...aesthetic...

CURRENT SONG:
"What You Need" by INXS from VH1 Classics on T.V...
NEW ADDITIONS TO "ILLUSTRIO"
1 PotC fan art, 1 Original fan art
CURRENT OUTFIT:
Pink cowlic sweater, low slung snug indigo jeans, white socks
CURRENT MOOD:
Annoyed and Tired...

Ohayo, minnasan, I hope that everyone is doing well out in Cyberland... I'm tired, and a bit annoyed, and I actually haven't much to report on my Blog today... Thus, I'm going to post a fic I wrote a while back for the Zelgadiss/Gourry Mailing List I belong too... Hope you all enjoy!... =~.^=v Ja!

"Bindings"
By: Miracle Shining

AUTHOR'S NOTES: "The Slayers" do not belong to me, they belong to their respective companies and subsidaries. Do not sue me, I have no money! This is a YAOI fan fiction piece and you should be of legal age in your country or state. The lyrics to "I'm Still Here" by Johnny Rzeznick are property of him and his companies... Enjoy! =^.~=

PAIRING: ZelgadissXGourry (Uke Gourry strikes again! ::chuckles::)

RATING: NC-17

WARNINGS: Angst, dark themes, semi-concensual BDSM, LEMON scene, Xellos (He deserves to be warned!) Now how the heck did I get all this kind of stuff out of that song?...

SUMMARY: Gourry gets a curse put on him and there's only one way to get rid of it...


*****

Lina frowned as she leaned back against the wall of their inn. Ameria and herself were exhausted. Zelgadiss had been walking around the room in the same slow, irritating circle for the last two hours. Gritting her teeth, the firey red head finally snapped.

"Dammit, Zel, knock it off!" Lina shouted.

Zel stopped in his tracks and slowly turned. Even through the stone exterior, it looked like every muscle in his neck was moving in one slow, tense shift.

"Hai, Lina?" The shaman asked cooly.

The red haired girl let out a huge, annoyed sigh and tossed her arms out in front of her in a dramatic gesture.

"Walking around the room in continual circles is driving me NUTS!"

The chimera turned himself more around, keeping his teeth from not grinding. He clicked his tongue slightly, a calming action for himself as Ameria came back into the inn's room with three cups of coffee.

"How is Mister Gourry?" The tiny princess asked meekly.

Zelgadiss just picked up his cup and walked over to the window again.

"Well in least it's not in a circle..." Lina growled to herself.

"Miss Lina, how is he?" Ameria asked yet again.

The sorceress rubbed her temple idly and looked into her cup of coffee. Watching the steam float upwards, she mused on how to answer Ameria's question.

"He's... He's... Lsama, Ameria, I'm not sure what he is right now!" She finally huffed out with a frustrated grumble.

To say that today's treasure hunt was a disaster was a minor point. Lina had discovered a dungeon that supposedly had a wealth of gold at the basement level. Gourry, Zelgadiss and Ameria had somewhat hesitantly went along. Upon reaching the bottom corridor, Lina had found a very ornate chest. When she hadn't been able to open it with magic, she had demanded Gourry pry it open with strength. The chest had heaved apart, very slowly, and then a shock of pure black had literally engulfed the swordsman. When it had disappeared, Gourry was on the ground not moving.

Lina would never openly admit to being glad for Zel's strength at that point in time. The shaman had lifted their fallen companion easily and all three had cast Raywings to get them back to town. Unfortunately, when Gourry came too, he was anything but rational. In fact, he was more like a caged animal trying to get out of the inn. Worst of all, Gourry seemed to not be able to remove his hands from his eyes, saying over and over they were burning. Not knowing what else to do, Lina had Zel literally throw the blonde into one of the bedrooms and cast a lock spell on it.

"Which leads us to right now... We're sitting here not knowing what the hell to do..." The red haired young woman thought miserably.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

The voice sent a very unpleasant chill down the young lady's spine. Looking up from her coffee cup, she was staring face to face with Xellos, who was hanging upside down in front of her.

"Xellos, now is really not a good time..."

Zelgadiss had heard the Trixter Priest's voice and had jerked himself around. The arrogant Mazoku continued to hang in the air, turning his gaze slowly to look at the chimera.

"Good evening, Zelgadiss. No greetings for an old friend?"

"Hhmph..."

"Tsk, you've never had a way with words. How is my favorite Saillune princess?"

Xellos's attention turned to Ameria. The petite brunette let out a nervous squeak and just nodded slightly.

"F-fine, a-arigato, Mister Xellos..." Ameria whispered.

