Celestial Bodies

There are some moments in your life that you'll never forget. Moments that define who you are, challenge your resolve, and one's that change your life forever. In the twenty years I've been alive, I'd already experienced all of those and then some. Most of which happened during my first year in Spira on Yuna's pilgrimage. Even though that journey had led to us being separated for two whole years, I'd do it all over again.

The moments I'd experienced since my return though had been nothing short of amazing. And they were only gonna get better, especially with what I had planned for Yuna later that evening. We'd been living together for over half a year now, and I was ready to take that next big step.

Seven months ago, I'd taken a huge leap by purchasing a townhouse in Luca and asking Yuna to move in with me. I'd never seen her so excited. Then again, our living arrangements had been anything but ideal when I'd first returned home.

She'd been staying in her old room at the temple in Besaid, and I'd been stuck sleeping inside the Crusaders Lodge there every night. Well…every night Yuna hadn't snuck me into her room, that is, for a midnight rendezvous.

It still kinda boggled my mind when I thought about it—sweet, innocent, Yuna luring me into her bed. Nothing could've ever prepared me or that.

I mean, I wasn't blind. I'd noticed right away how much my girl had changed in the two years I'd been gone. Aside from her new sexy wardrobe, she'd become more carefree and assertive, which I'd wanted for her for a long time. But I hadn't expected her to be so forward when it came to advancing our relationship. Don't get me wrong—I wanted to as well. I just thought there'd be a few dates or some kinda courtship before Yuna would even consider taking that step.

To be honest, I never expected her to make the first move at all really. I thought the ball would be in my court for something like that—not that I was complaining or anything. That night had been a wonderful surprise I'd never forget. I was just stunned about how it all happened.

It'd only been my third night back when Yuna had thrown me for that loop. She'd been pretty insistent upon me joining her for a cup of tea late that evening. At first, I hadn't thought anything of it. But it'd become pretty clear once we'd entered her room that tea had been the last thing on her mind.

Elegant oil-lamps were lit on a dim setting and strategically placed around the cozy space, the bedding was turned down, and a bottle of wine with two flutes rested atop of a table off to the side.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what she had planned. I was taken aback by it though. But that hadn't stopped me from fulfilling Yuna's desires once I was sure it's what she'd wanted.

Man, was that night ever amazing. I never knew it could feel that good. I guess it's different when you're madly in love with someone. And I was head-over-heels, crazy in love with Yuna. Maybe that's why I didn't wanna wait any longer to make things official between us—to make Yuna my wife.

Besaid may not have been the ideal place for us to live, but it was the perfect place to pop the question to my girl. It's where we'd first met, where we'd reunited, and where we'd made love for the first time.

So, being the thoughtful guy I was, I had the perfect spot picked out for my proposal. A cove tucked away in a secluded area on the beach that we'd only been to once before. Of course, an unexpected storm had rolled in back then and ruined our day. Hopefully, the weather would be more cooperative for us this time around.

Convincing Rikku and Brother to pick us up in the Celsius last minute and drop us off in Besaid had taken some maneuvering on my end. It's a good thing I had a special pair of daggers to bargain with. They were supposed to be Rikku's birthday gift, but I figured the night ahead was worth the sacrifice. Besides, I still had a month to find her something else just as great.

I had everything packed and ready for a romantic evening on the beach—blankets, pillows, and a basket full of goodies along with a bottle of wine. Of course, the most important item was safely tucked away in the front pocket of my shorts—a velvet case containing the diamond ring I'd purchased for Yuna last week.

My outfit for the occasion wasn't too shabby either. Blue was a color Yuna absolutely loved on me. So, to impress my girl, I chose to wear a short-sleeved, button-down shirt in a nice deep shade to compliment those khaki shorts I'd gotten a month ago in Kilika.

Everything was gonna be perfect. We were gonna land in Besaid soon and I was gonna ask Yuna to marry me. I mean, there's no reason she'd say no, right?

"Tidus…?"

Startled by my girl sneaking up on me, I flinched and almost knocked over the bottle of ale I'd been nursing at the bar. "Uhh… What's up?"

"Are you…alright?"

Man, was I ever a nervous wreck. But I couldn't let her know that. "I'm great! Why?"

