44: Reconciliation

Rikku woke to the muted grey light of dawn. She blinked and stretched, wincing at the soreness. Memories of the previous evening trickled into place, and the wince turned into a warm blush and soft smile.

Turning, she looked at Auron, sleeping on his stomach next to her. His near-permanent scowl had smoothed out, gentling his features. His hair was unbound, fanned over his back and a bit more tangled than she'd remembered it being last night – mostly my fault, she giggled. His breath was steady and deep; it was probably the first good rest he'd managed to get in days.

Lifting the arm that was slung over her torso, she eased herself out of Auron's grip. He turned his head and snored loudly, fingers flexing, before his breathing evened out again.

Hmm… he really is kinda cute. She resisted the urge to push some of his hair away from his face and instead wrapped her arms around her knees and watched him.

Is this going to change things? Rikku frowned. Things had already started changing the moment they left Djose. I won't let it. You're stuck with me for good now.

Auron slept on, unaware of her vow. Smiling, she bent over and reached for her clothes. Hesitating, she picked up the borrowed shirt she'd been wearing as a dress and wrinkled her nose. Taking one last glance at him, she reached for her pouch and dug out her supplies. Time for a new look.

.x.x.x.

The caws of seagulls mingled with the noise of the slowly waking village; Kilika was late on its feet, likely thanks to the previous night's wild celebrating. When Auron stirred to life, his face scrunched in confusion at the bright sunlight spilling into their room.

"Hnn… Rikku?" She hummed in greeting. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"You looked tired," she answered, her focus still centered on the scrap of cloth she was sewing. "Just a sec, I'm almost done with this." Pulling the thread taut, she bit it off with her teeth. Then she shook the cloth out and held it up with a triumphant smile. "What do you think?"

He rubbed his eyes. "It's… colorful. What is that?"

"My new sash!" She stood and turned, wrapping the rectangle of cloth around her waist to dangle over her left hip. It reached just above her knee in the same half-skirt style she'd fashioned on Yuna's costume. She took up her needle to put the finishing touches on her outfit.

Auron blinked again, then ran a hand through his hair. "I'd say it's too early for surprises, but it's you. What are you wearing now?"

Rikku straightened. "You don't recognize it? This is my dress!" She tugged the form-fitting top she'd made out of it. This time, the material ended an appropriate distance above her navel. "I didn't have enough fabric left to make a full skirt, so I just mixed it up with my old one and made a pair of shorts instead."

Auron said nothing, watching her.

"They're a little tight, but I've sewn my own clothes before," she admitted. "I'm pretty sure they'll hold together. Still, I guess I should test them." Sliding her legs out into her battle lunge, she bounced back and forth. The seams felt like they were holding, but it was better safe than sorry. After all, there was nothing quite like the experience of having to fight fiends pantless, or so Wakka had once told her. Rikku dropped into a series of squats and stretches, testing the limits of her new booty shorts. "Yeah, I think these are good," she concluded, dusting her clothes off.

A low noise emerged from Auron's throat. "Get over here."

Catching the look in his eye, she blushed, automatically moving back toward the futon. She glanced out the window. "I thought you said it was late!"

He pulled her down with a predatory gleam. "Then no one will mind if we're a little later."

"I like the way you think." She smirked. Then she yelped and slapped his hands. "Wait! These are brand new! Don't rip them off like that! Hey! Hey!"

.x.x.x.

"You think they're having breakfast somewhere?" Rikku asked Auron, later. They strolled through the village, observing the cleanup and recovery from the festival.

Auron glanced at the sun shining overhead. "Lunch, more likely."

She grinned. It was nice to take a day off like this; Auron was usually the one whipping them along at a breakneck pace. He seemed content to meander at the moment, though, and she wasn't complaining. Still… "How are we gonna explain this to the others?"

He shrugged. "Do we need to? Let them think what they will."

"You don't get embarrassed easily, do you?" she muttered, shoving her shoulder against his.

He looked down at her. "I'm not ashamed of us." His words were earnest despite his relaxed behavior. "Although there is only so much of Jecht's humor I can endure. But that has nothing to do with you."

"Cut him a little slack today," she said, spotting a bobbing blitzball in the middle of a small gathering. "Without Jecht's big mouth we might not even be together right now." She pulled him towards her goal.

He grunted in acceptance. "Just for today."

As expected, Jecht was performing his tricks again with a new blitzball. He stopped and smiled when he saw them, catching the ball under one arm. "Well, well, well! If it ain't Blondie and Tightass!"

