THE LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...*goes on for 5 minutes* ....OOOOOOOOOOOOONG awaited chapter to Zel's Diary. Hehe. I'm sorry you guys. I didn't know the story was that addicting 'till I read the reviews. Soooooo....without further ado, The next chapter!!

(And im gonna make it LONG, too!!) ^_^

This starts off after Zelgadis falls asleep in the afternoon (a nappy, i suppose.)and Gourry wakes him up for DINNER, so you don't get confused with breakfast or something. Remember: He still has to give Lina the necklace tonight!
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Im sorry! I've been busy! ^_^ but hopefully these next few chapters will make it up to you greatly!

And to everyone else, here's the long awaited chapter 5!
~*~










Glee. Pure glee was what Zel felt, running through the flowery fields in the underneath the vast, blue sky. He stopped to catch his breath, and a smile was seen on his face. He stood there, admiring his surroundings. Then he saw something red in the distance. It flowed with the gusts of the wind. The figure in red turned around, as if looking for something. Zel gasped as his mind took a mental close-up. It was Lina. "Zel!" She cried. "Zell!!".....

"Zel, dammit, WAKE UP!!!" shouted Gourry, waking the sleeping stone-beauty.

"Ack!! What the hell, Gourry!?" Zel stammered.
Gourry got off Zel's bed. "It's dinner. C'mon."

Zel got off as well, and headed for the door, as Gourry stood in his room, waiting for him to leave.
"Hey Zel.."
"What, Gourry?" Zel asked, pausing out of the doorway.
"That's a pretty nice necklace on your bed there. Who's it for?"
Zel blushed. "You know damn well who it's for."
Gourry scratched his head and laughed. "Aw, for me? You shouldn't have."
Zel turned around and bashed Gourry over the head. "Not for you, baka! For Lina!"
Gourry winced. "OUCH. I was joking..."
Zel sighed. "Let's just go."

~*~
The two headed out of the room and down the stairs, and into the restaraunt connected with the inn.

They arrived there, and there was everyone seated and ready to order. There were two empty seats. One next to Amelia, and one next to Lina. Zelgadis, for the first time in his life, ran for the seat next to Amelia. But alas, Gourry had beat him to it.
He casually pulled out the chair and sat down.
"So guys, what's good on the menu?" He said nonchalantly.
Zel was pretty ticked off. Gourry flashed him one of his award-winning "I-have-no-clue-what-you're-mad-about,-yet-I-do" smiles on his face. Zel quietly sat down next to Lina.

"Hey." She said, greeting Zel with a smile.
He blushed. "..hey.." He muttered.

Amelia was STILL lost. She didn't know what to say, so for once, she said nothing.

"I'm ordering the first side of the menu, Lina. You order the second." Gourry demanded.
Lina, not in one of her bossy-Lina moods, agreed. "Ok."

Zelgadis was in a daze. All of the blood seemed to drain out of his face, then rushed back a thousand miles per hour.
He sat next to Lina before, but these circumstances were, how you say...different. He didn't touch his coffee, he was so nervous.

Before long, Gourry had given the waiter orders, since no one else was really mentally stable enough to do that. And that was SAD.
There was idle chatter. Mostly Gourry talking to Zel, and Xelloss smiling mischieviously at everyone.
Xelloss was squealing inside. This was tooooo good...

"Hey, you guys! What's up with all the tense emotions I'm feeling?" He said through slanted eyes.
Lina stiffened. "I guess your emotional radar is off today, Xelloss. We're all fine, thanks."

Xelloss was now quite curious...It wasn't like Lina to try to cover something up with BAD lying skills...
"Yeah, like I'm supposed to beleive that, Lina."

Lina winced. Zel stiffened. Gourry and Amelia were oblivious.

Gourry got the typical dumbfounded look on his face. "Wait...Um...What are we talking about, here?"

Amelia agreed."Yeah. I sure would like to know that also. It's unjust to leave members of the crew out of the recent gossip of our team. We ARE a team, aren't we?"

Zel grimaced. "I don't know what you all are talking about. There is nothing going on between ANY of us, and if there was, it still wouldn't be any of your business."
Xelloss's smile still remained plastered on his face, and Lina looked much more embarassed now than she had did before.

"Let's just get off the subject."Lina said sweetly. Then her expression darkened. "Or else... you guys can just say goodbye to any of your prized possessions..." She finished with an innocent smile.

