Yami's koi: hello! Welcome to my first (edited) Final Fantasy X fan fiction! Just to avoid any confusion yaoi means male x male relationships, so if you don't like that sort of thing, then I suggest you turn back, now. Otherwise, please continue. Thank you for showing an interest in my fic, please R&R at the end! Please enjoy my story! (Thank you especially to ThePirateJilt who helped me out with this originally. Your comments were very useful.)
Understandably, there was a great deal of restlessness aboard Cid's airship that evening. Faint movements, accompanied by the graceful hum of the ship's engines, constantly and effectively drowned out what would have been a tense and thoughtful silence.
One of the people, who had all gotten to know each other so well in such a short space of time, could die – In fact, all of them could die. This had been a possibility even from the very beginning of Yuna's Pilgrimage, yet now death seemed inescapable. If so much as one of them faltered… Then that one person could have doomed them all, leaving the rest of the group facing the bleak battle ahead, wondering who succumb next to death.
Tidus considered this within the four walls of his shared bedroom, well aware that he had been the most subdued that evening out of everybody. Everyone had been locked within the walls of their minds, not noticing how the rest were coping. He had spoke little, and done even less all night, brooding over the many scenarios he could face when against Sin.
He listened to the sounds around him for a moment. He could hear the low murmur of voices; the rustling of bed sheets; a muffled sob; and even perhaps the song of the Fayth. The lilting, serene hymn stirred within Tidus a series of memories, including that of the time when he and the group found themselves beneath the Lake in Macalania. His father had listened to the song, too, ad then, as it faded out, they were transported to Bikanel Island. It had been from this memory that he had suggested the hymn could be a method of aid when facing Sin.
But looking back, was it wrong of him to propose this, giving the identity of Sin? Tidus found himself with little time to muse over this, however, as the bedroom door slid open automatically.
Wakka stared at his silent companion for a long moment. The boy was little short of terrified of the battle ahead, yet also resigned to what the situation was between him and Jecht. This much Wakka could tell with great ease.
He just wished he could comfort the teen with soft kisses and sweet nothings.
"It'll be okay, ya?" Wakka said instead, sitting opposite the precise reason he had been taking so many cold showers recently. "We've been through a lot, but we'll beat Sin. There'll be a new Calm. Promise."
Tidus' head lolled so his eyes could meet with Wakka's. "Let's not talk about it," the Blitz player announced after a thoughtful moment. If this was to be the last time he would laugh, and feel what it is to be human, then he wanted it to be untainted by the fears of what was ahead. His face slowly broke into a smile, his old self returning, and swung his legs over the side of his bed, the body behind shifting so Tidus could sit up.
Knowing Tidus well enough to understand, Wakka simply nodded and grinned, thankful to see the boy's charismatic personality returning, albeit slowly.
"Anyways. I noticed your clothes were dirty earlier," Wakka began, ruffling the blonde's hair affectionately, "I'm gonna wash 'em for you. It'll do you no good walking around looking scruffy, ya?"
Tidus suppressed a blush. If only the older Blitzer meant that he wanted to see the teen completely devoid of all obstructions. If only Wakka would gaze upon Tidus' naked flesh, a raw, hungry burn of desire drinking in the burning skin of the boy's cheeks, just before their bodies became one in the heat of an intense climax.
If only.
After a further moment of wistful fantasising – Something he had been doing a lot of recently – Tidus nodded and stripped himself down to his boxers, turning so his back was facing Wakka. He dared not look into the eyes that were ravishing him hungrily, just in case his own betrayed him. Instead of acting upon any of his wants, Wakka grinned again and went off in the direction of the washrooms.
(At the same time…)
Rin made his way down the stairs inside the airship, slightly irritable. He had just encountered a very uptight customer, demanding that the Al Bhed reduced the prices on some of his wares. After calmly, and politely, informing the man that his items were the cheapest around, the customer began a rant, flying into a rage and holding the man back for an entire hour as he complained loudly.
Rolling his eyes at the memory, Rin shoved his hands into his pockets and felt the amount of Gil in there. He had earned almost a million so far in that past week, a majority of which he was putting aside for the restoration of Home. Taking a crude handful from this and shoving what he had grabbed into a nearby box on the wall, Rin walked away, smiling softly.
After a few more steps, Rin listened carefully, and a slow smirk settled onto his face.
He was being followed.
Quickening his footsteps, Rin's face broke into a bleak grin, welcoming the moment's distraction with open arms. The quiet steps behind him increased in frequency, and the merchant suppressed a giggle, breaking out into a run, pausing only for the sliding doors to open for him.
A moment after his hair whipped around a bend, Rin found himself pressed up against a nearby wall, his neck being assaulted by gentle nips and sucks that were causing the man to moan.