Taking a seat next to me, Yuna did that cute head tilt I adored—a faint smile touching her lips. "You seem…tense."

"Nah…" I took a swig of my ale then returned her smile with a grin, preparing to deflect with some heavy flirting. "Just trying not to get any ideas about taking that dress off you before we land."

Glancing down at her rather simple, white sundress, Yuna took note of the cleavage poking out of the top then slowly shook her head at me as the corner of her lips curled up in amusement. "I should've brought a sweater. It'll be chilly by the ocean."

"Chilly—in Besaid?" I gave her a long look then chuckled at how she was already rubbing her arms for warmth at the thought. Not sure if it was a 'woman thing' but I swear all the girls I'd ever been with always complained about being cold for some reason. "Don't worry. I packed some extra blankets with the pillows. So, you'll be fine if something crazy like that happens."

"Blankets and pillows?" She arched a brow of intrigue. "Tidus…is tonight about living out some fantasy of yours on the beach?"

An incredulous cackle sputtered out of me. "Is that whatcha think!? C'mon now, I planned this nice romantic evening for us."

"And you couldn't do that closer to home?"

She had me there. But I didn't wanna give her too much to work with. "Look, I uh…"

"It's alright," Yuna interjected, reaching for my hand to give it a tender squeeze. "If you want me to live out this fantasy with you, I don't mind. I love you."

So, she was convinced this whole night was some sexual fantasy of mine. Man was she ever gonna be surprised. I mean, if something else resulted from it after then, why not? But that wasn't what I'd planned.

A thoughtful expression eased across her face just then, head slightly tilted to the side in question. "May I ask something of you though?"

"Sure."

"When… When we arrive at the beach, before we…engage in anything, I'd like to speak to you about something first…well, actually ask you something."

This was beginning to feel so dirty all of a sudden. I really didn't like Yuna thinking we were headed to Besaid for a tryst in the sand. It made me feel like a jerk without actually being one.

"Why dontcha just ask me now? I wasn't planning on 'gettin' busy' when we landed. I packed us dinner and wine."

"I, um…" Seeming a tad anxious, Yuna straightened her posture and hugged her arms. "I… I'd rather ask you after dinner, if that's alright?"

"Uhh… Okay." My stomach knotted at that moment, unsure what to expect. Unfortunately, I was getting the feeling our whole evening was about to be an awkward mess due to what must've seemed like an indecent proposal of mine. And the last thing I wanted was a tense evening with my girl when it was supposed to be a wonderful night. Maybe that spot we'd practiced 'smiling' at in Luca would be better suited for something like this. "Look Yuna, maybe we should just head back home. I'll tell Rikku and apologize for—"

"No—don't you dare!" Bounding to her feet, she blocked any efforts of mine to stand by pressing a hand against my chest. "This night is going to happen. I… I want it to."

"I just don't wantcha to think I brought you out here for something so…damn shallow. Because I didn't! Besaid is special to us and…" Oh man, I had to be careful not to crack here. "I just wanna have a romantic evening, that's all. Nothing else has to happen."

"You're worrying too much about this." Yuna leaned in and pressed a quick, tender kiss to my lips. "Let's just enjoy the evening and see where it leads, hmm?"

And as always, my girl knew how to alleviate all my concerns with that sweet smile of hers. "Okay."

"C'mon…" Grabbing me by the hand, Yuna pulled me out of my seat and began tugging me over to the elevator. "Let's head to the bridge. We should be landing soon."

Well, I guess the evening wouldn't be so awkward after all. But I was curious as to what Yuna wanted to talk to me about. I couldn't imagine it'd be anything bad. Then again, I'd just have to wait and see.

The remainder of the airship ride seemed to take a whole lot longer than it'd actually been. Mainly because I'd been fretting over what Yuna wanted to talk to me about. That and Brother had a hard time finding a good place to land near that cove without being spotted by the locals.

I didn't want Wakka and Lulu to know we were on the island. Not until we had something to celebrate. And preferably in the morning.

Once we'd landed near the secluded beach strip, Yuna and I thanked everyone for the ride then hurried down the ramp, leaving behind the airship's comfortable air conditioning to be practically suffocated by Besaid's sticky humidity. Needless to say—I wasn't a fan of the island's hot summer nights. But tonight was a special occasion. So, I didn't mind too much.

