DISCLAIMER: I do not own FFX or FFX-2 or any of the characters or places associated with it. I do, however, own the twisted idea for this story.
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Author's Notes: Between the holidays and the website updating this chapter is about a week late, but to make it up to everyone I am posting this one and chapter six at the same time. I hope everyone enjoys them both. This chapter includes lyrics from both Koda Kumi's "1000 Words" (the English version) and Jade's "1000 Words". The title is also the same as the Keanu Reeves movie of the same name but there's nothing else similar about it.
TWISTED DESTINY
by akksgurl
Chapter Five: Sweet November
The days passed into weeks as Yuna got herself situated in her new life and before she knew it, the crisp fall weather of October had given way to the chilly winds of November.
She hadn't expected herself to adjust to living in this strange world as well as she had, but perhaps it was due to the overwhelming support she got from her new friends. Especially Tidus…
She still remembered feeling like the biggest kind of fool as Auron attempted to explain away her truth with a beautiful web of lies. Although she had consented to letting him tell them she wasn't completely in her right mind, the fact that she knew Tidus was going to think his first impression of her was correct had bothered her more than she felt it should.
"Oh you poor thing!" was Lenne's reply to the long and drawn out story of how the deaths of her father and Kimahri had driven Yuna to the end of her sanity. The lovely brunette had moved from her perch next to Shuyin to wedge herself between Auron and Yuna. Flinging an arm over Yuna's shoulder, she had given her a small hug, "It'll be okay. You'll see."
"I'm sure it will be." Yuna had replied, while struggling to hide the fact that she was speaking through gritted teeth by adding an amusing lilt to her voice. She had known Lenne was just trying to be nice, but the fact that she was coddling her like a baby was bothering Yuna immensely. She'd dealt with more death and hardship in her life than Lenne had ever dreamt of knowing.
Lenne had released Yuna's shoulder and looked over at Shuyin with a smile, "Yuna's going to need somewhere to stay." She put her gaze back to Yuna and nudged Auron affectionately, "And this old bachelor here doesn't have any room for you, so why don't you stay with me? I have a house just down the road with plenty of extra room. We'll room together when I'm in town and then you can have the whole place to yourself while I'm touring." She gripped both of Yuna's hands in her owns, her eyes hopeful, "So, what do you say?"
Yuna had been shocked by the girl's kindness. Since she barely knew Lenne, she didn't realize that the girl did things like this more often than not. It turned out that Lenne was a constant source of random acts of kindness – from giving a strange girl a place to stay, to giving 10,000 gil to a random homeless person on the street. If she had known this then, Yuna wouldn't have been taken aback by the offer, but since she was unaware, the offer shocked her. They'd only been acquaintances for a few hours and yet Lenne was already willing to share her house with a penniless girl her boyfriend's brother found in the alley. A thought had formed in Yuna's mind then and it made sense to explain away Lenne's odd behavior. Yuna knew Auron and obviously Shuyin, Tidus, and Lenne trusted Auron. If Auron thought Yuna was okay…then she was.
She had been so grateful for the kindness, she hadn't been able to refuse, "I'd really appreciate that. But…I don't have any way to pay for my keep."
"Don't worry about it," Lenne ordered, shaking her head as she spoke, "The house is paid for and I earn more than enough money to keep food in the kitchen for the both of us." Suddenly bounding with excitement, Lenne had jumped up from her perch and grabbed Shuyin's hands, forcing him to his feet, "Come with me. I need you to help me gather up some of my stuff."
"What stuff?" he asked as he carefully navigated the table so as not to bruise his shin.
"Remember before I left I bought duplicates of all the toiletries I have at my house? I never even used the stuff but I figured it'd be easier than packing and repacking every time I crash here. Yuna needs them more than I do. I can buy duplicates again later."
Auron rose from his seat as well. He leaned down and lifted Yuna's hand to his mouth, planting a knightly kiss on her knuckles, "I must be going too, Lady Yuna." He said, a lilting tease in his voice, "Tidus and Shuyin have my number if you need to get in touch with me."
Even though he didn't say it, Yuna knew he was telling her to contact him if she figured out a way to get home. She nodded her understanding, "I'm sure we'll be in touch soon, Sir Auron."
