My Canary... Mine.

AN: Sorry, but there's no smut in this one... this leads up to "events" in the next chapter.
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They stared.

And stared.

Then finally...

“So what if I have a tail? I’m not the only one. You do realise that you and one of your friends both have tails? And one has a horn? And one has blue SKIN?” Kuja ranted. Zidane was open-mouthed. “But you’re like me,” he countered. “You look human!”
“I am human!” Kuja snapped. “And I didn’t bring you here to talk to you. End of conversation!”
His opponent scowled. “No way. Now I know you’re like me I want to know everything. You can tell me where my home is, can’t you? Are you from the same place I am?”
“I said end of conversation...” Kuja said through clenched teeth.
“You owe me that much after the way you treated me, you filthy bastard!!” Zidane yelled, leaning as far forward as he could, fighting the restraints.

The silver-haired genome crossed the room and covered his tail with his skirt once more. “...You won’t mention this again,” he murmured. “Like hell I won’t!” Zidane growled. “I don’t have to do as you say. Where is it? Where was I born? I know you know it.” Meeting only silence, he shouted some more. “Tell me! You don’t have the right to keep it away from me! Is it on this continent? How do I get there?”

Kuja laughed, shaking his hair back and crossing his arms. “On THIS continent? Oh, how misinformed you are, my canary.”
“Then inform me!” Zidane retorted. “I said no,” his enemy sighed.
“You selfish...”
“Silence...”
“Don’t you silence me!”
“SILENCE!”

And there was a silence, though the atmosphere crackled with their anger.

The silver-haired man could not look his interrogator in the eye. “Does it really matter? Do you want to find your “hometown” that much?”
Zidane glared at the older genome. “I’d do anything to find out.”

“Anything...” Kuja whispered.

The young blond shook his head. “I know what you’re thinking. Don’t you mess with me, don’t give me any of your lies about this. It’s too important to lie about...”
Kuja felt a rush of sympathy for his captive. But was the truth really the kindest thing? He would have to be somewhat diplomatic... like using creative license with his knowledge.

“Listen Zidane...”
“Only if I’ll hear the truth,” was the short reply.
“You will if you show any respect,” Kuja snarled. “I’ll give you some information.” He quickly continued, knowing he was about to receive another sharp answer. “What I WON’T tell you is what you need to decide for yourself.”
“...A location?” the blond inquired.
“...As close a location as I can give.”
Zidane’s bright eyes darkened as he seemed to realise something. “...What do you want in return?”
Kuja raised his eyebrows at his companion.
“You’re not going to tell me out of the kindness of that murderous heart of yours,” the young man frowned. “What are you asking of me?”

“...If I unchain you, you have to stay here. No trying to escape.”
Zidane looked puzzled. “...Is that all?” Kuja smiled a little. “I want you in my bed... Relax!” He saw the other man’s expression. “I won’t do anything you don’t want. I just want to ... lie with you.” His lover looked away and so did he. Neither spoke for a moment or two.

“I’ll take it as a yes if you don’t protest,” Kuja whispered.
Silence. The sweetest silence he had ever heard.

Quickly, he snatched the tiny key from a closet and removed Zidane’s chains, casting them aside thoughtlessly. The blond winced slightly and rubbed his wrists. He was looking away, and Kuja was sure he was blushing. He wondered why Zidane could be so embarrassed, and laughed to himself.

Kuja turned to put out the withering candles, but then heard a rustle of fabrics and saw Zidane dart forward. He turned on his heel and grabbed the genome. Zidane’s eyes widened in shock, and Kuja’s darkened in anger.
“And you call me a liar,” he hissed. “You would leave your words in tatters on the same bed our agreement was made on! Is that how much you despise me?” As his rage consumed him, he began to pull harder on Zidane’s hair, making him cry in pain.

“No! That’s – aah! That’s not what I – Kuja!”
At the sound of his name, his antagonist seemed to regain his senses just a little, though his eyes still flashed with fury. At least, he released his grip on the other man’s hair.
“I only wanted...” Zidane blinked tears from his eyes as the pain subsided. “I was getting the blanket...”

Kuja’s expression softened. He turned to see what Zidane was pointing at. Strewn across the floor were the covers and bedclothes that he had cast aside when he had strapped his captive to the bed. He looked at Zidane, curled up on the bed, his hands in his hair. “I... shouldn’t have hurt you,” he whispered. The other man only closed his eyes and lowered his head to his knees. Sitting beside him, Kuja stroked his abused wrists, then his hair.
“I shouldn’t have turned against you. I didn’t want you to leave. Forgive me, Zidane.”

With a gentle but firm touch, he persuaded Zidane to lie down, then covered them both in the blankets retrieved from the floor. He kept his arm around the young genome’s waist, resting his head against Zidane’s shoulder. Every now and then, his tail would gain a mind of its own and twirl around his companion’s leg. Perhaps he was only sleepy, but Zidane didn’t shy away. He even laughed in his sleep when Kuja’s tail brushed against his hips.

“Ticklish... I’ll remember that,” the older genome thought before drifting into sleep.

He squeezed his arms tightly around his young lover once more.