Warning!:Long chapter!!!
"Lu!" Tidus and I called in unison as we reached where she was sitting in her black bikini with the baby on her lap and Wakka was beside her.
"Where's Yuna?" Lulu asked Tidus.
"Bevelle, she's going to live with Baralai for a while."
"Hey hey!" Wakka called standing up; he was wearing his orange swimming trunks. "Don't worry 'bout her. Let's just have fun today." He bent down and picked up an old Blitzball and tossed it to Tidus.
"Try that old shot of yours." Tidus grinned and did the 'Jecht Shot'. This makes the second time I've seen it.
When Tidus dropped back to the ground the Blitzball was shooting across the ocean then curving to the left.
"I can't keep it straight." Tidus complained.
"Quit your whining. Practice makes perfect."
"Yea Yea." He said rubbing my head.
"Hey!" I complained.
"Stop whining." Tidus mocked. Everyone around us laughed even me and the baby.
I lay down in the sand. I was wearing my standard yellow and orange bikini. I saw Tidus looking at me differently than normal. He never looked at me this way. I couldn't pin point what he was thinking or the look in his eyes.
I moved around in the sand then stood up. A large smudge took my place on the ground.
Wakka and his family were across the beach while Tidus and I were closest to the dock. I started running for the sea when I heard splashing behind me.
"Go figure!" I thought "He always follows, but it's not a bad thing."
When my feet could no longer touch the bottom I went under Tidus followed. We swam as far as we could then got up for air.
"Starting to get bored?" He asked me.
I gave a shrug "Kinda. But its fun just spending the day with you, Wakka, and Lulu."
"Yea. It is. "He said turning on his back and floating there. I smiled then went under. Luckily he didn't follow. Tidus continued to float, staring at the sky. I went underneath him and pushed as hard as I possibly could and flipped him.
"Hey!" He complained as I breached the surface.
I started laughing then he picked me up out of the water and threw me as far as I would go. I landed with a large smack and a splash. I floated back up to the surface.
I was laughing, Tidus was laughing, Wakka, and Lulu were even laughing. Their Baby had a smile across his face.
Wakka came swimming out to us.
"Hey, play nice now." He said shaking his finger at us.
"Catch!" Tidus yelled and threw the Blitzball straight at Wakka's face. It landed right on his nose with a thump then it bounced back at Tidus and he caught it with one hand.
"Let's just toss it back and forth." I said launching to take the ball from Tidus. I grabbed it; Tidus didn't try to keep it from me. We formed a triangle bouncing it back and forth, sometimes Tidus would head butt it or Wakka would spike it straight at one of us. After a little while Wakka started complaining of being tired and hungry so we waded back to the shore and sat on the blanket with Lulu.
"Have fun?" She asked as the three of us fell to the ground.
"Yea." Tidus said laying down. I laid beside him and he threw an arm around me.
"Get a room, ya!" Wakka said throwing the ball at Tidus's face. He let it hit him then he grabbed it and threw it back.
"Boys!" Lulu said. "The baby, he's sleeping."
I sat up and looked at the little orange haired baby in her arms.
"He's gotten so big!" I said touching his little foot. He pulled it back from my touch.
"He's gonna be big and muscular like his fatha." Wakka gloated.
"You wish!" Tidus said tackling Wakka.
"Just sit down, both of you." Lulu said pulling out a handful of sandwiches from a bag.
"Tidus grabbed two and handed me one, keeping one for himself. Wakka grabbed his and started eating.
Tidus and I sat up against a cliff, away from the others.
"Why so quiet?" He asked me.
"Why are YOU so quiet? Normally you're being dumb and loud." I said with a giggle at the end.
"Guess that's true." He paused to finish off his sandwich. I did the same. "I dunno, stuffs just gotten so… boring around her lately. "
I let my mouth drop open.
"What?" He asked.
"With me here it's boring? Well thanks!" I joked.
He laughed and threw an arm over my shoulders "Eh, don't worry about it."
I snuggled into his side. I had dried earlier, but Tidus was wet.
"Ew." I complained.
"What? Do I smell or something?"
