AN: Errrrr I don't know what the heck happened to this chapter but there are odd lines/bars running across the page at random points. It's rather annoying but I've been trying for the past hour to get rid of them but they just won't GO AWAY grumble If any of you have any idea why I have these weird lines running about on my page, please let me know! Anywhoo, without further delay and (thank yee all for the support!), here's Ch.4 with a bit of T/Y )

Disclaimer: I don't own FFX and all its characters (

But a Dream
Chapter Four : Feel like a Bird
by Kaeli Enfys

The day was fairly pleasant. I didn't see much of Tidus and his gang, though I suspected it was because he was a bit embarrassed for having lost an argument with me. Lunch came and ended quickly with Lulu complaining about how she got paired up with Wakka for Geography. I had laughed and told her all about being paired up with Tidus and we agreed that we were both doomed people.

It was last block, and five minutes until the bell when I felt a pair of eyes on me. I turned slightly to catch Dona watching me with an unreadable expression on her face. I frowned and quickly looked away. Maybe if I simply ignored her nothing would happen.

And thankfully, as the bell rang and I hurried out of the classroom, Dona did not approach me but simply watched. Somehow, that scared me even more than her approaching me.

Glad that school was over and I could go back and pound Auron with questions, I shockingly found Tidus standing at my locker. I stopped in my tracks and wondered why on Spira he would be there, but suddenly I remembered the Al Bhed project.

Groaning, I reluctantly had to put aside asking Auron questions about my parents for later. He stopped circling my locker when he caught sight of me approaching. I opened my locker without giving him a second look.

"I thought I told you to meet me outside," I spoke up as I packed my bag.

He shifted uncomfortably and didn't reply. I glanced at him as he rubbed the bruise he had gotten yesterday. I suddenly realized that he didn't want to go there...in case of another attack. Understanding, I decided to leave it at that and not press his buttons.

"Hurry up will you?" He muttered as passersby gave him questioning looks. Why would he be standing with Yuna of all people?

I rolled my eyes, "Yes, yes, don't want to be seen with me, I get the idea."

"Good," he replied shortly.

I shut my locker with a swish of my earring and proceeded towards the front door. Tidus caught up with me, "You never go out the front door."

"Wow, you noticed something about me," I declared sarcastically.

"Shut up," he muttered.

I sighed. I opened my mouth to say, "I chose the front doors because I know you're freaked about the side doors" but I decided against it and remained silent. It was like that all the way to the apartment building. He kept his distance and I kept mine. That was fine by me.

When I started walking towards the brown building, I felt him grimace beside me. "You live here?"

"Yes," I replied monotonously. He probably lived in a mansion with marble flooring and smooth white paint, but I wouldn't let it get to me. Besides, I could live in a place like that. In my dreams.

"Are you sure there aren't any rats?" He questioned as I pushed open the front doors and into the dimly lighted lobby.

"Scared?"

He fell silent.

I smiled inwardly and started the hike up the seven flights of stairs. I would linger slightly at each passing window, but Tidus would continue on and not notice the beautiful view. I inwardly thought what a thing he was missing. He only seemed to see the chipping paint and the dankness of the building. He didn't see the beautiful city below nor the gentle comfort the building provided.

And suddenly, I felt like I had something he didn't have. Whatever it was.

"Yevon, where the heck do you live? On the roof?"

I tilted my head, "Good guess."

He stared at me in disbelief as he avoided touching the stair rails as if they were filthy. "Can't this place afford new paint?"

Oh why couldn't he see the good things? Yes...I had been right. He was far too oblivious from reality. He was too enclosed in his own little fantasy world where everything was almost near perfection...he never saw the poor, the hurt, the pained. He only saw what he was use to seeing. The good things in life.

"Well...don't you see anything good in this place?" I began softly as we stopped on the sixth floor.

Tidus shrugged, "Not really."

