#I Do...I guess?

[p-artsypants]

I Do...I Guess? (14) Bevelle

Ao3 | FF.net

“That is the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard,” Wakka stated callously. 

Yuna and Tidus both deflated, but knew if Yuna had been the one to reveal her plan, Wakka might not have been so harsh. 

“What are ya thinkin’ brudda?” He poked Tidus in the chest. “You two going at it alone?” 

“It’s incredibly risky,” Lulu added. “What if something were to happen to you?” 

“That’s why you guys would stay behind,” Tidus argued. “If Yuna and I go alone, and get thrown in prison, you can come bail us out, instead of all of us getting stuck!” 

“And how would you suggest we get to you?” Auron asked, his tone possessing a sense of calm, suggesting he wasn't as outraged by their plan as Lulu and Wakka. 

“What about the airships?” Yuna suggested, her gaze shifting to Rikku, “the ships under Home, do they work? Would your father help you all come and rescue us?” 

Rikku tapped her chin in thought, but hesitated when answering. “That certainly is an idea…”

Cid, who was nearby, and not invited to weigh-in on that particular part of the plan, chimed in, "Of course we'd come and rescue you!" 

“I think it would be more practical if you could get us all into Bevelle, so we don’t have to fight our way in and out. Escaping might be easier,” Lulu suggested. 

“So, you think we should storm the city?” asked Wakka. “Make Mika listen to us?” 

“I don’t know about that…” Rikku squeaked. “I think it would make us look really bad.” 

“Would you prefer us to all surrender?” Lulu spat. “If we can get Yuna to the Chamber of the Fayth, we won’t even have to speak to Mika.” 

“Ohhh,” Wakka nodded. “Now I see what you’re getting at.” 

Lulu turned to Auron, “what do you think, Sir Auron? Do you think we can get to the temple with the airships?” 

Auron was quiet for a long time, arms crossed and head bowed. Finally, he answered, “If we try to make a break for the temple, Yevon will shoot and kill us without a second thought. No. I think Tidus and Yuna’s plan is the better route.” 

“But—” Wakka protested. 

“We should all go then. I don’t like the idea of Yuna going alone.” 

“She won’t be going alone,” Tidus argued. 

“My statement stands.” 

Auron spoke up, commanding attention, “Have any of you ever talked to Mika? Ever had to go to trial with him?” 

By the silence and awkward shifting of feet no one had. 

“I can’t say their plan is a great one, but it offers the most amount of success. If we all go together, we’ll all be thrown into the dungeon. If Yuna goes, there may be a sliver of leniency since she is a Summoner. I find it likely that Mika will demand she stops her pilgrimage, but he may designate her as a church sanctioned Sender.” 

“So like…making her perform Sendings all over the place?” Tidus guessed. 

“Exactly.” 

Yuna shuddered. 

“Well, I’m not going to let that happen,” he declared, fists on his hips. 

“You have more to worry about. If you go, I can’t guarantee what will happen to you. Out of the guardians, you and I have the best chances of mercy. I have my connection to Lord Braska, though I suspect Yevon knows I’m an Unsent by now. They may just have me Sent. Since you are her husband, they may bestow Yuna’s punishment on you, too. By example, escorting her to the Sendings she is to perform.” 

“Which we’ll agree to,” Tidus offered, “but then actually make a break for Zanarkand?”

“Ideally, yes.” 

Tidus scoffed. “Sounds pretty simple to me.” 

“None of this is guaranteed. That’s just what I presume will happen,” Auron reiterated. 

“What’s the worst case scenario?” Tidus persisted to ask. 

“Execution.” 

“Well, damn.” 

“But we’ve got to try,” Yuna tried to reason. “The Fayth in Bevelle is simply too important to not attain. And the Ronso! I hadn’t even thought about it, but if we’re guilty in the eyes of Yevon, the Ronso won’t let us pass Gagazet!” 

“Kimahri can take care of them, right big guy?” Tidus elbowed the Ronso. 

“Kimahri runt of Ronso litter. Disgraced without horn. No respect from tribe.” 

“Oh…” 

“We’ll worry about that later,” Auron interjected. “Bevelle first. We’ll take the airships to the Calm Lands and wait outside the road to Bevelle. Tidus and Yuna will go alone, unarmed into the capital. After 48 hours, if they have not returned on their own, we will go rescue them. Agreed?” 

“Agreed,” said Rikku. 

Kimahri nodded. 

Wakka and Lulu hemmed and hawed, but eventually consented. 

“Alright!” Cid joined the group again. “We’ll get the ship all ready to go here in just a minute. Now, I’ll need a lock of hair from both of you.” He pointed at Yuna and Tidus. 

Tidus subconsciously touched his scalp. “Hair? What for?” 

“The ships are equipped with an ancient machina called a Sphere Oscillo-finder. How it works is a bit of a mystery, but if you tell it what to look for, it’ll find it. With a bit of hair, I should be able to track your whereabouts, makin’ the rescue a hell of a lot easier.” 

“Well that’s convenient,” Wakka muttered. 

“Alright! Let’s do this thing!” 

—-

Just as Auron said, the airship landed in the Calm Lands, and allowed Tidus and Yuna to disembark. 

“Your forty-eight hours starts now,” Lulu warned. “I won’t give you a minute more.” 

“Thank you.” Yuna bowed her head. “We’ll be alright.” 

Unarmed, Tidus and Yuna set off down the road, and within a half an hour, they encountered Bevelle guards. 

“Halt!” The guards brandished rifles at them. “Summoner Yuna, you are wanted by Yevon for the attempted murder of a Maester! Surrender now!”  

“Attempted…?” Tidus wondered under his breath. 

Yuna raised her hands timidly. “We come in peace. There is more to this story than meets the eye, and I would like to throw myself at Mika’s mercy.” 

“Where are your other guardians?” 

“In the wake of recent events, they have decided it best to distance themselves from me.” 

“Then hand over your weapons.” 

Tidus answered, “we come unarmed.” 

The guards frisked them, and found that yes, they were seemingly harmless. 

“Very well, we will escort you to the high court. May Yevon have mercy on your souls.” 

Tidus had a sarcastic answer at the tip on his tongue, but opted to hold it for now. 

They were ushered into the city, one guard at the rear, and one leading. As they approached, more guards joined until they were surrounded by six in total. 

Yuna took Tidus’ hand and held it tight. 

As they passed through town, folks started to take notice of them. Children were ushered away to safety as adults started hurling insults at them. 

People even threw garbage at them. 

Yuna held her head high, but she did sniffle a bit. 

“It’s going to be okay,” Tidus assured. “They’ll all owe you an apology when we’re done here.” 

“It’s so different than when I left,” she choked. “Back then, everyone was celebrating. And when Kimahri led me out of town, people were wishing me well. Some even gave me flowers.” After some consideration, she added. “I didn’t deserve that behavior either.” 

