Author:  Pairaka
Title:  A Hard Man is Good to Find

A Hard Man is Good to Find

"*When* is this damn function going to be over with?" Lina
whispered harshly, pitching her voice so that only her companion could
hear her. "I wanna *go*…"
"Quiet, Lina," the tall man with long blonde hair sitting next to
her said in the same whisper. "We promised Amelia and Zel that we'd
stay for the whole thing." However he, too, sounded bored and
irritable.
"Why do we need to be here anyway?" she demanded, tugging at her
dress. "It's just the same stupid things we've been going to all month.
One function after the next just so they can make poor Zel squirm. I
used to like coming to these things; now, I can't stand them." She
glanced up the long table at their friends: Zel was seated on Amelia's
right hand, and she was seated to her father's right, while Christopher
was seated on his left. They were more than halfway down and across the
table from them, since they were only here by orders of the Crown
Prince himself. However, the Council thought there were people more
important than Lina Inverse and her guardian/husband, and they got to
sit closer to the head of the table than the wandering sorceress-
swordsman duo.
Needless to say, Zelgadis' countenance was positively stony. More
so than usual. Amelia looked ready to burst at the seams as one of
those nameless, faceless sycophants prattled on about Ceiphied-knew-
what. They definitely didn't look very happy.
"And Zel's positively miserable, which makes Amelia miserable…"
She sighed and looked down at the table and played with her wine glass.
"It's making me miserable…"
Gourry shook his head. "Zel shouldn't have to put up with this.
He and Amelia are already married. Who do these people think they are?"
His voice was serious, like he would have liked to take his sword and
deal with the people causing his friends so much pain in a very direct,
very messy manner.
"They can still force Amelia to renounce her claim on the
throne," Lina explained. "They would have done so already if both Phil
and Christopher weren't so adamant that she not do it. But it means
that Zel's got to put up with this crap and we have to, too." She
sighed and put her knife down. "If he'd just unbend a little and admit
that Rezo was his grandfather, that would help him tremendously. They
can't argue with that. But the stubborn git wouldn't admit to being
related to Rezo the Red Priest if it meant getting cured, damn him."
"Why would he want to tell them that?" Gourry asked, looking a
little confused. "What difference does it make to them who he's related
to?"
Lina rolled her eyes. "Because, jellyfish, Rezo was considered a
great man! One of the Five Great Sages! Before he went all funny, that
is…" She looked around at the nobles sitting around her hoping that
none of them had heard her remark. Fortunately, Commander Vymes and the
Lady Sybla were sitting across from her and the unfamiliar noble
sitting next to her was trying to ignore the fact that she was there.
None of them seemed to have heard her. She heaved a sigh of relief and
turned back to Gourry.
"But if he doesn't want to tell them about it, he shouldn't," the
swordsman was saying. "It doesn't matter *who* he's related to, right
now he's married to Amelia. End of story."
Lina watched Zel's impassive face a moment longer then nodded.
"You're right. The moment he mentioned it, they'd by all over him,
constantly asking about Rezo. That would be torture for Zel."
The swordsman nodded sagely. "It'd make him twice as miserable as
he is now." Grimacing, he stuck a finger in his collar and tugged.
"Dammit, that guy tied this thing too tight again. Why do I always get
the same valet? He's *always* tying my cravat too tight! And he…" He
trailed off nervously.
"He what, Gourry?" Lina asked, more out of boredom than any real
desire to know what he was going to say.
He played nervously with his napkin. "He looks at me funny."
Lina's eyes snapped around and she looked at her husband
strangely a moment. Then a wicked smile pulled the corners of her lips
upwards and she leaned forward. "He likes you," she hissed. "Thinks
you're pretty."
She had the pleasure of seeing his eyes go round. He looked down
at her, eyes pleading. "Please tell me you're kidding…"
"Of course I'm not kidding!" she said with a giggle, which
deepened as she watched the distress on his face intensified. Putting
her gloved hand on his arm, she added, "I don't blame him. I think
you're pretty, too."
