©Lexiter Jackson 2003
Tears of the FaythChapter Five:
The Morning After
Hey, another chapter! Rejoice! This is the most up-to-date story I have! Yay! Ahem.
I've decided to stop doing the specific cookies now – nothing against anyone, but it takes too long!! So here's lots and lots of cookies! *throws handfuls of cookies out* Thank you all those who have followed and stuck with the story so far.
Anyways, sorry for the fact that it's a day or so late (*gasps* Oh no! Shock horror!) but I had a slight technical problem. Uh, actually, make that a HUGE technical problem, under the heading of the fact that the disk I was keeping this on got corrupted so there was almost no story to update. But I (that is, my dad) managed to save it! Yay!!
Usual crud: I own n-o-t-h-i-n-g. NOTHING. Except for *takes a deep breath* Jassu Rammas, Danny, the bits of plot wot I have changed a bit...etc etc etc.
Warnings: Usual crud – YAOI (male/male), fluffiness, W/T hintage (LOTS of W/T hintage – read and find out) Nothing R or NC-17 rated in this chapter though – if there is, sorry, but I don't think there is.
Advance warning: Umm...next chapter is gonna be a right plot twister. My muse decided to wake up and dumped yet another twist onto my desk – strange, he hasn't been this awake for ages...
Enjoy reading, and flames? I will laugh at them until they cower with shame. Or use them to warm up my room, which despite my dragon's best efforts and those of the heating company STILL refuses to warm up. Ah well. On with the fic!
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~d-r-e-a-m-i-n-g~
'Auron! Wait up!'
The older stopped as he heard the shout, turning and smiling at the other. Jassu reached him, out of breath and cheeks red from the run. 'Yes?'
'You going to the dormetry?'
'Yes, I am.' Auron started to walk, Jassu coming and walking beside him. Jassu placed an arm around his shoulders and grinned.
'Good. So am I.'
The two boys walked into the dormetry, Jassu's arm still slung over Auron's shoulders. When they reached Jassu's bed, Auron suddenly picked up the younger boy and flung him onto the bed. He leant over the bed grinning.
'A Blitzball flip.' Auron stated. Jassu smiled up at him, and then his hand shot out like a snake and grabbed Auron's shirt, pulling him down and off-balance, making him fall on top of him.
'Besaid Fisherman.' Jassu grinned up at Auron, who had suddenly realised the position the two of them were in.
'You do realise how dogdey this looks.' Auron whispered, leaning down to Jassu so that no-one else would hear. Jassu grinned and nodded.
'Yeah, I know.'
Auron grinned, getting off the slightly breathless boy, instead kneeling by his bedside as the two had done since they'd first met. Jassu turned to the side, his cheeks a little red.
'Auron, will we stay friends forever?'
Auron regarded the other seriously. 'As long as you're around, causing trouble, then I'll be following and paying for the damages, I expect.' He said with a straight face. Jassu nodded, his young face serious as he reached out and clasped Auron's shoulder.
'Thanks, man. I'll always make sure you'll be safe, too.'
~g-n-i-m-a-e-r-d~
When Jassu woke the next morning, it was to the sound of Auron cleaning his blade. He sat up, dislodging Danny with a squeak, and rubbed his face. He absently noted that he'd have to shave soon.
'Morning, Auron.' Jassu yawned, stretching and getting out of bed. Auron flicked his gaze up to him, then back down again, his cheeks colouring a little.
'Morning.' He grunted, inspecting the sword one more time and satnding up. 'We're leaving in ten minutes.'
'Gee, we're bright and happy this morning.' Jassu grumbled as he pulled on his clothing and tied his hair back again. Clicking his fingers above his shoulder, the little Jassite threw himself at his master, just about managing to catch his shoulder as he followed Auron out of the room.
'Ron no ha-ppy?' Danny looked worridly at his master. 'Jas no ha-ppy?'
Jassu scratched Danny behind his ears. 'You sure learn fast, dontcha?'
Danny squeaked and batted Jassu's hand away. 'Ron no ha-ppy.'
Jassu couldn't help the slight grin cross his features as Auron went across and talked to Yuna briefly. 'Oh, no, Danny. Auron's just...not sure.'
'Oh.' Danny frowned for a second, then gave what could be classed as a shrug. 'Bist-skit?'
