Talk to Me
by Kye
Part 4: Zel Encourages
She burst into his room without knocking. He jumped so high that for a moment she thought he'd hit the ceiling.
"It's just me, Zel." He glared for a moment or two, demanding apology, but his expression changed when he saw her face.
"What did that namagomi do to you?" Lina thought she would burst into tears. "Sit down," her friend demanded quickly, gauging her reactions. Lina sank down next to him, stiff and trembling.
"He--he said--and I...he thought I meant..." She bit her lip. Look what that fruitcake was doing to her. Zel reached cautiously towards her shoulder.
"Calm down, Lina. I have no idea what you're talking about. Now. What did he say?" She sniffed.
"That he loves me. But he couldn't, could he? Not me."
"Why not?" She had to stop coming to him for help. He always said something unexpected.
"Because I'm just..."
"Exactly."
"What?"
"You may be rude, violent, pushy, and greedy-" she regarded him stonily "-but you're also charismatic, kind, cheery, pretty-- all perfectly good reasons for him to love you." Her eyes pleaded with him for she didn't know what.
"But he's mazoku. Anyway, after what I said I don't know if it matters."
"What did you say?"
"I was talking to myself, but it sounded like I called him a fool."
"For loving you?"
"Yes."
"How could he believe that?"
"He was expecting me to be disgusted, I think." Zel whistled.
"And he told you anyway? He really does love you." He noted Lina's questioning look. "You know Xelloss hates being made a fool of when he's serious." She nodded.
"What'll I do, Zel?"
"Show him you're not disgusted."
"I'm not, am I?"
"I don't think so. Good luck, Lina." She gave a watery grin.
"Thanks, Zel."
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by Kye
Part 4: Zel Encourages
She burst into his room without knocking. He jumped so high that for a moment she thought he'd hit the ceiling.
"It's just me, Zel." He glared for a moment or two, demanding apology, but his expression changed when he saw her face.
"What did that namagomi do to you?" Lina thought she would burst into tears. "Sit down," her friend demanded quickly, gauging her reactions. Lina sank down next to him, stiff and trembling.
"He--he said--and I...he thought I meant..." She bit her lip. Look what that fruitcake was doing to her. Zel reached cautiously towards her shoulder.
"Calm down, Lina. I have no idea what you're talking about. Now. What did he say?" She sniffed.
"That he loves me. But he couldn't, could he? Not me."
"Why not?" She had to stop coming to him for help. He always said something unexpected.
"Because I'm just..."
"Exactly."
"What?"
"You may be rude, violent, pushy, and greedy-" she regarded him stonily "-but you're also charismatic, kind, cheery, pretty-- all perfectly good reasons for him to love you." Her eyes pleaded with him for she didn't know what.
"But he's mazoku. Anyway, after what I said I don't know if it matters."
"What did you say?"
"I was talking to myself, but it sounded like I called him a fool."
"For loving you?"
"Yes."
"How could he believe that?"
"He was expecting me to be disgusted, I think." Zel whistled.
"And he told you anyway? He really does love you." He noted Lina's questioning look. "You know Xelloss hates being made a fool of when he's serious." She nodded.
"What'll I do, Zel?"
"Show him you're not disgusted."
"I'm not, am I?"
"I don't think so. Good luck, Lina." She gave a watery grin.
"Thanks, Zel."
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