The man cracked an overstuffed manila envelope open and dumped the contents onto his desk. He perused the papers for a few moments before peering up at the tired and deceivingly well-dressed man in the chair across from him. "Felix DiMarco, eh?"

Felix tugged at his dress pants, trying in vain to make the plank of starched khaki somewhat wearable. I swear, that is the last time I leave Tracy in charge of my laundry. "S'what the papers say."

"Ten years in Special Forces?"

"I'd say that's about right."

"Five tours in three separate theaters?" One of the badgers sleeping on the interviewer's forehead raised its head.

"Ain't the brightest things I've ever done," Felix said, cracking his neck.

"Two silver stars."

Felix cleaned his watch on his wrinkled polo. "Ain't I a good boy."

"General discharge."

"Maybe not."

He slammed his hand on the desk and glared at Felix. "Are you always such a goddamn prick?"

"Mostly. I haven't had a smoke in… six hours, at the least." Felix smiled again. "They wouldn't let me light up on the plane. I can take a goddamn screwdriver in my carry-on, but smoke? Jesus, me without a cigarette is more fuckin' dangerous than Achmed's water bottle!"

The man grunted and clicked his pen. "You oughta just quit."

"Who are you, my wife?" Felix chuckled. "'Sides, I can't."

A grunt. "Hmm. Tried the patch?"

"The patch, the gum, those fuckin' motivational tapes with the bastard who sounds like Ken Burns, I've tried 'em all. Don't matter. Smokin' ain't killed me yet."

"You know it causes cancer, right?"

"And drinking kills my liver," Felix laughed. "When it's your time, it's your time. Don't matter if you smoke, or drink, or run a thirty-minute mile. 'Sides, a bullet'll get me before smoking will."

"I think some people skills are necessary to get this job."

"Busting heads doesn't require much diplomacy. I applied for a field position, not desk jockey."

"But security requires subtlety, which you seem to lack."

"Hard to be subtle when you're six foot tall, two hundred-odd pounds."

"Hmm. What kind of shape are you in?"

"Depending on whether or not horizontal stripes actually add weight," Felix said, rubbing his whiskers, "I could squat you."

"How's your shooting?"

"You've got the folder, you tell me."

The man mumbled to himself. "Lieutenant's Evaluation, huh? Says here 'Sergeant DiMarco can hit a squirrel in the left nut at whatever range and with whatever weapons platform.'"

Felix laughed. "Is that what Dave said?"

"Lieutenant Villalobos said that, yes. Do you agree?"

"Let's just say there's a very unhappy rodent somewhere in Farmington right now."

"Blacktip Security provides protection to high-level government officials. Do you think you could handle the pressure of escorting the Vice President?"

Felix grinned. "I didn't vote for him, so yeah."

The interviewer scowled. "Would it kill you to act civilized for a few minutes? I ought to end this interview right now."

"I need a fuckin' cigarette."

Another scowl.

"I need a fuckin' cigarette, sir."

He slapped the manila folder onto the desk. "We're done here."

---

Felix opened his eyes and stared at the now-familiar roof of his cabin. His hand still hurt, his lip stung, and he needed a cigarette. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and limped to the pile of clothes in the corner. He geared up, but stopped when he noticed a yellow note resting on the table.

Felix,

Out shopping. Yuna's speaking at the memorial service in the temple in an hour, so find something to occupy yourself until then.

Lulu.

He sighed, crumpled the note into a ball, and tossed it over his shoulder.

As he walked through it, Felix noticed that the village seemed empty. How late did I sleep? On a hunch, he made his way to the temple and cracked the door open.

Yuna stood at the top of the stairs, flanked by two Crusaders. "—The tragic loss of innocent life was truly just that – a tragedy, that we could not have foreseen." She smiled as Felix walked in. "However, thanks to one man's efforts, further tragedy was averted."

Don't do it. Don't fucking think about-

"I would like to ask of you one thing: regardless of what surfaces, we must not react with anger. The men responsible for the taking of innocent lives must be brought to answer for their crimes by the proper method, and not circumvention of justice." Yuna cleared her throat, a harsh sound that didn't fit Felix's mental image of her at all. Her usually soft voice rang off the high ceiling with an equally uncharacteristic authority. "With your help, we can form a strong, united front in the faces of those who would cause us to fall."

