Author's Note: I hope you're all enjoying this story! I can't believe I'm already posting chapter 5! Enjoy!

CHAPTER FIVE:

One of the Good Ones

Yuna spends the whole game running that interaction with Tidus over and over and over in her head.

What. The. Hell.

She's so agitated she ends up tearing her program into tiny pieces and every time Bevelle scores, everyone in the box jumps up, even her dad, but Yuna stays seated. It's like she's not even there. Well, she's here, in this arena, but not in this box.

She's three over, reliving that conversation, analyzing every word, every facial expression, every movement, over and over and over and over and—

"Yuna, ready to go?"

"Huh?" Yuna looks up at the scoreboard. The game's ended and her dad's standing over her, his eyebrows pinched together.

"Wow, that work email must have really done a number on you," he says with a soft chuckle. "Anything I can help with?"

Work email? Right, her excuse from earlier. "Oh, uh, no, it's fine."

It's not fine. Nothing's fine.

She stands up on shaky legs, a queasiness running through her. She almost cheated on Baralai. She wanted to cheat on Baralai. And for what? Because she can't keep her Yevon-damned hormones in check around Tidus? It's one thing to act that way as a naïve nineteen-year-old, a whole different story at thirty…

And him. How dare he say those things to her, lean forward like that, surround her with his warmth, his smell? He has a girlfriend! Not just any girlfriend, but Spira's most famous pop singer! And yet he's still up to his same old shenanigans from ten years ago.

Despicable.

"Yuna?"

Yuna blinks. She's at the car and she has no recollection of how she ended up out here. The chill from the evening weather slowly sinks in through her sweater, the loud noise of fans leaving the stadium fills her ears. She takes a deep breath, grounding herself, the quiet suite box and Tidus's arm behind her chair disappearing from her mind.

"Are you okay?" Braska finally asks. "You seem really out of it."

"Yeah, I just… I'm fine."

Her dad shrugs. "Okay." He never presses. When she was a teenager, she liked that about him. He never asked her about her high school boyfriend or why she was out so late at prom. She used to think it was because he had complete trust in her, but now she wonders if he'd just rather act like everything's fine rather than asking her what's really on her mind.

Which sucks. Because Yuna needs to talk about this.

She pulls out her phone and texts Rikku: "Hey, I know it's getting late… but can I come over?"

Rikku responds in seconds: "Ooh yes! Slumber party!"

Yuna didn't say anything about sleeping over, but she smiles. A girl's night is exactly what she needs.

#

Yuna changed into a worn pair of leggings and an old Zanarkand Law t-shirt but Rikku answers the door wearing a cute matching pajama set—pink plaid button up with cozy shorts.

"Thanks for letting me come over," Yuna says, holding up the bottle of wine she brought. "I had a night."

Rikku claps her hands and takes the wine from Yuna, heading into the kitchen to open it while Yuna slips off her shoes and coat.

"So what's up?" Rikku asks, handing Yuna a very full glass of wine before sliding onto the couch, pulling her knees up to her chest.

Yuna plops onto the couch opposite of Rikku and rubs at the back of her neck, suddenly a bit embarrassed. Maybe she's overreacting. Nothing happened. And she might have run into Tidus three times but three's always the magic number.

She'll be out of Bevelle in no time.

There won't be a fourth time. She never has to see him again.

But she wants to talk to someone about this, to sort out the complicated feelings that bubbled up the second Tidus took her hand.

"Um, well… I saw Tidus again tonight."

Rikku's eyes widen and she sets her wine glass down. "No way. What happened? Did you invite him over? Did he invite you over. Did—"

"Oh my gosh, Rikku. No. Nothing like that. My dad got tickets to the blitzball game tonight—"

"It was such a good game!" Rikku nods to the sphere, and Yuna realizes she must have been watching the game. Post-game coverage is still playing softly.

"Um, well, Tidus wasn't playing."

"Right. He was benched."

"And so he was up in the suite level, where I was. He just happened to walk by my suite when I was standing by the door, and he asked me to go with him, and like an idiot I did and…" Yuna's neck burns hot. She takes a long drink of the wine. It's a bit dry and she nearly coughs. "He told me I'm the one that got away."

