Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN SLAYERS. You'd think by now you get the idea, ne? ^_^
- JUST ANOTHER AU FIC -
Chapter 9: Round Two! Zelgadis Tries Again!
This was bad. This was very bad. Grave, even. Did he mention it was bad?
Zelgadis continued his stiff ascent upwards to Filia's office, managing to retain a relatively calm demeanor, despite what he was actually feeling at the moment.
His immediate problem now was whether he should tell Filia just how bad. The lady might not take it very well. *He* hadn't been able to take it very well, the day he learned of it.
'Ah, Saichuro-san', the Chimera cursed inwardly, 'if only you've told us early on...' Now the old man had gone and passed away. And left them a whole league of absolutely preposterous matters to deal with wh--
-- *THUNK!* --
"Zelgadis-san?!"
Zelgadis looked down, startled, to see the secretary Amelia sprawled on the floor below him, a most confused/surprised expression on her face. Her bag and ledger books lay scattered around her. Both of them sported nasty bumps on the forehead where they apparently collided.
He sweatdropped, cursing to himself again. He'd practically ran into her, but he'd been so lost in his thoughts he hadn't noticed... "I'm sorry..." he began to mutter, then noticed just in what position the two of them were in...
Zelgadis quickly got off Amelia, blushing an extra bright red. "I'm sorry," he mumbled again, as he busied himself in picking up the bag and books she'd dropped. He handed them to the also blushing dark-haired young woman without meeting her eyes. He rubbed the swollen bump on his head as he smoothed down a fold in his suit.
"Are you OK, Zelgadis-san?" Amelia asked, having recovered enough from the rather... compromising situation they were in not a moment ago.
"I'm alright -- it was my fault really..."
". . . . . . ."
". . . . . . . . . ....."
"... So is... is Miss Filia... is she in her office?" Zelgadis inquired, breaking the uneasy silence between them.
Amelia nodded. "She's in there," she confirmed. "Actually, she let me have the day off for today. I was just about to leave..."
"I see," Zelgadis replied, his discreet demeanor fully recovered. He proceeded to the door, pausing a minute. "Where will you be going, by the way?"
"Me? Home, I guess... I was considering going out shopping, but I'm not exactly well off at the moment," Amelia answered, a puzzled look crossing her face. Did he.... Was he actually going to ask her out? Unbidden, just the faintest hint of a blush appeared on her cheeks.
"Oh." The Chimera surmised. "Well, good day, Amelia," he said, turning back to the doorway.
She sweatdropped, then smiled. So much for hoping, ne? "Good day, Zelgadis-san." Resigning herself, Amelia descended down the stairway.
~*~
I should hate him. I really should.
Filia told herself that as she leafed through yet another stack of bills and depressing sales reports, trying to keep her mind on her work and do something productive. Shaking her head, she set down the folders on her desk. Ah, but who was she kidding?
Damned Mazoku. Damn him for showing up, smiling that mysterious but still oh-so-innocent smile. Damn his straight purple hair... that obnoxious voice... the way she felt his whole being seemed to silently laugh at her whenever they met. Considering it, he shouldn't be so hard to hate, now, should he? Then why is she even wasting important office time just thinking about it?
Because, Filia, you are confused, she told herself tiredly. And why shouldn't she? Xellos, for all his fruitiness, was acting -- well -- stranger than usual. Their little... date for instance. Sure, Filia was used to have him acting his usual irrepressively cheerful, irritating self, but yesterday he seemed a little nicer. And charming, and courteous... until that little comment about the goodnight kiss, that is. Her eyes briefly clouded over at the memory, turning pink. The nerve!
And then there were all these gifts... Her eyes strayed to the pile of chocolates, balloons and stuffed toys delivered to her, taking up a considerable amount of space in the room. They kept arriving as steadily as before, so many presents it bordered on ridiculous. And the note this morning...
She frankly didn't know what to make of it. For all intents and purposes, it seemed that he was courting her. Or was that possible?
She shifted in her seat, unconsciously toying with the black ballpoint pen she used for signing papers and business statements. However implausible that idea seemed, she was tempted to believe it. Yet something about the actual situation seemed to nag her at the back of her mind... It just didn't fit together too well. What was he up to?