"Lina…" His voice was pleading. "I've told you before, I'm a guy.
Guys are not 'pretty.'"
"Oh, that's right," she said. "You're not pretty."
He sighed in relief. "Thanks - " It was then that he realized
she'd given in too easily. He gave her a sidelong look that was almost
a glare.
"You're beautiful," she said with a wink.
He made a face at her and went back to watching Amelia and Zel.
Since she was seated on his right, she had to look past him to see
their friends, so she studied his profile, what she could see of it
through his hair. She may have been teasing him because she knew she
could get a rise out of him over it, but he was indeed beautiful, even
when angry. The signs of the tension and emotional turmoil that had
marked his features after his recent ordeal had finally vanished and he
had again become the same old Gourry. Except in ways he wasn't the same
old Gourry…He tended to be quieter and more protective of her lately,
something that had irritated her at first until that first night he'd
been awakened by the nightmares; nightmares that had continued to
plague him all during their journey back to Seyruun. It was only then
that she realized just how much he had suffered while she had been held
captive by Xellos.
So when Amelia had begged them to stay in the Capital City, Lina
had agreed - more for Gourry's sake than wanting to provide moral
support for Amelia and Zel as they fought to make the Seyruun Council
accept Zel as the Heir's Consort. Although they were doing that, Gourry
was her first concern. He needed the time to recuperate and well…they
both needed some downtime together.
It'd been a difficult for all of them, but when they weren't
occupied with these boring social functions, things were good. Lina and
Gourry had spent a lot of time together, enjoying the luxury that being
friends and associates with the Heir to the Throne afforded them. Good
food (and lots of it), soft beds, hot baths whenever they wanted
them…Gazing at Gourry's face, Lina suddenly felt herself flush and
wished they could slip away so they could be alone together now.
Sighing, she turned her thoughts away from that. They'd be able
to leave eventually, although that wasn't going to be soon enough for
her. Amelia and Zel needed them here, even though if the last few
functions had been any indication, they wouldn't even get a chance to
talk to the others until very, very late. Lina squeezed Gourry's arm
and gave him a soft smile when he turned to look at her curiously.
Looking surprised, he covered her hand with his own and patted it.
Finally, the dinner was over and the guests were allowed to rise
and retreat to the dancing floor. But Lina wasn't even allowed the
opportunity to alleviate her boredom by dancing with Gourry for the
floor was covered with small, round tables on which were set various
edibles while the nobility milled around and made small talk with one
another. Lina ground her teeth in irritation; it wouldn't have been
that bad if all these snooty nobles didn't treat them both like
hayseeds. They weren't too bad about giving Lina the respect she
deserved, but they were constantly making snide comments to Gourry that
were thinly veiled insults. Lina was unsure if he knew he was being
insulted and made fun of and chose to ignore it or if he really didn't
understand what they were doing. She wished he would say something if
he did know it; she didn't like having these people question what right
he had to be there among them when he had done so much more than any of
them ever *dreamed* of doing!
And so the evening went. Nobles passing by them with their noses
in the air and Lina's boredom and irritation rising straight off the
scale and entering the danger zone. The only thing that kept her from
screaming and fireballing the entire assembly was the never-ending
supply of edibles that the waiters kept putting in front of her.
A waiter came by and freshened their champagne. Lina approved
heartily of this and drained her flute and held it out for more. She
knew she shouldn't - she'd already had more than enough to make her
tipsy - but she was never one to refuse champagne. As he was pouring
her more, another waiter set a bowl filled with fruit in front of her.
She froze and stared at the bowl and its contents. Immediately,
her mouth started watering and a warm tingly feeling started low in her
belly and she squirmed a bit as she stared at the rich, red fruit piled
in front of her. *Strawberries*, she whispered under her breath.
