Ahoy, shipmates! Here's another chapter in my dramatic story! lol I've been busy, so sorry about the no updating thing. I DO have a life, believe it or not. : ) So lets go and see what's in store for my avid readers today!
I don't own FFX-2, or any of the characters therein. I just use them for my own devices.
"Is she asleep, Auron?"
"Yes."
"Good. She needs to rest as much as possible." Braska sighed and continued. "I feel an enormous amount of guilt. She could have died before getting to shore."
"She's much stronger than she appears, my lord. Rikku is quite capable of taking me out in a fight if she really wanted to."
"Can she now? How interesting." Auron could tell Braska was baiting him. He wanted Auron to volunteer information rather than drag it out of him. He was not going to play along. Wakka was not someone he wanted to hear personal information or secrets. Wakka was a good man, but he spoke before he thought. That habit often led to trouble. "And she makes you laugh as well as smile. An extraordinary woman."
"Yes." That seemed to be his favorite answer for Braska's questions. So long as the man kept asking yes or no questions, he would be safe with one word answers. It would be amusing to see how long Braska would keep asking them.
"Are we going to play a game of one word answers, Auron? You're very good at it, but so am I."
That didn't take long, did it? Remind yourself, Auron, never to underestimate Braska in the future.
"Yes." Braska laughed at his answer, as did Wakka. No fiends had accosted them so far, which while not unheard of, was unusual. Rikku's ability to repel fiends must still be in effect. It was a relief not to worry on the way back to the village. "My lord, I've told you before, I know next to nothing about her past. I do know that she prefers grass to sand, and has a very rude left hook."
"She got a good one on you, ya?" Auron nodded in response, giving Wakka a laugh at his expense. It was good natured jibbing, so Auron did not mind it. He had not realized until just now how he missed being able to poke fun at the few good friends he had had back in Bevelle. Branton always had a way of making the most cutting and embarrassing remarks. No one was free from them, not even himself, so no one took it to heart.
"Do you often get in fights with her? It seems ungentlemanly of you to do so." Braska put in.
"Well, that happened to be one of the first things on our agenda when we met. And believe me, she gave more bruises than she received. I'm quite lucky she's able to heal non-lethal wounds, else you'd have been fixing a broken nose."
"She broke your nose? You shoulda ducked, brudda!" Wakka laughed again.
"Hm. I'd expected her to do much worse than that with a knife to her throat."
"You have a strange friendship with her." Braska was walking beside him, his eyes resting on Rikku's face. "I'll have to warn Mari about her. I don't relish hearing my wife scream. I still can't believe the resemblance to Layna." He shook his head slowly. "Uncle Braska...why would she say that?"
Auron decided not to answer him, mostly because he did not know the answer. He had one of the kindest, most selfless people in the world in his arms, and she was a complete mystery to him. Had anyone claimed him to be dead, he would have knocked them out and taken them to the temple for healing. Yet, she claimed it, and he believed her. Auron did not know why he believed her, but he did.
Maybe I just don't care if she'd insane or not. I feel relaxed and excited around her at the same time. I can't think of a better thing than to touch her, or kiss her. Granted, I've only kissed her once, but I hope to do so more in the future. He had never wanted to physically or mentally be with a woman as he did with Rikku. His previous thought was evidence enough of his desire for her. Not that there were no romantic interludes in the past, but none of them had caught his attention as Rikku did.
The rest of the way back to Besaid Village was in silence. It was nearing sunset when they arrived. No one rushed out to greet them. It was to his benefit they were not accosted. The rumors about him would be doubled if people saw him carrying an unconscious woman into the village after a threat to the entire island. Auron shook his head and followed behind Braska and Wakka.
"Auron, I think it would be best for Rikku to stay out of sight for the time being. At least until the people calm down enough not to think ill of her."
"Yes. She can stay with me for a day or two. What?" He asked after getting another 'look' from Braska. "It's safer than her being in your home, Lord Braska. Too many people come and go there. No one bothers me here. And rumors will start regardless of what you tell them. Besides, I'm the one she came here to see." That's what I want you to think, at any rate. Forgive me for lying to you, Braska. At least until she's decided what to tell you.
"True. There is no one here who will contest you on being a gentleman. And you're right, rumors will abound regardless. Yes, and I can warn Mari not to scream when she sees her. I'd suggest you go now, and get her settled before anyone ventures outside and chances a look at her."
"And don't worry, ya? We're not gunna say anything about her!"
"Thank you." He nodded at the two men, and headed off to the house he was occupying. At first, he had paid for his lodging on the island. Then the villagers found out that his wanderings around the island lowered the fiend population, making it safer than before. They had refused to take his money after that, saying that as long as he helped with the fiends, he was welcome to stay as long as he wished. It left him with a dilemma of sorts, because fiends collected money to them, and Auron had defeated so many that his pockets were overflowing. He donated most of it to the temple, where it would do the most good.
It was a modest house, but it had all the comforts of home. Not his home, but it could be someone's home. The living room was made for comfort, with a plump sofa and chair facing the doorway and a large, plush rug covered the floor. The only wall hanging was a large mirror set in a leather frame. The fireplace nearly took up an entire wall and shared a chimney with the kitchen. The kitchen was off to the right and the bedroom was down a short hall.
