Okies, here be a little something I call "proof of my twisted nature." I
wrote (er...am writing) it for Silk n'Stone, but lovely EmeraldStar wanted
to see it and so...well...lil' me is posting it. For Star. 'Cause Star's
my star. 'Cause I always get R&R from her and that makes me happy! Not
that I'm forgetting the others that've responded...Thea, DogMatrix,
Deathwraith, ShiTiger, Relwarc, Chiizu, Belldandy (Woohoo! I got a response
from a goddess!), Tori Yuki Ichimura, chibigwgirl, Sitashi, Amiryn...you
guys are the cream in my eye, the apple of my coffee! Wait, is that right?
Hold on.....
What Secrets We Bring by The DeathBunnie
Zelgadis cursed vehemently for the fourth time that day. Lost again.
Up ahead, Filia and Xelloss were arguing about the directions. Amelia was trying to mediate the two, while Lina and Gourry fought over some random piece of food. The day was long and was only going to get longer.
"It's getting dark. I'm setting up camp," Zelgadis announced finally, pushing past the argumentative lot towards the shelter of the trees and the solace they offered. The others watched him go, and then shrugged.
"I suppose that would be the best idea. We're going nowhere fast and it's only getting later; there's no telling how far it is until the next town," Lina agreed, confiscating the chicken leg from Gourry in a decisive snatch as she headed off after Zelgadis. The blonde mercenary headed after her, soon followed by the princess. Filia and Xelloss exchanged glances, then (realizing she was alone with the mazokou) she charged off as well.
Xelloss watched them leave, then with a chuckle shrugged and disappeared into thin air.
********************
Their sleeping bags arranged around the small fire, three of the group's members discussed relevant matters, while one sat with the politely blank expression of someone who had no idea what was going on but was completely happy to remain silent about it. The troupe's fifth member was off to the side, sharpening his sword.
"Why don't you join your friends by the fire?" Ah, the sixth..well.perhaps the only way to refer to him was a member, though he was more like the puppy you fed once that wouldn't stop following you. The Trickster Priest hovered in mid-air beside the branch Zelgadis sat on.
"Because I don't want to."
"Why don't you want to?" the annoying voice chimed in once more.
Zelgadis gritted his teeth. "Because I don't." He didn't need this. He never needed it; he especially didn't need it now. Why did he always have to come to him when he could so easily chat with the others?
"That's not a very good answer," Xelloss drew up a bit closer, crossing his legs as he conjured a cup of tea out of the air. "Care for some?"
The chimera actually contemplated it, but glared at the demon in disgust as he saw into the cup. "It's not tea."
Xelloss grinned and laughed in his usual mocking tone. "Of course not. Do you think I actually drink tea? Of course, this isn't the real thing." He inspected the cup of viscous crimson liquid idly, then tossed it back over his shoulder where it simply ceased to exist. "But it does work well for the shock factor, doesn't it?" One purple eye opened in a sort of reverse- wink and he touched a finger to his lips in a secretive gesture.
The chimera simply grunted in disgust and went back to sharpening the blade, this time with greater interest; the better to keep his mind off the annoying demon hovering nearby.
"Of course," the mazokou added, "it would certainly make for more of a shock factor if I simply conjured a scantily-clad virgin and asked if you wanted some, wouldn't it? Like this, see?"
Shocked into disgusted rage that he would actually do this, Zelgadis turned to curse the irritating beast.but he was nowhere to be found - apparently he'd been bluffing. Grumbling, he looked back down at the blade as the priest's voice rang in his ear, "Lighten up, little chimera. You know you're only fun if you're laughing or screaming; at least I'm giving you and the others a choice."
The shaman's eyes narrowed, but he didn't respond, other than drawing the stone across the blade's edge harder.
********************
The next morning came sooner that desired, and Zelgadis and Amelia were hard at work with their arduous task of waking up Gourry and Lina. Filia was already packing up their belongings and rambling politely in case anyone was listening.
"So the best way to Benirun is through the western pass. We'd better get moving before the sun gets too high, otherwise it will be terribly hot," And the stupid mazokou will be around to contradict me she added mentally, huffing beneath her breath.
"Mister Gourry.Miss Lina, please wake up." Amelia shook each of them in turn, finally looking to Zelgadis when all attempts failed.
The chimera, far more used to duo, sighed and tapped his dagger against a rock. "Breakfast is ready," he said clearly in his usual nasal monotone, and, having better foresight than Amelia, he slid to the side to avoid getting trampled as the formerly-sleeping pair were up and ravenously scanning the area for food.