I ignored his blunt comment. "Look," I turned towards the sixth floor window. "Don't you see anything wonderful from out this window? The view it provides? Zanarkand twinkling below your gaze," I continued breathlessly. "It makes me feel like a bird, able to look over a city like this. I know that...you of all people won't find pleasure nor entertainment in staring out a window...but maybe if you take the time to just do it. You'll realize it's so much more than just that." I placed a hand on the window frame as I watched the city lights glow.

I could hear Tidus moving behind me. I was ready for a rude remark. He probably thought I was crazy now. But I didn't care...

"...So it's kind of like...diving into a sphere pool," I heard his voice say in an impossibly gentle voice. Startled, I turned around to look at him. His eyes glinted in the dim light as he approached the window and stood next to me. "When you get ready to dive, you feel like a bird. Just that one brief moment when you're in the air and nothing can grab hold of you. It's that moment..."

I watched him then, taking in his movements and the way he was looking into the distance. It was that one brief moment when I saw a flicker in his usually confident eyes. A curtain lifting...allowing me to see into him for just one second. And I saw...darkness and something...out of place.

Confusion and curiousity filled me. How could someone like Tidus have darkness in his eyes? Someone filled with so many opportunities and chances. Someone who had everything. Why would anything be out of place in his near perfect life? My thoughts were interrupted as he turned away and headed up the last flight up stairs.

"Are we there yet?"

I guessed he didn't want to talk about birds anymore. Our one moment of understanding was over and reality was back again. I sighed and followed him up the stairs. "Yes, we're here," I unlocked the door and entered, leaving it open behind me for him to enter.

He seemed hesitant at first.

"There aren't any rats," I reassured once again.

He entered looking slightly flustered, but I could tell he was surprised for some odd reason. His eyes had widened ever so slightly upon entering my apartment room. I saw him sweep the room that I had arranged myself with the same little lamps as my room. They were the only things providing light as the thin white curtains were drawn and shut out the autumn sun.

The small dining table was circular and white, lighted by jelly candles floating in small custard cups. The couch was white with simple white cushions but it did not have any splotch of food on it because I took good care of it. There were paintings on the wall, ones I had drawn, and other miscellaneous objects in the front room.

He finally stopped sweeping the room and managed to say, "You...you live here by yourself?"

"Mmm hmm," I took out our Al Bhed textbook and a few sheets of lined paper.

"Ha, would have thought. Who would want to live with you?"

Five minutes without mean remarks had been broken. That was a new record. I sighed and looked at him with weary eyes, "Can't you...just drop it? For the time being?"

He stuttered and looked away. Maybe he was ashamed for once, saying such heartless things. But I wouldn't know, I couldn't read his eyes as he grabbed his own textbook and sat down on the couch. I reached for the earring on my left ear and prayed that I would find the strength to get through the couple of hours with him in my living space.

"Ok, page 54," he broke the silence and took out a pen. "I'll do pages 54 to 61 and you can do the rest."

I counted and noticed I would be doing one more page than him. I was about to speak up when he cut in, "The last page we'll split in half, happy?"

I smiled, "Happy."

The next hour and half was met with silence except for the scratching of pen on paper. He never once looked up from his work, nor did he notice me watching him at occasional times. I didn't know why, but I kept on thinking about that short moment of understanding between us when we had stopped on the sixth floor window. I kept on thinking about the eyes that I saw. The unguarded eyes of Tidus.

I suddenly came to a realization that we all had a mask. Or something covering ourselves, not letting anyone in. I didn't want anyone to peer into my dreams...he didn't want anyone to...to what? I felt curiousity itch at me but I knew I had no right to ask. This young man that had tormented me so heartlessly...I thought I had seen a part of him that even his closest friends didn't get to see.

I thought...I thought I had seen the real Tidus.

The Tidus that had feelings too. The one that could understand. Understand even a freak like me. The Tidus that was hiding...for whatever reason. I thought the Tidus back on the sixth floor was much more decent than the usual Tidus. If only he would show that version of himself more...I sighed. Me and my useless hopes and desires, dreams and silliness.

