Finally intoducing my FFX-2 fic. You can maybe guess it's f/f again, Rikku x Paine of course. R&R if you please, reasonable critic very welcome.

Disclaimer: I own and earn absolutely nothing, so don't sue me. Thank you.

Prologue

Paine's crimson eyes fixed on me. I felt really embarrassed.

"Just how much did they pay you for that?" she asked, sounding furious. I had to admit she had a reason, but honestly I hadn't let the sphere fall in purpose.

"Who they?" I asked, disguising my embarrassment into frustration.

"Why, the Syndicate of course. Or is there someone else that's particularly picking on us?"

"Paine, cut it out, please. I'm sure it was purely an accident," Yuna decided to interfere.

I didn't want Yuna to defend me, although she was right. I was sure Paine knew that, too, she was just angry because of the loss of a sphere. As was I, and Yuna aswell, even though it was impossible to imagine Yuna ever showing her anger.

"An accident? Honestly, Rikku, even you can't be that clumsy!" Paine went on.

Ouch, I thought.

"Hey! You're getting intimate," I said, trying to sound just offended and not on the verge of tears. She didn't know how much she could hurt me, she didn't know how much she meant to me. I tried to tell myself she didn't mean it, she was just angry because the sphere was lost, she really didn't think I was clumsy. Or something. I swallowed something heavy, blinking my eyes furiously and hoping no one noticed. Yuna's caring hospitality can be a little annoying, especially when you don't want to tell her what exactly is the matter.

"Hell, I can dive in there and get it for you, miss I'm-above-you-all, if you like," I snarled.

I had dropped a sphere we had just found in a big stream, that unfortunately was deep enough to make a sphere sink and carry it away with its strong current. I could have dived in there, too. I wasn't sure if I should call it a river already.

"Too late. It's already carried away," Paine said cynically.

"This is Brother. How's everything?" came a voice.

"We're ready to get back," Yuna replied with a somewhat tired voice.