I love you...

It was an unusually cloudy day in Besaid. Tidus sat in silence on one of the piers down by the sea, his feet hanging over and dipping into the cool seawater that swirled around his feet, his hair fluttering gently around his neck as the wind danced its own serene routine across the beach. A Blitzball lay by his side, but the young man's thoughts were far from the game. Instead, they rested, as always, on a certain young, brown haired woman with blue and green eyes.

I love you...

Why couldn't he say it? Why didn't he say it? There was no time better than the time he had missed. Closing his sapphire blue eyes, Tidus instantly recalled that fateful day that he stood on the airship, his ethereal arms wrapped around Yuna's silently shivering form in a feeble attempt to try to touch her, if only in his mind. He remembered the sadness, the bitter sorrow that had torn his heart asunder as he heard her say those words that had stunned him senseless at the time.

Why hadn't he said it back? He knew he loved her. He knew that she loved him back, and that there would never be anyone else.

Hell, she had waited two years for him to come back, and still she had not found someone else. So why did he find it so hard to simply say those three words?

Due to his mind being... preoccupied on other things, Tidus failed to notice that Yuna had surreptitiously walked up behind him, barefoot so that her feet would not make any noises on the wooden planks of the pier. She smiled softly as she saw the carefree young man that she loved simply sitting with his feet in the water, lost in his own little world, and knelt behind him, wordlessly slipping her slender arms around his neck. Tidus gave a gentle start as he felt her touch, but slowly relaxed as he realised who it was and gave a quiet chuckle.

"You got pretty good."

It was strange, wasn't it? He had spent his entire journey with Yuna on their pilgrimage to defeat Sin as the epitome of energy, always eager to climb the next hill, to go after the biggest fiend of the pack and get promptly pounced on, to break the silence of the group when something bad had happened. He had always been so hasty to do something in moments of passive activity, more impatient and energetic (and naive, for that matter) than the rest of the group, except maybe Rikku.

And now, he found himself just wishing he could sit here with Yuna forever, just to relish the feel of her soft touch, the kiss of her breath on his neck. Shifting around, he silently invited her to sit with him, and she complied, slowly settling comfortably into his embrace as they looked out to the sea, the calm, shimmering water reflecting in both their eyes.

There was a companionable silence between the two as Tidus watched Yuna absently play around with one of the straps of his Blitzball uniform, her eyes serene and relaxed. She was so beautiful. He could just look at her face forever and never grow bored or tired. He remembered with a reluctant smile about how he would always spend all the nights in bed in the inns on the Pilgrimage devising new methods to make her smile and laugh. He would willingly dive off the highest cliff or swim across the largest ocean just to see that sparkle in her eyes when she smiled. Unconsciously, he tightened his grip around her waist and laid his cheek on her shoulder.

Yuna turned her head sideways, that same soft, lovely smile on her face as she looked at him in amusement.

"What is it?"

Tidus inhaled softly-the smell of her hair was enchanting, intoxicating, making him feel light-headed and deliriously happy at the same time. He looked away and contented himself on staring at her bare shoulder, slowly planting a soft kiss on her skin.

Say it...

"Nothing." The blond man said quietly.

Yuna frowned. It was odd to see Tidus so preoccupied, so quiet, so distant, whereas he was usually happy and cheerful.

She slipped her hand over his and squeezed softly, her eyes suddenly filled with the concern she always felt.

"What's wrong? Tell me?"

Tidus debated whispering into her ear and saying it, but decided against it. Instead, he settled for asking her a quiet question.

"Yuna..? Do you remember what you said to me two years ago on the airship?" The girl frowned gently as she tried to recall.

"...No... did I say anything?"

Tidus immediately looked away.

"Nah, it's nothing." He scratched his head absently and suddenly felt his spirits sink.

"Wait... yes... I do. Why?" The former Summoner raised her eyebrows. Why would he ask her about something like that?

Tidus grinned, despite himself.

"Never mind."

Yuna frowned again and debated with herself whether to press the subject. Curiosity got the better of her. It was very important to her, after all.

"Tidus, tell me."

"No." He smirked as she stiffened with indignation in his grasp.

Yuna then did something he wouldn't have expected her to do. Spinning out of his embrace, she placed her hands on his shoulders and gently but firmly shoved him onto his back, moving up to sit on his chest and placing her face close to his.

"Yes." She said simply.

Tidus raised an eyebrow at the soft-spoken High Summoner-she had changed so much. Slipping his hands down to her waist, he kissed her, relishing and loving the soft, sweet taste of her lips as he closed his eyes and pulled her closer. Yuna shivered slightly-was that good or bad?-and deepened the kiss. Ah. That was good. He slowly shifted so that she lay beneath him, and slowly started to trace a line of kisses along her neck and jawline, making her moan softly.

"Yuna..."

She opened her eyes and looked at him.

Tidus' sapphire orbs were gentle and full of affection-affection for HER, she realised-as he backed off and, with a short tug of her arms, brought her up to a sitting position in his lap, her legs stretching out behind his back as she looked into his eyes.

"I love you." He whispered softly, leaning in his forehead to rest against hers.

She gasped softly as the implications of his words sank in, her coloured irises widening slightly as he shot her a hesitant smile and tilted her chin softly to kiss her again. She had wanted for so long to hear him say those words... was this a dream..?

The kiss lasted longer this time. When they finally parted for air, Yuna noted with surprise that her hands were buried in his hair, and that his hand had slid beneath her shirt and was rubbing up and down her back, making her shiver deliciously. She took one look into his eyes and saw all the love, all the desire to make her happy and protect her, all the anxiety of what she would say, and knew that she had already decided her answer long before this. She had decided on that precious night they had shared in Macalania, where he had kissed her for the first time.

"I love you too." She whispered back.

Tidus' features slowly lit up in a soft smile as he wrapped his arms around Yuna and placed his chin on her hair as she rested her head on his chest, simply enjoying the feeling of having his love in his arms.

"I'll love you till the end of time... No, not the end of time..." Yuna smiled again and hugged him harder as she realised, with a mixture of memory and emotion, what he was going to say.

"Yuna... I'll love you... always."

Dance