When they arrived at the High Court, covered in more rotten fruit than desired, they were escorted into a waiting room, still guarded by at least six warrior priests with guns. 

Thankfully, none of them were pointing the weapons directly at them, but they sure didn’t seem friendly. 

Before long, a new priest arrived. “Lord Mika will judge you now.” 

“Here we go,” Tidus gave her an encouraging nudge. 

The High Court was full of men of Yevon, all standing at attention. The room was vast, and had an eerie fog settled throughout. A balcony emblazoned with the symbol of Yevon looked over the room, and a large dark pit took up the center of the floor. 

Yuna was led up to a podium that floated over the pit, while Tidus was placed in a balcony at the side. 

A Ronso Maester addressed the room. “The High Court of Yevon is now in session. The sacred offices of this court seek nothing but absolute truth, in Yevon’s name. To those on trial: Believe in Yevon, and speak only the truth. Do you swear?” 

“I swear.” 

“Summoner Yuna, daughter of High Summoner Braska. You are accused of the murder of Maester Seymour Guado and the destruction of Macalania Temple. How do you plead?” 

“Not guilty, Your Grace.” 

Mika stood at the railing, gazing at her with old, suspicious eyes. “I have a witness that would say otherwise.” 

Seymour, in all his unholy terror, came forward and stood at Mika’s side. 

“S-S-Seymour!?” Yuna recoiled, backing up to the edge of the podium. 

“Surprised to see me again?” 

“You were crushed!” Tidus shouted. “We saw the Fayth kill you!” 

A nearby priest elbowed him in the gut, hard. “You are not on trial. You are to be silent.” 

Yuna composed herself, and raised her head. “This is all the more reason for me to plead my case. Lord Mika, things are not as they seem.” 

“Then, by all means, let me hear what you think happened.” 

Yuna took a deep breath and began, “Lord Jyscal appeared to me while I was visiting my parents in the Farplane. He looked unwell, even for someone who is dead. He instructed me to locate this sphere.” She removed it from her bag. “It’s evidence that Seymour killed his father.” 

“Yes, I am aware,” Mika said, far too calm. 

“What?!” Maester Kelk Ronso barked in indignation.

“What? You hadn’t heard?” Seymour smiled at him. 

Yuna began to tremble. “L-Lord Jyscal, he…he asked me to stop Seymour.” 

“And so you killed him,” Mika accused.

“Not even!” Tidus exclaimed again, only to get hit again. 

“We did nothing,” Yuna elaborated. “I simply sought Seymour out to talk, and to learn his side of the story. He summoned his Aeon against us in the temple of Macalania. Shiva saw this and became enraged. She destroyed her own temple, killing Seymour in the process. She protected us with a dome of ice, or else we would have perished as well.” She stood even taller, her resolve harding into steel. “Lord Mika, Seymour is dead. He is Unsent. He should not stand here beside you! Please, send him now!” 

“Send the dead to where they belong? Hmm…then you would have to send me as well.” 

“Lord Mika…?” 

A plume of Pyreflies emerged from Mika, revealing the horrible truth. 

“Oh no…” Tidus whispered in shock. 

“How…how can this be?” Yuna breathed. 

“Grand Maester Mika is a wise leader. Even in death, he is invaluable to Spira.” 

“This is…wrong. It’s so very wrong!” 

“Who are you to determine that?” Mika snipped. “You are merely a child. You had your role as summoner, and you have stepped out of it.” 

“I did what I thought was right, what anyone else would have done! Lord Jyscal—!” 

“Is not here. And he did not understand the wisdom in my continued reign after death. He was a traitor to Yevon, and his request to you was selfish.” 

Yuna lowered her head, shocked and dismayed.

“Where are your other guardians?” 

“They…they abandoned me.” 

“As they should. While I believe they are guilty as well, I will spare them from my punishment.” 

“This is bullshit!” Tidus growled. 

“Summoner Yuna, the glory in death for being a summoner to defeat Sin was not enough for you. You sought glory in life as well. You took justice into your own hands for selfish reasons and for your treachery, you must be punished.” 

Yuna covered her face with her hands.

“Lord Seymour, because you were the one that Yuna has committed atrocities against, I leave her punishment in your hands.” 

“Thank you, Your Eminence.” Seymour bowed his head. “Yuna, I will show you mercy, because you are a summoner. I will give you a choice.” 

“This can’t be good,” Tidus muttered. 

“I will allow you to continue on your Pilgrimage. It’s clear to me that your guardian, this son of Jecht, is the reason for your shortcomings.” 

“What?!” Tidus barked. 

“Therefore, you must decide. Either you will marry me, and he will simply be exiled. Or, you will continue your journey alone, and he will be executed.” 

“Again with this crap?!” Tidus yelled. “She’s already married to me, you slimeball!” 

“That is not a problem.” Mika smirked. “I can tell, you haven’t even consummated this marriage, have you?”

Tidus felt his face flush red in embarrassment and anger. “That’s none of your business!” 

“A true enough answer for me. By right as Grand Maester, I declare this marriage annulled.” 

“No!” Yuna protested. 

“You have your options, Summoner Yuna. And they are much more generous than I would be. Make your decision now.” 

Tidus gripped the railing and yelled, “don’t you dare marry him, Yuna! Don’t worry about me! Don’t try to save me! He’ll make you miserable!” 

Yuna didn’t respond, but seemed deep in thought. 

This only alarmed Tidus further. “He’s dead for Yevon’s sake! Don’t do it! I’m begging you!” 

She looked at him, eyes set in determination, but lip quivering with sadness. 

“Yuna!” 

“I’m sorry.” 

“Yuna!” 

“I’ve made up my mind. I will marry Seymour, to save Tidus.” 

“No!” 

“A wise choice,” said Mika. “The wedding will be two days from now. As for you, Tidus, you will be exiled…via Purifico.” 

“What?!” Yuna cried. “That’s not—that is not what we agreed on!” 

“You should have asked for more details, my dear.” 

Tidus seemed panicked at Yuna’s protest. Two guards grabbed his arms. “What’s going on? What did he say? What’s via Purifio?” 

“Tidus!” Yuna shouted over to him. “I’m sorry! I’m so so sorry!” 

Mika, calm as ever, stated, “May Yevon have mercy on your soul.” 

“Yuna? Yuna!” He wriggled and fought as the guards started to drag him away. 

“I’m sorry!” Yuna cried again, bracing against the podium as he was dragged away. “This is all my fault! I’m sorry! I love you!” 

That was the last he heard from her before losing sight of her. 

He wanted to shout back, to reassure her that he loved her too, but he was in shock. Shock from her declaration, and terrified by whatever was happening to him. 

Whatever it was certainly wasn’t good. 

“What’s via Purifio? I deserve to know!” He snapped at a guard.

“You don’t deserve to know anything, scum.” Then he gave a small chuckle. “But I’ll tell you, because I want to see the look on your face. Via Purifico is a labyrinth under Bevelle. It’s full of fiends and traps. If you find your way out, you can leave…but that’s highly unlikely.” 

