Flowers for Lina Chan
Warning: this is a z/l fanfic! If you don't like that then OBVIOUSLY don't read it! Ummm... There isn't really bad stuff just adorable cuteness! Also Slayers is not uNDER ANY WAY MINE....wish it was though...I'm just an obsessed weirdo that has too much free time. This takes place after the first series and before the 2nd series.
"SUGOI!" Amelia exclaimed running over the hill.
She crouched down, sniffing the beautiful flowers. It was the 2nd week of spring and everything was green and growing. The sun was shinning and everything seemed rather peaceful for the slayers gang. Well peaceful for the moment that is. The group consisted of Lina (of course!), Amelia, Gourry, Sylphiel, and the ever gloomy, Zelgadis san.
"They are very pretty" Sylphiel said coming from over the hill.
She stopped to look at them and smell them. Lina appeared right behind Sylphiel.
"PRETTY!" She exclaimed eyes glittering.
She sat down and smelled them admiring their colors and scents. She had bent down her head to smell one when good old Gourry san came. He obviously hadn't noticed the group and trampled all over the flowers, completely unaware.
"Wah...." Amelia san cried, tears streaming down her cheek.
Lina looked at the now ruined flowers. For a moment she had absoloutly no expression on her face...
"FIRE BALL!" She exclaimed, hitting Gourry and sending him flying.
"WAHHH!!! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?" Gourry cried catching Lina in a headlock.
"THAT'S FOR RUINING PERFECTLY GOOD FLOWERS!!! DON'T YOU KNOW ANYTHING JELLYFISH BRAINS? You don't just GO AROUND RUINING PERFECTLY GOOD FLOWER- HEY- OW!" Lina exclaimed breaking out of his lock and conking him on the head with her fist.
He in return, tackled her, and the two got involved in one of their typical fights. They proceeded to attack each other and hurl insults as the dust flew. Zelgadis had just come from over the hill and saw them attacking each other, Amelia crying, and Sylphiel comforting Amelia.
He sighed. Just like them to forget about him.... He wondered briefly what had started the fight between Gourry and Lina this time...He pushed it out of his head.
'Ridiculous" He muttered. He Conked Lina on the head, leaving a big red bump and a furious Lina. However, it broke up the fight. Amelia had gotten control of herself and was now on her feet listening to him. Inwardly he groaned. She was nice...but...
"Do we even know where we're heading next?" He exclaimed.
Lina put her two pointer fingers together in a typical slayers fashion.
"Uhh...not really" She said with a sweat drop.
"Typical" He said heading down the road. He was angry and he didn't know why.
He had been traveling with Lina for a year or so. He had worked for Rezo....just the name made his blood curdle...but that was all before. He had met the fiery red head by following her. He hadn't believed some small girl looking like a child could've cast one of the most powerful spells, Lina's famous "Dragon Slave".
He had doubted her and underestimated her. Time and time again she had proved her worth in battle. She had never really backed down from a challenge and had even defeated a god himself...one of the most powerful gods...Shabranigdo...using the MOST powerful spell known in creation. His respect for the sorceress had drastically changed.
He had gone from not caring about her, to an ally, to a dear friend...and he himself had found himself in a desperate love with the sorceress. It was natural. She was the only one who never judged him by appearances and even through the jokes and gags, she had always had his "Back" so to say.
Meanwhile back to the other group (about 2 minutes have gone by....remember this is anime time, they never work in the same time frame! **grin** )
"Uhhhh......" Gourry said unsure of what to do.
"HEY ZEL WAIT UP!" Lina cried running after him. The rest of the group followed shortly after.
"Hey Zel, what's wrong with you?" Lina asked. She wasn't daunted by him at all.
"N-nothings wrong with me...." He replied stiffly. He tried very hard not to reveal anything of his feelings...she could pick up on anything.
"You're a terrible liar" Lina said smiling coyly. Zelgadis sweat dropped and looked away. Lina frowned but didn't pester him, and politely changed the subject.
"OH LOOK! More flowers!" She exclaimed dashing off to the side of the road and smelling them.
