tampered | Log - In progress!

Log - In progress!

When; July 12th
Rating; PG
Characters; Amelia

dragonslaving
Summary; Amelia and Lina go out for some ice cream, some catching up, and some "girl talk."
Log;

She had the feeling that her purse would be a good deal lighter after this. Sighing, waiting for Lina to finish her order, Amelia poked at it lightly, listening to the coins tinkle inside. Yes, probably getting a job sometime soon wouldn't hurt . . .

Still, having Lina there once again made the princess immeasurably happy. It wasn't that Amelia couldn't handle herself, and not that she didn't believe in the ability to handle herself, but Lina was both security and stability in a world that was increasingly making no sense. Even the banter was comfortable and familiar.

Lina would make it all right. She always did -- one way or another.

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Lina was having a bit of a field day - it wasn't uncommon for her to make her close, ah, comrades spend money on her when she didn't feel like spending money herself. And, well, she was sure Amelia missed her and would buy her a little treat anyway, so she didn't feel too bad. ♥

As expected, Lina ordered a towering cone of icecream with multiple flavors and random toppings that probably cost three times more than the regular price. But she looked absolutely cheerful and delighted.

And now that she was ever so mirthfully lapping her tongue against the icecream, she sat down on a bench and ready to get her ears talked off.

"Okay! What's up?"

Amelia had to settle for a single dip cone, plain vanilla -- woe! But the jingling of her purse made the necessity abundantly clear. Poking out her tongue to lick at a drip, she pouted faintly at Lina's towering mound and paid for both. The Injustice!

. . . Maybe she could sneak a bite when Lina wasn't looking.

Keeping an eye on Lina's cone, the princess settled on the bench too with unusual gravity, crunching a bit of the edge of her own cone as she debated how to begin.

"Lina-san . . . how do you know if you like someone?"

Lina was expecting many things. Maybe how she missed home, or how she wanted to keep looking for Zel's cure, or maybe something specific about Zel, or just something related like that. But no.

She stopped licking her icecream right then and there and she honestly wasn't sure how the HELL to respond to a question like that. She wasn't the wise romantic type whatsoever, and, well, she thought THAT would have been obvious, but...

"Um..." Lina began awkwardly, wiping some icecream off her mouth with the back of her hand. "Why...are you asking me this?"

But Lina knew almost everything, right? Right. (Except how to keep her temper?) Amelia kept her eyes away, letting a drip of ice cream fall onto her hand. "Because. I need to know."

She needs to know?

Lina went quiet and licked at her icecream some more in contemplation. The situation probably wasn't that serious, right? She was certain Amelia was referring to Zelgadis, so at least she knew a bit of that. Zelgadis did confess a few things to her, although, accidentally...

"It's kinda hard to say, since I'm not you. Are you having double-thoughts about Zel and stuff? I kinda don't blame you because he's always around looking for his cure and barely around, but..."

Pink flooded through Amelia's face. Surely her interest in Zelgadis hadn't been *that* obvious . . .

But there wasn't much use in denying it, either -- not if she wanted to have the talk she needed to have. ". . . Lina-san knew?"

Oh, okay, so it was Zel. Part of her was wondering if she was going to refer to someone else that maybe she met while she was gone, but she kinda doubted that.

"I don't see why you're so embarrassed," Lina responded with a bit of a grin. "I mean, it is pretty obvious that...well, you know." At this, she was being a hypocrite and blatantly ignored it - it was obvious that Lina liked Gourry, but still denied it, and just happily neglected the fact Amelia was in a similar situation in a sense.

"But on your question, how the hell should I know? I mean, I'm not exactly experienced..." she fumbled out, almost nervously because this wasn't her favorite topic to, you know, discuss. "Well, um. Why are you bringing this up anyway? Are you having doubts or something?"

She'd never admitted it before -- partly not even to herself. Oh, certainly, there'd been thoughts, curiosities, some daydreams, but when it came down to it, Amelia made excuses for herself and for Zelgadis in her head -- oh, she was too young, he was too focused on his mission, he needed time to work things out for himself and couldn't really pay attention to a little girl hanging off his arm. Who would?

Still . . .

