A note from the Hime no Argh herself–
What does an aspiring author expect when she posts the chapter with the biggest cliffhanger of her writing career? Lots and lots of enthusiastic responses. ^^;; I want to thank everyone for their passionate feedback for Chapter 16. It's extremely gratifying to know that people actually care about this story and want to see what happens next.
This chapter is a very important one to me, not only because it's what the entire story has been leading up to, but it's also the first one with that thing called "romance". Something interesting that I've learned in writing this story–that romance thing is a pain. ^^; Perhaps the hardest thing I've ever had to write. So I'm very excited and nervous to learn how my attempt turned out. Please don't hesitate to give me your honest opinions.
So, without further ado, I present to you the long-awaited...
***
Chapter 17
Reunion
Yuna's grip on Lulu's arm was painfully tight. "Do you see him, Lulu?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly. "Is he really there?"
"Yes." Lulu's voice was very soft. "I see him, Yuna. He's there."
Yuna didn't dare move for fear that her legs would give way. A feeling that was half-pain, half-pleasure rose in her chest, lodging in her throat, so that she didn't trust herself to speak any more than she did to move.
Lulu seemed to sense this, and spoke instead. "Hello there," she called humourously. Yuna marveled at her composure. "Have a nice swim?"
He smiled ruefully. "Nice enough, but a little tiring," he admitted.
"How far–" Yuna's voice caught and she cleared her throat. "How far did you swim?"
He met her eyes again, and Yuna was dazzled by how intensely blue they were. "From Bikanel Island," he said quietly.
Yuna and Lulu both drew in a sharp gasp. "From–from Bikanel?" Yuna sputtered. "But that's hours by boat!"
He grinned sheepishly. "It is, yeah. I swam all day and all night to get here. We went to Bikanel early yesterday morning, but apparently you'd just left."
Yuna momentarily wondered who "we" could be, but the thought slipped from her mind almost immediately. It was hard to think about anything but him standing there in the surf, eyes locked on hers. She felt herself trembling from head to toe, gripping the railing with hands that violently shook. Tidus had returned to her, finally returned when she thought all hope was lost, and damned if she knew what to say or do.
After a few moments Lulu put her hands on Yuna's shoulders and gave her a gentle push toward the rickety wooden stairs that led down to the beach. She walked hesitantly down the stairs, feeling her legs wobbling with each step she took. The sand beneath her feet felt wonderfully solid. Relieved, she went unsteadily to the water as Tidus waded up shore to meet her.
They stopped when there was an arm's length of distance between them, the warm seawater curling about their ankles. Dizzily Yuna realized that she was close enough to touch him, yet the thought of doing so terrified her. What if she touched him only to realize that he wasn't really there at all?
"Damn," Tidus muttered, giving voice to her exact thoughts, "I never thought this would be so hard."
In spite of herself she smiled. "Me neither."
He looked at her for a moment, his eyes more intense than she had ever seen them, like blue fire burning in his youthful, handsome face. "Yuna," he said quietly, and she shivered.
Then abruptly he looked past her, over her head, and gave a resigned sigh. Yuna glanced back to see not just Lulu watching them from the wooden walkway, but Rikku, Wakka, and Faren the village headwoman.
"Hello," Tidus called good-naturedly.
"Hi," they all chorused with grins and waves. Yuna giggled helplessly, and Tidus gave her a wry look.
"Want to get out of here?" he asked in a low voice, indicating their audience. "We could take a walk somewhere, if you want."
"That sounds nice," she said shyly, cringing at her idiotic reply, but Tidus didn't seem to mind. He smiled at her and led the way down shore to one of the many small coves formed by rocks and dunes.
None of their friends could resist sighing in disappointment as the two went off alone. "They didn't even kiss," Rikku complained.
"That will come," Lulu assured her dryly. Exchanging grins, they dispersed to find other things to keep themselves occupied.
* * *
"I'm gonna kill him," Jecht muttered, pacing the deck of their ship. "I'm gonna murder him. I'm gonna chop him up into itty-bitty bits and they'll never find his corpse. That is, if the dolt hasn't already killed himself."
Watching him, Auron sighed. "Jecht, will you calm down? Your son is not going to die."
"But how do ya know?" Jecht persisted for the hundredth time. "You don' know!"