Clasping her hands together, she thanked Ceiphied for this golden
opportunity to relieve her boredom! Beautiful! Perfect!
Carefully selecting a perfect fruit from the bowl, she held it
daintily in her fingers and raised it to her mouth. "Gourry," she
called sweetly, just before she closed her lips around the pointed end.
* * *
Scanning the room, Gourry watched the ebb and flow of the party-
goers, noting the dynamics and carefully filing away that information
for later. Damn, he thought. That Earl of Chutney was headed straight
for Zel. The tall, graying man who liked to ride and hunt had been one
of the worst of Zel's persecutors these past weeks. He was about to get
up when Commander Vymes moved to intercept the Earl and steer him away
from Zelgadis. Good thing, too, because Zel looked jumpier than usual
tonight. Gourry wondered if he should go over there and talk to him
when the Chimera was pulled away by Phil. Guess not.
Gourry turned his attention on another part of the room and
raised his champagne flute to his lips. He grimaced as he took a
swallow; he didn't like champagne and was drinking it because it was
the only thing they had. He'd tried to request some ale on another
occasion and everyone had acted horrified, even Amelia.
He was still drinking when he heard Lina call his name softly.
When he turned to look at her, he saw what she was doing and his eyes
tried to bug out of his head. Not only that, but the champagne he'd
been drinking somehow splashed up into his nose and forced its way out.
Sputtering, he lowered the flute to the table and leaned forward,
coughing and scrambling for a napkin. Lina shoved one into his hands,
and he covered his mouth and nose as he tried to clear his breathing
passages. Lina helped by smacking him sharply between the shoulder
blades.
Finally able to breathe again, he glared up at Lina. "What did
you do that for?" he demanded, shifting in his chair to relieve the
sudden pressure his tailored trousers were now exerting on certain
parts of his anatomy that hadn't been there when the trousers had been
fitted. "And what are you laughing at? I nearly choke on champagne and
you're *laughing* at me?"
The red-haired sorceress shook her head, still overcome with
laughter and unable to speak. Leaning forward, she put her hands on his
arm and supported herself as she gasped for air.
"Oh, but you should have seen the look on your face!" she managed
to get out finally. "It was priceless!"
"I'm so glad you find my distress amusing," he muttered wiping
his face with the napkin, getting the last of the wine. He glared at
her some more while he casually dropped the napkin on his lap,
deliberately letting it tent up to conceal what these trousers hadn't
been made to conceal.
Lina noticed and that elicited more giggles from her. She hung
helplessly from his arm as he sat in stony-faced silence.
When she'd finally gotten control of herself again, he asked
coldly, "Are you quite through?"
She wiped her eyes and nodded. "I'm sorry, Gourry. I had no idea
this would happen."
"Like hell," he growled, tugging at his collar while he shifted
yet again. No matter what he did, the pressure between his legs would
not abate.
"No, really, I am!" She leaned forward and gave him a soft smile.
"I'll make it up to you later. Promise." She winked at him and laid her
hand on his leg then slid it up a little.
It was then that Gourry had an evil thought. A wicked smile
spread across his face, and he grabbed her hand, trapping it in his
strong, unbreakable grip. "No, Lina," he grated in a low voice. "You're
going to make it up to me *now*." With that, he stood and pulled her up
after him.
Lina's eyes went round. "Gourry!" she protested as he pushed her
in front of him to block the view of the rampant bulge in his trousers.
"We promised! We can't leave!"
"We're not leaving," he said, putting his hands on her shoulders
and steering her forward towards the balcony doors.
"Gourry-san! Lina-san!" a voice called from behind them. Gourry,
turned (keeping Lina pressed close to his front) as Amelia rushed up to
them. "You're not leaving are you?" Her voice was desperate. He
couldn't help feeling a little sorry for her, but not enough to make
him change his plans.
