After the Applause Died Down
By J. Marie
Warning!!!! This is a lemon yaoi fanfiction starring Kuja Tribal and Zidane Tribal from Final Fantasy IX. It is rated NC-17. Translation: Graphic depictions of male homosexual sex will be featured in here. Don't like gay stuff? Screw off! Under 18? You shouldn't be here and you know it! Anyways, now that I'm past the obligatory bitchy part, onto the description of the story. It's set *right* after the scene where Zidane returns to Garnet at the ending of the game. Like about five seconds after. "Farewell" was my sad ending, and this is my happy ending. Obviously, this story has nothing to do with my other FF9 stories. Okay, well I hope you like the story and all. This should satisfy everbody's FF9 fix, including my own. ^_^ This is for Shia Kitsune, for being my 25000th hit. Thanks, Shia!
After the Applause Died Down
By J. Marie
"Um, Garnet, there's something I gotta tell you......"
"What's that, Zidane?"
Zidane's tail was swishing madly, and he had a sheepish grin on his adorable face. He's so cute when he's nervous, I swear. He licked his lips and swallowed. "Well, first you gotta promise not to hurt him, or arrest him, or do anything bad to him, okay?" he said urgently. He's so gallant.
"To who? What are you talking about?" Garnet asked, looking thoroughly confused.
"Um, just promise me...." Zidane pleaded.
"Alright, Zidane. I promise I won't hurt, arrest, or do anything bad to 'him', whoever 'him' is.... Now tell me what's going on...." Garnet said, placing her hands on her hips. The rest of Zidane's friends were beginning to gather on the airship, making me a little nervous.
"Well, remember what you promised now. For the record, he's really sorry, and he's changed a lot. Well, at least he's nice now. Sorta. So don't hurt him. He's my brother," Zidane sighed.
"I don't like where this is heading..." Garnet said, as Freya narrowed her eyes.
"Kuja, you can come out now... They promised not to hurt you!" Zidane called.
I poked my head out first, gauging the reactions of Zidane's friends. Everyone seemed thoroughly shocked, so I decided it was safe enough to step out. I straightened my clothes and brushed back my hair, giving them the most charming smile I could muster.
Then things went sour.
"You murderer!!!!" Freya screamed, jumping up into the air, spinning her lance. I managed to look properly mortified.
Zidane, my gallant hero, jumped in front of me, and pushed me back, much to my surprise. Freya came down and I had horrible visions of her skewering my little hero float in front of my eyes, as I was knocked over to the floor. She paused inches from his chest, her face lit up in rage.
"STOP!!!! You can't hurt him!!! He's my brother!! He's the only family I have!! He's not like that anymore, so don't hurt him!!" Zidane screamed at her.
Freya blinked and brought her lance to a resting position, much to my relief. The I realized that my clothes were getting dirty because I was on the floor, and my hair was in complete disarray. I stood up and fixed my clothes, clucking over the stain I couldn't get out.
"You... You.. You're protecting, this murderer???" Freya demanded angrily.
"Garland was the bad guy, not Kuja! He made Kuja the way he was! I would been the same way, if I was him. But he's not like that anymore. He's sorry for what he's done. If it weren't for him, we would never have gotten free from the Iifa tree!" Zidane said passionately. I smiled at how he protected me from danger.
"Sorry?" Freya growled. "I want to hear it from his own lips...."
They all looked at me expectantly. Every last one of them. Even Zidane. No pressure. No pressure at all.
"Um, I'm really sorry. I made a lot of terrible mistakes... I was a horrible person. I hope you can forgive me for going mad there for, um, a long time, and everything... I promise I'll be good, and I can't pay back everything I ever did, but as a token of my sincerity, I could offer all of you fashion tips..." I said with a smile. It was the only gift I had to give. Stop laughing.
Zidane visibly winced. Garnet blinked. Freya snarled. Amarant chuckled. Quina munched on a snack. Eiko giggled. Vivi's sons looked at each other in confusion. Steiner and Beatrix looked lost.