"As a matter of fact, I do," Auron replied calmly. "Tidus can hold his breath for so long that he could sleep underwater, if he wished to."
Jecht blinked. "Really? He's that good?"
"He's that good."
Jecht whistled. Then, not to be appeased, he added, "Still, don't try n' tell me it don't take more n' holdin' yer breath to swim from Bikanel Island t' the mainland. You gotta have energy, ya know? Stamina. He was never stronger than his old man." He reflected on that for a moment, then added blandly, "Even if he did kill me."
Auron frowned. "Is that bothering you all of a sudden?"
Jecht shook his head vigorously. "Uh-uh. It's jest kinda weird to think about, is all," he admitted. Then he grinned. "Still, I could take him on anytime."
"I'm sure you could. Don't worry about your son, he'll be just fine." With that, Auron walked off to join Kimahri, less irritating company, leaving Jecht to pace and worry.
It had been Auron who convinced them to stay in Home for a while and let Tidus get a head start. "If he finds Yuna, he's going to want to be alone with her," he told Jecht and Kimahri, who agreed. Jecht, however, had only been able to wait until nightfall until his anxiety became too much, and requested a boat promptly at midnight. Now as dawn crept across the rapidly lightening sky, they drew close to the mainland on a small ship manned by Al Bhed.
As they watched the landmass crawl near, Kimahri pointed to a strip of beach northeast that looked as though it were covered with small buildings. Auron squinted to see it better. "It looks like a village," he reported, and glanced around at his companions. "What do you think?"
Jecht only shrugged, but Kimahri said, "Civilization where people are. Tidus probably go there."
"I agree." Auron turned to the captain of their Al Bhed crew and pantomimed that they should head toward the village. The captain barked out a few commands and the crew turned their ship northeast.
Jecht fidgeted impatiently as if he had half a mind to jump in the ocean and start swimming himself, but Auron made him stay still as the ship maneuvered into the small dock. It was indeed a village they had spotted, sitting right on the beach. Its small thatched huts and wooden walkways were raised above the ocean on stilts, much like Kilika, though the trees looming south of the village were indigenous to the north, not tropical. It did not escape Auron's sharp eyes that another ship, its hull painted with the Al Bhed sign, was already docked. He nudged Kimahri and Jecht and pointed; his companions nodded.
By the time they'd maneuvered in place beside one of the docks, a young woman already stood there waiting for them. She was black-haired and brown-skinned, lips parted over strong white teeth. When she spoke it was with a Besaidan accent.
'Welcome, strangers," she said warmly. "I never imagined dat our village would become such a busy landing port overnight."
"Hello," Auron replied politely as they descended the gangway, their crew busily anchoring the ship to the dock. "I hope you don't mind us landing in your village. We won't be staying long–"
"Dat's what de udders said too." The woman waved a dismissive hand. "You are welcome here as long as you like. I am Faren, de village headwoman." She shook hands all around, smiling. "What a group of handsome lads!" she exclaimed, grinning infectiously up at the much taller Jecht, who grinned back despite his shyness.
Before they could make any reply, a very familiar voice called up the dock, "Faren, I saw another ship landing–" Abruptly the speaker stopped as they turned to face her, blood draining from her face. "Holy Fayth," she whispered.
"Hello, Lulu," Auron said quietly, nodding in greeting.
She stared, mouth open slightly. Auron had never seen her look so astonished. "Auron? But–you–you're dead."
"Was dead," he corrected automatically.
She gaped at him for a moment or two, but then her mouth closed and she nodded, regaining her composure. "It's good to see you again," she said with a rare smile before examining Auron's companions.
"Kimahri." She looked rather relieved to see the tall Ronso, moving forward to shake hands, her own dwarfed in his. "Welcome back. How was your mountain excursion?"
"Was good," Kimahri rumbled. "Put up new statue for ancestors. Kimahri's work is getting better."
"I'm glad to hear that," she murmured with a smile. Then her gaze found the last member of their group, and a very odd expression appeared on her face. Watching her, Auron thought she must be struggling with warring emotions. Jecht said nothing.
At last she seemed to arrive at a conclusion. Moving forward, she clasped Jecht's hand warmly between both of hers. "Sir Jecht, it is an honor," she said with such sincerity that Jecht stared at her. "Yuna will be so happy to see you. All of you," she added, glancing at Auron and Kimahri.
