Adult-FanFiction.org : Anime

Search for the Aqualord	By : RoseThorne Category: +S to Z > Slayers Views: 1533 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: We do not own Slayers and do not make any money writing this.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
Title: Search for the Aqualord

By: Chrissy Sky and Rose Thorne

Summary: A sacrifice from an unlikely source brings new changes to Zelgadis� life.

Warnings: YAOI. Zelgadis/Xellos. Slight spoilers for Rev-Evo.

-

Chapter Eleven: Truly, Madly, Deeply

-

�We must think of a way to get Lina-san back for that last remark.� Xellos� voice was casual as they descended the stairway.

Still, Zelgadis blushed deeper at the reminder of what Lina had shouted at them through the door a few minutes earlier. �Yes,� he agreed.

�I'm sure if we work together, we can come up with something wonderfully wicked.�

The shaman grinned slowly, evilly, remembering some of Xellos� pranks through the years. If that power could be tempered and used for a good cause, like getting back at Lina� �I�m sure we can.�

Xellos� return smile was just as evil, but with his human eyes it was no longer as disturbing as it had been when he was Mazoku. �Yes.�

With decidedly high spirits, Zelgadis led the way downstairs, Xellos following behind, humming a silly tune.

The others were already eating when they arrived. ��Bout time!� Lina managed around her food.

Xellos leaned in close to Zel and his features stretched in mock surprise. �Look, Zelgadis-san! It's almost like she's talking.�

He snorted. �Snorkling in food, more like.�

Xellos giggled and found a seat, picking through what was left of the food on the table. Zel sat next to him and ordered some coffee, mildly amused when Xellos fixed a plate for both of them, even going so far as to butter his toast for him. Even if it was a little much, it didn�t bother him.

Lina glared at them. �You two sound like you relieved some stress up there. Feeling better?�

�Sleeping relieves stress,� Zel answered reasonably. �You should try it sometime when you're not too busy �meditating� in the mornings with Amelia.�

The sorceress growled, annoyed. �I thought just Xellos was annoying. The two of you working together is a nightmare!�

Zelgadis only grinned as he started to eat, pleased when his coffee arrived quickly. He was equally pleased to note that Xellos� appetite had increased and he was digging into the breakfast with zeal.

Amelia smiled. �You look like you're feeling better, Xellos-san,� she noted, clearly noticing the same thing.

Xellos beamed. �I do feel better. Thank you, Amelia-san.�

�Amazing what some good stress relief will do, huh?� Lina prodded, not seeming to want to drop the topic and far too obsessed for Zel�s liking.

�You know,� Zel told her mildly, remembering Xellos� earlier comment, �for someone so sexually repressed, your mind has a tendency to wander in that direction, Lina.�

Xellos covered his mouth as he giggled in that polite way of his. Amelia blushed and sipped her tea, looking as though she were pretending not to know them.

�I never said anything about sex!� Lina sputtered, her face flushed just saying the word.

�And yet you're the one who called us horny when you woke us up this morning.�

He didn�t bother dodging the punch as Lina swung, knowing what would be the inevitable result. She yelped and shook her already red hand vigorously. �Ow!�

�Lina-san, really,� Xellos chided gently. �Are you alright, Zelgadis-san?�

Zelgadis sat back up, unperturbed. �She wasn't really trying.�

�Maa.� Xellos touched his cheek anyway, lightly fingering the area the punch landed.

The chimera couldn�t stop himself from blushing slightly. Xellos was close enough to kiss him, but while he still wanted it, he didn�t want it in public.

Xellos did not kiss him though. He turned back to his food, smiling slightly as Lina resumed eating, now angrily stuffing her mouth with whatever was left.

Zel watched him for a moment before returning to his own plate.

�Would you like seconds?� Xellos asked.

�No, I'm fine. I don't generally need to eat very much. Very slow metabolism. Lina looks like she might Fireball us if we don't get going soon, anyway.�

Xellos smiled. �Lina-san looks like she wants to Fireball me all the time. I'm rather used to it.�

Zel didn�t bother to hide an amused smile. Xellos would be used to that.

�Can we go now,� Lina interrupted, �or do you two want to keep bantering?�

�Zelgadis-san and I can banter and walk,� Xellos responded smoothly. �We're very intelligent that way.�

Zel chuckled � gods, but he loved this man.

