(A/N: Here it is! My Christmas gift to the world! This was a challenge from my sister, as you will read in the "Beta Note" at the end. I intended to submit this on my birthday, but I forgot... sad, ne? I apologise for any spelling or grammar issues you encounter. Blame my "beta." I apologise if this offends anyone who doesn't celebrate Christmas. Gomen!
And now,)
You'll Be Home for Christmas
A Final Fantasy X-2 fanfic by Riaeth
"Merry Christmas, Yunie!" Rikku shouted as she ran past Yuna, down the hall of the Celsius, toting a Christmas wreath.
It was Christmastime again. And you could tell by the decorating job that the Gullwings were welcoming the season with open arms.
It had all been Rikku's idea. She, with Calli's help, had convinced Barkeep to let the two decorate the cabin with various holiday decor. He agreed, not knowing the horror he had unleashed. In a matter of hours, Rikku and Calli had turned the modest cabin into a heavily decorated menagerie of lights, wreaths, and ribbons.
But the Cabin wasn't enough. The duo of decorators convinced Buddy and Shinra to help decorate the entire ship. Soon after, the Celsius was a dead-ringer for Luca's Mall of Spira's Christmasland.
Brother immediately objected to the ever-flashing lights on the walls, and the oh-so-cute tree in the Cabin. But he crumbled as soon as Yuna exclaimed that the decorations were a great way to keep spirits up.
Even Paine was content with the holiday cheer, as long as, to quote Paine: "I don't have to run around Spira dressed as an elf."
Indeed, the holiday season was working out nicely for all. Except one person. A person you would never expect to not be happy on the holidays. And that person was Yuna.
(A/N - "Wow, who saw that coming? Note my sarcasm")
Yes, Yuna was sad. The holidays, which had once brought happiness to the former summoner, now only seemed to make her deeply depressed. It was true that the holidays made her remember what she was thankful for, but made her remember all she had lost. Her mother, her father, Sir Auron, and Tidus. Especially Tidus.
She had defeated Sin, given Spira the Eternal Calm, and saved Spira from Shuyin and Vegnagun, but still hadn't found him. Didn't the world owe her something in return? Wasn't it fair for her to get something for her hard work? Was getting Tidus back too much to ask for saving the world? It would seem that the world thought so. Besides, she had learned from a young age that nothing was fair.
Of course, she didn't let on that she was sad. She made sure to put on a happy face when around her fellow Gullwings, or when she volunteered at the Besaid temple's holiday soup kitchen. But Yuna was sure that people were starting to get suspicious of her behaviour.
She had begun taking walks late at night, when she was sure everybody else on the ship had gone to sleep. (After they landed.) But during one walk last week, when she was on the deck, Yuna had gotten an eerie feeling. Like she was being watched by someone, or something. She passed it off, figuring that it was because she was wearing such a skimpy outfit in the cold air. She quickly went inside.
Little did Yuna know that none other than Bahamut's fayth had been watching her; studying her. And after watching her, he decided that it was time for the fayth to spread a little holiday cheer of his own. Not just yet, Bahamut thought, I need to watch just a little longer, and find the right time.
Yuna decided to take a later walk tonight. She wanted to look at the tree for a while, because she had been especially busy this week, and also because it was Christmas Eve.
It wasn't a big tree. In fact, most people would probably would pass it by when they see it at the tree farm. But Yuna, Rikku, and Paine had a habit for taking in things nobody else would. (People, too.) The tree was extravagantly decorated, with bright lights and dangle-y ornaments of all shapes. Shinra had even found some 'icicles' to put on the tree as well. The lights illuminated the icicles, causing the tree to shimmer even more.
After Yuna had watched the tree shine for a while, she walked out of the Cabin, and rode the elevator up to the Bridge. When she reached the room, she immediately noticed the lightly falling snow just visible in the frosty windows. Yuna wasn't surprised that it was snowing, they were, after all, on Mt. Gagazet. "Pretty," Yuna said to herself as she put a hand on the glass. A tear slid down Yuna's cheek, as she thought about everything that had happened to her over the last two years. "Yevon, I miss you Tidus," she sighed as she thumped her forehead on the window.
