Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy X or any of its characters and I make no money from writing this story. If I did own FFX, Tidus would just admit he's gay and get on with it already.

All right, this chapter's finally done. Sorry it took nearly a month to get out, I've been job-hunting. And what a bitch it is. I've also been fending off the craziness of my grandmother who insists I'm getting fat because I weigh a whopping one hundred and ten pounds and no longer look anorexic. But please enjoy and I'll try and get the next one out quickly.

Warnings: Language

Chapter 14: A Future of Thorns

Upon waking, Tidus unconsciously steeled himself for a hangover. After all, the boy had drunk quite a lot in his short life, he knew what to expect after feeling the way he had last night. But to his surprise... there was nothing. No headache, no lingering aches and pains, no nausea. Only a slight drowsiness, the kind you got after you slept too long. That was it. And he vowed that he would do all in his power to get his hands on some of that Guado liquor stuff. Because if it messed you up after just one shot the way it had to him last night and left you with no hangover to speak of... Well, that was just fucking amazing.

With a sigh of relief, he rolled over and sat up, looking around the stylishly decorated room with raised eyebrows. The art on the walls, the luxurious bed, the dark oak furniture. Was this really a guest room? Something told him Seymour had given him a room above the status of a guardian... and he was oddly touched by the gesture. It was just so sweet.

His stomach clenched. Seymour. Romantic gestures. Last night. He had messed around with Seymour last night. He had kissed Seymour last night. He had felt something with Seymour last night, something that went much deeper than physical attraction and lust. Now what was he going to do about it? He knew a crush, even if he hadn't had one in a long time. And he knew why he hadn't had one in a long time. Because his heart was stolen soundly by one and only one person. Because the stoic, red-coated warrior who had been the biggest part of his life over the past ten years took up so much of his thoughts he never spared anyone else a second glance. At least until last night.

He couldn't really compare the feelings he had for Seymour with the ones he had for Auron. He loved Auron, he knew he did. He only liked Seymour. Admittedly, it was the kind of like that had the potential to become love, but it wasn't there yet. So it would seem to make the most sense that when faced with a choice between the two men, he'd choose the one he loved. But that wasn't all there was to the equation. You had to take into account the other person's feelings as well. Tidus knew Seymour liked him, could tell even when he was wasted that the older man genuinely felt something for him. Auron... Auron most likely found him an annoyance. He cared for him in a way, Tidus knew, but not romantically. If anything, what Auron felt for Tidus was probably what one would feel towards a younger brother. Auron would never feel for him the way Seymour did... Maybe it was time to give up watching the person he loved from afar and giving something new, something real, a chance.

The door opened and Seymour stepped in, smiling a bit at the blond. "Ah, you're awake." He crossed the room, sitting on the edge of the bed, looking Tidus over almost curiously. "Lady Yuna should be arriving within the hour. Would you join me for breakfast before that?"

Breakfast? Tidus become abruptly aware of just how ravenous he was and nodded eagerly at the maester's offer. "Yeah, that sounds great." And so he found himself in the same room as last night, enjoying a lavish spread of food while Seymour sipped tea across the table from him, watching him so intently it made him a bit nervous. "Um," he said, swallowing a particularly large mouthful of fruit, "can... can we talk?"

"Of course. I knew you had quite a bit to ask me. Though I'd like to start by saying I hope you don't regret our actions last night."

"Regret... no. No no, I don't regret anything. At all." He nodded, almost to himself, as if to reaffirm this. "There's just some stuff I need to know. Like Yuna... you don't really like her, right?"

He chose to ignore the smirk Seymour gave him for that, as if he were a small child who'd said something unbearably cute. "Not at all. I proposed to Lady Yuna for the mutual benefits it would bring us and the joy it would bring to the people of Spira. She is a very nice girl, very pretty, but I'm afraid she is not... my type."

Tidus couldn't stop himself before repeating, "Your type?"

"Yes. She is almost too... delicate. I prefer my flower to have thorns." He gave Tidus a pointed look, letting him know that he had just the thorns the older man wanted. Tidus couldn't help but blush. "Does it bother you that I'm to marry her?"