The sun had set not long before we'd arrived and the silvery glow of the full-moon gleamed against the crystalline waters, making the ocean shimmer with a tranquil kind of beauty I'd often gotten lost in. But nothing was quite as beautiful as the woman by my side walking through those white sands.

A gentle breeze came off the ocean, ruffling her dress and tossing those soft, mocha-colored layers around her face.

Yuna had chopped off her long braid the day after I returned and had allowed her hair to grow-out to where it was about the same length it'd been on her pilgrimage. I never asked why she'd decided to get rid of the braid, but I was glad she kept her hair styled in layers—it suited her cute, round face. She looked so beautiful bathed in the moonlight, like some kind of ethereal goddess.

"Do you want to set up here or further in?" Yuna had stopped in front of an alcove at the side of a cliff—that looked an awful lot like the entrance to a cave—and gestured inside with a slight smile. "We can use this as shelter if an unexpected storm rolls in again."

"Ha, ha… So, not funny." Dropping the basket and bags onto the sand, I rushed over to my girl, grabbed her by the waist then began tickling her sides. Yuna squealed and giggled helplessly, trying to squirm out of my grasp. "No jinxing the night or I'll torture you with tickles!"

"S-stop!" she pleaded through giggles. "I… I'm sorry!"

"Are you? Are you really?"

"Yes!"

We tumbled over just then in a fit of laughter, landing on our side in the sand.

With my arms still firmly wrapped around Yuna's waist from behind, I pressed a loving kiss onto the crook of her neck then whispered into her ear, "Man, do I ever love you."

Yuna turned in my arms to face me, her bottom lip caught between her teeth as though she were hesitant to voice what was on her mind. "On my pilgrimage, when you promised to stay with me always… Were… Were you just caught up in the moment, or did you actually mean it? What were your intentions back then, knowing what I had to do?"

Wow. Not gonna lie—I hadn't expected Yuna to put me on the spot with a question like that. And I was searching for a tactful way to answer without ruining the proposal I'd planned for later.

"My intentions?" I echoed, still rather confused as to why she'd asked in the first place.

"Never mind." Giving her head a shake, she looked away and released a dejected sigh. "It's silly."

Great, I thought. Now I'd given her the wrong impression. Dammit… "I meant what I said back then. Always means always, Yuna. I'm still here by your side, aren't I?"

My girl gazed up at me with a renewed sense of hope then gave a firm nod.

"Where's all this coming from anyway? Have I done something to make you feel like—"

"No, no, it's nothing like that," she interrupted, brow creased with worry. "I told you—it's…silly."

There was definitely something off with her tonight. And it was beginning to make me a little uneasy.

"You know I love you, right?"

"Y-yes, I… I do."

Yeah, I didn't like the vibes I was getting. She was nervous about something, I could tell. Best not to dwell too much on it though. Otherwise, it could ruin the night. And I didn't want that.

"C'mon, let's eat. I'm starving here."

Once I climbed to my feet and helped Yuna to hers, we unpacked the blankets and pillows, neatly arranging them underneath the alcove like my girl had suggested earlier.

We then sprawled out onto the blankets where I fixed each of us a plate of drake kabobs that were inside the basket and popped open the bottle of wine, pouring it into the glass flutes I'd packed along with it.

"So, what's the occasion?" Yuna inquired as I handed her a flute full of red, Kilikan vintage.

Setting the bottle down, I threw her a playful leer. "What—can't a guy plan a romantic evening for his girl without there being some ulterior motive?"

"I know you, Tidus. And you never go all-out like this for no reason."

Well, she wasn't wrong. I took a sip of my wine then began to pick at one of the kabobs on my plate. "I dunno… You were pretty convinced this was all about some sexual fantasy of mine earlier." Peering over at her quizzical gaze, I tossed her a rueful grin and popped the tender piece of meat I'd been toying with into my mouth. "I can tell ya right now that," I paused between bites, "we didn't come all the way out here for a tumble on the beach."

"I see…" Swallowing the piece of kabob she'd been munching on, Yuna took a sip of her wine then arched an inquisitive brow. "So then…?"

