The gentle lapping of the ocean brought Wakka to conciousness.
'Oh, that sounds good...' He thought woozily. How he had always loved the sound of the seaside at Besaid. How he loved laying in the sand, and letting the tide wash up and sweep over his legs. He loved the sun's rays baking his already-dusky skin. He loved the sound of Lulu's laughter as she sat further back in the dunes with a book, sheltered by a huge umbrella.
A groan came from Wakka's throat as he became aware of the sun beating down on him. The light stung through his eyelids, and when he opened his eyes, he had to squint, and shield them from the bright tropical day.
'Where the hell am I?' He thought. The last thing he remembered was Sin poking it's ugly head into the hollow beneath Lake Macalania, and the huge tide of freezing seawater sweeping in. He remembered Lulu screaming in warning.
Wakka forced his eyes to stay open, though they were tearing awfully in the bright sunshine. The sky above was so blue.
Gingerly, he tested an arm and a leg to see just how banged up he was. And to his surprise, there came no pain, no stiff joints and muscles as he'd expected. He felt fine as a matter of fact. As if he'd been doing nothing more than snoozing in the sun on the beach at Besaid.
Wakka sat up, lowering his arms away from his eyes, and took a look around. This place...it could have been Besaid, for all it's tropical splendor!
He sat on a white-sand beach, facing the ocean. The water was blindingly blue, and he found he could see to a great depth into the ocean, as clear as the water was. With every ripple, the white sand on the ocean floor glittered, as if the sun was casting down through a prism. Palm trees swayed lazily in a light breeze, and behind him, lay more palm trees, and soft grasses. It looked like the forest of Besaid.
Confused, Wakka sat a little longer, and looked around at his surroundings.
When a strong breeze came through, Wakka realized he was no longer in his Aurochs uniform. He did not wear his blue bandanna, and in fact, the only thing he was clad in was a pair of green shorts that he often wore when swimming for leisure. Other than that, the only thing on his body was his fish necklace.
"What the hell...?" He said aloud.
The only answer was the soft lapping of the sea at his feet, nibbling at his toes and the sand around them.
Wakka pushed himself to his feet, and looked around in bewilderment. There were no recognizeable structures or landmarks around. If this were Besaid, the beachline would be dotted with cliffs, and city ruins jutting from beneath the waterline. The horizon would contain a neighbouring island or two, but it held nothing.
His bare feet sank in the soft sand as he padded down the shoreline a little ways. Nothing was any different. The same pristine sand. The same jewel-toned water.
"Huh." He said to himself. He stopped and crossed his arms. This was really baking his noodle. Where the heck was he? What had happened? Had Sin dumped him on some remote island?
But then...what'd happened to his clothing? Surely Sin hadn't literally knocked the pants off of him?
Another soft breeze blew, and Wakka found himself inhaling it, savoring the saltiness of the air.
Again, the wind blew gently, but this time, it carried on it a scent that Wakka had smelt before. There was a lilt of red orchid, and white hyacinth.
Wakka turned his head, to glance over his shoulder. And he did a double take. Turned to greet the vision walking towards him.
If he had stepped back in time, if he had opened a portal to the happier years in his life, Wakka could not have been more surprised.
Lulu walked towards Wakka, the sun caressing her alabaster skin, her long black hair spilling over her shoulders and swinging free from it's braids.
He swallowed. Hard. She was so beautiful.
She wasn't in grey and black anymore. She didn't wear her leather dress. She didn't wear dark make-up. She didn't wear much of anything, to be honest.
Back in the old days, before Chappu had left for Djose with the Crusaders, he, and Lulu, and Wakka used to come down the beach in the hot afternoons to laze around in the sun, and to swim. In those days, Lulu was happy. She was radiant, Wakka had always thought. She had a habit of undoing her braids, and letting the hair fall over her shoulders, and over her breasts. Of course, she'd worn bikini bottoms so that she wouldn't be indecent, but since Besaid was a tiny island, and since nudity wasn't taboo, her hair was usually the only thing covering up her breasts.
Wakka had, understandably, spent alot of time in the water.
