Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN SLAYERS. I merely borrowed these characters because I love them so much. ^_^
- JUST ANOTHER AU FIC -
Chapter 23: Oneesama, Doko Ni Iru?
"I'm fine," Lina said. "Really, I am."
Amelia looked doubtful. "Lina-san, we would feel much better if you'd at least lie down," she suggested, dark brows furrowed in concern.
"How come you didn't tell us over the phone?" Zelgadis added sternly.
They were at Claire Medical Hospital just a street away from their firm's office. Lina had called and simply told them to meet her here, pronto. The redhead didn't even bother telling them why.
Now they knew.
To be brief, Lina had been involved in a car accident. The minor car accident that had caused this morning's traffic jam, to be exact. An ice cream truck had suddenly appeared smack dab in the middle of the intersection just as Lina's car, a second hand gray Toyota, was about to cross. To avoid the truck Lina had stepped on the break pedal and swerved wildly to the left, colliding with two other vehicles in the process. Thankfully nobody was seriously hurt. Lina's car suffered nothing worse than a dented bumper and smashed tail lights. Lina herself had escaped relatively unscathed, save for a nasty bump on the head and minor bruises. The other cars and their respective drivers (a taxicab driver, his passenger, and an accountant) suffered similar injuries, and were currently being attended to in separate units.
Lina waved non-commitally at the Chimera's general direction. "And have you asking even more questions?" she retorted. She shook her head. "I wasn't really in the mood. I mean, by the time I called you guys, I'd just gotten off -- barely, if I must say -- getting drilled by a bunch of policemen who naturally wanted to know ALL the details," the redhead finished in a defiant and irritable rush. She groaned at the memory. "Gives me a headache, just recounting it," she said, closing her eyes. "By the way, Ame, it was nice of your dad to lure the press and the medics away," she beamed at the young woman. Phil was outside, drawing a flock of reporters and doing an impromptu tour of the hospital facilities. "Eh, gimme the icepack. Alright. Thanks."
Amelia and Zelgadis provided her a couple of minutes to quietly (and sometimes not-so-quietly) rant and mutter about stupid roadside accidents and idiotic truck drivers and even more idiotic policemen.
It was Lina herself who ended her litany. "Alright," she finally sighed, putting down the cold compress and shifting crimson eyes to both of them. "So."
"... So what?"
The flame-haired lawyer yawned. "Did you sneak me anything to eat?"
Zelgadis and Amelia facefaulted.
"N-no, Lina-san," Amelia replied.
The Chimera wryly shook his head, and was about to get to the point and ask the redhead why she'd ordered them here at such short notice, if not for the car accident, when a tall guy in a dusty red trenchcoat, tinted glasses, and black leather boots suddenly burst through the door. Did I forget to mention he had the lid of a garbage can thrown over concealing the better half of his head?
"LINA!!!" Gourry yelled, throwing the trash can lid with a dramatic sweep of a black-gloved hand. "I came as soon as I heard the news -- Danny wouldn't let me out, said we had to tape today -- so I had to sneak out. Uh, here," he finished, drawing out a knapsack filled with potato chips, hamburgers, doughnuts and other assorted junkfood and throwing it at the redhead. He gazed at her sheepishly. "I'm sure you're hungry. Sorry I couldn't bring more. Are you alright?"
Lina nodded. "You're a life-saver, Gourry," she grinned, happily chomping down a couple of hamburgers and a pack of Ridges she fished out from the top of the pile.
Zelgadis and Amelia facefaulted.
"Eh, hi, uh... Zelgadis and Amelia, right?" Gourry greeted politely, noticing the two other currently bewildered people in the room.
"Yes, that's us," Zel affirmed, nodding slightly as he regained his footing. Beside him Amelia raised a hand in recognition of the blond actor. Gourry, perhaps to complete the disguise, had poured enough styling gel on his hair to get it to spike up and brazenly defy gravity.
The Chimera coughed. "Anyway, Lina," he began, turning back to the bedridden lawyer who seemed more intent upon devouring the contents of the knapsack, "why DID you--"
His sentence was drowned out by the excited screams of what maybe a hundred fan girls. Nah, make that two. Hell, three.
Footsteps. A stampede. Come to think of it, Zelgadis swore he heard the word being chanted by whatever multitude was running amok outside. Headed right in the room they were currently in. What started as muffled roars and rumblings becoming full-fledged pandemonium.
BOOM. THUD.