"I like Zelgadis-san," she murmured. "I know he's never really looked at me that way, and maybe it's stupid, but I want to help him. I know he's going through a lot. I know he doesn't *want* anyone to help him, but maybe, just . . . sometimes he *needs* it. And I don't know; I don't really understand, but I feel better when he's nearby, when I can see him. I feel . . . different."

Her eyes shadowed beneath the tuft of her hair. "Someone here . . . he's a friend, and I've never really thought of him as more than that, but he's come to be close in the last few weeks. And . . . sometimes I almost think he likes me a little more than a friend. And when he looks at me like that, when he talks to me like that . . . I really don't know what to do."

Edited 2008-07-13 04:39 (UTC)

Lina took the opportunity to nom on her icecream while Amelia was explaining things. What? She wasn't just about to let it all melt, and she was listening intently, mind you. It...wasn't the first time she had been in a situation like this, but Amelia was explaining things to her willingly, while Zel was just under the influence of one of the City's infamous curses.

She stopped with her icecream and opened her mouth to say something - but nothing came out because she mentally stopped herself. Zel wouldn't look at Amelia 'that way'?

Was she blind or something?

She could say what she knew. And it would solve things so easily, but she wasn't sure. It wasn't her porblem and she knew Zel wouldn't be a happy trooper if she decided to spill out his deep dark secret to the last person that he thought shouldn't know. And this was their problem, and she had no right to interfere even when she knew otherwise. It was just something she couldn't say.

Which sucked.

Damnit. Why, Lina? Why do you get yourself involved in this stuff? Ugh.

The mention of this 'friend' was making her fidget nervously. She really, really did want to say something, but...

"Eer..."

Yeah, genius thing to say, Lina.

She stopped paying attention to her gargantuan pile of icecream-on-a-cone and bit her lip. Nervously.

"Weeeeeeeeell..."

How could she put this?

"Not to burst your bubble, Amelia...but...when you go back home, you won't even remember that 'friend' of yours to begin with, you know what I mean?"

...she wasn't even sure if that was the right thing to say at that exact moment, but at least she said something.

...right?

Yes. Amelia was blind. Love was blind, as the old adage went, though perhaps not quite with this meaning. And was the strange coincidental fact that Amelia was never looking at Zelgadis like that when Zelgadis was looking at her like that. A well-hidden secret, kept from the two people who ought to know the most.

But was it love, anyway, when the other person didn't like you that way back? That was Amelia's question. And was what she felt for Zelgadis love in the first place?

Lina's statement made her flush again. "I haven't got a bubble! And I'm here *now*, and . . ." Her fingers tightened. "No one's *ever* looked at me like that, not ever!"

Oi. This was messy.

Lina winced. She did want to say something at least helpful, but she wasn't really sure what she could say that didn't put her in a harder position than she already was.

"Maybe you just need to pay more attention," she commented vaguely and lapped at her icecream innocently. "Maybe you've...uh. Missed something."

"To what?" Amelia licked away the dribbles of her ice cream more from necessity than interest.

"Well, you know." Lina kept lapping at her icecream - it mostly gave her something to do so she wouldn't feel too awkward discussing this. "Paying more attention to how certain people look at you. If you know what I mean."

Amelia blinked up at her. "No . . ."

Amelia. Was. Dense.

The enemy-of-all-who-live let out a very exasperated sigh and gave Amelia a funny look. "Okay. If Zel comes back - which he might if I came back - then just pay very close attention. Understand?"

"Okay . . ." Yes, about some things, Amelia was uncommonly dense.

"But . . . what about the other person?"

((ooc: Now I need a Zel so Amelia can stare at him. XD))

Oh, yeah, that other person.

"Well...I guess you do whatever feels right?" Lina shrugged. Again, she wasn't used to giving advice when it came to this. "Who is this guy, anyway? Don't tell me it's that dorky looking kid with the glasses?"

He's n--

Amelia shook her head quickly, apparently not willing to tell. "Nuh-uh. Because then you'll glare at whoever it is or something."

Not like Lina might not *guess* by the end of the conversation, but . . .

"What if you like this person, but they also scare you a little . . . ?"

"I would not."

Pause.

"Only if he was completely gross and perverted, or something." She shrugged. All this talk was making her icecream sit idle and melt, too.

But, bros before...hos? Wait, that didn't apply to this situation...

"Explain the 'scare'. Are they deadly or just downright weird?"

