A/N

Some of you might of seen a story called "Proximity and Love" Welp I took that down and rewrote it, this is the result. I'd hope it's less bad.

I don't own ff x-2 or the characters. But I'm in the market to purchase them. I've sent a bid to SE, two whole scooby snacks. Fingers crossed.

Rated M for my di- oh would you look at that. It's rated T. cool.

Rain on the Celsius was always a peculiar thing. Often times Brother and buddy kept the chip at flight above the clouds so they would often miss the rainfall, but sometimes on rare occasions, the Celsius would fly at a low enough altitude and the rag tag group of sphere hunters could watch as much of the rain fall as they wanted through the many large windows or from the open air of the ship deck.

The deck is where Paine was viewing the rainfall and she was loving every minute of it. Since she was a young child she had always loved the rain, it brought her comfort. She was never good at explaining why, or at least people never understood. They didn't get it when she said that the pain made her feel less alone, that the noise kept her from feeling so empty. The constant sound allowing her to avoid the solemn silence of her everyday life back then.

Paine looked up towards the clouds, from where she sat safe from getting soaked underneath the doorway. They were practically gliding within the clouds, just barely below them. She wondered why they were flying so low today, but she knew the explanation was probably one that would go slightly over her head. She'd just assume they were collecting water, or something of the sort.

Paine was tempted to collect some water of her own, she stepped slightly forward not completely into the rain, but the condensation was beginning to spray into her face. There was something freeing about moving carelessly through the rain, but Paine was very mindful of her outfit, getting soaked while wearing leather wasn't on her list of favorites. As a matter of fact, getting soaked in rain water period wasn't on that list either, but sometimes exceptions were made. Perhaps she could change her dressphere…

The door to the deck opened behind her and Paine turned to see Rikku begin to step out looking a bit wary, before noticing her and stopping short, still in the doorway.

"There you are." The girl spoke, the tone of her voice suggested that she hadn't been looking for Paine for very long.

"What is it?" Pane asked, stepping back into the doorway, leaving behind her thought of stepping into the rain. Rikku watched Paine's movement, and looked out at the roaring rain behind her, really it probably wasn't raining that hard, but being so close to the source, it gave off a bit of an extra effect. Rikku looked a bit apprehensive, Paine supposed she could understand, the girl didn't like the rain, or at least not what was associated with it.

"Dinner is ready, I cooked."

Paine raised a brow, most times on the Celsius the gullwings would fend for themselves when it came to eating, and then sometimes one of them would cook for everyone. Today was one of those days it seemed, but Paine didn't often trust Rikku's cooking. It was about as hit or miss as one could get. From savory Behemoth steak, to Chocolate Coeurl pie. Yes. Chocolate Coeurl pie.

"What did you make?" Paine asked, feeling a bit apprehensive herself now.

Rikku's eyes seemed to flash mischievously and a sly grin spread across her face. "Shoopuf trunk stew."

Paine narrowed her eyes for a moment before rolling her eyes, knowing how utterly impossible that was. "Whatever." Paine said, moving past Rikku, she'd just find out when it was in front of her. Live life spontaneously and all that nonsense. Afterall if it was something terrible she was pretty sure Yuna or Brother would be running to warn her.

"Wait." Rikku spoke up just as Paine passed her, the girl was still looking out at the rain. Paine raised a brow at her, no one she was frozen in fear, right? There wasn't even thunder.

"You like the rain." It wasn't a question. Paine waited because that couldn't be it. "Why?" There it was, Paine knew that particular question would come eventually from either Rikku or Yuna or both.

Paine stepped back towards the door, standing besides Rikku and looking out at the open air, thinking. She had a load of generic answers for this question. Many that couldn't really be disputed, she could tell Rikku that she "Just liked it because." And there was no real way of disproving that. But they were friends, and they had been traveling together for a while now. That and she had enough secrets.

"You wouldn't understand." It wasn't spoken so much as an accusation but as a sad truth. There was no way Rikku would get it. Not many could understand how something that they feared could bring solace to another.

"I can try."

Paine looked over at Rikku and discovered that the girl was no longer looking out the door, but was instead looking at her. Her emerald eyes which were normally filled with joy and wander were now filled with a different emotion. Concern.

Paine sighed again. Contemplated trying again. Convinced herself that Rikku would understand again.

"What are the sounds of loneliness?" Paine asked. The question instantly got her a weird look from Rikku it was as if the girl thought she was being tricked or something of the sort. Paine nodded, she had knew it all along, and there had been no point in trying to explain.

"Well." Paine saw it on Rikku's face that the girl had felt that Paine was giving up on the conversation, and now she was reaching to try and extend it. She began bouncing on the balls of her feet in that way she did when she was figuring something out. Paine would never admit it, but she had always thought that the little habit of hers was cute as hell. "It's quiet." Rikku concluded, though it was a statement Rikku seemed to be asking more or less. Paine gave her a little nod to let her known that she had hit the nail on the head.

