Love That Will Not Die

Chapter 2

Wakka was sitting by the shore, still thinking about Lulu and how she had upset him. He figured winning the Blitzball game was his one chance to impress her, and she could care less.

"Wakka..." he heard Lulu say. He turned around to see her.

"What do you want, Lu?" he asked. "You already made me look like an idiot. What more do you want from me, ya?"

"There's something I need to tell you."

"The reason why you didn't come to the game?'Cause I am just dying to know. It better be a good reason, Lulu!"

"It is...just let me--"

"Because I am already devastated at the fact that you didn't even bother to show up. Then you go around sayin' you could care less and--"

"Wakka..." she said weakly.

"Lu..." he said softly. "you look...so pale... You've never looked like that before."

"I've been this way for a week now, Wakka."

"I haven't noticed."

"Shows how much you really care about me."

"What?"

"You haven't noticed the way I've been stumbling lately? Or how it's been hard for me to say anything? All you've seemed to care about is playing Blitzball!"

"I've been doing this for you though! I've been working hard so I could win for you."

"Wakka, I'm happy that you won but you know I'm not a Blitzball fan! You know what would have impressed me? If you would have just come out and told me you loved me instead of playing some stupid sport!"

Wakka had never felt so angry before. Every word she said made him want to go insane.

"Maybe I have a hard time telling you how I feel! Maybe the only way I could express it was through Blitzball!"

"Some love." Lulu said sarcastically. "I knew you would win that game for sure because you had improved so much. Your entire team did. That wasn't a challenge for you to win the game. But none of this matters anyway because..."

"Because what?" He saw tears in Lulu's eyes. It was rare that Lulu would show much emotion.

"I'm...dying, Wakka." she said softly.

Wakka felt like the entire world had been turned upside down when she said that. For a moment, he felt numb.

"You're pulling my leg, ya?"

"No, I'm not!" Lulu now had tears rolling down her cheeks. "I found this out recently. Something happened to me, I have some disease now and I don't have much longer to live."

"That can't be right!" Wakka cried. "You can't be dying!"

"I was hoping, before I died, I would get to hear you tell me you loved me. That's all I really wanted."

"Well then why didn't you tell me about this disease sooner?"

"Because then I wouldn't be sure that if you told me you loved me, if you were just saying it to make me feel better, or if you really meant it."

"Lulu, this is crazy. I really do care about you. I really thought you would be impressed by me winning the game. Give me a break, ya! We all have different ways of expressing love. That was just my way."

"I have one thing left to say." said Lulu. "Your way wasn't expressing love. Impressing people is just getting them to notice you and begin to grow fond of you. Expressing love is showing your emotion and how the person you care about means the world to you. You weren't expressing love, you bastard! You were just trying to get me to pay attention to you. You act like I never notice you! Haven't you noticed that since we destroyed Sin, I've spent more time with you? But all you talked about was the final game of Blitzball. I...I need to go lie down." She walked away.

"Lu, wait!" he said, grabbing her arm.

"Please, don't touch me." she said quietly. He could tell she was very serious. He let go and watched her walk away. Wakka felt tears building up in his eyes.

Yuna and Rikku found him a little while later, still at the beach.

"She told you?" Yuna asked. Wakka nodded. "I'm so sorry, Wakka"

"It can't end like this." said Wakka. "She can't die! But...maybe she was right, ya? Maybe I didn't really show my love for her. Perhaps I was just drawing attention to myself. I don't deserve her."

"Don't say that!" cried Rikku. "She loves you and you love her."

"I don't think she loves me after our argument, ya. Well, there's nothing I can do now. Lulu doesn't have much longer to live."

"So that's it?" said Yuna, softly. "You're...you're just going to let her die?"

"Well what the hell do you want me to do?" Wakka snapped. "She's going to die and I can't do anything to stop it."

"I don't believe my ears." said Rikku. "I'm going to see if Lulu's ok." She left to go check on Lulu.

"You shouldn't give up so easily." said Yuna. "I lost the one who means the most to me, but I'm not so sure if he's really dead or not. That's why I refuse to give up hope."

Wakka knew she was talking about Tidus.

"I know it seems like I haven't been doing anything to find him," Yuna continued. "but actually, Rikku and I have been searching for clues lately. We haven't found anything yet, but we're not going to give up. I'm just so thankful that Rikku is helping me. She's such a good friend."

"But what can I do?" Wakka asked.

"I'm not sure." she replied. "But Rikku and I will gladly help you!"

"I just don't see how we can help Lulu. Is there a cure for her disease?"

"There may be! How about we go find out tomorrow? It's getting late."

"You're right, ya! We need to go and find a cure."

"I just don't know how much time we have left before she..."

"Then we'll have to be quick! I'm gonna need you and Rikku to be with me on this 110, ya."

Yuna grinned. "Don't worry. We will."

To be continued...