It was already dark; the sun had shed the last of its rays into the camp of the small group nearly an hour ago. Dinner was finished and so too the insanity that went with it, leaving only light conversation to drift among them as night settled in. Trivial topics, such as the fate of a nearby group of bandits, darted from person to person in an amiable fashion, bringing a general feel of accord to the evening. These discussions were met with enthusiasm and eager consent, touched upon by all but one... And it was this one that drew the eyes of a certain watchful mazoku.
Zelgadis was lost in thought, no doubt; that was something that Xelloss could have guessed without so much as glancing his way. The chimera was quietly sulking to himself about all the horrible things gone wrong and how unfair life was. How sad.
Not that Xelloss particularly cared... The only real matter of interest to the priest was the delightful waves of despair that flowed from Zel. The mental anguish was captivating, almost intoxicating, and it grew stronger with every second that the boy tortured himself with thoughts of his 'lady love'. The mazoku's smile grew broader as he became more amused.
He is fun to toy with, though... Xelloss acknowledged almost absently. And that's all that really matters. The mazoku's smile grew broader as he became more amused. But I swear, humans can be so stupid. An absent hand smoothed an already-perfect strand of hair into place. Ah, well... Some things are to be expected.
And Xelloss had expected the chimera to sulk. Profusely. Honestly, the boy didn't do much else - the rest of the group likely couldn't tell the difference between now and when he was so preoccupied with his little 'cure'. And, besides, it was only to be anticipated if he were in love with someone that he deemed 'unattainable'.
But Lina-chan... That was something different entirely. He'd thought she would at least go about this intelligently. No moping around, no staying awake nights to ponder the 'impossible'... But oh, no... He'd felt the same depression from her lately, more and more, deliciously intriguing to the mazoku. She was hiding it, yes, and admittedly much better than the chimera... But she was still managing a pathetic job of it.
"So stupid," he chuckled to himself. Then, in a brief retrospect, considered the fact that his little games wouldn't be half as fun if the humans didn't play along...
This earned him a glare from the redheaded girl who sat nearby- she must have barely caught his words. "What was that, Xelloss?"
Xelloss slit an eye open to regard her curiously. "I said 'You look ready for anything tonight, my beautiful Lina-chan,'" he lied with a grin, adding a sly wink for effect. The chimera's anger was almost palpable. The sorceress flushed a startling shade of crimson, first with embarrassment, then pleased surprise, then rage... And finally she prepared to throw a fireball his way.
Xelloss merely beamed and put on his most innocent look. "Lina-chan..." he scolded, wagging a finger at her. "I only meant about the bandits! Really, you shouldn't be so upset when someone compliments you...!"
Lina sputtered, red-faced and flustered, as the mazoku watched her with a childish smile. Xelloss leaned closer to her so that his beaming face was mere inches from hers... "What were you thinking?"
The sorceress' cheeks nearly reached the shade of her hair. "P-pervert...!" she managed, pulling away from him as the high color in her face grew brighter still.
The priest settled back to his former position, still sporting a pleased grin. "Yare, yare, Lina-chan... So quick to accuse..."
Zelgadis stood abruptly and silently, stalking away without a word; his steps were terse, his manner rigid... And he went unnoticed in the short aftermath of the confusion. As expected.
Xelloss watched the chimera disappear into the darkness from out closed eyes, only half-paying attention to Lina's ardent raving. Some of the insults from this particular tirade were rather creative, he noted with a smug smile. Most, however, consisted largely the term 'fruitcake', and were things the trickster had heard many times before.
It actually wasn't very long before the sorceress gave up- the lack of his usual cheery responses made it hard for the redhead to stay focused. Her attention wavered from the mazoku priest at last in full, returning instead to blond swordsman that remained blissfully unaware.
And shortly after that, safely ignored by the little group, Xelloss disappeared.
That bastard! Why does Lina let him talk to her like that? Zel demanded of himself as he made his way from the tiny clearing where his companions were gathered. I hate him! Stupid pervert! Gods, what I wouldn't give to smash his smiling little face in!
