Standard Disclaimer. I do not own FFX or the characters in it. They are owned by Square-Enix. I do own this story, and my original characters. The title of this chapter comes from a song that was performed by Don Henley, and the relevant lyrics were used in Chapter Thirty.
In the morning, they returned to the great crystal in Macalania, to merge Tidus' sword with both its crest and its sigil. As he approached the crystal, Tidus hoped that he was better prepared than Yuna had been. At least, he had some idea of what to expect. He held the crest and sigil awkwardly clasped in his left hand, while he gripped the sword in his right. He kept his hands together; trying to use his right hand to help him hang on to the two oddly shaped metal pieces as he walked. When he got close to the crystal, he raised his arms over his head, since they had all seen that the magic had seemed to force Yuna to do so, he thought it might make things easier for him if he just went along with it. As soon as he stood at the base of the crystal, he braced his legs, hoping like hell that he wouldn't pass out the way Yuna had, and have to be carried down the trail. He heard, rather than saw, Auron and Wakka step into position not far behind him, to catch him in case he did fall. Then the light started pulsing, and he felt the metal insignia dissolve in his left hand, and suddenly he was gripping the sword in both hands, and the light took him.
Tidus saw a woman, in a Crusader's uniform, striding toward the Scar at the northern edge of the Calm Lands. At first, she seemed to be alone, but whenever a fiend attacked her, he thought he saw two women, both in uniforms, fighting the fiend, except that one was ghostly, and the other was the real woman he could see when there were no fiends. Suddenly, Sin was there, the huge hulk blotting out the sun, but the woman wasn't even afraid. Calmly, she began to summon, using her sword instead of a staff. As Tidus watched, he knew instinctively that the sword she used, was his sword, the Caladbolg. The Crusader danced at the edge of the Calm Lands, her sword cutting the air in sweeping, graceful arcs as she leapt and twirled beneath the Sin-darkened sky. It was a summoning, but it was unlike any summoning he had ever seen before. When Yuna summoned, the aeon came from outside, from the air, or from the earth. Whatever this summoner was summoning, it was coming from inside her, breaking free from her chest and stomach in a spray of blood and tissue and bone, until the aeon stood in front of the summoner's clearly dying body as her almost-carcass fell to the ground. The sword clattered to the edge of the chasm as the two supernatural beings faced each other. This aeon, Tidus saw, was some kind of wolf, but huge beyond his, or anyone's worst nightmare. And it somehow had a parody of Crusader armor covering its shoulders, chest, back, neck and forelegs, and in its yellow eyes, there was cunning beyond any animal's. The summoner's eyelids still fluttered, and her heart, visible in the open chest cavity, still beat erratically. She was still alive, barely, and she was watching.
The titans fought. Tidus thought that the real battle must have taken hours, but he felt that what he was seeing was compressed somehow, or that it was being sped up in some way, for his benefit. Even so, each blow that the two giants struck seemed ponderously slow. He eventually realized that he wasn't seeing every bite and gouge, just whatever the vision decided were the important ones. The wolf aeon was smaller than Sin, but faster and more agile, like the creatures it was modeled on. It also seemed very intelligent. But each time Sin struck it, it was severely damaged. The wolf concentrated its energy on a single weak spot, on one of Sin's front legs, biting and tearing at that spot every time it got near, risking being hit itself to get in a good strike, but usually able to use its superior agility to dance away. Eventually, the wolf disabled that leg, and unbalanced the ungainly creature, finally bringing the more vulnerable eyestalks down where the wolf could tear at them with its teeth and claws. Through it all, the dying summoner watched as her aeon, her friend, her murderer, wore Sin down and finally tore its throat out. Then, as Sin convulsed in its death throes, the wolf dragged itself over to the summoner, and lay down at her side. The summoner closed her eyes, and died, and dissolved to pyreflies. Painfully, the wolf heaved itself to its feet, and howled in mourning for its dead mistress. Something…emerged from Sin's vast carcass. It looked like some kind of malformed Bluspider, except it was black and purple and bloated and disgusting. The pulsing, malevolent fiend appeared to be the embodiment of evil, and even through the distant perspective of the vision, Tidus felt chilled to the bone. The Bluspider floated over to the wolf, and aimed itself straight into the wolf's heart, just slammed itself straight inside the beast's body. The former guardian dropped instantly to the ground, and began twitching and shaking. As it writhed and shuddered, it changed color, as if poison from the fiend was spreading through its body. Convulsions swept through it, as it fought whatever the Bluspider had infected it with. As it rolled on the ground in agony, it swept the sword off the edge of the chasm, and Tidus heard it land on the ledge below. Then the venom reached the wolf's yellow eyes, and they turned purple and black, and somehow empty, and Tidus could see that it just wasn't the same creature anymore. It had become the evil, and he knew he had just seen how a guardian…became Sin.