"Mm . . ." Amelia worked at her own cone, trying to phrase things. "Neither, really . . . It's not . . . so much that I'm afraid of what this person does, really. I mean, I *am*, but it's really not his fault. I believe that. But . . ."

She took a rather large bite of her cone, struggling for the words. "I'm worried about this person. He does dangerous things sometimes. He gets himself hurt." Her voice dropped. "Somehow . . . I'm not always sure I've heard the last of his secrets -- not that I'm begrudging him those, either! It's just . . . I worry sometimes . . . if I'll be a strong enough person. Does that make sense?"

Her shoulders tightened, head ducking downward like a turtle darting into its shell. "I feel horrible even saying that. It's not his fault. It's not anybody's. And maybe I'm all wrong, I don't know . . . Maybe it's just this place. This City . . . I've just . . . I've never had to be or do anything like this at all."

Okay, now that actually made Lina wince. She felt bad for Amelia now.

Ah. Love issues. She continued lapping her tongue against the icecream that was melting, and devoured it as fast as possible in contemplation before answering. They've never really...worried about that kind of stuff, but then again, they were always so busy and never had the chance to discuss or contemplate stuff like that, usually. Regardless, it was an issue that was going to pop up one way or another. They couldn't ignore it - even if that would be the easiest thing to do.

"Don't be so hard on yourself." Lina sighed, trying, trying to put herself in Amelia's shoes - she really didn't want to see her upset or stressed out over this. "I mean--err--just about...everyone goes through this kind of stuff. And I understand the whole 'living for the now' Amelia, I do. It's just that..."

She paused and let out another sigh, pulling the icecream away from her mouth. "You have to be careful. You don't want to get yourself involved with this guy, and then leave and never remember him again, do you? This place is only temporary, and let me tell you - when you get back? Your memories of this place are gonna be gone. Out the window. As if nothing ever happpened. But, hey, who the hell knows? Maybe the feelings will still be there, but you won't remember why you're feeling that way."

Phew. That was a little philosophical.

"I guess it's just up to you. Maybe you're just infatuated with this guy because Zel's gone. But I'm not you, so I can't say anything definite about that."

"It's not just 'living for the now,'" she murmured. "I really could like him that way, I think, in time. He's really good to me, and kind -- when he's not teasing. He listens to me . . . like my opinion *means* something, and like he wants to know what I think. He doesn't ask me to be anyone other than me. I . . . like that."

"I don't want to just get into a relationship for the sake of getting into a relationship . . . and I don't want to hurt anyone. And I don't . . . Zelgadis-san . . . Mou . . ."

Gradually she tipped sideways, coming to rest against Lina's shoulder. "I want to go home . . . things are easier at home."

Awww, damn.

Lina frowned and flopped her head onto Amelia's a little. She didn't have the heart to tell her that things weren't exactly easier at home, because it wouldn't help at all. But she wasn't going to say 'Oh, things are peachy keen with pineapples and unicorns,' so she decided to not say anything about that, period.

But!

"Mazoku are easier to handle than this stuff, aren't they?" Those were the 'good ol' days.'

"Mm-hm." Lina's solid warmth was comforting, recalling a memory of safety and security. The princess sighed and closed her eyes, recollecting herself, opening them again.

That was ironic, wasn't it, that mazoku were easier than relationships?

"Lina-san, thank you . . ."

Typical to their series, however, the moment of cute and respite could not last for long -- or perhaps the remains of Lina's ice cream were just too tempting. Leaning forward suddenly, Amelia grabbed a lick.

Ah. Yes. Lina was feeling good. She managed to cheer Amelia up, or it seemed that way, but she felt accomplished.

Until Amelia went there.

She really went there.

And she should know what happens to someone who gets even the smallest taste of the food that belongs rightfully to Lina Inverse.

SMACK!!!

Lina hit her over the head. Hard. "HEY! That's mine! What the hell, Amelia?!"

Worth it. So worth it.

. . . Even though her head hurt a bit now.

"Moooooou!" Her hand darted to her offended skull, eyes wibbling with water.

"Like that's gonna work on me," Lina responded with a feral growl and scooted over to the edge of the bench on the other side, pulling the icecream with her protectively. "You're lucky you got off with just a smack. No Burst Rondo or anything. Never take my generosity for granted, you know!"

Hmph.

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