was suddenly so jealous. Jealous? Of a man he'd never met? "It's probably all an act, anyway. You know, the 'I'm in angst' thing that drives girls crazy."
She looked at him. "You'd be surprised. It does seem to drive girls crazy, but it's not an act. He honestly believes it." She sat back, staring at the moon.
"He's different, so people are afraid of him. He's been so hurt..." She sighed.
"I never had the guts to tell him."
Zel grabbed the reins of his emotions and yanked hard. What was with him today? Lina was the best friend he'd ever had. Or probably ever would. Loyal the trustworthy. She deserved to be happy. And she was head over heels for this guy, it seemed. If he planned on hurting her, a nice talk with big brother Gourry and dear friend Zel would set him straight. If it didn't kill him. Zel had to grin at that thought. "Why not?"
"Well..." She kicked her heels on the log like a child. She was so cute when- whoa boy! Settle down! "Did you know, when I was little, I never got a card on Valentines day? Even if the teacher at school said you had to give them to everybody. No boys ever so much as looked at me." She smiled sadly. "I realize now that it was because Nee-chan would dragu slave them if they ever did, but...It's ingrained. I know intellectually, but...deep down inside, you really believe it, you know?" She shrugged.
Zel clenched his teeth. He had to be there for her. He'd promised. If this was what she wanted... "Then you should tell him."
"Hm?" She looked up at him.
"I'm sure that anyone would have to be a complete fool not to realize what an unimaginable treasure you truly are, Lina." And if they don't, I get to be the first to blow them up, ne?" He finished, attempting humor.
She smiled at him. Was it getting warm? "Maybe I will. But not right now." She stood up, and looked around the clearing. "Let's camp here. I don't want to be cooped up inside today."
He shrugged. "I'm going to take a bath. You set up, okay?"
She smiled and nodded. "Enjoy!" She called after him. *


*


*
"Enjoy." He grumbled, lowering himself into the nicely fireballed water. It helped ease the tension in his back. "Of course." He sighed. "Why am I so jealous?" He asked himself. It wasn't as though he was in love with her himself, or anything.
Was he?
He sat back to consider this. Zelgadis always prided himself on being logical. Okay, he told himself. You're going to logically think this through. He hated not knowing things, especially if they were about him.
Now that he thought about it, his stomach always did seem to tighten when she struck a pose, or flipped her hair in that oh so arrogant way. He always wanted to brush those curls back that were constantly falling into her face around her headband.
She was the only one who actually, really saw through the stone he was encased in. She was powerful, intelligent, temperamental. Never let anyone tell her what to do. Power to back up that temper.
But...she said he was beautiful. A little voice inside said. She called him beautiful beyond your imagination. How could you compare to that?
He ignored the voice.
Well, it would certainly explain his discomfort around Lina and Gourry. And his hatred of the wedding.
Beautiful...the voice whispered teasingly. Beautiful. Thoughtful. Kind. Caring. How could you compare?
He probably wasn't. It was probably only an act by a total narcissist. Undoubtedly a stuck up actor.
The voice chuckled. Do you really believe that? Laughter. Beautiful. Intelligent. Kind. The perfect match for the infamous Lina Inverse. How could you even compare? Ever?
Zel hunched down over the water, Salt of his tears mingling with the water. *


