My Canary... Mine.

Disclaimer: If I owned Kuja, Zidane, or any of the other characters from Final Fantasy IX, this would be real life, not a fanfiction.


"But I want you to come alone, Zidane. Alone."

"Zidane, it surely is a trap! Proceed with caution!"

Zidane turned to Steiner and shrugged. "Yeah, tell me about it. There was no point complaining about something he couldn't change, and he was going in if that's what it took to save his friends. "I'll be okay! You guys just wait here," he added, knowing somehow, that Kuja was not intending to kill him.

"Come inside..."

And slowly, he opened the double doors, cautiously stepping closer.

"I'm so happy to see you again, Zidane." Kuja ran his long fingers through his silvery hair. "My friends better be alright!" Zidane yelled.

"Oh my! Blunt as always, I see..." he said, voice filled with laughter. "Take a look in there." He gestured towards a grate on the floor. Upon seeing the motionless bodies of his friends, Zidane panicked, ready to launch himself at Kuja, but he was interrupted.

"No need to worry. They just needed some rest, that's all. Now, give me the Gulug Stone..."

Zidane hesitated. "I don't trust you... let them go first. Then I'll give you your precious stone."

"Hmm... you seek to blackmail me! But I've changed my mind. There's something else I want you to do first."

Zidane flipped. "WHAT?! Are you joking? I just journeyed halfway across the world and fought my way to get this damned thing, and now you want something else?" Enraged, he shook the Gulug Stone in the air. "Where's the next one, on the other side of Gaia?"

Kuja laughed delicately. "Calm down, my little canary. Just think about how much you want your friends back."

"I've proved how far I'll go to save them."

"Well then, it should do you no harm to prove it further..." Receiving no answer, Kuja continued. "Do as I say, and I won't harm them..."

"You promised you'd let them go for this stupid stone, now you've changed your mind! Why the hell would I trust you anymore?" Zidane stuffed the Stone back into his pocket. "What's the point of all of this anyway?"

Kuja laughed softly. "I want to prove that your friends are a burden to you... And now that I have them, I can make you do anything!"

"You're just a selfish narcissist on a power trip,"

Kuja closed in on him, skirt flowing behind. He was only the same size as Zidane, but the blond still tried to back away.

"Power? What would you know of power? You're helpless, Zidane, don't you see that? Beg me to spare their pitiful lives right now... or I'll kill each and every one." Kuja continued to smile, triumphantly... it made Zidane want to wipe that smirk off his girly face.

Knowing the problems he would face if he hit Kuja, he settled for a verbal attack. "Like I'd do that!!" he spat.

Kuja's eyes narrowed dangerously. Suddenly he flicked a hand towards Zidane and before the younger one could react, the room was spinning and he fell forwards into Kuja's arms. He desperately willed his body to push the silver-haired man aside, but he was unable to even move and sleep was closing in.

----------------------------------------------------

...Hmmm... This is one hell of a hangover...

...No, wait...

Zidane tried to open his eyes, but they were blocked. Blindfolded?... KUJA!

Remembering the meeting with his enemy, he launched himself forward, only to restrained by the clattering of chains.

"Kuja!!"

He heard soft laughter, almost a giggle, coming from not so far away. "I've always wanted to hear you scream my name while you're lying in my bed."

Zidane pulled forward on the chains some more, then kicked his legs. Also chained. With each movement, he felt skin on bare skin. He was... naked? An awful image of his unconscious form being undressed by that demon entered his mind and he winced in humiliation at his situation.

"You sick... ungh!" He continued to wrestle with his bonds. "If you don't get me out of here, I swear, I'll come right over there and tear you apart!"

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that, canary?"

Zidane lay back, frantically considering his next move. He could hear Kuja's heels tapping closer. "Where are Dagger and the others?" he blurted, feeling guilty for not remembering sooner.

"Dagger? Oh, your precious princess," Kuja murmured sarcastically. What was that sharp tone in his voice? Zidane began to feel nervous.

"What about her? She had better be safe - and the rest of them as well!"

"Quite adept at stealing the show, isn't she...? She'll end up like her mother one day - bringing about her own downfall..."

"That was out of line!" Zidane raged. "Everything that's happened is your fault, yours!"

Kuja laughed again. "Why would you get so flustered over the elephant-lady?" He hesitated. "Ugh. I'd rather not even think about her." The boots clicked even closer. "But enough mindless chatter! I didn't bring you here to talk to you."

Zidane felt anxiety weighing deep in his stomach. "Then tell me what exactly - "

He felt a cold finger pressed against his lips and jumped. He could tell Kuja had smiled. When did he get THIS close? Mentally, he slapped himself for not resisting enough. Summoning all his hatred of Kuja, thinking of Dagger's sorrow and Vivi's pain, he launched himself as far as his restraints would allow him and snapped at Kuja's hand.

He caught the edge of Kuja's hand, before it was quickly withdrawn with a small gasp, and swiftly struck Zidane across the face with a crack.

"Ungh!" He couldn't stop himself crying out, in shock as much as in pain. He lay there, face stinging.

He could hear Kuja's breathing, as though he was about to speak, but no voice came.

There was only the sound of fabric rustling.

Kuja's hands were behind him.

The blindfold fell away.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author note: This is my first fanfic, so please be nice. ^_^ I wanted Kuja to be the seme, since there seem to be a lot of Kuja/Zidanes where he's the uke. But anyway, I've got the next chapter ready, I just wanted to know if people liked it before I go posting loads more. There will be some lemon in the next chapter, and, strange as it sounds, Kuja and Zidane may start being nice to each other in later chapters.
Thanks for reading! ^_^