Lina twitched, rising. �Alright then, let's go.�

�So what's your plan?� he asked, following her outside with the others. It was already shaping up to be a hot day; if they had to travel, it would be hellish on Xellos.

The redhead cracked her knuckles. �You two stay back and let Lina-sama handle this.�

�You know how to contact her sister if she turns into a kid again, right?� Zel asked Xellos in a stage-whisper. �I think she might give Amelia a nervous breakdown if she has to baby-sit her again...�

�It cannot be that difficult,� Xellos answered in the same tone, grinning.

Lina shivered, looking around her as though she were checking to be sure Luna really wasn�t there. �You guys, stop!�

�No more comments from you?� Zel haggled. He wasn�t above blackmail.

She glared. �Fine. Can we go?�

�Sure.�

Once the shrine came into view, he got significantly more serious, remembering what had happened there before. He jumped a little, surprised, when Xellos touched his arm to stop him.

�We're waiting here, Lina-san,� Xellos told her.

Lina glanced at Zel and softened slightly, obviously seeing something in his expression that he hadn�t intended her to. �Alright.�

Xellos smiled at him. �Let's sit down and watch the show,� he said gently, guiding Zel over to a bench.

Zelgadis sat with a sigh, blushing as Xellos sat next to him, close enough that their shoulders touched. He was further distracted when Xellos brought the jeweled head of his staff to his mouth and used it as a microphone.

�And there goes Lina Inverse, self-proclaimed sorcery genius, as she prepares to break the spell. It seems she's going for a violent technique, which is standard for Lina-san.�

�What are you doing?� Zelgadis asked, startled.

Lina turned away from her inspection of the archway, glaring at them. �Can it! I said I wouldn't make any more comments!�

Xellos smiled awkwardly, though he didn�t seem particularly bothered that whatever joke he was trying to make had missed its mark. �I didn't mean to interrupt, Lina-san. Please continue.�

Lina gave him a poisonous look, obviously not believing him�with good reason, considering his track record�but turned back to the arch and began to study it critically. �Gray Bomb!� she eventually said, casting the spell with a precision that Zel hadn�t thought her capable of.

The ground beneath the arch exploded, and the front of the shrine collapsed. Fortunately, the rest of the building remained intact.

Xellos made an impressed noise and clapped. This time Lina ignored him, thankfully.

Amelia waited until the dust settled before climbing over the rubble, making her way inside. After a few tense moments, they heard her voice from inside, announcing that the curse was broken.

Zelgadis was relieved that they wouldn�t have to deal with anymore child versions of themselves. �Well, you were definitely right, Xellos. Let's just hope there aren't any more traps.�

�That's why you two are coming in last,� said Lina. �We can't risk what happened last time.� That said she headed into the passage with Gourry.

Zelgadis waited outside with Xellos until Lina sent a signal � a traveling Lighting spell that disappeared when it reached them � before following them inside. Xellos had remained unusually quiet since his last joke but Zelgadis didn�t have time to ask if anything was the matter. First priority was the temple and finding something that could help them. He tried not to think about what would happen with whatever was going on between them if there was something in there.

He led their way through the shrine, following after Lina, and took in the d�cor with mild interest. The architecture resembled both human and dragon design, which was curious but not anything he thought warranted further study at the moment.

�Argh!� Lina cried up ahead.

Startled, Zelgadis paused. �Lina? What's going on?�

She sounded frustrated. �Nothing, absolutely nothing! Damn.�

The shaman hurried forward at that, entering the room at the end of the hallway. There was a large, jewel-encrusted statue of a dragon in the center.

�All this and it's a fake?� he asked, dumbfounded. He wasn�t sure how to feel�disappointed at another failure, or relieved that this journey wasn�t over yet. He hadn�t really expected to find anything anyway, after what Rezo had said to him, but he couldn�t stop himself from hoping.

Xellos strolled in after him, in no hurry and wholly unconcerned. �Oh my. That's a very nice statue of the Water Dragon Lord at any rate.�

Lina rushed around the room, pressing her hands against various places in the walls. �Maybe there's a secret entrance to another room. Otherwise...�

The chimera leaned against the wall with a sigh, drained from the new disappointment. �Damn.�

Through his bangs, he saw a movement of purple, and looked up in time to see Xellos walk up to the statue. He pressed his hands together and bowed his head in what strangely seemed like prayer. Zelgadis stared.