The door Lina's room broke down with a resounding crash, letting loose a veritable sea of females all headed for the blond in the red trenchcoat and the spiky blond hair. Shouts of 'Vash!' and 'My Hero!' were among the primary expletives thrown around the room.
Gourry, assailed by yet another crowd of happy fan girls, and at such a stuffy room, fainted.
Lina backed away to the corner of the bed farthest from the mob, sweatdropping.
Zelgadis and Amelia facefaulted.
*~*
"Playing?" Xellos echoed the word, blinking. "Zelas-sama, what exactly do you mean?" he asked.
The blonde Mazoku peered at him evenly. "What do you think I mean?" she drily returned, raising a near-white eyebrow.
Xellos blinked again, looking rather confused a second or two before realization lit his amethyst eyes. He closed them again, and smiled. "Oh." He lowered his gaze so that his violet bangs hid the upper half of his face. He stood still, silent, unmoving.
.............
Then, when Zelas had begun to wonder if her servant had somehow gotten himself petrified right before her eyes, Xellos trembled. His shoulders shook, spasms wracking his lean frame. Zelas blinked, and debated whether her servant had somehow given himself an electric shock from walking through floors and floors of carpeting, or was suffering from epileptic seizures. She continued to expound on this until Xellos finally broke the silence by collapsing not very noiselessly on the floor.
And giggled. Rather drunkenly, I might add.
Drunken giggles turned into full-fledged bouts of laughter. Zelas watched with growing disbelief at the sight of Xellos sitting on the floor, hands clutching his stomach helplessly, laughing like a hyena.
"Zelas-sama, you'd think I'm-- in love with--" Xellos managed to choke out between chortles, "Y-you'd think-- Zelas-sama -- I and -- F--hahahaHAHAHAHA!!!" the purple-haired Mazoku broke out again into gales of laughter, unable to finish the sentence. He got back on his feet, recovering somewhat, and settled for a grin. "Mistress, if I may say so myself, the very idea is..." he groped for the words. "Ridiculous. Preposterous."
Said mistress stared at him, expression unchanging. "... Really?"
Xellos held up both palms, then shrugged. "Really." He ran a hand through his hair. "Whatever gave you the idea?"
It was her turn to shrug. "Oh, nothing," she stated, noting that he couldn't hold her gaze for long. Nothing entirely escaping my notice, Zelas added silently to herself. She crossed her legs, inevitably frowning delicately at the sight of the fuzzy pinkness of her seat.
He relaxed a bit at that.
"Tell me about her," Zelas plainly ordered, leafing through the newspapers, finally coming across a picture of the blonde woman.
He did not quite relax at that. "What, mistress?"
"Tell me about Filia dear," she repeated patiently, smiling.
Xellos seemed fazed at the command. "Well, she's pretty enough--" he paused, shifting his right foot around. "She's strong-willed and hardworking. Headstrong and proud. Very intelligent and dedicated. Has her strings wound up a little too tight, but could be sexy if she'd work on it. Makes terrific tea. All added up, she's one beautiful woman." He paused again, then added, "She has one HECK of a temper around me, though." He couldn't help but smile at that.
Zelas nodded silently at each statement, more intent on watching her servant's reactions than anything. She held up a clipping with a photo of Xellos and Filia (wearing a rumpled blue dress and sporting a shocked, haggard expression) standing side by side in front of the Metallium Shopping Complex. "This, I take it, started it all?"
Xellos nodded. "Yes, however indirectly." He continued, "I had a reason to bombard her with phone calls and unannounced visits all throughout the month." His grin grew wider, remembering.
Zelas nodded again, satisfied, quietly arriving at a conclusion. Not a very surprising one, however much her dear boy tried to deny it. She corrected herself. She doubted even he was aware that he was denying it.
Yes, she would love to see how this would play out, she thought, smiling as Xellos continued to recount his exploits with Filia for the past two or so months. This affair had more to do now than just a simple business scheme. Much more. The stakes were higher, the gamble riskier. But one thing was sure: they had to win. One way or the other.
Staring at the news photo, Zelas wondered if her servant realized how much he was going to lose if he lost.
And how much he was going to lose if he won.
*~*
I am late for work for almost the first time in six years, but I don't care.
