[xellos/filia; pg] Close Call in the Shadows
Fandom: Slayers Title: Close Call in the Shadows Author: emilie_burns Pairing: Xellos/Filia Rating: PG-13 Word Count: 400 Disclaimer: Slayers is copyright Hajime Kanzaka; Rui Araizumi; Kadokawa Shoten; TV TOKYO; SOFTX; Marubeni. Warnings: None Author's Notes: Written for janegray for the First Kiss Meme. I do miss writing this couple. Summary: There was something about nights like that, when the wind was high and the moon hid among the clouds, casting dim light and strange shadows over once-familiar land, that sent a chill to her bones.
Close Call in the Shadows
There was something about nights like that, when the wind was high and the moon hid among the clouds, casting dim light and strange shadows over once-familiar land, that sent a chill to her bones. It was nights like that when the candles seemed weaker against the gloom, when the fireplace wasn't a friendly source of warmth and light, but an instrument of darkness, warping the room into something surreal.
Filia couldn't quite shake the feeling then that she wasn't alone. Unsettled, she'd spend the nights walking the floor, constantly checking in on Val, reassurance that he was safe. And she always told herself that she was letting her imagination get the better of her.
It was late, and it had been a long day, a steady parade of one thing after another going wrong. She banked the kitchen fire and blew out the lamps while inwardly scolding herself for jumping at shadows, for letting the wind spook her. She needed her sleep. A final check on Val, who was sleeping peacefully in the small bed Jillas made for him, and then she shut herself up in her room.
The vanity mirror was old and spotted, but it still worked well enough to see by as she pulled the pins from her hair, lowering it down from the serviceable bun she'd taken to wrapping it in to keep it out of her way while she worked. As she began to brush it out, over her shoulder, something in the shadows moved.
Her blood chilled.
"Who's there?" She kept her voice low, in part to keep it from quaking, and in part to keep her helpers from hearing her and becoming alarmed. She was just imagining things, after all.
Then the lamplight died.
She clutched the wooden brush handle like a weapon, wishing her mace wasn't across the room in her closet. "Who's there?" she repeated as she turned around, getting up from the bench. She was unable to keep the fear from her voice.
Something touched the back of her neck, a gloved hand, firm but not painful, and something cool and dry touched her lips, another mouth, kissing her. The brush clattered to the floor in shock.
"That is a secret, Miss Filia." The silken voice was too familiar. She jerked away and fumbled in her drawer for matches, and lit the lamp.
There was no one there.
- end
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