Auron reached for his sword and Rikku leapt for his elbow, dragging it back down. "You said you'd be good!"

"Good morning to you too, Jackass," Auron muttered.

"Just callin' it like I saw it yesterday." Jecht smirked. "And it ain't mornin' no more, ya know." Waving off his admirers, he tossed away the blitzball – now signed – to one of the onlookers. "You missed an awesome party last night! Or did ya? Eh? Ehh? You lovebirds too busy havin' a little party of your own?"

Rikku was surprised that his eyebrows hadn't fallen off yet, given the way he was waggling them at Auron. She stepped forward, crooking her finger. "Oh Jecht..."

He approached. "What's – "

Jumping, she tackled him, trapping his head under her arm.

Windmilling his arms, he tried to free himself. " 'ey! Auron! Get her off!"

"Why?" Auron replied lazily. "Rikku, adjust your elbow to your left. Chokeholds are more effective if you cut off their air supply quickly."

She ignored Auron and pounded Jecht's back with her fist. "You're an idiot!" Then she relented and gave him an honest hug. "But, thank you for what you did last night."

Jecht returned her squeeze before pushing her off. "Watchin' you two was givin' me hives," he grumbled. "So… you both okay now? No more drama?"

"I don't think we can guarantee that. But yeah…" She put her hands on her hips and grinned at Auron, who returned her smile. "We're better than okay."

Jecht's whistle cut through the air. "Damn! You made him smile! You guys musta had more fun than I thought!"

"Jecht!" she scolded at the same time Auron said, "Yes."

"Uh… huh," Jecht said, his eyes darting between them. "This is gonna get gross if I press, ain't it."

"Try me," Auron answered, smug. "I'm in a good mood."

She rolled her eyes. "Where's Braska? Who has my belt? Don't we have a ship to catch? And why am I being the responsible one right now?" She stomped in protest.

"B's got your stuff, Blondie. He's at the docks, tryin' to get us a ship I think. Since, ya know, some people missed our mornin' ride outta here."

"Braska's…" Rikku repeated.

"... buying tickets. Alone," Auron finished. "Let's move."

Jecht jumped as they sped past him for the waterfront. He scratched his head. "I thought we were rich now! What's the problem?"

.x.x.x.

"Wait! Stop! Whatever he's buying, we won't take it!" Rikku raced onto the ship, leaning over and huffing as Braska turned around, eyebrows raised.

"There you are, Rikku. Those are some very nice shorts," he added. "But I think they're missing something." He pulled her belt out of his bag and handed it over.

She snatched it and gave the belt a kiss, checking the garment grid for damage. "You took good care of my baby, right? Shh," she added, cooing to the machina. "There, there. Mama's here. I'll never leave you alone again!"

Chuckling, Braska looked over her shoulder. "Where's Auron?" He faced the confused crewman who was still holding out four tickets. "I'm sorry, we'll be just a moment here. Please keep those handy."

"These four V.I.P. slots to Besaid won't wait all day," the sailor responded, waving the tickets.

"V.I.P cabins?" She glared and snapped her belt into place. "That's strange, 'cause even the Pualu – you know, Luca's luxury liner – didn't have those." She sized the sailor up. "I'm sure my friend, Sir Auron's gonna find that very interesting." She gestured behind her. "You can't miss him; he's the tough-looking guy in the red coat with the huge sword."

The man gulped and pocketed the tickets. "Our offer's always open to negotiation, of course."

"Sure better be," she answered cheerfully.

Auron approached, eyeing the nervous sailor. "Problems?"

Braska sighed in defeat. "Not anymore. Hello, Auron. Did you rest well?"

Auron looked at Braska. "As well as could be expected."

"I see," Braska said, glancing between them. "I… am happy for you." He smiled tightly at her. "Both of you." Shaking his head, he turned back to Auron. "Perhaps you could arrange this business with the ship for us? Rikku seems to believe I am not the right man for this task."

Auron frowned and turned away from the summoner, glowering at the sailor. "Let's talk about Besaid," he said, advancing on the other man.

What a mood dampener. But, I'm not gonna run from this. "Thanks," she said, sarcastically. "I actually am happy, but I'm so glad you approve of us. It's nice to have your permission."

Braska frowned and looked at his feet. "I suppose my words were uncalled for. I had no desire to provoke you."

"Really? I couldn't tell. Why do you have to be like this around Auron?"

His head shot up at that, blue eyes piercing. "You know why."