He staggered suddenly, and realized that Auron's hand was between his shoulders, keeping him upright. He shook his head to clear it. "Hey, at least you guys didn't have to carry me down," he said awkwardly, in a valiant attempt to cheer himself up. The vision he had seen saddened him, even though he hadn't understood it all.
"I am grateful for that," Auron said, in a tone that echoed the younger man's attempt at gallows' humor. But then he continued more somberly, "But we should walk down. I think you have a story to tell us."
"Yeah. I do," Tidus agreed quietly.
Once they were on solid ground, Yuna asked, "What did you see?"
"I saw a summoner beat Sin," he said. "This was her sword. She used it to summon her Final Aeon." He suddenly dropped his head into his hands, remembering. "It was awful." He reached out and pulled Yuna against his side. She held him tightly as he trembled in her arms and buried his face in her neck. Eventually, he stopped shaking and raised his head. "I think the summoner was the one we saw in the dome. Near the entrance. Same uniform."
"Lady Yocun," Lulu answered the implied question. "That must have been her sword. Did you see the actual summoning?" Lulu continued thoughtlessly.
Tidus looked up and met Auron's eye. The older man shook his head, very slightly. Tidus coughed…and lied. "No, not really. I saw the summoner dance, and then it blurred, and then I saw the aeon. It…looked like a giant wolf." Auron nodded. Tidus closed his eyes for a second, reeling. He saw…he saw…that…happen…to Yuna's dad, and…my old man? Now I understand…a little…maybe…why he went back to get Yunalesca. He opened his eyes to find Auron still looking at him in concern, but to also see that Mercy, sitting next to Auron, had tucked her hand through her husband's arm.
"We should go," Auron said decisively, before anyone could question Tidus further. "But what is our next destination?"
"I would like," Yuna began, pausing as all eyes focused on her, "to go to Besaid next. If that is all right with everyone else," she finished diffidently.
"That'd be great," Wakka agreed enthusiastically. "It'll be good to go home, ya?"
"Wakka, it's just for a visit," Lulu reminded him. "But Yuna, why the sudden urge to go to Besaid?"
"Well," Yuna hesitated, trying to think of a plausible excuse, "I would like to visit Valefor. She was my first aeon…and…I would like to hear what she has to say about our plans." It sounded reasonable enough, but Mercy couldn't help but wonder if Yuna just wanted to go to Besaid because it was home. At least we'll get a new set of fiends for that arena, she thought to herself.
Yuna wanted to return to Besaid because it was the place where she felt the most centered. She had been born in Bevelle, but Besaid was the place where she had sunk her roots. She knew every tree, every rock, every villager, and she felt that they knew her. She knew she would feel grounded enough there to think clearly about all the things she had discussed with Mercy. Or, at least that was what she hoped when she had asked to go there. But in her eagerness to return to her home, she hadn't thought of all the other memories that returning there would raise.
The next morning, they arrived at Besaid. Valefor's message was helpful. The fayth confirmed that their decision about Sin, about Jecht, at least, was the correct one. Their plan would free him from Yu Yevon. They were able to capture a few more fiends for the arena. But coming home reminded Yuna of those who would never return. She remembered Sir Luzzu, lost in Operation Mi'ihen, and his death reminded her forcibly of Chappu's. As they all tramped over rough trails around the village, reducing the island's fiend population for the benefit of the old man's arena back in the Calm Lands, the young summoner looked at her foster sister, Lulu, and remembered how devastated the black mage had been when her lover had died at Djosé. The summoner heard Mercy's voice, not catching the words, just the light-hearted tone, followed by Auron's rumbling chuckle. Mercy said he knew he would come here alone, he knew about the pain, and yet he loved her anyway. Would Lulu have done the same with Chappu? If regrets are made of what you didn't do, would Lulu take back all those days when she studied her magic, when she could have been with Chappu instead? But he would still be dead, and she still has her magic. Is the joy, as Mercy said, worth the pain? If I don't try, and something happens, will I always wonder what might have been?