"No, we're just going to get some air, Amelia," he said. "It's
gotten rather…hot in here. We won't be long, I promise." With a
significant look at Lina, he pushed her through the open doors and into
the darkness, leaving Amelia to stand there looking after them while
looking amused, envious and shocked all at the same time.
Once outside, he grabbed Lina's wrist and dragged her down the
stairs and into the hedgerows that formed the formal gardens of the
Palace. Lina stumbled and had a hard time keeping up with him.
"Gourry!" she shouted. "Stop!"
"No," he growled as he turned into a dark corner formed by the
wall surrounding the garden. It was dark and cool; the moonlight
provided just enough light for him to find the thin spot in the hedges
and push himself through it, dragging Lina after him.  They'd found
this hiding spot one day while walking through the garden when they'd
found they couldn't wait to get back to their apartment and had taken
advantage of its seclusion. Upon several occasions afterwards, too.
Lina's eyes went round as she realized where he was going. "No,
Gourry! I said I'd make it up to you later! Not now! Do you know how
long it took to get into this dress?" She pushed aside a low-hanging
branch that threatened to pull at her hair.
He pulled her through and grabbed her around the waist. "Don't
have to worry about that," he said. "You're not going to take it off."
Lifting her effortlessly, he swung her onto the narrow ledge that ran
along the wall, which set her at waist height for him. Pushing her back
against the wall, he grabbed handfuls of the green silk of her skirts
and yanked them upwards, gathering them up around her waist.
She slapped his hands away and tried to push her skirts back
down. "Gourry! I said no! We can do this later!"
His mouth twisted into an evil grin as he caught at her hands and
yanked them over her head, pinning them against the wall. Wedging a
knee between her legs, he pushed himself between them before leaning
down to put his face close to hers. "And I said *yes*." With that he
covered her mouth with his and smothered her further protests.
Lina struggled, trying to force him away from her by pushing with
her knees, but it was no use. He had her effectively pinned up against
the wall and with her hands and mouth captured and held securely, she
couldn't do magic. The big swordsman pressed against her, grabbed both
of her wrists in one large hand and reached down to pull her leg around
his waist. She struggled, eyes going wide as she felt his hand slip
between them and work at the laces of his trousers. Vigorously shaking
her head, she glared at him and made muffled protests behind the kiss.
Frantic, she tried to suck his tongue into her mouth and bare down on
it with her teeth.
He pulled back and grinned down at her. "No biting," he said.
"Let me *go*!" she said through clenched teeth. "Gourry! This
isn't funny any more!"
"You certainly seemed to think your little trick with the
strawberry was funny when it made me pass champagne through my nose,"
he whispered, putting his lips close to her ear, letting his lips
lightly brush the outer rim of it. "Paybacks are hell, Lina." Gently,
very gently, he took her ear in his teeth and bared down lightly while
at the same time he rubbed against her sex with his fingers, slipping
them under her panties and into her.
A shudder passed through her whole body and she seemed to melt.
If it hadn't been for his hold on her wrists, she would have collapsed.
"Gods, Gourry, what if we're missed, and they send someone after us?"
she managed get out between gasps as he stroked her, bringing her to
fever-heat in mere seconds.
He stroked her more vigorously, eliciting more soft, sharp cries
from her. "This won't take long. They'll hardly even know we're gone."
"What if someone *sees* us?"
"No one will see us." Slipping his fingers out of her, he pulled
the fabric of her panties aside, and pressed his hips forward until she
could feel the tip of his manhood pressing against her slick passage.
Taking one wrist in each of his hands, he braced himself and slid into
her all the way. "Besides, it never bothered you before."
The sorceress hissed as she took him into her. "There was no
chance of someone coming to look for us then!" she gasped out as he
started moving inside her.
