Late the next morning, I run into Tidus at the sanitary facilities. "I like the effect you have on Auron," he tells me, "he's much more relaxed around you."
I stare at him blankly; there are many words I would use to describe the warrior, but 'relaxed' is definitely not one of them. Before I can think of an answer, however, Tidus runs away. What in the Fayth's name was that about?
I try to push the weird encounter out of my mind as I make my way back to our camp. Auron and I are about to meet in order to plan out the next days in more detail. Despite the fact that the kids have lasted a little longer against us yesterday, there's no way they will win our practice fight in the near future. The thought does not disturb me. As far as I am concerned, it's good training for the group, including myself. It's also no punishment to fight alongside Auron. Even though we never had any opportunity to fight together before, we fall into step quite easily. Well, the kids have not given us any trouble yet, but I am sure we will manage quite well when they do.
I grind my teeth and actively try to think of something else. This train of thought brings Tidus's comment back to mind far too easily.
The rest of the day passes without any remarkable events, or any more strange comments courtesy of Tidus, until he drops in on Auron and me as we are just finishing cleaning the big tent.
"I bet you haven't told Lady Eanna the significance of today," he says with a challenging gaze at his guardian.
"Tidus," said guardian growls, "no."
"Why not? A birthday is nothing to be ashamed of, I'm sure Lady Eanna agrees with me!"
I turn to face Auron. "Today's your birthday?"
"Yes," he growls, and I can practically see the storm clouds brewing around his temples.
"Dinner's ready, ya!" Wakka calls from the direction of the camp fire.
Tidus bows with great flourish and gestures towards the exit. "If you please…"
I grin at Auron. "Well, enjoy your birthday dinner!"
"Lady Eanna, you will not leave Sir Auron alone on his birthday, will you?" Yuna has materialised behind Tidus and trains her puppy eyes first on me, then on Auron. I can see the storm clouds melt under Yuna's gaze. The battle-hardened warrior seems perfectly capable of refusing Tidus, but refusing Yuna is a totally different matter.
Our eyes lock, and I send him half a smile. "We might as well," I say.
Auron harrumphs and leads the way out of the tent and over to the fireplace.
Nes stands at the fire pit with Wakka, a small smile playing around his lips. I shake my head, as the kids have really outdone themselves. The fire has been brought down to burn low, with a stack of firewood placed directly next to it in order to make feeding the flames easy. They have dragged over a fallen log which formerly served as a bench in a corner of the camp site, and draped it with blankets. Plates with various foods are set out on the ground, and Wakka gestures for us to take a seat, sitting on the ground and leaning on the log. While we take our seats, Nes pours two glasses of wine and serves them. I look at the sky. The sun is just touching the horizon, so we will have enough daylight left while we eat but will probably still be here when it's fully dark. It's all quite romantic.
Nes catches my attention and points to the coffee pot which has been placed in a pool of embers next to the fire. They even thought of after dinner coffee, and I want to hug and strangle Nes at the same time. If they invested half as much energy in planning their combat strategy for the practice fights, they'd actually give Auron and me something to do!
"Enjoy, ya"! Wakka tells us, Nes and Yuna smile and Tidus gives us a little wave. Then they are gone.
I raise my glass and turn to Auron. "Happy Birthday!"
He accepts with a nod, we clink glasses and taste the wine. It is a heavy, dry and velvety red, and I savour it with my eyes closed. When I look up, I see Auron's gaze is fixed on my face.
"I am truly sorry," he says, "I will kill that boy!"
He looks affronted as I laugh at him. "Please don't. I'd miss his antics."
"I certainly would not." Auron's voice is dangerously low.
"Relax! We might as well enjoy it," I answer and pick up a tiny meat pie from one of the plates. Finger food, how convenient. "Besides, I have placed another one of those sound bubbles around us, so they'll not get any fun out of eavesdropping on us." I pick a small fish pie, this time.