"Oh, damn." Rikku pinches her lips together, her eyes wide and dancing. "Yunie, that's, like, wow. That's so romantic!"

"It's not romantic!" Yuna snaps. "He—He's dating Lenne. You know, Spira's most famous pop star? She's probably on tour right now or something so Tidus is just up to his old tricks. We both know how he is! He pulls this crap all the time! He gets a little bit lonely, a bit needy, and he pounces on another girl. He can't be trusted!" His words flash through Yuna's brain again. I was needy. Insanely needy. I needed you to drop everything for me. You remember what it was like when we were dating. And I couldn't… I couldn't do that to you.

"Okay, okay," Rikku says. "I get it. So what happened?"

"I left."

"Oh." She swirls her wine in her glass, eyes on the red liquid.

"Don't look so disappointed," Yuna mumbles, draining her glass.

"It's not that I'm disappointed," Rikku says, softly, carefully. "It's just that… honestly, I've never thought Tidus was that bad of a guy."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Just hear me out." Rikku sits up, setting her wine down on the coffee table. "Yeah, okay, he was pretty flighty in college. But, like, weren't we all?"

"I wasn't," Yuna mutters into her empty wine glass.

"Exactly. But Tidus was. And that's why you guys didn't work out. That's it. You guys wanted two different things at the time. You wanted a comfortable, reliable relationship. Tidus wanted to have fun. He wanted to have his cake and eat it, too. But that doesn't mean he didn't love you."

"Stop." Yuna pours herself another glass. "You're putting words in his mouth. If he loved me, why did he hook back up with Dona the second I got to Zanarkand?"

"I don't know," Rikku sighs. "But I'm pretty sure he regretted it."

"And why would you say that?"

"Because I obsessively watched the Blitzball WAGs reality show five years ago or whenever it was. Did you ever watch it?"

Yuna was curious about it when it first came out. She used to always look at the covers of the tabloids while she was grocery shopping, always featuring Tidus and Dona on the covers with reasons why their relationship wasn't working out, reasons why divorce was inevitable. Everything from Tidus cheating on her (likely, Yuna always thought scornfully) to Dona cheating on him (probably deserved) to money issues (yeah, right).

But she never watched the show when it aired, as tempting as it was. Everyone watched. Everyone but Yuna.

Now, Yuna shakes her head. "No. I couldn't stomach it."

"Well, it focused heavily on their relationship. And neither of them seemed happy. People say the show is what caused them to divorce, but you can go back to the very first episode and it's pretty obvious they hated each other."

"Then why? Why would he get back with her?"

"Because she was available? Familiar? They'd known each other their whole lives. Yunie, maybe she offered him exactly what he needed, or what he thought he needed, in that moment. And, no offense, but maybe that just wasn't you."

Her words sting. Yuna thinks back to that cold night in Zanarkand when she wanted to surprise him after a game. It was stupid to line up outside the stadium like a fan wanting an autograph, but she thought he'd find it funny. She hadn't expected him to walk out with Donna on his arm.

But it wasn't just Dona's presence. It was the way they looked at each other. It was the way he looked so comfortable with her nestled into the nook of his arm, the way he smiled at her when she posed for pictures.

When Yuna saw Tidus had proposed to Dona on SG later that year, right before finals at the end of her first year of law school, he looked truly happy, utter adoration in his eyes as she flashed her massive ring.

"It doesn't mean he couldn't have loved you," Rikku says. "Maybe he chose her because he loved you."

"That's not how this works." Yuna dabs at her eyes. "If he loved me, he would have chosen me. The end."

"Yeah. Of course. I'm just saying, I don't think he's such a bad guy."

Yuna's phone buzzes and when she looks at it, she realizes there's a part of her that hopes it's Tidus, even though she got a new phone years ago and he doesn't have this number.

It's not Tidus, though. It's Baralai.

"Wish I was there, too." With a smiley-face emoji. Yuna sighs and blacks her screen.

"Baralai," she explains when she looks up and sees Rikku's expectant face, like she was hoping it was Tidus, too.

"Oh. Him."

"What? What's wrong with Baralai? You're going to tell me you're siding with cheater Tidus over Baralai?"

