Tidus definitely had cold feet.
Maybe it was from the chilly air, or maybe it was the fact that he hadn't practiced for two years. Either way, the star of the Zanarkand Abes felt like he was losing his edge. A few plays against his fellow Aurochs, and he felt like he was back to being at the top. Missing a victory was one thing, but losing against the Besaid Aurochs? Tidus was humiliated, but he didn't let his losses phase him. After all, he knew his number one fan would always be cheering for him.
He was staring at the sunset with a blitzball under his shoe. He kicked the ball upward and bounced it on his knee. He forced the ball high into the air with his head and jumped to kick it. Before his foot could connect with the ball, he heard a call from the distance. Tidus lost his focus and he stumbled when he landed on his feet.
"Yo!" Wakka said to him. "Practice ended like five hours ago, ya? Why you still out here?"
"Why not?" Tidus said.
"Aren't ya tired?" Wakka went to pick up the blizball that fell a few feet away.
"Nah, I gotta be ready for the game tomorrow," Tidus said.
Wakka chuckled. "Bro, you haven't stopped blitzing all week. I think you're more than ready. Star players gotta take a break too, you know."
Tidus looked at the sky where the sun finally sank below the horizon. The last time he'd noticed, the sun was high in the sky, peering down on him with intensity. He let time slip away as he distracted himself by perfecting his skills.
"What else am I gonna do?" Tidus said.
"Go hang out with Yuna."
"Yeah…" Tidus said. "I don't think that's gonna happen tonight."
"I talked to the old folks," Wakka said. "They said they'll let Yuna go with you tomorrow."
Tidus turned to him, his mouth slightly open. "Seriously?! Right on!"
He held his fist in the air, but immediately let it fall to his side. "What's the catch?"
"There's no catch, man," Wakka replied. "I think they feel bad about hoverin' over her, ya?"
"It's been how long and they're just now thinking about that?" Tidus held his hands behind his head.
Wakka shrugged. "What are ya gonna do with them?"
Tidus smiled. He was even more excited about winning this game than before. He thought of Yuna calling his name from the audience and congratulating him afterwards with her affection. It would be the first time in several months she'd get to see him play.
"You should come too, Wakka," Tidus said. "I need your support too."
"I would, but you know Lu," Wakka said. "Don't think she'll let me, ya?"
"Why don't you just ask?"
"Hah, gee I hadn't thought of that." he said, sarcastically.
"Come on, man," Tidus said. "She'll let you go if you say you'd be watching over Yuna."
Wakka thought for a moment. "Alright, I'll ask. But I'm telling ya, she's really gonna fight me on this one."
"Yeah, but you can take her," Tidus said, laughing slightly.
When the two arrived back at the village, Tidus saw Yuna patiently waiting for him at the bonfire. She stood up from the ground and walked over to him.
"You're late," she said, a grin on her face.
"Heh, I know…" Tidus said. "Sorry."
Tidus tried to make it up to her by taking her for a walk in the jungle. Wakka and Lulu told them "no funny business" and they were inclined to agree, though Yuna wasn't sure what Wakka and Lulu were implying when they said that.
"So… what did the oldies have to say?" Tidus asked.
"It wasn't anything I hadn't heard before," Yuna said.
"It must get old real fast, huh?" Tidus said. "Talking to those people about the same thing over and over."
"It would seem so," Yuna held her hands behind her back. "But this is my duty."
"Right,"
Yuna tilted her head up to look at the night sky. The moonlight reflected off her face and the breeze blew through her hair.
"I know I've been away," she said. "More than I wanted to. It is… hard sometimes, and I would rather be spending my time like this. With you."
"Well then maybe we should run away together!" Tidus said. "Run away and never come back!"
Yuna giggled. "That would be nice."
"But…?"
"Well… me being High Summoner and all," Yuna said. "I can't just… run away. These people depend on me. I'm their peace of mind. I'm their comfort."
"I know, I know," Tidus said. "But it's not like you don't have a say in what you can and can't do in your life, Yuna. This is your story, after all."