Jassu absently gave Danny a biscuit, nodding to Yuna then following Auron outside. For some reason Jassu was in a very good mood that morning, despite the prospect of being zapped. The group all stopped at the entrance to the Thunder Plains as Auron held up a hand. Jassu looked around in fascination – he'd always loved the rain and lightning was beautiful anyway – and noted that Rikku was shaking. As Auron told the rest of the party to watch for stray lightning strikes and to stay close to the towers, Jassu sidled up to her.
'You don't like lightning, no?'
Rikku shivered, blinking and shook her head. 'N-no. I hate it!'
Jassu smiled slightly. 'It's okay. Stick with us, you'll be fine. Besides, there's a travel agency in the middle – if nothing else, we can stop there for a break.'
Rikku slowly nodded as Danny squeaked and hid inside Jassu's jacket. Jassu placed an arm around Rikku's shoulders, recieving a grateful grin from the girl as the two ran to the nearest tower where the others were waiting. Jassu patted Rikku's already soaking hair, and glanced up at Auron. A strange look passed over his face like the lightning that slammed into the tower above their heads, just as quickly gone. Jassu frowned as Auron turned away. There was surprise, confusion, and just a teensy bit of jealousy in that look.
'Jassu!'
Jassu looked down at Rikku. 'Sorry, kiddo. You ready?'
Rikku nodded, flinching as lightning struck the ground not too far from them. Jassu took a deep breath.
'Go!'
The two ran to the next tower, only to be accosted by a Buer and a Gold Element.
'Aw cred!' [Aw shit!] Rikku cursed. Jassu drew his sword.
'Couldn't agree more.' Jassu pulled the Katana into his usual battle stance, glancing over to Rikku. 'You gonna be okay?'
Rikku screamed as a lightning bolt flashed down near her and shook her head.
'Then run! Get to the tower!' Jassu shouted over the storm. He didn't look to see if Rikku had gone or not; he was too busy trying to stop the Buer from confusing him. He tried to swipe at the flying eye, but it dodged the blow. The Element spun, and a Thundara fried him. Jassu twitched as the spell stopped, and glared at the Element.
'Fair enough.' Lowering his sword, Jassu cast Watega on the Element. It screamed, floating apart and disintergrating into pyre-flies. Jassu pulled his sword up again, glaring at the Buer. Suddenly a blitzball came flying out of nowhere and hit the fiend with a damp thud. Jassu took the distraction and swiped the fiend out of the air and into the Farplane. He turned and saw Wakka grinning at him.
'Auron sent me, ya? Says you are dumb.'
Jassu grinned and shook his head, re-sheathing the sword. A sizzling sound made him look up, and Jassu pushed Wakka out of the way and jumped back as a white-blue bolt slammed into the ground between them. When it had disappeared and the two could see again, Wakka had lost his grin.
'Thanks, man. I didn't even see that one coming, ya?'
Jassu smiled at him. 'No probs. Besides, Tidus would probably fry my ass if I let you get zapped.'
The two started walking to the tower, Wakka frowning. 'Huh?'
Jassu snorted. 'Oh, come on, Wakka. I'm not blind.'
Wakka coloured, glancing at Jassu. 'Are you serious?'
'What do you mean, serious?' Jassu grinned at the other man. 'He likes you, you like him, be happy.'
Wakka grinned slightly at that. 'Yeah...he likes me? How'd you know?'
Jassu nodded to the guy in question. 'If he asks to talk to you, say yes.'
There was no more chance of the two talking, as Rikku immediatly attached herself to Jassu, much to the discomfort of Danny ('Dan squished! Rik-rik!') and it was back to dodging from tower to tower again. Jassu lost count of the amount of times he got hit be lightning by the time they reached Rin's Trvel Agency, only for Auron to say they weren't stopping.
Jassu took one look at Rikku, who was shivering with fear, and stepped smoothly in front of Auron.
'Nope. We are resting tonight, Auron.'
Auron raised an eyebrow. Jassu rolled his eye and took him aside.
'Look, Rikku is scared cred-less. On top of that, we're all tired. Also, I dunno about you, but I've been hit at least eight times and counting so far.' Jassu looked up at Auron's stoney face and finally lost it. 'Look, getting there on time may be important, but having an exhasted party at the end of it is worse then not turning up at all.' Jassu explained, struggling to keep his voice down. 'C'mon, Auron. Let us rest.'
