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[blitzcheer]

( for all your messenger birds, amulet calls, in person meetings etc etc action!! )

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action; MID-LATE NOV I GUESS

[tenyearswaiting]

It's not that Jecht is actively avoiding Tidus. It's Tidus who's doing that. Jecht... Well, he's keeping a distance (There's a difference). He's still not entirely sure how to handle Tidus's presence with everything the boy doesn't know. The best option is to give him the space he needs to settle in. Verens has no shortage of helpful and nice people. Tidus will be fine.

Probably.

So here he is doing his usual thing of swimming in the lake even though it's starting to become too cold for it. The world will have to ice over the entire lake to keep him away from it. It's a solace being able to dive and just stay underwater however long he wants.

It's not like anyone else will bother him so far down. And the lake's big enough there's no way he'll run into Tidus if he happens to think the same.

No way at all.

[blitzcheer]

He can go for walks, he can spend time with people; he can check out the odd jobs going for anything interesting, or he can whittle away the money he has on pointless shopping ventures. Well, somewhat pointless: it's called living in a society, having to actually be settled in one place for the most part, not living on the road where you'd make do with what you have until you hit the next assortment of people. It's called essentials, and small comforts.

But none of those comforts are the same as drifting in water. The chilling state of the lake had deterred Tidus only for a short time after his arrival on the floating island, and that was partly for the necessity of supplies, needing to prepare than just jumping in without warming up first, having towels and good clothes to come back up to.

Once that was all out of the way? It was the best distraction he had from the world. See how long he could last. See how much deeper he could get.

It's all feeling: the way the water presses into the body, knows he shouldn't be there, and it's invigorating to disagree. The colours slur from turquoise to teal, and the fish dance in and out of his vision. Sometimes there’s fiends—or monsters, as they’re called here—that haunt the deeper depths, but they don’t come out this way often. Good.

There’s something up ahead though this time out, this deeper in, and Tidus blinks. Wood from a wreckage? Which is all he can guess, the colours blurring as dark, black.

He swims towards it with some caution, but more intrigue.

[tenyearswaiting]

Jecht has his back to Tidus. He's venturing in deeper and farther out. There's a nook he noticed a few days ago and he kicks towards it, rounding a corner behind tall and thick floating weeds before seemingly disappearing from sight.

There's a curious hole that's only big enough for his arm and, of course, something shiny within. He raises his eyebrows and reaches in, brushing past something wiggly and slimy before grasping onto a solid item. He pulls.

Stuck.

He pulls harder.

Braces a hand against the outside and pulls again.

He braces his feet next. He's come too far to quit now.

More effort is applied until finally whatever is lodged inside pops free... and sends Jecht flying backwards a few feet now that he has nothing to hold him in place.

image;

[oathkeeper]

[Someone might have to get super used to voices in his head super quick because Sora is pinging Tidus out of the blue like it's the most normal thing in the world to do! Ring-ring, hello?!]

Tidus! Are you there?! It's Sora.

[Sora sounds as chipper and curious as he did when they first met and escaped Shaarnath as secret delinquents. No one will ever know how badly they broke that puzzle...]

voice on this side!!

[blitzcheer]

[ Okay, sure, you know? Tidus can handle that initial thrum of the amulet, he's getting kind of used to that. Though it feels somewhat...familiar? More pressing than just your standard amulet call, and when he accepts it... ]

Sora?!

[ There's a startling surprise coming through, falling into low confusion and wonder. why can he see things!! probably very innocent things but still!! ]

What's, u-uuhhh— what's up?

[ VERY COOL CASUAL BUT ALSO KINDA CONFUSED. ]

[oathkeeper]

[Why call someone when you can facetime them?! Sora barely ever uses anything else. He's happy to hear Tidus reply even if it seems so out of the blue and Tidus sounds startled for it! A happy flutter of joy joins the mental connection.]

I just wanted to say hi and check in on you! Looks like you're starting to get the hang of amulet connections?

[Even if he can't see Tidus' face!! Sora grins anyway.]

TODAY; image

[tenyearswaiting]

[Tidus will be greeted with an image of the shore with the lake off to the right. There aren't any telltale emotions bouncing through it, even if Jecht is a little anxious.]

Hey, don't hang up.

[blitzcheer]

[ you have to pick up to hang up. ]

1/

[tenyearswaiting]

[Dammit.

Redial.

RING RING.]

[tenyearswaiting]

[RING RING]

Hey.

[tenyearswaiting]

[RING RING]

12/25

[mooglebow]

not late dunno what you're talking about She doesn't know Tidus well yet, but he gets a nice gift of some nice homemade sugar cookies shaped into the Zamarkand Abes symbol (listen, she saw it on him when she met him) and a wolf charm to put on his necklace.

