Title: Thank you
Summary: Tidus is about to leave Spira and doesn't know if he'll be able to come back. But when Rikku's strange behaviour comes up he starts to understand what he's doing.
Pairing: Tidus and Rikku
Rated: T
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy X

Chapter 1

Tidus looked at all his friends. Yuna was crying against Lulu's shoulder, Wakka looked simply wordless, Kimahri patted Yuna on her back, Auron and Rikku looked down thoughtful.

It had felt terrible to tell them that he was leaving Spira and trying to get back to Zanarkand. …And that he was going to do it alone. Yuna had at once wanted to go with him, but he didn't give up on refusing - this trip was far too dangerous for his friends.

Tidus sighed and looked at Yuna. He had told her that she would be in his mind every single day, and she should had known that without being told too, so why couldn't she just stop crying? Lulu and Wakka knew that they had almost become like parents to him. Kimahri knew that he would never forget him. Auron knew he would miss him very much. Rikku knew-

Tidus eyes fell on Rikku. She didn't cry, in fact she didn't look sad at all – just stood there and…smiled at him. He raised his eyebrows, hesitated, and then started to walk towards her.

"So you decided to come and bid farewell?" She asked with her cheerful voice, although Tidus could sense some sadness when she spoke. Tidus slightly began to understand what Rikku was saying.

"Don't say 'farewell'... It would mean we'd never see each other again…"

The bare thought hurt inside him as if someone had stabbed a knife in his chest. Although it might sound harsh to say so, he thought he could stand living apart from Yuna – but Rikku… Well, he had known her for a much longer time and they had become very close friends, which he and Yuna never really were – they had just felt attracted towards one another.

Rikku turned now completely towards him and became serious, something you didn't see every day.

"Isn't that what you're going to do – leave us all behind without really knowing what'll happen to yourself? Just look at poor Yunie… I doubt you even know what kind of pain you're causing her."

Tidus sighed.

"I wish I could say for sure that I'm coming back, but…"

Now it was Rikku's turn to sigh.

"It's all right, you don't have to explain it to me - I… I understand."

And of course Tidus knew that. At the very moment when she said it and looked at him with her spiral green eyes he knew that there was no one else who could have understood him better.

"Well, how about you? All the others have said – or showed – their opinion, but you…" He couldn't find the words.

"We all have to make our big decisions someday. …And accordingly it also means that we have to say goodbye someday."

Tidus was a bit confused hearing what Rikku just had said but he realized that she knew exactly how he felt at the moment. He didn't quite know what there had happened in Rikku's past, but seemingly she had gone through something similar. Maybe it was because she understood that Zanarkand was his home – and after losing her own she knew how important it was. Maybe – or something else he couldn't just yet put his finger on.

Memories of their mutual moments started to rise in Tidus. Had he even ever remembered to thank Rikku for saving his life not just once, but several times? Had he supported her like she supported him? Tidus couldn't understand how blind he had been. Rikku was always there for him and what did he do in return? Turn his back to her and leave her behind just like all the others? That wasn't being a friend. That was being a coward.

Before he could handle his emotions, his eyes started to feel watery. Of course Rikku noticed this. She always noticed such things about other people.

"Hey, what's wrong? Did I say something bad?"

Tidus was a whole mess inside. If he only could have said it straight out – she was the problem. It was first until now he had realized what Rikku meant to him. He loved her.

TO BE CONTINUED…

So what did you think? It's the first story I've ever published xd, but I've written lots of stories and fanfiction on paper... Please review, response is very important for me :) I don't know how many chapters there'll be, but I'm working on it...

Next chapter maybe next week? I'll try my best...

~Rayne