XD, originally, this was going to be the last chapter! BUT, I've decided to extend it, simply because I hung out with my brother today instead of writing, and wanted to get this chapter out! So, it's not the last…XD I kind of like this chapter though…Heh. Also, I just wanted to take a moment to thank my reviewers and everybody who has read this. I hope you have enjoyed it so far. It's not at all my favorite piece, but it did what I wanted it to do: Got my mind off of that Takano Yuri CM that Gackt did back in early June. XD… BUT, anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 16: All Good Things Must End
"So are you just selling the furniture with the house?" Gippal asked as he taped up the last box of Tidus' belongings.
"Yeah," Tidus said, "I don't know what else to do with it. The buyers say they don't care."
"Man, I'm gonna miss you," Gippal said, tapping his friend on the head, "I'll be in Bikanel, and you'll be in Luca, having the time of your life."
"What are you doin' there?" Tidus asked.
"I'm gonna become a mechanic. There's tons of work there, ya know."
"Yeah," Tidus said, "So I guess we'll…"
"…Probably never see each other again," Gippal finished for him.
"Weird," Tidus said, and the two of them stared at each other as if they were new acquaintances.
Gippal laughed and said, "Hey, if I get the chance, I'll come to Luca to watch you play."
"And I'll treat you to drinks," Tidus said, and the two laughed.
"Yevon, I can't believe how much we've…matured," Gippal said, shaking his head.
"I know," Tidus said, "And all over the summer…"
"Well, I assumed I would, eventually," Gippal said, "But I never thought you would."
Tidus laughed, "Yeah, me neither. I guess…I guess a lot of things happened this summer."
Gippal nodded, and said, "Well, that's the last of it. You leavin' tomorrow?"
"Nah, tonight," Tidus said, "I want to get to Luca before the rest of the new rookies get there. So I'll have a couple of days to check everything out."
"I see," Gippal said, "You gonna miss Bevelle?"
"Hell no," Tidus said, laughing, "You?"
"Hell no."
The two laughed again, and Gippal said, "Are you sure you don't want to come to one last party?"
"When have I partied all summer?" Tidus asked, shaking his head.
"Right," Gippal said, looking at the ground.
"So, go to the party with Rikku, or something," Tidus just said, trying to compensate.
"Can't," Gippal said with a shrug, "She's in Luca, too."
"What for?" Tidus asked, as he grabbed a box to load in his car.
Gippal picked up another box and followed Tidus to the car, not saying anything.
"Huh?" Tidus asked again, as they placed the boxes in the trunk.
"Huh what?"
"Why's Rikku gonna be in Luca? Ah, to see me start practice?"
"Yeah right," Gippal said, shaking his head, "She's going to a wedding."
"Oh," Tidus said, "How come you don't go with her?"
"Because, it's some fancy huge wedding that only special people are invited to," Gippal said.
Tidus nodded. He always forgot that Rikku was in that kind of crowd.
"Well, I guess you're on your own then, huh bud?" Tidus asked, smiling.
"Yeah," Gippal said, but forced a smile, "Will you be back before September?"
"Probably not," Tidus said, "But you know my number. Just call."
"Right," Gippal said, nodding, "Man, I figured we would never be able to be separated."
"Ha, I don't think our parents thought so, either," Tidus laughed, "Good times, huh?"
"Lots," Gippal nodded.
The two had been together their entire lives. They had once been next door neighbors, and their mothers had gone to the same parenting lessons. They had been born exactly a month apart—Gippal first and then followed by Tidus—and had therefore gone to the same daycare and schools their entire lives. They literally had been inseparable.
Until now. Tidus sighed. At least if there was one thing the summer had taught him, it was that all good things had to end.
"Well, then, I guess I should be going," Tidus said, waving to his friend, "See ya." Of course, he somehow doubted this.
"Yeah," Gippal simply said. Gippal stood there as Tidus climbed into his car, and without looking back, Tidus was off.
At the beginning of the summer, he figured he would have a hard time leaving. Gippal and he had planned on partying the entire night before, but of course that hadn't happened. A lot had changed over the summer. That was quite clear to Tidus now.
He wondered if it had been Yuna that had changed him. She and he hadn't even really been together that long, but yet…well, she had made him grow up.
He didn't want to fool around with just anybody anymore. He didn't want to go get drunk and do whatever. He would rather write a book, after all! A romance novel at that…
"Yevon, shut-up Tidus!" Tidus yelled to himself, surprising himself. And now he was having conversations with himself…
He was going to Luca. He was going to play blitz. And he was going to enjoy it, despite the fact that he had changed. He was going to change right back. He was going to become the alcoholic man whore that his father had been. It was in his blood. He was going to do it.
