Yay, chapter 12! (Haha, we're getting closer to my favorite chapters, which I think are 13 and 14.) Haha! I did some figuring, and I think this story will go about 25 chapters (give or take some) and will end around July 1st-August 3rd. (I'm leaving for Japan soon after that!) Soooo, yeah. I myself am currently on chapter 18 or 19. Well, sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself again. Enjoy!
Chapter 12: Besaid
"Is it me, or is the water even clearer than last year!" Rikku said, sliding her sunglasses down the tip of her nose. All four of the Bevelle residents were standing on the beach, and all but Rikku were lugging their suitcases toward Yuna's vacation home. The only reason Rikku wasn't lugging her suitcase was because Gippal had it for her.
"It's right down this path," Yuna said, leading the group and ignoring Rikku's comment. Rikku linked her arm with Gippal's and the two followed Yuna slowly, while Tidus purposely shoved his way past them, and made his way next to Yuna.
"How far of a walk is it?" Tidus asked, "It's not too far from the beach, is it?"
"No, it's right up on this cliff, and it overlooks the beach," Yuna said, "As soon as we turn this corner here, you'll see three houses. Mine's the one in the middle."
Sure enough, they turned the corner, where three decent-sized vacation homes stood.
"Cute," Tidus just said, "Do you have food there, 'cause I'm starving!"
Yuna laughed and said, "Every night, the village has a cook-out. We'll eat there later."
"A village cook-out?" Tidus cried, "What kind of food do they have?"
"Usually it's fried rat meat," Yuna said, opening the door to the house.
"Good thing I like that," Tidus said.
"You're kidding, right?" Yuna cried, looking disgusted.
"Of course! What do they really have?"
"Hot dogs and hamburgers," Yuna said, and she opened the door. Tidus pushed her aside and entered first, causing Yuna to roll her eyes.
"Nice place," Tidus said, nodding. He walked into what was a living room with the kitchen attached. There were stairs going up and a small library to the left.
"The rooms are upstairs," Yuna said, passing Tidus, "The room to the right is Rikku and my room, and the room to the left is your room and Gippal's room."
"Whoa, wait," Tidus said, "Do you really think that's fair to separate Gippal and Rikku? They're in love, Yuna, and practically ready for marriage!"
"Nice try Tidus, but that's the way it is," Yuna said just as Gippal and Rikku finally reached the inside of the place.
"Sorry Gip," Tidus said as soon as Gippal set down his load of suitcases, "I tried to get it so that you and Rikku shared a room, but it just isn't a possibility with Miss Fun-sucker over here."
Gippal shook his head and ignored Tidus' comment saying, "Thanks a lot for inviting us, Yuna."
"No problem," Yuna said, "Go ahead and get unpacked."
"Can't we go check out the beach first?" Rikku asked, her eyes glowing.
"It's the same as it always is," Yuna said, shaking her head.
"I know!" Rikku cried, "But come on, let's go have fun!"
She grabbed Gippal's arm and pulled him out the door.
"Damn is she energetic," Tidus said, shaking his head, "Those two make me sick. Sorry Yuna, but I may have to stay with the neighbors. I don't think I can take a week with them. Sorry, 'bout that, Babe."
Yuna rolled her eyes and said, "Sorry to you, Tidus, because the neighbors probably aren't here. I haven't seen them in years."
"Oh yeah?" Tidus said, "Why not?"
Yuna shrugged and she said, "I don't know. I used to see them all the time. The house at the right belongs to an older couple—they're adorably sweet—and the house on the left belonged to a popular Lucan lawyer, his wife, and his son."
"Ah," Tidus said, and Yuna could tell that he wasn't really paying attention.
"His son is a year older than us," Yuna said, "But I haven't seen him since I was twelve or thirteen. We used to hang out all of the time though, back when my father and I came here."
"Cool," Tidus said, "Anyway, shall we go check out the beach?"
"You don't need my permission," Yuna said, sighing, "To tell you the truth, I'm with you. I wish we could go to the neighbors'. Rikku and Gippal make me sick too."
"Yes! I knew there was a reason I liked you!" Tidus cried, his eyes glowing, "Don't they just disgust you to no end? And you want to know something horrible? They haven't even had sex yet!"
"What is so horrible about that?" Yuna cried, "I thought they had already! I'm rather impressed with my cousin."