Auron takes another sip of his wine and follows my example. We eat in silence, and he seems to actually relax after a while.
"So how old are you now, anyway?" I want to know.
Auron raises an eyebrow at me. "Show me yours and I show you mine," he retorts, and I cannot help the smile spreading on my lips.
"I'll be eighty-six in September."
Auron coughs into his wine. I clap his back and raise a questioning eyebrow at him when he is done catching his breath.
"Thirty-nine," he wheezes, and takes another sip of wine. Shock is still evident on his features.
"Never met an older woman?" I ask casually, and help myself to some grilled vegetables.
"Never one in your shape." I am relieved to hear that Auron's breathing has returned to normal. "How are you doing this?"
"Old family secret," I shrug off the question.
We continue to eat in silence, until Auron comments on the wine. "This is quite good."
"Nes, probably. He has impeccable taste when it comes to wine."
"Why is he calling you 'mum'?"
"Oh, he started to do so around a year and a half after he came to live with me. Maybe it's because he was so little when his mother died, maybe it's because we look almost the same, or maybe it's both. We were identical twins, after all. I guess he doesn't remember my sister very well any more."
"And you let him?"
"I was totally shocked, but also very touched by his trust. He might not remember his mother enough to tell her and me apart, but he was old enough to understand the concept of 'mother' and to know that I am not his, even though I look exactly like her. I never asked it of him, and he did call me 'aunt' for a while. I guess it was his way of letting me know that he had accepted his new life now." I hide my face in my wine glass. Talking about this time always makes me emotional, as all the worry, and fear, and love, and sorrow I felt back then are still very fresh in my memory.
"Has Tidus never tried to call you 'dad' or something?"
"No, never, and I would not have let him if he did. Jecht is still alive, after all."
"Tidus is Sir Jecht's son?" I ask, incredulously. "How come you are his guardian?"
"I promised Jecht."
"On the pilgrimage?"
Auron shifts in order to find a more comfortable position. "Yes," he says at length. "When it all started I had already been Braska's guardian for years. I had met Yuna and her mother briefly from time to time, and Braska had sent them to live with friends from the Gagazet area who had moved to Besaid recently, in order to get their three boys out of the war zone."
"Kimahri's family?" I guess, and Auron nods.
"Braska was bent on ending this senseless war once and for all, to create peace for his daughter to grow up in. He reckoned that she should rather grow up without a father, than in the middle of a war. I am glad he never learned that Besaid was raided mere days before he managed to do the impossible, and that his wife died in that raid."
"How does Jecht fit into this picture?"
"Jecht was a prisoner of war in Bevelle. Braska was convinced that in order to establish lasting peace, people from Zanarkand and from Bevelle needed to work together. Nobody gave his idea any credit, but what is one prisoner of war more or less? They let him have his pick to get him off their backs."
"And Braska goes on and ends a thousand year old war." I say, when Auron pauses to take a sip of his wine.
"The both of them talked often about their children, once Jecht got over his hostility. Jecht was not one to plan ahead in general, so one evening he asks me out of the blue if I will go have an eye on his son should anything happen to him. I shrugged him off, but after the assassination, Braska had just died in my arms, Jecht repeated his request. We had become friends by then, and I thought he would die, too. So I promised."
"But Jecht's not dead?"
"No. He is in a care home, paralysed from the neck down, bereft even of the power of speech, but his mind is clear. At least, as clear as it ever was."
Not knowing what to say, I keep quiet, as Auron stares into the flames.
"Braska is dead, and Jecht is as good as. I came off cheaply."
My head snaps around so that I can lock eyes with him.
"Cheaply!" I say, incredulous. "You gave an eye and an arm to bring peace about! I wouldn't call this cheap."
"The arm happened at the assassination, but I had lost the eye much earlier." He briefly touches the scar which seals his right eye shut.
"But you were already with Braska at the time, were you not?"
