(Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe I can claim the title of being the first person on to post a Yuna/Wakka fic! The idea came to me while I was thinking of people who would be odd couples, and this popped into my head. If I have inspiration I may write some companion fics. Read and enjoy! This is basically a re-write of the Macalania spring scene)

"Why did this have to happen to me? Why did everything have to turn out this way?" I whispered softly, but the beautiful spring held no answers for me. And it wasn't only me. The recent events had hurt everybody. Kimahri, Lulu and Auron, Rikku and Tidus, and... Wakka. Wakka had been furious; I'd seen it in his eyes. Those cinnamon brown eyes that I'd looked into every day for the past ten years.

Wakka was a... troubling subject, one that I had spent many sleepless nights pondering. Unlike my guardians, I didn't feel as though I had the liberty to fall in love, because anybody I loved would simply be hurt once I was... gone. And when it comes to the topic of hurting friends, I worry about Tidus the most. I think he only just realized what actually happens to Summoners who receive the Final Aeon. He was always the idealistic one. As for him and Rikku... well, let's just say they're obvious to everybody except themselves. At least Lulu and Auron are a little more subtle, you know? I often see the two most quiet of my guardians walking at the back of our group, their heads bent together while they're off chatting in their own little world.

The bittersweet thoughts of who was falling in love with who were replaced by truly bitter laments of my own, and I sighed deeply. I'd sworn off men since the day I'd started training, knowing that my path as a Summoner would make any conflict with my heart too painful to bear. But, as much as I tried to deny it over the years, there was one boy, one man, who had come to have a special place in my heart- Wakka. I don't know it happened, but somehow Wakka's sheepish grins, warm brown eyes and spiky orange-red hair, and big heart just... got to me. It was sweet, in a way, but also sad. For his sake I stayed quiet, not wishing to hurt the man I was in denial over my love for. But now, after what happened with Seymour, I don't know how I can look Wakka in the face again and not feel polluted by the memory of that slimy son of a... having pressed his cold lips against mine. I always thought that a girl's first kiss was supposed to be some sort of fairytale. I wish.

But now I was turning from sad to cynical, a rare state of mind for me, and I chided myself to return to the purpose for which I'd come out here in the first place- to be alone. I wanted to be alone to think for a while; decide where we were to go next; whether or not I even wanted to continue my pilgrimage. It was all depending on my decision, again. But now my quiet sanctity was being disturbed. I could hear footsteps, stopping at the water's edge. I didn't even have to look behind me to know it was Wakka. I could sense his presence.

"I always thought that this would be easier somehow," I said eventually, feeling comforted by his presence but not yet turning around. "I thought that everyone would help me...with all my friends together beside me. I've been trying so hard." I had to bite back angry tears when I said that.

Wakka finally approached me; I could hear him making ungainly ripples in the spring water. "Maybe you're trying too hard, ya know?" he asked, sounding concerned. "You haven't said a word since we got out back there. Lulu said we should check on you."

So Lulu had sent him. Would he have been concerned enough to come on his own? Maybe I was just fooling myself, thinking that he felt what I did. "I'm okay," I said after several moments' silence. "Thank you." But my answer wasn't good enough. Either that or Wakka could see through it to my distress. He dived down in the water and popped up in front of me, floating on his back and perusing the stars.

"Why don't you just not do it?" he asked eventually, and I was stunned.

"The pilgrimage?" I asked, though I knew full well what he meant.

"Yeah. Forget all about Sin, about being a summoner. Forget all that. Live a normal life, ya know? What do you think?"

"Maybe I will," I said, smiling as I contemplated the idea. "Wouldn't... everyone be surprised?"

"Not Rikku and Tidus," Wakka said, straightening up and coming closer. "They'd be with you. Lulu wouldn't hold out long."

"Kimahri would say yes, too, I know. But Sir Auron..." I knew my eldest guardian would want me to go on, and I held a great respect for him. But my feelings for Wakka were a formidable challenger.

"I'd make him understand, Yuna. It'd be the least I could do for you." I smiled broadly. Wakka is so sweet.

