A/n: Finally. I've been waiting for this. Be warned, however, there are some werid literary devices in here.Lori(Thank you so much for noticing! I always look forward to your reviews!), Beastiewolf(Gah! Muses! On your Compy!), Malevalla(I dun't have spell check... sniffle),RoseMage(Thankees!), and Steeple333(Thank you so much! You're always so nice and constructive.)

Disclaimer: I don't own any Final Fantasy IX chara, but I'm rather taken with my ideas. So let's not be taken those. Luffs!

Beautiful Equilibrium

Roots of a beautiful, strong oak tree lifted from the ground, meeting raised roots of a delicate cherry sapling that had only begun to live; though it's leaves plainly spoke of it's long age, stunted growth. Fireflies awoke at the sun's last rays dissipearing over the horizon, the oncoming dusk causing them to dance carelessly through the air, weaving through the trees, dodging around them, drifting between them. The trees did not move at the annoyance, only stared at each other, as if they were the last two organisims on the face of the earth, roots locked together so that no one could ever tear them apart, exquisite white flowers to plain drull brown and green.

On that clear night, the stars blissfully shining good graces, the fireflies agitatedly flicking lights at the trees; the rain began. Though there was no trace of cloud in the sky, the light mist of heaven's teardrops fell upon the Gaian forest, and everything was glazed in dispair.
His fingers still wound between the unconsious teenagers, Black Waltz Three's face remained completely shadowed, his crimson eyes only rivits of light, the only thing remotely visible on his dark features. He had been tryng to go over everything that had happened, trying to sort it out, make sense of it...

Trapped in a cave with his most hated enemy, abandonded by his own brothers; apoligised for his violence on the airship, holding Vivi in his arms, holding Vivi's hand... it didn't make sense, none of it really did, but somwhow... it just... felt... right. There was truthfully no other way to explain the emotion he felt, rather than it as just... right.

He had never felt this way with Kuja...

Somewhere in the back on his mind, though, he somehow knew it wouldn't be, from the beginning. The young black mage was nothing like him- where Kuja lacked in kindness and concern, Vivi excelled. He was the picture of an angel, as the archtype goes- unmatched in beauty, unparalleled in compassion and care, warm and clean and clandistine innocence. Three suddenly felt that if he did in fact lay beside him as he slept, the most wonderful thing in the world would be to wake up there, with him still in his arms, those incredible amber eyes staring up at him childishly, a small smile on perfect lips, a strand of stray hair gently laying across the bridge of his nose...

Crimson eyes opened slightly, this breathtaking image replaced with the one before him- the mage bathed in dried blood and tears, breath uneven... his hand tightened around the teen's as he almost angrily glanced away, frowning.
"...you must be pretty dissipointed in me, Master Kuja." He muttered, almost as if the pale, slender, feminine man were standing there beside him. "...not only did I fail my mission, failed to return to you, failed you... I find myself here..." His eyes slid back to previous position, not being able to take themselves from Vivi's face. "...feeling things you've only described I would feel, towords someone... other than you." Lips almost curled into a smile as he spoke these words, an unfamiliar pressure beginning to gather in his lungs.
"...this feeling you once called... love... such care for another being..." He shook his head, almost smiling a bit, the pressure slowly creeping up his throat, crawling over the back of his head, clawing it's way into his mind... he almost laughed- but he didn't. It was something diffrent, captured emotion he had not yet experinced, not once in his life, this pressure proving to be overwhelming.

Black Waltz Three was crying.

"Why did it have to be him... of all people, why did it have to be him." He shut his red hot eyes tightly, almost yelling, his wings snapping forward angrily, lashing out. "I hate it! Not being able to do a thing about it! I hate him! I hate you! Why did you do this to me! I hate you! I hate..." He trialed off, his free hand coming to rest over his eyes, a smiling, confusedly bitter sob escaping his strangled voice.

Even though he sat there crying, the voice within him finally escaped, the consious he knew had caused all this madness broke free of binding hold, and spoke soflty...

"...I ... I love you."

Silent tears rolled from unstained cheeks as he said this, dropping to painted black skin, to honey amber eyes that diveted the trail. Wide open, topaz eyes. The mage's delicate lips parted finally, making some form of comprehensible speech.

"...Three...?"

The Waltz almost jumped, his face darting back to the form in his lap, lemon eyes inquisitve and bright, a child's first look into a coy pond. Lithe hand detached itself from thin tunic, rasing slightly to gently brush away tears, a childish smile spreading across his lips. Three blinked, all anger, all confusion and admiration dissipating, only able to stare at Vivi as numb tounge seperated syllables.

"...you really are... beautiful, when you smile, Vivi..."

It was simply more a truthful statement than anything else to Three- but to Vivi, it made all the diffrence in Gaia. The mage bit his lip to keep from showing any emotion rather than the gentle smile over his lips- waking up in this embrace, having been cared for, watched, all day, the safety of strong arms emcircleing him, the warmth of sacrificed jacket over his shoulders, the security knowing Three cared for him. This was all he needed.

He spoke, his words so soft one could barely hear them. "...you're beautiful too, you know."

With that, free hand slid into the stone grey tresses, faded emotoion met pitch black light, and guided lips finally met. An embrace, to balance the tides between them, so that niether was more beautiful than the other. They were equal in thier own right, surrounded by the remians of their journey here, to the single most important event in either of thier lives. They held each other so tightly, no one could tear them apart... and they needed that closeness.

Beautiful. A kiss for the lovely.

Through the fallen rocks and shattered barriers stood intertwined oak and cherry, forever watching one another as the rain slowed, then dissipeared completely. It had scared away the fireflies and demons that forever haunted the two souls, and left each clothed in a thick halo cast dancing tones of crimson and sahppire, amber and grey, from the moons above, coated in heaven's starry embrace.

†