Chapter Three

"…And this is the engine room!" Rikku waved a hand at the loud smoky room. The engine had been turned on early that day to prepare for their trip tomorrow morning and was turning out more smoke because of the colder temperature modulators. It looked more like a sauna and smelt more like a rubber factory than a room that was support aviation in any capacity.

Tidus coughed and waved the air in front of him. "Uh…you sure this thing is operating right?"

Rikku patted him on the back. "Ah it's just a little chilly. Look at this!" She made her way over to a random metal bolted door. Tidus still coughing followed her into the clouds. "This is the emergency hatch. Let's say for instance this smoke continues to happen when we lift off and all those red annoying emergency lights go blinky, well then I would have to jump down here super quick right? This door is connected to the hall in the bridge directly!" She nodded at the door before turning to Tidus who was near passing out. "It's a whole heck of a lot of stairs….We'll take them up once we're done here." She grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the room and down a hall excitedly till they were met with a row of lockers. "This is where we keep our personal things. That's my locker there, that's Yuna's, and that's Paine's."

The blonde man gulped at the cleaner air and nodded after catching his breath. "Do I get one?"

"Sure, everyone on board has one." Rikku showed him a door next that led to somewhere Tidus should never go under any circumstances, and then a door leading to a small room with cages of items. "This, is where we hold all of our weapons."

He glanced around and motioned to a cage full of shoes. "Girls."

"Bet you never knew every time we change into a new sphere we get new shoes. It's some glitch or something. We keep them here just in case Shinra leans how to fix it." She leaned against a cage holding armguards of every shape and make and watched as Tidus wondered further down the dimly lit corridor.

"Yuna explained it to me, but I still don't get this whole changing outfits in the middle of battle thing. Whatever happened to good old fashioned Grid hopping?"

Rikku followed slowly behind him with her arms crossed to her chest. Today she was clad in a workers jumper, there was just too much to be prepped on board and she knew she would only get oil all over herself if she hadn't worn it. "It's pretty fun." She dragged her words out in hopes to get Tidus into Lady Luck. What a hoot that would be.

"Hey my sword!" He went up to the cage where the ocean blue blade was peeking out of a heavy sheath. "She kept it."

Rikku nodded. "Yup, Yunie's Warrior Dressphere is equipped with it." She paused "I have Auron's."

Tidus turned and let out a laugh. "No way."

"Yup."

"It's bigger than you are!"

"Paine showed me how to hold it so I didn't end up killing myself." She laughed remembering when she tried to strike her first blow with it and ended up on her butt.

"Man..." He shook his head. "You guys have all changed so much and, well I know Auron would be impressed that's for sure." He stepped back over to where she was.

"You think so?" She had been thinking a lot about him recently with the young blitzer's return.

"Course."

Rikku smiled at the thought. "What you guys didn't meet up or something?" She asked as they left the room. "Play Sphere Break in the Farplane?"

Tidus grew solemn. "I never found him… I don't even think I was there either. It's hard to remember."

Paine was seated on her bed polishing her sword when the door of the loft opened with a slam below and Rikku's unmistakable chirp bellowed out with pride. "And this! Is the bar!"

"You have an actual bar on this thing!"

The two of them together were incorrigible. Why did one have to try and top the others octave like that when they spoke? Did they even know they were doing it?

"You save Spira once and you immediately realize what you missed for the second time around." Rikku hopped onto a stool and turned toward the bar. "Barkeep is usually here, but he's in the village getting ale for the trip. He's fun but will cut you off for sure, trust me."

Tidus laughed. "I can only imagine." He shook his head in disbelief. "Has Yuna ever gotten cut off?" There was still much of her he didn't know about, she had changed, somehow seemed more her own, he was glad but it left him playing catchup.

"Yunie?" Rikku giggled. "Once or twice maybe, I'll never tell."

"Ah C'mon."

Paine could hear them climbing the stairs of the loft.

"What's up here?"

"This is where we have our beds—" Rikku smiled when she reached the top and she and Paine looked at one another. It was a flicker of a moment; a private greeting. She turned to see Tidus up safely. "This is also where we keep Paine."

Tidus laughed albeit uneasily. Paine sitting polishing her blade looked both domestic and scary.