The chimera's pace was quick as he forced his way through the woods, his mind distracted as he entertained violent Xelloss-related thoughts. Eventually, though, the anger began to fade, and even these pleasant images lost their hold as his train of thought started slowly to drift to more troubling topics.
Gods, why doesn't Lina do anything when he acts like that...? Zel wondered to himself. She's a powerful sorceress - you'd think that she could keep one perverted mazoku at bay if she wanted to......
Maybe, suggested a tiny voice inside his head. Maybe she doesn't want to.
Zelgadis snorted aloud. Why the hell wouldn't she?
Maybe she doesn't want him to stop...... Maybe she likes him.
The chimera's stride wavered. Then resumed as he realized the absurdity of the notion. That fruitcake? Don't make me laugh.
Think about it... the voice insisted. He flirts with her all the time. And what does she do? She blushes, puts on a little show... But that's all. Nothing that would make him actually think twice about doing it again.
A slight alarm flared in Zel's mind as the possibility of this truth struck him and, distracted, the chimera slowed his pace until at last he came to a halt. The boy's thoughts raced, fighting to disprove what had only just occurred to him... But the part that insisted on seeing each situation logically demanded with some conviction that it spoke honestly.
Really... Imagine if you had acted so boldly. Not only would she have been horrified, but you'd have been entertaining a fireball before you could blink. The voice paused as Zel registered the bit of reasoning. The Trickster, though... She hardly cared at all, really......
Zelgadis' sapphire eyes widened almost imperceptibly as he was hit with the painful implications presented by this new proof. His mind set about immediately to find some way to refute the suggestion, refusing to accept the notion.
Oh, stop it... the voice chided him. You shouldn't be so upset just because of Xelloss - I mean, you never would have had a chance anyway.
The chimera mentally flinched from the thought, pulling away from the idea he had been trying desperately to avoid, recoiling from the single thought that haunted both his conscious and sleeping mind. And although he drew back quickly, it was not fast enough to halt the familiar reveries of himself and the redheaded sorceress that were instilled by the harsh truth of the words... Nor quickly enough to still the strange, aching feeling in his heart as he realized all over again that they could never be.
"Stop being so stupid!" he told himself, and was almost startled at hearing his own voice in the silence of the woods. It sounded a little severe to his ears, and not only because of the sharpness of the sound against the cool night air... The tone was strained, somewhat unsteady... And he had a suspicion that the peculiar tightness around his throat prevented him from correcting the problem. "It's not like you had a chance anyway...! And if Lina wants to... to... to let that pervert get close to her, then that's her business...!" Despite his outburst, though, it did matter to him what Lina took it upon herself to do. And although the boy's pain was washed away by the anger that often blinded him when Xelloss was involved with a given situation, it faded soon enough, replaced by a chill kind of emptiness.
Lowering himself to a sitting position on one of the forest's abundant fallen trees, Zelgadis sighed, and the sound reflected the void inside him.
"Hey, Zel... What's wrong?"
The voice in his ear made the chimera jump, and he half-turned, one hand falling instinctively to the hilt of his sword. Whatever had approached him - had gotten so near to him without his heightened senses being made aware of its presence - was something to be reckoned with.
The face that greeted his startled eyes, though, was kind and good-natured, framed by a black headband that held fiery locks at bay. And the ruby eyes that gazed out at him were full of concern for a troubled friend.
"Lina," he noted, his voice still huskier than he would have liked it. Zelgadis paused a long moment, fighting to return it to normal. "What are you doing here?" He was partially successful, at least.
"You ran off." The girl glanced about, then joined him on his makeshift chair. "I wasn't sure - I thought something might be the matter."
The chimera looked away so that she wouldn't see his expression of surprise. He'd been positive that no one had even seen him leave, that no one had taken any notice or cared, as he was sure they didn't. And now, here she was, acting like she was honestly worried... "No. Nothing's wrong."
