It's much easier to be motivated with reviews 3. Thankfully the end of school is approaching and I'm starting to care less about homework and find work of my own to do… namely fan fiction. :D So hopefully I'll be more frequent in my posts and I'll get rolling on that SquallxVincent. (For some reason I enjoy the fandoms that rarely see the light of day. I dunno why. They're VERY enjoyable to read and especially to write.) Anyway… onwards.

Zidane's POV

"C'mon!" I called back to Blank who was sauntering along behind me in a drowsy fashion. He wasn't tired at all, I knew he wasn't. He was being stubborn.

Of course he said he would go and apologize to Ruby and enjoy the play, but he didn't mean it. He only said to please me. I'm not complaining though. If Blank would go against his will and feelings just to make me happy… well that's nothing to sneer at.

"I'm comin'…" He shuffled slower. I giggled and stopped my pace to wait for him. He slowed further.

"Now you're not even trying!" I laughed and rushed to his side. He pretended to go limp as I seized his arm and I nearly toppled attempting to hold him up. I shoved him off and he fell to the ground with a thud.

He sat up to look at me in shock.

"That wasn't nice!" He exclaimed. I shrugged, giving my best apathetic lopsided-smirk. He got up quickly and frightened me into a sprint. We played in this manner all the way to Ruby's club down a cellar staircase in an alley.

Blank snatched up my hand as we walked in and held it tight. I could still see he was untrusting and a bit anxious. I trusted Ruby though and hoped he wouldn't do anything rash to "protect us".

"Hey y'all!!" Ruby waved us over from beside the stage. I gripped Blank's hand tight and pulled him along with me as I rushed towards her.

"Hiya Ruby," I smiled at her. She looked kind of uneasy for a moment, glancing at our hands, but then she recovered to her normal sweet southern self. I wasn't sure what the glance was about but I ignored it and nudged Blank with an elbow.

He coughed to the side and hesitated.

"Um," He began, "I'm sorry about earlier today. I was rude." It sounded as sincere as he could manage.

"S'alright hun!" She shoved Blank in the shoulder and rolled her eyes, "Aren't you two darlin'!" She chuckled. Then she peered around and jumped as she spotted something, "Well thanks for comin', there's two seats reserved right up front." She gestured to the small circular table beside her near the stage.

"Thanks," I said while taking a seat and finally releasing Blank's hand. We only separated for a moment though before he took my hand back in his as I attempted to rest it upon the table. I blushed and looked up to Ruby.

"The play will start in a minute. Can I get you boys somethin' to drink?" She put a hand to her hip and cocked her pelvis to the side in a relaxed stance. Blank shook his head at her and I asked for water. "Jus' water?"

"Yeah, I don't think I want anything strong for a while." I admitted. I actually hadn't gotten drunk since that night I decided it was a good idea to kiss Blank while inundated in liquor.

"Alrighty hun; comin' up!" She swaggered away and on up to the bar. As soon as she left Blank allowed his head to hit the table and sighed. I gave him an odd look but he couldn't see it and I didn't annunciate anything.

I gripped his hand in return to his hold which he'd kept up for a while now and he looked up with just his eyes barely visible between the wooden surface of the table and his leather bandana.

"You alright?" I asked finally. He let his head roll to the side and rest on his outstretched arm. He nodded from there and I let a giggle escape. "You're acting funny."

"I really don't wanna be here." He groaned and pretended to wince as if the mere mention of the fact hurt him.

"Go home then." I shrugged.

"Huh?"

"You already apologized to Ruby. If you really don't want to see her play that badly then just go." I didn't say it harshly, I merely stated it.

"I don't want to leave you here." Blank shook his head as he sat up straight. I glanced around. There were a few other parties gathered at their tables. I didn't recognize them and they didn't look to be meddlesome or any members of Tantalus I could identify.

"I'll be fine." I lazed back into my seat and stretched. Blank grimaced as he looked around and sighed heavily again before flopping his upper body back out on the table.

"I'll stay." He grumbled.

"You're too worried about me." I smiled to the side. He rolled his eyes and couldn't hide his smile either.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's just get on with it." He sat up as Ruby came back around with a tray of drinks.

