AN: Ahh, gomen for the lack of recent updates! ^-^;; Got a little tied up in my Inuyasha story ^-^ Which is why I'm offering everyone a word of advice: Don't start more than one story at a time! ^-^;;
Arigatou for all the reviews! Glad Auron and Rikku were both in character. So, here's the next chappy!
Neoshipper also realized she made a terrible mistake! Rikku had been wearing the ripped white wedding dress since her escape from Maester Seymour. But in chapter 12, when she's stripping to get into the lake, she has back on her original outfit ^-^;; So for right now, until I can find time to fix it, we'll just pretend Rikku had a change of clothes (exactly the same as her original ^-^;;) Gomen! Careless mistake!
~*^-^*~
Rikku brushed past a couple in the store lobby, ignoring their angry glares. Her face flushed, Rikku walked outside, eager to get away from the hostile inside environment.
"W-what was that?" She muttered, pressing a hand to her lips. It had been a chaste kiss, a mere brush of the lips, and yet it sent shivers down Rikku's spine. It was getting late, she realized when she couldn't feel the sun on her back anymore. The sky was a dusty shade or blue, pink and purple mixed together where the sun was slowly creeping behind the hills.
Sighing, she stopped, somewhere in the middle of the Calm Lands and took in the view. She saw a Chocobo rider in the distance, herding the last few people in for the night. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself and only then realized the goosebumps.
'I wonder what Auron was thinking when he kissed me. Were we more than friends before the accident?' She frowned as she rubbed at the bumps on her arms. The sun was gone now, the sky a deep blue only lit by the stars peppering the sky. A brief glance around told her she was the only one left for the night and that she ought to head in. Her feet seemed suddenly heavy at the thought of confronting Auron. But then again, there were fiends out here, and she didn't have many weapons on her. Save for a few grenades and Auron's glove, which didn't really count as a weapon.
"Auron….Fiends….Auron…..Fiends….." She held her palms out, weighing the severity of the situation. She didn't know what to say to Auron. But she'd rather be safe and warm than with some fiend. Shuddering at the thoughts of what might be out there, Rikku hurried back to the inn.
~*^-^*~
"Argh!"
Rikku walked away from the closed door of the room she and Auron were sharing for the umpteenth time. She had come in about a half hour ago, but still couldn't bring herself to enter the room. She took one last deep breath before biting her lip and opening the door a crack.
"Auron, I-"
The words died in her mouth as she stared, eyes wide, at Auron, who was currently stripping out of his shirt. The black tank top fell to a discarded lump on the floor as he stretched, muscles flexing lazily. Rikku's mouth went dry as she watched him, walking around unguarded without a shirt. She heard him mumble something before he turned towards the door; And came face to face with Rikku.
He blinked, eyeing her, unsure of how to react. She giggled nervously and pushed the door open all the way, a blush staining her cheeks.
"I just came back from my walk now, I wasn't…spying on you or anything!" She laughed, trying to elicit some form of reaction from the stoic man. Finally, after seemingly silently contemplating, he shrugged.
"I didn't say you were."
"Oh, right." She scuffed her foot on the ground, avoiding any eye contact. She heard some shuffling before she realized, disappointedly, that he was picking up his shirt. Instead of putting it on though, he hung it over the back of a chair seated in a corner.
"H-here, you can have this back now." She mumbled, realizing the arm guard was still on her arm. She went to un-strap it but he put a hand on hers', causing her to freeze.
"It's all right, you can keep it."
"H-honto?" She squeaked, bashful. He nodded absently before sitting down on one side of the bed. Rikku blanched. There was only one bed. It had looked large when they had first arrived, but now…It was looking mighty cramped.
"What?" Auron asked, noticing her wide-eyed stare at the bed. Quickly shaking out of her thoughts, she shook her head.
"N-nothing! I think I'll go to bed…In the same bed as you….On the other side….I don't roll over, I'll stay on my side…." Rikku babbled nervously while she sat on her side of the bed and pulled off her shoes. Auron watched, amused, as she continued to ramble on.
"So I'm going to bed now! On my side!" She was shouting now, she was so nervous. Auron let a soft chuckle escape his lips.
"What?" She asked, suddenly defensive. He shook his head, opting to say nothing, as he laid back, hands behind his head. Rikku gulped before slowly doing the same, remaining as tense as she could. This was going to be a long night.
~*^-^*~
AN: If it wasn't so un-Auron like, I'd have made a Rikku x Auron sappy moment ^-^;; If I can think of a way that isn't too OOC, I will write it ^-^ Well, as many readers wanted, Auron lost his shirt, if only for the night ^-~
Review please!
~Neoshipper~