And this was the vision approaching him now. Her hips swayed as she walked, the red bikini bottom hugging her hips as snuggly as Wakka would have liked to. Her black hair swayed, the long curls hiding from Wakka's view those rosy nipples. A huge white flower was tucked behind her ear, holding the hair out of her face, and a chain of tiny red flowers hung around her neck.
Wakka had to remind himself to breath.
As she approached him, she smiled.
"You look as if you've seen a ghost." Lulu said as she neared him.
Yevon, was she real? What had happened to her? Her cheeks were so rosy. She looked so radiant...so...happy.
"Not speaking to me?" She teased him.
"Uh..." Wakka closed his mouth, then opened it to speak once more. He found that he could find no words.
Lulu's eyebrow arched up, and she tilted her head to look at him.
"Lu, you're so pretty!" He blurted.
"Thank you." She smiled at him, amused. "You act as if you've never seen me before.."
"It's just been so long since I've seen you like this.." He said.
"Come on." Lulu said, slipping her hand in his. She twined her fingers through his fingers, and smiled up at him. "You promised me that you'd take me on a walk. I intend that you keep that promise."
"Huh?" Wakka gaped. What the hell? "Uh, okay..."
Before she could change her mind, before he could ruin the moment, Wakka's hand closed tight over her. He squeezed her hand, and pulled her to him. His arms closed around her, hands sliding up her bare back. Her hair tickled his chest. He buried his face in her neck where it met her shoulder.
Lulu was surprised at this, but after a second, her arms came up, and around his chest.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"Ya." He murmured, inhaling the sweet, earthy scent of her skin and hair. "Ya, I'm fine."
"Are you certain?" Her hands stroked at his back. Her arms held him tight.
"I love you, Lu." He could not help it. He had to say it.
"I know, Wakka." She whispered to him. Drawing back, she looked up into his face. Her ruby eyes glittered at him tenderly. "I know. And I love you too."
Wakka's lips descended on hers hungrily. He kissed her there, before the ocean, in the soft sea breeze, underneath the beating sun. He kissed her in this paradise, with all the beauty of Besaid around them. Kissed her, lips and tongue exploring hers, and seeking to taste her very essence. Kissed her happily, and tenderly, and roughly, and gently, with all of Yevon looking on, and in the privacy of this secluded beach. Kissed her, as if he could meld his soul to hers in that one gesture.
And when his lips left hers, he wrapped her in his arms. He held her close to him, his body shivering in joy. He held her, and she held him, and Wakka thought he would die with his happiness.
Auron fully expected to be dead. Well, he already was...Actually, he expected to be in the Farplane.
'Dammit...' He thought. 'I had things to do. I can't be here yet.'
But it wasn't the Farplane. Something told him that it wasn't.
You're asleep. That little voice whispered to him.
What? Asleep, after Sin attacking? You mean, dead.
No. Just asleep. All you have to do is wake up.
Huh? For once, Auron sounded like Tidus.
Asleep, stupid. Just open your dead eyes, and look around.
So, Auron opened his eyes.
There was darkness all around him. But it wasn't black darkness.
There you go, that little voice continued. It's just night. Go, look around.
Frowning in confusion, Auron found he was propped in a chair. It wasn't a bad chair.
Actually, it was very nice, being padded in velvet and all...
Another frown. Auron shook his head. What in the hell was going on?
He stood. Another surprise for him there. After Sin breaking through and the currents sweeping everyone away, he expected to be sore in a thousand places. He expected bones to be broken, joints to be sprained, muscles to be torn.
Nothing. He felt as fit as the day he'd become a guardian.
A cool night breeze swept through the dark room. The sensation of a swinging garment hung on his body, but it was so dark, he could not see what he was wearing. Auron turned around to try to survey his surroundings, and nearly screamed as he did so.
Obviously, a mirror hung on a wall across the room. He'd sighted his reflection as he turned, and since it was unexpected, he had very nearly soiled himself.
"Son of a...shit..." Auron's dead heart had leaped in his chest. The words came from him as he stood there, and tried to calm the damned thing before it exploded in his ribcage.
Suddenly, there the click of a latch, and a door swung open. Light spilled into the room. Auron swung around to face the offending party.
"Sir?" A young woman peered in. Her blue dress was plain, and the only adornment was a white apron. A servant?
At his continued silence, the young woman spoke up again.