�Are you praying, Xellos-san?� Amelia asked, looking as confused as Zel felt.

Xellos smiled. �Oh, no. I was just telling Water Dragon Lord that I remembered owing him for helping us escape Gaav, and that I might be able to repay him soon.�

�Oh, right. I almost forgot about that,� Zel confessed sheepishly. The old lady they had known as Aqua had helped them when Chaos Dragon Gaav had attacked within the Temple of Sand. Xellos had been unable to fight Gaav and had needed saving just like the rest of them. And with the former Mazoku�s surprising sense of honor, he�d definitely feel the need to repay such a debt.

�How'll you repay him?� Gourry asked curiously.

�Well, these are his shrines we're looking through,� Xellos pointed out casually. �The opportunity may yet arise in a way I cannot foresee right now.�

Lina perked up. �Aqua Baasan's shrines?�

Xellos nodded and pointed at the large statue. �These shrines were thought to be lost. It seems that's not true - they were simply all cursed and laid with traps to keep anyone from entering them. To protect copies of the Claire Bible, I would presume. The copy we will find must be very intricate indeed for his servants to go to this much trouble...�

Zel was surprised. He hadn�t thought that they�d actually find anything. It had just been an excuse to travel. �So my lead wasn't useless.�

The former Mazoku nodded. �All we have to do is find the real one.�

Lina grimaced. �And evade Mazoku while doing that.�

�That's not too different from normal,� Zel pointed out with a shrug. �We'd have Xellos to contend with anyway if Dynast hadn't come after him.�

�Iya�� Xellos rubbed the back of his head in a decidedly sheepish manner, and Zelgadis couldn�t tell if he was being serious about it or not. He�d faked it plenty of times on their previous journeys.

They decided to leave soon after. Zelgadis led the way out, eager to buy new supplies and leave this place.

-

Xellos hesitated and hung back when the others left. Using his staff, he broke off one of the jewels at the base of the statue and pocketed it.

The jewel had to be blessed. He could find a good use for it later.

�Please add this to my tab, Water Dragon Lord,� he murmured to the statue with a smile before following his friends.

They returned to their rooms at the inn and packed. Xellos� possessions were few, but were slowly gaining in size. He added Zel-chan�s storybook to the small bundle�a memento of their time in the village. Even if it had not been an entirely good experience, it had not been all bad. At the very least, it had brought them closer.

After a moment�s thought, he added the child�s clothes too. They had paid for them, after all.

Zelgadis packed his belongings beside him, looking very eager to move on. Xellos understood but did not share his feelings.

�I think I'll miss this place,� he admitted.

�Why?� Gourry wondered. �Zel's coming with.�

Xellos smiled at the blond, shaking his head. He wasn�t surprised that Gourry had gotten to the heart of the issue so quickly. �This is the longest I've spent anywhere.�

Zelgadis was surprised. �Really?�

�Yes. My master resides on Wolf Pack Island, but I've spent my life wandering, obeying her various orders.� Not that he had ever minded. It was just how things were.

�So you've spent a thousand years constantly on the move? Not even resting for a few days?�

Xellos smiled. �Mazoku don't need to sleep, Zelgadis.�

�Yeah, but still...�

�My life was not my own.�

�Now it is,� Zelgadis murmured, looking at him with meaning, his blue eyes shimmering.

Xellos smiled at him. �Yes, it is.� His life to do what he wanted. And, really, all he wanted to do was make Zelgadis happy�whatever it took.

�How does it feel to be not-Mazoku now, Xellos?� Gourry asked suddenly.

The question surprised him and Xellos answered it slowly, thinking about it carefully, not entirely sure he could describe it properly. �I am... smaller now. Before, I was a part of something large and powerful. At first I felt trapped.� He smiled brightly, having no regrets anymore. �Now I realize that in this form, I may be disconnected from what I knew, but I am connected to something else in return.�

�Connected?� the chimera echoed, not understanding.

Xellos winked. �I can't feel emotions anymore, so I suppose it's a form of compensation.�

To compensate for not feeling emotions anymore, his feelings for Zelgadis had become incredibly intense. Perhaps that was why he had been so desperate the past few days. He did not know for sure, and might never find out, but it was a theory.

Zelgadis blushed as he caught onto his meaning. �Oh.�

He looked so adorable that Xellos had to resist the urge to do something that would make him blush harder.

