Amelia sat up, holding her head at the pain stopped and she could think again. Looking around she found that Maklar had escaped, saved by whatever spell the sorcerer had used last. For a desperate attempt, it had been incredibly successful. Here friends lay on the ground all around her, Lina and Gourry were sitting up now, but neither Zelgadiss nor Xellos were moving.
Walking over to where the chimera lay on the ground, Amelia gently touched his shoulder. "Zelgadiss-san, are you all right?"
The chimera stirred and sat up, shaking his head. "Amelia-san?"
"Yes, how do you feel?"
"Not good."
"That last spell was a strong one. Don't worry Zelgadiss-san, we'll catch him next time."
"Amelia-san, why did you just call me -- " Whatever the chimera was going to ask was cut off as Xellos sat up with a groan.
"What was that?" The mazoku asked, opening his eyes and looking over toward where Amelia was kneeling by the dazed chimera. The two of them stared at each other for a long moment, and then the chimera started to laugh.
"So THAT'S what the spell was."
"This isn't funny." The mazoku responded, glaring at the chimera.
"Oh, I don't know, I think it's fun." He took off the sword belt he was wearing and handed it to the furious mazoku. "Here, you might need this, I certainly won't."
The mazoku took the sword with ill grace and grumbled, "I don't know how you can be enjoying this."
"Well, I've been trying to get into your pants for month Zelgadiss-san." The chimera said, standing up and spreading his arms, "And now, here I am."
"Xellos." The mazoku growled, grabbing the smiling chimera by the front of the shirt.
"What is going on?" Lina asked, coming to stand beside the puzzled princess.
"I don't know." Amelia replied. "But it doesn't look good."
"This is not funny." Zelgadiss growled at Lina, who continued chuckling regardless of his obvious displeasure.
"Oh yes it is." She said before laughter overtook her again. Zelgadiss glowered, then turned to look away, feeling the light tickle of the short hair against his chin. The touch just annoyed him further, he hated this!
"Lina-san." Amelia said hesitantly. "We really should be working on a way to fix this."
"All right." Lina said, finally catching her breath. "We know you two switched bodies, now how do we switch you back?"
"My guess," Xellos said seriously, "is that we have to kill the sorcerer. This isn't a simple, easy body transfer. Our magic and abilities have been messed up." He was no longer amused by this situation, and hadn't been since his staff had reject both Zelgadiss and himself as master and returned to Wolf Pack Island on its own. When he had discovered that he could not teleport far enough to get it, he had become downright pissed off.
"What do you mean?" Lina asked, now completely serious herself.
"We've been split down the middle." Zelgadiss answered. "I have half of his abilities, he has half of mine. Neither of us can fight at full strength. This spell isn't a prank, it's designed to cripple your opponent, not just inconvenience them."
"All right, well, we were going after Maklar anyway, so you'll both just have to put up with this until we find him. When we do, we'll try and find a way to fix this without killing him first."
"It'd be far more satisfying just to cut his head off." Xellos muttered in a sulky tone, Zelgadiss nodded and everyone else just sighed.
"Anyway, there's nothing we can do about it right now, so let's eat!" Those last three words started a barrage of orders for their unfortunate waiter, leaving Zelgadiss and Xellos momentarily stunned. Their problem had clearly been set-aside for more important matters.
Zelgadiss stood and left the table, he was neither hungry, nor in the mood for company. He retreated to the quiet of his room, only to freeze as he past the tall standing mirror.
Amethyst eyes stared back at him from a pale face framed by short, purple hair that was still ticking his chin. Xellos' hair, Xellos' face, Xellos' body. Xellos' very attractive body. He wondered if...
He shook his head and moved away from the mirror, trying to stop his thoughts from heading in that direction. It didn't work. As he began to undress for bed his mind went off on that track all on its own. Before he quite realized it, he was standing in front of the mirror, clad only in Xellos' tight fitting black pants. He let his gaze wander over the reflection, over the lined of those snug pants, over the tight muscles of his chest, and up to meet that amethyst gaze again, finding it now clouded with an ill concealed desire.
"Not bad eh?" An amused voice said from behind him, and he spun around to find Xellos standing there, watching him. Blushing furiously he stammered,
"What the hell are you doing here?"
"I came to see if you were taking advantage of this situation, which you clearly were."
"I was not!"
"Oh give it up Zel-chan, you were clearly checking out my bod. Did you like what you saw?"
Yes. "No, why would I?"
"Hmm, that's not the impression I got."
"Well you got the wrong one then."
"How terribly disappointing."
