Who: Lina & Gourry What: Gourry asks for some womanly advice, sort of When: Tonight Where: Brotherhood of Thieves (because adults can drink on a Monday, hell yeah) Rating/Warnings: Low Status: Complete!
Lina’s choice of watering holes had always been, uh, interesting. A neutral one was the ever-popular Brotherhood of Thieves, the ones with the infamous mechanical bull and many pool tables - it was common ground among the unsavory folk but it was a rarity that brawls ever broke out. Its owner didn’t tolerate broken merchandise (she’d gotten a few talks about it, years ago, but she had been behaving) and that was, well, pretty respected if you wanted to keep coming here.
And why she thought it was the best place to show Gourry the video of Amelia’s first steps, who the fuck knew.
“My tiny terror can move on two feet and god, I feel like this is gonna be trouble,” she spoke in a tone that was proud, awed, and horrified. A pint of Blue Moon with foam the width of a dime was passed to her, garnished on the rim with an orange slice. “I don’t know where the time went but it’s freaking me out a little.”
“She’s adorable,” Gourry chuckled. “When I remembered who Amelia was, I honestly thought maybe she’d look identical to her. ...Kind of glad she doesn’t.”
“Kind of hoping that naming her Amelia won’t set her up for a fate of climbing high places and spouting out speeches of love and justice,” groaned the sorceress, but she supposed that Saillune’s princess wasn’t the most awful role model out there. “I’ll refrain from naming any potential next spawn of mine after people we know - don’t think names like Zelgadis really fly around here anyway.”
Lina drew her drink in closer for a sip. Ahh, so citrusy. “So, anyway, what’s up, shit-for-brains?”
Gourry laughed softly, nodding. He hesitated at her question, swirling his whiskey around. “What do you think of Alecto?”
Interesting question. With the glass still held to her mouth, Lina eyed him curiously. “Unhealthy coping mechanisms, but not like anyone can judge - I like her, though.” A pause. “I mean, you can definitely make your own opinion. You work where she lives. I’m sure the two of you see each other constantly.”
Gourry nodded slowly, swirling the whiskey around more. He glanced to Lina, hesitating. Dreams and reality were sometimes hard to distinguish. And there was something with Lina in the dreams. When did it start? He didn’t know. When he thought she fell? Just sometime during that year together? He looked down at the glass again, frowning.
For the first time with Gourry, things felt awkward. Lina didn’t like awkward.
“Okay,” she started, plucking the orange from the glass and pulling back the peel. “I’m sure that question was supposed to lead to something else, so - you usually don’t hold back the punches when it comes to speaking your mind, jellyfish. Out with it. I can handle your brand of tactless, brutal honesty.”
Three lives spent with him and yeah, she would think she knew him a little bit - they both did when it came to figuring out if something was wrong with the other. Turns out that once you travel with someone for years, day and night, you learn a thing or two about their mannerisms whether the other one likes it or not. It’s what made them a good team.
“Was there something between us?” Gourry looked right at her. “In the dreams.”
Welp, that was as direct as it could get. Lina didn’t get as red as tomato at the question - she had reached a certain level of emotional maturity at this age, in comparison to the years of teenagehood she dreamt of. Granted, she eventually reached adulthood there too, but. “Yeah,” came her honest answer after a second. “There was, though it’s not like it was anything terribly...in anyone’s face.”
But everyone knew. Everyone had known the two of them were inseparable in ways that weren’t just strictly platonic. It was a detail that had been no one’s business but theirs. “What part did you get to anyway? Dream-wise.”
“You decided to jump off the side of a floating piece of land,” Gourry grumbled at her, but it was lighthearted. “You scared me.”
Floating piece of - “Oh,” she realized. “You’re at that whole scandal with Amelia’s family?” Her magic being sealed, the quest for the sorcery doctor, and hell, that was when she’d bought the demon blood talismans off a Xelloss, wasn’t it? “Or just at the very end of it, but, yeah, sorry about that? Can’t fool your enemies if you can’t fool your friends.”
Wink. He’d given her a knock on the head for that move. Lina kind of deserved it - it was an asshole tactic, but hella effective.
Though that meant he was getting close to a certain point. Real close. That orange she’d been so interested in was abandoned on a napkin. “But you know, that - that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go after someone if you like them, Gourry. If you want Alecto, go for it. Things here just didn’t turn out a certain way for us, and that’s okay. It doesn’t stop you from being my best friend.”
Hopefully it was the same on his end, too.
Gourry shook his head. “I know there’s a difference, but what I’m worried about is…” He rubbed his jaw, thinking of how to put it. “You and her both use magic.”
