Lina heard more people entering the inn, but she didn't care. She still wanted to keep kissing Zel.

"Come on, Lina." Zel began to protest beneath her, gently motioning for her to get off. She sat there on the couch, pouting to herself. The couch was facing the inn's fireplace AND its high backrest would continue to properly shield them from view. The inn was practically empty too! So what if a few people were starting to stroll in! It wasn't fair! She looked over at Zel. He started to sit up, re-adjust his rumpled clothing, and re-compose himself. Why did he always have to become more self conscious of others around, right in the middle of their kissing?! He gave a sigh of relief from the intensity and blushed from embarrassment. Lina smiled. But I guess that's part of what makes him cute. Then she had a mischievous idea.

Zel fell back abruptly when Lina jumped back on him. She kissed him fully and he could do nothing in his temporary paralysis but comply. She released and Zel opened his eyes. She was centimeters away from his face.

"I really do love you." Lina thought. "Zel...meet me upstairs?" she implored hesitantly. Zel flustered. He stared at her in astonishment, at her expectant expression, feminine beauty, then deep into her ruby eyes. And managed to nod slowly. Lina's lips smoothed into a smile. Carefully, she got off him and went upstairs to her room, as Zel stared after her.

"Oh. My. God." Lina thought as she leaned on her inn room door. "I just asked Zel to sleep with me!" In a daze, she sat herself at a chair in front of a dresser. When she noticed her reflection in the mirror, she stared at it. After some time, she picked up a comb and began to smooth out her hair. That done, she put the comb down and stared again. "Am I ready for this?" She asked herself. "Am I sure I love Zel?" At the mental sound of his name, Lina's mind recalled him. She smiled softly.

Zelgadis Greywiers stared at his hands. They were still blue and made of stone. He glanced back up the staircase where Lina had gone. Again he questioned why she would want a chimera. Which was a pretty stupid thing to question, Zel thought. It obviously had never mattered to her. Ever. He glanced back up the staircase. He hoped she wasn't jumping into something she'd regret later. But then again, Lina almost never regretted her impulsiveness. Zel smiled. Her impulses were always dead on. She followed her heart... Zel thought about his . . . . . . Just the crackling of the fireplace . . . . . . Zel stood and walked up the staircase.

There was a knock at the door. Lina jumped. Outside, Zel gulped. Lina opened the door, wearing only the top half o her yellow pajamas. The first thing Zel noticed was that her legs were bare, and beautiful. He jerked his eyes away and looked at Lina. She wasn't wearing her earrings, or her headband, he observed. Even without the ornaments, she was still beautiful.

"Come on in, Zel." Lina tried to greet him casually. Once past the doorway, he remembered the door and turned around to close it. He glanced back to see that she was watching him. Feeling out of place that he was the only one there still fully dressed, he clumsily removed his swordbelt, cloak, belt, and shoes. Lina walked up to him and pulled his shirt over his head.

"Just keep thinking it's like lying together and kissing as usual." Zel thought to himself as his heart raced. Lina closed her eyes and kissed his lips. She made all thought in her mind silent. She could only hear what she felt in her heart. But then a thought escaped.

"Maybe I'm going too fast for him." She just stared up at him and waited for when he was ready to make a move. She closed her eyes. Lina felt unsure hands come around her waist, then arms tighten her to his chest. He was kissing her now. She reached her arms around his neck and did the same. Their lips were unsure and afraid, but determined to continue. Lina released from him. This was strange. It wasn't supposed to be this tense. Better resort to the familiar. "C'mon, Zel." Lina took his hand and lead him to the bed. Zel almost forgot to move his feet.

As Lina sat on the edge of the bed, Zel followed. She took his face in her hands and gave him gentle, want-filled kisses, mimicking their actions, earlier downstairs. Zel brought his hands up to hold her, recognizing the motions. Without hesitation, they eased back into the position of Lina on top and Zel holding her gently.

Lina's hands trailed down Zel's chest, feeling his skin like polished obsidian. He may not have been soft, but he was very smooth, and Lina couldn't resist how he felt so strong, firm, and warm around her. His stone skin wouldn't allow her to dig as deeply into his flesh as she would like, but she tried anyway. Zel felt the pressure of her body increase against him, coupled with the softness and warmth of her flesh and her increasingly demanding movements over the entire surface of his body. A want was growing inside of Zel. He was helpless beneath Lina, totally submissive to the things she made him feel. She explored his body with her own: running her hands and legs through unseen places and kissing, not just his lips now, but down his neck and collarbone, then back up to tug on his ear. Zel began to groan, with her breath so prevalent in his mind. He was far past his initial bewilderment now, and was sharing the heat that Lina had. She continued working him with strong, steady movements from her thighs, chest, and hands, and caresses from her lips, until he couldn't help but want her.

Zel's tongue probed deeper into Lina's mouth, relishing the sweet fluid inside her. He held her more tightly to press her body further into him. His hands continued searching her for tender places, which caused her to cry out, breaking from his kiss. After enough violations, Lina pushed away from him, and slowly began to remove her clothing. Zel looked up anxiously at Lina. His look, one of yearning, fear, and confusion.

He felt it too? But the primal want dominated both their minds and bodies, and Lina finished disrobing Zel. The sudden cold rippled fear into their nervous flesh. Lina batted it away in favor of merging with everything she loved.

She lowered her body onto Zel's. Not the full weight, just enough for her skin to caress over his body. At a slow pace, Lina moved softly and gently in the silent darkness. She closed her eyes... It was so much bliss... Beneath her, Zel winced, his breathing gradually intensifying.