Auron looked down at the ground, then up at the sky. Jassu could have sworn a smile played on Auron's face.
'No.'
Rikku was suddenly by Jassu's side, shivering. 'P-please c-can we t-take a break, Auron?'
Auron looked at both Jassu and Rikku, and sighed. 'Fine. We're resting here.' He called to the rest of the group. As one they all sighed in relief and filed into the agency. Jassu sat down at a table and sighed, kicking his feet up onto it. A sodden Danny came and crawled onto his lap, curling up against him.
'Hey.'
Jassu looked up and saw Rikku standing at the chair opposite with her hands behind her back.
'Mind if I sit?'
Jassu shook his head as Rikku sat down, leaning her head on her hands and looking at Jassu. He frowned.
'What?'
Rikku blushed, grinning. 'I just want to thank you for looking after me back there.'
Jassu waved a hand. 'Ah, it was nothing.' He looked across the room and fixed his eye on Tidus, who was watching him uncertainly. Jassu glanced across to Wakka, then nodded at Tidus. He watched as the boy gulped and stood, leaning over to whisper something in Wakka's ear and the two left. Jassu sighed silently, wishing it were that easy for him.
His thoughts were interrupted by soft giggling from the table. He turned and frowned at Rikku.
'What?'
Rikku placed a hand in front of her mouth, her green eyes sparkling with glee. When she had finally calmed down enough to talk, Rikku removed her hand. 'Well, aren't we a little matchmaker, then?'
'What's it to you?' Jassu smiled slightly. 'Keep talking to me like that and I'll match you up with someone. Like, oh, say, Auron?'
Rikku grinned slightly. 'Nah, thanks for the offer. 'Sides, Auron's for someone else, I reckon.' Rikku winked at Jassu and stood, stretching. 'Well, I'm going to bed. Let's hope Tidus and Wakka chose the room at the end, yeah?'
Jassu grinned at that, lazily waving to the Al Bhed. Yawning, he realised he was tired too. He lifted a fast asleep Danny and stood.
'Funny how we seem to room together.' A rough, amused voice sounded from behind Jassu, and he grinned.
'Yeah. Tell me about it.' Jassu said as Auron fell into step beside him to their room. 'Right beside Tidus and Wakka.' He groaned. Auron sighed.
'You were the one who got them together.'
'Yeah yeah. I know. Just something I have about hearing teenage orgasms.' Although yours...oh boy. Off that thought. Naughty boy! Jassu chuckled as he pushed the door open and walked in, Auron not too far behind.
Auron took off his sword, leaning it against the bedside stand, and threw his robe in the general direction of the bed. He sat down heavily, sighing and placing his head in his hands.
You're a bloody fool. Auron thought, trying to sort out his head. Just a dream. Just a damn lousy dream about the man sitting opposite you and getting undressed. Ah shit. Auron dropped that line of thought quickly. He sighed, closing his eye. He tensed when he felt hands on his back, taking off the breast plate and laying it beside him. He felt hands on his shoulders, massaging him gently. He relaxed.
'That's it, Auron, relax.' A voice almost purred behind him. Auron tried to remember briefly who'd taught him to move so silently, but let it go as Jassu moved to his back. He coloured slightly as the dream came back, but even that disappeared fairly rapidly. All there was were Jassu's hands on his back.
Unconciously Auron leant back on Jassu, sighing. What the hell is wrong with me? I...he...why? All he did was turn up when I least expected it. But... Auron heaved another sigh unconciously. I can't be lusting after him...not after so long. Not now. But... Auron leant forward slightly, hearing the man behind him shift slightly to keep him comfortable. He closed his eye, just concentrating on breathing, on the hands massaging his back. Is it only lust?
He examined the question for a while, unsure where it had come from. When the two had been mere sparring partners, albeit good friends, Auron had found himself wondering what lay underneath Jassu's robe. This was a definate bad thing for the Warrior Monks to be thinking – anyone caught with someone of the same sex was banished on the spot, and rumoured to be put into the Via Purifico. Such was the hypocrisy of the Yevon Order. But he'd developed an alarming crush on the younger warrior. Like hell he'd ever admit it to his face. Jassu flirted with women with abandon. So Auron being Auron, he'd pushed the crush away, buried it so that it no longer had any meaning.