Auron nods. "Braska was forever full of regret that he could not heal it properly. It is a magical injury, and all Braska could do was to keep me from dying. He was a young, aspiring White Mage then, who had just started out with his pilgrimage to become a summoner. He had yet to come into full power."
"Did you resent him for it?"
"No!" Auron looks affronted at the very idea. "It was this instance that made Braska teach me the shield spell. That hit was meant for him. It was my job as his guardian to take it, I always understood the dangers of my profession. I was simply grateful that he wasted so much of his time and energy to save my life."
"Sounds to me as if Braska was just as loyal to you as you are to him. What happened to Tidus's mother?"
"She was not able to deal with the reality of Jecht's situation. She would leave Tidus alone for days on end, and when she would not come home I would go looking for her in the shadier parts of Zanarkand. One day, I went to visit Tidus on the house boat and asked where his mother was, he told me in the bedroom, sleeping. When I went in to look for her, I found her dead, an overdose. Jecht was, and I believe still is, crazy in love with her. After watching Braska die, the second hardest thing I ever had to do in my life was to inform Jecht of his wife's passing. After that, I quit the quarters I had rented to be near Tidus and his mother, and moved in with the boy."
For a while, neither of us says anything. I top off both our glasses and we just sit there, each of us lost in our own thoughts.
"So much for the good mood," Auron comments into the night, his voice slick with irony.
I chuckle. "To good moods and serious conversations," I answer, we clink our glasses and each take a sip.
"How come you take this so well? Them trying to set us up at every turn," Auron clarifies at my questioning look. "I still want to strangle the boy."
A sad smile tugs at my lips, and I drink some more wine before I answer. "I told you that Nes had a couple of issues when he was little. To see him today, to see the young man he's grown to be…" I shake my head, at a loss for words. "I'd do almost anything to see him well integrated into such a wonderful circle of friends. If it means playing chaperone on this field trip; so be it. If it means suffering through their not so subtle attempts at setting me up with my co-chaperone," I make an exaggerated show of eye balling him, then shrug my shoulders, "they could have chosen worse."
We look at each other for a moment, then both snort with laughter.
Taking another sip of my wine, I realize that I feel a bit fuzzy. I lean back and rest my head on the log with my eyes closed. It has been a while since I've last drunk so much wine in such a short time, and it has been a while since I last felt so comfortable in a date-ish setting. I briefly pucker my nose. Where did that come from?
"Are you tired?" I'm grateful that Auron interrupts my train of thought.
"No," I answer without opening my eyes, "just comfortably drunk. You?"
Auron laughs silently. "Same." I imagine to hear a smile in his voice. "Tomorrow's trip is going to be a pain."
I open one eye to glance over at Auron, and see that he has mimicked my position at the log. "Oh, yes!" I sigh and close my eyes again.
We both laugh quietly.
"We should do the reasonable thing and go to bed, then," I suggest, half-heartedly. The kids have already tip-toed past us and vanished into their tents a while ago.
"I do not want to go to bed just yet," Auron sighs.
"Me neither."
"Then we might as well go through with it," Auron says, and I hear the rustling of his coat as he moves. "More wine?"
I silently hand him my glass, still not moving from the log.
At long last, the wine is empty and we decide to turn in for the night. It's long past midnight, and with the hiking trip planned for tomorrow we need to get up early.
A few minutes later, I curl up under my blankets and listen to Auron's soft snoring. Even though I'm tired, and quite a bit drunk, sleep eludes me. Every time I close my eyes, I see Auron's face as it looked this evening, surrounded by darkness, our small fire casting on it an odd pattern of light and shade. I remember every detail thrown into relief as it was by the dancing flames. Sure, he's handsome, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with the rest of his physique, either. I realise that I cannot deny the physical attraction any longer, at least not to myself. It's not like he feels the same, so I decide to be grown up about it. It's just an attraction, I'm not in love with him or anything.
