This chapter was co-written with Rinoa Heartilly. See if you can tell who wrote what. (Clue: Look at the speech marks)

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Darkness Falls

Chapter 14: Well, It's A Start…

Rikku groaned slightly as a light shone into her eyes, waking her from the deep slumber that was too rare on a summoner's pilgrimage. She began batting away the irritation with annoyance as the illumination passed over her face, screwing up her nose to show her discomfort. The disturbance was duly removed and she rested the previously flailing limb over her eyes, muttering darkly in Al Bhed. She lay motionless; her eyes still closed as she concentrated on listening to the rise and fall of her chest to try and lull herself back to sleep. The rhythmic breathing she heard was not her own; she realised with a start. It was more measured than her own hyper, spasmodic breaths and was infused with a slight snuffle, perhaps a light snore. She realised that only the hand she had used to rid herself of the light was free, the other was held in a firm, callused grip. Rikku was torn between opening her eyes and risking disappointment, or leaving the verdant oculars firmly closed and daydreaming about whom her "mystery man" could be. She decided to let herself dream a little longer before the disappointment.

Rikku wiggled her fingers tentatively in the man's grasp, feeling her own small appendage dwarfed in comparison. She heard a light sigh from the direction of the sleeping male and she froze, wilting a little with relief when he grunted before shifting only slightly. She felt her hand rubbed being rubbed in gentle spirals as a gesture of comfort (For whom? Him or me?) by a battle-hardened finger and was touched by the unconscious act. The young Al Bhed grinned, cracking open her eyes and turning them to face the man who looked so tender as he slept.

It was the last person she would have expected and yet…she was glad it was he. The feeling took her by surprise, she was unaware she had let anyone intrude into the confines of her heart, let alone this man. She expected the displeasure to set in presently, but the elation held firm. Could it be that I actually have feelings for him? I didn't even think I liked him! Well, like tytto says, look where thought got you, Rikku. She made a face at the thought before turning her attentions to the man, studying his prone form greedily.

Salt and pepper hair flopped softly into his eyes; the well-defined eyebrows for once not knitted together. His face was relaxed as he slumbered. In it, she could see the traces of youth that still lingered, despite their having been stolen so cruelly by circumstances that forced upon him a life of hardship. The deep frown lines were gone and peace was at home on the handsome visage. The strong, dignified nose made shadows dance over the scar that ran from forehead over eye to end on his cheek, mingling with the shades cast by his long, thick eyelashes. His chiselled jaw, rough with stubble as always, worked slightly as he ground his teeth as he dreamt. Rikku ran a finger over his generous lips gently, surprised at how soft they were against the delicate fingertip. On impulse, she leaned forward; pursing her lips to brush his own and trailing a hand lightly down his face.

The russet eye snapped open, his hand catching her wrist in a painful grip as she squeaked in surprise. As he fully awakened to take in Rikku's blush he released the limb and sat upright. She scurried back to her own cot, nursing the wrist he had grabbed. Then she heard it. A slow, deep rumbling at first, building to a gravelled chuckle. He eyed her in amusement as she narrowed the verdant spirals at him, sticking out her tongue in a fit of childishness.

"Is this always how you wake those unfortunate enough to share a room with you?" He asked dryly, an eyebrow quirked as he watched the colour rise up her neck.

"Tysh ed, Auron! You scared me half to death!" She folded her arms across her chest and stared resolutely at the wall.

"Not really a problem, Rikku." He quipped.

She glowered at him, a death glare he would have been proud to call his own. "Shut up."

The two sat in silence for a moment before the older Guardian cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. That was…uncalled for."

"Yes, it was."

"Well?"

She regarded him coolly. "Well what?"

He rolled his eye. "Do you accept my apology?"

"I'll think about it."

"Fine. Have it your way, the hard way as usual."

The quiet invaded the room once more, and Auron again found he felt the need to break the reticence. "You startled me. I'm not used to having a pouting Al Bhed in my face when I awake."

"I'm not used to having a grumpy Guardian holding my hand when I wake up!" She shot back, watching in smug satisfaction as he realised that he had indeed been clasping her hand.

"Well, then we're both not used to it." He stated triumphantly. He frowned inwardly as he realised what he had just let spill from his mouth. He knew it didn't make sense but he wasn't about to back down. He groaned as she giggled.

"That doesn't even make sense!"

Auron threw his hands in the air. "You drive me to distraction! No wonder I don't make sense anymore!"

A half smile tugged at her lips and she placed her hands on her hips. "Did you ever make sense? I'll put a hundred gil on 'no'."

Despite himself, he felt the smile work its way onto his mouth. "Whatever. Believe what you will."

Rikku edged cautiously toward him again before balancing herself next to him. She tickled him under the chin despite the glare she received and laughed. "You know, you're kinda cute when you smile!"

"Cute?" He despaired and batted her hand away playfully. Auron can be playful? Have fun? Well, this is a first!