“You’re all a bunch of psychos,” Tidus spat. 

“Says the guy that murdered a Maester.” 

“I didn’t do anything!” 

“Keep telling yourself that. It might get you to the Farplane.” 

Tidus fought, kicking and twisting to get free. But every time he’d get an arm free, he’d just get punched, stunned, and grappled again. 

Eventually, he was too bruised and tired to continue to fight. 

They dragged him away to the darkest, dankest park of the temple, where the air was thick with acrid settled incense. 

They stopped in front of a large, heavy door with an intricate machina lock on it. 

A guard standing at the side cranked a lever and the door groaned open. 

Inside was completely black. 

“Here!” A guard holding Tidus’ arm shoved a tiny knife into his hand. It was basically a pocket knife. “It’s only fair to give you a sporting chance.” 

Tidus looked at the pathetic blade and scoffed. “Gee, thanks.” 

“Go on.” They shoved him forward. 

He stumbled into the doorway, the floor illuminating dimly as he entered. 

“By the way,” the guard said, “if you can survive this, you’ll be free to go.” 

“Then you guys must not think I’ll survive.” 

“Well, let’s just say…” The door started to close. “No one has before.” 

The door shut with a clank and a hiss. There was no handle on the inside. 

“Bastards.” Tidus kicked the wall in front of him. 

Well, standing here and fuming wasn’t going to do any good. He turned and looked around. The path ahead glowed every ten feet or so with a teal light near the floor. The whole hall was made of metal. The path ahead went on for maybe fifty feet before splitting off. 

With the tiny knife in hand, Tidus started off, determined to be the first to beat this prison. 

As he approached the split, a projection lit up the wall. A Yevon priest, smiling with pride. 

“Congratulations! You’ve been Martyred for Yevon! An honor offered to very few! Your name will go down in history and your family will be well compensated.” 

“What the hell…?” 

“If you’re seeing this message, it means you still have your signet ring, and that means we’re not down with you yet.” 

Understanding dawned on him then, and he scrambled to find the ring left behind in Jyscal’s portrait. It was still in his pocket, and he put it on. 

“We apologize for the inconvenience of leaving this wretched place, but your exit can be found following the path to the left. The door will open as you approach. It will lead you to the emergency hallway to the offices, and your office will unlock as you approach. There, you will have your new name and instructions waiting for you. We’ll see you soon!” And the message ended. 

Tidus looked at the ring. “What a lucky break.” 

So he went to the left, noting that there were more lights this way. He also didn’t run into any fiends, which he was grateful for, as he didn’t know if he would survive the encounter with just that dinky little knife. 

As he went, a thought occurred to him and he mulled it over. What if Jyscal knew this would happen, and that’s why he left his ring? What if he knew that Mika would take Seymour’s side? 

So then what? Was their part in this over? Tidus would find a way to the temple to meet up with Yuna, and they’d escape to Zanarkand. That was a given. But what about Seymour and Mika? Would Yevon just be ruled by Unsents? 

There had to be more they could do, but it might all have to wait after Sin was defeated. After all, then Yuna would be High Summoner and immune to everything they could throw at her. 

Now if only he could figure out how to keep her from dying from the Final Summon. 

There had to be a loophole. Something that they were missing. Maybe the answer was in Zanarkand. 

…or maybe in Jyscal’s office. 

A panel on the wall glowed briefly, then disappeared to reveal a long hallway. After he stepped through, the panel glowed again and sealed the exit. 

Not that he wanted to stay in the labyrinth, of course. 

The hall was just as dimly-lit as the rest of the maze, but it only went straight. He followed it to the end, where a steep ramp with a weird machina keyboard awaited him. 

Confused, he stepped up to the keyboard, only for the floor beneath him to flash the same symbol as his ring. Then the new platform started rapidly moving up the slope. 

It climbed and climbed, going in a very wide spiral. There was a wall on both sides, so he wondered if the inside column had something else on the other side. 

The platform took him all the way to the very top, where there was a landing that split in two directions. Like a hotel, there were two arrows giving directions to where the rooms were, but instead of numbers, there were symbols, just like the one on the Sigil ring. 

Tidus followed the markers, turning down and down again, following the signs as less and less Sigils were shown. 

Finally, he came to the last hallway. The door on the very end was Jyscal’s office, and the door clicked as he approached. 

Carefully, he pushed it open, half-expecting Seymour to be in there. But it was empty. The desk had a thin layer of dust on the surface, evidence that no one had been here since Jyscal died. 

And if that was the case, it was unlikely anyone would come in today, so he had time to investigate. 

But where even to start? 

The bookshelves were packed, but as he went over them, he found little that was useful. Most were commentary books written by priests of Yevon, talking about an aspect of the religion in one form or another. Some were autobiographies of great figures. Some were historical accounts of Sin attacks. 

There was one old book, written by a guardian that had survived the run in with Sin. It was an account of their travels and everything up to the aftermath. It was rather thick, so he’d have to take it with him and read it on the road. 

He turned his attention to Jyscal’s desk, where a drawer of files were kept. 

Incident reports from the Farplane. Reports of spirits looking unwell or leaving. Who witnessed these events, and what steps were taken to cover it up. 

It seemed like Jyscal’s appearance was not uncommon at all. 

But these weren’t really helpful for saving Yuna. 

Tidus leaned back in the chair, swiveling side to side as he wondered what to do next. He had no idea how to get to the temple from here. 

Not to mention how hungry he was. 

He idly played with the ring on his finger, then came back to the thought that Jyscal had prepared for this. So if Jyscal had thought they would go to the Via Purifico, what was the likelihood he left something for them to escape—and where? 

Tidus felt around under the desk, only to find a letter stuck to the bottom. 

“Bingo!” He cheered. 

The letter was addressed to ‘My Friend’ and actually only contained a map. But the map was enough. It showed a secluded route to the Temple, which happened to pass by the kitchens! 

“Jyscal, you crazy old bastard.” Tidus gleefully chuckled. 

He folded the map up and put it in his pocket, and tucked the book into his overalls. 

Then he departed into the secret corridor he had just come out of. Ironically, the door to it was concealed behind a giant portrait of Mika. 

Using the faint floor light, he made his way sort of back the way he came, but changed directions before the lift. The map was easy to follow, luckily, as the twists and turns it had him take would have been confusing otherwise. 

He smelled the Kitchens before he arrived. He pressed his ear to the door marked with a steaming pot. There was no sound from inside. 

Carefully, he pulled the latch and pushed the secret door open. 

Thankfully, no one was inside. He stepped into the room, getting a whiff of the soup lightly boiling on the stove. 

It seemed that it was past lunch, but dinner prep hadn’t started yet. That gave him time to pillage for food without being detected. 