I finally fall asleep shortly before dawn, only to be woken by the sounds of breakfast being prepared two short hours later. I groan inwardly. Michael used to know a neat little spell that would take care of a hangover quite nicely, but as hard as I search my memory, it's gone. Sadly, Cura or anything like it won't work. This day will be great, just great.
Unfortunately, I am right in my assumption. All day, I am cranky and need to maintain a tight grip on myself in order not to zap one of the kids for being obtuse, or making another one go up in flames for a stupid comment.
My short temper is completely uncalled for, as well. The kids are doing really well on the hiking trip, there's only minimal whining about the exertion, they listen to our comments, and are brave in our encounters with the fiends of the area.
Before we drive back to the camp site, we have our daily practice fight in the large pick nick area next to the parking lot. There's progress in the kids' performance, too. They have set Kimahri to protect Yuna while she keeps the health of her team mates up, and they have assigned Lulu to keep Auron busy. Auron deflects their physical attacks quite easily, but is more vulnerable to magic attacks, while I can mostly defend myself from those without major effort. This means that Auron and I have to move quite a bit more than we previously had to, in order to bring my shield between the warrior and the black mage's spells. However, they do not keep me busy enough to make this a problem.
We defeat them, as usual, bundle them back into the gliders and head back to our tents.
After dinner, I make to retire early, and Auron casts me a worried glance. I shake my head in order to tell him to let it slide. He does.
In the blue hour just before dawn, I wake to Auron dressing himself. I turn to look at him, but he just tells me to go back to sleep and leaves the tent without another word. I do as he said, and wake up again about an hour later. There's no trace of Auron, and a blanket of silence lies over our camp, so I guess the kids are still asleep.
I quietly dress myself, and go look for Auron. I find him without great difficulty, he's in the clearing where we usually hold our training sessions. He has set aside his red coat, folded neatly at the base of a tree of course, and stands in the middle of the clearing with only his customary black tank top, black cargo pants and black combat boots. His katana is raised over his left shoulder with the curve facing downwards. His back is towards me, and as I open my mouth to address him, he begins to move. I am just familiar enough with swordplay to recognise his movements as the beginning of the traditional workout. I remain mute, transfixed. Auron begins slowly, gradually increasing the speed of his workout, going through the motions with a precision that comes from years and years of practice. He's so graceful, the workout resembles more of a dance, than actual weapon training. His paralysed arm remains tied to his waist as usual, and I guess Auron has adapted the traditional sequence in order to accommodate his disability. The result is simply stunning.
During one of his turns, I see that his good eye is closed, he does not need to see where he is to go through his dance. I am aware that I am witnessing something very personal, and that I should leave, but I remain rooted to my spot at the edge of the clearing. I watch Auron dance with his katana, and feel detached from the rest of the world, alone in a bubble with the warrior, in which the grass beneath his feet, the sword cutting the air and Auron's now laboured breath are the only sounds. He's nearing the climax now, and I lose track of his feet as he goes through the last part of the sequence. I know that the workout is supposed to end with sudden, complete stillness after a succession of quick turns and swings and my breath catches in my throat, every muscle in my body is tense with anticipation. Of course, Auron manages the last stance perfectly, his back is again turned towards me and his katana is raised above his left shoulder, curve of the blade facing downwards.
With great effort, I finally tear myself from the scene and turn down the path which leads back into our camp. I have clearly overstepped Auron's boundaries, and I harbour no doubt that he has noticed me watching him. I will not add to it by gawking at the most personal part of the workout – the meditation which follows after the dance.
I decide on a shower before breakfast, and run into Auron when I make my way back to the tents. He's drenched in sweat, the wash bag and towel in his hand tell me he's on his way to clean himself up before the meal.
"Thank you," I tell him, "for letting me watch."
The corners of his mouth lift a little bit, and he graciously bows his head. I return his smile, and we part ways.
