[ He isn't looking, but Tidus feels Taiki turns, can guess--see--the concern of his eye without confirming it. It's a heavier weight, a bigger regret for speaking. His head bows, ducking to avoid it being seen better; the hand on his shoulder nice, but he wishes he didn't need it.

If only he could take it back and say he was joking. But it'd be too cruel--crueller than a half truth. He can't do that to them now; not for himself. Not just so he can be a coward.

He leans himself forward, forehead tipping to rest against Taiki's back. Tone somewhere between resigned and accepting. ]

I don't have a choice. [ It hangs heavy in his ears, and he can't leave it at that. ] But that's why... while we're here, I don't want it to just mean the missions. I want us to have good memories-- that we got to be happy, for ourselves, and it wasn't just misery or fighting. People deserve that.

I want to know... we got to be ourselves. Happy. [ He closes his eyes, exhales through his nostrils, voice dipping on a sigh. ] That we got to laugh.

[ That they were alive and people, and not just a piece in someone else's goals or dreams. ]

Everyone deserves that.