Chained to You

We were standing all alone you were leaning in to speak to me
Acting like a mover shaker dancing to Madonna then you kissed me
And I think about it all the time
Sweet temptation rush all over me
And I think about it all the time
Passion desire so intense I can't take anymore because
I feel the magic all around you
It's bringing me to my knees
Like a wannabe
I've got to be chained to you

And when you looked into my eyes felt a sudden sense of urgency
Fascination casts a spell and you became more than just a mystery
And I think about you all the time
Is this fate is it my destiny
That I think about you all the time
I no longer pretend to have my hand on the wheel because
I feel the magic all around you
It's bringing me to my knees
Like a wannabe
I've got to be chained to you
I feel the magic building around you

And I think about it all the time
And I think about it all the time
Tell me it's madness I barely know you
We were standing all alone you were leaning in to speak to me
Ten steps back you're still a mystery
Acting live a mover shaker dancing to Madonna then you kissed me
I can't take anymore because
I feel the magic all around you
It's bringing me to my knees
Like a wannabe
I've got to be chained to you

Tell me it's madness
I barely know you

-"Chained To You" by Savage Garden

The group trudged forward through the woods. After the defeat of the Darkstar, they had split up. Only to make their way back to each other. Lina walked in front, loudly complaining about being hungry and cold. Amelia had stopped a few times to lecture the squirrels about justice. That was until they started pelting her with nuts. So she now she just bounced along the path singing songs.

Gourry was behind the two girls. Every now and again, he'd glance back at Zelgadis, only to receive a scowl from the chimera.

"ALL RIGHT! THAT'S IT!"

The group looked around for the source of the all-too familiar voice. They looked up to see Xelloss sitting in a tree. He jumped down and landed neatly in front of the entire group. They stopped and looked at the Mazoku with confused faces.

"Okay Xelloss," Lina groaned, "What is it this time? Another one of the Dark Lords trying to destroy the world? And you'd better not tell me that it's a secret or I'll Dragon Slave your ass."

"Well Zelas and some of her friends have sent me on a little mission," the Mazoku scratched his head while speaking, "But I've come across a little problem. I mean really, you two just won't get the hint!" Xelloss crossed his arms over his chest.

"What are you talking about, Mr. Xelloss?" Amelia asked in her innocent voice.

"Ugh!" Xelloss slapped himself in the forehead, "What do you think I'm talking about?"

"We don't know, Xelloss" Zelgadis was at the point of growling, "Now either tell us or let us go on our way!"

"THAT'S THE POINT!" Xelloss sighed and regained control, "I see that you two will never figure this out on your own. Well since subtle won't work, maybe this will."

The Mazoku started to mutter some incoherent words. A flash of darkness momentarily blinded the group. When everyone could focus their eyes again, Xelloss was gone.

"Well that was weird," Lina said.

"I don't think that spell did anything, Miss Lina," Amelia said as she walked up to Lina.

"Umm guys?" The two girls turned around to look at Gourry. "I think I know what the spell did," Gourry explained. He lifted his left arm in the air. Zelgadis dangled from his arm, showing that the two men were handcuffed together.

"What the hell?" Lina half screeched/half asked. Both she and Amelia ran over to Gourry and Zelgadis.

"Put me down, Gourry," Zelgadis snapped. The blond swordsman blushed when he realized that he was still holding the chimera up in the air. Gourry lowered his arm so Zelgadis' feet could touch the ground.

"So how do we get out of this?" Zelgadis asked.

Gourry looked from the cuffs to the chimera, back to the cuffs and then back to the chimera.

"Please, you Jellyfish Brain!" Lina snarled, "Like you could ever figure something like this out! I guess I'll have to do a spell."

"No!" Zelgadis and Gourry cried out in unison.

"FLARE ARROW!" Lina cried out. A long shaft of flame appeared in her hands. She threw it toward the handcuffs. There was a loud explosion. When the smoke cleared, the handcuffs were still intact. Gourry and Zelgadis, however, were smoky and burnt.

"Well that didn't help," Zelgadis growled.