She sighed smiling, obviously from the sweet fragrance. A grin tugged at the corners of Zel's mouth. He suppressed it quickly before she noticed. She was probably the only one who could get a grin out of him. The rest of the group caught up.
"Oh Lina san! You found more" Amelia said smiling and joining her.
"Oh more!" Sylphiel said and joined both the girls.
Gourry came next and saw the girls all around the flowers again. He went over to go see what the fuss was. He bent down and sniffed a flower.
"Ah...ah.....ACHOOOOOO!" He cried sneezing away the whole patch.
Sufficed to say he took another fireball and a beating. They traveled a little further until about sundown and then found a good place to camp. Gourry and Sylphiel went to go get logs for the fire. Poor Amelia was left to set up camp while Lina and Zel went to go find dinner.
"How come Zelgadis can't help set up camp?" Amelia complained while unloading the things.
'Because he's the 2nd best fisher there is...and I'm the first...besides someone's gonna have to help me carry them all back and this cute little petite body of mine can't carry all the fish and the gear" Lina said giving Amelia a wink and a smile. Amelia sighed and continued to set up camp.
'C'mon Zel" Lina said heading off for the forest towards the river with a fishing pole. Zelgadis quickened his pace to keep up with her. "For a small petite body you sure do move fast" Zel exclaimed. Of course then he started to notice her small petite body and turned away blushing slightly.
"Well if I didn't move fast, someone else would be one step ahead of me" She said, weaving in and out of the trees.
Zel grinned again. She was the one person who made him laugh. He couldn't help it around her. Her personality was so outgoing and...passionate? Not the word he was looking for. He continued to follow. What word was there to describe the sorcery genius Lina Inverse? Trouble....Adventure and trouble for sure. He walked right into her.
'Hey! Watch it! you stepped on my heels!" She said angrily.
"Sorry..." He replied kind of sheepishly. He had been so deep in his thoughts that he hadn't realized they were at the lake.
Lina sat down and lined the fishing pole with bait. She proceded to catch fish after fish, throwing them in a pile that gradually became a mound.
'Uh...Lina...isn't that enough?" Zel asked, a sweat drop forming. Why was this situation so familiar?
"I'm really hungry tonight...besides with yogurt brains back there we'll probably need the whole lake's worth" she replied.
Zel sighed and sat down under a tree, watching her catch the fish and proclaim her success loudly. He couldn't tell her...what would she think?...what would she say?.... if she knew that he ....a chimera...loved her with all of his heart that he had left?
They returned when the sun was down, Lina carrying the fishing pole with a huge grin on her face and Zelgadis with all the fish struggling and muttering under his breath.
'C'mon Zel! Hurry I'm hungry!" She said picking up her pace. Zel groaned and followed not quite so quickly.
After everyone was full (yea I know what your thinking... Lina and Gourry full?) well, enough for contentment, they all sat around the fire to warm up before bed.
"Why do girls like flowers so much?" Gourry asked scratching his head. Everyone crashed to the ground.
'Gourry that happened in the MORNING... AND YOU JUST-.AHHHGGG!!!" Lina cried. Gourry sat there clueless.
"Well Gourry dear, when a person gives flowers to someone it's a sign of great affection to them" Sylphiel said blushing and getting lost in her own thoughts.
"You also give flowers to someone when they're sick or at funerals" Amelia answered. She too became lost in her own thoughts.
'Oh...." Gourry replied. His eyes gazed off towards Lina who was bashing her head against a tree. Lina came back and sat down again.
'You only give flowers to someone...Gourry...when you really want to show them how much you care" Lina said softly looking into the fire. She seemed sad.
'Lina san" Amelia said in a questioning and sympathetic tone.
Lina's sadness quickly disappeared and her mischievous grin took its place. Amelia even wondered if it had been there.
"Well off to the lake for me, I'm gonna take a bath!"
"That sounds nice" Sylphiel said.
"Mind if I join too?" Amelia asked.
"Sure, why not?" Lina shrugged.
That left Zelgadis and Gourry, to clean up dinner. Zelgadis's eyes trailed after Lina as they left. He was concerned for her as well. He cleaned up the plates and decided...without being a peeping tom that he would figure out what was wrong with her. He wanted to do something for her. He wanted to make her happy. He wanted to express his love to her...before it was too late...
