Authors Note: Whew! Well here it is! *wide grin* hope I did okay!! ^.^ Dun bash me if i didn't though! lol.. *groans* the lemons are gunna be hell to write! ^.^ But fun all the same *blushes*
No of course there's no lemon YET! Let's be realistic here folks, it'll happen - but give it some time!
*sighs* it's so dreamy writing about kissing Au *lubblubb* What I wouldn't give to be Rikku! lol
Now for the thankies! Oh! and I might not be able to do the next chappy for afew days - my computer is having problems -again- so it has to be checked out -again-.. so yeh.. hope you're a patient person, reading this ^.^
Blurry - I know how much you wanted romance to finally come up.. so i hope you're happy!! Just.. be aware that it's Auron in question here.. and that can mean just about ANYTHING *subtle hint in no particular direction* ^.^
Cherry Bunny - dear me! Alotta posts there! *deep breath* ^.^ For a start - I didn't say there will be ALOT of lemon in here, i just said there would be SOME (could mean once.. twice.. maybe more! ^.^) but i would NEVER use sex to cover up the romantic aspect in my story - I'm a hopeless romantic myself, and couldn't imagine one of my stories with sex but no romance behind it! It just wouldn't happen. Hmm.. I'm not too sure if your comment about my chapters was a put-down or not.. but I assure you that I don't make them 'short' with the motive of getting more reviews - that's just how I write - and i enjoy writing that way! ^.^ Besides, in the end the story comes out - and quickly too, seeing as i usually post a chapter a night. I'm not sneaky and i don't have any ulterior motives for writing the way i do - it's just how i do it *shrugs* hope that didn't seem harsh or anything, but I started writing some of my stories long before i'd even known about fanfiction.net, and so they were always that length! ^.^ Thanks for the reviews but, I hope you can look past length and focus on content ^.^
Rinny Leonhart/Rikku - *giggles too* Ya, i liked the 'auron isn't my husband' bit too! How horrible am i - putting them in all these crazy situations ^.^
Ater Serpens - lol.. Auron blushing ^.^ ya, it is kinda funny when you think about it! I couldn't imagine him doing it at 35 or anything.. but at 22 it's still plausable imo ^.^ It wouldn't be a full on blush tho (like rikku could prolly do! ^.^) just a little redness on his cheeks! *kawaii overload* waiiiiii! ^.^v
M.Stygianstar - Here's your romance mr./ms./mrs./miss./sir/madam/lord/lady (yeh yeh! *sweatdrop*) romantic! ^.^ just a tidbit for now!
FactorMatrix - *grins* ah yes - the juicy goodness of a love triangle! ^.^ I'm gunna be writing another aurikku (well actually aurikka [auron/rikku/wakka!]) soon too! *grins*
Dat's all of 'em! ^.^ Thanks guys!
Remember - Al Bhed translations & pronunciations at the very bottom! ^.^
Now enjoy! Till next chappy - Ciao! *runs off to polish off her jar of Nutella* ^.^v
*************************************************************************************
*************************************************************************************
The Power Of Change
a Rikku and Auron romance
*************************************************************************************
Chapter Eleven: 'Undeniable Love'
*************************************************************************************
..And I need you,
And I miss you,
And now I wonder..
If I could fall into the sky,
Do you think time would pass me by?
'Cos you know I'd walk a thousand miles,
If I could just see you..
If I could just hold you..
Tonight..
~"A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton~
*************************************************************************************
The next day brought another challenge to the small summoner's party - their inevitable crossing of the Thunder Plains.
Currently they all stood at the edge of the gloomy expanse, slightly sheilded by the edge of the tunnel from Guadosalam and watching as the bright bolts crackled into the resisting earth mere meters away, sending handfuls of rock and dirt into the air following each viscious assult.
Rikku shivered at the back of the group, her eyes squeezed shut and hands trying desperately to block out the sounds that wormed their way between her tightly pressed fingers. Even after Yunie's pilgrimage - and the additional six years following it - Rikku still hadn't been able to dismiss her phobia of the storm's yellow fury, cringing at its mere mention. She'd been overjoyed after the last Plains crossing was finally behind her.. but now she had to face its wrath all over again.. .
