Little Mishaps

By Snare-chan

Pairings: None
Ratings: PG
Category(ies): General
Warning(s: None
Status: One-shot, complete
Summary: Devious, young Tidus steals Auron's precious sunglasses only to get more attention than he'd bargained for.

Notes: I have always been a fan of that strange relationship between Tidus and Auron. Tidus, the crybaby kid who'd lost everything and Auron, the unwilling father. I mean that kind of mix couldn't have been easy for either of them to bear in the beginning.

So yes, I'm a big sap and can't help but wonder what it was like for them at the start of their 'lives' together. I mean come on, Auron had been a guardian, not a babysitter.

Disclaimer: I dun own Final Fantasy X; wish I did like everyone else. They should put FFX in stock, then I'd buy it all!

As an eleven-year-old, Tidus was just beginning to hit that stage of adolescence where he was still a boy, but slowly growing closer to his time where he was going to get interested in girls. He was just two years away from becoming a teenager, where he was sure to become a hormone raging young man bent on expressing his forming ego and desire for independence.

But right now that didn't really matter, because at eleven his only concerns were two things: mischief and how to cause it. We can cut the boy some slack if you take into account his home life – or lack thereof. With a father as popular as his dad had been, and still was, and having had to put up with his mother's constant fawning over his old man when he was around, Tidus did a lot of attention-seeking, and to do that, of course, he had to create a little havoc here and there.

However, nowadays his only companion was the strange man, Auron, who had appeared from nowhere one day and made it clear that he was going to look after Tidus, whether he liked it or not. Thus, his causing trouble was probably more or less due to the fact that he didn't like this new setup in the least. So, as a child his age, it was common for him to make the man's life miserable every 365.25 days a year – except on the adult's birthday, because those days are special and different, but since he didn't know when exactly that was…

Of course, today's agenda was no different for the young child, his little brain scheming for the best way to get under the other's skin this early morning. It was a bright and beautiful start for the weekend, though it was predicted to become cloudy and possibly even rain later on. Unlike normal people though, Auron didn't like to sleep in anywhere past seven, despite the fact that it was Saturday, so Tidus had to work quickly and quietly if he wanted his idea to go according to plan.

Making as little noise as possible, he slid open the door leading to the master bedroom on the ship. He only opened it a crack, just enough so that he could peer through it and see inside. It was still pretty dark in the room, which made it pretty difficult for him to spot much of anything. By all appearances though, it looked like Auron was still in bed - asleep.

Nodding at this once, he pushed his way inside and left the door just barely ajar. He'd learned swiftly that if anything was too amiss or changed, the older man would awaken, and he couldn't have that just yet. Creeping around in his sandals, he made sure to avoid all the creaky wooden boards and uncarpeted areas, making his way slowly towards the other's bedside table and ignoring the large sword just to his right. The boy has already learned that messing with sharp objects wasn't as fun as it was cracked up to be. Besides, he wasn't here for that…this time.

When it seemed to loom just ahead of him he paused, making sure the other was still truly asleep before tiptoeing those last few inches to the table. Tidus barely withheld a sigh of relief as he arrived at his destination, the blonde's hand reaching out to grab what he had come for when suddenly the other began to turn over. Rapidly, Tidus pulled back his hand, covering his mouth with it to keep from screaming in surprise. In his startled state, he took a step back, accidentally catching the edge of a rug and falling back on his behind.

In that one moment he was sure he'd been caught red-handed, his mind already racing for an excuse as to why he was there uninvited…when he realized the man hadn't moved to do much of anything but to get more comfortable. After watching Auron for any more signs of wakefulness, he eventually began to relax again, carefully pushing himself back up and re-approaching the bedside table. Spotting what he'd come for, he snatched the object with one hand, cradling it in his sweaty palm before cautiously backing up towards his exit.

Until he was in the clear, he did not let out the deep breath he'd been holding, the door now firmly shut behind him. He'd been sure he was a goner back there, when the other had turned over in his bed… Shaking his head quickly, a smile crossed his features, his fingers twitching and feeling the prize still firmly set in his grasp. No longer caring to keep quiet, he practically bounded out the front door, his feet carrying him to the upper deck where he was sure he'd be safe.