The Mazoku then carefully floated himself side ways and finally to an upright position. Letting his feet settle on the ground, he looked down at Lina.

"I heard a little rumor through the trees that good, sweet Gourry has gotten himself cursed."

Ameria jumped to her feet before Lina could get a word out.

"You know about it, Mister Xellos? Can you help us somehow?"

It was Xellos's turn to be stopped for words as Zelgadiss spoke up in a suprisingly harsh, sharp tone.

"We don't need any help from the likes of him, Ameria."

"But Mister Zelgadiss, if there's one thing Mazokus know, it's curses!"

Xellos wore his infernal smile and nodded in agreement. The shaman bit his cheek and turned to Lina for support. Instead, he found the red haired woman nodding her agreement.

"Hai, Ameria is right, Zel. All right, Xellos. If you do this for us, what do you want in return?" Lina asked carefully.

"Oh, nothing too much. I would like to keep the curse for my collection if I can get it off your swordsman. You never know when you'll need a good curse."

Lina raised an eyebrow at the deal.

"So, you just want the curse Gourry has and that's it."

"Hai..."

The sorceress put her hand over her eyes and sighed softly. Pulling it away, she took a slow sip off the bitter liquid in the cup and then nodded just slightly.

"Fine, it's a deal."

Zelgadiss could feel his blood chill underneath his skin. He knew Lina felt like she was doing the right thing, but something about Xellos's unusual casualness in the situation disturbed him more than usual.

"Lina..." the chimera began.

"Don't worry, Zelgadiss..." Xellos interrupted, his purple cat eyes visible. "I won't do anything that will harm your dear, sweet swordsman..."

Each of those last words were punctuated particularly loud, making Zel wince inwardly.

"Lsama... He can't know how I feel about... Can he?..." the shaman felt his thoughts become much more jumbled as Xellos gave him one more weighed, knowing look.

"Now then..." the priest began, "the trees say that you found a treasure chest at the bottom of the Westen Dungeon. May I ask what kind it was?"

"Very ornate, covered in black pearls and gold snake engravings."

Xellos couldn't help himself as the smile grew slightly at the corners of his mouth, giving that normally flat, friendly grin and almost sinister appearance.

"My oh my, Lina. It's not often even we Mazoku get privelage to these kind of curses. Gourry opened a Medusa Box, there may be four or five left in existance. You were so lucky to find one!"

"Lucky?!" Lina suddenly thundered and grabbed Xellos by the collar of his cloak. "Gourry is in that room and has finally stopped screaming about his eyes burning out of his head and you say we're lucky?!"

Xellos gasped a little bit as Lina's grip was making him short of breath. Finally extricating her fingers from his cloak, he straightened himself upwards again.

"Mister Xellos, forgive me for asking, but... What is a Medusa Box?" Ameria asked curiously.

Xellos smiled again, slow and dangerous.

"Ah, Medusa Boxes are ornate chests decorated in jewels and usually have a snake engraving on them. When opened, a blackness surrounds the person nearest to the chest. Then a very unique curse is placed over that person. The curse is incredible, the cure is however quite simple. But giving the cure is not..."

Zelgadiss had been listening to the exchange between the three and finally spoke up again, minding that his voice remained steady.

"So, what is the cure?"

"What, Zel, do you not want to know the curse before the cure?"

Zelgadiss swore he saw a darkness come around Xellos at that one brief moment.

"Cure first, curse second." Zel responded flatly.

The priest seemed disappointed but nodded then.

"Fine, if you want it like that. The cure is quite easy, the person cursed needs to be kept immobilized, blind folded and his body needs to be open for any sensation..."

Lina took another sip of her coffee and looked up at Xellos, narrowing her eyes.

"Obviously for me to ask why these things need to be done, I need to ask about the curse now..."

"Hai, that would be a good idea. Well, you see Lina, a Medusa Box gives the one it curses two very unique "powers..." The first being that they have a dark sensuality that comes bubbling to the surface. A kind of irresitable lure that even the strongest will falter in front of..."

Xellos couldn't help but be amused at the blush that suddenly crossed both Ameria and Lina's cheeks at his choice of words.

"And the second half of the curse?" Zel asked sharply.

Xellos turned and his smile quirked, one purple eye open and staring into Zel's blue ones.

"To look into the cursed eyes will turn anyone to stone. But they won't know it until it's too late..."

With that, the priest winked at the shaman, making Zelgadiss feel as though he was being seen right through.

The Mazoku turned back to Lina and Ameria to find their jaws open in gaped shock.

"So you mean to tell me that Gourry can look at all of us and we won't be able to stop him from turning us to stone if we go in there?..."