The audience broke into thunderous applause, and Felix joined in despite himself. He waded through the crowd until he came to the foot of the stairs. "Damn good speech, Yuna."

Yuna smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah, what I saw, anyway."

She smiled again. "You couldn't tell how nervous I was?"

Felix laughed. "You just had to picture all of us in our underwear, right?"

Yuna blushed. "I had less trouble with some than others."

Hoo.

"Did you sleep well?" She continued.

"Yeah. Sorry I slept in so late," Felix apologized, his thumbs hooked through his belt. "You could've woken me up, though."

"I hate to wake someone who's snoring," Yuna laughed. "Which you were. Loudly."

"Sorry."

"It's okay."

Felix tapped his belt buckle. "That loud, huh?"

Yuna laughed again. "Our tents aren't that far apart."

"I figured the huge-ass one right next to the temple-"

She pressed a finger to her lips. "That's where High Summoner Yuna stays. Girl Who Wants To Sleep Yuna's tent is right next to yours."

"Good to know." He tapped his fingers on his belt clasp. Felix didn't blame her for having two tents; if he'd been a celebrity himself, he'd do the same thing. "Out of curiosity, where's the bathroom around here?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, there was a head on the Liki, but I haven't seen any outhouses here."

Yuna flushed bright red before bursting into rib-splitting laughter. "The woods!"

Felix raised an eyebrow."Yeah, that's fine for me, but I mean-"

She blushed again. "There's… erm… facilities in the woods, as well."

"If I'm guarding your ass – no pun intended – then I need to know where you're… eh, you know."

"Fair enough." The redness remained in Yuna's face.

He nodded. "Believe me, I hate pisser duty just as much as you. I'm not going in with you, I just needed to know where it was."

"Is that what you usually do?"

"You don't even want to know," Felix said, shaking his head. If I ever spend another night outside a senator's bathroom door in Mexico City waiting for bad chili con carne to run its course, it'll be too goddamn soon.

Yuna smiled. "You're doing good today."

"Huh?"

She pointed at the door. "There's more sphere recorders in here than at the café, Felix. You haven't shoved your hand in one yet."

He shrugged. "Nobody's said anything to me."

"Did you find a way to 'light up'?" Yuna asked, tugging her floral obi.

"Nah. And I ain't waitin' for Lulu to get the rock out of her-"

"Felix."

"I'm not countin' on her, s'what I meant. Anyone got a match?"

"Sorry."

He looked around. His eyes settled on one of the lamps burning at the foot of the stairwell.

Yuna seemed to read his mind. "Don't even think about it."

One of the reporters glanced their way, and began his voyage across the sea of people.

"Unless you want me to kill that bastard, I'm lighting up." Felix lit his cigarette off the blue flame and took a few puffs.

"Lady Yuna! There's a rumor going around that you've gained another Guardian! You, sir! Can you comment?" The reporter swiveled the microphone to Felix, who promptly shoved it away.

"Keep it out of my face, buddy."

"Sir, are you-"

"I'm the guy who's going to be kicking someone's assif that someone doesn't get the fuck out of my face," he warned, his hand resting on his pistol. "Got me?"

The reporter retreated into the crowd.

"Didn't I already warn you about using profanity in the temple?"

A smile behind a cigarette. "My bad, boss."

"So much for doing good," Yuna sighed. "Felix, you do realize that people are going to find out eventually."

"Doesn't mean I need to put up with pencilneck over there."

"What is it with you and the media?"

He tapped ash onto the floor. "Let's just say I have a history with them."

She frowned. "You might not want to get ash everywhere in here. High Priest Silber is notoriously picky about how clean the temple stays."

Great. Another Cap-O Garcia. "Yeah, I know the type."

Yuna raised herself on tiptoe to try and look over the crowd. "Are Lulu and Wakka back yet? I can't see."

Felix scanned the room. "Nah, they aren't here. She said she was out shopping."

"You two are talking again?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Unh-uh. She left me a note."

"I was close."

"Not really," Felix chuckled. "It was probably the most unfriendly note I've gotten since… hell… since my divorce."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, I don't really want to talk about it."

"That's okay," she said. "You don't have to."