"It's just not that simple,"
"I know I'll never understand," Tidus said. "But I can tell you want more than this. You deserve it too, after everything you did for Spira."
Yuna looked at the ground. They'd walked far into the jungle and arrived at the top of the cliff overlooking the village.
"It's just that… I can't," Yuna said. "It would be… well…"
"Selfish?" Tidus said.
"Yes,"
"But Yuna," Tidus began. "You have a right to be selfish just for a little bit, right? You've sacrificed a lot for everyone else. Hell, you almost died for them. Why can't they just give you a little bit of freedom to make up for it?"
"It just can't happen…"
"Why not?"
"Because!"
Tidus looked at her. Her eyes were avoiding his, and she sighed after her small outburst. Tidus hated tense moments like this knowing how important the times they were able to talk was to him. He was pushing it, he knew, but he couldn't stand Yuna being repressed anymore. It pained him to see her trapped in these obligations when she was still very young. However, Yuna convinced herself that two adventures, one being her pilgrimage, were enough, and she needed to return to being responsible for these people. She'd already disappointed them enough by escaping without a word with the Gullwings.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I just… it's been a long day today… I didn't mean to…"
"I get it," Tidus said, wrapping his arms around her. "I shouldn't have pushed you like that."
Yuna held him close. She rested her chin on his shoulder.
"Promise me one thing," she said.
"Hm?"
"Even though I'll continue on," she said. "Promise me we'll be able to do this. Always."
"Yeah, definitely."
Yuna pulled away to look into his deep sea blue eyes. She traced the line of his jaw with her fingertips. He ran a hand through her hair. When their lips met, she felt a burning desire deep inside. Something she'd been feverishly wanting to give into for a very long time. Their kiss deepened, and Yuna felt his tongue exploring her mouth. Tidus slid his hands down to her hips, and she gripped the back of his hair. A couple seconds later, Yuna was underneath him with her back against the ground, feeling him grind his hips against hers. Tidus broke their kiss and looked at her with lust in his eyes.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
She nodded eagerly and he smiled as he undressed her.
Wakka was nervous about asking Lulu permission to attend the blitzball game. He knew it was important to support Tidus. Back at his house, he was looking at himself in the vanity, observing his beard which had grown an inch and a half.
"Damn, I really need to shave…" he said.
Lulu stood behind him. She had Vidina on her hip and was humming the Hymn of the Fayth as she lulled him to sleep. Wakka liked when she did. The hymn soothed him and he enjoyed the sound of her humming. Once the baby was put to bed, Wakka searched through his drawers for his straight razor and some cream. With two fingers, he spread the translucent cream over his facial hair. He carefully aligned the blade against his face and felt a sting.
"You shouldn't hold the blade at that angle," Lulu said to him. He turned to her, a small drop of blood appearing from his cut.
"I'm never good at this, ya?" Lulu grabbed a cloth and wet it. She came up to him and wiped the blood.
"Let me do it," she said. "I have a steadier hand anyway."
He sat on the bed and she spread more cream on his face. Wakka draped a small towel on his shoulders to catch the shavings. Lulu took the razor, and she paused as his eyes lowered to her chest.
"Woah… hello…" Her bosom was only a couple inches away from his face. She rolled her eyes and gently lifted his chin up with her hand.
"My eyes are up here." She said. "Tilt your head that way." She glided the blade along his jaw. Wakka didn't have to ask her to do this. She was already aware he wasn't good at it. There were many little things like this that he wasn't good at that she did for him. When she stopped to wipe the blade on the cloth, Wakka took the time to speak.
"You know, Tidus is going to that game tomorrow, ya?" he said. "He said he wasn't as excited about it as before."
"Oh?" Lulu started on the other side. "Isn't Yuna going with him now?"
Wakka couldn't speak so he just said "mhmmm".
"Well, then she can give him the boost he needs," Lulu said. "What does he have to worry about? He's a professional. He's won many games in the past, hasn't he?"
"Well yeah, but I think there's something else going on with him, ya?"
Lulu wrapped the blade in the cloth.
"Like what?"
"Well…" his speech was cut off as Lulu continued running the blade against his face.