*


*
Zel had been quiet and broody all day. And when Lina tried to cheer him up, he just cheered down. And her headache was making her feel very down herself. That's it, she thought. No more alcohol. Ever.
She had a full recollection of what she told him, but she wasn't thinking about it. She'd never said a name.
Suddenly Zel stopped short, and Lina plowed right into him, mashing her nose. "Owww!" She yelped, rubbing her injured nose. "Warn me before you stop!"
"I think we've found it."
Lina took another step, coming up even with Zel, and nausea hit her. The magic she was so used to running through everything was just...gone. Sucked away. Any spells she used at this point would come straight from her very life force.
"I thought you'd come."
Lina crammed her fright, uncertainty and pain beneath a hard shell of flippancy, and grinned up at the tall, dark, cloaked figure. "How cliché." She sniffed. "I suppose now you're going to offer to duel for my friends?"
"Actually yes. Very insightful, Lina Inverse."
"No, you're just unimaginative. So, what evil plot are you planning for all this power?" She asked, feigning indifference.
"Since you're not going anywhere, I'll tell you. I want to get my love back."
"Another of those, 'She dies, I'm gonna turn her into a walking zombie filled with magic'? Didn't we just do one of these a few years ago?" She asked Zel, who nodded. "Man, no imagination. At least, a different plot..."
"You misunderstand." It said in an amused voice. "She's not dead. In fact, she's very much alive. But..." It grinned from beneath the cowl. "You have no idea how much power is required for a love spell. To completely change a single part of a person. To gain the ability requires unimaginable amounts of power. However, once gained, I can do I over and over again."
Lina knew. She had looked it up in a fit of fancy. And she could have gathered the power. But as soon as she found the spell she had ripped it into tiny pieces and thrown it in the fire. It was evil.
"It's wrong." She glared at the figure. "It's wrong, and you know it. Do you want her to love you because of a spell? Knowing that she would hate you otherwise?" She snorted. "What kind of love is that?"
"Shut up!" It yelled. Gourry and Amelia appeared unconscious in a tree. "There's the stake. Now, come at me!"
Lina shrugged, running at him. "FLARE ARROW!!" She yelled, sending it straight to him.
He moved back.
"DAM BLAZER!"
Dodge.
"FREEZE ARROW!"
Leap.
What was wrong? He was reading all her moves!
"GARV FLARE!" Zel yelled, then jumped to lash at him with his sword.
Lina started chanting something.
"Yaaa!" Zel zipped over to Gourry and Amelia, grabbed them, and took off as fast as possible.
"Huh?"
The cowled figure turned in surprise to Lina.
"DRAGU SLAVE!!!!" *


*


*
Lina woke up in the castle, with Zel staring intently into her face. "Lina? Lina! Say something!"
She smiled. "Don't worry, I'm fine. I just used a little too much power. Gimme time to charge up, I'll be okay." She smiled a sweet smile, totally unguarded.
"LINA-SAAAAN!" Lina's smile froze. "Lina-san! You saved us!! We're gonna have to celebrate!" Amelia smiled happily. Maybe if Zelgadis saw her in a dress...
Lina's smile cracked. "Um, I'm really not feeling all that well..." She began.
"Ne, Lina-san! You have to come! I'm depending on you! You saved us, you have to go!"
Lina sighed. No way around it. "Okay, okay." She winced. "I'll go."
"YAY!!" Amelia cheered, and ran off to prepare.
Lina groaned. "I hate these things."
Zel grinned. "You can join my club. Meetings are usually held wherever people aren't."
Lina smiled. "I'll be there." *


