A/N: Ok, I lied. ^^; I said it would take a while to get this chapter up,
but here it is. I found that I was able to accomplish my tasks a bit
earlier than usual, and had the extra time to get this chapter out. Chapter
4 will be the one that will take longer for me to finish. ^^;;
** Chapter 3 **
The brightness of the fading pyreflies reflected on Yuna's face as the swarm dissipated. Her green and blue eyes followed them up as they simply faded from the air, leaving no other trace. She felt her breath catch and looked up to the sound of footsteps.
"Yuna! I'm back. Hey, sorry I took so long," Tidus came running up to her. She studied his face as he approached her. It didn't seem as if he saw anything. He had their food wrapped in one hand, and another wrapped package in another. He suddenly noticed her facial expression and stopped.
"Hey, what's the matter?" Tidus asked, setting the packages down. "You ok?" he tilted his head a bit to look into her face, brushing back her bangs to see her eyes more clearly. His expression became serious. "Did something happen while I was gone?" he asked her again.
She raised her eyes, meeting his serious blue ones. Shaking her head and trying to make herself smile for him, she grabbed his hand. "No, I'm fine," she assured. She watched his face for a reaction. 'This isn't the time to tell him. It's our second day together and I just want to enjoy it with no worries.' Taking his hand, she pulled him down with her to sit down in the soft grass. "I guess you just startled me, that's all," she smiled up at him.
Tidus studied her some more, before seating himself down next to her as well. "Okay, as long as you seem fine," he said after some time.
Yuna nodded. "I'm fine. Don't worry," she said again.
"You must be hungry by now," Tidus suddenly said, changing the subject, all to Yuna's relief. She didn't want to see him suspicious of what she had just experienced while he had left her alone. Granted, it certainly was one hell of a secret to keep from him. Still..she just couldn't pretend as if nothing had happened. She almost didn't seem like it happened either. Out of her shock, Yuna felt the time stop around her as she turned to face the man they had fought at the Farplane. Seeing Shuyin standing before her and disappearing split seconds before Tidus came was enough to make her heart stop. 'Why was he here? Didn't they resolve the problem already?'
She snapped back into reality.
He had been speaking to her then, but she only managed to catch his last few words. "Oh yeah, I brought you something too," Yuna heard him say, reaching behind him to pull out the other package she had noticed him carrying earlier.
Yuna smiled at the gift as he handed it to her. "What is it?" she asked him a bit shyly, forgetting her earlier encounter with Shuyin for the moment.
He grinned and scratched the back of his head as she giggled at his behavior. "Open it," Tidus told her.
Yuna studied the small package curiously before lifting the lid of the box carefully. She looked up at him and smiled. "You didn't have to get me anything."
"I know. But I wanted to get it for you," he replied to her as he watched her face.
As she lifted the lid, she squinted as a rather bright gleam peeked out at her when the sunlight hit the object inside. She gasped as she carefully lifted the object out, bringing it up closer to her eyes.
"I-It's beautiful," she whispered, marveling at its splendor.
Gleaming brightly in the sunlight, the gift was made from the same material Yuna recognized the sparkling paths at the Macalania Woods were made out of. It was delicately carved, shaped into a statue of two lovers embracing each other. Yuna gasped when she looked more closely. She recognized the two figures as herself and him, intricately carved and sparkling brightly. The two were portrayed together next to a lake, illuminated by moonlight.
Tidus smiled at her as he watched the joy on her face. "You like it?" he asked.
Yuna looked up at him, still captivated at how lovely the gift was. "I- I love it," she whispered, utterly speechless at its beauty. "But how? Where did you get something so beautiful?" she asked him, still studying the statue carefully, taking careful note of its color and shine.
Tidus moved closer to her. "I actually had this made two years ago before we left the lake back then." He saw her look up at him. "I spoke to a wandering traveler that night and he suddenly asked if I wanted to have something made, since he had a piece of the Macalania crystal with him. At first I was surprised that a stranger would ask me that, but I told him that I wanted that made," he said, pointing at the statue Yuna was still holding delicately. She smiled at the story.
"So why did you choose this particular carving?" she asked him, giggling when he grew quiet.
His expression grew soft. "You remember that night, don't you?"
Yuna looked at the statue once more. She smiled in remembrance. "Of course I do," she replied, still looking at the gift as it shone brightly. "It's so lovely. Why does it sparkle so much like this?" she asked him, almost squinting at the shining object.