That girl of mine could be as relentless as a cat chasing a rodent. She was intent on dragging this outta me one way or another. So, I figured I'd better set things up before she prodded any further.

"Do you remember when we first met here, just before your pilgrimage?"

A teasing smile swept across her lips. "Yes, you were the heathen I was supposed to stay away from."

"Ouch…" I winced before breaking into a huge grin. "Guess I just couldn't 'stay away from the summoner' like everyone wanted."

"And I couldn't help falling in love with that mysterious boy who claimed to be from Zanarkand."

"Claimed?" I challenged. "I guess Dream Zanarkand doesn't count, huh?"

"That's not what I meant. In case you've forgotten, I was the only one who truly believed your story—that you were from there. I even came to your defense when the Goers were teasing you about it."

"Nah, I haven't forgotten." We traded a knowing glance just then—an irrepressible grin forming on both our lips. "Y'know… I never had trouble flirtin' or talkin' to girls in Zanarkand. But when I met you…" Releasing a sharp puff of air, I slowly swept my head at the memory. "You had me in a bumbling mess. I couldn't think straight and… Ah man… I did some stupid things to show off to you."

Yuna giggled in agreement, taking another sip of wine. "And I was genuinely impressed with each one."

"See, now that's true love," I quipped with a chuckle.

"I… I suppose that's true. But I was also naïve and had no idea how you felt about me until…until that night at the spring."

"Yeah, that was pretty magical, huh?"

"Mmm…" Yuna's smile faltered some. "I just wish Macalania was still around. I… I would've loved to have another night there with you."

"I got a feelin' we wouldn't have been wearing any clothes this time around."

Mouth gaped-open in exaggerated shock, Yuna leaned over and playfully swatted my arm. "And here I thought you were trying to convince me that you had more than a one-track mind."

"Whoa, hang on a sec! Do I need to remind you that it was you who made the first move on me? Little miss cup-of-tea."

A fierce blush bloomed over her cheeks. "No, I… I haven't forgotten."

Man, did she ever look sexy just then. The way she bit down on her bottom lip and dipped her head all bashful. It had my pulse racing. Of course it didn't help that one of the straps on her dress had fallen off her shoulder, exposing even more of her cleavage.

"I… I didn't think you would."

"Huh?" Shaken from my lustful thoughts, I met her uncertain gaze and tried to focus.

"Make the first move," she clarified, setting her plate aside to sprawl out on the blanket, lying on her side. "I didn't think you would because of my…inexperience."

"I wouldn't have pressured you because of that," I corrected, setting my own plate aside to join her. "But that doesn't mean I wouldn't have made a move eventually to see if you were ready. C'mon, I'm still a red-blooded male here."

"I suppose…" Giggling once more, Yuna smoothed a hand over her hip and froze as though she'd just made a horrifying discovery. She then gasped and sat up, frantically rummaging through the blankets in search of something.

"What's wrong?"

"My purse—it's missing!"

"You sure you had it with you?" I asked, now joining in on the search.

"Yes, I'm sure!"

Geez… She was really upset about this. "Maybe you left it on the Celsius."

"Oh no…" With a groan, Yuna buried her face into her hands. "This isn't happening!"

Can't say I ever saw my girl this flustered about forgetting something. I get it—a purse can be somewhat sacred to a woman. But we were in the middle of a secluded cove. What was in it that she needed so badly?

"I'm sure Rikku will keep it safe until tomorrow when she returns for us."

"No, you don't understand. I need it tonight!"

"For what? I have everything we need here. We'll be fine."

Yuna glanced up at me with unshed tears, and my stomach dropped. Whatever was in that purse of hers was clearly important to her for some reason.

"Look, if it can't wait until morning then…" Heaving a resigned sigh, I rubbed my brow and continued, "Then we'll pack everything up and head into the village where we can—"

"No, no, it's… It's fine," Yuna interjected with a wave of her hand. "I… I suppose I don't need what's inside it for now."

"You sure?"

"Mhm…"

Man that was close. I thought the night was gonna be a bust for a moment there.

"C'mere…" Scooting closer, I gathered Yuna into my arms and captured her lips in a long, luscious kiss that'd left her body limp in my loving embrace. "Do I have your undivided attention now?"

"Mmm…" she purred.

"Good. Because I got something I wanna ask you."

