Chapter Sixteen: Confrontation! Plans for the Future
He had heard from somewhere that singing could help a child fall asleep. Briefly searching his (rather long) memory, he remembered a little song, nearly a thousand years old, learned just after he was born.
Xellos didn't think his voice was very good, but it had been serviceable in the past and he did remember the lessons. (Music lessons from a particularly cantankerous old lady, who had expected no less than his best, if not better, and would often hit her students with a cane. Xellos could still feel the blows and remembered them fondly.) Zelgadis seemed to like it anyway. The chimera curled close to him, relaxed in sleep.
Wrapping up the song, Xellos slipped out of bed, careful not to wake his lover, and sat down at the table to resume his work. However he found he couldn't concentrate and his eyes were drawn to the bed often until he decided studying tonight was a complete loss.
Instead, his mind went to what he could do for Zelgadis. The chimera deserved a treat. Of course, since Xellos loved him, he felt that Zelgadis always deserved something good; but especially after Lina had destroyed the chimera's comfort zone so utterly.
Glancing at the clock, he noticed the time and felt inspiration strike.
He had enough time to gather what he needed downstairs, return, and set the table while Zelgadis remained asleep. This pleased Xellos, who took it as a sign that some of his chimera's discomfort had been lifted.
He pulled back the blanket and woke him gently. "It's time to eat."
"Xellos?" Zelgadis stirred, blue eyelids fluttering tiredly. "Wha-?"
Smiling, Xellos lightly brushed wire hair out of the chimera's eyes, waiting for him to wake up.
"Oh." Understanding dawned as Zelgadis' eyes fell on the table Xellos had set for them. "Romantic dinner?"
"Ahahaha…" There was really no mistaking the candles. "Is it too terribly cliché?"
Zelgadis shook his head immediately. "Not to me."
"Ah, that's a relief then! Shall we?"
It was quite a spread, Xellos admitted, but Zelgadis ate his share despite his slow metabolism. The chimera seemed to be in awe of being the object of such attention, which made Xellos happy. Anything to put his lover back into his relatively comfort zone with him was worth noting.
"Thank you, Xellos," Zelgadis murmured.
The former priest beamed. "You're welcome, my dear."
They also shared a bottle of wine. Xellos hadn't been sure what to purchase in that regard, but after a brief consultation with Amelia—who kindly paid for the meal—he learned that Zelgadis rarely indulged in alcohol regardless. So he decided on something fruity and sweet, because he liked sweet things. Zelgadis had no complaints.
"How long was I asleep?" Zelgadis asked, the food nearly gone and both of them slowly nursing their wine goblets.
"A little under two hours." Xellos admitted that the others had been back for sometime, but that he had no urge to be around Lina for the moment. If he did, there would be pranks involved and his time was better spent cheering Zelgadis up.
"You and me both," Zelgadis responded, in regards to being around Lina.
Traveling was going to be uncomfortable the next day. Only a few days ago, a week ago, Xellos would have thrived on such discontent in the group. It would have amused him endlessly. It seemed, however, that he also now had a healthy dose of sympathy to go along with the rest of his messy humanity.
Xellos reached across the table for Zelgadis' hand, and the chimera lightly threaded their fingers together. It was just a touch, simple and embarrassingly tender, but it still made him feel absurdly pleased.
As they were discussing what still needed to be done with the shrine and its contents, there was a knock on the door.
"Is it okay if I come in?" Gourry asked.
Surprised, Xellos got up to unlock the door. "Yes, Gourry-san. How was your day?" he asked, hoping to sidestep any discussion of what happened earlier.
The blond smiled. "It was really good! This town has some great restaurants."
Cheerfully, Gourry grabbed the bag containing his few belongings.
Xellos blinked. "Gourry-san?"
"Hm? Oh, they got me my own room. Amelia said you guys should have privacy."
Zelgadis flushed brightly. "She shouldn't have…"
"She didn't. She made Lina pay for it."
Xellos felt his face stretch into a smirk, unkindly amused. "Did she now." Not a question.
Gourry nodded. "She shouldn't have barged in on you guys. Amelia said the only way she'll learn is if it costs her money, so..."
Xellos giggled, feeling no sympathy for Lina at all.
With plans to meet with them in the morning, so that they could leave after breakfast, Gourry departed for his own room. Xellos closed and locked the door after him.
He turned to find Zelgadis suddenly standing directly behind him. He had not heard the chimera move and was surprised. "Zelgadis?"
Zelgadis touched his face almost reverently. "Looks like we have the room to ourselves for tonight."
Xellos sighed and leaned into the touch, craving the gentle scrape of stone fingers. "Oh… Yes, it does."
By mutual agreement, they decided to pick up where they had left off earlier and returned to bed.