"Sorry," she said. "I'm almost done."
Once she finished, she took the towel off his shoulders and wiped off the cream residue. She studied the leftover stubble on his face.
"Much better," she said. "Now, you were saying?"
"I can't tell for sure, but I got a feeling there's something going on with him and Yuna."
"What kind of thing?"
"Can't say," Wakka said. "But they're not the way they used to be."
"Well, of course not," Lulu said. "They've changed in the past three years, haven't they?"
"Yeah but… this kind of change is different," Wakka felt the cut on his jaw.
"Hmm, I think I know what you mean," Lulu said. "But I'm assuming Tidus is just frustrated about Yuna spending so much time with the elders."
"I guess," Wakka said. "Anyway, he asked me if I could go with him too. Said he needed all the support he can get."
Lulu sighed. "I see…"
"Come on, Lu," Wakka pleaded. "I haven't been to a game at all since Vidina was born, ya? Retirement's really starting to get to me."
"You went into retirement when you became a guardian," Lulu said. "Not when we had our son."
"I know but…" Wakka hung his head. "Just this once, I wanna see my team play again. I wanna see how good they been getting, ya? I'll take care of him when I get back. He's still my main priority."
Lulu was sipping the tea she'd made in the small kitchen. She thought about Wakka's request. She promised him that she'd let him go back to his team when Vidina was a bit older, but she didn't actually think it would happen. Taking care of her son by herself seemed difficult, even though she was confident she could do it. Still, there were times she felt like she was suffocating Wakka. It would be this one time, and Lulu would make sure he'd owe her.
"Alright,"
Wakka perked his head up. "Really? You mean it?"
"Sure, you bother me sometimes anyways," she said. "I want to see your happiness in doing something you love, though."
Wakka came up to her and hugged her from behind.
"Thanks, Lu," Wakka said. "But I love my family more than that, ya?"
She rested her head against his chest, smiling at his last sentence.
The first time I came to Luca, I knew we would take home the cup. Now, I was even less sure than when I was practicing. I didn't tell Yuna that night, but I felt this sharp pain in my side, and it was enough to make me consider holding off from playing this time.
Tidus was watching the waves from the boat. The sea breeze was comforting and the smell of the ocean brought back memories. Wakka was standing next to him. Tidus was glad to have both his supporters by his side. He'd hoped their presence would lift his spirits at least a little.
"Are you nervous?" Tidus turned to Yuna. He scoffed.
"Me? Nervous? Yeah, right."
"Sorry, you just looked a little out of it," she told him.
"Nah, I'm just thinking," he said.
"What about?"
"Us." Yuna blushed.
Wakka stretched his arms. "Alright, I better get outta here before it gets weird, ya?" He walked over to the cockpit to talk with his teammates.
Yuna walked over to the edge of the boat. She thought about when she and Tidus first stood together on the deck, and when he grabbed her hand when Sin attacked. It didn't seem like that long ago.
"I'll be waving my hands like this, and that way you'll know it was for you." Yuna said. Tidus laughed softly.
"And I'll do the same," Tidus said. He stretched his torso and his hand went to his side as he winced in pain.
"Are you alright?" Yuna said.
"Yeah…"
"You don't look well…" Yuna said.
"I'm fine, Yuna, really."
She saw that he wasn't looking at her when he said that. He positioned himself to look as if he wasn't feeling his injury. His hand was still gripping his side.
"Are you really okay?" she asked again.
"I'm fine, Yuna!"
She turned her head away from him. "Sorry."
"Don't be, I just feel like everyone's been asking me that and I told them a million times I'm perfectly okay. Everything's perfectly okay."
Tidus felt his confidence restored once they arrived in Luca. Fans gathered around him and Yuna, calling to both of them.
"Lady Yuna!"
"Tidus! You're my hero!"
"We love you!"
Wakka stood in front of the two, clearing a path for the celebrities.
"Alright, back it up people! Give 'em some air!" The Aurochs were behind them, making sure there was no physical contact.
