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Search for the Aqualord	By : RoseThorne Category: +S to Z > Slayers Views: 1533 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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Chapter List
- 12
- 13
- 14
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 Thirteen: A Shard of Shabranigdu?!

-

Normally, Xellos considered himself a very polite man � he had, in fact, perfected a version of politeness for the sake of annoying people. But desperate times called for desperate measures.

He ran into the ladies� side of the bath without a second thought. With no thought, really, but that Zelgadis might be in danger and Lina Inverse was the only person he could possibly go to with this worry.

Lina stared at him in shock. Amelia gasped and ducked almost completely under the water to hide, spurring Lina to action. She grabbed a towel, clutching it to her chest and attacked. �FIREBALL!�

Xellos dodged, rolling along the surface around the bath. �Lina-san, this is serious!�

She glared at him without remorse. �I don�t care! Flare Arrow!�

He erected a shield, having no patience or interest in playing with her, like he usually would. �It concerns Zelgadis-san.�

The sorceress still looked quite murderous, but concern flashed through her eyes. �I'll meet you in the restaurant in five minutes. Now OUT!�

Resisting a strong, childish urge to roll his eyes at the dramatics, he walked out and headed for the restaurant, finding an empty table. Lina joined him after a few minutes, fully dressed, and immediately grabbed a waiter so she could order a snack. �Okay. WHAT?�

Though it was tempting to criticize her behavior, right then he had other concerns. She was no longer a child and talking down to her wouldn�t get him anywhere. And, anyway, he had walked in on her naked � not that he hadn�t been perfectly capable of spying on her before if he�d wanted to � and that had a tendency to bother humans. It bothered Zelgadis, certainly.

Xellos sipped his tea and got straight to the point. �This magic is reacting to Rezo-san's curse in a way that regular spells don�t. There has to be a reason for it.�

Lina stared at him as though she hadn�t really expected his reason to be that serious, her anger fading into interest. �Huh. I hadn't thought about that.�

Xellos nodded, leaning across the table toward her, troubled. �Neither had I. Gourry-san pointed out the obvious.�

�He does that sometimes, doesn't he?� She looked as embarrassed for not noticing as he felt.

�Yes.� He closed his eyes briefly before looking at her, serious. �We need to find out why and try to avoid putting Zelgadis in such a situation again. Next time, it could put him to sleep forever.�

Lina winced, seeing the problem. �Damn. What could be causing it?�

Xellos allowed a helpless shrug. �Rezo-san�s spell work was superior. He had an apt mind and his power was backed up by the soul trapped in his eyes.�

�A shard of Shabranigdu,� she murmured, curling her hand around her chin, considering. �And this is the magic of the Water Dragon Lord...�

�I wasn't present when he died, but the Aqua Lord was able to seal Gaav-san into a human body as well as imprison Lei Magnus-san � then possessed by Lord Ruby Eye � into a block of ice.�

It only occurred to him a second too late that he had just blurted out one of those things he had long kept secret. Not that it mattered anymore, really, but there were likely certain things the Mazoku wouldn�t want humans to know about. He was going to have to be careful with the knowledge he carried, if he survived this.

Lina stared at him in open surprise. �Lei Magnus... was possessed by Shabranigdu?� Shaking her head, she put this aside and got back to the problem at hand. �Well, he died fighting Shabranigdu. Maybe his magic is reacting to Rezo's curse because of Shabranigdu's magic?�

Xellos blinked, having not thought of that. �I suppose so. If your Aqua-baasan were still around, we could ask her.

She sighed. �If that's the case, there's not much we can do. We don't know how much Rezo's curse depended upon Shabranigdu's power. Even Zel's magic might be an issue.�

He nodded. �He'll hate being kept out of our search, but we'll need to be even more careful.� The former priest flashed a sheepish grin at her. �Of course, me saying that may be slightly ridiculous. Since it was me that pushed the button, I mean.�

Her glare quickly returned. �Don't remind me.� She sighed, relenting somewhat. �Frankly, you're lucky he didn't pass out before you found that cure.� The food arrived and she dug into it with zeal, talking between bites. �He didn't look so good when we got there.�

Xellos flushed guiltily, not needing the reminder. He was putting all of them at risk just by staying with them instead of giving himself up to die. And now Zelgadis was reacting poorly to a spell from a trap he had sprung. His tea was getting cold but couldn�t bring himself to care.