"Thanks." Yeah, for not prying. It was nice to talk to someone who didn't try and dig into his business, even when Felix was the one who brought it up. "What's on the agenda for the rest of the day?"

"When Lulu and Wakka get back from shopping, the Aurochs are having practice. He pulled some strings to let you practice with them."

Felix raised an eyebrow. "I've seen one game, and you want me to practice with the champs?"

She poked him in the shoulder. "If you're not a champ, you're a chump, right?"

"Low blow," he laughed. "I'd hate to be a chump."

Yuna flicked her eyes to the floor and mumbled something.

"Hmm? Didn't hear you."

"Sorry. Talking to myself."

"Careful," Felix warned, "or you might give one of those reporters the story of his life."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. I'd hate for them to run a story about the crazy High Summoner. Wouldn't look good for me," he chuckled. "Crazy employers don't look good on a resume."

"We'd hate to ruin your good reputation, right?"

"Da- got that right," Felix said, grinning. The grin dropped as his eyes locked with the eyes of a girl leaning against a statue.

The swirling, green eyes of a girl leaning against a statue.

What the fuck is an Al-Bhed doing here?

Yuna noticed the incongruent presence at the same time as Felix. "Rikku!" She squealed. She raced to the side of the girl, and the two embraced, rocking back and forth and talking fast enough that Felix had no goddamn idea what they were saying.

Felix dashed over and snapped the thumb break on his holster. "Who the hell are you," he growled. She wore an orange tank top and green shorts that left little to his colorful imagination. Long, blonde braids reached to her narrow waist.

The girl immediately focused on his pistol. "Hey! Are you an Al-Bhed too?"

"You didn't answer my question," Felix snarled. "Who the fu-" He paused and corrected himself. "Who are you?"

Yuna placed a hand on Felix's, stopping him from pulling the gun out. "Felix, I'd like you to meet Rikku. She's one of my guardians as well. Rikku, Felix."

He grunted and snapped the holster shut again. "Nice to meet you."

Rikku's eyes twinkled. "Meanie! Reaching for a machina just because you don't know me!" Her pink lips twisted into a frown. "Where'd you get it, anyway? You aren't an Al-Bhed, but you have machina, and tattoos."

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Aw," Rikku said, pursing her lips, "are you mad?"

Felix's unrestrained hand wandered to his knife. "I asked you a question," he said. "Now answer it."

"Yunie answered for me!"

"Second question."

Rikku put her hands on her hips. "Why you gotta treat me like-"

"I have a very good reason not to be friendly with you."

Yuna flinched. "I thought the cigarette helped."

"It did," Felix admitted. His eyes flicked back to Rikku. "But that ain't it."

"Is it my hair?" Rikku teased.

"Don't fu-"

"Felix, please. She's okay."

He grunted. I still don't trust you, little girl. Yuna's Guardian or not, you need watching.

"So how did you meet Yunie?"

Felix glanced at Yuna.

"He's-"

"I'm from Luca," Felix interrupted. "Yuna asked me to be one of her guardians."

"Yes. That's how we met."

Rikku put her hands on her hips again. "Did you hear what almost happened to Yunie in Luca? Where were you then, Mister Guardian?"

"She didn't hire-" Yuna gave Felix a nudge, and he corrected himself. "She didn't ask until after all that. Sometimes that's what it takes."

Yuna smiled.

"You should've gotten that Diesel guy to be your guardian," Rikku chirped. "He saved your life twice, you know?"

"Yes, I'm fully aware of that."

Rikku grinned at Felix. "Makin' you jealous?"

"No."

"You still didn't tell me how come you look like an Al-Bhed," the girl prattled.

"Rikku, Yuna seems to like you, so she'd be awful upset if I put you through a wall."

"You aren't very friendly, are you? Do you need a hug?"

Before he could respond, Rikku leapt from her spot near Yuna and wrapped her arms around Felix.

"Rikku, I don't think that's smart."

Felix pried the Al-Bhed off his body and dropped her unceremoniously to the floor. "If you're going to act like a monkey, do it on someone else." Unless you suddenly age ten years. Shit, with the way things work around here, I wouldn't be surprised at all. His mind tugged at Felix's pants and reminded him that he hadn't hadsex in almost a month. That nurse in Kabul didn't count, Felix decided. Right before the divorce, on the rare occasions he screwed her, Tracy acted more like a doll than a woman. Submissiveness didn't bother Felix, but apathy certainly did.