That sobered her up awfully quick. "Wait!" She drew back from my arms and sat up straight. "I have something to ask you first."

Seriously? "Uh... Can it wait until after?"

"Tidus, you promised."

And I wish I hadn't. That'd been the perfect opportunity to pop the question. Now, it would have to wait. Hopefully whatever she wanted to ask wouldn't lead to a heavy conversation. But I was already getting a bad feeling about this. She'd been acting way too strange for my liking tonight.

"You're right. I promised. Go on—ask."

"Okay…" Fidgeting with the hem of her dress, Yuna inhaled deeply then peered into my eyes in question. "Are… Are you happy with how things are?"

Damn those gut feelings of mine. "Whaddaya mean?"

"Are you happy with the way things are…between us?" she clarified, causing me to stiffen.

Horrible thoughts had begun to invade my mind. Thoughts of Yuna telling me that she wasn't happy anymore—that she was bored of our relationship, and how we should see other people for a time, or her even suggesting moving out of our home.

A deep-seeded fear had crept inside and grabbed hold of me, stealing my breath and leaving me virtually paralyzed.

"Tidus…?"

Finally finding my voice, I asked in a raspy, unsure tone, "Are you…unhappy with how things are?"

"I won't lie." Her expression fell flat. "I want more than this."

My throat tightened as I blinked back the tears stinging my eyes. All these months, I thought things had been going so well. Sure, we fought at times, but what couple didn't? I thought our love was stronger than all that. I didn't get it. And the more I thought about it, the more that hurt festered into anger.

"You couldn't lay this on me back at home?" My tone was now low and oozing with venom. "You had to come out here and watch me make a fool of myself?"

Brow dipping low, Yuna shook her head. "Wh-what're you talking about? Tidus, I—"

"Is that why you wanted your purse? So you can call Rikku on your commlink to come getcha after you're done ripping my heart out!?"

"What!?" Those rare heterochromia eyes of hers were wide in shock, leading me to believe I may have assumed a whole lot of things I shouldn't have. "You… You think I agreed to come out here, so I could break-up with you?"

I blinked several times, a tad confused about what was happening. "You… You didn't?"

"I mentioned how I wanted to ask you something. How did you come to the conclusion I wanted to break things off?"

"Oh, I dunno. Maybe it had something to do with you asking if I'm happy with our relationship, and then you telling me that you're not."

"I never said I was unhappy. I said I wanted more. I… I want more with you." Brushing a stray tear off her cheek, Yuna expelled a trembling breath, leaving me feeling like the complete jackass I'd clearly been.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to—ugh! Don't cry," I pleaded in a gentle tone, wiping the fresh, wet line off her cheek with my thumb. "Look, I'm sorry for assuming the worst—it's not like me. But when you told me you wanted more than what we have, I didn't know what to think. I thought you wanted to move on and…find someone new."

"Tidus… I love you. I don't want anyone else."

"Then…what were you trying to say?"

Full-on twisting the hem of her dress now, Yuna peered into my eyes and spoke in a soft, sincere tone, "I… I wanted to know if…if you wanted our relationship to become something more…permanent."

Now that was a twist I hadn't expected. And I couldn't help but snort a laugh at the irony of it all. "No way! This whole time—you were gonna propose!?"

"The ring was inside my purse. That's why I was upset about leaving it on the Celsius."

At this point, I erupted with laughter. Partly because of the relief and joy flooding over me, but mainly due to how ironic this all had been. Unfortunately, my girl didn't share in my humor for the situation, since she still had no idea that I'd planned to propose as well.

"I'm glad you find this all so funny." Blinking back fresh tears, she scooted away from me, and folded her arms, gaze now trained on the cove's glistening waters. "Everything's ruined now."

Those full-belly laughs of mine came to a screeching halt. "Aww Yuna..." Digging into the pocket of my shorts, I grabbed the velvet box and pulled it out. "You're gonna laugh in a minute, trust me."

Yuna wiped the tears off her cheeks, still refusing to look my way. "I… I don't think so."

Inching my way over to her on my knees, I stopped directly in front of where she sat on the blanket, and opened the box in hand.

The moonlight hit that diamond, finally drawing her attention away from the ocean and back to me.

