Lust for Sin
A Story by Rikku-Hoshi
You know, if I think any one is OOC (out of character) in this story, it has to be Braska. He doesn't act anything like you would expect him to, but you know, I want it that way. I want Braska to be kind of like an eccentric man who fears disease more than anything. See, Braska therefore doesn't get out much, and is therefore somewhat ignorant. He truly does want what's best for his daughter, but his fears and stupidity gets in his way. He follows Yevon blindly, being that he was a governor of Yevon for many years. He is also very easy to manipulate, as I'm sure you will find Seymour doing to him. Also, later in the fic, you will find just what it is he has against Al Bheds. His hatred for the Al Bhed though, causes him to say things about the Al Bhed around Yuna, which therefore makes her feel horrible. She's not at all a social outcast like she thinks she is, but he forces her to believe that by her words. I think if there's one thing I did wrong with this fic, it was that I didn't explain Braska's character well enough, know what I mean? Anyway, I'm sorry...I just thought I'd let you all in on that. Well then, enjoy chapter eleven, and I'm sorry it took me so long to update it!
Chapter 11: Only Among the Finest
Yuna walked up the stairs to the front porch of her house, and had just put her hand on the doorknob, when she heard someone come up from behind her.
She turned around, only to see Seymour standing there, smiling, and holding out a bouquet of flowers for her.
"These are for you," he said, handing them to her. The flowers were a mixture of red and white roses, and even though Yuna wanted to pretend they weren't, they were very beautiful.
"Oh, thank you, Seymour," Yuna just said, as she took them, "They're very beautiful."
Seymour just continued to smile proudly, and then he said, "Your father invited me over. Are you just now coming back from the temple?"
"Yes, I am," Yuna said, and tried her best to return his smile, "Well then, welcome."
She led him in, and her father, who was sitting on a chair in the parlor in the room next to the entryway smiled upon seeing them enter and put down the book he was reading.
He walked into the room, and shook hands with Seymour, while Yuna said she was going to put the flowers away. She ran up to her floor, and into her room. Then, she ran out to her balcony, and tossed the flowers as far into the forest as she could manage, hoping that Seymour didn't expect to see them again.
She watched the blur of red and white disappear into the trees, and then sighed, wondering how Tidus was ever going to get up it. She was so high, and the trees almost coincided with the balcony.
Sighing, again, she then made her way back downstairs, knowing she couldn't hide from Seymour forever–although she had been doing a pretty good job of it. She realized that she'd never been alone with him–which was a good thing–not counting some awkward moments. Seymour and her had never exchanged any sort of signs that they were even getting married, which was also a good thing.
"Yuna, there you are," Braska said, and motioned for his daughter to come over to where Seymour and him were standing.
Yuna put on a smile and walked over to them.
"Seymour has requested that I allow you to take a walk with him throughout the town. I thought that would be a wonderful idea, don't you, Yuna?" Braska just said.
"Oh yes, of course," Yuna lied, and was unable to look at Seymour as she said this.
"Well then, enjoy yourselves," Braska said, smiling, "Goodbye."
Seymour wrapped his long fingers around Yuna's small hand then, and practically dragged her out of the door, before she could say anything or even try to stall.
Shutting the door behind him, while not letting go of her hand, Seymour smiled and said, "It's been a very long time since I've been around town. It will be a wonderful walk, especially with you by my side."
His eyes shone, and the gaze he was giving her was making her uncomfortable, so Yuna just looked at the ground and nodded, and they started off.
"You seem to be the shy sort," Seymour said, as they started down the hill, "You don't talk much, and you don't share what's on your mind. I suppose you're the direct opposite of Dona. She's probably more my type, but you interest me. You are quiet, naive..."
Yuna wanted to stop listening. It seemed like all he did was ramble on and on about nothing at all. She just bit her lip and continued walking, as they reached the edge of town.
"You don't see me as enticement, do you?" Seymour then asked, and obviously wanted an answer, for Yuna hadn't been listening, but noticed that he'd stopped talking.
"Whatever do you mean?" Yuna just asked.
"Yuna, I will not lie to you. I've had my eyes on you now for years. Before I even knew what you looked like, or how you acted. For means of enticement. Your father sees me as enticement to you. But you don't see me in that light, do you?"
"Actually, Seymour," Yuna said, although she had to say his choice of words were confusing her, "If you mean using you to my advantage, I do see some advantage in you. Not to be rude or anything, but you and I do have much in common. Not only that, but it's only right that I marry someone of your status." As Yuna said this, her eyes continued to dim, because she knew it was the truth. She did have to marry him. For her own good, for her father's good, for Seymour's good...For everybody's good. That's why she couldn't let her feelings for Tidus go beyond what they were. They just couldn't.
Seymour smiled and said, "You are bright though, my Lady, I will give you that. And, you are beautiful. The most beautiful I've seen in a long while, I might add."
Yuna supposed if anyone else had said this, she would have blushed. But hearing it from Seymour just made her angry. Sure, she would wed him. Sure, she would force herself to say she was in love with him. But actually show affection toward him? She simply scoffed at the idea.
"Seymour," Yuna said as they walked, "My father likes to keep me at home and at the temple as much as he can. He's frightened to death of disease. However did you persuade him to let me out? Especially in the evening like this?"
Seymour just smiled, almost wickedly and said, "Your father is a very easy man to manipulate."
Yuna stopped, which surprised Yuna, and Seymour looked apologetic for his words, although Yuna knew they were true.
"Seymour," Yuna just said, "Are scheduled weddings very common?"
"Only among the finest."
The rest of their walk was in silence, although it seemed to Seymour's dismay and Yuna's glee.
-
"Rikku, where do you usually stay at night?" Yuna asked, lighting a candle at her bedside.
