To Speak in Silence
Summary: Lina loses her voice, and is left without any means of communication when Xellos chooses to take advantage of the moment and share a few words with her while she can't reply.
Anime/Manga: Slayers
Pairing: Xellos/Lina
-x-x-x-
It made no sense to her. Lina opened her mouth to say something, but as was the result of her prior attempts, nothing came forth from her lips. She couldn't even growl out in her irritation.
"Miss. Lina...I think you've lost your voice!"
'Wow Amelia...wow...I would have never figured that out had you not told me.' Lina made a motion to sigh, but no sound escaped her. 'It will only hurt my spell-casting a bit, I can do some small spells without speaking, but many others, the Burst Flare...Giga Sword, Dragon Slave...Digu Volt...Fireball...oh hell, I'm screwed!' Lina closed her eyes and tried to think back to what had happened mere moments ago.
-x-Flashback-x-
"Darkness beyond blackest pitch, deeper than the deepest night!" Lina spoke as she glared angrily at Xellos who was pulling forth his own energy around the head of his holy staff.
"LINA DON'T!" Gourry, too far away to actually stop her, could only call out to Lina with the hopes of her halting the attack against their mutual friend and enemy.
Xellos grinned, "Oh my, Lina..."
"Lord of Darkness, shining like gold upon the Sea of Chaos, I call upon thee, swear myself to thee!"
"MISS. LINA, STOP~!"
"Let the fools who stand before us be destroyed by the power you and I possess!"
"This isn't going to be good...if those attacks collide..." Zelgadis took hold of Amelia's hand and used Ray Wing and flew her out of the way of the devastation sure to follow the blast.
"You really should listen to your friends, they are right you know. I don't even know what will happen if these attacks clash...I'm sure the outcome will be most unpleasant though..."
"GIGA SLAVE!"
"Very well, Lina!" Xellos turned his carefree grin into a cruel smirk and released his own attack, energy he'd pulled from the Astral Plane. Black energy with violently sparking violet energy dangerously snapping out at anything in its path as it was hurled directly towards Lina's Giga Slave.
Lina looked angrily at the two attacks as they grew closer and closer to one another. Her attention was taken off of the attacks for only a fragment of a second as Xellos vanished from where he'd been levitating moments before. "COWARD!"
"Now that isn't very nice, Lina."
In her surprise, Lina turned and saw Xellos stand directly behind her, the attacks hit and the shockwave through her into his chest, something shot through her chest and her eyes widened as tears formed in her eyes, blood shot out of her mouth and her body fell limp against Xellos who caught her with ease.
-x-End-x-Flashback-x-
'I really shouldn't even be alive...but...but Xellos...' Lina's hand drifted down to the crevice between her chest, her fingers tracing over a starburst scar where a piece of would had torn through her back, shattered her spine, and pierced her chest. Xellos had saved her...he could have left her to die, but he'd chosen to heal her, to give her his energy...Monster Energy. She had healed faster than any Recovery spell could have allowed.
Standing, she made to leave the room where the others were eating.
"Lina, where are you off to?"
Lina turned to Gourry and raised a brow, 'Am I supposed to answer that?'
"Oh, yeah...sorry Lina," Gourry laughed, "I forgot you couldn't speak."
Zelgadis shook his head, but then looked to Lina, "It's still a wonder, how you managed to lose your voice. I wonder if that was really part of the aftershock of the energies...also, healing so quickly, I'd like to know how you did that too. Care to explain, Lina?" Zelgadis caught her eyes and then blushed, "I mean, once you get your voice back."
"Wow, even Mr. Zelgadis can't bring himself to get used to Miss. Lina not talking."
Tightening her fists, Lina glared at Amelia who stepped nervously away from her. Turning her back to her friends, she left through the door and headed off to a lake that she'd seen from her bedroom window upon waking up a few hours ago. She was happy to be able to get away from the others for a bit, to sort her mind a little and relax a bit before she was forced to embark on another adventure.
"Lina, you've wandered away from your pack."
