Chapter 2: Acts of Chivalry

By Lola

Dedicated to Pat ~ for letting me indulge in my fantasy.

Lulu stared up at the frosted structure of the Macalanian temple looming above the canopy of ice and snow. She shivered. Her feet were cold and wet from trudging through the snow after fleeing from the Guado. Everyone else seemed oddly introverted. Tidus was talking with Rikku and Kimahri. A slight smile tugged at her painted lips. Well, not everyone was introverted she amended after watching the spirited blonde girl speak brightly to Tidus. Feeling eyes on her, her gaze darted to the source only to find Auron standing at the opposite end of the little pit they found themselves in. She frowned slightly, thin black eyebrows drawing together at the sight of the man staring at her. Ever since that night at the inn she had caught him staring on several occasions.

No, not caught.

That would imply that he was doing something wrong or that there should be some level of guilt attached to the action and yet there was not. It did not unnerve her or bother her in any way; she just found his sudden stare to be interesting and wondered at the meaning behind it. If in fact there was any. She shook her head, long braids shifting over her bare shoulders causing her to shiver once more. She often had the impression that when Auron was staring at something he was in actuality looking through it. Still...

Her dark eyes dusted in amethyst glitter flicked up to meet his stare. Vaguely she pondered how it was that he had managed to keep his sunglasses on after the fall through the ice. Staring across at each other as they were, each looking solemn and oozing auras of cool calm, she could not help but chuckle softly. They probably looked like bookends.

Lulu's quiet chuckle seemed to shake whatever trance Auron had let himself fall into and he took a step forward. For a moment it seemed as though he was about to speak with the blackmage standing across from him but the next few seconds silenced any words he might have had for her.

Sin came fast. Within seconds everything was jumbled and distorted.

Lulu felt herself falling, air rushing past her ears as she lost her footing. She flung her arms out, desperate for any sort of anchor in the tumultuous journey with Sin. She felt warm leather brush against her wrist and slide to grasp her hand firmly. A bare arm curled about her waist steadying her against a body. Her eyes squeezed shut as she and her fellow guardian were tossed into a new land. The force of parting from Sin jolted them apart. Lulu turned her head quickly, managing to just catch a glimpse of a red sleeve, a blur of gray and then everything was white. Blinding.

The impact was not as harsh as she imagined it would be but still it was enough to make her head swim and plunge her into unconsciousness for a time.

Slowly the fuzziness clouding her head ebbed enough for her eyes to open. She blinked. A sea of golden sand stretched out endlessly before her, the occasional cactus or shrub the only life apparant in the rolling dunes. From snow to sand. Not much of a nicer shift. Both were rather bleak. Sighing she lifted herself from the warm sand, brushing the golden flecks from her skirt and dusting off the fur trim on her bodice. Half buried in the sand by her side her cactuar plushie stared up at her. Bending, she gently scooped it back up in her arms, absently picking the sand from its fuzzy limbs as she scanned the sandy hills sprawling before her.

It all looked the same.

Sandy.

Squinting against the glare of the sunlight off the sand she wondered which direction she should go in. A large squeleton of some beast lay to the east, rolling dunes to the north; a patch of slightly smaller sand dunes lay in wait to the west and the south...more rolling dunes.

Lovely.

Lifting her belted skirt to facilitate mobility she slowly headed westward. Not even ten paces into her solitary journey the hem of her skirt caught on something that had been resting in the sand. Tilting her head to the side she pulled her skirt away from the object. Silver flashed in the sun. Delicate fingers reached down for the silver frames and held the familiar pair of sunglasses high. Not a scratch marred the surface of the tinted lenses. Lulu quickly searched the horizon for any signs of the guardian whose eyewear she had found. They had been together for an instant when being transported by Sin. He had tried to hold onto her but now she was alone. Despite the hot sun beating down on her dark hair and making her dress cling uncomfortably to her arms she felt cold as she stared at the patch of sand where she had retrieved Auron's sunglasses. What if he did not make it? What if he had been swallowed by the sand or tossed somewhere completely different, he could be back in Besaid for all she knew.

