The Ebony Flowing
" Slip of Emotion"
By: Tamoko Sanjii
Gourry smiled to himself slightly when he heard Lina answering to Amelia's " Good Morning" and " What dream?" near the top of the staircase. He turned his head from where he had been sitting since 7 that fabulous morning, and watched her come down the stairs. Lina sported her golden yellow long sleeved shirt and black pants, accompanied by a tunic with gold and orange trimming. The colors brought out her eyes very nicely, and went perfect with her red wavy hair. Not to mention how snug the they fit her slender body. But no matter what she wore, Gourry thought, Lina always managed to astound him.
Lina…Gourry sighed in happiness, with a misty glaze deep in his sparkling blue eyes, lost in the sight of his beloved, " You're absolutely beautiful…"
Lina stopped dead in her tracks, not sure if she had heard what she thought she did come from Gourry's mouth, and forgot all about breakfast. But before she could say anything at all in response, Gourry realized he had accidentally thought out loud and blushed rather violently.
" Oiiiiiiy…" He said in a half nervous laugh, " Lina, scratch that! I didn't mean that…"
" What? " She sounded not even half upset, still stunned at Gourry's flattering comment.
" NO-NO-NO-NO-NO! I mean, not that you AREN'T, but, I just, I…I…"
" Didn't…mean to say that out loud…?" She focused her eyes over onto one of the windows in the dining area, noticing that the sun was shining brightly in the 9 o'clock sky. Lina blushed as well, pondering on why he had been looking at her in such detail in the first place.
( Of COURSE Gourry would be one to say, " Yeah, yeah, sure, you look okay." )
He laughed again, lightly hitting his forehead with his knuckles.
Nice one, doofus…
"…You, really think I'm pretty, Gourry?" Lina didn't look directly at him, just in that same way as she had done while on that one night, sitting out together by the fire while on a three day journey through the Claire Bible manuscript. Down and away at the ground with the color of an apple on her cheeks. Gourry turned his head at her slightly, thinking about his answer first.
" Well, Lina, you're…"
How do I put this without letting her get suspicious…?
" You're very natural." Ahhh! That's it! " The color hair you have isn't a very common one, you know, and your eyes are unique too…"
They're also my favorite part…
He saw Lina smile and decided to continue. " Yes, if you're asking my personally, I think you're very pretty..."
JUST pretty? Lina, I'm sorry for lying…
" I see…" She'd been expecting to hear something along the lines of " Well, you are, in your OWN way, I guess, but you-um….need a chest."
" Lina…you are…I'm sure Zel would agree with me." His voice was softer this time. Lina knew he meant it whole heartedly.
She lifted her hand to her forehead, lifting part of the tunic, (naturally moving that way.) Gourry watched her every move, feeling kind of dumb now that she knew he thought she was good looking ( well, to him at least…) His eyes traced to her golden yellow shirt, and suddenly bit his bottom lip and turned his glance away from something he wasn't supposed to see.
I guess she's flattered…/((_~);
" Why Good Morning!" That voice! It couldn't be…!
NOT NOW! AURGH! God damn you Xellos! Gourry brought a finger to his nose, and rubbed underneath it to keep from biting the purple haired manzoku's head off. Xellos flashed the frustrated blonde a sly smirk before addressing Lina.
" How are you today, Lina?"
" I'm good, Xellos, and yourself?" She tried to be polite while wanting him gone as well.
" I'm fine, thanks for asking."
" What do you want?" When ever Xellos came around, it was only for one reason. ( Come on! Everyone KNOWS that! I don't need to explain it!)
" Why, Lina, don't you think you're assuming too much, too EARLY? I'm only here to see what's going on, that's all!" He put his arm behind his neck. " Why is it that everyone thinks that when I visit, I automatically WANT something?" Gourry and Lina BOTH face faulted onto the ground.
" Because, Xellos," Lina said
" You DO." Gourry growled.
" Go figure!" Xellos shrugged at them, holding his staff in one hand, and the other open. "And here I came over to GIVE you something! TO THINK!"
" To GIVE us something?" Lina eyed him carefully, not too sure she should accept whatever it was.
" Lina, I'll need to speak with you alone, that is, " He smiled over to Gourry, who wasn't smiling back, " if YOU don't mind, Gourry…" Lina glanced between the knight and manzoku, wondering what Xellos was trying to get at, particularly. She saw that look of disapproval on her companion's face, and felt that she should be concerned: Gourry knew when something was going to be a problem almost always. ( As Zel once said, " It must be animal instinct! ")
"…"
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(NOTE- Boy, I tell ya, when you're writing, atmospheric music and piano solos really help!)