Sitting down near the railing, he felt overly giddy as he opened up his hand, finally revealing what he'd sought to get. Auron's sunglasses gleamed in the first morning light as he shifted them between his hands, the thin silver frame and thick black lenses looking back at him. Gingerly unfolding the earpieces, he examined the glasses from the front, his head tilting this way and that as he let some light shine through.

Looking at them from the other side, he experimented by putting them on, not quite sure what was so special about them. His guardian wore them almost all the time, and from what he could tell they were just plain old glasses. They weren't very good ones either. Even for his head they were exceptionally big and bulky, and felt uncomfortable around the ears. These sunglasses were more like goggles if you asked him, and it seemed like no wonder the other wore them down all the time instead of properly up close against his face!

Scoffing in disappointment, he tugged them off and held them in one hand. He was about to return them when something out of the corner of his eye startled him into dropping them. Looking over to the side he spotted no one there but the wooden mast and its unused sails fluttering in the breeze, its shadow having been what scared him so much. Gulping, he cautiously looked over to his other side, watching the ripples of where the glasses had plunged into the watery depths below.

If Auron wouldn't be mad at him for stealing the things in the first place, he was certainly going to be infuriated at him now for losing them.

Nervously, he bit his lip, his gaze still flickering over the ocean in hopes that the object would miraculously float back up to the surface and be perfectly fine. When that didn't happen, he fidgeted, growing more and more nervous as time went by. This was not good, this was very not good, and he wasn't…well, he knew what he should do, but it wouldn't be easy. He knew how to swim pretty well thanks to his Blitzball practices, and recently he'd learned to hold his breath for long periods of time. Still, the inside of a stadium was nothing compared to the sea outside.

Sighing in defeat, he traveled to the lower docks where he could safely make it into the water before swimming to the area where he'd dropped the object. Checking around once to be sure no one - namely his guardian - was looking, he dived under and downward. The water around here wasn't too deep, but it was deep enough that it took him some time before he finally reached the bottom. It was also very dark, so he had to search by using his hands.

After much time had passed, he was certain he'd scanned the entire bottom of the ocean floor and still come up short. It was like the glasses had never existed or some such thing. Tidus' young mind quickly started filling in the blanks, assuming that perhaps a fiend might have eaten them by mistake or the currents had carried them off to more distant waters. By the time he was ready to give up and pray his guardian never figured out that his precious glasses were missing, he stumbled upon them in a nearby rock pile, his fingers brushing over the soft metal on his last time around.

He almost lost some precious air as he whooped for joy, his fingers fumbling to free them and head back. Wrenching them out at last, he tucked the glasses into his back pocket, buttoning it up for good measure before swimming back up to the safety of his home. He couldn't believe his good fortune! Now he could return them to their proper place and not get grounded. Most of all, he wouldn't get grounded - this fate was the one he hated and dreaded most. There was nothing worse than being stuck inside when he could be out here enjoying his day.

Tidus was just about to breech the surface when something decided to surprise him once more, the sight causing him to stop what he was doing. The creature froze there for a moment, whatever it was hidden mostly in shadow. Before Tidus could so much as blink, it started moving again, circling him in a calculating manner. Now he could see what it was, and it was definitely a fiend. A big, long one.

Panicking even though he knew better, he immediately attempted to get away as quickly as possible, his arms and legs moving to their limits. It wasn't enough, and without warning he felt something grab onto his pant leg, his entire body nearly being pulled back under as the more powerful fiend attempted to drag him down to be its next meal. Not knowing what else to do, he screamed, his hands reaching up to grab at whatever his tiny hands could grab.

His fingers skimmed the smooth surface of wood before he was dunked back under. He was sure he was as good as caught at this point, the sea monster clutching him harder, sharp claws digging into the delicate skin under denim fabric. Without meaning to, he screamed again, only this time he was under water and only managed to make a gagging, gurgle-like sound. Then, suddenly, he was breaching the surface again, another hand grabbing hold of his shirt and giving a strong tug. The creature from before hadn't seen it coming, which would explain why whoever his savior was had managed to pull him out of the water with mild effort.

The boy had managed three large gasps of fresh air before he was roughly shoved back, an unsatisfactory crunch accompanying the action. Tidus's yelp of surprise was made more shrill as he caught sight of the fiend crawling over the side of his family's boat, its keen, beady eyes looking at him as well as…

Auron.