She shook her head quickly, not liking how her chest had felt tight at the thought of Auron being lost to them. He had to be around here somewhere and she would find him, it was as simple as that. Glancing down at the shining silver frames she held in her hand she smiled slightly and gently tried them on. Pleased by the effect of the shades she felt her search would now be easier since she would not have to squint against the glare of the sun and the sand.

Her pace was slow; cresting over sandy dunes in long skirts weighed down by belts and buckles was no easy task. She paused at the top of one dune, staring down into a valley of sand dotted by what appeared to be tiny makeshift huts. Perhaps he had taken shelter there? Wiping her brow with a long sleeve she straightened her shoulders and ploughed on.

©

He groaned. His position was awkward to say the least. Somehow he thought being flung into a cactus in the middle of a desert was something Jecht had done intentionally. When he had tried to disentangle himself without getting needles in his skin he had only suceeded in snagging a sleeve on one of the the cactus's branches and the more he struggled, the more stings he received. After several minutes of this he was now ready to pull out his sword and chop the blasted plant into more manageable pieces. And to make matters worse, he had lost his sunglasses.

Muttering under his breath he tried to maneuvre his sword around to free himself when he heard a voice.

"Sir Auron!"

A woman. A voice he knew. Calm, low and always laced with something darker. Lulu.

He turned his head in the direction of her voice and if he had not heard her calling him he would have believed her to be a mirage. Lush skirt hiked up above the knee to facilitate walking in the sand, a cactuar plushie in one hand, long braids wiping about her face as the strong winds sent stinging sand into her shoulders and face and...His sunglasses shielding her dark eyes. How she had managed to procure them he could not guess but he was pleased to see that at least one of his companions was well. Turning back to the cactus that seemed intent on keeping him in its clutches, he readied his sword for a good chop.

He finally pried himself free from the spiky cactus as she approached, calling his name again.

"Sir Auron."

Readjusting the sleeves of his yukata he nodded to her, one eye squinting at the sunlight and the sand that was cutting into his skin from the wind. "The others?"

She shook her head slightly then pointed to the north. "There is shelter there."

Auron did not need her to say more, the winds were picking up and neither of them would want to be stuck in a sandstorm. He followed behind her, letting her lead the way to the tiny huts erected to ward off the sting from sun and sand.

Inside the shelter Lulu shook the sand out of her shoes as Auron sat cross-legged by the entrance seemingly lost in thought as he studied the sand. Her voice brought him back to reality.

"Doesn't that hurt?"

He followed her gaze and gave a slight grunt in response noting the needles that were embedded in the skin of his arms. Thankfully, none had pierced the armor protecting his chest and back. Seeing as she seemed to be waiting for an answer he began plucking them out one by one.

"It looks worse than it feels."

Lulu remained at the back of the shelter, her back leaning against the rough fabric of the hut as she studied the man calmly removing needles from his arms. Silence reigned, neither finding any words to speak as the wind howled outside their shelter. Lulu closed her eyes, head tilting back exposing the creamy column of skin under her chin. Breathing a soft sigh she drew her knees to her chest, shoulders relaxing.

Disposing of the last needle, Auron eyed the woman at the back of the hut out of the corner of one eye. Her breath slowly stirred the fur trim along the neckline of her dress creating a tiny ripple. His gaze then travelled up her neck, noting the slight reddish discoloration caused by the stinging sand in the wind. The beads of her necklaces shifted against her chest as she breathed. The silver frames perched on the bridge of her nose slid forward. Auron smirked.

"They suit you."

Lulu breathed in sharply, one hand reaching up to push the sunglasses back in place. "I beg your pardon?"

Auron was already looking elsewhere. "My sunglasses."

Slowly, slender fingers slid the silver shades down revealing dark eyes and a finely arched eyebrow. "Perhaps I should keep them then."

"Hm."

A smile tugged at violet lips. "You disagree?"

Auron turned, leaning towards her teasing smile and laughing eyes. "Yes. You need not hide yourself Lulu."

A laugh escaped unbidden from Lulu's lips. "And you need to hide Sir Auron? You told me you hide nothing did you not?"

"I did. But I have never seen a reason why things of beauty should be concealed either."