Jumping, Lina turned and came face to face with Xellos. The image of his arms wrapping around her waist and carrying her away to safety played back in her head. A soft blush graced her cheeks and she looked away from his untroubled smile.
"Are you okay Lina?"
'What does he expect me to say!? Though...even if I could talk...I still don't think I'd be able to say anything to him.'
"Oh my...losing your voice seems to have had a negative impact on you. I'm sorry Lina."
'Sorry? For what...?' Her eyes looked questioningly at him.
"Ah...I see you haven't figured it out yet. Well..."
'Well? Well what?!'
Xellos sat down beside where Lina stood, "Heh heh...it's a secret!"
'...of course...' Lina took a seat beside Xellos, she wanted to ask him why he'd saved her, but without the ability to speak, short of writing, she couldn't.
"Lina, I wanted to speak with you, and with you not able to say anything in reply, I find right now to be the best time."
'Xellos!' She made to glare, turning to face him only for her nose to come in contact with his. Her face went red in shock and embarrassment.
"Lina..."
She made to turn away, but he stopped her.
"Don't look away," he opened his eyes, and she was captivated by the intensity within his violet eyes. His hair dark purple in color, brushed against her cheek with a small whisper of wind. "Do you recall what happened last night?"
'Last night? No...what happened last night?!' Lina shook her head.
"That's quite alright, Lina, I will explain to you what took place. Last night, I gave you some of my life...you...by technicality...share the blood of my Master...Lord Zelas."
'Lord Zelas!? Zelas Metallium?! ZELAS!?' Lina's eyes widened in shock.
"Shocked? I thought you might be...there's more though."
'More!?'
"You see, the only way I could heal your wounds, with them being as horrific as they were...was to wait till...you died."
'...what?'
"Lina?"
'What does he mean?'
"Lina."
'I died? I'm dead? Am I really?! Then how...wait, no...he wouldn't, he didn't...' She looked at his face and watched his eyes close, 'He did...he turned me into a monster...'
"Before you over react, you are still human, you were just reborn with the blood of a monster...just as Valgaav died a dragon and was reborn with the blood of a monster, he was both Dragon and Monster, and you are both Monster and Human...you can still do as you wish...be who you were, live how you did, and try to destroy all of the monsters which get in your way...the only difference will be the you will age differently, and live longer. No one else knows this...it is also your choice if you wish to let them know. I will not say anything."
'So...I'm not a full monster...but still. Still, I am no longer completely human either. I wonder what the others will think if, no...when...they find out...'
"Lina, it may not be my place to say, but I can see your worry. Your friends are exceptant of many faults, similar to the ones you now possess. For instance, Zelgadis and myself...we are not fully human, I haven't an ounce of human in me...and then there is of course Filia. So please do not worry yourself too much...I will find a way to undo it if you wish me too, but I only did what I knew would save you. You would have been killed...Lina. I'm not entirely sure why that notion bothered me as much as it did, but I can't even begin to imagine a life with you not present."
'What is he saying?'
"That probably sounds corny, and as a monster, I know it doesn't make any sense for me to be saying such things...but I've come to care for you, Lina...I do enjoy pain, and find it feels absolutely delightful when people around me are in severe agony, just as you yourself were...but I felt sick when you got hurt. Lina, I don't normally feel sick with the injury, agony or heartache that comes from those around me...but it was you...I feel something for you, but the feeling is foreign to me. I wonder, does any of this make sense to you?"
Lina's nose still was touching Xellos's nose. She couldn't move. Her whole body shook, and once again, tears began to slip past her defenses.
Xellos smiled, but a small frown found its way to his own lips. He thought back to the incident yesterday.
-x-Flashback-x-
Taken by surprise at the sudden fulfillment that he felt, Xellos sighed at the nourishment from her suffering and pain. This was to be expected, but the nausea which followed had taken him off guard. "Lina?" His voice was cut off by the deafening blasts and explosions caused by their battling energies. He hadn't expected Lina to be on par with his own abilities...even if time had passed and she had become stronger throughout the years, but still, such enormous growth in power. "Lina."