Pointing at the statue, he replied. "The traveler said that there's a spell on it."
She looked up, curious. "Really? What is it?"
Tidus looked at the statue, the sparkle reflecting in his clear blue eyes. "He said that whenever two people are carved from a Macalania crystal, it will always shine brightly when they are together. The closer the two people are to the statue, the more brightly it will shine," he told her.
Yuna gasped at the story. "That's so beautiful," she whispered. He smiled at her and put an arm around her waist, drawing her close. He pointed at the carving of Yuna. "It's shining now because you're so close to it," he began. Pointing to the carving of him, he continued. "Since I'm near it too, the carving of me is also shining," Tidus explained softly.
She turned around to face him and hugged him. "I love it. I'll treasure it always."
"I'm glad you like it," he told her softly, breaking their contact for a moment and bringing their lips together.
Yuna sighed against him and delighted in how soft his lips felt against hers.
***
"Man, I'm stuffed!" Rikku declared happily, standing up to stretch.
Paine looked over at the girl and couldn't help but crack a smile. "Yeah, considering how much you ate," she shook her head.
Rikku laughed sheepishly. "Heh.." she trailed off, not really knowing how to respond. She looked up to hear the two other men in the room chuckling from their seats.
"Damn, I didn't know Cid's girl could eat like that," Rikku heard Gippal whistle from the other side of the table.
"Hey! You be quiet, you!" Rikku retorted, ready to go over to his side of the table and yell at him some more. It seemed like Gippal just loved to tease her, and she hated it.
Baralai laughed. "Well Rikku, if you want, we have plenty of food so please help yourself to more if you choose," he told her kindly.
Rikku shot a glare at the silver-haired man. "What?! You too, Baralai? And I thought you were the nice one!" she said to him.
Paine smiled at Baralai's shocked expression. "Wh-What? No, no. I wasn't teasing. Just trying to be polite," he replied, shaking his head at Rikku's reaction to him.
Gippal laughed harder.
After shooting Gippal another glare, Rikku sat down and spoke, a bit more quietly this time. "Thanks Baralai, maybe I'll get more food later," she said calmly.
It was Paine's turn to laugh this time after Gippal fell out of his chair in a fit of hilarity.
***
The air was a bit cooler as he and Yuna walked back towards the village. It was almost sunset and Yuna forgot that Lulu was expecting them for the evening meal later that night. Yuna had shown him the secret cave on the island for most of the day. They had spent quite some time in the cave exploring while she told him stories of what had happened in there.
"I think Rikku and Paine should be back to the village by now," Yuna said. They were walking hand in hand, crossing the slope back to the village. She suddenly looked up as she saw Rikku running towards them.
"Yunie!" the girl exclaimed with a wave. Rikku smiled brightly. "So, did you two have fun today?" she asked as she looked between them, winking.
Yuna smiled at her cousin. "Yes, we did," she laughed. "How was lunch with Baralai and Gippal?" she asked.
"It was ok. The food was good too," Rikku answered, nodding her head to her words.
"That's good to hear," Tidus spoke up.
Rikku looked over at him. "What's good?" she asked.
"Food. I'm starved," he answered, putting a gloved hand to his stomach.
Yuna laughed, pulling him towards the village. "Well what are we waiting for? Let's go eat!" she said, with Rikku nodding her head in agreement.
As Yuna led the way, she paused. "Hey, where did Paine go?" she asked Rikku.
"Oh, she's already in the hut, sleeping for the night," Rikku told Yuna.
"Really? This early? I never expected Paine to even sleep," Yuna laughed softly. It was true. Since their journey together, Yuna barely saw the dark-haired warrior sleep.
"Yeah, she's going to help me tomorrow with the airship and she said she needed to rest up for it," Rikku explained as she walked with her hands clasped behind her back.
The village was quiet when they entered. Yuna noticed that everyone had already settled into their respective homes for the night to have dinner. The air was still rather warm, but much cooler than the afternoon had been. The trio walked over to Wakka and Lulu's home. Gently pulling back the covering, Yuna poked her head in.
"Hi, everyone," she greeted the couple warmly.
Wakka looked up at the three and grinned. "Oh, hey." He moved a few objects out of the way and motioned them in. "Come and sit with us, ya?" he told them.
