Hello :) I started this story 5 years ago, ran out of ideas and left it behind...However, just recently picked up FFX/X-2 remaster again and my love for the game and this couple has been reignited! I don't know if anyone reads for this fandom anymore, or it any of the readers of this story do anyway, but I wrote it, so I'ma post it!

Hopefully there'll be more to come, like I said, totally back into the spirit of FFX and it deserves better after the audio drama and shit.

Hope anyone who reads this enjoys, I certainly had fun writing it.

End of the chapter is rated M, but I'm not gonna change a mostly T story for a single scene. If M is your jam, hope you like it ;)

Yuna didn't consider herself a jealous person. Or at least she hadn't before he'd come back. But it was hard sometimes. Like now—as she watched him be literally dragged away from the Commsphere by a hoard of screaming fans.

"—ove you!" He called over their cries as the connection began to fade. "I'll—e you—oon."

The sphere went dark and Yuna was once again left alone in the Celsius' cabin, sitting cross legged on her bunk.

"I love you too…"

It had been a wonderful year since Tidus had returned. When they weren't taking time for themselves, relaxing on Besaid (or training for Blitzball sometimes in Tidus' case), they were exploring Spira together with the Gullwings. Working hard to bring the world together again.

It hadn't been until recently, now that Blitzball season was in full swing, that they'd begun seeing less and less of each other.

Matches were demanding and took Tidus to stadiums all across Spira; while sphere hunting took her to the opposite ends, it seemed.

Nearly a month had passed like this and they hadn't had much more communication than the daily Commsphere call. Which was fine, Yuna supposed. But it certainly wasn't the same as being with him in person.

And she'd be lying if she still wasn't scared sometimes. Scared that one day he'd slip out of her sight and disappear again.

A year was a long time. But she knew it would take even longer for her fear to fade for good. If it ever did.

And she attributed the jealousy she felt to that mostly. Fear. She knew it wasn't a desirable trait. And Tidus would be upset if she mentioned it. So she kept it to herself.

And Rikku.

But only because Rikku had pestered her so much about her mood lately, that the only way to shut her up had been to relay her concerns.

A dark look had crossed Rikku's face after that conversation, as if she'd been considering punishing Tidus herself for Yuna's sake. But it faded into something much more buoyant just as quickly, and she waved Yuna off, promising her she had nothing to fear.

How Rikku could be so sure, Yuna didn't know. But she had tried to stop worrying.

And it had worked, kinda. Until today. When she wanted nothing more than to be there, in the stadium, cheering him on.

But Buddy and Brother had been finding hotspots all over Spira lately, and the Gullwings needed all the help they could get.

The whoosh of the cabin door opening shocked Yuna out of her reverie. She leaned forward on the bed, peering over the banister to see Rikku tromping her way up the stairs.

"There you are!" she squeaked, her eyes flickering once over the sphere in Yuna's lap and then the distressed expression on her cousin's face. "You bummin' yourself out again?"

"I was just checking in with him," Yuna defended, slipping the Commsphere under the bed and out of sight.

"He's fine," Rikku sighed, plopping down on the edge of the mattress. "I know you miss him, but I promise you, ya got nothin' to worry about. Okay? Those groupies don't hold a candle to you."

"I'm not worried." A lie.

"Liar." And Rikku knew her too well. "You've got that worry wrinkle right in the middle of your forehead."

"What?" Unaware of any wrinkle, Yuna moved to cover it with her hands when Rikku poked her in the center of her brow.

"Yeah! Whenever you're upset, it shows up. Plus you get all slouchy and your jaw gets all tight. I can tell because it makes your baby cheeks go away."

Rikku snickered when Yuna sputtered indignantly.

"I don't have—What? Baby cheeks?"

"Yeah, you do," Rikku laughed, patting her shoulder. "They're cute, and they match your baby wrinkles." She continued before Yuna could argue. "Come on, Frowny. We've got a mission."

"Gullwings!" Buddy's voice came over the intercom right on cue. "We've got a signal incoming from Zanarkand. Everybody to the bridge!"

Lifting one brow expectantly, obviously proud of her premeditated announcement, Rikku bounded off the bed and down the stairs, not waiting for Yuna to follow.

Although she did—somewhat reluctantly, casting one final glance at the hidden Commsphere, before making her way towards the Bridge.