"Breakfast? Here? Where?!" Linda screamed, shoving Gourry out of the way.
"Mr. Zelgadis, you know we don't have any more food," Amelia ventured warily.
Lina and Gourry's frantic fight/search skidded to a halt, and they looked to Zelgadis who merely shrugged. "They're up, aren't they?"
Lina's shoulders shook as she muttered beneath her breath, then pointed an accusing finger at the chimera. "FIREBAAALLL!"
And so another day began.
********************
They'd been walking for hours with no relief in sight, and finally Filia was starting to admit - silently and to herself, of course - that she may indeed have made a slight miscalculation and perhaps they were supposed to be traveling east instead of west. Just a slight miscalculation.
"Are you absolutely certain you're going the right way, Miss Dragon?" Filia froze as the voice chuckled in her ear. He. Was. Right. Behind. Her. "I do distinctly remember saying Benirun was to the east.is it by any means feasible that I was correct?"
Filia screeched and turned, releasing a beam of her dragonic breath in the voice's direction - only to find her traveling companions ducking for cover, confusion and shock on their faces. She muttered an apology, her face beet-red, and turned around once more, hands fidgeting with the hem of her cloak. She knew she had heard him.egh.
"Nice shot, but your aim isn't very good, Miss Dragon. Maybe if you practiced some more.?"
The demon's voice came from behind her again; she clenched her teeth in anger and turned to face him, her hand coming around in a vicious slap - which hurt more than anticipated as it struck against the chimera's stone cheek. He blinked in confusion, completely unphased by the strike. Filia yelped and clutched her bruised hand, tears in her eyes as she apparently ranted to thin air. "Leave me alone!"
"But why.? You're so much fun. Laughing or screaming, ne, Mister Zelgadis?" Phasing in before her just as Filia turned to the front once more, he winked and tilted his head, all smiles as the dragon swooned, wobbled, then quite promptly passed out. "Oh, dear me. That was unexpected."
Zelgadis glared at the demon who was currently prodding the dazed dragon with the end of his staff. Exhaling in a hiss that belied his waning patience, he looked back at the others. "We're turning around. Benirun is to the east." They groaned and muttered their complaints, but the shaman stepped past them and headed back in the direction they'd come from without another word.
Their pace kept up - or, at least, Zelgadis's pace kept up. In fact, the others were steadily falling back; Lina and Gourry were wasting away for the lack of food (for more than four hours) and Amelia.well, with the semi- conscious Filia on her shoulders, it was expected she wouldn't be keeping pace with the others. Xelloss was currently levitating near an increasingly-irritated Zelgadis, whose fists were clenched in an effort to maintain self-control as the priest insisted on taunting and prodding him.
"Ne, Zelgadis." Xelloss started, for once dropping the formalities. The chimera's eyes lifted from the ground to find the priest just in front of him, the freakish amethyst eyes inches from his own making him slightly queasy. "Don't you think you'd be better off without this rag-tag band constantly chasing you around? Always slowing you down, always messing you up."
"What are you getting at?" he retorted, trying to sidestep the demon who merely levitated in front of him once more. "Get. Out. Of. My. Way," growled out between clenched teeth.
"We~elll," the trickster hesitated, then swept over so he was upside down in front of the shaman, their faces level. "Don't you think you'd have found your cure by now if it hadn't been for them always bumbling around, going on about food and money and such.?"
"No, I don't."
"Oh, pah. We both know you don't believe that. How many times have you blamed them for your failure?" Those eyes, formerly in their upturned smiles, now opened a fraction to let the cold purple gleam wickedly. "Ne, Mister Zelgadis?"
That broke it. The normally placid shaman growled and let a punch fly, the rock knuckles scraping across the demon's face cruelly. Xelloss's only reaction was that his head snapped to the side sharply. There was a pause, and his hand raised to the scratch across his white cheek, wiping a few droplets of blood off and then licking it clean. "Nice," he commented with a smirk. "Now how about we kiss and make up?"
Shuddering with revulsion at the thought, he shoved the demon, hard. He may as well have shoved a brick wall, and instead of the demon moving, she shaman found himself flat on the ground on his butt. By now the others had caught up, and Amelia was huffing as she chastised the trickster priest.
"Leave Mister Zelgadis alone, Mister Xelloss. You really have caused enough problems for one day," she added, hefting Filia's weight on her shoulders to exercise her point.