"Alright. I know it wasn't the best offer. I could throw in make-overs if you like," I offered helpfully. They all groaned and sweatdropped.
"Not enough? Would you like diet and exercise recommendations? Particularly for the tubby little Qu over there?" I said, running out of great things I could do for these people. The very idea of scoffing at my offer of a make-over!
"Um, Kuja, why don't you let me do the talking from now on?" Zidane asked with a forced smile.
"Whatever you want, Ziddy," I grinned at him. The I remembered how messy I probably looked, and pulled out a hand mirror, fixing my hair. I powdered my face again, and touched up on the blush and lipstick.
" 'Ziddy'?" Garnet asked, giving me a distasteful look before she glared in Zidane's direction. She was probably just jealous because I'm prettier than she is.
"You almost expect him to burst into song," Eiko quipped to Amarant.
"You're right. I can see him singing 'I feel pretty! Oh so pretty!' " Amarant said in a falsetto for the song lyrics.
I gave Amarant a death glare. "Well at least people don't call me 'The Flaming Amarant'. I don't know how you can say that with a straight face," I retorted. It was too much for Eiko, and she burst into laughter.
Amarant looked properly annoyed. "You're right. They don't. They call you 'The Flaming Faggot'. I assume by now that Zidane knows better than to bend over in your presence," he snorted, which much to my annoyance, caused Eiko to roll on the ground in laughter.
"At least I'm not a child molester. How old is Eiko there?" I asked innocently. I could tell the three of us were going to get along just fine. Eiko stopped laughing to glare at me, and Amarant chuckled.
"Maybe I should get one of Vivi's kids to cast Blizzard on him," Eiko suggested.
"Just for being a smartass?" Amarant asked.
"No, because he's on fire. We really should put him out," Eiko grinned. That earned a hard glare from me.
"He killed my mother, Zidane! Both of them! He murdered countless people, and whole towns! He tried to destroy existence itself!!" Garnet shouted at Zidane. She was backed up by Freya, and Steiner. Beatrix was giving me a quiet once over. I could tell she had no ill feelings towards me anymore. Quina was too busy eating the banister to care, and Vivi's sons were huddled together, trying to decide about me.
"I know, I know... I'm not asking you to forget, just to forgive. He really is sorry, Garnet. He saved our lives, and so I saved his. He didn't know any better back then! If you could forgive your mother for her crimes, why can't you forgive my brother? He's just as important to me!" Zidane pleaded desperately.
Freya sighed. "I don't like it, but I will stand down. I will forgive him only because you are my friend. And because I know what it's like not to have any family. And you should do the same, Queen Garnet," Freya said, tilting her head back in nobility. I blinked at her, expecting her, of them all, to hold a grudge the longest.
"I stand by your decision alone, your majesty," Steiner said, glaring at me hatefully.
Garnet hung her head. "Because he's your brother, Zidane, I will forgive... But what are we suppose to do with him?" she asked, with a resigned sigh.
"Can't he move in with us?" Zidane asked.
Garnet gave him a sharp look.
"Um, not that I'm moving in or anything, but he comes with me...." Zidane said nervously, his tail swishing wildly again.
"Zidane, of course you're moving in! I want you with me forever!" Garnet smiled, and hugged him again. Zidane grinned foolishly back, and hugged her back. I tried not to lose my lunch.
I waited impatiently by the sidelines for them to notice me again.
Zidane grinned at me and gave me the thumbs up sign. I gave him a wan smile. Four years. Four years he had spent with me. Four years trapped in the limbo between life and death, that he pulled us both out of. And in those entire four years he never seemed to once get the fact that I was hitting on him.
Zidane got on his knees in front of Garnet, and pulled out a ring, that I had picked before we came here. "Dagger.... Will you marry me?" he asked with a heartfelt smile.
"Oh, Zidane! Of course I will!!" Garnet said with tears in her eyes, once again falling into his arms after he slipped the ring on her finger.
