DISCALIMER: I do not own the Slayers...
Hooray! Onto Chapter Four! I like this chapter but it's kinda sad, so read calmly, and know that it hurt me to write it...
... (- -)...
Oh well, you gotta do what ya gotta do! Next week is it! The final chapter of Bound, the next update of After the Moon and the next update of Slayers: Dedicated. I'll also be revamping my site, polls for next month, and a new link section, as well as flam3gurls awesome fan art!
But that's all next Sunday, today is about Xelloss and Filia's first date... welll quazi date... there's ice cream...
Enjoy!
Rêisis: Oh no! That sucks, I'm sorry! Oh well, this chapter sort of leaves ya hangin anyway, so in a way, you're acctually pretty lucky! (nn) Yes, Joane is a jerk. I don't like him... at all. Hee! And more fun Gourrina coming up in the next chapter! I'll miss you!
Story Weaver1: Hee! You noticed that eh? Yeah, Gourry's gonna lose his shirt, alot... (nn) It'll be fun. And Xelloss was tweaked into be slightly more hot-headed with Filia, but that's because he's here for Lina, and Lina is the one person who sees him for who he really is. Also, he doesn't have time to be playing tricks on people just yet, but don't worry, we have some group outings planned in the fututre so he'll be on it!
flam3gurl: I loved your fan art! It was awesome, I'm totally going to post it up on my site next week! And of course Xelloss cares! He can't be loosing some of his much desired attention to an origional character! That's just not how it works! (xX) Hee! (nn)
Thank you so much for reveiwing guys! It really, really means alot to me. You rock, and I dedicate this chapter to you!
Chapter Four
Day One… Part Two…
Amelia blinked as the minutes ticked by casting a nervous look at the two in front of her at the table. Lina and Gourry had left barely half an hour ago and already the pressure was getting to her. Once more, she causally cast a glance of Zelgadiss, who paid no notice and took a sip from his coffee. She blinked dryly and outright glared at Joane, who was warily attempting to decide between butter or cream cheese on his bagel.
This continued, once, twice, three sips, four sips finally Amelia pulled on her hair, and growled. "It's a bagel! Do one half with cream cheese, the other with butter! It's not that complicated!"
Both stared at her and then shrugged, Zelgadiss taking another sip of coffee, while Joane decided to just eat it plain.
Amelia blinked, sat back down and heaved a sigh, resting her face in her arms. This was going to be a long day…
OOO
"Sharp Styx?" Filia read aloud, turning and eyeing the merchandise in the window. "Huh, seems they only have spring colors…"
Xelloss warily eyed the pastels, hoping that this wasn't what society considered fashionable. He eyed Filia's attire and was immediately filled with dread.
Filia shook her head as if reading his mind. "No, you're hair is far too dark for pastels…"
She turned back around looking at him for the first time today.
Xelloss swallowed nervously as she ran her eyes over his clothes. He smirked dryly and muttered. 'Well, see anything you like?"
Filia glared at him and rolled her eyes. "Actually, what you have going on there isn't completely terrible."
"Oh, well, thank you!" He muttered, twitching.
Filia grinned dryly, tapping her chin. "Hmm, it's really only the turtleneck and the shoes that have to go…"
Xelloss grinned mischievously, phasing away both items in question. "How about this?"
Filia blinked, quickly turning away. "No, that would defiantly contrast the black…"
"Ohhhh!" Xelloss replied cracking an eye deviously. "So then, more like this…"
Filia blushed scarlet as his entire wardrobe disappeared, save a censorship sign. "No! You know what? Leave your original clothes! They're just fine! Let's stop discussing you naked- I mean period! Arrgh!"
Xelloss grinned, his original attire back in place. "Well! Now that that's out of the way, let me show you around!"
Filia looked back over at him warily as he extended a hand and she hesitantly accepted it. "Okay, but no funny stuff!"
OOO
Meanwhile, inside Sharp Styx, Gourry was put out… to say the least.
"Hey, Lina!" He whined eyeing the sea-foam green shirt in his reflection. "I don't really like this color, can't we try something else?"
Lina blinked, braving a look up only to quickly look away. Apparently Gourry was built, who knew! So built, apparently, that this stores largest size was skin tight… and what was the point of her buying him a shirt that was just going to keep on making her blush!
"Oooh!" Gourry stated cheerfully, picking up a lilac version of the same one. "How about this one!"