Auron had to carry her sideways through the bedroom door. The room was as sparsely decorated as the living room. He preferred it that way. Another large rug covered the floor here as well. The bed took up most of the area space, leaving a walkway to access the dresser and the bathroom. He would rather have a smaller bed, but he had become accustomed to the comfort of this one. His few belongings were in this room as well. Multi-colored rocks sat on a shelf, and a sword stand occupied the corner near the bathroom. A piece of ivory, carved to look like running wolves, sat on the dresser. Nothing else in the room was his but clothes.
He laid Rikku down gently, and spent some minutes removing his coat from her grip. He kept hold of her hand longer than was necessary, examining it. It looked tiny in his hand. She had calluses on her palms, obviously from weapon work, and a few scars in an interesting pattern across the back of her hand. Despite the calluses, her hand was as soft as the rest of her skin, and the scars were difficult to see unless one was looking for them.
"I got them when a vial I was using exploded."
Auron jumped at the sound of her voice, heart racing in his chest. Rikku giggled softly at him and sat up. She had to lean on one hand to stay upright. Dark circles surrounded her eyes, and he could see the muscles in her arm trembling with fatigue.
"I was trying not to wake you."
"I know. You tickled my palm, and it woke me up."
"I apologize. Is there something I can get for you?"
"Water? And a spare shirt? So I don't have to sleep naked and torment you?"
"I'd think you would want to torture me." Auron said as he pulled a cream colored shirt from the dresser and handed it to Rikku.
"Oh, I'll torture you, just not now. I'm too tired. Just you wait a few days."
"I look forward to it." Rikku gave him another curious look before she turned her attention to the shirt in her hands. Auron exited the room before she decided to change in front of him. He made a detour to the living room where the fire was burning low and removed his sodden boots to dry. The fire cheered up considerably with the addition of another log. He hung his coat to dry on a rack as well.
Upon entering the kitchen, his stomach announced that it had remained empty for far too long. He grabbed the first thing he could, which turned out to be a tropical pear. It was much sweeter than its regular brethren, which he preferred, but it was food and his stomach demanded that he eat something. By the time he had a glass filled with water, the pear was gone and he reached for another piece of fruit. This one was a regular apple, bright red even in the dim light.
Auron returned to the bedroom, taking bites out of the apple on the way. He knocked and waited for her answer before entering. His gaze remained on the floor, but he was still eating the apple.
"You can look up, you know. I'm not naked, promise." Even her voice sounded tired. He waited until the water was safely on the bedside table and had swallowed a bite of apple before looking up.
He was more surprised by her appearance than if she had been naked.
The blue streaks in her hair were gone, as were the iridescent eyes. Her hair was still blond and unbound, framing her face in a way that made his hand itch to brush it to the side. Her eyes were the biggest change. Bright green eyes looked back at him, the pupils swirled. It was the mark of a true Al Bhed to have those eyes. Very few possessed them. Even in the dim light, they were as enchanting as the iridescent ones. The borrowed shirt was large on her, making her look smaller than she really was. Rikku sat there and blinked at him several times while he stared at her.
"Something wrong? Is my nose green or something?"
"No. You look... different."
"Oh. I turned the dress sphere off. This is what I really look like."
"I like your eyes better this way." Rikku smiled at him then, and he felt one tugging at his own lips as he finished the last bite of his apple.
"Good. I like my green eyes." He watched her grasp the water glass carefully and take several gulps before laying down with a sigh. He turned to leave her in peace when she spoke again. "Auron, will you stay with me? Until I fall asleep?"
Auron was about to say no, when he looked back and saw her face. She almost looked frightened. Of what, he had no idea, but he could not in good conscience leave her, so he nodded his assent.
"Am I allowed to change clothes first, or must your wish be fulfilled right this minute? I'd rather not get sand or muck in my bed."
"I can wait a little. Just don't take too long. Or I'll come looking for you." It was an empty threat, and he knew it, but he changed clothes quickly in the bathroom. He emerged to find Rikku curled up on her side, just as he had found her on the beach. The blankets were pulled up almost to her nose. Her eyes were still open, looking at him. It was nearly full dark by this time, and he could barely make out the green of her eyes. It was tempting to simply lose himself in them, but he could see her eyelids trying to stay closed.
The only place to sit was the bed itself. Rikku was taking up a fraction of the bed, so he had plenty of room. He smiled to himself, and lay on the bed beside her. He used one arm to pull her close so that her back was to his chest. After a moment, she sighed and managed to wiggle closer to him.
"I missed you holding me..." She said in a sleepy voice.
"I was holding you all the way from the beach."
"Not like this... oui gabd sa fyns uh Kykywad, nasaspan?" It was mumbled, but Auron had been listening closely. "Hmmm..."
Auron held her long past the time she fell asleep, wondering how 'he' had kept her warm on a mountain. He could think of several delightful ways to keep them both warm on a snow covered mountain. His mind toyed with ideas for a short while, then turned to the events of the day. If he did not know better, he would have said that the day was a dream.
His thoughts eventually turned to the woman sleeping beside him. He still had no idea who she was, or where she came from. He did know that she had an alarming affect on him. He said and did things around her that he would have hit any one for doing in front of a lady. Always the perfect gentleman, Auron had been the man fathers trusted with their daughters unsupervised.
It's such a bother being a gentleman at times.
He remembered the look on her face when she had asked him to stay with her. Rikku was so undisturbed by most things, including having the man who held a knife to her throat use her as a pillow, yet she wanted him near her to stave off some unknown fear. Auron spent quite some time pondering what could frighten a woman such as this. The answers he came up with were not comforting.
And that's the end! For now. I have half of the next chapter done, so, be ready! Review if you read this, please. It'll take only a minute!