Lulu blinked, stunned by such words coming from her fellow guardian. He was very close. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her face as he leaned forward. She felt cold leather brush against her cheek. Her eyes closed involuntarily, uncertainty gripping her. And then as suddenly as the warmth came, it was gone. Auron was sitting back by the entrance, legs casually folded beneath him, sunglasses once more obscuring his features. Lulu inhaled deeply and shook her head slightly, jewelled pins tinkling.

"You could have simply asked for them back."

"Yes, I could have. But I did not."

She shook her head. This man may be a legendary guardian but at times he could be so vexing and confusing. His words forever cryptic, veiled in mystery. She rose, dusting off her skirt as she moved past him.

"It's dangerous to go out now. Night will fall soon."

Her fingers curled around the flap of the hut, painted nails digging into the worn material. "I can manage well enough."

No response. Lulu sighed and prepared to venture out into the sands, the winds weren't so strong now, she would fetch some dry tinder to burn for the night. She paused at the entrance one foot stepping out and glanced back. Auron remained as emotionless as always. All she could see was her own reflection staring back at her twofold.

The fluttering of the hut's flap marked Lulu's departure.

Auron wasn't sure of how many hours it had been since Lulu had left but the hour was late. The sky had darkened to indigo and the occasional star sparkled in the heavens. Dusting himself off, he strode out of the hut, trying to follow the black mage's tracks in the windswept sand. He didn't have to wander very far. He spotted his fellow guardian in the distance, her silhouette perched on some rocky outcropping, braids gently lifted by the wind and flowing behind her. His heavy boots made not a whisper as he walked to her side, wondering what kept her out here in the desert night for so long.

Her head was tilted to the sky but her face was obscured by the thick veil of bangs on the left side of her face. At her side sat her cactuar plushie and the dry tinder she had gathered for a fire lay neatly in a bundle. Never averting her skyward gaze she patted the space beside her on the tiny mound of stone, a wordless invitation to sit.

Auron moved around the rocks and sat beside her, her plushie between them, and lifted one leg to his chest, bending it at the knee in order to let his right arm drape over his kneecap comfortably. He followed her gaze to the dark skies dotted with stars.

The wind had lessened to a cool breeze. The rustling of their billowing sleeves the only sound for the moment as they both sat in contemplation. Lulu was the first to lower her gaze, turning instead to study her hands folded in her lap.

"You're troubled."

Smokey eyes turned to study the profile of Auron's face or what little could be seen that wasn't concealed by his high collar. "I was thinking."

Auron's gloved hand slid down his knee to rest on his thigh. "Just thinking? Your eyes look wet. You were crying."

She stiffened, one hand reaching up to brush her cheek, testing for dampness but finding the skin to be as smooth and dry as always. "I wasn't. My eyes must look glassy from staring at the stars for too long."

He turned his head to look at her but his body remained still. "The dried tear tracks mar your cheeks and the salty residue shines in the moonlight."

She shook her head. "The tears are finished now. I had almost forgotten that they even came at all..." Her voice trailed then faded with a soft sigh.

Auron remained silent, staring at her behind dark glasses. A shiver ran along Lulu's shoulders as the night breeze stirred her dark bangs and ruffled the fur trim on her dress. His dropped his gaze to her lap where her fists were clenched. She looked away, arms crossing over her chest to ward off the chill in the air.

Auron shook his head slightly and rose, keeping his back to the woman still seated. "You're cold. We should return to the shelter."

"I'll be along in a minute. I...I would like to watch the stars for a bit more." Her voice was soft, a tremor in her words.

Her companion turned, seeing her head bowed, arms still crossed, goose bumps dancing across her bare shoulders. With a quick flick of his wrist, the twin buckles on his belt fell open allowing him to shrug out of his red yukata. Tossing the discarded belt over his shoulder, he stepped up to Lulu's knees and with a twirl wrapped his outer robe around her shoulders. He met her startled eyes with a soft chuckle as he adjusted the fabric around her to ensure she would be warm enough.
"Sir Auron-"

"You were shivering." He stated simply.

Before she could protest or return the garment he turned and headed back towards the shelter. Her fingers drew his robe closer to her body, eyes closing briefly as she inhaled deeply. Standing quickly she swivelled around, eyes the colour of wine fixed on his back and bare arms.

"Sir Auron!"