"Stop worrying, Lina," he said with his own gasp. "No one knows
about our little hiding place." Gourry pulled out and thrust back in a
little harder, forcing her back against the wall even more. He watched
her face intently as he moved. Her eyes were closed and her mouth open
slightly and working in silent cries as he forced himself deeper inside
her. A slow grin spread across his face; he was enjoying their
situation immensely. Having her helpless between the wall and himself
and unable to do anything about it gave him a feeling of…Power. That
was it. He leaned down and covered her mouth with his and he started
thrusting steadily.
She kissed him hotly, lifting her legs and tilting her hips to
take him even deeper. When he pulled away slightly, she tried to follow
him. "Gourry…" she pleaded. "Please, harder!" She was practically
writhing under him. Her vulnerable position was making her horny as
hell and she *needed* him.
He looked down at her with a wry grin. "What's it worth to you?"
he asked as he stopped moving, still inside her and pinning her against
the wall in more ways than one.
Ruby eyes flashed up at him. "What do you mean by that?"
"What part of 'What's it worth to you' don't you understand,
Lina?" he asked, a rare sharp tooth glinting in his grin. "Tell me why
I shouldn't just take what I want and be done with it? Hmm?" He touched
his lips to her nose in a wet kiss and ended it with a flick of his
tongue.
"Gah!" Her eyes crossed and she grimaced while wriggling her
nose. "Stop that!" she scolded as she turned to wipe it on her arm. Her
blonde captor leaned in for another attack, but she pulled back and hid
her face behind her arm, so he settled for nuzzling at her neck.
Strong, white teeth bared themselves and latched onto her throat,
finding and activating pressure points he knew drove her wild. She gave
a little shout and tried to climb the wall with her back and buttock
muscles, and only succeeded in slipping further onto him. "Gourry!" she
hissed.
"So what should I do?" he drawled. "Take my pleasure and leave
you hanging - " he punctuated his words with a quick, sharp upward jab
with his hips that made her squeal " - or help you get yours before I
take mine?"
   The sorceress growled low and deep in her throat. "You leave
me high and dry and I swear, you'll be sorry when you let me go…"
"But what's in it for me?" he continued to press, the faint
moonlight glinting off his teeth.
"You mean *besides* my letting you *live*?!" she nearly
screeched.
Gourry's grin quirked even more. "Oh, I don't have to worry about
that. You wouldn't do any permanent damage to me. That would mean you
wouldn't get *any*." He leaned down and kissed her lips, a feather-
light touch while he started a slow, circular rhythm with his hips,
pulling out just enough to let her know he was moving inside her.
Her anger melted away as the movement stoked the fires she was
feeling. Tilting her head back, she opened her mouth and let Gourry
tease her lips with his own. "Oh…" she breathed softly.
"So what's it worth to you, Lina?" he asked again, his voice
barely above a whisper. He pressed in harder.
"Anything, Gourry," she breathed. She couldn't think; the only
thing she was aware of was the feel of him inside her. If he didn't do
something soon, she was going to explode.  "Anything you want, Gourry.
Name it, and it's yours."
"Promise?" he asked.
"I promise. I swear to Ceiphied, Gourry, anything! Now, just do
it!!" She was nearly sobbing in her need.
The tall swordsman gave her one last lingering kiss then suddenly
pulled out of her, nearly all the way. Her eyes flew open at the
sudden, near painful emptiness only to close them again and open her
mouth to emit a loud scream as he plunged back into her depths.
She found her mouth covered with his as he choked off her scream.
Lights exploded behind her eyes as he moved, oh, how he moved! Lina
struggled, wanting to put her arms around him and hold him tight, but
he would not relent. Leaning with his hands braced against the wall, he
drove into her with the steady regularity of a machine while he stroked
places inside her in ways she'd not experienced before.
It was too much. His mouth still latched onto hers, she tightened
her legs around his waist and pulled him closer to her while she clawed
ineffectually at his hands. Eyes screwed tightly shut, she arched her
back on his next upward thrust. He touched a spot inside her that
triggered a release of such, pure, unadulterated carnal pleasure that
she was sure she was going to burn in its fires for all eternity. She
screamed into his mouth as the tears rolled down her cheeks.
