But as you sleep, and no one is listening
I will lift you off your feet, I'll keep you from sinking
Don't you wake up yet, cause soon I'll be leaving you
Soon I'll be leaving you, but you won't be leaving me
As You Sleep- Something corporate
May 5th, 4020
Seymour
Dark hair falls against Liza's shoulders. She leans her back against the door, smiling at me; shaking her head from side to side, moving to the music in her head. She's young, perhaps too young, but willing. "Come on, James; open the door... lets go inside."
I return the smile, tugging on a limp strand of ebony hair. I reach past her with my key, pushing the door open and backing her inside. She wraps her arm around my neck as she laughs, the kind that would be considered infections, contagious, poison.
I let my keys and coat fall on the counter, and my eyes briefly catch sight of a past remnant, a note Yuna left me over a month ago. I stifle a bubbling frustration and let Liza draw me to her side, rest her head on my shoulder. Her perfume is putrid. I wonder what of Yuna's still sits upon the counter of the rest room. I wonder if her sheets still smell of...
Liza kisses me, whispering a false identity against my lips. It's hard to feel, to appreciate her touch. Her lips taste sweet, of vodka and sprite.
I'm in the mood for something bitter.
Lenne
"Shuyin call that brother of yours, and tell him to hustle." I rest my head against the soft leather of my seat. Sweating beneath the Friday afternoon sun, pouring through the roof of our SLK convertible. We park along the sidewalk in front of Tidus' apartment and wait patiently.
"You know how he gets, Lenne. He's not exactly looking forward to the plane ride," Shuyin reasons, "And I'm sure him and Yuna are making the most of their last few hours together."
"How can you say that about your brother?"
"What?" he chuckles. "Oh come, the two of them are living together; they must be going at it on the regular by now."
"Shuyin, you're pissing me off."
"Sorry?" He shrugs, leaning over to honk at a hungover Tidus dragging his suitcase as Yuna follows. "Dude, seriously?"
"Just pop the trunk."
Shuyin does as told and after loading and buckling up we're on the road. I don't like to drive, especially with my husband's brother still reeking of the night before in the back seat. "So, Tidus... what did you do last night," I ask, switching lanes and turning onto highway sixteen.
"He figured," Yuna begins, stroking Tidus' hair, "If he stayed up drinking all night, the flight would be easier drunk."
"Problem is... I passed out." He moaned, unbuckling to lay his head on Yuna's lap.
"Order some greasy airplane food, you'll be fine," I suggest as we pull up to the teams private air dock.
If there was anything I could be sure of, it was that the boys would be well taken care of. Tidus, being their 'star player' would probably be hooked up with his own personal fan girl. She'd probably show up dressed for the occasion ready, and more than willing to baby him back to health. It's not that I believe he'll sleep around... but he likes to flirt and to be admired. I just hope this year he manages to keeps it out of the tabloids, for Yuna's sake.
"Tidus, Shuyin!" Their manager, Lucy Evans, pounces on us as we walk along the gravel path towards the ship. "I have a copy of the itinerary for both of you… oh dear, Tidus you look horrible! Last night you had a curfew! Don't let this this year be a repeat of 4017! You do remember 4017, don't you?" Tidus nods, rubbing his head wearily.
If it wasn't for her abrasive attitude, Lucy might have been attractive; however it was hard to look past her ever-present clipboard and larger-than-life plastic smile. "Okay, I'll meet you boys on the ship. You have five minutes." She passes her pen through the air, motioning the staff to grab their bags. "The team is counting on you this year, Tidus."
"Yeah, yeah." He waves her off before pulling Yuna against the airship, as Shuyin drags me back to the car.
"Well, baby, I guess I'll see you later?"
"Two weeks to be exact." Shuyin pouts, holding my hands in his. "I'll call you every day, night, morning, and text you during half time, deal?"
"Only if you throw in keeping an eye on your brother," I bargain, with a peck on his cheek. "Please, Shuyin?"
"Lenne, I can't do that. He's my brother..."
"I know but she's my best friend. And she's your friend too. Help him help himself. If he messes this up, he will regret it."
"Let's not spend our last moments here, talking about them..." He motions to the couple walking with their fingers linked towards us. "Actually, let's not talk," he reasons, pressing his lips against mine. I find myself unwilling to argue.
"Okay, get going." I pull away, bracing my palms against his chest. "Now, before I decide not to let you so that we can continue our honeymoon."
"That does sound tempting...But I guess I have to watch over this fool..." He grabs his brother by the collar. "Come on, let's board."
"Why would you be watching over me?" I hear Tidus squeak as Yuna and I lean against the convertible and watch the brothers walk across the dirt landing. I wonder, while they're away, across the Spiran globe, if either will remember to pick up the phone.
"Lenne..." Yuna's demure voice startles me. "Do you think..."
"Don't think about it," I advise her. "Let's grab Rikku, some movies and enjoy ourselves."
Yuna chews on her fingernail, watching Tidus walk off "I'm going to miss him."