"On the contrary, Lina. You could stop him... You just won't want too..." The purr in Xellos's voice made both the girls shiver slightly.

"S-so what... What do we d-do for Mister Gourry?..." Ameria barely whispered, her cheeks pink with embarassment.

"It's quite simple really. Since I am a Mazoku, I can not be afflicted by the curse because I can do things with my eyes shut. I will bind Gourry for you and blind fold him.... But someone will have to keep his body occuppied for the whole night until the curse wears out of him..."

"Will it only take a night?" Lina questioned.

"As long as he doesn't lay his eyes on anyone, it should only be a night. You see, those cursed with the Medusa Box grow stronger with each person they turn to stone. In due time, Gourry would have become a Mazoku just like me... Not that that's such a horrible thought..." Xellos mused out loud.

Zel didn't even know he was clenching his fists at that. Raising his head upwards again, he knew someone had to ask the final question.

"So what do we do to keep his body occupied?..."

"Oh, that's quite simple. Physical touch. As long as his body is experiencing sensation, he won't crave the sensation that comes with turning someone to stone. If his body has enough attention, the curse will wear off a lot faster... I think perhaps I would be a good choice, once again being..."

"Oh no, Xellos, I don't know what kind of pervert..."

"...i'll do it..."

"But Miss Lina, he won't get cursed and no one is better for..."

"...i'll do it!..."

"Now, now Lina, Ameria's right... I think I would be best suited..."

"I'LL DO IT!"

Stunned, the trio turned to see Zel standing there, his hands balled at his sides, his eyes glinting dangerously.

"M-m-mister Zelgadiss?..."

Zel let his fists relax and let out a slow, deep breath.

"Look, it makes sense that I do it. I know if I was Gourry I wouldn't want a Mazoku all over me. Especially not that one..." Zel emphasized his point by gesturing to Xellos. "But I think if anyone has to stay with him, it would make sense that it be someone already partially made out of stone... I'm guessing that if Gourry's blindfold would fall off, I'd not be as effected..."

Xellos tapped his chin thoughtfully and then nodded, but there was a menace to his smile.

"Agreed then. I will go in and bind the swordsman and blindfold him. When I am done, you can go in. I will come back for the curse in the morning, so it had better be ready for me!..." Xellos said in a disturbing bright tone.

Lina frowned again as Xellos cheerfully floated through the door. There was the disturbing sound of movement and there was a definate sound of struggle. Ameria instinctively drew close to her companions as Gourry's voice raised over the sounds of falling objects and splintering furniture.

"Let me go, dammit, let me go!!..."

"Now, now, Gourry, this is for your own good..."

"Don't... Don't put that over my eyes!... Let me go!..."

Zel felt the bile raising in the back of his throat. What if Xellos did more than just tie Gourry up. What if he... The chimera quickly shook the awful idea out of his head. Sighing, he looked at Lina, who was chewing her bottom lip and then to Ameria, who looked as though she would burst into tears.

"There now, Gourry... You just stay here and I'll make sure you're taken care of..."

"Please, please let me out of these... Please..."

Gourry's pleas drifted softly out of the door as Xellos came floating back out. His cloak was torn and his staff was actually splintered at the top. He was still smiling, but it was shaky even for the priest. Turning to the chimera, his teeth were visible in an almost pleasured smile.

"Are you ready, Zelgadiss?... Or shall I be the one to take this job?..."

The shaman hissed quietly through his teeth and pushed Xellos to the side, opening the door just enough for him to get inside. Lina looked at the Trixter Priest, her eyes burning.

"They're going to be okay, right?..."

"Well, that's all up to Zel..."

Zelgadiss heard those words as he closed the door. He swallowed, gathering up his courage, his mind converging on one thought.

And what do you think you'd ever say, I won't listen anyway...

With that, Zelgadiss turned himself around to finally face Gourry.

The chimera's mouth went completely dry as he saw his friend lying on the bed before him. The golden haired man was struggling on the cotton sheet underneath his bare feet. Gourry was trying to push himself up to get leverage over his arms. Zelgadiss realized at that moment that Xellos has taken to undoing Gourry's pants, which were hanging open, but showing nothing. Beautiful waves of blonde hair fell over the swordsman chest, which was heaving in the midst of him pulling at his wrists. His wrists. Zel's eyes made it up to where Gourry's hands were bound to the headboard. Xellos had tied two leather straps very tightly around tender flesh and the shaman could see the skin would be bruised.

