Proverbial Revitalization

Written by Whimsical Symphony

Hello everyone. I finally managed to finish this chapter. I hope you all enjoy. Any constructive criticism or comments about the chapter are appreciated.

Chapter 5 - Thump

Yuna looked at her small map carefully, navigating the streets of Zanarkand, bumping into the numerous people and apologizing sheepishly, attempting to find her way to a particular destination. She didn't know what it was really, but these last few days while she had been studying summoning with Belgemine, she felt lost, as if all the energy from within her had simply dissolved, dispersed to some far off land, never to be seen again. Then, when she would lie in her bed, dazedly looking at her ceiling, she would remember Tidus and Rikku, those she had met in Zanarkand. And she wanted to see them again, but why, she was uncertain. Perhaps it was because Tidus was her only real connection to Zanarkand, and therefore, to see the outside world. That's what she thought, at least.

Whenever Tidus smiled, she felt her heart go thump and the smile would then form on her own face, almost effortlessly. Rikku too, she smiled for. It seemed that Tidus attracted glowing people to himself, those who made others smile, and those whose smiles were contagious.

"Yunie, over here!" a voice called. Yuna looked up from her map from a moment and noticed Rikku waving her hands around frantically. Surprised, Yuna made her way over. "Hey, Yunie, what're you doing here?" she asked with childish curiosity, wearing that same happy grin that no one in Bevelle seemed to ever wear.

"I was looking for the Machina," Yuna said nervously. Her cheeks turned red and her heart went thump, thump, thump at the risks of what she was asking. If she may be met Tidus there, would he shun her away, wondering why she was there, thinking she was a complete nutcase – someone who had a serious screw loose? She would think so if she were Tidus, or if she were Rikku for that matter.

Rikku, spotting her blush, smirked slyly. "So… it couldn't really be 'cause of Tidus, could it?" Her wide-eyed, innocent look couldn't possibly be truthful. It made Yuna flush even more.

"I wanted to see both of you again…" Yuna said softly, looking at her feet. "You two are my connections to Zanarkand, my new friends. I want to get to know you both better."

"Yunie," Rikku said softly in mild surprise. It was so honest, completely innocent, that it pulled at her heartstrings. She placed her hands on Yuna's shoulders and looked at her, completely focused. "I'm happy to know you as well, you know? Come to the Machina anytime, we'll be happy to see you!" She looked around for a moment before chuckling. "But, we are going the wrong way for that, Yunie." Yuna cocked her head in confusion. "Our shop is the other way!"

Yuna blushed and mumbled a soft, "Oh," before they walked off, arm in arm, towards the Machina.

After a short, but pleasant walk, they reached the quaint café. Yuna was looking forward to seeing it on the inside. It still had that homey feel that Tidus spoke of, that appeal which whispered elation and sweet honey in the air. The smell of desserts wafted in the air, chocolate, vanilla, and a variety of Al Bhed treats that Yuna's mother had let her try, but she had not cared to remember the name of. It reminded her of home, not now, but back when her mother was alive and well, back when her father had been a full man, not broken beyond belief. It reminded her of their perfect family.

"Tidus should be in there," Rikku told her, keeping her hands on Yuna's back. "Go get him!" After giving her a quick shove towards the entrance and looking at Yuna's flustered expression, she gave her a small wave. "I have to go work, or else Cid'll blow a gasket again. Enjoy your date!"

Before Yuna could tell her that it was in no way a date, she disappeared from view. So she walked in then, to the store. It was dark, but homey, dimly lit, creating a pleasant ambiance. It was there she saw him, sitting at the bar, nursing a beer that he held close to him, looking worse for wear. He looked exhausted, heavy, deep set bags lay under his eyes, and he looked rather dazed. Tidus, the man she was looking for, for even a reason she was completely unaware of. Many of the customers seemed familiar with him coming here, staring at him in manners which couldn't even be thought of as subtle.

"Tidus?" she called quietly, approaching him. "It's nice to see you again."

And, snapping out of his stupor, he looked at her, a smile slowly lighting his features. "Yuna! What're you doing here?" He couldn't deny at all that seeing her made his heart bounce to a new rhythm, thump, thump, thump, about twice as fast as normal. Had she come here to see him? He highly doubted it, but regardless he was glad to see her. He was using alcohol to wipe away the annoyance that was Cetan who'd conked out on his couch after drinking an extortionate amount the day before. Then, to make things worse, Dona had come over to see how he was. As usual, they'd gotten into a spat, and then it was revealed that Dona, while she'd been with Tidus, had been cheating on him with Cetan the whole time – no wonder she'd gone straight to him when Tidus had broken up with her. Although he never loved Dona, it was still infuriating to know that she'd been with his teammate when they'd been together.

