"Are you sure, Lina?"
"Yes, of course I'm sure," Lina said exasperatedly to the blonde seated beside her. "She's probably been waiting to dance with you all evening. Hurry and ask her before the next song starts."
Gourry thanked her happily, and leapt onto his feet. As he was about head toward 'her', a thought suddenly crossed his mind, and he turned back round. "But then Lina... who will you dance with?"
Lina shrugged. "Don't worry about me."
"But - "
"GOURRY. Just go!" she ordered, glaring daggers at him. It had practically taken her two hours to convince him that 'she' would be glad to dance with him, and now she had to convince him she was fine on her own? How long would THAT take?! But knowing he wouldn't leave with a substantial answer, she sighed and added, "I'll find someone else, okay? It's not like I intend to dance with only you all night long..."
He raised his eyebrows, and smacked a fist into his palm. "That's true. Well, why don't you ask Zel then?"
Lina suddenly felt taken aback. "Who did you just say?"
"Zel. He's been standing at the balcony all night long; refusing to dance with anyone."
"How do you know?"
Gourry nodded towards Amelia, who was currently laughing and talking with Syphiel. "She told me."
"Oh," Lina swallowed. "Well, I'll consider asking him."
"Don't just consider, Lina. :) ." And with that, he bounded off in direction of Syphiel and Amelia.
"Zel?"
The said chimera turned around at the voice. Lina almost started staring at him. Although she HAD been the one of the first to see him in this formal attire, she was still fascinated by how he looked in such formal clothing. The black tuxedo which Amelia had practically forced him to wear, was a perfect fit and revealed his slim yet, masculine figure nicely. Too nicely in fact, Lina mentally added.
"What, Lina?" She shook her head a little.
"Well... I heard that you've been out here all night. I came to check up on you, that's all."
Zel gave her an odd look, and turned back towards the view of the deep blue sky. "I'm fine. But..."
"But...?" Lina prompted.
"But... I guess I'm just bored. I told you all I shouldn't have come tonight. Now I'm just stuck here."
"Well, it's partly your own fault, Zel," Lina retorted.
"And how would that be...?"
She rolled her eyes, as if it were obvious. "Maybe you could start by doing what everyone else is doing. They seem to be having fun."
"What's that?"
"Zel. Everyone's dancing. Can't you see that?"
He simply looked at her.
"What?" Lina asked, feeling uncomfortable.
"No."
"...No what?"
"I'm not going to dance. You can ask me to do anything else, but not dancing."
"WELL, WHAT ELSE DO YOU SEE PEOPLE DOING?" Lina exploded. They both looked around and noticed another couple near the entrance of the balcony... in a deep embrace.
Lina blushed, and quickly turned back to an equally red chimera. "Um, Zel?"
"What?"
"Just get in there and dance with me."
"No!"
"Why not? It's not as if you can't or anything!"
"..."
"Zel...don't tell me... that you don't know how to dance," Lina mumbled disbelievingly.
"S-so what?! I'm a soceress; I don't take time to learn s-such TRIVIAL things!"
"I'm a soceress too, and I can dance!"
"...You're different."
"And just how - ... oh never mind. Zel, just GET in there. This is an 'informal' dance; it should be easy to learn... I'll... I'll teach you, okay?"
"Teach me?... I ... appreciate the offer, but... no thanks."
"Zel. This is the only way time is going to pass quickly. So just accept it as something to do rather than just stand here like a statue. ... In fact, I almost mistook you for one, when I was sitting inside..."
"Um... thanks. Why don't you just dance with Gourry?"
"I would be, but he's dancing with Syphiel. ... Now will you come? I've spent an entire song OUT HERE just trying to get you IN THERE."
"... I can't dance in the least."
Lina smiled and reached for his hand. "That's why I'm teaching you."
Gourry glanced over Syphiel's shoulder to see how Lina was doing on the balcony with Zel. Not seeing her there anymore, he scanned the large room full of people. And there they were; in a dark, lonely corner by themselves.
He smiled, reassured that he'd made the right choice. :)
"Why are you smiling like that, Gourry-sama?"
"Hm? Oh... nothing."
Zelgadiss placed a hand on each side of Lina's waist. "Like this?"
She nodded, and slipped her arms over his shoulders, and around his neck. "And just move according to how you feel you should move."
"What?"
"Zel, you can't even handle an slow-song. What are you going to do when it's a fast one?"
"I won't be able to handle it," he replied dryly.