"Sir? Sir Auron? Why are you in here in the dark?" She asked. Her arm reached out, and she flicked on a light switch. Several small lamps around the room instantly brightened.
Auron looked around, blinking. He stood in a bedroom. The mirror that had scared the hell out of him hung by a fireplace, the pale light of the room caressing over the gilt frame. Confused, Auron turned and questioned the young woman.
"What's going on here?"
She looked at him strangely, as if he were doing something most out of character, extremely bizarre.
"Sir? I don't understand. Anyway...you should come downstairs. Everyone's waiting."
"Huh?"
But there was no answer forthcoming. The young woman backed out of the room, and closed the door behind her.
With a sigh, Auron looked once more around the room.
Then did a double take in the mirror.
Hesitant for the one of the very few times in his life, he approached the mirror. The red garment on his body flowed behind him. The long sleeves swirled as he stepped.
Auron stood and gaped into the mirror.
A maester's robes?
'I am a maester?' He wondered to himself.
This was insane! How many times had he wished during his youth...? How much had he yearned...?
The sound of the door opening again distracted him. He looked in the mirror to the door, expecting to see the young serving woman again.
But the sight that greeted him shocked him nearly as much as the maester's robes on his body did.
Splendid in a crimson gown, Lulu stood in the doorway, and smiled at him. Her long braids had been undone, and the curly hair cascaded down her back. The front part of her hair, including those bangs that hid her face was pulled up, and back, and caught up in an elegant, formal hairstyle, and secured with bejeweled pins.
And the biggest shock of all was the swollen belly that she curled protective arms around.
"What is the matter?" Her husky voice rang out. "You look as if you've seen a ghost."
"Lulu...what happened?" Auron did not know which he was asking about...her belly suddenly big with child, or the maester's robes he wore.
Lulu tilted her head, a lock of ebony hair falling over her shoulder.
"Are you well, my love?" She stepped into the room, and closed the door behind her. The red silk of her gown trailed behind her on the floor as she walked, and she crossed the room to stand before him.
"This..." Auron lay hesitant fingers on her belly. "And this..." Those fingers went to the red sleeve of his robes.
A low, sensual chuckle came from Lulu.
"Did you hit your head?" She asked, her brow furrowing in amusement. She played along.
Auron simply stared at her.
"These are maester's robes." Lulu's hand went to his sleeve, and plucked at the red linen. And then she captured his hand, and laid it on her belly. "And this is your child."
Auron jumped as if he'd been hit by lightening. He snatched his hand back like her stomach was red-hot, and gaped at her.
Maester's robes. Lulu pregnant with his child..
His throat suddenly ached. It wasn't possible. He daren't dream. But that must be what it was...
"This is a dream." He said to her.
"I know it must seem that way." Lulu laughed softly. "But your hard work had been rewarded, my love."
Her hand went to his once more, and she curled her fingers through his. Gently, she brought his hand to her cheek, and she nuzzled his knuckled against her face.
"I love you." Auron told Lulu suddenly, as he stared down at her.
She blinked. Then laughed. Her laughter was music. Her beauty was poetry. Her being was heaven. Again, Auron's throat ached.
"I know." She murmured him. "And you know I love you, as well."
Auron's thumb brushed against her lips. Lulu smiled tenderly at him. Her claret eyes held his, and he felt all thought flee from his mind.
As if in a trance, Auron leaned forward, and captured those beautiful lips beneath his. What if he wasn't dreaming? What if the pilgrimage and Sin had been the dream? What if this was what was real?
Greedily, Auron's lips moved over Lulu's, and his hand left her face. He curled his arm around her, and placing his hand on the small of her back, he pressed her close to him.
His other arm came over her shoulders. He pulled Lulu close as if he would die if she wasn't near to him.
Mine, his mind swirled. Mine. My child. My wife. My maester's robes...
The things I've always wanted. The things I've never had. The things I'll never have.
Auron inhaled the scent of Lulu. He smelt the smell of clean linens in the room, of vases of white hyacinth, of the night breeze outside. He tasted the sweetness of Lulu's mouth, like a fine wine, like a delectable fruit, like the finest delicacy. He felt her arms around him, offering him comfort and love, and tendernes which was genuine, and so rarely presented to him in reality.
Or was this reality?
His heart fluttered in elation.