At the moment harsh pants escaped from his lungs, Zel sprang from under Lina and pushed her beneath him. It was as if his body moved by itself. He couldn't understand why he was so brash, but the intense heat and want spurred him on. Zel's hands pinned down her shoulders and he indulged in the softness of her lips, then of her breasts. Each of her moans drove him further into lust. He savored her nipples, kissing each, taking them into his mouth, and then licking over them. Lina's back arched up and he clutched her closer. Her moans intensified into cries, eventually for his name. Occasionally, he'd come up past her breasts and kiss her neck, to hear her breath quicken in his ear. Lina's chest throbbed into his. It was unbelievable to Zel how amenable Lina's body was. He took to feeling her inner thighs. At the first touch of his palm, Lina jumped, then accepted the warmth. He rubbed her breasts as well, and she moaned so sweetly. Barely away from her body, Zel just watched her writhe.

Zel went into Lina, still not believing how he wanted to do so many things to her. Lina was almost frightened at the violation. But she remembered her want and accepted it. Welcomed it. She held him more tightly. Zel stimulated just the surface of her inner softness and watched. Lina winced and cried out, her neck arching way. It was an ever-increasing stimulation her body both wanted and resisted. Eventually, he could feel her thighs rising, brushing against his legs, wanting more. Zel worked deeper inside of Lina, feeling her femininity pushing onto him as he rubbed over her, and the walls of her flower clasping around his member. He moved all around, inside of her, but Lina only felt his passion going deeper and deeper inside of her, his motions becoming bolder and wilder. The pleasure was so great, Lina couldn't move---not even her lips to kiss him. She just panted. Zel drank in the smoothness and pleasure of Lina's skin, especially the lips he came down to kiss. His mouth parted hers open, and continuously cupped over her individual lips. Lina moaned under his kisses in staccato breaths, as he began to penetrate her very core. Zel spent some time pushing upon it, listening to Lina's cries. She felt an unendurable intense heat inside her. She could no longer thrash about or grab his arms tightly. She just fell away, pressing herself into the sweat-soaked bed, gasping for breath through clenched teeth. There was an unbearable, overflowing pleasure, and Lina felt her skin go numb in ecstasy.

It was as if she had floated outside of her body to a place of tranquil bliss and unknown pleasure. Her violent gasps suddenly slowed, becoming regular, controlled, and tranquil. Zel released her, and she returned to an awareness of his body against her skin. In that moment, she had a priceless mixture of otherworldly pleasure and Zel's presence. Under their mutual sheath of sweat, their heat cooled, and Lina felt her entire body become a tangible softness, as well as a gentle want for being touched again. Zel's fingertips felt the side of her face; his soft eyes focused on her with a smile. Lina held his hand and returned the gaze.

Both satiated now, Zel just hung over her. His eyes traced over her features fondly, as his hands caressed her gently. They kissed and their lips strove to lock into each other, but eventually, melted into gentle softness. Zel closed his eyes, took a last, deep, exhausted breath, and lay down beside Lina. She crept to him, and Zel's arms came around her to help her closer. He held her to his chest, and she snuggled in beneath his chin. Zel rested his head on her orange hair, arching in closer to her. He smiled, and closed his eyes, holding her. Lina just laid on him and they closed their eyes in sleep.

Lina's head lay on Zel's chest, as her arms were wrapped around his neck. She stretched her back and let her body rub across him, then she settled back down and smiled. The way Zel's hand continually caressed her back was almost hypnotic. She closed her eyes, feeling both the warmth of Zel's body and the cool softness of the air on her back. Perfectly content. Zel stared up at the ceiling, just feeling through the awareness of Lina on top of him, the weight of their bare bodies against each other.

After some time, the sun was beginning to become rather high for still staying in bed for Zel's tastes. He nudged Lina.

"It's time to get up."

"Mmmm..." She groaned. "Don't want to." Lina continued in her contentment, closed-eyed.

"Come on now, Lina." Zel nudged again. She only rustled to tighten her grip on him. His face soured, then smiled as he looked down at her. Very gently, he sat up, still holding her to him. Lina grumbled in discontent. At that, Zel smirked and reiterated. "Time to wake up Lina."

"Oh, alright, alright." She turned to sit on the side of the bed. Zel just had to watch her. She was rather beautiful nude with the sun beaming on her from the window. Her skin illuminated with softness.

"You don't have to pout, Lina." He teased.

"I'm not pouting." She crossed her arms. Zel laughed, ran his hand down her shoulder, and slid out from under the covers. Pants and shirt on, he went out the door to order breakfast.

Later, in Lina's room, they were back in their clothes, with a large spread on the table.

"Lina's eating a little more than usual." Zel observed. But then, the night was so exhausting, he woke up with a big appetite too. Lina noticed Zel's cup as he put it down and wordlessly poured him more coffee. Lina started it black, then added 1/2 a spoonful of sugar and just a splash of cream. Zel thanked her and began sipping at the cup again. Lina stared at him smiling. Then remembering herself, she returned to her breakfast.

"He's so used to her knowing exactly what he wants. I wonder how he'd ever go on again without her..." A certain watching someone winked, a million ideas running through said person's head.

mysticdragon3: Now, I know Lina seems pretty aggressive for her first time, but I figured, if anyone of the two was going to be more passionate, it certainly wasn't going to be our shy Zel. Impulsive and comparatively more emotive Lina would make more sense.