"It isn't the same for everyone, but when it matters. It is always quiet, I think that's what it feels like for everyone who is lonely." Paine explained, looking at the rain again. "Friendship or companionship, its noise. Happiness is noise. Love is noise. The rain is noise."

"And that noise makes you feel less lonely?" Rikku concluded.

Paine nodded. "Whenever it rained, I was able to pretend that I wasn't as lonely as I truly was, or as lonely as I truly could be. Hearing it always made me feel better. It was a barrier to all of the outside things I had to worry about."

Rikku seemed to ponder Paine's words quietly she didn't look happy, Paine hadn't exactly meant to ruin the mood, but the girl had asked for an explanation and there was no real way to explain her feelings without them sounding a bit depressing.

"Well you have us now, so you don't need the rain."

Paine hadn't been expecting that, but she supposed that was just because she didn't take into account how positive Rikku could be. The girl didn't stay down long, no matter what it was that had brought her down in the first place. Just one of her more positive traits. Paine loved that about her.

"You're right. But I still like it." Paine gave Rikku one of her little smirks, and that seemed to please the Al Bhed because she grabbed Paine by the wrist and dragged her along laughing all the while as she led the older girl towards the cabin so they could eat. Their planned meal was still a mystery to Paine, but she had other things to ponder. Such as the fact that Rikku was holding her hand. Usually she didn't approve of such contact, but this once she'd make an exception. She would always make an exception for Rikku.

Dinner had been surprisingly tame at least by Rikku standards. Grilled Warmwater Trout, it had tasted delicious but that wasn't why Paine was disappointed. Yes, what Rikku could cook up when she was inspired could end up being horrifying, but there was a little bit of magic in that. Not knowing what was going to end up on your plate, was most of the fun. A normal meal was boring, even if it was delicious.

She didn't really mean that.

Paine sighed and that sigh slowly evolved into a yawn as she moved around slightly getting comfortable in her bed. She had decided to turn in first after her dinner, Yuna had went off to do something or another and Rikku had escaped to the engine room. For what reason Paine was sure, but she would assume it was to escape the sounds of the rain.

Usually Paine was the last of the Gullwings too sleep. But she just felt tired today. She always felt a bit exhausted after dredging up personal information. It wasn't really something she could explain, it just happened. Worst of all though was that she was prone to dream in these sort of sleeps, and these dreams were never good. But it wasn't like she could just not go to sleep. In fact she was already drifting off rather easily, resting on her side, starring at Rikku and Yuna's empty beds…

Paine was shocked out of her sleep by the sound of thunder, a spark of lightning and a loud whimper. For the briefest of moments, she was lost, blinking away the sleep that hazed over her eyes and made it hard for her to focus. She had to remember where she was, and who should be with her. She didn't see Yuna in the middle bed, but she could see Rikku curled up in her bed farthest from the stairs, trembling almost violently. There was a bright flash and Rikku flinched, only to cry out again as the thunder soon followed shaking the air around them.

The sound seemed to penetrate the walls of the Celsius deeply as if it lived within the very halls. Paine could see it being increasingly terrifying for someone who suffered from Astraphobia.

Paine rolled onto her back, no longer looking at Rikku. She didn't want the girl to see that she was awake, she didn't want to get pulled into anything. It wasn't her thing, comforting people. But when the lights flashed and the thunder roared, and Rikku cried, Paine found her attention drawn again.

Rikku was covering her eyes now, her eyes squeezed so tightly shut that it was causing her face to twist up in an almost painful looking grimace. She looked incredibly small like that, curled in on herself as if she were trying to disappear.

Paine didn't realize it until she was already halfway past Yuna's empty bed, but Rikku's hopeless cries of fear had pulled at her heart and called her into action, she was moving without ever consciously deciding to.

Just like that she was standing besides Rikku's bed, looking down at the trembling Al Bhed.

Paine felt a bit awkward, just standing there, but she hadn't really planned to come over here. She didn't know what she was supposed to do. She looked past Rikku's bed to the couches and bookshelves in the Cabin's make shift Livingroom, she could easily play it off, go sit in one of those seats for a moment before returning to her bed. However she knew that would be stupid, after all she'd only be playing it off to herself, but still she just felt so damn out of place.

She was hoping that Rikku would feel her hovering, perhaps open her eyes and see her standing there. That'd she'd say something and give Paine an easier way to do this. Whatever the hell this was. No such luck though, Rikku's eyes weren't opening, and another squeak of terror caused by the thunder outside was enough to get Paine to kneel besides the bed. She hesitated for a moment before she reached out and gently placed her hand on Rikku's shoulder. The younger girl flinched, startled at the contact before her eyes opened.

Brilliant green met deep crimson, and the two just watched each other for a moment. Paine realized she might look a little silly, kneeling by Rikku's bed like some knight, clad in her pajamas without her sword, she wasn't exactly the warrior she was known to be. But when the thunder called again, none of the seemed to matter to Rikku. "Paine." She whimpered, it was as if she were begging for Paine to fix it. There was a lump in the older girl's throat now.