Gulping back an indignant sound, he continued to scoot back on his hands, wanting to give his guardian as much room as possible. He'd never actually seen him use his sword in combat before, but from the couple of glances he had caught of the other practicing with it, it was sight enough for him to know that his guardian knew how to use it, and use it well.

The monster hissed, almost losing its nerve at the realization that it was no longer facing one small child but a warrior as well. It seemed to consider its meal options for a second before hunger seemed to win out, the green animal rushing forward as fast as it had swum in the water. Tidus fell into the background as the two faced off – Auron sweeping his sword out in a wide arc to catch the fiend head on while it rushed onward with slimy hands extended to kill. A battle that had felt like it had occurred for several hours was finished in only a couple of seconds, the two fighters standing on opposite ends for a couple minutes before the fiend collapsed in a heap of dust and scales.

Tidus did not have a lot of time to let this all sink in, because the minute it was all over, Auron was hovering over him in all his heightened glory. For a split second, Tidus considered what would have been worse – being eaten by a fiend or being punished by Auron. At the moment, even with the other having said and done nothing yet, the beast seemed like a much better payoff to his young mind. Without his glasses on, his guardian's full-fledged glare was all on him. It was like having the whole, entire world crash down on him.

"What did you think you were doing?"

Though the words were practically a whisper, he could have yelled and gotten the same exact reaction. It was obvious that all his restraint and patience was being put into every single word, making it very clear that the boy shouldn't doubt that he was in deeper trouble than his tender mind could imagine.

Any sense of childish arrogance and disobedience fled him in that moment, leaving him nothing more than the cowering eleven-year-old that he was. In the short time he'd known the older man, he had never seen him like this, much less show any sort of emotion besides borderline nonchalance and a controlled not-my-concern nature. Auron was level-headed, strict, and commanding, but never really angry. Up till now, Tidus hadn't the faintest idea that the other could even dredge up anything resembling anger. It left him very frightened, and feeling more than foolish in face of the other's obvious disappointment.

"I-I don't know…"

That was not the answer the other had been looking for. Kneeling down in front of him still left Auron several heads taller than his charge. "That is right, because you were not thinking. If you were, you would have known better than to go off alone, you would have known better than to go swimming in these waters, and you would have known better than to worry me like this."

With each bitten-off word he uttered, he gave the boy a firm, harsh shake. Highly intimidated and still frightened, Tidus couldn't hold back all his tears. Even repeating the words 'I will not cry' with all his might did nothing to stop them from rushing past his eyelashes. Rather oblivious, the other continued on.

"What would your mother or father think if they knew you had been this foolish? Do you think they would be proud to know you had died because you felt like showing off? Well?"

The only reply he received at first was a weak hiccup, Tidus' face hidden behind the soft locks of his light colored hair. What could he possibly say to that? When his dad called him stupid, no amount of apologizing or promising made a difference to him. Auron didn't even know what he was talking about, Tidus decided, because if he knew his parents like Tidus did, the man would know they wouldn't have regretted it if he had died this young. In his head, he could see them downright enthralled to know they didn't have another mouth to feed, or regret having the public know their son was struggling in his game practices, or having to pay attention to someone other than each other.

"They…they…you don't know anything at all!" he declared suddenly, releasing his pent-up frustrations on the other at last. How dare this guy…this guy who had come out of nowhere, declaring his old man some dead hero and taken over his mother's spot in his life like it was only some obligation, talk to him like this? The other did not care about him at all, either. He was just another bother in someone's life and nothing more. "What do you care if I live or die! My parents sure didn't care if I was around, and you'd probably be glad if I wasn't here to keep you busy! Don't lie to me and say you'd-"

With a growl bordering on feral, Auron gave him another shake, this one having Tidus' head nearly rolling off his shoulders. His head even connected with the wooden panels behind him, his head cracking against it with enough force to cease all inner thoughts and slow down his sobs.

"It seems to me you are the one who knows nothing. Your parents loved you enough to provide you a home, did they not? They fed you and clothed you, correct? Jecht, he made me promise, solemnly vow, to keep you safe in his absence. Does that mean so little to you?"