"FIRE BALL!" Lina cried throwing it into the lake. The water was instantly steaming and warm. Each of the girls threw their clothes and towels off and got in. They all cooed as they felt the warm water and sighed letting their sore muscles loosen.
"Lina san?" Amelia asked out of the blue.
"Huh?" Lina replied.
"Why were you so sad....when you mentioned the flowers at the fire?"
"Yes Lina san...why?" Sylphiel echoed. Both looked at her genuinely concerned.
"Uh..." Lina said starting to blush. "It was ..nothing...really" She said smiling. The two girls were not convinced.
'Please tell us Lina san" Amelia pleaded. Her eyes were huge when she wanted them to be.
"Lina san you can trust us...we won't say anything you wouldn't want us to" Sylphiel said reassuringly.
"Well..." Lina said turning even brighter red.
"What is it?" Amelia asked.
"I...I've...never gotten flowers...like that" Lina confessed blushing even further.
"Like what Lina san?" Amelia asked tilting her head to the side.
"I think she means... like...from someone who really cares about her" Sylphiel replied clueing in Amelia.
'Oh....Otoo-san gave me flowers once when I was a little girl" She said grinning.
"People in the town...little girls used to give me flowers...but I've never received them from..." Sylphiel couldn't continue. She was blushing as well at this point.
"Someone who really cares about you..." Amelia finished sighing. Lina and Sylphiel echoed the sigh.
Lina felt bad. She shouldn't have even said that. Now her friends were sad too... She shouldn't even be thinking about stuff like that. She was a girl...but still...she had bad guys to slay, bandits to blow up, treasure to seek... Besides she was only 16...
"I..I'm gonna go back to camp. Good night" Lina said getting out of the water and grabbing her stuff.
"Goodnight Lina san" The two girls responded.
Lina changed into her things and trudged slowly back to camp. What did it matter if she had never gotten flowers from anyone special? That didn't mean that no one thought she was special....did it? She shook her head.
"Pull it together Lina" She muttered wiping away a tear. She came out from the trees and was ready to once again be the normal happy go lucky, proud Lina she always was.
Zelgadis had excellent hearing and trailed Lina cautiously. So she wants flowers huh? He thought. Then he noticed that she had slowed down. Then he saw the tear that no one else in the world would've caught and his heart wrenched. He had spent Too many nights, waisted with tears. She was lonely too. He felt even more compelled to do something for her. It's now or never His mind screamed. He hurried back to camp to beat her there.
"OH the water was soooo nice! I feel 100 times better! I'm ready to go to sleep!" She exclaimed smiling.
Gourry and Zel looked up from the fire. Zel didn't grin, but he didn't frown either. Gourry gave her one of his goofy grins and finished cleaning up the dinner mess.
Lina set up her sleeping bag and took off her cape and armor setting it beside her bed roll. The girls had come back and went promptly to sleep. Gourry had been next, assured that Zel would take watch. She still had yet to fall asleep and was still in her sleeping bag looking up at the stars. She threw off her covers and sighed getting frustrated. Zelgadis had been poking the fire with a stick and hadn't realized she was awake. She went storming over to the fire and sat down irritably on the log right next to Zelgadis.
"Something wrong?" He asked softly. He was looking into the flames and not at her.
"I can't sleep!" She said angrily.
"I noticed" He replied.
"Yea well...I don't know what's wrong with me tonight!" She replied hotly.
"Maybe you ate too-"He was promptly smacked over the head with a sword hilt. His sword hilt now that he looked at it.
"Ow..." He exclaimed as a small lump appeared.
She had learned not to hit him over the head with her fist. She sat down again and sighed staring into the fire. Her gaze abruptly turned then up at the stars.
"Whats wrong?" He asked. Lina looked up surprised.
'Uhh...nothings wrong" She said with sweat drop.
"You're a terrible liar" He replied with a small grin. She sighed.
"Do you really want to know?" She asked him almost angrily.
"If you want to tell me..." He replied gazing into the fire.