Lina yelled at them to hurry up, and they quickly finished packing. Xellos walked out with Zelgadis and Gourry, not looking back.

-

They wouldn�t reach the next village until the next day, so they made camp in the forest. The fire was kept low so as not to attract attention and they slept in shifts. Lina grumpily woke Zelgadis up for his watch around midnight and he reluctantly left his sleep roll.

Xellos slept peacefully between him and the fire place. Zel had placed them like this on purpose, wanting to keep the former priest as warm as possible�even in the summer, the forest was chilly at night. He sat there for a moment, watching the low glow of the firelight flicker on Xellos� smooth, perfect features before shaking himself. He rose and stumbled over to the low flames, putting on a pot of coffee.

�It�s a nice night,� said Xellos.

Zelgadis jumped slightly, his assumption that Xellos had been asleep proven wrong. �Get some sleep,� he told him, mildly disgruntled. Even human, Xellos liked surprising him.

Xellos� opened his eyes groggily. �I'll keep you company for awhile.�

The shaman sighed. Xellos had proven incredibly stubborn, and he was too tired to argue. �Want me to put tea on for you, then?�

Xellos slid elegantly out of the new sleep roll they had bought him and sat down beside him. �Yes, that would be lovely.�

Zel nodded and put water on to boil. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw something flicker in the firelight. He glanced over and saw that Xellos was fingering a stone in his hands. �Where�d you get that?�

�At the shrine,� Xellos answered, not guilty at all.

The only stones he had seen had been imbedded in the statue, and Xellos would have had to vandalize it to get one. Zelgadis sighed. �You'd better not let Lina see that. She'll kick your ass.�

�I will repay the Water Dragon Lord for this too. It's blessed, you know.�

Amused, Zel shook his head. �Well, definitely don't tell Amelia about it. She'd rant about justice for days.�

�It could be useful.�

The shaman didn�t bother arguing the point, or about Xellos� apparent kleptomania. After all, as the Greater Beast�s priest, he had likely stolen countless Claire Bible manuscripts. Perhaps Xellos just didn�t see anything wrong with the theft if it was for his benefit. And, really, Zel had been guilty of similar things, not only in his quest for a cure, but as a bandit for Rezo�s cause as well. He set the tea to steep and poured himself a cup of coffee, forcing depressing thoughts of his grandfather out of his mind.

Xellos put the jewel away and looked upward at the stars twinkling through the treetops. �It�s a clear night.�

�Yeah,� Zel murmured, glancing up as well.

�On nights like this,� Xellos murmured conversationally, �the fairies would come out to sing and play in celebration of the moon. I suppose they still do, but their groups are smaller now...�

This surprised the shaman, who had thought he knew all about folklore of this sort. �I thought they were, well, fairy tales. I mean, I know there are elves, but fairies?�

Xellos nodded. �Of course, all the stories you've likely heard are made up. Any real ones have been lost.�

Zel leaned back against his elbows and stared at the stars. �I suppose that's true. Either that or they're twisted beyond recognition.�

He heard the smile in Xellos� voice. �Yes. I wish I had some to tell you, but I had other things on my mind at the time. They were like pests.�

�How so?�

He looked as Xellos moved, swatting at a moth hovering near the flame, shooing it away. �Like this one. If you wandered into a certain patch of wood, they would stir up like mad hornets. �

�That's just a moth, though. What would they do?� he asked, wanting clarification.

�They bite.�

Zelgadis blinked at him. �Seriously? And they'd actually hurt you?�

Xellos nodded, surprisingly serious. �Very mischievous little things. We could never figure out why, but there was a discernible pinch on our astral bodies when they bit. Perhaps they had innate astral powers themselves.�

�Interesting. I doubt they'd be able to get through my skin, though.�

Xellos smiled fondly. �Probably not,� he said softly, lying down next to him.

�You've probably seen a number of interesting things over the years,� Zel said idly.

�Anything special you want to know about?�

He shrugged. �Not off the top of my head.� But later, when he did think of something, was a definite possibility.

Xellos hummed softly and placed his hand on Zel�s chest. He was startled, but after a moment he placed his hand over Xellos�. The closeness was very nice and he didn�t want Xellos to pull away.

He didn�t. In fact, Xellos drew closer, as though he was leaning in for a kiss. Zelgadis stayed very still, his heart beating faster.