Eyes huge and mouth slightly agape, Yuna's gaze shifted from the ring, to me, to the ring, then back to me one final time, before she covered her mouth in shock.

"Omigosh!"

"Whaddya say, Yuna? Wanna join me in stumbling through life like a couple of fools?"

Now giggling through joyful tears, my girl eagerly nodded in acceptance.

"I dunno… Think I need verbal confirmation here," I teased with a grin. "So, I'll ask ya again and properly this time." I took her left hand in mine, brought it to my lips to kiss the back of it, then with raw sincerity asked, "Yuna, will you make me the happiest man in all of Spira and be my wife?"

"Yes! Yes!" she gushed.

Plucking the ring out of the case, I carefully slipped it on her finger—both of us now brandishing a vibrant smile.

"We'll keep the one ya got me for a wedding band, okay?"

"Mhm…"

"I love you, Yuna. I always have. And I always will. Forever and ever and—"

Just then, Yuna slipped a hand to the back of my neck and silenced me with a fierce kiss that I hungrily returned.

The night hadn't gone quite as I'd planned. Sure, I proposed to Yuna, and she accepted. But I wish I would've been able to do it in the way I envisioned and without all the unnecessary drama I'd created between us beforehand.

I'll admit—learning that Yuna had planned to propose came as a bit of a shock at first. And I really didn't know how to react. But it was comforting to know she wanted this marriage just as much as I did. I'd been worried that the whole Seymour thing had left a stain on the tradition that even I couldn't remove for her, which was weird in itself.

I was never one for tradition to begin with. But this was one I wanted to honor with Yuna. I wanted the world to know that we belonged to one another. And that no one would ever break the special bond we had between us.

Our kisses deepened at that moment, and I could feel my girl's dainty fingers unbuttoning the front of my shirt. A certain appendage of mine began to twitch. Regardless of what Yuna had thought, I really hadn't planned for a steamy encounter on the beach. But I sure as hell wasn't opposed to it!

Breaking the kiss, I gasped for air and held her lustful gaze. "You're sure you wanna do this here?"

"I don't see anyone around, do you?" She then hiked up her dress and climbed onto my lap, causing me to stiffen even more. "And it'd be a shame if we didn't make good use of all these blankets and pillows you'd brought."

Struggling to keep a level head, I gripped her hips in an effort to steady their squirming and released a pleasurable groan. "Y-you're sure you're…okay with this? What if someone…"

"I'm not worried." Yuna peeled the cotton material off my shoulders with a seductive smile then leaned down to leave a slow, sensual kiss on my neck.

Okay, this was getting exciting! Yuna and I never made love in a public place before. Sure, this strip of beach was abandoned for the most part. There was always the possibility that someone could still stumble upon us though. At this point, I didn't care if they did. The way my girl was squirming in my lap had me rock hard and incapable of any rational thought anymore.

With my lips now busy sucking on the delicate flesh just below her ear, I found the zipper at the back of her dress and slowly pulled it all the way down.

Yuna mewled and drew back, allowing the white material to fall around her waist, exposing those full, luscious breasts.

Normally, my hands and mouth would be all over them in an instant. But I found myself drawn to her lips instead, yearning for their soft, silky sweetness.

Our mouths fastened in a fiery exchange, setting me ablaze. It was hot… So damn hot. And so was the temperature on that island. I was already sweating, and we were only getting started.

Gripping Yuna by the waist, I rolled her beneath me, slipped my hands underneath her dress, and carefully slid her panties off her hips then down her legs. Not once had I touched her yet. And from the growing frustration on her face, I knew it was driving her insane. But I had a crazy idea I wanted to try.

Once I tossed her panties aside, I climbed to my feet, kicked off my shoes and reached for her hand. "C'mon…"

Yuna blinked in confusion, gaze flitted from my hand, to my face several times. "Wh-what are—I thought we—where are we going?"

Crouching down, I helped my girl to her feet. The white material that was bunched around her waist slid off her hips when she stood, leaving her completely naked in the moonlight.

I silently unbuttoned my shorts under Yuna's curious gaze then pulled them down along with my boxers.

"This is a streaking fantasy of yours, isn't it?" she quipped with a slight giggle.

"Nah…" I closed the distance between us then swooped down, scooping her up into my arms as she squealed. "Water fantasy!"