She thinks she's funny. :)

There's a note attached that reads: "Merry Christmas! I hope you enjoy the cookies, and maybe I'll see the charm on your necklace next time I see you, huh? Gotta remember your roots. ;)

-Serah"]

[blitzcheer]

[ SERAAAAAHHHHHH

no he can't be mad. it's cute, and Tidus totally forgot about this holiday thing people were doing when the note and gift comes to his flat. his wolf flu has passed, but he's gone back to being a slug with the depresso-snow still in effect.

but he'll remember this, later, and he'll remember to do something in return. ]

Jan 4th

[tenyearswaiting]

[While Jecht sent gifts on the first day of the month, Tidus's wasn't ready till now. He had the thought of just dropping it in Tidus's path one day but in the end he opted for the messenger bird. (It was expensive!)

It comes in a nondescript box with a lid. A bracer sits within. It looks pre-made but the tasteful embossing of the Zanarkand Abes symbol upon it appears to be what caused the delay. There's no note. It's presented as-is though the armorcrafter saw fit to include his own name card in there despite Jecht's instructions if Tidus wanted to investigate.]

[blitzcheer]

[ who the heck does his old man think he is!!

Which is mild compared to the actual reaction Tidus has when it shows with a big fat bird to carry its weight. The weight alone should be reason to make Tidus wait to check it out until he gets to the apartment, but he doesn't, taking it over to a bench so he can properly examine the contents. Was it a mistake? Couldn't be more of those Christmas cookies, that's for sure. The way messenger birds worked around here was really suspect, using the thought of someone to make deliveries...

And it's easy to keep believing it a mistake once Tidus sees the bracer sitting there---until the familiar symbol catches his eye. Tidus freezes in his surprised inspection, and he isn't a dumbass: there were only two people who'd do something close to this, and one would know better than to include the symbol on it. ...Maybe.

But Auron would have given it directly. Regardless, Tidus's reaction isn't private to the other people out around him, the ingredients of his emotions causing him to start steaming, literally. Unable to stop or calm it, he storms his way back to the apartments, chucking the gift in some corner of his room (by depositing it carefully) and the throwing yesterday's laundry over it, to keep it out of sight.



He waits until later that night to try it on.


But when is he meant to ever wear this stupid thing in the day!! ]

forward dated to after the event. or maybe during, you can't stop her

[lifelight]

[ring ring, Tidus. Guess who figured out who you're supposed to be? This lady. But she has to confirm it. That's important. So, ring ring ring, pick up!]

[blitzcheer]

[ ARE YOU MIND CALLING HIM IN A DREAM Oh, that's--? Huh. ]

Uh, hi?

[ good way to say hello ]

WE'RE GONNA BLITZ DAMMIT

[tenyearswaiting]

Jecht doesn't think anything of it when things from home started showing up for everyone. Maybe he'll get to keep another blitzball to replace the one Tidus took and never returned!! or maybe he'll lose them once the month ends.

So seeing that familiar structure in the distance, it sends hope fluttering in his chest. He doesn't remember running there but the walk up to it is real. The statues, the extravagant interior, the overly huge structure on its own.

He doesn't know how long he spent standing there laughing but he did. And somehow found time to contact Tidus in between.

Come to the lake. Now. You don't wanna miss this.

no??

[blitzcheer]

That's the sort of excitement that isn't easy to hide, and so feeling it thrum through the amulet and into his head with his father's voice is bewildering to say the least to Tidus. The lake? What?

What's got you going?

Is he going to get any explanation, or is he actually going to have to drag himself all the way over to the lake without a clue?

image

[tenyearswaiting]

[brrng brrng it's a quick call that comes with an image of an angry-looking cat with a scarred eye peering up at the viewer.]

He scratched me. I'm namin' him Gallan.

[That's it. That's the message. Because clearly he needed to name a stray cat after his old rival.]

[blitzcheer]

What is thi-- .... Huh?

Dad?



...


[ wtf he hung up???? WHO DOES THAT.

whatever, Tidus is going to continue moving the supply of excess blitzballs they gathered after the stadium appeared throughout this month, screw u old man. ]

Early April

[nofarplaneyet]

[There's been another setback with Tidus and Jecht trying to get along. This time it seems fairly serious. Enough that Tidus stopped working at the inn. While Auron does believe in giving Tidus some space, it's gone on enough.

Time to figure things out. And by that, he means leading the chocobos by reins since he knows Tidus can't resist.]

Hey, Tidus. Are you around your place?

[He might be waiting outside.]

[blitzcheer]

[ It's a surprise when Tidus feels the connection signalling Auron. Confusion comes before the realisation it's been a while, and maybe because it's been a while is why Auron's...

Oh. Yeah. He hesitates, but doesn't decline the link for their connection. Even with his small iota of guilt, and knowing this could lead to an Auron lecture. But then, when wasn't that a fear. ]

Uhhhh...Sure. Yeah. You in the neighbourhood?

[ Should he clean up? Was there anything actually to clean up-- ]

mid-april; bc I can

[rustyhonesty]

Just so you know... my birthday this year was the best birthday ever.

And my relationship has advanced.

[He's less embarrassed and more ecstatic this time at least.]

[blitzcheer]

[ ... ]

Did you just tell me you got laid?

[ is this the update he just received. did someone get the birthday sex. ]