�Yes��

�Still,� Lina said around her food. �If we hadn't found out now, he might've been hurt even worse later on.�

He wasn�t comforted.

�Anyway, that's only one option. The other could be that it's trying to undo his physiology with these, since they affect the body. Rezo's curse might be too strong for that. We can't really tell for sure yet.�

Xellos frowned thoughtfully. �Not really, no. There are few who could, and they're dead.�

�Aqua-baachan,� Lina murmured sadly. She even paused in her eating.

Xellos felt a twinge of guilt for this too, having forgotten that humans had a different perception of death. For having known her for such a short time, Lina had gotten attached to what had remained of the Suiryuu-ou.

�You couldn't have helped her,� he told her, knowing that he couldn�t change how she felt about it. Just as he couldn�t change how he himself felt about Zelgadis. �That part of the Water Dragon Lord's personality existed for so long was a miracle in itself.�

She nodded and, seeming to get over it for the moment, resumed eating. �Stop blaming yourself for the button. You have human nature now, too, Xellos.�

He flushed. �Yes�� A human who would always have a unique perspective of the world. He�d never really fit in, so he was lucky he had friends who similarly stood out.

Lina shrugged. �One of us would've pressed it if we'd seen it, if only because it could have been the trigger for a door or something.�

Xellos blinked at her. In her own way, Lina was trying to offer comfort, though she really had no reason to go out of her way to do so. Like most things, she probably did it because she felt like it; though he doubted that with his track record, he�d done a whole lot to garner sympathy. Perhaps it was just something he didn�t understand. He still wondered why she and the others had wanted to help him in the first place, other than mutual survival.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, he stood. �I should be getting back.�

�Zel still sleeping?�

Xellos smiled at little, involuntarily, just thinking about how adorably open and vulnerable the chimera looked when he slept, even as an adult. �He was when I left him.�

Lina sighed again. �That spell really took a lot out of him. Whatever the reason, we're definitely going to have to be more careful.�

He nodded and bowed slightly. �Pardon my intrusion earlier. Enjoy the rest of your evening.�

She waved him off, clearly no longer angry. �Well, I can see why you needed to talk to me right away. Oh, we should probably keep him away from those weapons, too. Just in case.�

�Of course. Thank you.�

Xellos was partway up the stairs again when she heard her shout at the waiter who came for the check, forced to pay for it herself since Xellos had no money. He stifled a laugh and retreated upstairs.

Gourry was asleep as well when he returned, snoring softly in a chair by the window. Zelgadis had shifted in his sleep and was now curled around himself slightly. Smiling fondly at the sight, Xellos slipped back into bed and picked up his book to continue reading.

-

Zelgadis stirred as the soft light of dawn filled the room. He glanced at the warm body beside him to find that Xellos had fallen asleep reading, the large, book open in his lap, sitting up in sleep. Shaking his head fondly, Zel gently removed the book and placed it on the nightstand before pulling Xellos down slowly, holding him.

Xellos was soft and warm in his arms, and it felt absolutely wonderful to have him so close. Zel felt that �approaching happiness� feeling again. He watched the sun rise, rubbing Xellos� back lightly, until the former priest�s sleepy nuzzling alerted Zel that he had awoken.

�Good morning.� Xellos� voice was muffled against his shirt.

Zel smiled down at him. �You fell asleep reading.�

�Mm. No wonder I dreamed about dragons.�

He couldn�t help but chuckle a little. �You can sleep a little longer. You must have been up late.�

�I'm not sure what time it was.� Xellos sleepily nuzzled around one of Zel�s nipples.

The sensation, though muffled by the fabric, was still enough to send a spark of pleasure through him, straight down to his toes, making Zel gasp. He arched his back, seeking more instinctively, his hands tangling in Xellos� short, soft hair.

He caught a glimpse of a mischievous smile before Xellos blatantly mouthed the rocky nub through his shirt, getting his nightshirt wet. Zel didn�t care. He closed his eyes and focused on how it felt, his breathing becoming a little unsteady.

Xellos moaned softly against his chest and the sound made him shiver. He was so focused on his � was it appropriate to call Xellos his lover? � that he completely forgot about the third party in the room until the floor creaked.

Zel stiffened at the noise and looked, finally noticing Gourry. He had been trying to quietly creep out of the room, it seemed.

Xellos, pouting, lifted his head. �Sorry, Gourry-san.�

Gourry flashed them a thumbs-up, smiling through discomfort. �I'll just go change in the baths. No big deal.� He grabbed his clothes and left quickly.