"Sorry we're late, Lulu," Yuna apologized to the older woman, who was tending to the baby.
"That's quite alright," Lulu replied with understanding. She gently set little Vidina down and put more food for them. "I hope you're hungry," she said with a smile.
"Yeah! We're starved!" Rikku said with enthusiasm.
Yuna smiled at her cousin's antics. As she watched Rikku begin eating, Yuna couldn't help but notice how quiet the younger girl suddenly got as she ate her food. Yuna laughed inwardly to herself.
But as Yuna chewed her own food, she suddenly found herself thinking once more. She no longer heard what the others in the room were talking about, but was more focused on what had happened earlier that afternoon at the cliffside. Her face suddenly grew serious as she recalled the events of what had happened earlier that day. 'What did Shuyin mean when he said that I asked him to come? And more importantly, why was he here? So did that mean Lenne was here too?'
Yuna blinked and tried to focus on the conversation the others were having around the table. As her eyes scanned their faces to make sure they didn't catch the removed expression on her face, she suddenly met blue eyes staring at her seriously. Yuna quickly averted her eyes from Tidus' gaze and looked down at her food feeling a bit guilty.
"Well Lulu, Wakka, the food was great," Yuna heard him say. She looked up at him. "It's getting late and we don't want to keep you guys up, so we're gonna be heading back now," Tidus said standing up from the table.
Wakka nudged him. "You sure, man?"
He laughed. "Yeah, thanks." Yuna watched as he walked over to her. "We should get going now," he said to her. Yuna nodded.
"Ok."
"Me too. I gotta get up early tomorrow to help Pops with the Celsius, so I'll be leaving too," Rikku spoke up as well. She stood up and walked over to Lulu and gave the older woman a hug. "Thanks, Lulu."
Lulu looked a bit surprised at Rikku's action. "You're very welcome," she said quietly, rocking Vidina to sleep.
Rikku smiled down at the baby and turned to leave. "Goodnight everyone. See ya tomorrow," she waved.
"Ya, 'night Rikku," Wakka replied waving.
Yuna and Tidus turned to leave as well. "Thanks again you two. Goodnight," she told Wakka and Lulu. With that, they turned and headed towards their hut.
Outside, the stars twinkled overhead, while the moon illuminated the village. The short walk to their shelter was filled with silence, and Yuna was beginning to feel guilty at his sudden silence. To her relief however, he still held her hand in his as they neared the hut.
He held the flap open for her as she stepped in. Trying to break the uneasy silence that had suddenly developed, she spoke.
"That was a nice dinner," she said, watching as Tidus sat down on the edge of the bed.
After a few moments of getting no response from him, she sat down on the bed as well. It was then that he responded.
"Yuna, I know when something's bothering you," he began finally turning to face her.
She didn't meet his gaze then. "What do you mean? Nothing's wrong," she answered a bit hesitantly. She never was a good liar.
Tidus sighed. "Yuna, come on. You've been like this since I came back at our picnic. What's the matter?" he asked her, moving closer and taking her into an embrace.
Yuna shut her eyes and relaxed her tense body against his. Tidus seemed to notice this and stroked her back gently. "I knew it. What happened back there?" he pressed on.
She paused, mentally debating with herself on whether she wanted to tell him yet. 'If I tell him that Shuyin came back here, what will he think? What will he think when they meet face to face?' Yuna pulled away from him and looked into his azure eyes, now filled with a sadness she just couldn't place.
"It really is nothing. I was just tired back there," Yuna told him with a heavy heart. Each time she lied to him, she just couldn't look him in the eye anymore. His expression was filled with an empty void of sadness and it pained her to see him like this. But she truly didn't want to worry him about this matter. Surely there was some way to settle the score with Shuyin one final time without him knowing, right?
And really now. Did she really want Tidus to get involved with this? Shuyin's words suddenly hit her. 'I still don't understand what he meant.' Yuna felt as if she was being burdened with a secret that she just couldn't tell. 'Why am I hiding it?' Yuna's thoughts took a different turn. 'I wonder if anyone else knows that Shuyin has come back..'
His voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts. "Alright, I believe you," Tidus told her suddenly. Looking at her face he smiled at her then. "I guess you do seem tired. Wanna rest now?" he asked.