"No," the boy answered instantly, already having thought that through the night before. Now that his suspicions were confirmed that Seymour felt nothing for his angel, their impending marriage didn't mean a thing. "Just wanted everything to be clear." Besides, it's not like two men could get married in Spira, there was certainly nothing to be jealous about. Hell, two men couldn't even walk down the street holding hands in Spira without being shunned or possibly mobbed. Let Seymour publicly marry whoever he wanted. As long as Tidus was the one he really came home to, that was all that mattered.

Instantly the blond's face turned as red as a cherry. He had just been thinking like Seymour was his. Shit, when the hell had that happened?

"What's the matter, lovely?"

Tidus jumped at being addressed and somehow managed to redden even more. "No, it's nothing... I just... you, you like me, don't you? I'm not... imagining it, right? I mean--"

He stopped when Seymour stood, coming round the table to sit next to him, pulling him so their chests were touching, faces only inches apart. He found he couldn't move, all he could do was watch and let the maester maneuver him however he wanted. The older man leaned in pressing their lips softly together for a few seconds before pulling back again to look him in the eyes. "I like you very much, Tidus. And if Lady Yuna does not wish for you to be her guardian any longer, even if she does, I hope you will stay with me. It would be my honor to keep you."

The wording made it sound a bit like Tidus was a puppy being passed to a new owner, but the blond ignored it, knowing that's just how Seymour's possessive mind worked. He would never let the older man treat him like an object that he could own, but then those were the thorns Seymour liked so much, right? He knew the maester truly cared for and wanted him. But on the off-chance Yuna did want Tidus back... could he really leave her and the others and stay with Seymour?

"Just think about it," the older man whispered, before pressing their lips together again. And Tidus would have agreed if his mouth hadn't been too busy absorbing the amazing taste that was Seymour Guado.

~Feel no shame for what you love~

Auron was annoyed. Very annoyed for a number of different reasons. The biggest reason, of course, was that Tidus was Yevon only knows where thinking about doing Yevon only knows what to himself, and Auron wasn't there to stop him. So he was trying to get to him quickly. Then the second reason he was annoyed pops up in the form of another Al Bhed ambush. Because he couldn't reach Tidus quickly if things like meddling Al Bhed kept getting in the way. Then the third reason he was annoyed, was the red-headed blitzball player known as Wakka. Because after Rikku had yelled at her brother in Al Bhed, most likely telling him in some form or another to shove it, the self-righteous bastard had started going off about Yevon this and Yevon that. Like that moron knew a damn thing about Yevon. How dare he start spouting off that bullshit and intentionally hurting Rikku with it. If Auron hadn't been in such a hurry to reach the temple and try and find Tidus, he would have taught him a thing or two about his precious Yevon.

As it was, he was in a big hurry, and snapped at Wakka to shut his mouth before showing where he stood by having Rikku fix the machina that would take them to the temple faster. Wakka had his little temper tantrum and walked instead but whatever. Let him cool off, and if he continued to do things to hurt Rikku... well, he wouldn't be doing so for long. Auron would make sure of that. But right now another blond needed his full attention, so he rode to the temple at full speed, not sure of what he'd find.

Nothing made him happier than pulling up and seeing Tidus standing outside the doors, waiting for their arrival. Rikku hopped off her machina with a cheerful, "Tidus!" and flung herself at the boy, squeezing the breath out of him while scolding him for worrying them all. Tidus pried her off as best he could with an apology and nearly passed out in shock when Lulu also gave him a small hug and reprimand and Kimahri clapped him amicably on the shoulder before stalking off. He apologized once more, said he hadn't been thinking, and asked for their forgiveness. He smiled and laughed like nothing was wrong, but Auron saw his eyes. He saw how troubled they were, like a storm was brewing and just waiting to erupt.

He let the girls have their moment with the blond, taking his time to get to him. When the boy looked up and saw him, a very odd look passed over his face, one the warrior couldn't place. Lulu saw him coming, and, with some difficulty, managed to pull Rikku away. Auron silently thanked her, moving to stand in front of the boy who immediately glanced away, refusing to look him in the eye. Well, that wasn't a good start. He had to let him know he wasn't mad, so he reached out and ruffled the blond hair, trying to make himself smile. "There you are. We've been looking for you."