Especially when he didn't know what caused it.

Rikku giggled and looked at Yuna.

"Sure," Yuna laughed, breaking Felix's uncomfortable introspection.

Yuna accepted the leaping hug with open arms, and Felix grinned again. He'd love to see the headlines that could come from a picture of that.

"How are Brother and Cid doing?" Yuna asked.

Rikku's eyes lit up. "They've used the airship to carry parts from Spira to Bikanel," she said, waving her hands in exaggerated motions. "Home is almost totally fixed!" She looked back at Felix. "So you're a Guardian too?"

"Yeah, think I said that already."

"Cool!"

"You staying here?" Translation: I'm going to be on you like stink on shit.

"Nope!"

Guess not.

"I'm leaving on the airship tomorrow morning, actually. I just came by to say hi to my favorite cousin!" She planted a wet kiss on Yuna's cheek before skipping off. "Bye!"

Yuna wiped her cheek and smiled. "Sorry about that."

"She's obnoxious, but it's nothing to apologize about. Don't sweat it."

"Thanks."

"I said, 'don't sweat it'."

"Um… okay?"

"There we go," Felix chuckled. "Ain't so hard."

She smiled. "Now I really don't think you'll be anonymous for much longer."

So you think that Rikku girl can figure this out? Interesting. "Maybe not." Felix sighed and rubbed his whiskers. "Don't matter."

"Really?"

Felix sighed. "You said it yourself: 'people are going to find out sooner or later'. Looks like sooner."

Yuna spun her ring. "It bothers you, doesn't it?"

"Hmm?"

"The thought of people knowing who you are. It bothers you, right?"

"What'd you mean by that?"

She squinted at Felix. "You just seem… tense."

"Yeah? Having your name plastered on every damn newspaper in the country can do that to you," Felix said, halfway truthfully. A faded family picture behind a pane of cracked glass stared at him from the other half of the truth.

"So it is what's bothering you."

"S'not what I said."

"Yes, it is."

"S'not what I meant, then."

"No fair," she protested. "I can't read your mind!"

"Thank God," Felix laughed.

"Afraid of your secrets getting out?" Yuna asked with a conspicuous wink.

"Something along those lines."

"Speaking of, you still haven't told me what those markings mean."

Felix sighed. His employer or not, Yuna's friendliness was undeniable, and seemed genuine. "I got the flames when I turned sixteen."

Her eyes widened. "Sixteen?"

"Yeah. Told the guy behind the counter I was twenty. Worked, too." He chuckled. "'Course, mom and dad weren't too thrilled with it." Felix willed away a pang of remorse with a long drag on the cigarette.

"What about the others?"

He blew the smoke in the general direction of the crowd. "There's a saying where I come from: 'curiosity killed the cat'."

"What's a cat?"

"Nevermind," Felix said, shaking his head. "It means that asking too many questions screws you over."

"Sorry; I didn't mean to upset you."

"Don't sweat it," Felix smiled. "Just something for you to keep in mind when you're talking to people." He tapped another length of ash to the floor. "Now, didn't you say Wakka's supposed to be here?"

"Yes, he and Lulu should be here already. I wonder what's keeping them?"

Felix flashed a grin. "Knowing Lulu, I bet they're hav-"

"Felix."

"Hey," he protested, "so I'm not allowed to finish my sentences anymore?"

"Not that one," Yuna said, crossing her arms. "I told you already that you and Lulu need to iron out your differences quickly."

"Hope you brought one big-ass iron, 'cause-"

"Felix."

He sighed. "Fine, boss. I'll talk to her in a week or so, once her time is-"

"Felix."

Felix groaned. "Damn, Yuna, lighten up!"

"I'm perfectly 'lightened up', just not when one of my Guardians is making rude comments about another."

"Noted." Felix drummed his fingers against his pistol.

"Hey, Brudda!"

Felix turned around. Wakka and Lulu, Riko in tow, walked through the double doors and into the temple. "Hey, Wakka."

"Yuna. I'm sorry I missed your speech," Lulu said, brushing past Felix.