"At least we found out that magic doesn't work," Gourry offered helpfully.

"Hmmm, maybe it needs a bigger spell!" Amelia chirped.

Lina slapped the Seyruun princess on the back. "Good idea! One Dragon Slave coming up!"

"NO!" both men shouted and waved their hands.

"I don't think a Dragon Slave will help this time," Zelgadis said blandly.

"And it might kill us!" Gourry yelled.

"Well then," Lina stood with her hands on her hips. "What do you suggest?"

"Why don't we keep going to the next town? They might have a locksmith. If not we can at least pick up some tools that might help us," Zelgadis then started to walk down the road without looking back. Gourry trotted alongside of the chimera and tried to keep up. The two girls shrugged and followed them.

They stopped at the next town where Zelgadis spent several hours trying to pick the lock. The pick broke off in the lock. A loud round of cursing could be heard. Zelgadis stopped when he remembered that Gourry was in the room. He looked over to see that the blond was across the table from him. His head was pillowed on his free arm. Gourry was fast asleep.

"I'm sorry about this, Gourry," he whispered, "I know it's got to be tough, chained to a freak like me. I'll get you out of this."

Zelgadis pushed the lock of blond hair out of Gourry's eye. The blond looked contented. He brushed his fingertips down Gourry's face. The swordsman sighed happily in his sleep and a faint smile appeared on his face.

The chimera yanked his fingers away. Not wanting to wake the blond, he sat and got lost in his thoughts.

*What am I doing? Why did I even come back to these people in the first place? Lina's a loudmouth little shrew. She'd do her best to keep my from my cure if it meant that she would gain more power or money. Amelia's some kind of crush on me. Which might not be that bad if she wasn't spouting about justice all the time. And then there's Gourry. He's as dumb as a post, loyal to Lina, and....and the sweetest person I know. Maybe this situation isn't that bad. But I'm still going to hurt Xelloss...*

Gourry blinked awake. He looked up to see that he had fallen asleep at the table. For a few moments he tried to remember what had happened. Oh yeah, Xelloss had handcuffed him and Zelgadis together and Zel had been trying to pick the lock.

Gourry's concentration was broken by a light snore. He looked over to see that Zelgadis was sitting across the table from him. The chimera's chin was touching his chest.

*Hmm, he's probably too heavy to carry. So I'll have to wake him up. But I don't want to. He's peaceful this way. When he was gone, I missed him. But ever since he came back, he's been so cold. Maybe he knows. He does know...and he hates me. *

"Zel," Gourry said as he gently shook the chimera's shoulder, "You got to wake up now."

"Mmmm, Gourry?" Zelgadis looked up into the blond's eyes, "Where am I?"

"You fell asleep at the table. I guess you couldn't get the cuffs open."

"I'm doing the best I can," Zelgadis snapped.

"I'm sorry," Gourry put up his hands.

"Whatever," the chimera sighed and looked down, only to notice his travel-stained clothing. "Great, now I need a bath." He turned bright red when he realized what he just said.

"Okay," Gourry said innocently.

The inn had a hot spring in the back. The two men quickly cleaned off, both trying not to look at the other. Finally they managed to get into the spring for a good soak.

The chimera was relieved to hit the water. At least he had a chance to hide his body's reaction to being so close to a naked Gourry. His perfectly chiseled form, long blond hair, deep blue eyes...

Zelgadis mentally smacked himself for letting his thoughts wander. He peeked over at Gourry, only to see that the blond swordsman was trying his very best to not look at him.

"Trying to ignore the freak?" Zelgadis muttered acidly.

"Stop it!" Gourry yelled and grabbed Zelgadis by the shoulders.

"Wha?" the chimera managed to sputter out.

"I may be an idiot but you don't have to be so mean!"

"Gourry, I..." Zelgadis looked up and saw the angry look on Gourry's face.

"NO! Ever since you've gotten back, you've been so cold. You ignore me. You scowl and snap. I was happy when you came back because I missed my friend. But lately, it seems that you don't want to be friends." Toward the end, the blond's tone had softened and saddened.