Those gorgeous eyes of hers grew huge. "Oh, n-n-no! It's too cold!"

"It's hotter than Ifrit's breath out here! Trust me—the ocean will be warmer than you think."

Before she could protest any further, I trudged into the water with her cradled in my arms—the cooler temperature already more appealing against my skin.

Yuna yelped as we submerged into depths up to her neck and my shoulders. "Seriously, what are we doing out here?"

"Finishing what we started." Releasing her from my arms, I gripped my girl by the waist, smothered those moist lips in a lustful kiss, and drifted us over to a moss-covered boulder where I buoyed her up against it. "We can pretend we're in that spring again."

Yuna wrapped her arms around my neck and giggled. "I suppose I'm not the only one who fantasized about doing more than just kissing in those waters."

"Didya now?" With a wolfish grin, I slid my hands down to her hips, prompting her to wrap her legs around me. "Was that during or after your pilgrimage?"

"Both."

A pleasurable gasp left her lips as I buried myself inside that familiar, snug warmth.

"Ah... Mmmm…"

Being a famous blitzer, one would think I'd done something like this before. I mean, I practically lived in the water most times. The truth was—I hadn't. This was a first for me, and for Yuna as well. But I loved how we were experiencing it together—every blissful thrust.

"Ah, Tidus…"

Those perfect breasts of hers were, ever-so-gently, bouncing just above the waterline, nipples taut as droplets of water slid down the pale mounds. Man was she ever sexy. And it felt so damn good to be inside her at that moment, making her whimper my name.

Between the little sighs of pleasure, our lips met in a series of sloppy kisses with the odd bump of teeth followed by a giggle or two.

There was nothing eloquent about this at all. The thrusting alone was challenging enough in the water. Thankfully, my feet were firmly planted on the shallow part of the cove and Yuna was leveraged up against the smooth, mossy section of the boulder. Otherwise, this undertaking would've been impossible.

But it was worth all the effort in the world. I was making love to the woman I was gonna marry—in the ocean, underneath the stars. If I had a 'bucket-list' this would've definitely been on it.

"Oh… Omigosh… Tidus…" Legs tightening around my waist, Yuna lolled her head back against the boulder with her eyes squeezed shut and began to quiver. "I… I… Ah!"

Watching my fiancée come undone underneath the moon's silvery glow had me tumbling over the edge in a matter of seconds. The sensation of her clamping down around me though had only added to the intensity of it all.

My release came in powerful waves, spurring me to thrust into my girl even harder. "Ah… Ah… Arghhh!"

That floaty feeling I got just after a release settled upon me. Exhausted, I slumped against her tiny frame, and rested my forehead against hers.

We remained tangled around each other for several moments as we recovered—our heavy breaths in tandem with the lapping waters, slowly calming to a still.

"I love you, Yuna," I whispered, leaving a soft kiss on her lips.

"And I love you." Something in the sky suddenly caught her attention. Eyes wide in delight, Yuna pointed behind me and cried, "Quick—make a wish!"

I glanced up and behind, just in time to see the tail end of a shooting star disappear over the horizon. It didn't matter though. I already had what I wanted. Besides, I was never one to believe in such fables anyway.

Just as I was about to turn away, another star shot across the sky. Purely coincidental, right? At that point, I figured, why not? There's no harm in trying and well… There just might be something else I wouldn't mind having after all.

Once the star disappeared from view, I returned my gaze back to my beautiful fiancée and lifted a brow. "So… What didya wish for?"

"I can't tell you or else it won't come true."

I couldn't help but bark a laugh at how serious she was just then. Who could blame her though? After all she'd been through, if she wanted to believe that shooting stars granted wishes then what kind of future husband would I be to say otherwise?

"Okay then. We'll keep our wishes secret and hope they come true."

"They will."

"We should head back." I motioned with my head over to shore. "That way we can dry off and get dressed."

"Our clothes can wait until morning."

"Oh really…?" my voice playfully raised an octave.

"Mmm… I still want to put those pillows and blankets to good use."

Damn… My girl was intent on giving me a workout that night.

"But if you're not up for it…"

Yeah, right… As if I'd back down from that challenge.

"As long as you're okay with not sleeping."

