The Pen is Mightier! (penismightier) wrote in chaotic_library, @ 2016-07-16 12:11:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | gourry gabriev, gourry x lina, het, lina inverse, multi-parter, pg-13, short story, yuuo, yuuo: slayers |
[Lina Inverse/Gourry Gabriev; PG-13] This, I Promise (Part 1)
Character/Series: Lina Inverse/Gourry Gabriev; Slayers
Rating: PG-13
Notes: Boy, it's been a long time since I've written for this fandom. Prepare for squish and ridiculousness. And I think I might've screwed up ages, but I don't really care. Deal with it.
Title: This, I Promise
Author: yuuo
Word Count: 5804 this part, 14732 total
Summary: It'd been weeks since the Sword of Light had disappeared off to another one of the five worlds, its land of creation and, as much as Lina hated to admit it, where it originally belonged.
It'd been weeks since the Sword of Light had disappeared off to another one of the five worlds, its land of creation and, as much as Lina hated to admit it, where it originally belonged. Both she and Gourry agreed that it was better off in his hands, but he'd insisted that it'd do more good with the outworlders.
Stupid man just had to be noble and such. That sword had saved their lives so many times, it was unbelievable, and now what was Gourry supposed to fight the evil tribe with? Every sword they bought, he'd break before Lina could even come up with a spell to try to make it able to cut through the astral realm. He was just too strong and rough on swords for a regular sword to make do.
"What about the Blessed Sword from Sairaag?" Lina suggested, poking at the fire, starting one of their millions of discussions on what to do about the situation.
"Is that even still there?" Gourry asked. "That was the thing we took out that other guy's clone, right? When we had all the tiny us-es?"
Lina wasn't exactly surprised by his memory being slightly better than anyone else saw. It still wasn't the greatest, and he tried, bless him, but when others were around, he played it up to seem more harmless. Zelgadis and Amelia know better than to underestimate him, and Xellos... well, it was hard to tell with that particular member of the evil tribe. He wasn't easily fooled, but unless he spied on Lina and Gourry full time (in which case she'd kill him so he could never utter anything that'd embarrass her) he might actually not realize that Gourry wasn't as stupid as he pretended to be.
He did seem to blow Gourry off as a threat only as the holder of the sword of light and Lina's aggressively protective bodyguard. But with Xellos, appearances were deceiving.
But enough of that annoying purple-headed priest. Gourry had asked her a question, and a very good one.
"We could try to get ahold of Sylphiel," she suggested starting to draw magic circles in the dirt in front of her.
Gourry was silent until she looked up at him and saw the look of incredulity on his face. "I know you're friends with her, but you don't seem to like her being around me."
Lina scowled, throwing the stick she was doodling with into the fire. "Naw, not anymore," she said. "I've heard rumors that she's been with Prince Phil a lot. They'd get along, and it'd be weird, but it'd give Amelia more family to love. I'd be happy for them." Then she gave Gourry a dirty look. "And I'm not jealous. I know better. I just don't like it when she gets grabby with you."
"Which is jealousy."
"Is not," Lina argued. "I just don't like that I can't say something, because we're pretending."
Gourry sat back, his arms propping him up like he was leaning back in a comfortable chair. "And whose idea was that?"
"Both of ours," Lina snapped. "Don't act like I'm alone in this, jellyfish for brains."
Gourry grinned. "You say such sweet nothings, Lina.,"
"You frustrate me into them," She said, wishing she hadn't tossed that stick into the fire. "But okay, maybe the Blessed Blade is out. Your turn."
Gourry leaned forward, crossing his legs and resting his chin on his palm, elbow on his thigh. "Well, I know she scares you, but what about your sister?"
Lina recoiled. "Wh- what about my sister?" she demanded, completely willing to admit to the fear the very thought of returning to Zefielia caused. "She's not a sword."
"No, but she's the Knight of Ceiphied," Gourry pointed out. "Maybe she'd have an idea of where a good sword would be. Or maybe how to make a regular one not break on me."
She stared at him, her face scrunched up into an angry pout. He had a point. A very good point. Of any person in this world who'd know of a sword or how to make an acceptable sword, it'd be her sister. And maybe her sister would let her come home temporarily to ask about it after she obeyed the order to 'shut up and do it' when Filia approached her about saving the world. That was a bargaining chip to keep her skin attached to her body, right?
Then there was her parents. Mom would be annoyed that she'd be bringing a man home with no grandbabies in sight, and her dad would be out of his mind with wanting to bond with his 'future son-in-law', because to them, it was inconceivable that Lina might just be traveling with a male friend.