Xellos, glancing at the half-used jar of lubricant later, decided he was glad he'd purchased more than one.
They stayed in bed late. Zelgadis really couldn't care less, and seeing Xellos so unwilling to leave the bed (and him) was weirdly adorable. Also his purple hair was sticking up in all sorts of new and interesting way, and that was equally adorable. Zelgadis wanted to stay like that with him as long as possible, burning the sight into his brain.
But eventually they had to rise, or risk Lina breaking down the door again. Not something Zel wanted to repeat.
He still couldn't believe she'd done that. He felt like something fragile had been violated. While he had been angry at Lina before, it had never been like this. Just being one of his few (living) friends was not reason enough to forgive her that easily.
So they took their time, eating breakfast in their room before packing. They had a few new belongings now, one being Zelgadis' new magical blade. He hadn't gotten to test it the day before because they had ended up being otherwise occupied. Zel blushed at the reminder.
He was a little sore as he moved around their room, but not uncomfortably so. Xellos had been gentle and slow with him, and the dull pain would likely fade on its own, once he cast a healing spell. Which he did in private in the bathroom, embarrassed and not wanting the former priest to worry.
Xellos felt his chin as they were finishing up, violet eyes widening fractionally. "Oh my. I think I'll need to shave soon."
Zel was surprised as well. "Oh. I forgot about that." Xellos was human now, so naturally his hair would grow. That included body hair.
There was a razor in the bathroom, but the shaman suggested that Xellos purchase one of his own, since it was likely that the one there would not be very good. He didn't want to see his lover cut up his face too badly the first time shaving. "Gourry never uses the ones provided at these inns," he added, something he noticed when rooming with the blond.
"I suppose. Does it look too bad?"
Zel leaned closer to get a good look, like he first had Xellos' new eyes. Sure enough, what he had not noticed before, some baby fine hairs on his lover's face. "You can't see it," he admitted, "unless you're looking for it. If it gets longer, it might be visible."
"Alright." Xellos grinned, giggling. "Who knows, it might look manly."
"I wonder if it'll be purple," Zel wondered.
Xellos waggled his eyebrows at him. "The hair down there is."
Zelgadis blushed, Xellos' naked body above him as the other man moved inside him still vivid in his mind. "Carpet matches the drapes, I suppose. The beard will probably be purple, too, then. I can't really imagine you with a beard, though."
"Neither can I," Xellos admitted. "I'll buy a razor and ask Gourry-san if he can show me how to use it."
"I'd help if I could, but I never had to shave."
"I know, dear," Xellos said gently, smiling.
Zel shrugged. "It's a bit of a relief, honestly. Shaving my hair wouldn't be easy. I was fifteen when Rezo changed me. Late bloomer, so no facial hair."
Xellos stood and hugged him. "I would help, if so."
"Or any other body hair," Zel added, sheepishly, leaning into Xellos' warm softness.
Xellos nuzzled him, like a large cat. "That's not so bad. I think mine is growing every day, and not in entirely pleasant places..."
Zelgadis smiled. Now that he thought about it, he had noticed that a little, but it took none of Xellos' beauty away. "Honestly, it'd probably be uncomfortable for me otherwise."
Xellos hummed in answer and moved into his lap, petting Zel's chest through his clothes. Zel touched his face, awed again that this was really happening to him, and pulled Xellos into a light kiss. It was just the right distraction to make him forget about all the little things Rezo had taken away from him; at least for a little while.
It was enough.
Things may have gone further, but Amelia interrupted them, telling them it was time to leave.
"We're ready," Zelgadis told her, standing and pulling his hood and mask into place. His lover stood close, helping him, then kissed him through the material covering his mouth.
The chimera blushed and thought he understood the gesture. Xellos could do nothing about his insecurities, but he accepted Zel the way he was. This was enough too.
They grabbed their belongings, plus the books they would be returning to the shrine, and walked downstairs. By silent agreement, they ignored Lina entirely, conferring with the princess that they needed to return to the shrine and then to the apothecary before leaving the village.
Lina soon looked furious about being ignored, but Zel couldn't bring himself to care. He was too embarrassed to look at her.
She said nothing at first, showing a rare amount of restraint, though he thought that Amelia had a great deal to do with that as well.
They went to the apothecary as planned. However, picking out the essentials Xellos would need for shaving was not as easy as either of them had thought. The razor was one thing, but there were many different types of cream that the small shop seemed compelled to offer.
Xellos eventually just picked out one of the inexpensive creams and Zelgadis paid for both items at the counter.
"Anything else?" Zel asked, before they left the shop.
Xellos shook his head. "The next village is supposed to be close. If I think of something, we can try to get it there."
Zelgadis nodded, handing Xellos his razor and cream, then they left the shop together.