Filia tucked a wayward strand of blond hair away from her face, turning back to her paperwork. It wouldn't do her any good, she told herself, dwelling on all this. She had more pressing things to deal with; the survival of the shop, for instance. This month, she noted with a bit of relief, they indeed were doing a little better, given the competition, and might just have a chance to keep running for the next year or so.
But that was all it was. A chance. But by Greatgrandpa Karyu-sama, she thought with determination as she proceeded to start reading the printouts where she left off, she'll do her best.
~*~
"Look, we're a tea and pottery business, undesputably one of the oldest in Saillune," Lina argued over the phone receiver she was strangling in place of the person she was talking to. "Not a rental building! ........ Whaddaya mean, so what? .... But *that's* the POINT, we want the company to stay the way it is essentially, not be converted into some run-of-the-mill sports store! . . . . .... What?!? ... OK, that's it, you despicable greaseball, the deal's off!!! Forget it! You call yourself a decent lawyer?! You oughta-- ! FINE then, go ahead and sue! I'm LINA INVERSE for your information, beautiful genius lawyer supreme, and I could put you through all nine levels of hell just by--" The line went dead.
Lina fumed at the receiver, setting it down with a slightly audible and irritated slam.
The secretary of the district attorney looked up cautiously at the red-haired woman who had been screaming at the phone just recently. "A-are you done with your calls, miss?" She timidly asked.
Lina nodded, still too angry at yet another blowoff from yet another horrible slimeball corporate executive. "Tell Mr. Sanchez I'm on my way back to the meeting," she told the frizzy-haired employee. Still rather nervous from the recent outburst, the young woman clicked on the intercom, warily watching her retreat.
What a great way to mar an otherwise wonderful day, the redhead mused, as she took the elevator to where the district attorney and his two cohorts were waiting for her to return from their informal cigarette break. The way the contract had been written was easy enough to manipulate, to her client's advantage, of course. They'll be left with no real choice. Suing would mean the poor guys will embarass themselves beyond repair; the documents were just too 'drafty' and vague. So they'll withdraw the suit... while her camp will sue in return and almost positively get a hefty damage fee.
And she has a romantic dinner date with Gourry tomorrow night. Life would have been absolutely good.
~*~
"Come in."
"Filia?" Zelgadis opened the door to the blonde's office, failing not to notice the numerous stacks of teddy bears, chocolates and presents around her already cluttered room. The person to which all these kawaii and charming trinkets were sent to sat on the comfortable antique wooden chair behind the oaken desk. "Are these--?" The wiry-haired lawyer began to ask.
Filia nodded wearily, as if she'd been answering the same inquiry for who knows how many times that day. "Yes, they're from Xellos."
Zelgadis raised an eyebrow. "... So are you--"
"--No."
"Well, just asking... I mean, I heard about last night... and Lina said--"
"No." Filia answered resolutely, starting to turn red. Time to drop the subject, apparently. She was leaning on the edge of the desktop, glaring at the Chimera menacingly. She sweatdropped, seeing the lawyer's reaction, and recovered herself. "So, Zelgadis, what brings you here?" she asked in a calmer tone, as she sat back down on her chair. "Found new buyers for the company?" she added hopefully.
Zelgadis shook his head, steeling himself. "Actually, Filia... There's something I've been waiting to discuss with you ab--"
Another knock on the door. "Filia-san?!" Amelia inquired, sticking her head through the open doorway and interrupting Zel-kun yet again (poor guy ;_;). The raven-haired girl seemed all the more excited about something. "I think you should come down here! Guess who's here to see you!?"
'Don't tell me,' Filia thought with a faltering heart. "I know, Amelia. The nam--"
"Mr. Xellos!!!" the dark-haired secretary filled in eagerly, eyes shining dreamily as she strode inside the room and did a tiny justice pose. "Isn't it so sweet of him, Miss Filia? He came all the way here to ask you if you'd go out with him again! And--"
Zelgadis frowned. "Xellos is here?"
"Um, hello again, Zelgadis-san," Amelia greeted, fully noticing he was there. "Yes, he's just arrived, almost right after you came in, too! Almost bumped with him myself, so clumsy of me, ne?" she went on cheerfully. "Anyway, Filia-san, I think you shouldn't keep him w-- Filia-san?" Amelia gazed in puzzlement at the empty seat where the blonde had previously been sitting.
"Filia-san?"
~*~
The five or so other customers in the teahouse turned to the blond woman hurriedly descending from the stairway.