*


* Lina tapped Zel on the shoulder. "Hey, Zel." She smiled weakly. "Great party, huh?"
Zel merely nodded, keen hearing catching her voice through the cacophony of the band.
Lina leaned against the wall. "Of course, it's better than lying in bed." She sighed. "I hate not doing anything..."
Zel Laughed, "No need to convince me of that, Lina. I know you too well." He replied. She grinned.
"True."
"Lina!" Gourry headed through the crowd to Lina and Zel. "Why are you two sitting there?" He gestured towards the crowd. "Everyone's having fun!" He grabbed Lina's hand. "Ne, Lina! Want to dance?"
Lina smiled apologetically at Zel. "Sure, Gourry."
Zel watched Lina dancing, twirling, her long skirt swirling about her ankles. She wasn't really all that flat chested, actually, just not very stocked...
Lina was smiling, laughing, real smiles, real giggles. Zel wondered if she knew how beautiful she was when she smile....
That thought sent him off on a nice little dream, where she swirled over in a red taffeta dress, held out her hand, and said, "Zel, would you like to dance? Zel?....Zel?"
"ZEL!" Zelgadis jumped.
"Huh? What?" He asked intelligently.
"I SAID, do you want to dance?" Amelia said brightly.
Zel sighed. What the heck. "Sure, Amelia." HE stood and took her hand. She giggled happily and bodily dragged him onto the dance floor.
Zel danced, spun and stepped where he was supposed to, but his mind wasn't really on it. He was only vaguely aware of Amelia babbling about how cute this couple looked and how this man was cheating on his wife with that man's fifteen year old daughter.
This went on for a bit, but Zel stayed off in never land...
"Hey, Zel! Wake up!" Came a slightly sarcastic voice, with just a touch of kindness and spread over with humor. He looked down.
"I've rescued you from the man-eating demon." Lina said with a wink.
"L-Lina? Huh? Wha--?"
She chuckled. "Observant, aren't we?" She smiled at him...not a mocking smile, but one that laughed with him, even when he wasn't laughing. "Remember the last dance? That was a changing partners dance." She grinned. "You owe me. Do you know how hard it was to get in the right place to have you free at the end of the music?"
He blushed. "Uh, thanks...I'm sorry, I wasn't really paying attention..."
She smiled sympathetically. "I'm not surprised. With Amelia chattering in one's ear, I would have turned onto auto-pilot, too. It tends to numb your ears." She winked. "Just see to it that she didn't numb your feet." She giggled. "You're a bad enough dancer already."
"What? Hey..." He started.
"Well, you certainly haven't been doing much more than the most basic dance steps tonight," She grinned. "Mr. Left feet."
He snorted. "Oh, really? Well, I hope you know your dances..."And he proceeded to out-dance every male there.
It was something his mother had insisted on his learning when he was human. She had loved to dance, and it had really bugged her that his father couldn't. So since he was young, she had taught him and taken him dancing until it was an ingrown talent.
Besides, the lead didn't have to do nearly as much as the follower. And Lina was keeping up remarkably well.
As the music started to end, as a coup de grace Zel lifted Lina into the air and spun her, then tossed, where she twirled and landed in a graceful pose. Both were breathing hard and grinning maniacally at each other.
The room burst into applause, and Zel belatedly noticed that they were alone on the dance floor. He tried to sneak off, but Lina caught him in a headlock, grinned, and waved at the crowd. And accepted a...trophy?
"Th-this was a contest?" he whispered.
"Weren't you listening? Yes!" She grinned. "I was afraid you were as bad as Gourry, and I'D have to lead!"
He smiled. "I've had practice. Um...can we sit down?"
She grinned at him. "I'm winded myself. Sure."
Meanwhile, across the room, Amelia was bemoaning her life to Gourry.
"He was dancing so nicely with Lina-san!" She wailed. "I know I'm not that good, but he could have at least done some of those lifts!"
Gourry gazed into his cup. It was the fifth, of a highly alcoholic beverage, and was almost gone.
"Maybe he had more reason to dance like that with Lina?" He said softly.
"Why is that?" She exclaimed, annoyed. "It's not like they're a couple or anything!"
Gourry shrugged. "Who knows what went on when we weren't there? But besides...I don't think he wants to encourage you."
"Encourage me?"
He shrugged again. "He really hates it when you hang on him all the time. He..." He looked at her. "Amelia, you are a wonderful girl, and I'm sure your perfect match is out there somewhere, but...I don't think it's Zel."
"But...we could make it work!"
"Would Zel like being King?"
"He'd make a wonderful King! He's intelligent, polite, he thinks before acting, he--"
"Would hate it." Gourry finished. "He hates being around people, Amelia. And he can't stand being the center of attention. He doesn't make friends easily. In fact the only reason he has us is because of Lina. How would he function as king?"
Amelia thought hard. "He'd put up an impenetrable shell. He'd make others feel politely alienated...and he'd crumble inside..." She stopped. "But I could give the crown to Gracia! And then--"
Gourry interrupted again. "Does he love you?"
"Of course! He's just afraid--"
"Stop lying to yourself. It will only hurt more." Gourry put a brotherly arm around her. "It's a younger sibling thing. And..." He paused, searching for words. "You can't help him. You only make him feel uncomfortable. The only time I've ever seen him smile is around Lina." He smiled at her. "He needs someone to truly support him, Amelia"
Amelia thought about this for a while. As much as it hurt, it was true.
"Gourry?"
"Yes, Amelia?"
"Is that wine?"
"I believe so." "You should get drunk more often." *