He forced another scream from her as he dropped down, then
strained upwards, pressing those internal trigger points yet again with
his flesh. Weeping, she felt the searing heat of his spent passion
between her legs and fell forward into his arms as he released her.
Lina flung her arms around his neck and hung there, panting and kissing
him desperately. Dimly she was aware that he turned them so that their
positions were reversed, he was now leaning against the wall with her
sitting atop him with her legs wrapped around his waist. She worked her
hips on him in frenzied abandon as her climax wound down.
When her mind finally cleared, she lifted her head and looked
down at him. He was leaning against the wall with his head thrown back.
His arms were tight around her and he was breathing hard. She leaned
forward and kissed his closed eyes and gently smoothed his sweaty hair
out of his face then said in her sweetest voice, "You are a complete
and *total* bastard, you know that, Gourry?"
He grinned without opening his eyes. "You enjoyed it and you know
it." He winced and shrugged his head to the side. "Ow. I think you
ruptured my eardrum when you screamed."
"Your own fault." She kissed the tip of his nose then flicked it
with her tongue.
"Hey!" Gourry snapped, wiping his nose on the back of his hand.
"That's disgusting," he said as he finally opened his eyes and made a
face at her.
"But it's okay to do it to me?" she growled.
"Well, yeah, of course." He looked up at her and winked.
"You jerk," she said with a grin to soften her words. "Would you
mind putting me down now?"
"If you insist." He straightened and lifted her. She made a small
sound in her throat as he pulled out of her and smiled like a cat drunk
on catnip. Gourry set her on her feet and she pulled up her skirts and
held them in front of her. "Got a handkerchief?"
"Yeah. Why?" He pulled it out of his pocket of his frock coat and
handed it to her as he tugged his trousers into place.
She took it and turned around. "Never mind," she said and made a
few motions which he couldn't see in the dark. "There," she said,
turning around and dropping her skirts and fluffing them out and
checking their fall.
"My handkerchief?" he said, holding out his hand for it as he
finished lacing up his trousers.
"You don't want this back," she said, tucking it into her bag.
"Lina…Did you have to use *mine*?" he demanded.
"Hey, you're the one that made the mess. You can get more," she
said, smoothing her hair. Giving him a sly glance, she said, "Go ask
your valet for some more. I'm sure he'll be *glad* to get more for
you."
Gourry blanched. "Cut it out already."
She suppressed a laugh at his discomfort and linked her arm
through his. "I think we'd better get back. We've been gone longer than
we should have been. Amelia is probably having a fit right about now."
He huffed and looked down at her. "You're right. But one last
thing." He leaned down and caught her chin in his hand and tilted her
face up and tenderly kissed her. "I love you."
"Yeah, yeah…I love you, too," she grumbled, although her smile
belied her harsh tone.
That evil grin from earlier returned. "You be that way. Just
remember that you made a promise to me. Anything I want."
It was her turn to blanch as he stepped towards the hidden
entrance to their little tryst spot. "What do you want, Gourry?" she
asked.
He held up a branch for her to step under. "Oh, I dunno right
now. Gonna have to save that one for something *good*." As he stepped
under the branch, he caught her hand and linked his fingers through
hers. Together they walked silently through the gardens towards the
palace. Lina tried valiantly to put the thought of what he might demand
in exchange for that promise out of her mind. What could Gourry, of all
people, want?
_Dammit, Lina_, she thought to herself. _This is Gourry you're
talking about. It can't be too bad…Can it_? Yet, even as she thought
this, she thought that she'd never expected Gourry to do something like
what he'd just done, either. A small smile played over her lips as she
realized she'd liked seeing that side of him…
As they were nearing the steps to the ballroom balcony, they
heard voices raised in anger coming from the open doors. Immediately,
they both hurried up the steps and burst into the ballroom in time to
see Zel and the Earl that Gourry had noted earlier facing off. Amelia
was hanging off Zel's arm, and Vymes was between the two men. The Earl
looked ready to attack Zelgadis any moment. In contrast, the Chimera
looked as if he wanted to strangle the other man where he stood.