Zelgadis had rarely been so mortified. Naturally, Xellos took it in stride, and proceeded to nuzzle his cheek sweetly once Gourry was gone.

�I forgot he was here.�

The chimera swallowed hard. �I did too. Damn.�

�It�s alright,� Xellos assured, rubbing his arm soothingly.

Zel sighed, letting the touch calm him. �At least it wasn't Lina,� he said, trying to find the bright side, and winced. �Again.� He resumed petting Xellos� hair absently, which also helped his mood.

�Yes.� The sigh was almost a moan as Xellos cuddled closer.

Zel smiled slightly. Xellos was cute � always had been, in his own frightening, powerful way. As a human it was more pronounced, somehow more natural. He caressed his back gently, tracing muscles and spine.

�I do wish we could have more time alone.�

He sighed. �Under the circumstances, I really doubt that's going to happen.�

Xellos� pout returned. �Seems that way.�

�In any case, Gourry doesn't seem to mind giving us privacy for the moment,� Zelgadis whispered meaningfully, blushing.

Purple eyes blinked, confused, before understanding dawned and a slow smile formed. �Oh. Seems that way�� Zelgadis blushed deeper and the smile widened. �But if you want to get up instead...�

�I�m not in any hurry,� Zel murmured softly. He refused to be afraid of this, even if he was a little anxious.

Xellos grinned impishly and licked one of the stones on Zel�s face. The chimera turned Xellos� face gently toward his before kissing him.

He was nervous, blushing, and fumbling; this was the first time he�d ever done anything like this, but Xellos was wonderful. He didn�t seem to mind taking things slow or gently guiding him along, and he didn�t push things too far.

�Only touching for now,� Xellos said softly.

His touch was almost more than Zel could bear. It felt almost as though he was going to leave his own body, and he was surprised when Xellos seemed to enjoy his own rougher touch. When they were done, only their shirts had been removed, and their hands were a little sticky, but Zelgadis felt fantastic.

Xellos panted softly as he caught his breath, his hair scattered against the pillow beneath his head. There was a light blush on his cheeks and his eyes were glittering. He looked so beautiful that Zelgadis almost suggested they do it again.

He might have if he�d had more confidence. As it was�

�Did I hurt you?� Zel asked softly.

Xellos� smile was bright and content, and he leaned up to kiss the concerned chimera. �You did not. Your skin feels unusual, but not unpleasant. I like how you feel.�

Zelgadis blushed, not sure what to do with his hand. He certainly wasn�t going to wipe it on the sheets.

Xellos noticed and giggled. �Now, clean up.�

�You can go first,� he said, sitting up with a slight smile, seeing some of the amusement.

�Alright.� Xellos slid out of bed and handed Zel a box of tissue. �Use that for the meantime, dear. I won�t be long.� He took his clothes and slipped into the bathroom.

Zel wiped his hand off with one of the tissues and stood, looking out the window at the sunny day outside. He smiled slightly, feeling himself bordering on true happiness for the first time in forever.

It wasn�t just the hand job or the interesting things Xellos had done with his mouth, though they had been very nice. It was knowing that they could have a somewhat normal relationship, that they really could and were going to do this. Even with his body being what it was, it could work.

Xellos emerged from the bathroom, clean, dressed, and still smiling. �All yours.�

Zel fought a strong urge to pull Xellos close again for a kiss. He grabbed his own clothing and, blushing, slipped into the bathroom.

When he came back out, he was greeted by the sight of a made bed and Xellos standing in the spot he�d vacated by the window. He looked content but still a little tired. Zelgadis realized, too late now, that he should have made Xellos sleep, not given in to his flirtations. Even if it had been wonderful, Xellos needed rest.

�How much of that book did you get through before falling asleep?�

On cue, Xellos yawned. �Nearly to the end.� He reached for Zel and pulled him close, cuddling.

Zelgadis blushed and wrapped his arms around him in return. �That boring?�

�Yes. It's an interesting record of events, but the writer keeps going off into tangents. There's some mention of the shrines, but not enough to go on. Then there's some mention of the weapons, but nothing to help Lina-san.�

He became a little distracted by Xellos� hands as they wandered. Zel hyperaware of his touch now. He resisted the urge pull him back to the bed. �Do you think the other books might be more helpful?�

�Possibly. Some were written by different disciples, so I'm hopeful...�

Then, Lina�s voice sounded from outside the door, in the hallway. �If they're making out again, I swear!�

Xellos twitched visibly. �Lina-san��

Zelgadis let go and moved a few feet away from him as Lina banged on the door, embarrassed. Xellos let her in with a sharp smile.