*


*
Zel carefully removed his suit and changed into a pair of light blue, flannel pajamas. It had been a very...eventful night. (What is going through your head? You perverts! Nothing happened between anyone so far!!!)
Lina wasn't used to low cut dresses. She hadn't noticed that when she leaned forward or bent over that it gave ample view of her bosom to any who happened to be standing in front of her. Namely, Zelgadis. She wasn't really built, but she wasn't flat, either. He had finally feigned exhaustion and had escaped to his room.
He lay in bed thinking of her. Odd, how a little while ago he wouldn't have even thought to consider her as more than a friend, but now he just couldn't get her off his mind.
I feel like I'm running in circles, Zel thought, arm on his forehead, staring at the ceiling. Grasping at something always just out of reach. Something that I never knew of until now, but cannot live without. Just as he was drifting off to sleep, he felt tangible images surround him...A smile here, an outstretched hand there...
He shook his head to clear it. There was no way he was going to get any sleep tonight.
He imagined what it was like to fall asleep next to her...to wake up with her beside him. He choked on a sob he didn't know he was hiding, turned over, and tried to fall asleep, in his cold, empty bed. *


*


*
About an hour later, he heard a knock on his door. Who would knock at this hour? He wondered, Picking up his sword on the way to the door. It's past midnight! God, I hope it's not the princess...His thoughts cut off short.
It was Lina. She was dressed in pastel pink flannel pajamas, and had her hair in a braid. She was hugging a small pillow, and her face was streaked with tears. "Zel?" She said hesitantly, "You...you said that if I needed a shoulder to cry on..." She paused, as if unsure of welcome.
He started out of his shock, any hormones still in his bloodstream killed by the sight of her so utterly miserable. "Of course!" He said immediately, "Always." He led her in and closed the door, then sat next to her on the bed. "What's wrong?" He asked, putting an arm around her. She sighed and leaned on his shoulder. "I...I...do you know, he was here tonight?" Zel didn't need to ask who he was. It was obvious. "Was he?" Zel didn't even feel a pang of jealousy. Lina needed him right now. He couldn't let his feelings get in the way. She nodded. "All dressed up, too. God, he looks amazing in black." She hugged the pillow tighter. "So what happened?" Zel asked. By god, if he hurt her, he was going to skewer the asshole alive... "I...I tried hinting, you know, that I liked him. I was flirting a lot. But.." She looked out the window. "He completely ignored me." She sniffled. "I..I think I know how Amelia feels..." Zel shook his head. "I don't see how he could have ignored you, Lina. You looked amazing in that dress, and I'm not just saying that to cheer you up." He lifted her chin so she looked at him. "Even so," He said softly, "He'd have been a fool not to notice you." He hugged her. She stiffened, then relaxed and hugged him back. "I suggest you forget him. He doesn't deserve a girl as wonderful, talented, intelligent, and pretty as you." "I can't forget him." She said into his pajama top. "I know I should, but...I love him." She let out a strangled sob, and he held her closer. "And I think...that I might not deserve someone as wonderful as him..." He swallowed hard and pushed all his feelings far into the back of his mind. "You deserve the most amazing, loving man on earth." He said softly into her hair. "You are a wonderful girl, Lina Inverse, and that's the truth." He winced. "And if you truly love him, don't give up. He'll have to come to his senses eventually." He pushed her away so he could look into her tear-filled eyes. "Since when have you ever taken no for an answer? Since when have you given up? You fight to win, remember?" He brushed hair back from her eyes. "Even when there's only a one percent chance." Lina smiled at him. Oh, it was all worth it, just to see that smile reflected in her eyes. "You always know just what to say, Zel. You make me feel like a princess." She brushed tears from her eyes. "I don't know what I'd do without you." He smiled. Oh, to hear that..! "You'd stil live, Lina." He grinned. "You always do." "That's because I have something to wake up for..." She said so softly that if he were human he wouldn't have been able to hear it. She paused. "Um...Zel?" "Yes, Lina?" "Can...can I stay here tonight? I...really don't want to be alone..." She said hesitantly. She could have asked for his heart on a platter, and he would have given it to her. "Of course." He smiled warmly. "I know exactly how you feel." She smiled thankfully at him and headed for the chair. "Take the bed." He said calmly. "Please. I actually get the same amount of sleep on the floor." "She looked at him searchingly. "Are you sure? I don't want to be any bother..." "I'm fine. Really. You bruise more easily than me. Anyway, you deserve a sound sleep after tonight." Lina smiled at him and leaned down. "Thank you Zel." She kissed him on the forehead. "You are a true friend." Then she curled up in the bed. Zel sighed and waited until she was asleep. Then he got up, leaned over the bed, and stroked her hair. "Sleep well, Angel." He said softly. And for the second time, the world exploded. But this time Zel felt it coming. He quickly flung up a shield over Lina and himself. It parted around them and moved on. Zel went to bed. It could wait until morning, and it would be a long day tomorrow. *


