He came to her at night. In her cabin on the Celsius, a rented room in a Travel Agency, a campsite under the stars-- it didn't matter where she was, as long as she was alone.
It had become their routine.
***
She heard his footsteps as he approached. She had been fighting to stay awake and her body rewarded her patience, adrenaline rushing into her veins. She sat up, shivering as a cool night breeze hit her body. "I was waiting for you."
He knelt on the ground beside her sleeping mat. "Is that so?" He caressed her cheek; his touch was warm against her cold skin. "You'll catch a cold out here."
She blushed. "I figured, well, I thought-- um, there were too many people in the Lodge."
"I'll have to do my best to keep you warm." His lips were on her neck and, as his hands pushed up underneath her shirt, she realised that warmth wouldn't be a problem much longer. Her body responded to his touch and she felt like she could run naked on Gagazet and still be hot.
***
The time between the sex and his departure was always her favourite part of their trysts. He laid there and listened to whatever she had to say-- she'd tell him about a fight she had with Cid, how cute Yuna's new baby boy was, the new sphere Paine had discovered. She told him everything but how much she loved him.
***
He was still inside her, her back curved against his chest. One of his hands was in her hair, the other rested on her stomach. She felt fulfilled, at ease, loved.
She felt him move and grabbed his hand. "Can you-- can we stay like this for a little longer?"
"Rikku," he sighed, hints of sadness and regret in his voice.
She shook her head forcefully, her braids twisting in his hand. "Just a few more minutes, okay?"
***
When she woke up the next morning, he was gone. The lone pyrefly fluttering around her campsite was all that remained of him.
The sun was still low in the sky but she felt its heat as she got dressed. Stretching, she knew that he had left bruises. They would remind her of him until another night, another stolen moment. They were both thieves now. She stole his soul from the Farplane and he returned to it each night with pieces of her heart.
She beckoned the pyrefly and it came to her, sitting in the palm of her hand. "What are you still doing here? You're gonna get him in trouble! Go on, back to the Farplane with ya!"
"That won't be necessary."
The pyrefly flew past her as she slowly turned around. It landed in his outstretched hand and disappeared as he closed his fingers over it.
She clutched her chest, trying to force her lungs to remember how to breathe. Feeling light-headed, she fell onto her knees but he was in front of her in an instant. Pulling her against him, he held her as she sobbed against the front of his shirt.
Wiping her tears on her sleeve, she touched his face, trying to make herself believe that he was actually there. He covered her hand with his. "I'm here, Rikku."
"For how long?" She asked softly, not sure if she wanted to know the answer.
"A lifetime." He put their entwined hands on his chest. "Or as long as you'll have me."
There was still no heartbeat. He had not returned as Tidus had, alive and real, but he had returned and that was all that mattered.
"Stay with me forever, Auron," she pleaded. "Forever will be long enough."
