Trust in Time

(Like all my efforts, this is written only to amuse with no gain and in great appreciation and homage to Kanzaka et al. for providing the characters and the fun.)

The unfortunate fellow who had groped Lina's butt went flying from her punch and met with a Flare Arrow like a clay pigeon meets an expert shot. As what was left of him fell to earth, Lina screeched, "How dare you lay hands on a innocent maiden like me!"

To which Zelgadiss questioned out of the side of his mouth, "Who's a maiden?"

Unfortunately for the chimera, Lina heard him, and Zel became intimately acquainted with a Fireball. Lina humphed, "Smartass, I most certainly am a maiden!" and, giving Gourry a vicious shove, stomped off to the nearest restaurant to inflict horror there.

The blond swordsman cautiously checked to see if his sorcerer-swordsman friend was ok. As Zelgadiss batted away the stick Gourry had poked him with, he angrily coughed out, "Gourry, what the hell is wrong with you? How many years have you traveled with Lina, and she's still a maiden?"

"Zel, I'm her protector, her guardian. I do my best to be sure she STAYS a maiden as long as she wants, as well as protecting her life. My desires don't figure in."

"Well then, look, Gourry, it's pretty darn obvious you love Lina, what with promising to wait for her if she was imprisoned. And then there was your reaction to Lina's reaction when the fishman stated you loved her. You didn't deny what he said at all. Why haven't you two gotten more together, know what I mean?"

Gourry blushed, looked down, and tapped his forefingers together. "I'm still not sure about her feelings for me. Being a best friend doesn't lead to being a lover, though I guess it can often happen. Well, she'll have to take the lead. Otherwise, it's Fireball City for me or a loss of the family jewels." He winched at a particularly painful memory.

"I don't know. That shove she gave you before she stomped off just now seemed to have a lot of frustration behind it. But it's true. When it comes to romance, she's very confused and conflicted. And you, my friend, don't help your cause with your tactless, stupid remarks, especially about her breasts."

"I was brought up to be always truthful."

"Truthful is one thing, but blurting out hurtful truth when it's not called for is another! Especially when it gets you pummeled as well."

Gourry quietly responded, "Lina knows the truth about herself. How could she trust me if I lied in order to flatter her? I tell the truth because I love her."