"Dude, it's not Rikku, it's Gippal," Tidus said, shaking his head, "He always was a wimp. I bet you they do it before we leave this island."
"I am not betting on something horrible like that!" Yuna cried, "Rikku is only seventeen!"
"So?" Tidus said with a shrug, "I did it when I was fifteen."
"Yeah, but you're you," Yuna said, "And I didn't need to know that!"
"What? Dona probably did it when she was thirteen!" Tidus called after Yuna, for she headed up the stairs. Tidus followed her, which caused Yuna to turn around.
"Tidus," Yuna began, "I came to Besaid to…Well, to get away from the loudness that is you. So, could you please do me a favor and leave me alone."
"Yuna, I'm hurt that you feel that way!" Tidus said, putting his hand over his heart, "Don't you realize that I am friendless?"
Yuna snorted despite herself. "You? Friendless. Please, Tidus."
"It's the truth!" Tidus cried, "Especially here! Uh…The Besaid blitz team hates me."
"Why?"
"…Because I threw one of their players out of the sphere pool once and caused him to be out the rest of the season."
"Okay, so they hate you…So what?"
"They're down on the beach and I think they want to beat me up."
"You're Tidus. Couldn't you take them all on?"
"Yuna, I'm an amazingly good-looking blitzball player, not a super hero."
"So you want me to believe that you—who just threw Bevelle's biggest party—has no friends?"
Tidus just nodded.
"What about Gippal?"
"He's with Rikku now."
Yuna slowly began to realize that Tidus wasn't lying. It seemed unreal that he would be friendless, but his eyes were dim and he showed no sign of jest.
"People only like me 'cause I'm good at blitz," Tidus said, frowning, "Probably even Gippal."
"I'm sure that's not true," Yuna said, unsure of what else to say.
"Trust me, Yuna," Tidus said, "It's the truth. I'm a jerk. Who would want to be my friend?"
"I'm your friend, aren't I?" Yuna said, only she realized instantly how hypocritical she sounded. Hadn't she just told him that she didn't want him around?
"You're just my friend because I make you be my friend," Tidus said, rolling his eyes.
A slight breeze went through the room then, and Yuna came back to her senses and realized that they were still standing in her room—or at least, she was. Tidus was still standing in the doorway where she had made him stop.
Yuna took a deep breath and she said, "Go get unpacked, Tidus. And then I'll go to the beach with you."
"My room's that one over there?" Tidus asked, pointing across the small hallway toward an open room.
"Yes, that's your room," Yuna said.
Tidus walked out of the room and headed down the wooden spiral staircase, and was back in just a matter of seconds with his suitcase. He walked across the hallway and Yuna heard his bed creak as he must have thrown his suitcase onto it. Yuna shook her head, but couldn't conceal a smile. She turned around and set her own suitcase on her bed, and opened it.
She suddenly heard Tidus come pounding across the small hallway and he peeked his head into her room. Yuna instantly wiped her smile off of her face and turned to face him.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked.
"I am not sharing a bed with Gippal," Tidus said, shaking his head, "There is only one bed in that room, and I am not sharing it with that man!"
Yuna laughed and she said, "There's only one bed in here and I have to share with Rikku."
"It's alright for two girls to sleep together," Tidus said, "But not for two guys to sleep together."
Yuna couldn't help but laugh, and she said, "What do you mean?"
"I mean," Tidus said, talking slower as if Yuna simply hadn't understood him, "That Gippal and I cannot share a bed by any means. We can't even share a room."
"There's a couch downstairs," Yuna said, shaking her head. She turned back to her suitcase, another smile spreading across her lips.
"Is that really where you want me to sleep, Yuna? All the way downstairs? Wouldn't you sleep so much nicer knowing that I am just across the hallway from you, only a matter of steps from you?"
"No, actually, I'd sleep better knowing you were downstairs."
"Fine," Tidus said, shaking his head, "But when you guys are murdered because I was too far away to save you, don't come moaning to me."
"Besaid hasn't had a crime in over ten years, and that was a minor misunderstanding," Yuna said, still smiling.
"You still never know," Tidus said, "But whatever, it's your call."
"Or," Yuna said, "You could stop being a baby and sleep with Gippal."
"It's impossible," Tidus said, shaking his head.
Yuna laughed and she said, "Tidus, just quit. You're not going to weasel your way into bed with me."
