It was good to have a reason to smile again, even if Lina could not join in the festivities just yet. Gourry had been grievously wounded in the final battle, and while he would recover, Lina did not want to leave his side even if it was to join in the dancing that had broken out around the campfire. Still, it was good to not feel the crushing weight of despair as they watched the celebration in silence together. Ceiphied only knew that they'd had precious little to celebrate during the past four years.

But now that Lina had destroyed the Demon Lord of the North they were making up for lost time. Despite the snow that blanketed the campsite, people started singing and dancing. Zelgadis had gotten out his guitar and had formed a band with a few of the soldiers that Seyruun had provided as Amelia and the others sang a song about justice at the top of their lungs as they spun round and round the campsite. Lina smiled as she rested her chin on her fist and watched as her foot tapped in time with the music as she did her best to mask how antsy she was. But oh did she want to dance! In that moment she was so happy she didn't even give a damn about the snow and the cold!

"You should go and join them." Gourry said as he gently nudged Lina's arm.

"I can wait until your energy is recovered." Lina said as she grabbed his hand and turned to him. Seeing him hurt and wounded was something that never got easier. And watching Sylphiel pull him back from the edge of death with a Resurrection spell had left her wondering when their luck would run out. Any fear she had of destroying their friendship by becoming lovers was drowned under the fear of what would happen if she didn't even try.

"I'll be fine while you dance." He said as he sat up to whisper in her ear, "I want to watch you dance."

Lina felt a spark ignite in her stomach as she wondered if he meant it like that as he continued, "Go have fun for once."

Lina reached forward and brushed the hair from his eyes as she smiled at him, and for a brief moment she wondered if he would kiss her. But he leaned forward to touch his forehead to hers, the feel of his breath warm and inviting in the cold as they each closed their eyes for a moment. "Go and dance. I'll join you as soon as I can." He said.

She chuckled as she stood up and ran a hand through her hair, "You'd better!"

She started to walk to where the celebration had broken out, turning around once to catch a glimpse of Gourry, lying on a cot with the other wounded. As soon as she got there Amelia grabbed her and started to spin her round and round in circles as Lina joined her in singing at the top of her lungs. Soon they were laughing and giggling as an exultant relief swept through them as they spun faster and faster until they couldn't sustain it anymore and they fell laughing onto the snow packed ground. At first Lina looked up at the sky, but then she turned her head to where Gourry was and caught him watching her with a large smile on his face, and she suddenly wished that instead of her warm and practical sorcery clothes she were in a flirty dress.

"I may need to sit this one out!" Amelia said through ragged breaths as she put her hands on her stomach. "And enjoy the moment."

"It's a moment to enjoy." Lina agreed as she started to spread her arms and legs, "I'm going to make a snow angel."

"Oh, why didn't I think of that?" Amelia said as she started to make one of her own.

"Would you like to dance?" Zelgadis asked as he extended an arm to Amelia.

"You dance?" Lina asked, skeptically.

"It's been so long since I replaced those strings and my hands are hard on them. I'm down to two. So I thought I'd take the opportunity to dance."

"You need to ask?" Amelia asked as she grabbed his hand as he pulled her up and close to him as the opening chords of the next song started. Amelia grinned as she threw her arms around Zel and sang out, "We are the champions!"

Lina laughed at the look of surprise on Zel's face, but it was quickly replaced with the wild euphoria they were all feeling as he spun her around and started singing with her, "We are the champions!"

Between all of the loud singing, Lina hadn't noticed the sounds of boots crunching through snow and had been unaware that Gourry had left his cot until he stood over her and smiled. "Sylphiel told me I could get up."

Lina smiled, "She did now."

He held out a hand and she grabbed it, and he swiftly pulled her up towards him, their bodies connecting with a spark as they wrapped their arms around each other. They took a moment to exchange a smile, and then Lina said softly in time to the music, "We are the champions, my friend."

My lover?

To Lina's amazement that he even knew and remembered the words, Gourry joined in with her, "and we'll keep on fighting till the end."

Lina suddenly found herself burying her face in Gourry's shoulder and relishing in his warmth and life. "We never stopped fighting."

"You never stopped, so how could I?" He said, "If you could find the strength, battle worn as you were, I knew I could."

It was strange to talk like this. So open and raw. But once they had started, Lina found she couldn't stop, "That's funny, because I thought you were the one who never stopped no matter how bad things were."

They both chuckled as they pulled each other close, "I guess it's good that we fooled each other then!" he said.

"Goodness! We might have given up otherwise!" Lina said with a wistful smile, "But we kept fighting. And I knew I could do it so long as you were there. Even if everyone else disagreed with me, so long as you supported me, I could do it."

"And you did it." Gourry said.

"We did it." Lina said in an uncharacteristically humble manner.

"My champion." he whispered in her ear, the power of his words fueling heat enough to keep the cold at bay. And suddenly it was a bit scary how they were talking, and the old fears of blowing it if they tried to become more than friends resurfaced.

"Well, we may have destroyed Shabranigdo again, but the work is not done, so don't get comfy! There's so much to rebuild." Lina said coyly as she took a step back. "So much that was lost."

"We survived the destruction together." Gourry said as he leaned down to touch his forehead to hers, melting away the last of her resistance, "And we'll be there together as the world rebuilds."

Lina opened her mouth and closed it a few times as she fumbled for something to say. But what reason was there to protest? "Under one condition."

"What?"

"We rebuild somewhere warm."

Gourry laughed as he reached a hand up to cup her cheek, "As you wish."

Lina felt her breath hitch as he leaned in to kiss her. And she didn't give a damn that they were in public when their lips finally touched. All around them people started whooping, cheering and clapping. "About time!" Amelia yelled.

"Get a room you two!" Zel said.

"Or a tent more like." One of the soldiers countered.

They pulled away from each other for a moment to smile knowingly at each other before they resumed their kiss. So what if they were in public? They were the champions. And this was their victory dance.


AN: Given how busy I've been this year, I didn't feel up to Slayers Santa. Sometimes a prompt clicks with me and gets my muse talking, other times I really have to work it, and I didn't want to take a bet on getting the latter in 2020, plus I wanted to write something WAFFy for myself, and hope that someone else will enjoy!

And, obviously, I referenced Queen's We Are the Champions in this. Why has no one done a Slayers AMV for this song?

While I am missing a lot of family this Christmas, I am sharing it with the three people I love and like best and am grateful that if I have to be quarantined it is with such good company. Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday and may everyone's 2021 be better than their 2020!