Made entirely for fun, because it's actually pretty fun to imagine how this would go...

So, this takes place in Seyruun, a couple years after my previous fic "Gourry's proposal". Some people in DA have asked me to do one for Zelgadis and Amelia, and honestly I didn't do it before because I think Zel would never do that. But today this hit me, and I couldn't resist it.

I left the "Mr. Zelgadis" for Amelia because I'm writing this in English. In the Spanish version, Amelia simply calls him Zelgadis, or even Zel. So if there are any Spanish speakers out there reading this, just ignore it.

Oh, and please tell me if there are any mistakes. I'm always learning.

Hope you like it :)

It had been Lina's idea to follow Zelgadis and Amelia through the garden. She couldn't explain why, and since Gourry was her only company it would have been a waste of breath to do it, but she was sure something was going to happen... At last. Something romantic, maybe, or maybe the end of the world, who knows... But she wanted to see it happen, for it would be something.

It wouldn't have been completely accurate to say that Zelgadis and Amelia were dating. For instance, they had never mentioned it, and they hadn't been hugging or kissing or doing anything related to the word "love". The whole gang had decided to stay in Seyruun for a while, and they were all living in the palace now. In between those dull days, Amelia would sometimes make thoughtful gifts for the chimera, such as ropes and books, and she would also share some kind words with him, but that was little different from her usual behaviour towards him. Plus he had never returned the kindness in any way, or at least in any easily perceivable way. However, they did spend a lot of time together, and mostly alone together. They were talking a lot to each other. About what? Lina did not know. But she knew Amelia had not been seen alone with another man for a long time, even when it was her royal duty to welcome them, because in those cases Zelgadis would appear inmediately, silent as a statue, and would not leave until the visitor was gone. He also appeared to have forgotten a bit about the parchments and ancient scrolls he used to study, now laying carelessly in his assigned room. This was a big surprise for everyone, mostly himself, though no one could tell. So to Lina it was pretty clear that there was something going on between them, and if such relationship, however weird it was, had not been formalized, it was only because of Zelgadis' cold, self-centered depressing mind.

But it was Zelgadis who guided Amelia to that remote, hidden spot in the garden, just to play chess, and it couldn't be "just to play chess". So Lina hid in the bushes near the table they were sitting at, and forced Gourry to hide beside her. And they waited. And waited.

Finally, about half an hour through the chess game, that something happened... Sort of.

.

.

Zelgadis was about to pick up his tower when his hand suddenly stopped moving and froze in the air.

- Amelia, can I ask you something? - he said, still looking at the chessboard with no particular expression on his face.

- Uh? - Amelia seemed focused on the game.- Sure, Mr. Zelgadis.

- Well, how do I begin... - Zelgadis rolled his eyes to the sky.- Given the fact that you are a princess, Seyruun's princess, I assume that you have considered getting married someday.

Amelia looked at him, and then smiled widely, shaking her fist in the air.

- Of course! I've always imagined that someday I would marry a good man, so as to fight for love and justice together! - she answered enthusiastically.

Zelgadis face lost color for a second as his eyebrows twitched, but then turned a little red.

- Um... Right... - he murmured wearily.- But about the marriage issue... My question is... Does it have to be a man?

- Eh? - this time Amelia's eyebrows twitched.- Are... Are you suggesting I... I swing both ways? - she stuttered, surprised.

- What? No! - Zelgadis facepalmed, but quickly tried to regain his dignity by looking at a different part of the chessboard.- What I'm asking is... Would it be impossible for you, as a princess, to chose a partner who is not... fully human?

- Not "fully human"? You mean like the fish people?

- No... - Zelgadis fought the urge to facepalm again.- I mean... Someone who is not exactly human... Like me.

- Oh Mr. Zelgadis, but you are human - Amelia smiled lovingly again.- Your body may be different, but that's not what makes you human. I've told you a million times what I think about that...

Zelgadis blushed a little more as he crushed his tower in his hand out of frustration.

- Would it be impossible for you, as a princess, to chose a partner who is not fully human, like me? - he repeated, talking very slowly and almost angrily.

- Uh?

Amelia blinked twice, her blue eyes bigger than ever, and after a few seconds she reached out and touched Zelgadis forehead in an obvious attempt to take his temperature.

- Mr. Zelgadis, are you feeling alright? - she asked.

- Wha...? - Zelgadis leaned backwards.- Yes! What are you...?

- Oh, then I must be the one who's sick... - Amelia placed her hand in her own forehead.- Agh, and everything was going so well...

Zelgadis took a deep breath, his frustration level reaching the top of his lungs.

- Amelia, you are not sick. Why on earth are you saying that? - he grunted.

- Because it sounds like you are proposing to me, and there's no way you would do that.

Zelgadis blushed even more. His teeth started showing dangerously. Amelia, failing to perceive any of this, just kept on talking with the same smile on her childlish face.

- It is you, after all. You would never say something like that, the mere thought of it is ridiculous. I mean, not even in a million years would you...

That was all Zelgadis could take. He stood up violently and punched the table with his chimeric fist, his face now pure red, staring directly at the princess for the first time in the whole conversation.

- DAMNIT, AMELIA! I AM PROPOSING TO YOU, YOU IRRITATING LITTLE THING! WHY IS THAT SO FREAKING HARD TO BELIEVE?! - he shouted with fire in his eyes, having fully given up on his calm.

- Well because you have never... - Amelia had the intention to provide an actual answer, but then her face went pale at the hit of the sudden realization.- Wait... Are you... Are you serious? - she gasped.

Unable to believe his senses, Zelgadis just sat again and smashed his face onto the table.

Amelia stood up in a rush and went towards him, placing her trembling hands carefully on his shoulders.

- I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! - she cried in a high-pitched voice.- I love you! I mean it! I don't care if you're not fully human, and I'm so so sorry...! It's just that it never ocurred to me that you would...

- Save it - Zelgadis said dryly, his face still against the table.- I don't need this. Please let me suffer in silence.

Amelia opened her mouth, but no sound came out of it. She returned slowly to her chair, her face now equally red out of embarrasment -and something else. Both of them stayed there for at least five awkward minutes, without moving a single muscle. Finally, Amelia gathered the courage to break the silence.

- I do want to say yes, though - she muttered, staring at her shoes.

Zelgadis did not lift his head or say anything, but after a few seconds he moved his right arm forward, took her hand in his and squeezed it.

.

.

- Well how about that... - Lina said, smiling fondly.- I always thought of Zel as the smart one, but that proposal was as romantic and ingenious as yours, Gourry - she commented ironically.

- Thank you - Gourry smiled as well, far from perceiving such irony.

Lina twisted her lips in a clear expression of defeat.

- It is truly shocking how your stupidity still amazes me after all this time - she grunted.

- Well, but you did marry me - Gourry said simply.

Lina blushed, and inmediately procedeed to hit him with her elbow.

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