"Hey!" Lina shouted as she and Gourry pushed through the crowds
towards their friends. Most people knew Lina on sight now and stepped
aside for her. Those that didn't quickly made room for the tall,
menacing looking man with long blonde hair that followed her closely.
"What's going on here?"
"Just a misunderstanding is all, Lady Gabriev," Commander Vymes
said quickly. "*Isn't* it, Your Grace?" he said with significant
emphasis as he looked at the Earl.
"Hardly! You heard me; you all heard me! This *freak* is not fit
to be married to the Heir to the Throne of Seyruun! Look at him! He's
not even *human*!" There was a collective gasp from the people gathered
around. The Earl didn't notice and continued on unabated. "As soon as
the Council convenes in the morning, I am calling for a vote to force
Amelia to step down as Heir if she does not agree to have
this…*perversion* she insists on calling a marriage annulled!"
Philionel sputtered indignantly. It took him a few moments to get
his brain wrapped around the incredible breach of protocol the Earl had
just committed, but before he could say anything, Zelgadis held up a
hand and forestalled anything he might have said.
"No, Your Majesty, don't say anything. There is absolutely no
question of Amelia agreeing to annulling our marriage. As for her
stepping down…" He turned to look at the young woman beside him and the
look he gave her was more than she needed to know that even though his
face did not show it, he was smiling at her. He turned back to the
smirking Earl. "There's no question of that ever happening, either.
Because, simply put, I won't let her. Now, if you'll excuse us, I
believe this party is over." He grabbed Amelia's hand and turned to
push his way out of the ring of spectators, leaving behind an indignant
Earl, his friends grinning happily, and a stunned crowd.
As he passed the swordsman, Zel grabbed the front of Gourry's
frock coat and dragged him along towards the balcony doors. "Gourry, I
need to talk to you. Amelia, wait with Lina." Curious, Gourry followed
and Amelia stood by Lina's side.
"What's going on?" Amelia asked, still a little dumbfounded over
the whole ordeal.
"How should I know?" Lina said, shrugging her shoulders. Amelia
looked over at her and reached out and pulled a leaf out of Lina's
hair. Lina turned bright red and grabbed it and stuffed it in her bag.
The Princess flashed her a sly grin.
There was no time for explanations as Zel was hurrying back with
Gourry following him. The Chimera took the Princess' hand and linked
his fingers through hers. "Good night, Lina, Gourry. Come on, Amelia.
We're going to go for a little walk." Amelia didn't have time to do
more than wave before she was being dragged along behind her husband.
"What was that all about?" Lina asked. Gourry took her hand and
linked it through his arm and led her out of the ballroom towards their
apartment.
"Uh…" Gourry was blushing bright red. "It's hard to explain."
"What's hard to explain?"
The swordsman cleared his throat and put an arm her shoulder and
pulled her close - so close she could barely move. "Zel asked me where
our hiding spot was."
"WHAT?" she demanded. "How did he know?"
"He didn't. He just took a guess as to what we were doing and
asked." Gourry rubbed the back of his head nervously.
"And you told him before you realized what you were doing.
Gourry, I'm going to *kill* you!" She struggled to get out of his hold.
"Stop that, Lina. It's not like they didn't know anyway." He
turned into the corridor that led to their apartment and pulled her
along even as she was struggling to get loose.
"What'd he want to know for?"
"He, uh…Wanted to use it."
"What for?" she asked.
"Lina…Why do you *think* he wants to use it?" He opened the door
that led into their apartment and pulled Lina through.
Lina's face had gone blank. "You mean…?"
Gourry pulled her over to the window seat and sat the two of them
down. The panes were already open and a cool, early summer breeze
wafted in. He gave her a wicked smile and leaned against the window.