Swallowing, he carefully brought his eyes down to Gourry's face and was secretly relieved to find there was a deep blue scarf wrapped securely around the blonde man's eyes. Zelgadiss discreetly stepped toward a chair and then stopped as he realized Gourry had ceased moving. Slowly turning, his breath hitched as he realized despite the blindfold, Gourry was looking at him.

"Zel..." the voice was like honeyed poison to the chimera's ears. Slow, rich and terribly deadly. Zelgadiss was suprised how he couldn't seem to move from his spot, Gourry's simple word drifting over him and holding him there.

This must be how the curse works. Some how audio related until the cursed can get you into eyesight.

"Zel, I know you're in here..." Gourry spoke softly, his head tilting slightly to the side. The young man sniffed the air slightly and a small, almost disturbing smile slid across his lips. "Why don't you come over here and let me out of these?"

Zel swallowed thickly and shook his head.

"Please, Zel?... Please?..." the blonde man whispered softly. Gourry then shifted his hips to an angle, causing the planes of his muscles to tense and flex. The shaman found himself moving, but not the direction he was intending. He was going to sit in the chair and figure out a plan in keeping Gourry's body occupied. Instead, his feet carried him over to the bed and his shaky hands were already reaching for the leather straps.

Idiot, what are you doing?!

Zel's inner voice snapped him out of it and he pulled his hand back immediately. The blonde swordsman sensed the change and very violently pulled at his wrists again.

"Dammit, Zel, take these things off me!... NOW!!..." Gourry growled angrily.

The chimera was taken back by the dangerous tone in Gourry's voice.

"This curse is much stronger than I think Xellos knows..." Zel thought to himself.

The golden haired man began to struggle harder again, leather digging into his wrists. The shaman found a small amount of panic rising inside him. If Gourry kept fighting like that, there would be permanent scars. But he didn't want to really touch Gourry either. In least, not with his stone hands. He had always believed that no one would want to be touched by his hands, and the last one who deserved to be was Gourry.

But he was blindfolded.

Zelgadiss felt a warmth slide through him. Gourry wouldn't be able to see him and wouldn't pull away from repulsion. He could touch the blonde man, give him some kind of relief from the curse and the swordsman was blinded to Zel's body. Steeling himself for the possible reaction from Gourry, Zelgadiss slowly took off his cape and then kicked off his boots. Pausing for only a moment to see if the blindfold was holding, Zel undid his belt and slipped out of his tunic, letting the material fall on the floor.

"Zel..." Gourry snarled, "let me out of these... Let me out of these!!..."

The chimera swallowed and pulled off his fingerless gloves. Reaching out a now bare hand, he let his hand rest on Gourry's chest over his heart. Immediately, his friend stopped moving completely. In fact, Gourry looked as though he was frozen from the simple caress.

"You have something called a Medusa Box Curse, Gourry..." Zelgadiss whispered softly. "It's making you act like this. It's a very dangerous curse, but providing that your body stays busy, it can be gone by morning."

Gourry's head turned to the sound of Zel's voice. His body almost instinctively shifted closer to Zel's, despite the bindings over his head.

"...i'm cursed?..." Gourry could barely get out.

"Hai, but I'm here to help..."

"...what are you going to do?..."

"I'm going to touch you." Zel said quietly. He waited then, waited for Gourry to start screaming out for Lina to come in and save him from the freak. Instead, he got a very different reaction.

"...i want to see you while you do it..."

Zelgadiss's breath caught again and he found that his shaking hand was already reaching for the blindfold. His fingers brushed over the deep blue silk, longing to see the sapphire underneath.

"I can't take it off. Despite what I am, Gourry, there is a chance you can turn me into stone even more so."

"...is that what the curse does?..."

"Hai..." Zel responded quietly.

The swordsman laid there silently and then began to struggle against his binds again. There was a desperation this time that had the chimera quickly pressing down on Gourry's chest with both of his hands.

"You can't struggle, Gourry, you're going to hurt your wrists more!" Zel commanded.

"...please, zel, please... let me out of these... please... you don't have to take off the blindfold... just please... need to touch you too... need to..."

Zelgadiss was trembling now as Gourry's soft begging rang deep inside of his ears. He wanted to touch him? Lsama, that was something the chimera wasn't prepapred to hear. But, Xellos had distinctively told him not to let the bindings off until tomorrow. He found himself troubled by the fact that he was thrilled by the idea.

"Gourry, stop struggling now." Zel suddenly said sharply.

Almost immediately, the swordsman ceased moving and laid there, his arms going limp.

He's responding to commands...

