Writer's Note: A prompt from Pharoah 999. It takes place after "Wedding Bell Blues" but before "The Blood That Runs Deep".
It was when Yuki was born that Lina had a visitor.
She was resting, drifting in and out of sleep aimlessly when it happened. She felt a faint breeze and heard the sound of misplaced air, and she froze, her eyes opening and sliding over to where the sound came from. She was still sore, and still very tired, but she wasn't tired enough to ignore what she was seeing.
A figure stood, looking out the open window, a look of wistfulness on his ageless face. A smile was plastered on his lips, and his eyes were permanent crescents beneath a curtain of purple hair. Lina's body filled with rage and adrenaline, and she was relieved that Gourry was outside and getting her food.
"What are you doing here?" she growled softly, her voice hoarse. It had been a hard labour – worth it – but something she didn't want to go through again right away.
"Can't a friend stop by when she gives birth, Lina-san?" Xellos wondered idly, not turning to her.
"I told you never to come back," she answered, slowly rising into a sitting-up position. "I told you never, ever to come back. You…you…" her voice choked a little, and she winced, a hand going to her middle when a slight twinge hit her. "…bastard."
Xellos turned to her now, his face impassive. "You have a little girl, now," he said in reply, walking over to the slightly lopsided cradle and peering in. A lance of fear jabbed into her heart, and she shouted out, "Get away from her!"
He jerked back, the mask slipping just a split second before returning. He took a few steps back from the cradle, just as Lina managed to get to her feet and shakily lurch towards it, standing in front of it with one hand braced behind her, the other held in front of her. "Get away from us," she hissed, her eyes blazing with the uncast fires deep within.
"Lina-san," he tried, his hands held out and empty – he didn't even have his staff – but she flinched, and he lowered them. "I'm not here to hurt you – I'm here to congratulate you."
Lina's eyes narrowed, and a small spark of fire lit over her palm before spluttering out; this soon after giving birth rendered her magic useless, at least until the bleeding stopped. There was panic, just for second, before she clawed her hand and held it out before her anyway. "Why? What does your master want? She's a baby, and she's of no use to you."
Xellos stood there, his face blank but dark. Without a word, he suddenly vanished, leaving nothing behind to indicate he had even been there.
Nothing, except Lina's racing heart. She leaned into the cradle and scooped Yuki up into her arms, holding her close to her breast and trembling. She shut her eyes and gritted her teeth, rocking Yuki slowly without stopping, not for a long time.