"With you? I was thinking Rikku!"
This statement caused an eye roll from Yuna, but she still couldn't help but smile.
"Okay, look, what I was thinking," Tidus said, as if trying to reword his statement, "Is that you can sleep on the couch, Gippal and Rikku can sleep together so that I can win the bet, and—."
"We didn't make a bet," Yuna reminded him.
"Right, whatever," Tidus said, "But wouldn't everybody be happier that way? I'd have my own bed, you'd be comfortable on the couch, and the first to get murdered—no offense or anything, but hey, better you than me—and Rikku and Gippal could be together. I'm just trying not to be selfish here."
"You were doing good until you said that I'd be the first to get murdered," Yuna said, rolling her eyes, "Tidus, please don't be stupid. You know that things have to work this way."
"For a normal teenager, no," Tidus said, "But for you, yes. Well, whatever, I'm off to check out the beach!"
"Alright," Yuna said, "See you later."
"Why won't you come?" Tidus asked, shaking his head.
"Because," Yuna said, "I need to unpack."
"You have a long time to do that," Tidus said, "Come on!"
"Go alone!" Yuna said, shaking her head.
"But Yuna, I'll get beat up," Tidus said.
"But you're Tidus!" Yuna said, making her voice sound tough, "You can take them on. Trust me! I've heard enough of your ego in the last few weeks to know!"
To Yuna's surprise, Tidus simply gritted his teeth, and stared at her hard, looking angry.
"What?" Yuna asked, shocked by his reaction.
Tidus just shook his head and said, "Way to be a jerk, Yuna. Sorry, but that position is already filled by me." With that, he left, shutting the door behind him. Actually, shutting is an understatement. He slammed the door.
Yuna stood there in shock, and heard him pounding down the stairs, and then she finally heard the front door slam shut. She peeked out her window, just in time to see him heading down the path they had come up, toward the beach.
"He's awfully moody today," Yuna said, taking her clothes and folding them neatly. She chose not to ponder on his behavior though, and instead continued to unpack. Still, something told her that it was going to be a very long vacation.
-
"Yunie, Gippal wants me to show him the temple!" Rikku cried, running up to Yuna, who was sitting at the kitchen table, absent-mindedly reading her book.
"Sh, Tidus is sleeping," Yuna said, nodding toward the couch, where Tidus was, sure enough, sleeping soundly.
"Gippal and I are going to the temple," Rikku repeated herself, in a whisper, "Gippal's never been to a temple before!"
Yuna opened her mouth to ask if she could come along, but she shut it instantly. She got the feeling that this was to be a Gippal-Rikku moment, and not a Gippal-Rikku-Yuna moment.
"Alright, have fun," Yuna said, shrugging. As if on cue, Gippal came down the stairs then, stretching.
"Good morning!" he said, smiling only to have both Rikku and Yuna shush him, and point to the slumbering Tidus.
"Don't give him special treatment," Gippal said, although he lowered his voice, "He thrives on that kind of thing."
Rikku ignored his comment and grabbed Gippal's arm, and said, "See you later, Yunie!" She rushed out the door then, pulling Gippal behind, and shut the door too loudly behind her, which caused Tidus to stir.
Tidus made some grumbling noises, and rolled over. He rolled over too far, however, and was soon on the floor, landing with thud.
"Ow…" he said, rubbing his head sleepily, "What the hell…?"
"Good morning, sleepyhead," Yuna said, but she didn't look at him. She simply continued to read her book.
"Oh, 'morning," Tidus said, but he continued to rub his head, "You got any Advil?"
"Possibly. Did you hit your head that hard?"
"No, slight hangover," Tidus said, "Turns out the Besaid team pretty much worships me. And turns out they drink a lot."
"Hey, there is to be no drinking on this trip!" Yuna cried, but she handed him some Advil anyway, and began to fill a glass of water for him.
"Too late," Tidus said, popping the pills, "Where's Gippal and what's-her-face?"
"Rikku and Gippal just left," Yuna said, sitting back down and returning to her book, "So, you were out late."
"Yeah, with the team here," Tidus said, yawning, "Nice group of guys."
"Yeah," Yuna just said, flipping to the next page in her book.
"Sorry I ran off last night," Tidus said then, walking up to the table, "I don't know what got into me."