Xelloss pouted and phased out, only to reappear next to a startled Amelia. "If she's so heavy - which I don't doubt; I think she's been putting on a bit of weight -" he grinned, "then by all means, let me help." The scratches across his face now gone, he easily hefted the dragon off the princess's shoulders, and she sighed with relief, rolling her shoulder to relieve the ache in them. Now cradling the stirring girl in his arms, he hummed a jaunty little death march under his breath as he came up along Lina. "So, Miss Lina, do -"
"Xelloss. Shut. Up."
He blinked, then ventured again, nonplussed. "I was going to say, are you -"
Filia woke up, realized where she was - or more specifically whose arms she was in - and started kicking and screaming. Amelia ran over to calm her down, and Gourry fell onto his face.
Lina just lost it.
"FIREBAAALLL!!"
********************
It seemed like an eternity, but they did indeed reach Benirun. Zelgadis had fallen to the rear, his mask up once more, and Gourry trudged in with Amelia holding him up. Perhaps the one getting the most stares was the slightly-charred Xelloss who was currently managing to carry both an equally-charred irate Filia as well as an unconscious Lina at the same time. When they reached the inn, they all flopped into chairs and Xelloss propped his burdens up into their seats as well.
"I don't think it was very fair to make me carry them all this way, you know."
Zelgadis barely spared him a glance. "You shouldn't have made them pass out."
The demon sputtered, blinked, then grinned in his wolfish way, tapping his lips conspiratorially. "I shouldn't have, but I did. That still doesn't designate me as the cart horse."
"I don't see why not."
Xelloss sniffed indignantly, then shrugged and looked to Amelia who had been staring at him since they sat down. "And what say you, my dearest princess?"
Amelia actually blushed, then she shrugged and looked down at the menu before her. "It's nothing, Mister Xelloss. I guess we'd better order some food before Mister Gourry and Miss Lina waste away any more."
All it took was the 'f' word for the two to awaken once more, and thus began the daily battle known as 'eating.' Filia and Amelia soon remembered how hungry they were, and joined in as well, leaving only Xelloss and Zelgadis to retain their dignity. Eventually the chimera stood, pushing his chair back.
"I'm going up to my room," he announced, and left before any protests could be voiced.
Xelloss grinned to himself and cast a look over the others, seeing that they were perfectly preoccupied before he disappeared as well.
********************
Up in his room, Zelgadis fumed. His cloak and shoes off, he lay across his bed and stared up at the ceiling in silent contemplation. Of course he'd blamed the others for his failure, but he knew that was only because he was too angry to blame it on himself. He knew if anyone was to blame, it was himself. It was just that the others were convenient. But he knew better.
How dare that damn fiend try to convince him that it was his friends' fault! All the more reason not to trust the beast further than you could throw him. They still didn't know the exact reason Xelloss had returned to their sides, but the last time it wasn't for good; there was no reason for it to be good this time.
As it was, he'd given up on finding a cure long ago; he simply presented it to the others as his reason to go on. When he sat down to think about it, it seemed obvious that there wasn't really any reason to go on, besides his companions. Not that he'd ever admit that. Still, he wondered if something quieter and less painful lay behind this realm. Something warmer, softer; something.
".peaceful," he murmured out loud, his eyes half-closed.
"Those who wish for peace and find their dreams fulfilled often find themselves sad indeed, little chimera," a voice chimed in right next to his ear.
Zelgadis tensed and sat up abruptly, his unsheathed sword already in his hands. "How did you get in here?"
Xelloss blinked a few times, then crossed his legs where his hovered, laying the staff across his lap. "You should already know the answer to that, I think."
The shaman cursed under his breath; of course, that had been a stupid question, but it had been the first thing that came to mind. "Fine. Nice. Good trick. Now locate the door and get out of my room."
The eternal smile faded to a half-pout for a split second, then the priest landed and spun the staff once, resting it on the floor once more with a soft 'tap.' "I could do that, yes. But I don't think I will. You see, there are more pressing matters to attend to right now with you, if you'll please understand." The demon approached a few feet closer, stopping when the shaman's sword came up to rest on his throat, and the amethyst eyes opened with a mocking shine, eyebrows raising. "What do you plan to do with that, little chimera?"
Sapphire eyes narrowed, and his hands tightened on the hilt. "I plan to run you through with it, if you take a step closer to me, mazokou."
Amusement danced in the demon's gaze and he tilted his chin up somewhat, his hand sliding up his own staff to rest just beneath the crimson gem. "I'm not sure if I believe you'd do that; killing in cold blood isn't your fashion, is it?" He took another step forward brazenly.
