Author's notes: Not much thought went into this story. I just felt like I needed to write something for 30 kisses because it'd been over a month since I'd last written something for it and they ask that you write something at least once a month. Nevertheless, I'm still pleased with it. This one uses theme #10... and the theme happens to be 10. Also, someone asked in a review of one of my other fics if I was ever going to write anything longer. I did come up with a kind of complex idea for an AU story. The story feels like it wants to be 3 to 5 chapters. It still needs some more thought put into it and the idea has already lost some of it's freshness, but I think that there's a good chance that, yes, I will be writing something longer in the future.

Disclaimer: Slayers is owned by Hajime Kanzaka and Rui Araizumi. Hikaru A has also previously written her own version of the "How old are you?" Concept, called "Sanctum" It's worth a read

Amelia pushed her finished plate away from herself and glanced at Zelgadis with an expression of innocent curiosity, "Say, Zelgadis-san, I was wondering…"

Zelgadis froze as his fork was half way to his mouth. For some reason he had a very bad feeling about this. He put his fork down and glanced at her with an apathetic expression that he tried to wear at all times.

"…"

Amelia took that as her cue to continue, "How old are you!"

Zelgadis' apathetic expression was betrayed as his eyelid started to twitch slightly with annoyance. The subject normally wouldn't have bothered him that much, but he still had the feeling that this would turn out bad. Nevertheless, he opened his mouth to respond…

But Amelia had apparently decided that it would be much more fun to guess, much to his dismay, "Eighteen? Twenty-five? …Thirty? ……Forty?" Amelia placed her hand on her chin, apparently in deep concentration. "You couldn't be more than ten years older than me… but you really do act so old… I mean, mature, mature!"

Zelgadis could feel his twitching increase as he bowed his head over the table. Somehow he knew that it would only get worse.

Lina had apparently decided that the conversation was actually interesting enough to pause in her meal to tease Zelgadis. "Are you kidding, Amelia? Zel's a chimera. We don't know how he ages so he could be a hundred or even five hundred for all we know!" Lina could feel a grin coming on. She just knew Amelia would buy it and it would be fun to see Zel freak out even more.

Amelia's mood visibly dampened, "Well, I guess so but… do you really think so?"

"Definitely. I mean, you said it yourself, he's 'mature.' I wouldn't put it past him to be five hundred years old and never even kissed anyone!"

Zelgadis would have started slamming his head on the table, but he'd learned better after what happened last time. He still kept his head lowered to hide any blushing that might develop. What she said was partially true.

That was when Gourry decided to join the conversation, "Hey, Zel?"

Zelgadis lifted his head just slightly. It was a small ray of hope! Gourry was a fellow male and a nice guy in general. Surely he would sympathize with him and put a stop to Lina's teasing…

Not that he actually believed that.

"Are you as old as Xelloss? Because he's a really old man, but you act older than him, so are you a really, really old man?"

That was why Zelgadis never believed the miniscule optimistic voice in his head.

Lina started snorting with laughter while banging one hand on the table and her other hand over her stomach, "Good one, Gourry! So that means he's probably over a thousand."

Without warning, Amelia sprung up with one foot on the table and the other on the back of her chair. Her finger was pointed dramatically towards the heavens… Er, ceiling, that is.

"Don't worry, Zelgadis-san, as long as you keep Justice in your heart you'll be able to remain young in spirit forever! Just look at my Daddy!"

Zelgadis had had enough.

"I'm only twenty-one," he declared coldly.

"…Oh."

Amelia was secretly relieved.