disclaimer: almost forgot, don't own it.
--
Rikku ran out of Yuna's hut as tears stung her eyes. She wasn't even sure where she was running to, or even why she was crying. She just had to leave. She had hoped Yuna did not hear much of their conversation, but she knew that was unlikely.
When Auron told her someone was listening, she expected Tidus. Not her cousin! She ran until she found herself at the beach. Torches lit the area so the guys would be able to see in the dark.
"Rikku, you must calm down. This is not going to help you solve anything."
"I know, but…" She tried to defend herself, but Auron interrupted her.
"Running away will help nobody. If you cannot learn to control your emotions, they will control you."
"That was harsh. Couldn't you have found a nicer way of saying it?" She now stood next to the water barefoot. She had not put on any shoes in her haste to leave. Rikku dipped one toe in the water to test the temperature.
"My apologies. I will watch out for that in the future."
"Thank you." She moved farther out so that the water came to her waist. "I should go back to Yunie's. She probably worried about me. I should talk to her, but I just don't know what to say."
Tidus and Wakka had just come back with the rest of the team. They saw her in the water and came running over to her.
"Hey Rikku, What are you doing here, ya? I thought you were talking with the girls in the village." Wakka asked first.
"I was, but something happened. I came down here to think."
"Oh, we see. Then I guess we better leave you alone then, huh?" Tidus said as he pulled Wakka away with him. He had seen the tear streaked face before Wakka and did not want to get involved in any of that 'girly stuff'.
"See you then." Rikku called after them. "Tell Yunie I'll be back later."
"Now what do I do?" Rikku asked no one in particular.
"Maybe it is time you head back. Yuna has enough to worry about without you being out here by yourself."
"But I'm not alone. You are here with me. And no matter what, you will stay with me right?"
"Only for the time being. Remember, once our journey is over, I will be gone."
"Right, I forgot. But I don't want you to go. I have seen another side of you in these past few weeks. I like to think that we were becoming more then just friends." She thought back to the conversation she had with her cousin when she first arrived.
"Have you talked to him about it?" Yuna asked.
"Not really. I mean I did, kinda."
"You really should tell him how you feel. You never know, maybe he might feel the same."
It was now or never. If she did not do this now, then she might never get the chance. "Auron, I…"
Someone shouting her name turned her attention away from what she was going to say. She turned to see Yuna and Kimahri coming down to the beach. What perfect timing they had.
She put on a fake smile as they came closer. "What are you guys doing here? Didn't Tidus tell you I would be back?"
"Yuna worry about Rikku. Kimahri come to make sure you safe."
"I'm sorry for listening in, Rikku. I shouldn't have done that." Yuna bowed her head in shame.
"That's okay. I forgive you. Besides, I couldn't stay mad at you even if I wanted to." Rikku said. "But I did want to talk to you. Kimahri can hear it too. He probably already knows anyway."
"Why don't we go back to my place then? I have something I want to talk to you about too."
The walk back to the village was quiet as they walked in the night air. Tidus was asleep by the time they got in. Yuna offered them some drinks before anyone began.
Yuna sat down on the couch next to her blue friend before speaking. "Rikku, I want to say something first."
"Sure go ahead. I'm listening."
She cleared her throat before she was able to put it to words. "The other week I had a dream. It was about you."
"Oookay." Rikku wasn't sure what to think. It was one thing for her to have dreams. But for her cousin? Where the fayth trying to talk to her as well?
"Valefor visited me. He said that I was supposed to talk to you. To encourage you. I'm not sure what it was about, but I had to tell you."
Rikku's jaw dropped slightly. "What… what else did he say?" She managed to ask after a few moments.
"That you were scared, and that someone hurts as well and needs to learn to accept help. I don't know who the 'he' was that he was talking about, but I'm sure you do."
"Auron, are you hearing all this?"
"Yes I do. You think that she is referring to me, don't you?"
"I don't think, I know. You are always trying to hide your pain and stuff. That's what I have been telling you about. I want you to open up to me."