Guilt and his normal self-pity warred within Zelgadis. Finally the self-pity won, "Why do you want to be friends with a freak like me?"

"The only person that sees you as a freak is yourself. I only see Zel, my friend."

"Why?" the chimera's throat had gone suddenly dry.

"Maybe I like being with you. Maybe I like having someone not treat me like an idiot. Maybe I like fighting alongside someone instead of having to rescue them all the time, or being shoved aside while they take all the glory. Maybe...maybe it's a lot more than just like..." Gourry trailed off. He ducked his head.

Zelgadis watched the blond start to shake slightly and this time guilt won. He pulled Gourry into a hug. Gourry buried his face into Zelgadis' shoulder. Breaking through the haze of sensation of having a naked Gourry holding him close, the chimera managed to feel wet warmth on his shoulder. He gently pushed the blond away.

Gourry sniffled as Zelgadis raised his hand to wipe away the blond's tears. For once, the sight of his rocky hand didn't make the chimera flinch. His thumb gently traced a tear track down the smooth pale skin. The stone thumb then traced the soft pink curve of Gourry's lips.

Was he pulling the blond closer or was Gourry moving on his own? Zelgadis stopped questioning everything as he felt Gourry's lips come within a whisper of his own. He whimpered at the warm tingling feeling inside of him became too unbearable.

"HEY! ARE YOU TWO DONE YET!?"

The two men jumped as far apart as the cuffs would allow them. Lina strode over to the side of the hot spring. "You guys have been in here for too long," she complained, "It takes a lot of hard work to keep up this natural beauty!"

A few days passed. After the whispering of the townspeople was getting uncomfortable, the group decided to take to the road. They had stopped for the night and the girls left to get firewood. Zelgadis was once again trying to pick the lock.

Gourry did his best not to look at the chimera. Ever since Lina interrupted them right before they kissed, the two did their best to avoid each other. *Why? * Gourry thought, *I thought...*

"It's been almost a week and you still haven't figured it out!"

The two men jumped as Xelloss appeared. The Mazoku stood in midair with his hands on his hips.

"There's only one way to unlock those cuffs," the purple haired man sighed, "And at the rate you two are going, you'll never discover it."

"Well if you're so impatient, why don't you tell us what the key is?" Zelgadis growled. He turned his back and went back to picking the lock.

"Think of it this way," Xelloss explained, "Why would I cuff you together?"

"Just to piss us off," the chimera sighed as the pick broke in the lock.

There was a moment of silence. "OH! I GOT IT!" Gourry yelled. He grabbed Zelgadis and kissed him hard. The chimera squirmed a little out of shock but quickly relaxed into the kiss. There was a loud click and the cuffs came undone. But the two didn't notice this. They didn't even notice the loud shrieks that came from Amelia and Lina, who had returned with the firewood.

They broke apart for air. Gourry was shocked to see the warm smile on the chimera's face. But he was even more shocked when Zelgadis pulled him into another kiss.

Amelia fainted and Lina was babbling incoherently. All while Xelloss watched with an amused smile on his face.

Gourry broke the kiss. "Hey Xelloss," he asked, "Do these handcuffs work the same way all the time?"

"Yep!" the Mazoku cheerfully replied.

The blond and the chimera grinned as they both snapped the cuffs back on. "If you'll excuse us," Zelgadis said as Gourry dragged him off toward the woods.

"Well my work here is done," Xelloss said to the two comatose girls. He disappeared with a flash.

He reappeared in the lair on Wolfpack Island. The Beastmaster stood in front of him in her human form. "Have you succeeded?" she asked sternly.

"Yes, but they kept the cuffs." Xelloss scratched his head in embarrassment.

"Damn, and those were my favorite set," Zelas rolled her eyes, "No matter, as long as you succeeded. You may leave." Xelloss gave a small bow and disappeared.

Zelas walked over to a small desk. She muttered profanities as the computer took a few minutes to load her mail. She typed in a short message that simply said, "Mission accomplished". Then loading her quick-address-book she hit the address Zel_Gourry_yml@topica.com. With a smile on her face, she hit the send key.

~The End~

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