"Has she shown you the room that is not to be opened under any circumstances?" Paine asked as she stood and began to dry off the blade.

"Yeah, in the basement?"

"It's where we hold our food dry storage."

"Paine!" Rikku glared. "You opened the door!?"

Tidus chuckled. "Good to know where the noodles are."

Paine began toward the stairs.

"Hey hey, where are you going? You have to account for this." Rikku stood in Paine's way with her hands on his hips.

"I'm training."

"You just cleaned your sword."

"I have other weapons." She pointed to her head.

Rikku crossed her arms. "Knuckle brains, huh?"

Paine took a step closer to Rikku with the tall blade dangling close. "Don't you have something you should be fixing?"

Rikku uncrossed her arms ready to retort when Tidus stepped in between their exchange. "Hey so I found my sword downstairs and I know we are just going to a party but I'd like to see if I still got it y'know. Mind if I come with?" It was clear the two were friends, but his protective instinct for the youngest member of their party in the past kicked in.

Paine sized him up once before nodding. "We'll spar."

Tidus fist pumped the air. "Cool!" He looked about the room suddenly as if he had lost something. "I'll find Yuna and tell her." Both woman watched him as he made his way down the stairs and hurried off.

"Don't hurt him." Rikku warned.

"He said he wanted to train, so we'll train."

"You have that look…."

Paine looked down at her. "I've never fought a warrior that defeated Sin. I'm sure he will hold his own."

"What!? You've fought me." She put up her fists and wheeled them around in what Paine only assumed she thought was a threatening manner. "Remember?"

"We were training, I held back."

She deflated. "Well what about Yunie? You fought her when you were possessed by Shuyin remember? In the Den of—"

Paine hiked her sword on her back. "Yuna is a mage and a friend, and I don't want to talk about that." She brushed passed the blonde not giving her a chance to respond. Rikku stood there a moment wondering what she had said wrong. She had been possessed too, and the three of them spoke openly about it before, it wasn't the grooviest experience she'd be the first to throw that belief out, but it had happened.

Maybe this had something to do with her recent conquest to master the mind. Rikku shook her head in amusement; couldn't Paine for once think of nice things? She admitted that after what she had seen life had become a little less optimistic in some areas for even herself but to live consistently discontent had to be exhausting.

The sparring room deep within the airship was a big open space with wall tall windows overlooking a thick Besaidian brush where the Celsius had landed. The ground was covered in the standard stock airship tile with screws visible and all, but they had purchased a large blue patted mat that covered the majority of the space well enough, was soft enough, yet stiff enough to feel like ground and not a mattress. When you fell, you fell; they wanted to mimic the real thing as well as possible. Besides the bridge or the dining hall this was probably one of the most used rooms on the ship. Paine had decided that here would be the best place to get Tidus reacquainted with the art. Practicing on the beach or near the village would only raise concerns. They said they were leaving for a brief engagement in Luca, there was no need to bring weapons to a brief engagement unless it meant something.

"So how long you been doing this?"

Paine looked up from adjusting a particularly loose red strap on her person. It had been bothering her all day. It was strange to have him here. Strange because of Shuyin, because of Yuna. In a way she felt she knew all she needed to, and it wasn't fair for whoever Tidus was on his own. She had had the misfortune before of being judged simply based on appearance or past notions of others. It was not exactly her favorite and though incredibly irritating with all his questions and sense of bravado Paine had decided to give Tidus a chance, not the dream or the story version of him, actually him.

She looked back down at her strap. "Since I was young." She answered simply.

Tidus was adjusting his armguard. "Hm, is there a height limit on a sword like that?" He chuckled.

"It's about balance."

He sighed. "That's what Auron used to say, balance this, patience that."

"Those are two very valuable virtues."

He scratched the back of his head when he saw Paine hike the sword up onto her shoulder. "Uh say so what are the rules?"

"Metal only, if you need it, use your armguard."

He scrambled to the edge of the room where his sword was sheathed. "Alright." He yanked it out smiled instantly at the weight of the glowing metal. "Wakka gave me this when I first came to this Spira…It was Chappu's, his brother." Tidus smiled softly at the memory.

"You defeated Sin with it."

He nodded. "Jecht…"

"Your father."

Tidus nodded. He turned to face Paine. A semblance of shame passed over his features before turning to determination. "Let's see what I've got." He slashed the air in front of him before getting into his battle stance.