"Rikku? What's wrong?" Yuna's panicked voice brought her back to the conversation at hand.
"Nothing wrong with Rikku. Rikku talks to aeon friend." Kimahri answered for her. "Kimahri meet aeon on mountain."
"Do you mean Phoenix? You did tell me once he was not like other aeons." She guessed.
Rikku nodded not sure what to say. "She is starting to figure it out. Yuna still does not understand our connection yet though."
"I know. I don't think that I'm going to tell her either. I don't want her to become upset when you are gone."
"Her, or yourself?" Auron questioned.
Rikku ignored his comment since she was not ready for the answer. She turned her attention back to her cousin. "Yunie, can we talk about this later. You have to get up early for tomorrow. How about afterwards, before I leave? I promise to find you and talk to you then."
Yuna nodded. "Yes, that would… be fine."
The girls stood up and hugged before heading off to bed. They failed to notice the Ronso who still sat on the couch after they were gone. Kimahri looked around knowing they would not be back, shrugged, and lay on the couch to sleep.
--
Light streamed through the window the next morning effectively waking up the soon to be married couple from their slumber. Tidus stretched and yawned before leaning over Yuna.
"Good morning, my soon to be wife." He said as he kissed her cheek.
She rolled over so she could see him. Yuna smiled as she thought about the day ahead. "Good morning to you too. We better get the day started, I think."
"Always being sensible. You are right though." Tidus stood up after kissing her one more time, changed, grabbed his tux, and headed over to Wakka's to get ready.
Yuna lay in bed a moment longer before getting up herself. She then jumped into the shower until Lulu came over to help her.
The sun came in through Rikku's window as well. She tried to escape from it by hiding her head under her pillow. That only lasted a moment before she had to come up for air. She sat up in bed and yelled. "Alright day, I get it. I'm up, I'm up!"
Auron chuckled at her antics. "You have a great way of waking up in the morning." He teased.
"Auron, did you just make a joke?" She giggled.
"No."
"Yes you did. Oh Luzzu will be so surprised when I tell him. I think while I'm at it, I'll tell Tidus and Yunie, and Lulu, and Wakka, and..."
"I get the picture. You can stop now." He interrupted before she could go on.
"Sourpuss. I was just having a little fun. I haven't had much of that lately, you know."
Auron sighed but said nothing. She was right. Being a guardian so young, and now this journey had made her grow up too fast. She would never be the perpetually perky teenager he once knew. She was now a woman.
"You better get up. Yuna might need your help in getting ready." He advised.
"You're always so wise. I wish I could be more like that."
"You will, when the time comes, you will."
--
It was mid-afternoon when the wedding was set to begin. The ceremony itself was going to be held in the temple, and then everyone was going to head down to the beach for the reception. The whole village along with those invited, were to be there.
Tidus stood in his place next to Wakka, his best man. Baralai stood waiting for the rest of the party to arrive. A smile was on his face. Lady Yuna was finally going to get married. And he was the one to preside over it.
Lulu came down the aisle next wearing a deep amethyst dress. It was ankle length and had a sheer train that came from the waist behind her. The neck of it scooped down so that it showed a minimum amount of cleavage and hung off her shoulders. She smiled at the two men and took her place.
Everyone stood as the song changed and Yuna came into view. Tidus' hands began to sweat and he shifted in nervousness. Wakka elbowed him in the side good-naturedly as he saw his little sister.
Yuna was wearing an off the shoulder dress like Lulu's, but hers was open in the front with the symbol Tidus wore, very similar to her gunner outfit. The bottom of the dress was form fitting with a sheer overcoat on top. She also had a train from the back, however, hers was much longer then Lulu's. Her veil covered her whole body, much the same as the one she wore for her previous marriage. The one she would chose never to remember.
She walked slowly in time with the music. Kimahri was by her side to be the one to give her away. When they arrived at the front Baralai began.
--
"In sickness, in health, no matter what happens, until death do you part?"
"I do." Tidus answered the age old question. Baralai repeated the question for Yuna and she of course responded the same.
