Author's Note: Well, I have written anything in awhile. Actually, it's been years since I wrote anything Final Fantasy X related. Apparently watching a Disney Parks' Secrets Marathon on Planet Green gets me in the mood to start writing Jecht. haha.
Anyway, so I'm a total sucker for father/son bonding fics. Total sucker. And so, I've been throwing around a few ideas for a bunch of one-shots. And that's what I intend for this to be, a bunch of unrelated one-shots...well, I guess they're related through the theme of father/son.
I hope they're enjoyable. :)
Disclaimer: I do not own anything Final Fantasy X related, only the plot of this fanfiction.
"So it's any day now, I would assume," the gruff voice sharing the bar with the "great and magnificent" Jecht commented. "You gotta nervous. I mean, a kid's not really as sturdy as a blitzball."
"Huh?" Jecht, in his usual drunk stupor, missed most of his drinking buddy's ramblings, but he knew it probably had to do with the – quote, unquote – "little bundle of joy" that was on the way. "Oh, yeah, that runt should be gettin' here any day now. I wish it would hurry the hell up though. Blitzball league finals are startin' up this week, and I can't be worrin' about when it's gonna get here."
"Right, right," his companion sipped from his hard liquor beverage. "I sure hope for your sake it doesn't decide to show up during the championship game. It would be shame if you had to bow out."
Jecht slammed his glass furiously upon the wooden bar, glaring at his drinking partner. "Who the hell said I'd bow out, if my wife started havin' the kid!"
"There's been talk that you've been goin' soft ever since you found out you were gonna be a father. But, you know, I didn't believe 'em for one second," he took another swig of his drink and smirked. "The Great Jecht doesn't leave his team hangin', no matter the circumstance."
"Damn straight," Jecht replied satisfied, taking one final gulp from his glass before checking the time. "I gotta run. I promised my lady I wouldn't stay out all night tonight. She says she gets lonely or something. I told her to talk to the kid, but she said it wasn't the same. She's so damn needy at times."
"Well, good luck to ya," his buddy raised his glass up to toast his friend. "I hope all goes well. I'll see ya at the game tomorrow."
Jecht nodded, running his hand through his shaggy hair before allowing his hand to rest at his neck. He turned around and began his departure from the bar.
"See ya," he half-waved his unoccupied hand.
Three days later, just as everyone would have expected, the Abes from A-East were in the final match up against the Duggles from C-South. The Abes' star, Jecht, was primed and ready for the match up; already very much aware of the Abes' were coming into the match undefeated and the favorite to win. He originally had smirked when he'd read the tournament bracket, knowing that their victory was guaranteed with him on the scene.
Standing the locker room as his teammates filed out into the stadium, Jecht remained for a moment longer to collect himself before making his grand appearance. He took a deep breath, turned to the well-polished line of lockers and smirked at his reflection.
"Time to give 'em what they want," he said as he placed his hand on his neck while cocking his head.
"Can you give me what I want for a moment first?" A gentle, yet high pitched voice floated into the locker prior the form of a very pregnant woman.
"It depends," Jecht cocked his head back and forth twice as he turned his attention to his wife. "What exactly do ya want? It better not be to tell me that you just found out we're havin' a crybaby for a kid? 'Cause, you know, I was damn serious when I said I won't stand for any excess crying crap."
She laughed quietly, absentmindedly rubbing her hand against her stomache.
"No," she shook her head. "I wasn't going to say that."
She strolled further into the locker room, a smile playing on her lips. "I was just going to say, good luck. And that we're—" she motioned to her stomache. "—cheering for you." She kissed him tenderly on the cheek.
He wrapped his arm around her as he leaned down to press his lips forcefully upon hers. She pressed her lips back, proving she accepted his affection, while she reached her hands up to run her fingers through his wild mane.
He abruptly pulled away, leaving her slightly surprised, but it was something she was used to with him.
"Welp, I better go," he said as he picked up a stray blitzball lying on the floor. "But keep those thoughts in mind. We have to get in as much of that kinda stuff as we can before the tike gets here and starts ruining for us."
With a quick, seductive wink towards his wife, he took his leave.
The Abes were down by two at the half – nothing the Great Jecht couldn't fix though.
In one five minute half left on the horizon, Jecht was sure he could bring his team back up to the top and bring the cup back to where it always belonged. Nothing could get in the way of their victory – well, in terms of the other team. Personal matters, on the other hand, they could easily get in the way of the Abes' victory.
"Umm—" Jecht's attention was swiftly stolen by the team's water boy, standing breathless in the threshold of the Abes' locker room. "Mr. Jecht, sir, - umm."
"Dammit, just say it!" Jecht demanded, his confidence was a bit shaken by the boy's haphazard appearance.
"Your wife – she's – uh –" he wiped a hand over his forehead, knowing Jecht wasn't going to be too pleased with his message. "She's – umm – in labor."
"Dammit," Jecht swore under his breath.
He ran a hand through his hair, muss it up further.
"Well," he addressed the water boy. "Tell her to hold on 'til I win the cup, and then I'll be there as soon as I can."
The boy nodded and rushed from the room to deliver the message.
