A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed! :)

So... this is another chapter set in the Big Epic Story AU (it will called that until I think of a decent title). If you don't like that, then please let me know!

Hope you all enjoy! :D

Pairing: Tidus/Xion (AU)

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:The Oddities of Love:

Giving

Xion nibbled on the end of her pencil, sparing numerous glances at the window which failed to conceal the horrors of the outside. Radiant Garden... it was in a dreadful state. After everything that had happened to them, would things ever turn back to normal? Would time somehow remind itself back to the sleepy summers of before, turning back the hands so that none of this would have ever happened.

But it had happened, and the ashes of homes and the bare skeletons of buildings outside only proved this point. Highlighted the deaths of thousands, and taunted her with the darkness and the fire and the screams and-

Him.

"Hey; are you alright?" someone's smoothing voice asked her in worry, and she almost leaped out of her in surprise. Oblivion almost came to her hand, but then she reminded herself that she was in school, and no they were not going to come out of the shadows and attack her and take away all that she treasured and-

"Hellooo?" the blond asked again, waving a hand in front of her face. Blinking, she shook her head with a shy smile on her face.

"Sorry about that; I tend to do that a lot," she explained, before looking back outside.

"It's fine! My name's Tidus, and I'm going to be the best blitzball player in the world!" he announced, and Xion laughed softly as he sat on the wooden table. She thought that she had seen that fluff of blond hair and sparkling blue eyes before.

"Well, good luck then!"

"Were you thinking about the Heartless?" Tidus suddenly asked softly, looking upwards to the scene outside. Many people were running around the gardens madly, trying to get as much work done as possible.

"How did you-"

"I know these things," he teased, tapping the side of his forehead as he grinned. Xion couldn't help but laugh at him. "Life's all about giving and taking, you know?"

"Huh?" Xion asked, curious as to where this was going. He shrugged.

"They took the Heartless, but in return-" he stopped, looking to her with smiling eyes that were still full of child-like innocence.

"I got you."

"What on-"

"Tidus! You're such a bad flirt!" a brunette smacked the boy on the head, making him fall off the table.

"Whoa! Selphie!"

And Xion laughed wholeheartedly for the first time in months.

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A/N: I'm changing the word limit to 400 words! This is too hard, LOL! XD And the next theme is Xigbar/Larxene... how interesting. ;p

Please review! ^_^