Yes, something definitely wasn't right in that sentence, Filia mused, lightly humming to herself as she slipped on a powder blue blouse. Xellos had left about half an hour ago, after some coffee and toast and a final message of "I'll be calling you later, OK?" He had offered that they leave together, but she'd declined, making up some excuse or another that she couldn't remember now but was apparently good enough that he'd let go and gave her a final salute, a wink, and a teasing grin as parting gesture.
Inevitably blushing at the suggestion, she'd considered throwing the rug at the front porch at his retreating figure for having the gall to leer at her right at her front door. Of course, if only to distract herself.
She was terrified.
She didn't know what she felt right now, not exactly. Part of her was happy this was happening. She loved him. She wanted him. And it was wonderful... to a point.
Yet, part of her saw something inherently wrong with the set up. What had happened with him -- no, to both of them -- looked so perfect. Almost too perfect.
Filia mentally shrugged, deciding to put the idea away long enough so she could catch a cab, and get to work. There was the meeting with Lina and Zelgadis. They had proposed to file the suit against Heigel Kaiser within the week; as soon as the proper documents were filled out, of course. And the teashop's supplies will be arriving tomorrow. All in all, she had to prepare, be up and about.
She finished dressing and came downstairs. The living room lights were on, as the overcast sky outside bore not enough sunlight to brighten the room.
She turned it off, and was about to leave the house when she heard the sound of breaking china. Then a thud, and a harsh voice.
It was coming from the dining room.
Alarmed, Filia quickly grabbed the first hard object that came in hand; a narrow clay vase about as long as her forearm, planning to use it as a makeshift weapon against whoever or whatever it was in there. Cautiously she approached the dining room. The doorway was partly open enough so she could see part of the table and the remains of her favorite teapot lying in so many pieces on the floor.
A footfall, from somewhere further within.
Filia turned her attention to the direction of the sound, but it was too late. A flurry of movement -- the door swinging back, a tall, burly figure (gloves, a grimy jacket) -- then darkness.
*~*
Author's Rants: Another week, another chapter. Thanks for the reviews! No, I am NOT abandoning this fic. Really! It will just take a longer time for the next chapters to come out, considering that Christmas break's over and I have a mega-ton of schoolwork to die in this month. In fact, I finished the last part of this chapter sporting a terrible, terrible headache. And it's just two days since school reopened. So please forgive me if the last part was sucky. :(
GOMEN NASAI...
- JUST ANOTHER AU FIC -
Chapter 23: Oneesama, Doko Ni Iru?
"I'm fine," Lina said. "Really, I am."
Amelia looked doubtful. "Lina-san, we would feel much better if you'd at least lie down," she suggested, dark brows furrowed in concern.
"How come you didn't tell us over the phone?" Zelgadis added sternly.
They were at Claire Medical Hospital just a street away from their firm's office. Lina had called and simply told them to meet her here, pronto. The redhead didn't even bother telling them why.
Now they knew.
To be brief, Lina had been involved in a car accident. The minor car accident that had caused this morning's traffic jam, to be exact. An ice cream truck had suddenly appeared smack dab in the middle of the intersection just as Lina's car, a second hand gray Toyota, was about to cross. To avoid the truck Lina had stepped on the break pedal and swerved wildly to the left, colliding with two other vehicles in the process. Thankfully nobody was seriously hurt. Lina's car suffered nothing worse than a dented bumper and smashed tail lights. Lina herself had escaped relatively unscathed, save for a nasty bump on the head and minor bruises. The other cars and their respective drivers (a taxicab driver, his passenger, and an accountant) suffered similar injuries, and were currently being attended to in separate units.
Lina waved non-commitally at the Chimera's general direction. "And have you asking even more questions?" she retorted. She shook her head. "I wasn't really in the mood. I mean, by the time I called you guys, I'd just gotten off -- barely, if I must say -- getting drilled by a bunch of policemen who naturally wanted to know ALL the details," the redhead finished in a defiant and irritable rush. She groaned at the memory. "Gives me a headache, just recounting it," she said, closing her eyes. "By the way, Ame, it was nice of your dad to lure the press and the medics away," she beamed at the young woman. Phil was outside, drawing a flock of reporters and doing an impromptu tour of the hospital facilities. "Eh, gimme the icepack. Alright. Thanks."
Amelia and Zelgadis provided her a couple of minutes to quietly (and sometimes not-so-quietly) rant and mutter about stupid roadside accidents and idiotic truck drivers and even more idiotic policemen.
It was Lina herself who ended her litany. "Alright," she finally sighed, putting down the cold compress and shifting crimson eyes to both of them. "So."
