~*~Ahhh, tonight I shall finally write some more. See, I already had up to this part typed out. But starting tonight I shall make more chappy's for my friends : ) Oh and go and get the peanut butter and chocolate creame oreo's….they are SOOOOO good!!! Lol ~*~

I entered through the large door and quietly made my way to where I found Kimahri standing next to a door with his arms crossed. I walked over to his direction and looked up to him once I stood by his side.

"Hey Kimahri!" I said brightly. I loved being around Kimahri. Although he never really talked much, he always was there to listen. I waved to him and waited for his reaction.

The huge blue Ronso turned his head to the small girl and a small smirk was seen from the corner of his mouth.

I smiled again and waved back. "Is the group in there?" I asked.

The Ronso nodded and reached out for the door knob and opened the door for me.

I bowed my head for his generous gesture. "Why thank you!" I waved to Kimahri once more and then entered the room before me.

As I entered the small room, I found Tidus and Wakka sitting on the ground to my left Indian style talking to each other, and Auron sitting on a small couch by the window in the back of the room. To my right where the beds and around a small wall, there was a table. Their eyes turned to me as I entered the room.

"Ok, someone check her!" Tidus laughed.

Wakka laughed with him and then rose to his feet where he headed in my direction. I scratched my cheek and thought about what they might have been talking about.

Then, it came to me.

"Hey!" I shouted, "That's not nice!"

Tidus laughed at my response and I looked over to my left where I found Wakka at my side.

"Hey Wakka!" I greeted. I looked to him and found him just staring at me.

I was a bit confused and I scratched my cheek again. "Uhh…"

Wakka suddenly reached out for me and grabbed me with his hands. I squirmed around in his tight grasp and felt his arms lifting me up and over his shoulder. I pounded my fist into his back and demanded that he put me back down.

"Hey, put me down!!!" I yelled while trying not to laugh. I continued to ask Wakka to put me down but it was no use; he wasn't listening to me. He carried me over to a bed and then stopped beside one. I looked around and saw Auron sitting in front of me on the couch laughing silently along with Tidus and Wakka.

I grunted and wiggled my feet, "What is with you guys?!" I yelled. They continued to laugh as Wakka threw my small body on the bed.

I fell on the bed Wakka had thrown me on and then bounced several times before I was completely settled.  "You guys are mean!" I pouted and crossed my arms.

Tidus stared at me and then stuck out his tongue to me while making a silly face. I laughed at his stupid facial expression and then turned my head from their view. I pouted and then turned my face back to them in hopes to make them feel guilty.

Nope, didn't work.

The moment I turned my head back to their direction, Tidus threw a small thrown pillow at my face. It made direct contact with me which caused me to fall against the bed. I sat up and gripped the pillow tightly that was on my face. I removed it from my head and then sat up on with anger.

"You guys are gonna get it now!" I yelled proudly.

Tidus and Wakka both acted as if they were scarred and then laughed in my face.

I bit my lower lip and nodded my head, agreeing with them; "Alright, alright" I said with sarcasm "I see how it is."

I swung my arm around and aimed the pillow towards Wakka. He stopped laughing and saw the pillow heading in his direction. He covered and ducked his head and leaned down so the pillow wouldn't hit him.

After I let go of the pillow, I began laughing because I knew my aim was right at Wakka's face. I continued to laugh until I heard silence in the room.

-Oh my god, I killed him!- That was my first thought.

I stopped laughing and saw Wakka slowly rising from the ground. I was completely baffled. I really thought I had hit him! While he slowly rose from the ground, he had his head turned to see what the pillow had hit from behind him.

Tidus covered his mouth and pressed hard against it so he couldn't laugh. He knew that if he did, he was in for some serious beatings.

I slowly stopped laughing once Wakka stepped away from my view and I realized who I hit.

The pillow slumped down to the ground and Auron's eyes were upon me.

I covered my mouth in fear; I knew I was in for one major pounding. Tidus looked up to me and removed his hands from his mouth.

"You are so in for it!" he whispered.

I froze in my position and then slumped down to the bed. Wakka turned his head to me and bit his lip hard so he wouldn't laugh himself. He walked over to me and lowered his face to my ear.

"That's some good aiming, ya?" He snickered.

I punched his arm with all my strength, but it wasn't enough. He was still laughing at me and left my side to sit next to Tidus. The two men laughed with each other silently and watched Auron as he sat on the couch.