Yuna nodded and yawned at that moment. Unbuckling her item belt and removing her side skirt, she let herself fall with a thud on the soft bed. She heard him laugh at this. Looking up in his direction she raised an eyebrow but couldn't help smiling as well. "What's so funny?" she asked.
"Nothing. It's just that I've never seen you fall down like that before," he laughed in amusement.
She too couldn't help but laugh softly at that. Having little energy left to answer him back, she just closed her eyes, ready to fall asleep. Yuna heard his chains jangling before she felt the other side of the bed tilt down a bit as he lay down beside her. Yuna found it strange that they had come to a sort of silent understanding in sleeping next to each other. On the first night after the party, they both just fell asleep together on the bed, not really thinking much about it, but just feeling content to be near each other again.
Yuna knew that Lulu would have thought it a bit inappropriate to find out that she was sharing a bed with him. Although Yuna knew the customs and was a bit hesitant with it at first also, she knew that she was actually safer with Tidus beside her and she trust him fully regardless. Lulu realized this too, and Yuna was relieved that the older woman had approved in the end. 'Also, I don't feel safe being alone after what happened today..'
Moving herself closer to him with her eyes still closed, she found him and loosely draped her arm around his waist. She suddenly felt something soft and warm lightly grazing her arm. Cracking one green eye open, she looked to see what it was. Yuna was surprised to see that he had taken off his gloves and had touched her with his bare fingertips.
"You took your gloves off," she softly said with slight amusement, closing her eyes again as sleep got the best of her. She felt one of his hands find its way to her own. Soft and warm, it made her feel safe and protected again.
"Of course. I don't wear them all the time you know," Tidus softly laughed, pulling her close to him.
"Okay.." she trailed off, not thinking clearly anymore.
He pulled a blanket over them and held her close, one of his arms wrapped around her smaller form. Securing the blanket over them, she felt completely warm and just didn't want to get up anymore. Feeling him kiss her lightly on the forehead, she finally fell into a peaceful sleep.
On the small table next to the bed, the statue glowed, both the figure of the man and woman filled with light.
***
A warm breath touched her cheek, making her shiver at the sensation. She looked up but could only see his eyes. A deep azure, clear, but filled with an empty sadness. She saw his mouth move, yet didn't hear anything. A strong wind suddenly blew her hair wildly, her bangs blocking her vision for a moment. Raising her hand to brush the hair away from her eyes, she saw that they were surrounded by tall trees, the area lit only by thin rays of sunlight peeking in from the treetops.
She looked slowly about the area and surveyed the enclosed clearing they were standing in, yet never raising her eyes to meet his. The forest was deathly quiet; the only sound she could hear was the soft rustling of leaves all around them. Hearing him take a step towards her, she looked up and finally saw his face clearly.
'Shu..yin..?'
Shaking her head at him in disbelief and slight fear, she took a step backwards, finding herself backing into the soft trunk of a nearby tree. She saw his face turn soft. Her eyes widened slightly as he continued to walk towards her, eyes never leaving hers.
"Don't be afraid," she heard his voice say softly.
She watched as he stopped in front of her. Tilting his head low, he spoke close to her, once again sending a shiver through her body. His lips lightly grazed the side of her cheek as he whispered to her again.
"It's because you wanted me, isn't it?" he said quietly, putting one hand up to rest against the tree, blocking one side of her, his breath warm against her face.
She stared at him, wide-eyed. "Wh-What..?" she heard herself say shakily.
Watching as he simply smiled down at her, her eyes grew wider as his lips came crashing down on hers, arm pulling her tightly to him.
***
Yuna's eyes flew open, her heart pounding loudly in her chest. Wiping her brow from the perspiration that had formed, she took a deep breath.
"Just a dream.." she whispered softly into the darkness. She suddenly felt an arm around her waist, tightening slightly. Turning her head to look at the sleeping form next to her, she saw Tidus still sound asleep, holding her close to him.
She put an arm around him as well, snuggling warmly up to his chest and listening to his steady heartbeat. Feeling him stir slightly, he held her close.
'There's something wrong here. That dream just didn't come for any reason. Shuyin is here, and I have to know why.'
Lost in deep thought, Yuna let her eyes close again, the steady sound of his breathing lulling her to sleep.
** End of Chapter 3 **
A/N: Ok, I think I'll end it there. I'm still debating with myself on whether the next chapter will explain the whole situation and reveal a few things as well, or if I should wait until later to write about it. I want to make sure I cover each event that the characters will experience while Yuna and Tidus have their own story, so we'll see what happens. ^_~
Until then! Thanks for all your wonderful reviews!
