Further, Chapter 1
Sequel to Break. Seymour comes across Tidus traveling through Mt. Gagazet and decides to take what he sees as rightfully his. Seymour/Tidus, Auron/Tidus, spoilers.
[Final Fantasy X] M+, angst/romance/hurt/comfort, 1026 (1799) words, published 02-02-05, rape
previous chapter
"Fragments" is also the name of a VNV Nation song. It's also awesome. Further
butterflie
[chapter one ~ fragments]
He had failed.
That was really the only thought running through his head when he reached the clearing and realized Tidus was gone.
He'd failed. Failed Tidus, failed Jecht, failed himself. Failed everybody, really. He'd promised to protect Tidus. As long as they remained in Zanarkand, protecting Tidus was pretty easy. But upon returning to Spira, Auron was finding it harder and harder to continue keeping that promise to Jecht.
Maybe he'd been too long in Zanarkand-living there had changed him, for sure. And being unsent had changed him as well. He was getting too careless, something he could ill afford at this point.
Why had he let Tidus go off with Kinoc to see Seymour? It had been the worse mistake of his life. But no matter how much he cursed himself for it, he knew it wouldn't change things.
He had sensed it in Tidus the moment Tidus had looked up at him in the cage. He could see it in the blond's eyes, what the maester had done to him. He'd broken him, in one of the worst ways possible. And Auron had been unable to protect him from it, to keep it from happening.
He hated to think about it, about what Seymour had done. Why Seymour had even wanted to was beyond him. Tidus hadn't said much about what had happened. He called me beautiful, and he kissed me... I went away after that. It wasn't terribly hard to imagine what had taken place while Tidus had "went away". His fists clenched in anger every time Tidus' words came back to him. How anyone could take pleasure in breaking someone in such a way he didn't even want to understand.
And Seymour had succeeded in breaking Tidus very well, as much as Auron hated to admit it. Tidus had not been the same since he'd come back from Seymour. He would so often stop living in the moment and go away. Where Auron didn't quite know, but he suspected Tidus spent a lot of time in Zanarkand, playing blitzball. That whole first day across the Calm Lands had been terrifying for Auron, having to watch Tidus be so completely listless. He hadn't been with them at all, as Auron had discovered at the travel agency. Instead he'd been running on autopilot, totally unaware of everything going on around him.
The night they had spent together had done Tidus some good though. He had been more alert after that, living a bit more in the present rather than getting lost in memories. He still had a tendency to go away if anyone mentioned Seymour, however. He knew that the others had noticed this as well, so gradually any talk of Seymour had ceased between them, for which both Auron and Tidus were grateful. It gaveTidus a better chance to heal, to get past what had happened and continue on with his life.
But now...
"It doesn't matter now," Auron muttered to himself, not caring if the others heard him. Now Seymour had Tidus, and he had no doubt Seymour was using the oppurtunity to break Tidus even more.
He'd wanted to go after Tidus the minute he realized the teen was gone. In fact, he'd opened his mouth, ready to order the others to go after him. But then he'd stopped. It was Yuna's pilgrimage after all, and that made it her decision. She would be the one to decide... whether to keep moving forward, or to go after Tidus.
She hadn't decided as of yet, and Auron had to conceal the urge to just go over and shake her and command she make a decision. Every second they sent sitting here on Mt. Gagazet took Seymour and Tidus further away from them. It was surely a given Seymour would head to Guadosalam first, but not likely that he'd stay long. And after that, Auron had no clue where the unsent maester might head. Macalania Temple, maybe, considering he was the high priest there, but Auron didn't really think he'd find him there. It was too obvious. No, wherever he might take Tidus, it'd be a place they'd never dream to think of.
Sitting here doing nothing was making him restless. If Yuna did not decide soon, Auron thought he might just go after Tidus himself, alone. He should have already been doing that. After all, he'd promised Jecht he'd look after Tidus. He'd already failed in that promise once, but there was still a chance to redeem it. And it went beyond protecting Tidus for Jecht, he knew.
Tidus had been just fourteen when he'd first realized he was starting to have feelings for the boy. He'd done his best to surpress them, not wanting Tidus to know. He didn't want Tidus to be scared of him or feel uncomfortable around him. He knew he'd been more of a father to the blond than Jecht had ever been, and he didn't want that to change for the worse. So he went on as he always had, and Tidus hadn't suspected a thing.
But there must have been something there. Or maybe not. Maybe Tidus' own feelings weren't influenced by his in the least, something that amazed him a bit. And what amazed him even more was their continuing existence, even in the face of what Seymour had done to him. And it wasn't as if Tidus hadn't been willing for that night together-after all, he'd been the one to plead Auron to stay with him. The night had been understandably rough, flashbacks slowing progress, but Tidus had persisted in staying with him, insisting Auron keep going no matter what. Auron had done just that, taking care not to frighten or hurt Tidus. It seemed to work, considering Tidus' mood the next morning.
"Sir Auron?" Yuna spoke just then.
He looked up at the half Al-Bhed summoner expectantly, waiting for her to speak again. The others all gathered around as well, wanting to hear what she had to say.
"Well Yunie?" Rikku asked anxiously.