"Na! You just got me wet." I said. Drawing circles in the sand.
He laughed and poked the center of every circle I drew.
Lulu and Wakka walked over to us to say they were heading back to the village. Tidus and I just nodded.
"See ya later. Oh, and Tidus, play nice." Wakka said running off before Tidus could say or do anything. Lulu waved with her open hand and walked off.
"Looks like it's just us." I said standing up.
"I know a secret place. It can't be seen from the main beach."
"I know what you're talking about I said walking along the cliff and into the cold sea. We swam around and entered a small alcove.
I walked out of the shallow water. My hair was dripping wet along with my bikini. Tidus's hair was slapped against his face from where he had swum underwater. His body was also wet.
I fell forward onto the sand, then rolling over.
Tidus, once again, laid beside me.
"Tired?" He asked.
"Eh, Kinda. I'll sleep well tonight, though." I stated. Snuggling into his side.
"Since Yuna's gone, I can move back into our hut. Now you don't have to live at Wakka's or the Inn."
I shut my eyes and just nodded. I felt like falling asleep right then and there but I didn't.
"You want to head back to the village?" He asked me.
"I don't care." I mumbled. The next thing I knew Tidus had picked me up from the ground and was now holding me. It seemed like everything had disappeard, except for me and Tidus. It was like we were floating there, in a white world almost. Tidus took off for the village.
Tidus dropped me outside of the Village. We walked into town and straight to his hut. I didn't talk to anyone here in Besaid except Tidus, Wakka, and Lulu. Tidus talked to Wakka and Lulu, along with a few kids.
We walked inside and it looked like Wakka's only with the bedroom separate from the living area. I walked into the bedroom and found only one bed. I froze in place.
"Don't worry. I sleep on the couch." He said from his makeshift bed. I let out a sigh of relief… or was it disappointment? I shook the disappointment thought from my head and flopped down onto the bed for the night. I fell asleep within minutes.
I woke up when someone placed a hand on my forehead and I heard whispers in the back ground
"Do you think she'll handle the news well?" Lulu's voice said in a low tone
"I'm not sure." Wakka mumbled.
I leaned up and looked around "What's going on?" I asked groggily.
Tidus removed his hand from my forehead and sat beside me.
"Yuna and Baralai are going to get married tomorrow." He mumbled.
"What else?" I asked I could tell he was hiding something.
"Nothing." Lulu said "There is nothing else to be said. That's all we know."
"Oh, well… are we going to the wedding?" I asked Tidus.
He shook his head "No, we can't. Baralai set up extreme security."
"Didn't Yuna-"Wakka cut me off.
"She doesn't want us there either. She's scared."
"She doesn't want to get feelings for Tidus again." Lulu finished.
Tidus just sat there in front of me, looking depressed. I flew at him, knocking us both off the bed and to the floor. I ended up on top of him. I heard Lulu and Wakka leave.
"It's what she wants. Don't be upset please…?" I begged him, I didn't want any more depression, and I just couldn't handle any more of it.
"Sure." He said rubbing my back. Tidus kissed my cheek and leaned up with me on his lap.
I got up and stretched "What time is it?" I asked.
"Only 8." Tidus replied getting up off the floor.
"What do you want to do today?" He asked walking outside.
"I dunno." I said walking onto the village circle.
The wind picked up, my hair and scarf flew everywhere, and something was blocking the sunlight.
I looked up and saw 3 people flying down on me. I jumped out of the Circle, and saw my old friends.
"Paine! Gippal! Nooj!" I said wondering why they were here.
"Did you hear about Yuna and Baralai?" Nooj asked me. I nodded a yes.
"Aren't you upset YOU can't go because of Tidus?" Gippal asked.
"No…" I replied. "It's what she wants." Tidus placed his hand on my shoulder. Gippal's face looked hurt but he shook it away and plastered on a smile.
"Aren't you going to crash it!?" Paine asked.
"No, I'm going to let Yuna and Baralai get married without problems."
"But it hasn't been that long since she got together with him, only what, 2 days?"
"I guess…"
"You can't let her do it, Rikku." Gippal encouraged.