After the door had shut behind Yuna, she found herself alone in the main room with Tidus. He hadn't spoken at all during the tall tale Auron had told and showed no signs of changing that pattern. She couldn't tell if he was angry with her, or pitying her but she didn't particularly care.
"I'm going to see if Lenne and Shuyin need any help." She announced, turning in the direction of the bedrooms when Tidus' hand gripped her wrist and stopped her movement.
"Unless you want to go blind, I wouldn't advise that." He whispered, winking at her.
Yuna had blushed crimson at the thought that Lenne and Shuyin were currently…engaged…and went along with his tug as he pulled her back into the main room, "Are you…sure…?"
He nodded and released her arm to sit back down on the sofa, "Those two can't keep their hands off of each other. It's a pretty safe bet. I mean, it doesn't take twenty minutes to pack up some toiletries."
"No, I suppose it doesn't." she had agreed – although she really wasn't sure how long it actually did take. She wasn't about to ask him that, though. She had been far to shy to ask such a question. She still was too shy now. Instead she took a seat across from him. His blue eyes were focused on her and Yuna had felt her heart pounding in her chest. She shyly lowered her gaze and then covertly looked at him through her lashes. He wasn't just handsome. Anybody could fall into that category. Tidus was…beautiful. Not beautiful in the feminine sense. He was as masculine as any of the blitzers from her world, yet there was something decidedly beautiful about him. Maybe it was his well-defined face that held some boyish qualities about it while at the same time oozing masculinity from every pore. Or maybe it was the way his silky, blonde locks fell into those cerulean pools in a haphazard, almost wind blown way that she was finding more and more irresistible. Then again, maybe it was his lips; his mouth and the almost heart shape they formed as he sat watching her. She found herself wondering what he'd do if she crossed over to him and pressed her own lips against his. Would he kiss her back?
"Why'd you get Auron to lie for you?"
His question had shaken her from her meandering thoughts as quickly as if he'd dumped cold water on her head, "Excuse me?"
"Why'd you get Auron to lie for you? I just can't quite figure it out."
Her tongue suddenly felt twice as big as her mouth while she struggled for the words to answer his question. She hadn't expected this. If he had berated her about lying initially, she would have understood. She hadn't expected him to realize Auron was lying. And if he did, did that mean he believed her original story?
"I don't know what you're talking about." She had replied, hoping her reply was believable. She didn't want Auron to be angry with her if Tidus believed the truth.
He had leaned forward then, his blonde hair forming an attractive veil over his forehead, "Yuna, we both know that you're not crazy. You're probably one of the most sane people I've ever met." He smiled and leaned back. She had felt her heart beat a little faster at the flattering comment and the flirtatious glint in his eyes, "Granted, you dress a little oddly and your story about coming from the future begs to be questioned, yet I still find that story more believable than your inability to deal with the death of your father, 10 years ago, and your Ronso friend." Tidus slid from his seat across the space between them and into the space next to her. His eyes had connected with hers and a smirk formed on his lips – the ones she so desperately wanted to kiss at that moment, "So, why don't you tell me why you had Auron lie for you."
"It was his idea," Yuna replied finally, after several damning seconds of silence had risen between them into a palpable heat, "He was afraid it'd affect the future if you knew the truth. I hadn't thought about it like that. That's why I told you in the first place."
Tidus nodded, "I figured it was probably something like that. Auron's a bit of a worrier." He grinned at her and laid his head back on the headrest of the sofa behind him, "I wouldn't worry too much about what Auron says. I personally don't buy into that whole 'change the future' thing. Seems a little stupid to me. If something's meant to be, it'll happen."
"Yeah."
"Besides," he said, lifting his head to look at her, "Maybe you're supposed to be here and maybe you were supposed to tell me these things. Maybe if you didn't, the future would have been changed because I never would have known." He sighed and rubbed his temples, "You can go around in circles forever with stuff like this and never get anywhere. That's why I'd rather not talk about it."
And they hadn't talked about it since that night in his boathouse. In fact, in the last three weeks she'd barely seen him. She saw Shuyin more than Tidus since Shuyin was always stopping by to see Lenne. He always had one excuse or another for why Tidus never stopped by.