Zelgadiss turned away from Xellos and walked back towards the bed. He was folding the blankets back when the sound of dropping fabric caused him to look over at the displaced mazoku again.
Xellos was now standing in front of the mirror with Zelgadiss' cloak pooled at his feet as he slowly removed the fingerless gloves.
"What are you doing?" Zelgadiss demanded as the gloves hit the floor and Xellos started pulling the beige shirt over his head.
"Well, you peeked at my body, it's only fair that I get to peek at yours, and my room doesn't have a mirror."
That was probably a lie, but it really didn't matter now. Xellos had already pulled off the shirt and was kicking off his boots. When that was finished he stood in front of the mirror, gazing at the reflection with approval.
"You really have a nice body Zel-chan." He mused. "I really don't understand why you want to change it."
"Because I'm a freak." Zelgadiss answered, turning back to the bed. Why was it that no one understood his need to be human again except him?
"I don't think so." Xellos answered him idly. "You're nearly indestructible, but your body is still very sensitive and your lavender hair and blue skin are really quite becoming together."
"Nothing about me is becom -- " Wait a minute, did he say sensitive? Zelgadiss spun around again, only to find Xellos running his hands gently over his stone chest in a manner that was anything but curious.
"Hey!" Zelgadiss said, coming over to grab Xellos' wrist. "Look but don't touch."
Xellos grinned mischievously. "Fine, if I'm not allowed to touch your body then I'll touch mine."
"What? Don't!" He gasped as Xellos grabbed him around the waist and then began to caress his chest with the other hand. "Xellos, cut it ou -- " His words were cut off as the mazoku's hand began to stroke circles around a nipple, sending lightning shocks of pleasure running through him. If his own body was like this, how the hell could Xellos think that Zelgadiss' was sensitive.
"Feels good, doesn't it?" Xellos purred, pressing their bodies together, creating more lightning shocks inside of him. Zelgadiss couldn't answer, Xellos' hands kept touching him in ways that stole both his voice and his resistance. It wasn't until he felt the cool sheets of the bed beneath his back that they both returned.
"Stop it!" He said, pushing Xellos off him. The priest rolled to the side, lying on the bed with a pout.
"Really Zel-chan, you're being very unfair. If I'm not allowed to play with you then I should at least be allowed to play with myself."
This was just strange. "I don't want you playing with either." Zelgadiss snapped. "Not until we're back where we belong."
"Are you sure about that?" Xellos asked smugly, reaching out to rest his hands between Zelgadiss' legs. The evidence that either the shaman or the mazoku body he was wearing had been enjoying Xellos' attentions was very apparent to them both.
"Yes I'm sure." He gasped, though he was rapidly becoming unsure. He really wished that Xellos would move his hand.
"You're missing a great opportunity here you know." Xellos said as he did begin to move his hand, but not moving it away as Zelgadiss had wanted.
"What are you talking about?" He struggled to reply in a voice that was halfway between a whisper and a whimper.
"Why do you keep yourself apart from everyone?" Xellos asked seductively. Zelgadiss opened his mouth, but he was interrupted. "The REAL reason."
He closed his mouth again. There was no way he was going to tell something like that to Xellos. The mazoku chuckled, moving closer and adding the caress of his lips over Zelgadiss' chest to the teasing strokes of his hands. "Fine, don't say it, I'll tell you instead. You're afraid that you'll hurt them. That fear is doubled as far as any possible lover is concerned, isn't it?"
"Do you have a point?" Zelgadiss tried to growl, but it sounded weak, even to his own ears.
"Wouldn't you love to know if your fears are groundless?"
"What?"
"You could know exactly what it would be like for your lover, you could know if they would feel pleasure or pain from having you inside them."
Zelgadiss held his breath. What an offer, he could surrender without loosing face, and he could have his answer without hurting anyone but himself, did he dare? Apparently he did. When Xellos began to remove the black pants he was wearing, Zelgadiss did not try to stop him.
"Excellent decision Zel-chan." Xellos purred, running his hands up the newly exposed skin of his lover's legs. "Doesn't that feel good?"
"Yes!" Zelgadiss gasped, loving the feeling Xellos was creating.
"Just think of what you've been denying yourself." The priest continued, running his hands down Zelgadiss' bare shaft in teasing strokes. "It seems a pity, doesn't it?"
Zelgadiss could do nothing but whimper in response. Xellos smirked, the moved down Zelgadiss' body, kissing the pale skin until his lips were running along his hard rod, and then gently took the throbbing flesh between his lips.