The boy met his eyes for about a second before looking away quickly, as if the sight was painful. He swallowed thickly and nodded, wringing his hands together in a nervous gesture. "Yeah, sorry."

Auron wanted to curse, this still wasn't going well. Plus the boy looked incredibly lost. Time to take it to the next level and make him talk. "It's cold out here. Let's go inside."

~Feel no shame for what you love~

Tidus' head was a mess. After his short make-out session with Seymour, he'd spent the rest of his time waiting for Yuna thinking over the maester's proposal. Seymour wanted him to stay, regardless of whether or not Yuna wanted him back. Tidus didn't think this would actually be a problem since he didn't really think Yuna would ever want someone dirty like him to be her guardian again. So that would leave him with the options of either wandering off into Spira alone, or staying and giving a relationship with the half-Guado a shot. A no brainer really.

Then the fates just had to go and throw a wrench in his plans, not that he was actually angry about it. He couldn't have felt happier than when Yuna ran up to him, throwing her small arms tight around his neck. She then immediately backed off a few paces, bowing repeatedly and saying over and over again how sorry she was, that she had spoken without thinking, that she didn't really mean any of what she had said. Tidus had watched in shock, immediately taking in her disheveled appearance. She was a mess, signs of crying all too obvious, overcome with fatigue. Had she been that bothered over this? Had his angel really been that upset over him?

She couldn't talk much right then, the Guado were ushering her along already, telling her Seymour was waiting. She bowed a few more times to the blond blitzer before following them, saying they needed to talk more when she got back, that she needed to explain her actions. He just agreed, staring after her in a stupor. Then he'd trotted over to the main doors to wait for the rest of his friends, mind already going a hundred miles an hour. As ecstatic as he was that Yuna didn't hate him, this complicated things. A lot. Because even though she'd never said it in words, it was rather obvious she wanted him to continue with them on her pilgrimage. So now he actually did have a difficult decision to make.

He smiled cheerfully as he was scolded and hugged, touched by the fact that the others had been genuinely worried about him, but his mind was still only half there. Then he caught sight of Auron walking over and felt his heart leap up into his throat. Why was he so damn nervous? It was only Auron. Why did he feel like a child who'd just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar?

He avoided the older man's eyes like the plague, glad he at least wasn't angry at Tidus for running off. Then, before he he knew what was happening, he found himself alone with Auron in the same room where he'd been alone with Seymour. Twice. This only added to that odd guilty feeling.

Auron watched the boy closely, surreptitiously looking him over for any sign of injury. He seemed all right, it didn't look as if a fiend had ripped him to shreds in his time alone. But why was he still wringing his hands like that, and why wouldn't he look at Auron properly? Something had definitely happened, but the warrior was clueless as to what. And it seemed important. So the best thing to do was try and get the brat to talk, right? "I'm glad you're unharmed."

The blond blinked, as if surprised at being spoken to. "Hm? Oh yeah, I'm all right. Thanks."

He shut up immediately after that, making Auron frown. Not exactly the reaction he'd been hoping for; time to try something else. What had Lulu said about making him talk? Physical contact? He awkwardly spun the boy to face him, letting both hands fall heavily onto the brat's shoulders in an firm grip. There, that was light physical contact, right? It may be more than what Auron usually did, but it could still be taken as platonic. And in this position he could keep the boy from bolting on him. Perfect. Just ignore the incredulous look he was being given.

"I'm glad you waited for us here," Auron said softly, trying to start off the conversation on the right foot. "I thought you might take off before we could reach you."

Tidus' eyebrows raised just a little, and he debated on whether or not to be insulted. "I'm not a little kid anymore, Auron. I wanted to let you know what was going on before I never saw you again or something. Sorry I didn't tell you before I left the first time. I made a mistake."

Auron was surprised by the maturity of the blond's words, impressed that he'd at least taken the time to think before acting for once. He was right, he wasn't a little kid anymore. He may not be an adult yet either, but he was getting there. "Yes, you did, but at least you realized it and attempted to correct it. Besides, from what I'm told, you actually had a reason to be upset this time."

