XXI: Another Goodbye
Zalitz had spent four wonderful days in Besaid. The small island was so inviting, and the people were so kind. He made more friends in four days than he'd make all his life in Luca.
He spent time playing blitzball with the Aurochs. Wakka said over and over, "Man, you're really good." It had always been a dream of his to play professional blitzball, but the Luca Goers were a very selective team. Most men had their name put on a list for three years before they could even try out.
Zalitz and Tidus became very close in those four days. They talked about nearly everything. Zalitz never really had a best friend before, or a brother, and Tidus felt like a brother to him. He told Tidus about his feelings for Rikku. "I knew you'd like her." Tidus said. He finally asked Tidus about his conversation with Yuna, about being at the farplane. Tidus sat down and told the complicated story. Zalitz was amazed, learning that there was much more to his world than he'd ever imagined. Tidus was only two years older than Zalitz, but had already been through more than Zalitz would see in a lifetime.
And of course he spent time with Rikku, the beautiful sweet Al Bhed girl. They took long walks together, and talked for hour. She watched him play blitzball with Wakka and cheered until her throat was sore.
The previous night they were walking along the beach. Zalitz had his pants rolled up as they waded in the shallow ocean surf. "Rikku... I'm leaving in the morning."
"Already?" She said with sadness in her voice. She had stopped walking.
"My grandpa will be worried if I'm gone any longer." Zalitz said facing her, looking into her disappointed eyes. Rikku nodded showing that she understood, even though she wanted him to stay. He stepped closer to her. A single strand of blonde hair hung by her temple; he tucked it gently behind her ear. He slowly let his hand fall from her ear, to her neck, over her shoulder, and down her arm. Her heart beat rapidly and her cheeks blushed. His touch was delicate; she'd never known a man's touch before. As his fingertips found her hand, he grabbed her palm in his. "Let's go back." He said as she stood without words. He smiled as he began to pull her into movement again. She returned a shy smile as they walked back to town, hand-in-hand as their toes splashed through the water.
Now it was time for him to return to Luca. They all gathered on the dock as they did four mornings before when they said goodbye to Kimahri. 'So many goodbyes' Rikku thought as she waited for her turn.
"It was an honor to meet you Yuna." Zalitz said as he shook her hand. "Tidus is a good guy. He'll take care of you."
"I know." Yuna said as she looped one arm around Tidus' back and pulled him close. "You'll always be welcome here, Zalitz."
Wakka stepped up next. "Hey, the Aurochs could use a shooter like you. You think about it, ya?"
"You really think so?" Zalitz asked.
Wakka nodded hopeful to change his mind about leaving. "And there's a vacant hut on the other side of town. You and your grandpa could..."
"Wakka..." Lulu chided him and then whispered something in his ear. "Have a safe trip Zalitz."
Then Zalitz saw the pretty young blonde at the end of the line. Her head hung sadly. They spent the last four days together and Rikku really liked him. Zalitz liked her too. Her unrealized innocence was adorable. She was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, and her personality was enlightening. She made every moment an adventure, never stopping. 'We just met,' he thought as he approached her. 'Just a few more days...' he thought but then remembered that his grandfather was at home waiting. He never even told Flitt that he would be gone this long. "Goodbye Rikku." Zalitz said as he stood before her. He hooked a single finger under her chin, and lifted her sullen face to his. "Let's see that smile." Rikku couldn't help but let a smile peek through her lips.
She threw her arms around him, and he lifted her feet up off the dock, squeezing her tightly. "You come back soon, okay?" She begged.
Zalitz smiled and nodded as he set her feet back on the dock. He climbed over the edge of the ship, and before he set sail, he bent over the edge where Rikku was standing. "Come here, Rikku." She approached apprehensively. "Closer..." he said. He leaned towards her and placed a single soft kiss on her cheek. She didn't blush this time; she didn't coyly look away. She just gazed into his electric blue eyes as he pulled away... she was breathless.
"Say "Hi" to Flitt for me," Tidus yelled. They all waved goodbye.
Zalitz waved back, but his eyes were fixed on a certain blonde with pretty green eyes. "I don't want to leave." Zalitz spoke to his empty ship with a heavy heart.
Rikku watched him until she couldn't see the ship anymore. The others had already returned to town. Yuna took her young cousin by the hand. "Rikku, let's go." Yuna said.
Still facing the ocean, Rikku whispered under her breath, "Goodbye." The girls turned and walked back to town.
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Please let me know what you think.
