Author's Notes: This is another one for the thirty kisses community. See my profile for info on it if you don't know what it is. The theme for this one is theme #23, candy. I probably should explain where the name of the holiday and the God came from. It's pretty much just spawned from my laziness. I went to a translation site and put in the word "Fluff" from Engilsh to French and came out with "Devet." And French is the 'language of love.' The name of the holiday is pretty much just... "Fluff Day." Although the fic itself isn't really fluffy. The title is kind of sarcastic. (Also, a different website says that Devet meant "down" as in down feathers. But we'll just go with fluff for this fic, okay?)

Disclaimer: Slayers is owned by Hajime Kanzaka, Rui Araizumi and some other people that are not me.

Zelgadis placed the traveling supplies that he wanted to buy, along with some money, on the counter of the store. While the merchant was calculating the price of the items, Zelgadis checked to make sure that his hood and mask were secure. He just wanted to buy what he needed and get out of the store as soon as possible.

Zelgadis took his change and supplies and began to leave, when the merchant stopped him.

"Wait, Sir!"

Zelgadis turned his head and replied with a curt, "What?"

The merchant held out a small box, wrapped with a pink bow. "Your free box of candy!"

Zelgadis looked from the candy, then back to the merchant and began to leave again. "I don't need that."

"…But it's Devet Day!" the merchant replied, as if that explained everything.

Zelgadis responded with a blank stare, which caused the merchant to gasp, "You don't know what Devet Day is?" Without waiting for him to answer, the merchant suddenly clasped her hands together and launched into a monologue.

"Devet Day is one of the biggest holidays of this town! It's named after one of our Gods. A long time ago no one in this town was allowed to choose who they wanted to marry. All marriages were arranged, so affairs were commonplace. However, it was forbidden to kiss or show any signs of affection to that person in public, because it would upset all the other relationships. So, everyone began giving candy in public to their true loves as their new special way of showing affection!" By this point the merchant had gotten very animated. She was now standing on the counter with her eyes sparkling dramatically as she said her speech.

Zelgadis found himself taking a couple of steps back. He started looking around the store, paranoid. All the other customers had stopped what they were doing to stare at him and the merchant. Damn it! He had to find some way to shut her up!

"However, the people were still unhappy as their love was still restricted! Eventually all the people in the town became so unhappy that no progress could be made. That was when the God of the town, Devet, stepped in. He didn't want to see his people suffering, so years ago on this day he decreed that everyone would be allowed to marry who they wanted to marry! That day has become a holiday where we give candy those that we might otherwise not be able to show affection to… But many people still give candy to their boyfriends and girlfriends too!" The merchant giggled, then continued, "This store gives a free box of candy to each of our customers on this day to show our affection for those that keep us in business! And we hope that you give that box of candy to someone else as your way of showing affection!" The merchant seemed to have completed her speech when she stopped to wipe a tear from her eye, "It's touching, isn't it?"

By this point Zelgadis just looked freaked out. The rest of the customers started wiping their eyes and applauding the merchant. Everyone was insane! He had to get out of there!

"Fine, I'll take it. Just stop talking!" Zelgadis snatched the box of candy and bolted out the door.

"Damn it. What am I going to do with this? It's not like I'm going to eat it… I'll just give it to her and be done with it."

Amelia was waiting outside for Zelgadis on a bench nearby the store. The plan was that he would just go in, pick up some supplies, and then they would continue traveling. But he was taking to long, especially for him. He usually wanted to get in and out of the store as quick as possible. She was starting to consider going into the store when Zelgadis came out, looking quite frazzled.

"Zelgadis-san, did something happen?" Amelia asked, but then suddenly had a small box wrapped with a bow thrust at her.

"Here. Just take it." Zelgadis quickly turned to the side and crossed his arms, hoping that it would somehow make the blush on his face less obvious.

Luckily for him, Amelia wasn't looking at his face. She was looking at the box he'd given her. She pulled the bow off and opened it up. It was a box of assorted chocolates. Not too many of them, and nothing too expensive, but still… Zelgadis-san giving her chocolates?

"Uhm… Thank you, Zelgadis-san, but why….?" Amelia could feel herself blushing. Sure, she was thrilled that Zelgadis-san had just given her chocolates out of the blue, but that didn't mean she couldn't be embarrassed too! And it just seemed so strange for him…

Zelgadis replied quickly, almost defensively, "When I went in there to the buy the supplies, the insane sales clerk gave it to me. When I said that I didn't need it she went into a big, sappy speech about some holiday this town is having. I just took the candy so she'd be quiet and I had to give it to someone."

Amelia felt her smile freeze. So he wasn't giving candy to her. He was just giving it to someone because he had to. "Ah…. Okay." Amelia was about to suggest they start traveling now when a question popped into her head. Maybe he wasn't just giving it to someone. He could have given it to anyone, but he still gave it to her.

"But if you just had to give it to someone… Why didn't you give it to Lina-san? I know she would really love free candy."

Zelgadis and Amelia both sweatdropped at the mental image of Lina smirking proudly, saying, "Does Zeeeeelly have a widdle crush? Fallen for my chaaarms? Sorry, you're not my type." that the question spawned.

"Lina's ego is big enough already without feeding her notion that every man is in love with her." Zelgadis finally said after he'd recovered from the disturbing mental image.

"Right…" Amelia nodded. She just hoped that Lina-san didn't somehow find out that they were talking about her. She didn't want to face her wrath.

Somewhere, some place, Lina Inverse sneezed and then started growling.

"What's wrong, Lina?" her blonde companion asked.

"Someone's talking bad about me! I can feel it…"

"Heh. So, what's new?" Gourry patted her on the head.

"So… Why not Gourry-san, then? I know he'd love free food too. Or Xelloss-san? He… uhm, he might appreciate it." Amelia was now beginning to sweatdrop at her own questions. Maybe she should have just left the subject alone… but she still had to find out if she was just someone. Justice demanded it!

Zelgadis responded to that question with a long, blank, stare. Eventually, he just coughed nervously and replied, "I don't want them getting any wrong ideas. Can we just go now?"

Amelia still wasn't quite satisfied that she wasn't just someone. She started fiddling nervously with the bow from the box of candy as she asked her final question, without looking up at Zelgadis-san. "So… Why did you give it to me then?

Zelgadis started looking off to the side again, as if it would make his blush less noticeable. He began scratching his cheek nervously, "I don't know. You were just the first person I thought of."

That was enough for Amelia, who broke out in a huge smile. "Okay, thanks again for the candy, Zelgadis-san!"

Suddenly, the merchant from earlier poked her head out the store window. Her hands were clasped and her eyes were sparkling, "You see! Isn't Devet Day wonderful?"

"…Lets go."

"…Right."