There was an empty canvas sack laying on some crates. He took it, and started filling it with bread, cheese, and whatever fruit and vegetables he could eat raw. A quick glance in the ice box revealed half a ham, presumably leftover from the dinner before. 

Stealing that would cause some disruption with the staff. People would point fingers, distrust sown and jobs at risk. 

He wrapped it up in cheese cloth and put it into his bag. 

That would be plenty, and hopefully some left over to share with the other guardians. 

He left the same way he came. This door was much more obvious than the one in Jyscal’s office. It was a cut out panel in the wall, with a large sign in red that read ‘Emergency Use Only.’ 

He stole away back into the shadowy corridor, latching the door behind him. Then, he was off to the Chamber of the Fayth. 

The path kept going. The map was several pages of directions, marking turns and symbols to look for. 

A few times, he worried he was going to be caught. As he passed secret doors to halls and other occupied rooms, he could hear people talking on the other side. The doors were thin, and didn’t dampen the sound. He tried to keep his steps light, and hopefully that would be enough. 

The last bit of the journey came with a warning. He had to leave the corridor and sneak his way to the Cloister of Trials. That could prove to be difficult, especially with his bag of snacks. 

He reached the end of the corridor, nearly parallel to where Jyscal’s office was. However, instead of a door to go through, there was a ladder. He put the edge of the sack between his teeth and climbed, going higher than first glance. 

The trap door at the top led him outside to a catwalk. To his left, the path led up to a staircase and then a rooftop plaza. The plaza was being patrolled by guards as other staff decorated with garland and flowers. 

This had to be where the wedding would happen. 

But hopefully, not before the other guardians came to the rescue! 

Was a marriage to an Unsent legally binding anyway?

Tidus carefully closed the trap door and crept the other way down the catwalk. 

This led to a tower, what looked like the center tower. Everything he was looking for had to be here! 

Inside was a spiral staircase, like the first one he encountered, but with no center column this time. The keypad on the wall illuminated as he neared and gave him the option for transportation to the Cloister of Trials. The platform lurched as he made his selection, and then began to hurry quickly down the stairs to the bottom. 

Tidus took out the map again as he rode the lift. Jyscal had even included the solution to the Trials, a boon in his race to not get discovered. He had really thought of everything. 

Well, almost. 

As Tidus turned the last page over, he frowned in concern. Jyscal hadn’t provided an escape. He had been so thorough in his directions, but no exit? 

Was there a second letter he missed? 

It was too late to go back now. The lift arrived at the Cloister of Trials. That was the only thing that stood between him and true sanctuary. 

With Jyscal’s notes in hand, the trials were conquered quickly, but they were just as tedious as ever. Then he stood before the Chamber of Fayth, and contemplated going in. Surely this room was just as safe, right? 

But to hell with Yevon and their rules. All of this was arbitrary! He approached the door, and it opened to him. 

The inside was not what he was expecting. A path to a dias with a glass dome surrounding it. Inside was the preserved body of a man, laying face down.

Suddenly, this didn’t seem like such a good idea anymore. The Fayth were technically still alive, right? 

The ghost of a child appeared suddenly, hovering over the body. He greeted Tidus with a pleasant yet mischievous smile. “You’re not a summoner.” 

“I—uh, well, no…” He rubbed the back of his head. “I’m waiting for a summoner. My summoner—er, my wife.” 

“Lady Yuna, right?” 

“Uh, yes! H-how did you know that?” 

“I’ve been watching you for a while, Tidus.” 

Tidus furrowed his brows, perplexed by this statement. But now that he mentioned it… “I thought you looked familiar. You’re from Zanarkand!” 

“In a way,” the Fayth offered. “What have you brought with you?” 

“Huh? Oh, I found some snacks.” 

The boy smiled. “Then sit and eat. You look weary.” 

He did, in fact, feel weary. A lot of walking, high anxiety, and emotional turmoil. It was all a lot. Tidus sat in front of the glass dome and took out a loaf of bread, tearing it with his hands. 

“So,” began the Fayth, “why are you here without Yuna? How did a summoner become separated from her guardian?” 

Tidus sighed. “It’s all Seymour’s fault.” 

The boy nodded. “Shiva told us what happened at her temple. We no longer recognize him as a summoner.” 

“It gets worse,” Tidus added. “We came to tell Mika all about it, but…he didn’t care. Seymour is up in the temple right now, as an Unsent, and Mika too. I don’t know how long he’s been dead for, but apparently he’s too ‘wise of a leader’ to retire. Messed up.” 

“Hmm. This does not bode well for Yevon.”

“Ya think?”

“But once Yuna defeats Sin, you can tell everyone the truth.” 

“Eh…maybe.” He then explained the trial, and how Yuna had been forced to decide between two awful punishments. 

“So she chose to marry Seymour while I was sent into exile, though it was Via Purifico or whatever. I mean, I’ve had enough time to think it over, and I think she did it so that I would have a chance to be rescued by the other guardians. But there’s a chance she won’t be saved in time. She might actually have to go through the wedding with Seymour.” 

“And Mika annulled yours?” 

“Yeah…” Tidus sneered. “Bastard.” 

The boy was quiet for a bit then, thinking. Then he said, “I understand your grief. But I cannot help but think this is all rather pointless in the grand scheme of things.” 

Tidus couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “Why? Because Yuna’s gonna die in the fight with Sin? That’s a reason for everyone to be cool with all this spouse switching bullshit? No way! Yuna deserves her happiness, and she shouldn’t have to suffer all the way to her death. Besides, I’m going to be the one that solves the Sin problem. We’re going to defeat it, and we’ll make sure he never comes back and save Yuna in the process. What do you say to that, Ghost Boy?” 

The Fayth smiled, patiently. “Such confidence. I hope you hold onto that. But I don’t think you will, when you know the truth.” 

Tidus furrowed his brow. “The truth? What truth? I thought I was on the same page as everyone else…” 

“You are. But this is your truth. Where you come from. The truth to your Zanarkand.” 

“My…Zanarkand?” he croaked. The more this kid spoke, the more dread he felt crawling up his spine. 

“Yes. You see, Tidus, the truth is…you don’t really exist.”

[thisisalovestry]

file -> phrases that are going to shift something in me forever

[unpeeled-human]

special defense

does this count as anything ???is this art

[goldensunset]

if someone is talking about how much they love their parents do not jump in and start venting about your issues with your parents. if someone is venting about their issues with their parents do not jump in and start talking about how much you love your parents. peace and love amen swag city

[kenapiece-main]

Can you believe I'm having to make this meme even after successfully finishing up taxes and applying to job

[bookwyrminspiration]

I can behave normally around books

[icewindandboringhorror]

(also feel free in the tags to clarify Why you made the choice you made!! :0c)

[nothorses]

there is a judge in Seattle who does the weekly name change hearings, and who says it's her favorite part of the week. she says she doesn't read out previous names, or ask about the reasons why people want to change them. she says it's a beautiful moment, and a celebration; a claiming of a new identity, or a reclamation of an old identity. she encourages the room to clap for folks. then she welcomes everyone up, one by one, by last name and with warmth; she shows them the court order where nobody else can see, asks them to double check the spelling, and then they're done! do they want a picture? do they want their friends and loved ones who came with them to be in it too? do they want the court order in the photo? she helps everyone pose, shakes hands and stands with them for as long as they need to take it, recruits the clerk for help taking photos of the folks who came alone. then she tells them where to go next, congratulates them, and claps along with the rest of the room.

probably three quarters of the people there were trans, and she centered their experience quietly, with love and joy.