Rikku eyed him critically. He obviously wasn't as unruffled about last night's developments as he was pretending to be. Still, a niggling sense of guilt plagued her; she'd fallen for Braska's baited words again. The whole point of talking to him was to try and smooth things over, wasn't it?

If I let this fester, it'll tear us apart. And it's not like Braska's gonna fix it on his own. "I don't want to feel guilty watching you and Auron snipe at each other." She pursed her lips, a plan slowly forming; bad as she might feel for engaging Braska in another battle of wits, he really needed to learn to leave well enough alone. Might as well go for broke. "We're gonna leave if you force us to."

"Leave? " Braska stiffened. "Why do you think I would demand such a thing? I never – "

"You're hurting him. If we leave, he doesn't have to face that, and maybe you'll have to give up on your Pilgrimage. It sounds like a win-win to me." She glanced over her shoulder at Auron, who was still negotiating with the sailor. "I'll tell you something he doesn't know." Rikku leaned in, lowering her voice. "The reason I joined my first Pilgrimage was to sabotage it. I was an Al Bhed before I became a Guardian, and I still am. Don't think I won't cheat to get my way!"

To her surprise, Braska only laughed, drawing Auron's gaze. "That's what I like about you. You're not afraid to grab the things you want." He faltered for a moment. "I only wish I was one of them. But you shouldn't make idle threats – they don't suit you. You're not that manipulative, Rikku."

Not like myself, he left unsaid but not unheard.

She scuffed her boot against the deck, sulking. "I had to try. I hate being the reason you two are fighting."

"You are fire," Braska told her. "Those of us in the cold will always be drawn to your warmth. Don't blame yourself for this."

I'm blaming myself for burning you. She pushed the thought down; she wouldn't let guilt taint the time she'd spent with Auron. They'd excised those demons together last night. "I still want you two to stop fighting."

Braska bowed to her. "If it eases your mind, I will speak with Auron today. He is my friend, and I am being a poor one to him."

"It's settled," Auron said as he rejoined them. "The captain wants to leave for Besaid as soon as possible, so we need to find Jecht." He looked between them, brow furrowing. "Or am I interrupting your discussion?"

Rikku caught Auron's eye and gave him a reassuring smile. "I'll go. You know I can be fast!" Rising to her tiptoes, she planted a kiss onto Auron's lips, not allowing herself to be intimidated by Braska's presence.

Then she forgot what point she was trying to make when Auron drew her closer, urging her to part her lips. He returned her kiss with passion, both a reminder of what they'd done and a promise that it would be happening again in the future.

When he released her, she had to take a few deep breaths to steady herself, blood pounding in her ears.

"Return quickly," he murmured.

"Y-yeah," Rikku stammered, tripping over her feet as she turned away. Oh, sweet machina, a tiny part of her mind screamed in panic, short-circuiting from Auron's surprise attack. The rest of her body continued to work on autopilot as she hurried off.

She forced herself to focus on getting Jecht and returning as quickly as possible. Will the boat still be in one piece when I get back? She could almost picture Auron practicing his Bushido moves against Anima. Finding Jecht seemed like a good thing to prioritize; two pairs of arms would be better than one if Braska and Auron decided to really start fighting.

.x.x.x.

Auron watched Rikku's retreat until she was out of sight. Then he faced Braska.

"Straightforward as usual," Braska told him in a strained voice. "You've made your point. I have no intent to usurp the position you now hold."

Auron took in their surroundings and frowned. "This is no place to talk, my lord." He made a small gesture towards the ship's bow. The short walk there was tense and silent.

Slowing to a stop near the edge of the boat, Braska leaned on his staff. "Have you more to say, or shall I be reduced to watching your displays of affection whenever I am in her proximity?"

Auron let out an explosive sigh. "Stop. This wasn't what I meant when I told you to move on!" He glowered at Braska. "I would have allowed you anything before, but you refused to act! You pushed us together. Why have second thoughts now?"

"I brought this upon myself." Braska lowered his head in acknowledgement. "Perhaps it was selfish, but I wanted to live again through you." His voice softened with an old and familiar note of pain. "My happiness died with Raenn. I thought I would never be able to feel again after I lost her." He trained his eyes on the ocean, following the shifting movements of the water. "But I still remembered. I thought it would be enough, to maneuver you into place and watch as you learned to love one another. I believed I had made peace with myself in Luca." He sighed. "Only after Sin attacked did I understand how wrong I was. The hopes I harbored for you were my own desires." He thumped his staff against the deck in frustration. "Facing that truth nearly destroyed us."

