yue kato
241102
"You're late." It was there – faint, muted by the intensity of the moment, a moment he had hardly believed would arrive – but present nonetheless. The cocky challenge, reminiscent of the banter that had gradually transformed into an unexpected camaraderie during the early days of that long-ago pilgrimage.
"Aa, my apologies." I know, it's been long enough, was left unspoken. He knew the other man would understand it. Or at least, he hoped it. Jecht had spent such a long time being part of Sin that he wasn't sure how much of their original connection was left.
Then the ex-blitzer turned away to face his son, and the tentative thread between them was severed yet again. No more words were exchanged, not even so much as a glance. As he lost himself in the cadences of that familiar voice, the fine sands of time trickled inexorably to their end, and Jecht was falling away, his body transformed from within by Sin and Yevon in a blinding explosion of light.
Tidus leapt back from the ledge just in time to avoid being torn apart by a monstrous claw slamming down on the edge of the platform.
The final battle had truly begun.
***
As the dark aeon that had been Sin/Jecht slowly dissolved to release the man's fallen form, he made an aborted attempt to go to him, but another figure flashed by him.
His fist clenched as he slowly brought it back to his side, and he remained unmoving even as the others moved involuntarily forward, inexplicably drawn to this final moment between father and son – Tidus' tears and Jecht's wistful smile. He kept his eyes trained on a crack just next to Jecht's feet – there was no need for him to watch. He'd seen too much of one, and he'd always wished never to have set eyes on the other.
As before, the moment passed all too soon, and the man he had loved beyond life and into death, disappeared.
***
The frozen forms of the aeons hung suspended around them, and the light was gradually seeping through the cracks in Sin's form even as Yuna spun and danced. From all the corners of the monster's interior, blossoms of brilliance began to rise, twirling and intertwining. Looking down at himself, he saw similar points of blue and green emanate from his form as well.
A soft gasp distracted him from staring at the mesmerising lights that signified the approach of his true demise. He looked up into blue and green orbs gazing back at him, stricken with sorrow. A slight shake of his head. "Carry on, Yuna."
"But…"
He ignored the plea in her voice and glanced at the others, his vision blurring.
Forcing himself to remain as steady as possible, he stepped forward, bringing a fist up to Kimahri as he passed. He owed the Ronso more than he could ever say – it was fortunate that they were both well-versed in the language of silence.
A nod to Wakka and Lulu – and the passing of the full burden of Guardianship into their more-than-capable hands. Braska's daughter would be well, with them watching over her.
A swift wordless exchange with Rikku. She was nothing at all like the quiet, gentle woman who had been Yuna's mother, and yet, he could sense the same core of steel that bound the Al Bhed together throughout all that had befallen them. Their Home would be rebuilt someday, and he felt strangely regretful that he would not be there to see it.
He paused one last time before the blond boy, gazing into tear-filled eyes. He wanted to reach out and touch him, embrace him – this young man who had been his son as much as Jecht's, but he could feel himself growing weaker, and any unnecessary movement would just delay him from his ultimate goal. Tidus' lips quirked faintly in response to the silent apology, sending his understanding, and his farewell.
Auron closed his eyes and drew a breath. You know, don't you? Even if it had been mere suspicion before, Zanarkand confirmed it for you. He opened them again and smiled slightly before turning to move forward again. I'm glad you do not resent him or me for it. I'm glad you understand.
He summoned his final reserves of strength and heaved Masamune over his shoulder as he strode past Yuna. "This moment has been ten years in the waiting." He could feel himself fading even as the distance between him and the living increased. The years were slipping away from his features even as he disintegrated, and he hoped he got to see Jecht soon. He had let Tidus have his moment, knowing that it was what Jecht had wanted.
But he'd waited far too long. A decade overdue.
There'd be hell to pay if his lover wasn't waiting for him in the Farplane or whatever existence they were going to end up in from now on.
Their story had ended.
In those last moments before he lost his vision and form, he managed to force out his final message to them: "Now this is your story!"
And when he re-coalesced into solid form again, he felt something – someone – catch his hand, and opened his eyes to see…
owari