I think I'll be thinking about her a lot this January, and for a long time after. it's good to know she's there.

[p-artsypants]

I Do...I Guess? (13) Home

Ao3 | FF.net

“Hey hey, Boychik. It’s time to be rising and shining!” 

Tidus felt like he was experiencing Deja vu. He could have sworn that was how he was awakened the day before. 

“Yeah lazy bones,” Wakka echoed. “Can’t you hear the wedding bells?” 

Tidus perked up at that, suddenly awake and surprised. “I’m getting married—again!” 

“And some people get divorced in between.” Wakka chuckled. 

Tidus leapt from the bed and put on the rest of his clothes. “You’re just jealous.” 

Wakka rested his hands on his hips. “Honestly, I’m really not. I love Yuna, and I know you two are happy with your decision. But I don’t envy what’s to come for you.” 

As Tidus tied his shoes, he gave Wakka a withering glance. “Let’s not talk about that today, huh?” 

“You got it, bud.” 

Tidus was whisked away to get fitted for some wedding attire. The seamstresses basically just cleaned him up and made him look presentable. They took away his yellow jacket, and removed his gloves and armor. Then they unzipped the longer leg of his overalls to make him look symmetrical. Finally, they undid one of the straps on his uniform and tucked it away, while covering the other side with a white sash that went over the shoulder and around the waist. 

The look was a distinguished acolyte instead of star blitz player. 

“I look ridiculous,” Tidus grouched, adjusting the sash. 

“You looked ridiculous to begin with.” The seamstress sassed back, not knowing he mostly understood her. 

He met up with the rest of the party, sans Yuna, in the event room. Finishing touches were going up. The tables had navy blue tablecloths, and pots with white and light pink flowers. The rest of the room felt very tropical as the corners were filled with all sorts of plants. In short, enough decoration to feel like a party, without using up any supplies. 

“C’mere!” Wakka grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to where the party was waiting, over by the bar. Auron was pouring out shots. 

“Really? It’s ten in the morning.” 

“Special occasion.” 

He made up one for each of them, then held his own out. “Tomorrow, we head for Bevelle. There’s no telling where Yuna’s journey will go from there. But today, we’re going to make it special for her, so that when she gets to Zanarkand, she won’t have any regrets. Let’s make her story a good one.” 

They clinked their glasses together and downed the drinks, though Tidus hesitated. Something about Bevelle made him anxious. He hoped that explaining to Mika would be enough, but he dreaded what would happen. 

Yuna knew what she was getting into becoming a Summoner, and she was prepared in her heart for that ending, even if he wasn’t. 

It wouldn't be fair if she didn’t even get that far. 

Filled with a new determination to see Yuna through to the end, whatever that was, Tidus took the shot and slammed the glass on the counter. “Let’s do this!” 

—-

Now this felt like a wedding. Standing at the front of a collection of Al Bhed, who were all seated in rows of chairs that formed an aisle. Wearing clothes that were at least sort of formal, while the musicians from the woods played soft, romantic music. Wakka and Cid were just behind him, looking cleaned up and presentable. 

The rest of the party sat in the front row, calm, collected, but pleasantly happy. 

Except for Rikku, she was bouncing in her seat with glee. 

He had asked earlier if anyone was going to be groomsmen or bridesmaids, but no one seemed to understand what he was talking about. Perhaps that was a tradition that had died over the years. 

So, besides Wakka and Cid, he was alone at the altar, and growing more and more anxious by the second. 

Did he want to back out? No. But it felt different this time. The first wedding was so quick and impromptu, it felt more like a contract being agreed to. More like a formal ceremony for him to be a guardian. ‘Husband’ felt like a title just above guardian. Like super ultra guardian. 

And their journey thus far hadn’t felt like a marriage, given all the trials and tragedies that had occurred. 

There had been moments that felt like dates, like their dance on the Moonflow, or their first night together at Djose. But given the time they had been separated by someone or other, and the whole ordeal with Seymour, these last few days felt less like a Honeymoon and more like a trial of worthiness. 

Tidus’ tumultuous thoughts came to a screeching halt as the doors on the other side of the room opened, and Yuna, his bride, appeared. 

Festooned in white satin, lace, and pearls, the summoner walked gracefully and delicately down the aisle. Her dress was mid calf length, and flared out. She had a large bow at her back, fashioned in the same manner as her obi. A fine veil draped over her lightly curled hair, and was pinned in place by the diadem he had given her the night before. 

“Uh oh,” he whispered. 

“Uh oh what?” Wakka inquired, concerned.

“Uh oh, there goes my heart.” Tidus laughed helplessly. 

Wakka hummed and patted him on the back. 

Yuna arrived before him entirely too soon. He hadn’t regained his composure. 

“Hi,” she smiled. 

“Huh,” he returned, the sound almost like the honking of a goose. 

She giggled, holding a hand over her face. 

“I lied last night,” he blurted. “This is the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.” 

The color on her cheeks only enhanced her unearthly beauty. “You’re looking very handsome yourself.” 

He snorted and held his hands out, allowing her to take them. 

Wakka cleared his throat, and spoke in a rehearsed, formal tone that Tidus hadn’t expected of him. “We are gathered here this afternoon to unite Summoner Yuna and her Guardian, Tidus, in wedded bliss.” Then he paused to allow Cid to translate. 

Tidus, the only one of the party, besides Rikku, to be tangentially fluent in Al Bhed, was the only one to notice that Cid’s translation was…creative. 

“Thanks for coming! My Niece is gettin’ hitched, properly, to her guardian, Tidus. If you want to party, you have to sit through the whole ceremony! It means a lot to me!” 

Rikku very subtly hid her face behind her hand.

“Marriage is a sacred and serious union, with a foundation built on trust, honesty, commitment, and above all else, love.” 

Tidus felt his face flush again.

“These two young people come here today to do just that, to embark on a journey of discovery between man and woman.”

Thankfully, Cid decided to stop ad libbing and translate more or less exactly. 

“Yuna is a summoner, with a grave task ahead of her. In that regard, Tidus also has a grave task. To marry a summoner is to volunteer for a lifetime of heartache. But for the time that comes before, those moments are more precious than any gold or diamonds.” 

Yuna’s hands tightened around his own, her eyes downcast.