"I… I wanted to see you and Rikku," she said, blushing, looking at her feet. She took a seat shyly next to him on another barstool.

"You… wanted to see me?" he repeated, shocked. He ignored the fact that she did say 'I wanted to see you and Rikku'. He grinned then, previous annoyance all melted away because of this one woman. He rested his chin on his hand and then looked at her. "I won't lie; I wanted to see you as well." He wondered when he'd gotten so brave with her; so much that he'd be able to tell her something so true, something that was from deep within him.

That made her flush even more. Tidus couldn't help but think she was, dare he say it, utterly adorable.
"Thank you…" And she smiled at him, which in turn, made butterflies flutter around his stomach. He wondered how he'd gotten so brave, why this feeling was pooling in his stomach, and then decided to blame it on the alcohol. Anything he did this day would be blamed on alcohol, he thought decisively, including when he moved his hand and decided to sling it around her shoulder casually. It was the alcohol – that's all it was. It meant nothing more. She stiffened immediately and could feel the blood pulsing through her quickly, torrents of adrenaline.

"Tidus, you dog! Already making a move, I see," Rikku stated loudly from behind them, holding a tray of drinks in her hands she needed to give to customers. When Tidus looked around him, he noticed many of them were staring at him and Yuna. He wondered when he became such a spectacle, such a form of entertainment for the regular citizen in Zanarkand. Though, he supposed it also had something to do with the fact that he was a famous Blitzer. They would have certainly observed his old man if he'd been in this joint as well, that he could guarantee.

"Rikku, I'm not making any move," Tidus retorted, frowning. "Stop making me sound like such a… bad guy," he said lamely, not quite knowing what word to use. "Stop making me sound like such a pimp. I'm not, alright?" He couldn't help but think that he repeated the same thing over again. Perhaps it was taking its toll to be sitting in the bar for extended periods of time. He hadn't noticed how much he'd drank, but it didn't seem to be all that much. But, he was drinking strong Al Bhed booze, so that might've also been it. Actually, no way, he couldn't even admit he was slightly inebriated.

"Alright, alright already!" Rikku exclaimed, putting the tray down on the counter, taking a few off and giving them to customers at nearby tables. "Sheesh, no need to get all defensive, okay? It seems to me like you've had a bit too much! But, maybe," she continued, "that's a good thing. Like we Al Bhed say: dra suna oui tnehg, dra suna ruhacd oui yna."

"De-raah?" he said dumbly, cocking his head to the side in confusion. He took another sip of his drink. Languages he didn't know hurt his head, especially when he was mildly tipsy.

"It means, 'the more you drink, the more honest you are', Tidus. It's an old Al Bhed saying," Yuna answered his unsaid question shyly. "Rikku means to say that you'll become more truthful in your actions because you've had so many drinks." And Yuna couldn't deny the beat of her heart when he'd slung his arm around her. She enjoyed it – he was warm and comfortable, though she'd never in her life admit it out loud. How she wished he was honest because of his drinks.

"She's bullshitting herself," Tidus said, scowling. "I'm completely fine because I'm always honest." He pulled Yuna closer to himself. "Including when I act all friendly with Yuna."

"Hmm, I see," Rikku said, smiling slyly. "So you admit you're kind of flirting with Yunie?"

"What?" Yuna blushed and looked at her clasped hands on the table, refusing to look in to Tidus' or Rikku's eyes. What if he was flirting with her? She didn't know how to respond – interaction like that never happened in Bevelle: it was considered utterly inappropriate.

"No way, Rikku," Tidus said hesitantly, almost. The blush on his face was just about as visible on his as it was on Yuna's. He also couldn't help looking at her from the corner of his vision, how she looked at her palms, not looking at him, averting her eyes, and how she'd obviously stiffened, her back as straight as a ruler. He wondered if that was a bad reaction if he was flirting, which he obviously wasn't. Would that mean she wouldn't accept his advances if he were to approach her with a move, which he wasn't going to do?

