His heart was pure, I could tell. He spoke with earnest. His intentions just. He wanted to save everyone. He tried so hard. He wanted to save her.

I approached him in no haste. He lay there on his side, body curled. I wish I could say it was accidental, or I didn't know why I had been so rough on him this time, but I knew. I was irritated. He defended her so much. I thought I'd teach him a lesson, but each time I cast in her direction, he'd run to take the hit and she'd cast a barrier on them both.

It was two against one, so I hit back even harder.

I felt smug, victorious as I approached. The princess lay helpless on the ground, the black mage and the rat in two other heaps. Zidane was unable to help them because he could barely help himself. His hand moved with effort to his pocket, feeling for something, moving to his small bag blindly trying to open it. The struggle seemed too great and a woeful sound escaped him as he gave up again.

I nudged him with the toe of my boot. He didn't react, so I nudged him onto his back. He looked up at me with an expression of agony. He coughed, rolling back to his side and curled up, body trembling after a splatter of blood hit the ground.

Oh, I had hurt him bad. I knelt beside him, my arms moved in a graceful arc above my head, swooping back down to press a powerful healing spell into him. The energy I channeled was immense; I gasped afterward and fell sideways. A gasp escaped him as well as he was rejuvenated.

He barely came to and he reached for me before I cast a weak sleep on him. I panicked.

I moved beside him, scooping him up with a bit of effort and started carrying him to my dragon where he'd landed. I stopped and glanced back at his companions. I sighed because I knew I couldn't leave them like this.

With assistance from my dragon, I managed to get both of us on his back. From there I cast another healing, directed at his companions this time as dust picked up due to the flapping of the great wings which would carry us to my desert palace.

Inside my palace I mended him further and removed his armor and most of his clothing, leaving him in the under layers he wore, bathing him gently with a warm cloth, wiping the blood from his face, trying to undo the damage I'd done.

Covered in the soft linens of my bed where I'd lain him, I allowed him to rest all that he needed. I watched him for a time, but I did have things to do.

I couldn't take my mind off of him, however. Why did I beat him so hard? Was I unable to control myself in the throes of jealousy? Did I feel guilt?

I went about my most necessary and pressing business, but I had to check on him soon. I remained with him now, seated on the chaise in the room, wearing a soft night gown that served only the purpose of decency in this moment, as I slept without nightclothes, usually.

The night deepened and I dozed off where I sat, waiting. I woke with a start as he stumbled out of bed, the sound of a candelabra clattering on the floor.

I stood but only in time to be shoved back onto the chaise. "Where are they?" He demanded immediately, of course. He dominated me in that moment; it hadn't occurred to me that he'd be irate when he'd awoken. "S-safe, I presume." I replied, unable to gather my composure. He was sitting on me with a hand pressed to my neck, gripping my throat.

"Where?!" he demanded again. "I don't know. I left them where we fought. I healed them." The problem was that I suddenly didn't want him to hate me. His grip loosened, I wished there was more light in the room because I couldn't see his face. "You healed them?" he repeated, "Why?"

"For you." I answered, now feeling that he'd stop this madness, I placed my hands on his bare thighs, sliding upward slowly. "Really?" he asked, and I hummed in agreement in response, one of my hands going right to his groin. He sighed when I touched him.

"You should be in bed…" I murmured, moving to try to stand up but he pushed me back again, and I nearly moaned in response. I was reaching to grab him but he was already moving, he moved me, and put himself between my parted legs. I pulled him close and he pressed closer.

He kissed me with the same hunger we shared on that rainy night in Burmecia, and I devoured it. I moaned into our kiss, our bodies pressing together with need, his hardness evident as he rocked his body against mine. Mine was as well as I rocked back against him.

I pulled at the fabric that covered him, and he took the cue to remove mine. My legs moved to let him slide the material off, stripping me bare and I lie in an exposed and vulnerable position as he held my legs up, sliding his hand from my bottom and up my thigh to my calf and back down.

My face felt hot, but I enjoyed his touches. He released my legs and traced his way to the stiffened organ between my legs, barely hesitating before his fingers wrapped around it, stroking firmly a few times. I felt my body tremble at his touches; reaching for him again I pulled him close, kissing deeply before I felt fingers trace further back, followed by the contact of his warm, wet tip pressing against me.

I whispered to him to get the oil from my vanity, one of the ones I used to care for my skin. He pulled back and looked at me with a curious expression, but I saw him realize it within a moment. I couldn't help but to laugh at his reaction.