His blue eyes reflected the fire. He had such an intense gaze. Now that she noticed it his eyes were always really pretty.
"Well....it's just that I've never had flowers from someone...you know...someone who really likes me...and I don't know why it's bothering me ...cuz I'm Lina Inverse. I don't understand why I am so SAD about it or why it gets me worked up or why I'm even telling you all this!" She exclaimed in one breath. She took a deep breath and let out a huge sigh.
'You feel lonely. It's a natural feeling." He replied very softly. His gaze hardened at the fire.
'Zel..." Lina said. He must always be alone....like me... she thought sadly.
"Well...I'm gonna go back to sleep...good night Zel" She said uncomfortably.
'Good night Lina san" He replied softly.
She crawled up into her sleeping bag and wrapped it tight around her. She looked up at the stars and with one last thought fell asleep. Zel sighed as her looked at the groups sleeping forms. He didn't know why he traveled with them. They were so very different, each of them possessing a uniqueness of their own. His eyes traveled to Lina's sleeping figure all huddled up in her bag.
She was the most unique of all. She was small but she possessed so much strength and talent. Her sorcery would shape the world...in fact it had. They had saved the world. She had greater things to fulfill in her lifetime. He could only hope she'd still let him be a part of them.
Lina awoke later in the morning then she usually did. Her stomach berated her as she got slowly on her feet. She put on her armor, cloak, and sword and packed her things. Her nose caught the smell of the food and she was instantly awake and wandered towards the fire.
"Who got breakfast this morning?" Lina asked as she sat down on one of the logs.
"Zelgadis san did" Amelia beamed happily as she munched. Gourry echoed her munching enthusiastically.
Lina sat down and ate quickly clearing the first ten plate fulls in record time. She set her plate down and got up.
'I'm gonna go sit by the lake for a while, come get me when were gonna leave" She said and left.
Everyone in the group eyed each other and went off in separate places.
Lina sat under the same tree Zelgadis had the previous day and sighed looking out over the lake. It was so beautiful. She heard the branches rustle and her eyes darted over to the bush.
"Uh...Lina.." Zelgadis said appearing out of them. His hands were behind his back.
'Oh...Hi Zel.." She said looking back towards the lake.
"Umm..Hi..." He responded quite nervously. This made her look up. He was standing over her.
"Yea Zel?" She asked. Her red eyes flared with curiosity.
"Uhh....these are for you" He said a red blush sweeping across his face. He handed her a beautiful bouquet of all the flowers she had admired the other day. Suddenly a crashing sound came from the bushes again and Gourry appeared. Zel was extremely embarrassed but Gourry didn't seem to notice he was there.
'Hey Lina...These...are for you" He said handing her a bouquet of dandelions and daisies.
'Lina san" came 2 other voices. Both Amelia and Sylphiel came too.
"Lina we picked these just for you" They both said. No one had seen Zelgadis there because the tree had been blocking him.
"Mina...." Lina said her eyes starting to well up with tears. Gourry, Sylphiel, Amelia and Zelgadis all grinned.
'We love you Lina san....and we wanted to show you just how much we appreciate you" Amelia said.
"We should be leaving soon" Zelgadis said from behind Gourry.
'Zelgadis san...where have you been?" Amelia asked.
"Oh...around. I heard Gourry stomping through the forest and followed him." Zel replied.
His eyes and Lina's met. She looked at him in wonder. His flowers....had been first....surely if the others hadn't seen him all morning to work it out with him....then..... He gave her a slight nod.
"Are we going?" He said walking back into the forest.
"Yea.." Lina replied picking up all of her wonderful flowers. 'Were going"
Authors note: This was my first attempt at a slayers fanfic. I dunno...all in all I think it came out pretty good....cept Zel actually smiling and all but that had to be added. I wanted to make Zel have the guts to tell Lina how he felt. So I tried to convey the sense that he didn't know what would happen next (After all they did defeat shabranigdo AND copy rezo...) he was afraid that he might die or she might die and never be able to tell her how he truly felt... without telling her how he truly felt....is that possible? ....Dunno if that ACTUALLY worked but HEY! I can try right ^_^
**shrug** so what cha think?
Warning: this is a z/l fanfic! If you don't like that then OBVIOUSLY don't read it! Ummm... There isn't really bad stuff just adorable cuteness! Also Slayers is not uNDER ANY WAY MINE....wish it was though...I'm just an obsessed weirdo that has too much free time. This takes place after the first series and before the 2nd series.