Zanarkand was still in ruins. Although there had been talk about excavating what was left and rebuilding the city in all its glory. The attempts in doing so had sparked some debate. Some worried that rebuilding the machina city would somehow rebirth Sin. Others who had accepted the fallacy that was Yevon a long time ago, fought back, arguing what good a city like that could do for Spira's people.

Tidus had been fairly outspoken, defending the idea of rebuilding the city. And with the former High Summoner on his side, Yuna felt those against were beginning to sway. But it would take time and patience for anything to truly happen.

In any case, with the debate raging on, Zanarkand remained in ruins for now, oddly and ethereally beautiful as they trekked through the wreckage towards the sphere signal.

Rikku bounded ahead of the group excitedly, while Paine took up the rear guard, leaving Yuna in the middle; too far away from either of her companions to speak with them. It gave her time to slip back into her thoughts, which were a confused tangle swirling around her head.

Her friends had been acting a bit strangely, especially once she'd stepped onto the Bridge.

Buddy hadn't given her more than a glance as they landed, but he was smirking. Rikku was quivering with excitement, which wasn't necessarily odd considering how excited she was for any mission. But even Paine had an air of anticipation about her, offering Yuna a comforting smile when she no doubt saw her…worry wrinkle.

Brother had tears in his eyes, but he said nothing to her. Merely tightened his grip on his steering controls and murmuring to himself in Al Bhed, too quietly for her to hear.

Odd.

All of them, and the silence between them now was even more confusing. Usually Rikku filled it, either with stories, jokes or gossip. But now, she plowed ahead, and Yuna realized, finally, just exactly where she was taking them.

The hill where they'd all rested on her pilgrimage before…

Rikku had finally stopped and was examining her sphere tracker. She grinned at Yuna as she approached, and pointed to the top of the hill.

"Up there!"

When she made no move to head for it herself, Yuna glanced back at Paine, who had also stopped and now stood a ways behind. She nodded once, gesturing for Yuna to go ahead.

"All yours."

Confused, and now more than a little wary for some kind of trap or prank, Yuna picked her way up the hill.

At the top was a small sphere. It shimmered as she lifted it, catching the morning light when it broke through the clouds.

Glancing back once at her companions, who seemed even more eager now that she held it, Yuna took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and activated the sphere.

"Hey, Yuna."

They snapped open when she heard a voice she recognized. Peering into the cloudy vision inside the sphere, Yuna saw Tidus standing atop the hill, although the angle was lower, making it appear as if he'd filmed this himself.

It was later, in the sphere, the afternoon rays highlighting his golden hair. He was grinning at her, blue eyes nearly squeezed shut with the force of it.

"I—Wow, okay. I had this all prepared and then the second I turn on the sphere…." He chuckled to himself, his smile fading as he pursed his lips thoughtfully.

Yuna stared, confused—and slightly afraid of what she thought he might say. For some reason, it felt like a goodbye. But maybe that was just paranoia? Her companions had seemed too excited, and they had to have known that this is what was awaiting them.

After a moment, he sighed, his face becoming somber. "I'm sure you remember this place. I certainly do. I'll never forget it. It was here where I came to terms with the fact that I wouldn't be around to see Spira after we defeated Sin. I knew I would keep you alive but…I wouldn't get to be there with you. I wouldn't be able to see you smile again. Grow old. Be free. Or—," he smiled softly to himself. "I mean, at least that's what I thought. But you brought me back. And one day, I promise you, I'm gonna bring this city back too. I meant what I said back then in Macalania. I wanted you to see Zanarkand. And one day, Yuna, you will. Together, we will."

Touched, but still unsure of the point of this sphere, Yuna was about to power it off when Tidus continued.

"I'm not sure if the others—," he gave a not so subtle cough, "Rikku—Have given anything away, but I figured that I'd send you on a little treasure hunt while I'm away for the tournament. I know it's hard when we're apart like this. But I hope the last sphere makes up for it. Go get 'em all! And try to have some fun without me."

He winked and then the sphere went dark.

Yuna blinked, staring at it for a moment more before whirling around to face her friends.

"What is going on?" she demanded, pocketing the sphere as she stomped down the hill towards them. Rikku was grinning from ear to ear, but it dropped at Yuna's tone.

"Did the sphere not explain it?" Pain drawled, a smirk on her face.

"We haven't seen them—it," Rikku quickly corrected. "He just told us to take you here and that you'd know what to do after you watched it!"

"So you were in on this." Yuna pointed an accusing finger at Rikku.

