Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy X or any of the characters.
A/N: This story was just a 'based on a whim' sort of deal. No actual setting is in here, but it's set in FFX and during the pilgrimage, pretty much anytime after the Calm Lands or Zanarkand events. I really didn't think I was going to write this but somehow it just came rushing out of my mind and here's the result. Very dialogue heavy so I leave the lack of details up to the reader.
If anyone actually likes this though and understands it then that's great hahahaha—-shot
"Choose. Right now. Jecht, Auron, or Braska?"
Lulu looked at the young Albhed girl, her eyebrows quirked up slightly. Yuna flustered instead, her eyes wandering towards her shoes. Rikku blew out a huff and folded her arms.
Before Lulu could question her, Rikku answered, "Since we're already talking about the three 'heroes' I wanted to know who you were most interested in." The black mage shook her head and chuckled.
"Is that what kids are into these days? Finding out who is the most attractive to the other person? How silly." Rikku's ears perked up at her reply, causing her to point a daring finger at her.
"Aha! I didn't say who was the most attractive! So you must have an interest in one of them the most!" Lulu glared at the Albhed before she looked back at Yuna.
"Are you going to partake in this nonsense? Please tell your cousin to stop being a nuisance." Yuna finally looked up at Lulu, the flush from earlier still on her face. However, her eyes held a twinkle that Lulu caught almost immediately. She grimaced.
"W-well… Rikku's got a point. I mean, there's no harm in asking. Who do you find the most attractive Lulu?" Yuna asked hesitantly, but it was obvious from her tone that she was really curious. The older woman sighed.
"If you had to force an answer from me… I guess Auron." Yuna and Rikku's eyes widened, with high-pitched gasps coming from both of their mouths.
"Sir Auron?!"
"The meanie head?!" Lulu threw a cold glance at the two, causing them to both cover their mouths. They were quite distant from the main campsite, but it was possible that the other party members could have heard them. After the initial shock, Rikku began to giggle uncontrollably.
"Pffft, Auron? He's such a grump! Why him?" She questioned, trying to stifle her laughter by holding onto her sides. Lulu looked away from her, her eyes admiring the doll in her hands.
"Because he's the most mature one of the group. Or at least, the most experienced one," She pet the doll gently, "I can relate to him. This isn't my first pilgrimage as a guardian either." Yuna's eyes softened at her reply, nodding calmly to her response. However, Lulu quickly broke out of her moment and looked back up at Yuna.
"What about you? Is Sir Auron your taste in man? Or… is it Sir Jecht?" Yuna blushed fiercely, shocked at Lulu's sudden change to her.
"I can't choose between those two! They were my father's guardians…both are very great in their own ways…"
"So are you saying they are both attractive?" Lulu commented, her eyes twinkling with mischief. Yuna's face ripened even more, her hands fiercely gripping at her dress skirt to calm herself.
"I can't believe you would say such a thing to me Lulu…" Yuna played the sympathy card, her eyes glistening with what seemed to be tears. Rikku patted her cousin's back, causing her to lose her trance as she looked at her relative.
"It's okay Yunie, I totally understand being undecided. Both are just too good-looking fellas!" Yuna's face slowly lost her color as she heard her cousin's words and she looked back down, unable to protest anymore. Rikku continued,
"If I had to choose though, I think I'd go with Jecht. If he made Tidus who he is now, he must be a better version of him right?" She imitated Tidus' famous blitzball kick, almost falling off balance with the abrupt swing. Lulu shook her head.
"You would want a man who already has a wife and child. Interesting." Rikku turned back to her, her hands on her hips.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Lulu stared point blank at her, her eyes unwavering.
"Nothing. Just like how my interest in Auron doesn't mean anything," Lulu replied. Rikku walked up to her angrily.
"I wasn't thinking about being Jecht's mistress or something you know. I'm just saying that based on the characteristics I know of him, he sounds like a cool guy," Rikku folded her arms, "Are you implying that the reason why you didn't choose Jecht is because of his past? Just like how you chose Auron based on your familiar past with him?" Lulu looked another way, seemingly tired at looking at her. Rikku's eyes slowly started to twitch in annoyance.
"This is just a childish game Rikku. Stop making it mean more than what it is." Lulu stood up suddenly, causing Yuna and Rikku to startle. "I'm going back to camp now. When you're done acting like a kid you can come back and actually discuss more important matters like how we're going to finish this pilgrimage faster." She left, leaving no glances back at the two girls. Yuna stared at her retreating figure, eventually standing up as well.
"I… I think I'm going to get back as well. Are you coming Rikku?" Rikku huffed, her arms still firmly folded.
"Ugh she's just like that meanie!" She began stomping back to camp, Yuna following close behind.
Since that meeting, Rikku couldn't get Lulu's words out of her mind. It bugged the hell out of her that she was against her choice of Jecht, but even more still that she chose Auron. For some reason, she wished that big-boobed black mage chose Jecht or even Braska. But Auron? Other than his past experience, what could there possibly be that she liked about him? Based on Lulu's own choice of men, which Rikku only knew it to be Chappu and possibly Wakka, Jecht would be the best choice, cocky and full of good-will charm. And again even Braska was great for her, he was calm and collected and just the right kind of maturity for Lulu to respond in kind.