Paine turned her back to him slightly in her own battle stance before nodding. "Let's."

An hour had passed and neither Yuna nor Rikku had seen Paine or Tidus.

"Their sparring" Rikku nodded with a roll of the eye.

Yuna chuckled. "I'm glad they are getting along."

"You're not worried Paine will eat him?"

Yuna hesitated. "Yes well, she had a big lunch you think?" They shared a smile "Lulu asked how you were today." Yuna mentioned after the smile faded. They were sitting on their own beds in the loft facing each other and talking while they unpacked their travel sacks and repacked them again. It was something that Paine had taught them from her days in the Squad. In the face of danger or in a tight situation you needed to know you had everything, or at least one thing, where it was, how quickly it would take you to reach it. It could save your life.

Rikku pulled her yellow nail polish out of its permeant spot near one of her petty blades. "Has she?"

"Hmh."

"Have you told her our plans? What does she think?"

Yuna rolled the single silver bullet between her fingers before safely tucking it in a pouch on her utility belt. "She raised some valid concerns." Lulu though now a mother and happier than Yuna had ever remembered seeing her to be, still maintained her natural level of cynicism. "It is good that Gippal thought of this festival and dinner, everyone will be distracted with it. We'll have a better chance to look around undetected."

"We? Yunie the whole thing is in your honor. We'll take care of the recon," The blonde pointed out as she tucked her small lock picks into place for the third time.

Yuna sighed. "Yes."

"It will still be fun though right? We have to get dresses."

The High Summoner perked up again. "Right of course. Will you be Gippal's date?" She watched her cousins cheeks color just slightly as she busied herself with a hook on her knapsack. "He fancies you."

"Gippal fancies himself."

Yuna laughed. "Well and you."

Rikku shook her head. "I can't see him other than… Gippal."

"Is that a bad thing?" Yuna continued to tease.

She honestly didn't know. When she was younger the attention from boys was always something she found amusing. She was never too invested in anything though, it all just wasn't worth it, Gippal was the first boy too make her feel differently on the matter, but that was when he was a boy, before The Squad. He'd changed, and so had she. Their misconnection wasn't something she thought of seriously, and playing with his ego every now and then was fun. She couldn't imagine being close to him like sweethearts ought to be. She couldn't imagine just wanting to hold his rough hands. Never before had these categories seemed to be worth anything either. She liked to have fun, tinker, go dancing, drink and tell stories. Gippal liked to do all of the above, but no matter how she tried to change the angle it always came back to not wanting him close. An even deeper blush flushed her features when she thought of why.

Noticing the blush Yuna smiled. "You do like him don't you?" She honestly didn't believe she had before, but the look her cousin had now, as if remembering the cocky faction leader made her think otherwise.

She sighed "Oh Yunie stop it."

"What about that one time you two- ah what was it? What did you call it?" She teased.

The blonde jabbed a finger in her cousin's face, her face still hot though. "Lookie here Lady Yuna, if you finish that sentence I'll have to show you a real hurtin'."

Yuna put her hands up in surrender eventually. "I was just curious."

Rikku huffed quietly. "Well that shoopuf has come and pooped all over the rug and then gone…"

Yuna winced at the imagery. "Well I know that you have been wondering what we will do next." her tone leading into more serious territory. "It wouldn't hurt to think about other things…"

Rikku shrugged and kept flipping through her blank keys. Forty five, she had forty five. "Well we just defeated Vegnagun. We don't need to think about anything right?"

"Lulu mentioned it would be good for all of us to take a break."

"She's right, the old witch." Rikku smiled at her cousin. "Y'know Yunie, it almost feels like we haven't done it at all yknow?"

Yuna agreed. "I have to admit that I find myself thinking the same from time to time. When its peaceful most, when I'm on the beach as if I had never left all those years back… My insides feel different…changed." Rikku nodded. "Are you restless?" She couldn't help but notice her two friends withdraw slightly form the celebrations in Besaid. Her bliss wasn't a mask, but it certainly put her at a distance.