Tidus stayed quiet until Paine walked up to him "Don't you care that she's making a mistake?"
"Y-Yea. I don't want her to…"
"Didn't you crush her wedding with Seymour 2 years ago? Than you can crash this one." Gippal encouraged, it's like he wanted Tidus… dead?
"Brother's ready to take us. Just come on! Please!?" Paine said grabbing my hand and pulling me onto the airship ramp. Tidus ran after us, followed by Gippal and Nooj.
Tidus and I stood in the deck; Brother and Budd were in their regular seats, except for Shinra, who wasn't here.
"Brother Where's Shinra?" I asked concerned.
"He's in the at the dig site in the desert. He's building a few helping Machina."
"Machina?" Tidus asked me.
"We don't let anyone use it for fighting anymore. Just to help dig up artifacts in the desert." I explained.
Tidus let out a sigh of relief.
"Since the Weddings tomorrow, Drop me off, I'm going to talk to Yuna." Paine said.
"Hey! I'm coming to!!" I yelled.
"Fine." Mumbled Brother and Paine.
I looked at Tidus "You can't come." I said grabbing Paine's hand so we could head down to the engine room to get off the Celsius. Paine mumbled "Be nice." To Gippal as we passed the boys.
Brother let us slide down the ramp outside of Bevelle.
"Let's go." I said to Paine as I dashed off to the main temple.
We walked in like normal people, not wanting to attract attention. We rode the 'hover cart' up to the next level and saw Yuna sitting by Baralai's side, talking with one another.
"Yunie!" I said walking over to her.
"Rikku, I told Lulu to tell you not to come. Where's Tidus?"
"Celsius." Paine said grabbing Yuna's hand and dragging her away from Baralai and other by standing monks.
"You can't marry him!!" I complained to my cousin.
"I can." She stated.
"No you can't, not yet anyways. You just got together with him." Paine said.
"Why must relationships be so hard and confusing!?" She yelled. Then falling forward into mine and Paine's arms.
"Oh Yunie!" I said trying to stand her back up but failing.
"She hasn't eaten since she got here." Baralai said walking up to us.
"What!?" I said almost dropping Yuna.
"She's upset, about Tidus." He finished off walking away.
"He's right." Yuna mumbled into my arm. Paine stood Yuna back up onto her feet. "Eat something. You'll be okay"
"Tidus wouldn't want you to do this! He wants you to be happy!" I said to her.
"You're right. But I can't be Happy."
"Why not?"
"I don't have him by my side!" Yuna sobbed. I felt like sobbing too, because it's my fault she's like this now.
"I'm sorry! It's my faul-"Paine slapped the back of my head."Owwie!"
"Stop it! It was his choice, he picked. "Paine said to me.
"Paine's right. But it's not his fault either, it's no one's fault." She said walking away.
"Huh?" I asked Paine.
"I don't know, let's go." She said leaving. I glanced at Yuna then at Paine then back at Yuna. I ran to Paine instead of my cousin and we headed back to the Airship.
Sitting on top of the Celsius I sighed. Tidus sat beside me unsure of what to say, the only thing he did was grasp my hand and kiss my cheek and forehead.
"I don't want her to marry him!" I screamed.
"It's not your fault. Let her do it." He tried to comfort.
I was thinking about Yuna had sobbed about "He's not by my side!" …. "I can't be happy!"
It hurt to remember those words that she had said only an hour earlier. I leaned my head on Tidus shoulder and shut my eyes. The wind made my hair and scarf fly backwards. Tidus rubbed my back for comfort. I was glad he was there, there to comfort and hold me. But I also felt bad. I just couldn't help but worry about Yuna. She's my only cousin. My closest friend.
"Live your life let her make her own choices." Tidus whispered to me. I opened my eyes and glanced to the side of the airship.
"We're only above Luca?" I asked gripping my walkie-talkie mike. I pulled it to my mouth "Brother! Drop me off here." I said, when I told my brother to do it, the airship lowered. I grabbed Tidus's hand and we jumped off the hood of the Celsius. He never liked me doing that, afraid I might hurt myself.
"Why we are stopping here? Tidus asked me as we walked from dock 4 toward the main street.
