This is my first fic, I hope it doesn't suck to much. It's Rikku X Paine, hope you enjoy. Please R&R.

Disclaimer thingy: I own none of the characters in this story, neither am I making money from this little endeavour.

Hold My Heart

"What am I supposed to do? I like her, I know I do, but I don't know what to do about it," Rikku sighed, "I've thought of everything short of walking up and saying, 'Hey, not sure if you've noticed, but I really like you.' But everything I think of always seems so... stupid. It's hopeless, isn't it, Pochi?"

The stuffed moogle didn't reply, it simply sat there on Rikku's bed. Not that she'd really expected it to, but it felt better to moan at Pochi than the wall. Sometimes anyway.

"I mean, there's got to be something I can do, I can't just sit here and say nothing, it'll drive me crazy! Oh, poopie!" Rikku threw her pillow at the wall in frustration. "Maybe I should ask someone for advice..." the sentence trailed off as Rikku tried, and failed to think of a single person she could talk about this particular problem to. Yunie would probably just look at her weirdly and change the subject, she had always been sweet but kind of well, goody-goody. There was no way she was going to tell Brother, even if he had advice, there was no way he could keep anything secret. Buddy was well... Buddy was so busy mooning over Brother most of the time that he was near useless... Shinra and Barkeep were out of the question for obvious reasons, come on, a Hypello and a little kid? She'd have to be really desperate to ask them. And as for Paine... Rikku's heart started beating a little faster when she thought of her. Paine was everything she could have wanted in a partner, strong, sweet (Rikku just knew she was, she'd seen flashes of it at times) beautiful, understanding, she could have gone on for pages and pages. In fact, she had at times, she had quite a few letters, poems and songs she'd written to Paine and had never had the guts to deliver, even anonymously.

Deep down inside, she thought there was the possibility Paine could like her, but really, Rikku didn't think about it to much, it would hurt too much to be rejected. Sometimes she would daydream about telling Paine how she felt. The picture in her mind usually ended either in one of those long, tender kisses Rikku had always known a real kiss was supposed to be like, or a tangle of bodies and bed sheets when her imagination was really going into overdrive.

And then the daydream would end, Rikku would sigh, wish it was possible, and go on with her life. She never let herself get the hopes up to high, because she believed that in the end, the reality would only disappoint her. Every single time Paine gave her the "you really are an idiot." look, a little part of Rikku would start crying, even as she felt her mouth form something cute, and she hoped, witty to say. No matter what she ever said, Rikku despaired of ever having Paine think she was anything other than a cute, bouncy, idiot. Hell, even Yunie was starting to think she was. It was just, well, every time she was around Paine, she got so nervous that the only thing she could do when she could do was bounce around and spout things that sounded air-headed, even to her. It was so frustrating, she didn't know what to do.

Sighing to herself again, Rikku opened the drawer at the small desk that was crammed into the cabin with her bed and one chair. Inside was everything that she had ever written to Paine. Hopefully no one would find them here. Actually, if Rikku thought there was a possibility of anyone ever finding them here, they would have been somewhere else entirely. Like the garbage chute. It wasn't that Rikku was embarassed of liking Paine, no that wasn't it. The poems were just so... bad. Everytime Rikku read them, she cringed. But she saved them anyway, even though she wasn't sure why.

Rikku pulled out another piece of paper, and got a pen out of the cup she had on her desk. It had her name on it, with little flowers, a birthday present from her mother when she was little. She frowned in concentration at the blank sheet of paper and began writing.

I'm in love with you

But what am I to do?

"No, that's no good," Rikku thought, crossing it out and going to the next line.

Do you see me here?

Loving you so much it hurts

Do you even know the love I feel?

The words I try to use always betray me

And they come out wrong

I'm so afraid that you don't feel the same.

"Slightly better," thought Rikku, and she was about to write more when there was a knock on her cabin door. Startled, she snatched up the paper and stood up, hiding it behind her back.

"C-come in." she said, slightly nervous. The door opened and she suddenly she felt better and worse at the same time. Paine stood in the doorway, a slightly impatient look on her face.

"Brother wanted everybody up on the bridge, some kind of meeting. The intercom system is broken, so he's having me do it." The look on her face said that she'd rather be doing something else, like drinking acid.

"Oh, okay, I'll be right there." Rikku said, smiling, and waiting for Paine to leave so she could put the incriminating paper back in the drawer. But Paine continued standing there, obviously waiting for her. Since she wasn't going to be left to put the paper away, Rikku folded it behind her back and stuck it in her pocket, so she could get rid of it later.

"Come on, wouldn't want you to get lost." Paine said. Rikku wasn't sure if she ws being sarcastic or not, she hoped she was.

"Aaww, come on, I think I can get to the bridge and back without getting lost." Rikku said, flashing her perkiest smile.

The only reply was for Paine to give her a look that said "Maybe, but it's doubtful," and keep walking, with Rikku trailing behind.

Well, how was it? (raises asbestos umbrella) If you liked it, please review. If you didn't like it, well... review it anyway, just no flames please...