"I've missed you," A husky voice growled from behind, one hand moving from Rin's stomach downwards, pressing against the tell-tale bulge in his pants. He rubbed hard, and Rin gasped and moaned at the shockwaves of sensation his lover was giving him.
And then, the pressure was gone.
"Bedroom. Now." He growled, his tone informing Rin this was one order he could not disobey.
(Wakka…)
Wakka's soft footfall only added to the sounds around him, and the Blitzer took only a moment to listen and, much like Tidus, he took comfort from the knowledge that it was not just he who was anxious.
After ensuring he was not being watched, Wakka took Tidus' clothes to his nose, inhaling deeply. He caught a mild mixture of sweat, musk, and the slightest hint of a Hi-Potion. The mere scent of the healing substance saddened Wakka, and he sighed heavily against the yellow material.
'He gets hurt defendin' what he believes in… Defendin' us, too. Well I'm gonna make sure he's healed good and proper after this. He deserves a lot better than this shit… But he won't get hurt anymore when this is all through.' The Guardian told himself, his footsteps almost drowned out as, he too, hummed the song of the Fayth, the ancient words offering a fake solace to the man's aching heart. Somewhat soothed by something that he knew to be false, Wakka entered the washroom, unfazed by the automatic door after a long moment of thought.
Thankful that he was alone, Wakka began running the hot water needed to wash Tidus' clothes. For a moment his hands took over, his mind elsewhere as they searched through numerous pockets, as he had once done with Chappu's clothing. Only when his hands met with flimsy, glossy paper, did Wakka's mind come back to the present. He pulled out the papers, and released a shocked gasp.
Clearly, the photos on the paper had been taken when Tidus had lived in Zanarkand. The backdrop of the image was a dark grey, an unseen source of light speckling the foreground and subject with paler tones. And there, his body resting against a large black box, was Tidus, wearing nothing but boxers. One leg was swinging free, resting against the side of the box, whilst the other was bent, one of Tidus' arms resting against it casually, the boy's left side being in view to the viewer. Tidus' eyes were half-lidded, mouth curled into a pouty smirk, as if daring Wakka to come closer.
Wakka blushed as his eyes travelled downwards, past the chiselled chest, and settled on the boxers themselves, striving to see what was carefully hidden past the confines of the garment, before forcing himself to look at the curly writing beneath this:
'Tidus of the Zanarkand Abes. Redesigned for Blitzball comfort. From Calvin Kleins.'
Aching to see more, yet berating himself for doing so, Wakka looked at he second cutout, the problem of his blush paling into insignificance when his member stirred to life.
This image showed Tidus with his legs spread, yet with his knees bent so his arms could rest there, much like the first photo. The photo had been angled in such a way that if any closer, the onlooker would have a face-full of Tidus' groin. The small pockets of blackness, caused by the slight dropping of the soft material revealed but a sliver of the teen's thigh, taunting Wakka, his erection throbbing in response. Tidus' well developed pectorals, highlighted further by the tones of the image, screamed for a thorough perusal, but Wakka tore his gaze away, as Tidus himself stood, horrified, but a few metres away.
"Wakka! It's not what it looks like!" Tidus cried urgently, his mind numbing as his cheeks flared red in embarrassment. For a moment he lost himself, and fought for what to say, but then he lunged forwards, hoping to grab the pictures back, but Wakka held them out of his reach.
Needless to say, Wakka's predatory look went unnoticed by the flustered Blitz player.
"Look," Tidus began, a rant of babble following, "I'd just started out in the League, me and Auron didn't have all that much money, so I did it for the extra cash to keep the house, okay? It's not like I wanted to or anything, but I didn't have a choice."
Wakka shook his head. "But the game gives you good money… In the end…" He reasoned, stepping closer.
Thoroughly flustered, Tidus sighed heavily. "Look, just… Keep this between you and me, okay? I don't want word getting--"
Tidus was cut off by the gentle press of Wakka's lips against his own. His own opened slightly in mute surprise, enabling Wakka's velvety tongue to enter, massaging the teen's moist warmth. His arms pulled Tidus closer, causing the younger man to whimper, responding in turn to the kiss. His arms soon came around Wakka's neck, deepening the kiss.
Grinning, Wakka's teeth tugged at Tidus' lower lip. He gasped, groaning as their tongues met again each savouring the exotic flavours of the other, drinking in the taste and feel of the other body pressed against their own.
They kissed like this until the need for air cruelly tore them apart. Wakka brushed his lips against Tidus', the younger of the two relishing the feel of stubble against his face.
Yet from this unexpected revelation, one question remained.
"Why me?" Tidus whispered, almost afraid that if he spoke too loud, this dream would fade, and he'd be left with sticky boxers in his lonely, cold bed, leaving Wakka to ask some very interesting questions in the morning.
