Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Zidane's Tail ❯ Chapter 1

I don't own anyone…They only live under my bed. Please Read and Review! Love to you all, Darth Mer-Mer.

Zidane's Tail…

Dagger couldn't stop staring…it was just too obvious. She had finally figured out why everywhere they went Zidane drew women to him like flies to honey. His tail…that silly little addition to his body. That was all it took to entrance women, even she wasn't immune to its draw. Her thoughts were slowly being invaded night and day by that stupid, silly tail. If anything she would have thought that her fantasies would stray to another member, but it was always that tail that prevailed at the last moment. And the worst part was that he knew it…he had to know. The way he flaunted the damned thing, well it was just plain lewd. It was like a prostitute sashaying her hips…all he had to do was swish the damn furry thing and boom! Women swooning like he was god's gift to Gaia. And the tail was taunting her. As he cooked dinner over the fire, it swished back and forth like a pendulum. Trying to trick her into grabbing it. Silently whispering that a little slap and tickle wouldn't be so wrong. Something as soft as it was meant to be stroked and petted by a pretty girl's hands. It was tempting her. Touch it…swish, swish, swish, it's so soft…wag, wag, wag. Back and forth, back and forth. All it is, is an innocent little tail. Short white fur shining in the light of the moon, she knew it was being evil. She knew it and it was slowly driving her insane.

Vivi had the good sense to scoot further away from the perturbed princess, when he saw her fiddling with her sharp and shiny namesake. What on Gaia had made her so upset? She had been acting strange for the past few days. Vivi sensed that her bad mood was a result of something Zidane had done, but what? His attention was drawn away as Zidane announced that dinner was ready. He stood up and waited for Zidane to pass him is food.

Grinning, Zidane rose with two bowls of stew. Dagger stayed where she was, but sheathed her knife and looked down as Zidane and his damnable tail passed her. It was fine, everything was cool…she took a deep breath. She'd have her dinner and then she'd feel better. A full stomach was better to think…on…

As he passed by her, Zidane's tail managed to sneak under her chin and slid across her jaw and neck. It was not as soft as it looked, it was softer…like short strands of silk, but warm with life and mischief. He had to have done it on purpose…the damn thing lingered as he passed and just when she thought that the final inch of that warm fur was past, the tip brushed up against her jaw and flicked the sensitive place behind her ear, mussing her hair.

Anger gave way to embarrassment then to anger again as he sat down beside her, close enough that his bare arm brushed her shoulder as he passed her her share of the stew. Dagger grasped the rim of her bowl tight enough to crack it. She had to keep her cool. She wouldn't let this thief get the better of her. Damn, damn, tail…behind her, it was doing a silent samba, every few beats it brushed against her shoulder blades. She had a very strong mental images of biting it…clamping her teeth down and feeling the tempter snap…then licking it so it wouldn't hurt…

"Hey, Dagger, are you okay?" And suddenly Zidane's clear eyes were staring into her own, gold hair slipping down to slightly cover one of them. "Your face is all flushed, do you have a fever?" Without warning, he ducked his forehead against hers one gloved hand behind her head to keep her from pulling away. She blushed and was thankful that he had closed his eyes and that his tail was now far out of touching range. As if it had heard her thoughts the tail wrapped protectively around her lower back, its tip moving in a slow comforting circle as if to say, see, no innuendoes here, just an innocent tail. He sighed as he pulled away, then grinned. "Nope, no hotter than you usually are." He winked and went back to his dinner, starting a conversation with Vivi.

Dagger was blushing so hard by this time that she didn't even notice that as he turned, his tail fell across her thighs. As Zidane laughed at a particularly witty snatch of conversation with Vivi, the tail wiggled the slightest bit. It was enough to draw her attention down to her lap. Flames leapt to Dagger's eyes as the conniving furry trouser snake tried its best to look innocent and sweet. It twitched again, as if settling into a comfortable nook. The end curled around her knee and brushed the back of her calf. It would have been a lie to say that it felt bad…but it was unnerving, as if it had it's own mind and was a separate being from Zidane. There was a weight to it, but not an unpleasant one, and the warmth of something alive. Almost unaware of herself, she raised her spoon from her bowl, ready to strike the offending member. Her personal bubble was being invaded and all hell would pay if it kept this up much longer. As if on cue, the tail squeezed. Dagger plunged the spoon down with deadly accuracy and hit nothing but her thigh. As the tail darted out of the way, it managed to flick under one breast. She gasped in pain and Zidane spun around, concern plastered all over his face. "Dagger, what happened?!"