Tidus frowned, remembering with far more clarity than he'd like Yuna's hateful words. The look of disgust and hurt in her eyes. "She told you 'bout that, huh?"

A grunt. "Not really. We found her crying, and she told us she said some pretty mean things to you, that she was sorry. She never went into any detail about what was actually said."

Tidus nearly laughed at the unasked question in his former caretaker's words. "You want me to tell you what she said."

Auron hesitated, knowing he was treading in dangerous waters now. "I think it's always a good idea to get what's bothering you off your chest."

"Ah." He chuckled, but Auron knew it was fake. "Well, nothing to worry about then because it doesn't bother me."

Oh, so he was going to play that game again. Pretend everything's fine and put on that goofy grin when he's really upset. Auron had seen him do it way too many times before, and he wasn't going to let him do it now.

Without giving it a second thought, Auron dropped down onto one of the cushions in the center of the room, grabbed Tidus by the wrist, and yanked him down onto his lap. The boy gave a startled yelp, landing hard against his former caretaker's chest, blinking stupidly. "The hell, old man?"

Auron's arms came tight around the boy's smaller frame, holding him firmly in place in case he tried to run. "We're not leaving here until you talk about this." He was not going to let things be pushed aside any longer. Big or small, he wouldn't allow Tidus to bottle his emotions up until he hurt himself. Not anymore.

Tidus felt his heart thudding in his chest so hard, he thought it might just break through his ribs and run away. Had Auron really just pulled him onto his lap? His lap? What the hell? Even when he was a little kid, Tidus never sat on Auron's lap. Furthermore, this was the second lap he'd sat on in that very same room in less than twenty-four hours. And when he'd sat on Seymour's lap... well, he knew where that had ended up leading. If only the same thing would happen with Auron.

No, bad Tidus, you're not supposed to think that way anymore. You already decided that you were gonna give this thing with Seymour a shot. You can't keep lusting after other guys.

No matter how good it felt to have their strong arms wrapped around him.

"Look, there's really nothing to talk about. Everything's fine."

One dark eyebrow raised. "Oh really? Then you won't mind telling me what Yuna said."

The response was instantaneous. Tidus stiffened to the point Auron thought he might strain something and tried, to no avail, to pull away. So it wasn't bothering him, huh?

"I don't wanna--"

"I don't care if you don't want to talk about it," the older man interjected harshly. "We're going to. Now tell me." He paused, realizing how harsh he sounded and added more gently, "Please."

Tidus tried once more to get away, his movements reminding Auron very much of a cat when it didn't want to be held, before he let out a defeated sigh and practically collapsed into Auron's warmth. "Auron," his tone was slowly taking on a desperate note, "I really don't wanna talk about this." He felt exactly how he had that night nearly a week ago when Auron had confronted him about his sex habits. Trapped with no escape, being forced to share personal things he never wanted anyone to know about, with the person he least wanted to know. Why was all of this suddenly so important?

Auron carded his fingers through Tidus' hair a few times, silently apologizing for making him so uncomfortable. It wasn't as if he enjoyed tormenting the boy, but this needed to be talked about. Tidus couldn't keep it all inside. "Just tell me what she said."

Another sigh, this one even more downtrodden than the first, and Tidus slowly recounted the 'fight' between Yuna and himself in a thick, detached monotone. He went over everything Yuna had said, the way he'd just ran without really thinking, and stopping at the point where Seymour had found him and brought him back to the temple. What happened after that was no one's business but his own. Not even Auron's.

Auron listened, the prominent scowl on his face growing the more the boy talked. Yuna had had every right to feel bad about what she'd said, it was completely uncalled for and purposely malicious. In fact, he couldn't help suspecting there had been more going on in the girl's head that night then she had told them. But that wasn't what really worried him. "Tidus, do you think you did anything to deserve that?"