“But this life isn’t all that there is. In a blink of an eye, the Farplane will embrace you, and you’ll be together, forever. So while the looming task is daunting, today is a celebration, for eternal friendship and ultimate sacrifice.

“Yuna, do you promise to cherish and care for your husband, honoring him in this life and the next?”

“I do,” she said, earnesty pouring from her. 

“Tidus,” Wakka addressed him. “Do you promise to protect your wife, upholding your vow as a guardian, as well as honoring and loving her until death?” The look that he gave was severe, and almost threatening. 

“I promise,” Tidus said, meeting the look with one of his own. 

Wakka nodded, pleased. “Then, in Al Bhed tradition, you are now united as husband and wife. You may kiss your bride!” 

The Al Bhed audience started chanting, ‘kiss, kiss, kiss’ after Cid translated what Wakka had said. 

Tidus gently lifted Yuna’s veil and draped it back. 

“A Zanarkand kiss?” she asked, softly. 

He nodded emphatically and wrapped an arm around her waist. 

The teasing turned into cheers and wolf whistles as Tidus dipped her, and kissed her deeply. 

She seemed just as breathless as the first time he did it. But nonetheless smiling brightly. 

Before anything else could be said, Brother jumped up on his chair and yelled, “party! Yaaahh! Ya Ya! Party! Yaaahh!” 

Music started playing, and Tidus took Yuna back down the aisle before they could get swept up in the chaos. 

“We did it!” Yuna sang triumphantly. 

“Yeah. Pretty painless, huh?” 

She giggled. 

Wakka joined up with them. “Well, it certainly didn’t take them long to switch into party mode! All that work yesterday, and it’s over in a few minutes.” 

“It’s about what I expected.” Yuna chuckled. 

“So, how did I do?” 

“You did a great job, Wakka.” 

“Yeah, real great,” Tidus scoffed. “I liked the part where you were like ‘hey, Yuna’s gonna die, so this marriage is gonna be short.’” 

“Hey!” Wakka defended. “I watched a ton of Al Bhed ceremonies, and the officiant always emphasized that this was a ‘lifelong bond’ and ‘these two are committed to being married until death’. It’s like a big thing for them!” 

“Because they all live so close together,” Yuna said. “It would be painful for everyone if the marriage ended prematurely. Still, I think you did a wonderful job, Wakka.” 

He beamed, hands on his hips in pride. 

Soon after, the rest of the party joined them. 

“You surprised me,” said Lulu to Wakka. “I didn’t know you had it in you to be so serious.” 

“What can I say? It was for Yuna, it had to be perfect.” 

“Aww, ya big softie.” Rikku elbowed him.

“Less talking! More dancing!” Brother swept into the group and shoved Lulu into Wakka, Yuna into Tidus, and Rikku into Kimahri. 

Tidus held onto Yuna’s waist as she steadied herself, giggling. 

Wakka and Lulu shuffled away from each other, avoiding eye contact like a couple of pre-teens.

Rikku just rolled with the chaos. She took Kimahri’s paws and shuffled back and forth. “What do ya say, Big Guy? Wanna dance?” 

Kimahri huffed, then said, “Kimahri not know how to dance.” 

“It’s not hard, I’ll show you!” And she dragged him to where all the other celebrants were dancing. 

Tidus looked to Auron, only to find him gone. He spotted him over at the bar, behind the counter helping the Al Bhed bartender pour drinks. 

“Looks like everyone is having fun,” Yuna mentioned. “Would you like to dance?” 

“Sure!” his voice cracked. 

The Al Bhed music wasn’t really…slow dance material. There was a lot of electric guitars and yodeling. Al Bhed dancing was even stranger, mostly flinging limbs in unpredictable ways. This resulted in gratuitous amounts of slaps and smacks that everyone seemed to play off rather well. 

As the night went on, the guests got drunker and more rowdy. Tidus and Yuna were asked to dance with all different guests, drunk or sober. 

There was no formal dinner. Just a buffet open to pick through when guests were too tired to dance. 

Yuna sat at a table by the altar, designated for her and her guardians. “I don’t think I’ve ever danced that much before.” She chuckled lamely, rubbing her foot. 

“Cid was not kidding,” Tidus huffed as he sat beside her, putting two plates down, and then an arm around her shoulder. “These people are party animals!” His gaze moved over to a group at the bar that were chanting ‘chug chug’ in Al Bhed, a man in the center holding a large wine bottle up to his lips. Auron was near the group, an almost devious smile on his lips. “Does this at least feel more like a wedding for you?” 

“Oh yes!” she agreed a little breathlessly. “To see so many people having fun, letting loose for a little while…it’s nice. That was…what Seymour was trying to convince me with back then. But now, I’m happy too, and I don’t have to pretend.” 

Tidus gave her a soft smile. 

Rikku plopped down in the chair next to Yuna with her own plate of food. She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a loud siren sounding. 

“What is that?!” Yuna sat up quickly. 

A guard’s voice shouted over the speakers. “Fiends!” 

The most sober guests ran for the stairs and lifts, ready for action. 

“Welp,” said Rikku. “Party’s over.” 

Something about those two little words filled Yuna with a sense of discontent. She stood. “Not if I can help it.” 

“Yuna?” Tidus stood as well. He was ready to join the fight with her, follow wherever she went. 

It looked like the other guardians shared the sentiment as the other guardians started towards her. 

Yuna smiled at her husband. “It’s alright. I won’t get close.” Instead of going to the lifts, she headed over to the large domed windows, where there was a door leading to a small maintenance balcony. She grabbed a broom along the way, and carefully went outside, followed by Tidus and Lulu. 

The hot wind was powerful this high up, and they braced against the window. Yuna carefully shuffled over to have plenty of room. 

Here in the dying light of day, they saw the several waves of angry fiends cresting the dunes towards home. Enough to cause a problem and overwhelm the guns of the guards. 

“Why are there so many?” Tidus exclaimed. 

“It’s hard to say,” explained Lulu. “Perhaps they are seeking revenge for the fiends Kimahri hunted, or maybe they are drawn by the festivities.” 

“The Al Bhed have been so kind,” said Yuna. “I’ve been trying to find a way to express my appreciation for all they have done. This is the least I can do.” She raised the broom over her head, and Tidus realized she was using it as a makeshift staff, so she wouldn’t have to waste time retrieving hers. 

She raised it high, and then slammed the end down onto the balcony. A new glyph appeared on the window behind her, a deep ocean blue. 

“What?” Lulu wondered, just loud enough to be heard.

“What what?” Tidus asked. 

“I don’t know what temple that’s from.” 

Then the ground started shaking. A massive, crushing rumble that caused everyone else to brace for impact. 

Bursting through the sand dune came a gargantuan serpent, roaring with fiercity as it wriggled up to the sky. It was no Sin, but it could rival the beast. It might have even been bigger than Seymour’s Aeon. 