"You were just being moody," Yuna said, shrugging as if it were no big deal.
"Yeah, I guess so," Tidus said, rubbing his head, "What time is it?"
"Going on noon," Yuna replied, holding her book up as if to show that she wasn't interested in talking.
"So, just you and me today?" Tidus asked, smiling.
Yuna put the book down and sighed, saying, "I guess so."
"That figures," Tidus said, swallowing, "Well, where'd Gippal and what's-her-face go off to? Maybe I'll just hang with them."
"Rikku and what's-his-face headed off to the temple," Yuna said, turning to her book once again.
"Gippal hates temples," Tidus said, shaking his head, "I bet what's-her-face dragged him off there."
"Rikku was excited to show what's-his-face the temple because he'd never seen it before, and what's-his-face seemed pretty interested."
"That's because what's-her-face has Gippal wrapped around her finger," Tidus said, giving Yuna an annoyed—and yet challenging—look.
Yuna returned his annoyed look with a look of her own, and she said, "Tidus, why are you like this?"
"Like what?" Tidus asked, and he wrapped his fingers in an almost prayer-like manner and smiled sweetly at her.
"Like a spoiled brat," Yuna said, shaking her head.
Tidus shrugged and said, "Because I am a spoiled brat. People tend to act like they are. I'm just being myself."
"I'm glad you're proud of it," Yuna said, shaking her head.
Tidus rubbed his eyes and said, "Sorry Yuna. Really, I am. You're right, this is our vacation, and we should enjoy ourselves. I'm being a moody jerk and it's not fair to you."
Yuna smiled a real smile at him—it had been a while since she'd done that—and she said, "Now that's the Tidus I like."
"I didn't know you liked a Tidus," Tidus said, his eyes downcast.
"I like that Tidus," Yuna said, giving him a smile.
"And I like seeing that smile," Tidus said, "You give me fake smiles a lot, don't you?"
"Sometimes," Yuna said with a shrug.
She was about to turn back to her book, but Tidus grabbed it and drug it toward himself.
"Yuna, dear," he said, smiling at her, "We're on vacation. So don't read all the time!"
"Tidus, darling," Yuna said, grabbing the book from him, and pulling it her way, "I enjoy reading."
"Yuna, sweetheart," Tidus said, pulling the book back toward himself, "It's not fun for me to watch you read."
"Tidus, honey," Yuna said, "Don't watch me then." Tidus held the book though, and wouldn't let her take it.
"As much as I love hearing you call me those pet names," Tidus said, which caused an eye roll from Yuna, "I can't let you have this book."
"Fine," Yuna said in defeat, "What do you propose we do then?"
"Get wasted!" Tidus cried.
"Get lost," Yuna said, and tried to grab the book again.
"I was kidding," Tidus said, shaking his head, "You've been here more than me, what's there to do around here?"
"Nothing you'd like to do," Yuna said, attempting once more to regain possession of the book, only to fail once again.
"Let's go do something mean to Gippal and what's-her-face!" Tidus cried then, looking proud of himself for coming up with the idea.
"Tidus, what is it with you and your obsession with them?" Yuna asked, "Just let them be!"
"No! It makes me sick, Yuna! Gippal is nothing like the Gip I knew. Nothing. Dude, I went to find him last night to introduce him to the blitz team here, and I couldn't find him anywhere! And my damn cell phone signal is too weak here to give him a call! And I know he wasn't screwing Rikku or anything. They were probably enjoying a romantic moment somewhere. And you know, I know he hates temples. He's Al Bhed for Yevon's sake! So why the hell did he run off at one so early in the morning? Because that little Al Bhed bitch has him wrapped around her stupid little finger!"
"So you're jealous, in other words," Yuna said, leaning back in her chair, "But jealous of what? Jealous that Rikku is taking his attention from you, or jealous that he has something that you don't have? Or is it a mixture of both?"
Tidus pouted and said, "It's neither."
"Then what is it?" Yuna cried, feeling exasperated.
"Fine, it's both," Tidus said then, "Are you happy? Now I'm going to go find them and force them to hang out with me!"
"Tidus, don't you dare ruin their happiness!" Yuna cried after him, but it was too late. He was already out the door. He hadn't even changed out of his clothes from the day before, nor had he fixed his hair. But he didn't care.
Sighing in defeat, Yuna simply picked up her book and began to read.