"SUGOI!" Amelia exclaimed running over the hill.
She crouched down, sniffing the beautiful flowers. It was the 2nd week of spring and everything was green and growing. The sun was shinning and everything seemed rather peaceful for the slayers gang. Well peaceful for the moment that is. The group consisted of Lina (of course!), Amelia, Gourry, Sylphiel, and the ever gloomy, Zelgadis san.
"They are very pretty" Sylphiel said coming from over the hill.
She stopped to look at them and smell them. Lina appeared right behind Sylphiel.
"PRETTY!" She exclaimed eyes glittering.
She sat down and smelled them admiring their colors and scents. She had bent down her head to smell one when good old Gourry san came. He obviously hadn't noticed the group and trampled all over the flowers, completely unaware.
"Wah...." Amelia san cried, tears streaming down her cheek.
Lina looked at the now ruined flowers. For a moment she had absoloutly no expression on her face...
"FIRE BALL!" She exclaimed, hitting Gourry and sending him flying.
"WAHHH!!! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?" Gourry cried catching Lina in a headlock.
"THAT'S FOR RUINING PERFECTLY GOOD FLOWERS!!! DON'T YOU KNOW ANYTHING JELLYFISH BRAINS? You don't just GO AROUND RUINING PERFECTLY GOOD FLOWER- HEY- OW!" Lina exclaimed breaking out of his lock and conking him on the head with her fist.
He in return, tackled her, and the two got involved in one of their typical fights. They proceeded to attack each other and hurl insults as the dust flew. Zelgadis had just come from over the hill and saw them attacking each other, Amelia crying, and Sylphiel comforting Amelia.
He sighed. Just like them to forget about him.... He wondered briefly what had started the fight between Gourry and Lina this time...He pushed it out of his head.
'Ridiculous" He muttered. He Conked Lina on the head, leaving a big red bump and a furious Lina. However, it broke up the fight. Amelia had gotten control of herself and was now on her feet listening to him. Inwardly he groaned. She was nice...but...
"Do we even know where we're heading next?" He exclaimed.
Lina put her two pointer fingers together in a typical slayers fashion.
"Uhh...not really" She said with a sweat drop.
"Typical" He said heading down the road. He was angry and he didn't know why.
He had been traveling with Lina for a year or so. He had worked for Rezo....just the name made his blood curdle...but that was all before. He had met the fiery red head by following her. He hadn't believed some small girl looking like a child could've cast one of the most powerful spells, Lina's famous "Dragon Slave".
He had doubted her and underestimated her. Time and time again she had proved her worth in battle. She had never really backed down from a challenge and had even defeated a god himself...one of the most powerful gods...Shabranigdo...using the MOST powerful spell known in creation. His respect for the sorceress had drastically changed.
He had gone from not caring about her, to an ally, to a dear friend...and he himself had found himself in a desperate love with the sorceress. It was natural. She was the only one who never judged him by appearances and even through the jokes and gags, she had always had his "Back" so to say.
Meanwhile back to the other group (about 2 minutes have gone by....remember this is anime time, they never work in the same time frame! **grin** )
"Uhhhh......" Gourry said unsure of what to do.
"HEY ZEL WAIT UP!" Lina cried running after him. The rest of the group followed shortly after.
"Hey Zel, what's wrong with you?" Lina asked. She wasn't daunted by him at all.
"N-nothings wrong with me...." He replied stiffly. He tried very hard not to reveal anything of his feelings...she could pick up on anything.
"You're a terrible liar" Lina said smiling coyly. Zelgadis sweat dropped and looked away. Lina frowned but didn't pester him, and politely changed the subject.
"OH LOOK! More flowers!" She exclaimed dashing off to the side of the road and smelling them.