I gagged three times before I was able to stop myself.
Zidane was ecstatic. "We'll be so happy, Garnet! You and me!! And my brother with us, and all our friends!! Very happy!!" he said to his future bride, who covered his face in kisses.
The applause from the audience was deafening.
So there I was. The great and mighty Kuja, who once had the power to conquer all. Who held the crystal of life in his hand and almost destroyed it. At a bridal shower.
Garnet's bridal shower.
Things had gone swimmingly since I had first emerged from the theater ship. Garnet moved everybody in, and since she now had the Queen's chambers, I was given her old room. Steiner, of course, was set out to watch every move I made, but I could easily give him the slip when I wanted. It wasn't so bad, actually. The food was great, I got new clothes, and all the courtiers began to fall all over me. Male and female. Why do women always hit on me? Doesn't the fact that I'm more feminine than they are, ever give them a clue as to what my sexual preference is?
Anyways, despite the fact that Garnet's beauty paled in comparison to my own, Zidane obviously loved her. And since I love Zidane, I really do want him to be happy. No, really. I'm not jealous. Not jealous at all.
Not at all.
So in order to be gracious, and try to heal the rift between me and Garnet, I decided to throw a bridal shower. I got Eiko in on it, and we bought all sorts of decorations, and gifts. I put together the cutest little outfit for Eiko to wear, and as always, my own garb was absolutely divine. We decorated the hell out of the banquet hall, and Eiko and I came up with fun games to play, and put together an invitation list. For a ten-year-old, I have to hand it to Eiko that she's one smart kid. And at six, she already had proven she was more useful in a fight than Garnet.
Eiko had a childhood crush on Zidane, and so we both found common ground to stand on. Not to mention her sharp wit and even sharper tongue endeared the little brat to me. If I ever had a daughter, I'd want her to be nothing like Eiko, though. She never listens to me.
We invited all the girls we could think of. Freya. Beatrix. Ruby. Regent Cid's wife. A bunch of nobodies from the city. Some of the Alexandrian guards. And even though I was male, somehow the fact that men aren't allowed to bridal showers never came up. Can't imagine why.
So here I was, surrounded by women, and not one of them was prettier than I am. The way these women chowed down on the appetizers I had in abundance astounded me. I never knew human women could eat so much in one sitting. Was I the only one who was trying to watch his girlish figure?
Eiko, little devil that she was, had everyone playing a sort of sick version of bobbing for apples. She had a barrel full of red juice that remarkably resembled blood, and you were suppose to bob for the candy eyeballs floating in it. The retina attached to the candy eyeball was what you could use with your teeth to grab it with. Sometimes I really love Eiko. And watching Garnet's face screw up in disgust and then watching her nearly pass out with disgust as she bobbed for the eyeballs made my heart swell with brotherly love for Eiko.
And wouldn't you know it, that Beatrix won? She was covered in red stains, but she had a satisfied grin on her face as she came up with an eyeball dangling from her lips. Most of the other women looked faint. I have to admit, even I was a little queasy at the sight.
"Time to cut the cake and open presents, ladies!" I cooed to the women, as a diversion from their disgust. Most looked relieved, and I served them pieces of cake. Most of them wanted seconds. It amazed me how much they ate. Especially Garnet, who was working on her fourth when I wheeled out the table piled high with wedding gifts. Delicate little canary, my ass. That woman was eating enough for three Garnets.
Garnet was as excited as a small child, and began to rip into the presents like a five-year-old at Christmas. She oohed and ahhed over everything, even the really boring gifts, like a new cooking pot. Like Garnet ever cooked. A gift from Freya was a slinky little black number, that almost made me vomit at the thought of the little Alexandrian Queen wearing it for my Zidane. I think Freya was getting her revenge, because she gave me a satisfied smirk when Garnet blushed and giggled over it. Damn overgrown rat.
Garnet opened the gift I bought her, and the whole group of women went dead silent, staring at it. Garnet forced herself to smile at me, holding it up with a strained look in her eye. "Isn't... this.. nice?" Garnet said slowly.
