Wrong?

The teen flinched involuntarily as a large hand fell onto his head and rather long fingernails began stroking through his blond locks, making him shiver in an unpleasant way. Why was this man touching him? He'd better start keeping his unnaturally cold paws to himself, or Tidus would make sure he never touched anyone else ever again.

His thoughts must have shown on his face, because after one last languid stroke, Seymour pulled his hand away and let it fall harmlessly to his side. "I am sorry. It's just that your hair looked so soft..."

*Creeper.* No wonder his hair looked soft to him, Seymour's hair looked stiff and hard... was that normal human hair? And if it was, how the hell did it stay like that? Was that natural? "Where are we going again? I really need to get back." He had decided that going back and explaining everything to his former caretaker would definitely be the best course of action. He really didn't want Auron worrying about him. Or getting angry at him. Or both. Yeah, probably both.

"Oh, you can't travel that path at night. It's not safe."

Not safe? He'd traveled it to get here just fine. "But--"

"Not to worry. Lady Yuna and the others are due to arrive here tomorrow of their own accord. You can meet up with them then."

He smiled at the boy in what was maybe meant to be a friendly manner, but it gave Tidus chills. He really didn't like this man. "You're sure they're coming this way?"

"Of course. Macalania Temple is just up ahead... Didn't you come here for that purpose?"

"Purpose?"

"I thought you were accidentally separated and came here to meet them once more... Is that not the reason you are here by yourself?"

Tidus was about to answer no, but Seymour looked way too interested on this topic and he didn't know why. Time to lie. "Oh, yeah, of course. I just didn't realize... I'm not familiar with this place, after all."

"Oh?" Seymour stopped walking and gave him this odd little smirk. "Not familiar you say?"

Immediately Tidus felt like a mouse after being caught and now played with by a fat Seymour cat. There was something in that smile... like he knew something and was taking great joy in teasing Tidus about it. "Yeah, I've never been here... y'know, to this part of Spira."

"Ah, of course." The smirk widened again. "What part of Spira are you from again?"

Tidus' stomach jolted rather uncomfortably. That's why Seymour seemed to be teasing him, he was. But that was impossible. How could he possibly know Tidus wasn't really from Spira? Who would ever guess something like that? It didn't matter, he'd asked a question and Tidus had to answer. Go with the usual cover story. "I really don't know. I got too close to Sin's toxin and it messed with my head. I can't remember where exactly I'm from." It was getting easier and easier to lie about his origins.

Seymour just continued smiling. "But if you can't remember, then how do you know you're not from around here?"

Arrogant jerk. How was he supposed to answer that? Was it even a real question?

"Still it is curious," the maester continued, fully aware of how he was making the boy feel. "Normally when someone is disturbed by Sin's toxin, the effect wears off within a few days. And you say you still can't remember a thing?"

Okay, definitely time to change the subject. "So, the temple's just up ahead?"

The half-Guado chuckled a bit at the teen's tactics. "Yes. Just at the end of this trail."

"Is there an inn or something I can stay at?" Tidus asked, hoping he wouldn't have to sleep outside. It was cold, and he didn't have a tent or even a blanket on him. Before, if he'd really gotten cold, Auron would let him borrow his coat until he warmed up. After all, the man produced heat like a furnace... He immediately pushed these thoughts from his mind, not wanting to think about Auron's body at the moment. It could only lead to distraction.

"Oh, there's no need for that. You are my guest and are more than welcome to stay in the temple walls. Besides, you are a guardian, are you not?"

Tidus felt a little like Seymour had cut his chest open, pulled out his heart, and poured salt over it. He had been a guardian. Past tense. Now he was an unwanted, gay slut, who had disturbed an angel and quite possibly made her dirty with his existence. Leave it to Seymour to remind him of that. "Guardian... right..." A random thought suddenly hit him, and he grasped at it, wanting to forget his current situation with his friends. "Hey, what were you doing out here anyway?"

"Hm? I often take walks at night. It soothes me."

The blond couldn't help but frown. It wasn't because of what Seymour said, Auron had given a similar explanation when he'd asked him the same question years ago. If it didn't bother him when Auron did it, why was he so bothered now? What exactly was it about this man that was so off-putting to him? He was full of himself, he was a prick, he could be really creepy... but none of that was the problem. There was something else, something Tidus couldn't quite wrap his head around, and yet he knew that something was very, very important... It was dancing just at the edge of his mind, taunting him at his inability to see it clearly.

