wish6

"Now I'm sorry, Zel. But you know that never mattered to me, right?" She gave him her most charming smile. Zel blushed.
      "So, what are you up to these days, Lina?"
      Lina shrugged. "This and that. Pounding bandits. Eating."
      "Still with Gourry?"
      "Uh, yeah. That is, until now. I .... uh.... think that's over."
      "What?"
      "Well, we fought. And I guess we're just done. He's in there with Sylphiel now..."
      "Ah-ha," Zelgadis said. He put his hand on her shoulder, a rare gesture of sympathy. "So now what?"
       "I don't know. Head out, wander, whatever." Even to herself, her voice sounded dull, depressed. The end of an era was upon her, and she didn't like it one bit. "But hey!" she said, forcing the cheerfulness. "No worries, right?"
      Zelgadis just looked at her. He closed his eyes for a moment, then said, "Wrong. You're miserable, aren't you?"
      Lina screwed up her face in a pout. I will NOT cry in front of Zel! I will NOT! Oh, shit, I am. She hung hre head. Damn it, how does he always manage to see right through me?
     "Hey, hey, Lina, I'm sorry!" Zelgadis was at a loss over what to do. Lina he could deal with. A Lina so unhappy that she'd cry was something else. Praying for guidance, he pulled her into a hug again.
      "I MISSED you, you big jerk, and *sniff* I need you around!" Lina clutched his tunic, and stared at her reflection in the red jewel brooch.
      "You.... what?"
        She twisted her neck to look up at him without pulling away. "You're my friend, you idiot. God, sometimes you're as dense as Gourry, you know that?"
       Zel's glittering eyes were inches from her own. His warm breath touched her face. Suddenly, Lina needed to step back. The words of the maid Clarise came to her mind, and she had an impulse to see how her looks affected Zelgadis. Pulling herself away, she moved into the light and did a little spin. Looking to see his reaction, she asked, "Hey, do I look like a Maid of Honor or what?"
       Zel turned red again. "Um, well, now that you mention it, uh, you look nice."
       "Huh. You're so good at complimenting women, Zel." Interesting, even his ears were turning red now. Lina thought back over all the time they'd spent saving the world and adventuring.   She felt a certain satisfaction when she was around Zelgadis that she'd never really thought about before. He was as smart as she, just a powerful in his own way, and those eyes ... hey, where did that come from? She realized that they were staring at each other. "Zel?"
      He turned to the window again. "I just wanted to see Amelia be happy. I knew I wasn't the one to do it. I never felt for her the way she did for me.   But I didn't...I....Lina, I saw you last night."
      "WHAT?!?"
       "Don't get mad. I saw you in the window, as you got into bed, and you looked unhappy. And I just started to think that you shuldn't be unhappy. I wanted.... er, to do....something.."
        Lina took a single step towards him. "I don't understand."
        "Say it now, idiot, you'll never get another chance," Zelgadis muttered to himself. Aloud, he said, "Lina, would you come with me? To help me find a cure? You see, I'd much rather... I mean, if I had to pick anyone in the world to be with, it would be you."
        Lina's jaw dropped.   Of course! It had been in front of her all this time, and she never even noticed it! But Zelgadis -- to have never said a word..... he ENJOYED their arguements and the tension and the fighting and the big battles and he LIKED her! HAD liked her all this time, but in his usual reserved manner never given the slightest hint. And his quest was sure to be interesting, and to have those blue eyes all to herself....
        "You see, Lina.....I started to care the moment you landed on your ass at the bottom of a cliff and made a joke. I knew I cared when I fell before Phibrizo and the last thing I heard was you screaming my name. And I knew I couldn't show anything the moment you appeared in Gourry's arms. But..... if that's over...." He turned back to her. "I saw you today, like you are now, and you were just....radiant. And I thought, even if you say no, I had to talk to you again. I was sneaking around here hoping...."
         Lina cut off this amazing speech. "YES!!" she cried, laughing. "Anything, and everything, yes! I'll go with you...." She flung herself back into his arms, and he held her tight. "Thank you, Zel, for waiting. Thank you for coming here. Thank you for saving me!"   She looked up and saw him smiling, one of his rare true smiles.
       "I've got a good lead. Could be dangerous. But, it should be, er, interesting." He said.
       "HA! What's a little danger, right? C'mon, we'll go upto my room, and I'll get changed, and we'll go! Levitation!" Lina took off, Zelgadis close behind her.
        Landing on the balcony, Zelgadis offered to wait there. Lina ducked into her room and changed at lightening speed. Just before she left, though, she took a moment to jot a quick note. Then she went out.
       "That's a new outfit."   Zelgadis's eyebrows rose.
        "Of course! The maroon tunic wore out." Lina wore red pants and a white top that had long tails, which she looped at her waist through her usual rapier belts on her hips. The top clung to her ribs, banded across what little bust she had, and had a high but loose collar. Her Demonsblood talismans were in place, and her trusty black cape fluttered in a breeze. Her hair had been freed and her usual black headband sat on her brow. She was so delighted to be off on a new adventure with Zelgadis that she practically glowed in the darkness.
       "You know, you did look beautiful in that dress, but you're stunning when you're excited and dressed for the road," Zelgadis said, with an air of admitting something he'd never intended to say. Out loud.
        Lina grinned. "You're learning, Zel, you're learning! Let's go!" She reached out and took his hand.
      Zelgadis nodded. "Ray Wing!" he cast, and the two disappeared into the night.

       The maid Clarise found the note the next morning. She brought it to the others where they gathered for breakfast. She silently handed it to Amelia, who read it out loud for everyone.