Rikku stared at the candle, and then said, "A candle by your bed will bring Yu-Yevon, you know..."
"Oh Rikku, that's all just a myth," Yuna said, although a week ago she would have believed it, "I need some light, but not enough to let my father know I'm awake. Now, where do you stay?"
"In the room next door," Rikku just said, "The small room that you mistook as a closet."
"Oh, that room," Yuna just said, blushing as she recalled walking into the little room and stacking crates of her belongings in there.
"Yes, 'that room'," Rikku just said with a sigh, "Why?"
"It's all brick around that room, am I correct?"
"Yuna, you act like you're afraid I'm going to overhear something..." Rikku just said, eying Yuna suspiciously.
"Oh, not at all!" Yuna said, although her heart fell. Had she been too obvious? Trying to save herself, Yuna managed, "I just wanted to read tonight, and I probably would late into the night. I didn't want any light to bother you."
Rikku looked at her suspiciously for a while, and finally said, "So I suppose you don't want to be disturbed?"
"Not at all."
"Alright then," Rikku said, "I'll let you be. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Yuna just said, and waited until Rikku had left before finally hopping into bed. She picked up her book and attempted to concentrate on reading it. She was still dressed and not dressed for bed at all. Still, she was very tired.
She continued to try without any luck to focus on her book. She wondered why Tidus couldn't have said early night, instead of midnight.
She continued trying to read, when slowly, her eyelids grew heavier and heavier until they closed.
-
"Seymour, what are you doing here?"
He didn't answer, but he just kept staring at her, his cool lifeless eyes gazing at her. She turned around, only to be met by a pair of blue eyes, that were also gazing at her. They just kept staring at her, those eyes.
Her own eyelids flashed open, only to be met by those blue eyes, causing her to let out a little scream.
A hand went flying over her mouth to keep her quiet, and she realized that it was just Tidus standing there.
"Hey, it's just me!" he said, taking his hand away from her mouth.
Yuna sat up in her bed, and looked around, before whispering, "Did I fall asleep?"
"Yeah," he just said, "then you woke up and saw me and screamed. You okay?"
"Sorry," Yuna said, standing up, "I was dreaming of...well, your eyes and Seymour's eyes, and then I woke up to see you staring at me. How'd you get in, anyway?"
"You left the door unlocked," Tidus said, pointed to the door that led to the balcony, "And since you weren't there, I invited myself in."
"Oh, well, we should probably go out there so that Rikku doesn't hear us," Yuna just said.
"Rikku? As in that Al Bhed girl."
"You know her?"
"Yup. I know a lot of Al Bheds. They're nice people, once you get to know them, ya know. Really, they were normal people at one time, you know?"
"Hm...I guess I never thought about that," Yuna just said, following Tidus out to the balcony, as she was greeted by a cool gust of wind.
Tidus went and leaned on the balcony, staring at the town below, and Yuna stood next to him, trying to follow his gaze.
"So, you're probably wondering what even brought on that conversation you overheard earlier today, aren't you?"
"Oh, it's alright, you don't need to—."
"Paine's already over her depression, but now I'm afraid it's my turn," Tidus turned and looked at Yuna, "And it's probably not a good thing to be around when we're like this."
"You?" Yuna just said, "But why?"
"'Member that scar from where I stabbed myself?" Tidus just asked, as Yuna nodded, "That's why. It's not so much that I want to die...It's just that I don't want to live."
"What do you mean by that?" Yuna managed to ask.
Tidus sighed and said, "There's a lot of things about myself that I can't tell you, Yuna. I just can't. But that's why you have to stay away from us. But still...I feel bad just leaving you like that."
"Well you should," Yuna said, feeling hurt that he still wouldn't tell her anything, "I mean, I thought we were friends!"
"And we are," Tidus said, smiling at her, "Which is why I'm here, even though I shouldn't be. But now I want to know...Who gave you that ring?"
Yuna looked at her hand that was sitting next to Tidus' on the railing, and then pulled it away, before saying, "Seymour."
Tidus' eyes opened wide, and he suddenly turned and faced her, looking almost angry.
"SEYMOUR?" he cried, quite loudly.
"Yes, Seymour," Yuna said, surprised at his actions, "Why? Is that a problem?"
"H-he's...he's Seymour," Tidus just said, although he looked quite displeased by the news, "But I suppose someone like yourself...deserves to be with a man like himself."
Yuna wondered if Tidus were angry by those words, or jealous, or...something else.
"To be completely honest with you," Yuna said, "I don't want to marry him. It's forced. I have no interest in Seymour."
"Oh really?" Tidus just said, "Then who do you have interest in?"
Yuna's eyes darted to Tidus, but then away, and she blushed.
"No one, really..." Yuna just managed, and was surprised to see Tidus nodding approvingly.
"Good," he just said, "I understand though. This place is dead when it comes to men...Not that I take notice of course!"
Yuna laughed, as Tidus looked like he wanted to fall into a hole.
"I understand," Yuna just said, and then daringly, she said, "But why is that 'good' that I have interest in nobody?"
Tidus just smiled, and hopped over the balcony surprising Yuna, and dangled there for a while, before landing on a tree directly below.
"It's good," Tidus called from the tree below, "Because I was afraid you'd say you had interest in me. Goodnight Yuna!"
He hopped down from that tree then and to the ground.
"Hey!" Yuna called after him, managing to swallow her embarrassment from his last comment, "There's still things I wanted to discuss with you!"
"That's why I'll see you again, tomorrow, same place, same time!" Tidus just yelled to her, "See ya then!"
Yuna wanted to yell to him and tell him that she couldn't wait that long, but she couldn't. Instead, she just watched him leave, and softly muttered under her breath, "Goodnight..."