Been playing X-2 lately and I have a lot of ideas for little moments for Tidus and Yuna after the end. Not enough to make a fully fledged story but I decided I'd do a few random drabbles of their life together. This will be updated as ideas come to me. Some may have a tiny storyline but most will be stand alone review and let me know if you enjoy.
TidusxYuna Fluff ahead!
You know, you've changed!
Well you've missed a few things!
I wanna hear everything!
Well, it all began when I found this sphere of you.
Yuna wasn't able to elaborate much further before they reached the beach and the crowd that had gathered there mobbed them with cheers, greetings, and laughter. The Aurochs were the first to approach, Datto and Letty slapping Tidus cheerfully on the back while Keepa snuck up behind and hugged him so tightly that he was lifted into the air. Wakka was howling with laughter as he stole Tidus from Keepa's deadly embrace and rubbed his knuckles against his old friend's feathery, blond head.
"Where you been hidin', eh?" Wakka teased raising his fists to block the playful punches Tidus threw at him.
"I haven't been hiding!" Tidus retorted. "Just giving you time to up your blitzball game so I wouldn't utterly humiliate you next time we played!"
"What was that?" Wakka snorted, heavy brows furrowing. "I'll take you anytime, blondie!"
"Wakka, the poor boy quite literally just came back. Perhaps it would be wise to let him rest a bit before you both run yourselves ragged?" The suggestion came from Lulu, who had approached the rowdy group cautiously, still cradling Vidina in her arms.
"Lulu!" Tidus exclaimed, grinning at the former Black Mage as she joined the crowd. "Woah—Is that—"
"My son!" Wakka boasted, sticking his chest out proudly.
"Your—"Tidus' blue eyes widened, flickering back and forth between the baby in Lulu's arms and Wakka's beaming face. "Wow….That's…Great!"
Yuna sighed in relief, grateful that Tidus possessed enough tact to avoid offending either of his old friends by pointing out the implausibility of their relationship.
"Tidus!" The circumvented confrontation was interrupted as a tiny, blonde rocket came dashing across the sand, barreling into Tidus at top speed nearly knocking him off of his feet.
"Rikku?" Removing her arms from around his neck to get a better look at his assailant, his eyes widened when he took in her current choice of attire. "Wow. You look…different."
"Thanks!" Rikku squeaked, missing the tone in his voice. "You look exactly the same!"
"Er, yeah. Thanks," he shrugged, rubbing the back of his head uneasily. His eyes flickered to the tall, silver haired woman who had followed Rikku onto the beach and now studied him with an intense, ruby-red stare.
"Paine," she said simply in response to the questioning expression on his face.
"She's a member of the Gullwings, too," Rikku added only succeeding in adding to Tidus confusion.
"What's a Gullwing?"
"Oh geez," Rikku groaned shrugging her shoulders. "This is gonna take forever to explain everything."
She took an enormous breath, preparing to rattle off their adventures of the last few months, when Paine slapped a gloved hand over her mouth and said, "Maybe we'd better let him get settled before you make him regret coming back at all."
Rikku's face fell as she pouted behind Paine's hand, but she relented nonetheless. Wakka beamed and raised his arms to gather the attention of the crowd, "We'll have a feast, ya! Tonight we celebrate the homecoming of four of Spira's heroes!"
He gestured to YRP, fresh off their defeat of Vegnagun and Tidus who stood with a goofy grin lighting up his face. A few of the villagers broke from the group and began to head back to town murmuring excitedly about preparing for the celebration. Tidus and the girls prepared to follow, when Wakka grabbed him by the collar and dragged him backwards towards the Aurochs.
"H-hey! Wakka!"
"C'moooon," Wakka drawled. "We got a few hours before everything's ready. Whaddya say to a quick game? Or five?"
Tidus' grimace turned into a grin as he twisted out of Wakka's iron grasp. "I've never turned down a blitz game before!"
Rikku shrugged, shaking her head disparagingly as the group of men began to roughhouse like little boys. "First five minutes back and he's already playing blitzball. Why did I let myself expect anything else?"