Also, Lina hated shopping… well for clothes anyway, while Gourry… well he seemed to love it, and getting her opinion on everything…
Lina cast a glare at the ogling shop maids, and one ogling fellow male customer and sighed. "Here's what we'll do, Gourry. We'll buy two of each. Two lilac, two dandelion, two robin's egg, two periwinkle, two timber wolf, one pale rose…"
"But!" Gourry whined at he last one, and Lina held up a warning hand. She wasn't done yet.
"And two… sea-foam green…" She grinned wickedly crossing her arms while Gourry whimpered in horror. The shop maids on the other hand had hearts in their eyes; the previously ogling male was now in a dead faint. "You're just lucky I don't add on the spring green."
"But Lina!" Gourry protested and Lina glared at him crossing her arms.
"There, just look, you made do it. Now we have to get spring green too." She rolled her eyes and Gourry fell to his knees in horror.
"Nooooooooooooooo!"
OOO
"And this is Chelsea!" Xelloss stated amiably, waving a hand to the cutely dressed Ice Cream vendor. "Chelsea, how do you keep those pigtails so bouncy? And they're so long too!"
Chelsea grinned. "Aww you're sweet!"
Filia stared blankly at the girl, clearly she was insane…
"Chelsea here serves the best ice cream in the world!" Xelloss went on cheerily. "And I would know, I have tried them all!"
"It's true!" Chelsea agreed, nodding causing her pig tails to bounce. "Saillune's soft serve ice cream is world renown!"
"As it says on your umbrella!" Filia replied amiably, cracking a smile at Xelloss.
"Oh, so it does!" Chelsea replied surprised as she looked up.
Filia shook her head with a grin, looking back to Xelloss who was smirking back at her. "So, is it really the best in the world?"
Xelloss grinned cheerily. "Well I certainly think so, but as you've yet to try all the ice cream in the world, you'll just have to take my word on it!"
"Two please!" He stated cheerily, turning his attention back to Chelsea who smiled and took the money he was offering.
"Here you go!" She said handing over the two cones. "Enjoy!"
"Thank you." He replied, taking them. "Keep the change."
"Change?" Chelsea blinked and Filia giggled, taking the cone Xelloss was offering her as they walked away. "You sure know some interesting people, Xelloss."
Xelloss shrugged. "Yes well, I've met a lot of people. But ignore that, how's the ice cream?"
Filia looked warily at the cone, while Xelloss waited on edge, finally, she took a bite, causing Xelloss to wince, that was not how you ate ice cream.
Filia licked her lips and swallowed. She beamed at him. "Wow, that's fantastic!"
Xelloss beamed back pleased. "I told you! But Filia, that's not how you eat ice cream, you eat ice cream like this."
He licked his cone, causing Filia to arch a brow.
She shook her head, giving a laugh. "Oh no! I'm a dragon, Xelloss, not a cat!"
Xelloss blinked at her, beginning to twitch. "Oh, so all dragon's bite their ice cream then?"
"Maybe!" Filia stated arrogantly, not at all sure actually, but never mind that. "Have you ever seen a dragon eat ice cream, Xelloss?"
Xelloss glared at her. No he hadn't, but of course she wouldn't know that. I mean what sort of looser would sit around all day watching someone else eat ice cream…
Warily he cast his astral eye over to Chelsea, who was of course, watching them eat ice cream.
Xelloss twitched. This was why he hated spending time with this stupid dragon! She just didn't think… normal!
"Who cares!" He finally ground out. "Let's just go back!"
Filia stared at him, seeing a new side of him. "You… you really don't like me… do you?"
Xelloss wilted, this wasn't good… but you know, who cared… his Mistress could punish him for the rest of his life. Being married to Filia forever would be torture anyway.
"No." He stated plainly, opening his eyes to take in her hurt gasp. "I think you're a fool."
Filia blinked… I mean sure she hated him but she never actually thought the feeling was mutual… and then… "A fool?"
"Yes." He nodded, emotionlessly. "A silly little girl who has no concept of reality. I thought our past time together might have changed you, but it didn't. I thought taking the responsibility of raising another might have changed you, but it didn't. I thought running your own store, living life on your own, providing for yourself, I thought all of that would have changed you. But, as we can see, it didn't."
They stood there, in the street, their cloaks billowing in the wind. Filia swallowed as she felt her cone drip on her hand; finally she raised her head, braving his open-eyed gaze.
"Neither did you." She whispered.
Xelloss remained emotionless and finally he offered her his hand. "Here, I'll take you home. Neither one of us actually want to be here for this."
Filia swallowed and then turned away. "No. You're right, I never changed, but you're wrong, I'm not a fool. If you want to go back that's fine. But I doubt you're here for the party and me… I could have left at anytime, but just like then, someone has to be here to protect Miss Lina from you."