"Very well. Now do you two have anything you would like to say to one another now?"
Tidus nodded and pulled a slip of paper out of his pocket. He had a whole speech memorized, but in his excitement, he had forgotten most of it. He unfolded it and began to read. "Yuna, I first met you here four years ago. You had just become a summoner, and I was shocked to see a woman come from the chamber of the fayth.
"But after that we began to get closer. You were the only one to believe I was from Zanarkand at first. And that really meant a lot to me. We shared our first kiss in the springs at Macalania, and it was then I knew that no matter what I would always be with you no matter what.
"But then I found out I was just a dream, doomed to disappear after we defeated sin. It was then you first said you loved me. I just held you until I knew it was time to go. Even then, even seeing me fade, you refused to give up on me. You saved the world again and the fayth made me real just for you. And because you believed in me, I stand here today, in front of all these people to confess my love for you. Yuna, no matter what happens to us; I do and always will love you." He finished his speech and slipped the paper back into his pocket.
Yuna then began her own. "Tidus, as you have said, we first met here, in this village. You didn't even know who I was and you were worried that I was in trouble that you came running into the trial to save me. After that we began to travel together, and once you began my guardian, my resolve as a summoner began to waver. You gave me a new purpose for life. I wanted to live with you by my side. Seeing you and Rikku try so hard to make me change my mind meant so much to me. And then when we found out the truth, you stayed with me, not giving up. I was happy then, I think.
"And then you faded, but I never forgot you. You lived in my heart. When I saw you that day off the shore, I was so excited that I jumped into the water just to be with you and make sure you were real. I had missed you so much that I think I cried after you came back. And now here I stand in front of friends and family finally able to confess my love to you as well. Tidus, I love you, and never wish to leave your side again."
They finished and took one another's hand and turned to Baralai. "And now, by the powers given to me by the order of Yevon. I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride."
Cheers went up as Tidus lifter the veil and kissed his new wife. They turned and hand in hand left the temple to head to the beach.
Rikku had tears in her eyes after seeing the speeches they had for each other. She secretly wished someone would be there one day to do the same for her. She watched as everyone filed out eager for the free food and drink.
Luzzu came up to her seeing the glassy look in her eyes. "You are happy for them?"
"Very much so. That was so sweet. I can't wait for the day when someone says those words to me." She sighed in nostalgia.
"Someday, someone will. You're still young, you have time."
"Thanks, Luzzu." She began to leave to join the party when something stopped her. It was a fayth. "Luzzu, go on ahead. I'll be there in a little bit. There is something I need to do first."
"Shall I come with you?" He asked. He had taken on himself to be her guardian now and as such felt very protective of her.
"No you go on ahead. I will be fine."
"Let him come. He may need to know as well."
"Alright. Auron says that you should come. I don't know why, but he says you might need to know too,"
They made their way through the trials and it was not long before they stood in front of the door that led to the main chamber.
"Here goes nothing." Rikku said as she took in a deep breath of air.
--
Yeah, I know this chapter was mainly about Tidus and Yuna and their wedding, but I didn't want to just say 'and the wedding went well… blah, blah, blah.' This had a little Tuna fluff. Something different for me. (I tend to stick to Aurikku)
Anyway shout out time!
MakoAnima: Yeah, I didn't like it as much either, but it was nice to present an outside view. And again there is no sign of evil Yevon again, but don't worry….
Chibi-Sorrow: Well hanging out with him for so long, she would pick up some of his bad habits, right? Now if only Auron could figure his out.
Neko-yuff16: Glad you're hooked. That's why I'm so eager to get chaps out so fast. I hate it when I get into something good, and then the story doesn't get updated for a loooooooooooooong time.
Thunder-demon: I don't think I'll repeat anything else. (Man you said that a lot too) From here on out, it's gonna be pretty much strait forward. I think.
This story is winding down now. I think maybe another four chapters and it will be complete. Now watch me squeeze out six or seven more. I don't want it to end, I enjoy writing this! Maybe I could do a se.. nah. Anyway, review now please.