He looked puzzled as she dropped her spoon to grasp her wounded thigh… "Nugh-nothing…my hand slipped…that's all." She hissed though clenched teeth. The pain radiating up her leg was excruciating.

"Well, slipping hands aren't always bad…" He chuckled, tail swishing behind him, daunting her. "Of course, that does look like it hurts…Let me get you to the tent."

She started to protest but was silenced when he scooped her up. She pouted and glared over his shoulder at the offensive tail that had caused this. But at least the owner of it was doting her on. "Dagger?" His voice rumbled against her chest.

She blushed again. "Yes, Zidane?" The tail could tease her all it wanted it he'd tote her around like this more often. She snuggled deeper into his arms.

"Have you gained weight?" He hefted her in his arms, trying to get a better grip and in the process the tail wrapped around her butt to carry part of the weight. The tail liked that, Dagger did not. She left a confused Zidane behind as she limped the rest of the way to the tent, fuming.

That night, Dagger feigned sleep when her comrades entered the tent for the night. After a quick discussion, Vivi offered to take the first watch in place of the sleeping Dagger. Zidane agreed and after carefully placing his weapons next to Dagger's, he settled into his sleeping mat. Within a few minutes his breathing fell into a steady rhythm signaling sleep.

Dagger groaned and rolled over, her leg aching from lying on it. Stupid, stupid tail…It wasn't fair. It was being more affectionate to her than Zidane was. But it was making her so mad that she was blowing any chance of getting closer to him. Maybe that's what was making her so upset. When the tail was teasing her, it wasn't like it was Zidane. She didn't mind it as much when Zidane brushed her hand or shoulder or back or even when he teased her. She liked all of that. But the tail was something separate. Tears fell unbidden down her cheeks; she swiped at them angrily. She wanted Zidane to like her…not just his silly tail. A cold fist got a little tighter around her heart. What if he didn't like her at all and was only taking care of her because she was a princess? What if he was like all the idiotic suitors that came to the castle to ask for her hand only for personal gain? But he didn't even like her as much as the suitors had, she supposed. That hurt even worse…she wanted desperately for him to love and accept her for who she had become and not for what she was. Dagger squeezed her eyes shut to make the tears stop. To her surprise she felt something soft and warm brush against her cheeks. The tail was quietly soaking up the tears as its owner continued to sleep. It seemed hesitant this time, almost penitent as if it knew it had hurt her feelings. Dagger sniffed as the tail brushed her bangs off her forehead. Sobbing silently she reached out…

Zidane woke from the strangest dream he had had in a long time. He was in Alexandria but Vivi and the other children were playing jump rope with his tail. No matter how hard he tried they wouldn't let go. All they did was chant "Garnet Til-ah, dressed in yellah, flew downstairs to beat her fella." He yawned and whipped the sleep out of his eyes. As he stretched he found that his tail was still restricted. Looking over his shoulder, sweeping his hair out his eyes, he was met with a strange sight.

Lying in her sleep palette, a peaceful look on her sleeping face, was Dagger, hair mussed and tear tracks on her cheeks. The tears bothered him a little bit. Maybe it was just a bad dream, he hoped so at least. He didn't ever want to hurt her. But to his surprise his tail was firmly clasped in her small hands, clutched flush with her body. He'd have been lying to say that it felt bad, but it usually took a lot for him to notice what his tail was doing or what was being done to it. Still he didn't have any objections to Dagger groping it like that. Grinning, he lay back down and yanked his tail, slipping part of it away from the sleeping princess. She whimpered and pulled what was in her left hand closer to her body. Two more tugs and his tail was free of her warm hands. Whimpering, she reached out, still asleep but still sensing the loss. Zidane eased in next to her and hugged her tightly. She sighed and after a good deal of comfort snuggling, fell back into deeper sleep. Zidane smiled tenderly, stroking her hair. He watched amused as his tail drifted back towards the girl on its own accord. "You know, you get me into a lot of trouble tail, but sometimes you do okay…" He grinned and let himself fall asleep holding someone he truly loved.