He's at practice…
He's getting supplies in Nagi…
He's got a date…
The last one bothered her more than it should have. Of course he was going to date. He was gorgeous and charming and rich. What woman wouldn't want him? Yuna tried to convince herself that she was the one woman immune to his charms, but she found it more and more difficult to believe it herself. The only thing that made it okay was the fact that she was going to eventually go home. It was best that he wasn't charming her with his flirtatious manner. She didn't want anything to make her want to stay.
She was determined to get home no matter what.
Yet, she hadn't yet figured out a way to get home, and was finding herself less and less determined with each passing day. Zanarkand was everything she had imagined it to be and more. Although the people had seemed rude at first, she soon discovered that they were actually quite kind and fun-loving. They walked around with a smile on their faces for no reason other than the fact that they could. She had never experienced anything like it. People in her world frowned every day as if they'd forgotten how to smile. That was the worst part about Sin. It wasn't the killing. It was the depression he brought with him. Zanarkand wasn't like that and she loved it. She loved everything about it, including her current abode.
The house she shared with Lenne was by far the nicest one she'd ever been in. It sat on top of a hill like a king overlooking his kingdom. And, unlike Tidus' home, this home was actually a home made of brick and foundation. Spacious rooms inside were set off by bright white walls and carpets that gave the house the look of a brand new home; untouched by human life. For the first few days Yuna had been afraid to touch anything for fear of ruining its innocent beauty, but Lenne had laughed and told her that the house needed to be lived in, not revered.
Soon Yuna was comfortable in her new life. She saw Auron on a regular basis and both of them had no information on getting back to Spira. It had been depressing at first, but soon Auron reverted back to his 'come what may' attitude that had gotten him through the first 10 years in Zanarkand and Yuna found herself emulating it until she realized she wasn't faking it anymore. She really was content; happy even.
"Good morning!" she said to Lenne as she left her bedroom and padded down the carpeted hall.
Lenne's voice came from the kitchen, "I'm in here! Morning!"
Yuna untwisted the long t-shirt she slept in as she walked into the kitchen. Lenne was sitting, hunched over the wooden dining table with sheets upon sheets of paper in front of her. In her hand she clutched a pencil with an eraser worn down to the nub. Yuna opened the refrigerator and poured herself a glass of juice, "What are you doing?" she asked between gulps.
"I'm trying to finish up this song." Lenne replied, biting down on the pencil in thought for a moment before furiously scribbling something in the margins of the paper, "It's more difficult than I expected."
"What's it about?" Yuna asked as she took a seat down across from Lenne. This was the first time Lenne had ever written a song that Yuna knew about. Most of the time Lenne performed her older work.
Sighing, Lenne leaned back in the chair and pushed a hair from her face, "It's about love and being separated from the person you love."
"Like that song that Shuyin likes so much… 'Real Emotion'?"
Lenne shook her head, "No, this one is a little depressing. I guess that's why it's not coming together right. I hate unhappy endings."
"Why are you writing one then?"
"I don't know. It just sort of came to me a few nights ago." She sighed and leaned back, "I had this weird dream that Shuyin had lied to me about something and was leaving. I didn't want him to go and tried to follow him, but I couldn't get to Shuyin. No matter how hard I ran he just kept getting further and further away from me. I woke up in a cold sweat. I just felt so real."
Yuna frowned and took another sip from her cup, "That is weird. The song was born from that?"
"Well…" replied Lenne with a teasing lilt in her voice, "To a degree. I embellished a little bit. Like, I tried to figure out what Shu would have lied to me about and then I imagined the conversation in my head. Then I tried to imagine going on without him. That was the hardest thing. I mean…I can barely imagine my week without him. I don't even want to think about the rest of my life."
Finishing off her juice, Yuna stood and ran the cup under the faucet, "Sounds like writing is tough business."
"Only when I have writer's block." Was Lenne's reply. She was quiet while Yuna finished washing the cup and went to sit back down, but after a few seconds she spoke again, "Do you want to hear what I have so far? Maybe you can tell me if you think it's crap or not."
Yuna smiled, "I'm not much of a music critic."
"That's what I need, though. I need someone who doesn't know anything about music and won't try to call it 'artistic' rather than junk."
"Okay." Yuna replied, "Try me."
Lenne cleared her throat and took a deep breath. Her voice was low and raspy but lovely as she began to sing the opening words of the song.