The villagers had decided to hold a feast to celebrate Yuna's visit, so that evening, as she sat beside the fire in the village center, she looked through the firelight and momentarily the past overlaid the present, as Tidus walked over to her from a conversation he had been having with Wakka and the members of the Besaid Aurochs blitz squad. She remembered her instant awareness of him, the first time he had approached her like this, four months ago, after he had brazenly crashed through the Cloister of Trials without any understanding of the possible consequences and she had practically fainted at his feet. Then, the villagers had called him 'heathen'. This time, they called him 'guardian'. Four months ago, she would not have predicted anything, anything that had happened in the intervening time. She could not predict what would happen in the next four weeks, possibly not even the next four days. But she knew she loved him, and that he loved her, and that it had been too late to change that from the minute he approached her around this fire four months ago. All she had to do now was decide what to do about it. She had a little time to think about it, since the party had decided to spend the night in the village, and she and Kimahri would be sleeping at the temple for just this one night, in their old rooms.
By morning, she reached her decision. On their way to the Calm Lands, to turn over the fiends they had captured to the arena, Yuna surprised them all by opening a discussion of their next destination by urging, "Let's return to Macalania. Tomorrow night, I would like to camp by the spring again, if everyone agrees." Then she shyly looked at Tidus' face, and smiled into his eyes.
That night aboard the airship, drowsy and content in each other's arms, Mercy finally remembered to ask Auron, "Is there something significant about that particular spring?"
"What spring?" he murmured sleepily.
"In Macalania. The one we're going to camp at tomorrow."
"Probably," he muttered, still half asleep.
She punched his shoulder. "Auron, tell me. Is that where…?"
"Yes." He smiled, kissed her gently. "Now, will you go to sleep?"
"Maybe we should check it out tomorrow, too?" she teased.
"Mmm…that has possibilities," he replied, as he spooned against her back, pulling her close.
They discovered the challenge in Macalania first. They reached the woods relatively early in the day, and took up their exploration of the southern section, the one that had been interrupted when they had returned to the airship to puzzle over Tidus' mysterious map. As the group tramped up and down the winding, twisting paths of interlocking exposed roots and gnarled branches, Mercy kept trying to convince herself that these were an improvement over the glowing sky trails, at least these appeared to be solid under her feet, even if they were sometimes narrower than the others. The party was searching for something that would serve as a challenge in these woods, as well as collecting fiends for the arena. The map indicated that a sigil challenge was to be found here, but no one remembered anything that would fit that description. But they did manage to gather plenty of fiends while they looked. At a bend in the winding path, they met a tall, bird-like creature, strumming a harp. They had rushed by him before, but this time, they stopped, and the harpist addressed them in a musical voice, "A butterfly with rainbow wings, will lead the way to secret things."
Tidus practically jumped up and down in his eagerness. "That's it, that's it," he cried. "That's got to be the challenge." Mercy and Yuna looked at each other and both winced, afraid he was going to bounce himself off the trail in his enthusiasm.
"Calm down," Auron's voice cut in, as he motioned the younger man to stillness. "Let's hear the rest of what…our guide…has to say," he continued, as he gestured toward the musician.
The bird-creature explained the nature of the challenge to them. To start the challenge, one of their company would have to touch the rainbow butterfly flitting nearby, then rapidly move down the path they had just traversed, touching seven blue butterflies, but no red ones, within a relatively short span of time. If that person succeeded, they would receive a prize. If they failed, they would face a fiend each time they made any kind of contact with one of the red butterflies. The contest sounded simple, but after the day spent watching Tidus race the chocobo trainer, they all knew that it had to be more difficult than it appeared. Nevertheless, they believed that these celestial weapons were important, and that it was necessary that they succeed.
Tidus, ever eager, jumped up and said, "I'll do it," as he turned and reached out for the rainbow butterfly. The rest of the party watched, holding their breaths and crossing their fingers, as he raced down the path, easily grasping the first three blue butterflies, and avoiding the first red ones. Then it became more difficult, as he had to dodge between two red ones to reach the next blue one, and by the time he had to reach the fifth blue one, he misjudged, and couldn't quite get his shoulder around, and he brushed against a red butterfly, and it immediately morphed into a Chimera. The Chimera's snakehead stretched out towards him, and he lopped it off with his sword, as the rest of the party came pelting down the path to assist him. Wakka lobbed his Blitzball into one of its other two heads, as Lulu cast a Thundara spell. Confused, the fiend turned around to face the greater threat, and Tidus sliced his sword across the back of one its knees, effectively hamstringing the creature. It attempted to turn back around again, and nearly lost its balance. Auron's katana sliced into its guts, and it dissolved into pyreflies. "Whew!" Tidus exclaimed. "Thanks, guys. I guess I needed to warm up a little more before I tried that course."
As they all trudged back up the path to the rainbow butterfly, Mercy began, "You did pretty good. But…I don't think that's exactly your kind of test."