The boy scoffed a bit. "I don't hate myself because I'm gay if that's what you mean, I never have. And I didn't lie!" He looked particularly frustrated now, but Auron wasn't sure why exactly. "I never tried to hide the fact that I was gay, and I certainly never said anything to the contrary. Why do people always... I mean, whatta they expect me to do? Go around wearing a sign that says 'I'm a fag!' on it?"

"In neon print," the warrior muttered, glad that at least the brat didn't hate himself for something completely beyond his control. And mildly impressed with the extensive vocabulary the boy had just shown. "If that wasn't what upset you, then what was it?"

Tidus gave him an incredulous look. What the hell was Auron talking about 'what was it'? Wasn't it obvious? "She didn't want me there because I was dirty." Hadn't he just told the older man this?

Now Auron was just as confused as the boy. What was he... "You said you knew you weren't dirty because you're gay."

"Well yeah." Tidus waved his hand in dismissively. "But that doesn't mean I'm not dirty. Yuna was right about that, just for the wrong reasons."

There was a long pause as Auron had to physically restrain himself from strangling the boy. Why must he overthink things? Yuna didn't even know about the other things that could classify him as 'dirty'. What, did he think the dirt was real, that he actually secreted some kind of poison that would infect other people? "Tidus--"

"Look, this really does not matter," the boy said in a frustrated voice, his tone surprisingly leaving no room for argument. But then he paused, realizing he was lying and that Auron would know like he always did. "Okay, so maybe it does matter, but not that much. Yuna already apologized for everything, and really, she didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. I'm happy just knowing that she doesn't hate me anymore." He ran a hand distractedly through decidedly greasy locks, vaguely wishing he'd thought to bathe earlier. He was sure Seymour wouldn't have minded... Seymour... "I have bigger problems at the moment anyway."

Auron pulled back, eyebrows furrowed now. "Oh?"

Shit, why'd I say that?

"What kind of problems?"

Oh no. Oh hell no, he was not ready to talk about this with anyone, especially the sole object of his affections up until last night. Quick, change the subject. "Y'know, you never used to talk to me this much when I was younger. What happened?"

"I suppose I've realized the error of my ways," Auron responded dryly, not ready to fully admit his actual guilt about that whole subject. "You didn't answer my question."

That's because I'm not going to. "So did you have some kind of life-changing event that made you realize how awesome and important to you I am? Or is it something else? Are you dying?"

He'd meant it jokingly, of course, but he couldn't figure out just why Auron seemed to find that so damn funny. He hadn't heard the man laugh like that in a long time. Maybe he was starting to go senile early. Not that he was upset by this, Auron's spontaneous humor gave him a chance to slip away... or not.

Big arms tightened around him, crushing him against a hard chest just as he'd started to wriggle free. "You still didn't answer my question."

Fuck. "Ah it's no big deal really. Just thinking about my future... and stuff."

"Really? All the more reason you should share. I am your legal guardian after all."

Damn old man and his logic. "It's nothing. Just Seymour, that's all." He very carefully avoided the bigger man's gaze as he said this, too embarrassed to look at him. He couldn't stop feeling guilty, as if he'd cheated on Auron with Seymour or something. Which was ridiculous considering you couldn't cheat on someone you had nothing with.

Auron watched the boy lower his eyes in some kind of shame and instantly tensed, white hot fury flashing through him. "Seymour? What did he do?" If that bastard had hurt Tidus in any way he would kill him, nothing more to it. Consequences be damned.

But then Tidus blushed, and Auron could do nothing more than stare like a blithering idiot. The brat was blushing because of that maester freak? What the hell was going on? Hadn't Tidus hated Seymour just as much as he had up until... just what had happened between them?

Tidus, meanwhile, could feel his face getting hot, knew he was turning as red as a cherry. Yevon only knew why, it wasn't as if the things he'd done with Seymour last night were even close to the things he'd done with random strangers over the years. He assumed it all came back to the whole 'feelings' thing being involved. That, and this was Auron he was talking to, which just made it all worse. "Anyway, I've just got some stuff to think about." Like whether or not he continued on as Yuna's guardian or stayed there with Seymour his... boyfriend? He assumed that's what he and Seymour were, even if it wasn't really official or anything. So really, it all came down to who was more important to him. Yuna or Seymour.

