Thank you everybody for all of your reviews on the last chapter! I'm glad you guys are happy that Tidus and Yuna are together. This is (if I remember correctly...) just a little fluffy-ish chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter 17: The Cliff
Yuna felt Tidus' arm go around her, and he pulled her even closer to him than she already was. She blushed, thinking that this was the first time she had ever sat so close to anybody. It was late, and the two were sitting on the couch, waiting patiently for Gippal and Rikku to get back. It was going on one o'clock in the morning, nearly three hours past the ten o'clock curfew that Yuna had set up. Even so, Yuna wasn't about to complain. As far as she cared, they could be out all night.
"Get it," Tidus suddenly said between his teeth, and Yuna felt him sit up straight, "Get that ball!"
They were of course watching a blitzball—a classical game, apparently. Tidus had explained that more than thirty years ago, there had been a huge game where the Zanarkand had taken on Luca for the biggest cup ever. Zanarkand, as Tidus had explained, were the underdogs, and had worked extremely hard to make it to the final play-offs. Luca, Tidus told her, was the best team in the league hands-down. But Zanarkand was about to beat them.
Tidus had seen the game millions of times, he told her, but even so, he still seemed to get riled up over it.
"Did you see that save?" he cried, looking at her with a huge smile across his face, "That goalie was the best goalie Zanarkand's ever had!"
Yuna laughed and said, "Is Zanarkand the team you want to play for someday?"
"Well of course," Tidus said, giving her an almost shocked smile, "They're the team I'm going to play for someday."
"Does that mean you want to play college in Zanarkand?" Yuna asked, cocking her head to the side.
"Well, kind of," Tidus said, shrugging, "But I have to play for the school that gives me the best deal." He laughed. "So far I'm breaking records with the offers I'm getting."
Yuna realized that she knew little about this little fight that colleges were having over Tidus. Her smile fading, she realized that she knew little about Tidus.
"Tidus, what's your favorite color?" she asked softly.
"Blue," came Tidus' reply.
"Any reason why?" Yuna asked.
"It's the color of the water," Tidus said, pointing to the blitz sphere that the blitzball game was occurring on, "What's yours?"
"I don't know, pink maybe," came Yuna's answer.
"Pink?" Tidus asked, looking at her, "Why?"
Yuna shrugged and said, "Girls seem to like that color, don't they?"
"Yeah, I guess," Tidus said, "There's a girls' blitz team, and their colors are pink. It's Luca's girls' team, I think."
"Cool," Yuna said, "I didn't know girls played blitzball."
Tidus laughed and said, "Some do. Not like boys though."
Yuna was about to say something to his comment when she heard Rikku and Gippal's laughter float in through the open window.
"They're home," Tidus said, taking his arm from around Yuna's shoulders, much to her dismay. He slid apart from her, and leaned his arm on the arm of the couch, and his head in is hands. He gave Yuna a side-glance though, and then took her hand in his, causing her to blush again.
"Hey, sorry we're late!" Rikku's voice was heard as she bounced into the living area, "I can't believe you guys aren't outside! The moon is beautiful!"
Yuna stole a quick glance at Tidus, making it as inconspicuous as she could. Rikku and Gippal couldn't see their enclosed hand, and they had no idea that the two were as close as they were.
"Well, did you talk to Baralai?" Rikku chirped, her smiling face staring straight at Yuna, while Gippal remained silently and faithfully at Rikku's side.
"Yes, I did," came Yuna's answer.
"What'd he say?" Rikku cried, her eyes shining.
"Not much," Yuna said, "He's leaving tomorrow." Which was the truth. Baralai was returning to Luca the next day. Not that that had anything to do with Yuna's decision…
"Oh Yunie, I'm so sorry to hear that!" Rikku cried, and she walked into the front of the couch, causing Yuna to tense up slightly, "Well, that's alright, you got his—." Rikku stopped, as soon as she saw Tidus and Yuna's enclosed hands.
"Why are you two holding hands?" she asked, her voice no longer high-pitched and excited. Gippal looked too, and gave the two a confused look.
"What, we're holding hands?" Tidus cried, pulling his hand from Yuna's, "Yuna, why the hell are we holding hands?"
"I don't know," Yuna said, matching Tidus' disgusted tone, "Why are we?"
"Man, that's weird," Tidus said.
"Yeah, how awkward," Yuna added, and the two deliberately looked away from each other.
Rikku wasn't easily misled, and she crossed her arms.
"Spill the beans, you two," she said, tapping her foot.
Yuna laughed and said, "It's late, see you all in the morning!"
"Yeah, I'm sleeping with you tonight Gip. Good night love birds!" Tidus cried, hopping up after Yuna and following her toward the stairs.