That had her snickering. Grinning, too. “I think you like getting smacked around by magic sometimes,” she humored, drinking from her pint. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her cast anything like a fireball if you’re worried, but she’s good with hexes. Piss her off and she might turn you into a roach before she even thinks about blasting you off to Kingdom Come.”
Gourry laughed. “You know? Maybe I do.” He shook his head though after a moment. “She uses magic.. You use magic.”
“Glutton for food, glutton for punishment,” she snorted. “So, what else? Dish the details, Gourry, what stage are you two at during your awkward tango anyway?” Inquiring minds wanted to know, and she also thought to maybe discuss things with Alecto. Y’know, some kind of if you make my jellyfish cry I will burn your hair off sort of threat.
With a little more tact. Lina was just overprotective over the dumbass sometimes, and gods help whoever messed with him.
“Uh, kissed some?” Gourry tilted his head thoughtfully. “A lot, really.”
“Mmhm, so…? Did you guys talk about it? Figure out what to do after the whole ‘kissed a lot’ part of it?” Like a date or whatever - she really couldn’t imagine Gourry doing a ‘friends with benefits’ type of deal. He tended to be more emotionally invested, but hell, what did she know? Lina had handled relationships here a lot differently than, say, her dream counterpart would have. Different circumstances, people, that kind of thing.
“We went on a date,” he gave a nod.
Lina raised an eyebrow. “You can elaborate a little more, you know. It helps the conversation keep going.” But a date was a good step - she assumed it went well, too. “Well, I’m here if you need any dating advice. Not that I’m - or was - ever too skilled in the artform…”
Pete had been the only thing that had gone right. Funny how that works. Her first go at a relationship was an unhealthy chaotic mess that ended with dream interference once the demonizing process began, so that was a disaster. “I obviously did something right if I ended up with a ring on my finger and a kid. In opposite order, technically. Which - hey, make sure you use protection if you want to make a baby after the wedding, by the way.”
Gourry cleared his throat, downing his drink so that his lips loosened a bit more. “I’m--I like her, she’s attractive, sweet. But I’m worried, Lina,” he frowned. “I don’t normally get too worried like this. But--I do know that in the dreams I have feelings for you, and then Alecto also uses magic. What if…”
“I’m trying to finish that sentence for you but can’t,” the sorceress deadpanned, finishing off that ever neglected orange slice. “What if what? Alecto’s not going to get you chased by a mob, or throw you at a dragon.” Nah, that was a special brand of bitch reserved for her.
Lina’s tactics were unorthodox but fuck, can’t say they didn’t work. “Unless you really were into that sort of thing. Damn, Gourry.”
Gourry laughed, genuinely. “No, I’m just worried that I might be interested because part of her reminds me of you? Of course, the similarities are barely there,” he winked at Lina. “You’re a little too crazy to have anyone else like you.”
Was that a compliment or insult? Lina couldn’t tell, hence the suspicious squinting. Either way, he got a pass. “Magic’s not all that rare around these parts - someone knows a trick or two, so the chances of you diddling someone associated with it’s pretty high no matter what. Just trust your instincts, Gourry. They’ve never failed you, not once. Whether it’s about someone and who they are or in a fight.”
Overthinking wasn’t something he did often, though there were times he should. This wasn’t one of them.
Gourry flushed slightly, shaking his head. “Did you have to say that word?” He laughed, though, and it was clear as his shoulders relaxed that he felt better. Lina, though they didn’t know each other in this world long, knew him. And having someone that knew him so well was comforting. He looked over to her and patted her on the head. “Thanks.”
“What, diddling?” she repeated, the grin revealing the row of teeth that almost looked like impish fangs in the dim light. Gourry’s hand remained intact (pat her head one more time, Gabriev) and she linked their arms. “But you’re welcome anyway, stupid. We’re a team. Always were, always doomed to be. If she breaks your heart, though…”
Huff. Yes, Lina huffed, and puffed, and downed the rest of her Blue Moon like a champ.
Gourry laughed. “If she does, then I hope you could respect her choice and hope for her happiness.”
Hah, the redhead scoffed. “Yeahhhh, sure, whatever all that good stuff means,” she said, waving her free hand dismissively. “I’ll respect it, eventually.” After a little fire was thrown her way.
But no, she liked Alecto, and Alecto was her friend. Lina wanted it to be good between them, whatever that meant. “Now you owe me a drink for all the advice I just gave you. Pay up, jellyfish, I want two more beers and I want them now.”
Gourry waved the bartender over to order the two another round, chuckling. “Alright, alright.”