"Oh, I'm so glad you like it. It looked like it would fit you! It's something to wear on the wedding night! I'm sure Zidane will go crazy over you!" I cooed to her, my smile something worthy of digesting feces.
Eiko snickered under her breath as all the women stared at the old-fashioned granny nightgown I had bought for Eiko. Plain white. With a little bow on the front. And five sizes too big. Garnet gave me another strained smile and set it aside to open her other presents. I felt vindicated.
Eiko snickered and leaned over to whisper in my ear. "So what they say about the vengeance a queen is right, eh?" she snickered.
"Queen?" I whispered in mock innocence.
"Yep, you're a queen alright. And I'm not talking about the royal kind, either," she grinned.
"You are far too worldly for a child," I sighed. Eiko just grinned. She appreciated my sense of humor.
The little party trudged on for another couple hours, before they all grew bored and went about their ways. Garnet left with Freya, both quietly discussing her wedding dress. Beatrix, however, remained behind, the red stains on her clothing almost macabre.
"Not terribly subtle, Kuja," Beatrix remarked.
I gave her a charming smile. "I doubt she's intelligent enough to get it," I shrugged. Beatrix bristled at the insult to her Queen, but said nothing on it's nature.
"I don't pretend to understand you, Kuja. You don't act terribly repentant most of the time. But occasionally, I see what you do behind people's backs, that make me think that you are sorry for your sins. You did a nice magic show for the children. You helped rebuild. You fought off bandits. And you threw this bridal shower for Garnet. But what gets me is that you obviously love Zidane," Beatrix said, her one eye piercing into me. Eiko was looking at me expectantly.
I shrugged, feeling embarrassed. Nobody was suppose to know when I was being nice. It ruins my reputation. And absolutely nobody was suppose to know how I felt about Zidane. I sighed, staring down at the floor. "It doesn't matter. He obviously loves his Dagger. And he seems to prefer the ladies.... I want him to be happy," I said quietly. My humor was fading.
"I think they think they love each other. A nice romantic story created by the both of them during their adventure, fostered easily in their long absence. Isn't the gallant hero suppose to fall for the princess? Isn't the princess suppose to fall for the gallant hero? They almost believe it, too. Perhaps you should watch them more closely, rather than from afar," Beatrix suggested.
I snapped my head up. Beatrix's words surprised me. I considered her for a moment, but before I could respond, she left the room. Eiko smiled at me, almost sadly, and followed, leaving me alone to my thoughts. And such thoughts I had.
I took Beatrix's advice. I began to watch Zidane and Garnet more closely.
The trick is to catch them at the right moment, see. After the applause dies down, and they're alone. Talking to each other.
Now that they're adventure is over, you see them grow uncomfortable in each other's presence. What are they suppose to talk about now? Garnet starts with talks of plays and books. Zidane starts with talks of his antics and adventures. They silence each other with their differences for a moment, before they try again.
One will start back in on their interests, detailing them to the other, ignoring the obvious boredom and disinterest. Then that one will trail off, realizing the train of thought has not provoked anything. The other will start then, trying desperately to find something to talk about, but conversation falls short and silence ensues. They both make their excuses and leave quickly, for the solace of their own lives.
The smiles grow thin in public, the kissing and fondling less frequent. Their boredom and lack of common ground apparent. What drove them together at first, tears them apart now. For what does a bandit have in common with a Queen? Where does love go when the fairy tale ends?
What do they do with each other, when the applause dies down?
Zidane's bachelor party was in three days. I had talked to him little since we arrived in Alexandria, keeping company with Eiko and Amarant. I found myself searching the castle for the boy I loved.
I found him on the highest balcony, overlooking the city. His tail swished in boredom, and he was drinking some sort of swill. I could only imagine it was some form of alchohol. He was wearing some outfit Garnet had bought for him, that's collar had obviously choked him, and he had loosened it.
"Zidane?" I asked softly. I felt shy all of a sudden.