�You two weren't busy in there, are you?� the redhead asked suspiciously, eyeing them.

Zel couldn�t find his voice or look at her, so he focused on Xellos instead.

The look Xellos gave her was dangerous and more like his former self. �No. But if we had been, we wouldn't be having this conversation, Lina-san...�

Her look rivaled his. �Well, then, you'd better come down for breakfast and talk about what you found in those books.�

Zelgadis blushed slightly from Xellos� casual comment, and headed toward the door. He could almost sense Xellos following him, his warm presence only a few feet behind him. Lina came downstairs after them, muttering under her breath, which they both ignored.

Once their entire group was seated and food was ordered, Xellos told Lina the same thing he had told Zel earlier. �I can translate the parts about the weapons anyway, if you like.�

Lina pouted, disappointed at not getting more info. �Better than nothing, I suppose.�

�I will read the other books, of course. Also, you might not have noticed, but there was an assortment of swords in there as well. Gourry-san should choose one.�

Gourry brightened, instantly focusing on the conversation. �Really?�

Xellos nodded. �An extraordinary swordsman needs an extraordinary sword, Gourry-san. Especially now. I would suggest Zelgadis take one as well, but...�

Zelgadis frowned at the hesitation. �But what?�

Xellos and Lina exchanged a meaningfully worried look and it was Lina that answered. �It may not be safe.�

He glared at them, wishing they would just spit it out. He was a little hurt that Xellos would keep something secret from him, yet would tell Lina first, especially since it clearly had something to do with him. �And why�s that?�

�Er, well��

When she didn�t continue, Xellos spoke, delicately. �You seem to react badly to the Water Dragon Lord's magic, Zelgadis.�

They were worried, obviously so, and Zel had to resist the urge to yell at them. He tried to keep his voice calm as he responded. �If it did, that amulet would've hurt me, Xellos. It didn't.� Lina had her occasional stupid moments, of course, but that this had slipped Xellos� mind was frustrating.

Xellos blinked, a hand covering the amulet underneath his shirt almost absently. �Oh, yes� I'd taken for granted that while my magic is in it, it's still based on what Aqua Lord's servants created.� He smiled sheepishly. �I'm sorry, dear.�

Zel blushed slightly at the endearment and ignored the little twinge of happiness it induced. �Whatever messed me up in those shrines isn't that.�

�It could just mean that the magic reacts directly and hurts him,� Amelia spoke up hesitantly, �while the artifacts don�t.�

�Which means that the swords are fine.� Zelgadis studied Xellos and Lina. They still looked troubled, and it was clear there was more to this than just the swords. �What aren�t you telling me?�

Lina gulped a little. �Well, that was it really. Gourry said something to Xellos, who then dragged me out of the bath and expressed his concern about your reaction to the magic. We decided that it'd be best if we were all more careful from now on.�

He focused his suspicion on her, increasing her discomfort. �And? What about my reaction to the magic? You're being far more vague than usual, Lina.�

The redhead glanced at Xellos for help, but he seemed to be avoiding her gaze now, which worried Zelgadis. If it bothered Xellos this much�

She sighed. �We thought it meant that it was the Water Dragon Lord's power reacting to not just Rezo's magic, but the shard of Shabranigdu that was inside him. Perhaps some of that leaked through to his magic when it happened.�

Zelgadis could only stare at first as the true horror of that idea sunk in, then he schooled his features to a carefully blank look, unwilling to let his emotions show. No wonder Xellos hadn�t wanted to say anything.

�So what you're saying is that I might...� The words seemed to lodge in his throat, making it difficult to breathe.

�You are not a shard,� Xellos broke in firmly. Zel focused on him, in the certainty of his voice, and tried to believe him. �Some of it may have leaked through, or it's reacting for a different reason. We do not know for certain, Zelgadis.�

Zelgadis cursed softly, trying not to freak out, since it would only worry the others more. �Damn him�� Swallowing hard, he tried to pull himself together. He had the feeling, from Xellos� concerned look, that he wasn�t entirely successful. �Now what?�

�We keep researching and looking through the loot.� Lina scarfed down her food as soon as it was sat in front of her, complaining loudly to the waiter about their wait.