He paused. Slowly he turned his head to look back at her.

Still clutching his robe closed with one hand she approached, walking as briskly as she could with her heavy skirt. Taking a deep breath she raised her eyes to his. Amethyst lips parted to say words of thanks but nothing came forth. Instead she shook her head and dropped her gaze to his boots. He took a step closer, the sound of the buckles on his boots as he moved teased the words from her lips.

"I...I think I've stared at the stars too long this night." Her shoulders slumped slightly as she let her head fall forward, her forehead accidentally brushing Auron's chest.

He did not move.

Seeing that he didn't reject the closeness or object to it, Lulu turned her face to the side, letting her cheek rest against the cool metal of his chest plate. "You were right...the night is cold."

His hands moved up to rest on her shoulders and she could feel the warmth of his palms through the fabric of his yukata. He let his breath out slowly, the hot air caressing the top of her head. The jewelled pins in her hair stirred with his steady breathing. Lulu tilted her head up; eyes fixed on the heavy collar that still shielded most of his face. A long sleeve slipped out between the folds of his red coat, fingertips barely brushing the strap that fastened the collar closed. Amethyst painted nails ghosted along the stiff fabric, peeking out of a lace-trimmed sleeve. She moved her palm to rest over the strap that hung down onto his chest, absently toying with the metal tip between her thumb and forefinger.

"You did not always wear this." Her lips curved into a soft smile as he looked away. "I remember...when you were a guardian for Lord Braska. I was there, when you came to Besaid." She chuckled quietly, moving the hand from his chest over her mouth, muffling her laughter behind a silken sleeve. "Do you remember Sir Auron?"

"Hm." His voice was a low rumble. "I remember."

She looked up; finding his gaze once more locked onto hers. "I was...just a child then." She stepped away from his arms and turned her back to him, eyes searching the sky for the past as if her memories were preserved in the stars. Her arms crossed over her chest, holding his coat closed around her body. "Do you remember the night before you left Besaid...you went for a walk on the beach."

He nodded slowly. "You were there. Sitting on some rocks, looking out at the ocean. You...had been crying."

~A young girl, no more than twelve gazed out at the waves, shoulders hunched and shaking with silent sobs. In her tiny hands, a jewelled pin that one would use to decorate hair was clenched tightly. She heard footsteps approaching and quickly wiped at her tears. No one would see her cry. Straightening her shoulders, she trained her cool glare on the intruder and blinked in surprise. Approaching her, clad in a flowing red coat with billowing sleeves adorned with many buckles was one of Lord Braska's guardians. His jet-black hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail and his eyes stared at her in the darkness of the night. He stepped beside her but did not look at her directly, instead choosing to gaze out at the ocean.

"It is late. You should return to the village. Your family will worry."

She stared at his back, eyes hardening. " My parents are dead."

His shoulders stiffened slightly, surprised by the sharp bitterness in the young girl's voice. To know such pain at such a young age...He shook his head. Another reason to defeat Sin. He did not need to ask how her parents died. He knew. It was a scenario that was becoming far too common. Having no words of comfort to offer aside from his condolences he turned and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't say you're sorry. Apologies...won't bring them back. Just...defeat Sin."

His eyebrows rose in surprise. "What is your name?"

Eyes the colour of garnet bore into him. "Lulu."

He repeated the name to himself then nodded and knelt in front of her. "Lulu. Lord Braska, Jecht and I...will do our best to bring the Calm to Spira."

She gave a slight nod, seemingly satisfied with his answer. Her fists clenched again then slowly relaxed and uncurled revealing a hair ornament in pieces. Several beads were missing and the metal was bent and warped. She sighed as a response to his inquiring gaze.

"Boys were playing blitz ball on the beach. They hit me with the ball, it broke. I was so angry. I wanted to burn them but instead I just collected the broken pieces and came here. It was...foolish of me to hold onto it. In the end, everything always gets destroyed doesn't it?" She shook her head quickly. She could feel her eyes filling with tears, her vision blurred. She rose abruptly, tossing the ornament aside with a quick jerk of her arm.