"I... I would like to go after Tidus."
Auron allowed himself to sigh with relief.
next chapter
[Final Fantasy X] M+, angst/romance/hurt/comfort, 1026 (1799) words, published 02-02-05, rape
previous chapter
"Fragments" is also the name of a VNV Nation song. It's also awesome. Further
butterflie
[chapter one ~ fragments]
He had failed.
That was really the only thought running through his head when he reached the clearing and realized Tidus was gone.
He'd failed. Failed Tidus, failed Jecht, failed himself. Failed everybody, really. He'd promised to protect Tidus. As long as they remained in Zanarkand, protecting Tidus was pretty easy. But upon returning to Spira, Auron was finding it harder and harder to continue keeping that promise to Jecht.
Maybe he'd been too long in Zanarkand-living there had changed him, for sure. And being unsent had changed him as well. He was getting too careless, something he could ill afford at this point.
Why had he let Tidus go off with Kinoc to see Seymour? It had been the worse mistake of his life. But no matter how much he cursed himself for it, he knew it wouldn't change things.
He had sensed it in Tidus the moment Tidus had looked up at him in the cage. He could see it in the blond's eyes, what the maester had done to him. He'd broken him, in one of the worst ways possible. And Auron had been unable to protect him from it, to keep it from happening.
He hated to think about it, about what Seymour had done. Why Seymour had even wanted to was beyond him. Tidus hadn't said much about what had happened. He called me beautiful, and he kissed me... I went away after that. It wasn't terribly hard to imagine what had taken place while Tidus had "went away". His fists clenched in anger every time Tidus' words came back to him. How anyone could take pleasure in breaking someone in such a way he didn't even want to understand.
And Seymour had succeeded in breaking Tidus very well, as much as Auron hated to admit it. Tidus had not been the same since he'd come back from Seymour. He would so often stop living in the moment and go away. Where Auron didn't quite know, but he suspected Tidus spent a lot of time in Zanarkand, playing blitzball. That whole first day across the Calm Lands had been terrifying for Auron, having to watch Tidus be so completely listless. He hadn't been with them at all, as Auron had discovered at the travel agency. Instead he'd been running on autopilot, totally unaware of everything going on around him.
The night they had spent together had done Tidus some good though. He had been more alert after that, living a bit more in the present rather than getting lost in memories. He still had a tendency to go away if anyone mentioned Seymour, however. He knew that the others had noticed this as well, so gradually any talk of Seymour had ceased between them, for which both Auron and Tidus were grateful. It gaveTidus a better chance to heal, to get past what had happened and continue on with his life.
But now...
"It doesn't matter now," Auron muttered to himself, not caring if the others heard him. Now Seymour had Tidus, and he had no doubt Seymour was using the oppurtunity to break Tidus even more.
He'd wanted to go after Tidus the minute he realized the teen was gone. In fact, he'd opened his mouth, ready to order the others to go after him. But then he'd stopped. It was Yuna's pilgrimage after all, and that made it her decision. She would be the one to decide... whether to keep moving forward, or to go after Tidus.
She hadn't decided as of yet, and Auron had to conceal the urge to just go over and shake her and command she make a decision. Every second they sent sitting here on Mt. Gagazet took Seymour and Tidus further away from them. It was surely a given Seymour would head to Guadosalam first, but not likely that he'd stay long. And after that, Auron had no clue where the unsent maester might head. Macalania Temple, maybe, considering he was the high priest there, but Auron didn't really think he'd find him there. It was too obvious. No, wherever he might take Tidus, it'd be a place they'd never dream to think of.
Sitting here doing nothing was making him restless. If Yuna did not decide soon, Auron thought he might just go after Tidus himself, alone. He should have already been doing that. After all, he'd promised Jecht he'd look after Tidus. He'd already failed in that promise once, but there was still a chance to redeem it. And it went beyond protecting Tidus for Jecht, he knew.
Tidus had been just fourteen when he'd first realized he was starting to have feelings for the boy. He'd done his best to surpress them, not wanting Tidus to know. He didn't want Tidus to be scared of him or feel uncomfortable around him. He knew he'd been more of a father to the blond than Jecht had ever been, and he didn't want that to change for the worse. So he went on as he always had, and Tidus hadn't suspected a thing.
But there must have been something there. Or maybe not. Maybe Tidus' own feelings weren't influenced by his in the least, something that amazed him a bit. And what amazed him even more was their continuing existence, even in the face of what Seymour had done to him. And it wasn't as if Tidus hadn't been willing for that night together-after all, he'd been the one to plead Auron to stay with him. The night had been understandably rough, flashbacks slowing progress, but Tidus had persisted in staying with him, insisting Auron keep going no matter what. Auron had done just that, taking care not to frighten or hurt Tidus. It seemed to work, considering Tidus' mood the next morning.
"Sir Auron?" Yuna spoke just then.
He looked up at the half Al-Bhed summoner expectantly, waiting for her to speak again. The others all gathered around as well, wanting to hear what she had to say.
"Well Yunie?" Rikku asked anxiously.
"I... I would like to go after Tidus."
Auron allowed himself to sigh with relief.
next chapter