A strange smile crossed Zelgadis's face suddenly, almost dreamlike, and he braced the sword as the demon stepped forward, holding to it tightly so that the honed blade held still. Surprise actually registered in the mazokou's cat-like eyes as steel slid through soft flesh, piercing his throat, though the mysterious smile never faltered. Zelgadis continued forward even as Xelloss stopped, pushing until the blade was in completely, the hilt of the sword just under Xelloss's chin, and he growled low. "It isn't my fashion, you're right. But this won't kill you."
Xelloss choked softly, but of course his voice was destroyed thanks to the blade severing his vocal cords. He regarded the blood freely blossoming across the tan tunic in silence, then he suddenly reached up, his left hand closing around Zelgadis's wrist in a vice-like grip. The smile broadened into a sinister grin as a trickle of blood wound its way down the demon's chin, and with a jerk of his arm he forced Zelgadis to twist the sword, furthering the gash in his throat. The chimera's eyes widened in a mixture of disgust and horror as he tried to break free, but while the demon held to his wrist there was no chance of release. Sapphire eyes locked on wicked amethyst ones and the spark between them was almost visible. The sword's blade jerked again, and Zelgadis's eyes widened. He's enjoying it! The sick bastard's enjoying it! He tried to pull free once more, and in a final desperate move he braced his foot against the monster's shoulder, giving him a rough kick which sent them both tumbling, the sword sliding free of flesh with a sickening slish.
Stone fingers shakily pried themselves from the handle of the sword as Zelgadis lay sprawled against the bed, glaring warily at the recovering demon. He watched as the mazokou sat back up gracefully, muscles trembling imperceptibly - not from pain though; that was certain from the husky tone of his voice, audible even though the vocal cords were still knitting themselves back together. "That's twice you've hurt me, little chimera. And you still haven't offered to kiss and make up."
At first, words eluded Zelgadis. Something in the back of his mind was irritated to the point of fury by the fact that this thing kept calling him a 'little chimera,' though other emotions were surfacing as well. What the hell had just happened? Why did Xelloss just stand there? And what the hell was wrong with this guy, thinking they were going to 'kiss and make up?!' Finally, his brain seemed to keep into conscious action again.
"Don't you.ever.try that again, demon."
Xelloss's eyebrows raised, and he chuckled. "You're going to try and convince me that you didn't like hurting me.?"
"I don't think what I caused you just now would be considered 'pain.'"
"No.?" Eyebrows raised, and the priest strode forward once more, stepping on the blade to prevent Zelgadis from bringing it up once more. He kneeled in front of the chimera, their faces inches apart. "Well.I certainly would call it pain. Otherwise, why would I have enjoyed it so very immensely?" he whispered, and without another word pressed his lips to Zelgadis's firmly.
The shaman tensed and reached up to push Xelloss away, but the mazokou's strength was beyond his by far and there was no moving the creature if he didn't wish it. He felt the demon's tongue trace across his lips and shuddered, holding his breath, but when the monster didn't move away he found himself turning blue(er) from lack of air. Parting his lips for a quick gulp of oxygen, he found the opportunity seized by the trickster as his mouth was invaded by a skilled tongue. There was an instant of thrashing, but the demon's hands rose to still the boy's shoulders and movement suddenly ground to a halt.
Zelgadis thought he was going to be sick. Not because of the action itself, but because it was actually.wonderful. Why? A whimper escaped him as his eyes slipped shut, and his fists clenched at his sides as the mazokou moved even closer, settling against his body firmly and completely. The two tongues dueled, Zelgadis's growing bolder and braver, but it was the demon who finally won and pulled the boy's tongue into his mouth with a series of gentle nips. Then, one very hard one.
The chimera jerked reflexively, his growing passiveness suddenly shattered as Xelloss's fangs sliced into his tongue and forced a muffled cry from the shaman, whose struggles started anew. The mazokou pressed insistently against the wriggling chimera whose hands were currently gripping his wrists, the stone skin scratching viciously against the milky-while flesh as he suckled at the lacerated tongue. Eyes opened and met; one pair glinting with twisted lust, one pair full of terrified fury. The kiss ended abruptly and Xelloss licked Zelgadis's trembling lips almost lovingly before whispering, "I had a feeling you weren't completely covered in stone. Next time, my beautiful little chimera, we'll have even more fun, ne?" He flashed that secret smile before suddenly disappearing without a trace, save for the blackish blood that was puddled on the floor and smeared across the shaman's pristine white robes.
Dazed and shaking, Zelgadis attempted to stand but found himself far too dizzy - from either lack of blood or lack of control, though he was suspicious it was the latter of the two. What the hell just happened? He managed to get back up onto the bed and lean back against the wall, eyeing his shaking hands nervously. What the hell had just happened?
Xelloss made him hurt him.
