Chapter Eighteen

"I don't know what kind of game you and that bitch are playing, but Auron is mine, understand? You lost, High Summoner. Accept that."

"You don't even love him," Yuna shot back. "You're going to spend the rest of your life with him just to get back at Rikku? That's pathetic."

Giia smiled smugly. "I don't intend to spend the rest of my life with him. Just the rest of hers."

There was silence for a second, then Paine drew her sword. "You little-"

Yuna grabbed her arm. "Paine, don't. It won't help."

"Oh I really think it would," she growled, not letting go of the hilt of her blade.

Yuna's own hand was on the butt of her gun, but she didn't let go of her friend's arm. "It'll only sink us to her level. Rikku needs us."

"I wouldn't think she'll need you for all that long now. She hasn't got long to live after all." The gun came out of its holster, and got rammed underneath Giia's chin. A smirk formed on her face. "Go on. Do it. Let's see who he believes."

---

Auron was having a bad day. First of all, all of the people – save one – that he'd invited to his wedding had turned up late, bursting into the Temple actually trying to stop it. Then, they'd started yelling a mix of stuff about Rikku's life being in danger, but unless he was going deaf, they hadn't actually said why. He held his hands up. "Stop."

They all shut up, then started talking all at once again. "Shut up!" He pointed at Tidus. "You. Talk. Everyone else quiet."

Giia stood in front of him. "Honey, you're not actually going to listen to them, are you?"

"Giia, please, let me just sort out what they're actually saying." He hated it when she called him honey. He really wasn't a honey type of guy. Yuna and Paine pulled Giia away, and they started talking in low voices. He turned back to Tidus and Wakka. "Now what's this about Rikku?"

"She's going to die!"

"When? And…how?"

"Like right now if you carry on with this!"

"Carry on with what?" Auron asked, utterly confused.

"Getting married!"

"What?! How will me getting married kill Rikku?" He raised his eyebrows, a suspicion forming. "Wait, this is some stupid, made-up thing, isn't it?"

"No! She's literally going to die!"

"How?"

Tidus opened his mouth, but then stopped. "I can't tell you."

"I don't have time for this."

Wakka butted in. "No, it's real, brudda. Rikku's made-"

"Wakka! No!"

"What has she done?" Auron asked, still concerned even if they weren't making sense. "Is she in danger?"

"Yes."

"Because I'm getting married." He looked at them over the top of his glasses, still on even on his wedding day. "You realise that sounds-" He cut off when he saw where Yuna's gun was. "Yuna! What the hell are you doing?"

She jumped at the sound of his voice and removed it quickly. "Sorry, Sir Auron, but-"

"I don't care, Yuna! All of you, get out, I've had enough! I don't what you and Rikku think you're playing at, but neither do I care. Get out, right now!" They all looked incredibly disappointed, and left apart from Yuna, who paused at the doors.

"Sir Auron, I'm sorry for that," she said, throwing Giia a venomous look, "but it really is important that I speak with you."

He sighed; despite what she'd just done, it was difficult to deny his summoner anything. It was just bred into him now, even if she wasn't even a summoner anymore. "Fine. I'll talk to you later. At the Agency." She nodded and left.

"Why the hell are you going to talk to her?" Giia immediately yelled. "Didn't you see what she just did?"

He sighed and put his hands on her shoulders. "I know, I know. But please understand, Rikku is a friend, and Yuna is my summoner."

"Not anymore she's not!"

"That's not the point. She was once, and you know how important she is to me," he said calmly. He'd not seen Giia lose her temper too often, but he supposed being interrupted during your wedding was a good enough reason for anyone to get angry.

Giia looked as though she was trying very hard to rein it in. "Then please tell me you don't believe what she was saying about Rikku, because that was clearly the biggest load of bullshit I've ever-"

He held up a palm. "In that case she can tell me more rationally what she was saying. I know when I'm being lied to, Giia." (A/N: Like hell he does!)

She crossed her arms but finally let out a small smile. "Ok, I understand."

"Thank you," he said, kissing her forehead.

She nodded as he turned. "Auron, wait a sec!"

He faced her. "What is it?"

She grinned, grabbed his jacket and kissed him passionately until they were both breathless. Still grinning, she let go. "You can go if you promise to come back and marry me."

He touched her cheek. "I will."

"Ahem," the priest spoke up. "I am afraid that it's not possible to do it now. I have other engagements that require my immediate attention."

Giia let out a noise of aggravation. "Argh! I can't believe this! I'm going to kill that woman!" Immediately she bit her lip and looked at Auron. "I'm not really, I'm just frustrated! All I wanted to do was marry you today!"

"So we'll do it again. Without anyone else this time. In a week."

She looked up at him in a look that reminded him almost painfully of Rikku, and nodded. "A week."

Yuna was pacing up and down anxiously when Auron opened the door of the Agency. "Sir Auron! Thank goodness!"

He folded his arms and fixed her with his most 'I-am-not-impressed' glare. "Where's everyone else?"

"Back on the Celsius, I thought it would be easier to explain with just one of us."

"Good. Then you can explain why you pulled a gun on my bride."

Yuna did have the decency to look ashamed of herself. "I am sorry, but Giia- You didn't hear what she was saying. In fact, I mean no disrespect, Sir Auron, but you don't know the real Giia."

"Yuna, stop. I'm sick of being told that I don't know the real Giia. I'm marrying her. I know as much as I need to."

Yuna thought it was an extremely odd way of putting it, and almost asked him if he loved Giia – then was reminded that if he said yes it would mean Rikku's death. "If you think so."

"I do. Now explain what the hell Wakka was talking about. He said Rikku was in danger."

"She is!"

"How." It was more statement than question.

For the first time, she looked unsure. "Did- Didn't Tidus tell you?"

"He told me some bullshit about her dying because I'm getting married," he replied.

"Well…that's basically it," she said lamely.

He tried really, really hard to stay calm. Yuna was an honest girl, he knew she was. Her father's daughter in every conceivable way. Except now she was being obscure and unhelpful, and it was pissing him off. "Why?"

Yuna looked like she was about ready to tear her hair out. "I know how ridiculous this must sound, and you have no reason to believe me, but I can't tell you."

"Because?"

"Because Rikku doesn't want me to. I can't betray her trust."

There was a deeply uncomfortable silence for about thirty seconds. Then Yuna tried again. "Sir Au-"

"No."

"But-"

"No, Yuna," he ordered. "I don't know what the hell you or Rikku think you're doing. But if what Rikku has to say is that important, she can tell me herself. Just leave."

Recognising the finality in his tone, Yuna looked down. "Very well. I'm sorry." She looked back up with an agonised expression on her face. "It is the truth, whether you believe it or not." With that, she pushed gently past him and went outside to the airship.

A/N: Hands up who wants to slap Auron?