Zel ignored this and picked at his food, no longer hungry. He knew he should eat, but he doubted it was a good idea with his roiling stomach. If he ate, he�d likely be sick, and the others were worried enough about his health. Amelia expressed concern over this but assured her he was fine.

Xellos was not as easily assured. �You should eat, Zelgadis.�

The chimera glanced at him, tried to smile reassuringly, but uttered failed. �I'm not very hungry.�

�Alright.� Xellos touched his shoulder comfortingly. �Maybe you�ll feel better for lunch.�

Zelgadis shrugged in answer and regretted it when Xellos seemed to take that as rejection, immediately removing his hand. He seemed to become even more worried, and pushed his own plate away. The chimera didn�t get the chance to make him eat before Lina spoke again.

�Well, we should get back to the temple after breakfast and go through some of the rest of the loot � Erm, artifacts.� She looked at them, considering. �If you guys are done, why don't you go ahead?� She flagged down a waiter. �Another!�

Zelgadis wasn�t fooled � she was sending them ahead to give Xellos a chance to talk to him in private. He didn�t know how to feel about that, what could possibly be said to make this better.

Xellos agreed to it, though Zelgadis wasn�t sure if he had picked up on the maneuvering or not. They left the inn and went to the market first so that Xellos could buy notebooks and pens. Zel watched him choose the items he needed and paid for them without a word. He received a subtle touch on his arm in thanks and he managed a weak smile in return before he led the way to the shrine.

Once they were inside, Zelgadis felt an arm hook around his own and leaned into Xellos gratefully, basking in the touch. �Let�s open up that room and start researching,� he whispered.

Xellos nodded and, when they reached the door murmured the phrase from before. The door was easier for them to tug open today. Perhaps it was just that it had been closed for so long, or maybe Zel had felt the effects of the spell more than he�d realized.

The former priest cleaned off an ancient stone bench before he took a seat. �Do you want to talk about it?�

Zelgadis shook his head, not entirely surprised by the question, but pained. �Not really. I just... I hope you're wrong about this.� Reacting to the Water Dragon Lord�s magic had dire implications, and he felt sick even thinking about it.

�I hope so too.�

Zel sat down next to him with a sigh, leaning against him lightly as Xellos put an arm around him. �I didn�t think this could get any worse,� he confessed softly.

Xellos� hold tightened, and he pressed a kiss against his forehead. �I shouldn't have said anything without knowing for certain. I'm sorry.�

He shook his head. �It's probably better if I know that it's a possibility.�

Xellos continued to cuddle him. �Perhaps the Claire Bible will have some answers.�

�Maybe.� But it was doubtful.

He tried not to think too much, because inevitably his mind went to the worse case scenario: that he was a shard of Ruby Eye and the life he could have with Xellos would evaporate. He�d have to be sealed away or killed for the good of the world. That wasn�t something he wanted to face; he had finally found happiness and Rezo was ruining it again.

They sat there, Xellos holding Zelgadis comfortingly, petting his back while he tried to keep himself from falling apart. They stayed that way until Lina�s arrival startled them.

For once she didn�t tease them. �It's not the only option, Zel. Just one of them. It could just be that these spells are trying to undo what Rezo's spell did to your physiology, and his spell is just too strong. After all, they've concentrated on messing with our bodies, right?�

He nodded slowly, thinking that over, and Lina surprised him by stepping forward to place a hand on his shoulder.

�So you're not allowed to give up, okay?� she prodded, smiling, and he nodded a little more firmly.

�Okay.�

Amelia stepped forward, giving him one of her confident, ever-hopeful smiles. �We�ll figure things out.�

Gourry was right behind her. Even though they were worried, they were still smiling, still trying to help him feel better. It reminded him that, again, he wasn�t alone anymore.

He nodded again, drawing strength from them. �Right.�

Soon after, Gourry drew his attention to the magical swords, and Zel gratefully allowed himself to be distracted.

-

Xellos watched Zelgadis walk to the other side of the room with a fond smile. He wasn�t surprised when Lina spoke up again once he was out of earshot.

�He's not taking this well, is he?�

Xellos shook his head in answer, not sure what else to say.

�You'll take care of him, right, Xellos-san?� Amelia asked worriedly.

