A/N: ^_^ An L/G ficcie!!! I wuuuv L+G, they're so kawaii together ^.~

(although this one IS kind of depressing...Blegh... Im so cheery~! How do I manage such angsty stuff!?!)

ps. I don't own Slayers. I don't own When I'm Gone either, but they're both so cool and I wish I did ;_; ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Gourry prodded the fire with a damp, lengthy piece of wood. The dancing orange tendrils reflected opaquely against the shimmering, sea-blue gleam of his half lidded eyes, and the warm glow sanctioned his skin, and the smooth blue fabric of his tunic. His armor plates lay in a heap on the ground next to him. Without them, his body seemed smaller; more vulnerable. He had his long golden hair tied loosely, so that a gleaming ponytail drifted freely down his back. Though his lips were curled into a tiny smile, something wistful and almost sad glimmered beneath the long, blond lashes. Absentmindedly, he allowed himself to be hypnotized by the flames. They were...

They were scarlet. They flickered furiously, lighting up and warming the ample space around them in a constant, never-faltering glow. The wind would push at them occasionally, rivalling the fire's warmth with its sharp night coldness, but not once did the flame go out. As soon as the wind relinquished, the blaze would indignantly flare right back up, far stronger than before. They were beautiful...

In every way, they reminded him of Lina. //There's another world inside of me that you may never see.

There's secrets in this life that I can't hide.

Somewhere in this darkness there's a life that I can't find.

Maybe it's too far away or maybe I'm just blind, maybe I'm just blind. // But, no. Lina was gone; she had left just last night. He remembered it all, though even now, it was hazy and blurred in his mind; as if it were a dream that he had dreamed a long, long time ago. But, really, it made no sense. How could she have only been a dream?

But, if that didn't make sense then nothing else ever would, either.

It just wasn't the same without Lina.

~'You're leaving?' Gourry had whispered into the sudden silence, his fork frozen halfway to his mouth. Zelgladis had simply stared, hiding his shock behind the cloth draped over his face, but they all knew that he was in pain. Amelia had flown to the redhead's side and launched herself into a long speech; about how much they wanted her to stay, how much the group wouldn't be the same without her.

Although Lina was determined to go back home and finally face her past, it was obvious that she was in agony as they all stared at her pack her things, fling the cloak over her shoulder, and leave.

'Aren't you going to say goodbye?' squeaked Gourry, deep eyes glimmering softly. He tried not to let it show. He was a swordsman... He wasn't allowed to cry...

'No Gourry.' she had said with a grin. That smile...

It made her seem as if nothing were going on. As if it were just another day.

That's how she had acted. Just another day...

'Why not?'

'Because, then...' the flame-haired girl cast her rubicund eyes skyways. 'It would seem too final.'

'Too... final?'

'Yeah!' she had exclaimed, for once not frustrated with his slow mindedness. 'Too final! I at least want some hope that I'll see all you guys again.'

'Oh...'

~Do something, baka.~ his mind whispered.

'Well, I'm leaving! Is there anything anyone wants before I go?'

The mind came to his mind unwilling. ~A kiss.~

'Zel? Amelia?'

~A kiss.~

'Gourry?'

~A kiss.~

'...Yeah?'

~A kiss.~

'Anything you want before I go?'

~A kiss.~ 'Huh?'

~A kiss.~

'Do you want anything before I leave?'

~A kiss.~

'Um... no. Nothing.'

~A kiss.~

'Alright, then... See ya.'