"... So what?"
The flame-haired lawyer yawned. "Did you sneak me anything to eat?"
Zelgadis and Amelia facefaulted.
"N-no, Lina-san," Amelia replied.
The Chimera wryly shook his head, and was about to get to the point and ask the redhead why she'd ordered them here at such short notice, if not for the car accident, when a tall guy in a dusty red trenchcoat, tinted glasses, and black leather boots suddenly burst through the door. Did I forget to mention he had the lid of a garbage can thrown over concealing the better half of his head?
"LINA!!!" Gourry yelled, throwing the trash can lid with a dramatic sweep of a black-gloved hand. "I came as soon as I heard the news -- Danny wouldn't let me out, said we had to tape today -- so I had to sneak out. Uh, here," he finished, drawing out a knapsack filled with potato chips, hamburgers, doughnuts and other assorted junkfood and throwing it at the redhead. He gazed at her sheepishly. "I'm sure you're hungry. Sorry I couldn't bring more. Are you alright?"
Lina nodded. "You're a life-saver, Gourry," she grinned, happily chomping down a couple of hamburgers and a pack of Ridges she fished out from the top of the pile.
Zelgadis and Amelia facefaulted.
"Eh, hi, uh... Zelgadis and Amelia, right?" Gourry greeted politely, noticing the two other currently bewildered people in the room.
"Yes, that's us," Zel affirmed, nodding slightly as he regained his footing. Beside him Amelia raised a hand in recognition of the blond actor. Gourry, perhaps to complete the disguise, had poured enough styling gel on his hair to get it to spike up and brazenly defy gravity.
The Chimera coughed. "Anyway, Lina," he began, turning back to the bedridden lawyer who seemed more intent upon devouring the contents of the knapsack, "why DID you--"
His sentence was drowned out by the excited screams of what maybe a hundred fan girls. Nah, make that two. Hell, three.
Footsteps. A stampede. Come to think of it, Zelgadis swore he heard the word being chanted by whatever multitude was running amok outside. Headed right in the room they were currently in. What started as muffled roars and rumblings becoming full-fledged pandemonium.
BOOM. THUD.
The door Lina's room broke down with a resounding crash, letting loose a veritable sea of females all headed for the blond in the red trenchcoat and the spiky blond hair. Shouts of 'Vash!' and 'My Hero!' were among the primary expletives thrown around the room.
Gourry, assailed by yet another crowd of happy fan girls, and at such a stuffy room, fainted.
Lina backed away to the corner of the bed farthest from the mob, sweatdropping.
Zelgadis and Amelia facefaulted.
*~*
"Playing?" Xellos echoed the word, blinking. "Zelas-sama, what exactly do you mean?" he asked.
The blonde Mazoku peered at him evenly. "What do you think I mean?" she drily returned, raising a near-white eyebrow.
Xellos blinked again, looking rather confused a second or two before realization lit his amethyst eyes. He closed them again, and smiled. "Oh." He lowered his gaze so that his violet bangs hid the upper half of his face. He stood still, silent, unmoving.
.............
Then, when Zelas had begun to wonder if her servant had somehow gotten himself petrified right before her eyes, Xellos trembled. His shoulders shook, spasms wracking his lean frame. Zelas blinked, and debated whether her servant had somehow given himself an electric shock from walking through floors and floors of carpeting, or was suffering from epileptic seizures. She continued to expound on this until Xellos finally broke the silence by collapsing not very noiselessly on the floor.
And giggled. Rather drunkenly, I might add.
Drunken giggles turned into full-fledged bouts of laughter. Zelas watched with growing disbelief at the sight of Xellos sitting on the floor, hands clutching his stomach helplessly, laughing like a hyena.
"Zelas-sama, you'd think I'm-- in love with--" Xellos managed to choke out between chortles, "Y-you'd think-- Zelas-sama -- I and -- F--hahahaHAHAHAHA!!!" the purple-haired Mazoku broke out again into gales of laughter, unable to finish the sentence. He got back on his feet, recovering somewhat, and settled for a grin. "Mistress, if I may say so myself, the very idea is..." he groped for the words. "Ridiculous. Preposterous."
Said mistress stared at him, expression unchanging. "... Really?"
Xellos held up both palms, then shrugged. "Really." He ran a hand through his hair. "Whatever gave you the idea?"