I let my legs fall from underneath me so I could sit on the bed. I watched his face for any sudden movements and prepared myself for anything that he might throw in my direction. My hand subconsciously patted the bed for a pillow to protect myself with.

"I'm sorry." I apologized. I covered my face with the pillow, "Please don't hurt me!!!"

Auron shook his head and looked to the side, trying not to laugh with the guys and keep his cool, serious personality.

"Heard that one before." He said in a low tone and then picked up the same pillow that I had thrown at him. He tossed the pillow back over to the bed that I was sitting on.

I slowly revealed my face from behind the pillow, keeping it close to my face just incase he decided to throw any last minute items at me. I lowered the pillow completely and realized that he wasn't going to throw anything at me, he wasn't like that. I placed the pillow by my side and exhaled heavily, relieved to know that my life wasn't in threat. I looked down to Tidus and began to get up from the bed so I could go and beat him up for picking on me. In the mitts of standing on my feet, the side of my head was encountered with a pillow which caused me to fall to the other side of the bed from its enormous force.

I opened my eyes and heard laughter in the room. Climbing back on the bed, I found Auron still sitting on the couch smirking, but in his other hand, had another pillow being tossed up and down like a baseball. I shrieked in fear and lowered behind the bed quickly as a pillow flew across my head and on the wall in front of me.

Tidus and Wakka laughed again and then stopped to call me.

"It's ok now!" Tidus yelled to me. "Come on out, it's over!"

Peeking my head from the corner of the bed, I saw Wakka guarding me from Auron's view. I sighed in relief and crawled out from the tiny space.

"You guys are so mean!" I pouted with a smile.

Wakka reached out and grabbed me to place me on the bed. "It's ok, we made a pace treaty for ya."

Tidus and Auron both snickered under their breath. I turned to Tidus and chucked the pillow at his head.

He stopped laughing and grasped the pillow that had hit him, "Hey! No fair!"

I laughed and then held my hands up to cover my face, "Ok, ok, ok, I'm done!"

Tidus nodded slightly, not actually believing my surrender. He threw the pillow gently back on the bed and then stood up and walked to the small bathroom where he found Wakka washing off his face. I turned my face to Auron and saw him gazing out to the window. His face turned to mine and he looked to me with a small smile on his face.

I blushed in embarrassment and thought about when I hit him. It was so funny when I saw his expression afterwards that I had to cover my face once more. I stopped giggling and then removed my hands from my head and whispered to him, still remembering his expression, "I'm sorry."

He closed his eye as peace ran across his face, "It's alright." He said silently. He cleared his throat and then looked at the couch.

I took a piece of my hair and twirled it between my fingers. Watching him sit over there all by himself made me feel sorta bad for him. No one talked to him. No one ever asked him how he was feeling. Practically anyone knew that he really existed until he had something to say.

I scanned his face and tried to figure out his scar again. It looked so painful. I crawled my way to the edge of the bed and decided that I would sit next to him. I slid off the bed while putting my hair back up in the high pony-tail. I began walking over to him when I heard Lulu's voice ring throughout my head.

I stopped and then took Lulu's thoughts into consideration.

How much did I change?

Did Auron notice it?

Or even worse, did Auron notice my feelings for him?

I was dazed by her words and remained frozen in my spot for several minutes, not moving my eyes or my hands.

Auron took his eye off of the couch and looked up to where he saw the girl standing by the bed, not moving. He raised an eyebrow, confused by her unanimated actions. Thinking about how weird Rikku was at times, maybe he thought this was another one of her little "moments".

He cleared his throat and scratched his chin; maybe doing so would break her from being so still.

I heard the deep noise of his throat and shook myself out of the sudden daydream. I held my hands in my hair and looked over to Auron who was looking at me with a weird expression.

I crossed my arms and stomped my foot, "Heeeey. What are you looking at?"

He looked at the young girl before him with a gentle smile. "You." He admitted softly.

I was astonished by his words as he admitted that he was looking at me; completely taken back. Looking around to see if anyone saw my smile, I scratched the back of my head to figure out what I should return to him. Nothing came to me, I was still baffled to know that he was looking at me and wasn't afraid to say so.

Honestly, Auron felt sorta embarrassed too. He also scratched the back of his head, simultaneously with Rikku, and thought about what he had just said to her. He knew that what he just said wasn't what should have come out. It should have been something totally different, like, "Your weird stance.", or something of that matter. Auron didn't know what was happening to him, or what he had done. Right now, he knew that he wasn't being himself, and it was beginning to irritate him.