Finally looking at the girls again, he offered a reassuring smile. �I hope I can, Amelia-san.�

Lina whacked him hard on the back. �Alright, let�s get working!�

Xellos flew forward, landing in a pile of ancient yet thankfully sturdy pots. He would probably have a bruise later, but otherwise he was unharmed. �Oof! Ahaha� Of course, Lina-san.�

�Okay, Xellos?� Zelgadis asked solicitously from the sword rack.

Xellos sat up and waved. �I�m fine!� If he did have a bruise, he�d have to hide it from the chimera. No sense in making him worry more, Xellos reasoned.

Thankfully, his chimera�s attention was drawn back to the swords, choosing one for Gourry first. There were spells on it that wouldn�t need casting, so the blond wouldn�t have to remember any complicated chaos words; there was a mechanism on the hilt that would enable it for use against Mazoku. Gourry would have to practice with it to be sure how useful it would be.

The sword utilized air magic, and when Lina commented that it was perfect for Gourry because he was an air head, Zelgadis snapped, claiming he was in no mood for �goofing around� as he put it. Xellos was concerned but did not interrupt them, watching from the corner of his eye.

Zelgadis examined the rack carefully before choosing one for himself, finding it interesting because it was somehow infused with Holy magic. This got Lina�s attention, and Xellos decided to distract her from, he was sure, economic fantasies by giving her two notebooks to start taking inventory with.

�You're kidding!� she groaned. �All this?�

Zelgadis took a notebook and pen for himself. �I'll work with the weapons over here with Gourry.�

Xellos smiled happily. The chimera seemed to be doing better with things to focus on. �Thank you, dear. Lina-san, taking an inventory of our discovery is very important from an archaeological standpoint.�

The redhead groaned again. �You're interested in that NOW? After destroying stuff like this for a thousand years?�

�Destroying the Claire Bible copies was necessary, as this is.�

�Amelia, work with Lina on that jewelry,� Zelgadis broke in as he scribbled on his book. �Make sure she doesn't steal any of it.�

Amelia agreed, and Lina continued to grumble � now about not being able to have any of the �loot� � as Amelia pulled her away. Xellos sat down on the floor in front of the bookcase, making notes as he read, listening to the others as they worked. Zelgadis and Gourry did fine, of course, but the girls�

�I'll bring the jewels to you, and��

Amelia smiled knowingly. �Oh, no, Lina-san. I'll bring them to you. To make sure none go missing in transit.�

Lina pouted. �Aw, Ame-chan,� she whined cutely, batting her eyelashes in what was supposed to be a demure manner. On Lina, it didn�t look demure at all, and it had no effect on Amelia.

Amelia�s puppy dog eyes, however, definitely defeated Lina. �You would steal from Aqua-baasan?�

�Urk.� She sighed. �Alright. We'll do it your way. But I'd better get something in return.�

Amelia only smiled widely in answer. Xellos hid his own smile when Lina turned bright red, pleased that their relationship seemed to be going so well.

He read for the rest of the morning and on into the afternoon, not even pausing to eat the packed lunches the others had brought with them, and he took a number of the books with him to the inn that evening.

He was still going over the books at dinner, and he noticed Zelgadis adding notes to his inventory while they waited for their food to arrive.

�I don't know all the enchantments. Are we going to figure that out, or no?�

�If you like,� Xellos answered absently. �Primarily, you might focus on the sword you've chosen. For the moment at least.�

�They're all interesting, really.� He could hear the scholarly fascination in Zelgadis� voice.

The others conversed about what they had found, Lina once more complaining about not being allowed to keep any of the gems, this time grumbling about Xellos keeping the necklace he had converted into a charm. For the most part, Xellos tuned them out, focusing on his work, until Zelgadis spoke to him softly.

�Better than the other one?�

Xellos smiled, glancing up shortly. �A little. I never thought I'd be so bored by descriptions of battles. There's little detail and they all sound the same, and there's so many of them...�

�Weren't you involved in some of them?� Lina asked, sounding tired. She had clearly lost her argument about the gems.

�Mm-hm.� He grabbed one of his notebooks and held it out to Lina, opened to a certain page.

�Page 95,� she read aloud. �Xellos' first appearance. Page 105, Xellos destroys another fleet. Page 278... Page 309... Okay, I get the idea.� She pushed the book away.

�You're actually tracking how many times they mention you?� Zelgadis asked incredulously.