"Here we are."

Tidus blinked stupidly, surprised at suddenly finding himself standing in front of a pair of large temple doors. This was why he didn't normally let his mind wander, he couldn't think deeply and observe his surroundings at the same time. This generally lead to him not thinking much.

He followed Seymour inside, where the older man sent two Yevonite-somethings scurrying to prepare a room for him. He vaguely thought it must be nice to be a maester, what with the free maid service and all.

"Are you hungry, Tidus?"

"Huh?" *Hungry,* his mind told him in a patient voice. *That feeling of needing to consume nourishment of some form.* Oh, right. "No no, I'm fine. I ate not long ago..." He was too uneasy to eat right now, his stomach doing flips, and he didn't even know why. He really just wanted to sleep. The sooner he went to bed, the sooner it would be tomorrow and Auron would get there. Then he could talk to the older man and be on his way... wherever that way lead him.

Seymour nodded understandingly, and gave him a smile. Not the smirk from earlier when he was playing with him, a real smile. A charming one. And Tidus felt himself relax noticeably just from the small gesture. Maybe this guy wasn't really that bad. He still didn't trust nor like him, but maybe he was at least tolerable...

"At least join me for a drink before you retire. It is rare that I have guests, and even rarer for them to be so close to my own age. I don't get the chance to socialize often I'm afraid. Please allow me to enjoy this opportunity."

That peeked Tidus' interest. Having a drink wouldn't be so bad, it would help calm his nerves. Besides, the guy was letting him stay for the night, he should at least be polite, right? "Yeah, sure, why not... Actually, how old are you?" he asked, following the maester off into a sitting room of sorts.

"I recently reached my twenty-second year."

"Twenty-two, huh?" Tidus sat heavily on one of the cushions surrounding a low table in the center of the room, a small frown marring his pretty face. "Dennick would be twenty-two right now," he said to himself softly. "His birthday was last week..."

"I'm sorry?"

Tidus jumped, having completely forgotten for a moment where he was and that he wasn't alone. Forcing a cheerful smile, he waved his hand absently. "Nothing, just thinking out loud." He shoved all thoughts of Dennick and his home to the back of his mind with what had become practiced ease. Just another reason for him to drink.

The other man gave him another kind smile, lowering himself onto a cushion across the table. He set down two shot glasses, pouring amber liquid from a delicate-looking glass bottle into them and handing one to the blond. "Here. This is a special Guado liquor. But I must warn you, it is very strong. Since you are human, you shouldn't drink too much."

Tidus nodded absently, barely registering the warning. He had drunk so much alcohol in just the past two years he doubted anything could really knock him out. He downed the shot without a second thought as Seymour did the same, surprised at how smoothly it went down. There wasn't even the usual burn that hard alcohol had. And it left a somewhat earthy after taste, not good but not really bad either. Was this stuff really alcoholic?

He savored the unique taste left in his mouth, running his tongue along teeth and cheeks to soak it up. Definitely a bland earthy flavor. Whatever, it was something new, and never let it be said that Tidus didn't enjoy trying new things. He pushed his glass back over to Seymour with a happy little grin and a, "Not bad." He waited patiently for his glass to be refilled, but Seymour made no move to do so. After a moment, the maester seemed to realize what he wanted a laughed lightly. "No, you won't be needing anymore."

Tidus blinked at him stupidly, surprised by the statement. Did this man really think one shot of something that had so little alcohol (he assumed) it went down as easy as water would affect him in the slightest? He was about to voice this out loud, when he found he couldn't make the words properly. Because whatever had been in that drink suddenly hit him with the force of a herd of stampeding chocobos, and he was now finding it difficult to see. Shit, apparently he had been a little too cocky on this one.

Seymour couldn't suppress his chuckle as the boy swayed slightly just from the effort of sitting up. "I told you you would not need more. This liquor is originally intended for the Guado, who have a much higher tolerance for alcohol than humans do. It is second only to the ale produced by the Ronso. If you had been someone smaller and less accustomed to drink, like Lady Yuna for instance, I would be hesitant to let you try it at all."