"I know that you lied to me
Using gentle words to shelter me
Your words are like a dream
But dreams could never fool me
It's not right to me"
Yuna sat quietly letting the words absorb into her subconscious for several seconds after Lenne finished the lines. She liked it, but there was something about it. It just didn't flow right. It was a little choppy in her estimation.
"I like it, Lenne, but…"
"But what?"
Yuna bit her lip. She was no song writer. Who was she to give Lenne advice? Yet, Lenne had asked for it. She couldn't deny such a request, "Well, why don't we make the entire thing past tense for one?"
"Like…you're words were like a dream…?"
Yuna nodded, "Exactly! And I think the first and last lines should be changed. The first line is a little accusatory and the last one doesn't flow."
"See! That's what I was thinking too!" Lenne jumped up from her seat and grabbed another pencil – with a better eraser – before plopping back down and erasing the lines, "I'm so glad I asked you. What do you think they should be changed to? If you were writing the song, how would you change it?"
Yuna had never been creative. She'd hated writing as a child – even stories. Growing up in Spira hadn't allowed for much imagination and creativity. Especially when one was running for their lives from Sin, Sinspawn, or random fiends. She pursed her lips and thought for a moment. If someone was lying, what else were they doing? What was a less accusing way of saying they were lying? What was a way to say they were lying for all the right reasons?
Like a bolt of lightening, it came to Yuna in a flash and she spoke slowly, and deliberately.
"I know that your hiding things
Using gentle words to shelter me
Your words were like a dream
But dreams could never fool me
Not that easily"
Lenne's mouth dropped and she gaped at Yuna in what Yuna thought was disgust but what turned out to be awe. She furiously scribbled the words onto the paper, "That is brilliant! You should write all my songs!" she laughed at the thought as she began to hum the opening bars to herself. She shook her head in disbelief, "It sounds so much better than the crap I spewed a few minutes ago!"
A masculine laugh filtered into the room and the girls turned. Yuna's heart suddenly started hammering in her chest. In the few weeks she'd been in Zanarkand, she'd soon discovered that Shuyin and Tidus didn't look nearly as much alike as she'd originally thought and it was with this newfound knowledge that Yuna realized Tidus was the one standing in the kitchen entrance. He was wearing his blitzball shorts and jersey unbuttoned and hanging open. His hair was wet and matted down to his forehead.
"You spew crap, Lenne?" he said with a teasing smile, "I had no idea!"
"Oh shut up, Tidus!" she teased back, rising from her seat and piling the sheets of paper into submission before her, "Practice break early today?"
"Not for Shu…Coach is making him swim 100 extra laps for missing three practices in a row last week."
Lenne laughed, "I told him not to do that."
"So did I," Tidus replied, taking a seat to Yuna's left, "There's only so many lies I can weave until he gets caught. I mean, how many times can one guy have a horrible disease?"
Yuna suddenly felt naked when Tidus' eyes rested on her. Although she was wearing a shirt long enough to be a dress, this was still as bare as she'd ever been around a man not directly related to her. It felt strange and she squirmed uncomfortably. He just grinned and leaned toward her over the table, "Shuyin was telling me that you want to learn how to play blitzball."
It took Yuna a moment to remember the conversation. It had been a few nights prior and she had told Shuyin and Lenne about how she'd always wanted to learn how to play the game. She declined to tell them that it was as a direct result of Wakka and the Aurochs. She lifted a brow at Tidus, "Yes. So?"
"So, I have nothing to do this afternoon so I was wondering if you wanted me to show you the basics."
Yuna had to crush the part of her that wanted to jump for joy at the fact that he was paying attention to her again. She forced herself to remain calm, "That'd be fine."
"Why don't you get some clothes on – preferably pants," he said with a wink, "and I'll meet you outside."
00000000000000000000000000000
She was obviously wearing Lenne's pants, but she filled them out much better than Lenne ever had. Tidus had always thought Lenne was a bit too thin for his liking. She didn't have much of a chest and her rump was practically non-existant. Yuna was the exact opposite. She wasn't heavy…just…
She was perfect.
He forced himself to keep his eyes in front of him and not on the roundness of her bottom as she got a little ahead of him while descending the hill toward the water.