It was her turn to shrug. "Oh, nothing," she stated, noting that he couldn't hold her gaze for long. Nothing entirely escaping my notice, Zelas added silently to herself. She crossed her legs, inevitably frowning delicately at the sight of the fuzzy pinkness of her seat.
He relaxed a bit at that.
"Tell me about her," Zelas plainly ordered, leafing through the newspapers, finally coming across a picture of the blonde woman.
He did not quite relax at that. "What, mistress?"
"Tell me about Filia dear," she repeated patiently, smiling.
Xellos seemed fazed at the command. "Well, she's pretty enough--" he paused, shifting his right foot around. "She's strong-willed and hardworking. Headstrong and proud. Very intelligent and dedicated. Has her strings wound up a little too tight, but could be sexy if she'd work on it. Makes terrific tea. All added up, she's one beautiful woman." He paused again, then added, "She has one HECK of a temper around me, though." He couldn't help but smile at that.
Zelas nodded silently at each statement, more intent on watching her servant's reactions than anything. She held up a clipping with a photo of Xellos and Filia (wearing a rumpled blue dress and sporting a shocked, haggard expression) standing side by side in front of the Metallium Shopping Complex. "This, I take it, started it all?"
Xellos nodded. "Yes, however indirectly." He continued, "I had a reason to bombard her with phone calls and unannounced visits all throughout the month." His grin grew wider, remembering.
Zelas nodded again, satisfied, quietly arriving at a conclusion. Not a very surprising one, however much her dear boy tried to deny it. She corrected herself. She doubted even he was aware that he was denying it.
Yes, she would love to see how this would play out, she thought, smiling as Xellos continued to recount his exploits with Filia for the past two or so months. This affair had more to do now than just a simple business scheme. Much more. The stakes were higher, the gamble riskier. But one thing was sure: they had to win. One way or the other.
Staring at the news photo, Zelas wondered if her servant realized how much he was going to lose if he lost.
And how much he was going to lose if he won.
*~*
I am late for work for almost the first time in six years, but I don't care.
Yes, something definitely wasn't right in that sentence, Filia mused, lightly humming to herself as she slipped on a powder blue blouse. Xellos had left about half an hour ago, after some coffee and toast and a final message of "I'll be calling you later, OK?" He had offered that they leave together, but she'd declined, making up some excuse or another that she couldn't remember now but was apparently good enough that he'd let go and gave her a final salute, a wink, and a teasing grin as parting gesture.
Inevitably blushing at the suggestion, she'd considered throwing the rug at the front porch at his retreating figure for having the gall to leer at her right at her front door. Of course, if only to distract herself.
She was terrified.
She didn't know what she felt right now, not exactly. Part of her was happy this was happening. She loved him. She wanted him. And it was wonderful... to a point.
Yet, part of her saw something inherently wrong with the set up. What had happened with him -- no, to both of them -- looked so perfect. Almost too perfect.
Filia mentally shrugged, deciding to put the idea away long enough so she could catch a cab, and get to work. There was the meeting with Lina and Zelgadis. They had proposed to file the suit against Heigel Kaiser within the week; as soon as the proper documents were filled out, of course. And the teashop's supplies will be arriving tomorrow. All in all, she had to prepare, be up and about.
She finished dressing and came downstairs. The living room lights were on, as the overcast sky outside bore not enough sunlight to brighten the room.
She turned it off, and was about to leave the house when she heard the sound of breaking china. Then a thud, and a harsh voice.
It was coming from the dining room.
Alarmed, Filia quickly grabbed the first hard object that came in hand; a narrow clay vase about as long as her forearm, planning to use it as a makeshift weapon against whoever or whatever it was in there. Cautiously she approached the dining room. The doorway was partly open enough so she could see part of the table and the remains of her favorite teapot lying in so many pieces on the floor.
A footfall, from somewhere further within.
Filia turned her attention to the direction of the sound, but it was too late. A flurry of movement -- the door swinging back, a tall, burly figure (gloves, a grimy jacket) -- then darkness.
*~*
Author's Rants: Another week, another chapter. Thanks for the reviews! No, I am NOT abandoning this fic. Really! It will just take a longer time for the next chapters to come out, considering that Christmas break's over and I have a mega-ton of schoolwork to die in this month. In fact, I finished the last part of this chapter sporting a terrible, terrible headache. And it's just two days since school reopened. So please forgive me if the last part was sucky. :(
GOMEN NASAI...