Wakka raised an eyebrow. "You say something to her, Brudda?"

Felix shrugged. "If you can't run with the big dogs," he said, blowing a cloud of smoke into the air, "stay the hell on the porch."

"Yeah, but, I dunno, maybe you oughta apologize?" Wakka rubbed the back of his neck. "We're all Guardians, you know?"

"I think we have to pay him first," Lulu said, her voice clipped.

Yuna gave Felix a meaningful look, which he ignored. "Remember what I said?" He asked, flicking ash in the general direction of Lulu's boots. "Clamp it."

"We are all Yuna's Guardians. Nobody's irreplaceable."

Heeled footsteps clattered on the wooden floor as Yuna turned and ran into one of the side rooms of the temple. A low murmur rippled through the watching crowd.

Lulu sighed. "Wakka, I need to talk with her. You stay here and watch Riko." She walked after Yuna, through the path the younger woman cleared through a throng of confused audience members. The murmur reached a climax and quieted back down.

"What's eatin' Yuna?"

Wakka shrugged. "I dunno, Brudda, but I wanna know what happened between you and Lu. You say something to her?"

Felix narrowed his eyes at Wakka. "The hell do you keep accusing me of saying something to her? Ever think it might be the other way around?"

"I know Lu, and I've never seen her act like that to anyone."

"Oh?" Felix blew a cloud of smoke at the crowd. "Try listening in on some of our conversations."

"Brudda," Wakka said, crossing his arms. "I'm not gonna get in your face about this, but I'm not happy that my wife and you can't seem to get along, you know? We're all in this together, Brudda, so whatever happened with you two, take care of it."

"I'm sorry, I can't quite hear you from all the way up on that goddamn horse."

Wakka squared his chest to Felix. "Listen, Brudda. I don't know what's the matter with you, but you better get your shit sorted out with Lu."

Felix slipped his hands from his pockets. "Pull your head out of your ass. Your woman started this shit; she can come and fuckin' apologize to me. Don't act so goddamn high and mighty."

"What," Wakka demanded, "in the name of the Fayth did she say that's got you all worked up, Brudda?"

"You ever been called a whore?"

Wakka's eyebrows shot up. "What's that have to-"

"Then don't try and mediate." Felix cracked his knuckles and narrowed his eyes. "Because you might find yourself in deeper shit than you think."

"Yeah?" Wakka tapped his foot. "Well, Brudda, I've never heard Lu act like that to anyone. And I don't know what-"

"I never drank somethin' that magically healed a cut before. There's a first time for everything."

"Either way," Wakka said, "we gotta all be workin' together for Yuna's sake, ya? Especially after what's been happening lately."

Felix nodded. "Someone's definitely got issues with Yuna."

Wakka bit his lip. "Anyway, I guess we all owe you thanks for the other day, Brudda."

He flicked his ash provocatively close to Wakka's sandals. "Yuna said you wanted me to practice with you guys today?"

"Yeah," Wakka said, seemingly relieved by the subject change. "I figured that if she didn't want people to know you were her Guardian, we could at least say you're just a new player, ya?"

"Don't think I'll be much of a Blitzballer."

"With a build like that?" Wakka's enthusiasm seemed to carry a dark undercurrent. "Brudda, you'll do great at practice!"

"Guess we'll find out."

---

As he sputtered to the surface, Felix reflected on just how much hated it when he was right. Who in the fucking world can hold their breath for an entire game? Everybody but me, that's who! He spat a stream of blood into the water as he decided that maybe Blitzball just wasn't his thing. At all.

The dark undercurrent he noted earlier was not just a figment of his imagination. A voice in the back of Felix's head whispered that the last tackle served more to let Wakka vent aggression than teach the ropes to a new player. Felix couldn't deny that – after all, telling a man to his face that his wife had a rock up there tended to produce violent results. That sunburned cockatoo had a mean streak, and a rock-solid elbow to the face served as proof. Oh fucking well. Felix had more respect for Wakka after the hit, mostly because the islander let 'em hang and stood up for his wife. Felix remembered having to do something like that, once.

'Course, after how things turned out with Tracy, that was probably a mistake.