"Well, yeah! We just thought you'd seemed so down lately. He wanted to do something nice for you. It's gonna be worth it, trust me!"

Narrowing her eyes until Rikku squirmed, Yuna poked her finger into her cousin's chest. "Just how much do you know about this treasure hunt?"

Rikku mimed zipping her lips and threw away the key.

"Come on," Pain interrupted before Yuna could continue her interrogation. "We've got a lot more to find before nightfall."

"Wha—Paine, what do you know?"

Paine waved a hand, but didn't turn around, leading the way back towards the ship.

Bevelle was busy; dozens of people streaming along the High Bridge as the Gullwings made their way towards the temple.

The members of New Yevon still culminated here, even after the reveal of Vegnagun. Faith, Yuna had learned, was hard to shake among Spirans.

There were still occasional fights to quell between them and the Youth League, but ultimately, thanks to the leadership of Baralai and Nooj, peace between the two factions was strong.

The guards that stood outside the temple doors acknowledged them with a nod, but did nothing to stop them from pushing inside.

For that, Yuna was grateful. Bevelle, for all its glory, held too many dark memories for her at this point and she didn't want to be here a second longer than she had to.

"Alright," Rikku said once they were inside. "I think it's this way."

They hadn't taken more than a few steps when a voice called out, "Lady Yuna."

The three looked up to see the Praetor himself walking towards then, arms outstretched in welcome.

"It's been quite some time. What brings you back to Bevelle? And with your partners in crime too, I see."

He gave Paine a knowing smile, who merely nodded in return.

"We're on a treasure hunt!" Rikku squeaked before Yuna could think of something less embarrassing.

"Sphere hunting?"

"You betcha!" Rikku looked down at her tracker and then back up at Baralai who was chuckling to himself. "Do you…Have it here?"

He nodded. "I was gifted a special sphere not too many days ago, to give to you," he dipped his chin to Yuna, "when you found your way here."

"You sure you're not hiding anything else, Baralai?" Paine asked, quirking a teasing brow.

The Praetor smirked. "No world ending machina this time, fortunately. Just a message from a loved one. He thought it might be safer with me than it would by lying around the halls of the temple for anyone to find. Rest assured, Lady Yuna, I have not seen what it contains."

Reaching into his robes, Baralai pulled out the small sphere and handed it to Yuna.

"I do hope, however, that Nooj, Gippal and I will be seeing you all again very soon."

Without further ado, he bid them farewell and disappeared back into the temple.

"That was weird," Rikku murmured and Yuna hummed her agreement.

"Come on, let's go." Paine led the way outside, holding Rikku back as Yuna trailed ahead to watch the sphere.

Inside of it, Tidus stood in the grand halls of the temple, a pained expression tightening his features.

"I didn't really want to make a sphere here, about this. But, I figured it was time you knew everything. We've never really talked about it—my feelings that day. When you married Seymour."

Yuna almost turned off the sphere. She didn't want to hear about how badly she'd hurt him. She didn't even want to remember the day she'd risked it all to have that slimy monster put his hands on her.

"But, it's important." Tidus snapped her out of her thoughts. "Because for as selfish as it might be to say this, the day you decided to marry him was the day I realized how much I loved you. It killed me to imagine you with another guy. Let alone a guy like him. It made me realize…how much good you deserved, and how I wanted to be the one to give it to you. Anything, Yuna. I realized that I would do anything for you. Just to see you smile. Having to stand there helplessly while he kissed you, claimed you. It was the worst thing I've ever felt in my entire life. Thinking back on it now, it doesn't do me any good, I know. It just makes me grateful. Grateful that you didn't marry him. That now, you get the choice to marry for love."

The sphere clicked off suddenly and Paine and Rikku appeared behind her once again.

"You ready?" Paine asked.

"Yes," Yuna still a bit confused, and eager to understand the sphere's purpose. "Let's go."

Their next stop was Guadosalem, which surprised Yuna. She had been grateful to hear Tidus' true thoughts about the events that had unfolded in Bevelle. But if this was another memory that brought up Seymour….

With Rikku in the lead, they made their way to the manor where LeBlanc still resided.

"Oh, come on," Rikku groaned as her sphere tracker began to beep. "He hid it with LeBlanc?"

"Why would he do that?" Yuna asked.

"Think we can sneak in?" Paine suggested. "She might not even be home."

