Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ Crucify Me ❯ Reunion ( Chapter 2 )

Crucify Me
Chapter 2: Reunion

"Ano....Lina?"

"I know! There's only one bed. And I get it, Jellyfish." Gourry blinked.

"...ano... actually, I wanted to know what all that fancy stuff she said meant." Lina's eye suddenly developed a nasty twitch.

"You mean you didn't understand ANY of that?!" He cringed.

"I got a little of it..." Lina sighed.

"I knew I'd have to re-explain it. Okay. Those things out there are called Vanglear. They're dead people. They started showing up when the barrier between here and the outer world fell. Understand now?" Gourry nodded.

"Why didn't she just say that then?"

"Their language is trapped in the dark ages. Off."

"Huh?"

"Off the bed! I told you, I get it." Gourry pouted.

"What if I want it?" he snapped. "Whenever this happens you always get the bed." He gave her a pointed stare, blue eyes holding that sad kicked puppy dog look that acted as his only weapon against her will and temper. Her eye twitched briefly before she threw up her hands in exhasperation.

"Fine, you big baby!" she cried, then with a huff she laid down on the floor and turned her back to him. He sighed at her temper tantrum, then crawled into the bed, resting his armor on the chair nearby.

He couldn't sleep though. It was a few hours before he finally gave up. Quietly he got up and tiptoed to where she lay sleeping. Gently he picked up her small form and laid it on the bed, her cape splayed under her like raven's wings, her hair spread out like a halo of fire, feather-soft tips brushing against her rose-colored cheeks. She didn't stir at the movement save a soft murmer from her throat, like the whisper of an angel.

He froze, watching her face eagerly, as if waiting for her eyes to open, but the rubies remained concealed by her eyelids. He let out a breath and smiled slightly, then covered her with the blankets and laid down on the floor.

The first thing Lina became aware of as she woke up the next morning was the soft growl of Gourry snoring. Then she noticed that she was on the bed. ...that or the floor had turned very soft overnight. She sat up and looked around for the source of the lionish purr, spying the blue-clad, blonde-haired lump on the floor by the bed. With a chuckle she got out of bed, stepping over the sleeping jellyfish, then stopped and stretched, cracking her back with a twist of her torso.

"Oi, Gourry." She nudged him with her foot. He curled up into a tighter ball. "Oi, Jellyfish," she tried again, a little louder. He slowly blinked his eyes open, glancing upwards at her. He grinned and yawned, rubbing at his eyes.

"Mornin', Lina," he greeted, standing up and grabbing his armor.

"Did the guilt finally get to you, Jellyfish?" she asked with a smug grin. He frowned, securing the supports on his breast plate.

"No," he pouted. He held up a hand before she could say more. "You snore loudly on the ground." He smiled innocently then turned to go downstairs for breakfast.

She decided to help.

"FIREBALL!"

A charred lump of a jellyfish-brained man suddenly (and rather violently) graced the table of two men enjoying a morning cup of coffee and round of bullshit. The table split in half beneath his weight. They looked up to see the red-haired sorceress equally red-faced and gripping the banister in anger.

"Itai-tai-tai...." Gourry moaned, rubbing at the back of his head. "Lina!" he called up pathetically, then, at the looks of the men he'd accidentally landed on, got up off the remains of the shattered table, quickly apologizing and meandering over to meet her at the foot of the stairs. "Lina...... I hadn't meant anything by that." She growled.

"Shut up," she snapped, pointing to an empty table. "Breakfast."

That was the magic word. In a blur of arms and silverware and the clanking of glass and metal, the morning ritual had begun for them. Both reached for a piece of jerky, neither willing to surrender the meat, leaving them nose to nose, lips mere centimeters apart, eyes glowering at each other in stubborn determination. Spurned on by the table mishap just minutes ago, Gourry gave an extra-hard yank on the food, pulling the tiny woman over the table and into his lap, toppling them both over. He was (further) rewarded when the meat tore, giving him the bigger part. He grinned triumphantly. She scowled at him, smacking him in the head as she sturggled to untangle herself from him.

"I see you two haven't changed," a familiar voice said from a nearby table. The pair stopped trying to flounder to their feet and looked over. A chimera in a light tan outfit sat sipping a cup of coffee, the tiniest hint of amusement in his eye.

"Zel!" they greeted their friend warmly. He regarded their current position.

"I wondered when you two would finally get together." Lina jumped up and caught him in a choke hold.

"You tryin' to cause trouble?" she snarled. The smile that wanted very much to appear never once graced his face. That would only provoke her more. He instead just slipped out of her grip with ease.

"I don't pretend to be starting anything," he replied, smoothing the folds of his hood and cape. He finished the last of his coffee. "What are you two doing out here?"

"Playing Rurouni Lina-tachi," Gourry answered. He smiled in childish amusement.

"We're going to the Desert of Destruction to investigate," Lina corrected. "Let me guess, you're going there on the miniscule chance that the weird stuff happening might have something to do with your cure?" He nodded slowly, dumbfounded. "Your cure is such a plot device," she grumbled throwing a good punch at the fourth wall.

"So we're travelling together again?" Gourry asked hopefully.

"Looks like it," Lina groaned, forehead disappearing behind her hand.

"Fine," Zelgadis agreed to the arrangement with his usual stoicisim. "But just remember-"

"We know, we know," the other two interrupted, "'Stay out of your way when you think you've found your cure'." Zelgadis facefaulted, then quickly recollected himself.

"Right. Just wanted to make sure you understood."

"You never allow us to forget."

"Forget what?"

"Shut up, Jellyfish."