What the hell had just happened?
Xelloss had attacked him.
What the hell had just happened?
Xelloss had kissed him.
What the hell had just happened?
Xelloss had..wait. Xelloss had just kissed him. Xelloss had just kissed him?
Xelloss had just kissed him!
And that was all that happened, as Zelgadis's eyes rolled back and he passed out.
What Secrets We Bring by The DeathBunnie
Zelgadis cursed vehemently for the fourth time that day. Lost again.
Up ahead, Filia and Xelloss were arguing about the directions. Amelia was trying to mediate the two, while Lina and Gourry fought over some random piece of food. The day was long and was only going to get longer.
"It's getting dark. I'm setting up camp," Zelgadis announced finally, pushing past the argumentative lot towards the shelter of the trees and the solace they offered. The others watched him go, and then shrugged.
"I suppose that would be the best idea. We're going nowhere fast and it's only getting later; there's no telling how far it is until the next town," Lina agreed, confiscating the chicken leg from Gourry in a decisive snatch as she headed off after Zelgadis. The blonde mercenary headed after her, soon followed by the princess. Filia and Xelloss exchanged glances, then (realizing she was alone with the mazokou) she charged off as well.
Xelloss watched them leave, then with a chuckle shrugged and disappeared into thin air.
********************
Their sleeping bags arranged around the small fire, three of the group's members discussed relevant matters, while one sat with the politely blank expression of someone who had no idea what was going on but was completely happy to remain silent about it. The troupe's fifth member was off to the side, sharpening his sword.
"Why don't you join your friends by the fire?" Ah, the sixth..well.perhaps the only way to refer to him was a member, though he was more like the puppy you fed once that wouldn't stop following you. The Trickster Priest hovered in mid-air beside the branch Zelgadis sat on.
"Because I don't want to."
"Why don't you want to?" the annoying voice chimed in once more.
Zelgadis gritted his teeth. "Because I don't." He didn't need this. He never needed it; he especially didn't need it now. Why did he always have to come to him when he could so easily chat with the others?
"That's not a very good answer," Xelloss drew up a bit closer, crossing his legs as he conjured a cup of tea out of the air. "Care for some?"
The chimera actually contemplated it, but glared at the demon in disgust as he saw into the cup. "It's not tea."
Xelloss grinned and laughed in his usual mocking tone. "Of course not. Do you think I actually drink tea? Of course, this isn't the real thing." He inspected the cup of viscous crimson liquid idly, then tossed it back over his shoulder where it simply ceased to exist. "But it does work well for the shock factor, doesn't it?" One purple eye opened in a sort of reverse- wink and he touched a finger to his lips in a secretive gesture.
The chimera simply grunted in disgust and went back to sharpening the blade, this time with greater interest; the better to keep his mind off the annoying demon hovering nearby.
"Of course," the mazokou added, "it would certainly make for more of a shock factor if I simply conjured a scantily-clad virgin and asked if you wanted some, wouldn't it? Like this, see?"
Shocked into disgusted rage that he would actually do this, Zelgadis turned to curse the irritating beast.but he was nowhere to be found - apparently he'd been bluffing. Grumbling, he looked back down at the blade as the priest's voice rang in his ear, "Lighten up, little chimera. You know you're only fun if you're laughing or screaming; at least I'm giving you and the others a choice."
The shaman's eyes narrowed, but he didn't respond, other than drawing the stone across the blade's edge harder.
********************
The next morning came sooner that desired, and Zelgadis and Amelia were hard at work with their arduous task of waking up Gourry and Lina. Filia was already packing up their belongings and rambling politely in case anyone was listening.
"So the best way to Benirun is through the western pass. We'd better get moving before the sun gets too high, otherwise it will be terribly hot," And the stupid mazokou will be around to contradict me she added mentally, huffing beneath her breath.
"Mister Gourry.Miss Lina, please wake up." Amelia shook each of them in turn, finally looking to Zelgadis when all attempts failed.
The chimera, far more used to duo, sighed and tapped his dagger against a rock. "Breakfast is ready," he said clearly in his usual nasal monotone, and, having better foresight than Amelia, he slid to the side to avoid getting trampled as the formerly-sleeping pair were up and ravenously scanning the area for food.
"Breakfast? Here? Where?!" Linda screamed, shoving Gourry out of the way.
"Mr. Zelgadis, you know we don't have any more food," Amelia ventured warily.
Lina and Gourry's frantic fight/search skidded to a halt, and they looked to Zelgadis who merely shrugged. "They're up, aren't they?"