"We can sure hope." Rikku made her way forward and pushed slightly on the double doors. To everyone's surprise, they swung open without resistance.

"Uh...Yuna? Your treasure hunt, you go first!"

"Me?" Yuna blanched as Rikku dove behind her. "You've got the tracker."

Rolling her eyes, Paine pushed past both of them. "Come on. We're wasting time."

Only after casting anxious glances at one another, did Rikku and Yuna quickly scurried after her.

The inside of the manor was empty, their footsteps echoing around the large foyer. Rikku glanced down at her tracker and then began signaling the others with undecipherable hand motions.

When Yuna and Paine just blinked at her, she sighed and spoke in a harsh whisper. "The signal's all whacky in here, we're gonna have to split up. Paine, you—,"

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the Dullwings."

A voice from the upper level startled them all and they whirled around to see LeBlanc herself leaning on the banister, regarding them with a smirk.

"I know we're on excellent terms these days, ladies. But I don't think that extends to breaking into my house without an invitation."

"You have something of Yuna's," Paine objected and Yuna felt her face flush when LeBlanc's eyes darted to her.

"Something of Yuna's?"

"Yeah!" Rikku added. "One of her spheres."

"Ooooh, yes that," LeBlanc admitted, beginning to make her way down the stairs. "The sphere I found by the Farplane. The one your little boy toy recorded."

"Y-you stole it?" Yuna asked, as if she should have been shocked.

LeBlanc gasped. "Stole it? Darling, I'm a sphere hunter. I hunted it. He was the one who left it lying around after he recorded it. What's a sphere good for if no one claims it?"

"It obviously wasn't for you," Paine jabbed, crossing her arms over her chest.

LeBlanc shrugged. "Perhaps not. But he is so much fun to watch. And, his recording was tooth-rottingly sweet."

"You watched it too?" Rikku balked, her voice reaching an ear splitting pitch. "Give it back to us, right now!"

"I'll return it on one condition," LeBlanc relented, ignoring Rikku when she tried to bum rush her. She was blocked by Paine, but only just.

"You're not in a good position to be making demands," Paine growled, looking down at Rikku, who was still struggling in her arms. "I could release her."

LeBlanc just chuckled and turned her attention to Yuna. "Give me an answer. Yes or no. And I'll return the sphere."

"What?"

"Yes or no?"

"…Yes, or no to what?" Yuna tried to clarify.

"Well, I can't tell you that now, can I? That would ruin the surprise." LeBlanc's eyes flashed dangerously. "Choose carefully."

"Um…" Yuna looked to Rikku and Paine, who appeared just as confused as she.

Deciding it would be in everyone's best interest to appease LeBlanc, she tried for, "Yes?"

"Excellent!" LeBlanc threw her arms out and pulled Yuna into an uncomfortable hug. "You've made the right decision, love. Now, wait here. I'll go get the sphere."

She hurried up the stairs, giggling to herself the whole way.

"What did you agree to?" Paine asked, finally releasing Rikku.

Yuna shook her head and shrugged. "We have the sphere now, at least. Right?"

Rikku and Paine exchanged concerned glances, but said nothing as LeBlanc bounded back down the stairs, handing the sphere to Yuna.

"Do enjoy it, love. Tata!" And with that she ushered The Gullwings out the doors, slamming them shut behind them.

"Okay…"

"Ugh, forget her," Rikku groaned, obviously impatient. "Let's get somewhere Yunie can watch it."

The trio made their way down one of the winding pathways until they reached a secluded spot, and then Paine dragged Rikku away, disappearing around the corner.

When they were gone, Yuna played the sphere. Once again, Tidus appeared. And true to LeBlanc's word, he was sitting outside the Farplane entrance, tucked into a little alcove.

"I really wanted to record this one in Macalania, but…Considering it faded so long ago…Well, I figured this place was close enough without having you trek all the way through the Thunder Plains." He looked away from the sphere for a moment, sadness tightening his features. "That spring in the woods may be gone, but my memories of it, what happened there…Yuna, I'll never forget what that night meant to me."

Yuna sat back as she listened, the sting of tears pricking at her eyes.

"Because, for me…Well, I must have been as nervous as you told me you were that night. I'm not gonna tell you I'm proud of my past, Yuna. But I will be honest about it. I was a celebrity, you know that. It was a different girl every night. Everybody, everything, was fleeting. You were the first person, the first woman, that I ever fell in love with. So deeply. I was…I am, head over heels, crazy in love with you."

