Okay, this story is crazily long and overall is crazy! It's not a bad chapter, but it might be kinda boring! Anyway, I gotta go to tennis! Enjoy!
Chapter 9: Goodnight
"Yuna...why?" Tidus just said, shaking his head.
"Tidus, before you say anymore," Yuna said, suddenly feeling embarrassed, "I'm sorry I hit you...But for some reason, I couldn't stop myself! The more I think on it, the more I realize that I need you! I..."
"You just can't let it go, can you?" Tidus said, crossing his arms.
"No, you're the one that can't let it go!" Yuna argued, "Rikku said you called her!"
"She did?" Tidus said, and now he looked embarrassed, "Well, uh...I can explain!"
"Uh-uh, sure you can," Yuna said, a small smile creeping across her face. The two security guards exchanged glances, and then shrugged.
"Tidus, please," Yuna said, going up to him, "Just talk to my dad. Explain everything! I know he'll understand!"
"I've tried!" Tidus argued, "I tried coming to dinner, I tried saving his life, I tried–."
"You tried not hard enough," Yuna said, "There's no Nooj to stop you. You don't have any more excuses!"
"Your father said he'd put me in prison the moment he sees me with you, Yuna. He hates me."
"He doesn't even know you," Yuna said, "Please Tidus? Or...Do I really mean nothing to you anymore?"
Tidus looked at Yuna for a long time, as her smile slowly disappeared, before sighing and saying, "You mean everything to me."
"Then prove it," Yuna said, her smile not returning.
"Fine, I will," Tidus said, somewhat nastily, "But can you at least wait 'till practice is over?"
Blushing, Yuna nodded, and said, "When will I see you?"
"Expect me at six," Tidus said, giving Yuna a nod, "I'll be there. This time, I won't mess things up. I promise."
At that, he gave her a smile, and then stopped and said, "Oh, and about the car, you owe me, big time."
Yuna smiled, and said, "You just show up and fix things, and then I'll see about your car!"
Tidus gave a little smile, and then went back into the stadium. At that, Yuna turned around, and pulled out her phone, dialing a familiar number.
"Rikku...I failed again. Wanna come pick me up?"
"I can't believe you crashed again!" Rikku said, "And back into Tidus again? Yunie, just 'cause he dumped you doesn't mean you can go around slamming into him!"
"Hey, wait a minute Rikku," Yuna said, although she was smiling to herself, "Who says he dumped me? Ever stop to think that maybe I dumped him?"
"Why would you do something stupid like that," came Rikku's reply.
Yuna just smiled and said, "Actually...We might be getting back together!" For some reason, Yuna was suddenly almost gleeful about her decision.
"It's all up to Tidus now," Yuna said, as Rikku sped down the road, "He can either fix things, or mess them up. I guess we'll just have to see."
"Wait a minute," Rikku said, "You were mad at him and crashed into him, and then you decided to get back together?"
"Well, it's a little more complicated than that...," Yuna said, "But, yeah...I guess, basically, you've got the gist of the story..."
By then, the two girls were pulling into Yuna's driveway. Yuna looked at the front door to see her father marching at her, and he did not look happy.
"Uh-oh," Rikku said, "This doesn't look good!"
"No, it doesn't at all," Yuna said firmly, and stepped out of the car quickly. The last thing she wanted was for Rikku to have to get involved.
"Bye Rikku!" Yuna said, as she exited the car, and then pretended she hadn't seen her father, and threw on a fake smile and said, "Hi Daddy! How are you?"
"You know very well how I am, young lady," Braska said, glaring at his daughter, "I allowed you to take your driving test, only to have you fail it again! Do you realize how hard it is to clear this stuff!"
Yuna wanted to shoot back with a "don't clear it!", but she kept her mouth closed. She couldn't have her father angry at her when Tidus came.
"Father, it wasn't my fault!" Yuna said instead, "Someone ran into me!"
"According to your instructor," Braska said, "You crashed into a parked car, quite deliberately!"
"He told you a lie!" Yuna said, acting angered and upset by the conversation they were having, and mustered up some tears, "Daddy, it wasn't my fault!"
"Why would he lie?" Braska asked, narrowing his eyes at his daughter.