"Yeah, with those big ol' dimples!" She pinched his cheek and grinned at the confusion on his face caused by her antics.

"Rikku, you are…something else." He shook his head and swung his weight from the bed, shrugging into his robe before affixing the belt and jug deftly.

He looked around for his glasses before noticing them perched precariously atop the blonde's head. He sighed and made to remove them, frowning as she hopped back a step away from his reach. She giggled as he tried again with the same result.

"Rikku, give me my glasses." His tone would have warned most people that his orders were to be adhered to and were not open to discussion. Rikku wasn't most people.

"You have to catch me!" She trilled in a singsong voice.

She jumped away from him, laughing as he gamely took up the challenge. She scrambled from bed to bed, her delight showing in whoops and spontaneous fits of giggles. Auron tried to figure out a pattern to her dash and soon realised that there was no logic to her dart, she was totally random as she jumped gaily from one bed to another. Gritting his teeth, he waited until she came near and lunged, knocking her on to her back with ease. Auron pinned her small arms down with one strong hand and grinned in triumph as she ceased her wriggling beneath him. Rikku looked up at him, flushed with exertion and laughter, her eyes twinkling.

"Ok, ok. You won!"

He retrieved the spectacles from her head, frowning when he noticed they were bent out of shape. He showed them to the Al Bhed with a raised eyebrow. Rikku bit her lip, trying to smile innocently.

"Oopsie?"

Auron nodded sagely, the words foreign and thick on his tongue. "Big oopsie."

She grinned in return. "Sorry, I'll fix them! No problem for the great Rikku!"

She noticed he was staring at her strangely before he turned his head abruptly. She took a deep breath and brought her lips up to meet his, brushing them with the lightest of kisses. To her surprise, he responded, his burnished bronze eye closing as he caressed her lips with his own in return. Hesitantly, she probed the inside of his mouth, freezing when she saw his eyebrows shoot up in shock. To her relief, his tongue intertwined with her own and the two began a dance of sorts, darting in and out as each scoped the others tender hollow.

"Rikku, I…forget it. We'll talk later, after Bevelle." Auron broke the kiss abruptly, apology in his eyes and fled the room.

She was left sitting on his bed, touching a finger to her tingling lips. Why did he leave? What was he going to say?

Outside, Auron leaned against the door heavily, cursing himself. What the hell was that? Why did you leave, Auron? The girl's slipped under that barrier you built up around yourself, hasn't she? You wanted her to, so why are you resisting it now when she comes to you? Gods Auron, you are a stubborn, stupid asshole. He nodded in agreement to his inner monologue and began bracing himself for their next meeting, glowering at Tidus as he strolled past innocently. The young blitzer thought about talking to the Guardian, deciding against it when Auron began to look pointedly as his sword. He gulped and backed away slowly to the bridge, muttering under his breath.

"Crazy, he's absolutely nuts! Damn freaky Auron…"

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Rikku walked onto the bridge last. Seeing everyone was already here, she quietly moved into a corner and listened to Cid's plans to rappel down to the temple. She vaguely heard Wakka complaining of the plan's implausibility in the background but she wasn't really listening, instead thinking to herself about what had just happened.

What changed? He always seemed so cold before… Is it because he knows I'm unsent? I know he felt something there, but will he do now?

She was jolted from her thoughts by Lulu's voice behind her. She turned to face the older guardian.

"Are you alright now?" Lulu asked.

Rikku nodded. "Yeah, I was a little fazed, but we're fine now."

Lulu raised an eyebrow. "'We'?"

Rikku silently cursed, she had meant to say 'me'. "Me and Auron," she said grudgingly.

Lulu nodded like she understood. "We go into Bevelle in a few minutes, be ready," she said simply, and walked out of the bridge.

Rikku frowned slightly. She didn't think they would get here so quickly. She had wanted to talk with Auron first. Sighing In resignation, she got walked off the bridge, towards the door to her room, to prepare the equipment for the coming confrontation with Seymour.

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Auron stood on the observation deck, looking out of the windows, silently berating himself.

You were foolish. You let her get to you. You shouldn't have responded.

What if I wanted to?

You can't! You have a job to do!

Where does it say that I'm not allowed to care?

Loving her will cause you pain. You can't protect her like you protect Yuna.

I can protect her…

Then you've failed before you started. She's already dead.

Auron felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see emerald-green eyes staring into his. He tried to say hello, but his tongue froze up and he just stared. Rikku seemed to see his indecision and broke the uncomfortable silence.

"We're going down," she said quietly.

Auron nodded. Rikku turned to walk away towards the deck they would be descending from. He watched her leave. Do it now you fool! He shouted at himself. "Rikku!"

Rikku stopped and turned around to face him, hope in her eyes. "Yes?" she asked.

"Take care."

Rikku's smiled faltered slightly, returned, and she walked away towards the elevator onto the top deck. Take care? It wasn't much.

But it was a start.

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Like I said, this chapter was written with Rinoa Heartilly, and she's really good. She's also on my favourites list, go check her out.