She smiled at that, biting her lip to keep back the tears.

"And it killed me that night to see you in so much pain. I didn't know what to do. How to comfort you. I realize now, that it might have been selfish of me to do what I did. I didn't even know if you loved me back, but I couldn't live with myself if I didn't let you know how I felt one way or another. So I kissed you. And, as cheesy as it sounds, it changed my life. In that moment, I didn't care about Sin, or going home, or anything. I just wanted to be with you. I wanted to run. I wanted to live in a world where we could be together. Be anything we wanted to be. But…" His eyes dropped to his lap. "We couldn't. You couldn't. And then, we defeated Sin and—," When he looked up, she saw tears in his eyes. "But the point is, we can now, Yuna. Because of everything you did. We can be together; we can have that life I dreamed of so many years ago. If you want it. If you want me."

He smiled softly at her and then leaned forward and the sphere went dark.

What was he getting at? Of course she wanted him. After an entire year together, she would have thought that had been obvious.

Rising to her feet, she put the sphere in her bag and made her way around the corner where Rikku and Paine were waiting anxiously.

"Well?" Rikku asked. "What was it?"

"He just keeps bringing up memories. Of the pilgrimage. Telling me what he was feeling back then," Yuna explained, leading the way back to the ship this time.

"The pilgrimage?" Rikku tapped her chin thoughtfully, but her eyes sparkled with unconcealed mirth.

"Wasn't this supposed to take your mind off the sad stuff?" Paine asked.

"I'm not sure what this was supposed to do," Yuna relented. "Do we have more to find, Rikku?"

Rikku looked down at her tracker. "Oh you betcha. Come on, let's go!"

Luca was next. Yuna could hear the screams from the Blitzball stadium as they walked. Part of her wanted to dart into the crowd and hurry to the stadium to cheer him on, but Rikku had a tight grip on her hand, and Paine was following close behind.

She did keep an eye on the screens though as they crossed the docks. But everything was happening so fast she didn't even know what teams were playing. He could have been long done by now. And if that were the case, shouldn't she go try to find him?

"Rikku—,"

"Nu uh, no you don't. We're finishing this mission," Rikku interrupted her before she could even give a voice to her thought. "He wanted you to, remember?"

With a heavy sigh, Yuna relented and allowed herself to be breezed through the crowd by her cousin.

They made their way up towards the stairs that led out towards the Mi'ihen Highroad, stopping on the ledge that overlooked the sea.

There, Rikku's tracker located another sphere, and carefully, Yuna picked it up. She hit play this time before either Paine or Rikku could give her space, so the two watched over her shoulder unashamedly.

Tidus stood on the overlook, the sphere held in his hand as he recorded this time.

"This is where I taught you to whistle. And where you taught me to smile, Yuna." He offered her a large grin to demonstrate. "I realized here, just what kind of a person you were. The kind of person you are. Because for all that's changed about you, Yuna, you're still the same woman who saved me. Yeah, that's right. You saved me! Not the other way around. Well, that too I guess. But—Look, my point is…I was lost. Just a scared kid when we met. And with you, on the pilgrimage, I grew up. I became someone I'm proud to be. Someone worthy of being your Guardian. And even though that time is over for us, I'm still gonna look out for you Yuna. I'll be by your side, always."

Rikku's squeal cut through the mumble of the crowd around them, even Paine had a small smile on her lips.

"Okay, you've got one more sphere to find," Tidus continued through Yuna's blush. "See you back home."

"Besaid!" Rikku nearly shouted, grabbing both Paine and Yuna by their wrists and dragging them forward. "Hurry, let's go!"

It was late afternoon by the time they landed in Besaid. As the three made their way through the town, they ran into Lulu, who was patiently walking baby Vidina around in tiny circles by their cabin. The little boy stumbled over his own feet, held up only by his mother's hands, and pointed at the Gullwings as they approached.

"Ah!" He warned his mother, who looked up and greeted them with a warm smile.

"Welcome back, you three." She hoisted Vidina onto her hip. "How long has it been now?"

"Only a few weeks!" Rikku interjected, tickling Vidina's pudgy stomach. "We Gullwings have had a lot to do, y'know. Spira isn't gonna organize itself."

Lulu nodded her assent, although she was giving Yuna an odd look. "Well, if you're interested in resting for the night, dinner should be ready soon."