Lina's shoulders shook as she muttered beneath her breath, then pointed an accusing finger at the chimera. "FIREBAAALLL!"
And so another day began.
********************
They'd been walking for hours with no relief in sight, and finally Filia was starting to admit - silently and to herself, of course - that she may indeed have made a slight miscalculation and perhaps they were supposed to be traveling east instead of west. Just a slight miscalculation.
"Are you absolutely certain you're going the right way, Miss Dragon?" Filia froze as the voice chuckled in her ear. He. Was. Right. Behind. Her. "I do distinctly remember saying Benirun was to the east.is it by any means feasible that I was correct?"
Filia screeched and turned, releasing a beam of her dragonic breath in the voice's direction - only to find her traveling companions ducking for cover, confusion and shock on their faces. She muttered an apology, her face beet-red, and turned around once more, hands fidgeting with the hem of her cloak. She knew she had heard him.egh.
"Nice shot, but your aim isn't very good, Miss Dragon. Maybe if you practiced some more.?"
The demon's voice came from behind her again; she clenched her teeth in anger and turned to face him, her hand coming around in a vicious slap - which hurt more than anticipated as it struck against the chimera's stone cheek. He blinked in confusion, completely unphased by the strike. Filia yelped and clutched her bruised hand, tears in her eyes as she apparently ranted to thin air. "Leave me alone!"
"But why.? You're so much fun. Laughing or screaming, ne, Mister Zelgadis?" Phasing in before her just as Filia turned to the front once more, he winked and tilted his head, all smiles as the dragon swooned, wobbled, then quite promptly passed out. "Oh, dear me. That was unexpected."
Zelgadis glared at the demon who was currently prodding the dazed dragon with the end of his staff. Exhaling in a hiss that belied his waning patience, he looked back at the others. "We're turning around. Benirun is to the east." They groaned and muttered their complaints, but the shaman stepped past them and headed back in the direction they'd come from without another word.
Their pace kept up - or, at least, Zelgadis's pace kept up. In fact, the others were steadily falling back; Lina and Gourry were wasting away for the lack of food (for more than four hours) and Amelia.well, with the semi- conscious Filia on her shoulders, it was expected she wouldn't be keeping pace with the others. Xelloss was currently levitating near an increasingly-irritated Zelgadis, whose fists were clenched in an effort to maintain self-control as the priest insisted on taunting and prodding him.
"Ne, Zelgadis." Xelloss started, for once dropping the formalities. The chimera's eyes lifted from the ground to find the priest just in front of him, the freakish amethyst eyes inches from his own making him slightly queasy. "Don't you think you'd be better off without this rag-tag band constantly chasing you around? Always slowing you down, always messing you up."
"What are you getting at?" he retorted, trying to sidestep the demon who merely levitated in front of him once more. "Get. Out. Of. My. Way," growled out between clenched teeth.
"We~elll," the trickster hesitated, then swept over so he was upside down in front of the shaman, their faces level. "Don't you think you'd have found your cure by now if it hadn't been for them always bumbling around, going on about food and money and such.?"
"No, I don't."
"Oh, pah. We both know you don't believe that. How many times have you blamed them for your failure?" Those eyes, formerly in their upturned smiles, now opened a fraction to let the cold purple gleam wickedly. "Ne, Mister Zelgadis?"
That broke it. The normally placid shaman growled and let a punch fly, the rock knuckles scraping across the demon's face cruelly. Xelloss's only reaction was that his head snapped to the side sharply. There was a pause, and his hand raised to the scratch across his white cheek, wiping a few droplets of blood off and then licking it clean. "Nice," he commented with a smirk. "Now how about we kiss and make up?"
Shuddering with revulsion at the thought, he shoved the demon, hard. He may as well have shoved a brick wall, and instead of the demon moving, she shaman found himself flat on the ground on his butt. By now the others had caught up, and Amelia was huffing as she chastised the trickster priest.
"Leave Mister Zelgadis alone, Mister Xelloss. You really have caused enough problems for one day," she added, hefting Filia's weight on her shoulders to exercise her point.
Xelloss pouted and phased out, only to reappear next to a startled Amelia. "If she's so heavy - which I don't doubt; I think she's been putting on a bit of weight -" he grinned, "then by all means, let me help." The scratches across his face now gone, he easily hefted the dragon off the princess's shoulders, and she sighed with relief, rolling her shoulder to relieve the ache in them. Now cradling the stirring girl in his arms, he hummed a jaunty little death march under his breath as he came up along Lina. "So, Miss Lina, do -"
"Xelloss. Shut. Up."