Sobbing more softly now, Tidus tried to curl in on himself, but Auron's tight grip prevented him from doing so. How could he explain the need for warmth and love to a grown-up when he didn't even know that's what he truly wanted? He was tired of being ignored and pushed aside, of being an afterthought and a necessary nuisance. He supposed he deserved this, though – he had wanted attention, and he'd certainly obtained it, but nothing like this…never anything like this. Having his guardian upset and…concerned about him, of having to protect him and fix his mistakes…

Slowly, as if seeing the other for the first time, he looked up at Auron curiously. He had been so distraught himself that he hadn't taken the time to notice how distressed the other was looking. Auron was bordering on haggard, ragged breathing reduced to labored breaths. He was like the epitome of paternal fuss. Discreet as it was, even his muscles were still slightly shaking, as if ready to get up and fight a whole horde of those fiends to make sure Tidus was safe.

Auron wasn't putting him down; he was lecturing him.

Shifting almost uncomfortably at the new, tight scrutiny he was getting, Auron softly cleared his throat. "Tidus, did you hear me?"

"You really were afraid I was going to die, weren't you?"

"What kind of silly question is that?"

Barked, the tight response might have been, but Tidus couldn't help but flash the other a white-toothed grin. It wasn't exactly the kind of response Auron was hoping for. "Of course I was. What would compel you to risk your life so carelessly?"

Frowning at that, Tidus' hopeful mood was slightly ruined. He knew Auron always wanted the truth from him and that, by all means, he should tell him it was because he lost the sunglasses. Absently biting his lower lip, he contemplated whether he should even say anything at all. At least then he wouldn't be lying or risking getting in more trouble. That was until he realized that Auron couldn't physically be grouchier than he already was. Maybe, if he was honest, the other would stop looking at him so disappointedly…

Carefully reaching into his back pocket, he searched around for the remains of the other's beloved face-gear. Fingertips brushing over shards of glass and bent metal, his eyes widened in fear once more. They had broken? But they had been in perfect, mint condition when he'd retrieved them, albeit perhaps a little soaking wet. That's when it dawned on him that when he had fallen back on the deck, it hadn't been a bone breaking, but the snapping of Auron's glasses in his pocket.

Now feeling dejected, he pulled out the damaged pair. The black shades clinked together in his palm as he meekly offered it all back to the other, unable to bear to look at his face any longer. If he saw any more disappointment mar his guardian's face, he was sure he would begin to cry again.

"I…I wanted to try them on, ya know? See what was so cool about them, but I dropped them into the water and when I tried to get them back that monster came after me. They were fine until…until you saved me. I must have sat on them or something," he mumbled, feeling Auron gingerly take the remnants of his glasses.

He distinctly heard the other sigh. The sound portrayed no emotion in it, not giving away how upset the other was or displaying how much trouble Tidus would be in. He had no doubt in his mind that he must be grounded now. If he was lucky, maybe Auron would only sentence him to 100 years in his bedroom.

"I'm really sorry. I'll…I'll try and fix them with glue, or…or work for money to buy new ones. Maybe Mr. Larson would let me wash his boat-"

His excuses were cut off as he was suddenly brought forward into the most awkward hug he'd ever received. It was tight and stifling, like being hugged by some big furry animal. It was nothing like his mom's, which were tender and sweet-smelling, or that one time his neighbor's daughter gave him a playful one. Besides those select few, he had never really hugged anyone before.

Maybe that was why this was the best one he'd ever received.

"Auron?"

"Do not ever risk your life for such trifle things."

Brows furrowing together, he couldn't quite reason what the other was talking about. This was his only favorite pair of sunglasses, wasn't it? He wore them all the time, even if it was late at night or inside the house. He was almost unrecognizable without them; that was how often he sported them. They were special to him and so it stood to reason that Tidus should try and save them when it was his fault they got lost.

"But-"

"No 'but's. These can be replaced," he answered matter-of-factly, his open fist flashing the ruined glasses, "but you…you cannot. If something were to happen to you, that would be it. Do you understand?"

"I think so."

"Good. Now get back inside."

Nodding cautiously, he pulled away to head back inside, wincing as he put some weight on his scratched leg. In all the commotion he'd forgotten all about it. At least he could walk on it still. Pausing as something occurred to him just outside the door, he turned to look at the other. He had yet to move from his spot.

"Am…am I grounded?"

"Depends how fast you get ready for breakfast."

Tidus smiled, happier that Auron wasn't angry with him anymore than not being grounded, though that certainly was a plus. Nodding again, he rushed past the door, practically running all the way to his room to get ready for the rest of his day. Outside, Auron eyed the damaged frame and glass in his hand, before brushing it all away.

-Fin-