The Abes remained silent as they watched their captain. They knew he was loyal to their team to a fault, but potentially giving up the chance to witness the birth of his child and ignoring his wife in her time of need was showing how deep his loyalty ran.
"You sure 'bout this, Jecht?" The Abes' right forward spoke up. "I mean, we can take by ourselves. They're really not that good of a team. Your wife needs ya more than us."
He waved off his comment, "She knew this might happen. Plus, I'd be damned if I didn't win this one for the fans. They came here to see the best and that happens to be me. I gotta give 'em what they came for. Other things can wait 'til later."
"But—"
Jecht blew out an angry breath. "If it's bothering you that badly, once we're ahead, I'll head over to the hospital. That better?"
"I guess it will have to do…"
Four minutes and twenty-nine seconds later, the Abes had finally grasped a hold of the lead, and just as Jecht promised, he left the match to be with his wife.
She winced out a smile when he walked through the door of her maternity suite, her hand firmly pressed upon her bulging stomache. The pain of labor was easy to read in her eyes, although she held up a calmed façade.
"How did it go? I was getting nervous towards the end of the first half," she rubbed her hand against her stomache as another contraction hit her. She took a deep breath and held it until the episode passed prior to completing her thought. "I think all the excitement was getting to this little one too."
"Well, we were winning when I left," he hit the on button of the sphere screen jutting out from the wall. "Let's see if—"
His wife gasped as another contraction took a hold of her. Half of Jecht was urging him to listen to the screen, but the other – more logical, compassionate – half demanded he comfort his wife in her time of need.
He flicked off the screen and grasped his wife's hand, allowing her to squeeze it tightly until the contraction concluded. She fell back into her pillow with a sigh of relief, smiling slightly as she looked at her husband – knowing this was quite a step for him.
It would be another seven hours, twelve minutes and twenty-seven seconds, before Jecht and his wife were formally introduced to their son.
The game was long, but a new game was just beginning once the official arrival of their eight pound and ounce bundle came into the picture. It was a loud, near-deafening arrival, but an important, life-changing arrival nonetheless.
Once the infant was soothed into a calm slumber, the new mother and father sat enthralled by the sight of their child – unable to move their eyes away.
"Damn," Jecht was the first to speak after a long while. "Kid's got a set of lungs on him. Didn't think it was possible for someone to break the sound barrier, but apparently it's possible."
"I'm sure he'll calm down once we get him home," she said as she softly placed a kiss upon her son's head. "What do you want to name him?"
"I thought we decided on Jecht Jr.?" Jecht scratched the back of his neck. "Didn't know that wasn't official. Why, what did you have in mind?"
"I was thinking Tidus." She kindly brushed her hand over her son's head, smiling tenderly.
"Tye-dus? Like a tidal wave or something?" Jecht stopped scratching his neck to instead cock his head a few times. "Yeah, that sounds alright."
"No, it's Tee-dus. It means 'sun'." She smiled wider. "It was my father's name."
"Well, if you're willing to give him the middle name Jecht, then I'm all for it." He leaned backward, watching his wife and child. "Tee-dus…yeah, I could get used to that. If nothing else, it sounds like a good blitzer name."
"Tidus it is then." She cuddled her son closer. "Hello, Tidus. I'm your mommy and that's your daddy." The infant squirmed in her arms, opening his eyes somewhat as he raised his tiny fist to rub it against his cheek.
She turned her attention for the first time since his birth from her son to her husband. "Would you like to hold him?"
A strange feeling came over Jecht, but even so, he found himself being handed the baby. He listened intently as his wife instructed him to support his head and bottom, performing the motions just as she specified.
It wasn't long before the day's events caught up with his wife and she fell into a peaceful sleep, leaving him alone with their newborn.
"Hey there, kiddo," he laughed at how ridiculous he must look sitting there talking to a baby as he would respond. "It's good to meet you. Been waitin' quite awhile for this. I'm kinda glad it's finally here. Though, you know, you could have come earlier. You almost made us lose the championship."
A small, faint smile appeared on the infant's lips as he slept in his father's arms.
"Oh," he let out a gruff laugh. "You're apparently proud of that! Well, that's not how to be a team player. When you're on a team, you play to win. You can't be gettin' distracted with other things, 'cause once you do, that's when you lose."
Jecht stopped himself there. Here he was, with his newborn son, already giving him a lecture. It was in that moment that it hit him – this was his son. He was responsible for raising him. He was responsible for what he became in the future. He was responsible for protecting him any dangers.
Jecht's look softened as he stroked his son's head.
Although he wanted to flip off whoever said he had gone soft since learning he was to become a father, it was true. He was now – officially – a responsible adult with the job of raising a child along with his wife. It was time to get serious, whether he wanted to or not.
Jecht smiled, placing his hand tenderly on the top of his sleeping son's head.
"It's nice to finally meet you, Tidus."
Author's Note: Welp, this was the first trial run with most of these characters - mostly Jecht. He's the character I'm most worried about not doing justice to. Tidus' mother has always bothered me, so I don't particularly care if I dishonor her...just kidding. But she really does annoy me to some extent.
Anyway, I hope this was enjoyable! Thank you for reading. :)