Tidus took this all in with a nod, the world seeming far away and fuzzy. He was sure there was something besides just regular alcohol in that drink. He had been wasted to the point of passing out before, but the only times he'd felt like this was when he had smoked something and drank together. Pretty much, whatever was in that Guado drink caused you to become not only drunk but high as well. And that left you with a very detached feeling, like everything around you was no more than a dream.

"S'good," the boy said sincerely, enjoying the sensation that he was floating immensely. He narrowed bleary eyes at the older man and said, "What about you? You're half human and half..." His mind completely blanked on the recently learned word.

"Guado," Seymour supplied with an amused smile.

"Yeah, half Guado," the boy agreed, nodding sagely. "So if you're half of both, does this stuff affect you?"

"Yes and no. It affects me more than a Guado and less than a human. To answer what you are truly asking I am a bit..." He paused pondering his choice of words before finally settling on, "Tipsy."

For reasons far beyond his comprehension, Tidus found that inanely funny. Something about the thought of a maester being tipsy, and just hearing Seymour use the word. He wasn't exactly sure why, but he started giggling uncontrollably, which made it seem even more like he was floating in space rather than sitting around a table. When he finally got himself under control, he focused on the blue-haired man across from him. It really felt like this was all in his mind and none of it was real. That he was sleeping and would wake up to find himself still sitting by that massive sheet of ice Seymour had originally found him by. He knew in some part of his mind that this wasn't possible, but Seymour just seemed so... "Far away."

The older man raised his eyebrows a bit, confused. "What?"

"You're so far away," Tidus repeated, words coming out thick and heavy, like molasses. "Are you really here?" He had to restrain himself from reaching out and touching the half-guado, not wanting to seem like a complete moron.

"I'm here," Seymour assured him with a kind smile. "Would you like me to come closer?"

Tidus shut his eyes, the action making him lurch forward a bit, though he wasn't aware of it. "Yeah..."

The maester obliged him, getting up and moving round the table to sit next to him. In his suddenly desperate need for human contact, Tidus snuggled up to his side, burying his face into the larger man's shoulder. Sighing contentedly, he thought of how comfortable it was and how good Seymour smelled, causing him to inhale deeply. Only when he did this did his drunken brain seem to register the situation. "I'm sorry!"

Quickly, he began to pull away from what had to be unwanted closeness on the part of the older man. He didn't get far before two strong arms wrapped around him, trapping him in place. "It's quite all right," the man assured him gently, and he couldn't help but burrow into that shoulder again. It felt so good.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, forcing his brain to work at least a little. "I'm just really lonely tonight." Even as far gone as he was, he knew he sounded like a stupid teenage girl who'd just been dumped, but he couldn't help himself. He really didn't want to be left alone.

"Lonely? You mean without Lady Yuna?"

"Mm." Tidus moved a bit so he wasn't putting so much weight on his ankle. "She's my angel. I want to stay with her and the others. My friends. But she doesn't want me anymore."

"Oh?" Seymour shifted the boy around so he was sideways across the maester's lap. He fit there so nicely. "Why wouldn't she want you?"

If Tidus hadn't been drunk or high or whatever that Guado stuff made him, he would have never even considered seriously answering that question. Hell, he never would have said enough to get to that question in the first place. But as it was, all he could really think about was how safe he felt in Seymour's arms. The only person this big, this powerful that had ever held him was Auron, and that was extremely rare. And when Auron held him it was warm, like being wrapped in a blanket, one that smelled predominantly of sword polish and something spicy. With Seymour, it was the complete opposite. The embrace was cool, but not unpleasantly so. More like a soft winter breeze, one that smelled very much like vanilla and flowers. So different from Auron... different but nice. And he let himself be taken over by this new feeling, all precautions falling away. "She said I was dirty. Because I'm gay."

Seymour's breath caught in his throat, and he felt himself stiffen just a little. "Really?"

"Yeah." His brow furrowed hard in concentration as he fought to make himself form the words he wanted to say. "She's right, I am dirty... but I don't think it's 'cuz I'm gay. I know lotssa gay people, and they're not dirty..." He dropped his head dejectedly, looking genuinely sad. "But you're a Yevon-... Yevon-... you follow Yevon. So you probably think gay people are dirty too."