Zel closed his eyes and drew up all his courage. He had never dreamed his first physical encounter with Gourry would be like this. Then again, he had never really believed it would happen. Crawling completely on the bed, he let his fingers ghost lines over Gourry's flexing muscles in his chest and on his arms. The blonde man made a soft sound and tried to move toward the touch. Zel's hand moved upwards, touching golden strands of hair, soft waves falling over his fingertips.

"...zel, let me out of these... want to touch you..."

Gathering some of Gourry's hair into his hands, Zelgadiss decided to see just how much command was going to be needed. He jerked on Gourry's hair, forcing his head back. It was a firm pull, but nothing that would hurt his friend. The chimera was amazed how still his companion went at that moment.

Leaning down, the shaman began to let his own instinct take over. Somehow Gourry not seeing him was bringing a dormant aspect of himself to life. He was a sexual creature, he knew it now as he gazed down at the blonde man who was lying so still in his grip.

"I will not let you out of your bindings, Gourry, so do not ask me again." Zel said quietly. "I will not take off your blindfold either. But I will help you if you'll let me. You just need to listen to me..."

Gourry was silent for a moment. Zelgadiss began to wonder if he had pushed this too far when Gourry's voice touched his sensitive ears.

"...please..."

The chimera's free hand was shaking violently as his eyes fell to the soft parted lips below him. Gourry's breathing had evened, but it was still tense. Zel could feel it coming out in soft puffs against his face as he lowered his head downwards. Using the hand that was still in Gourry's hair, the shaman pulled his head back a bit again, Gourry's body reacting in a pleasurable shudder. Bringing his shaking hand upwards, Zel slid his cooled fingers over Gourry's cheek and then over his lips. The younger man was more than suprised when the swordsman's lips opened more and a tongue darted out to taste Zel's fingertips as they passed by.

"...now you know me and I'm not afraid..." Gourry whispered.

Zelgadiss shuddered and lowered his mouth over Gourry's, hand still in golden waves. He held the other man taut with his grip. The shaman let his tongue push past his blonde companion's lips, sliding into hot wetness. Gourry made a soft whining noise, his tounge meeting Zel's, twisting and wrapping about the young man's. The very act was driving Zel insane. He felt Gourry pull on his wrists again and pulled back quickly, one hand giving the golden hair a quick pull again, the other resting over one of Gourry's leather straps.

"Don't." Zel stated firmly. When he saw Gourry tense, he spoke much gentler. "I don't want you to hurt yourself any more, hai?... "

"...hai..." came Gourry's soft response.

Much more gently, Zel eased his hand out of Gourry's hair and began to move his fingers through the silky falls. Looking down at his blonde friend, he found that the ache wasn't just stemming from his sexual awakening. It was stemming from inside his heart.

Gazing at Gourry's relaxing form, Zel let his hands begin to trace lines down the porcelain skin. He was suprised how much sensation he was feeling, despite having the stone covering his real skin. It was a tingling sensation that rode up his fingers and to his spine. He leaned down, letting his lips brush over his blonde friend's as he pressed his fingers slightly into part of Gourry's arm, feeling the flesh give under the soft pressure.

"...harder... please..."

Zelgadiss swallowed and nodded hestitantly. Pausing for only a moment, he curled his fingers and let the naturally sharp edges of his short nails catch along Gourry's arm. Dragging down, light pink streaks began to appear on otherwise cream colored skin. Gourry hissed for a moment and then whimpered as the touch was taken from him.

"Do you want more of that?" Zel asked softly, wetting his lips at Gourry's shivering form.

"...please..."

Zel blew cool air on the reddened skin, making Gourry moan softly. Shuddering at the low pleading sound, the chimera began a slow series of kisses down the swordsman's long, slender throat. Finding his pulse point, he pressed his lips hard and drew in the skin. Pulling back, he watched as the skin returned to it's almost cream color, a hint of bluish-purple tint left in his mouth's wake.

He's so beautiful like this... When he's so willing...

Zelgadiss realized at that moment that he was enjoying Gourry being bound and under his power. He felt his stomach clench at the idea. The shaman was certainly not being gentle with the golden haired man by any means. He quieted his touch immediately, fingernails no longer digging into skin to leave marks. The reaction he got was not one he expected.

"...n-no, z-zel... please... harder..."

It took a moment before Zelgadiss understood. Gourry needed it to be like this. As long as Zel kept up his continual, slightly rough assault, he wouldn't have the desire to hunt someone down. Leaning down, he took Gourry's lips with his again and this time drug his nails down both of Gourry's sides. The blonde's head jerked back, letting out a loud sob and writhing against the shaman's hands. The slightly older man could feel the burn sliding up his sides and pressed toward Zel's hands for more of the same treatment.