Auron's hands clenched, a muscle in his cheek jumping at the word us. "Yet, you're here and stronger than ever." His mouth tightened. "I know what you did with her. You've always been my mentor and my guide, until now." His fists trembled and he regarded Braska with hard eyes. "I trusted you. Why?"

"Because I lost everything!" Braska snapped. "I was stripped of my purpose, my power, my very meaning. I was nothing, yet she still believed in the person I was pretending to be. Even when Rikku learned of the depths of my own sins, she accepted me." He took a deep breath, calming himself. "That irrepressible energy of hers draws both of us, doesn't it?" Some of his frustration softened. "I know my words mean little at this point… but I am sorry. I never meant for this to happen."

"... you need to release her," Auron said when he found his voice, his anger still smoldering. "I don't share. She's too soft to cut her ties to you."

"Auron," Braska sighed, shaking his head. "Rikku's affection is hers to dispense as she sees fit – people don't simply decide to fall in or out of love. I don't know that I would chose to ignore my own feelings even if I could." His smile turned bitter. "Perhaps I am more fortunate than you. A dream can never be crushed by the truth of reality."

Auron snorted. "You know just as well as I do that your love isn't unrequited. We'd have no arguments if Rikku didn't care for you." His fierce frown eased into something more contemplative. "Though I think I've begun to understand your feelings."

"What? I thought you and she – "

"When I thought her life might have ended somewhere out there," Auron explained. "I knew my duty was to you first. That I had to find you. If she died protecting you, it would have been a good death, one she chose." He shook his head. "But she's made me want more. I want a life beyond my duty, now. I want hers to be a part of it." Some of the tension leeched away from his words. "In just two days I nearly went mad. You lived with feeling that – that much for six years."

Braska fell silent and bowed his shoulders. "Is it not as I said? Only something stronger than hatred could overcome Sin. You feel its power now. What a cruel and terrible weapon love would be, if it could be wielded. No one would be impervious."

"Haven't we done just that?" Auron winced. "I'm a man of action, and you of words. It doesn't matter how we fight, we will find ways to damage each other." He let out a heavy breath. "If this continues we will destroy everything. This Pilgrimage, your hopes for Spira's future, perhaps even Rikku."

"At least you can finally admit you love her," Braska observed.

"I won't give her up. Not even for you," Auron answered. "Will this be a problem?"

Braska turned away. "I'm glad you've discovered your ego at last. You can't protect others unless you know how defend yourself first." He hesitated. "I… feel the same way you do, but there's no future in such fantasies. There would be none even if Rikku shared my feelings." He tightened his fingers around his staff. "The path I walk was born from the ashes of my love for Raenn. It began in sorrow and will end in sorrow. Those foolish enough to care for me will be hurt."

Auron tensed.

There it was, the truth they continued to sidestep: Braska's Pilgrimage and how it would likely end.

Auron broke the weighty silence. "That's a little fatalistic. Maybe you'll be the first summoner to defeat Sin and tell the tale of it. You've destroyed every other convention along the way to get here."

"And two temple Trials as well," Braska added with a smirk. "But to answer your question, no. I will not make myself a thorn in your side, Auron – but you can't ask me to stop admiring Rikku. I will respect her choices."

"Meaning?"

"I want to keep her safe." He returned Auron's probing look with a hint of steel. "If you can no longer trust me as your friend, then at least have confidence in me as a hopeless lover. I, too, will fight to protect the things I care about. So, I won't force her to chose between us."

Auron studied him for a long moment. Finally, he sighed. "I must be a fool, because I believe you." Looking away, he let out a low grunt. "And I'm glad you're still alive." Some of the stiffness eased out of his posture. "Things wouldn't be the same without you here, you troublesome bastard."

Braska nodded in acceptance. "You are still my friend too, Auron. Never forget that." He considered the other man. "We should continue our training together. Even if you were being resentful – "

Auron scoffed. "Resentful? Please. I am not petty."

" – you did have a good idea," continued Braska smoothly, undisturbed. "We each grow stronger when we share our expertise, do we not?" His mouth quirked with muffled amusement when he saw Auron's confusion. "I would suggest you make an attempt to learn the basics of White magic. You never know when it'll prove useful."

.x.x.x.

"I can't believe we're late because of those," Rikku growled, stomping towards the port.

Jecht adjusted his newest burden against the bundle of his travelling bag. "Yeah, well if you wanted to get back quicker, you could've carried my pack."

She rolled her eyes without bothering to turn around. "Just get rid of some of those stupid blitzballs! Why do you need so many, anyway?" She gestured at the bulging net he refused to drop.