She sighed smiling, obviously from the sweet fragrance. A grin tugged at the corners of Zel's mouth. He suppressed it quickly before she noticed. She was probably the only one who could get a grin out of him. The rest of the group caught up.
"Oh Lina san! You found more" Amelia said smiling and joining her.
"Oh more!" Sylphiel said and joined both the girls.
Gourry came next and saw the girls all around the flowers again. He went over to go see what the fuss was. He bent down and sniffed a flower.
"Ah...ah.....ACHOOOOOO!" He cried sneezing away the whole patch.
Sufficed to say he took another fireball and a beating. They traveled a little further until about sundown and then found a good place to camp. Gourry and Sylphiel went to go get logs for the fire. Poor Amelia was left to set up camp while Lina and Zel went to go find dinner.
"How come Zelgadis can't help set up camp?" Amelia complained while unloading the things.
'Because he's the 2nd best fisher there is...and I'm the first...besides someone's gonna have to help me carry them all back and this cute little petite body of mine can't carry all the fish and the gear" Lina said giving Amelia a wink and a smile. Amelia sighed and continued to set up camp.
'C'mon Zel" Lina said heading off for the forest towards the river with a fishing pole. Zelgadis quickened his pace to keep up with her. "For a small petite body you sure do move fast" Zel exclaimed. Of course then he started to notice her small petite body and turned away blushing slightly.
"Well if I didn't move fast, someone else would be one step ahead of me" She said, weaving in and out of the trees.
Zel grinned again. She was the one person who made him laugh. He couldn't help it around her. Her personality was so outgoing and...passionate? Not the word he was looking for. He continued to follow. What word was there to describe the sorcery genius Lina Inverse? Trouble....Adventure and trouble for sure. He walked right into her.
'Hey! Watch it! you stepped on my heels!" She said angrily.
"Sorry..." He replied kind of sheepishly. He had been so deep in his thoughts that he hadn't realized they were at the lake.
Lina sat down and lined the fishing pole with bait. She proceded to catch fish after fish, throwing them in a pile that gradually became a mound.
'Uh...Lina...isn't that enough?" Zel asked, a sweat drop forming. Why was this situation so familiar?
"I'm really hungry tonight...besides with yogurt brains back there we'll probably need the whole lake's worth" she replied.
Zel sighed and sat down under a tree, watching her catch the fish and proclaim her success loudly. He couldn't tell her...what would she think?...what would she say?.... if she knew that he ....a chimera...loved her with all of his heart that he had left?
They returned when the sun was down, Lina carrying the fishing pole with a huge grin on her face and Zelgadis with all the fish struggling and muttering under his breath.
'C'mon Zel! Hurry I'm hungry!" She said picking up her pace. Zel groaned and followed not quite so quickly.
After everyone was full (yea I know what your thinking... Lina and Gourry full?) well, enough for contentment, they all sat around the fire to warm up before bed.
"Why do girls like flowers so much?" Gourry asked scratching his head. Everyone crashed to the ground.
'Gourry that happened in the MORNING... AND YOU JUST-.AHHHGGG!!!" Lina cried. Gourry sat there clueless.
"Well Gourry dear, when a person gives flowers to someone it's a sign of great affection to them" Sylphiel said blushing and getting lost in her own thoughts.
"You also give flowers to someone when they're sick or at funerals" Amelia answered. She too became lost in her own thoughts.
'Oh...." Gourry replied. His eyes gazed off towards Lina who was bashing her head against a tree. Lina came back and sat down again.
'You only give flowers to someone...Gourry...when you really want to show them how much you care" Lina said softly looking into the fire. She seemed sad.
'Lina san" Amelia said in a questioning and sympathetic tone.
Lina's sadness quickly disappeared and her mischievous grin took its place. Amelia even wondered if it had been there.
"Well off to the lake for me, I'm gonna take a bath!"
"That sounds nice" Sylphiel said.
"Mind if I join too?" Amelia asked.
"Sure, why not?" Lina shrugged.
That left Zelgadis and Gourry, to clean up dinner. Zelgadis's eyes trailed after Lina as they left. He was concerned for her as well. He cleaned up the plates and decided...without being a peeping tom that he would figure out what was wrong with her. He wanted to do something for her. He wanted to make her happy. He wanted to express his love to her...before it was too late...