~A kiss.~

'Alright... Bye...'

~~~ //So hold me when I'm here right me when I'm wrong.

Hold me when I'm scared and love me when I'm gone.

Everything I am and everything in me

Wants to be the one you wanted me to be.

I'll never let you down even if I could.

I'd give up everything if only for your good. // And now he hated himself. He should have kissed her. Just fuck what she would think about it and kiss her. Was it really that hard? One simple kiss? He had wanted to taste her, and he still did, even now that she was gone and he'd never have another chance. She must be delicious, he imagined. Sweet and light, like the expensive desserts she would threaten hotel managers into giving them sometimes.

Alone, he chuckled.

And, as always, wistful laughter quickly changed into tears.

~Should have kissed her.~

He felt the hot tears simply materialize across his dirty cheek, and stared at them glisten across his mud-crusted fingertip as he brought his hands to his face, as if to confirm their existence.

~Should have kissed her.~

"I should have kissed her." //So hold me when I'm here right me when I'm wrong.

You can hold me when I'm scared but you won't always be there,

So love me when I'm gone, love me when I'm gone

When your education x-ray cannot see under my skin.

I won't tell you a damn thing that I could not tell my friends. // The tears didn't stop. He couldn't. The hot liquid slipped from the corners of his soft blue eyes, soaking the long blond lashes and leaving glistening trails down his cheek. The azure orbs stared into the fire.

~Lina...~

"Gourry?" His eyes widened. Who could forget that voice...

He whirled around, a smile of disbelief and hope and joy plastered across his face. There she was. Standing behind him, just a few feet away, with a gentle, if not slightly smug, smile. Her red hair, those rubicund eyes... Every detail reminding him of how much he loved her. He flung himself at her immediately.

"Lina!!!!" he cried out; his joyful voice ringing out into the night. His body collided with hers, with a force that knocked them both to the ground. Lina seemed surprised, but didn't fireball him as she usually would. As he babbled into her shirt about how much he had missed her, she stroked his soft blond hair, a pink blush tinting her cheeks.

"I missed you too, Gourry Gabriev." she murmured. He looked up at her, eyes glistening as they met the chips of ruby. Time stopped.

~Kiss her.~

"...Ne... Lina?"

~Just kiss her...~

"Nn?"

~Just do it!!!~ (A/N: Nike paid me 5$ to say that ^_^ XD XD XD)

"Can... can I kiss you?"

Lina's eyes widened. Gourry winced, expecting to feel a fireball slamming him away from her. He slowly cracked open one eye, then the other. Lina was staring at him. Her expression softened. She nodded. "Yeah... Yeah, you can." she murmured, slowly, softly.

"Arigatou." he whispered, holding her face gently between his hands. His heart slammed in his chest and softly; his lips met hers. Warmth enveloped him; and he felt complete; he felt happy, like he belonged. For several seconds, he remained motionless. It was a small kiss; very small. But it meant the world to him. It was really all he needed. (A/N: FOR NOW!!! BUAHAHAHA! *writes lemon*)

He pulled away, and licked his lips. They tasted sweet; he had been right. Lina's expression seemed strange.

Gourry was confused. "Anou..."

"Like this, baka." she murmured, gripping his shoulders and roughly tugging his face towards hers. She kissed him; hard and proper. He was surprised... Well, sort of. He started squirming when she had touched him; but slowly he stopped when he realized that she wasn't going to hurt him. Her hand, soft and gentle, rested on his chest, and as he didn't know what to do with his own hands, he let his fingertips glide over her soft red hair. He felt her hot tears burning his cheeks... No, wait... those were his tears. Lina murmured something against Gourry's lips; something soft- sounding that he couldn't understand.

"...Ne, Lina?"

Tears were rolling down her face. "I love...................."

~*~*~*~*

Gourry woke up. He was cold; the fire had gone out, leaving only ashes. His chivalry crumbled, and he collapsed with tears.

//Now roaming through this darkness I'm alive but I'm alone.

Part of me is fighting this but part of me is gone.

So hold me when I'm here right me when I'm wrong.

Hold me when I'm scared and love me when I'm gone. //

He hardly paid attention to the rustling in the bushes nearby, too engrossed in his tears; At first; he hardly noticed the red-haired girl that emerged from them; murmuring a soft

"I'm back, Gourry. ... I'm back for good this time."

~owari~

A/N: Err.... ^_^; Originally it was gonna end when he collapsed with tears but then I decided (with a little ... persuasion from Pink Leopard... aheh ^_^;;;;;; ) that Gourry deserved a HAPPY ending!!!!! Because, really, he does ^___^ *glomps Gourry*