Yuna and Tidus bounded up the stairs then, both suppressing giggles for reasons unknown to them. As soon as they reached the top of the stairs, Tidus slipped his arm around Yuna's waist and brought her in for a quick kiss, and said, "Good night Yuna!"
"Hey!" Yuna cried after him, but he had already ran into Gippal's room and shut the door. Yuna simply smiled to herself and went into the room she shared with Rikku, all ready to go to bed. It had been an extremely long day, after all.
She had just crawled in bed when she felt Rikku hop in next to her.
"Yunie, I know you're not sleeping!" she said, poking Yuna in the back.
Yuna turned to face her cousin, and said, "What?"
"What is up with Tidus and you?" she asked her eyes wide and unable to read.
Yuna sat up and sighed, saying, "He's kind of my…boyfriend."
"Kind of?" came Rikku's reply.
"Alright, he is," Yuna said, blushing. Was he really? She knew he was, but she was still having trouble believing it. Was it real? Was she dreaming?
"Wow," Rikku said, "I guess it's really no big deal, but…"
"But what?" Yuna asked.
"I just can't believe it, that's all," Rikku said, but she smiled, "I'm glad."
"I thought you'd be upset!"
"If he's serious, then I guess I'm alright," Rikku said, "Gippal told me that Tidus really likes you."
"Really?" Yuna asked, blushing again, although Tidus had flat-out told her so, "He told Gippal that?"
"Yeah, earlier while we were at the spa," Rikku said, nudging her cousin, "We can go on double dates now!"
Yuna laughed. The idea of double dates—well, dating period!—was so new to her.
"I just can't believe that you two started to like each other," Rikku said, eyeing her cousin, "No offense or anything, but you two are as different as night and day!"
"I know," Yuna said, sighing, "I guess it's true when they say opposites attract."
"Yeah," Rikku said slowly, "I guess so, but Gippal and I are so similar."
Yuna smiled. For the first time that summer, she felt happy to have the conversation switch to Rikku and Gippal. Yuna let Rikku ramble on, and eventually drifted into a perfect sleep.
-
"Why the hell are you sleeping with me?" Gippal moaned, as he walked into what had been his room to see Tidus sprawled out in the middle of what had been his bed.
Tidus yawned and said, "I'm tired of the couch. It's open though if you want it."
"Scoot over," Gippal just said, and Tidus did as told, "Why the hell is it okay now?"
"I came to senses with my love for you," Tidus said, laughing.
"That reminds me," Gippal said quickly, ignoring Tidus, "What the hell is up with Yuna and you?"
"Yuna?" Tidus asked, "Yuna who?"
"Don't be a smartass, Tidus, you know who."
Tidus shrugged. "Just some girl I mess around with," he said.
To his surprise, Gippal suddenly turned to face him violently and said, "You better not be serious, or I'll—."
"Whoa, you'll what?" Tidus cried, taken aback, "Gip, I'm kidding!"
"Sorry," Gippal said, relaxing, "It's just, Rikku cares so much about her."
"Yeah, well so do I," Tidus said quickly.
Gippal gave him a surprised glance and said, "Good. I'm happy for you two."
Tidus glanced at his friend and said, "You are?"
"Yeah. I thought it was too late for you."
"Yuna came to her senses," Tidus said, smiling a pleased smile.
"Yevon, I'm telling you right now Tidus, drop the ego or you're going to lose her."
"I'm kidding," Tidus said, "I know. I can't be a jerk anymore."
"Do you realize what this means?" Gippal asked Tidus, in almost a fatherly way, "You can't party anymore. You can't sleep around anymore. You have a commitment now, Tidus. Do you think you can handle that?"
"Of course," Tidus said surely. Of course he could…
"I don't mean to be like this, man," Gippal said, glancing at his friend again, "But if you hurt Yuna, it's going to hurt Rikku, and I'm going to hurt you."
Tidus looked at his friend to see if there was jest, but there wasn't. Gippal was serious.
"Relax Gippal," Tidus said, "The last thing I want to do is hurt Yuna. It'd kill me to see her cry."
Gippal smiled and said, "It's about time you came around."
"Dude, I'm feeling sick," Tidus said, rolling onto his stomach.
"It's called love, Tidus. Just accept defeat and move on."
"Ugh," Tidus just said into his pillow.
Gippal laughed and said, "She's perfect for you, Tidus."
"She's gonna have me whipped."
"It's not so bad," Gippal said, laughing.
Tidus sighed and said, "Yeah, I know."
"Okay, now go back to the couch," Gippal said, facing the opposite direction of Tidus.
"But Gip, I thought you loved me!" Tidus cried, laughing, "I told you, you go to the couch."
"Come on Tidus! You know, Rikku and I are getting up really early to watch the sunrise. You wanna come with Yuna?"