Auron watched the young girl run back to the village. In the sand at his feet, the shattered ornament lay in pieces, beads glittering in the moonlight.~

Lulu rubbed her arms for warmth as she shook her head. "When I woke up the next morning, the pin had been fixed, new beads replacing those I'd lost along with the ones I'd managed to retain and it was waiting for me on the kitchen table." Her smile was soft as she whispered her next words. "Dropped off by a guardian dressed in crimson."

Auron said nothing, merely inclined his head in acknowledgement of the act of kindness he performed for a young girl many years ago.

Slowly, Lulu drifted back towards him. "You left before I could thank you."

He shrugged, index finger coming up to push his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "There was no need."

She bowed her head slightly, long braids sliding over her shoulders to swing beside her face. "There was for me..."

Before he could make some other objection, Lulu brought a hand to the back of his collar and gently nudged his neck to bend down. Soft lips pressed against his forehead in a chaste kiss. The feather light brush of her lips, fleeting. Auron closed his eye, letting out a slow breath that fanned across Lulu's chest.

"Lulu-"

"Thank you." Lulu interjected quietly and stepped away, letting her hand slide down his shoulder and brush over the muscles of his arm.

Auron watched as Lulu retreated to the shelter and settled herself in for the night, the feel of her lips on his skin still fresh in his mind as well as the beautiful sight of her smile. A genuine smile flashed the moment before she turned away from him to sleep, claret eyes sparkling beneath her dark veil of bangs. With a gruff sigh and a shake of his head he set about making a fire to ward off the chill of the night. His eye remained fixed on the soft glow of the crimson flames throughout the night, thoughts lost in the image of amethyst lips softer than silk curved into a rarely seen smile. A smile spread across his lips seen only by the flicker of the red flames that cut through the night's darkness.

Eyes fluttered open, squinting at the bright sunlight streaming in through the cracks in the tent. Slender fingers rubbed at amethyst eyelids, smearing the mauve glittering powder along pale skin. Eyes a shade darker than ruby examined the sparkles left on her finger. She felt warm and relaxed, despite the fact that her bed had been sand but Auron's coat had shielded her from feeling the chill of the night and kept the sand away from her skin. Painted nails ran over the soft fabric wrapped about her shoulders. Lulu sat up slowly and glanced about the shelter noting with some dismay that her fellow guardian was not present. Had he spent the entire night outside by the fire? She shook her head; she already knew the answer to that.

She emerged from the shelter and nearly burst out laughing at the sight that greeted her. Her fellow guardian lay blissfully asleep and unaware by the softly glowing coals of the fire, something green and fuzzy nestled cutely into his chest. A tinkle of beads as Lulu shook her head in silent laughter. She had left her plushie out here and Mr. Cactuar had apparently decided it would be safest to bunk with Sir Auron for the night. Not that she could blame the stuffed toy. There was hardly a place she would consider safer. Suppressing a self-conscious blush, Lulu knelt beside her fellow guardian and extended her arm in invitation. Sensing his mistress' call, the tiny cactuar plushie perked and hopped back into her waiting arms.

The quick scurry of movement alerted Auron to Lulu's presence and he opened his eyes and sat up. Lulu silently offered him his coat with a nod of thanks.

Pulling it back over his shoulders swiftly, Auron arched an eyebrow at the woman before him. She was busying herself putting out the fire by kicking sand onto the coals, her eyes averted from his. He rose and stepped to her side.

"We should look for the others." He stated, staring off at the endless golden dunes before them.

Lulu nodded and straightened at his side, following his gaze. The warm wind stirred their sleeves and hair, lifting the black mage's bangs away from her face. Lulu glanced at Auron's profile and blinked. A giggle burst from her lips unbidden and she quickly brought a wide sleeve to her lips to hide her outburst. She found herself staring at her own reflection but she could tell from the crease of his brow that he was frowning.

"Forgive me Sir Auron, but you..." her voice trailed unable to put words to what she found so amusing.

He shifted his body to face her and waited patiently for her to explain.

Slowly she raised a hand to hover near his face, "Here..." Gently, her thumb brushed away the amethyst cosmetic left printed on his forehead in the shape of her lips, eyes dancing at the hilarious image Sir Auron painted with a lipstick mark on the centre of his forehead. Satisfied, Lulu let her hand drift down to rest on cheek, the pad of her thumb gently gliding over his cheekbone.