He turned his head slightly, his elfin face slack with inebriation. "Hey, Kuja!" he smiled, noticing me.
"Hello.... How are you tonight?" I asked him, stepping up beside him. I was wearing a gown of finest green silk, and had a green clasp in my silver hair. I wore sweet perfume, wondering why I did such things for a man who would never notice.
"Bored. Stupid diplomatic party. Too many buttons and clasps on my clothes. Too many people with boring things to say and do. I'm so bored, I almost wish you'd go crazy again, so we could fight each other or something," he sighed, resting his chin on his hands, looking at the twinkling sky.
I swallowed. "I wouldn't want to fight you, though.... But it is a little boring here," I sighed.
"A little? It's killing me! I want to dance naked on the table, just to get a little excitement going! How can Garnet like this?" Zidane exploded, his pent up frustration being vented on me.
"She's the Queen here, Zidane. It's part of her life, and her duty. And when you become her King, it will be yours as well," I said calmly.
Zidane blinked. "Aw, geezus. I'm gonna kill myself out of boredom," he spat.
"Love makes you do funny things..." I said softly. I felt every nerve on my body exploding. I wanted to reach out and hold him. I wanted to run away with him. I wanted him. I loved him. I always had and always will. Since the moment I saw him in Burmecia.
"Yeah... I guess so," Zidane sighed. A defeated sigh. He was accepting his fate. I wanted to shake him. My Zidane would never accept defeat.
"Zidane..." I said, feeling tears well up. I turned and grabbed him by his open collar, staring down at him. His blue eyes were wide.
I had always loved him. Even in the worst heat of my madness, I loved him. Even possessed with a desire to destroy and conquer, I could never bring myself to hurt him, even though I tried so many times. I wanted the love to go away, and I wanted to kill him. But eventually, my love for him saved my soul from the depths I had sunk to. It was he who healed me over the past four years. That gave me my confidence back.
"Kuja...?" Zidane asked, watching me cry in front of him in confusion. And why shouldn't he confused?
"I.. I love you, Zidane. We could run away together, just you and me. We could leave here and be happy... Anything you wanted, I'd do for you," I babbled all at once.
I instantly regretted it.
Zidane grabbed my hands, prying them off of him, his face hardening slightly. "I'm sorry, Kuja. But, I love Garnet...." he told me in his quiet voice, and walked away from me, his tail limp.
And I walked away with my tail, quite literally, between my legs.
I made up my mind not act like he hurt my feelings.
After all, what had I expected? Why was I letting it get to me? I knew he wouldn't want me. Not like that.
I bought him an outfit for his bachelor's party, and had Eiko with me while I went shopping. It was odd that my best friend was a ten-year-old little girl. She said nothing, but had taken my hand while we walked through the marketplace, somehow knowing that I was depressed. At least this humiliating episode had taught me to let things go.
I should feel privileged, I thought to myself as I stood outside the door to where the bachelor party was being held. My demeanor had allowed me into the bridal shower, and my gender into the bachelor party. I knocked, and the door was thrown open by Amarant, who ushered me inside. He made a big show of looking behind me.
"What, no Eiko? Never figured you'd start doing little girls. Here we were, guarding Vivi's sons from you, and you go and turn into a straight pedophile, and run off with Eiko," Amarant remarked with a smirk on his face. He wasn't as comforting as Eiko, but we still seemed to get along fine.
"Ha ha. You're just jealous because she likes me better than you. And who could blame her? To choose between a guy who's chin you could use to scoop ice cream out with, or me," I quipped back, as I put my wrap on the hook. Steiner was sitting in a chair and looked up to give me a death glare. His Pluto Knights were beside him, and one was making eyes at me.
"Is this the stripper?" one of the Pluto Knights asked, licking his chops.
"He's a man, you dolt," Steiner growled, clipping the knight on the back of the head. The whole room did a double take on me, and more than few men looked embarrassed and crossed their legs. I am just too beautiful.
