Tidus had never been so cold in all his life.
The snows of Gagazet were brutal during the day, cold wind howling through the deep mountains.
Now, however, now the sun was dropping below the peaks, and the darkness was starting to encroach on the small group.
They parked themselves in the alcove where Braska's sphere had lain. It was a tight fit, but the seven of them could just squeeze in with enough space to be almost comfortable.
Lulu started a fire for the night. Yuna set about to treating the injuries of the day, Rikku producing some of her little miracle potions to help out when Yuna was feeling the strain.
Wakka went out hunting with Auron. Tidus wanted to go with them but Yuna made it quite clear he was to sit down and let his head injury heal over or she would have Kimahri sit on him.
Dinner wasn't appetising, but it was filling. Tidus knew better than to ask what it was, he had done that on their third night on this pilgramage and hadn't been able to face eating for two days afterwards when he got an answer.
The small fire was little comfort. They huddled around it, all shivering except for Kimahri, who sat with a massive arm slung around Yuna, in an attempt to keep her warm. Even Lulu had pulled her belts shut, her normally wide skirted dress closed and narrow.
Rikku had shimmied back into that wetsuit like armour and seemed happy enough to cuddle on the opposite side of Kimahri. Wakka's arms were around Lulu, their heads resting against one another.
Tidus shivered again, blowing out a puff of frost. He was freezing cold, he had had no idea the mountain was going to be so bitterly cold.
Wistfully, he glanced over to where Auron sat. The older man sat alone, his coat pulled tight about his body. He wasn't shivering either, he looked almost content in his little cocoon of warmth.
Tidus trembled again, wrapping his arms tighter around his body. His hood was keeping the worst of the wind off his neck, but it wasn't a lot of consolation. His fingers were cold, numb even, and his toes were following them.
"We should sleep. Get moving again in the morning, we might be able to cover the mountain in the next day." Yuna snuggled closer to Kimahri, who wrapped a massive arm around either girl and pulled them closer. Rikku gave a contented sigh and rested her head against his shoulder, happy with her new position.
Kimahri leant back and the two girls settled in, the three of them snuggled together and content.
Lulu shrugged slightly and lay down next to the fire, staring at it with heavy eyes. Wakka tentatively shifted closer until he sat behind her, laying down and spooning behind her, one arm around her waist.
"What do you think you're doing, Wakka?"
"Keepin' ya warm, stop bitchin' Lu, it's freezin' up here, ya?"
To Tidus' mild surprise, she made no further comment, letting Wakka cuddle closer, both of them seeming to drift into an unsure sleep.
Tidus shifted to the last part of the exposed fire. Already, he could hear Kimahri's rumbling breath and Rikku's little snorts.
He shivered again and pulled his hood down further. He should have bought a long coat and some heavy pants, hell, even a sweater would do him right now, anything more than the clothing he had.
He glanced to Auron again. The older man was leaning back, his face drawn further below his collar than normal. His eyes were hidden, he was too far from the light for Tidus to see if he was awake, even if he hadn't been wearing his sunglasses.
Who wore sunglasses at night, honestly?
Tidus had read about hypothermia once. You get really tired and sleepy, and then you start to feel warm again. You fall asleep, and then...
Then you don't wake up again.
He shivered. He was still cold, which was good he guessed, but he was tired. He'd been tired from the moment they stopped fighting and lit a fire, the tiny brightness warming his limbs enough to feel the fatigue of the day.
He let his eyes slide shut. He was too cold to sleep, even if he was tired. His body shivered again, a violent spasm through his limbs and torso.
Damn them all and their cuddling and sharing body warmth.
Damn Auron and his stoic, not feeling the cold self.
The night was so quiet. Wakka and Kimahri were the loudest, Wakka snoring and Kimahri doing that odd purr he got going when he was asleep and content.
Like a big, thinking cat.
Tidus snickered slightly, grimaced as he shivered again. He was so damn sleepy, but if he went to sleep...
All the phoenix downs in the world wouldn't help him if he froze to death in the night. Passing out and light comas were one thing but death...
He glanced to Auron, frowning slightly. Auron thought he hadn't realised. Thought no one knew. Maybe the others didn't; in fact Tidus was sure they had no idea what really walked with them.
He wasn't going to tell them. It was the only secret he'd ever known about his guardian, he wasn't about to blab something so important.
Guardian. Heh. Like he was a summoner who needing protecting.
He lay down on the ground, drawing his knees to his chest. His back was freezing, but he couldn't do anything more. One side had to freeze, it was just a matter of which.
If they'd made two fires, he could have lay between them.
Tidus shivered and closed his eyes. He had to sleep. He couldn't stay awake anymore, he'd collapse soon enough from exhaustion.
He felt a little warmer, through his legs. He hoped it was the fire.
He let darkness take him away from the bitter cold of the mountain.
0
Auron watched Tidus for a few minutes, waiting until he was sure the boy was asleep. Slowly he stood up, giving a small hiss as his back protested the movement.
He knelt down next to Tidus, careful not to disturb his charge. His lips were pale and tight, his skin chilled to touch. Auron wondered briefly if his own form had looked similar when he had lain in this very alcove, on that last night he had been able to call Spira his world.
The boy's pride was going to kill him one day.
Slowly, Auron undid his coat and slid it off. He hesitated and lay down behind Tidus, like Wakka had done to Lulu, drawing Tidus gently against his chest, propping his head from the stone with one arm.
He tossed the coat over both of them and felt the violent shudders of Tidus' body slowly subside.
He and his coat would be gone before anyone woke up, but for now, under the cover of darkness, he would hold Tidus close, cradling his life with the warmth of his own body.
How ironic.