Yuna giggled, watching the scene unfold before her. It was as if he had never been gone. Two years had passed and yet he fell in with the villagers as easily as he had the first time he had appeared on Besaid. Yuna could not remember the last time she had felt so content; but she was ecstatic that the feeling was back.
"Come on," Rikku said, tugging on her cousin's wrist. "Let's go help Lulu get ready for the party!"
For a moment Yuna hesitated, briefly concerned that if she let him out of her sight, he would be gone when she returned. Quickly, she shook off the anxiety and allowed Rikku to pull her across the beach and into the woods, Paine trailing behind them leisurely.
A few hours of preparation left the village sparkling with lights, bonfires, and the warm smell of roasting meat. Yuna stood by the entrance gates, peering anxiously into the gathering dusk as she waited for the blitzers to return from the beach. Lulu appeared behind her quite suddenly, making her jump when her low voice broke the silence.
"Are you alright?"
"Huh?! Oh, yes I'm fine," Yuna replied, doing her best to smile convincingly. Lulu gave her a dubious look, her ruby red eyes flickering in the firelight.
"Yuna."
Yuna sighed, dropping her façade and turning to face the former black mage; the woman whom had been practically an older sister to her for nearly twelve years.
"I can't help like feeling I'm in a dream," Yuna admitted, instantly regretting the choice of words as they came out of her mouth. Lulu cocked an eyebrow and adjusted Vidina on her shoulder silently.
"Bahamut's faith appeared to me in the Farplane," she explained. "He asked me if I would like to walk with him again. A favor as thanks for putting Shuyin to rest. But what does that mean? Will he stay this time? Is he real? What if he disappears again?"
Lulu's face took on a thoughtful expression, "I can't give you the answers you want…"
Yuna's shoulders slumped, she hadn't necessarily expected Lulu to assuage her fears, but the older woman's concession was nonetheless disheartening.
"But," she continued, eyebrows arching as she did. "Here is what I would say. The answers you seek will require investigating and they may bring up some unwanted circumstances. For now, enjoy the fact that he is here and assume that he will stay for quite some time. If the fayth made you a promise, then it can be trusted. I have never known them to be deceitful creatures."
Yuna nodded, feeling a bit more hopeful after hearing Lulu's even-tempered advice. The Black Mage smiled cheekily at her, "Besides, you may feel better after you get a moment to spend some time with him. Wakka snatched him up faster than a Divebeak in a Goojee fruit grove."
Yuna laughed, recalling just how fond Wakka had always been of the blonde guardian. A rustling in the bushes made the two women turn and they saw the group of dirty, tired Aurochs stomping through the underbrush, shoving each other and laughing rowdily as they approached. Wakka's eyes lit up as he saw the two standing by the gate and he rushed forward followed eagerly by Tidus.
"Hey, Lu. Is the party—"
"Stop right there," Lulu said, raising a pale hand, bringing the two men to an abrupt stop before they could attempt to embrace the two. "You two smell worse than a flan fiend. Wash up before the party or you'll I'll be forced to douse you myself."
Wakka groaned loudly, "Ah, Lu…C'mon."
Lulu ignored him and turned her attention to Tidus who seemed to take Lulu's threat a bit more seriously, "You may use the washroom in our cabin first. Yuna, care to show him the way?"
"He knows the way," Wakka blurted, mussing Tidus' hair, completely oblivious to Lulu's attempt to give them time alone.
"Nonetheless." Lulu said darkly, giving Wakka a look he couldn't miss. "Off you go, you two."
Tidus nodded, taking Yuna's hand as they headed back into the village.
"Ey!" Wakka shouted after them. "I'm givin' you ten minutes before I come in to clean up too! So no funny business you two!"
This drew a couple of snickers from the gathered Aurochs.
"You're one to talk Wakka," Tidus shot back, gesturing to the baby resting in Lulu's arm. The big man rubbed the back of his orange head, chuckling embarrassedly. Tidus grinned and tightened his grip on Yuna's hand, "C'mon."