"For the fans! You don't got no agents here in Spira. I gotta take care of my own publicity now, ya know?"

"Ugh," she groaned, throwing her hands in the air.

A small group of teenagers approached them – or more accurately, made a beeline for Jecht. As they swarmed around him, he stopped walking and lowered his net. Rikku balked. Wait, he has fans already? "Well, I guess when you're competing with fish for the adoration of the people, it doesn't take much…"

"Sir Jecht! Do you have time to show us more tricks?" one of the girls squealed, and Rikku glared. It was Dona, again. Guardian rabble my butt. She's all over these guys! At least Bartello was absent this time; probably pouting, if the hearts shining out from the girl's eyes were anything to go by. Trying to suppress her gag reflex, Rikku edged away from Jecht's adoring crowd.

" 'fraid not! Duty calls and all that stuff." Jecht waved down the disappointed cries and began passing out signed blitzballs to each one of them. "But here's a little somethin' to remember me by. Use these to keep yourselves sharp! When I come back, I wanna see professional Blitzers kickin' butt here. Can I hear a 'yeah' ?"

"Yeah!" the teenagers cheered in near unison. Dona cleared her throat impetuously and gestured at the other kids, who quieted down. "Thank you for visiting Kilika, Sir Jecht!" she said. Then the group performed a well-synchronized bow to him.

Jecht rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah… so catch ya later then," he muttered, grabbing the net which was still well-supplied with blitzballs. He did his best to casually speed-walk away and made a face at Rikku when they'd gained some distance. "That was damn creepy," he mumbled to her. "Y'know that's a victory sign in Zanarkand? It's all kinds of messed up that you people use it to pray. Do they think I'm a god or somethin'?"

Rikku tried to picture Jecht as a deity, but her mind recoiled in horror. "Let's hope not. You know, the further south we go, the more of that you're gonna see," she warned him. "People tend to be more superstitious the farther away you get from the big cities. They'll bow to almost anything that makes them happy. Drives us Al Bhed nuts." She smirked. "But hey, you wanted fans? Now you've got some. Don't blame me if they're Yevonite zombies!"

"That's one crazy world cult, man." He looked disturbed – not disturbed enough to abandon his net full of signed blitzballs, though. "Definitely weird."

"Look who's talking," she mumbled, watching him pull a ball out of his net and hand it off to yet another smiling villager. As they approached the docks, she sped their power walk up to a jog.

"So, what's the hurry?" Jecht asked, matching her pace. "Ain't like Auron's gonna let the ship leave without you."

"I'm a little more worried he might set it on fire." She breathed a sigh of relief as the Liki came into sight, still docked and in one piece. "C'mon, let's go find them." They both hurried up the gangplank, Rikku waving off the crewman with a quick call of, "Summoner's party!"

Jecht let his baggage land onto the deck with a loud thump. Placing a hand on his neck, he rolled one shoulder. "Well, the ship ain't on fire." He pointed. "They're just standin' over there talkin' to each other."

She spun to follow Jecht's finger. "There's no blood? Are you sure?"

"What'd you do this time?" Jecht looked at her incredulously. "It ain't even been a full hour since I last saw ya!"

"Nothing!" she pouted, then winced at his loud snort. "Ok, so maybe I tried to pressure Braska into making up with Auron…" She swayed in place. "... with a teensy-tiny little bit of blackmail. Miniscule. Microspeckic."

"Uh-huh," Jecht said, waiting.

Rikku picked at one of her nails. "I threatened to grab Auron and run," she confessed. "I didn't mean it, okay? I just wanted to see if I could stop the fighting."

"Are you outta your mind?" Jecht slapped his forehead. "The man was a missionary, right? Ain't Braska been trainin' all his life to sell snake oil to people? You think you can out-talk that?"

She frowned. "I never thought of it that way. But what's that got to do with my plan? I thought it was a good one! I can be convincing!"

"Did it work?"

"No," Rikku mumbled in a small voice. "Braska saw right through it and made fun of me."

Jecht sighed. "I'm just sayin', I don't think you can pull one over on a guy like that." A grin crept onto his face. "Hey, have ya got one of them spheres on ya? I got a plan."

"...What are you cooking up now? You know both of them could kick your ass if they really wanted to."

"See, that's the thing! We make a video, and nobody's ass gets kicked! It's like… evidence, right?" He lifted his chin proudly. "I'm brilliant!"