"Come on," I say auto-starting my SLK Benz. "I think we should get drunk tonight."
"Lenne!" She smiles. "You're starting to sound devious."
"The boys will be having the time of their lives." I flip my shades down onto the bridge of my noes and start the engine. I don't pause to wait for the airship's engine to roar. "Don't worry, Yuna. I'll keep you busy this week."
As we merge back onto the freeway she turns to me with a sad smile. "Lenne..."
"I'll take care of you, Yuna. I promise."
Rikku
The butter-silk fabric beneath my fingers produces an involuntary shiver as I move my hand along the length of its surface. Every year Zanarkand is the home of Spira's largest fashion expedition; this year my company will be premiering its first collection. Without a husband to get in my way, the excess time has allowed me the opportunity to take on more responsibility within the company.
Shaking thoughts of Gippal from my head, I begin steadying the fabric through the machine, easing my foot onto the pedal. Light from overhead casts itself upon the silk, the glint of the needle dropping in and out of sight at increasing speed as I lengthen the seam. The doorbell chimes; my head snaps up and the material beneath my fingers begins to bunch. I lift my foot from the pedal and curse to myself, throwing the garment aside.
"Whatsup?" I ask, pressuring the talk button underneath my thumb. I gaze at the screen above where Lenne and Yuna are leaning against the fence. "Want me to buzz you in?"
"We are here to kidnap you, so grab your purse," Lenne states with a wry smile. "While the husbands are away, us girls are gonna play."
"Just give me a minute." I turn off my machine and grab my purse from the edge of the chair. Lenne and Yuna's appearance comes as a relief, and although I'm distressed about the garment, I can come back to it later. A night out with the girl's sounds a million times better than falling asleep at the desk.
I embrace Yuna as I meet the two girls outside. "Hey, Shuyin and Ti left yet?"
"Honey, they're long gone." Lenne unlocks the car door, and we file inside. "Couldn't wait to get rid of us."
"Whatever, we don't need 'em."
Yuna smiles politely from the passenger seat, ignoring our comments. I wonder if she realizes she has to let go of Tidus while he's away. The boy's an athlete— at the moment all that matters is his game. She'll be heartbroken when she realizes he's not going to call, text, or email her. She'll be the last thing on his mind.
"By the way, Rik," Lenne switches lanes, "I'm getting you ladies drunk tonight. So we're stopping by the liquor store; gonna get us some wine."
"Sounds good to me," I reply, leaning my head against the windowpane, the scenery blurring as I rest my eyes.
Auron
Like the man at his corner desk, the office is understated. The room is characterless beyond the strong scent of stale air and day-old coffee that infiltrates my senses. Baralai sits hunched over a copy of Zanarkand Weekly, with both his elbows propped up against the heavy oak of his desk; he does not alter his gaze to meet me.
"Baralai." I request his attention as he turns another page. "Has Gordan left for the night?"
"He's left for the week, Auron. Is there anything I may assist you with? Perhaps, the Kelly files?" He places his paper down, as he pushes away from his desk. "I'm not sure I have a number where you could reach him, either."
A low growl emits from deep in my throat. I needed him to be here tonight. The case we'd been gathering has hit a snag, and things aren't going smoothly as I'd predicted they would. I'd been working closely with both Seymour Kelly and Gordan Hersh over the last few months. Seymour's company, Kelly, Green, and Samson Industries had managed to keep their books clean; under the table, well... that just wasn't the case. He's specialized in weapons merchandising, and although upfront he'd kept things smooth as a whistle, his product had been turning up in unexpected lands. Gordan had been putting together evidence against him, and I, being a close friend of the late Jyscal Kelly, Seymour's father, had offered my assistance.
"Baralai..." I begin, lifting my glasses away from my face, "do you have access to his files?"
"I do, but they can't leave this office," he says, moving to a stainless steel filing cabinet sitting firmly against the wall across from his desk, beside Gordan's. I need these files to check his travel. Air Spira has been tracking his tickets, making it possible to trace Seymour's monthly travel patterns.
After withdrawing the file, Baralai hesitates before handing it over, taking a long glance inside. "This is him?" he asks, retrieving a picture of Seymour and his wife, Lexus, that had been clipped from a newspaper article several months ago.
I take the file from his hands. "It is."
"And...he has a wife?"
"Lexus," I smirk. "Beautiful, isn't she?"
Baralai fixes his gaze back on the photo for a lingering moment. "That doesn't make any sense. My friend Yuna..."
"Yuna?"
"Yes, she was living with him. I believe they were dating. That was back in March."
"Seymour's never been a loyal man; he enjoys the company of many women. Is this Yuna the daughter of Braska Shimane?"
Baralai nods, moving back to his desk and withdrawing a leather-bound notepad. After writing something down he rips the page from its bindings. "She may be of some use to you."
