RTWG: Sorry it took so long. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Plenty of tension between our favorite dragon and mazoku! Please read and review.

Why not where a long dress? Filia couldn't get her mind off Xelloss. That makes no sense. He was probably just trying to be perverted. Baka namagomi. Filia was struggling to tie the laces on the back of her dress. She was finding it was quite a difficult task to perform by herself. She had managed to tie one of her fingers in her bow for the second time when she sensed the person who had been on her mind was very close. Suddenly he was behind her, she saw his eyes flash in her mirror. She tried to turn around, but his hands were placed tightly on her waste so all she could do was swivel her torso. Her eyes met his and a sudden wave of fear and excitement washed over her. She tried to push his hands off of her, but since he was much stronger than her and her left hand was occupied holding her untied dress up, she didn't make much progress other than pushing his hands further down on her waste. She was scared. What was he planning?

Xelloss sensed this and frowned inwardly. He'd come hoping to repair the damage he'd done last night. This serious relationship stuff was a pain. He closed his eyes and smiled, but didn't let go of her waste. "Hullo, Filia-chan," he smiled. "You look like you're having some difficulties."

"I can manage," she said harshly, but Xelloss could still taste her fear. Strange, it didn't taste good to him. He slid one of his hands to where the laces on her dress laid untied.

"Here," he said, in his usual genki tone. Filia turned back around and watched him closely in her mirror. He smiled, "You missed a loop. You want me to fix it?"

"O-okay," Filia stammered. She could feel him unlacing her dress. He didn't go very far though, when he laced it back up. He pulled it tight and her back straitened instinctively.

"Too tight?" Xelloss asked.

"No. Fine," Filia said and felt her face flush. She looked down so Xelloss wouldn't see in the mirror. He finished tying her dress and stepped back. She felt his eyes on her and turned around. Xelloss looked her over quickly. She looked very elegant in a long, sweeping evening gown. The dress was a pale blue plain thing that had tight sleeves to her elbows and a V-neck that went rather far down, but you had to use your imagination because the whole thing, starting just below her neck was covered in a looser fitting dark blue lace that made sleeves that hung off her wrists halfway to the floor. "Have another complaint?" she asked.

Xelloss raised his hands deffensively and backed off. He plopped down into her armchair, sideways; legs dangling off one arm. She turned back to her mirror and put on some dangly sapphire earings. Then she started going through her makeup.

"So..." Xelloss prompted, "Do you have a date tonight as well?"

"No," Filia said, and then added quickly, "And I don't need one, either."

"A lady shouldn't go to a party without an escort," Xelloss smirked. "Who will you fall back on when no one asks you to dance?" A beat passed in silence. "You know, my dearest dragon, I'm not doing anything tonight."

"Well I'm very sorry I won't be here for you to amuse yourself."

"I'm a very good dancer."

"I bet."

"I-"

"Xelloss you can't come," she said in a tone that was meant to end the discussion, but Xelloss wasn't ready to give up. He wanted to atone for his mistakes last night. And make sure not to give her blind date the upper hand by letting him go first. At first he thought this might be a good idea. He could spy on them and make sure to top their date. But he figured if he already had a date with her he could do that and charm her the night before so she would be comparing him with this 'Jet' person the whole time. She would do it whether she meant to or not. People are just that way.

"Oh c'mon Filia," Xelloss half whined. "That's not very nice of you."

"First of all, Xelloss, this party is for people who live in this town. Second, I don't want you to make a scene-"

"I'm sure they won't mind if you brought me and I promise I won't do anything to embarass you. Please, Fi, I'm bored," now he was whining.

"Even so, you can't go to a formal party wearing that-" Filia turned around and blinked. Xelloss was laying in the same spot, but was now dresses in a jet black tunic with pale yellow trim, black dresspants and a very nice black cape. Filia sighed, "You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?"

"Nope," Xelloss grinned.

"I hate you."

"Does that meant I can come?" Xelloss said hopefully.

"Fine," she sighed again and turned back to her mirror. She twisted her hair into a bun.

"Oh, for goodness sakes - leave it down," Xelloss protested. "It really does look much better."

"Hmpf," was her only reply.

Filia and Xelloss said goodbye to the returned and confused looking Jillas and Val. Xelloss helped the dragon put on her midnight blue cloak and then held the door open for her. Before she left she glanced at her reflection in the hallway mirror, then back at Xelloss - he was looking out the door. She took the pin from her hair and let it fall, then pulled up the hood on her cloak. Xelloss smirked as he took her arm and closed the front door.

"Much better," he whispered in her ear. She blushed and looked away, not being able to think of something to say.