Xelloss stopped smiling. He couldn't bear the thought of losing Muffles*
::Oh, Muffles! I couldn't live without you!::

Gourry also stopped. He knew what Lina was after...The sword of light.
::I'll never let her get my sword!!::

Amelia looked about ready to cry. She didn't want to lose her princess crown.
::Crowny, you're the only thing I have left of daddy, and my princess life. IT WOULD BE UNJUST TO TAKE YOU AWAY FROM ME!!!!!::

The table had settled down in a matter of seconds.
The food came a few minutes later, and the tension soon diminished as a typical eating scene of the Slayers gang commenced.
Lina kept on analyzing everybody for even the trace of a smirk, and if she saw it, she'd definitely fireball them into oblivion.
Sooo...basically everyone had to think UNhappy thoughts to keep the smiles off their faces. That was simple for Zelgadis.

Everyone finished their meals, and periodically one person or another would leave the table to go to sleep or practice fighting, or anything to that extent. Zel was the first to go, followed by (guess) Amelia, then Xelloss. But Lina and Gourry, being the big eaters of the group, decided to stay and eat a poverty-stricken family's years worth of food. They did have quite an interesting conversation, however...

They were on their second serving of everything, and were getting full enough to take moments to talk to each other.
Gourry swallowed. "So...uh...Lina, what are you doing tonight?"

"Um..." Lina pondered, trying to avoid saying what she really hoped to do that night, "Probably just sleep. I haven't been sleeping well lately."
"Oh." said Gourry. Ignorance is bliss, for Gourry anyways.
"So...Uh...What's up with you and Zel, Lina?" Oh great. Ding, just hit the fucking nail on the head, Gourry. Lina growled. Doesn't this goof have any tact?!

She tried to cover it up. "I don't think so. Why?"

"Hm. Well, I dunno. You guys just don't seem to talk as much, and are always blushing when you look at each other." Lina's mouth was partially open. Gourry smiled." I'm not that stupid. Oh, and close your mouth, it's unbecoming."
Lina just smiled, and shook her head with disbelief. ::Eh, so Gourry does have his moments, I suppose. Let's just hope they don't get to frequent...::

Lina finished up, and began to rise out of her chair. "Well, I'm outta here, Gourry."
Gourry put down his silverware. "But I thought you were going to sleep?"
Lina shifted her weight with a thoughtful smile on her face. "..Nah, I think I'm going to go freshen up and go for a nice, quiet walk. If anyone asks for me..." She gave Gourry a subliminal glare"I will be in the GARDEN, sitting on the BENCH. Ok, Gourry? B-E-N-C-H. Bench. Oh, and if it's Amelia or Xelloss, tell them I've died and I'll see them both in hell." And with that, she made her way upstairs to her room to freshen up.
"K, Lina! See you later!" Gourry called after her. "Bench..."He mumbled to himself,"B-E-N-C-H. Hey, cool. I can spell! Too bad she never told me what a bench is..."

~*~

Zel was eagerly pacing his room, pondering his next move, and what he should do tonight. He was a ball of nerves, fumbling with his lines, and trying to come up with a smooth, romantic way to give Lina the necklace.
He wondered how to wear his untamable mass of wirey strands, which was also his hair. Hell, its not like it would obey any style that he would put it in anyways. Then he caught whiff of a bad smell. He searched around the room, looking for the base of that smell. When he found that the smell followed him everywhere, he smelled his clothes, and almost passed out. ::I'm going to have to wear something else too. Hell,:: He silently giggled:: Let's go all out and take a bath!::

He took a nice black turtle neck shirt, and some rugged, easy-wearing pants as his change of clothes, and made his way to the baths.

As he entered the baths, men were giving him weird looks, and even a couple of them were giving him lustful looks. (AN: Who can resist!) Then he saw a mischievious pair of eyes, and he knew that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Why, hello there, Zelgadis!" Xelloss hollered. "What a pleasant suprise. Come join me!"
He was about to turn around, but Zel realized he was too late. He was stuck.
"Hey Xel." He made his way over to Xelloss, who was only clad in a towel around his waist. He was in the back of the bath, where it seemed much more private and safe from the other weirdos.

As Zel approached, Xelloss took it upon himself to sit in the hot springs, and make himself comfortable.
Zel sat next to Xelloss, and started to bathe and relax.
Xelloss broke the silence.

"Hey Zel," he asked," What's going on with you and Lina?"
Zel looked suprised, and pretended to not understand what Xelloss was talking about.

"Oh, come on now, Zelly. Don't deny it, there's no use!" Zel was blushing.
" The staring, the blushing, the extremely high sexual tension-" at this, Xelloss grinned lustfully.

"I'm a mazoku, Zelgadis, and I'm being perfectly serious when I say this to you. I read emotions. I feed off of them, and there's no hiding anything from me. I know for a fact now that you have a thing for Lina. Besides, I DID read your diary, after all..."

Zel gave in. Him and Xelloss fought often, but they shared an intellectual bond, or so Zel thought. It's just a matter of getting Xel in a serious mood.

