Hmmm. I don't have much to say here for once. This was just something I came up with to go with a fanart I drew.

Something was wrong, of that much, Dagger was certain. Well, not so much 'wrong' as just… different. Out of place. There was something that wasn't quite normal. That something was Zidane; he was nowhere to be found.

Dagger wandered among the blank-faced Zidane look-alikes that paced monotonously about the Invincible, looking for the one pair of eyes that showed any true emotion.

She eventually found the person they belonged to in the corner of a small room, curled up with his face buried in his knees. Alerted to his visitor's presence by the footsteps of her boots, he looked up, and Dagger was surprised to see that the normally bright and happy aquamarine eyes were filled with tears.

"Zidane, what's wrong?" she asked, tentatively. She was somewhat frightened by the strange behavior of the tailed thief.

"'Mmalire…"

"What…?"

"I'm a liar," he managed to spew out through a strangled sob. With a shudder, he pressed his face back into his knees. "What I said back there, in Pandemonium. It was a lie."

"What do you mean?" Dagger said, kneeling to Zidane's level.

"Don't get me wrong," Zidane muttered, "I do love you guys for being there for me. That was all true. But…" He looked out the nearby window. "I still can't live with myself. With what I am… I'm the Angel of Death."

"Zidane…" Dagger couldn't believe it. His recovery in Pandemonium… It was all faked? "Zidane, it doesn't matter what you are, you can live your life the way you want."

"I've put you all in so much danger already!" Zidane yelled. "How many Phoenix Downs have we had to use?! I can't even guess! That on it's own is proof enough that I'm a walking deathtrap!"

"It's not your responsibility alone to keep us all safe; none of those accidents were your fault."

"What if someday something happens to me?! What if I just snap and go completely psycho?! Who knows who I might hurt?! What if I hurt you?!"

"That won't happen, Zidane," Dagger said, placing a hand on his cheek. "I won't let it happen. I promise." Lifting his head up to force him to look at her, she was taken aback by the look of childlike helplessness on his tear-streaked face, and she, too, found herself crying. "I'll protect you," she said, staring into his eyes. "Zidane, you're not an Angel of Death… You're an angel, but not one of death." She hesitated momentarily before continuing, "…You're my angel."

Zidane's eyes widened as Dagger spoke, and he gave a halfhearted laugh. "You're not serious. If anyone's the angel here, you are." He covered his mouth immediately after he had said it, but Dagger slowly pried his hand off and placed her lips against his in a gentle kiss. She eventually pulled away and smiled softly at him. "I'm flattered," she said, wiping away a tear.

Zidane chuckled and held Dagger close to him, and shared a passionate kiss with his angel.

Review please?