A/N: This was written for the lovely Dawn of Chaos as an trade.

By My Side

As long as Tidus can remember, Auron was by his side. Through good and bad, the man in red was nearby and there to either chastise him or, on a rare occasion, cheer him up. The blond took those times whenever he could get them, because anyone who knows his guardian also knows Auron isn't one to say comforting words. He'd rather scold someone over something miniscule than say words of reassurance.

Yet Tidus wouldn't change him for the world. After Jecht mysteriously vanished all those years ago, Auron was the one constant in his life and someone he could always rely on to tell him how it is. Even if the words he spoke would hurt the younger boy, Auron always spoke the truth and never sugarcoated anything.

Some nights, Tidus remained the happy go lucky kid everyone knows him for. However, on other nights, away from those who look up to him, Tidus would curl in a ball and stare at the walls. The stress of people wanting him to be the star blitzball player Jecht was, at times, became too overwhelming. These nights, Auron would walk in the room and, without saying a word, sit next to him.

Silence would ensue between them. After a few moments, Auron would place a hand on Tidus' shoulder and make the boy look at him. "You don't have to live up to Jecht's legacy," is all his guardian would say before getting up and leaving the room.

Such a small phrase, yet it helps every time the older man says it. Tidus would smile to himself before getting up and going in the common area. Auron would be sitting on the couch, seemingly uninterested in what was going on outside. But he'd turn and give the blond a small smile before going back to looking out the window.

After Zanarkand was destroyed and Tidus found himself alone in some frigid area, his mind wanders. Auron seemed to know what was happening even though everyone else was screaming and running for their lives. The man appeared to be talking to whatever the hell that monster was before they were zapped to this place.

For the first time in years, the blond is without anyone by his side, and this thought terrifies him. He doesn't know how to fight well, and already he was nearly killed by some giant fish… thing. He's in a place where his breath forms ice as it leaves his lips and his skin rises with goosebumps as the cold air hits it. "Am I… going to die here?" Tidus thinks aloud as he tries to find something to make a fire with.

It takes a bit of time, but he manages to gather the materials to make one, and it warms his frigid skin as soon as he sits in front of it. Rubbing his forearms, Tidus thinks not for the first time what happened to Auron whenever they were sent to this new world, and hopes he's okay. What am I thinking, of course he's okay! Auron's the strongest guy I know.

The warmth of the fire makes Tidus' body and mind weary. He yawns as he curls in himself and closes his eyes. Just gonna sleep for a few minutes…

As if to make him even more tired, his mind supplies happier moments of his and Auron's time in Zanarkand, and it makes a smile curl his lip as he drifts off.

It's as if his entire world is flipped on its axis. In this world, which Tidus learns is called "Spira", Zanarkand was a place… once. It was destroyed over a thousand years ago according to the Al Bhed.

How… how the heck am I here if my world was destroyed so long ago? "Ahhh, this makes no sense!" The blond kicks the boat and leans against the cold steel, sighing in frustration. If… if Auron was here, he'd make sense of everything. He knows everything, or so it seems.

Tidus misses his guardian more than he'd admit to anyone. Ever since Rikku "rescued" him (if being knocked out then dragged to her ship is anyone's definition of rescued), Tidus' mind would drift to the man in red. How was he now? Did he find himself in a better position than Tidus was in? Hopefully, because one thing the blond knows is the older man can't swim to save his life.

The thought makes a small chuckle float off his lips. "We'll see each other again someday… until then, wait for me, okay? I'll find you, or you'll find me. How much do you wanna bet you'll find me, Auron?"

Everything goes to hell after the blitzball tournament. Monsters appear from seemingly nowhere. Tidus and Wakka fight their share, and when they reach the surface… Tidus can hardly believe his eyes. Standing there, regal as ever, was his guardian.

"A… Auron!" he yells. The man turns his head and it's small, but Tidus can see the fraction of a smile on Auron's face. "C'mon Wakka!"