He looked back up to Rikku and found her sitting on the bed again with her hands on her knees and her head turned to the side, looking out into the next room for something. His eye glanced to her face, following the lines of her smooth cheek bones and the tones of her soft skin. He really has never seen such beauty in an Al Bhed before. The way that she presented herself at times, definitely including the way she smiled, it would easily mistake her for a regular human. The only physical thing that would have mistaken her for an Al Bhed though, would be her green eyes.

Those swirled green eyes; they held such beauty and truth. He was not the one who knew an Al Bhed closely, but he has seen many in his time. Most of them had different shades of green, some brighter than others. Her eyes though, her eyes were the perfect shade. They reminded him of the dark leaves in Kilika that he has always admired. They reminded him, of home in Luca.

The night was growing darker with every passing hour, causing the small room to fill with the dimmed lights of the candles that the generous maid offered the group. He crossed his legs over the other, and placed his right arm on the back of the couch. He glanced over to where he last saw Tidus and Wakka and found them sitting on a mat by a shelf, talking about Blitzball and other strategies that were useful to the young players. The silence in the air, the dimmed light of the room, this is what he admired. Finding the room filled with such peace, he laid his head against the back of the couch, and closed his eye.

I watched Tidus and Wakka discuss to themselves about some Blitzball things, and talk about other things in Spira and Zanarkand which began to bore me. I rolled my eyes in disgust, still bored, and turned my head back to Auron. He was resting on the couch, looking as if he was asleep. I guess, seeing that there was nothing else to do, maybe I should do the same and just call it a night. I knew that Lulu and Kimahri would be in soon, so maybe I should just get myself ready for bed.

I slid off the bed and on to my feet, trying not to cause a lot of noise for the sleeping guardian. I walked over to the other side of the room and towards the bathroom. I passed by the Blitzer's and smiled to them while greeting them with a small wave. They looked to me and smiled back, watching me enter the little bathroom.

I opened the door and entered the dark room. I patted the walls for the light switch, letting my fingers grope the wall for the tiny button that would illuminate the room. I soon found the button and pressed it inward, letting the light shine. I walked closer to the sink and turned the knobs so I could wash my face. Feeling the right temperature between hot and cold, I cupped my hands under the water and lowered my face. I splashed the water on my face and then rubbed my hands around to damp my cheeks and forehead.

With my eyes closed, I patted the sink's countertop to search for the soap. I found the bar of soap and rubbed it between my hands underneath the water. It lathered up and filled the air with its sweet flower aroma. I dropped the bar into the sink and rubbed my face with the soap, scrubbing and messaging my dirty cheeks. After lathering my face with the cleansing bar, I cupped my hands again under the water and let my hands fill with water. I splashed it on my face and began to wash off the soap. After several times, my face was clear of soap and I straightened my back so I could find a towel. In the mitts of standing straight, I bumped my head on the bottom of the mirror, letting the loud noise of my head encountering the mirror fill the air.

"Ahh!" I yelled in pain. I walked backwards and held my head. I opened my eyes and rubbed the back of my head to cease the pain, "Owwie!"

Tidus peeked in and laughed at me, "You're so clumsy" he said and then returned to his conversation with Wakka.

I tightened my fist and stomped my foot, "Shut up, I am not!" I continued to rub my head and turned around to the sink again and found the towel next to the sink. I reached out for it and grabbed it, very irritated at myself. I dried off my face and then placed the towel back on the rack. I looked into the mirror and saw my hair down. I used my fingers to comb it over my ears and to straighten and flatten the top. Once I was done, I pressed the button for the light and left the bathroom.

I walked out, passed the two men, and returned to the beds. I looked over to my left where I still found Auron on the couch sleeping. Walking to the bed, it brought a smile to my face; he looked so relaxed. I sat on the bed and leaned over so I could take off my white boots.

I unlatched a couple belts from the top and they loosened from my legs. I slid my legs from them and placed them to the side of the bed where I found Wakka's Blitzball and Lulu's Moogle underneath the night table. I looked back over to Auron and he was still sleeping. I carefully placed my boots over to that area and gently put them by the table. My judgment was off and it caused the boots to clank against the leg of the table. I bit my lip and quickly looked over to Auron who had opened his eye.

I leaned up on the bed and watched as his eyes opened and he raised his head from the back of the couch. He brought his arm down to his lap and looked over towards me.