Xelloss snorted, crossing his staff in his arms. "Oh that's just priceless, yes I have plans for Miss Lina, but Miss Lina's a big girl, I assure you she's already seen to taking care of herself."
Xelloss glared at her. "And as for last time, in case you've forgotten the only real danger to her was Valgavv…"
He met her wary gaze and bit off. "… and you…"
Filia swallowed, her cone continuing to drip on her glove. She had never wanted to be anywhere else more in her life…
"I hate you…" She whispered, a single tear slipping down her cheek.
Xelloss just stared back at her coolly and she swallowed back the emotion welling up inside her.
Slowly she collected herself and tossed the cone in the dirt, and then she was gone in a flash of golden light.
Xelloss stared at the discarded cone, rage building up inside of him.
"Xelloss!" Lina accused joining the lone mazoku, along with Gourry and half a dozen cones. "What did you do?!"
Xelloss growled, shoving down his emotions and closing his eyes, turning to the petit sorceress with a dark smile. "I told her the truth."
Lina glared at him. "So you've been beaten this badly, so soon?"
She rolled her eyes, tossing her fiery mane. "Not that I can say I'm surprised, you have no concept of humanity… not really. So manipulation of this level is really beyond you, isn't it?"
Xelloss said nothing, his hold on his staff tightening dangerously.
Lina smirked and nodded. "You know, your only doing this because I asked you too, and your only doing what I asked you too because Lord Beastmaster asked you too. Maybe this will go smoother if you just do this for you."
She nodded approving the idea to herself aloud. "Yeah, you can even think of it as an experiment as opposed to a challenge, although it's still that as well!"
She laughed and held his closed-eyed gaze meaningfully. "But I still expect you to do it, either way, if you want my cooperation."
Xelloss glared at her behind closed eyes… and then… well she had a point didn't she? After all he was Xelloss, trickster priest extraordinaire! But what had he done lately? There was that bit at Dynast's last party and that bit of fooling the Overworlders and saving the world, but lately? Hmm… entertainment had been running low perhaps he really wasn't challenging himself. However… this was Filia…
Lina watched as Xelloss thought over her proposal. She should have known such a simple enticement wouldn't be enough…
"Besides!" She cut in with a knowing smirk, upping the ante. "It's obvious she likes you…"
"Wha?" Xelloss' eyes snapped open in horror, before he quickly closed them with a superior grin. "Oh my! Miss Lina, I never though you were living in the same dream world as Amelia… how unfortunate."
Lina smirked crossing her arms , throwing his own smug grin back at him. "You really think that, huh Xelloss? Oh well, your loss, if you don't know what you got to start with than who am I to expect you to keep it? Such a pity though, Knighthood was so appealing too…"
Xelloss cracked his eyes before quickly closing them again. No, no… this was just silly certainly Filia wasn't actually interested in him, but then she had taken his last statement rather hard…
Xelloss grinned, standing upright. "Oh dear. You're really something, Lina. And as for Filia, well we may just get you Knighted yet! See you tomorrow!"
With that he was gone leaving Lina to smirk knowingly at the spot where he'd just been. "Thatta boy, Xelloss."
She sighed with a content grin turning to Gourry and taking a victory lick off one of her many cones.
"Hey, Lina…" Gourry began cautiously. "Filia hates Xelloss, right?"
"That's right, Gourry." Lina replied easily, taking another lick off her cone as she let him get around to what he was actually asking.
Gourry narrowed his gaze, looking down at her as she nonchalantly licked her cone. "So you were just saying all that stuff to get him back in the game, weren't you?"
Lina grinned up at him. "Yep! Disappointed?"
Gourry shook his head, an easy grin gracing his features. "No, 'cause I think he might actually like her, he needed the encouragement!"
Lina blinked at him. "You really think so?"
Gourry nodded and raised a finger. "You know, Lina, most of the plans you make to help yourself usually help everyone else anyway, that's why I always help."
Lina blinked again.
"Huh!" She stated evenly, tossing him an easy grin and turning her attention back to her cone. "Well at least one of us has noble intentions…"
Gourry said nothing, smiling softly quietly noticing the pleased smile she though he couldn't see…
… but he always did…
Hey! It was censored! (n-)
I never realized how much I loved the Gourrina pairing until I started inculuding it in my work... Gourry is so Sweet!
Sorry about the fight guys, but it had to happen, it actually wrote itself. I started with that silly icecream comment and their reactions went from there... Yikes! Oh well, it's part of the fun!
See ya next Sunday!