Pulling back swiftly, the younger man slid downwards, letting himself rest between Gourry's spread legs. Zel gazed down at his friend then. Gourry's cheeks were flushed, his lips parted and slightly bruised from Zel's kisses. The blonde man's wrists over his head were stiff from struggling. Gourry's chest was heaving slightly, fading red lines down his sides leading to his narrow hips. Swallowing, Zelgadiss let his eyes move farther down to the blonde haired man's open pants. He could see the hardness pressing upwards and slowly let the palm of his hand drift over the top. Gourry suddenly bucked and moaned.

"...oh gods, zel..."

Zel leaned down, letting his tongue slide over Gourry's flat stomach, darting into his navel. The blonde squirmed for a moment and then stopped moving when Zel's hands seized his hips, holding him still. The chimera took only a moment and moved upwards on Gourry again. Pressing a kiss at the front of the blonde's neck, he drug his tongue in a wet line right back down the swordsman's already moist navel. Gasping loudly and crying, Gourry yanked on his bindings out of instinct more than anything. The chimera quickly came back up and pressed his hands to the wrists, calming the other man.

"Careful." Zel said softly.

Gourry quieted again. The shaman smiled gently, wondering if he could keep up this kind of aggressive treatment. He really wanted to just touch Gourry lightly, make him shiver and sigh. But he also knew that wasn't what the swordsman needed.

Reaching downward, Zel grasped the already unlaced pants and pulled them off in one forceful grab. The coolness of the room struck Gourry completely and he shuddered. Watching the little chilled goosebumps rise up on his friend's skin almost undid the chimera. He slid off the bed for a moment, undoing his own pants. Gourry began to squirm again, trying to find some point of contact with the shaman. Seeing Gourry's growing aggrevation, Zelgadiss quickly kicked off the clothing and crawled back on top of the swordsman. Both he and Gourry hissed when their naked bodies met together.

Biting at the side of Gourry's neck, Zel moved upwards, letting his lips slide over the blindfold. He could feel the blonde's breathing become more shallow. The chimera wanted to take the blindfold off, but there was just too much risk still. Pressing a kiss over each of Gourry's eyes, the shaman leaned down, rocking his hips against the other man's. He let his mouth ghost over the corner of the blonde's ear and then breathe softly into it.

"I want to take you, Gourry. Now." Zel stated, though his voice was trembling with passion.

Gourry was past even being able to make coherent words. He could only nod slightly and raise his legs upwards. Zelgadiss swallowed, unsure of what to do. He went through his mental catalog and remembered a picture he had seen in an adult magazine a long time ago. It had been a man and a woman together, but surely the same methods applied.

He let his stone touched hands drift over Gourry's beautiful, silken thighs, and downwards. He watched with fascination how the swordsman bent his waist more, offering himself to Zel's touch. His fingers barely brushed down the line and then pressed in between for just a moment, finding the opening. Gourry let out a low, keening cry and shifted against Zel's fingers.

"I need to stretch you..."

Gourry just made a feverish noise and pulled slightly on his binds. Zelgadiss was ready to say something when he realized it was the blonde man trying to get leverage for the chimera. Zel knew they didn't have any oil or lotion nearby. Pausing for a brief moment, he stuck two of his fingers into his mouth and drew on them heavily. Pulling them back, they were thick with saliva. He watched as Gourry's body grew more tense with the anticipation of his fingers.

Zelgadiss had a digit ready to press inside and then he stopped. He knew that one finger would not help Gourry in his current state. Taking a deep breath, the chimera pushed two fingers almost roughly into his friend's body. The sound Gourry made then almost undid the younger man. Gourry's body jerked into an almost bow like shape, his back arched hard and his bindings catching and forcing his arms even farther back. In the midst of the reacton, the swordsman found his voice.

"...oh g-gods... y-yes!..."

Forcing Gourry downwards with his free hand, Zel pressed his mouth to one of the golden haired man's nipples, mouthing and biting lightly. Gourry had returned to whimpering and making soft begging noises. Those little sounds became far too much for the chimera and his arousal throbbed.

He pulled his fingers out quickly. Before Gourry could find his voice to protest, the young man clamped down onto his blonde partner's hips and pressed forward. Gourry's body resisted for a moment and then there was delicious heat wrapping around Zel's cool hardness. The chimera hissed out his pleasure and surged forward with his hips even more until he was buried in his companion's body. Gourry flayed for a moment and then tugged on his bindings, sobbing as he could feel himself being taken. The burn slid up his back and touched ever sensitive nerve in his body. The pain was indescribable, the pleasure was beyond even that. Zelgadiss was really inside of him, his secret desire had come true.