It was a thirty minute akward carriage ride to the Colby's colossal farm house(if you can call a house with a dining hall and a ballroom a house) on the outskirts of the village. Both the ryuzoku and mazoku sat quietly pensive. Filia gazing out the window and Xelloss gazing at her. Filia just couldn't figure out Xelloss's behavior lately. Why did he want to go out with her? It made no sense. Was it all some stupid prank. It better not be, she'd kill him if that's all this was. But would it be better if it was just a joke? He couldn't seriously be interested in her. She banished the thought as soon as she realized that it didn't sound so horrible to her. Her mind revolved back to last night And why not where a long dress? That was going to bug her forever. She turned to ask him and found him already looking at her. He blinked and quickly looked away. Stranger and stranger, the dragon thought.

Xelloss kept his face turned away from her. He was blushing. He never blushed. She makes me nervous, he thought, What in the seven hells is wrong with me?! Damned dragon. Xelloss chanced a glance. Filia was looking at the floor, she seemed to be very interested in her shoes. She's nervous, too. I wonder if that's that a good thing?

They arrived to the party just fashonably late. Both thinking finally. They ate dinner in a large dining hall seated with some of Filia's friends and their dates. Filia kept her friends from making any comments about who she was with, with one mennacing glare. Xelloss, a pro at the game of courtship, new it was always a good thing to get the approval of your date's friends. And this he did. He was absolutely charming. Making them giggle and blush so much their boyfriends began to get jealous. As desert rolled around Filia found herself feeling jealous, too. Xelloss sensed this, of course, and decided he was maybe being too neglectful of the dragon.

"You like strawberries, right?" Xelloss asked her.

"Yeah,"Filia said. "Why?"

"Have you tried this?" Xelloss turned to Filia, who had been playing with the piece of cheesecake on her plate. She looked up.

"Tried what?" she half sighed.

"Strawberry mousse. Here, I'll trade you; a bite for a bite."

Filia looked at him he was holding up a spoonful of the desert, smiling his stupid smile. She allowed him to feed it to her. It was really good.

"Now I get a bite of your cake," Xelloss said perkily

"Why don't you just get your own?"

"Because I don't want a whole piece," Xelloss opened his eyes and looked into Filia's. "Besides it's more fun this way." Filia complied. "Mmmm," Xelloss grinned, eyes open. Filia found herself unable to resist smiling back, she was lost in those two perfect shards of amethyst.

"Hm, I guess it's lucky I came with you, Filia," Xelloss said keeping her gaze.

"Why's that?" Filia asked, blushing a little.

"It's a secret,"Xelloss said and then added as soon as Filia's anger registered on his emotional radar, "but it's one I'll tell you-" the mazoku leaned forward and whispered in her ear, seductively,"It's because when you smile, you are the most beautiful girl here and if you didn't have a date someone would surely steal you away from me-" Xelloss slipped a hand under the table, found Filia's and entwined his fingers with hers. Filia could feel her heart pounding-"and then who would I annoy?" Xelloss pulled away from her ear and caught Filia's eyes again, this time their noses were just an inch apart. He smiled showing his teeth, agrivatingly straight and even except for two small, pointed fangs. It was a smile that matched his voice, seductive and charming. Filia tore her eyes away for a glance at the others sitting near them; they were all involved in their own conversations and no one was watching her and Xelloss. When she looked back the mazoku's head was cantered slightly to one side, the smile had faded, and he looked all the more alluring to her. He leaned toward her. Somewhere, someone chimed a wineglass with a fork, but it seemed soft and distant. It took Jacob Colby's booming voice to break the hold Xelloss had on Filia.

"Well, my fiends!" the host of the village party called loudy across the dining hall. Filia immediately sat up straight pulling away from Xelloss. Perfect timing, Xelloss thought as Colby continued his speach, "I trust you all enjoyed your meal. But now it's time to really have some fun. To the ball room!" There was a small cheer from all the guests. Xelloss shrugged at Filia.

"Wanna dance?"

"Actually, I want to talk with some of my friends for a bit, but you go right ahead," Filia smiled and walked toward a group of girls. Xelloss sighed. He found a lonely looking girl leaning against the wall. She had dark hair and a conservitive red dress on. He asked her to dance and at first she looked rather uncertain, but with one smile, Xelloss got her to agree.

The girls at the party noticed immediately how skilled a dancer Xelloss was. The boys(and Filia) pretended not to care. After about an hour and eight dances, Filia was begining to feel jealous and getting sick of people asking her why she wasn't dancing with her "charming" date. Xelloss noticed and came up to her, the girls around her giggling a little.

"May I have this dance?"Xelloss asked suavely. A fast dance was about to begin, one with complicated steps and where you had to change partners. "C'mon you won't even have to dance with me the whole time."

"Oh allright then," Filia said as if she didn't want to at all.

