Author's Notes: Just some silly little fluff that I was compelled to write after I did my nails with silver nail polish. Inspiration comes in strange places...

Ruby Red Fingertips

By Relm

Lina let out a sigh as she read through another useless book. She and Zelgadis were stuck in a library in some town that Lina didn't remember the name of looking up yet another useless lead for treasure or a cure. Amelia and Gourry were also in town but had gone off to the inn a couple hours back. In fact most of the people that had been reading at the library had left for the night. So it was just Lina, Zelgadis and the annoyed librarian whom wanted to go home herself.

The reason why Lina and Zelgadis were still in the library was because both of them were stubborn. They had both heard that that particular library had books that detailed where priceless treasures could be found or healing relics. But after hours of reading neither Lina nor Zelgadis had found anything useful.

The librarian knew she couldn't throw the two of them out so instead she chose to glare at the two. But this went unnoticed by Lina and Zelgadis.

As Lina went to get another book she absent-mindly scratched the back of her neck. At some point during the day she had gotten a bug bite and now it was really itchy. The problem with trying to scratch yourself with gloves on was that it didn't really deal with the itch. That layer of fabric between your fingernail and your skin prevented enough contact to really do the job. So Lina took off her glove.

Zelgadis happened to look up at Lina as she did this and noticed something. "You painted your fingernails?"

Lina looked at Zelgadis like a deer caught in headlights as she pulled her hand back down in front of her. For fun she had done her nails a couple days back and had actually forgotten about it.

Zelgadis snatched her hand and held it with his own as he inspected the polish job. Lina's nails had been painted a vibrant ruby red that matched her eyes and hair. The polish was glossy and shimmered in the library light. Zelgadis let his thumb gently glide over the surface of fingernails marvelling in their smoothness. It was then that Zelgadis noticed just how beautifully delicate Lina's hands were. Her fingers were slender but not boney and her skin was very soft against Zelgadis blue pebbled marble fingers. Each nail was equal length and perfectly rounded. There wasn't a chip or crack to be seen. Pared with her delicate fingers Lina's hands were a work of art. The red colour of the polish was just the icing on the cake. It was a good shade of red that really made Lina's hands stand out.

'I didn't realize her hands were so beautiful.' Zelgadis thought while still staring intently. Lina who was known for her magic and beating the crap out of people, usually wore gloves and didn't seem all the interested in beautifying herself. But looking at Lina's hands Zelgadis found the delicateness of Lina's fingers a complete mismatch to her violent personality. "You have pretty hands, it's a shame you always keep them covered." He looked up finally locking his gaze with hers.

Lina whom had been blushing slightly from the physical contact was now completely a flushed as she looked into his eyes. She found herself getting lost in his sapphire blue eyes. Snapping out of it Lina pulled her hand out of Zelgadis' grasp and got up. "I think I should go now. It's um late. Goodnight!" Lina rushed out the library leaving a bewildered Zelgadis in her wake.

"Why did she...?" Zelgadis looked to where Lina went off confused. "Wait she was blushing... Why was she...? Oh I was holding her hand!" Zelgadis finally realized and blushed himself.

Lina on the other hand was still blushing even when she got outside. Hastily she went to put back on her glove but then she paused. Pulling off both of her gloves she fanned out her hands admiring her fingers in the light coming from the library. Even in the dim light the polish shined glamorously highlighting her beautiful fingers. "They are pretty." Lina mused with a small smile. "I should pain them more often... maybe next time I'll do... blue." That thought brought butterflies to her stomach and a bigger smile to her face. "I'm sure he'd like that." Lina giggled at her silly girly thoughts as she glided her way to the inn. Any onlooker would swear that it looked like the fiery sorceress was dancing in the moonlight.