*


*
Lina crawled into Zel's bed and curled up. It was filled with his cool, reassuring scent. It was so calm and comforting...
Just as she was drifting into the peaceful oblivion, she thought she felt a hand stroke her hair and a whispered voice say, "Sleep well, Angel"
Oh, Zelgadis..... *


*


*
"Lina?" Lina awoke to Zelgadis gently shaking her shoulder. Ohhhh, if this was a dream, she never wanted to wake up. The sheets smelled of him, and teasing images danced on the edge of her consciousness, just barely hinting at what happened last night. "Lina, I'm sorry, but you have to wake up."
"Mmm." She looked up. "Good morning Zel." She sat up. Disappointedly, she remembered what happened last night. Oh well. "What's wrong?"
"We didn't kill it." He looked away. "He tried to pull magic again, but I shielded us. I figured you needed your rest, so I didn't wake you."
"Thanks Zel." He could be so thoughtful and not even realize it. She stretched. Was it just her or did his eyes bug a little? Must be her. "We'd better head back then, huh?"
He nodded. "It's less than a day's walk, but we can make it in an hour if I run."
"I can't even hope to keep up with you, Zel."
"I wasn't expecting you to."
"Zelgadis Greywyrds, if you think for a moment that you're going alone--"
"I could carry you."
Did she sense hesitation in his voice? "Hm. Won't you get tired?"
"Nah. But...if you object..."
"I never said that."
Silence.
Suddenly, Zel walked over to the door and pulled it open.
In fell Gourry, Amelia, and...Xellos? Who had been listening at the door. They looked up sheepishly.
Lina, Who was still sitting in Zel's bed, turned a very bright scarlet.
Xellos was the first to recover. "Why Zel! Lina! I had no idea your relationship was so close!" He patted Zel on the back. "And to think I thought you were gay!"
"Must...control...fist of death..."
"No! Guys, it's not like that!" Lina protested, waving her arms. "I was depressed, and asked if I could stay in here! Zel said to take the bed!"
"Oh." Xellos looked a bit depressed, then brightened. "I guess you really ARE gay, Zel-chan!"
"You...stupid little..."
"Zel, Calm down!" Lina said, trying to restrain a angry Zelgadis. "It's only wishful thinking! Let's go beat the crap outta that guy, okay?"
Zel visibly struggled for a second. "Right. Go change, Lina. And the rest of you..." He LOOMED. "GET OUT OF MY ROOM!"
The room immediately emptied. *


*


*
"I'm ready!" Lina said at Zel's door, dressed in an all black tunic and leggings.
"Have you eaten?"
"Nah."
Zel looked up in surprise. "Wha--?"
She shrugged. I figure that it'll make me about half the weight if I skip breakfast." She replied.
"Lina, you weight next to nothing already."
"Just...okay, here's my reasoning. If I get sliced open by some monster, the last thing I want to see is my weight in food pouring out of the wound, okay?"
Zel turned blue. Well, blue-ER. "Uh...true. Okay, don't eat. Nice imagery, by the way."
She grinned. "Right."
He picked her up and snuggled against his chest. She weighted practically nothing, as he had said. And it felt so nice to hold her in his arms...
He shook his head and took off. Now was not the time to be thinking like that. In fact, he was so busy not thinking about it that he didn't notice Lina shake her head in much the same way. *