"You're insane," she replied. Still, apart from the shoopuf incident at the Moonflow, Jecht's track record with bad ideas was less embarrassing than hers. "But ugh, fine. Here." With a sigh, she dug through her restocked pouches and came up with an empty sphere.

"Stop worryin'," he told her. "We'll just say it's for Yuna and they'll behave." He started up the sphere and approached the two men, who were still facing the sea. When they were close enough, Jecht cupped a hand beside his mouth. " 'ey! 'Sup?"

Braska turned. "Oh, you're back. Auron and I have been talking."

Auron also faced them, focusing on the glowing sphere in Jecht's hands. He rolled his eyes but didn't comment.

Rikku studied both of them. They didn't show any signs of injury; then again, Braska was a fast healer. She checked the deck for chipped wood and bloodstains. "How'd all that talking work out for you?"

"We've come to an understanding." Auron's lips twitched as he watched her. "One that didn't involve any loss of limbs."

Braska laughed. "Well, not yet. I was just attempting to explain the theory of White magic to Auron." And yep, that was definitely an impish twinkle in his eye. "He has all the makings of a promising student."

She looked at Auron, who didn't seem to understand the source of Braska's amusement. He has no clue. Then she blinked. Wait, why am I worried about this? "Ah! That – that's a really good idea!" she blurted. "Study hard, Auron!"

"You feelin' okay?" Jecht peered at her. "You look like you got smacked in the face with a blitzball. More than usual I mean."

She made a strangled half-noise, fanning herself. "It's just heatstroke." Which wasn't entirely untrue, considering her memory of Braska's expertise with Cure spells in Baaj. "Whew, is it just me or is it hot around here?" She couldn't stop the grin that was spreading over her face any more than she could keep her mouth shut. "You know, you could heal me if you knew a little White magic," she said to Auron.

Braska held a finger up, still looking smug. "I could – "

"No-no-no!" she shouted, coming out of her stupor. "I think I'll recover fine on my own, thanks!"

Auron now wore a definite look of suspicion as she sidled up to him and continued to beam. "We're going to have a talk about this later," he warned when she grabbed his arm. He placed his hand over hers and tightened his fingers.

"I hope you'll do more than just talk," she whispered back, and he gave her a speculative look.

They both startled as a sailor's loud cry went up; the ship was pulling out into the open sea. She hadn't even noticed, caught up in the moment. Auron cleared his throat and stepped away from her. Forcing herself to pay attention to her surroundings, she glanced at Jecht and Braska, who were conversing.

"So we're goin' to visit another temple, right?" Jecht asked.

"That's correct," Braska told the other man, facing the sea. "Besaid is our final stop."

"Right. So... after you get that aeon from Besaid… where're we goin'?"

"Back the way we came," Auron answered him. "Then we go north from Bevelle and climb Mount Gagazet."

The statement hung heavy in the air, and Rikku thought of the promise she'd extracted from Braska long ago. She glanced at Jecht, who was still idly filming the scene, oblivious to the meaning behind their words.

Braska's shoulders drooped, and he turned around to face Jecht. "Beyond it lies Zanarkand."

Some of the ease drained out of Jecht at those words, and he took a slow step backwards. "Zanarkand, huh?" There was a certain foreign weariness to his voice.

Braska tilted his head, frowning in confusion, likely because he hadn't revealed the price of the Pilgrimage to Jecht yet. Rikku kept her mouth shut, since it was just as obvious that Jecht hadn't shared his secret about Zanarkand with Braska either.

"It's been in ruins for a thousand years, right?" Jecht asked with a note of finality.

"So the legends say," Auron answered. He paused, looking uncomfortable. "No one knows for sure. It still could be your Zanarkand."

She winced. Auron really needed to work more on his poker face.

Jecht must've thought something similar, barking out a loud laugh. "Thanks for tryin', Auron." He shut the sphere down and tossed it at Braska, who caught it in surprise. "For Yuna," he grunted, before stalking off.

They watched Jecht collect his things and disappear below deck in silence. Finally, Auron spoke.

"Was it something I said?" He frowned. "I know I can be direct, but we've discussed Zanarkand before. This reaction is… new."

"It's not your fault," Rikku assured him. "Jecht has some issues with his hometown. He hasn't said anything to either of you yet?"

"No," Auron answered, looking at her. "Is that what you spoke about at the Mi'ihen Agency? The night he didn't return?"

She nodded. "Yeah. It's complicated." Understatement. "I bet he'll tell you when he's ready."

"Hmm." Braska looked back at the sea, his face troubled. "So many of us, still keeping secrets from one another."