Filia glared at the smiling purple-haired man sipping tea contentedly on the very same chair he'd occupied on his previous visit yesterday. "Xellos!" she growled, "Why are you here?!"
The Mazoku simply grinned back, face annoyingly regarding her in amusement. "Just decided to drop by and say hello to my dearest Fi-chan," he countered happily. "We didn't get to say goodbye properly yesterday, as I recall, and I must make sure not to make you worry! So here I am!" He bowed dramatically, then whipped out a large bouquet of light purple roses, offering it to her. "Well, Filia, does it calm your heart to know that I am alive and well since last time we parted?" He finished.
"My heart's not the least bit concerned of your welfare, namagomi," she retorted, taking the roses warily.
"Oh really? Then who was it who peeked out from the front porch to see me off as I drove away yesterday, eh?"
Filia blushed. "Y-you--!" She raised the bouquet, preparing to whap his obnoxious head with it.
Xellos smiled wider. "Temper, temper, Filia-chan," he said, wagging an index finger patronizingly at the fuming woman. "There are others watching." He indicated the array of customers who had bunched around at a corner of the room to watch their little interplay from a safe distance.
The blonde lowered the rose bouquet, opting to continue her death glare instead. He was right. Again. And knew it! Damned Mazoku--
He nodded approvingly. "Now why don't we just sit here and have a cup of tea, ne?" Filia obliged, sitting on a wicker chair across him, however begrudgingly.
Xellos kept his grin as Filia sat down, but inwardly he frowned. The lady's mood had evidently reverted to the usual easily irritable but at the same time amusing demeanor she reserved especially for him. And last night he thought he had gotten her into a more agreeable situation regarding him.
Ah, well. No matter.
He'd decided to pay her a visit again, just a while ago, in fact, after the company handymen came to install the brand new, fuzzy pink, high-backed, cushiony chair he'd ordered. Their offices weren't exactly too far apart, and he really should see her as often as he could. All the much faster he could have her.
"Why are you here again, Xellos?!" Filia demanded as she got her tea cup, taking care to keep her voice down and not attract more unwanted listeners. "I told you I'd go out with you once, and that would be it. Don't show your face to me again, don't send me these presents, don't come here! Now will you leave..."
"Hm? You told me that?" The Mazoku interposed, pretending to think hard. "I don't recall anything of our past conversations in that context. In fact, last night, you told me you 'had such a wonderful time'," he proceeded to mimic the rather starry-eyed Filia of the night before, awarding another delightful combination of maidenly blush and narrow-eyed death glares. Xellos grinned for real this time.
Filia controlled herself not to break her teacup in rage,as she managed a sip. "Well then, today I guess we're agreed on that, are we?" she retorted.
She glanced briefly at the rose bouquet she had set down beside her. She did love flowers. And it was rather adorably sweet of him to-- what in Ceipheed was she thinking? I hate him. Hate him! She fisted one hand in resolution as she drank down her tea, all the while keeping a bored glare directed at the smiling man across her.
"Oh, but Fi-chan, surely you don't mean that," Xellos replied. "We have a lot of catching up to do! And it's a rarity to encounter a truly elegantly fine dancer as yourself. I didn't know you could waltz so well, Filia-chan."
He regarded her, still grinning. It was rather interesting the way her face could turn all shades of angry red colors. "And besides," he whispered, opening one eye alight with mischief, "I didn't get that good night kiss last night."
Silence.
"DIE!!!"
He dodged in time to avoid a potentially painful collision with Filia's right fist.
~*~
Lina smiled down sweetly at the three besuited men who sat around her. She fixed up her papers, arranging them in her lightweight briefcase.
"Well, I'm glad that's settled, people," she happily declared as she stood up to leave. "My client will be happy to know that we're on more amiable terms. Contract misunderstandings are such sad, sad matters, aren't they?" She went on, rubbing her victory in for all it was worth. The district attorney was squirming, his two assistants' faces were bleak, oh, they were so gone. Too bad, ne?
Confidently, she rose up, giving the three older men a little wave as she walked off to take the elevator.
She was about to board it when the frizzy-haired secretary she'd met earlier came running towards her. "Wait, miss! Miss Inverse!?"
She turned to the woman. "Yeah? What is it?"