** Chapter 3 **
The brightness of the fading pyreflies reflected on Yuna's face as the swarm dissipated. Her green and blue eyes followed them up as they simply faded from the air, leaving no other trace. She felt her breath catch and looked up to the sound of footsteps.
"Yuna! I'm back. Hey, sorry I took so long," Tidus came running up to her. She studied his face as he approached her. It didn't seem as if he saw anything. He had their food wrapped in one hand, and another wrapped package in another. He suddenly noticed her facial expression and stopped.
"Hey, what's the matter?" Tidus asked, setting the packages down. "You ok?" he tilted his head a bit to look into her face, brushing back her bangs to see her eyes more clearly. His expression became serious. "Did something happen while I was gone?" he asked her again.
She raised her eyes, meeting his serious blue ones. Shaking her head and trying to make herself smile for him, she grabbed his hand. "No, I'm fine," she assured. She watched his face for a reaction. 'This isn't the time to tell him. It's our second day together and I just want to enjoy it with no worries.' Taking his hand, she pulled him down with her to sit down in the soft grass. "I guess you just startled me, that's all," she smiled up at him.
Tidus studied her some more, before seating himself down next to her as well. "Okay, as long as you seem fine," he said after some time.
Yuna nodded. "I'm fine. Don't worry," she said again.
"You must be hungry by now," Tidus suddenly said, changing the subject, all to Yuna's relief. She didn't want to see him suspicious of what she had just experienced while he had left her alone. Granted, it certainly was one hell of a secret to keep from him. Still..she just couldn't pretend as if nothing had happened. She almost didn't seem like it happened either. Out of her shock, Yuna felt the time stop around her as she turned to face the man they had fought at the Farplane. Seeing Shuyin standing before her and disappearing split seconds before Tidus came was enough to make her heart stop. 'Why was he here? Didn't they resolve the problem already?'
She snapped back into reality.
He had been speaking to her then, but she only managed to catch his last few words. "Oh yeah, I brought you something too," Yuna heard him say, reaching behind him to pull out the other package she had noticed him carrying earlier.
Yuna smiled at the gift as he handed it to her. "What is it?" she asked him a bit shyly, forgetting her earlier encounter with Shuyin for the moment.
He grinned and scratched the back of his head as she giggled at his behavior. "Open it," Tidus told her.
Yuna studied the small package curiously before lifting the lid of the box carefully. She looked up at him and smiled. "You didn't have to get me anything."
"I know. But I wanted to get it for you," he replied to her as he watched her face.
As she lifted the lid, she squinted as a rather bright gleam peeked out at her when the sunlight hit the object inside. She gasped as she carefully lifted the object out, bringing it up closer to her eyes.
"I-It's beautiful," she whispered, marveling at its splendor.
Gleaming brightly in the sunlight, the gift was made from the same material Yuna recognized the sparkling paths at the Macalania Woods were made out of. It was delicately carved, shaped into a statue of two lovers embracing each other. Yuna gasped when she looked more closely. She recognized the two figures as herself and him, intricately carved and sparkling brightly. The two were portrayed together next to a lake, illuminated by moonlight.
Tidus smiled at her as he watched the joy on her face. "You like it?" he asked.
Yuna looked up at him, still captivated at how lovely the gift was. "I- I love it," she whispered, utterly speechless at its beauty. "But how? Where did you get something so beautiful?" she asked him, still studying the statue carefully, taking careful note of its color and shine.
Tidus moved closer to her. "I actually had this made two years ago before we left the lake back then." He saw her look up at him. "I spoke to a wandering traveler that night and he suddenly asked if I wanted to have something made, since he had a piece of the Macalania crystal with him. At first I was surprised that a stranger would ask me that, but I told him that I wanted that made," he said, pointing at the statue Yuna was still holding delicately. She smiled at the story.
"So why did you choose this particular carving?" she asked him, giggling when he grew quiet.
His expression grew soft. "You remember that night, don't you?"
Yuna looked at the statue once more. She smiled in remembrance. "Of course I do," she replied, still looking at the gift as it shone brightly. "It's so lovely. Why does it sparkle so much like this?" she asked him, almost squinting at the shining object.
Pointing at the statue, he replied. "The traveler said that there's a spell on it."