"I'm sorry Auron; I didn't mean to wake you up." I apologized. I didn't know if he was the type of person who got cranky when someone woke them up suddenly. I knew I was.

He licked his dry lips and scratched his whiskered chin, not saying anything to me. It made me feel like an idiot for waking him up, and now it was going to be hard for him to get back to sleep. He rubbed his face with his hands and then rubbed his eye as if he was trying awaken from his deep sleep.

I didn't know what to do. If I said hello to him, would he be grouchy? If I said nothing to him, would he be at least talk to me? I yawned in boredom, I get bored easily, and laid against the bed.

"You wake me up and then decide to go to sleep. Cute."

I opened my eyes and laughed, "No! That's not it!"

He grunted a "Hmph.", and wiggled in the couch to find his comfy spot again. "Liar."

"Oh yeah?" I said in my brat voice, "Well 'Hmph' to you too!"

Auron chuckled and nodded. He looked around and saw Tidus and Wakka still talking to each other. He turned to the girl lying on the bed and then looked down to his side. He found a pillow next to him and he grabbed it to only fling it across the room and on to Rikku's face.

The pillow landed on my face suddenly and I jumped from the surprise. I sat up quickly and gripped the pillow, "You're so mean!" I pouted with anger. I threw the pillow on the ground and crossed my arms.

Auron chuckled and opened his eye to find the Al Bhed sitting up. He adjusted his glasses once he saw her hair lying against her back. He was quite taken back from her beauty, sitting there, her face pouting ever so cutely, her hair flowing against her back. He gulped in astonishment and then placed his hand on the couch to his side. He breathed in heavily and then called out to her. She looked over to him and all he did was pat the couch cushion next to him.

I looked at him, not sure if I was dreaming about what he was doing. I licked my lips and then thought about how he was giving me a chance finally, to let me loosen him up and figure him out. I walked over to him and then sat next him, acting as if I was sitting next to a stranger with my hands on my lap.

He looked to his right and saw her tensing up from his gesture. He smirked about how cute she was, being so quiet and unsure. He looked down to the ground and noticed that she had taken off her boots, and revealed to him white socks. The socks traveled up to the middle of her calf and he noticed that one was slumped down further than the other, like a little child would wear. He looked down to her again and then placed his right arm on the back of the couch again.

I tensed up as he put his arm behind me. My eyes traveled from side to side, wandering if I should really be here. But then again, Auron was my buddy, so what was I to worry about!

I looked up to him and smiled, "I am sorry for waking you up."

He nodded, "I know. It wasn't your fault."

I nodded as well, "Sooo…What's up?"

Good one Rikku, ask him what's up. Nice conversation!

Auron shook his head, not really having a response, "Nothing."

I nodded and looked away, seeing that my question was an idiotic one. The night was beginning to take its chill within the air and the sudden breeze gave me goose bumps on my skin.

Auron looked down and saw her shaking from the room's chill. Since he was dead, he did not feel the chill that she felt because she was alive. He watched as she stared off into the distance, shivering from the cold. He reached over to his other side and grabbed his red jacket off of the arm of the couch.

"Here.", he said as he draped it over her shoulders.

Rikku looked up to him and was stunned by his kindness, not believing his actions.

Why would he do something nice for me?

He had to know my feelings for him; why else would he be doing this?

All I did was watched as he gently placed his jacket over me to cover me from the chill of the night. I looked at him and his kindness, and found myself drifting off into another world.

He wrapped it around her tiny body and watched as the jacket almost swallowed up his little comrade. Once he was done, he sat back and looked at her in his jacket. She looked amazing. Her hair was down, her legs were slightly exposed, and her face was filled with wonders and thoughts. She looked beautiful.

I sighed in happiness and felt my eyes swirling with the happiness that I longed for. He was being such a gentleman right now, and I only wished that he would stay like this. This was the Auron I knew, and I could only hope that nothing would ruin it. I didn't know what to do, I was so happy! I wanted to tell him there, even if Tidus and Wakka were in the other room or not, what I felt about him. I wanted to pour my heart out to him right there. The more I starred into his brown eye, the more I felt my heart pounding with happiness. I had to tell him, I needed to tell him. It has been eating me up inside for too long.

"Auron-" I began, but was quickly cut off by his finger pressed against my lips.

