A/N: Before I begin, I'd like to not that I have changed the point of view to first person of Rikku. This will not change throughout the rest of the chapters, I promise. It just feels more suitable for the plot.
The question had slipped off the tip of my tongue before I could rethink it. No… not rethink. I hadn't even thought on it for a second. Stupid vomit. Heat soured into my cheeks and I was grateful for the dim lighting inside the inn. The question was purely innocent. I wasn't asking him to sleep with me like that. My thoughts were as pure as Yevon's teachings… or something. Ha.
I laughed a little nervously when Auron didn't say anything, just kind of stared off. Reading him was like reading Kimarhi. Their facial expressions rarely faltered. "Oh, come on! I didn't mean it like that, you perv!" I said, huffing dramatically and moving out of the chair that held me against the small desk. I looked up, kind of expecting the same stone look. For a second there I could have sworn someone planted Sin's toxin in the air 'cause that ghost of a smirk on his lips seemed way too unreal to be true.
"Oh heeeeey," I pointed a finger teasingly. "I caught that, you know!"
"Heh," he shook his head slowly and took a step down the hall. "Good night, Rikku."
"But-!"
CRASH!
Everything went blank. My knees gave out, hands instinctively pushing against my ears. I'd closed my eyes, stopped my breathing. I think my heart stopped beating there, too. When there was only silence(with the exception of Wakka's snores from the room next door) again, I peeked out of one eye to see Auron staring back at me… like usual. Then I realized what had happened. I hated thunder. I hated lightening and I really just wanted the storm to end.
"It's just thunder," I heard Auron say distantly. My limbs slowly loosened in defeat. "Yeah, I know…" I picked myself up and crawled to the edge of the mattress. "I just hate it."
The (ex)warrior-monk stepped inside the room as I stripped off all the extra accessories I had strapped to my body. "How are you going to help retrieve the final aeon if you can't even get over a childish fear?"
His tone was pretty harsh, maybe a little cold and unfeeling. I frowned and peeled off the rest of my armor silently. So he did think of me as a child because what? He had more experience? I was more mature than most people my age. I'd seen a lot. It wasn't easy being an Al Bhed, let alone living in a world with Sin. I'd lost family, friends. I knew what reality was. I knew what it felt like. I wasn't as naïve as I pretended to be.
I didn't want to tell him that, though. I didn't tell anyone that… except Pop and maybe even Brother sometimes. Everyone had their own problems to worry about. It wasn't right to dump all of mine on them. Yuna and I shared similar views when it came to our feelings. It's easier just to smile, in times of joy and grief. The people of Spira needed hope. They needed strength.
I lifted the bland covers just enough to crawl beneath, ignoring Auron as he shut the door and sat in the only chair in the room. I tried to get comfortable in that strange silence, but the constant roaring of the lightening forced my body into a tense position time and time again. How the hell was I supposed to rest!?
"I'll stay here until you fall asleep," Auron answered my thoughts. I glanced into his dark eyes, fully understanding why he was famously known as one of the best guardians in history. I slid one hand beneath the pillow and allowed myself to rest against the bulky mattress. Auron's eyes never left mine, though, and I couldn't stop myself from asking.
"What happened to your eye?"
"Fiend," he answered in his usual tone.
"Oh."
I didn't really believe it, but I was too tired to question him. My eyelids fell shut. Within seconds, I was dead asleep.
"Rikku, we'll be leaving soon," I heard Lulu's voice someone in the darkness. I knew it wasn't apart of my dream. I knew it was real, but I didn't care. They wouldn't leave without me- right? Five more minutes wouldn't kill anyone. I grunted and rolled over, hugging the sheets closer to my tiny frame. Just when everything began to fade out, Wakka's stupid voice had to ruin it.
"RIKKU! COME ON!"
"Alright already!" I shouted back. Ugh. Only getting four hours of sleep was surprisingly agonizing. Tossing the blanket across the bed, I sort of stumbled off the mattress and began to reequip everything from the pile. Yuna trusted me with pretty much everything we had. Potions, remedies, and all sorts of weird lookin' things that made the fiends go boom! I grinned at my own joke and tightened the sash around my thigh until it was secure enough. Sighing, I plopped back on the mattress. Why couldn't I hear the lightening? Maybe the storm was gone. Maybe we were somewhere else. Ah, maybe I had a hangover! Sheesh.
But Pa always taught me never to get my hopes up about shit I didn't know about, and he was right 'cause about two seconds later a very faint bolt of lightening crawled into the peace. I whimpered softly, controlling my hands just enough to grip the sheets instead of my head. I needed to get over this stupid phobia. Or get out of here. Haha, yeah. That sounded better.
"Anything else?" I whispered, daring myself to look about the candle-lit room. There was hardly any evidence that I'd ever been there. Nothing at all. I forced myself on my feet and traced back. What was I missing? A frown pulled at the edges of my lips. I just knew I was forgetting something… something pretty important. I looked over at the desk, spotting the pen I'd been using. I pocketed the item safely then stared at the chair. I wondered just when he left. I sighed gently, pushing a blonde strand of hair just behind my ear. Auron was too distant, beyond everything. He probably had a wife or something somewhere. He never told any of us where he'd been since Braska's Calm. It was pointless to fantasize over a relationship like a giddy schoolgirl. But I liked him. A lot. When he let his defense down, it made all the trying worthwhile.
I finally decided that looking for an unknown object was pointless and returned to the lounge where mostly everyone waited. I had to focus on other things, like figuring out a way to save Yuna from her fate. Only I couldn't even do that –every time lightening struck I had to kiss the ground. Go figure.
A/N: I tried not to make it too cheesy, 'cause cheesy is kinda lame and gets old fast. Please review if you have read, just to tell me you like it or you hate it or give me a couple suggestions. Let me know what you like. I appreciate it more than you will ever know.
.xFluffee
