(Hi everbuddy! I just watched some REEEEAAAALLLLYYYY mushy Tikku amv's recently and it got my creative juices flowing! Hope this chapter shows the love I'm vibing!)

Tidus pushed the key under the mat, tucking his keychain into his pocket. Where to now? He walked along the dirt path towards the temple, maybe to just turn around completely and head for Lulu's again…a single light blazed in the top window, a melancholy shadow sitting up against the windowpane, watching him go. It was better this way…it had to be.

Tidus soon felt his feet start to lead, taking him in a twisting pattern along the path until stones started clicking under his boots. The new bridge had just recently been finished. The spray from the waterfalls hit his bare arms. He shivered involuntarily.

Why can't everything go back to the way it was before? Why can't Yuna still want me around? Why can't I stop thinking I made a mistake?

Because it couldn't be a mistake. He knew his feelings for Rikku were so very real. So real he couldn't even hide them very well.

He wanted her to be with him.

Now.

(TIKKU)(TIKKU)(TIKKU)

Rikku tucked the sphere into her pocket, rising from the pond and starting the long cold journey home. Why had she worn such skimpy clothes? She wished she were in the hot harsh climate of Home, where she never had to worry about a jacket. Where she could always see the stars in the sky, and where she would feel she belonged. Not like here, where everything was going so right, but yet so wrong.

Why do I feel like such a meanie? I didn't do anything wrong! At least…I don't think I did…

Even she had trouble convincing herself. It was hard enough feeling all this guilt and all this love all at once. The minute she'd met Tidus she knew he'd be a handful, but through it all, she watched him grow up. It had been so hard to watch him dissapear too. After all he'd learned, all the people he'd grown to love and treasure…thrown away…

Subtle tapping footsteps made her pause. She turned, and Tobli collided harshly with her hips and legs.

"Oh! I'm so awfully awesomely apologetic Miss Rikku! I was just trundling terrifically along when I chanced to spy you sauntering South!"

Rikku sighed with relief, her heart unclenching.

"It's alright Tobli. What are you doing out so late?"

The little man seemed to chuckle to himself, neck craned almost fully upward to look at her. She spied his thin smile under his wooden beak.

"I was just strolling, you see, hoping to help my horrible show return gratefully to it's former glory! Maybe by locating Lady Yuna!"

Rikku felt her shoulders sag as they kept walking. It was all about Yuna…Yuna this, Yuna that…did anyone even care that she had a nice voice too? Even in his small muddled presence, Tobli seemed to notice.

"O-Or you Miss Rikku if it's imperatively impossible to involve the lovely Lady Yuna! Equally exotic are your vibrant vocals! Though I cannot concur truthfully since I've never heard a ballad breach your lovely lips!"

She managed to ignore the second-hand quality of his compliment. She hadn't sung in so long…not since that day when he'd come back, when they'd celebrated by a bonfire on the shore. Everyone had been humming tunelessly along, but she'd sung the words, sung them loud enough for those around her to hear. All for him. She only sang for him…

"Sure…I thought up a little something over the years…" she hummed it, adding a few lilting notes that gave it a wonderfully beautiful sound. It was a melody she'd heard as a child, a funny rhyme that she remembered with a gasp, Gippal had taught her.

All around

We see the rain

We hear the crash

We feel the pain

We greet the sun

When she comes at last

We push aside

The tearful past

All together

We agree

Somewhere we'll find

There's harmony

Tobli nearly leaped to her height in his enthusiasm. The only light came from scattered torches people erected around their homes.

"That was truly terrific! Diabolically devious and Stupendously Splendid! You must perform perfectly for me…please?"

Rikku looked skeptical. "Well, it's no 1000 words, and it's not inspired by some troubled soul in my Songstress dress sphere, but I like it."

"I like it too."

Her heart leapt quickly back to her throat.

"Your voice is so beautiful…why didn't you sing with Yuna at my Homecoming?"

Tidus took her hands in his. Tobli was shunted aside, but the hyper fellow didn't really seem to mind.

"I guess…she's always been in the spotlight and…I just never thought I could ever match up to her. Singing, at least."

"hey, she can't sing a note without Lenne. You weren't even in your dress sphere! C'mon admit it, you've got talent!" he pushed her chin up playfully with his fist. She giggled.

"So…how is Yunie?"

Tidus' playful smile fell. "Fine. She'll be fine, Rikku, she took it a lot better then I thought she would."

Before she could decide not to, Rikku reached up and kissed him bravely on the cheek. Tidus enveloped her in a loving hug, keeping her cheek on his. She eventually broke the hold, but kept his hands in hers, waving them about for a time. Then she smiled sadly and let go of his hands, humming the song quietly to herself as she walked away.

And this time, Tidus followed her.

(SQUEEEEEEE!!!!! yayayaya! I'm off to watch more amv's now! I might get FFX for x-mas or something, so maybe I'll understand the Tikku dynamic a bit better after I beat it. it's going cool huh? i always wondered why Rikku and Paine never got chances to sing with Yuna...booo!)