"What's wrong?" Paine winced at her question, it was stupid she knew what was wrong. She swallowed trying to down the lump before starting again. "What can I do? What do you want me to do?" Paine asked, feeling slightly desperate now for a solution.

Rikku closed her eyes and bit her lip, looking to be mulling over what she wanted to say. But the sounds of the raging whether cracked outside once again and Rikku tensed up, rushing her decision. "Lay down with me, I just need somebody close to me." Rikku begged.

Paine swallowed again and looked over the balcony at the dimly lit bar. No one was around, barkeep was sleeping somewhere and Yuna was still nowhere to be found. Paine knew that if the high summoner were here, Rikku would have called on her. Paine pretended to not feel the burn of being the second option. Honestly she had no right to feel that bitter dredge of envy.

"Okay." Paine agreed softly. She looked down at Rikku hesitantly, noticing now seemingly for the first time her bed wear. A very small pair of shorts and a tank to. Paine was dressed similarly but her shorts were actually shorts.

Paine pressed her knee into Rikku's bed slowly, she didn't exactly want to just rush it, but when the lightning struck again and Rikku shook violently, Paine hurried her movements. Settling on her side facing Rikku, the smaller girl uncurled a bit and instantly wrapped her arms around Paine's midsection pulling her into a tight, desperate embrace. Paine just sort of laid there and let it happen not sure what she should do. Rikku had just wanted her close, she was sure this was alright. Rikku was still trembling though, and the thunder wasn't stopping outside. Rikku had buried her face into Paine's chest and Paine could feel how heavy her breathing had become, Paine slid one hand under Rikku's head and placed it firmly over her ear before doing the same with arm that wasn't pinned under their bodies.

As far as barriers went, placing her hands over Rikku's ears was rather pathetic but still it seemed to be slowly calming Rikku down, her breathing becoming less panicked, and her hold around Paine seemed to be loosening just a bit. When the thunder sounded again, Rikku tensed, but she didn't whimper nor did she shake as violently. So Paine was helping, or at least she was able to convince herself that she was.

Paine felt Rikku shifting against her and looked down expecting to see the top of her blonde head, but instead was met with Rikku's eyes peaking up at her. Paine froze not sure what to say. She was suddenly very aware at how close they were, sharing a bed in a way that looked very intimate. She was sure no one would believe that she was simply protecting Rikku from the storm, or at least protecting someone as well as you could from something that couldn't hurt them.

"I never thought something like this would happen." Rikku spoke up suddenly, and instantly Paine realized it was going to be impossible to ignore the feeling of Rikku's breath blowing warmly across her neck and chest. Boy was she in trouble. "I'm sorry." Rikku said softly.

Paine closed her eyes and sighed. She wanted to tell Rikku that there was nothing she needed to apologize for and that everyone had their fears, but none of that came out. Instead. "It's okay."

Rikku laughed a bit, pressing her face into Paine's chest again. "I know I annoy you. A lot." Paine smirked, knowing it was wise to not common on that one. "And I know I talk more than I should sometimes." Again Paine didn't comment, but if she were to, she would mention that sometimes wasn't the optimal word.

"I only do it because I like you." Paine's smirk faded and her mouth pressed into a thin line. "I want to show you that I think about you all the time. So I try talking to you, and I ask you loads of question." Rikku admitted. "But that's because you don't tell me anything. You have all these secrets and I can't even begin to figure them out."

Paine was guilty of hiding things, but how could she just come out and tell all of her secrets? Life didn't work like that.

"Sometimes I look at you and I think 'wow, this person is really cool.' And I just want to change myself, try and be more like you. Maybe than you'd open up to me more." Rikku was still talking, and Paine was just being receptive. The storm still went on outside, but Rikku didn't even flinch at the lightning or the thunder, too engrossed in what she was trying to convey to even notice. "But it's hard to be different y'know. It just never works. So I'm just flat out telling you how I feel now, so you know."

Rikku didn't seem to have anything else to say after that, and Paine just allowed the silence to hang over them for a while, before she finally spoke.

"Don't change, I like you just the way you are. No matter how annoying you can be, or how many questions you ask. I wouldn't change you. So don't change yourself." Corny, Paine blushed, she sounded like a fool.

Rikku laughed like she had when Paine had spoken before. "I can't really hear you." The girl said softly.

There was a beat before Paine remembered that she had been covering Rikku's ears from the storm. She really felt like a fool now. A bit embarrassed she started to move the hand that wasn't pinned from Rikku's ear, and apology on her lips, but Rikku stopped her, placing her own hand on top of Paine's.

"But it's okay. I think I got your point." Rikku said softly. Paine could feel her smiling against her skin, causing her to blush yet again.

"Night Paine."

"…Goodnight."

I don't care how kind or abrasive you are with the reviews, if ya like the story tell me, hate it tell me.

Basically if my words made you feel some sorta way. Lemme know.