"You're one to talk," Auron scolded.

Braska lifted his shoulders in the barest hint of a shrug. "I can't tell him. Not yet. I promised I would do so before we reached Zanarkand, but it looks like he needs an ear for his own burdens right now." He turned to Rikku. "Go speak with him."

She blinked. "Why me?"

"Because he's closest to you," Braska replied, as if it was obvious.

Rikku frowned. Well, she did spend more time with Jecht than the others, that was true, but…

"And, you're the only one that can put up with his juvenile humor for extended periods of time," Auron added.

"Wait just a minute!" Rikku scowled. "Are you trying to say something about me?"

"You're very patient," Braska chipped in with a smile.

Well, that was that. Auron and Braska must've patched things up if they were feeling confident enough to double-team her. "Patient, huh?" she asked. Having years of practice with Tidus would make anyone patient. "Maybe," she hedged. "But I already talked to Jecht about his problems while we were in Luca. I can't help him out with this one." So much had happened since their conversation that it seemed like a distant memory, but one thing stood out. "Jecht said it to me himself. When you need a shoulder to cry on, Braska's your man." Braska looked surprised, and she grinned at him. "You should go instead."

Jecht strode out onto the deck again, freed of his luggage. He took one look at them and stomped up the steps to the ship's observatory, shoulders sloped.

"I don't know what I can do if I don't understand what's troubling him. But, perhaps I can offer a new perspective on whatever it may be." Braska sighed. "I'll try my best." With a brief nod, he left them, moving towards the observatory deck.

Rikku watched him disappear up the steps after Jecht. "Braska's pretty good at talking to people, right?"

"He is," Auron confirmed. "Braska played a significant role in the Church's aggressive push for world unity. It's the main reason Mika still tolerates him despite his disgrace; he was crucial for the Ronso conversion. He even worked with the Guado for some time before they sent him to the Al Bhed."

She puffed up, feeling a surge of ridiculous pride. "So you mean my people are the ones that finally knocked some sense into him, huh?"

"Don't be so confident," Auron chided her. "Braska absorbed everything the other races had to teach during his visits. They softened him up long before he even reached the sands of Bikanel." He snaked an arm out and pulled her to his side, his hand wrapping around her waist. "It's fortunate for me that his track record is less than stellar with the Al Bhed."

"You don't seem so upset at him anymore," she hedged.

"We cleared the air." He leaned in and nipped at her earlobe, his breath warm and heavy. "But I'd appreciate it if you continue to reject his advances." He was making the argument unfair, trying to overwhelm her with his presence.

It was definitely working.

She uncrossed her eyes and focused on having a conversation instead of melting into a pile of shameless need in front of the entire crew. "Ah… I don't think he's gonna be making many more. Especially when you're getting so touchy-feely in public," she added. "Not that I'm complaining!"

Auron grunted in amusement and relaxed his hold, though his fingers lingered on one of her arms. "It's Braska. Keep your guard up. I'm warning both of you: I am not a tolerant man."

"Not a very patient one either," she laughed, poking him in the side as he pushed her towards the stairs leading below deck. "I'm with you now. Which means I hope you got us our own room, because otherwise they'll be sleeping outside tonight." They dodged a few passengers on the way to the cabins, and she blushed as an older woman they passed gave her a knowing smile. "Can you be any more obvious, by the way?" she hissed.

He ignored her as they reached their cabin. "Yes, but that would be obscene." He swung the door open and waited for her to enter. "Step inside. I have an interrogation to conduct."

"Oh?" Rikku froze in the door frame, having an inkling about Auron's curiosity. She was very proud of herself for managing to keep a straight face, though she couldn't stop the slight bounce in her step when she spun to face him. "I thought that was over after last night?"

"You thought wrong." He pushed her into the cabin. "Magic lessons? Really? What are you hiding?"

She skipped out of his reach and clasped her hands behind her back. "You'll have to squeeze it out of me," she warned, swaying in place.

Auron smiled and shut the door behind him. "I'm good at that."

.x.x.x.

Jecht was brooding. It was an unusual look for him. He sat on the deck, cross-legged, chin in his palm. To anyone who knew him well, he seemed a different man, so quiet and withdrawn as he'd become.

Braska sighed and placed the recording sphere on the ground. It flickered to life – odd – but he shrugged and let it be, returning his attention to the Blitzer. "Quite a view up here."

Twitching, Jecht looked over his shoulder. "Oh. Hey, B. You come up here to talk some sense into me?"