The woman put both hands on her knees, gasping from the exhaustion of catching up to her before she left the building. "C-call for you... miss," the employee managed to put in between heaves.
"OK," Lina replied, following the young woman to the phone. Gourry again? She had to constantly remind him he shouldn't call her during her business meetings. Not that she really minded. But you got to still have some work ethics, right? She really had to get a cellphone one of these days. It always seemed to slip her mind.
She picked up the receiver, preparing to berate the old jellyfish. "Hello? . . . ... What? And Zelgadis is...?" A smile creeped up her face again. "Now this would be interesting..."
It was Amelia.
~*~
Filia finally managed to calm herself. She noted with a sinking heart that all the other customers had fled, leaving the dining area unoccupied save for her and the annoyingly happy Mazoku who was still calmly sipping his tea. The others had stuck around during the first few moments, when she'd only thrown the tea pot, the saucer, even the wicker chair. When she'd grabbed the nearest table behind them, holding it up over her head, well, that was the last straw. The onlookers rushed out of there.
Great. She'd just scared off what few of the customers she had that morning. Really, she shouldn't get riled up like this! She was above it! She--
Xellos looked around benignly, as if noticing for the first time how deserted the area was. "Well, looks like we're alone, finally," he remarked, setting down his teacup on the table, which, miraculously, survived unscathed in the rampage. He stood up, facing her. "Hopefully it wouldn't be much of a bother, but are you free tomorrow evening? I'd really love to be with you again."
Filia stared at him, shocked at the sudden invitation. "What? I'm--"
"Good! It's a date then! Tomorrow night, seven-thirty. Pick you up at your house again, I presume?" He interposed, walking to the shop entrance.
"Chotto, I--"
"Thanks! See you tomorrow, Filia-chan," Xellos winked again, and left the shop completely without giving her a chance to protest.
Filia found her voice as soon as the teahouse door closed shut with a jingle.
"NAMAGOMI!!! GET BACK HERE!!!!!" She called out in the empty room.
~*~
Author's Rantings: Hiya again, another chapter served to all you loyal readers! (you can't possibly begin to fathom how much your reviews mean to little ol' me ;_;) Belated Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (yes, I'm a holiday freak ^_^)!!!
WE'RE NOT ON A DATE -- JUST SPYING!!!
- JUST ANOTHER AU FIC -
Chapter 9: Round Two! Zelgadis Tries Again!
This was bad. This was very bad. Grave, even. Did he mention it was bad?
Zelgadis continued his stiff ascent upwards to Filia's office, managing to retain a relatively calm demeanor, despite what he was actually feeling at the moment.
His immediate problem now was whether he should tell Filia just how bad. The lady might not take it very well. *He* hadn't been able to take it very well, the day he learned of it.
'Ah, Saichuro-san', the Chimera cursed inwardly, 'if only you've told us early on...' Now the old man had gone and passed away. And left them a whole league of absolutely preposterous matters to deal with wh--
-- *THUNK!* --
"Zelgadis-san?!"
Zelgadis looked down, startled, to see the secretary Amelia sprawled on the floor below him, a most confused/surprised expression on her face. Her bag and ledger books lay scattered around her. Both of them sported nasty bumps on the forehead where they apparently collided.
He sweatdropped, cursing to himself again. He'd practically ran into her, but he'd been so lost in his thoughts he hadn't noticed... "I'm sorry..." he began to mutter, then noticed just in what position the two of them were in...
Zelgadis quickly got off Amelia, blushing an extra bright red. "I'm sorry," he mumbled again, as he busied himself in picking up the bag and books she'd dropped. He handed them to the also blushing dark-haired young woman without meeting her eyes. He rubbed the swollen bump on his head as he smoothed down a fold in his suit.
"Are you OK, Zelgadis-san?" Amelia asked, having recovered enough from the rather... compromising situation they were in not a moment ago.
"I'm alright -- it was my fault really..."
". . . . . . ."
". . . . . . . . . ....."
"... So is... is Miss Filia... is she in her office?" Zelgadis inquired, breaking the uneasy silence between them.
Amelia nodded. "She's in there," she confirmed. "Actually, she let me have the day off for today. I was just about to leave..."
"I see," Zelgadis replied, his discreet demeanor fully recovered. He proceeded to the door, pausing a minute. "Where will you be going, by the way?"