"FIRE BALL!" Lina cried throwing it into the lake. The water was instantly steaming and warm. Each of the girls threw their clothes and towels off and got in. They all cooed as they felt the warm water and sighed letting their sore muscles loosen.
"Lina san?" Amelia asked out of the blue.
"Huh?" Lina replied.
"Why were you so sad....when you mentioned the flowers at the fire?"
"Yes Lina san...why?" Sylphiel echoed. Both looked at her genuinely concerned.
"Uh..." Lina said starting to blush. "It was ..nothing...really" She said smiling. The two girls were not convinced.
'Please tell us Lina san" Amelia pleaded. Her eyes were huge when she wanted them to be.
"Lina san you can trust us...we won't say anything you wouldn't want us to" Sylphiel said reassuringly.
"Well..." Lina said turning even brighter red.
"What is it?" Amelia asked.
"I...I've...never gotten flowers...like that" Lina confessed blushing even further.
"Like what Lina san?" Amelia asked tilting her head to the side.
"I think she means... like...from someone who really cares about her" Sylphiel replied clueing in Amelia.
'Oh....Otoo-san gave me flowers once when I was a little girl" She said grinning.
"People in the town...little girls used to give me flowers...but I've never received them from..." Sylphiel couldn't continue. She was blushing as well at this point.
"Someone who really cares about you..." Amelia finished sighing. Lina and Sylphiel echoed the sigh.
Lina felt bad. She shouldn't have even said that. Now her friends were sad too... She shouldn't even be thinking about stuff like that. She was a girl...but still...she had bad guys to slay, bandits to blow up, treasure to seek... Besides she was only 16...
"I..I'm gonna go back to camp. Good night" Lina said getting out of the water and grabbing her stuff.
"Goodnight Lina san" The two girls responded.
Lina changed into her things and trudged slowly back to camp. What did it matter if she had never gotten flowers from anyone special? That didn't mean that no one thought she was special....did it? She shook her head.
"Pull it together Lina" She muttered wiping away a tear. She came out from the trees and was ready to once again be the normal happy go lucky, proud Lina she always was.
Zelgadis had excellent hearing and trailed Lina cautiously. So she wants flowers huh? He thought. Then he noticed that she had slowed down. Then he saw the tear that no one else in the world would've caught and his heart wrenched. He had spent Too many nights, waisted with tears. She was lonely too. He felt even more compelled to do something for her. It's now or never His mind screamed. He hurried back to camp to beat her there.
"OH the water was soooo nice! I feel 100 times better! I'm ready to go to sleep!" She exclaimed smiling.
Gourry and Zel looked up from the fire. Zel didn't grin, but he didn't frown either. Gourry gave her one of his goofy grins and finished cleaning up the dinner mess.
Lina set up her sleeping bag and took off her cape and armor setting it beside her bed roll. The girls had come back and went promptly to sleep. Gourry had been next, assured that Zel would take watch. She still had yet to fall asleep and was still in her sleeping bag looking up at the stars. She threw off her covers and sighed getting frustrated. Zelgadis had been poking the fire with a stick and hadn't realized she was awake. She went storming over to the fire and sat down irritably on the log right next to Zelgadis.
"Something wrong?" He asked softly. He was looking into the flames and not at her.
"I can't sleep!" She said angrily.
"I noticed" He replied.
"Yea well...I don't know what's wrong with me tonight!" She replied hotly.
"Maybe you ate too-"He was promptly smacked over the head with a sword hilt. His sword hilt now that he looked at it.
"Ow..." He exclaimed as a small lump appeared.
She had learned not to hit him over the head with her fist. She sat down again and sighed staring into the fire. Her gaze abruptly turned then up at the stars.
"Whats wrong?" He asked. Lina looked up surprised.
'Uhh...nothings wrong" She said with sweat drop.
"You're a terrible liar" He replied with a small grin. She sighed.
"Do you really want to know?" She asked him almost angrily.
"If you want to tell me..." He replied gazing into the fire.
