One: I do not own Slayers.
Two: I know, I really do know that this theme has been presented in so many fanfics and fanarts that it is starting to be boring. But Zel/Ame is my favourite couple and this oneshot drabble came out so natural. I wasn't planning this, it just came to my mind and without dictionary or first sketch I just spitted it out of me and wrote it down. Event is set after Try series.
Three: Sorry for any spelling, punctuation or grammatical mistakes. It's my first work ever wrote without checking up a single word in a dictionary.
Four: Enjoy.
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She was walking slowly trough the castle halls. Sun has set long ago, it was autumn. Stone walls were giving back the heat that they had collected during summer.
"I'm exhausted" she thought rubbing her wrists. She has been doing her formal paperwork for hours. Nearby kingdom has risen its taxes for Sailuune's merchants. She had to negotiate lower prices, unless she wanted people to go on strikes.
She reached her room, came in, closed and locked wooden doors still standing back to the rest of her place.
- Your hair grew longer.
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He was sitting in a darkness in a well-known room. Nothing really has changed here since he last saw it more than a year ago. A few more pieces of jewellery and cosmetics on a desk, a few more books on a shelf, no more plushies, more toned bedding... But the scent of hers was still he same - sweet like flowers, innocent but addicting. Suddenly, he heard steps from behind the doors. He knew he was going to see her in a moment. She came in, but didn't notice him in a room filled with the darkness of the night.
In one second he realised many things: she has grown a bit taller, but was filigree as always with her small waist and delicate arms. She was wearing a long gown that accented her feminine curves. But the biggest and most surprising discovery for him was that she has grown her hair long. She has always been more girly than Lina even with her boyish hairstyle, but now these long, shiny, dark hair gave her a look of a grown-up woman.
He couldn't help himself and said:
- Your hair grew longer.
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She turned arond and saw him. Sitting as usual with his legs crossed, his hood on his head. Like he had been sitting here forever.
But he hadn't. He hadn't given her any sign of life for more than a year. And suddenly, out of nowhere, he was here again, saying that her hair grew longer.
No "Hello", no "Long time no see"...
She stood dumb for a while but then a wave of tender feelings overwhelmed her. She wanted to cry, to run directly into his arms, to say him how she had missed him... but... she decided to play his game and answered simply:
- I haven't been travelling recently so I could let my hair grow. On the journey it would be problematic.
Silence.
He put down his hood. So he didn't find his cure.
They were looking at each other straight into one another's eyes. Between them there wasn't a slightest move of air, instead there were thousands of unspoken words and questions. She knew she had to say something, anything, otherwise that beautiful illusion of him would blur and he would leave her alone. Again.
- Zelgad...
- No. Please Amelia, let me talk. It's hard for me, but I have to know something.
She didn't say anything. She lowered her eyes and stood still. Waiting.
- First, I have to apologize. I promised you to come back to Sailuune in less than half a year in a human form. As you can see...
- It doesn't matter - she said quickly with her whole strenght. She couldn't let him leave her again.
- It does. As you can see I haven't found my cure. And I am late. What I want to... what I have to know is... Am I... too late?
He said it so sadly and hopelessly that another wave of tenderness crossed her heart. He did care for her.
But she said nothing. She wanted to hear him saying it.
- I mean... Do you still want me to stay here in Sailuune?
Again she had to prevent herself from running straight into his arms to comfort him and assure that it's her biggest dream. She decided to continue the game for a bit longer.
- No. - she said in a low voice.
Echo multiplied this word, so it sounded like a sentence to death. His eyes went wide open, but before he could lowered them in pain she repeated:
- No. I don't want you to stay in Sailuune. I want you to stay with me.
Finally, she let her emotions to explode. Happiness and tenderness mixed up with longing and... with love. They walked to each other. Their eyes, hands and lips met in the middle of Amelia's room.
- Stay with me - she managed to whisper before their bodies started to get to know each other better than ever before.
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The sun has risen but the warmth hasn't reached the room yet. It didn't matter. His stone skin was giving back the heat that it had collected during the night.
An old piece of jewellery found its place on her desk. The blue gem was shining in the daylight.