"There..." she breathed and began to withdraw her hand only to be stopped by Auron's gloved hand closing over her wrist, holding her hand in place.

His voice was the softest she had ever heard it and if she had not been so close to him, the words would have been lost in the thick fabric of his collar. "Thank you, Lulu."

They stood there, transfixed by the other's gaze and uncertain. Lulu closed her eyes as she felt the worn leather of Auron's glove brush over her knuckles. She could feel his breath stirring her hair, his proximity felt by the warmth slowly spreading through her limbs.

A startled cry.

Lulu turned bewildered eyes to the surrounding dunes, wondering who had shattered the peaceful lull she had found herself in. Vaguely she registered the loss of Auron's hand on hers as he spun in the direction of the cry. He glanced back at her. Was that regret knitting his eyebrows together? She felt warm leather squeeze her shoulder.

"Come."

A single command and he was gone, running towards the dunes, crimson coat whipping about behind him. It took only moment before Lulu threw her shoulders back and glided off in pursuit, long skirt hissing across the sand as she readied a spell, all thoughts of Sir Auron's gently caress pushed aside as he mind focused on the upcoming battle.

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A.N.: There will be more to this. I assure you. I love pairing Auron and Lulu too much to simply let it end here. *.*

Thank you to all who wrote to me or reviewed the first chapter and encouraged me to continue with this fic. There would be no second chapter without you. *hugs*

Goodgurl ~ *laughs* I know, the Auron/Rikku pairing disturbs me, I mean really...Auron isn't some child molester. She's too young for him. It's cute to have them tease each other but that's as far as it goes.

Starlight ~ Thank you for thinking I should continue. ^____^

Angel Ruse~ I agree completely! They do make a good couple. Well...I guess it's obvious I support it, I'm writing it. ^^;;;

Sway ~ Because you thought it was beautiful, I continued. ^___^ Mind you, the please also made me want to too. :)

Lalala ~ *giggles* Ok, that's probably the cutest name I've ever seen. Don't cry, I continued. Slow I know, but better late than never. ~.^

Red ~ As always, thank you imouto for reading my sappy fics and enduring my endless rants on the beauty of Auron's arm and the injustice of jugs containing spleens. *hugs*

Chorohne ~ Your pleas were heard and answered. ^___^ I just hope you liked this chapter, as much as the last.

Necrosia of the Moon and Night ~ I love the pairing as well, and damn why the hell don't people write more about them? *huffs* Ahem...sorry.

CW ~ Thank you for the constructive criticism. The fragments and strange punctuation was intentional though I assure you. It was meant for effect and is a style that I enjoy using. However, I did try to alter it for this chapter to make it easier to read.

Trinity Dearborn ~ Fear not, you shall see where this goes. ^___^

Seifer Almasy ~ Yes sir! *salutes*

Sara ~ Sorry to leave you hanging. *smiles* But that's a part of getting people to read the next instalments right?

Mike ~ I agree, Lulu deserves to be with someone. And in mind, what better person than badass Auron. ^__^

JJBad ~ Yeah...the whole one disk thing. *laughs* How many people mentioned that? I realize that now but at the time when I was playing at my friend's house I never saw her put the disk in so I had no idea.

PsychoAngel ~You've given me a great compliment by saying they aren't OOC. Thank you.

Blue eyes ~ Thank you. I will continue to do my best.

VietKnight 2004 ~ Ah yes, I've certainly read things that were more romantic as well but I didn't want to rush anything. What would be the fun in that? With no anticipation? But fear not, there shall be kissing because...I'm a sap and will eventually give in.

Leslie~ I agree, definitely not enough Lulu/Auron fics out there. *sigh*

Shiro ~ Thank you for the compliment, sorry I didn't continue sooner. ^^;;; *dodges tomatoes* Just university life is time consuming and doesn't allow for much indulgence in fanfic writing.

Premiumfist ~ ^________^ I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter. I hope you like this one as well.

Dark Beauty ~ Yup, twas my first FFX fic. ~.^ Thanks for reading it and letting me know how you felt about it. And yes, Aululu is a funny word. *giggles*

So...thank you to all! *hugs*