A seductive smile played upon her lips. "Race you back to shore?"

"You're on!"

And as promised, we really didn't get much sleep that night. It was a wonderful, blissful experience I'd never forget though.

One year later…

"Yuna—come quick!"

My wife hurried over to where I was standing in the hallway by the front door of our townhouse and pitched me a skeptical look. "What's wrong?"

"I, uh… I messed up the booties and can't tell them apart again."

Gazing down at the double stroller holding our identical twin boys, Yuna breathed a laugh and shook her head. "You need to stop panicking when it comes to this. I told you before, Zen has a tiny freckle on his right earlobe and Takeo doesn't—see!"

She then pointed to the microscopic mark as though it were as obvious as the sun shining in through our bay windows, leaving me feeling like a complete and utter failure.

"I'm a horrible dad."

"No, you're not."

"I can't even tell our kids apart."

"They're identical twins. It's not easy to distinguish between them when they're only three months old."

"But you know how."

"And so do you. The difference between us is you tend to panic then all rational thought is lost." Laying a comforting hand on my arm, Yuna tilted her head to the side and offered me one of her gentle, soothing smiles. "You're so focused on trying to be the perfect father and not making any mistakes that you're, well…making mistakes that you normally wouldn't. The problem is we're both going to make mistakes. No one is a perfect parent. But that doesn't make you a horrible father or me a horrible mother."

"Yeah… I guess you're right." Already feeling better, I gave a slight chuckle. "It's kinda crazy that we ended up with twins, huh? Not too many of those in Spira, y'know."

"Yes, I suppose I'd gotten more than I'd bargained for with that wish."

"Wait—what!?"

"You know, that night at the cove. We each wished upon a shooting star. I… I never told you my wish because I wanted it to come true. Since it already happened, I suppose I can share it with you now. I wished for us to have a family—for me to become pregnant with your child that night."

My mouth gaped open in shock. First of all, I never believed in any of that stuff. Even after Yuna told me she was pregnant, I passed it off as mere coincidence. But now, I didn't know what to believe.

"Tidus… Are… Are you alright?"

"Yeah… You're not gonna believe this but…" I scratched the back of my head and blew out a long breath. "Then again, you just might."

"What—what is it?"

"You're not the only one who wished for a baby that night."

Eyes huge, Yuna covered her mouth in shock amid an elated giggle. "Omigosh! Really?"

"Uh-huh."

"See! I told you it would work!" Yuna clasped her hands in front and gave me a wink. "No wonder we ended up with identical twins. We both had identical wishes, but on two separate stars. Isn't it a wonderful miracle?"

"Yeah, I guess it really is." I mean, it could've been just a happy coincidence like the second star falling right after the first one. But just how many coincidences until mathematically impossible?

I get it—it was just two wishes…on two separate stars, about the same thing. And we ended up with two kids that are identical twins, who were conceived sometime that night. Yeah… I was beginning to rethink my whole theory on coincidences here and if they ever were a thing to begin with.

"C'mon, let's go." Opening the door, Yuna claimed the unique stroller and began pushing it outside of our house. "It's a beautiful day today. I don't wanna miss a second of it."

As I followed my wife out of our home and over to the park across from our townhouse, I glanced up at the clear, blue sky and breathed in the fresh, spring air. There may not have been any shooting stars up there at the moment, but the truth was I didn't need any. My life with Yuna was a miracle on its own. Everything that came after was just an added bonus, making it even better.

I loved my wife and I loved my kids. I didn't need anything else.

"Omigosh!" Yuna pointed up at the sky. "What is that?"

Following her gaze, I studied the slower moving celestial body shooting across the horizon. It was definitely too big to be a star. Luckily for us, if it was what I suspected, it was far enough away from Spira that it wouldn't pose a problem.

"Looks like a comet to me."

"Amazing…"

Never heard of anyone wishing on one of those. But from the way my wife clasped her hands in front and shut her eyes, that wasn't gonna stop her from trying.

"Oh man…" Peering down at my boys, I caught both of them gazing up at me with their big, innocent blue eyes. "Do you know what this means?"

Their chubby cheeks made way for a toothless grin and a series of giggles.

"That's right." I chuckled. "Daddy's gonna need to get us all a bigger house."