She looked up, curious. "Really? What is it?"
Tidus looked at the statue, the sparkle reflecting in his clear blue eyes. "He said that whenever two people are carved from a Macalania crystal, it will always shine brightly when they are together. The closer the two people are to the statue, the more brightly it will shine," he told her.
Yuna gasped at the story. "That's so beautiful," she whispered. He smiled at her and put an arm around her waist, drawing her close. He pointed at the carving of Yuna. "It's shining now because you're so close to it," he began. Pointing to the carving of him, he continued. "Since I'm near it too, the carving of me is also shining," Tidus explained softly.
She turned around to face him and hugged him. "I love it. I'll treasure it always."
"I'm glad you like it," he told her softly, breaking their contact for a moment and bringing their lips together.
Yuna sighed against him and delighted in how soft his lips felt against hers.
***
"Man, I'm stuffed!" Rikku declared happily, standing up to stretch.
Paine looked over at the girl and couldn't help but crack a smile. "Yeah, considering how much you ate," she shook her head.
Rikku laughed sheepishly. "Heh.." she trailed off, not really knowing how to respond. She looked up to hear the two other men in the room chuckling from their seats.
"Damn, I didn't know Cid's girl could eat like that," Rikku heard Gippal whistle from the other side of the table.
"Hey! You be quiet, you!" Rikku retorted, ready to go over to his side of the table and yell at him some more. It seemed like Gippal just loved to tease her, and she hated it.
Baralai laughed. "Well Rikku, if you want, we have plenty of food so please help yourself to more if you choose," he told her kindly.
Rikku shot a glare at the silver-haired man. "What?! You too, Baralai? And I thought you were the nice one!" she said to him.
Paine smiled at Baralai's shocked expression. "Wh-What? No, no. I wasn't teasing. Just trying to be polite," he replied, shaking his head at Rikku's reaction to him.
Gippal laughed harder.
After shooting Gippal another glare, Rikku sat down and spoke, a bit more quietly this time. "Thanks Baralai, maybe I'll get more food later," she said calmly.
It was Paine's turn to laugh this time after Gippal fell out of his chair in a fit of hilarity.
***
The air was a bit cooler as he and Yuna walked back towards the village. It was almost sunset and Yuna forgot that Lulu was expecting them for the evening meal later that night. Yuna had shown him the secret cave on the island for most of the day. They had spent quite some time in the cave exploring while she told him stories of what had happened in there.
"I think Rikku and Paine should be back to the village by now," Yuna said. They were walking hand in hand, crossing the slope back to the village. She suddenly looked up as she saw Rikku running towards them.
"Yunie!" the girl exclaimed with a wave. Rikku smiled brightly. "So, did you two have fun today?" she asked as she looked between them, winking.
Yuna smiled at her cousin. "Yes, we did," she laughed. "How was lunch with Baralai and Gippal?" she asked.
"It was ok. The food was good too," Rikku answered, nodding her head to her words.
"That's good to hear," Tidus spoke up.
Rikku looked over at him. "What's good?" she asked.
"Food. I'm starved," he answered, putting a gloved hand to his stomach.
Yuna laughed, pulling him towards the village. "Well what are we waiting for? Let's go eat!" she said, with Rikku nodding her head in agreement.
As Yuna led the way, she paused. "Hey, where did Paine go?" she asked Rikku.
"Oh, she's already in the hut, sleeping for the night," Rikku told Yuna.
"Really? This early? I never expected Paine to even sleep," Yuna laughed softly. It was true. Since their journey together, Yuna barely saw the dark-haired warrior sleep.
"Yeah, she's going to help me tomorrow with the airship and she said she needed to rest up for it," Rikku explained as she walked with her hands clasped behind her back.
The village was quiet when they entered. Yuna noticed that everyone had already settled into their respective homes for the night to have dinner. The air was still rather warm, but much cooler than the afternoon had been. The trio walked over to Wakka and Lulu's home. Gently pulling back the covering, Yuna poked her head in.
"Hi, everyone," she greeted the couple warmly.
Wakka looked up at the three and grinned. "Oh, hey." He moved a few objects out of the way and motioned them in. "Come and sit with us, ya?" he told them.
"Sorry we're late, Lulu," Yuna apologized to the older woman, who was tending to the baby.