"I'm not sure. I just wanted to get away from a few people."
"You pulled me along." He said grabbing my hand again.
"Yea Yea." I said.
A teenage boy walked up to me.
"Excuse me?" He said, he had the brightest green eyes, and the lightest shade of brown hair I have ever seen, his hair was shaggy like Tidus's.
"Yes?" I asked him, Tidus's grip tightened.
"You're Rikku right?" He wondered.
"I am."
"Isn't this Yuna's old guardian? The one she fell in love with?" He wondered once more.
"I am." Tidus stated "Want an autograph little boy?"
"Ha! I'm not little! I wanted to be a blitzball player for the Luca Goers, but since sphere-break is more popular now, I can't." The boy complained.
Tidus placed a hand on the teen's head.
"You can. Just go out there and do it. So what if it's not as popular? "
"Thanks." The boy thanked him then looked at me. "I forgot to introduce myself my name is Emmet. "
"Nice to meet you Emmet." I said with a smile.
"You were my favorite member of the Gullwings! "
"Really!?" I asked surprised, I knew my eyes must have stretched because Tidus chuckled.
"Yea, I'm Al Bhed."
"Nuh-uh!" I said.
"Yea, but somehow I didn't get the swirly eyes." He said shrugging then glancing around. "I gotta go! Nice meeting you Rikku!" I waved good bye to Emmet as he ran off.
"Teen boys." Tidus said starting to walk again.
"You're still under the age of 20 so don't get to cocky!" I joked.
"You know, he was probably your age."
"Well, so?" I said prancing into the square. As Tidus and I entered, Children looked up from their games. Couples stared and old people stopped in their tracks.
"Uhh." I said I didn't know what was going on.
"Just walk." Tidus urged.
Among the many murmurs I heard "She did it!" or "She hurt Lady Yuna. "And "The boy, he crashed her other wedding." Also "Lady Yuna is hurting because of those two idiots!"
I stopped walking. "What the HELL are all you mumbling about!?!?!" I screamed. Children ran to their parents. Tidus grasped my hand and told me to stop. A Ronso walked up to us.
"Lady Yuna…" He mumbled roughly.
"What about her?" Tidus asked.
"People have been saying she won't wake up. She mumbled two people names only." He explained.
"Who's names?" I asked.
"Rikku and Tidus." He stated walking away.
"What did they do to her!?" Tidus asked me.
"You should have heard what she said to me."
"Huh?" He asked.
"She hadn't eaten for a few days. I told her to be happy and that you wouldn't want her to be that way…" I explained. "She-She. She said she couldn't be happy because you weren't by her side." I said. I felt one tear pour out of each of my green, swirly eyes. Tidus pulled me into a strong, yet soothing embrace. I melted into his arms. My arms were pinned to my side, my face into his chest. He still wore his old Zanarkend Abes uniform, so his part of his chest was bare.
"Let's go home." He said walking me back to the ports with my walkie-talkie in his hand. He told brother to hurry up and get back here. Brother was fast at it, for once.
When we got onto the ship. Gippal pulled me out of Tidus's arms.
"What happened!?!" He screamed at me. "What did he do?!"
"Nothing, nothing happened. "
"Why are you crying?"
I thought of some excuse "I hurt my ankle running with a few little kids." Luckily Gippal released me and walked away. I ran straight back to Tidus's waiting arms. In front of EVERYONE even Gippal Tidus kissed me again, not on the forehead or just the cheek, but the lips. I melted once more at his soft touch. I heard Buddy and Brother Curse in Al Bhed and Gippal yelled the words in English so Tidus could understand. Once Tidus released me from the kiss I hugged him. I shut my eyes to hold back tears.
"She's tired." Paine said walking over to me and stroking my tangled blonde hair.
"I'll take her to the cabin." Tidus said, gently swinging me up into his arms and taking me to the cabin.
Tidus gently laid me onto a bed and stoked a few of my bangs back.
"Don't leave." I said hanging onto his little jacket.
"Get some sleep. I won't leave." He said sitting down somewhere. I had my eyes shut and did as I was told.