Chapter 3:
Paine lowered her sword as she heard Tidus retreat and slowly sipped at her hot cup of coffee. Rikku smirked and wrapped her scarf around Paine's neck. "If you value it Rikku remove it." Paine leered at the bright orange fades in the scarf.
"Ok ok meanie!" Rikku removed the scarf from Paine. "Whats with you and bright colors?"
"Do I look like I would enjoy bright colors Rikku?" Paine's expression softend looking into the green eyes of her lover.
Rikku smiled widely at Paine and sipped at her hot coco and snuggled up to Paine and kissed her lips softly. "I'm so lucky I can call you mine."
Paine smiled and kissed the top of Rikku's head. "Yea I guess you can call me that." Paine chuckled.
"MEANIE!!!!!!" Rikku slapped Paine's arm playfully. "What do you mean you guess!!!!" Rikku giggled.
Paine smirked. "Careful I like it rough."
"Brat…" Rikku giggled.
Paine simply smiled. "Point?"
Before Rikku could answer Buddy came running into the cabin. "BIG waves on the thunder planes girls get ready to get wet cause this rain aint stopping."
Paine sighed. "great…"
Rikku snickered. "Don't worry Paine…I'll get those cloths off you when we get back."
Paine blushed a little. "Um Rikku…" Paine trailed off and smirked. "You can try Rikku."
Yuna shook her head and slapped her cousin in the back of the head as she walked past. "More like Paine will have you out of yours before you know what's happening…now heads on the sphere…Tidus no getting my cousin attacked again ok?"
Tidus shrugged. "Paine saved her…as long as wonder woman is around Rikku will be fine."
Paine growled. "You're getting hurt."
Yuna stepped in front of Paine. "Hurt him after we get the sphere we might need his sword."
"Fine…" Paine growled and headed off the airship Rikku at her heals.
Yuna glared at Tidus. "Shape up or ship out got it! I'll not have you treating my best friend that way."
Tidus put his hands up in an 'I surrender'. "You have changed a lot in these two years…ok ok I'll back off Paine."
The group made their way through the planes dodging lightning strikes for fun. The newly calibrated tower's caught most strikes but every now and then one slips past. It got progressively harder to dodge as Rikku now rode on Paine's back trying her damnedest to hide. Finally reaching the cave the group makes their way to the sphere just as a huge Boris drops from the ceiling. Poison dripping from its jowls. The group stood ready as the Boris struck. As he stung Tidus the 3 girls attacked killing the Boris. Tidus took his antidote as the group headed back to the airship.
Paine refused to speak she went and got in the shower. Being covered in Boris venom was not her idea of fun. As she washed the green slime off her lips and face Paine took a huge breath. "God do I hate Boris!" Paine punched the wall in frustration. Paine closed her eyes and hung her head letting the warm water wash over her.
Rikku glared at Tidus. "Oui paddan reta lyica frah cra kadc uiddy dra crufan...ouin rind." ((You better hide cause when she gets outta the shower...your hurt)) Rikku growled a little. It was very rare that Rikku got upset but when she did she sounded a lot like Paine. Rikku then turned on her heals and headed for the showers.
Tidus blinked. "Wow was that Rikku mad?"
Yuna rolled her eyes. "Shut up Tidus really I've had enough of you putting down my family." Yuna went and sat down at a table and sighed.
Rikku watched Paine hang her head and slowly got undressed and joined her in the shower. Her arms slowly wrapping around her waist and resting against her back placing her head between Paine's shoulder blades. "I love you Paine…" Rikku closed her eyes and held tighter. "Don't listen to Tidus; he doesn't know you like me n Yunie do."
Paine relaxed in Rikku's arms and sighed. "You know…when the Boris stung him I smiled, I secretly hoped he didn't have an antidote…" Paine trailed off and sighed.
Rikku held her tighter. "I don't blame you for feeling that way. When I first met him I felt the same way." Rikku sighed softly and held Paine tightly.
Yuna smiled seeing the two. 'you both deserve to be just as happy as I am…I'm glad you two finally hooked up.' Yuna smiled again and went back up to the cabin. "You might luck out…Rikku is with her right now so she might talk her out of hurting you."
"What's her deal with hurting people anyways?" Tidus went and sat by Yuna.
"Just how she is…she doesn't talk about her past, but from how she acts it was probably bad…I don't want to drudge up any bad memories for her so I let go…All I know is she was part of the crimson squad and survived the Den of Woe only to be shot by her squad leader and left to die."
"Wow…" Tidus trailed off and suddenly felt bad for being so hard on her.