"Yeah yeah, I'm comin'!" Wakka exclaims, and the duo fight alongside one Yuna describes as a legend. The monsters fall in no time at all.

After it's over, Tidus can't help himself; he launches at the man in red and clings to him for dear life. A small huff is all the blond gets as an answer, yet a hand goes through his blond tresses as sobs are pulled from his lips. It's a miniscule thing, yet it means the world to him.

"You shouldn't be crying in front of everyone," Auron says after a few minutes pass. Tidus blinks and turns, seeing his newfound companions look at him; most with shock, but a small smile adorns Yuna's features. "Compose yourself and let's move."

"Y-Yeah, sure!" Tidus is quick to dry his eyes and gives his friends a sheepish smile. "Let's go guys."

Before they can leave, Auron pulls him aside and gives him news Tidus still can't believe… his father is Sin. How in the world can a human become such a monstrosity? It's the first thing Tidus yells at his guardian, but Auron, ever vigil, says he'll figure it out in time.

And he does. Operation Mi'hen.

When Sin appears and kills nearly every single person who participated in the operation, Auron tells him it's Jecht's way of wanting Tidus to put an end to him. The blond still can't comprehend the fact his father caused so much death and destruction, despite them never getting along back then.

With a heavy heart, Tidus marches onwards, but nothing could have prepared him for the battles ahead.

They face many trials and overcome each one of them. When they reach Yunalesca and learn the truth about the final summoning, Yuna decides she doesn't want to sacrifice her companions to become the next Sin. Before they fight, the woman bestows an image to the group.

It consists of a younger Auron, storming towards her with anger written plain on his features. Yunalesca blasts magic at him as if she's swatting away an annoying bug and he falls to his knees. Tidus' eyes widen as he watches, yet when it's over, he clenches his fist, bares his teeth, and readies his battle stance.

He won't let any of them become the next Sin, like his father did.

The battle is long and tedious, but Yuna and her guardians emerge victorious. Yunalesca screams they've lost the chance to defeat the monstrosity Sin is, yet Yuna says she's wrong; they'll find a new way to defeat Sin, once and for all. The woman calls her foolish, then disappears in a burst of pyreflies.

As they leave the area, Tidus stops dead in his tracks and looks at the barren wasteland of his old home… but it isn't his home at all, is it? The Zanarkand he remembers was a dream conjured up by the fayth. He himself is nothing but a dream. Sighing, Tidus rubs his temples and wonders not for the first time what'll happen when everything is over.

Feeling a presense behind him, the blond turns, seeing his guardian standing ever vigil behind him. Tidus blinks harshly, feeling moisture behind his eyes, as words he doesn't want to ask but has to fall from his lips.

"You're… you're unsent, aren't you?"

"Mm," is all Tidus gets an answer.

"Why… why didn't you tell me? I could have-"

"You couldn't have done anything."

The words are sharp and dig hard in Tidus' skin. A shaken sigh floats off his lips as he walks towards the one who was his only companion for so many years. Staring straight in dark eyes, Tidus grips Auron's coat and presses their lips together.

There's no response. It doesn't deter the blond; he wants, no, needs to show the man in red how much he means to him. The fact he's a dream and Auron unsent means nothing to him.

After a minute, Tidus pulls away, but what he doesn't expect to see is the slight smile on the older man's lips. He blinks a few times. Am I seeing things?

"Our relationship is a hopeless one. You know that, don't you?"

"...It doesn't matter. I want to stay with you for as long as I can." Tidus grips on his mentor's coat harder and tilts his head back so their eyes are level.

"Hm." Auron shakes his head. "You're still a child in so many ways."

"Hey!"

Tidus tips his head when he feels Auron's form shake under his hands. His eyes widen when he realizes the man who he never saw laugh ever is chuckling quietly. He opens his mouth to say something, but it's covered by the older's hand, and a blush paints itself over his cheeks.

"Let's go. Yuna and the others are waiting for us."

Fin.