"Ok. I have a 'thing' for Lina. But what I'm working towards is finding out if she has a thing for me."
Zel looked at Xelloss hopefully, and obviously looking for an answer to his undying question. His face changed to a darker, smiling emotion. "And as for the diary, don't think I have forgotten about that. I'll hurt you later, when you don't expect it."

"Zelly, Zelly, Zelly..." Xelloss trailed off. " There are things a person must find out for himself. I've never lied in my life, I've only denied information, and in this instance, that is what I'm going to have to do."
Zel looked down dejectedly. Xel continued. "And I look foward to the day you try and get me, Zelgadis. ' Cause you never will!"
Zel smiled weakly.

Xelloss put his hands above his head. "One thing I've learned during my long-lived life is that I should never meddle in love- neither my own or someone else's affairs. It only leads to heartbreak. I've suffered heartache and have accidently made others suffer by trying to play matchmaker. It never works out."

Zel grinned evilly. "Then why did you ask about us?"

Xel turned to Zel, grinned evilly and grabbed his leg." Oh, well, that's just that little curious mazoku part of me trying to pry out the gossip from my comrades!" He laughed. "I was never planning to actually intervene, but a little teasing can never hurt." His hand travelled upward, making Zel feel pretty awkward. Xelloss realized what he was doing." Oh, I'm sorry, Zel. My hormones get the best of me!" He grinned.

"Hm...But I sense you didn't try to get away!" Xel smiled ruefully. Zelgadis was madly blushing.

"Aha...So my stone friend here is bisexual. How wonderful! Maybe on a seperate occasion...." Xelloss seductively trailed off.
"Ah, yes, but I may not get in the way of true love."

It was all true, Zel was a bisexual, had always been, but was usually more interested in the opposite sex, occasionally finding men attractive. Zel blushed and smiled. "If you were like this all the time- serious and yet playful- I could enjoy being around you more, Xelloss. But then in front of the others you're the big, annoying prick." He finished with a grin.

Xelloss chuckled. "Ah, but I love torturing them. It's so much fun! But after this meeting is over, my dear, you still have to go through my daily taunts and teasings."
Zel smiled. "Hey- I can handle it."

Xelloss laughed some more. Zel started to move out. "Well then, I'm going to have to sort things out tonight, aren't I?" He grabbed his things and started to head out, then hesitated. He went back to Xelloss, kissed him quickly and innocently on the lips, and whispered in his ear, "Another occasion?" Xel was taken aback. "Certainly."
As Zel head for the exit, Xel called out to him.

"Good luck, Zelgadis."
~*~

Lina got out of the bath, and ran straight into her room, like a white flash from hell- after all, Lina Inverse was only in a towel.
She put on her black silk summer dress( a black summer dress?), and went to her mirror to apply her evening-wear. Her golden earrings were replaced with silver hoops, and she added a bit of shimmer to her lips and eyes. She decided to go barefoot, and let nature take it's course with her pale, little feet.

She looked like a dark, yet beautiful pixy walking around and modeling in her room. She then sprayed some jasmine fragrance on her neck and wrist, and bolted out the door to go on her moonlit walk in the garden- apprehensive of what was to come.

~*~


Zel had decided not to get dressed in front of Xelloss, let alone see him naked. There was already too much newfound sexual tension between the two, and only LON knows what would've happened. He already had enough issues with Lina, and now he had to deal with the other side of being bisexual. But his heart still belonged to Lina.

So he returned to his hotel room. He got changed into the black turtle neck, and the loose blue pants that he'd been carrying along earlier with hopes of changing in the bath. He examined himself in the mirror, and sprayed a bit of his musky cologne that he usually wore. He organized his wiry hair with anger, and when he failed he didn't bother to try again- the thing was too unruly. So he just let it fly. ~.^


He stepped out of his room, and with the grace of a god, made his way down the hall-only to find that he had forgot something crucial. ::THE NECKLACE! What kind of dumb fuck am I?:: In one swift movement, he switched directions, and grabbed the necklace, which was in it's delicate little black velvet casing. He glanced over at the directions, but he figured if it showed, he'd know.

And so he finally left his room, and went down the stairs, knowing he'd remembered it all. He passed by Gourry, who was sitting in the common room near the fireplace, reading an ABC book. ::Hmph. At least he's trying...:: Zel smirked inwardly.

"Hey Gourry, " He asked, " You wouldn't happen to know where Lina is, would you?"

Gourry looked up from his book. "Oh, hey Zelgadis. Um...She mentioned something about flowers...and something called a bench, and that she would be sitting on it. She taught me how to spell it, too!"
Gourry looked like a child, with bundles of candy.
"You wouldn't happen to know what a bench is, would you, Zel?"

Zel wanted to die laughing, right then and there, but he held it in like the good little boy he was..."A bench is like a couch, only its usually made of wood, and you sit on it outside."
Gourry's face lit up. "Cool! Thanks, Zel! You the man!"