Whatever reason Zelgadiss had left fled the second he felt himself drawn into the warmth of Xellos' mouth. He could tell that he was begging, pressing his body into Xellos' ministrations while his hands twisted in the bed sheets, but there was nothing he could do to stop himself. He needed this too much, needed that touch and the release it promised. When that promise was finally delivered, Zelgadiss felt his body stiffen as pleasure raced through it, shocking every nerve and leaving his mind lost in a sea of contentment.
The feeling of Xellos' mouth against his own drew his awareness back just as the other's fingers slowly pressed into his body. It was strange, not unpleasant but not wonderful, at least not at first. Soon though, Xellos found a spot deep within him that felt better than good and Zelgadiss found himself holding tight to his lover and begging again. Xellos chuckled, then removed his fingers, leaving Zelgadiss cursing.
"Patience Zel-chan, I'm not finished yet." He said, and then proved the point my placing his shaft at the entrance to Zelgadiss' body. He paused there, kissing Zelgadiss deeply before entering him in a single, swift stroke. Zelgadiss cried out at the penetration, but the sound was lost within Xellos' kiss. The feeling was incredible, pleasure mixed with pain, but he had a mazoku's body and the latter too was ecstasy. When Xellos began to move within him, each thrust hitting the spot his fingers had only teased, Zelgadiss gave himself over to that pleasure, rocking his body to meet those thrusts and kissing Xellos back passionately. This feeling was exquisite torture and he didn't want it to end, but it was over far too soon. The both lay gasping on the bed as they recovered from the climax. Zelgadiss could feel himself being pressed into the bed by Xellos' weight in his body, but he enjoyed the feeling, just as he had enjoyed the sensation of the shaft that still filled him, hard even after their recent release.
"Well Zel-chan?" Xellos said, raising himself up to look down at his lover. "Did I hurt you, or did you enjoy it."
"Both." Zelgadiss said, trying to sound gruff and failing. Xellos laughed and nuzzled the shaman's neck as he gave a teasing rock with his hips.
"Well, it has been a while for me, but the pain lessens with frequency."
Zelgadiss just moaned and closed his eyes, loving every point of contact he currently had with Xellos. He really didn't want to talk anymore, in fact, all he wanted to do was curl up with his lover and go to sleep. Xellos seemed to read his intention and they were doing just that when a loud explosion from outside rocked the inn. Dressing quickly then ran outside and discovered that Maklar was attacking them.
"Geeze, you'd think this guy wanted to be stopped or something." Lina said as they arrived. The sorcerer they faced just laughed and ordered his army to attack. Zelgadiss drew his sword and waited. Beside him he could hear Xellos preparing a spell, without his staff, magic was the priest's only weapon.
The attack began and the two misplaced fighters found themselves suffering. Zelgadiss soon found that his sword was useless, his body moved too fast for him to time his strikes properly. As he sheathed it he discovered that Xellos was having similar difficulties, only he was moving too slowly and getting hit. Zelgadiss caught him when he was knocked backwards and began to prepare a spell, only to be stopped by Xellos.
"Don't. Your magic will harm my body just as mine apparently harms yours." It was only then that Zelgadiss realised that some of the damage done to the mazoku had been accidentally self-inflicted.
"So what do we do?"
"Try not to get hit and hope the others finish him off." Xellos grumbled as they dodged an attack together. Continuing on in that manner they managed to keep themselves relatively unhurt until Lina and the others forced Maklar to retreat.
"Dammit! He got away again!" Zelgadiss yelled as he and Xellos walked up to their friends.
"Yeah, well, we'll get him next time." Lina said, turning to look at him. She blinked. Looked over at Xellos. Looked back at Zelgadiss, and then began to laugh. "In the meantime it seems like you two have worked things out."
Zelgadiss frowned. "What?"
"Never mind, just go back to whatever you were doing before this little fight started." She headed back to the inn with Amelia and Gourry, the other two were laughing now as well. Zelgadiss looked over at Xellos, confused until it finally clicked and he began to blush.
"What is it Zel-chan?"
"Our clothes." He muttered in response. Xellos looked confused for a moment and then began to laugh as he realised that in their hurry they had both dressed in their OWN clothes. There were only a few things that would result in them both stripping down, and their friends seemed to have chosen the correct one.
"So." Xellos said with a smile, wrapping his arms around Zelgadiss. "Shall we get back to what we were doing before this little fight started?"
Embarrassed as he was, Zelgadiss gave into that enticing tone and they both found themselves suddenly back in his room.
"I'll take that as a yes." Xellos said smugly, and pulled his lover towards the bed.