"Do I need to?" Braska replied. "What's troubling you?"

Jecht squinted at him. "Rikku didn't tell you the score yet, huh?" He nodded at Braska's silence. "Here's a deal: you tell me yours, I'll tell you mine. 'Til then, it's my problem."

"Friendship doesn't work that way," Braska scolded. "If it's something I can help you with, I'd willingly offer my services. Sometimes even just talking about your problems can help lighten them." He spread his hands. "And I'm a good listener."

Jecht sighed and rubbed his head. "See, why do ya gotta be so nice all the time? You're makin' me feel like a dick here."

Braska grinned at him. "Does this mean you're willing to talk with me? If not, I can try harder."

Snorting, Jecht shook his head. He looked at the deck below and frowned. "I thought if I went with you guys I might find a way to go back. But it's not that easy." He drummed his fingers over the wooden planks. "I need to get back there, but I don't think I can go home anymore. Your world's… changed me."

Braska tilted his head. "My world? You mean modern-day Spira?"

Jecht laughed at that. "You call this modern, huh? Half the world is scrapin' by in backwater huts, worshippin' some cult that does jack-all for 'em against the mother of all fiends while waitin' to get killed off." He paused. "No offense."

"None taken," Braska told him. "You are not wrong. But… there is always the hope, that this time something will change. That we may live to tell the tale of defeating Sin once and for all. And even if it does not happen, we are buying the rest of the world the respite they need to marshall their forces until we can." He sighed. "I admit, it is not a perfect system, but we cannot simply sit back and refuse to try."

"Are we even makin' a difference, though? Does anything we're doin' matter in the end?"

"I'm staking my life on the belief that it does," Braska replied.

"That still don't get me any closer to my boy, though."

"I'm sorry." He placed a hand on Jecht's shoulder. "I hope your son realizes what a good father he has."

For some reason, that made Jecht laugh. He pushed Braska's hand off and rose to his feet. "No need to apologize, B. It ain't your fault." Cracking his neck, he turned to face the summoner with a familiar arrogant grin on his face. "I should be thinking about fightin' Sin now, anyway. Zanarkand can wait." The grin slipped a little, and something harsher glinted in his eyes. "But I will find my way back."

Braska knew the look Jecht was giving him; it was one he often saw in the mirror. The determination of a man possessed, and not always with an idea that was healthy – or safe. "Be careful, Jecht." This is a dangerous road you're walking down.

Jecht stared at Braska for a moment, weighing his words. His smile reappeared. " 'ey, I'll be alright. You're the one who should be careful. Wouldn't want your little girl to cry."

All of us, so tangled in this web of lies we have spun around each other. Braska thought of Yuna, alone in Bevelle, waiting eagerly to hear news of his success; his daughter was very much like Jecht in that regard. She didn't yet seem to realize what victory would mean. He turned away, hiding his sardonic grin. "She'll be all right. She's strong, like her mother was."

I'm slipping. He bent to retrieve the sphere, struggling to mask the tension on his face. It was never this hard to lead them where I wanted to before. Shutting down the recording, he nearly dropped the sphere in surprise when a heavy arm fell across his shoulders.

"Listen, B. Whatever's eatin' ya this time, just forget about it. Once we get to Zanarkand, everything will work itself out just fine." Jecht gave him a thumbs up. "You'll see!"

Blinking at Jecht's mercurial attitude change, Braska struggled to match the other man's sunny smile. Perhaps I am not the only one skilled at wearing masks. "I am sure it will," he managed weakly.

"That's the spirit. Keep tellin' yourself that and you can make it happen." Jecht released him and yawned loudly, scratching his head. "Wonder if they got anythin' to eat on this pleasure cruise? C'mon, let's go find out!"

Braska's rigid smile eased into something more natural as he smirked at Jecht. "Always thinking with your stomach, are you? I'll join you in a minute."

"Whatever." Jecht shrugged. "Just don't take too long mopin' up here by yourself, or I'll take your share too."

"Wasn't I the one who was supposed to comfort you?" Braska muttered under his breath. Shaking his head, he turned and followed Jecht down the steps.

After debating a bit about where and how to change Braska's dialogue with one of my betas, I decided to drop this little "Easter Egg" (badum-tisch!) for readers here: When Braska is lying, he speaks very formally. When he's comfortable or being honest, he uses contractions. I did retroactively adjust the entire fiction when I was revamping it to ensure that his speech followed that pattern. So if you ever re-read this story, you can keep that in mind when you read Braska's dialogue.