He felt his chest tighten at even having to compare them, especially since they were important in completely different ways. Seymour was a romantic interest, albeit a new one, and was important to the blond in that way. Yuna was... well, it was hard to describe what Yuna was. She was his angel, as he'd said so many times before. She had offered him kindness and friendship when he needed it most, had always been there to listen to him as he was for her, had only ever 'wronged' him, if it could be called that, once, and had immediately apologized for it on their next meeting. She was like a sister to him, only that really wasn't enough to describe it. In her own way, she was probably his most precious person.

And it wasn't just her. The other guardians were there to; and even if they didn't always see eye to eye on everything, they were his friends and had always accepted and been grateful for his help. Rikku really was like a little sister to him, Wakka a big brother, Lulu sometimes a mother figure (even if she did still scare him a bit), Kimahri the strong silent uncle that he knew would be there if Tidus ever truly needed him. And then there was Auron.

Much like Yuna, words couldn't really describe what Auron was to him. He had been the prominent male figure for most of Tidus' life, but the boy never looked at him as a father, not even when he was younger. He knew that he was supposed to, but he just never got a fatherly vibe from the red-coated man. If anything, he was closer to a much older brother. But that had only lasted for the first few years of their life together. Then their relationship had transformed into something different. Something Tidus really just could not begin to describe to anyone else. Something he didn't fully understand himself. It became so that Auron didn't seem like a father or a brother or even a friend to him, because in some odd way, it felt like Auron was just part of him. That without Auron, he just wouldn't be whole. And somewhere along the line, while that feeling never left, it grew and turned into love. Not the love of a little brother, the love of a lover. And when it had, the boy hadn't been surprised at all. It was like he'd known all along that it would happen. And it just felt right.

As all these thoughts ran through his head far faster than he ever thought possible, he came to the realization that he couldn't leave Yuna and the others. They were important to him, very much so, and as long as they wanted him around, as long as she wanted him there, he would be there. He would protect his angel, help his friends protect her, and do everything he could to protect them to. What else could he do?

Admittedly he felt terrible leaving Seymour because part of him really did want to stay with the older male and give the whole relationship thing a chance. He really did. If only there was a way to do both.

Blink.

"That's it!"

Auron started at the exuberant cry from the boy in his lap, not expecting it when a second ago he'd looked beyond depressed about something. "What's it?"

Tidus didn't answer, but he giggled like a schoolgirl, extremely proud of himself for the solution he'd come up with. Yuna only needed guardians to complete her pilgrimage. After that was done, she could go home, back to Besaid with Wakka and Lulu, and she wouldn't need protection anymore. And then Tidus could return guilt-free to Seymour, having helped his friends and having helped save Spira. Then he could pursue their relationship with a clear conscience, and give everything he had to the maester, his full undivided attention. It was perfect. Everything would be perfect.

Auron honestly didn't know what was going through the boy's head, but he was surprised to see the pure joy in the blond's sudden smile. He looked so happy and peaceful. The warrior was at a complete loss as to what the boy was thinking or what had put that smile on his face, but he found it didn't really matter. He didn't care what it took, he never wanted to see that smile leave. He'd do absolutely anything to keep it there. "Tidus--"

There was a sudden cry from the main room and both men leapt to their feet, rushing to see what, if anything, was wrong. An acolyte was emerging from one of the side rooms, hands clasped over her mouth, a look of pure shock on her face as she sunk to her knees. "Lord Jyscal..."

Yeah, these last few chapters are about as far off-canon as this story goes, with how Tidus reached Macalania Temple before the others and wasn't there for the Al Bhed ambush and everything. Aside from the fact he's gay and in love with Auron instead of Yuna of course, but you get what I mean. That being said, you can imagine what's going to happen with Seymour next...

And this story is Auron/Tidus. My cousin had a fit when she thought I was turning it into Seymour/Tidus instead, so please don't worry. I could never do that to Auron, I love him far too much. My all-star list:

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I can't believe how long it's getting! Reviews honestly make me so happy, so drop me one if you have the time. I'll be waiting!