From inside, Tidus could hear Wakka cheering and hollering, while Rikku frantically called to the other Al Bhed, “cease fire! That’s an aeon!” 

But most of what else was going on went unnoticed as he stood in awe of this fantastic beast. It arched, diving back into the sand where the mass of the fiends still gathered, sending up a plume of Pyreflies. Then it surfaced again, and sprayed a blast of water at the remaining fiends. 

Then the battle was over. Just like that, the aeon had cleaned up, and not a single Al Bhed had made it to battle. 

Cheers rang out from Home, wolf whistles and chants of, “Yuna! Yuna!” 

The aeon turned and approached her, now appearing gentle, almost dainty. It lowered its head so Yuna could pet its snout. 

“I promised you, didn’t I?” she said softly. “And you got to protect your home. Your people.” 

The aeon huffed, a cool ocean breeze wafting over the balcony. Then it looked to the sky, and faded away into Pyreflies. 

“Wh-wh-what was that?!” Tidus shouted. 

“Where did you find that Aeon?” Lulu added, less hysterical. 

Yuna shyly twirled a lock of hair with her finger. “While we were separated yesterday, Gippal showed me a long buried temple they had uncovered. The Fayth was still intact, so I communed with her.” 

“That’s awesome!” Tidus exclaimed enthusiastically. “And you never would have found her if we hadn’t come here! Come on, we should tell the others!” He reached out and took her hand. 

As they came inside, there was more cheering as the Al Bhed swept Yuna up with a chair and carried her to the head table. 

Tidus watched with pride as she was paraded around the room, some of the Al Bhed even doing the Yevon bow. 

And Yuna was beaming. She was shy, of course, half covering her face in embarrassment as the praise kept rolling, but her smile was huge and joyful. 

Then, it clicked for Tidus. 

Yuna had been happy and smiling all day. But a content, soft smile. What was giving her real joy, was seeing how happy everyone was now. Not necessarily happy for her, but happy they were safe. 

Of course, he knew that Yuna wanted everyone to be safe from Sin, or else she wouldn’t be doing this pilgrimage. But seeing it in action changed his perspective. 

Being a Blitzball star had been his father’s legacy, and while he loved the sport, there had always been this expectation to be like him, or better than him. Tidus assumed, up until now, it was the same for Yuna. 

But her joy was clear. Bringing the Calm was her true desire. And so it was time to stop trying to convince her to quit, and time to figure out how to get her through Bevelle, defeat Sin, and live to see the Calm after. 

How? He was still stuck on the first part. He knew next to nothing about the tenets of Yevon. What about the whole truth would get them into trouble? To them, Seymour was in the wrong, and everything was his fault. 

But what about the Fayth? Could Yevon revoke Shiva’s power because of what she did? Was that possible? Would they really do that? What if a replacement was demanded? What if Yuna was forced to take Shiva’s place as punishment? 

Tidus shook his head. No, they couldn’t possibly go that far. It wasn’t practical. In all likelihood, Mika would forbid her from finishing her pilgrimage, at which point, they would have to find a way to get her to Zanarkand anyway. 

“Here,” Auron set down a glass of wine in front of him. “You look like you’re thinking of something unpleasant. I know what, but it’s your wedding day. Leave that line of thinking to the rest of us.” 

Tidus swirled the wine, before asking, “Will the Fayth that helped us get into trouble?” 

Auron’s eyebrows raised. “The one in Macalania? No. She doesn’t exist on this plane. The worst they could do is shatter her statue, at which point she’d be free to go to the Farplane, and Spira would be down an Aeon. Not a good look for Yevon.” 

“And they wouldn’t make Yuna take her place as punishment?” 

“You really have been thinking a lot, haven’t you?” He smirked. “A Fayth has to be completely willing, or it won’t work. Yevon has never forced someone to become a Fayth because of that. They’ve strongly encouraged and tried to manipulate people into doing it, but never outright forced. Does that ease your mind?” 

“About 50 percent.” 

“We’re going to get Yuna to Zanarkand, with or without Yevon’s blessing.” 

“I guess that’s the other 50 percent then,” Tidus chuckled humorlessly. 

Auron hummed, patted his shoulder, and went back to the bar. 

—-

Hours later, while the party was still raging, Rikku escorted Tidus and Yuna to their room. It had been several early mornings and full days. The exhaustion was apparent on both of their faces. 

“Here we are! The Honeymoon suite!” 

It was a little room, nothing special about it. A large bed and a circular window on the wall. 

“The communal showers are at the end of the hall. Lulu and I will be in my room, three doors to the left, if you need anything.” 

“Thanks Rikku.” Yuna smiled. 

Rikku grinned before singing, “have fun!” And skipping off. 

Tidus shook his head at her antics. “Yuna, don’t feel pressured to do anything you don’t wanna. I want you to feel safe and comfortable with me. So we don’t gotta like…y’know.” He was so confident when he started, and then got embarrassed halfway through. 

“Thank you.” Yuna gave a little sigh. “It’s nothing against you, I’m just…still getting used to kissing.” 

“I understand.” 

“But…I don’t know when we’ll have another chance…” 

He shook his head. “Don’t force yourself. We’ll find time when you’re ready.” 

She didn’t seem so sure. 

Tidus noticed the pajamas left on the bed. A white silk nightie, and a black silk robe. “Here, wanna get changed out of that dress?” He held the nightie out to her. 

“I’d like to take a shower…if you could help me out of this?” 

“Gladly!” 

Carefully, he set the diadem and veil on the dresser, untied her obi, and undid the several buttons down her back. “There we go.” 

“Thank you, I’ll be back in a minute.” 

“I’ll go down with you, I’m kind of sweaty from all that dancing.” 

“Okay.” 

Tidus draped the robe over his arm and walked with her down the hall. She seemed shy again, and he wondered if it was because he brought up the topic of intimacy. Well, Rikku actually had. He could blame this on her. 

Tidus finished first and returned to the room to wait. As he returned, he noticed their belongings had been placed in the corner of the room. Her staff leaned against the wall, with his sword crossing over it. 

He laid on the bed, relaxing in the quiet and enjoying the cool air from the duct above. After a while, he could hear the party faintly from upstairs. Not enough to bother them if they fell asleep, though. 

Yuna returned a few minutes later, timidly knocking on the door. 

“Come in!” 

The nightie looked way too good on her. The skirt was high on her thigh, and the neckline and back both scooped deliciously low. Her hair was damp, but towel-tussled. 

“Wow,” he blurted. 

“What?” 

“Uh I just…haven’t seen so much of your legs before.” 

She looked down at herself, and then up at him. “Do you like my legs?” 

“Yes! They’re uh, very nice!”

She chuckled, and gave a snort, which made Tidus chuckle. “Don’t make fun of me.” 

“I’m not! I think it’s cute.” He scooted over on the bed and patted the space next to him. 

“Oh! Um, just a minute…” she went over to her bag and fetched a brush. Thankfully, there was a small mirror on the dresser, and she got to work untangling her hair. As she worked, she hummed softly. 