"Not true." The half-guado started gently combing his nails through the incredibly soft blond locks. So soft... "I myself prefer those of my own gender to those of the opposite. Though I can go either way."

Tidus blinked. Took a deep breath. And blinked again. Had a maester of Yevon just told him he was bi and preferred men? Or had that stuff started to make him hallucinate now?

"You seem surprised."

*Just a little.* "Well, Yevon's against being gay, so..."

"Ah, yes, of course. And to someone like Lady Yuna that would be a very serious thing... I, however, rarely pay attention to such things."

The teen didn't feel the need to answer that, but in some odd way it made perfect sense to him. A lot like how back at operation Mi'hen Seymour, a big-shot Yevonite, had sanctioned the use of forbidden machina while Wakka, a mere lowly follower of the religion, had completely freaked out about it. It was like the higher up the chain you went, the more the rules were ignored. It was incredibly hypocritical, make no mistake, but in a twisted way it still made sense.

Seymour continued to stroke the hair. "Does that bother you, lovely?"

"No." Tidus found himself leaning into the touch, quite a bit different from earlier when he'd been ready to rip the man's arm off. But before Seymour had been in a mix of his creepy/condescending modes. Now he was in his caring/charming one. The whole atmosphere felt different from then. Besides, it felt good.

"I'm very glad. I would never want to do something that would disturb you."

The boy vaguely thought that wasn't entirely true, considering the way Seymour had enjoyed teasing him earlier. Then again, there was a big difference between teasing and actually disturbing someone. The older man really had only been playing with him before.

A shiver suddenly stole down his back at the maester's ministrations. When had his touch turned so... sensual? And why was Tidus responding to it so well? With the exception of Auron (no shit), he hadn't responded to anyone like this in a while, not since...

"What's the matter, lovely? Am I making you uncomfortable?" The hand left his head and stroked softly down his cheek, the touch so light he barely felt it.

He shook his head in response. That was the problem, he was too comfortable. It wasn't like Seymour was just trying to fuck him or something, that he would be fine with. This was entirely different. This was being done lovingly and he was actually okay with it. The fact that he wasn't uncomfortable made him uncomfortable. Or maybe it's because he was drunk? At least that's what he wanted to believe.

The world tilted and spun for a moment as Seymour gently laid him down on the soft cushions, leaning over him while his hand still stroked his face. "So beautiful," he breathed, the hand making a slow descent down his neck and over his exposed chest, violet/blue eyes following its path. "So precious."

Tidus stared up at him through glassy eyes. Was this really happening? Now more than ever this felt like a dream, like he wasn't truly there. He watched mutely as Seymour leaned down, pressing lips lightly to his temple then cheek. The lips were cold, like ice, but again not in a bad way. He could only lay still as the lips came down to cover his own, massaged against his in the most pleasant way. Before he could even think about it, he was responding in kind to the soft kiss. Kiss... kissing... no kissing!

He attempted to pull back from the older man, but laying on the ground that was impossible. Instead his hands flew up to the surprisingly strong chest, and he pushed gently, whimpering slightly as he did so. He was immediately released, Seymour looking down at him with genuine concern. "What's wrong, lovely?"

The boy's mind chose then to just about blank out on him. Damn alcohol. After blinking repeatedly to make sure he stayed coherent he finally managed to get out, "No kissing."

This made the half-Guado frown, completely perplexed. "Why?" The hand stroked through his hair again, watching the way the light made it shine. "I know you were enjoying it."

Tidus wanted to launch into a speech regarding his innermost feelings, but all he got out was again, "No kissing. Touching's fine... anything's fine. But no kissing."

Seymour seemed to realize then he wasn't being completely rejected, but the frown never left. If anything this statement only confused him more. "I don't understand, lovely. Why can't I kiss you?"

"Love." Tidus pressed his palms to his eyes, wishing he could string his thoughts together better. "I only want to kiss someone I love. Sex... I sleep with a lot of people... I'm a whore... So kissing... want it to be special." Seymour's expression changed from confusion to one he couldn't place. Not surprise, not amusement. He didn't know what it was. "S'stupid, I know... I just..." He didn't know what else to say.