"Are you done?" He had caught me staring.

I blinked quickly and sat up straighter. "Uh...er...," I glanced down at my page and noticed I had completely went off track and was only on page 64, which meant I had only done three pages or so. When I didn't reply, he got up and looked over at my paper and raised an eyebrow. "Man, you're slow."

I looked at his work and noticed he was all done. I wondered if he had made the whole thing up. He seemed to read my mind as he shoved a piece of paper at me. "Check it if you want."

I checked it. It was all correct. Very correct. Surprised, I smiled at him. "Hey, you're not as bad as I thought."

He shrugged, "What made you think I was stupid?"

I jumped. "I didn't mean to say you were stupid"

"Right," he nodded his head slowly. "Just...don't assume things about me." That was the second time he had said something like that to me. But then again, I realized how right he was. I had been assuming things about him...and yet he had been assuming things about me too.

"You too," I echoed.

Tidus stared at me and reluctantly nodded. He took my finished papers and read them over, nodding his approval. I was still slightly shocked that a star blitz player had the brains along with everything else. "Well, aren't you going to start working?" His voice stopped my train of thoughts.

I nodded and quickly continued translating. I was letting too many thoughts distract me...

When I finally reached page 66, I dropped my pencil with a smile and looked up to where Tidus had been last sitting only to find nobody there. Looking around me, he was nowhere in sight. I was sure he hadn't left as his backpack was still on the couch. Instantly, my eyes went to my room. I frowned. How rude.

I crept silently towards the half-open door and stuck my head in and sure enough, there he was standing with his back to me. My frown deepened and I was ready to lecture him about entering people's bedrooms but he seemed rather immersed in something. Curious, I crept into my room and walked closer to the other end of the room to where he stood.

It was then that I realized what he was staring at. I instantly turned crimson and I begged to Yevon that he didn't notice that the eyes I had painted seemed to be an exact replica of his own eyes. He would certainly get the wrong idea and I didn't intend to have that happen. Not at all.

I coughed.

He jumped and turned around, immediately looking slightly guilty. "Oh! Er...didn't think you'd finish so quickly since you were going at such a slow pace beforeer, I thought this was the bathroom! Yes...bathroom."

I raised an eyebrow and nodded towards my left. "That's the bathroom over there."

He followed my movements and nodded, "Oh! Right! I thought that was the closet or something" He trailed off and walked towards the bathroom door before stopping and nodding towards my canvas. "Good painting."

I was taken aback. A compliment from Tidus? I managed to nod before he disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. I quickly spun around and threw the garbage bag on top of the canvas. Oh, why didn't I remember to cover it yesterday? And why had I painted his eyes in the first place? Stupid, stupid me...painting his eyes of all things...

But I had to admit...his eyes were awfully captivating. Even if they spent most of their time glaring and taunting me. They were beautiful eyes...

I blushed at my own thoughts and hit myself mentally. "Get a grip," I mumbled just as the toilet flushed. I glanced at the clock hanging above my dresser. It was almost 6:30.

"It's getting late, I'm going home."

I looked back at him and nodded. We went back to the front room together and I watched as he packed up his things. "Oh, wait. The last page..." he scratched his head thoughtfully and looked at me. I sighed. I knew he'd leave it to me.

It wasn't like Tidus to be fair to someone like me.

"Hey, don't assume things about me," he said sternly and once again I wondered if I was too readable or if he was plain psychic. "We can go to my place tomorrow and finish it."

Could he surprise me anymore? I swallowed and nodded.

"Then you'll actually understand what I mean about a place without rats," he threw his bag over his shoulder and crossed the room towards the door. "I'm taking a shower right when I get home. I don't want to pick up any diseases." He smirked and opened the door. "Catch you later, freak."

I dared myself to speak. "I...I do have a name."