"No, it's not that, it's just… ugh, I don't know! How long have you been dating Baralai? Like ten years?"

"Five," Yuna cuts her off.

"Five years!" Rikku reaches across the couch and takes Yuna's hand. "And where's the ring? Huh?"

Yuna yanks her hand away. "Rikku! You're sounding like my dad! We don't have to be married to be happy!" She bites her tongue to keep from adding, It's not like you're married.

"But you want to get married, right?" Rikku challenges.

"I mean, yeah, sure. I want to get married. And we will! We were just talking about it…"

"Cool. When?"

"When the time is right!"

"And when will that be? Yunie, where even is he right now? He missed your dad's retirement party. He should be here, right now, supporting you. Tidus shouldn't even be waltzing into your life because Baralai should be here, making it clear that you're taken."

"That is not Baralai's job. My gosh, Rikku, you're making it seem like—"

"Like what? Look, I know you revel in your independence, and that's awesome, but, like, honestly, why even have a boyfriend if he's going to be gone all the time?"

A sharp pain goes through Yuna's chest, like Rikku stabbed her. She blinks away tears and takes another drink of her wine, the taste somehow getting more and more bitter with each sip. "He's doing really important work. You should support it. He's done so much for the Al Bhed community, featuring their stories in popular media."

Rikku nearly sputters her wine. "Oh, that's what he's doing? And I should support it? What, should I also be thankful that Baralai is humanizing us?"

"I didn't say that."

"Yeah? You wanna know what Baralai's 'done' for the Al Bhed community? He's profited off of us. That's what he's done."

"No. His work showcases—"

"The struggles we face as Al Bhed in Spira? He profits off of our pain, Yunie. And not only that, but he pushes stereotypes, showing us in our most desolate, vulnerable circumstances, when he knows damn well most of us are thriving."

Yuna's jaw clenches. She thinks of Baralai's recent photographs featured in the Spira Times, showcasing migrant Al Bhed workers in the Calm Lands. When Yuna saw the photographs, her first thought was they were beautiful, the way Baralai captured the landscape of the Calm Lands, the gentle sunsets, the people's worn, weathered skin as they worked the land. But her second thought was that it was an interesting subject matter to capture, given her knowledge based on her work in law school that there are as many non-Al Bhed migrant workers in the Calm Lands as Al Bhed.

"Baralai isn't helping the community, Yunie. He's hurting it."

Yuna's ears ring and pressure builds behind her eyes as she thinks back to meeting up with him in Zanarkand, during her last year of law school, months after Tidus's massive wedding headlined the Spira news for weeks. Baralai had told her all about his photography work and how he wanted to focus his efforts on the Al Bhed.

"I love that," Yuna had said. "My mom was Al Bhed."

And the way his eyes lit up, how he took her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. "I love that."

No. Of course Baralai's not dating her because she's half-Al Bhed.

She pours herself some more wine. "Well, it's not like Tidus has done anything for anybody."

"Actually, he's done more for the Al Bhed community than your boyfriend ever will." Rikku takes a sip of her wine, her eyes blazing. "He runs a blitzball camp in Bikanel every summer. My baby cousin's been attending it for years and she actually might get a scholarship to play blitzball for the University of Luca, where she'll study marine biology. Baralai's 'work' isn't getting us out of poverty—it's keeping us in it. Tidus is making an actual difference, instilling confidence, one kid at a time."

Yuna looks into her wine, wishing she could turn into liquid and drip right off this couch.

"I didn't know that," Yuna manages.

"Yeah, not many do, because unlike Baralai, Tidus doesn't brag about it. He just quietly runs his camp and donates to other youth programs throughout Spira. Did you know there's a star Guado player right now in high school who attributes his success to Tidus's program?"

Yuna shakes her head. "No. Of course I didn't know that."

"Maybe there are other things you don't know about Tidus." Rikku looks at her phone, checking the time. "Maybe you're so caught up in the way he was when he was nineteen or twenty that you've forgotten that people grow. They change."

"Doesn't change the fact that he almost kissed me today even though he has a girlfriend." Yuna's voice comes out softly and full of shame.