-
"This will definitely do," Tidus said, nodding to his realtor, who had showed him to his new apartment that was right across the street from the stadium.
"Good, because pickings are getting slim. You know, all the college kids and whatnot. Of course, you get the first pick, but…"
"Whatever," Tidus just said, "You gonna help me carry my stuff or what?"
The small man nodded, and practically ran out the door to help Tidus carry his few belongings in. Tidus realized he was going to have to go furniture shopping, something he really didn't want to do.
He decided that for the first night, he would simply sleep on the hard floor, and the next day, he would at least get a bed.
He sat on the ground, realizing that he was drained. Perhaps it had been the drive. Something told him, though, that there was much more to it. He was emotionally drained, not physically.
He knew that he would have no problem falling asleep.
-
The next morning, Tidus found himself awake quite early, and decided to go grab something to eat, and check out his surroundings.
He found that his head was high in the clouds. Why, he didn't know, but it was. Did he want to blitz? Could he? Could he change to the way he once was, to live the lifestyle a blitzer is expected to live? He told himself he could, but he'd been telling himself a lot of things. He couldn't even sort through what was real, and what was fake.
He found a small little café and was about to take a seat, when he suddenly heard someone say his name. He turned around to look, only to see Rikku waving at him from the pay counter.
"Tidus!" she said, and walked over to him, "What are you doing here?"
She was dressed in a fancy green summer dress, and had her hair piled up.
"I live here now," Tidus said, "I just moved in yesterday."
"Already? I didn't think you were leaving for a while."
"Nah, I changed my mind," Tidus said, "What are you here for? Oh, wait, Gippal told me. A wedding, huh? That explains your outfit."
"Right," Rikku said, and then she looked around, "I'm a bridesmaid, actually. I just got done getting ready, and now I have to go help—." Rikku didn't finish, but kept looking around. Finally, she waved at someone to come over, and said, "Since I'm the maid of honor, it's my job to see that the bride gets ready. Exciting huh?"
"Yeah," Tidus said, although he really found nothing exciting about it.
"Yeah, so the bride and I are just getting some breakfast, and then it's her turn to get ready. Yunie, get over here!"
"Yunie?" Tidus cried, and turned around, only to see an impatient-looking Yuna standing by the door, obviously trying to get Rikku to leave.
"Yeah, who'd you think was getting married?" Rikku just chirped, and grabbed Yuna's arm, leading her over to where Tidus was standing.
Yuna and Tidus' eyes met, and both of them stared at each other, as if in shock.
Finally, Yuna looked away, and said, "We have to go, Rikku. We'll miss the appointment."
"Oh, right," Rikku said, "Well, see you later Tidus!"
"W-Wait!" Tidus said, "The wedding's today?"
"Yeah, and it's Yunie's eighteenth birthday, so say 'Happy birthday!'"
"H-Happy birthday," Tidus said, and his eyes went downcast. He had assumed she was already married.
"Thanks," Yuna said softly, "Now come on Rikku."
"Bye Tidus!" Rikku said as Yuna led her out the door.
Tidus could only stand there and watch them leave. The walked out the door, and Rikku was chatting excitedly, but Yuna didn't appear so excited.
"Friends of yours?" the waitress said, as she walked over to Tidus, "You can take a seat here, if you'd like."
"Um…I kind of just lost my appetite," Tidus said, "But thanks anyways."
The waitress simply shrugged and walked over the a table, and began to take the people's orders.
Tidus could only keep staring as Yuna climbed into Rikku's car.
"I thought you were already married," Tidus mused softly to himself. It was true—he figured she had gotten married at least a few days ago. But she wasn't.
"That doesn't change anything," he said softly, and started toward his own car, "It doesn't change a thing."
With that, he climbed in his car, and sped off toward nothing.
-
Rejection had hit him again. She was gone, that was the truth. And she had obviously been avoiding him. She didn't want to see him. In that case, he didn't want to see her, either.
Still, his heart began to ache once more. She wasn't yet gone, but yet, he knew she was as good as gone. She was, after all.
This was the end. The end of everything he had always known. The end of his feelings for Yuna. Even if it was a lie, he knew he had to make an end to it. She would be married. Maybe she already was married now. It was her choice and his choice, and was something he was just going to have to accept.
His thoughts went to June, the early minutes of summer. She was him, and although he had been confused about his feelings, he knew that those times with Yuna were some of the best times of his entire life.
Like all good things though, it came to an end. Summer itself was drawing to a close end. Soon, everything would begin to die, preparing for winter. Tidus would be busy away at blitz and possibly back to his normal, selfish state. It was something he simply had to accept.
As he had learned: All good things always come to an end.