The man from Besaid sighed, urging his boyfriend's head to rest on his broad shoulder. "Because seeing these," He gestured to the papers on the floor, forgotten in the heat of the kiss, "Made me realise somethin'. That I don't wanna lose you, and that I wanna be with you."
Tidus smiled when Wakka's hand came down to caress his waist, pressing their hips together with a shaky gasp.
"I think," Wakka murmured into Tidus' ear, "We should go to the bedroom."
Tidus moaned in response.
(About twenty minutes later…)
"Ahh… Fuck… Fuck!… Wakka…" Another moan, thick with lust clawed its way from inside Tidus' chest. The heat radiating from the two could almost be felt through the suddenly all-too thin walls of Auron's room. The rhythm of thuds added to the disquiet around them, and he sighed.
"Sounds as if he's finally growing up," He said gruffly, cutting through the lovemaking sounds from the adjacent room. He suppressed a grin when he heard another long, ragged moan, wishing he didn't find the situation so incredibly funny.
The blonde Al Bhed with him nodded, and curled up beside the swordsman, his head resting against Auron's well-toned abdomen.
"It seems so," Rin commented somewhat sullenly, "But Tidus will be sore in the morning."
Silence. Rin brooded, his heart heavy with worry over the inevitable. His only reprieve from this had been but an hour ago, when Rin had been in a similar situation to Tidus, Auron nipping, kissing and sucking away at Rin's worries until they were all but forgotten in the moment of climax. A further moan seeped through the walls, this time from Wakka, and Rin scowled darkly.
Auron had witnessed the frown. "You're worried." He observed, being blunt as always. His battle-scarred hand moved to stroke Rin's blonde locks.
Usually, Rin adored such times when Auron showed affection, since this wasn't a frequent event, but the worry that had slipped past his mask of nonchalance had developed enough to taint Rin's features. And although Auron made out that he was a heartless bastard at times, he hated to see Rin like this, all the while wondering how a man so different to him had exploited his weak spots and slipped past his defences.
Auron cast his mind back for a moment. Those kind of thoughts insinuated that him being with the Al Bhed was somewhat of an unexpected thing. If only the group he was with had read between the lines a little more!
Surely the goings on in the Thunder Plains Travel Agency had been enough to arise just the slightest suspicion about what had happened ten years ago? Rin had asked about Auron, then approached the man, hurt in his eyes, when he asked quietly:
"Where did you go, Sir Auron? You gave me quite a scare when I found you gone the next morning."
Auron had merely exchanged a look with Rin that had told him to hold his tongue, but the upset and confused Al Bhed continued calmly, waiting until the warrior's head jerked towards the sleeping area of the Agency before falling silent. There they talked, Auron telling Rin everything. How his wound had not been fatal, purely because he had been dead when the gash was made. How he had crawled his way back from Zanarkand until he passed out, waking up to find Rin beside him. How he missed Jecht and Braska, and how much he wished he could have done something to prevent their lives' being given in vain.
Rin had just smiled and nodded sympathetically, and then when it was all done, and Auron had composed himself again, he asked:
"So, why treat me as a one-night-fuck then?"
At this, Auron had coughed, disliking Rin's choice of words. He had cleared his throat and asked, "I did not mean to. I apologise." Before joining his lips with Rin's, and using his weight to push the man onto his back.
Auron was jolted back to the present when Rin shrugged. The Al Bhed dimly hoped that this would be enough to deter the swordsman, not wanting his last moments with Auron to be tainted by the showdown with Sin.
Following the tense silence, Auron shifted, moving his good arm so it pulled Rin closer. "We will not fail." He insisted firmly.
"I'm not worried about that."
"Of course you are. I would be." Auron said quietly, taking note of the Al Bhed's body language. "And you once told me," He continued, very carefully, "You are calm about most things. You're worried for my safety."
"… I know…" Rin confessed at last, admitting defeat to the probing.
Auron softened ever so slightly at the sound of his boyfriend's scared, quiet voice. He reached for the man's hand and kissed it, not quite meeting the blonde's gaze.
"A bit romantic for you," Rin said after a moment, teasing.
Choosing to ignore Rin's mood-breaking, but truthful comment, Auron smirked.
"And there I was ready to offer you a home."
Rin stilled. Did Auron just say what he thought he said? Ignoring totally the crescendo of moans and thuds from next door, Rin sat up, bed sheets barely covering his nakedness. Auron simply looked back at Rin's expression, his own a blank canvas.
"You… What?"
Auron shrugged. "You're always so worried about me. But when this is all over, I won't be Yuna's Guardian anymore… Or anyone else's, for that matter. But I was thinking… That whenever you travel I could accompany you. Just as a precaution. And we could… Share lodgings to make things easier."
As he said this, Rin's face broke out into a grin. Although Auron had put it as if he didn't care less, he could tell how nervous he had been in asking of Rin such a thing.
And what the man was asking was not going to be denied.