"Because he hates me!" Yuna said, and started to cry even more, "He said he hates you too! Rikku says he's Al Bhed!"
"What?" Braska said, "An Al Bhed working in a government job?"
"That's what Rikku said," Yuna lied softly.
"Why-How..." Braska didn't finish, for he turned around and walked back into the house. Yuna figured he was going to make some calls to get that instructor removed for being 'Al Bhed'.
Part of her felt somewhat guilty, but then again, Yuna decided not to worry about it. After all, he was the one that failed her...And failure was something Yuna did not take too kindly.
Yuna decided not to worry about the instructor. After all, she had to worry about dinner. At that, she decided to go prepare things for the unexpected guest that would be arriving.
"Yuna...Is there a reason you've requested such a large meal from the cooks?" Braska asked, looking at Yuna over the newspaper that he held in his hands. Most fathers read the newspaper in the morning, but not Braska. He was always sure to read the newspaper right before dinner.
"I'm just really, really hungry," Yuna said, "All of the upsetting events today kind of bothered me."
"Eating is only going to make you large," Braska said, taking a sip from his before-dinner coffee, "Do you realize that?"
"Of course," Yuna said, sitting down at her spot across from her father, "Do you suggest that I go on a diet?"
"Your nutritionist says you're fine," Braska said, turning the page of the newspaper, "But I'll call her and see if you need a diet or not."
Yuna didn't say anything, but inside she was glaring. If she got just a pound over what her father thought was the ideal weight, away she went to see the nutritionist, which typically brought diets.
Sighing, Yuna just sat there, saying nothing, and glancing nervously at the clock that hung on the wall.
"Tidus is late," she thought to herself, "What if he doesn't come?"
She didn't have time to think of anything else, for suddenly her father's butler, whom only worked in the evenings, came and whispered something in her father's ear.
"What?" Braska said, and immediately looked at his daughter, "He's what?"
"Here to have dinner with you, Sir," the butler said, eying Yuna also, "Apparently your daughter invited him?"
"Oh you must mean Tidus!" Yuna said, nervously, although she did her best to conceal her nervousness, "Um...Father, Tidus says that he's changed and wanted to–."
"No. I will not have him around! You knew that very well, Yuna!" Braska said, looking angrily at his daughter, "Someone like him does not change!"
Yuna swallowed and said, "I believe in second chances father."
"Isn't he on his tenth?" Braska practically roared.
"Father," Yuna said, remaining calm, "He saved your life and my own numerous times."
"What do you mean," Braska said, pretending to be ignorant.
"Father, there have been times when Tidus has saved my life. Times that you didn't know of. I wouldn't be here now if it wasn't for him, and neither would you!"
"He's obviously done something to your mind," Braska said, "I'm going to have to call you in to a therapist..."
"NO!" Yuna shouted then, "Father, just see him! I'm tired of you blaming other people for my mistakes! I'm too fat, so you blame the nutritionist. I fail a test so it's obviously the instructor! I love Tidus so now he's obviously warped my brain!"
Braska stared at Yuna, who was now seething, and said, "Y-You...L-love Tidus...?"
"I LOVE HIM!" Yuna shouted, "Now Cupid must have struck me and by some mishap, my eyes laid on Tidus. Yevon be damned father, just listen to what Tidus has to say!"
"You will not speak to me in that fashion!" Braska then roared, which caused the butler to jump, "If you don't watch your tongue I'll–."
"What, blame someone else, because it's obviously not my fault?" Yuna cried, "Oh, now the Al Bhed's Devil is controlling my tongue, is that it? Until you just hear what Tidus has to say, I'll speak to you as I feel."
Yuna had promised herself that she would not get angry, and that she would act very innocent, but she just couldn't anymore.
Braska stared at his daughter for a while, and finally said, "Bring him in."
"The visitor, Sir?" the butler said, jumping a little again.
"Who else?" Braska roared.
At that the butler scurried off, leaving Yuna and Braska to sit there, having a staring contest from across the table.
Finally, the butler returned, and so did Tidus, clad in a gorgeous tuxedo. Yuna and Braska's mouths fell open as Tidus stood in the doorway, appearing somewhat nervous, and at the same time, strangely enough, extremely confident.