"No," came Tidus' answer.
"Why not?" Gippal cried.
"I can't get up that early!" came Tidus' quick answer.
"Fine, but Yuna might be disappointed. You can't be selfish in a relationship, Tidus."
"I can be selfish if I want," Tidus said into his pillow, causing his statement to be muffled.
"Don't make me hurt you," came Gippal's response to that.
"Dude Gip, you're gonna have me more whipped that Yuna will!" Tidus cried, and he yawned loudly, "Goodnight, Gippal."
"Goodnight," Gippal said, "We sound like pussies."
"Hey, you're the one that won't go to the couch."
"No, you're the one that won't go to the couch," Gippal reminded him.
Tidus simply pretended to already be asleep.
-
"You're up early," Yuna said, as the first thing she saw when she came down the stairs was Tidus, sitting at the kitchen, reading… Yuna stopped. "Why are you reading my book?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"I didn't know you read romance novels," Tidus said, frowning as he flipped the page.
"I didn't know you knew how to read," Yuna said, pulling the book from him.
"Hey, don't be mean," Tidus said, laughing, "Gip and Rikku have been out all morning. I wonder what they've been up to…"
"Rikku rambled on about how Gippal and her were taking a trip to Kilika, and how she hoped we didn't mind," Yuna said, sitting down next to Tidus, "I told her I did mind."
"Yeah, I wanted to go to Kilika!" Tidus cried, "Gip told me they were getting up early to watch the sunrise!"
"He lied," Yuna said, sighing loudly.
"Whatever," Tidus said, giving her a cheeky smile, "That gives us some alone time."
Yuna looked at him and said, "You've been reading too much of this novel. What did you do, flip open to the juicy parts?"
"Possibly," Tidus said, still grinning.
"It's not a romance novel anyway," Yuna said, "It's teenage fiction."
"Why do you read that junk?"
"Eighteen-year-olds are still teenagers," came Yuna's reply, as she took the book and set it far from him.
"So, what are we doing today?" Tidus asked, his eyes bright and cheerful.
"I don't know," Yuna said, shrugging, "I usually just read…"
"And I usually toss blitzballs! I win!" Tidus cried, scooping up a blitzball that he had left on the floor, "Let's go!"
"Tidus," Yuna said, and he noticed that her face seemed rather white, "…I-I'm not coordinated at all. I'll make a fool out of myself trying to play that game."
"Don't worry about it," Tidus said, spinning the ball on his finger, "I promise I'll play nice."
"I can't even catch," Yuna said, shaking her head.
"Okay, I'll give you ten seconds to think of something more fun to do," Tidus said, still spinning the ball, "Ten…Nine…Eight…Seven…"
"I know!" Yuna said then, smiling broadly.
"What?" Tidus asked, stopping both the spinning and his countdown.
"When Baralai and I were younger," Yuna began, only to get cut off by Tidus.
"Ugh, please don't say his name ever again," Tidus groaned.
"When Baralai and I were younger," Yuna repeated herself, ignoring his request, "We used to explore the forest. There are waterfalls and caves…It was really fun."
"…You want to explore?" Tidus asked, raising his eyebrows, "Aren't there bugs in the forest?"
Yuna laughed and said, "Don't be such a girl, Tidus!"
"I'm not," Tidus said, "I was worried about you."
Yuna laughed and said, "I'm the one that wants to, remember!"
"Right, right," Tidus said, "Alright, let's go."
"Great," Yuna said, smiling widely, "I think it'll be fun."
She led him into the warm sun of Besaid, and away from the beach.
"Yuna, look how inviting the water looks!" Tidus moaned, "Have you even gone swimming?"
"We'll go swimming tomorrow," Yuna answered, "Come on!"
She led the way toward the village, with Tidus following slowly, almost hesitantly. She turned to face him, and he couldn't help but smile as he noticed how her eyes were shimmering, obviously with excitement.
She laughed and quickly grabbed his hand, and led him forcefully down a very overgrown path.
"You sure we're supposed to go this way?" Tidus asked, as they started down the rarely travelled path.
"My father owns this land," Yuna said, giving Tidus a cheeky smile.
"Oh."
"He said someday, we'd build in here, because it's so pretty," Yuna said, "Sure, we wouldn't be able to see the beach, but that's alright. This is much more beautiful."
"So are you?"
"Am I what?"
"Building here," Tidus said.
Yuna's eyes instantly looked at the ground, and she said, "I doubt it. It won't be long before we sell that place like Baralai's selling his."
"Why's that?" Tidus asked, as Yuna led him deeper and deeper into the forest.
"My father doesn't have much time anymore," Yuna said, the words coming out slowly, almost as if it pained her, "He used to take the summers off, but now all he does is works."