"That's true," Rikku says. She sighs. "Look, I've got a meeting early tomorrow morning. I'm sorry this conversation got so intense. Actually—no, I'm not sorry. Baralai's not the savior we need or even want. You should know that."

Yuna nods. She can't face her cousin so she looks at her knees.

"Hang out here tomorrow, okay? I'll be back around 10:00 or so. We'll get brunch. Okay?"

"Yeah. Okay."

Rikku leans across the couch, closing the distance, and gives her cousin a tight hug. "I know you're a good person, Yunie. And I love you."

"I love you, too."

#

Yuna wakes the next morning with a slight headache, probably from drinking three glasses of wine on an empty stomach. She slept surprisingly well, a testament to just how comfortable Rikku's plush velvet purple couch is. She has the vague sense that something woke up her.

Then she hears it. The doorbell rings.

She nearly trips over the coffee table as she stands up, dropping a worn blanket off of her. She throws on one of Rikku's Bevelle U sweatshirts and answers the door.

Only to feel her jaw drop.

Standing on the doorway, holding a huge bouquet of flowers, is Tidus's old roommate and teammate—and Rikku's old fling—Gippal.

"G-Gippal?" Yuna says.

"Yuna?" His expression goes from confused to a wide smile. "Holy shit, hi! How are you?"

"I'm good. How are you?"

"I'm doing okay."

Yuna looks at the flowers, all red roses and fresh baby's breath. "Those are beautiful. Are you bringing them for Rikku?" All this time Rikku's been seeing Gippal? And Nooj?

But confusions spreads onto Gippal's face, two lines shooting across his forehead.

"Rikku? Oh, um, maybe?" He shuffles and digs a card out of his pants, which Yuna realizes are baggy khaki cargo pants with dirt stains. "Yep. Delivery for Rikku. Huh. How 'bout that."

"Oh. You—you work for a florist?"

"Yeah, it's a family business." He grins. "Looks like they were sent from some guy named Nooj."

"Ugh."

Gippal's smile widens. "Not a fan?"

"I don't really know him," Yuna admits. "But he seems kind of pompous."

"Well, he's willing to spend a shit-ton on flowers, so guess he's got that going for him."

Yuna manages a wry smile and she takes the flowers from Gippal.

"Hey," she says, nodding her head towards the front door behind her, "do you have time to chat? I'll make you some coffee?"

Gippal rubs his hands together, knocking off some dirt. "Well, this was my last delivery for the morning. So…" His mouth twists, like he's trying to decide. "Yeah, sure. Why not."

Yuna holds the door wider for him, cradling the flowers in her left arm. He slips off his work boots and Yuna leads him to the kitchen, setting the flowers on the counter.

"I didn't know your family owned a flower shop," Yuna says as she fills Rikku's coffee maker with fresh beans, making the whole kitchen smell like coffee grounds and flowers.

"Yeah, my folks own a few businesses throughout the city. I help out with all of them when I have time."

"That's awesome." She looks to his hands, searching, she realizes, for a wedding ring. Her eyes widen when she spots one. "Oh—you're married?"

He looks at his hand and smiles. "Yeah. Got married two summers ago."

"Wow. When I opened the door to greet you, I, uh, kinda thought maybe you were here to bring those flowers to Rikku."

He grins. "Technically that is indeed what I was here to do."

A blush warms its way through her cheeks. "You know what I mean."

"Yeah, of course. Rikku was cool. We had a good time."

A good time? "Yeah, she never really told me what happened between you two…"

Gippal shrugs. "I left college to play minor league blitzball. We just went our separate ways."

That simple of a break? "I see." The coffee clicks off, brewed and ready, so she pours him a mug and then pours one for herself. "Sugar? Cream? Um, fancy syrup?" She nods to the vanilla and caramel syrups Rikku has next to her coffee maker.

"Nah. So, hey, what's up with you?"

"Oh, um, not much. I'm just here because my dad just retired and he's leaving soon for Besaid so I'm helping him get things ready for the move."

"Gotcha."

Silence falls and Yuna stares at her coffee.

Finally, she risks asking what she really wants to ask.

"Do you, um, still see Tidus?"

Gippal had just taken a sip of his coffee, so he nods. "Yeah." He sets his mug down with a clang. "We see each other every now and again."