"What do you mean?" Auron asked, sounding alarmed. He knew all too well how her mind worked.
"I was looking at the pattern of the butterflies, that's all," Mercy answered back. "This is a test of speed and agility, but, I think, mostly agility."
Mercy's eyes turned to Rikku, and she smiled at the girl, who grinned back, and nodded sharply, immediately getting the message. Rikku pumped her fist into the air. "This sounds like it's just my kind of work. I can steal those blue butterflies right out from under those red butterflies' noses!" the Al Bhed exclaimed. "You can count on me."
"Butterflies don't have noses," Auron said heavily, trying to squash the idea, before it got out of hand.
"That's not the point," Mercy said, trying to cut him off. "Rikku is the best person we have for the task. And you, Wakka, and Kimahri are probably about the worst, before you even think of volunteering."
"But I think…" Auron started to argue. I think Rikku is still a child. She should not be out there alone.
"I think you're being overbearing," his wife shot back. She wrapped her hand around his upper arm and dug her fingers in hard; he could feel it even through his coat. Stop it, Auron. You're being overprotective. You consented to her becoming a guardian, damn it. Now, you have to let her be one.
He looked down into her eyes, shutting everyone else out of his consciousness as their two strong wills clashed. Then suddenly, one side of his mouth quirked up in wry amusement, mostly directed at himself. Damn it, woman, I hate it when you're right, he cursed inwardly. She saw his half smile, and her grip on his arm turned into a caress. He muttered, "As you wish," to his wife, then he turned his head and nodded to Rikku as well.
Wakka stood there shaking his head. He'd never have guessed that even Legendary Guardians backed down when their wives got mad at them. He learned something new every day.
Rikku stared at Mercy waiting to make sure that it was really, truly okay for her to go ahead and do this. Now that it really was all up to her, she was just a little nervous, but she felt like she had to do it right, because everybody was counting on her now, especially Mercy. Rikku really didn't want to let her down, especially not after she'd stood up for her like that and all. Mercy looked straight into Rikku's eyes, and grinned at her, and nodded. Rikku took a really deep breath to steady herself, and then touched the rainbow butterfly, and then she was off.
Rikku managed to grab six of the blue butterflies, then she let the time run out while she studied the remaining knot of the little creatures. As she tramped slowly back up the trail to the beginning, she kept drawing patterns in the air with her hand, and muttering to herself. Auron stood watching her, his arms folded across his chest, a slight smirk on his face. "Don't even think it," his wife hissed. "You and Wakka both move slower than shoopufs on land, and Kimahri is all that and probably colorblind into the bargain. I'm sure Rikku has a good reason for what she did. And if she really can't do it, Yuna or I are probably the next best choices."
She grinned at him as he sputtered, "Yuna?"
"Yes, Yuna. Assuming she's willing to kilt up that skirt of hers or that she can wear a pair of Rikku's or my pants. Yuna's a summoner, which means she can dance. She has to be more graceful than you are," Mercy whispered as Rikku finally reached them.
"Don't worry," Rikku started immediately, addressing Mercy. "I just stopped because I wanted to…study the pattern. Now that I've seen it, I know I can do it this time. Let me get some water, and I'll try again. Okay?"
"Absolutely. You're doing just fine," Mercy reassured her. "Take as much time as you need to get ready."
Rikku sipped at her water, then took a steadying breath. "I'm fine. I'm okay, honest." She took a position next to the rainbow-winged butterfly. "Here we go again," she cried, as she touched the little creature. Then she skipped lightly down the path, absolutely sure of her steps. This time, she caught the first four butterflies easily, took a little more time with the next two, but still grabbed the last one with time to spare. They all gathered around her to congratulate her and to open her prize. In an excess of enthusiasm, Rikku went over to Mercy and hugged the older woman who had shown such faith in her abilities, as Tidus opened the chest and discovered the sigil etched with the name 'Saturn' inside.
The group spent the rest of the day combing the woods for fiends for the arena, and when twilight fell they made camp near the spring, but in a much lighter mood than they had on the previous occasion.
After dinner, which Mercy thought tasted surprising good for field-cooked food, they all sat around the campfire debating their next destination. Yuna rose, cast a significant look in Tidus' direction, and headed for the spring. Kimahri followed her; to keep watch over her until the young man joined her.
Tidus hoped he understood what was going on. He guessed that he was supposed to follow, he thought that was why Yuna wanted to camp here, but he wasn't sure. He waited a little, trying not to be obvious, not like it isn't really obvious to everyone, he thought, then walked over to the pile of gear and picked up a couple of towels and moved down the path to the spring, feeling everyone's eyes on his back as he went.