*


*
"Okay, mister magic leech!" Lina yelled to the empty air. "We've come for a rematch!"
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the little girl and the monster." Twang! Ohhh, that cut to the bone...
Ugly, ugly monster...
"You've returned. Did you think I would be hurt by such a blatant display of magic?"
"Not really." Lina said. Zel could tell she wasn't really as confident as she acted, but he wouldn't have if he hadn't known her for so long. "But I can still try! Darkness beyond twilight...crimson beyond blood that--HEY!!!" She cried, annoyed.
He had encased her in a magic shield, but one that repelled from the inside, not out. She couldn't move further than the 5 ft diameter bubble. "No fair!"
"I don't have to be fair. I'm the bad guy."
"Zel gave a smug smile. "Very good. But can you do anything besides magic? I'm willing to bet you don't even have a sword on you."
The figure pulled a sword from beneath the folds of his robe. "Don't be so quick to assume. And I take your challenge." It took the bait. Just like he'd figured.
Zel smiled. "You first." And waited for the figure to attack.
Suddenly a white, mask-like face stared at him from beneath the cowl. So fast! How...but Zel could be faster...
"Sleep." The face said, and Zel felt darkness close in around him. *


*


*
Where am I? Zel thought into the blackness. What happened? Where am I?
"You're in my mind." A young man in a robe appeared in front of him. "You are far too trusting. Never follow the rules when you can win instead." Zel cursed. "Ah, ah, ah. Language." It floated slowly around him. "You are very talented, Zelgadis." He smiled a slow, nasty smile. "Perhaps you'd like to join me?"
Zel was aghast. "Why would you think I'd help you?"
He grinned. "You have someone in your heart, don't you?" He moved close. "Someone who makes your heart beat faster when they're near. Who could make you give your life for them." He chuckled as Zel blushed, swallows and turned away nervously. "You do. And they don't love you back, do they?" Zel clenched his fists. "I know exactly how you feel. Exactly."
"I'm not like you!!!" Zel screamed suddenly, blasting him with pure energy. The figure reappeared behind him, bleeding slightly.
"Hm. I hadn't expected that. But it's true, isn't it? She COULD love you. Once you work the first spell, it's easy to do it again. I could make her want no one other than you..." Zel swallowed this. It was tempting...so tempting. But...
"Love isn't wanting something from someone." Zel replied slowly. "Love is wanting to give something to someone, wanting to make them happy. No matter how miserable you are." He glared up at the man. "You don't truly love her. You're only fooling yourself. If you truly loved her, You'd never do something this cruel to her."
"How could you know?" The figure hissed. "How could you possibly know how I feel?" It reached for him with claws of fire.
"Because I know love!" Zel snarled back, reaching deep into his mind and finding his body, and pulling... *


*


*
Zel regained consciousness with his hands tightly around the man's neck.
"H-h-how--" He managed through his tightly gripped throat.
Zel smiled evilly. "Because I'm willing to do something FOR the one I love," He reached with one hand for his sword, "and not TO them." And he ran the man through.
"I..." he coughed, "I...admit...defeat..."
And died.
"ZEL!!!" Lina tackled him.
"ZelzelzelIwassoworriedyoufellandhegrinnedandyouweresostillandIthoughtyouweredeadIwasreadytodieifthatwastruedon'tyoudareeverleavemeifyoudoI'llgetyouyou'llbesorryIcan'tlivewithouityouIloveyouZel!!!"
"W-what?" he asked, not catching any of that.
She shook her head. "Never mind. We have to get out of here before all that balled up energy gets loose!"
So the hero carried the heroin off into the sunset, and it didn't really matter of he got the girl or not. Because he loved her.