"And that upsets you?" Tidus asked, looking surprised.
"Well yeah," Yuna said, "I forgot…You don't like your father."
Tidus laughed, which surprised her, and said, "Yuna, it's not that I don't like my father. It's that I hate him."
"I couldn't imagine hating my father," Yuna simply mumbled, but then she smiled widely and said, "We're almost to Baralai and my favorite spot!"
"Please don't say Baralai," Tidus said, looking downcast.
"Why not?" Yuna asked, "I chose you over him anyway, so what does it matter."
"Yeah, but was it really that hard of a choice?" Tidus asked, flashing her a dazzling smile.
Looking at that smile, Yuna would say that no, the choice wasn't hard at all, but she knew it had been at least somewhat difficult. She chose not to answer that question.
"Here it is!" she said, leading Tidus into a little opening.
"Wow," Tidus said, his eyes instantly widening. The trees seemed to make a little circular meadow, and on the north side of the meadow was a small waterfall, falling from the cliffs that enclosed them in.
"Baralai and I used to try to climb this cliff," Yuna said, laughing, "We weren't very smart."
Tidus laughed as well and said, "You two are kind of lacking when it comes to common sense."
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean!" Yuna cried, but she wore a smile anyway.
Tidus walked over to the waterfall and ran his hands through the water thoughtfully, before saying, "Did you ever succeed in climbing all the way up?"
"No," came Yuna's reply, and she noticed Tidus' eyes skimming the wall. "You're not going to try, are you?" her voice was becoming alarmed.
"It looks like it's fairly easy to climb," he said, "I wonder what it's like on top of the cliff?"
"Let's not find out," Yuna said, "I thought you were saying I had no common sense!"
Tidus just laughed, and began to test his weight on the little bits that stuck out of the cliff.
"Seriously Tidus, knock it off," Yuna said, "You could fall. I almost fell once!"
"It's not that high," Tidus said, "It's only about fifteen feet."
"That's a lot!" Yuna cried. Tidus ignored her though, and began to climb.
Yuna's eyes widened as she watched as he easily maneuvered his way up.
"It's easy," he called down to her, "Baralai and you were probably just too little."
Yuna swallowed, and remembered that the only reason she had ever attempted to climb the cliff in the first place was because Baralai had challenged her. It seemed to her as if Tidus was challenging her now. Taking a deep breath and biting her bottom lip nervously, Yuna followed Tidus' path, shocked at how easy it really was.
Soon enough, Tidus was over the edge, and Yuna was having no trouble climbing either. Tidus' head appeared over the edge, and he had a huge smile.
"Come on!" he said, grabbing Yuna's hand and pulling her the rest of the way, "You have to see this!"
As soon as she was standing on the cliff's edge, which turned out to basically plateau at the peak, her mouth grew agape. The view was unbelievable.
"Hey, I see your house!" Tidus cried, grabbing her arm and pointing toward her house, "Hey, and there's the blitz team practicing! Look at the little village! The water sure looks blue from here!"
Yuna couldn't speak. She couldn't believe how perfect the view was from that point. Baralai and her were truly missing out by being unable to climb the cliff. There was a little bit of long grass, but otherwise the ground was all dirt and rocks. A small pond was located on the west of the plateau, with a small stream heading down the cliff, monitored by a small beaver's nest.
"So this is where the waterfall comes from," Yuna said, finally able to find her breath.
"Yeah, weird, huh?" Tidus said, "Hey, do you think Gippal and Rikku are on that boat?"
Yuna didn't answer. She was too busy looking at the pond. The wind was much more prevalent at their height, but it felt good. The air was much less sticky, making the Besaid weather the most tolerable Yuna had ever felt it.
Yuna walked over closer to where Tidus was standing, and took a seat on the dirt, pulling her knees up to her and resting her head on them. "I could stay up here forever," she mused softly.
"Me too," Tidus said, taking a seat next to her. He leaned back against his hands and looked thoughtful. "So we leave in three days?" he questioned.
Yuna nodded slowly.
"Let's spend the rest of our time up here," Tidus said, smiling at her, "Away from Gippal and Rikku."
Yuna laughed and said, "What would we do up here?"
"This," Tidus said, leaning in to kiss her.
"Tidus, we can't just kiss!" Yuna cried, leaning away from him.
Tidus' eyes popped open, and he said, "Whoa, calm down Yuna. I figured you'd want to take it nice and slow."
Yuna laughed and said, "No, I meant we can't just spend the rest of our time kissing!"
"Well, we'd have to eat sometime," Tidus said, giving her a cheeky smile.
"I guess you're right," Yuna said, and with that, she allowed him to kiss her.
And so they sat, kissing in what they were both sure was the most picturesque spot in all of Besaid.