"It's not stupid," the older man reassured him, planting a kiss to his forehead. "I just wish I could kiss you, because you're my angel."

The way he said 'my', Tidus knew he was referring to when he'd called Yuna his angel earlier. But he called Yuna his angel because she was like an angel. She was selfless and caring, sweet and nurturing, always ready to put others before herself. She was perfect. And he... "I'm not an angel. I'm not even a good person." And that somehow opened the floodgates. He drunkenly poured out all the horrible things about him, his voice gaining strength as he went on, his insults towards himself getting more malicious the more he spoke, until finally he was practically yelling about how much he hated himself.

"Shh, stop." A finger covered his lips, gorgeous eyes looked sadly down at him. "Stop. I don't want to ever hear you speak of yourself in that manner again."

Tidus shuddered under the intense stare and tried to look away. He couldn't meet those eyes.

"I don't see you that way at all." The man paused for a moment before saying honestly, "I don't think anyone but you sees you that way." And he proceeded to tell Tidus just how he did see him. He was honest to a fault, pointing out Tidus' flaws (the real ones), but mostly focusing on what he liked about the boy. And considering he didn't know Tidus all that well, there was quite a lot he liked. From his appearance, to his cheerful personality, to his drive to protect to his friends, the list went on and on. Tidus listened to all of this in his hazy stupor, telling himself over and over that this was definitely real. That this man really thought this about him. This person truly looked at him as if he were some kind of perfect being, an angel. And something inside Tidus warmed and spilled over.

Before he knew what he was doing, the blond had grabbed Seymour forcefully by the front of his robes and dragged him down to smash their lips together in a searing kiss. He didn't know why he was kissing the man, didn't know why it felt perfectly all right. He didn't love the older man, didn't think it was possible to truly love someone you'd only just had a decent conversation for the first time with, but he liked him. He liked him in a way he felt could turn into love given time. There were still plenty of things he couldn't stand about the man, but that was normal wasn't it? He didn't know a couple who liked absolutely everything about each other. A couple... did he see himself possibly being a couple with Seymour? And after all this had run through his head, he came to terms with what the simplest explanation for his feelings were. Tidus had a crush on the maester. And if he wasn't mistaken, Seymour felt very much the same way. It may not have been love, but it was definite affection on both sides. And it was enough to let Seymour kiss him.

Seymour, after getting over his shock, took control of the kiss from the drunken boy beneath him, slowing it down but keeping it just as passionate. He took his time, offering soft caresses over the boy's body, gradually slipping his tongue into the inviting cavern of his mouth. The teen tasted absolutely delicious, something citrussy, like oranges. And his skin was so soft, so delicate. However did he keep it this way during all his travelling and fighting as a guardian? It was just like a girl's.

Not that Seymour would ever mistake the gorgeous blond under him for a girl, and as his hand ran over a distinctive bulge he was reminded of this sharply. Slowly pulling away from the boy, he smiled and said rather smugly, "What's this? Are you hard for me, lovely?"

Tidus felt himself blush, knowing the man was teasing him again.

"I'm happy to see that," he continued, planting kisses up and down the boy's neck as he spoke. "I'm pleased I'm not the only one enjoying this."

It took a moment longer than usual due to the alcohol for his statement to register in the boy's mind, but when he did he shot the man a questioning look. Willing his own hands to life, he wrapped one into the half-Guado's hair (which had the oddest texture), and allowed the other to slide seductively down the front of the man's chest and continue on to... Tidus froze. There was no way that was... He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, doing his best to clear the haze, before wrapping fingers around the very specific length he felt beneath the robes... How was that possible?

Seymour watched Tidus' reaction, not bothering to hide his obvious amusement. With a chuckle, he pecked the other's lips before saying in mock confusion, "What's the matter, lovely? You seem distraught."

"I... no..." Tidus felt his face heat up in embarrassment. He had to be either imagining this or really drunk, right? And how did you explain to the person currently laying on top of you in an intimate position that you were mistaking the size of him? Because there was no way that it was really... Seymour chuckled again as he parted the front of his robes and watched as Tidus' eyes grew impossibly wide. Because impossible was the key word.

"Holy shit," Tidus whispered, staring stupidly at the erect organ hovering above him.