He'd missed her and yet he couldn't come up with a reason he thought was good enough to go and visit her. He didn't want to just drop by without a reason. That would make him look like he as trying too hard and he wasn't about to do that. He'd tried to go about his life as usual; blitzball, his car, dating, yet he hadn't been able to get Yuna completely out of his mind. He'd tried to tell himself it was because her story had freaked him out, but he wasn't entirely sure so that was why he was there. Shuyin had given him the reason, and he'd taken it. Now he could see if what he felt for Yuna was genuine, or some misguided reaction to her story.
"Why don't you wade in up to your waist and we'll see how long you can hold your breath." He suggested as they reached the water. Yuna nodded happily and strode into the water. Tidus followed after her, stifling a shocked curse at how cold the water was. Yuna didn't seem to notice, though, but her body sure did. Tidus' mouth went suddenly dry as his eyes traveled lower than he had intended on her chest.
Wrenching his eyes from that tantalizing sight, he gave her a forced smile hoping it hid some of the inner turmoil he was struggling with, "Take a deep breath and we'll dive under and see how long you can hold for."
"Okay."
The water surrounded them both as they dropped below the surf. Tidus was used to holding his breath for long lengths of time, but he wasn't sure how long Yuna could. Yet, he wished it could be eternally. She looked like an angel in the water as he opened his eyes to look at her. The water fanned her hair out around her and the sunlight against the water formed a rainbow around her head like some sort of ethereal mermaid.
The seconds ticked by as Tidus silently counted and watched her floating just before him. Her eyes were closed. They'd have to work on that. You couldn't play blitz with eyes closed. Yet, he wasn't in a hurry to change it. She looked even more innocent than she did out of the water and he silently cursed himself for having less than pure thoughts about her just moments before.
Suddenly her eyes flew open and she clawed her way to the surface. He followed her, laughing quietly as he broke the surface. She coughed and shot him a teasing glare, "That's not very funny. I think I did a good job!"
Tidus glanced down at his waterproof watch in thought, "You made it for a minute and a half. The average blitzball game lasts an hour with a fifteen minute half-time." He smirked at her, "I think we still have some work to do, Yuna."
"Who says I want to be professional?"
He laughed, "If you're going to learn, you're going to learn it right."
She pouted and Tidus' eyes were riveted to her lovely pink lips. It was like a moth to a flame. She was so beautiful with the water raining off of her in driblets. Her hair was plastered to her face and her shirt plastered to her body, showing off all of her lovely curves. Without consciously willing himself to, Tidus took a step in the water closer to her and then another. She heard his approach and lifted her face to his, her lips parting expectantly just as her eyes slid shut. Tidus lowered his face to hers until he felt her breath on his face. Self consciously, he licked his lips – in fear they were too dry – and leaned in closer…closer…
"Tidus?! That you?"
Tidus' spine stiffened almost instantly and he took three quick steps backward, turning toward the voice. He squinted in the sunlight and raised a hand to see the person approaching him on the pier, "Zaon?"
The blue-haired man nodded and Tidus heard Yuna's stifled gasp but ignored it as Zaon leaned over the pier to speak, "I thought maybe Shu would be down here with you."
"I think he's still at the stadium. Coach Wargna is out for blood tonight. Shu won't be missing practice anymore after this one."
Zaon laughed throatily, "Okay, I'll check for him there."
"Why do you need him?"
"He said he'd help me figure out what to get Yunalesca for our anniversary." Zaon sighed, "Women make such a big damn deal over the first anniversary. I just don't get it." He grinned at Yuna for the first time, "I'm Zaon Franka. You are?"
With Yuna's shocked reaction and almost robotic acceptance of Zaon's hand, Tidus figured Zaon must have been someone she knew about from her world. He'd just have to ask her about it later. Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she squeaked, "Yuna…Brewar…"
Zaon shook her hand firmly before rising to his full height, "You're the only other Yuna I know besides my wife. And here I was thinking Yu named her that during one of his drugged highs. Who'd have guessed it was an actual name?"
"Yeah…" Tidus said with a smirk. Zaon waved at the duo and said his goodbyes before turning off in the direction of the stadium. Only then did Tidus turn to Yuna. He didn't want to let the silence linger between them. He was afraid she'd ask him what the almost-kiss had been about, and he wasn't sure he knew the answer. He gave her a kind smile, "We'd better get going."
She nodded, "Okay."