"That's quite alright," Lulu replied with understanding. She gently set little Vidina down and put more food for them. "I hope you're hungry," she said with a smile.
"Yeah! We're starved!" Rikku said with enthusiasm.
Yuna smiled at her cousin's antics. As she watched Rikku begin eating, Yuna couldn't help but notice how quiet the younger girl suddenly got as she ate her food. Yuna laughed inwardly to herself.
But as Yuna chewed her own food, she suddenly found herself thinking once more. She no longer heard what the others in the room were talking about, but was more focused on what had happened earlier that afternoon at the cliffside. Her face suddenly grew serious as she recalled the events of what had happened earlier that day. 'What did Shuyin mean when he said that I asked him to come? And more importantly, why was he here? So did that mean Lenne was here too?'
Yuna blinked and tried to focus on the conversation the others were having around the table. As her eyes scanned their faces to make sure they didn't catch the removed expression on her face, she suddenly met blue eyes staring at her seriously. Yuna quickly averted her eyes from Tidus' gaze and looked down at her food feeling a bit guilty.
"Well Lulu, Wakka, the food was great," Yuna heard him say. She looked up at him. "It's getting late and we don't want to keep you guys up, so we're gonna be heading back now," Tidus said standing up from the table.
Wakka nudged him. "You sure, man?"
He laughed. "Yeah, thanks." Yuna watched as he walked over to her. "We should get going now," he said to her. Yuna nodded.
"Ok."
"Me too. I gotta get up early tomorrow to help Pops with the Celsius, so I'll be leaving too," Rikku spoke up as well. She stood up and walked over to Lulu and gave the older woman a hug. "Thanks, Lulu."
Lulu looked a bit surprised at Rikku's action. "You're very welcome," she said quietly, rocking Vidina to sleep.
Rikku smiled down at the baby and turned to leave. "Goodnight everyone. See ya tomorrow," she waved.
"Ya, 'night Rikku," Wakka replied waving.
Yuna and Tidus turned to leave as well. "Thanks again you two. Goodnight," she told Wakka and Lulu. With that, they turned and headed towards their hut.
Outside, the stars twinkled overhead, while the moon illuminated the village. The short walk to their shelter was filled with silence, and Yuna was beginning to feel guilty at his sudden silence. To her relief however, he still held her hand in his as they neared the hut.
He held the flap open for her as she stepped in. Trying to break the uneasy silence that had suddenly developed, she spoke.
"That was a nice dinner," she said, watching as Tidus sat down on the edge of the bed.
After a few moments of getting no response from him, she sat down on the bed as well. It was then that he responded.
"Yuna, I know when something's bothering you," he began finally turning to face her.
She didn't meet his gaze then. "What do you mean? Nothing's wrong," she answered a bit hesitantly. She never was a good liar.
Tidus sighed. "Yuna, come on. You've been like this since I came back at our picnic. What's the matter?" he asked her, moving closer and taking her into an embrace.
Yuna shut her eyes and relaxed her tense body against his. Tidus seemed to notice this and stroked her back gently. "I knew it. What happened back there?" he pressed on.
She paused, mentally debating with herself on whether she wanted to tell him yet. 'If I tell him that Shuyin came back here, what will he think? What will he think when they meet face to face?' Yuna pulled away from him and looked into his azure eyes, now filled with a sadness she just couldn't place.
"It really is nothing. I was just tired back there," Yuna told him with a heavy heart. Each time she lied to him, she just couldn't look him in the eye anymore. His expression was filled with an empty void of sadness and it pained her to see him like this. But she truly didn't want to worry him about this matter. Surely there was some way to settle the score with Shuyin one final time without him knowing, right?
And really now. Did she really want Tidus to get involved with this? Shuyin's words suddenly hit her. 'I still don't understand what he meant.' Yuna felt as if she was being burdened with a secret that she just couldn't tell. 'Why am I hiding it?' Yuna's thoughts took a different turn. 'I wonder if anyone else knows that Shuyin has come back..'
His voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts. "Alright, I believe you," Tidus told her suddenly. Looking at her face he smiled at her then. "I guess you do seem tired. Wanna rest now?" he asked.
Yuna nodded and yawned at that moment. Unbuckling her item belt and removing her side skirt, she let herself fall with a thud on the soft bed. She heard him laugh at this. Looking up in his direction she raised an eyebrow but couldn't help smiling as well. "What's so funny?" she asked.