In the locker room, Tidus only had a few minutes to go over the basics with the boys and unwind. He took a sip of his water and exhaled sharply. The nerves were starting to psych him.
Wakka placed a hand on his shoulder. "You okay there, bud?"
"Yeah, just fine," he said. He wished Yuna were there to wish him luck, but she left to find a place for her and Wakka to sit. Tidus held his head in between his legs.
"Hey, you don't gotta worry about winning, right?" Wakka said. "Just stay focused, ya?"
"Right…"
Wakka wasn't convinced. He looked at his friend and noticed he didn't jump up and disagree with him when he said the team didn't have to win. Wakka had never seen Tidus look so unhappy to go out in the sphere pool and play his favorite sport.
"You sure you're okay, man?"
Tidus groaned. "Why does everyone keep bugging me about it? I told you and Yuna I'm fine."
"We're just worried about you, ya?"
"Well don't," Tidus said. "It just stresses me out."
"Alright, then," Wakka said.
The Aurochs were anxious. Whenever their star player wasn't sure of his ability to win, the team shared the same doubts. They'd gotten better thanks to him, but he was still the one to carry the load. Tidus reassured them that they had nothing to fear before they emptied out of the locker room.
"Make me proud out there, ya?" Wakka called after them.
Yuna was sitting in the audience and was overwhelmed by the enormous crowd of cheering people. She folded her hands across her lap and Wakka joined her after a short time.
"Did he say anything?" she asked.
"Not really," Wakka said, sitting down on the bleacher. "But, hey, I think it's just nerves. He'll be alright once he gets his head in the game, ya?"
"I hope so," Yuna said.
Tidus played his heart out. He intercepted, passed, and scored, but he was synchronizing with the opponents. The Ronso Fangs were known for their strength and Tidus found himself being tackled and losing the ball several times. He fumbled the ball and when he tried to score a third time, it hit the edge of the goal. After a few minutes, the score was 2-2. Tidus only had about two minutes left. Suddenly, the wound on his side sent unbearable pain throughout his body. Tidus held it and he was trying to hold himself upwards in the pool. He heard the crowd chanting his name and cheering for the Aurochs. Not even a second later, Tidus was hit in the back of the head with the blitzball.
The crowd gasped. Tidus was floating on his stomach with his arms expanded out. His team surrounded him and the announcer did a "close-up" on the action. Tidus felt loud ringing in his ears and his entire body froze. There was only fifty seconds left in the game. Tidus's eyes shot open and he rushed to retrieve the missed pass. He grabbed the ball and dodged each tackle from the opposite team. He threw the ball with all his might into the Fangs's goal and it went through. The score read 3-2 just as the clock went to 0 for half-time. Everyone in the crowd stood up and waved their hands in the air, praising Tidus for his last minute score. Everyone except for Wakka and Yuna, who looked at each other with equal concern. Tidus left before the others for the locker room and Yuna frantically ran down the bleachers to tend to her injured lover.
The Aurochs won 4-3, and by the time it was over, Tidus was more than glad. He was embarrassed about his public blunder. The rush of fans didn't help either. They were asking the same question Yuna was pestering him about earlier that day. He wore a weak smile for their sake, and Wakka helped guide him and Yuna back onto the boat to depart for Besaid.
It was barely before sunset, but Tidus said he wanted to leave already. Yuna and Wakka didn't argue. Tidus didn't want to talk about the incident. He stood at the front of the boat with his hands on his hips and stared into the vast oceanic horizon. His friends were right behind him, not knowing what to say next.
By the time the boat reached Besaid, Tidus seemed to be in a cheerier mood.
"Whoo! That was a rush, wasn't it?" he said.
"Yeah, that was a super close game!" Wakka said. Tidus leapt off the boat onto the sand.
"Damn that game host!" Tidus said. "He just had to make a big deal out of it!"
Wakka jumped from the boat, laughing heartily, but he stopped in his tracks. Tidus nearly crashed into his burly body.
"Wakka?" Tidus looked at what Wakka had his eyes on. The team spotted a woman laying on the sand a few feet from the boat, unconscious, and looked as if she'd been there for a long time.