With another sigh, Yuna regained her composure and left the room, heading up to bed. Bingo! Bahamut's fayth thought as he silently watched Yuna leave.
As she slept, Yuna dreamt of a conversation she had had with Tidus Christmas Eve two years ago when they were on Gagazet. She had asked him what he did for Christmas in his Zanarkand. Yuna was appalled when he said that he and his mother never did anything for Christmas.
As she dreamt, Yuna remembered when Tidus had said that after she defeats Sin, he would give her "the most wonderful, festive Christmas you've ever had, Yuna!" Tidus promised her that she would live to see the next Christmas. And he would be with her for it.
That, of course, didn't happen. But Yuna always remembered his words. And I'll be home with you for Christmas.
Rikku made sure everybody was up early the next morning to exchange gifts. She was more excited than everybody else on the ship combined. Eagerly handing out gifts, Rikku was practically hovering off the floor. However, she calmed down when Paine threatened to tie her to a chair.
Yuna's Christmas was going well; everybody was smiling and laughing. But something was missing. Something inside felt... empty. And she had a feeling why.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the chimes of someone waiting at the door of the ship, and Buddy's shout of "door!" Seeing as everybody was preoccupied, and she wasn't Yuna went to see who was waiting. It's probably Kimahri and some of the other Ronso Yuna thought as she walked.
But when she opened the shaft, she couldn't believe her eyes. It was Tidus, wearing a Santa hat, with a just visible gift tag sticking out of his shirt.
Yuna couldn't contain her excitement and happiness. She tore open the shaft and ran out to Tidus. She hugged him with a force that would've made a glomp look like a pat on the head. It nearly knocked Tidus over. As she hugged him, Yuna noticed the tag sticking out of Tidus' shirt. It read: Have A Merry Christmas, Summoner Yuna! We Hope You Love Your Gift! There wasn't any signature, but she had an idea of who had given Tidus back. She tightened her hug around his neck, and he tightened his grip on her waist.
"I told you I'd be home for Christmas," he whispered into her ear.
Half an hour later, everyone was wondering where Yuna had disappeared to. Paine had gone searching though the airship looking for Yuna. Five minutes later, Paine returned, Yuna-less.
"Did you find her?" Rikku asked.
"Yep," Paine said, a look of satisfaction on her face.
"Where'd she go?" Buddy questioned.
Paine chuckled. "Go see for yourself. Look on the Bridge."
When Rikku, Brother,Calli, Shinra, and Buddy got to the Bridge, they were slightly confused. The room was completely empty. But, wait... on the monitor? Yes, on the monitor, the five found Yuna, still clinging to Tidus, embraced in a fiery kiss.
Rikku was now running around, babbling happily about Yuna and how happy she was for her.
"...good for Yunie! Now she'll be happier again! I thought that she was acting weird! I wonder who found him? I wanna got say 'Hi' Anyone else wanna co–"
Paine cut Rikku's jibber- jabbering off. "Rikku, go eat your pie, and leave Yuna alone for a while longer."
This was turning out to be Yuna's best Christmas yet.
B/N: (Beta's notes): OMG!! The cuteness! This was a result of .x.maigo-kuroneko.x.'s "Eat Your Pie" Holiday Fanfic challenge! The guidelines were:
1. It had to take place on Christmas
2. It had to have someone tell someone else to "eat their pie"
3.It had to have a pairing that I, the beta/challenge creator, support.
4. It had to have fluff, because I, the beta/challenge creator, am a sucker for fluff. 3!
All in all , this was a very simple challenge. Also, I learned that Riaeth-chan writes better than me...!
Yay, Bahamut's fayth! The cutest fayth of them all!
(A/N: Sorry about the lack of page breaks... curse you, Word Pad! Curse you!
Gifts of reviews would make my Christmas great! But flames will be exchanged at the mall for a better gift!)