"Me? Home, I guess... I was considering going out shopping, but I'm not exactly well off at the moment," Amelia answered, a puzzled look crossing her face. Did he.... Was he actually going to ask her out? Unbidden, just the faintest hint of a blush appeared on her cheeks.
"Oh." The Chimera surmised. "Well, good day, Amelia," he said, turning back to the doorway.
She sweatdropped, then smiled. So much for hoping, ne? "Good day, Zelgadis-san." Resigning herself, Amelia descended down the stairway.
~*~
I should hate him. I really should.
Filia told herself that as she leafed through yet another stack of bills and depressing sales reports, trying to keep her mind on her work and do something productive. Shaking her head, she set down the folders on her desk. Ah, but who was she kidding?
Damned Mazoku. Damn him for showing up, smiling that mysterious but still oh-so-innocent smile. Damn his straight purple hair... that obnoxious voice... the way she felt his whole being seemed to silently laugh at her whenever they met. Considering it, he shouldn't be so hard to hate, now, should he? Then why is she even wasting important office time just thinking about it?
Because, Filia, you are confused, she told herself tiredly. And why shouldn't she? Xellos, for all his fruitiness, was acting -- well -- stranger than usual. Their little... date for instance. Sure, Filia was used to have him acting his usual irrepressively cheerful, irritating self, but yesterday he seemed a little nicer. And charming, and courteous... until that little comment about the goodnight kiss, that is. Her eyes briefly clouded over at the memory, turning pink. The nerve!
And then there were all these gifts... Her eyes strayed to the pile of chocolates, balloons and stuffed toys delivered to her, taking up a considerable amount of space in the room. They kept arriving as steadily as before, so many presents it bordered on ridiculous. And the note this morning...
She frankly didn't know what to make of it. For all intents and purposes, it seemed that he was courting her. Or was that possible?
She shifted in her seat, unconsciously toying with the black ballpoint pen she used for signing papers and business statements. However implausible that idea seemed, she was tempted to believe it. Yet something about the actual situation seemed to nag her at the back of her mind... It just didn't fit together too well. What was he up to?
Filia tucked a wayward strand of blond hair away from her face, turning back to her paperwork. It wouldn't do her any good, she told herself, dwelling on all this. She had more pressing things to deal with; the survival of the shop, for instance. This month, she noted with a bit of relief, they indeed were doing a little better, given the competition, and might just have a chance to keep running for the next year or so.
But that was all it was. A chance. But by Greatgrandpa Karyu-sama, she thought with determination as she proceeded to start reading the printouts where she left off, she'll do her best.
~*~
"Look, we're a tea and pottery business, undesputably one of the oldest in Saillune," Lina argued over the phone receiver she was strangling in place of the person she was talking to. "Not a rental building! ........ Whaddaya mean, so what? .... But *that's* the POINT, we want the company to stay the way it is essentially, not be converted into some run-of-the-mill sports store! . . . . .... What?!? ... OK, that's it, you despicable greaseball, the deal's off!!! Forget it! You call yourself a decent lawyer?! You oughta-- ! FINE then, go ahead and sue! I'm LINA INVERSE for your information, beautiful genius lawyer supreme, and I could put you through all nine levels of hell just by--" The line went dead.
Lina fumed at the receiver, setting it down with a slightly audible and irritated slam.
The secretary of the district attorney looked up cautiously at the red-haired woman who had been screaming at the phone just recently. "A-are you done with your calls, miss?" She timidly asked.
Lina nodded, still too angry at yet another blowoff from yet another horrible slimeball corporate executive. "Tell Mr. Sanchez I'm on my way back to the meeting," she told the frizzy-haired employee. Still rather nervous from the recent outburst, the young woman clicked on the intercom, warily watching her retreat.
What a great way to mar an otherwise wonderful day, the redhead mused, as she took the elevator to where the district attorney and his two cohorts were waiting for her to return from their informal cigarette break. The way the contract had been written was easy enough to manipulate, to her client's advantage, of course. They'll be left with no real choice. Suing would mean the poor guys will embarass themselves beyond repair; the documents were just too 'drafty' and vague. So they'll withdraw the suit... while her camp will sue in return and almost positively get a hefty damage fee.
And she has a romantic dinner date with Gourry tomorrow night. Life would have been absolutely good.
~*~
"Come in."