"I got you some water too, Blank. Justin' case." She said as she set down the drinks one at a time in front of us. Blank didn't say anything about it. Probably on my behalf. I thanked Ruby. "It's nothin' hun!" She ruffled my hair.

I pouted at the childish play but wouldn't allow Blank any leverage.

The lights suddenly dimmed and the stage brightened solitarily.

"Oh, oh! It's startin'!" Ruby fled our table and ran back to the bar. I turned in my seat and my tail twitched as the curtain opened. Blank tried to look as interested as he could with his head resting on the side of his wrist.

A familiar man walked out on stage. I think his name was Lowell. He flipped his hair in an arrogant flaunt of his status. He began to narrate and I was suddenly aware of all the women in the room fawning over him.

I stared at the man and wondered if I should see something attractive about him. Yet I didn't. I looked over to Blank who was rolling his eyes. I smiled. Maybe my preferences aren't secluded to the sexes but to an individual…

The play went on and progressively got better as the narration appeared less. A knight in shining armor rescuing the fair distressing damsel. Cliché, but well performed.

Or so I thought.

Blank must have found it boring as all get out. When the actors took their bow and the curtain fell I turned to see him snoring on the table. I quickly woke him with blush on my cheeks as I glanced around to see if anyone noticed my inattentive boyfriend.

"Wh-what?" He snapped upwards and looked around, lost.

"It's over, Blank." I said, "Let's tell Ruby how great it was and leave." I helped his dazed body to its feet. He stretched and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Zi." He shook his head, "I didn't mean to abandon you for that hour or so."

"It's alright. Thanks for coming anyway." I smiled.

Ruby found us as we were leaving. She gave Blank and I each a hug and a kiss farewell. She looked upset.

"Are you alright?" Blank asked.

"I s'pose." She gave an awkwardly fake smile, "Good luck to you boys." She patted my shoulder.

"Okay… you too?" I replied, unsure of what she meant. Blank took my arm and pulled me out of there with an untrusting glare at Ruby. I allowed it for a while but then my arm started to hurt as he seemed hurried.

"Blank!" I shouted and wrenched my arm from his grasp. He stopped his pace and told me he was sorry.

"I'm worried." He admitted.

"About what?" I furrowed my brow.

"Ruby's actions. She was a bit off. Ruby's never fake so it's easy to tell when she is." Blank said and took my hand, starting to pull me through the streets.

"But nothing happened to us at the play." I protested, "I dunno what's gotten into Ruby but it doesn't have anything to do with Tantalus."

Blank continued dragging me through alleys and roads until we reached our little home squished between two other abodes in the corner of the city. I was curious at his haste but allowed him to hurry on if he wished.

We stopped at the door and Blank released my hand.

I gasped.

The right window was completely shattered.

"Stay here." He said.

"N-no! What if someone's still-"

"That's why you stay here!" He whispered harshly. I could see immediately he wouldn't allow me to go with him.

I backed away and nodded.

Blank slowly opened the door and crept inside. He disappeared into the darkness of the house and I waited outside patiently. I stared as far as I could into the little home but couldn't see anything. I looked where the light of the moon shown on the floorboards and saw a few feathers and scratches in the wood.

"Blank?" I called. I saw a candle light on the floor and I rushed inside. Blank continued to light the candles we used around the house and steadily the destruction was revealed.

The pillows were ripped to shreds and feathers were everywhere. The table was smashed into pieces and the legs were scattered out back having been tossed through the windows. The ladder was crushed, the hammock was torched, the floors were ripped through and dug up.

I stood in disbelief.

"They… they wouldn't! It… It had to have been robbers! Or… or…" I shook my head and tried not to cry. "They wouldn't! Ruby! She…"

"Zi…" Blank walked over to me and shook his head, "It's alright."

"Of course it is…" I hung my head and gritted my teeth as the tears forced their way through. "We're just fine…" Blank's arms wrapped around me. My shoulders shook and I clung to him as I kept crying. "I'm so stupid… You were right…"

"There's nothin' wrong with assumin' the best in people. They wronged you. Don't beat yourself up for trustin' them." He ran his fingers through my hair soothingly. I tried to sigh but a hiccup escaped instead. Blank kissed my forehead.

"What are we going to do now?" I asked.

"Escape," Blank said, "He can't follow us forever."