"We're actually on a mission," Yuna declined, gesturing to Rikku's sphere tracker as it began to blink.

"Sphere hunting?" Lulu clarified.

"Yeah!" Rikku held the tracker closer to Lulu. "Seen anything?"

Lulu shook her head. "Not around here."

Frowning, Rikku checked her tracker again, biting her lip in concentration. After a moment of contemplation, she turned to Yuna and Paine. "I think the signal's coming from the temple."

Before she could drag them off once again, Paine directed her attention to Lulu. "Need anything from us?"

Two pairs of red eyes flickered to Yuna and then Lulu nodded. "I could certainly use some help with the baby for a moment, if you're willing—,"

"We can help," Yuna assured her with a smile, assuming the glance had been purposeful. But Lulu shook her head.

"You go find your sphere. These two," she took Rikku by the wrist and gestured for Paine to follow, "Can help me while you finish up."

"What?" Rikku looked indignant. "But I wanna see what's on the last sphere!"

"Rikku." The Al Bhed looked at Paine who was giving her a harsh stare. "Yuna won't be long, and Lulu needs us."

"Geez, fine! Twist my arm. Hurry up though, okay, Yunie?"

She waved to Yuna as she was practically dragged back into the cabin.

Very confused, and more than ready to be done with this silly treasure hunt, Yuna turned on her heel and headed into the temple.

The main area was empty, as were the side chambers. So, somewhat reluctantly, she headed into the Chamber of the Fayth. She hadn't entered one since the incident with Vegnagun. And although she knew it had been restored, the memories set her one edge.

There, in the center of the chamber floor, lay a shimmering sphere. Sitting down beside it, Yuna lifted it into her lap.

She didn't see Tidus in the sphere this time, but she could see the Chamber and hear his voice echoing around it.

"This is where it all began, Yuna. This is the exact spot I saw you for the first time. Where everything changed…Where it's all gonna change again. Turn around."

The sphere went black and Yuna heard the light tap of footsteps behind her. Leaping to her feet, she whirled around to see Tidus himself standing before her. He was still dressed in his Blitzball uniform, clearly fresh off his latest match, and was watching her with a soft smile that widened when she gasped.

He opened his arms and took a step forward as she flew into his embrace, locking her arms around his neck and burying her face in his chest.

"Hey there," he chuckled, his voice rumbling against her cheek.

He smelled like the sea and sun; the scent that reminded her of home, that made her feel so safe.

She felt him press his lips against the top of her head and murmur into her hair, "Did you enjoy the treasure hunt?"

"I'm enjoying this moment a lot more," she mumbled back, finally separating just enough to look into his eyes. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," he breathed, resting his forehead against hers.

"The tournament!" For some reason it sprung to her mind at this moment that it was odd he was here. "Did you win?"

He chuckled. "Does it matter?"

"Well, for something that kept us apart for so long, I wish it had at least been worth it."

"It is worth it," he replied, eyes sparkling. "There was a point to this whole thing, y'know."

Without waiting for her response, he took a step out of her embrace—much to her dismay—and knelt down in front of her. "All those spheres I recorded, I wanted you to know just how much I love you, Yuna. How much I've always loved you. And how much I always will." As he spoke, he reached into his back pocket and suddenly the pieces began to fall into place. "I know I haven't been back that long, and I know you're still scared that I'll—Well, that I won't be here one day. But for whatever time we have, I want to spend it with you. At your side, always. So…"

He trailed off, pulling a brilliant silver ring out of his pocket, swallowing nervously as he held it up to her. "Will you marry me, Yuna?"

For a moment, she just stared at the ring, unable to form a response. She'd wanted this day to come, of course. The last time she'd heard those words, she'd felt like she'd been doused in cold water. This time she felt like she wasn't even tethered to the ground, like she was floating, weightless, like the entire sun had just made its home inside her.

'Yes' was the only word in her mind, but her mouth wouldn't move and she saw Tidus' expression begin to fall.

"Yuna?"

"M-marry you?"

"Well…Yeah. If you'll have me. If it's what you want."

Her reply finally came in the form of an exuberant shout that echoed around the chamber. "Of course it's what I want!"

Dropping to her knees to match him, she cupped his cheeks in her hands and pulled him into a kiss, drawing away only far enough to whisper, "Yes, I'll marry you."

Tidus grinned against her lips and pulled her tightly against him, his arms locked around her waist.

"You scared me for a second there," he chuckled, voice still muffled as she refused to pull away entirely.