Zel stopped abruptly when he was completely inside the golden haired man. He whispered nonsense, soft words to soothe Gourry. He found himself frowning, wondering if he had injured his friend with his rough treatment. All doubts of that banished when Gourry whispered one single, soft word.

"...move..."

The chimera's eyes narrowed and he began to rock his hips, feeling slickened heat clench and open around him. Zel began to wonder if this was what sin felt like. If it did, he wanted to be the most sinful man in the world. Gourry trembled and gasped, his legs coming to wrap around Zel's waist, ankles locking behind his strong back.

"...h-harder... m-make me beg..."

Zelgadiss's hips shifted hard and fast in Gourry at those words. Bracing himself upwards with his hands, he began to thrust in and out, steadily growing faster and much more aggressive. Growling, he locked his mouth over his companion's, his tongue mimicing his lower half. The golden haired man pulled away for a moment, letting out a keening sob.

"...y-yes... please... please... just a little m-more..."

Those pleas undid whatever was left of Zelgadiss's self control. One hand came and grasped Gourry, stroking sharply, the other hand dug into the sheets, tearing holes as he pushed himself up. Surging forward again, his thrusts were strong enough to lift Gourry's lower half off the bed. The blonde haired man's head went back and forth on the bed, golden streams falling everywhere as his words became nothing more than incoherent moans.

The shaman shifted his hips once more, pulling back and pushing in with an incredible amount of force. His whole world came to a stand still as Gourry's head fell back. Zel watched as the swordsman's mouth opened in a silent scream and then there was warmth painting his fingers, sliding down his hand. Zelgadiss could smell the bittersweetness and Gourry's head dropped to the side, sweat dripping off onto the pillow. Growling, the chimera thrust a few more hard times into his friend and then he threw his head back, shuddering as the burning sensation shot through him and then the feeling of sweet release. Zel opened his eyes for only a moment, and collapsed upon Gourry's body.

Breathing slowly, the younger man raised himself up to look down at Gourry. The golden haired man was breathing very softly, his face relaxed. Slowly, Zelgadiss drew himself out and looked downward. As he moved out of Gourry's body, he saw there was a spot of blood on the sheets. The chimera bit his lip and then cast a small healing spell. He then laid down beside Gourry, who already was in a deep sleep.

"And I want a moment to be real. Wanna touch things I don't feel. Wanna hold on and feel I belong..." Zel thought quietly to himself. If Gourry woke up and regretted it, Zel wasn't sure if he'd be able to accept it... Or to go on...

*****

Dawn crept slowly through the window in the inn room. The light bathed over Zel's sleeping body, warming his stony skin. Sighing softly, he tried to brush away the coming wakefulness.

Just let me stay here for a little longer... I'm not ready to face the aftershocks...

But the sun continued to rise, spreading rays of light over the room, making the morning shadows dance lightly in the corners and on the floor boards. Finally, Zelgadiss allowed his eyes to open. He froze in his spot when he saw Gourry's sapphire blue ones looking back at him.

The blindfold had slipped some time during the night and had fallen around the swordsman's neck. Zelgadiss swallowed slightly, unsure if he should move. How would he know if the curse was almost gone? Was he turning to stone even more right now? Could he even tell? His thoughts were becoming more confused by the moment. But then Gourry smiled barely, and it was definately the golden haired man's smile.

"...hi..." he whispered hoarsely.

"...hi..." Zel said softly back. "Your... Your blindfold came off..."

Gourry nodded.

"Hai... But I don't think I'm very cursed any more... I don't feel like it, just like there's a shadow of something there..."

Zelgadiss smiled a little at that and then his face grew serious.

"About last night, Gourry... I..."

"It's okay, Zel... I know you were just doing it to help me and I can understand if you never want to do it again."

The chimera gave the blonde a very stunned look. He was just about to say the same thing. But Gourry had beaten him to the cue.

"N-no, Gourry! N-no... Last night was... I can't find words for it... I've never felt that kind of passion... So raw and untouched..."

The swordsman gave another small, almost weak smile and then pulled lightly on his bound wrists above his head.

"Could you take these off me now, Zel? My arms really hurt..." Gourry asked gently.

Zelgadiss nodded and reached up, finally undoing the bindings. Gourry's arms fell immediately and the poor man let out a keening cry of pain as blood began to move back to various muscle regions. Zelgadiss quickly cast a healing spell, guiding his hands over the swollen arms until his fingers reached the blonde man's wrists. The bindings had left a terrible series of bruises around each of Gourry's wrists. Zel went to glide his healing fingers over the spot, but stopped when Gourry caught his hand.