"Filia?" Zelgadis opened the door to the blonde's office, failing not to notice the numerous stacks of teddy bears, chocolates and presents around her already cluttered room. The person to which all these kawaii and charming trinkets were sent to sat on the comfortable antique wooden chair behind the oaken desk. "Are these--?" The wiry-haired lawyer began to ask.
Filia nodded wearily, as if she'd been answering the same inquiry for who knows how many times that day. "Yes, they're from Xellos."
Zelgadis raised an eyebrow. "... So are you--"
"--No."
"Well, just asking... I mean, I heard about last night... and Lina said--"
"No." Filia answered resolutely, starting to turn red. Time to drop the subject, apparently. She was leaning on the edge of the desktop, glaring at the Chimera menacingly. She sweatdropped, seeing the lawyer's reaction, and recovered herself. "So, Zelgadis, what brings you here?" she asked in a calmer tone, as she sat back down on her chair. "Found new buyers for the company?" she added hopefully.
Zelgadis shook his head, steeling himself. "Actually, Filia... There's something I've been waiting to discuss with you ab--"
Another knock on the door. "Filia-san?!" Amelia inquired, sticking her head through the open doorway and interrupting Zel-kun yet again (poor guy ;_;). The raven-haired girl seemed all the more excited about something. "I think you should come down here! Guess who's here to see you!?"
'Don't tell me,' Filia thought with a faltering heart. "I know, Amelia. The nam--"
"Mr. Xellos!!!" the dark-haired secretary filled in eagerly, eyes shining dreamily as she strode inside the room and did a tiny justice pose. "Isn't it so sweet of him, Miss Filia? He came all the way here to ask you if you'd go out with him again! And--"
Zelgadis frowned. "Xellos is here?"
"Um, hello again, Zelgadis-san," Amelia greeted, fully noticing he was there. "Yes, he's just arrived, almost right after you came in, too! Almost bumped with him myself, so clumsy of me, ne?" she went on cheerfully. "Anyway, Filia-san, I think you shouldn't keep him w-- Filia-san?" Amelia gazed in puzzlement at the empty seat where the blonde had previously been sitting.
"Filia-san?"
~*~
The five or so other customers in the teahouse turned to the blond woman hurriedly descending from the stairway.
Filia glared at the smiling purple-haired man sipping tea contentedly on the very same chair he'd occupied on his previous visit yesterday. "Xellos!" she growled, "Why are you here?!"
The Mazoku simply grinned back, face annoyingly regarding her in amusement. "Just decided to drop by and say hello to my dearest Fi-chan," he countered happily. "We didn't get to say goodbye properly yesterday, as I recall, and I must make sure not to make you worry! So here I am!" He bowed dramatically, then whipped out a large bouquet of light purple roses, offering it to her. "Well, Filia, does it calm your heart to know that I am alive and well since last time we parted?" He finished.
"My heart's not the least bit concerned of your welfare, namagomi," she retorted, taking the roses warily.
"Oh really? Then who was it who peeked out from the front porch to see me off as I drove away yesterday, eh?"
Filia blushed. "Y-you--!" She raised the bouquet, preparing to whap his obnoxious head with it.
Xellos smiled wider. "Temper, temper, Filia-chan," he said, wagging an index finger patronizingly at the fuming woman. "There are others watching." He indicated the array of customers who had bunched around at a corner of the room to watch their little interplay from a safe distance.
The blonde lowered the rose bouquet, opting to continue her death glare instead. He was right. Again. And knew it! Damned Mazoku--
He nodded approvingly. "Now why don't we just sit here and have a cup of tea, ne?" Filia obliged, sitting on a wicker chair across him, however begrudgingly.
Xellos kept his grin as Filia sat down, but inwardly he frowned. The lady's mood had evidently reverted to the usual easily irritable but at the same time amusing demeanor she reserved especially for him. And last night he thought he had gotten her into a more agreeable situation regarding him.
Ah, well. No matter.
He'd decided to pay her a visit again, just a while ago, in fact, after the company handymen came to install the brand new, fuzzy pink, high-backed, cushiony chair he'd ordered. Their offices weren't exactly too far apart, and he really should see her as often as he could. All the much faster he could have her.
"Why are you here again, Xellos?!" Filia demanded as she got her tea cup, taking care to keep her voice down and not attract more unwanted listeners. "I told you I'd go out with you once, and that would be it. Don't show your face to me again, don't send me these presents, don't come here! Now will you leave..."