Zel decided then and there that he was going to leave before he could explode with laughter, so he left Gourry and his new friend the ABC book alone in the common room, and made his way to the garden.

~*~


Lina was frolicking around the garden in her bare feet, twirling around and smelling every flower and just feeling great.
She was so happy, and for what reason, she didn't know.

::Do I like Zel this much?:: She giggled, lying down on the grass, gazing at the stars. ::So much, that even he can make me enjoy being alive and...loved?:: She sighed, and breathed in the sweet fragrances of the midnight garden. ::I'm not sure if I'm in love, or even what love is like.::

She lay still and pondered. ::I don't know what I'm going to say, or feel. And why would he, Mr. Intellectual, find love in a fool like me? The almighty powerful sorceress with amazing powers, and an 'amazingly' small chest, and an 'amazingly' bad temper. Well, I sure wouldn't find the two later comments 'amazingly' attractive.:: She smiled serenely. ::Oh well. Whatever happens, happens. Tonight, I'm leaving it all to the stars!::


~*~

Zel walked out of the inn, and headed towards the garden. It was a gorgeous night. Cool, clear, and the fragrance of the flowers and nearby streams seemed to wisp you away to a place that was exactly like this: A dreamscape.

He walked around, looking at that garden, admiring its beauty. The flowing fountains with ivy growing on them in myriads of colors. The now empty bench Lina must have gotten bored of. The rosebushs that *ack* annoyingly tugged at his nice new pants that you just spent your whole bandit killing treasure on. The girl who was spralled out onto the grassy fields beyond the garden, in a black silk dress, with fiery red tresses...Heh. Looks like he found Lina.

Zel casually made his way over to the girl who was gazing at the stars, and pondering the world. Still knowing that he was unnoticed, he slipped the necklace into his pocket, and sat a few feet from behind Lina. Not wanting to sit there and be noticed, he decided to make the first move.

"Nice night." He stated.

Lina smiled, sat up, and turned around to face Zel. "Absolutely." She was in a great mood, and not to mention she was looking beautiful. "How long have you been there?" She asked him. Knowing he'd only been there a matter of seconds, he decided to mingle in her mind. "Long enough."
His eyes met hers. She smiled a broad, lovely smile. "What are you doing over there?! Come sit with me." She patted the ground next to her, beckoning Zel. His heart began to pump faster.

He got up and gracefully crawled his way over to Lina, and sat beside her. She looked up at him, even sitting, he loomed over her.
He was blushing like a fool.

They sat in silence for a minute that felt like forever, until Lina decided to break the silence.
"Zel..." She started." Why...did you ever think you were unworthy of me?" She looked to him.

Zel blushed, and looked down in a depressed manner.
"Because..."he gestured his hand across his body," Of this."
Lina looked confused. "What? That you have a body?"
Zel thought he was being taunted. "I didn't come tonight to be humiliated. The fact that I'm stone. I'm a golem, a demon, and hardly a human."
Lina looked hurt. "I meant in no way to harm you. But you are you. I know deep down inside you were, and are human. The physical exterior has nothing to do with what's inside. And besides, your kind of cute!" She finished with a fanged grin.

Zel was now grinning and blushing like an idiot. He had not expected this answer. ::Ok, enough of this talk. Let's move straight to the point...::
He lifted himself slightly off the ground with one hand, and dug around with the other to find the necklace. He found it, the smooth velvety box that it was encased in.
"I've got something for you..." He said, settling back down. He offered it to her, and she accepted. "I got it in town this morning. " He said as she was opening it.

When she opened up, her face lit up and a big smile appeared on her face. "Zel..." she whispered," It's beautiful!" He smiled, thankful that the gift had been approved, and offered to help her get it on. "Here, let me put it on you..."
::And now for the moment of truth...::

As he laced the necklace behind her neck, and pulled back, the crystal was glowing brighter and brighter, showing myriads of colors. Then, it started to glow, and faintly began to pick up distinct colors. At first, it was a light violet, then it shifted to a dark pink, and it got darker, to a deep magenta.

Lina giggled. "It's beautiful, Zel, I love it." She leaned over to Zelgadis, and gave him a big kiss on the lips. Zel, shocked, started to kiss back, and wrapped his arms around her. She stopped, blushing, and looked at Zel. Now on Zels lap, she smiled, and started kissing him again, and Zel's tongue begged for entrance, Lina eagerly gave it to him. ::God, this is heaven. Lina, in my arms, kissing me, loving me. It can't get any better.::

They fell backwards, still kissing, and Lina was lying on top of him. They stopped for a brief moment, and Lina rested on Zel, in his arms.

"I love you, Zel." She whispered.

Zel wanted to fly. "I love you, too, Lina."

And he glanced at the necklace, lying on his chest, only to find that it was burning red.