A/N: This one is insanely short ... just under 400 words. Also rated K+. Rikku muses about love and life.
Rikku's Guardian
She sat on the limb of the massive Macalanian tree, contemplating Fate in the calmness of the nighttime forest. She knew that she was young ... so young, and yet, she wanted to know who. Who would it be that would be hers forever and ever?
Actually, she had a pretty good idea about who she wanted it to be. In fact, he was waiting for her, even now, at the spring. But he'd made it very clear to her, that if she were to go to him, it would mean that she loved him with everything she had in her.
She was young. Was she ready for that kind of love?
Her gaze flitted in the direction of the spring. Her heart skipped a beat, thinking of the previous night, when the cold and seemingly distant man had confessed all to her, and poured his heart and soul into her open, waiting arms.
He had trusted her that much. The least she could do was trust him back. It wasn't as if she hadn't been in love with him since the first time she'd seen him.
She thought of everything the group had been through since she'd joined them. And she thought of everything he had given up for her sake ... allowing her to join the pilgrimage, stopping in the Thunder Plains when she had been frightened, rescuing her from Wakka's wrath when he'd learned of her heritage.
... Holding her on the airship's deck after Home had been destroyed ...
And last night, as he confessed all to her, and leaned in, as awkward as any teenage boy, to kiss her. It was the sweetest kiss she'd ever had. A lifetime more of kisses like that wouldn't be so bad.
With a sardonic smile, she realized that there was nothing to think about. Hopping down from her branch, she gave Kimahri, who was on watch, a small smile as she ran to the water to meet her guardian.