"I keep on thinking there will be something else... I think about it a lot actually." She lowered her head almost ashamed to hear herself out loud. "We almost couldn't beat it and…well I keep on thinking that we didn't." They had done something truly awesome and yet she doubted its worth in the grand scheme of thigs. If everyone were meant to split apart, die alone… "I mean it all just happened right? Shouldn't I feel happy?"

Yuna's brows creased in concern. "I don't have an answer to that." She admitted softly. She had always lived with the concerns and happiness of others in mind, it was absolutely crucial for the final sacrifice. Living on within these last two years had been an exercise in self-care and Yuna would be the first to admit to regressing some.

Rikku shrugged. "I do most times." She thought aloud.

"And others?"

The thief bit the inside of her mouth. "Others… others I think I'm just confused about how to feel….feelings for…things…for people." She laughed a little at herself. "They're just all over the place and I guess Yunie I guess when we had to pay attention to not getting eaten alive by giant dark Aeons or not getting our faces stolen from Leblanc and her goons, I guess I didn't really see the need to prioritize clearing things up." She waved a hand in the air. "I mean we really did kinda cause a scene."

Yuna laughed remembering their adventure. "We did."

"Does that make any sense?" She already felt better just talking to Yuna about it. She hadn't wanted to intrude on her happiness but she never regretted opening up to the brunette. They were like sisters and Rikku honestly felt silly for even trying to keep her thoughts hidden.

"That makes complete sense." Yuna rolled back up her ammunition pouch and tied the small bow in place that held it together. "Ever since my Pilgrimage Rikku you've always been the driving force behind the team even at our lowest. I think maybe you should let someone else drive for a little." She slipped a potion onto her utility belt after making sure it was fashioned tightly. "Will you try and enjoy this mini vacation of a vacation… and get Paine too as well? I don't know what exactly we will find if anything but, there is no mission we Gullwing can't solve but right now…" She shrugged a little, a new action for her. "There is no mission."

"There is no mission." Rikku repeated.

"There is no mission."

They fell into a silence as they finished tying up their packs. It wasn't like they were going to be wearing them; after all there was no mission, they had an airship, and an itinerary. It was just a routine chore before taking flight. A precaution. Rikku found herself liking the way it sounded. It didn't mean there would never be a mission again but for the time being there just weren't any,

Yuna finally stood. "Lulu is making dinner tonight for everyone."

"Oooh I'm going to miss her cooking that's for sure. Are you sure she and the wee baby Future can't come with?"

"When I asked she raised her brow—"

Rikku grinned and mimicked the Legendary Guardians Legendary eyebrow raise. "Like this?"

Yuna burst out into a fit of laughter. It was surprisingly accurate and she was sure it took the blonde hours maybe even days to perfect. There was always a certain percentage of amusement coupled with utter contempt for such things as fun and games all in one look. Of course they had variations; Wakka got more of a glare than an eyebrow raise and with Yuna it was soft, maternal. Nevertheless to know Lulu was to know when and how to read said expression. "And she said-" Yuna stopped to clear her throat and lowered her voice a few octaves to achieve the sultry mages base line. "An interesting notion. Maybe next time." The cousins continued laughing.

"Hey! What's all the commotion about up there?" Tidus bellowed from bar level. Yuna and Rikku stepped over to the railing to see him and Paine looking a little red in the cheeks and sweaty.

"Yunie does the best Lulu." Rikku reminded. She looked them both over. "Did you two play nice?"

Tidus laughed. "Play nice? She put a boot to my chest!"

"He fell." Paine offered flatly.

Yuna and Rikku exchanged amused looks before the High Summoner descended the stairs to greet them. "Well consider it a compliment." Yuna offered Paine a small smile to which she nodded once understanding that it was a thank you for including him.

"I'd hate to see you insulted, Paine." Tidus rubbed at his chest a little.

"Next time depend less on your front strike, it's clearly a weakness of yours."

He chuckled. "You sure she isn't like an Auron/Lulu hybrid? Are we sure?"

Rikku began down the stairs to join them "I've always thought she was their love child. Like from a different universe. You'd know about that huh Tidus?"

"Unless it happened one thousand years ago, or I guess three years ago. I have no clue."

Yuna laughed. "At least you have humor."

"At least I don't need to go back to history class." He corrected.

Yuna patted his shoulder sweetly. "Dinner tonight in Besaid village." She turned to the others, "We all must be there."