Instead of a kiss, however, Xellos pressed their cheeks together and nuzzled. Zel closed his eyes and moved into the light sensation, pushing his disappointment down.

He felt Xellos press closer. �Zelgadis��

Instinctively, Zel squeezed his hand, and was startled out of the drowsy pleasantness when Xellos made a soft sound.

�Did I hurt you?� he asked, immediately letting go of Xellos� hand.

Xellos pulled back enough so that they could look each other in the eye. The former priest seemed startled. �No, my dear. It's just fine.� He smiled. �That was a pleased sound.�

Zelgadis blushed, both embarrassed and tentatively pleased. �Oh.�

Xellos kissed his cheek lightly, causing those pleasantly warm feelings inside Zel to surface, and he closed his eyes again, wanting to enjoy it. He felt another light kiss soon after, on the corner of his mouth, and inhaled softly. So close! It was as though Xellos were testing to see how far he could go. Zel didn�t pull away, hoping that was enough encouragement.

�Is this alright?� Xellos asked softly.

�Yes,� Zelgadis answered, very softly.

Then Xellos finally kissed him properly. It was soft on his surprisingly sensitive lips, much softer than the heated, forced kisses from a few days ago, and he could feel Xellos� warm breath as the former priest breathed through his nose. He gasped and leaned in for more, slipping his arm around the other man and holding him close.

�Zelgadis,� Xellos whispered against his lips, and the sensation made Zel gasp again.

�Xellos.�

Xellos giggled and wrapped his arms around Zelgadis, startling him. He opened his eyes, he saw that the former priest was smiling and obviously happy.

He sighed, relaxed, a strange warmth flowing through him. He was almost� happy. He felt he could almost drown in this feeling of being cared for. Being loved.

�You're supposed to be keeping watch,� a grumpy voice broke through the moment like a fireball.

Abruptly, Zel stiffened, surprised and embarrassed. He looked over and saw Lina glaring at them from her place beside Amelia.

�Lina-san,� Xellos murmured, a pout in his voice.

Lina scowled at them both. �We kind of have Mazoku after us. If they attacked while you two were... occupied, what would happen?�

Zel sat up with a blush. �Sorry, Lina.�

�Whatever.� She rolled over, putting her back to them and presumably going back to sleep.

Mortified and deprived of the softness of Xellos� body, he needed something to do with his hands. Zel turned back to the fire and poured the former priest�s tea. But Xellos didn�t stay away for long and soon crept closer, leaning against his side. Hesitantly, the chimera slipped an arm around him and handed Xellos his tea.

Xellos smiled. �This is nice too.�

Zelgadis blushed again. It was, but after being caught once by Lina, he was wary. He really did need to keep watch. Xellos, also, really should have been asleep. Zel still worried about his health. At the same time, they hadn�t been alone all day and he craved the physical touch now. He�d never expected to need someone this much. It was the stuff of tawdry romance novels, not for him.

�What changed your mind?� Xellos asked suddenly.

About them having a relationship, Zel realized. He shrugged uncomfortably. �I told you I wasn't adverse. Just...�

�So you trust me now?�

Zel didn�t look at him�couldn�t, really, not while he remembered things from the last few days. �You... could've taken advantage of the situation in Sarta. Or found it amusing. You didn't.�

�I suppose so,� Xellos answered thoughtfully. �It didn't occur to me...�

�That�s why.�

�I see.� Xellos smiled, looking pleased, and he took a sip of his tea.

Zelgadis finished his coffee and sat the cup down. For a while they sat like that, simply enjoying each other�s company. When he finally looked at his companion, Zel noticed that Xellos� eyes were beginning to droop.

He gently removed the cup of tea, nearly empty, from his hands. �You sure you wouldn't be more comfortable over there?�

Xellos shook his head, a sleepy smile on his face. �This is nice,� he murmured, leaning his head on Zelgadis� hard shoulder.

Zel let him settle, watching as he soon fell asleep. Xellos seemed comfortable the way he was and the chimera let him stay there. He poured himself another cup of coffee, since he still had a while to go on his watch, and looked up at the stars again.

The fire crackled, crickets chirped in the distance, and Xellos breathed evenly against his shoulder. Zelgadis smiled softly, feeling for the first time in a long while that things might be alright after all.

TBC. Thanks for reading!
- 10
- 11
- 12
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Search for the Aqualord