Which was her own fault, given how much she played up her virgin virtue. Coming home with Gourry in tow would probably make it hard to keep up that appearance.
On the other hand, her virginal virtue had kinda been left behind about the time they parted from the others after Martina and Zangulus's wedding. They were still careful about who knew and when it was safe to share a bed, but her parents weren't going to be as easily fooled as Amelia and Zel were. Martina'd probably see right through them.
Yet another reason to never go visiting her. She didn't need the gossip mill spinning.
"Lina?"
Her fear of her sister and the headache her parents posed aside, she just couldn't argue it. Gourry needed a good sword too much.
And maybe it was about time she took him to meet her family anyway.
"Fine," she said, wrapping her arms around herself and drawing her knees to her chest. "But I'm hiding behind you when my sister sees us. You can play the good bodyguard for once and save me from certain death."
Gourry's eyebrows raised. "You really are terrified of her. What'd you do to piss her off?"
She squinted at him. "What makes you think it was my fault?"
"It always is."
Lina grabbed a handful of dirt and flung it at him for lack of anything else in reach to use. "Jellyfish."
He laughed, pretending that any of that dirt actually made it across the fire to hit him, turning slightly with a hand up to shield his eyes from all that dirt that just got lost to the flames of their campfire. "You didn't answer the question."
When Gourry decided he wanted to know about something, he was like a dog with a bone, so she may as well 'fess up, she decided. "Things were tough for us, growing up," she said. "Luna had to take a part time job as a waitress. I uh. Decided to help out. Luna didn't like my idea of helping out."
"Which was?"
"Projecting images of her bathing."
Gourry put his hands over his eyes, "No wonder her letter was so testy," he grumbled. "So are we even safe going back there to ask?"
Lina waffled about that a bit. "I'm not sure," she admitted. "I mean, when I ran instead of facing the music, she was still pretty mad. But I know she'd never hate me, so I'm pretty sure she'd help." She scowled. "Especially if she knew about us." She muttered a few obscenities under her breath. "Not that Mom and Dad won't make assumptions anyway." She sighed. "You know that going to my home means that we may lose our claim to secrecy, right?"
Gourry shrugged. "I know. But if even you won't mess with your sister, I can't see anyone who'd mess with her or us getting told, either. I mean, if your family respects you, they'd keep quiet if we asked, wouldn't they?"
Lina wasn't sure which was better- when Gourry acted ten times dumber than he was, or when he wasn't acting and was annoyingly right about a lot of things. Usually things related to her. Guess that was what happened when two people spend three years in constant company with each other.
Lina rocked back and forth a bit, then shook her head with a faint smile. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad. It'd make her parents happy, and maybe her mom would have an idea to their problem that led them to keep things on the low down. Lina's paranoid nature hadn't let her find anything herself.
"All right," she finally said. Then she looked up at Gourry through her lashes, grateful that the heat of the fire probably already had her face red enough to match her hair. "You realize they may try to send us off with inheriting their wedding rights, right?"
Gourry looked thoughtful, and Lina flushed harder, butterflies doing an aerial dance in her stomach. Oh, please don't say no to that. As far as Lina was concerned, that'd put a big rift in their relationship. She'd understand if he wasn't ready- she wasn't entirely sure she was ready herself -but turning down what was essentially marriage after already vowing to stick to her side like glue just felt awkward. If anyone knew they'd been together under their noses all this time, and Gourry had turned her down, she knew Gourry would be getting a lot of grief.
And she made no promises for what Luna might do to him before they left.
For the sake of sanity, Gourry, say yes.
After a few more seconds, Gourry shrugged, grinning widely over the fire at her. "I guess it wouldn't be too bad. Just as long as you don't try to pawn them or something."
Lina flung another pile of dirt at him. "Jellyfish for brains," she grumbled. "Like I'd pawn the most sentimental inheritance I have from my family." Or her own wedding ring, if her parents pulled what she suspected they'd pull. "I can't believe you'd actually think that of me."
Gourry laughed. "I don't," he said. "But that look was worth it."
Another pile of dirt made its way across the flames. "Jerk." She took off her shoulder pads and cape. "Get over here, it's cold out and that fire's gonna die before we wake up." They were far off the beaten path, giving them a bit more privacy, privacy she intended on taking advantage of.
"You're the boss, Lina," he said with absolutely no protest.
The night wasn't so cold that night.