He swam to the pier, leaving the inhuman breath-holding skills to be practiced by people who knew what in the fuck they were doing. Felix pulled himself up onto the wood and sat on the edge, let the water run down his legs and back into the ocean. He ran a hand over the stubble on the top of his head. Maybe I'll let it grow a little bit. What's the harm, eh?

"Rough practice?" Yuna sat down beside Felix. Her ever-present purple skirt fluttered in the weak breeze.

"Yeah, you could say that."

"What else could you say?"

"Ever watched a fish out of water?"

"Yes," Yuna laughed. "Is that what you feel like?"

"Hell yeah."

"Did Wakka kick you out?"

"No," Felix chuckled, "I left after they figured out that I couldn't hold my breath for all that long. I got to let loose, though, and Wakka returned the favor."

Yuna narrowed her eyes. "What happened?"

"First Blitz-off, I socked him hard enough to wake up his daddy. Right after that, he elbowed me in the mouth." Felix spat a stream of blood into the water. "Dammit, that lip was startin' to heal." Felix chuckled and flexed his hand. "I think I cracked my knuckle on his face, though."

She cringed. "Not what I'd call sportsmanlike."

Felix shrugged. "It ain't a sport without a few gratuitous fouls. Plus, at least we had an excuse to wail on each other. Better than knocking the shit out of each other in the temple, eh?"

"You tried to start something in the tem-"

"Christ, why is it always my fault?" Felix asked the sky. "We had an interesting conversation, yeah, and we worked our differences out the quick way. Don't think that'll work on Lulu, though. Though I'd sure like to try."

"I do hope you two can stop clawing at each other's throats."

"Do unto others as they do unto you," Felix chuckled. "I'll back down when she apologizes."

Yuna sighed, shook her head, and changed the subject. "How long did you make it?"

"How long can I hold my breath, you mean? Five minutes."

Yuna's eyes widened. "Really? I can only hold it for two."

"Not bad." Felix scratched an itch on his shoulder. "We had to learn how to hold our breath in SF School."

"Special Forces, right?"

"Yeah; I remember that goddamn swim test. Full combat load, off a diving board, into a pool. Blindfolded."

"Wow."

"Yeah. I freaked out my first time," he laughed. Felix knew Yuna didn't have a clue what he was talking about, but it did feel good to talk, regardless of the subject. "The instructors had to haul me out and make me go again."

"But you did it, right?"

"Yeah. Don't gotta like it, just gotta do it."

"If you can hold your breath for so long, why didn't you stay?"

"I can hold it for five when I'm not getting drilled in the face," Felix said. "Which I was."

"Not everyone can be a Blitzer."

"Guess not. I'm better at my job, anyway."

Yuna tried to dip her bare feet in the water, but fell over the edge instead. "Hey! Help me back up!"

Felix laughed and extended his hand. "Here." He wrapped his fingers around her thin wrist and pulled her straight up, making sure not to scratch her against the wood. Felix played his eyes over her wet form before returning Yuna to the pier. The folds of her clothing clung to Yuna's surprisingly well-shaped figure, and Felix raised an eyebrow in not-so-subtle appreciation. For a politician, she's got a damn nice body.

"Thanks."

"No problem," he said. "But you oughta just wear something more appropriate if you're gonna swim." And so I can take a better look at-

Yuna laughed, interrupting a promising string of thoughts. "I don't feel like swimming just yet."

"You'd rather sit on the edge of a dock like a dumbass?"

"I'm just enjoying the sun," Yuna said, swinging her legs. She wiped the water from her face, and Felix thanked the God he didn't believe in for the miracle of wet canvas as he glanced at Yuna. The trunks Wakka loaned him concealed the gradual stiffening of the way he suddenly felt like making Yuna wet. Felix couldn't tell whether his arousal came from a genuine appreciation of Yuna's looks, or his month-long celibate streak."But it's nice to have someone to talk to, you know?"

"Glad to hear I have a purpose."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Felix. Not everyone can Blitz."

"Yeah, but I hate failing at anything."

"Nobody's perfect."

"Never stopped me from trying. Anyway, why'd you have to give that speech today?"

"Bevelle asked me to address the people."

"Who's she?"

"Bevelle is Spira's capitol city. It's where the Council of Yevon used to meet."

"Used to?"