"No," I said firmly. "I should tell him. He deserves it." I relaxed then, laid back and let myself drift on the surface on the surface of the cool crystalline water.

"What'll I do if I give up my pilgrimage?" I asked eventually.

"Hey!" Wakka said enthusiastically. "Why don't we go to the Moonflow like Tidus said? Then we could have a party and play some blitz!"

"And the Aurochs could play! We could all watch you play, and I'd cheer and cheer till I couldn't cheer anymore!"

"You got it!" Wakka said, punching the air with enthusiasm.

"Well, what about after the game?" I asked curiously.

"We could party and have fun!"

"In the middle of the night?" I asked him.

"Why not?" Wakka asked, and I laughed at him.

"Let's go to the Moonflow, before the sunrise," he said, sounding much more introspective now. "The pyreflies fade out one by one, the stars set. It's kinda rose colored, ya know? First in the river, then it spreads to the sky. It gets brighter and brighter, till everything glows. It's really... pretty. I know you'd like it."

"I'd like to see it, someday," I whispered softly.

"You can, Yuna. We can both go!" It just broke my heart right there. I knew I couldn't abandon my duty, even for Wakka. I couldn't control my emotions any longer and started crying.

"Yu...?" he began to ask, but his voice must have died in his throat when he saw me.

"I can't," I said, trying and failing to stop crying. I didn't want to look like this in front of Wakka. "I just can't. I can't go!"

Wakka approached me then; I could hear him coming closer as I tried to halt my flood of bitter tears. I looked up when I felt a pair of warm, strong hands on my shoulders. It was Wakka, giving me a look that immediately dispelled my lament. He was close; too close.

"Yuna," he said tenderly, and I was lost in those brown orbs of his. Those beautiful brown eyes filled with concern and compassion. I was trembling from fear and anticipation. Wakka was so close I could almost feel his body heat.

Then, out of the blue and coming as a complete shock (albeit a pleasant one) to me and probably to him as well, Wakka bent his head and kissed me. For a second I was stunned. After the shock wore off, I felt for a further quick moment as though I should pull away and tell him that we shouldn't do this, but that thought was quickly banished. This felt... right. I gave into my feelings then and kissed him back, threading my arms around his neck and letting my fingers run through his hair. Wakka in turn wrapped his muscular arms around my waist and we fell backwards, floating through the starry water that could have just as easily been the stars themselves.

Sometime later, I found myself on the shore of the spring with Wakka, lying down with my head on his lap as he gently ran his fingers through my hair. "I'll continue," I said eventually. "I must. If I give up now... I could do anything I wanted to, and yet... Even if I was with you, I could never forget." Wakka nodded in understanding.

"I'll go with you," Wakka replied. "I'm your guardian. Unless I'm...fired?" I giggled and gave a negative shake of the head.

"Stay with me, until the end," I told him sincerely. "Please."

"Not until the end," Wakka said firmly. "Always." I smiled; I was lucky to have people who were so dedicated to me.

"Always then," I agreed, and sighed contentedly. After a few minutes though, I knew we'd have to go back to camp eventually. I reluctantly got up and faced Wakka. "Maybe... you should head back to camp first," I said.

"You got it!" he declared cheerfully, and began to walk off down the path. After a few moments, I threw propriety to the winds and called out to him.

"Wait!" I said, jogging to catch up. "I'll go with you." Wakka smiled at me and my own mood went up several notches. I slipped my slender pale hand into his broad brown one and we walked back to the campsite together.

When we returned I faced the rest of my guardians, who were waiting expectantly for me to say something. "Sir Auron?" I began, addressing them each in turn. "Tidus? Lulu? Kimahri? Rikku? Everyone, we leave at dawn. And... I'm sorry for putting you through all this. And...um..." but then Auron interrupted me.

"Enough," he said. "You need your rest."

"Yes," I agreed. "Good night."

Once we were all settled down to sleep, I sent a small smile and a wave in Wakka's direction before turning over and facing the sky, allowing the twinkling stars to sooth my mind and lull me to sleep. Even if I did follow my father's path and die summoning the Final Aeon, at least I would have help along the way. I would have advice, friendship, and love. I would have Wakka.