"Sure, sure," Rikku said, snickering, serving the customers meanwhile. She watched Tidus' reactions to Yuna, how he interacted with her, and found it all rather fascinating. "You obviously like her at least, as a friend. Introduce you to your world, let her meet some of our friends – she needs to know more about you as well." She eyed him from a moment while he was chugging down more alcohol. "Plus, I think you've had enough to drink, don't you think?"

Yuna ecstatic about Rikku's suggestion and consequently was delighted at the fact that she would possibly get to meet some of his friends, be connected to his world somehow. To learn more about this funny, charming Blitzer was something Yuna would want to do, especially since there was no way she could deny how she had been thinking about him, how his smile made her light up as well. He had become her connection to Zanarkand, and knowing his friends would make her become even more immersed in that world, even more absorbed. It would have made her happier to be more involved in the world she'd wanted to be a part of for so long now, to be an actor playing a role of some kind instead of the backstage worker. She didn't want to feel like an outsider from Bevelle for any longer – it made her lonely.

"Yeah, I think…" Tidus said, looking at Yuna's face, the smile which had spread across her lips at Rikku's suggestion. He blamed it again on the booze… no, Yuna's beautiful smile that made him want to introduce his friends to her all the sooner. So, he took her wrist and stood up with her, prepared to go out and show his friends to her. He would feel more connected to her if she did talk to people he cared about. He could imagine her laughing with them, smiling with them, talking to them, and being happy. "Okay, let's go, Yuna. I should introduce you to Lulu and Wakka at the least today." He looked back at Rikku. "Thanks, 'Ri."

And he rushed towards the door, grinning all the while, not caring so much about all the eyes on him. Yuna went along with him, clumsily stumbling around behind him. "Thank you," she whispered, though, glad that she had the chance to be part of his life. "I will never forget this."

But, he didn't hear it and continued forward, just smiling, like usual.

"Nothing to see here, kids," Rikku said, chuckling. "You might want to give him his privacy, you know?" She had noticed all the eyes which were on them, the chatter, the gossiping – even if her friend was drunk, she'd rather make him feel more comfortable so he'd actually make a move on Yuna.

He needed it – an honest girl, unlike his old floozy Donna, who would stand by him. Tidus had been through some rough times, she knew, and Yuna seemed like just the person he'd confide in. She knew how he liked to bottle things up inside and would have no chance to actually unwind. He would eventually break down, usually in front of her, forsaking the bright and cheerful Tidus. But, all she could do now was wait and see if she would be the one to heal him.

"I hope I'm right," Rikku whispered to herself. "I just don't want to see you sad anymore, Tidus."

"Ah, don't walk so fast!" Yuna exclaimed, tripping because of her elaborate shoes and attire. She didn't much think that the clothing of a Zanarkand citizen would suit her very much, and so, she was still dressed as a Sender. "I'm tripping!"

Indeed she did, but Tidus caught her swiftly without any sort of hesitation. Her head landed on his chest; she could hear his heartbeat synchronized with her own. It lulled her into a state of relaxation, almost sleep, until it occurred to her where she was, what she shouldn't be doing: leaning on Tidus' chest with his arms wrapped securely around her.

"Whoa, you okay, Yuna?" he questioned to the girl in his arms. Almost unknowingly, he tightened his arms around her – it was comfortable to have her there. Would it be terrible if he didn't want her to leave?

Alas, she did. She jumped out of his arms the moment she came to a realization about her current state, her current position. She hardly knew Tidus well enough to even give him a simple hug, let alone one where he was keeping his arms around her and she was listening to his heartbeat like it was the most heavenly music, music played by cherubs.

"I'm… I'm so sorry!" she said, panicked, bowing. "I shouldn't have done that at all; I don't know what came over me."

"Chill, Yuna," Tidus said, laughing, but still slightly disappointed that she moved so soon.

"Chill?" She cocked her head, curious. It seemed she wouldn't ever be familiar with casual Zanarkand lingo.

"Yeah, you know, relax," Tidus elaborated, still unwilling to show her how much he wanted her there in his arms. "It was just a little clumsy mistake on your part. But, even if it wasn't…" he trailed off before continuing. "I'd hug you anyway, you know? We're a lot less stodgy than you Bevellians," he teased playfully.