"Mhmm." Yuna slicked her hair out of her eyes. "The Council hasn't met since the start of the Eternal Calm."

"Eternal Calm?" Felix asked, trying to keep his eyes above Yuna's shoulders for most of the time.

"All the years that will come after mine."

"Sin, right?"

"Yes." She smiled at the sky.

"Why's the Council not meeting?"

Yuna's smile dropped. "They didn't support me holding office, and showed their dissent by refusing to convene."

Felix shrugged. "Makes sense to me."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, in a stupid way." He shook his head.

She toyed with her earring. "You've been quite the sensation with the news, lately," Yuna observed, changing the subject.

He frowned. "I thought you said nobody knew who I was."

"That's right," Yuna admitted, "they don't. But they do know that everywhere I've been, you've been there with me."

"Suspicious?"

"No. But you know how the media makes mountains out of molehills."

"Damn right," Felix grunted. "So what'd they say about me?"

"Nothing much." Yuna waved her hands in front of her and mimicked the layout of the headline. "Just 'Lady Yuna seen with strange man – a new guardian?'"

"Shit. Guess you were right, earlier."

"Lulu was upset, to say the least. She's worried that me being seen with you in public is detrimental to my public image." Yuna sighed. "She's like the mother I never had."

Mom. The pang of remorse was harder for him to shake away this time. "Yeah," Felix said, forcing himself to think about something else. "Is that why she's such a-"

"Felix."

He sighed. "Point stands."

"It might be."

Felix sighed again. "Guess that makes sense."

"Are you going to apologize to her?"

"Hell no."

Yuna spun her ring. "But you just said-"

"I'm a lot of things," Felix said, frowning, "but I am not a whore."

Yuna raised an eyebrow. "She called you that?"

"She called me a mercenary," Felix growled. "It's the same thing."

"You do fight for money," Yuna said, her eyebrow raised. "It's mean to say, and I'm not defending her, but she-"

"There is a massive fucking difference between a contractor and a merc," Felix snapped, "and you better learn that."

Yuna looked away. "I didn't know… it offended you that much."

"Yeah? Well, it does." Felix spat into the ocean. The sun glared angrily at him. He could still remember sitting at the huge table under the ornate chandelier; could still remember a pair of hazel eyes pinning him to his chair as though he were coming home from school with a shiner again. He'd half expected the same punishment as that earlier offense, but the verbal lashing Felix received in its place was infinitely worse.

Marks on your body went away.

Marks on your heart didn't.

He felt a wet hand grip his arm. "Felix… I'm sorry."

Felix shook her off and stood up. His throat felt raw. "I'm going for a walk."

"Felix, I-"

"Leave it alone," he ordered, his voice clipped.

---

Felix pulled himself up until his chin cleared the branch. The pain in his arms turned from dull to screaming. He forced his muscles to let him down slowly; the bark scraped his hands as Felix's body lowered. One more. He tried for one more rep. One more pull. His arms gave out, and he fell to the ground. "Fuck," he snarled. "You sonuvabitch, you can't handle one more?" Felix staggered to his feet and stretched.

He refused to allow himself to sit down. His heart pounded in his ribcage, and sweat covered his reddened skin. Felix knew what he had to prove, it was his body's goddamn fault he couldn't. That word still hung in his head.

Mercenary.

And all the words that came after it.

Felix clenched his aching fists. He'd do whatever it took to make everyone see what he could do; to show the world what he was made of.

The branch taunted him. You can't do it, it teased. You'll never be able to.

"Fuck yourself," Felix spat. He dropped himself to the ground and began hammering out pushups in a painfully harsh rhythm. Each push sharpened the images in his mind – the old man with a perennial, dark scowl; the old woman wringing her hands; a younger version of himself slamming doors and stomping out of a yellow building.

He was a better man, now.

He'd prove it.

Maybe then his family would forgive him for dragging the DiMarco name through the mud.

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A/N: Apologies for the long update time. I'm working as hard as I can to get these chapters done without sacrificing quality of work. Thanks for reading and reviewing, and see you all next update!

PS: For the record, Felix was NOT abused as a kid. There is a "massive fucking difference", in our favorite asshole's own words, between abuse and appropriately harsh punishment. Our touchy-feely society seems to ignore that. Just thought I should clarify.