"Well, then, who's the stripper that's suppose to pop out of the cake?" the Pluto Knight asked, obviously disappointed.
"As long as it's not Beatrix, we should all be relatively safe," I commented, sitting down on a cushy chair and arranging my skirt around my freshly shaven legs. The room burst into hoots and hollers, and a few elbows to an annoyed Steiner.
"Steiner's the only man whose ever seen Beatrix naked, and lived to be sworn to secrecy about it," Amarant said, causing another round of laughter.
"Well, at least I wasn't the one who voted for Eiko to pop out of the cake," Steiner growled back to Amarant, flooring the room with his rare bout of sarcastic humor.
Amarant sighed. His relationship with Eiko was brotherly, but everyone ribbed him about it anyways. Eiko had a way of forcing people to love her. She was just too damn cute, even for Amarant Coral to resist. Now, how brotherly he'll feel about Eiko in about, say, eight years, is anybody's guess.
"So will you be serving the cake with your chin tonight, Amarant?" I asked Amarant in my politest tone, which had everyone laughing again. Amarant gave me the evil eye, or at least I think he did. It's hard to tell with his hair. But all this humor was serving to make me feel better.
A knock came at the door, along with a familiar voice. "Hey, is anyone in there? Steiner? What do you want?" Zidane called from the other side.
Amarant opened the door, and we all jumped up screaming, "Surprise!" Now, how a man on the night before his wedding could be surprised to have a bachelor's party, I don't know, but Zidane sure did look surprised. A testimony to his naivety, I suppose.
"Wow!! Thanks, guys!" Zidane gushed, grinning as everyone dragged him in.
To be honest, I found his bachelor party more boring than the bridal shower. It was awash with testosterone, and talk of sex and women. Presents were given, and Zidane seemed thrilled with everything, even my outfit, to which he gave me a polite nod of thanks. We hadn't spoken since the night I confessed my feelings to him.
Eventually, and predictably, Ruby popped out of the cake, half naked and working on removing what little she still had on for Zidane. The whole room was enraptured with her flesh, except for myself. I tried desperately not to yawn.
The cake was cut and served, and I refused my piece, not out of any sense of health, but because a half-naked woman had popped out of it. I noticed with some humor that the men hadn't put half the dent in the cake that the women at Garnet's bridal shower had put in theirs. After hours of infantile games, and lewd jokes, the party broke up, much to my relief.
I swallowed my pride, and walked over to Zidane, who was standing off by himself, collecting his gifts before he left.
"Zidane?" I asked softly, finding that I had no place to put my hands.
Zidane looked over at me, and I was startled by the troubled look in his eyes. I cursed myself, knowing that I had probably caused him to be troubled. "Zidane.. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said what I said," I said quietly, feeling like an adolescent school girl in front of the boy she had a crush on.
"Don't worry about it, Kuja... It's not your fault," he said, surprising me.
"Look, um..." I said, and trailed off, not having anything else to say. At least that wouldn't have him running away from me again.
"Hey, you wanna help me carry my stuff?" Zidane asked, motioning to his gifts.
"Sure, sure!" I said brightly, picking up what I could and the two of us trundled off to his room. I had a lump in my throat.
Zidane opened the door, and walked over to a chair, dumping his gifts on top of it, and motioned me to do the same. I placed his gifts down carefully, and looked at him for a moment, trying to freeze the beautiful memory of him in my mind. His shaggy blonde hair, his big blue eyes, his elfin, adorable face. His slender, wiry body, and his goofy half-smile. His stupid clothes, that looked adorable on him, but ridiculous on anyone else. His furry tail, swishing around as furiously as my own. I sighed.
"I better go, now... Let you get some sleep before your wedding," I said quietly, turning to leave.
I felt his hand grab mine. I turned to him, blinking in surprise. "You don't have to leave, if you don't want to," he offered, letting me go.
The lump in my throat grew bigger. Why did he have to tease me? My desire for him was dizzying. "Why?" I asked him.