"Do I please you, lovely?" and the boy wasn't sure if this particular question was teasing or not. Regardless, he found he couldn't answer in words and just continued to stare. He had thought Auron was big, but... Seymour was as long as Auron and so thick. He'd never seen anyone this size. "How...?"

Seymour's smile widened. "A perk of being half-Guado."

Tidus could have kicked himself then for his stupidity. How could he forget the maester wasn't entirely human. Admittedly the body part in question looked completely human, but for all he knew humans and Guado were identical in that part of their anatomy. And whether they were or not, Seymour seemed to have gotten his size from his Guado genes. Tidus was pretty sure it was physically impossible for a human to be that large.

Feeling suddenly shy in a way he hadn't felt in years, Tidus reached a tentative hand forward, wrapping his fingers around the beyond impressive girth, not surprised when, like every other part of the maester, it was cool to the touch. He watched as Seymour's breath hitched, and those violet eyes lit up with unmistakable lust, his voice whispering, "You're so warm," almost offhandedly. Tidus pumped the massive erection slowly, watching the different expressions play out over the older man's face. This would be good for him, he reasoned as his groping got more frantic and Seymour undid the clasps of his shorts. He needed this. To sleep with someone not just for the act itself, but when actual emotions were involved. And he knew they were. He could feel the difference between a partner who just wanted a quick fuck and one who truly wanted to be with him. It had been so long since he'd slept with someone who wanted him.

Seymour was touching him as well now, and he felt his excitement levels skyrocket. Yes, this would be so good. The older man leaned closer to his ear, whispering harshly, "I can't hold back. Let me have you, Tidus."

And Tidus wanted to let him. Dear Yevon, he wanted to. But something was wrong. Something was very wrong, and he didn't know what it was... Seymour sensed his hesitation and pulled back a bit, looking concerned again. "What is it?"

The blond opened his mouth to answer, but just ended up shaking his head. He couldn't answer when he didn't even know himself. Desperately, his mind flew through the possibilities. Was it Seymour's looks?

Immediately, that one was thrown out. His looks weren't the problem, far from it. He may have been unique-looking, what being a Guado/human hybrid and all, but he was still undeniably good looking. His face was downright perfect, the blue vein-like markings somehow working for him rather than against him. His body was mostly human, the only Guado features being the markings on his chest and the small roundness of his stomach. Maybe some people would have been bothered by it, but Tidus found the lump cute in a way. And then, of course, his impressive male accessory, sitting proudly underneath a thatch of blue curls, only gave him bonus points. No, there wasn't a thing wrong with his looks.

What else was there? Was he worried that aforementioned male part wouldn't fit? He dismissed that idea as soon as it came. Not only would it fit just fine if he was properly prepared, but worst case scenario, he'd tear. Big deal, he'd torn so many times he'd lost count. He would randomly wonder how he still had an intact hole sometimes. Pain, at least in that area, didn't ever scare him.

So then what was wrong? The fact he was technically engaged to Yuna? That one was negative too. He was just about positive Seymour didn't feel a thing for Yuna, just as she felt nothing for him, though Tidus did want to have a conversation about that later. But even if they got married, he highly doubted they'd ever touch each other in an intimate way, if they even bothered to see much of each other. So he didn't feel like he was harming Yuna in any way by sleeping with Seymour. So then what?

And then it smacked him in the face. That feeling. The one that had distracted him so thoroughly earlier. The one that made him feel as though there was something very bad, something dangerous about Seymour, even if he couldn't comprehend yet what that something was. And he felt ridiculous, turning down the man he liked for a stupid feeling he couldn't even describe. But that feeling was just so damn strong. It grabbed hold of him and sucked him in, screaming at him not to make the mistake of sleeping with this man, that he'd regret it. And though it seemed ridiculous, Tidus had always had good instincts, and he'd learned to trust them. After all, he knew he wasn't the smartest guy around, he had to have something going for him. But now how did he explain to Seymour he didn't want to have sex?

Seymour stared down at him, watching carefully as though he could see his dilemma. Tidus took note of how attentive the older man was being to him, and it just made him feel even worse. He had lead him on so much, had been the first to really touch the other, gone along with everything Seymour started. And now he was going to suddenly reject him with no excuse? He felt horrible about it. And since he was still incredibly drunk, tears sprang up to his eyes in accordance with his guilt. He scrubbed an arm across them irritably, breathing hard. "M'sorry."

