Author's Notes: Hi! Wow, thank you for the glowing reviews so far. I'm sorry I'm putting out this story so slowly, but I would like to to be good. Alas, the ending will probably be cliche, but that's still a few chapters off, yet.
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Filia had sobbed for a moment, hysterically, when Xelloss transported away, but now lay on her back in a clearing, eyes tracing familiar shapes through the constellations. She was calm, now, though undecided.
"Do I... Can I forgive him?" She certainly couldn't bring herself to love a mazoku, or at least she wasn't ready to aknowledge those feelings.
At the shimmering sound of Xelloss's return, she twisted and looked toward him. She inhaled, startled.
Somehow, Xelloss looked different. It wasn't his clothes, his posture... his eyes! Filia gasped again, for Xelloss's eyes were open, serious.
He dropped to the ground, walked the few steps toward Filia, and settled beside her, silent. The mazoku did not close his eyes, and instead looked up at the night sky, speaking softly.
"They look different from when I was a young mazoku..." Filia regarded him, perplexed, and lay back down in the grass. She didn't comment, instead closing her eyes-/What a funny reversal, for me to have the closed eyes and him the open/ and falling into relaxation.
"I was young, once, though I never looked like a child..." He shook his head, and relaxed as well, though sitting rather than laying down.
Neither of them moved or spoke for a long time, absorbed in their own thoughts. Suddenly, Filia spoke.
"When I was little, and training to be a priestess, the elders would tell me stories of the stars. Each constellation has it's own legend, Xelloss." They didn't speak of what happened before, perhaps content just with each others company.
"Really, Filia-chan?" He spoke her name almost tenderly, and she nodded, eyes opening.
"Each one. The Great Dragon was always my favorite as a child.. but now,"
"Yes?"
"I'm not so sure anymore."
"Why is that?" He looked at her, and found she was looking at him as well. Silence ensued as they studied each other, as if for the first time. After a long moment, Filia averted her gaze to the sky again, faintly blushing.
"Because, Xelloss, all the constellations have merit, even the ones with mazoku backgrounds," She closed her eyes again, now, and drifted to sleep in his stunned silence.
Slowly, he brought himself next to her, and watched her all through the night, falling asleep only as dawn began to sparkle the horizon.
----
Filia had sobbed for a moment, hysterically, when Xelloss transported away, but now lay on her back in a clearing, eyes tracing familiar shapes through the constellations. She was calm, now, though undecided.
"Do I... Can I forgive him?" She certainly couldn't bring herself to love a mazoku, or at least she wasn't ready to aknowledge those feelings.
At the shimmering sound of Xelloss's return, she twisted and looked toward him. She inhaled, startled.
Somehow, Xelloss looked different. It wasn't his clothes, his posture... his eyes! Filia gasped again, for Xelloss's eyes were open, serious.
He dropped to the ground, walked the few steps toward Filia, and settled beside her, silent. The mazoku did not close his eyes, and instead looked up at the night sky, speaking softly.
"They look different from when I was a young mazoku..." Filia regarded him, perplexed, and lay back down in the grass. She didn't comment, instead closing her eyes-/What a funny reversal, for me to have the closed eyes and him the open/ and falling into relaxation.
"I was young, once, though I never looked like a child..." He shook his head, and relaxed as well, though sitting rather than laying down.
Neither of them moved or spoke for a long time, absorbed in their own thoughts. Suddenly, Filia spoke.
"When I was little, and training to be a priestess, the elders would tell me stories of the stars. Each constellation has it's own legend, Xelloss." They didn't speak of what happened before, perhaps content just with each others company.
"Really, Filia-chan?" He spoke her name almost tenderly, and she nodded, eyes opening.
"Each one. The Great Dragon was always my favorite as a child.. but now,"
"Yes?"
"I'm not so sure anymore."
"Why is that?" He looked at her, and found she was looking at him as well. Silence ensued as they studied each other, as if for the first time. After a long moment, Filia averted her gaze to the sky again, faintly blushing.
"Because, Xelloss, all the constellations have merit, even the ones with mazoku backgrounds," She closed her eyes again, now, and drifted to sleep in his stunned silence.
Slowly, he brought himself next to her, and watched her all through the night, falling asleep only as dawn began to sparkle the horizon.