There was a slight hesitance, and then Lina spoke again. Her voice was soft, her tone gentle and persuading. "Zel... Don't lie to me. I know something's been bothering you lately. It's written all over your face. You can't keep it all to yourself... You have to tell someone. Why not let it be me?"
Because it's you that's the problem, he thought, with a slight twinge of sorrow. Whenever I'm around you, I feel strange - My heart beats a little faster, and I find myself flushing when you're next to me... It's so hard to think with you so close. He turned slightly to regard the girl who watched him and felt the familiar pangs that came whenever she was near. But when you aren't here... Then it's even worse.
All of this flew through his head in a matter of seconds, fighting to be expressed either in actions or words. The chimera forced back his feelings, though, and lied smoothly. "Nothing's the matter."
A small hand touched his shoulder, warm and soft even through his cloak, and he felt himself tense in response, unused to the physical contact. "You're still lying," she told him softly, locking scarlet eyes with his azure ones.
Zel's heart fluttered painfully, and he felt himself weaken under her gaze. He struggled still to keep the pretence, though, and opened his mouth to counter her accusation.
"Shh..." Lina whispered, placing a finger to his lips. The boy felt a blush rise to his cheeks as she leaned closer. "Just tell me..."
"Lina..." he managed, pushing her hand away gently. "I can't... I...... Nothing........."
Zelgadis' denial, however, was ended neatly when the sorceress leaned forward and, to the boy's absolute astonishment, kissed him.
For several seconds, Zel's mind stubbornly refused to register what was taking place. So often had he imagined this moment, so many times had he seen it in his dreams, that he was completely unprepared when it finally came. It was several seconds before the chimera's eyes widened in incredulity and a high flush rose to his cheeks, signaling that the reality of the situation had at last begun to sink in. Soft, warm flesh pressed against unyielding stone, full of tenderness more sweet than the boy had ever dared to hope for.
At last Lina pulled away, leaving Zel to stare, in a mild state of shock, at the young woman before him. A dream, he told himself. It has to be... It can't be real, it can't...
The sorceress' ruby eyes searched his face, a slight smile turning up the corners of her mouth. "Breathe," she reminded him softly, and the chimera obediently gasped in a breath.
Thoughts in turmoil, Zel remained silent as his mind struggled to right itself. A dream... one part of his mind insisted continuously... But another maintained that no dream could be so wonderfully real. Finally, after some length of silence, he found the will to speak.
"Lina...?" he asked hesitantly.
The redhead smiled. "Yeah?"
"What... was that?"
A vibrant laugh accompanied the girl's decision to move ever closer to the flustered chimera. "A kiss..."
Lina's smile was playful as she regarded him with genuine fondness, her face no further than an inch from his. "What did you think it was?"
"I... I......" Zel stuttered. "I don't know... I guess..."
His thoughts were neatly severed once more, though, as he found the girl's lips against his, tugging insistently, sending little shivers down his spine. The feel of her body so close to his, pressing firmly against him, was almost overwhelming. It was an entirely new sensation, one that Zelgadis decided wasn't altogether unpleasant at all.
Before he could realize what was happening, the boy found himself returning her embrace, his own actions eager enough to startle the part of his mind that prided itself on cool, logical responses. Only Lina existed, and his trust in her allowed the discard of caution... as well the ensuing results.
As though she could sense the chimera's sudden fervency, Lina encircled both her arms about his neck and drew him closer still, allowing his lips to break from hers to instead trail kisses down her throat. One hand strayed from its hold about the girl's waist, lifting instead to the clasp on her cape......
And the sorceress pulled away, sending a thousand thoughts flying through Zelgadis' mind, a thousand awful possibilities all at once. Several dread-laden seconds ticked by, filled with every one of Zelgadis' old doubts and dozens of new ones. Then, slowly, hesitantly, he managed to speak. "Lina...? What's wrong...? What's the matter?"