“What song is that?” 

“What? Oh hmm nothing really.” 

“Did you come up with it? You wanted to be an entertainer if you weren’t a summoner, right?” 

She gaped at him. “You remembered that?” 

“Sure! It was one of the first things I learned about you. So…?” 

“Yes, it’s my own tune,” she admitted, shyly. 

“Can you sing it?” 

“No, it’s not ready. I have some idea of what I want to do with it, but it needs work.” 

“Ah. Well, I’m no musician, but I’m willing to help.” 

She giggled. “That’s alright. It doesn’t ever need to be completed.” 

He didn’t seem willing to let this go. “What’s it about? A love song?” He waggled his eyebrows. 

“I suppose…it could be. The lyrics are a little ambiguous. More or less, it’s about how exhausting all the fighting in Spira is. We have Sin to worry about, and yet…people can’t help but find a reason to be upset with their neighbors. The Al Bhed and Yevon, other summoners, even the Blitzball teams have more animosity than friendly competition.” 

He couldn’t argue with that. 

“It’s written like a quarrel between lovers, and in a way, it’s like I’m quarreling with the world I love. I have one line I’m certain about, that goes…” she took a sharp breath and sang, “let’s not fight, I’m tired, can we just sleep?” 

Tidus’ pulse quickened at the beautiful sound of her singing voice. Just a little taste, and he was hooked. “Wow!”

“I know. It’s very heavy subject matter—“ 

“No no, I meant, wow, your voice is beautiful!” 

She blushed and turned back to the mirror. “It’s not that special.” 

“I think it’s really amazing.” 

“…thank you.” 

“So it’s settled. We’re getting you to Zanarkand, you’ll defeat Sin and survive, and then go on tour as a performer and High Summoner.” 

She balked at him. “What?! I think you’re getting a little ahead of yourself.” 

“On the contrary!” He popped up on his knees. “If we plan for the future, then we have something to look forward to!” 

She sat at the end of the bed. “Yes, it’s a very nice thought, but…the final summon…” 

“Is supposed to kill you, yeah yeah I know, but I’m working on it. There’s gotta be a loophole.” 

Then she smiled at him. A sad smile, but one still full of gratitude. “I appreciate the sentiment all the same. I always did. Even before you knew what would happen. You would say things like, ‘after we defeat Sin, we’ll go and do this.’ It made me really happy. Imagining the ‘what if’s.’ I love Wakka and Lulu, but they get so caught up in the seriousness of it all, the mourning period…it hurts.” 

“I’m sure it does.” 

“It’s like…what if I was sick instead? What if I only had a few months to live? I would want those months to be full of fun and adventure and laughter and meaning…not grieving.” 

“I am serious though, Yuna. I’m gonna find a way to save you. I’m not just saying that.” 

“I know. You never ‘just say’ anything. You declare intentions, and then you follow through. It’s very admirable.” 

“Auron would say it’s foolish.” 

“Auron just wishes he could be so confident.” 

“He’d call it impulsive.” 

“I call it assertive.” 

He smiled at her. “Well, thanks.” 

Her smile was brighter this time. Eyes alight with mirth. Her previous shyness had seemed to wither, now that she grew comfortable with him again. 

“So…” 

“So…?” She tilted her head, interested in what he had to say. 

“What’s next? What’s the plan for Bevelle?” 

She looked down to her lap, thinking. 

“I mean, I’m sure tomorrow Auron, Wakka, and Lulu will argue about a plan that consists of ‘leave it to us’ but I wanna know what you want to do, Yuna. What do you think?” 

“I…have been thinking about it. But I don’t know if it’s a good idea.” 

“I want to hear it anyway,” he persisted. 

“Well…what if just you and I were to go, and the rest of the guardians wait behind? I could throw myself at Mika’s mercy, and appear as non-threatening as possible. We give the others a time limit, so that if we don’t return in a few days, they need to come and…I don’t know, break us out of the dungeon or whatever punishment Mika sees fit.” 

Tidus crossed his arms, mulling it over. “What would you say?” 

“The truth. That Seymour murdered his father, and that we went to confront him about it, and he summoned an Aeon against us. We didn’t even have the chance to fight back before the Fayth became enraged by his actions and destroyed her temple, killing him in the process.” 

“And why we hid after?” 

“The fear of retaliation, even if we were innocent.” 

He nodded. “And why did we feel the need to confront Seymour?” 

“In Guadosalam, I went to the Farplane to visit my parents. While there, Lord Jyscal appeared to me of his own accord. He looked unwell, even from the Farplane. He told me where to find evidence of Seymour’s treachery.” 

“Do you still have it?” 

“Rikku does. I’ll get it from her tomorrow.” 

“And I still have his signet ring,” he added. “Which was the indicator that he was murdered. And, I wonder if we could find that other Guado that was in the background of Jyscal’s sphere, the one that put it behind the portrait?” 

“It’s likely he is in hiding. If Seymour hasn’t already killed him too. I am unsure how deep this runs.” 

“Welp,” he flopped onto his back. “Looks like another couple of busy days coming. We better get some rest.” 

Yuna hesitated a moment, and then laid down beside him. She hummed as she stretched out on the mattress. “This is nice.” 

“Yeah.” He turned to face her and gave her a little kiss to the lips. “Good night.”

She stared at him, eyes glistening. 

“Yuna?” 

“Thank you, for everything.” 

“Oh, sure thing.” He gave a confused smile. 

“Do you mind if I…?” 

“What?” 

She shuffled closer, and manually moved his arm out of the way so she could rest against his chest. “I just…wanted to be close.” 

He hummed, the sound vibrating in his chest next to her ear. He wrapped his arm around her. “I’d like to be close to you too.” 

[grimalditeuthis]

when i remember that no amount of waiting will make me brave and no amount of fear will keep me safe

edit: image description by voxratasma added to alt text

[12neonlit-stage]

you're allowed to discuss and work together, reblog for a higher sample size or something

You have 1 week, good luck!

[goldensunset]

advice i think we should tell children is that when adults say stuff like ‘now that i’m an adult i get really excited about stuff like coffee tables and bathrooms and rugs etc’ they don’t mean ‘and now i don’t care about blorbo and squimbus from my childhood tv shows anymore’ bc your average adult still loves all the same pop culture stuff they always did; they just have a greater appreciation for the mundane as well. growing up just means you can enjoy life twice as much now. you can get really excited about a new stuffed animal AND about a new kitchen sponge. peace and love

[artsymeeshee]

Felt a need to draw hugs (thinking about sea grunks has made me extra emotional :’))

[melonwah]

i desperately need you to take a minute to look at this fucking dog.,, lufy is looking for his forever home

[pyrus-salicifolia]

“Normal” test results are not the relief people think they are. When you wake up in pain and continue to be in pain for hours every day and your tests come back normal you don’t stop being in pain.