"Shhh.", he quietly said, almost to a whisper. My eyes swirled faster, his actions made my heart pound faster with love. He was causing the butterflies in my stomach to flutter faster in my stomach, causing me to blush behind his finger. His leather finger rested against her lips delicately than a feather, and remained there to absorb the moment that he had missed.

He looked down to her, gazing deep into her eyes. His eye opened wider as he saw her eyes swirl slowly from his actions, almost putting him into a trans. He never knew an Al Bhed who had their eyes swirl when something had happened to them; he just thought they were stationary. Inside, he knew how much he wanted her; how much he wanted her to hold him. He felt that cold bitter ice from inside slowly start to thaw and melt as he continued to stare into her sparkling green eyes.

His finger had slowly moved up from her lips and he gently brought his other fingers to her chin. They hesitantly rubbed against her cheek, not sure if she wanted them to do so.

I felt his hand begin to rub against my cheek and all I could do was close my eyes and thank Yeavon right now for this moment. This was what I have been waiting for: his touch. It felt so good to feel his hand rub across my cheek, almost like a feather. He was so gentle and so delicate, like if he was savoring the moment. The truth was, I was savoring the moment. I closed my eyes in happiness and leaned my head into his hand that now had cupped my cheek.

He was so unsure of what to do, but all he knew was that he loved this moment. Nothing could be better, he thought as he watched her close her eyes and smile in happiness. He wondered, where has she been all these years? He continued to rub her face ever so carefully, afraid that he might stumble over his own stupidity and corrupt the moment. He moved his hand slowly up to her ear and placed her small ear between his pointer and middle finger, as the other caressed and messaged her hair. He watched her face fall into an abyss of happiness. God, how could he have denied her?

I felt his hand travel across my face and to my ears, and soon down to my neck. His touch was so soft and the feel of the leather was an eternal bliss. I opened my eyes and smiled up to him, not believing what was actually happening.

"Hi.", I said in a whisper. I continued to move my head around in his hands, letting him guide me.

He swallowed hard and opened his dry mouth, "Hey.", he said in the same tone as her. He couldn't believe that he was allowing himself to do this.  He looked deep into her green eyes, and finally knew that ever since he asked her to open her eyes to see her truth back in the woods, they were his weakness. The night grew heavily upon them, but he did not feel it. Watching her though, he knew that the night was slowly calling her to its grasp. He swallowed again and lowered his hand to her back, where he pushed her closer towards him.

I suddenly grew so tired before him, and I closed my eyes with a gentle smile. I felt movement to my back, and to me, I couldn't tell what it was. The night grew upon me, taunting my nerves and feeling things differently. His hand lowered to my back and I felt him push against me. I opened my eyes to find him patting his side to gesture to lie against him. I nodded weakly and inched my way closer to him where my head finally met the side of his chest. I nudged my head until I found a comfortable spot, and I looked up to him as the night slowly shut my eyes.

He looked down to me, his smile was on his face, but his grey collar was slightly covering the view. His hand laid against my head and messaged his fingers through my blonde locks.

I knew I needed to do something; I would feel horrible if I didn't do anything and just left him alone. With the little energy I had because the night had absorbed it from my tiny body, I began to sit up to face him.

He watched in confusion as the girl began to sit up. He knew she was very tired and he took both of his hands and placed them on her shoulder, "Rikku, please lay back down." He said in a whisper.

I sat in his lap and attempted to keep my eyes open from the night. I looked to him and saw the concern in his eyes as he watched me try to do something when I had little energy.

He was right. As usual.

There was nothing I could do because this wasn't the right time.

I sighed heavily to myself and then looked down to my side where I was just sitting. I nodded in agreement with him, deciding that it was best for me to sleep.

Auron smiled a bit and then picked me up with both arms and laid me right next to him. Once on the couch, I rested my head in his lap and turned around to face him. Staring up to him, I could only see the collar which interrupted my view of him. I lifted up my arm, a bit restless, and tugged on the grey collar that was standing between my view of him.

Auron was gazing over to the other guardians when he felt the tugging of his collar from below. He looked down to find Rikku staring up to him, smiling brightly like she always did.

"Yes?" he asked in a simple tone.

"I can't see you." I said to him. "Can you take it off?" I was hoping he would take the hint to remove the damn collar.

Auron scratched the back of his head and thought about what she had asked.

"Soon." He said as he looked across the room.

I rolled my eyes discreetly and  fell back into his lap where I was before.

~*~This chapter took a while to write because I originally didn't put it in there… well, I hoped you liked it : ) ~*~