"We… aren't stodgy, just proper!" she stated. "It's not normal to hug people I don't know that well so casually," she explained, fidgeting, clearly feeling awkward explaining. And there was also the feeling welling up inside her, just a small sprout at first that would grow and grow until she couldn't take it anymore – the feeling that she wanted to know Tidus better, she wanted to know him and embrace him casually. She didn't think she'd ever have the courage to do so, after all, Tidus was a bright, charming, charismatic Blitzball player, whereas she was mousy, someone who couldn't possibly hope to overcome her fear and just hug him. Even Rikku, would she be able to hold in her arms tightly? The high chance was no.

"But, we want to know each other better, so it shouldn't matter all that much, should it?" he said slowly. And then, without warning, he pulled her towards him. "See?" he said softly. "I can embrace you just like this, right?"

"Mm," she mumbled. "I suppose…" because she didn't know what else to say about it, didn't know how to tell him that his embrace was more than just comforting, that he was tearing down her Bevellian propriety. She enjoyed it, and for once, didn't do anything about it, didn't try to escape from his grasp and apologize dearly, nor stiffen up, acting clearly uncomfortable. She decided for once to be honest. "This is nice, Tidus," she said softly.

Tidus felt his heart beat rapidly at her soft words and pondered on whether it would be better to not remember today, or for the memories to come to him slowly during his hangover in the morning. If it was the latter, his heart would be synchronized with its rhythm this day.

"Lulu works here as a fashion designer," Tidus stated, gesturing towards the store in front of him. It was brightly lit, quaint and homely. It said Demi above the arched door in cursive, black metal. "Her husband, Wakka, works in a restaurant. She's pretty well informed about the Blitzball scene since Wakka is a retired player. They've both been really good friends to me." He decided that was an understatement. He remembered feeling like his existence contained no importance sometimes in his childhood because of his issues with his old man, the lack of attention he received from his mother. Both of them had been there for him at that time, always treating him well. It was Lulu in particular who made certain he would never cry again. He wondered if Lulu and Yuna would get along well; he hoped so. "Lulu's a little eccentric, but she's a good person."

"I'm looking forward to meeting her, then," Yuna answered him soothingly. He seemed a bit tense, almost reluctant to introduce them for fear that they wouldn't get along. "Lulu seems like a nice person." And Yuna definitely trusted him on his selection of friends, if Rikku was anything to go by, bright and charming, caring and humorous.

So, they walked in, Tidus only slightly ahead of Yuna. He wondered how close Yuna would become to him now that he was about to introduce her to his friends. Would they become closer friends? Would they share their secrets to each other? Would she cheer for him in all his future Blitzball games? He hoped so, even though it may have been considered an ulterior motive for introducing him to Lulu.

The interior was rather cute – fabrics of all colours and degrees of softness and smoothness lined the walls. Racks upon racks of gorgeous dresses lay untouched along with shirts and pants. It seemed rather different than regular Zanarkand fashion, but so sleek. Yuna wondered what it would feel like to wear such a dress, whether it would make her seem more grand, more poised. She thought it wouldn't, after all, such a plain person was always bound to be plain, no matter the garbs on them.

"Tidus, what have I told you about entering my store when your stench reeks of booze?" a voice said. When Yuna turned in the direction of the voice, it came from a woman comparable to a supermodel in beauty. She perpetually remained unsmiling, but her beauty was that of a portrait. Her attire was strange, a belted dress, but it seemed to suit her. She placed her hands on her hips. "You shouldn't be drinking this much, your liver will be in trouble one day."

"Sorry Lulu," Tidus said sheepishly. "I actually came here 'cause I wanted to introduce you to Yuna."

Upon the analytical look on Lulu's face, Yuna wanted to shrink and hide in a dark hole, never to be seen at all. It didn't help that Lulu was a beautiful person who made her feel so very insignificant. But then she remembered, to trust Tidus, because his judgement was worth trusting.

"Your girlfriend seems different," Lulu started, "in a good way, of course." She approached her and took Yuna's hands in her own. They were surprisingly warm, so contrasting with her ice cold façade. She knew now that Lulu was a warm person, even though she didn't show it all that much. "Would you like to try on some of the dresses I have made?"

"Yes please," Yuna answered softly, unable to refuse her. As she was being led off by Lulu, Tidus couldn't help but think what a good thing this was that they were bonding. Lulu was a lonely person, he knew that, ever since that had happened to her first love. The wound always remained deep in her heart. She never had family either, so she only had Wakka. Tidus knew, somehow, that Yuna would alleviate her pain even a little, just like she did his.

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Al Bhed Translations

dra suna oui tnehg, dra suna ruhacd oui yna/ the more you drink, the more honest you are