"D-don't, Zel... I want those to heal on their own..."

"Why, Gourry?" Zel questioned, his gaze worried.

"Because of these... I now have you..." came his simple answer.

The chimera understood. Smiling a real smile, he brought the swordsman's wrists to his lips, kissing them gently, letting his tongue soothe the particularly raw spots. Gourry sighed pleasurably, drawing close to the shaman's body, his free hand dragging lines down Zel's thigh and over his sides. The younger man shivered pleasantly at the touch.

"Next time, Zel... I'll take you... So you can feel what I felt..."

Zelgadiss pressed his lips to Gourry's forehead, then to his eyes, then to his lips.

"I want that so bad..."

Their lips met slowly and gently, the first time they had ever shared a leisurely kiss.

"Ahem, am I interrupting something?"

The two men split apart to find Xellos standing at the end of their bed holding an ornate black pearl and snake encrusted box. Flushed, Zel growled at the Mazoku.

"Why don't you ever knock?!!"

"Well, if that isn't a rather rude way to act to someone who helped your friend."

Gourry looked at Xellos with narrowed eyes.

"Did you really have to tie me up so tight?"

"Oh absolutely." Xellos said with his annoying smile. "Now then, Master Gabriev, you still have a remnant of something I was promised. So just let me get it from you..."

Before Gourry could ask how, Xellos sat him up and proceeded to slap him very hard on his back. The result was the swordsman having a severe coughing fit. After a few moments, a black mist came out of Gourry's mouth, the swirling vapors floating into Xellos's box. The Trixter Priest smiled absently and closed the box when the last little swirl came free of Gourry's lips.

"Though definately not as powerful as Gourry's full fledged curse, this will be handy to put on a few people I know..."

Zelgadiss shook his head and then leveled his gaze at the Mazoku.

"You're done now, Xellos. We kept our side of the bargain, and you are not welcome here now."

The priest seemed a bit suprised by Zelgadiss's forwardness. Looking at the duo, he then bowed dramatically, phasing himself out of the door.

Standing outside in the inn, Xellos opened his purple cat eyes and felt his lips turn downward. He was frowning. He couldn't recall the last time in all his centuries he had done so. When he had told Zel to keep Gourry's body occupied, he thought it would be tickling and pinching. He hadn't realized how forceful the chimera could be. Or how willing Gourry was.

"Human jealousy... Hmm, so even I can experience it..." Xellos thought to himself before disappearing among the breeze gusting out a nearby window.

Back in the room, the sun was almost completely up and Gourry was lying downward, his head on Zel's chest, listening to his heartbeat.

"Gourry?"

"Hai, Zel?"

"I... I really thought we might have lost you last night..."

Gourry looked up, and then brought Zel's hand to his lips, kissing the palm gently. He could distantly hear the sound of Lina's voice and Ameria's soft yawn. There would be little time left for them together, so Gourry decided to say it most simply.

"You'll never lose me, Zel... I'm still here..."

...end...

*****

"I'm Still Here"
Artist: John Rzeznik
Album: Treasure Planet OST


I am a question to the world
Not an answer to be heard
Or a moment that's held in your arms

And what do you think you'd ever say
I won't listen anyway
You don't know me
And I'll never be what you want me to be

And what do you think you'd understand
I'm a boy - no I'm a man
You can't take me and throw me away
And how can you learn what's never shown
Yeah you stand here on your own
They don't know me
'Cause I'm not here

And I want a moment to be real
Wanna touch things I don't feel
Wanna hold on and feel I belong
And how can the world want me to change
They're the ones that stay the same
They don't know me
'Cause I'm not here

And you see the things they never see
All you wanted I could be
Now you know me and I'm not afraid

And I wanna tell you who I am
Can you help me be a man
They can't break me
As long as I know who I am

And I want a moment to be real
Wanna touch things I don't feel
Wanna hold on and feel I belong
And how can the world want me to change
They're the ones that stay the same
They can't see me
But I'm still here

They can't tell me who to be
'Cause I'm not what they see
Yeah, the world is still sleeping
While I keep on dreaming for me
And their words are just whispers and lies
That I'll never believe

And I want a moment to be real
Wanna touch things I don't feel
Wanna hold on and feel I belong
And how can they say I'll never change
They're the ones that stay the same
I'm the one now
'Cause I'm still here
I'm the one
'Cause I'm still here
I'm still here
I'm still here
I'm still here