Tidus turned and faced Braska and gave a smile that caused Yuna's heart to float to her throat, and Tidus then bowed and said, "Good Day, Sir Braska."
He then held out his hand for Braska to shake, which Braska ignored for a little while, before finally taking it and shaking it.
Tidus gave another little bow, and then went to the seat next to Yuna, and said, "I do hope it's alright that I've joined you for dinner."
"Actually–," Braska started, but then stopped, "I'm...Rather glad you came."
Both Tidus and Yuna looked a little surprised, although they did not turn and look at each other. They both just kept their eyes focused on Braska's almost entertained smile.
Tidus licked his lips out of nervousness and said, "Um...Well then, that's...good..." Tidus then looked at Yuna, who gave him a shaky smile.
"I do hope you're not on a diet," Braska replied, "Last time I believe you broke yours?"
"Oh, Sir," Tidus said, "Allow me to excuse myself for last time's behavior on my part. It was completely unnecessary of me. I'm am very sorry."
"You should very well be," Braska said, "You almost killed me, if I recall properly, just as I almost killed you?"
"Sir, that...That is another thing I'd like to apologize for."
"You would, would you?" Braska asked, almost in a nasty tone.
"Father, please..." Yuna said softly.
Braska glared at his daughter, and then looked back at Tidus.
"You know," Braska said, "My daughter just damned Yevon...You wouldn't have something to do with her choice of words now, would you?"
Tidus furrowed his eyebrows and looked at Yuna and then back at Braska.
"Yuna wouldn't say something like that," Tidus insisted, "She's got the cleanest tongue I know of..."
"And you would know?" Braska said, narrowing his eyebrows at Tidus, causing Tidus to look as if he knew he'd said the wrong time.
Yuna, who was growing angry, said, "Father, Tidus had nothing to do with what I said!"
"Tidus, you're an atheist, are you not?" Braska then asked Tidus, "I know your father was one. Not only that, but you were involved in a plot to overthrow Yevon. Do you not understand that my daughter is a follower of Yevon?"
"Sir," Tidus said, "I honestly...Don't care either way. Yevon or no Yevon...It's all...It's all an okay thing. I never wanted to undermine the Yevon society. And–And if Yuna wants to worship Yuna, then that's fine with me!"
Braska gave a little laugh, and said, "How did you ever come across my daughter?"
"Um..." Tidus looked at Yuna, as if determining what to tell her father.
"We met each–." Yuna started, only to be interrupted by her father.
"Let Tidus tell me, please," Braska said, and looked back at Tidus, "You met how?"
"It was at the grand hall...," Tidus said softly, "Um...Yuna was there for...Well, she was..."
"She was what?" Braska asked, looking at Yuna.
"On the balcony, where the maester offices are," Tidus said then, and it was the truth, "I met her on that balcony."
"Is this the truth?" Braska cried, and looked over at Yuna.
"Yes Father, it's the honest truth," Yuna said.
"What was she doing there?" Braska then asked Tidus.
"She was...Enjoying the night, I guess," Tidus said, and shrugged, "She said she like to go there to think, and I liked to go there to think too, so..."
"Were you in any way connected to Nooj then?" Braska asked, his eyes narrowing.
"No," Tidus said, and looked at Braska in the eyes, "I had no idea who Yuna was. I just thought she was some girl. I...I guess it was kind of like...love at first sight...I don't know..."
Yuna had to give a small smile. Even if the story wasn't one hundred percent the truth, she assumed this part was.
"Around what time was this?" Braska then asked.
"Sometime in late summer," Tidus said then, "Maybe even early fall..."
"She fell in love with you too?"
"I don't know," Tidus said, "She...I mean...Well...We...Well...I...No...We..."
"You what?" Braska asked.
"We kissed," Tidus just said, "But it was like one of those...I don't know, weird kinds of kisses. Like when you think you're in love with the person, but you don't even know them. It was almost like a goodbye kiss, 'cause you know you'll never see them again. But you knew that Sir...You came then, remember?"
"Just making sure that was the first time you met," Braska said, giving Tidus a suspicious look, "How about when you two went to Luca in October? What did you do then?"
"Nothing," Tidus said, "Honestly, Sir, nothing. We...Well...Uh...What did you think we did...?"
