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It’s summer.
The sun is setting slowly in Zanarkand, with soft oranges and purples decorating the bathroom’s walls in a dreamy haze. The evening chill and the sounds of the small waves being made in the water were the only things that filled Tidus’ ears. He’s standing in the bathroom, focusing on the recently bought boxes of hair bleach and beach-blonde hair dye respectively.
“Is this stupid or what?” Tidus asked himself out loud.
He shook his head, and decided to re-read the instructions to the hair bleach once again. He already got the box, so he may as well finish what he started. He went and grabbed an old bowl from the kitchen, and poured out the developer and the bleach together. He mixed the combo vigorously, while reading the instructions on the box. He was a little unsure on where to even start-this was his first time doing anything to his hair besides getting the occasional hair cut. It’s a good thing that the lady at the beauty supply store was helpful-and thorough.
Now comes the hard part. He grabbed an old towel and put it around his shoulders. He grabbed the brush that came with the box and applied a dollop of it on the brush. Then as carefully as he could, applied it to his hair, trying not get any on his face.
Once he thought he was finished he set the alarm for thirty minutes. The minutes ticked away slowly, with Tidus’ anticipation. For the first time in a long time, he felt excitement. He didn’t know why-people dying their hair was no big deal! Lots of people he knew did it. But he never thought that he’d try it.
He took one cursory glance at the mirror and laughed at himself. His dark brown hair had been pushed back with the bleach on top of it, looking completely different already. The bleach had already fallen on the towel on his shoulders and some on his old t-shirt. His mind wandered to people’s reactions. Would they like it? Hate it?
Would they finally stop with the comments that he looks like the spitting image of Jecht?
His smile dropped. He took a deep breath and looked away. He was nothing like his old man. He wasn’t an overconfident selfish jerk that makes fun of his own kid for fun. That was never him and that would never be him.
For one thing, Jecht would never dye his hair.
Tidus scowled as he heard Jecht’s words in his head. In a way, it was still amazing as to how Jecht’s voice remained unchanged in Tidus’ mind for so long.
“You, dying your hair? For what? Not like it’ll look all that good on you anyway-”
The alarm went off, interrupting Jecht’s insults from the grave. Tidus got up, and washed out the bleach from his hair. He looked to the mirror once again, and smiled. His hair was bleached, and he was one step closer to going full blonde. He opened up the second bottle of hair dye, mixing the ingredients in the bottle. He set the old bowl on the floor, and got to applying the dye evenly through his hair.
“Give it up while you still can. We both know it’ll end up a disaster.” Tidus rolled his eyes.
He could still remember the last time Jecht told him to give up anything. It was when he was practicing Blitzball by himself. He hated practicing with his old man. Tidus learned early that having fun by yourself is a valuable skill to learn. Jecht came by and told him to give up the sport entirely while he was ahead because “You’ll never be as good as your old man.” That angered little Tidus so much that he didn’t speak to him for a week. It was only when his mom stepped in that he ever spoke to him again. Jecht never apologized.
“Oh mom…” Tidus stopped and looked to himself in the mirror. He missed her. A lot. He wondered what she’d be saying if she could see him now. Would she be horrified? Proud? Would she have donned the gloves and helped him out?
Not like he’d ever know.
Once Tidus finished applying the dye, he waited another forty-five minutes. With the thoughts of his deceased parents pushed away, he looked to himself in the mirror, filling up once again with anticipation and excitement. He couldn’t wait to see the final product-and to show it off.
In the mean time, he had to clean up. The bathroom reeked of hair dye.
…
Auron shut the door to the boat house behind him. The house was quiet and swaying gently. Auron didn’t know what it was, but there was something…different in the air. He walked further into the home, and the sensation became stronger. When he got closer to the bathroom, the stench of hair dye hit him. He scowled, and rapped on the door gently.
Tidus responded with a “Yeah?” And the sound of the shower being cut off.
Auron was just confused now.
“What…are you doing?” He could hear Tidus on the other end clamoring to get to the door.
“Don’t come in yet! I’m not done!” Auron rolled his eyes, and walked off to the living room.
…
The forty five minutes were up, and Tidus had begun rinsing off the hair dye. Although the dye allowed for him to see the end result, it was only after washing it off that it would become real to him. He dried himself off, and smiled at himself in the mirror.
He was giddy. He kept turning his head in different directions to get a good look at it. For it being his first time, it looked great! It was just the color he wanted. Best of all…
He didn’t see Jecht in the mirror anymore.
And he was sure that no one else would, either.
…
When Tidus finally left the bathroom, Auron almost did a double take.
“So? What do you think?” Tidus spun around and ran a hand through his hair. He flashed Auron a toothy grin, just like the ones that Jecht used to wear when he was feeling especially confident in himself that day.
“It’s different.” Auron responded, staring off into the distance. Tidus rolled his eyes.
“That’s all you have to say?” Auron nodded slowly, still not meeting Tidus’ gaze.
One of Auron’s favorite things to do to annoy Tidus was compare him to Jecht. It was a sure fire way to get the young Blitzball player mad, and Auron never hesitated in doing it if it meant a temporary laugh.
But he couldn’t find it in him to say anything. He didn’t want to tell Tidus that he and his late father smiled just the same way. How they both had that same glint in their eye and that aura of pure pride. He couldn’t drudge up those old memories and reopen those scars. Not when he finally stopped being plagued by the guilt in his waking hours whenever he saw Jecht in Tidus’ eyes.
After a few seconds, Tidus walked away with a haughty “Hmph!” to his bedroom.