'You feeling better, Auron?' A gentle pat on the back accompanied the question. Auron sighed.
No. More confused then before. 'Yeah...thanks, Jassu.'
Jassu nodded, unfolding himself from behind the man and walking over to his own bed. He stretched, yawned, then flopped down on the bed, clad only in his boxer shorts. He felt eyes (or an eye) on him, and he turned just as Auron looked away, blushing slightly. Was he just checking me out?
Grinning, Jassu turned back over and closed his eye, pulling the covers over himself so as to spare Auron further embarressment through him.
'Night, Auron.' Jassu reached up and turned out the light as Danny curled up under the covers, his warm little body pressed up to Jassu's.
'Goodnight, Jassu.'
Jassu grinned in the darkness. 'Sweet dreams.'
Asshole. 'You too.'
Silence riegned for a whole two seconds before a low chuckle was heard.
'Jassu?'
'Yes, Auron?'
'Why are you laughing?'
'Oh, no reason. Just in a good mood is all.'
'...'
'Why? What's wrong?'
'...Nothing. See you in the morning.'
'Auron?'
A sigh echoed into the darkness. 'Yes, Jassu?'
'We'll...always be friends, right?'
Auron blinked into the darkness. The other's voice sounded insecure, almost like a child's. 'Yes, Jassu. I will always be your friend for as long as you let me.'
'Oh.' A barely audible sigh came from the other bed. 'Thank you.'
Auron closed his eye, trying to fall asleep and praying with his whole being for a dreamless sleep.
Jassu stayed awake for a few moments longer, just concentrating on trying to warm up. He fell asleep, but was not as lucky as Auron in having a dreamless sleep.
~d-r-e-a-m-i-n-g~
A tree, in a blue glade. Blue pools that you could walk on the surface of, although they looked as substantial as water. A body.
This all whirled away to a temple, carved in ice. A palace in shimmering silver, and a strangely gentle face looking as though it was a woman encased in ice.
This whirled again to another temple, made of dizzying heights and eternal blackness, and the feeling of unnaturalness, of not belonging. A boy stared at him curiously, the face of a dragon superimposed over it so the effect was disconcerting. The mouth opened, and two different voices come out. 'Who are you?'
A flash of blinding light, and an ice-field was visible, blue, cold and uninviting. A machina, a blitzball hurtling towards an object in the sky, obliterating it. A shout: 'Stand back!' And Yuna summons her new Aeon.
Searing, burning, eating pain; chains holding him down. He wanted to fly! Let him fly, and wreak havoc upon those who dared to cross his path. A gaping hole beneath him, spitting fire as something came up and freed him, slicing through the chains holding him down. Laughing, he drew his sword and glanced down to Yuna. Freed he may be, but Yuna was his liberator.
Fear, fear, that was very real in their eyes, those on the ground, tending to their hurts. Fear of him, fear of his wrath. He laughed again, watching them as they shivered in fear. 'I am not here to harm thee, friends. I am here to help, to free thee from this pitiful machine that would threaten thy existance. For my Lady Yuna here hath freed me from my hellish prison, and none who shall oppose her will live.' So saying, he faced the machina, smiling like a snake, and attacked, delighting in the sounds of metal tearing, of the terrified screams of the occupants, the smell of their blood thick as it sprayed onto the pure white snow. He had caused this destruction, and he was pleased.
~g-n-i-m-a-e-r-d~
Jassu shot up, wide awake before he'd even opened his eye in terror. He could still smell the blood, still see the carnage if he closed his eye. Unconciously he whimpered very quietly, lowering his head into his hands as he fought to get his heart back to normal.
It's alright, it's alright, just a bad dream, you're okay, nothing like that will ever happen... Jassu repeated this to himself like a mantra, willing himself to lay back down and relax. By his reckoning, it was still way too early to be even thinking of getting up. He closed his eye, falling again very quickly into a deep sleep.~d-r-e-a-m-i-n-g~
'Are you ready?'
A voice he hadn't heard in ten years; he turned to face the owner. Tall, broad, black dreadlocked hair falling recklessly over his shoulders, the tattoo on his chest the same.