As he passed Kimahri, the Ronso placed a paw on his shoulder for a moment, then turned back toward the campfire, making it clear that he would not be keeping watch. Tidus continued toward the spring, where Yuna was waiting for him.
After Tidus had been gone about an hour, Mercy was beginning to wonder if he and Yuna were going to spend the night by the spring. She glanced over at Auron, thinking that if they did, it would certainly make a mess of any ideas she might have had for later. This camping out thing definitely has its disadvantages, she thought. Then they all heard the sounds of Tidus' laughter, and Yuna's giggles, just before the couple bumbled into the campsite, their feet tangling together slightly, as they were clearly having difficulty trying to walk with their arms tight around each other's waists. Mercy put up a hand to cover the broad grin that covered her face. That's so much harder to do than it looks, she thought, laughing to herself as she watched them. The important thing is to just find a way to hang on, somehow. Holding hands works just fine, she continued, smiling to herself as she leaned into her husband's shoulder.
Yuna's face was radiant with happiness, and Tidus' showed a fierce kind of joy, one that seemed almost painful in its intensity. Yuna searched the circle of her guardians, sitting around the campfire, until she found Mercy, and the younger woman raised her chin slightly, almost defiantly. The two women exchanged a look over the firelight, and the older woman thought, he's all yours now. Take good care of him for me. Mercy closed her eyes, nodded, and Yuna pressed her cheek into Tidus' shoulder. Behind her closed eyelids, Mercy's prayed, I hope that, when the time comes, you think that the joy was worth the pain. Don't waste a second, girl. Seconds are all you'll have. She opened her eyes, and found Tidus staring at her, and, for an instant, she saw his awareness of just how much the bitter was mixed with the sweet.
By the time the young lovers had returned to the campsite, it was already past time to lay out bedrolls and start the watches for the night. Mercy continued to sit by the fire, and watched as Auron picked their bedrolls up from the pile, and laid them out together in a corner of the campground. It was clear to her that he didn't think anything of it; he just did it casually, but very quickly, since they had the first watch. She noticed, out of the corner of her eye, that Tidus was observing him very carefully. As soon as Auron finished, Tidus tried to do the same thing. He went to the pile, located his and Yuna's bedrolls, and snatched them up. But he just couldn't manage the nonchalance. His face was scarlet. Mercy mentally gave him points for perseverance, since he still took the bedrolls to a different corner, and laid them out together, his back to the rest of the group, ignoring as best as he could the fact that everyone was staring at him. Yuna immediately moved to his side, helping him to organize their sleeping space, becoming an active participant and, by doing so, showing her consent to this new arrangement.
No one had noticed Lulu's reaction, not amidst the smiles and giggles that had greeted Tidus' and Yuna's reappearance and the obvious change in their relationship. But Mercy noticed her now. The mage's face was white and drawn, and her eyes were wide with shock as she watched Yuna make up a bed with the man she was now openly acknowledging as her lover. Because there was no sympathy between them, Mercy couldn't read Lulu's expression, not at first, and was worried that the mage was going to lash out in anger for some reason. She let one of her throwing knives fall into her palm, just in case the witch really was considering which spell would cause the most damage. But, as Mercy stared, she saw Lulu's eyes close, and her shoulders slump, as though she was in terrible pain, and then the mage turned away from the happy couple. Lords and Ladies, she's not angry, she's…torn up inside. Why? Is it because…of Chappu? Her heart was broken, and now she's afraid…that Yuna's will be too? Mercy saw movement out of the corner of her eye, something carrot-red turning sharply, and she caught a glimpse of Wakka's face, his emotions raw and scraped bare as he stared after Lulu's retreating figure. He loves her. It's written all over his face. She still clings to the memory of his dead brother…and he loves her. And it's tearing him apart. And the bitch acts like she doesn't have a clue. Mercy almost felt like crying herself, seeing Wakka's anguish. Instead, he pressed her face into Auron's shoulder.
Later, after Kimahri had taken over the watch from them, Auron and Mercy took a couple of towels and headed for the spring. Mercy wondered if they had brought enough towels for everyone, since this pair was likely to end up as full of sand and as grass stained as the ones that Tidus and Yuna had used earlier. But when the trail opened up in front of the spring, all such mundane thoughts dropped from her mind, as Mercy stepped ahead of Auron to move further into the clearing. "Auron, this place…it's amazing," she breathed, gazing at the spring in wonder.
