Return of Light
"I'm a fucking idiot!" Chappu muttered, hissing an oath as he jammed the Besaid Sphere into the right slot and watched as the wall faded away into nothing. Still cursing, he shoved the pedestal back forcefully and then stomped to the elevator platform.
"Move it!" he growled as the platform began its slow descent into the room below. He tapped his foot impatiently and then leapt off as soon as he could see the door on the other side of the room.
Chappu strode purposely up the steps before pausing to let the doors to the Chamber of the Fayth open. Before the door had even opened all the way, he had walked through, his eyes fixing immediately on the slightly glowing dome in the center, the fayth of Valefor beneath its gleaming shield.
Chappu stood, staring, at the dome and waiting for something to happen.
Anything.
He sighed and stepped back to lean against the wall. It wasn't long before he slid down the smooth surface to the floor, his eyelids suddenly beginning to droop.
"Damn wine," he mumbled, yawning.
Colors flashed through his mind, across his line of vision. All sorts of different colors mixing together; becoming one. There were smells, too. Blood, sweat, fear, soap, and… Tida.
Chappu's eyes closed.
—
"Chappu?"
He was standing alone, but in a room he'd thought he'd never walk into ever again so long as breath entered and left his body over and over again in an unending cycle until death. He stared around at the soft blends of purples and blues, the gentle fusions of pink and the pure white. And silver; he could never forget the gleaming silver.
Her room.
"Chappu."
That melodious voice calling his name again. Chappu ignored it and traced a finger along the bed railing, smirking as he allowed himself that wild, erotic fantasy every male just had to have at one point or another while in a room such as this. If was so… soft, like the body of a golden goddess…
"Damn it, Chappu, when I say your name, you answer me!"
Chappu started to whirl around but something small, something female, with a long blond braid and fierce colored eyes attacked him from behind, sending both attacker and attackee sprawling onto the bed. Chappu let out a loud yell and cursed, struggling with his assailant.
He grabbed blindly around for something to grip so he could steady himself enough and land a direct hit—yes this was definitely a female
Mortification gripped him and he forgot to block the slap that sent his head whipping to the right. He swore vociferously and grappled again with the attacker, earning a shriek and then—
"Ha! Pinned ya!" A whoop of triumph.
"Damn!" Chappu turned his eyes up to glower at his conqueror, who grinned back at him with white straight, even teeth. She sat back, still grinning, and cocked her head.
Chappu's eyes widened and he knew. Light, this was really her!
"Tida!" he cried, lunging up and grabbing her in a tight hug. Tida giggled as they rolled back on her bed, limbs and silky blond braid flying.
Chappu landed on to of her, looking down into her sparkling colored eyes that gazed back into his own with so much love Chappu thought he'd burst from happiness at seeing it again.
"Light, Tida, I missed you," he breathed; pressing kisses along her cheek down to her mouth. He brushed his lips against hers for the briefest of seconds before Tida reached the back of his head with her hands and crushed their mouths together with a hunger no mere lip-touching could fulfill.
They drew apart, opening their eyes to still see into each other's. Tida's lips curved in what Chappu thought was the sexiest and most passionate of smiles. "I missed you, too, Chappu," she whispered, kissing him again.
Chappu's hands worked at the tie on the end of her braid, successfully pulling it off the blond tresses. Still kissing her, he undid her braid until her glistening blond hair spilled out on the bedspread beneath like a billowing cloud.
Chappu smiled. His angel. He propped himself on his elbows, holding his face just inches from Tida's. She touched his cheek gently, angling her head just right to look over his face.
"You've changed, Chappu," she murmured softly. "Gotten older, wiser, stronger."
"So have you. I didn't think it would be possible for you to get so much more beautiful, but it was," he said back, kissing the tip of her nose. "You're positively gorgeous and you look like a goddess… my golden goddess." Chappu kissed the tip of her nose gently.
"Quite a compliment. Chappu… why are you becoming so malicious? It's like you've forgotten who you really are inside." Tida held his head in her hands, her eyes turning serious and—was that hurt in those clear crystalline orbs?
Chappu sighed and pushed off of her, sitting back against the headboard, his knees bent, arms resting on the tops of them. He ran a hand trough his midnight tresses and sighed again.