"You planning to ignore me all day?" Lina growled at last when they rejoined the others.
Zelgadis still could not look at her. "Let's go."
"Fine," she snapped through clenched teeth, leading the way out of the village.
They followed another path cut into the dense foliage of the forest, which was supposed to lead them straight to the next village.
Xellos hooked his arm with Zel's once they were out of sight of the villagers. "Ah, such a nice day," he said as if Lina weren't glaring daggers at them occasionally over her shoulder. "It's much cooler."
Zel relaxed at his closeness. "That storm did a good job at clearing the weather."
By noon, they stopped for lunch beside a small lake. Amelia decided to make a picnic of it, spreading one of their blankets on the ground and spreading food across it. Zel started to help her, but he was interrupted by Lina clearing her throat.
"Zel, can I speak to you privately for a sec?"
Zel glanced in her direction, still uncomfortable, but it was clear she was not going to take no for an answer. He sighed. "Fine."
He followed her away from their picnic sight, even though he felt a little like a deer caught in the torchlight of a speeding couch.
"Zel, I hate to do this," Lina spoke softly, the others not having her and Zelgadis' super-hearing. "I've never seen you this happy before, and I know he's changed, I'm not dumb enough not to see that. But you have to remember that he's still Xellos."
The shaman still could not look at his friend. "Lina, he's human," he responded just as softly.
"Yeah, okay." She seemed hesitant, as if she really didn't want to be talking about this, but felt compelled to regardless. "But—But what if he's been faking it? I was fooled too for awhile, because all he seemed to want was to take care of you. But he'sstillXellos. He's used us before. He's tricked us more than he's used us, for his own enjoyment!"
"It's not an act," Zel said firmly. "Look, I'm… glad you care." He was, even though he was still mad at her. "But he's not targeting anyone except the Mazoku."
He decided to continue to keep secret the time Xellos had almost forced him, almost a week ago. Lina would overreact when really all that had happened was Xellos not having a good handle on his feelings. Things were different now that Zelgadis had accepted a relationship with the former priest. Xellos had had many more opportunities to hurt him, so if all he had planned was some elaborate trick, he'd already missed quite a few chances to spring his joke. Zel just couldn't see it, not with Xellos' lack of patience.
"Okay, maybe not now. But what about when he's back to normal?" she demanded, hissing.
Zelgadis hesitated. They hadn't told the others that Xellos wanted to remain human, either. He wasn't sure if Xellos wanted him revealing that yet, or what Lina's reaction would be. Lina already noticed his hesitation though so he had to answer her. "And if he doesn't intend to go back?"
Lina was obviously surprised. "What?"
The chimera swallowed thickly. "Maybe you should talk to him."
She frowned. "Yeah. Xellos," she raised her voice, "get over here."
Xellos walked over, moving to Zelgadis' side and into his personal space, an action that was quickly proving to be a comfort without words. "Is something wrong?"
Lina didn't beat around the bush. "Xellos, do you still intend to find a cure for yourself?"
Zel looked at him apologetically, but Xellos only smiled, taking his hand and squeezing it until he could feel it through thick skin.
"No, I do not," he said. "I wish to remain human."
Her pink eyes narrowed. "You intend to give up everything you've ever known for Zel?"
Xellos pressed even closer to him. "Yes. I do. Are you marrying us, Lina-san?"
The sorceress turned red, irritated and flustered, but also—yes, there was relief there too. "Hell no. But if you don't marry him eventually, I'll kill you. If you hurt him at all, I'll make sure you pay. Understood?"
"Lina!" Zel objected, glaring and flushing.
Xellos merely smiled wider. "Maa. So overprotective, Lina-san."
"I'm older than you, Lina," Zel growled, reminding her.
"So what?" she demanded, hands on her slender hips.
Zelgadis felt Xellos rubbing his side with a firm thumb. "As for marriage," said the former priest lightly, "I have been thinking about the future recently and what it could hold for us. It has occurred to me."
Zel stared at his lover. Xellos had alluded to thinking about the future, but marriage? That was… new. He wasn't sure what to think about it.
Before he even had a chance to start, however, they were interrupted with a shout. Whirling around, Zelgadis saw in time as Amelia was yanked underwater. He ran toward the lake, yanking off his cloak and diving in after her. Lina followed him into the water, a few steps behind him, not having his supernatural speed.
It was his speed that propelled him through the water, since he was too heavy to swim. He still went straight to the bottom.
Zel was casting an Elmekia Lance before he even registered it was a Mazoku, using precious swallows of air to do so. It held Amelia by her ankle underwater and sped away as the ark of light lanced toward it, making contact underwater. Zel could not tell what damage was done. The Elmekia Lance was the weakest of the offensive Astral Shamanic spells, but its main effect wasn't to take out an opponent so much as weaken them mentally, disrupting their concentration.
