More help from Irene-chan. She's amazing.



Lina and Amelia stuck close to him for the next few hours as he regained his physical strength. Which meant that the three of them spent most of the time in his room, and one of them was usually asleep.

Most often it was Zel; he still felt feverish and tired from the two long teleports and the last fight with Xellos. But after lunch (a remarkably small meal, considering that Lina had been the one buying), the redhead declared that she was exhausted and promptly stole the comforter off the bed to make herself a nest on the floor.

Amelia, true to form, took the opportunity to strike up a conversation.

"I'm really sorry about yesterday morning, Mr. Zelgadis," she said. "I wouldn't have gone overboard like that if I'd figured it out sooner."

"Thanks. But how did you know he'd switched us?"

"Well, there were a couple of things." She sat back a little. "For instance, when I came by and saw you two fighting--Mr. Xellos wouldn't bleed, and you did. But..."

She paused, then began to blush.

"But?" he prompted.

"Well, earlier in the day, I talked to what I thought was Mr. Zelgadis about our eternal love, and he just laughed and patted me on the head! The shame..."

"Uhh." His ears began to burn. "About that, Amelia..."

"Which reminds me," she pushed on, oblivious, "there's something I need to tell you."

"Amelia, look--"

"I've decided we should just be friends."

"Huh?"

This was new. What was she up to?

"Mm-hmm. When I knew it was just Mr. Xellos posing as you, I got to thinking. I haven't exactly been paying attention to what you want--" she blushed again-- "which isn't the best way to form a bond of eternal devotion. In fact, now that I think about it, while you haven't been that rude to me, you don't seem interested. So... so I won't bug you about it anymore."

He could scarcely believe his luck. "You mean it?"

"I mean it. Unless you want me to..."

"No-no-no, that’s perfectly fine!" He hesitated. "And, um, you're all right? You're not gonna go and get all tragic-heroine on us, are you?"

"No." She gave him a slightly shaky smile, and for the first time he noticed that her eyes were a little too bright, a little too red. "I wish things could have worked out, but no one can force Love. I'll be okay."

Looks like she really is growing up, Zel thought. This could take some getting used to.

"You know, Amelia," he told her, "you shouldn't worry too much about it. Besides, you're kinda young to be fretting about love."

She nodded, then looked away. "I... guess you're right. I just... ought to give it some time, I think..."

"Right." He paused. "Uh. Can you give me a hand up?"

"Okay." She stood first, then offered him a hand; as he got to his feet he heard mumbling from Lina's corner of the room.

"Sounds like Miss Lina's sleep-talking again," Amelia said, irritably. "Maybe I should get something to calm her down."

"If you want." He doubted that anything short of a coma would keep her quiet, but as soon as the princess left the room he ventured over to Lina's bundle of blankets to see if she was all right.

She was curled up in a tight ball inside her quilts; her face was creased in a frown. She was murmuring something in her sleep, a string of indistinct phrases he could barely make out. He moved a little closer, but quietly, unsure if he should disturb her.

"...Zel..." She rolled over a little. "...protect..."

He reached out then, putting a hand gently on her shoulder. It seemed to quiet her. "Don't worry, Lina. I'm here."

She was still for a moment; then she sat bolt upright, nearly knocking him over.

"Aaa!" He jumped back, ready to be bashed over the head for sneaking up while she was sleeping.

To his surprise, she stared at him a moment, then threw a pillow.

"Don't do that," she said.

"Heh. Sorry about that. But you looked, you sounded, troubled. I just wanted to be sure you were all right."

"I..." She put a hand to her forehead, averting her eyes. "Sorry. Just tired, I guess."

"Should I let you get back to sleep?" he asked anxiously. Her uneasy look puzzled him, but he didn't want to pry.

"No, it's okay--I'll be fine. Need to stay alert." She flashed him a small smile, one that didn't seem quite right.

"Then..." He sat down on the floor, next to her. "You don't mind if I sit here, and you tell me what's got you so worried?"

"Sure, I guess." She scooted over to make room for him. "I mean, it isn't one thing exactly... this whole switch has just been, ugh."

"Ugh, indeed. At least I have my own clothes now--thanks for that, by the way."

Lina laughed a little, nervously. She'd found a set of his travelling-clothes earlier, in the girls' bath--apparently in the same place he'd left Xellos's robes earlier.

"Yeah, it does kinda make things better. Even if the look is a little... um..."

"Ridiculous?" he agreed. "Or at least... incongruous. Xellos as a shamanist. That's gotta be a new one."

"I don't know, the gloves are a nice touch." She was silent for a moment, and then she asked: "Zel... about what happened earlier... why'd he attack you like that?"

He sighed. "I'm not sure myself. I mean, he told me the reason, but I don't see why it matters to him. He seemed... angry that I don't choose to express my feelings in certain matters."

"What sort of matters? Is a temper tantrum gonna cure you or something?"

"Uh." He laughed, nervously. "I don't think he's interested in curing me. But... I don't know what he may have said to you after we switched places..." He swallowed hard. "I don't understand why Xellos is concerned about my feelings for you."

"Your... what?" Lina looked startled. "Whoa, hold on a second... you two were... but you, I mean he, was acting so..."

"Acting how?" A pang of fear gripped his throat. "Lina, what did he say to you?"

"Well, it was pretty bizarre. One minute he was all, 'You look beautiful today', and the next he wouldn't talk to me. I mean, even for a trickster priest, that's just weird."

Zel found himself breathing a sigh of relief. Thank God Xellos hadn't...

....well, he hadn't done anything more than point out the truth.

"You do look very pretty," he said, shyly.

"I, uh." She smiled. "Thank you. Really." There was a pause--and then, to his surprise, he felt her hand covering his. "And... the whole chimeric thing... it's not that bad from this side."

He couldn't begin to sort out the complicated jumble of emotions that flowed from her, but he felt no desire to try.

"What do you really want, Lina?" he heard himself asking. "Besides food and money."

"And seeing you back in your own body?" She paused. "I... I want you to be happy. Not cheerful. Just happy."

"That... wouldn't be too hard."

"But I thought, your cure..."

"Oh, that will take quite a bit. But I wanted to be human so..." His throat was dry. He could barely force out the words. "So that I could be closer to you."

There was a long, awkward silence. Then, edging towards him a little, she asked:

"Is that... all it would take?"

Before he knew what he was doing, he was leaning towards her, his fingers enmeshed in her long red hair. She was so close... he could taste her breath as he tilted her face up towards his....

And then, with a violent start, her hand was pressed against his mouth.

"No," she said, unsteadily. "I'm sorry. I can't."

"But--"

"Just--just don't, Zel. Please."

His throat tightened. He drew away from her, slowly. "Lina, I..."

And then they heard the scream.





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