"Hm? You told me that?" The Mazoku interposed, pretending to think hard. "I don't recall anything of our past conversations in that context. In fact, last night, you told me you 'had such a wonderful time'," he proceeded to mimic the rather starry-eyed Filia of the night before, awarding another delightful combination of maidenly blush and narrow-eyed death glares. Xellos grinned for real this time.
Filia controlled herself not to break her teacup in rage,as she managed a sip. "Well then, today I guess we're agreed on that, are we?" she retorted.
She glanced briefly at the rose bouquet she had set down beside her. She did love flowers. And it was rather adorably sweet of him to-- what in Ceipheed was she thinking? I hate him. Hate him! She fisted one hand in resolution as she drank down her tea, all the while keeping a bored glare directed at the smiling man across her.
"Oh, but Fi-chan, surely you don't mean that," Xellos replied. "We have a lot of catching up to do! And it's a rarity to encounter a truly elegantly fine dancer as yourself. I didn't know you could waltz so well, Filia-chan."
He regarded her, still grinning. It was rather interesting the way her face could turn all shades of angry red colors. "And besides," he whispered, opening one eye alight with mischief, "I didn't get that good night kiss last night."
Silence.
"DIE!!!"
He dodged in time to avoid a potentially painful collision with Filia's right fist.
~*~
Lina smiled down sweetly at the three besuited men who sat around her. She fixed up her papers, arranging them in her lightweight briefcase.
"Well, I'm glad that's settled, people," she happily declared as she stood up to leave. "My client will be happy to know that we're on more amiable terms. Contract misunderstandings are such sad, sad matters, aren't they?" She went on, rubbing her victory in for all it was worth. The district attorney was squirming, his two assistants' faces were bleak, oh, they were so gone. Too bad, ne?
Confidently, she rose up, giving the three older men a little wave as she walked off to take the elevator.
She was about to board it when the frizzy-haired secretary she'd met earlier came running towards her. "Wait, miss! Miss Inverse!?"
She turned to the woman. "Yeah? What is it?"
The woman put both hands on her knees, gasping from the exhaustion of catching up to her before she left the building. "C-call for you... miss," the employee managed to put in between heaves.
"OK," Lina replied, following the young woman to the phone. Gourry again? She had to constantly remind him he shouldn't call her during her business meetings. Not that she really minded. But you got to still have some work ethics, right? She really had to get a cellphone one of these days. It always seemed to slip her mind.
She picked up the receiver, preparing to berate the old jellyfish. "Hello? . . . ... What? And Zelgadis is...?" A smile creeped up her face again. "Now this would be interesting..."
It was Amelia.
~*~
Filia finally managed to calm herself. She noted with a sinking heart that all the other customers had fled, leaving the dining area unoccupied save for her and the annoyingly happy Mazoku who was still calmly sipping his tea. The others had stuck around during the first few moments, when she'd only thrown the tea pot, the saucer, even the wicker chair. When she'd grabbed the nearest table behind them, holding it up over her head, well, that was the last straw. The onlookers rushed out of there.
Great. She'd just scared off what few of the customers she had that morning. Really, she shouldn't get riled up like this! She was above it! She--
Xellos looked around benignly, as if noticing for the first time how deserted the area was. "Well, looks like we're alone, finally," he remarked, setting down his teacup on the table, which, miraculously, survived unscathed in the rampage. He stood up, facing her. "Hopefully it wouldn't be much of a bother, but are you free tomorrow evening? I'd really love to be with you again."
Filia stared at him, shocked at the sudden invitation. "What? I'm--"
"Good! It's a date then! Tomorrow night, seven-thirty. Pick you up at your house again, I presume?" He interposed, walking to the shop entrance.
"Chotto, I--"
"Thanks! See you tomorrow, Filia-chan," Xellos winked again, and left the shop completely without giving her a chance to protest.
Filia found her voice as soon as the teahouse door closed shut with a jingle.
"NAMAGOMI!!! GET BACK HERE!!!!!" She called out in the empty room.
~*~
Author's Rantings: Hiya again, another chapter served to all you loyal readers! (you can't possibly begin to fathom how much your reviews mean to little ol' me ;_;) Belated Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (yes, I'm a holiday freak ^_^)!!!
WE'RE NOT ON A DATE -- JUST SPYING!!!