Blindly, he reached for her hand—still on his cheek—and slipped the ring onto her ring finger. Only then did Yuna pull away to examine it.

"It's beautiful," she breathed.

"It is."

She looked up to see him gazing at her, his eyes shining with unshed tears.

A wild grin lit up her face as she tackled him to the floor in another passionate kiss.

"She said yes!"

The crowd that had assembled outside the temple whooped with joy as Tidus led Yuna out of the temple and into the brilliant evening sunset.

Rikku and Paine led the charge towards them, Wakka and the rest of the Aurochs not far behind.

"You both knew," Yuna accused her teammates as they tackled her in a hug.

"Of course we knew," Paine conceded. "You actually think Tidus was able to keep his mouth shut once he'd decided he was going to do it?"

"And he needed all the help he could get!" Rikku added. "The spheres were his idea, but he knew he needed the Gullwings to pull off the hunt."

"Lulu?" Yuna questioned the former black mage, who also approached to give her a congratulatory hug. A difficult maneuver with Vidina in one arm.

"I knew. So did Wakka."

"And the rest of Besaid from the looks of it," Rikku giggled, watching as the Aurochs paraded Tidus around on their shoulders.

Shaking her head, Yuna couldn't help but giggle to herself. "You all let me be such a downer."

"You would have been grumpier if we ruined the surprise," Paine pointed out, to which, Yuna couldn't argue.

"A feast!" Wakka's booming voice drew the attention of the crowd. "To celebrate the Aurochs' first National Tournament Cup and the engagement of our own former High Summoner and her Guardian, ya?"

There was a raucous roar in response and people began to scatter in preparation, a few more Besadians offering congratulations to the couple as they went. Paine managed to peel Rikku off Yuna and lead her back towards Wakka and Lulu's cabin, allowing Tidus a chance to approach.

He slipped a hand into hers, smiling so widely that his eyes crinkled at the corners. Leaning in, he pressed a feather light kiss to her lips, his fingers running absently over the silver band.

She remembered the first time they had done this, not long after his return. Back then it had been an awkward encounter. Fueled by love, of course, and passion. But awkward nonetheless.

She distinctly remembered the moments that anxiety had given way to anticipation, pain to pleasure, and lust to a deep, all encompassing love.

Time had passed since that first time and things were different now. She still never felt more whole than when she was with him this intimately, but now, thing were far more comfortable.

She watched the moonlight glint off the silver band as she rocked her hips against his, her hands braced against his powerful shoulders.

It had shocked them both the first time Yuna had opted for this position. For as foreign as it felt at first, she couldn't deny the appeal of the power it gave her over his pleasure. Watching him fall apart under her ministrations, her pace, was addicting. And for Tidus' part, well, he'd been candid and told her it was 'really hot to see her take control.'

Which…Worked for her just fine!

Tidus groaned and leaned forward, panting against her collar bone as she sped up the pace, his hands clenching and unclenching around her hips.

She slid her arms around his neck, tangling her hands in his hair as she eliminated any more space between them, allowing herself to be lost in the sounds of their moans, the slide of their skin.

"Yuna…" She heard him breathe her name and then he was looking up at her almost reverently, the moon making his eyes seem to glow. "Fu—I love you."

It made her smile that he still caught himself around her sometimes. After everything that had changed, he still felt the need to censor his language, even in moments like this. But maybe, that would change in time too.

He tensed suddenly, his breath catching in his throat, eyes widening into hers and she knew he was close.

Rocking into him with longer strokes, she pressed her mouth to his, tongues tangling as he came with a groan underneath her.

Not to be outdone, however, she felt one of his hands slip between them, talented fingers rubbing circles around that wonderful bundle of nerves and she fell apart with a cry, slumping against him as the last waves of her orgasm faded.

He leaned back against the bed, strong arms wrapping around her to bring her with him and together they lay sprawled against the sheets, hearts pounding in time.

They lay there together quietly for a long time, basking in one another, reveling in their renewed sense of love.

"I love you," he said again, the words murmured against her hair. "Always."

"I love you too." Her words were mumbled against his chest, eyes closed as she began to drift off to sleep. "…Always."

She was about to fall into darkness when a sudden thought popped into her head and her eyes shot wide open. "Oh no..."

"What?" Tidus looked down at her, also now wide awake. "What is it?"

"LeBlanc is coming to our wedding."

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See you next time :)