It was a dark night; all of Besaid Village had retired to their homes, snuggled safely in beds on the warm island. The stars shone brightly, dotted over a midnight sky, illuminating the humble villagers and their huts until everything appeared to be a mystical dream.

Only one person sat outside underneath the picturesque scene, yet a sad aura suffocated her as the gentle warm breeze played with her braids. She wore black, as if trying to blend in to become invisible, yet the fur on her dress around her shoulders and chest was a glistening bright white which seemed to match the soft sand of the beach. She was sat on a wooden log from a tree that the elderly villagers often used for seating during gatherings. The woman gently played with one of her four braided pieces of long onyx hair, her fingers gently rubbing the tight bumps woven together, as she thought deeply. About what? Even she was struggling to understand.

She heard footsteps and turned to glare upon her intruder, yet finding only Wakka walking in her direction. His expression showed concern; his brown eyes filled with sadness as he walked slowly, cautiously, towards her.

"Lu? What are you doing up?" He came to an abrupt stop beside the log, not daring to sit down until he was given permission. But he received none.

"Thinking. You don't need to check on me; I'm not a child, Wakka", her icy tone was enough to freeze Bikanel Island solid.

"I know, Lu, but you worry me sometimes. Sitting here by yourself, being down when all of Spira's celebrating."

Lulu sighed sadly, yet it was also a resigning sigh. "Just because the eternal calm has swallowed Spira, does not mean all our troubles are gone." She looked up at Wakka, but regretted it instantly; he was looking away at the floor to his left, eyes filled with more sorrow, arms hung by his sides. Lulu didn't know what she was doing; she shook her head gently, banishing her negative attitude. "Wakka, sit down."

It was an inviting order, so he accepted, sitting not too close but not too far away from Lulu. He gave her a sideways glance; she sat proudly, yet she seemed to huddle herself together – trying to keep everything inside, not willing to share it with the world.

"I'm sorry, Wakka. It's just..." Tears began to well in her eyes, so she turned her head sharply to the right. She didn't want Wakka to see this ultimate sign of sorrow; she was the strong one, the stoic one, the one who was the pillar of strength for everyone else. Yet, Lulu was accustomed to the pain, and she wondered why it hurt more now, though she had a good idea – she was just afraid to think it let alone speak it. "Chappu...he...he fought for an eternal calm," she whispered, blinking the tears away furiously. "Yet we finally beat Sin and brought this calm. If he had just waited a little longer...he would be here."

"Lu..." Wakka faltered; what could he say? Lulu was right. If Chappu refused to fight Sin with Machina weapons, they would have travelled Yuna's pilgrimage together, and then he would have married Lulu. He shook his head. "Chappu...fought for what he believed in; what else could we ask of him? I've been thinkin'; I'm not angry he joined the Crusaders now, because I know he did what he wanted. That's not to say I'm not sad about what happened, but I'm proud he wanted to help Spira."

Lulu shook her head slowly, blinking away fresh tears. "But if he...loved me, he would have stayed..." She gave a short bitter laugh, her heart filled with an incomprehensible anger. "Perhaps he did not love me after all."

"Lu!" Wakka stared at her, shocked, his eyes wide. "You were Chappu's world! Every time we played Blitz together, he would talk about you non-stop. Sometimes it drove me insane with jealousy," he grimaced. "But I knew how much he loved you when he talked about you."

There was a moment's silence in which Wakka and Lulu sat contemplating what had been said. Wakka tried to control his natural impulse to cuddle and soothe her in this time of need, instead diverting his attention to the sky. Lulu was trying to convince herself that what Chappu did was right; he had fought for a brighter Spira, and she should be proud of him and treasure his memory, for it was all she had left of him. Lulu also thought about what Wakka had admitted: it made him insane with jealousy...Surely that didn't mean...?

Wakka sighed, closing his eyes. He breathed in the night sky deeply; it seemed cold, hard, unforgiving, distant, something which he hated ever since Chappu left. It had been a night like this on which his little brother had announced he was to join the Crusaders. Everyone else had drifted away to sleep, but Chappu was leaving the next day and had put back telling Wakka all week, so he did on that icy night. At first, Wakka felt angry, sad, hurt; all the emotions he dreaded surrounded him at once. He had always protected Chappu since their parents died, but now he was old enough to make his own decisions, and Wakka had to respect it (no matter how much torment it caused within him). He had done the only thing he could do; he prayed for Chappu's safe return...but he realised on his travels that no matter how much he had prayed, Chappu wouldn't have come back. Lulu was her usual quiet self when Chappu left, but some days she walked slowly to the beach only to wait until the sun began to set, till which she sauntered away back to the village. Wakka had stood, waiting for her, at the entrance, demanding to know where she had been all day because Yuna had been asking for her. But Lulu just walked away without a word.

The day Wakka had been informed of his little brother's death was the worst; his first thought was how to tell Lulu. But he didn't say anything; she took one look into his sad, weary eyes and whispered, "He's dead, isn't he?" Wakka had nodded, tears rising in his own eyes and they had cuddled together, crying, until Yuna had come back from the temple. Then they all sobbed together until they fell asleep, comforted by another's presence. It was one of the few times that Wakka had seen Lulu drop her defences and become vulnerable; it was an eerie feeling, as if they too became vulnerable due to Lulu's vulnerability.

Perhaps it was past the time for mourning; a time to move on, to be happy for the eternal calm had just begun. Wakka continued to gaze up at the velvet darkness, at the delicate dots of light that drifted lazily overhead. The weather was warm, even during the night, but Lulu shook as she calmed herself from sobbing.

"Lu." Wakka's voice was a gentle whisper, but contained a hint of cautious anxiety. "I think Chappu would want us to be happy...and, well, we can be happy together, ya?" Lulu looked into his light brown eyes; usually playful, they now seemed serious and determined. Her expression must have been confused, annoyed or surprised because Wakka turned a dark crimson (that was illuminated by the dying fire). "I mean...what I meant was that...we'll always be on Besaid, so..." He gave up and merely shrugged in a resigning way before falling silent.

Lulu smiled for the first time that night, and stared upwards. "Make a wish, Wakka," she murmured gently.

"Wha?"

"Look," she nodded. A star was shooting overhead, leaving a glittering trail that vanished as quickly as it had formed. It raced above them, lighting the sky magnificently before disappearing beyond the trees.

"What is there to wish for? Sin is gone", Wakka muttered. "Wait, I know! I wish...I wish you were happy, Lu."

This statement took Lulu by surprise; she held his soft gaze, his eager shining eyes, and smiled again. "Then stay with me forever, Wakka." She took a deep breath, ignored Wakka's nervous shuffling, and explained. "Ever since Chappu died, I've always relied on you to be there, but I never wanted you to take Chappu's place. I saw you as an entirely different person and distanced the idea of you being Chappu's brother, to make things easier."

"To make what easier, Lu?"

Lulu grimaced slightly from embarrassment. "Loving you. I never wanted to let Chappu's memory go, but I have to if I want a future. I want you to be in my future."

Wakka returned Lulu's soft gaze, smiling (and blushing) slightly. "I will be", he whispered, and edged anxiously along the wooden log towards her. He slid an arm around her waist and held her hands in his free one, as she laid her head gently on his tanned shoulder.

"But...it still hurts a little", Lulu murmured, closing her eyes. "Am I...betraying him?" Wakka knew his opinion would be biased, but Lulu answered herself before he could. "No; he is gone. He would want us to be happy."

Together they cuddled into the night, talking in hushed whispers and gazing dreamily into the sky; both blissful at their new-found happiness.