The rest of the trip passes without any remarkable events. The kids have made tremendous progress, and I am very proud of them all. During our last afternoon practice fight, they really are a force to reckon with, and even though Auron and I still win, it's a hard earned victory. At some point during the last few days they realised that their combined force is more than just the sum of their individual skills, and they have come up with a neat strategy. While Yuna still stands back from the main battle and heals as necessary and Kimahri protects her, and Lulu still exploits Auron's greater vulnerability towards magic attacks, they have their long range fighters Wakka and Nes cover us in numerous little attacks like hornet stings. While they mostly do not deal that much damage, they succeed in breaking our concentration again and again. It's harder for me to protect Auron and me both from any magical attacks, plus Tidus, whose main task is to keep my sword busy, is a real pain to fight off. Whenever one of them gets tired or has trouble dealing with our blows they switch roles so that Yuna can heal them in turn. I briefly wonder if we should let them win that last fight as a reward for their efforts, but decide against it. Such an action would rather wound their pride than boost their egos. Besides, I do not want to lose.
Breaking camp on our last morning is no great task, and by early afternoon, we are back at the temple school.
Chappu is there to welcome Lulu and Wakka, and Kimahri's parents have come for him and Yuna.
"Want me to give you a lift?" I ask Auron and Tidus, after the group has broken up.
"No, thanks. It is not far, we will walk."
I see Tidus's face fall at Auron's pronouncement.
That night, when Nes is about to retire to his room for the night, he gives me the fiercest hug I have ever received in my life. Thank you, he signs, and it's obvious to me that he is too emotional to use his voice. You're welcome, I sign back, and smile. He smiles briefly, and pounds up the stairs.
When he is gone, I allow the tears in my eyes to spill over.
A few weeks later, Nes has Yuna and Kimahri over for lunch and a homework-slash-study session. I have promised to prepare some ice cream for their afternoon break, and true to my word I make my way up the stairs, carrying a tray with not only ice cream, but also some whipped cream, sweet crackers and sodas for them all.
Apparently, I chose a good time to interrupt them, as all three of them jump up from their seats in obvious relief.
"Are you stuck?" I ask them, as I hand out the ice cream cups.
Yuna sighs and nods her head. "Trigonometry…"
"Oh, you have my sympathy," I answer, and shudder.
Kimahri grins widely at that, and rolls his eyes at the other two. Not complicated at all. Nes and Yuna just not using brain.
I laugh as Nes chokes on his soda.
I have always liked the big guy, but we have not had much contact in the past. Nes tells me Kimahri tends to be reserved in new settings and towards new people, but warms up quickly when he feels safe around someone. It seems we just haven't gotten there in the past, as only a few days into the field trip he was as open (or as reserved) with me as with any of the kids. I had hoped it would last, and apparently it has. He even signs slower when I am around, in order to give me a fighting chance with his signs. The thought makes me happy.
Kimahri moves to catch my attention again. Kimahri and friends wonder: Would Lady Eanna consider continue training us?
"You want to continue training with me?" I reconfirm, to make sure that I got it correctly.
Yuna nods, puppy eyes at maximum. "We would be very grateful, Lady Eanna. Tidus is to ask Sir Auron as well this afternoon."
I glance at Nes. "Please," he simply says.
"I'll think about it," I tell them, and for the moment that is all I can say in answer to their request.
I leave the kids to their ice cream and search for the com sphere. I smile, it's still connected to Auron's as none of us has thought of severing the connection.
The call goes through quickly, and I catch Auron in some type of office. It occurs to me that I have no idea what that guy does for a living.
"Nes, Yuna and Kimahri have just asked me to continue their training sessions," I tell him.
"Yes, Tidus has been pestering me about the same since he got home from school today," he answers. I can't tell if he's pleased or annoyed by the request.
"So what do you think about it?"
"I do not know."
"Why don't you come over some time next week, and we talk about it? I'll throw in dinner, if you'd like."
"You are willing to do this, I gather."
"Yes, absolutely."
