Disc: Owned by Squaresoft, Auron and others that is. Story is all mine! Read or regret it!

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Sleepless night

Finally some peace, Auron sighed. Another long day of fighting fiends, collecting treasures and watching over those damn kids was about to end. He loosened the strap of his coat and removed his bracer and glove. Before chucking his coat and belt to the chair he made sure to grap his tokkuri. He desperately needed the relaxation that was provided by a sip of Spira's finest spirit.

Auron sat on the bed. There were just four available rooms in the airship, and for once he was the lucky one to sleep alone. He shuddered at the memory of sleeping in Kimahri's vicinity: the Ronso snored like a bronchitic chihuahua.

Wakka was not much better. He tossed and turned, and woke Auron up several times with the most annoying way; yelling Ya! in his sleep. The kid just had to play blitz even in dreams.

Tidus was another story. They were so used to each other it was no hassle being together in a tiny room. But living together was that much easier back in Zanarkand. Maybe it was homesickness, or the harsness of the journey, but that boy was getting increasingly clingy. It was Tidus' luck that Auron had practiced his self control to the extreme. If he weren't so collected, he would have smacked the blond last time he grabbed and latched to Auron's arm. Yes, Auron had some serious issues concerning physical intimacy.

Lucky he never had to share his room with the ladies. It wouldn't be appropriate anyway, but he had other reasons to object. Where Tidus was clingy, Yuna was acting like a schoolgirl with a crush on his teacher. Only worse. She had put Auron in some freaky pedestal where he felt totally out of place. If he were ever to share a room with her, he would probably end up backed to the corner, with Yuna kneeling in front of him, chanting the Hymn, burning incense and throwing flower petals around. Now that was disturbing. Auron sighed and decided the thought alone gave enaugh reason to take another, long sip.

Rikku on the other hand had no respect for him. She was much like Tidus, cheery, cheeky and energetic. He felt old and tired, and those two only rubbed it in. And did she ever shut up? When they were camping out Auron had heard her, yapping on and on something in Al bhed in the middle of the night. She was much more quiet than Wakka, but Auron's sleep was shallow. Those two kids ought to get together, Auron smirked to himself, allowing himself another sip.

If there was someone he'd like to have sleeping on the adjacent bed it was Lulu. She was calm, collected, didn't bother Auron and understood the beauty of silence. But if he ever voiced his opinion, everyone would get the exact wrong idea.

Auron let his mind wonder as the warmth of liquor spread through. During the journey the others had fervently been trying to pair him up with somebody. It was a neverending joke that seemed to amuse them time after time. One of them started out eith "Hey Rikku, you still haven't had a sip from that jug ne?" Then they'd go on and on about how Auron could be seduced and by whom, and they went through everything from skimpy clothes (no luck there, heck, look at Rikku, and Lulu's cleavage is not exactly descreet) to confuse attacks. Next they'd speculate on why he showed no interest in anyone in an intimate level.

Auron had to chucle when he recalled what happened earlier that day. He caught them going at that subject again. But instead of stopping it right away he opted to eavesdrop. After some usual banter Tidus had an idea: "Hey guys, what if... Well we gotta consider everything right? I mean. If Auron is. mmm. like not that straight? I mean, I never heard him even mentioning a woman, and I've known him for." That was Auron's cue. He promptly stepped out of the shadows and efficiently silenced Tidus. "Boy, did you miss something when I gave you that speech about the birds and the bees? You don't have to settle for only birds or bees, some like them both."

The image of them all, eyes wide and jaws dropped to ground level, was a nice reward. The satisfaction of that memory was worth all those times he had to stop their endless chitchat about him. Tidus let out a nervous laugh, the same he used everytime Auron caught him. It was a giggle, accompanied by a load of eye blinking and hair stroking, which probably worked like charm on all teenage girls. Unfortunately for Tidus, Auron was not one.

Yes, it was truly funny. Maybe they will all think twice next time. Hell, maybe Auron will have the luxury of sleeping alone for the rest of the trip! Now that was something to toast about. Cheers!

Although his traveling company could be a pain in the ass (literally, since Lulu once "accidentally" threw a Thundara on his back) Auron didn't hate them. Quite the opposite, he was actually very fond of his mischievous bunch. To say the absolute truth, his feelings went even beyond that. A certain someone intrigued him to the point of attraction, but the day he'll let anybody notice was the day Cid gets nominated as a Maester of Yevon. Not in this world that is.

By now Auron was lying down in his bed, stripped to his underwear, feeling warm and drowsy, all thanks to his faithful jug of Spira's finest. He dosed off thinking about that beautiful face, laced with a smile that could move mountains.

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Hmm. Auron is relaxed and sleeping, now why is the title Sleepless night? Well, it seems this will be his best nap.

Someone is about to wake him, and not the last one. Now people, I already know who's coming, but you CAN make a difference! Tell me what you want to happen, and who should be bothering our groggy lil' warrior ^_^ That's the button, leave a review. NOW! Or I'll summon my Pikachu plushie to cast Thunder on y'all! ~smiles sweetly~