Disclaimer 1: Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy X belong to Squaresoft. The world of Spira and all associated characters belong to Squaresoft. This story is written and published without permission or consent of Squaresoft. This is a fictional story made for purely entertainment purposes. The author of this story does not claim to own the world of Final Fantasy, or any characters or likenesses. Any relation to events or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Author's Note: The Al Bhed in this story are speaking Al Bhed, unless otherwise noted. While they have a language all of their own, all prose and dialogue will be in English (or Yevonite, if you prefer), with a few notable exceptions.

For Love Of The Game
(c) 2003, 2010 Mayumi.H

3 - All My Dreams (Lakkam)

Lakkam crept up onto the bow of the ship, fully expecting to have the place to herself.

Sleep was out of the question tonight; there was so much excitement in the air, all revolving around tomorrow's tournament. She wanted so badly to do a good job; she had worked hard to make the team, and she wanted to do them proud. Plus, it would make for a good story for her friends back in Home. So, after lights-out, she had snuck out of her bunk and wandered about the ship, eventually making her way up to the promenade.

She was surprised to find that she was not alone. Berrik was up here, his long legs dangling off the side of the ship.

"Can I sit here?" Lakkam asked tentatively, from a few paces away.

Berrik looked up, a little bit startled. But then he smiled and nodded. "There's always room for one more."

She slid down next to him and mimicked his posture, letting her heels bounce against the hull. She held on to one of the railbars and looked out over her knees, into the dark water below.

"Couldn't sleep?" Berrik ventured.

Lakkam shook her head. "No." She grinned, almost giddy. "I'm too excited!" She looked out at the city, all lit up along the dockline, with its glowing towers and domes. "I've never played in a game this important, and I've never been to Luca before."

Berrik shrugged, a little sadly. "It's all right." He turned his head to her. "This is my fifth tournament here," he said in explanation.

She smiled sheepishly. "Ugh. I must sound like a little girl." She looked around the deck, up at the sky, anywhere but at him. She hadn't wanted to sound so naive; the other Psyches had played games and tournaments all over Spira, and the last thing any of them probably wanted was some girl gushing about the big city lights.

But Berrik assured her: "No harm in that."

Lakkam turned back to him, all of her shame forgotten. "What about you? What are you doing up here?" He always seemed very contemplative, very professional. Maybe there was some sort of Luca nightlife that was worth observing from the deck of the ship.

Berrik pursed his lips. "Nimrook snores," he said pointedly. "I can't sleep through that noise."

Lakkam chuckled, then covered her mouth with one hand to be a little more polite. "I'm surprised anyone could sleep tonight," she offered.

As if to confirm her sentiment, the main hatch made a lurching sound as it opened again. Both of them turned around, to see Blappa step out onto the deck.

There was a moment of silence, and then Berrik rubbed his palms on his thighs and took a deep breath. "Well. I think maybe I'll look for some kuyd's milk, and try to get some rest." He disentangled himself from the railbars and stood up. He patted her gently on the top of the head, the way that her brothers sometimes did. "See you in the morning."

"Kuut hekrd," she said, offering a smile as she bade him goodnight. She craned her neck around, and watched Berrik walk away. When he passed Blappa, she saw him give the younger man a punch in the shoulder.

"Kuut hekrd," Blappa called after Berrik, repeating Lakkam's well-wishes. He came over to her and bent low at the waist. "Mind if I join you?"

Lakkam shrugged her arms up. "Sure," she squeaked. She squeezed her eyes shut behind her goggles and made a face, embarrassed again.

Blappa didn't seem to notice. He sat down next to her, in the same position, leaning one shoulder against a bar. "So, how does it feel to be in your first tournament?" He asked suddenly.

She gave a little shudder. "Exciting! I didn't think I'd ever get to be here." She looked out over the water again, at the city spread before her.

He gave her a gentle push with his fingertips, sending a tiny, invisible wave of anxiety through her. "Of course you're here," he grinned. "You're one of the Psyches now."

"Still... Luca," she muttered dreamily. How many times had she laid in her bed in Home, longing for the day when she would see Spira's great cities? Her brother Keyakku had teased her more than once about her far-flung fantasies, but she knew deep in her heart that there was no other life for her. Sitting on the deck, watching the sparkling lights of the city, she realized that she had found her place. Bevelle be cursed - it was Luca that held the key to so many of her dreams.

"It's so beautiful," Lakkam whispered.

Blappa made a low noise in his throat, almost a humming sound, and nodded. Without warning, he reached between them and fingered the band of her goggles above her ear.

Lakkam felt the tiny hairs at the nape of her neck stand up at his touch, but she stayed her ground.

He reached toward her opposite ear with his other hand, and he took hold of her goggle harness. "Can I?" he asked in a quiet voice.

She nodded, almost imperceptibly, and closed her eyes. She felt him slip her goggles off and rest them on the top of her head. Her eyelids felt cool; she had become so accustomed to wearing her goggles that it made her feel exposed without them in their normal place. She opened her eyes very slowly, as if there might be something there that her uncovered eyes weren't ready for. But there was only Blappa, smiling fondly at her.

He laid the back of his hand against her cheek, and she pressed her face against his skin. When he drew his hand away, she looked up at him, almost in a panic, and then saw that he was only starting to take his own goggles off.

Without saying a word, she grabbed his hands and put them in his lap, laying her palms down on them. Then, she reached up to his face and gently pulled on his goggles, as he had done. She slipped them off his head and gently placed the band on his hands.

He opened his eyes, and Lakkam suddenly realized how long it had been since she had looked at another Al Bhed, eye to eye. His green spiraled irises, common to all their kin, had never seemed more beautiful to her before.

She touched his face, her pale fingers stroking his skin. And as he gazed at her with his naked eyes, she leaned toward him, inviting him closer. She thought in a blur that this couldn't be happening, that he had made some sort of mistake, that this was just a game to him while for her it was her whole heart. But as their lips touched, she understood that he was both everything she wanted, and nothing she had expected.

For the moment, he was only a kiss.