Auron harrumphs. "Anything, huh?"
"Almost," I confirm.
"Good. I will bring the wine."
I laugh, and end the call.
Needless to say, after homemade dinner and too much wine on both our parts (again), we agree to go through with the kids' request and go for weekly training sessions with them. My impression from the field trip intensifies: Auron is not quite as indifferent towards Tidus as he would like the world to believe. Besides, it's not as if we would not profit from the training. Both Auron and I have to step up our game if we do not want the kids to catch up to us too fast.
A couple of weeks later, the kids bring a new friend to our training sessions. Rikku is a bouncy Al Bhed girl of about fifteen years, who has recently moved to Zanarkand with her father and brother. Apparently, she's also Yuna's cousin, as her father is brother to Yuna's late mother. So being introduced to the circle of friends by her cousin, Rikku bonds instantly with 'our' kids, and they accept her into their group willingly.
I can't put a finger on it, but Rikku seems to dislike me for some reason. It's very subtle, but her behaviour towards me is always slightly off compared to how she behaves towards Auron, for example. I shrug it off, she's always decent when I'm around, and maybe I'm just seeing things.
One night, Nes has invited his friends to our home for a barbecue. Living in the middle of the city, we do not have a garden or anything, but the balcony is big enough for the grill and three or four people. The rest of the party ambles between kitchen and living room, the latter also providing access to the balcony.
Auron is also there, and for the life of me I cannot fathom why; neither why the kids would invite him nor why he would actually come. After a few seconds of wondering, though, I give up and decide that I don't mind him around. I like his company, and it gives me an excuse to stay with the kids. Had Auron not been here, I would have gone upstairs in order to give them some space.
The last couple of weeks' worth of regular meetings with Auron, courtesy of our training sessions, have rekindled the attraction I felt for him during the field trip. I snort lightly into my wine glass, forcing myself to be honest, at least in the privacy of my own thoughts. Really, nothing needed rekindling.
At the moment, Auron is on the balcony with Wakka and Tidus, wine glass in hand. He wears his customary black combat boots, black cargo pants, and black tank top. Only the red coat has been replaced by a sports jacket of the same colour, which nicely accentuates his broad shoulders and narrow waist. For a second I wonder if it's really only physical attraction I feel for him, and once I allow my mind to go there, things become glaringly obvious. I take a big gulp of my wine. While I could not deny the physical part of it even if I wanted to, and I do not as I have vowed honesty to myself just moments ago, it's not all. Not by a long shot. Standing here, in my living room, awkwardly still in the middle of a barbecue party, the realisation comes crashing down on me like a well-aimed Blizzard spell. I am in love with this man, have been for some time, at the latest since the night of his birthday dinner during the field trip. Fortified by another sip of wine, I decide to finally do something about it. I have no idea where my resolve is coming from, but now that I have admitted to my feelings, I see no reason to deny them any longer. I have to do some thinking, but somehow I will let Auron know how I feel about him. Keep your fingers crossed that he feels the same about me.
Lulu startles me out of my reverie. I quickly shake my head to clear my thoughts.
"Pardon?" I ask her.
"Wakka's almost done with the meat, I was asking about some plates…"
"Yes, sure, I'll get them," I tell her, and she follows me into the kitchen.
We put the pile of plates and napkins on the dining table where I have already laid out other food for everybody to help themselves buffet style, as I have discarded the idea of us all sitting orderly around the table as much too formal. Wakka chooses this moment to bring in a plate with grilled meat.
"Help yourselves, ya," he says as he puts it down on the table, "there's more still on the grill."
With that, he's out on the balcony again.
For all his faults, Wakka is a real master at the grill. The meat is perfect, and I catch myself wondering what I have to do to make Wakka give up on his dream of a Blitzball career and become my personal barbecue chef. Honestly, I need more wine.
As we eat, Tidus's fidgeting catches my attention. Tonight, he's even more bouncy than Rikku, a feat that I had thought impossible up to this point.