Darcee :)
Zalitz had spent four wonderful days in Besaid. The small island was so inviting, and the people were so kind. He made more friends in four days than he'd make all his life in Luca.
He spent time playing blitzball with the Aurochs. Wakka said over and over, "Man, you're really good." It had always been a dream of his to play professional blitzball, but the Luca Goers were a very selective team. Most men had their name put on a list for three years before they could even try out.
Zalitz and Tidus became very close in those four days. They talked about nearly everything. Zalitz never really had a best friend before, or a brother, and Tidus felt like a brother to him. He told Tidus about his feelings for Rikku. "I knew you'd like her." Tidus said. He finally asked Tidus about his conversation with Yuna, about being at the farplane. Tidus sat down and told the complicated story. Zalitz was amazed, learning that there was much more to his world than he'd ever imagined. Tidus was only two years older than Zalitz, but had already been through more than Zalitz would see in a lifetime.
And of course he spent time with Rikku, the beautiful sweet Al Bhed girl. They took long walks together, and talked for hour. She watched him play blitzball with Wakka and cheered until her throat was sore.
The previous night they were walking along the beach. Zalitz had his pants rolled up as they waded in the shallow ocean surf. "Rikku... I'm leaving in the morning."
"Already?" She said with sadness in her voice. She had stopped walking.
"My grandpa will be worried if I'm gone any longer." Zalitz said facing her, looking into her disappointed eyes. Rikku nodded showing that she understood, even though she wanted him to stay. He stepped closer to her. A single strand of blonde hair hung by her temple; he tucked it gently behind her ear. He slowly let his hand fall from her ear, to her neck, over her shoulder, and down her arm. Her heart beat rapidly and her cheeks blushed. His touch was delicate; she'd never known a man's touch before. As his fingertips found her hand, he grabbed her palm in his. "Let's go back." He said as she stood without words. He smiled as he began to pull her into movement again. She returned a shy smile as they walked back to town, hand-in-hand as their toes splashed through the water.
Now it was time for him to return to Luca. They all gathered on the dock as they did four mornings before when they said goodbye to Kimahri. 'So many goodbyes' Rikku thought as she waited for her turn.
"It was an honor to meet you Yuna." Zalitz said as he shook her hand. "Tidus is a good guy. He'll take care of you."
"I know." Yuna said as she looped one arm around Tidus' back and pulled him close. "You'll always be welcome here, Zalitz."
Wakka stepped up next. "Hey, the Aurochs could use a shooter like you. You think about it, ya?"
"You really think so?" Zalitz asked.
Wakka nodded hopeful to change his mind about leaving. "And there's a vacant hut on the other side of town. You and your grandpa could..."
"Wakka..." Lulu chided him and then whispered something in his ear. "Have a safe trip Zalitz."
Then Zalitz saw the pretty young blonde at the end of the line. Her head hung sadly. They spent the last four days together and Rikku really liked him. Zalitz liked her too. Her unrealized innocence was adorable. She was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, and her personality was enlightening. She made every moment an adventure, never stopping. 'We just met,' he thought as he approached her. 'Just a few more days...' he thought but then remembered that his grandfather was at home waiting. He never even told Flitt that he would be gone this long. "Goodbye Rikku." Zalitz said as he stood before her. He hooked a single finger under her chin, and lifted her sullen face to his. "Let's see that smile." Rikku couldn't help but let a smile peek through her lips.
She threw her arms around him, and he lifted her feet up off the dock, squeezing her tightly. "You come back soon, okay?" She begged.
Zalitz smiled and nodded as he set her feet back on the dock. He climbed over the edge of the ship, and before he set sail, he bent over the edge where Rikku was standing. "Come here, Rikku." She approached apprehensively. "Closer..." he said. He leaned towards her and placed a single soft kiss on her cheek. She didn't blush this time; she didn't coyly look away. She just gazed into his electric blue eyes as he pulled away... she was breathless.
"Say "Hi" to Flitt for me," Tidus yelled. They all waved goodbye.
Zalitz waved back, but his eyes were fixed on a certain blonde with pretty green eyes. "I don't want to leave." Zalitz spoke to his empty ship with a heavy heart.
Rikku watched him until she couldn't see the ship anymore. The others had already returned to town. Yuna took her young cousin by the hand. "Rikku, let's go." Yuna said.
Still facing the ocean, Rikku whispered under her breath, "Goodbye." The girls turned and walked back to town.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please let me know what you think.
Darcee :)