"We're there Yunie." Rikku nodded.

Yuna turned to Tidus. "I'll show you where the men sleep, then the village?" He nodded and the two were soon gone from sight. Rikku turned to approach Paine.

"You made a friend."

"He's a decent swordsman, and unlike you he doesn't talk during sparing."

"I thought you liked our little chats?"

"Extremely distracting and utterly pointless." She turned to begin climbing the stairs.

"Paine?"

The taller woman stopped and turned.

"About what I said about fighting Yunie… you do know that she doesn't blame you or anything…for her arm?" The healer had dislocated her left shoulder during the fight. Rikku had never seen Paine so worried about anything when she finally gained control of herself. She had thought all of them talking would banish it, but it was clear the warrior still harbored some guilt.

Paine didn't say anything at first but then nodded. "I know."

Rikku rocked on the balls of her feet nervously. "Annnnd when I said that I meant it like a joke, like ha-ha…I was trying to make you laugh."

"Has that worked yet?" She challenged as she continued to climb the stairs.

Rikku grinned. All was forgiven. "Yes!" She called back. "You'll admit it one day Dr. P. I'm funny business!" She watched as Paine merely shook her head before disappearing onto the loft. Rikku nodded to herself and went about her chores to get the ship in tip top shape before they could take off early tomorrow morning. There was equipment inventory, checking the engine room again to make certain that the smoking from earlier wasn't a problem. She had to speak with Brother and Buddy about the flight path and flying schedules. It really was a handful whenever they docked for a longer period of time. She preferred to keep the Celsius in the air, like a heart muscle stopping and cooing for long could be troublesome.

That night the village gathered again under the late evening sky and started a fire. The thick aroma of ash and peppered meat sizzling wafted through the air and mingled with the daintier whips of salty sea breeze. There wasn't a cloud in the sky once again making the light speckles of white just starting to show themselves as stars in the sky clearer than ever.

While the blitzer's tended to the larger fire Yuna and Lulu lingered near the grill where Wakka was boasting about the special seasonings his Lu had used and how the recipe was the envy of all to whoever would listen.

"Dat's da ting about it ya? You gotta make sure you don't leave it for too long!"

"He's so proud." Yuna chuckled.

Lulu merely regarded him over her shoulder with a small smile. "I don't have the energy any more to be embarrassed." She glanced at their hut just then. Vidina was fast asleep, down already for the count after a stimulating tour of the island with his father. "He does know I can conjure magic right?" A mere seasoning stood no match for Death.

Yuna chuckled again as she wordlessly took a tray of finished skewers from Wakka who was too deep into a conversation with a villager to know they were speaking about him. "Well you seldom have reason to use them these days."

Lulu nodded. Wakka always had his own way. Maybe this was him wanting her to feel useful without her magic. She looked at him again and shook her head. She'd let him be, after all what a tender thing they had found, some annoyances never left, but she'd never replace him and now Vidina was here and if she were honest it was an adventure she never thought would cross her path but now that it had she were glad for Wakka and all his Wakkaness. She wouldn't want to do it without him. Lulu looked over to Rikku and Tidus entertaining a group of small village younglings. "They haven't missed a beat have they?" the two had a particularly special relationship. Lulu wondered if any of that jealousy from the past still existed for Yuna.

Yuna looked up from organizing the large wooden platters of food to her cousin and Tidus. Where the two found the energy to be so upbeat all the time she'd never know. "Speaking of energy."

Lulu raised a brow and watched the younger woman a moment before looking back to organizing of the food. "Not too much I hope."

Yuna looked back at Lulu. "What do you mean?"

"Vidina wasn't a product of lethargics, Yuna."

Yuna blushed. "Lulu."

"You're still very young, and have quite reputation to—"

"Lulu."

"I'm still your guardian."

"I know." She groaned.

"Protect yourself."

Yuna's cheeks refused to pale. "We…he—"

"Lu!" Wakka capped a colossal hand on her smaller shoulder effectively rocking the mage slightly. Lulu sighed. "What next? Tell dem to bring the kids here first. Eat while it's hot. Eh..Yuna you okay?" Wakka asked as he turned to look at the two. Neither said a word. He looked at Lulu and then Yuna again. "Diss one of dem womanhood talks, ya?"