"Tida…" Chappu paused, looking at her. "There's so much I should have told you before, but I didn't. I—I guess I was afraid you wouldn't look at me the same again. But I still should have told you. It's not all that great, but I—"
"Chappu," Tida sat up all the way and crawled over in front of him, settling between his legs and looking directly into his eyes, "I don't care what you did. I don't care how bad they were. All I care about is the person you are now. That's the Chappu I love, not the Chappu who lied, stole, cheated… killed."
Chappu's head flew up to stare at her, his blue eyes going wide in surprise. "How did you know?" he whispered hoarsely, his arm dropping from behind his head.
"Being dead does it have its advantages sometimes. But still, Chappu, I do not care. I love you for you, not your past. You survived it, Chappu; you beat it. You came out on top despite of the people trying to pull you under so that you never surfaced. That's who you are, Chappu. You're the one who won.
"But, Chappu, you have to stop! You have to! I couldn't bear it if you continued doing the things you're doing. You're so cold! You're pushing everyone away and the Shadow is coming ever closer to you. Please, Chappu, don't let it get you! Please!" Tida had tears in her eyes that were slowly falling from her eyes, but she wasn't sobbing—she was smiling at him, already knowing what he was thinking—and Chappu knew that.
Chappu's lips twitched. "I guess you're right, Tida. But since I won, I'd like to get a piece of the prize."
Tida smiled deepened and she swiped away all her tears. "Oh, really?"
"Hell yeah." Chappu grinned and seized her by the arms, drawing her to him for a mind-boggling kiss. Tida giggled as Chappu went again to ravage her mouth.
* * *
"Tidus! Tidus, you give me back that sphere or I'll—" Yuna's threat was muffled by Tidus appearing from out of nowhere and kissing her squarely on the lips. He stepped back and grinned, ducking her swipe at him.
"Relax, Yuna. Besides, it was sent to me anyway." Tidus pointed out, tossing the sphere in his hand and catching it again. Yuna rolled her eyes and flung her hands in the air.
"Fine! Fine! Just watch it and get it over with. I'd like to know what's going on with them, anyway. The Shadow's becoming a major threat to Spira," Yuna said, ending with wringing her hands from nerves. The Shadow was having the most effect on the High Summoner out of all of them—all because of the fact that she was a summoner.
"I already did. Wakka says that Chappu is with them now, too. Said he's actually quit swearing and is smiling a lot more instead of smirking. Zeoron and Rikku joined up as well. They faced two Shadowfiends and won both, but it's getting a little it more dangerous. Oh, and Lulu said to tell you that after all of this, she and Wakka would like to have their wedding on the beach at the house," Tidus said, grinning.
"Oh, that's good. I'm glad they beat those things. Did they say when—Wedding? Wakka and Lulu? What?!" Yuna stopped dead, staring at her husband with wide eyes.
Tidus's grin spread even more. "They finally got together."
"Oh, wow! That's wonderful!" Yuna laughed and hugged Tidus joyfully. "Oh, that is such great news! I've been waiting for a long time to hear that!"
"No kidding." Tidus lifted her up in his arms. "Now, let's go celebrate."
"Tidus, will you ever grow up?" Yuna asked, running a finger down his jaw line and brushing a strand of sun-streaked blond hair out of his eyes.
"Nope," Tidus said, grinning as he carried her into their guest room at New Home.
Yuna giggled and kicked her legs. "Good!"
* * *
Zeoron could only stare. That was all she appeared to be capable of.
Chappu was helping to rebuild the Besaid village gates and he was stripped to the waist, sweat slicking his chest and toned abdomen. His arm muscles rippled under his skin. He was smiling, too, and not swearing or complaining.
And, scariest of all, he was whistling.
"Oh, Light, I'm losing my mind," Zeoron groaned, slamming her forehead with a palm. She sighed and moved to massage her temples, telling herself repeatedly that Chappu was not whistling and he was not—not bloody merry.
"Hello, Zeo. Feeling all right?"
Zeoron glanced up and looked suspiciously at Chappu. "Why are you so damn cheerful?"
Chappu only smiled at her. "Well, why aren't you? It's a beautiful day!" Chappu swung his arm out in a wide arc indicating the fiery crimson sun and vast clear blue sky.
Zeoron shook her head in disbelief. "I'm dreaming. I have to be dreaming."
"You'll get used to it, Zeo. I promise." Chappu sauntered off, sipping on his flask—of which Zeoron had already examined and was shocked to find it filled, not with wine, but with honeybeer.
And absolutely no sign of alcohol in its contents.
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