"Yes, it is," he replied, watching her as she spun around, almost like a child in her delight and enthusiasm. He could see that the sparkling water, the spring, lit by the surrounding crystals, enchanted her. He had always been told that this place was special, but he had never taken the time to appreciate it before. Now, he could see the wonder of it reflected in her eyes, and was grateful that Yuna had chosen to return here.
The spring spilled into a pool, surrounded by the strangely beautiful wood and crystal trees. A grassy bank led down to the water, which was open to the sky, and deep enough to reflect the midnight blue sky, full of stars. The air winked and shimmered with something very much like starlight, and Mercy realized that there were hundreds of tiny pyreflies floating over the little lake, and the dark velvet night glittered in the vale.
Awestruck, she stood still for several seconds, but she couldn't take it all in. She saw a boulder to the side of the path, and gratefully plumped down on it, just glad to be able to sit and stare at the magic that lay before her. Finally, she looked up at Auron, standing beside her, and asked, "Why didn't you say anything?" She was beginning to recover herself, and she was clearly more than a bit annoyed with him. "This place…this is the most amazing, fantastic, beautiful place I've ever seen. This is…the heart of this whole place. Can't you feel it? Didn't you notice anything when you were here before?" Just because you're a man, do you have to be that dense? She thought that, but she didn't quite say it. Her tone clearly implied it, however.
"I passed by here, many times," he replied softly. "But if I ever stopped here, I do not recall. There would have been no reason, then. And I was probably unwilling to…waste the time," he admitted, a slight, apologetic smile on his face.
She stared at him in astonishment. How could he have come here and not remember? Or, how could he have passed this place and never, ever looked inside. Duty again, always his damn duty. Not this time, she decided. This time, he will remember. I know exactly how to make sure he remembers. She smiled then, a very knowing smile, as she carefully drew her swords out of her belt, and propped them against the side of the rock. She started to take off her boots. He let the towels fall, and they rolled a little way down the bank, then stopped. He carefully rested his sword on the same boulder, getting it out of the way. He looked up to discover that Mercy was standing a few feet away from him, the spring at her back. He started to walk towards her, and she shook her head slightly, that mysterious smile still on her face. Then she reached behind her back, and suddenly she was unwrapping her belt from around her waist. As the cloth unwound, her hips swayed slightly from side to side, and the movement captured his attention…completely. As her belt slackened, her shirt became loose as well, offering him tantalizing glimpses of her skin underneath. When it dropped away completely, her tunic gaped open, revealing the swell of her breasts seeming ready to spill out of her bra, and the taut skin of her midriff. She threw the belt aside, keeping her eyes fixed on his face, not caring where the belt landed. He tried to lick his dry lips. Her tongue flicked out over her own lips, and he groaned before he could stop himself. She put her hands straight behind her back, thrusting her breasts forward, seeming to offer them to him. He felt sweat trickle down his back as her shirt dropped off her shoulders and landed on the ground, leaving her upper body almost bare. She kicked the cloth aside. She pulled the drawstring on her pants, and they fell to her hips, revealing her belly button and the upper band of her underwear. Auron's eye fell with them. A few seconds ago, he had been so hard he was almost in pain, and now, if possible, he felt even more aroused. He wanted to lick just around the edge of her navel, and keep moving down, use his mouth on her just the way he knew she liked, make her just as insane as she was making him right now. She could hear the harsh rasp of his breathing, and she loved it. She was hot and wet and aching for him, and she felt like the sexiest woman that ever lived, driving him this way. She wanted to make this feeling last as long as she could. She smoothed her hands over her hips, and her pants dropped to the ground. She stepped out of them daintily. His hands balled into fists at his side. He wanted to start tearing his own clothes off, but he was unwilling to remove even the slightest amount of his attention from her. And it didn't matter a damn that he'd seen her naked a thousand times before. What mattered was this time, right now. She didn't keep him waiting much longer. Her hands reached behind her back, and she unclasped the bra that confined her breasts. They spilled out so that he could feast his gaze, at least. Her nipples were the color of dark berries, and the shape as well. If he hadn't already known, he would have been certain now that she was as excited, as eager as he was. She hooked her thumbs into the sides of her panties, and pushed them down, to where they would fall on their own. She stood before him, completely naked, totally alluring, and with a wicked grin on her face. "I'm going for a swim," she announced, in a sultry voice. "I'd love it if you would join me." Then she began to walk down to the water, her hips swaying seductively.