"Yes." Lulu turned to him. "Could you retrieve the younglings?"

Wakka stood there a moment then turned to Yuna. "Listen to her ya?"

Yuna smiled softly at Lulu. "Always."

Wakka hurried over to the small group surrounding Tidus and Rikku telling an animated story about what looked like a monster attacking a small village just like this one. "Anyone hungry!?"

Soon enough though darkness fell and the village children were fast asleep in their huts. The ale was brought out and Datto and Keppa sat in front of their drums and happily tapped an upbeat rhyme for others to dance.

"Okay." Yuna laughed as she held one of Tidus's hands high above their heads. "Right right left right. See?"

Tidus laughed and tried to mimic the fast footwork. "Yuna!" He cried when he spilled half his ale in the process. She only laughed at him. "This isn't easier!"

"This is just too painful to watch, c'mon Yunie!" Rikku cut in and took her cousin's hand. Tidus watched them laugh and dance together for a moment trying to get the step before finally giving up. He plopped down in the soft dirt beside Paine who had arrived not too long ago.

"I don't get it." He chuckled a little to himself. "They make it look so easy."

Paine watched the cousins and nodded. They moved seamlessly. Rikku leading her taller cousin who at the moment looked more her age than she ever had since Paine met her. The thief leaned in and said something to the High Summoner who only leaned back and laughed in response. If the people of Spira could see this side of Yuna they'd value her resolve more. Paine thought as she took a sip of her ale. There would be no fuss in The Calm, no unrest, for if a young woman dancing barefoot in her home village could carry Spira with such grace they'd start to pull their own weight and get back to what was important. Paine would never understand the need for conflict, how it would swallow a society as a whole and leave them forgetting the things that really mattered. Rikku twirled her cousin again and swallowed her laugh when she caught Paine's eyes and missed a step as a result causing Yuna to grab her close and begin to lead the twirl. Paine looked back to Tidus and cleared her throat.

"It's in their blood."

"It can't be too different from fighting." He offered watching their feet closely. "Look."

Paine nodded to herself as Rikku stepped back twice, the same move she used before a strike, and instead she rested a hand on her cousin's hip and stepped forward to turn her. The straps of her bikini bottoms shifting as quickly as her hips. Paine looked down into her cup of her ale and mentally decided it was her last.

Rikku however had other plans for the warrior later that night as she walked over to Tidus and Paine who had gotten into a deep conversation about weaponry. The Gullwing smiled openly at the two. What an odd pair. She would have never guessed that they would take to one another so well. "Drink up! Brother insists on taking controls for takeoff tomorrow, you better be asleep for it or so hung over that the ceiling is the floor already because I know I'll be preying to your Yevon." She laughed as she handed them the mugs of cold ale.

"Hey Rikku thanks." Tidus nodded. "This stuff sure is tasty."

Rikku slipped a hand on Paine's shoulder. "I'm leaving." Paine rested the mug down and was about to get up when she felt a pressure from Rikku's hand. "No no, I can walk myself back. I have to be wide awake for takeoff. Cdyo." Rikku looked down at her looking back up a her and almost changed her mind, but the solitary walk was what she needed, a moment in time where nothing else existed in front of her but the cool earth beneath her bare feet and the moonlit path.

No mission.

She had been thinking about what she and Yuna talked about earlier. What did she do before missions the blonde wondered? Nothing was the answer, she repaired machina and ships day in and day out with her brother without question, without even wondering what was out there. How little the world seemed then.

Paine eventually made her way back to the airship to find Rikku sprawled out on her bed hugging Paine's pillow and fast asleep. The taller woman sighed as she stood on to the top of the staircase clad in her sports bra and soft sleep shorts.

This

She looked over at the other two beds in the loft and then back to Rikku.

Had the blonde done this to force her hand? Paine wondered. Make her decide? make her stay? Annoy her? She looked over at the other two beds again.

It was her damn bed! Why should she be forced to move?

Rikku woke as Paine climbed into the bed to the side closer to the wall taking zero care to be mindful of the small body that already inhabited the space. "You're …" She mumbled something Paine couldn't hear.

Paine pulled her cover away from the thief to cover herself.

"Hey…no. c'mon Dr. P…." Rikku protested sleepily as her hands tiredly grasped at the fabric but failed in pulling it back.