They ended up dancing the remainder of the party. Xelloss was, indeed, an amazing dancer. Filia wasn't bad either. They had fun talking and joking. Poking fun at one another's dancing. As the evening came to a close, the last dance was a very slow one. Filia was tired and she put both her hands on Xelloss's shoulders, and lay her head against his chest, his hands were on her waste. The danced in silence until the music ended. Filia lifted her head and looked at Xelloss.

"You really are a good dancer," she admitted.

"I'm good at lots of things," Xelloss said. Once again he leaned toward the dragon. Their lips got perilously close but-

"Filia!" some girl cried from across the room. Filia pulled away and spun around.

"Uh, Meet me in the hall, Xelloss," Filia said. Xelloss felt like he could kill whoever called the dragon away from him.

After a while of searching the crowded foryer, Xelloss found the dragon. He helped her into her cloak and they walked outside together, Filia looking at the ground, odly pensive. Xelloss helped Filia in the carriage, once again. He really had been the perfect gentleman all evening. He'd been polite, charming, witty. All the things he normally was without beening annoying or rude. They sat in silence for a few moments. Filia was extreamly tired, she yawned and leaned her head back.

"See," Xelloss said, not wanting her to fall asleep. "Aren't you glad I came with you?"

"Yes. You were a very well behaved little mazoku," Filia teased, smiling at the ceiling, eyes closed.

"You should have more faith in me, Fi-chan," Xelloss said softly. He was sitting much closer to her now than on the way there, he reached a hand out and began playing with her hair. Filia found she didn't mind. She was too tired to care, besides... he'd been so great all evening. She leaned her head against his shoulder, her right hand falling onto his lap.

"Wake me up when we get home, kay?" the dragon said sleepily. Xelloss laced his fingers through hers. It was okay if she went to sleep, he'd decided.

"Sure," he whispered.

When the carriage stopped in front of her house, Xelloss nudged Filia gently. She woke up, and looked at him eyes half open. She looked very tired and a little confused, but mostly(to Xelloss)she just looked beautiful. He smiled sweetly at her, "We're home."

"Oh, okay," she said quitely. Xelloss helped her out of the carriage and walked her to her door step, never letting go of her hand untill they got to her door. Filia turned, her back to her house and looked at Xelloss, she felt more awake now, "I...I had a really nice time."

"Good," Xelloss said, admitting nothing himself. He reached up and brushed a strand of hair from her face. His hand remained on her cheek. "You know," he whispered as he moved closer to the dragon, "I've been trying to steal a kiss from you all night." Filia blushed and looked down, but Xelloss tilted her head back up to face him. "I at least deserve a goodnight kiss." Xelloss leaned in and finally kissed her. It was a long, gentle, sweet, and-dare I say it-loving kiss. He pulled away just a little, Filia said nothing, her heart was pounding, once again. Xelloss put his other hand on her waste and kissed her again, this time much more passionately. It was a passion Filia greatly returned. She kissed him back. He slipped his tounge into her mouth, his hand winding itself around a lock of her hair. Filia's hands were on his chest, one clenched into fist, wrinkling his tunic. She leaned back against her door, her legs felt weak. Xelloss pressed against her and Filia pressed back. Her whole body felt as if it were on fire. Xelloss hand fell away from her hair. It ran down her body, gently over her breast. Xelloss felt the catch in the dragon's breathing and suddenly she pushed him away.

He stumbled back a step and looked at her, confused. They were both gasping for breath. All Filia could do was shake her head. Finally she said, "I'm not going....to be your.....toy, Xelloss! You can;\'t just come around here and get whatever you want from me! Get out of here! And you can forget about our bet! I'm not going out to dinner with someone like you!"She turned around and quickly opened her door and ran inside, shutting the door in Xelloss's face.

"You are so stupid!" Xelloss shouted at her door and dissappeared.

Filia flung herself onto her bed and started sobbing. All he'd wanted was....was....stupid mazoku. Or what if....what if that wasn't it at all and he was just kissing me? I meant....he's...much more...experienced than me. I'm I so niave? Filia went on crying for a long time, she just couldn't stop. Eventually, she fell asleep.

Xelloss appeared beside her bed. He brushed her hair away from her tear-stained cheek. At first he'd been mad that she'd just assumed the worst about him, but after a little thought he'd realized that he'd been stupid. She always assumed the worst about him, why would now be any different. And, he'd realized, that was probably her first kiss (we are talking about sweet little Filia) and he'd pushed it. He looked at her for a moment longer, wondering what she was dreaming. Then, he disappeared once again, thinking that this would be more difficult than he first thought.

RTWG" sorry again for the long gap between updates, I'm kinda busy right now. Next time:Fi's date with Jet. Plus Xelloss and Snow are both scheming, what will happen to our poor dragoness? Please review! and thanks to all of you who have reviewed so far! I appreciate the comments and help. ^^