He stood still for another minute, completely mesmerized. Then he started to tear at his own clothes. He was in such a rush; it felt as if he had ten fingers on each hand when he started to unbuckle his belt, the process seemed to take him twice as long as it should have. When he finally got himself out of the damn thing, he just let the belt fall to the ground, his coat he threw over by the towels; he thought they might need it later. His armor and the shirt underneath he shed gratefully, relieved to have the cool air waft over his overheated torso. He kept glancing up at Mercy; she was in the pool, the water only partially covering her breasts. To him, she looked like some kind of water goddess, or a siren, beckoning to him. He unfastened his pants, let them fall, and tried to step out of them. He heard her laughter float over the water. He looked down. He had forgotten to take off his damn boots. Five years later, and she could still bemuse him so much that he forgot to take his boots off. Awkwardly, he toed them off his feet, stepped out of his pants, and strode down the bank.
He walked into the water, along the bottom of the lake, thinking that he would reach Mercy easily, thinking that the game was over. She pushed off and swam away, out of his reach, and he found he had to chase her. The water had cooled him off a little, but, being forced to chase her around the spring, aroused all his predatory instincts. Finally, he caught her by the ankle, as she tried to slip away one last time. He wrapped one hand around her leg, as he trailed the other up her calf slowly, bending her knee, and finally, up the inside of her thigh, until he had her trapped against his body. He captured her lips in a long, deep kiss, his prize for having caught her. He'd won the game, and she wrapped her arms and legs around him, as he carried her into deeper water, where he could stand but he was certain that she couldn't, so she'd need to cling to him to keep her head above water. Exactly what he wanted.
He looped his arm under her bottom, and with the help of the water's buoyancy, he held her up easily so that their eyes were level with each other. He had lost the tie that usually bound his hair during their chase, so she brushed the wet strands off his face and back behind his ears, then fisted her hands in his hair as he pulled her towards him for another kiss. He kept his hand at the nape of her neck, angling her head to deepen the kiss. He wanted to take his time, to let his tongue penetrate and explore the sweetness of her mouth. One of her hands trailed down his spine, as she pressed her breasts against his chest, her thighs squeezed his waist like a second pair of arms. His arm supported her, his hand kneading the rounded flesh of her derriere. The water made all their movements slower, more languid, but at the same time, it heightened every sensation.
They kissed over and over, neither of them in control, harder, devouring each other's mouths, licking at each other's skin. She scratched at his shoulders, while her heels drummed into his butt. He shaped his free hand up over her back, and down her chest, palming her breasts in his hand. It wasn't enough. He hoisted her up higher, and closed his lips around her nipple, sucking it greedily into his mouth. Her head fell back as she gasped with the pleasure. He scraped his teeth along the hard peak, and she started to moan as she rocked against him. He moved to her other breast, and suckled harder, as he felt her hands grip his skull. Her whole body shuddered in pleasure with every movement of his lips, or teeth, or tongue. He pulled his head back, stared into her eyes. Hers were hazy, unfocused, filled with passion. He knew he probably looked the same. He watched her face as he slid her down slowly, but had to close his own eye in that moment when she ground her mouth down on his, and he thrust upward, and they were one.
Now that he was inside her, now that she was filled with him, their frenzy calmed momentarily. They looked into each other's eyes again, and held each other close. The moment felt intense, openly physical, openly emotional. "I love you," she whispered, as she locked her ankles around his waist.
He blanked out for a second, and rolled his hips. Whenever she shifted, he felt it. The change in pressure was an exquisite sensation. But he focused again and replied softly, "I love you too," followed by a long, infinitely tender kiss.
They started to move together, taking things slow, literally testing the water. He withdrew a little, and she pulled him back with her legs. She pushed up, and he drew her down with his arm. The rhythm was much slower than they were used to. It was achingly sweet, but the intensity spun out over an incredibly long time. When neither of them could stand it any longer, he braced his legs, and dug his feet into the lake bottom, and let her ride him. He was holding them both up, his own body was screaming for release, but still he watched her face as she flung herself into glory. In the last second before she closed her eyes, and started shuddering in convulsive ecstasy around him, he could have sworn he saw the pyreflies reflected in her eyes. Then his own climax overtook him, and lost consciousness of everything except the woman who held him in her body and in her heart.
He realized that he must have actually fallen asleep for a few moments, because suddenly he felt that the water was tugging at him, and his head was drooped onto Mercy's shoulder, just as her head had fallen onto his. When he lifted his own head, she felt the shift in his shoulder muscles, because she raised hers as well, and muttered a dazed, "What is it, love?" at him. He felt…completed and utterly drained of all energy. Totally spent. He had to get them out of this lake, or they would both drown in less than six feet of water, he was that far gone. He hauled them both a few feet until Mercy's head was above water; then she started stumbling on her own. Once they were out of the water, the cool air revived them a little…but not much. Still dazed, they unrolled the towels and fell on them, both desperate to sleep off their lethargy. Just before he fell into the deep well of unconsciousness, Auron managed to drag his coat over them both.