"I'm glad to hear that. You guys were so close."

"Yeah. We've had our moments. We're definitely not as tight as we were back in college."

"Oh? I'm sorry to hear that."

"Nah, we just have totally different lives. He's a star blitzball player and, well, my career never quite panned out. But I've recently started helping out with some of his summer camps. It's some really rewarding stuff. He's good at it, mentoring kids and stuff. Which is funny because back in college I used to think he'd never grow up."

"Yeah, Rikku was just telling me about his camps. Apparently he's worked with her cousin or something. I'm happy to hear that."

"What about you?" Gippal asks. "Do you ever talk to him?"

"Oh, no. Well… I didn't. Recently we've been running into each other."

"I bet he was happy to see you."

Yuna's stomach tightens. "Yeah."

Gippal's smile fades. "But I take it you're not thrilled to see him?"

"Um, not really. I just have so many complicated feelings about him. I mean, he left me for Dona."

"Ha, yeah, probably the biggest mistake of his life. Although that wedding was fun—I still can't take tequila shots. Had about ten too many that night." Gippal chuckles at the memory. "I think he got caught up in the glamour of it all. Like, that was the lifestyle of the best blitzball player in Spira, right? They were a true 'it' couple."

Yuna scowls and quickly covers it up by taking a drink of her coffee. It burns her tongue.

"And now he's with Lenne," Gippal continues. "Talk about making the same mistakes over and over again."

"You think him being with Lenne is a mistake?" Yuna hates the hope that blooms in her chest. She mentally tries to shove it down.

"I do," Gippal says, taking a long drink of his coffee. Apparently it's not too hot for him. "I swear, it's like they don't even know each other. And she treats him like her pet."

Yuna wrinkles her nose. "Really?"

"Mmhm. I think he liked it for a while, just following her around like her lap dog, but I can tell it weighs on him."

"That sucks to hear," Yuna admits. "Things are difficult between us, but I really do wish him the best."

Gippal shrugs. "Tidus has always been a bit lost. He's done a lot of work on himself, but he's still lost. I think he gets caught up in what his life should look like that he never takes a step back and looks at what his life really looks like."

Yuna's heart pulls. Who knew she still had it in her to care about him.

"Hey, speaking of Tidus." Gippal finishes his coffee and slides his mug away. "His jersey number's getting retired at the Bevelle U game tonight. He has to go all alone. You should… you should go with him."

"What?" Yuna can't help but let out a startled laugh. "I'm sorry, Gippal, but no. I won't be going anywhere with Tidus."

"Look, I get it—things are difficult between you guys, as you put it. But if you change your mind, here's his number. I know it would mean a lot if you went with him. Last I heard, he was going all alone. Lenne's in Zanarkand for some publicity event and I can't make it. And I don't think any of his current teammates have any interest in going." Gippal slides his phone across the counter, Tidus's contact information displayed. Yuna's breath hitches as she notices the contact picture is from Tidus's sophomore year, his hair still shaggy and light blonde, a youthful glow to his face.

It's exactly how she remembers him being, carefree and wild.

The picture warms her heart. "Fine." She pulls her phone out and before she can talk herself out of it, she types Tidus's number into her chat box and writes him a message: "Hey, this is Yuna. I know things were weird last night, but Gippal just told me you don't have anyone to go with you to your jersey retirement tonight. Lucky for you, I'm free."

The second she hits send, her stomach twists. She quickly adds: "It should go without saying, but I'll go with you AS YOUR FRIEND. Nothing more."

Gippal smiles and stands up. "Hey, it was good seeing you, Yuna. Tell Rikku I say hi and that I hope she's doing well." He nods to the flowers. "And yeah, I'm biased because this Nooj guy chose my flower shop, but tell her it seems like she's found a good one."

Yuna nods. "I'll let her know."

Gippal pulls her into a soft, warm hug. He smells familiar, like the house he and Tidus used to rent down the street from her.

Then, he leaves. He no more than shuts the door when Yuna's phone buzzes. Her heart feels wedged in her rib cage with nerves as she looks at the text, and then flutters when she sees it's from Tidus.

"Really? I'd love for you to go with me—AS FRIENDS. Pick you up at 7?"