'Hey, I asked ya, are you ready?'
'What for? Jecht?'
Jecht laughed, the broad, honest laugh that he'd so missed. 'Fo' the game, dumbass!'
Suddenly he remembered. The one on one! He and Jecht ran down to the beach, a blitzball already waiting on the azure waves as a figure in red watched the two.
'Like children...'
This faded to blackness which whirled away to reveal an image of a scarred face, an eye behind sunglasses and a smile behind the coller.
'I love you...'
~g-n-i-m-a-e-r-d~
Jassu woke up, slowly and more lesiurly then earlier in the night, to the crashing sound of thunder. He stretched, stood up and wandered into the showers. Auron was still asleep, snoring slightly, and there was no way in hell would he go outside to train.
'Jas? Where bic-skit peas?'
Jassu grinned at the piping voice of Danny. The little Jassite was picking the language up fast. 'In my coat pocket, Danny. I'll be out in a moment.'
Having finished his morning duties, Jassu walked back into the room and got dressed, glancing at Auron as he strapped the Katana on. Sighing, he walked over to the other guardian and poked him until he grunted.
'What?'
'It's morning, Auron. C'mon, Macalania's not too far away.'
Auron stretched and yawned as Jassu threw him his robe. 'You really want to go back there?'
Jassu frowned. 'More like I have to. Something important is waiting there. But...yeah, I want to go back. Maybe banish old demons, yeah?'
'Yeah.' Auron got out of bed and picked up his sword, strapping it on as he followed Jassu out of the room. Tidus and Wakka were talking very quietly over in a corner, and Jassu couldn't help but smile.
'Cute, isn't it?'
Jassu jumped slightly at Yuna's light voice. The young Summoner had been withdrawn since Guadosalam, in fact since the business with Lord Jyscal.
'Yeah, it is.' Jassu grinned slightly, looking back over to the two. He heard Yuna sigh beside him.
'I...wish it were that easy for all of us.' She said, giving Jassu a secretive half-smile. Jassu blushed slightly.
'I-I don't know what you mean, Lady Summoner!' He stammered, accidently glancing in Auron's direction. Yuna giggled softly.
'Of course not, Sir Jassu. Where's Danny?'
As if on cue, a furry green head popped out of Jassu's inside pocket, still chewing on a biscuit. 'He-yo Nu.'
'Hello Danny.' Yuna smiled at the Jassite. 'Are you going to protect me from the storm?'
Danny shook his head violently. 'No. Jas scared. Dan wiv Jas.'
Yuna giggled again.
'We're moving.' Auron called, walking out of the door. Rikku immediatly attached herself to Jassu, who sighed.
'You want me to help you again, no?'
'Y-yes please.' Rikku squeaked as lightning struck a tower.
'Fine. Let's move!'
The two dashed from tower to tower, Rikku running every time Jassu encountered a fiend. The last fiend they had encountered was an Iron Giant, twelve feet high and just as wide, and Jassu had taken the brunt of his attacks. Auron had carried him out of the battle out cold.
'Wait...I need to talk to you.' Yuna said quietly. Auron grunted; he wanted to get Jassu out of the storm and treat him anyway. He spotted a tower with a covering around the base as shelter from the storm.
'Over there.' So saying he made his way over to the shelter, laying Jassu gently onto the ground and digging out a hi-potion. He forced it between his lips, and waited until he was awake before motioning Yuna to continue.
'I'm...going to marry Seymour.'
A gasp came from the group.
'What? Why?' Tidus frowned. 'Do you love the guy?'
Yuna shook her head. 'It's for the good of Spira. I marry, Spira's happy. I defeat Sin, Spira's happy.'
'One question.' Auron stood up from crouching over a recovering Jassu.
Yuna held up her hands. 'I will continue my pilgrimage, whether I marry or not.'
Auron nodded and grunted. 'Good.'
'Right. Now that's sorted, can we go now?' A voice from the ground spoke up. 'Or am I going to lie here all day?'
Auron grunted again, reached down and hoisted the other up, making him stumble a couple of steps.
'Hey!'
'Sorry.' Auron said without much conviction, turning around and leading the others out of the Thunder Plains and into Macalania Woods.