"You know exactly what I think you did," Braska said, his eyes narrowing even more.
Tidus suddenly got a mischievious look in his eyes, which worried Yuna. It worried her even more when it didn't go away, and Tidus began to speak.
"We slept together, if that's what you're thinking," Tidus said, raising his eyebrows as if to say, "What now, Old Man?"
"I knew it!" Braska cried, slamming his fork on the table, "I'll have you arrested for rape, you–."
"Father, we didn't do anything!" Yuna cried then, elbowing Tidus, who immediately looked as if he was regretting what he'd said.
"It's the truth Sir," Tidus said, rubbing the back of his neck, "As far as I know, your daughter's a virgin..."
Braska by then was seething, but slowly began to cool down, and he said simply, "I would have had tests done if I'd thought anything had happened."
"Nothing did happen, and nothing has ever happened," Yuna said, and was suddenly feeling frightened.
"Sir, we probably never even totally made-out," Tidus said, "We never got the chance to–I mean, never wanted to...I mean...Well..."
"We only kissed maybe five to ten times," Yuna put in, biting her lip.
"Alright, afterwards...What happened then? I mean in November and December...Those months."
"We broke up," Yuna said, "Until Yevonistmas. Then we got back together."
"Okay, January?"
"That's when things started getting complicated," Tidus said, "That's when the whole Youth League stuff suddenly came into play..."
"And then you killed Nooj," Braska said, looking at Tidus thoughtfully, "Why did you do that?"
"Because your life...was more important," Tidus said, "I did it for Yuna though. Because I...Loved her...And realized we couldn't be together as long as Nooj was around."
Yuna had to lean back in her chair. She closed her eyes for a split second. Tidus had never said that he'd loved her as many times as he had in the last few minutes. She had always questioned it, but now she realized that it was indeed the truth. He loved her. He always had.
Finally, after a moment of silence, Braska stood up, and said, "Don't think I'm not watching you...But I allow you my daughter."
Both Tidus and Yuna's eyes burst wide open in surprise.
"But," Braska said, glaring at Tidus, "Don't think I'm going to want to see you. And if you ever hurt my daughter, I'll have your head off your body faster than you can shoot a Blitzball."
Tidus' eyes lit up and he said, "I'd rather die than hurt her anyways!"
"I don't want her around your drunk dad," Braska continued, "I don't want her around your friends, I don't want her even at your house. If you want to visit her, you visit her here. Or, you get my permission to go elsewhere. If her studies slip from now 'till her school is out, you two cannot see each other. She cannot ride in a car with you. She cannot be with you unsupervised. She cannot–."
Braska was suddenly broke off by Yuna jumping up and giving him a peck on the cheek.
"Don't worry, Father!" Yuna said happily, "We won't do anything."
"Right now, I just want him out of my sight," Braska said, "Take him to the door, Yuna."
Smiling, Yuna grabbed Tidus' hand and practically pulled him out of the room.
"Thanks for dinner, Sir!" Tidus said, although in truth he hadn't eaten a single thing, right before he was pulled out.
As soon as they were out of the room, Yuna pulled Tidus close to her and kissed him, causing him to pull back in surprise.
"You were excellent!" Yuna said, pulling Tidus down the hallway then, "And now we can finally be together, and–."
"And I'm never wearing this tuxedo again," Tidus said, pulling on his tie, "It's so tight."
"I think it's sexy!" Yuna said, which caused Tidus to pull back from her again.
"Okay, seriously Yuna, you're starting to scare me!" Tidus said, although he wore a smile, "Just 'cause we're now 'officially' a couple doesn't mean you have to get all weird on me!"
Yuna just gave him an almost crazy looking smile and said, quite out of breath, "I'll try not to!"
"I'll see you tomorrow, crazy one," Tidus said as they reached the door then, pecking Yuna on the head, and gave a little snort, "You obviously need time to cool down!"
Yuna just continued smiling that crazy smile until Tidus walked outside. Then, Yuna chased him out and said, "Tidus! I never realized that you loved me until right now!"
"Didn't I ever tell you?" Tidus asked, wearing a smile.
"I...I guess so," Yuna said, "It means a lot to me..."
Tidus just smiled wider and nodded to her.
"Goodnight," he said.
"Goodnight," she said.