"Why do you insist on sleeping here? You have your own bed." Paine asked harsher than intended.

The Ale

Rikku lifted her head half wakened; she rolled onto her side facing Paine and just stared at her. The moonlight from the windows overhead casted a soft blue glow to her features and made her usually mischievous green orbs look a lighter shade of blue. She seemed to be looking for something on Paine's face searching for something and when she seemed disappointed that she hadn't found it she decided to answer as honestly as she could under the fog of sleep.

"You're warm."

"Blankets?"

"It's not the same." She reached for the blanket that Paine had pulled away and scooted closer under the covers. Paine lay paralyzed as the shorter woman inserted herself into her personal space without setting off the alarms Paine was sure she would need to quiet. Then she touched her, an arm, an arm over her midsection, Rikku's fingers curling at her side holding her in place as if it to keep her from wriggling away, which was ironically what Paine's brain was telling her while her body failed to respond, The youngest Gullwing rested her head onto Paine's bare shoulder and closed her eyes. "See? Ed'c hud dra cysa."

It wasn't.

It wasn't the same at all

Paine laid awake most the night hoping she would not wake the woman whose head rose and fell with every uncoordinated breath she took. Her lungs left like they were going to collapse and yet there was this softness to it all, this warmth…

She wasn't sure how much time had passed with them lying there; Rikku in what sounded like a peaceful sleep and Paine on the verge of a panic attack. It was the first time she could remember where she willed her body to do something but it failed to respond in kind. Why? It not only failed, it completely shut down. How could an outside force interrupt all she had worked at? Her mind ran her ragged with complaints to her logic though; Rikku was in fact warm, a friend, someone she trusted closely, why work so hard at keeping that at bay? What could defeat such an argument? Well there was the obvious, she also was sure Yuna harbored a healthy internal temperature, and she also considered Yuna a close friend whom she trusted, but the idea of allowing Yuna this close felt off, it felt… wrong. Rikku though… Rikku was Rikku. They obviously enjoyed each other to some degree right? Paine grew frustrated very quickly of the mental back and forth and eventually her eyelids grew heavy.

No.

No sleep.

If she could fight sleep that would be sure sign that she could fight whatever her stomach was telling her. No she had to stay awake.

Rikku woke with a small start hours later, her senses flooded so she took an extra moment with her eyes closed to adjust and try and collect her thoughts. Was it time to wake up already? She bet bad guys got to sleep in; maybe she should just be a bad guy….

She slowly opened her eyes and instantly felt herself flush.

Paine's face was mere inches away from hers

She closed her eyes again and took a small calculated breath. She had never been this close to the warrior before. Had they fallen asleep like this? So close that she could tell Paine had long feminine lashes and cheek bones that could shatter hearts from here to Zanarkand, and her lips were… There was no way they had fallen asleep like this right? Rikku's mind began to run a mile a millisecond but was interrupted when the small noise that had woken her happened again and she had to open her eyes again to confirm her suspicions.

Paine was snoring softly in her sleep.

Rikku thought she would burst with giddiness.

Paine never snored.

She actually never moved either.

They had always laughed that she slept like the dead and here she was, mouth slightly ajar turned facing the blonde when Rikku had known she preferred to sleep on her back and for Shiva's sake she was snoring!

Rikku tried to contain herself but the sound of it was just too adorable to ignore, if a baby chocobo had an acute sinus infection this was exactly how it would sound. This was going to give her an advantage, she didn't know how Paine would take her knowing something so personal but it wasn't like the blonde could un-hear it, especially with her face so close. When would she use it? It had to be a finishing move, she couldn't just toss it out there just because, there would need to be a valid enough reason to bring on such a teasing. In her excitement Rikku accidently kicked her leg out successfully kicking the warrior under the covers.

The quiet snoring stopped and Rikku quickly closed her eyes to feign innocence. Paine shifted in her sleep and in the process lazily cast an arm over Rikku's waist. "Stop moving." She grumbled before the stillness of a deeper slumber came again.

Rikku could feel her ears begin to burn, a smile found its way to her lips however soft and unsure it was, she couldn't help but think of how nice it felt. How nice Paine felt.

She had to be up and helping Brother with the Celsius any minute now.

But orders were orders and since there were no mission what was the rush?