"Nothing. It's just that I've never seen you fall down like that before," he laughed in amusement.
She too couldn't help but laugh softly at that. Having little energy left to answer him back, she just closed her eyes, ready to fall asleep. Yuna heard his chains jangling before she felt the other side of the bed tilt down a bit as he lay down beside her. Yuna found it strange that they had come to a sort of silent understanding in sleeping next to each other. On the first night after the party, they both just fell asleep together on the bed, not really thinking much about it, but just feeling content to be near each other again.
Yuna knew that Lulu would have thought it a bit inappropriate to find out that she was sharing a bed with him. Although Yuna knew the customs and was a bit hesitant with it at first also, she knew that she was actually safer with Tidus beside her and she trust him fully regardless. Lulu realized this too, and Yuna was relieved that the older woman had approved in the end. 'Also, I don't feel safe being alone after what happened today..'
Moving herself closer to him with her eyes still closed, she found him and loosely draped her arm around his waist. She suddenly felt something soft and warm lightly grazing her arm. Cracking one green eye open, she looked to see what it was. Yuna was surprised to see that he had taken off his gloves and had touched her with his bare fingertips.
"You took your gloves off," she softly said with slight amusement, closing her eyes again as sleep got the best of her. She felt one of his hands find its way to her own. Soft and warm, it made her feel safe and protected again.
"Of course. I don't wear them all the time you know," Tidus softly laughed, pulling her close to him.
"Okay.." she trailed off, not thinking clearly anymore.
He pulled a blanket over them and held her close, one of his arms wrapped around her smaller form. Securing the blanket over them, she felt completely warm and just didn't want to get up anymore. Feeling him kiss her lightly on the forehead, she finally fell into a peaceful sleep.
On the small table next to the bed, the statue glowed, both the figure of the man and woman filled with light.
***
A warm breath touched her cheek, making her shiver at the sensation. She looked up but could only see his eyes. A deep azure, clear, but filled with an empty sadness. She saw his mouth move, yet didn't hear anything. A strong wind suddenly blew her hair wildly, her bangs blocking her vision for a moment. Raising her hand to brush the hair away from her eyes, she saw that they were surrounded by tall trees, the area lit only by thin rays of sunlight peeking in from the treetops.
She looked slowly about the area and surveyed the enclosed clearing they were standing in, yet never raising her eyes to meet his. The forest was deathly quiet; the only sound she could hear was the soft rustling of leaves all around them. Hearing him take a step towards her, she looked up and finally saw his face clearly.
'Shu..yin..?'
Shaking her head at him in disbelief and slight fear, she took a step backwards, finding herself backing into the soft trunk of a nearby tree. She saw his face turn soft. Her eyes widened slightly as he continued to walk towards her, eyes never leaving hers.
"Don't be afraid," she heard his voice say softly.
She watched as he stopped in front of her. Tilting his head low, he spoke close to her, once again sending a shiver through her body. His lips lightly grazed the side of her cheek as he whispered to her again.
"It's because you wanted me, isn't it?" he said quietly, putting one hand up to rest against the tree, blocking one side of her, his breath warm against her face.
She stared at him, wide-eyed. "Wh-What..?" she heard herself say shakily.
Watching as he simply smiled down at her, her eyes grew wider as his lips came crashing down on hers, arm pulling her tightly to him.
***
Yuna's eyes flew open, her heart pounding loudly in her chest. Wiping her brow from the perspiration that had formed, she took a deep breath.
"Just a dream.." she whispered softly into the darkness. She suddenly felt an arm around her waist, tightening slightly. Turning her head to look at the sleeping form next to her, she saw Tidus still sound asleep, holding her close to him.
She put an arm around him as well, snuggling warmly up to his chest and listening to his steady heartbeat. Feeling him stir slightly, he held her close.
'There's something wrong here. That dream just didn't come for any reason. Shuyin is here, and I have to know why.'
Lost in deep thought, Yuna let her eyes close again, the steady sound of his breathing lulling her to sleep.
** End of Chapter 3 **
A/N: Ok, I think I'll end it there. I'm still debating with myself on whether the next chapter will explain the whole situation and reveal a few things as well, or if I should wait until later to write about it. I want to make sure I cover each event that the characters will experience while Yuna and Tidus have their own story, so we'll see what happens. ^_~
Until then! Thanks for all your wonderful reviews!