Lina sighed. "Just move according to the beat. Dancing should come easily to you, Zel. I know that you're pretty graceful with swordplay. That skill alone should help you a lot."
"That's what YOU think."
"Yes, that is, as a matter of fact. You haven't stepped on me yet, and I guess that counts as a good sign..."
Later...
"See, you're getting the hang of it!"
Zel simply shrugged, although a small smile lit up his face. His movements really are graceful, Lina thought to herself. And teaching him to dance wasn't all hard... aside from those few accidental steps on her feet. They had danced ...what? Seven songs, and he was already dancing he'd been doing so all his life?
"Lina?"
"Mm-hmm?"
"Am I doing really badly right now?" he asked whisperedly.
"Of course not! What makes you think that?"
"Well... a couple people are looking this way."
"Where?"
"I can feel their eyes trained on us."
"Zel, I don't feel anything. And if anyone IS looking, they're looking at us because we're good... Anyway, people always stare at you. You should be used to it by now."
"Was that supposed to mean something?"
"Yes."
"Oh...well."
"Is that Zel with Lina over there?" Amelia asked Gourry and Syphiel.
"Sure is."
"But... didn't Zel tell me he didn't want to dance?"
Gourry laughed. "It looks like he does now."
"So he'd rather dance with Lina, and not me?"
Gourry and Syphiel exchanged looks. "Well," the priestess commented, "he's sure an excellent dancer."
"Syphi~iel..." Amelia whined, "answer me. He doesn't like me, does he?"
"Amelia..." Gourry said, "... I think you can figure out the answer yourself; that is, if you don't already know it."
He patted her head, and nodded in their direction, as she sighed miserably. "So he doesn't like me..."
Syphiel smiled sympathetically at Amelia. "There are a million other guys out there; not just Zel. I'm sure you'll find someone else someday..."
"I guess..."
"Well, Zel. This is the final song, and now you can dance pretty decently."
"Due to you, I suppose," he shrugged.
"Now that you can dance, why don't you ask Amelia to? I'm sure she'd love to."
"Dance with Amelia?"
Lina swallowed the lump forming in her throat. "Yeah."
"But..."
"If you're worried about who I'm going to dance with, don't be. I'll ...find someone."
"So you have someone in mind?"
She waved her hand non-comitally. "Not yet... Oh just go, Zel. You'd be better off dancing with someone whom you'd like to dance with."
"With someone whom I'd like to dance with?" he repeated.
Just then, the music began to start.
"Ze - "
But before she could finish, he reached for her hand and pulled her into his arms.
"Zel?"
"I might as well spend this dance with you then..."
"What? What do you mea - "
She stopped mid-sentence as Zel placed his chin atop of her head, and gave in, sliding her arms over his shoulders.
It's not my fault he's choosing to lose out, Lina thought to herself. She closed her eyes as she leaned her face against his chest. At least I'm not...
someone you'd like to dance with...
Her eyes snapped back open. She could feel his breath against her forehead.
someone whom I'd like to dance with....?
Lina's clasp on Zel tightened noticibly almost into a grip.
"Lina...?"
might as well dance with you then...
with you then...
"Lina?"
had he meant that he actually...?
"LINA."
She suddenly snapped back to reality to see Zel's face hovering over her's, and immediately loosened her grasp on him.
had he been implying...
"Zel... Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"I want to know if... if..."
"If what?"
Ask...
"If... you think you'll find your cure soon?"
Zel raised an eyebrow. That came out of the blue..., he thought.
"Well, looking at the current situation; maybe not too soon. But I'm hoping."
"Oh," she replied non-comitally.
"What was it that you were meaning to ask?"
"Hmm? Oh, nothing. I mean," she shook her head, "Tsh. I just asked you. Your cure and all."
"It didn't seem like that was actually what you were meaning to ask."
"It was."
"Fine, it was."
They both remained silent for the rest of the dance. As the music began to fade, Lina slowly slid her arms down until her hands paused his neck. "Actually... that wasn't what I had meant to ask..."
"I know."
She made a face at him, and he smiled. "Then what were you meaning to ask?"
Lina tilted her head sidewards, and slid her fingers upwards to hold his face. "Why did you dance this last one with me?" she whispered.
He tighted his grasp on her waist and pulled her closer. "Why do you think?" he breathed.
"I don't know..."
"Really?"
"No... I really don't."
"Oh," was all Zel said as he released her, and turned away. "Then I guess you'll never find out," he grinned.
Lina stared after him, as started to walk away.
"Zel!"
He turned his head back. "What do you want no - "
And was cut off by a kiss.