He blinked, then ventured again, nonplussed. "I was going to say, are you -"
Filia woke up, realized where she was - or more specifically whose arms she was in - and started kicking and screaming. Amelia ran over to calm her down, and Gourry fell onto his face.
Lina just lost it.
"FIREBAAALLL!!"
********************
It seemed like an eternity, but they did indeed reach Benirun. Zelgadis had fallen to the rear, his mask up once more, and Gourry trudged in with Amelia holding him up. Perhaps the one getting the most stares was the slightly-charred Xelloss who was currently managing to carry both an equally-charred irate Filia as well as an unconscious Lina at the same time. When they reached the inn, they all flopped into chairs and Xelloss propped his burdens up into their seats as well.
"I don't think it was very fair to make me carry them all this way, you know."
Zelgadis barely spared him a glance. "You shouldn't have made them pass out."
The demon sputtered, blinked, then grinned in his wolfish way, tapping his lips conspiratorially. "I shouldn't have, but I did. That still doesn't designate me as the cart horse."
"I don't see why not."
Xelloss sniffed indignantly, then shrugged and looked to Amelia who had been staring at him since they sat down. "And what say you, my dearest princess?"
Amelia actually blushed, then she shrugged and looked down at the menu before her. "It's nothing, Mister Xelloss. I guess we'd better order some food before Mister Gourry and Miss Lina waste away any more."
All it took was the 'f' word for the two to awaken once more, and thus began the daily battle known as 'eating.' Filia and Amelia soon remembered how hungry they were, and joined in as well, leaving only Xelloss and Zelgadis to retain their dignity. Eventually the chimera stood, pushing his chair back.
"I'm going up to my room," he announced, and left before any protests could be voiced.
Xelloss grinned to himself and cast a look over the others, seeing that they were perfectly preoccupied before he disappeared as well.
********************
Up in his room, Zelgadis fumed. His cloak and shoes off, he lay across his bed and stared up at the ceiling in silent contemplation. Of course he'd blamed the others for his failure, but he knew that was only because he was too angry to blame it on himself. He knew if anyone was to blame, it was himself. It was just that the others were convenient. But he knew better.
How dare that damn fiend try to convince him that it was his friends' fault! All the more reason not to trust the beast further than you could throw him. They still didn't know the exact reason Xelloss had returned to their sides, but the last time it wasn't for good; there was no reason for it to be good this time.
As it was, he'd given up on finding a cure long ago; he simply presented it to the others as his reason to go on. When he sat down to think about it, it seemed obvious that there wasn't really any reason to go on, besides his companions. Not that he'd ever admit that. Still, he wondered if something quieter and less painful lay behind this realm. Something warmer, softer; something.
".peaceful," he murmured out loud, his eyes half-closed.
"Those who wish for peace and find their dreams fulfilled often find themselves sad indeed, little chimera," a voice chimed in right next to his ear.
Zelgadis tensed and sat up abruptly, his unsheathed sword already in his hands. "How did you get in here?"
Xelloss blinked a few times, then crossed his legs where his hovered, laying the staff across his lap. "You should already know the answer to that, I think."
The shaman cursed under his breath; of course, that had been a stupid question, but it had been the first thing that came to mind. "Fine. Nice. Good trick. Now locate the door and get out of my room."
The eternal smile faded to a half-pout for a split second, then the priest landed and spun the staff once, resting it on the floor once more with a soft 'tap.' "I could do that, yes. But I don't think I will. You see, there are more pressing matters to attend to right now with you, if you'll please understand." The demon approached a few feet closer, stopping when the shaman's sword came up to rest on his throat, and the amethyst eyes opened with a mocking shine, eyebrows raising. "What do you plan to do with that, little chimera?"
Sapphire eyes narrowed, and his hands tightened on the hilt. "I plan to run you through with it, if you take a step closer to me, mazokou."
Amusement danced in the demon's gaze and he tilted his chin up somewhat, his hand sliding up his own staff to rest just beneath the crimson gem. "I'm not sure if I believe you'd do that; killing in cold blood isn't your fashion, is it?" He took another step forward brazenly.
A strange smile crossed Zelgadis's face suddenly, almost dreamlike, and he braced the sword as the demon stepped forward, holding to it tightly so that the honed blade held still. Surprise actually registered in the mazokou's cat-like eyes as steel slid through soft flesh, piercing his throat, though the mysterious smile never faltered. Zelgadis continued forward even as Xelloss stopped, pushing until the blade was in completely, the hilt of the sword just under Xelloss's chin, and he growled low. "It isn't my fashion, you're right. But this won't kill you."