Zelgadis stood, his head just coming up to the surface of the water, and he saw Xellos had somehow gotten in front of the Mazoku, as if anticipating its need to flee. Maybe he had.
Xellos stood on the other side of the lake, his hands together in front of him, his lips moving quickly to form a chant. "Ra Tilt!" he cast, sending the ball of light straight into the Mazoku.
Water erupted in every direction. Amelia was flung away as the Mazoku screamed and writhed. Lina rushed over with a Ray Wing to catch her princess, speeding her back to their impromptu campsite. For once, the legendary sorcery genius did not stick around to end the monster.
Zel was glad she chose to stay with Amelia. He wanted to concentrate on the thing that had attacked her.
Concentrating on either side of the injured Mazoku, he and Xellos attacked it with a double Ra Tilt. There was not much left of the water after that—it was hot and barely went up to Zel's knees.
The Mazoku splashed and flailed in the water, too injured to escape into the Astral Plane—yet. But it surely would when it got the chance.
Xellos knew the same thing. "Now, Gourry-san!"
With the unerring accuracy of one of the best swordsman Zelgadis had ever seen, Gourry leapt and descended on the Mazoku, his newly obtained holy blade extended.
Zelgadis held his breath. This was actually their first opportunity seeing what the new swords could do.
There was no need to worry. The blade sliced through the Mazoku's earthly body and with one final, inhuman cry, it disintegrated.
They ran back to where the girls were. Lina had cleared the food away and lay Amelia on the blanket, having the girl rest on her side so she could more easily cough up water.
"She okay?" Zel asked.
Amelia nodded, answering for herself, and coughed some more. "Is everyone…?" she attempted to wheeze.
Zel glanced over his shoulder. Xellos was the last to join him, slightly out of breath from his long run. "Yeah," he told Amelia. "Are you hurt?"
She shook her head. "Just surprised."
"Amelia," Lina sighed and pulled the princess into her arms. Feeling embarrassed witnessing the tender moment, Zelgadis turned his back and walked a little distance away.
Xellos met him and began fussing over his dripping clothes, casting a variation of a warming spell on his hands as he wrung them out. "We were distracted," the former priest noted, not sounding pleased with the observation.
Zel nodded, agreeing. "We need to be more careful."
His lover sighed. "I think the last village's shrine may have been shielding us. It's been too long since we were last attacked. Lower Mazoku are not known for their patience. I doubt that this one was capable of waiting long enough for us to grow complacent."
"It must've been," Zel responded, thoughtful. "At least we know there's a safe place nearby."
Xellos smiled, a faint quirk of kissable lips, close enough to do something about it. "That works well for our plans to return later, yes?"
Zel made himself look into Xellos' eyes instead of his lips. "And if there's a problem we can always use that as a fallback position."
They salvaged some of their lunch and left soon after, returning to the trail. Zel put his hood and mask back into place once the town was in sight. He could smell dust in the material from having thrown it onto the ground earlier but ignored it.
Lina suggested that they look for a restaurant first. She kept an arm around Amelia the entire way, not to help the younger girl walk so much as keep her close, Zel couldn't help but notice.
Zelgadis shook his head and did not argue for once. He knew she wanted to give Amelia a chance to rest as much as to get more food. And Amelia looked grateful for the suggestion.
They found a little corner establishment, and the smell that wafted out of the kitchen seemed delicious. They got a table easily, even though the place was busy, and were quickly served. Even Lina had no complaints about the service, when normally the food could not get to her plate (and her mouth) fast enough; and she always let everyone know it too.
Zel simply ordered coffee, keeping his hood up and his head bowed. Xellos was a welcome presence beside him, though the former priest seemed a little preoccupied with something. Zelgadis was about to ask what he was thinking about when Amelia spoke.
"Thank you all for helping me," she said shyly.
Lina paused in her eating and softened. "You don't need to thank us, Amelia."
"We wouldn't leave you," Zel added softly, but firmly.
"'Course!" Gourry said. "We're practically family. A dysfunctional one sometimes, but yeah…"
Amelia smiled, giggling. "You're right!"
Beside him, Zelgadis suddenly noticed Xellos covering a yawn.
"You okay?" he asked. Xellos seemed to sleep fine the night before. No sitting up late reading. They had, after all, been otherwise occupied.
Xellos smiled reassuringly over his teacup. "Yes, I'm just a little tired all the sudden."
Then, Amelia broke into a wide yawn herself. "Mm, me too. Must be from the attack earlier."
But Zelgadis also realized that he was feeling tired as well. He looked down at his coffee in horror.
"We've been drugged."
TBC. So sorry for not updating in a year! We've both been really busy. However, Chrissy hopes to get the rest of the fic out this month (November).