Xellos blinked, realizing belatedly how egotistical that seemed, and how that wasn�t really his intention anymore. Had he been Mazoku, he might have actually lamented that he hadn�t done enough damage to be the subject of an entire book � and not entirely jokingly, either.

�I note a lot of different things,� he assured him, handing Zelgadis the notebook to inspect.

The shaman flipped through the pages, seemingly surprised even more. �Mentions of Dynast... Dolphin... An itemized list of their servants with specific attacks? That's all in there?�

Xellos nodded. �I'm also comparing the events from this book with the others to see if they differ as well as for any mentions of the Claire Bible or these shrines.�

Lina emitted a low whistle. �That's detailed. How about the weapons?�

�Page numbers as well as what it says about them.� He showed her the notebook again. �Sorry if you can't understand my shorthand.�

Lina glanced through it more properly this time. �Pretty typical sorcerer shorthand. Might have to ask about some stuff, but I can mostly read it.�

Xellos smiled and returned to his reading. He mostly ignored his food, eating only occasionally, until Zelgadis gently plucked the book from his hands.

�Eat now, read later,� the chimera admonished.

Xellos blinked at him. �But this needs to be done, and there's so much of it...�

�Which you won't get done if you don't take care of yourself.�

He sighed, rubbing his unusually dry eyes, and supposed Zelgadis was right. He acquiesced and offered a tired smile as he reached for more food.

�And you're actually getting sleep tonight,� Zelgadis added in a rather bossy tone.

Lina prodded cheekily for more details and Xellos, sheepishly, was forced to admit that he had stayed up reading the night before in order to avoid an innuendo. Which he did solely for Zelgadis� benefit, since he knew it made him uncomfortable.

�And you're not staying up again,� Zelgadis said in that same tone.

Xellos pouted a little. �If that's what you want, dear.�

Zelgadis blushed and Lina latched onto both that and what he had said. �Dear? That's the second time I've heard him call you that, Zel.�

The shaman sipped his coffee, taking a moment to compose himself. �Oh? And what is Amelia going to give you in return for not stealing?�

Lina, embarrassed that they had been overheard earlier, quickly dropped the subject (for the moment). Xellos smiled and patted Zelgadis� arm under the table.

The chimera smiled slightly at the gesture. �Eat. You didn�t have any lunch.�

�I ate a sandwich. Kind of.� But Xellos ate obediently.

�A few bites that I made you eat doesn't count as a sandwich.�

He smiled sheepishly and continued to eat, realizing exactly how hungry he was. Zelgadis seemed satisfied, even going so far as to order another of the same for him.

Xellos flushed, mind immediately going to his weight. He was human and had to be careful, even though he was hungry enough to eat more.

�You missed lunch,� Zelgadis reminded again, sternly this time. �You don't have to eat all of it.�

�Alright.�

While it had been his original intention to look after Zelgadis, it seemed that his lover would look after him in return. This sense of equality warmed him more than anything, even though � or perhaps because � it was alien to him. Mazoku �relationships� had no such sense of equality. There was a master and the servant, never equal partners.

Zelgadis flipped through Xellos� notebooks as he ate his second helping. His interest gave Xellos an odd sort of pride in his work, though he couldn�t identify why exactly.

�Are you going to choose a weapon from the cache, or just stick with magic?� Zelgadis asked.

�I may, if something stands out,� Xellos answered between bites.

�We've nearly finished with the catalog. You can look through it at some point.�

Xellos smiled. �Thank you, dear.�

He noticed that Lina was looking at them, covertly and suspicious, but decided not to mention it. He knew she was wondering about their relationship, and wondered if she would approve of it. The idea that she wouldn�t bothered him more than he wanted to admit.

When Xellos finished eating and gathered up his books, Zelgadis expressed some weariness over working again the next day, and he announced, placating, to the group that they could take a break instead.

Lina immediately began to make plans to lay siege to the restaurants in town. Gourry and Amelia seemed keen on the idea of an all day eating fest, but Xellos wasn�t.

Xellos gave Zelgadis a coy look. �I think I�ll stay and do some more reading. In bed.�

The chimera blushed and glared at him. For a moment, it was just like old times, and Xellos could almost imagine what his embarrassment tasted like. He smiled innocently and bid them goodnight, heading upstairs with the books and notes.

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TBC. Remember to review!

Note: Also, we�re aware that we�re using �Water Dragon Lord� and �Aqua Lord� at the same time. Sorry about that, but stick with us.
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