"We... could.. talk," he suggested, almost urgently.
"About what?" I asked him.
"About anything? What do you like to talk about?" he asked, sounding desperate.
"Well... Clothes and make-up are favorites of mine... But a lot of things interest me," I said slowly, wondering why he was doing this.
"Talk about it. Tell me about it," he said, sitting down on his bed, thumping his tail for me to sit beside him. I did so, giving him an odd look.
"Well... I think purple is my best color, but I look good in green too," I said lamely.
"Okay. What about me?" he asked. This was insane.
"Um, you're color is definitely blue. But I think you should try to wear maybe something in green, or even brown. Warm colors are you," I said, feeling very odd about this.
"I'll wear green, but brown is boring. Go on," he urged me.
Next thing I know, we were having an animated conversation about what Zidane should and shouldn't wear. It went from there and next thing you know, we were discussing airships, and which types we likes best. We went from there, and found ourselves chatting about Mikoto, and the touchy subject of our mutual creator. The conversation lasted for hours. It was absolutely insane.
It was getting extremely late, and I realized that Zidane had to get up early to prepare for his wedding, And for that matter, so did I. I decided then and there to just leave after the wedding and leave Zidane and Garnet to their wedded bliss.
"It's late, Zidane.. I should go," I sighed.
"Aww.... We were getting along so well," he pouted.
"Yes.. we were," I smiled at him, trying not to think of how much I loved him at that moment. I stood up to leave, turning my back to him. It was better maybe if I just left, and never came back at all.
Then I felt strong arms yank me back down on the bed, and Zidane climbed on top of me. He leaned over me with a huge grin. I blinked at him, too shocked to speak.
"You know, Kuja, I never really noticed it before, but you're even prettier than Dagger..." he said, staring into my eyes. I was speechless. Was this really happening?
"Zidane?" I squeaked.
"I can't even have a decent conversation with Dagger. We don't like the same stuff, but we can't even seem to be interested in things the other does, regardless of how much we try. We're strangers, you know. Our adventure is over, and I don't feel the same anymore. It's like the moment I had her, the story ended and I was left reading a boring book I already read. I don't want to be King here, Kuja. I want adventure. I want to roam Gaea, and be a bandit, like I always was. I don't want to get stuck in some dreary castle, with a bunch of boring people and their stupid dinner parties...." he babbled, and the reason for his desperate conversation became clear. I didn't know what to say, so I kept quiet.
"And having sex with her has to be one of the most boring things I've ever done. She just lays there," he complained.
"Zidane, I..." I started before I felt his lips press against mine. I lost myself in his kiss at that moment, our lips enveloping the other's. It was a hungry kiss, but tentative at the same time. He wanted to see what it was like. To kiss another man. To kiss me. I can only assume he liked it, because his arms were around me, embracing me. I felt lost, swept up by him.
He pulled back a little, nibbling on my lower lip before releasing me. "You won't just lay there, will you?" he asked me.
"No..... I won't," I promised. His simple question gave me an almost instant erection.
He returned to kissing me, and for a moment I almost did just lay there, soaking up his touch. I drew his tongue into my own, and began sucking on it gently, eliciting a soft moan from him. His arms were wound around me, and I wound my own around him, and gripped his hair in my hands, pulling out the ribbon he used to tie back his bushy hair. I'd never felt so happy in my whole life.
"Kuja..." he breathed softly, trailing kisses down my neck. The utterance of my name from his lips caused little shudders of pleasure to course through my veins.
He was pulling open the bodice of my dress, his lips running over the soft flesh of my chest. He found a nipple, and exploited it with his tongue, causing me to gasp. Zidane then decided to suck on it, like a baby, and I arched slightly. The feelings he was causing me to suffer through were exquisite.
I bucked my hips up, bumping our erections into each other, causing Zidane to gasp around my nipple. I then ground our hips together, enjoying the stimulation that our erections pressed against the other's brought us. Zidane mewled, and began to tug my skirt up, feeling around for the straps of my underwear. I gasped against his hair, and fumbled with the buttons of his pants. We were both possessed with lust.