He looked up, a bit of astonishment written on his face. I guessed he would have thought I'd remain silent. "Oh, really?"

"...Really," I answered, daring myself to look at him straight in the face. "In fact, it's Yuna."

Tidus laughed and shook his head. "You think I'm stupid or what? Whatever, I'm leaving...Tuna."

He sped out the door before I could correct him. I sighed. Who was I kidding? Expecting Tidus to call me by my first name? Oh well...I thought the day had been quite normal with him of all people. It wasn't as...as impossible as I thought it would be.

I touched my mother's earring and smiled.

"He dislikes me so...but that's ok. I can handle it," I murmured.

I didn't know that somewhere on the sixth floor, a particular blonde haired teen had stopped in his tracks and was staring out at Zanarkand with a thoughtful expression on his face.

It was when I arrived at school the next day that I remembered that I wanted to ask Auron more about my parents and how he had met my father and just anything at all about my parents. I was probably too preoccupied yesterday with a chemistry lab report and well...you know who. No, I wasn't thinking about him in that way. I was simply thinking about the ordinary time we had together and how it seemed so...natural. If only he would show that understanding side of him to me more often.

Yet again, I was dreaming of impossible things.

I had physical education first block, and I had to admit that it wasn't my best course. I was fine with the essays and projects, but when it came to sports and bouncing balls, I was...well, hopeless.

But I tried, and it didn't help that most of those people were in my class.

I grabbed a pair of freshly washed shorts from my bag before proceeding towards the change rooms to change into P.E. strip. When I pushed open the smooth oak doors, I could already hear a shriek of familiar laughter from Rikku. I ducked behind a row of lockers to the very back corner where mine was and decided that the quicker I changed the quicker I could get out of the locker room.

But of course, luck wasn't on my side at eight thirty in the morning.

"Ooooh lookie lookie! It's Yuna!" Came Rikku's overly excited voice. I jumped in surprise. Had she just...called me Yuna? My first name? I turned around and there she stood in khaki green shorts and a red t-shirt. "Good morning!" She waved excitedly.

I blinked.

Rikku placed a finger under her chin. "Well? Aren't you going to say good morning to me too?"

Dona appeared beside her dressed in very short black shorts and a yellow halter top. "Yuna dear, it's not polite to ignore people."

I had finally regained my ability of speech but the shock was still there. Rikku and Dona? Speaking to me nicely? I wanted to pinch myself but they would probably laugh in my face. "He-hello."

"See, that wasn't too hard," Dona said with a odd smile on her lips as she eyed me closely.

"Oh look at that t-shirt you're wearing! It's so old!" Rikku declared and disappeared around the corner and appeared five seconds later waving a lavender t-shirt. "Here! You can have one of my extras! I don't look good in shades of purple anyway."

My mouth opened and closed but no words came out. Rikku smiled brightly and skipped over towards me, stuffing the shirt in my hands and taking my old, worn white shirt from me. "Oh, I'd suggest you take your earring off for class. It's so long, it's not safe," she said casually and stared at me with her wide, swirly green eyes.

I could only nod as I took my mother's earring off and carefully placed it in my locker. She was right. Mr. Beclen never liked the idea of anyone wearing jewelry during his classes. He said accidents could be avoided. Dona made a hand motion with her hand and called out, "Hurry up you two, we'll be late for class."

Dona cared about being late or not? What on Spira was happening? As Rikku skipped on ahead, I took the chance to pinch myself.

"Yuniee! Can I call you that? Anyway, hurry up!"

No...it wasn't a dream.

It was an odd feeling, walking into the double gym doors with Rikku and Dona at my side. It was a very odd feeling...and somehow, I wished I would always have somebody to walk with by my side.

AN: Hm. It's peculiar isn't it...the sudden friendliness...hmm. shifty eyes Teehee, guess you guys will have to wait till the next chapter to see what may or may not happen. Neheheheheh...-