"Said something about needing some stress relief."
"And you told him? Why?" she demanded. "That was our spot!"
"Why not? He needed it after what the Earl of Chutney said - "
He got no further before a loud scream that sounded vaguely like
"ZELGADIS-SAN!!" interrupted him. They both stared out the window at
the bushes of the garden below, back at each other, then fell into each
other's arms laughing.
"Sounds like they're getting some much needed stress relief right
now," Gourry said as Lina wriggled deeper into the circle of his strong
arms.
"I never knew that spot was so close…" She trailed off and leaned
out the window and looked down the wall. Amelia and Zelgadis' apartment
was only a little further down the corridor. "Do you think anyone's
ever heard us while we're…uh, you know…" She turned bright red as she
realized their secluded trysting spot wasn't all that secluded.
Gourry shrugged. "Does it really matter? You scream loud enough
to be heard through the walls. What difference does it make?"
"Who told you that?" she demanded indignantly, pushing against
him and glaring into his eyes.
"Zelgadis. And they're *three* doors down."
Lina blushed furiously a moment. Then her mouth twisted into a
hard grin. "Well, what about yourself? You've been known to let loose
with a mighty howl or two, you know."
"I have never howled," he insisted in mock outrage. "Who said I
howled?"
"Amelia," she answered. "And Zel. And the maids," she added,
ticking them off on her fingers. Gourry's eyes went so round they
looked like dinner plates. Her smile twisted even more, if possible.
"And your valet." This time his eye actually twitched.
Leaning forward, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her
upwards. "I'll give you something to howl about in a minute," he said,
his voice low and husky.
Lina draped her arms over his shoulders and gave him a sly grin.
"Promise?"
"May Ceiphied strike me dead," he replied, leaning forward to
apply his mouth to her neck.
They spent some time necking and kissing, growing warmer and
warmer with each kiss exchanged, each petting caress, each murmured
whisper. Gourry was just gathering Lina into his arms to carry her to
the bed when they were interrupted by the sound of someone pushing
through the hedge below. They looked downward and spotted their friends
emerging out of the darkened corner and into the moonlight.
"Look, Lina," Gourry said as he nodded down at them.
Lina looked. "Well, if it isn't Zelgadis Greywers and Amelia Wil
Tesla de Seyruun! Yaho! Amelia! Zelgadis!" she called, leaning out of
the window and waving frantically at them. "Up here!"
The couple froze and looked up, spotting Lina and Gourry in the
second floor window. Amelia put her hands under her chin and blushed so
bright she fairly glowed in the dark. Zelgadis shook his head and took
Amelia's hand and started to lead her off without responding to Lina's
hollered greeting.
Not one to be put off so easily, Lina leaned further out, so far
that Gourry nervously caught her around the waist to keep her from
falling. "So what were you two doing in the bushes?" she called.
"Lina-san!" Amelia shouted as the glow around her intensified.
Zel stopped and looked up at the two of them.
"The same thing you were doing earlier. Do I need to spell it out
for you, Lina? 'F-U-C - '"
"*Zelgadis-san*!!" Amelia screeched, pulling him around and away.
Zel grinned and waved at Gourry before they disappeared around the
corner.
It was a good thing Gourry had a hold on Lina because she would
have fallen if not. Now *she* was glowing from her intense blush.
Gourry laughed and pulled her close to him, lifted his hand in a final
good night to the Chimera, then stood. He gathered Lina up into his
arms and carried her to the bed. "You asked for that." He laid her down
and slid over her, pinning her with his weight. Catching her hands, he
laced his fingers through hers and smiled down at her. "I believe I was
about to give you something to howl about?" he said, kissing her neck
behind her ear.
She stopped blushing and looked up at him. Grinning, she said,
"Yes, you were. And you promised, too."
He grinned and kissed her lips. "And I *always* keep my
promises."