"I've already met her. Though, I'd prefer if I could avoid using her as a witness," I muse, thinking of the night we'd met at the scene of her vandalized car. The parking lot had reeked of Seymour's work. I would have liked to charge him, but it wasn't enough. It would have blown my cover, and possibly endangered her and my godson Tidus. Because Seymour was under the impression I was crooked, I'd manipulated situations for his legal benefit, proving false loyalty. I'd made a promise to his father, one Seymour had misunderstood. I'd assured Jyscal I'd take care of his son... in the same way his son had taken care of him.
Yuna
Wine, red wine swirling, tangled up within itself drifting without intent. I stare into the bloody depths of the tall-stemmed glass. My head pounds; the numbness in my chest grows with every chance encounter of liquid and lips. From the comfort of Lenne's living room the three of us sit, ranting, raving, and gossiping as the alcohol merges into our bloodstreams.
"Gippal..." Rikku throws back her head, a flock of blonde curls bouncing against the air, "Gippal doesn't care anymore." She leans against the white leather sofa, digging her toes into the carpet. "I don't think I care that he doesn't care, ya'kno. If I'd known... I wouldn't have ever..."
"Gippal loves you Rikku. With all the two of you have dealt with—I think that he's just going through a phase." Lenne offers.
"I don't appreciate his phases. Where is 'e when I need to go through a phase?"
"True." I raise my glass to her complaint. "He's off chasing skirts."
"He does like a nice, short skirt," she smirks. "But that's what's got us all tangled up anyway. If I hadn't been... you know, and then we wouldn't have ended up together. I bet you anything."
"I don't know. I think he's hurting too," Lenne theorizes with the toss of her hair.
"It's cruel," Rikku disagrees. "My child's dead and my husband's off fraternizing..." She lifts her glass to emphasize her speech, "…and I have nothing. Even my glass is empty," she complains, grabbing the bottle from Lenne's grasp.
"Hey!" she squeals. "I was about to..."
"I need it more." Rikku snaps.
"I miss Tidus." I interrupt, circling the rim of my glass with the tip of my index finger. "I know I'm supposed to forget about him for a while, but..."
"Yuna... I have to be honest here," Lenne says, bracing my thigh with her open palm. "I really don't want you thinking about him right now, because you will not last two weeks if you cannot survive the night."
"I'm surviving..." I defend. "I just miss him... how can you expect me not to?"
"You don't see us wailing over our husbands, do ya?" Rikku begins, "You know with all Gippal's skirt chasing you think he'd be chasing me around a lil more. It's not like I don't wear skirts. I have plenty of skirts, I wear them constantly! Do I just not count because we're married?"
"Shuyin and I have a very healthy sex life." Lenne smirks, throwing a silky gold throw cushion at me. "How about you, Yuna?"
"Me?" I say, staring at the carpet. "I don't really have any experience to contribute to this conversation."
"What do you mean?" Rikku asks, leaning forward. Her face turns red as she looks past me at Lenne. "Yuna do you mean you don't really have anything to say about you and Blondie... or you don't really have anything to say at all when it comes to sex?"
I shift my gaze to the roof. "Sex." The wine I'd been sipping slowly all night is becoming more tempting each passing second.
"Really?" Lenne grabs one of the couch pillows and holds it to her chest. "I would have thought that you and Seymour.. ."
The two of them huddle around me like vultures circling a fresh corpse, eyes beady and teeth bared. "This is so unusual." Rikku begins, taking my hand in hers, "Because Tidus is so…Well, he's experienced, and he's like the love of your life—"
"Rikku!" Lenne laughs. "If she wants to wait then she should wait."
"I don't want to wait."
"Then what's holding you back, kid?" Rik refills my glass with wine. "Are you scared?"
"I'm not scared," I reply, taking the freshened drink and wetting my tongue. "I want him to make the move... and he hasn't."
"He can't," Lenne interrupts. "I imagine he's trying to take things slow."
"So what do you expect me to do, jump him the moment he's back from the tournament?"
"Not quite." Lenne stands up to grab us another bottle of wine. "Leave him some hints, you know... like leave your drawers open a little, let a few lacy pieces hang out to catch his attention. Buy a box of condoms and leave them on the nightstand!"
"Offer to give him a massage in the nude...?"
"Whoa," I laugh, taking another sip of my drink. "I've never done this before. I don't think anyone's ever seen me naked..."
"I have!" Rikku laughs. "Lots."
"When we were kids," I sigh. "It's not like I'm not ready... I want to be with him. But he's probably been with..." I look down at my fingers, "…a lot of women. I don't want to be just another notch."
"I shoulda' been a notch." Rikku smirks. "Maybe that would have been better... if Gippal hadn't knocked me up."
"Are you okay, Rikku?" I ask, leaning my head against her shoulder as Lenne returns with another bottle.
"Of course I'm not." She sighs, grabbing the bottle, once again, from Lenne's grasp. "Maybe after another glass I will be."
Tidus
A flash of bronzed honey eyes...
My concentration interrupted if only for a moment.
And the next she's gone.
Adrianna...
The name is sour on my lips.
I have to be dreaming.
The icy depths of the water provide little comfort
For a heart that won't stop beating
A heart that won't stop aching
I shake my head
Play the game.
Let the water cleanse the wound