But Auron? He was so difficult to talk to! He didn't even listen to what people said half of the time, thinking it was nonsense and just went in the way of the pilgrimage. Rikku's thoughts immediately went back to the end of the meeting of when Lulu abruptly left: When you're done acting like a kid you can come back and actually discuss more important matters like how we're going to finish this pilgrimage faster. She shook her head, rustling through her hair with her hands.
"Ughhh does she just like the challenge? Or maybe she's just into jerks now? I don't get it!" She scrambled her brain some more, and realizing that nothing was coming to her, she sighed.
"What's wrong?" Rikku jumped, looking for the source of the voice. When she saw the red cloak flapping gently against the wind, she gulped.
"Uh…nothing," the Albhed replied nonchalantly as possible, her hands playing with the beads in her hair. The older guardian let out a small grunt, going over to the young girl and standing beside her.
"Obviously it isn't nothing. You're shaking your head as though you're looking for answers. What's going on?" This time his eye landed directly on her. She felt his impenitent gaze, causing her to fiddle more with the beads.
"Um…if I ask you something…" She paused for a few moments, "I mean, if I ask you something that sounds really stupid and completely unnecessary, will you answer me?" He raised his eyebrow at her.
"If it's stupid and unnecessary, is there any reason for you to be worrying about it? Just forget about it and think about other things, like the pilgrimage." He noticed her quick twitch at the word 'pilgrimage' but ignored it. She looked down, her foot kicking aside some dirt.
"I know that, but I just need to get this off my chest. Will you listen to it anyway and answer me?" Her eyes continued to stay strained to the ground. After a few moments of silence, he sighed.
"Well, I'm here already. Just ask me." She looked up at him, her green swirl eyes vibrant with color.
"Do you find Lulu attractive?" Auron's eye widened at her question. He took a few moments to process what she asked.
"What?"
"I said, do you find Lulu attractive." Rikku turned her body towards him, her full attention on his response. He stood unwavering.
"Where did you get this idea from?" He asked in return. Rikku shook her head.
"It's a long story. Answer my question first." He stared at her.
"What answer do you want from me?" Suddenly she grabbed onto the edges of his front cloak.
"I'm not expecting any answer from you!" She flustered a bit, her hands loosening her grip when she realized what she did. "I…I just want to hear what you think." He watched as her head turned back down to the ground, fixated on their shoes. He sighed again before he answered,
"From what I know of Lulu, I should be attracted to her." Rikku's eyes immediately shot back up to him.
"Why?" He closed his eye.
"Because of her experiences. She understands how I feel the most. She went through being a guardian. If I say anything to our group, she would never disagree with me," He opened his eye again, "At least to my face." Rikku dropped her hands to the side now, her shoulders slackened. She looked back down.
"Oh, I see."
"Does that answer your question now?" She nodded solemnly.
"Yes. Thank you," the Albhed said quietly. Auron placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Now tell me where did you get this ridiculous idea from." Rikku turned her head towards another direction.
"A little birdie gave it to me," She replied. Auron grasped her chin, turning her face towards his.
"Rikku." She trembled, her emerald eyes glistening.
"Both of you find each other attractive. I just…. I just can't believe it, that's all." She tried to push the older figure away, but he stood still like a statue. With his other hand he grabbed her hands in place.
"That's not the only thing that's bothering you," He said softly. Her cheeks slowly tinted a rosy pink as she stared at him.
"I don't think it's right that you find each other attractive," She whispered, "I don't… I don't think Lulu understands you. I mean, not you of the past. But you as you. Auron." As the words escaped her mouth, she felt embarrassed and tried to dart her eyes to somewhere else. When she felt a firmer grip of her hands, it made her look back up at him.
"Auron I—-" Before she could finish, she felt coarse lips against her forehead, a sudden tug of her small body to his larger form. Her eyes widened, the light fluster from earlier becoming a red hue. She gasped slightly.
"Auron…" He looked at her, his mouth forming a smirk.
"Is that all you can say now? Did I reduce you to a broken machina?" She blushed even more.
"Can you stop being a meanie and let me finish my sentence?!" When the other didn't respond, she sighed. "Auron… I—" She interrupted herself, suddenly leaning in closer and placing a kiss on the older guardian's lips. He staggered slightly at the abrupt action, but maintained his place. When she felt like her lips were starting to hurt, she pulled away from him. "—-I… I find you attractive," she breathed.
He looked at her inquiringly.
"Why?" She frowned.
"Because you're mean, and you always push me to do my best. You don't treat me different despite my race. You're strong, you're capable, you're smart," she listed before ending, "But you're not perfect. You make mistakes. And you hate it so much that you strive better to improve." Auron stared at her as she finished, his eye never leaving hers. She looked away however, her eyes narrowing.
"I like that you want to change from your past. I… I want to believe that you don't rely on it to affect your future." He felt the bitterness of her words. His hands slid down to her waist, pulling her more towards him. He laid his head on her shoulder, feeling the beads of her hair tickling the side of his cheeks.
"Thank you." I want to believe in it too.
As the two stood close together in silence, Lulu stared at them from the distance. She shook her head to herself.
"What a little kid."