Apparently, Nes has picked up on it, too. He lightly boxes Tidus on his upper arm. "Spill!"
That's all it takes. Tidus jumps up from the couch, barely balancing the plate in his left hand.
"I got a letter from the Zanarkand Abes!" he shouts. "I'm accepted! I'm a real pro Blitzer!" Excitedly, he pumps his fist in the air.
There's a second of stunned silence before the room erupts into shouts. Congratulations follow from all sides, and I give him a bear hug when it's my turn. Playing for the Zanarkand Abes just like his father Jecht has been Tidus's big goal for ages. I am genuinely happy for him.
"Hey man, way to go," Wakka says quietly from the French doors leading to the balcony. He, too applied to join the Abes, but they didn't even invite him for try outs.
"Wakka, I…" Tidus is lost, scratching the back of his neck with his elbow high in the air, as he always does when he's embarrassed.
Wakka, however, just shakes his head. "Don't worry about me, ya, just go there and kick some ass, will ya!"
Tidus embraces Wakka, and it's the sweetest show of male friendship I've ever seen.
I can tell both of them are embarrassed when they separate, so I stand to break the moment.
"This warrants celebration," I decree, and leave to pick something special from the wine cellar. Auron follows me into the kitchen when I return.
"There's a tray," I tell him, pointing with my head, "and the champagne flutes are in the glass cabinet behind the dining table. Would you please get them?"
Auron does as he is told, and returns just as I succeed in opening the bottle. I fill the glasses, and hear Auron speak as I pick up the tray.
"Nice," he comments with an ironic undertone to his voice, and indicates the label on the champagne bottle.
I shrug, careful not to tilt the tray. It's an 8409 single wine champagne from the west flanks of the Gagazet mountains. An exclusive vineyard, and a supreme vintage.
"I got hold of a crate at rather good conditions; I've been saving it for special occasions."
"It will be wasted on the kids."
I shake my head. "I don't think so. This is a special occasion, Tidus is deliriously happy, and you are bursting with pride for him. You've got to be careful though, somebody might notice," I smirk and lead the way out of the kitchen.
"What is it you do for a living again?" Auron asks a few minutes later, after we have all toasted Tidus and clinked glasses.
I smile a knowing smile, well aware that we never before covered the topic of our respective professions. "I'm a wine merchant."
Auron's laughter draws the kids' shocked stares.
A discussion about the future plans of all the kids ensues, as they are in their final year of school. Yuna, unsurprisingly, has applied for and been accepted into Med School. Lulu and Nes are still not sure what they want to do, Wakka wants to become a pro Blitzer like Tidus, but has not yet found a team to accept him. Rikku wants to join her father's business, apparently he specialises in ancient machina. Kimahri has been accepted into Engineering School, but is still waiting for a reply on his scholarship, as his parents will not support him. I frown, as far as I know they pay for his elder brothers' school fees, as well as for Yuna's. The latter's cheeks redden considerably and Kimahri himself appears rather relieved when Nes changes the topic, asking the group what they think he should do after school.
Later that night, a rather drunk Tidus plops himself on the couch next to me while I enjoy some dessert.
"How do you do it?" he asks, and looks at me expectantly. By the Fayth, that boy plays the puppy eye game even better than Yuna.
"Do what?" I ask back, confused.
"Make Auron laugh. Auron never laughs, all he does is smirk all the time," Tidus whines. His speech is slightly slurred, and I am not sure he'll remember our conversation in the morning.
"Really?" I answer absent mindedly, and look over to where an embarrassed Auron tries his best to fight off the not so subtle advances of a certain Al Bhed girl. I raise an eyebrow; The man needs help.
"I don't know," I tell Tidus, "please excuse me."