Xelloss choked softly, but of course his voice was destroyed thanks to the blade severing his vocal cords. He regarded the blood freely blossoming across the tan tunic in silence, then he suddenly reached up, his left hand closing around Zelgadis's wrist in a vice-like grip. The smile broadened into a sinister grin as a trickle of blood wound its way down the demon's chin, and with a jerk of his arm he forced Zelgadis to twist the sword, furthering the gash in his throat. The chimera's eyes widened in a mixture of disgust and horror as he tried to break free, but while the demon held to his wrist there was no chance of release. Sapphire eyes locked on wicked amethyst ones and the spark between them was almost visible. The sword's blade jerked again, and Zelgadis's eyes widened. He's enjoying it! The sick bastard's enjoying it! He tried to pull free once more, and in a final desperate move he braced his foot against the monster's shoulder, giving him a rough kick which sent them both tumbling, the sword sliding free of flesh with a sickening slish.
Stone fingers shakily pried themselves from the handle of the sword as Zelgadis lay sprawled against the bed, glaring warily at the recovering demon. He watched as the mazokou sat back up gracefully, muscles trembling imperceptibly - not from pain though; that was certain from the husky tone of his voice, audible even though the vocal cords were still knitting themselves back together. "That's twice you've hurt me, little chimera. And you still haven't offered to kiss and make up."
At first, words eluded Zelgadis. Something in the back of his mind was irritated to the point of fury by the fact that this thing kept calling him a 'little chimera,' though other emotions were surfacing as well. What the hell had just happened? Why did Xelloss just stand there? And what the hell was wrong with this guy, thinking they were going to 'kiss and make up?!' Finally, his brain seemed to keep into conscious action again.
"Don't you.ever.try that again, demon."
Xelloss's eyebrows raised, and he chuckled. "You're going to try and convince me that you didn't like hurting me.?"
"I don't think what I caused you just now would be considered 'pain.'"
"No.?" Eyebrows raised, and the priest strode forward once more, stepping on the blade to prevent Zelgadis from bringing it up once more. He kneeled in front of the chimera, their faces inches apart. "Well.I certainly would call it pain. Otherwise, why would I have enjoyed it so very immensely?" he whispered, and without another word pressed his lips to Zelgadis's firmly.
The shaman tensed and reached up to push Xelloss away, but the mazokou's strength was beyond his by far and there was no moving the creature if he didn't wish it. He felt the demon's tongue trace across his lips and shuddered, holding his breath, but when the monster didn't move away he found himself turning blue(er) from lack of air. Parting his lips for a quick gulp of oxygen, he found the opportunity seized by the trickster as his mouth was invaded by a skilled tongue. There was an instant of thrashing, but the demon's hands rose to still the boy's shoulders and movement suddenly ground to a halt.
Zelgadis thought he was going to be sick. Not because of the action itself, but because it was actually.wonderful. Why? A whimper escaped him as his eyes slipped shut, and his fists clenched at his sides as the mazokou moved even closer, settling against his body firmly and completely. The two tongues dueled, Zelgadis's growing bolder and braver, but it was the demon who finally won and pulled the boy's tongue into his mouth with a series of gentle nips. Then, one very hard one.
The chimera jerked reflexively, his growing passiveness suddenly shattered as Xelloss's fangs sliced into his tongue and forced a muffled cry from the shaman, whose struggles started anew. The mazokou pressed insistently against the wriggling chimera whose hands were currently gripping his wrists, the stone skin scratching viciously against the milky-while flesh as he suckled at the lacerated tongue. Eyes opened and met; one pair glinting with twisted lust, one pair full of terrified fury. The kiss ended abruptly and Xelloss licked Zelgadis's trembling lips almost lovingly before whispering, "I had a feeling you weren't completely covered in stone. Next time, my beautiful little chimera, we'll have even more fun, ne?" He flashed that secret smile before suddenly disappearing without a trace, save for the blackish blood that was puddled on the floor and smeared across the shaman's pristine white robes.
Dazed and shaking, Zelgadis attempted to stand but found himself far too dizzy - from either lack of blood or lack of control, though he was suspicious it was the latter of the two. What the hell just happened? He managed to get back up onto the bed and lean back against the wall, eyeing his shaking hands nervously. What the hell had just happened?
Xelloss made him hurt him.
What the hell had just happened?
Xelloss had attacked him.
What the hell had just happened?
Xelloss had kissed him.
What the hell had just happened?
Xelloss had..wait. Xelloss had just kissed him. Xelloss had just kissed him?
Xelloss had just kissed him!
And that was all that happened, as Zelgadis's eyes rolled back and he passed out.