The sorceress didn't reply, refusing to meet his gaze. She seemed alright, the chimera noted with a quick assessment; her breathing was regular - if a trifle fast - and she wasn't markedly unnerved. That, at least, provided him with a small measure of relief. But something was still unquestionably wrong with the girl.
"Lina... What happened?"
Her ruby eyes met his, worried, uncertain...
Without thinking, he reached out and clasped one of her petite hands in his own, a gesture that, only hours ago, would have been unthinkable to him. Now it was performed almost instinctively. "Lina, please... Please, talk to me..."
"Talk to you...?" Her response was quiet, lacking the vibrancy it had held before, lacking any of the sorceress' usual fire. She sounded troubled, almost near tears... "About what? Nothing's wrong..."
Concern flooded Zel's features, reflecting the way he felt inside, showing plainly the dismay he felt at the thought that he had done something to upset her. "But... You seem so... Then why did you... pull away...?"
"Why...?" The girl's tone held something of a sharp edge this time, almost... mocking.
The chimera's ears twitched slightly as he caught the subtle shift in manner, and he drew back a little, uncertain now himself.
"Why..." The redhead chuckled softly, and a slow feeling of dread settled in Zel's stomach. "Hmm... You want to know why I moved away from a chimera freak...?" she chided, and a smile touched her lips, no longer sweet, but derisive and sarcastic. "Ah, well...... That... is a secret......"
Zelgadis watched in horror as the fiery little sorceress wagged a finger at him as though scolding a child. His sapphire eyes seemed frozen open as she leaned close to him once more and placed a peck on his cheek - no feeling drove the kiss this time, though, and the boy could hear the quiet laughter as she pulled away. One ruby eye flipped shut in a cruelly cheerful wink and, with that, 'Lina Inverse' left the chimera alone with only his shattered dreams.
Xelloss returned to the small group of travelers without any undue attention... Taking into account, of course, that the appearance of a previously absent person is much more noticeable than the disappearance of one that is present but unassuming. As such, he expected the startled glances he received from Lina and her companions and took them in stride. Even when Lina gave her endearing 'do-that-one-more-time-and-you'll-be-kissing-a-fireball' speech, the priest couldn't help but allow his smile to creep a bit wider than usual. After all, it wasn't every night that he got to toy with the chimera - and, oh, tonight was a night to remember.
The look on his face had been priceless... Perfect, in every sense of the word. And the despair that had followed...? Beyond description, beyond belief... Absolutely exquisite.
"What the hell is so funny?!" Lina fumed. The mazoku lifted his head slightly in response to her words, still maintaining the pleased expression on his face.
"Hai? Did you say something, Lina-chan?" Xelloss waited patiently as she sputtered with rage, enjoying her frustration as the tiny sorceress struggled to restrain from resorting to violence.
"I asked where you were for the past several hours!" she finally informed him, directly in his ear. Only a slight wince dented his pleasant smile, though, and he turned to face her more completely.
"Yare, yare, Lina-chan! I think you need to work on your manners..." He wagged his finger in a scolding fashion, chuckling to himself as she fumed wordlessly.
"If you don't tell me - "
The mazoku priest interrupted cheerily. " - you'll fireball me? Wai! I was beginning to think you'd lost your touch, Lina-chan... Not so much as a singe all day." And with that, Xelloss leaned forward and kissed the sorceress quickly on the cheek.
A moment of deathly silence descended upon the tiny encampment as Lina flushed a brilliant shade of red, raging silently to herself as the mazoku sat by, beaming. Only the crackling of the campfire touched the priest's sensitive ears, until at last a single word exploded as violently as the spell it preluded: "Fire-BALL!!"
Xelloss was gone, of course, by the time the flaming orb struck the tree that had been behind him- disappeared to plan for things kept carefully secret, hidden behind his sprightly smile. And although his games had proved amusing, he reflected as he winked from out of view, the Trickster Priest was far from finished, and the night still harbored countless promises.