I make my way over to Auron and Rikku, and place a light hand on the girl's shoulder. Rikku turns around and tries to glare daggers at me, but the swift movement throws her off balance and she has to grab me for support, so the effect is ruined. I search for her gaze, and realise her pupils are so far diluted that the typical Al Bhed spiral is hard to make out. That girl is wasted. Not that I am too sober myself, right now.
"I think we best get you to bed," I tell her, wrap an arm around her small frame and lead her away from the party and up the stairs into one of our two guest rooms. Along the way, I open the bathroom door and switch on the light sphere and make sure that she knows where it is.
Once she's deposited on the bed, I pull out some blankets and pillows, and pile them on the chair in the corner of the room.
"Do you need anything?" I ask her, and she shakes her head. The movement makes her dizzy, and she flops on her back, kicking off her shoes. I leave her.
Once back in the living room, I get a hold of Nes and let him know where Rikku is, and that none of his friends will have to go home tonight, if they can agree on who will share which room with whom.
I hardly have time to see the grin on his face, as he bends too hug me tightly. He hasn't done this since he was maybe twelve, and now I get two such bear hugs in the space of a few weeks. I have to fight to keep tears from spilling.
"I had better leave," I hear Auron's deep voice behind me.
I turn and raise an eyebrow at him. "You don't have to. Stay here with the rest of them," I suggest. Auron looks at me pensively, and I roll my eyes. "You're in no state to drive," I point out.
Auron huffs. "I suppose," he concedes at length.
I smile, and am called away by something Wakka wants.
Later, when the party dwindles down, I lead a tired-looking Auron upstairs. He follows me, then stands rooted in the door frame.
"This is your bedroom," he says, as if this was hard to process for him.
"Yes. Suddenly shy?" I smirk at him.
"This is your bedroom. I should not be here," Auron insists.
My drunk mind is too tired to put up with his sudden bout of propriety, and I take a deep breath.
"We've shared quarters before, so what's the problem now? You are quite safe from me, you know." At least for tonight, I mentally add. I am not that drunk. Pity.
Auron doesn't move.
"Okay," I say, and turn to change. "You can always bunk with the kids."
When I turn around, Auron is still standing in the door frame, pinching the bridge of his nose with two fingers.
"Fine," he finally decides, enters the room, closes the door and begins to undress. I throw a second pillow and blanket on the bed, and pull mine over to one side of it.
We settle in, and I switch off the glowing sphere.
"Is your bedroom always so chaotic?" Auron asks into the darkness.
I fall asleep with a smile on my face.
The next morning, I set to make coffee and try to think of something I can offer for breakfast. I hadn't planned for an impromptu sleepover.
Well, there's bread and cheese, butter, bacon, eggs and honey, milk and some cereal… Not so much of each that everybody will get their fill of everything, but in total enough that nobody will have to go hungry. It will do.
Auron ambles into the kitchen, fully dressed but jacket in hand. He drapes it over the back of a chair and helps me set the table. I savour the sight of his muscular shoulders and arms when he's not looking. I could definitely get used to this.
One after another, the kids tickle in. I notice that Rikku does not meet my eye, but do not comment. The poor girl is probably embarrassed enough. However, I cannot help a raised eyebrow when Nes descends the stairs with Lulu, a hand at the small of her back. Obviously, I missed some development there.
Breakfast is rather silent, as the group is in various states of hangover. Maybe the barbecue-turned-celebratory party went a bit too far.
"So," I ask Nes when everybody has left after breakfast, "you and Lulu?"
"We are dating," he confirms.
"Is it serious?"
"Yes," he replies solemnly.
I nod. "Congratulations, then."
"You do not approve." It's a statement, not a question, and I sigh.
"Nes… Lulu's great, I just don't think she's the one for you." I shrug helplessly, as I can see that my attempt at an explanation does not satisfy my son. He raises a questioning eyebrow.
"No," I decide to answer his unspoken question. "I will not oppose your relationship. It's your business, anyway. I really hope the two of you will prove me wrong."
Clearly, Nes is not impressed and leaves for his room.