~~ I do not own Slayers or any of its characters. ~~The song is called "I Can't Be Your Friend" by Tim Rushlow.
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The night, normally warm and soothing, was cold on Lina's
bare arms as she perched on the rock in the center of the clearing. She was so
tired of pretending, so tired of lying that she had finally run away from the Inn, knowing full well
that both Gourry and Amelia were sleeping soundly in their beds. She smiled
softly as she thought about the pair, losing herself in memory.
She had never felt alone before she hooked up with Gourry. He always seemed to
be there for her, protecting her, sharing her meals, and making her laugh. He
was her best friend, her champion. . . but no matter
how she looked at it, she simply could not fall in love with him. He was in
love with Sylphiel, and that was fine with Lina. She wished him the best of
luck with her, and hoped that he would write often.
Amelia was another puzzle. Being a rambunctious little justice warrior, she
always was giving speeches and poses to further the cause of justice. Still,
she was always there for Lina, and made her feel like she finally had a little
sister to watch over. But Amelia only had eyes for Zelgadis.
Lina's tears started again as the name sprang to her
mind, bringing with it the face that had driven her out into the cold night,
alone, for the first time in over two years. She knew that Zel was in love with
Amelia. How could anyone stand in the face of that young girl's love and not be
moved to feel the same? Even Zel, with his stone skin, couldn't stand up to
her. His lovely, perfect skin. . .
How dare he leave without saying goodbye again! Didn't he care about any of
them anymore? Didn't he know that none of them cared about his curse, or about
his broody, selfish attitude? Didn't he understand how Lina felt about him?
She hid her face in her hands, trying to force back the tears. Words sprang
into her mind, and a soft melody drifted into her ears, almost as if the wind
were playing music only she could hear. Music was her one escape when she was
younger. She was always singing back home, her soft, gentle soprano that always
mixed so well with her sister's deep alto. She smiled softly through the tears
and let the words tumble from her lips, floating easily into the melody, even
if she hadn't sung in more than ten years.
"This might come as quite a shock,
But I've given it a lot of thought.
This thing that's come between us can't be ignored.
I've taken all I can;
This is where it's gotta end.
'Cause I can't be your friend anymore.
An' I can't be accused,
Of not bein' there for you.
How many nights have you shown up at my door?
I hope you understand,
That this wasn't in my plans,
But I can't be your friend anymore"
The words died for a moment in her throat as she sobbed into her hands.
"Oh, Zel. . ."
Suddenly, the wind picked up the tune again, and this time words answered back.
Her head snapped up as she realized that the wind was not singing, but a guitar
was being softly played somewhere nearby. A man's voice, a deep, soothing base,
answered her song with his own words, his melody attuning perfectly to the tone
she had set.
"An' it's killin' me to know you,
Without havin' a chance to hold you.
An' all I wanna do is show you,
How I really feel inside.
You can run to me,
You can laugh at me,
Or you can walk right out that door.
But I can't be your friend anymore."
Lina covered her sobs with her hand, too scared, or shocked, or ecstatic to
allow the words to come forth as a man stepped from the shadows at the edge of
the clearing. His beige cape floated around his slim torso in a soft, evening
breeze. The cape caught the moonlight every once in a while and reflected it
back into her eyes. He strummed a guitar softly with his strong hands, and the
notes flew over the green grass to Lina's ears, where
they sat, reverberating, as she listening to his song, stunned.
"So, baby, now it's up to you:
Do I win or do I lose?
Will my heart fly or lie broken on the floor.
Well, take me as I am,
'Cause I wanna be your man.
But I can't be your friend anymore An' it's killin'
me to know you,
Without havin' a chance to hold you.
An' all I wanna do is show you,
How I really feel inside.
You can run to me,
You can laugh at me,
Or you can walk right out that door.
But I can't be just friends anymore. We can't be just friends anymore."
Zelgadis held that note, letting it hang over the clearing for a moment,
perfect in pitch and volume, and just gentle enough to make it slam into Lina's brain a thousand times over. The words repeated over
and over in her mind as he set down the guitar, leaning it against the trunk of
an old tree.
"I have searched for years for a cure for this awful body," he said
softly as he straightened. "No magical or medicinal cure allows me to look
at myself in the mirror and allow myself to feel human."
He spread his stone hands and looked up at her, his eyes full of questions and
hopes. "But when you look at me, Lina, I feel like a man again. And I
cannot call you my friend because I wish to call you something infinitely more dear. I love you, Lina."
She was off the rock and in his arms in an instant, sobbing. "I can't be
friends either Zel! I love you too! I can't stand one more day of traveling
with you, knowing that I can't have you! Knowing that Amelia has a better
chance than me! I don't want to be friends, Zel! I can't be friends!"
He bent and hugged her gently against him, burying his face in her hair.
"Then let's be something else. Let's be in love."
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~~*shrugs* Just a random cuteness fic. Enjoy!