It nagged at Lina the entire month after she and Gourry had returned from the Sea of Chaos. What happened.

That kiss.

It nagged at her because as long as Amelia and Zel and Slyphiel were around, she couldn't talk to Gourry about it, much less do anything else. Hells, of course she remembered, of course she wasn't upset about it, she wasn't stupid, she was just... intensely private. It wasn't anybody else's business.

It took a whole month before people went away for her to have opportunity.

Now she just had to figure out how to bring it up. Nothing she'd gone through had really prepared her for dealing with romance or any of the particular... physical intimacies that came with it.

Well, the direct and blunt method had always served her well (except when it got her into trouble). What was the worst it could do now? (Except fail spectacularly, but Lina Inverse didn't tend to think like that.)

"You know, Gourry..." She gave him the most serious look she could muster.

Gourry looked blankly at her a moment, then scowled, holding his dinner away from her. "No, you don't get my food, Lina."

Well damn. So much for stalling.

She sighed, looking at the fire, propping her chin on her hands. That grabbed his attention. A few minute later, anyway, once his food was gone and no longer a distraction. She could feel him watching her with that stupidly contemplative look he sometimes got that usually ended with him either falling asleep or him just not getting what she was talking about (although she was dead certain he had to be faking that half the time).

"What's wrong, Lina?"

There went nothing. She took a deep breath, then scowled. Wait a second. Chances were, that dummy actually did forget, so she could be potentially embarrassing herself by bringing it up. That jellyfish. She growled, crossing her arms tartly. "I'll bet you actually did forget," she grumbled.

That earned her a blank look.

"Oh nevermind," she barked, turning away to poke at the fire irritably. "Not important. I remember, just didn't wanna say anything around the others yet, 's all." Stupid Gourry. Stupid stupid Gourry and his awful memory and this was just peachy keen. If he asked what she was talking about, she'd just tell him nothing and make him drop the subject.

He didn't ask her what she was talking about, just remained silent. She snuck a glance to see if maybe he'd fallen asleep. He hadn't, was staring at her thoughtfully, that intelligence that she knew had to be lurking under his stupid remarks showing clearly for once. "I thought you didn't wanna talk about it at all," he said after a moment.

With a sound of disgust, she dropped the stick that was acting as a make-shift poker and turned to him. "If it was something I really wanted to pretend hadn't happened, I wouldn't have kissed you in the first place, Jellyfish for brains!" What, did he think she just went around kissing guys without really meaning it? Her? Lina Inverse?

"It's hard to tell with you sometimes, Lina," he protested, sitting back against a log that hadn't yet been tossed into the fire, crossing his arms.

Ouch. Burn. Well, okay, she could admit she was difficult sometimes. Only sometimes, of course, but still, even she had her moments. But really, just what kind of girl did he think she was?

"Hmph." She turned her nose up. "Well, maybe for that, I just won't do it again." There, let him suck on that.

Gourry sat up, blinking at her. "You wanted to?"

She could've throttled him. "Yes!" she snapped. "You think I'm some sort of one-trick woman or something? Just what do you take me for?"

"About five-three."

Lina threw a stick at him.

Rubbing his head where the stick connected, he gave her a look that was comparable to how a puppy dog looked. "I guess that means you don't want to anymore?"

Lina jumped to her feet, temper snapping with her exasperation. Couldn't Gourry take a hint, even when it was as subtle as a dragon stomping through a town? She was beginning to think he wouldn't get it even if she painted a target on her lips. "Of course I do!"

"Then why don't we?" Why that frustrating-... How could he ask that so calmly?

"I'm not the one asking stupid questions instead of doing something!"

Apparently, that had been all the confirmation that he wouldn't get himself fireballed that Gourry needed. He was on his feet before she could think. He was up in her personal space before she had time to catch her breath from her outburst. And he was pressing his lips against hers before her nerves could make her change her mind.

Lina was certain her heart would beat its way out of her body and run away, it was beating so fast. Her skin felt flushed and her lips quivered against his, nerves tangled up until her muscles couldn't remember exactly how they were supposed to respond. Gourry. Stupid, lovable, doofy, protective and faithful Gourry.

And he was hers.

It's about time, she thought as she slipped her arms up around his neck, holding him to her. She'd only been waiting for what seemed like forever.