Moon

Zidane had always known this night would come. This was the last night before the final battle with Kuja, and he had dreaded it. Or had he feared it? He wasn't afraid to die; that had almost happened on many occasions on his journey. His only fear at this point was losing Dagger. Zidane had considered himself a master thief; that is, until Dagger stole his heart.

Surely she knew how he felt, and if she did, did she even care? Zidane couldn't be just some random guy to her now; she had proven that on Terra when she saved his life. Women, he thought to himself, as he continued to gaze up at the twin moons, one red, the other blue.

"There you are," a voice said below him; Zidane had climbed up the Eidolon Wall to sit on its edge.

Zidane smiled, recognizing Dagger's voice. He halfway turned his head and asked, "Couldn't sleep?"

She shook her head, her eyes sparkling. "Mind if I join you?"

"Can you climb up here?" he asked jokingly.

He watched her eyes scan the rough edge of the wall, and when Dagger found no decent handholds, she sighed, "No."

Zidane chuckled, jumped down agilely, and squatted to allow her to climb onto his back. Dagger had gotten used to Zidane carrying her, so she didn't hesitate. She placed her legs securely around his waist and set her chin on his shoulder, and he made his way up the wall once again. After he reached the top, Dagger carefully placed herself on the wall, but he couldn't help but notice how one of her hands lingered at his waist. He smirked and sat beside her. She removed her hand from his waist and set it in her lap.

"Thanks," she said quietly.

"Anytime," came his reply. She always made him feel edgy when she closed herself off, and it frustrated him to no end.

"I guess I should be used to it by now," she said, looking up at the moons.

Zidane glanced over at her, taking in how beautiful her profile was in the moonlight. "Used to what?" he asked in a confused tone.

She smiled sadly. "Being a burden."

"Dagger, how can you call yourself that?"

"Because it's true, Zidane."

Zidane saw a single tear rolling down her cheek, and he brushed it away with his thumb. Sure, she had frozen up a few times in battle after she lost her voice, but she'd had other things on her mind then. Her gaze turned to meet his intense, blue eyes. "No, it's not. You're anything but a burden."

She leaned into his hand slightly, seeming to enjoy his touch. "I'm just scared…"

"Of what?"

Then, Dagger did something that Zidane didn't expect; she moved closer to him and tucked herself into his side. "What if I mess up, and someone gets hurt? What if…you get hurt?"

Zidane smirked again and wrapped an arm around her waist, praying she wouldn't pull away; she didn't. "You're worried about me?"

"If there's one thing I've learned about you, it's that you're extremely reckless," she said matter-of-factly. "If I don't worry about you, who will?"

"I think Eiko could give you a run for your money."

She started to giggle but stopped when he cupped her chin in his hand, making their eyes meet again. "Can I be honest?" Zidane asked seriously.

"You always are."

"Really honest?"

Dagger looked confused but nodded her head.

"Dagger, I…you," he stuttered. He'd never been so lost for words in his life. What the hell was she doing to him? He let out a frustrated breath before speaking again. "I know this is going to sound like a line, but I love you, Dagger. I have since day one."

Dagger stayed silent, her face unreadable. She looked lost for words.

Zidane continued, "I don't expect you to feel the same. I would understand if you don't. You deserve better than me, Dagger. I just hope that you're happy, no matter who you're with."

While he was speaking, Dagger had kept her eyes locked on him; now, she looked away, still silent. Zidane scratched his head nervously out of habit, and he sighed deeply. "I know it's a lot to take in," he said sadly. "But, I thought you should know. You know, in case something went wrong tomorrow."

What's she thinking? he thought. Surely she's gonna say something. Maybe she's mad. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything… He stood up and stretched, and he could have sworn he heard Dagger say something. He was about to ask what, but he was interrupted by an all-too-familiar clanking.

"Princess?" Steiner called from below them. "Please answer."

"Up here, Rusty," Zidane said, helping Dagger climb down the wall.

"Princess, you should be resting. You'll need your strength for tomorrow." Steiner's suspicious glare had been toned down for the past couple of days; Zidane only saw mild concern now. What are we really gonna do on a wall, Rusty? Give me some credit, Zidane thought, holding back another smirk.

Dagger nodded and began to follow Steiner back to their camp. At the wall entrance, she looked back at Zidane longingly. "I'll be there in a minute, Steiner," she called.

She waited until Steiner's footsteps had faded before rushing back to Zidane. "I love you, too," she whispered in his ear, wrapping her arms around him.

Zidane had imagined what it would be like to hear her voice form those words, but it was nothing compared to how he felt in that moment. Whether they were both doomed to die the next day or spend forever in complete bliss didn't matter anymore.

A/N: I know this was probably a little OOC, but I've got something else planned for this particular pairing. This scene just kinda hit me out of nowhere. I'm also terribly sorry I haven't posted anything in a while! I've been doing the college thing and working on a separate project for VII with my best friend. Anyway, enough from me! Let me know what you think about this fic, please and thank you! ^_^