Yuna lit the little cabin's lanterns while Tidus scrubbed his face and chest with the lavender, scented water Lulu kept in their hideaway bathroom. She sat on the bed situated in the corner, posture erect and tense as she waited for him to finish. After a few moments he appeared in the doorway, rubbing his hair with a fluffy white towel. He had left his shirt behind, allowing Yuna a shameless view of his sculpted chest. She found herself flushing embarrassedly as she looked, but did not turn away. The moonlight that leaked through the main entrance cast silver highlights in his golden hair, making him appear as if he were an apparition. A heavy feeling filled her stomach as she considered how ethereal he looked, as if he could fade into the moonbeams at any moment. She stood up as he drew closer a brilliant smile lighting up his face when he threw the towel aside. He opened his arms to her, but stopped when he saw her expression.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
"Can I just—"She didn't finish, but instead took another hesitant step forward, arms outstretched. "Hold still for a moment…please."
He did as she asked, letting his arms fall and she brushed her fingers lightly over his chest and arms. He felt real enough, his skin was warm and his muscles solid. She looked up to meet his ocean blue gaze and saw life dancing within them. He reached up and gently took her hands in his own, smiling softly at her, "I'm real. I'm here."
She wanted to ask him how he knew, but decided to eschew her anxieties for the moment and instead enjoy the warmth of his hands; the warmth that she had yearned for for two years.
"It's great to see you like this," he said, a small chuckle escaping his lips.
"Like what?" she asked, suddenly feeling very aware of the parts of her current outfit that revealed more of her than he had ever seen before.
"Like…"he paused for a moment, his brows furrowing as he searched for the right words. "Free. I remember telling you to just be yourself so many times on the pilgrimage. It's good to see this side of you."
"Well," she said smiling. "You'll be seeing plenty more of me from now on mister."
"Ohh," he suggested, arching an eyebrow at her as his eyes flickered to the V-shaped slit on her shirt.
"Ah—I—No—I meant…Well, maybe..But—"
Tidus laughed boisterously, leaning forward to peck her lightly on the nose, "Nope. Still the same Yuna."
The sensation lingered on the tip of her nose and she felt her heart began to flutter as their eyes met once more. She remembered the same feeling from the night they had spent in Macalania Woods; he had looked at her the same way then as well.
The amusement began to drain from his face and his eyes searched hers, replaced by a soft adoration. He lifted a hand and cupped her cheek, drawing his thumb along her jaw. She closed her eyes, leaning into his touch, smiling lightly as he pulled her against him. The next thing she felt were his lips against hers, the familiar taste sending her heart into a tailspin. His kiss was soft, tentative, and wary as if he were afraid she would reject his affection. Absolute joy soared within her as she became enveloped in his embrace. The man she thought she would never see again, the man who had stolen her heart from the very beginning was here again, filling the emptiness that had existed within her for two long years.
Eager to return his fondness, she snaked her arms around his neck, tangling her fingers in his shaggy blonde hair and tugging lightly on the ends.
She felt him smile against her lips and pulled away to look him in the eye, slightly offended by his obvious amusement, "What?"
"Nothing! I'm sorry," he ducked his head ashamed, looking up with a sheepish look on his face. "I was just reminded that you've changed a bit."
She pursed her lips, not quite sure whether she should be insulted by his comment. His blue eyes widened as he caught the look on her face, "Hey, didn't I say I like this side of you?"
He took her chin in his hand, his crooked smile making his eyes crinkle, "Definitely something I could get used to."
He kissed her again, this time with a bit more vigor, mouth moving freely against her own. His arms tightened around waist, pulling her even closer. She kept her hands tangled in his hair, moving them once to stroke his face, surprised by the light layer of stubble she felt against his usually smooth cheeks. Tidus eventually broke the kiss, moving back only far enough to rest his forehead against her own.
"Maybe we should get back to that party before Wakka comes in and ruins the moment."
Yuna nodded, although she didn't want to. She wanted to be here, with him, just holding him again and feeling the solidity of his body against her own. But she knew he was right. Besides, perhaps Lulu was right, perhaps their story was just beginning.
"I know it'll be hard to keep your hands off me for more than five minutes Yuna," he teased, poking her in the side playfully as he turned towards the door. "But you'll have to be strong, ok?"
She laughed and hurried to catch up with him, lacing her fingers through his own and smiling up at him.
No, this wasn't a dream. Her prayers had been answered and this was only the beginning.