His blue eyes reflected the fire. He had such an intense gaze. Now that she noticed it his eyes were always really pretty.
"Well....it's just that I've never had flowers from someone...you know...someone who really likes me...and I don't know why it's bothering me ...cuz I'm Lina Inverse. I don't understand why I am so SAD about it or why it gets me worked up or why I'm even telling you all this!" She exclaimed in one breath. She took a deep breath and let out a huge sigh.
'You feel lonely. It's a natural feeling." He replied very softly. His gaze hardened at the fire.
'Zel..." Lina said. He must always be alone....like me... she thought sadly.
"Well...I'm gonna go back to sleep...good night Zel" She said uncomfortably.
'Good night Lina san" He replied softly.
She crawled up into her sleeping bag and wrapped it tight around her. She looked up at the stars and with one last thought fell asleep. Zel sighed as her looked at the groups sleeping forms. He didn't know why he traveled with them. They were so very different, each of them possessing a uniqueness of their own. His eyes traveled to Lina's sleeping figure all huddled up in her bag.
She was the most unique of all. She was small but she possessed so much strength and talent. Her sorcery would shape the world...in fact it had. They had saved the world. She had greater things to fulfill in her lifetime. He could only hope she'd still let him be a part of them.
Lina awoke later in the morning then she usually did. Her stomach berated her as she got slowly on her feet. She put on her armor, cloak, and sword and packed her things. Her nose caught the smell of the food and she was instantly awake and wandered towards the fire.
"Who got breakfast this morning?" Lina asked as she sat down on one of the logs.
"Zelgadis san did" Amelia beamed happily as she munched. Gourry echoed her munching enthusiastically.
Lina sat down and ate quickly clearing the first ten plate fulls in record time. She set her plate down and got up.
'I'm gonna go sit by the lake for a while, come get me when were gonna leave" She said and left.
Everyone in the group eyed each other and went off in separate places.
Lina sat under the same tree Zelgadis had the previous day and sighed looking out over the lake. It was so beautiful. She heard the branches rustle and her eyes darted over to the bush.
"Uh...Lina.." Zelgadis said appearing out of them. His hands were behind his back.
'Oh...Hi Zel.." She said looking back towards the lake.
"Umm..Hi..." He responded quite nervously. This made her look up. He was standing over her.
"Yea Zel?" She asked. Her red eyes flared with curiosity.
"Uhh....these are for you" He said a red blush sweeping across his face. He handed her a beautiful bouquet of all the flowers she had admired the other day. Suddenly a crashing sound came from the bushes again and Gourry appeared. Zel was extremely embarrassed but Gourry didn't seem to notice he was there.
'Hey Lina...These...are for you" He said handing her a bouquet of dandelions and daisies.
'Lina san" came 2 other voices. Both Amelia and Sylphiel came too.
"Lina we picked these just for you" They both said. No one had seen Zelgadis there because the tree had been blocking him.
"Mina...." Lina said her eyes starting to well up with tears. Gourry, Sylphiel, Amelia and Zelgadis all grinned.
'We love you Lina san....and we wanted to show you just how much we appreciate you" Amelia said.
"We should be leaving soon" Zelgadis said from behind Gourry.
'Zelgadis san...where have you been?" Amelia asked.
"Oh...around. I heard Gourry stomping through the forest and followed him." Zel replied.
His eyes and Lina's met. She looked at him in wonder. His flowers....had been first....surely if the others hadn't seen him all morning to work it out with him....then..... He gave her a slight nod.
"Are we going?" He said walking back into the forest.
"Yea.." Lina replied picking up all of her wonderful flowers. 'Were going"
Authors note: This was my first attempt at a slayers fanfic. I dunno...all in all I think it came out pretty good....cept Zel actually smiling and all but that had to be added. I wanted to make Zel have the guts to tell Lina how he felt. So I tried to convey the sense that he didn't know what would happen next (After all they did defeat shabranigdo AND copy rezo...) he was afraid that he might die or she might die and never be able to tell her how he truly felt... without telling her how he truly felt....is that possible? ....Dunno if that ACTUALLY worked but HEY! I can try right ^_^
**shrug** so what cha think?