"Thanks," Jecht mumbled; there was a catch in his throat. He looked at her worriedly for a moment. "Um...I don't..."
"Lulu," she said immediately, catching on. "My name is Lulu, and no offense taken. Our meeting was rather brief, after all." She smiled gently, letting go of his hand. "I'll introduce you to the others. They'll be so surprised!" She looked around at them all, shook her head, and beckoned them toward the village. "Come."
She turned and headed toward the village, Faren hurrying to catch up with her. Auron heard Jecht give a very audible sigh of relief, and gripped his shoulder reassuringly.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Auron murmured in his friend's ear. "They're all good people."
"I'm lucky fer that," Jecht said fervently, slinging an arm around Auron's shoulders. After a moment or two he asked, "You really think Yuna'll be happy to see me?"
"She'll be absolutely delighted," Auron assured him as they headed toward the village to join their friends.
* * *
Tidus and Yuna found a small, rocky cove hidden from view of the village where they could sit and talk. Once they'd seated themselves on rocks next the water's edge, however, they couldn't think of anything to say. Yuna unstrapped her boots, mainly to do something with her hands, which were still shaking, and stuck her bare feet into the water.
"I've been walking too long," she explained with a little sigh, trying to make things more comfortable between them. The tension, her mind babbled, was only a result of them being separated for so long. Things would be back to normal soon. It was just the shock.
"I hope you haven't been exhausting yourself," he said worriedly, and she dared to peer at him. She noted the weariness in his eyes and was promptly ashamed of herself. Here she was complaining while he had swum all day and night to get to her. His soaking clothes and hair, if not his dramatic appearance on the beach that morning, proved as much.
"Forget it," she muttered, embarrassed. "That was a stupid thing to say. I should be asking you how you are." She hesitated a moment, then added, "Aren't you cold?" It was a warm morning, but the breezes from the ocean were cool.
"I'm fine," he said carelessly, but looked at her with genuine concern. "How are you?" he asked quietly. "Really, I mean."
She thought about lying, then decided against it. "Tired," she admitted. "Very, very tired. But happy." She knew that she was, even through the dozens of warring emotions that threatened to overwhelm her.
Tidus glanced down for a moment, clenching his fists in his lap. "Yuna," he began.
She suddenly realized he was going to apologize for leaving her, all those years ago. "Oh, don't," she said, distressed. "Please don't. It wasn't your fault, it was never your fault–" She fell silent as he took her hand.
"I need to," he explained restlessly, threading his fingers through hers. Yuna's breath caught in her throat, but he didn't seem to realize what he was doing. "All the way here I was feeling so much guilt–I knew that if I found you, that if I heard you say it was all right...it's selfish of me, I know," he added with a sigh.
"It's not." Yuna fought to keep her voice from trembling. "If it's what you need to hear, then–it's all right. But you didn't do anything you could have helped."
"If I had a choice, I wouldn't have left you," he persisted. "I would never have–" He fell silent.
"I know," she said quietly, trying to calm her pounding heart as he traced circles absently in her palm. "Um...Tidus..."
"Don't," he said without looking at her. "It's been too long since I've touched you, Yuna. Much too long."
She knew the feeling all too well. "Then," she said, a bit shakily, "at least go about it properly."
He looked at her with honest surprise, and she smiled tentatively. For a moment his eyes blazed like blue fire, then he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. Yuna closed her eyes, heat rising to her cheeks, savoring the kiss. She tasted salt on his lips–the seawater–and knew then, with complete certainty, that he was real.
After a few long, sweet moments he pulled away and looked at her with concern, his fingers finding the tears on her cheeks. "Oh," she said, a bit sheepishly, "am I crying? Somehow that doesn't surprise me." She gave a small, watery laugh, ducking her head to wipe the tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize," Tidus said gently, kissing her forehead. "To be honest, I'm surprised I haven't gone to pieces yet."
"You won't," she said with certainty. "You've always been stronger than me."
"Hardly," he said wryly. "I'm just more thick-skulled."
That drew another laugh from her, surprised and tickled, which stopped only when Tidus wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again. The chaos of the last few weeks, her uncertainty, her despair, seemed to simply melt away. For the first time in five years, Yuna felt truly content.
* * *
To be continued.