-x-End-x-Flashback-x-
"Lina..." his voice was a soft whisper against her lips. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to hers, stopping the tears from falling from her eyes in that single instant.
Lina felt his lips part ways with hers, dropping her head onto his shoulder, she shuddered a bit when his gloved fingers trailed up along her arm. 'Xellos...' looking up into his eyes, she leaned in and kissed him. His voice a moment ago had sounded so lost, and scared, when he'd spoken her name.
"Lina...it's a bit unorthodox for one of my...kind...but I want to protect you. I want you to be mine...from here on till the end."
'Oh Xellos...' Placing her hands to Xellos's chest, she smiled happily. She was alive because of him. She owed him her life, and her loyalty was a given at this point. She would gladly be his and his alone.
Xellos wrapped his arms around her waist and teleported them away from the lake and to the room that she was using in the hotel her and her friends were staying at for the time being. "Lina, are you mad at me?"
Shaking her head no, Lina sat down on the edge of her bed as he took in her form, from head to toe. Kneeling down before her, his hands took one of hers and he placed a kiss on the back of her hand, flipping it over, he placed another along the pulse of her wrist and trailed more along the inside of her arm. A small smile graced his lips at the shivers that ran along her arm and down her spine. Pushing her back gently against her bed, he placed one single kiss to her lips, filled with everything he'd been told a monster could not feel.
Removing the cape from her neck, he leaned in and whispered, "I'm sorry my attack caused you such a wound." Kissing her neck, and trailing a few more soft kisses down to her collarbone, he undid her shirt and removed it from her body, his eyes roaming over her scar. Placing a kiss at each point of the star shaped scar before continuing over her small mounds to her toned belly. Never going farther than sweet kisses and soft caresses, Xellos laid down beside Lina and pulled her into a warm embrace and let his mind trail over the events up till now. He knew well that Zelas would be enraged by what he's done...but somehow, he couldn't bring himself to care. As long as he lived, he'd make sure no harm came to Lina. "Oh, I said it was a secret, but...about your voice...you will get that back tomorrow...so, how about we enjoy the night to the fullest, and take advantage of the fact nobody will be able to hear your cries, pleas and screams of pleasure?"
Lina blushed brightly and punched him in the chest, causing him to jump back a bit and laugh.
"Come now Lina, it was only a playful joke."
Lina glared, but her eyes were filled with something other than anger. She was happy, she was truly happy...somehow she knew he was being completely honest with her, because Xellos didn't lie. Yes, he sometimes avoided the truth, and often times didn't tell them what he was planning, but never did he lie.
Pulling him down against her, she kissed him...Lina made a choice. 'You can have me Xellos, all of me...I'm yours.'
He stared into her burning eyes, and he knew what she was thinking. His eyes closed and he went in for another kiss, this one passionate and burning with warmth and kindled affection.
The two went unnoticed through an unspeakable and unthinkable mating dance that lasted from the evening till early into the dawn of the next morning. Xellos smiled, feeling more human than he did monster in that very moment, he vowed, giving a monster pledge, to stay with Lina for as long as he lived...and even longer thereafter.
"Lina..." he whispered into her ear, the beautiful sleeping sorceress lay contently in his arms, "...I love you..." Xellos closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep mere moments after he'd spoken those words.
Neither caring for what trouble and trauma might be heading their way; both just happy to be alive and in each other's arms in that very moment. They would live each day, taking what came their way in stride and fighting to survive...right now, this was the life they had chosen, and living was all that they could do.
-x-x-x-
ME: Here is a one-shot; I've been watching SLAYERS recently, and...well, enough said. I have an actual story in the making, so look forward to that. I just wrote something randomly, and while I'm not sure if it's really all that good, I wrote it as it came out and didn't go back over to reread it. I haven't any idea if the characters are in character, but the story was one which wrote itself, I merely moved my fingers to the rhythm of the story...even if it seems a bit off beat, lol. Anyways, I love you guys, and hope you all review, let me know what you think!