It happened a little quickly, but I was ready for him, and him for me. As soon as he tugged my underwear down so he had access, and I pulled open his pants, he was pressed against me, causing me to gasp into his ear. I had never wanted anyone as badly as I wanted him. In the space of a breath, he was pressing into me, a little clumsily, but gently. His moans were soft against my ear, and I felt his arms tighten around me. The feel of him in me was more than I dreamed.
Zidane thrusted into me, as our lips found each other. One of his hands trailed down to my length, stroking me gently. We moaned into each other's mouth, our hands traveling the other's body. I thrusted back against him, and into his hand, creating a counter-rhythm. Zidane grew loud, mewling my name as I gasped his. The pace of our bodies grew faster with every thrust and counter thrust, the heat of our bodies becoming incredibly unbearable. And suddenly, stars burst for both of us, and the molten lava of our pleasure exploded from our bodies.
Our kisses grew softer after our mutual orgasm, tender even. I reached up to touch his face, my heart swelling. "I love you so much, Zidane...." I whispered to him.
And before I fell asleep in his arms, I heard him whisper, "Kuja, I love you too...."
My sleep was disturbed by Zidane sitting bolt upright.
"Mmhhrrmmm," I protested, sitting up to wrap my arms around him. But he wasn't having any of it.
"Kuja! We have to go to the cathedral! I have to tell Garnet I can't marry her!! She's probably already there!! It's already noon!" Zidane shouted, climbing out of his bed and running for the door.
"Um, Zidane, sweety?" I asked slowly.
"What?" he asked as he started to run the knob.
"Don't you think you should put some pants on before we run off to a church?" I asked him.
Zidane looked down and blushed, realizing he was naked. "Yeah, good point," he said as he reached for a pair of pants. I pulled on my dress, and off we were.
Only then did it register that he was canceling his wedding.
I would have cheered, but we were too busy running.
Eiko, the flower girl, stood beside Amarant, the usher.
"You know, personally, I think it's bad form for both the bride AND the groom to not show up to their own wedding," Eiko said idly, playing with the flowers in her bouquet.
"Do you think they'll still let us eat the cake?" Amarant asked, fidgeting with his tie.
The main doors to the cathedral were slammed open, by both Zidane and myself, and we walked in, he only in his pants, and me in a stained dress. Everyone else was dressed to the nines and gaping at us. I never felt so embarrassed in my life.
But Garnet wasn't there either. We stared at each other in confusion, as the assembled crowd gaped at us.
Just then, Garnet came trotting in after us, with Lowell in tow. She was wearing only a silk robe, and he had his clothes all askew. We all stared at each other.
"This could get interesting," Eiko said with a gleam in her eye. Amarant shrugged.
"Garnet, I...."
"Zidane, I...."
Both Zidane and Garnet trailed off, and then Zidane stared at Lowell, and Garnet stared at me. I was staring at her, and Lowell was staring at Zidane.
"Garnet, I love Kuja..."
"Zidane, I love Lowell...."
There it was. At the same time. Zidane and Garnet stared at each other for another minute and then burst into laughter. Then both Lowell and I started in. Then Eiko and Amarant. And eventually the entire crowd joined in, even though they had no clue what the hell was going on.
"So, can we eat the cake now?" Eiko asked.
"Yeah, we're hungry," Amarant said.
"Sure! This can be my going away party!" Zidane grinned.
"Where are you going?" Garnet asked.
"Away," Zidane grinned, and then he looked over at me. I smiled at him, and felt elated.
We boarded the Tantalus' Theatership two days later, just the two of us, off to high adventure on the open skies. I was given the job of the group decorator and fashion consultant. Despite every dream and hope I ever had, I never expected it to really happen. For Zidane to love me back. For us to be lovers.
But who's to know what's going to happen behind the curtain, after the applause dies down?
End.
Hope you liked it, Shia! Thanks for being my 25000th hit!