He finally woke, because something cold was rubbing against his calves. As soon as he was awake enough to recognize that it was just Mercy, trying to warm her icy feet against him in her sleep, he relaxed, content to let it be so, although he did spare a moment to wonder how her feet consistently managed to get so cold in such a short span of time. It's worth a little chill just to have her here. He smiled up at the stars over his head. He stroked his hand down her arm, pulled her closer against his side. Her head nestled into the hollow of his shoulder. He brushed his lips against the top of her hair. He frowned suddenly. Yuna did not even want to look in here, some days ago. Scant days later, she wants to camp here, instead of spending the night on the airship. Tonight she decides to shift the nature of her relationship with Tidus. I admit, for the better, but…why the sudden change of 'heart'? "Why are we here?" he murmured aloud.
"I thought that was pretty obvious," she answered back sleepily. Then she lifted his coat, and peered underneath, down the long line of his naked body, and grinned up at him mischievously. "Yep," she said, laughing. "Really obvious." Her hand slid down his chest, starting to follow the line her eyes had traced just a few seconds previously. He caught her hand in his. He knew that if she continued teasing him, she would make every single thought fly out of his head, and some of those thoughts might not return later, particularly the one that had just occurred to plague him.
He rolled over on his side, so he could look straight into her eyes. "You did not…say anything to Yuna, that might have contributed to this evening's events?"
"Yuna came to me," his wife replied evasively. "She wanted my advice."
He groaned. The possibilities were endless, and alarming. "On what subject?"
She smiled at him, mysterious again. "Love."
He flopped onto his back, stunned. "Why did she ask you?"
Mercy shook her head at him. "Auron, who else could she ask?" Her tone of voice clearly told him he was being an idiot. Just because I wondered why me, too, doesn't mean you have to know that.
He heard the question of either his intelligence, or his sanity, in her tone, and knew it was justified. Yuna's options were severely limited: Lulu, Rikku, or…his wife. "What did you tell her?"
"Don't worry," she answered reassuringly. "I can tell what you're thinking. I didn't tell her any secrets," she hesitated for a moment, "except my own."
He turned on his side again, and, after one look at the wistful expression on her face, traced a line down her cheek with his finger. "What secret did you tell her?"
She held his hand still, and pressed a kiss into his palm. "She spoke of regrets when she faced down Yunalesca. I only warned her, that, when she looked back, most of her regrets would be of the things that she didn't do. And that, I think, is why we're here."
He saw something infinitely sad on her face. "And what do you regret, that you did not do?" he asked softly.
She traced the lines of his face with her fingertip, drawing his brows, the sharp line of his nose, the curve of his lips. Then she spread her hand along his jaw. "I regret…that I didn't go looking for a new martial arts teacher, just after you came to Zanarkand," she said, her voice filled with emotion. That is not all, but that is enough, love. It is more than enough.
"Oh," he murmured, a sharp indrawn breath. His heart ached at the thought of it. She could have come to the dojo, ten years ago. It would still have been Sensei Hikaru's decision…but he would have seen her skill…and with those swords…she would have needed private lessons…and I would never have managed to get past 'Hello'…of that, I am certain. He closed his eye for a moment, then opened it to look into hers.
"It would not have been…what the fayth intended," he said first, attempting to soothe her.
"I know," she replied, just a little sharply.
"I do not think…I know I would not have known what to do…outside of being your teacher," he admitted, a wry smile on his face.
She smiled suddenly, a very knowing smile, then she shoved hard on his shoulder, rolled him onto his back and climbed on top of him, straddling his hips. The regrets for a past that 'might have been' began to burn away in the heat of 'here and now'. She leaned over him, brushing her breasts against his chest as her sex slid wetly over his shaft. "Maybe I would have been your teacher," she suggested, her lips near his. I would have driven you crazy. And I would have loved every minute of it. Just like I am right now.
His eye rolled up into his head. "Like what you taught me at the spring?" he ground out harshly, as he reached blindly to wrap his hands around her waist. I need you, my lady, he thought wildly. Let me in!
She waited until his eye opened again, until his gaze was locked on hers. She put her hands on the ground on either side of his head, as she felt him lift her up. She tilted her hips a little to accommodate him, as she stared into his eyes and whispered, "Maybe this time, we'll teach each other," just before she kissed him, deep and hard, and his body stroked into hers, completing each other again, and neither of them had any thought left for regrets.
End Chapter Thirty-Three