If he hadn't been so distraught by everything, he would have been amused at the look of near panic that crossed Seymour's face. "What's the matter, lovely?" he asked hastily, cupping the boy's face tenderly. "Please don't cry."

"But... I... I just..." Tidus proceeded to try and sputter out an apology. It didn't make a lot of sense. Finally he ended with, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lead you on."

Seymour immediately hushed him. "Don't be silly. If you're not ready yet, I'll wait."

Tidus just blinked stupidly at him. Wait? "I feel bad. I've never refused someone before," he admitted, looking away guiltily.

The older man took his chin, forcing his gaze back to his own. "Then I'm honored to be your first."

Tidus couldn't stop the blush that spread over his cheeks at the sweet words. Seymour was being so nice about all of this, and he felt himself choke up a bit. He didn't deserve this.

"Please allow me to take care of our mutual problem," Seymour said seductively, rubbing his erection against Tidus' own. He continued to create a delicious friction, Tidus' breaths almost instantly become short, quick gasps. He groaned as he felt one large, cool hand wrap around both members and pump along with the movement. So good...

After a minute, the hand lost its grip, and Tidus felt Seymour's weight leave him. He opened his eyes to see the older man lay down next to him and turn him on his side, pulling his back flush against his broad chest. What was...?

"Close your legs, lovely," the maester panted harshly, sounding very much like he was nearing his end. Tidus, realizing now what he was doing, obeyed and felt a jolt of pleasure when that incredibly thick erection was pushed between his thighs, coming to meet his own, rubbing against his balls. As Seymour continued to thrust, simultaneously stroking him with that cool hand again, he was surprised at how amazing this felt without any penetration. And this time he knewit wasn't just the alcohol. This felt good, to be pressed against Seymour's larger body, to feel the rapid beating of the maester's heart, to feel the hot breath, the only thing hot about the man, against his skin. It felt right. And when he came to a simultaneous orgasm with the older man, he actually felt for the first time in a very long time that he wasn't confused about anything. That he was exactly where he was supposed to be.

Breathing hard, Tidus felt Seymour move away from him and he rolled on his back, immediately regretting the action. Everything swam violently in front of his eyes and he had to fight hard not to be sick or pass out. Shit, when would he learn? This was exactly what had happened when he'd given Auron the blowjob a little while ago. Heavy drinking and physical activity (sex) didn't go well together. Dammit, now he really just wanted to sleep.

He yelped, startled, when he felt a cool rag, clean him up quickly and his pants pulled back up and reattached for him. "Seymour?" he asked dazedly.

He felt a cool hand rake through his hair. "Yes, lovely?"

"M'tired."

There was chuckle, a light, good natured one, and the older man said softly, "I'm sure you are. Come, I'll put you to bed."

He was lifted and carried to a different room where he was laid down on a huge bed with ridiculously soft silken sheets. He vaguely wondered if it was really all right for him to sleep on something so fine. He felt Seymour pull his shoes off and tuck the blankets around him, like he was a small child, and he couldn't help but think how familiar this all felt. It wasn't just the alcohol, every part of this reminded him of that time with Auron... Auron...

"Seymour," he mumbled, already slipping away, "we need to talk." *About a lot of things.*

"Not now, lovely. Tomorrow, after you've rested. I should not have given you so much to drink."

Tidus nodded, muttered something about seeing him in the morning, and almost immediately fell asleep. The last person he thought about though, wasn't blue and wearing maester's robes. He was cloaked in a very familiar red coat and sunglasses.

***

At ten minutes to six the sun had just started to peek over the horizon, forming the slightest bit of light on the ground below. The party of summoner Yuna, already packed up and ready to go, left immediately upon this illumination, moving quicker than they had yet on their journey. At the front of the party, setting the pace with determination was the legendary guardian Sir Auron. Behind him, the summoner and the rest of her guardians kept up as best they could, no less resolute than he was. No one they passed tried to stop and speak with them, sensing the urgency that enveloped the group. They had to get to Macalania Temple as quickly as they could. They had to find their missing member.