Unsure of why I was surprised as he sheepishly laughed too, I let go of him so he could do as I asked. I stood and removed my open robe, leaving it behind and went to the bed. He caught me as I climbed on, pushing me back and moving atop me. We fell right back into it, kissing, touching, grabbing at each other and pulling each other close.

He soon took the vial from where he left it on the table next to the bed, and I felt the slick liquid against my skin soon enough. He leaned back in; littering my neck with kisses and marks from sucking on it here and there as his fingers slid into me slightly. I felt like I couldn't stop making noise, gasping and moaning, especially when his fingers were replaced by his firm length which was much bigger than his fingers.

Once he'd pressed into me like that I lost all composure. My body trembled as he started to move, hips moving a bit slowly at first, finding a niche before rolling smoothly, pressing into me over and over.

I could hear myself moaning, asking for more, deeper, harder. He gave me everything I asked for, changing his position, changing his pace. He gripped my thighs and hips so firmly as he was upright above me. But when I wanted it deeper and harder, he leaned down and snaked his arms around my body, holding me tight to himself as he found the depth and angle that eventually made me tremble with orgasm, my release shooting out between us, erratically spurting as it twitched and he kept thrusting.

Soon I was whining his name at the torturously pleasurable overstimulation, right until after he spilled inside me, stopping buried deep and groaned as he released into me. Then I could relax, panting, feeling my body tensing, and reacting to the sensation of the warmth inside of me. He moaned softly and whispered how good it felt to him.

We were horizontal on the bed the whole time, but when he pulled out, he let his body flop the other way, head at the pillows again and I moved to lie beside him. He took a moment to gather himself it seemed but he picked up something to wipe off my stomach and his, before lying beside me again and pulling me close.

It felt so odd. I felt so comfortable. It was like a bubble formed around us and the rest of the world and our differences didn't exist.

We lie awake for a little while after that. His fingers traced over my body again, touching my thighs, my hip and waist. Eventually his actions came to a stop, his hand rest on my bottom after pulling my leg across himself. I lay facing toward him, my arm across his torso.

In the morning I felt taken aback. I'd been so careless. What if he'd try something? I'd allowed myself to be too vulnerable. I cast magic to bind him in place, then moved onto him, to straddle him.

Oh his sweet face, I leaned in to kiss it, then his neck. The kissing turned into biting, rather sensual biting that made him moan out, much to my pleasure. "Mn..Kuja..?" he asked as he woke. "I can't..move.." he murmured before another sigh of pleasure.

"Not so much as a thank you, hm?" I asked, lifting my head and leaned over to look down at him. His mouth opened to speak but closed, he seemed confused. "You would have died had I not cared for you." I snapped, impatient. "What did you do? Tried to attack me instead didn't you?" I reminded him. "Where did you think you were?" Actually, the more I spoke, the more annoyed I became.

I picked up the vial of oil and poured some liquid onto my hand, using it to stroke over his length which was surprisingly erect. "But… you also almost killed me.." I wondered if he wasn't all that intelligent. I gave him a firm squeeze with the next stroke before letting go of him.

I moved up slightly so I could now sit on him, rubbing his tip against myself teasingly. His hips strained to lift but it was hard for him without the ability to move his arms and legs. "What did you say?" I asked, teasing more by sliding the length between the cheeks of my ass, using my hand to support and press it there.

"Thanks?" he asked almost immediately. I responded by taking the tip and pressing it in just slightly. But I let it slip back out to tease him more. "You don't sound appreciative." I teased his wet tip with my fingers behind my back, rubbing my thumb over it. He shivered and his body tensed in reaction.

"Thank you for saving me." He knew after all. I smiled and moved to sink myself onto him again, fully and without further hesitation. He gasped softly. "You're welcome." I whispered, not moving yet. I leaned down to kiss his lips, hungry for his mouth as usual.

I could feel his hips try to pulse beneath me, in response my body tensed against him. "Mm.. you're so into this.." I teased, starting to rock just so slightly to give him stimulation. "Does your princess take care of you like this?" I asked as my hips moved more, intentionally starting to roll them in a particularly sensual way.

I was definitely putting on a show, and he liked it, from what I could tell. The way his eyes focused on my body as I moved, the expressions that came over his face. It didn't take very long for him to orgasm like this.

I kept it up as he came just to get myself off, leaning over him now and wishing I didn't spite myself by restricting his movement, but I was able to find release soon and panted, collapsing atop of him. He was panting softly as well, and I released him from his binds by casting a dispelling magic and his arms went around me immediately.

By now we were both a mess but I just laid atop him comfortably.

Could I keep him?