'Right, we cross quickly - understood? Stick to the conductor spires and don't look back.' Braska explained, his eyes shifting between each of his guardian as he did. 'Rikku.. are you okay?'
The terrified Al Bhed bit her lip harshly as she answered. 'Y-yes.. let's g-go.'
Jecht pumped his fist in the air enthusiastically. 'Yeh! This is my kinda challenge!' He chuckled, tightening his protective armband as his eyes flashed with excitement. 'Here I go! Watch and weep!'
'Jecht!' Braska warned, as the blitzer began to slowly walk towards the first spire - daring the heavens to take him on. 'Don't be a fool - remember what I just told you! A dead guardian is no use to anyone!'
'Geez Braska, don't get your knickers in a twist! I'll be just fi--'
CRASH!
Jecht lept out of the way just in time, the bolt zapping into the ground where he'd stood seconds previous and making the tanned guardian whoop loudly.
'OH YEAH! Ya see that?! Didn't I tell ya!' He grinned triumphantly, even puffing out his chest a little boastfully.
Braska shook his head and sighed, pulling out a travelling sphere and handing it to Auron. 'If he gets hit, I want it captured- okay? Should be a good reminder of what happens when a fool goes against the words of someone with his best interests at heart.'
Auron raised an eyebrow at the words of his summoner, but nodded anyway. 'Okay.'
Rikku, who was still shivering further back in the caves enterance, let her fright abate for a moment while she remembered the results of Auron's capture on the sphere.. when she'd watched it during Yunie's pilgrimage. Just a pity that he was too busy filming the lightning in the distance to actually capture the very moment one stray little bolt happened to make contact with the champion blitzer. She chuckled quietly.. if only!
'Auron,' she began, wobbling slowly towards him on legs of jelly, 'Could.. I do the filming?'
The dark guardian looked down at her for a moment, before handing her the sphere and turning away slightly.
Still distant.. Sigh.
Rikku peered through the strange gooey vision that met her gaze as she drew the object up to her face, strange at first, but she quickly got accustomed to it. 'Here goes!'
Jecht was doing some sort of weird victory dance.. or so it looked through the oozing lens. Rikku couldn't help but laugh, What a goof! This is going to look great on film!
He'd began kicking a blitzball around in the open whilst Braska lectured him from the first conductor spire, a look of strong dissapproval on his handsome face as he spoke.
'Jecht! One of these days--'
CRASH!
The blitzball went flying from the tanned guardian's grasp as he got slammed heavily into the hard ground beneath him, Braska gaping in suprise before beginning to laugh loudly.
'The all-mighty Jecht isn't so all-might NOW, is he!' the summoner chuckled, walking over to help his friend up.
'Ah geez, that one just came out of nowhere.. .'
Rikku flipped the recording switch off and was suprised to find Auron smiling at the recent events, such a rare happening.. shame, he has such a nice smile too..
So she clicked the device on once more.. and moved the lens to capture the look on the dark guardian's face, not stopping even as he turned around and the smile slipped away.. to be replaced with a frown.
'What are you doing?'
'Filming. Obviously!' Rikku grinned at him and handed the sphere back to Braska as he rejoined his other guardians.
'Enough time has been wasted, let us cross.'
Auron, Jecht and Braska began to dash towards the first spire, stopping shortly when they reached it before preparing to run to the next. But where was Rikku?
'Rikku?' Jecht spotted the pretty Al Bhed peeking out from the tunnel's entrance, a look of fear etching heavily into her features. 'Ah.. are you coming or what?'
'I have a choice?' a glimmer of hope lit up her face.
'No. Unless you want to be left behind.' That was Auron. 'Do you want to be left behind?'
Ur kaa..* Is that hopefulness I hear in his voice?
'No!! But I'm.. kinda afraid.. of lightning.. is all.. .' Rikku jumped back with a yelp as a bolt struck the earth mere inches from where she was situated. Auron just sighed in response, and stared off into the distance.
'Just run over, it isn't far.' Braska shouted - finishing with a chuckle, 'Than you can use Jecht for shelter!'
The blitzer rolled his eyes at the feeble attempt at a joke, but Auron - who was still staring at the glowing spires on the horizon, felt his stomache turn slightly at the suggestion.
'U-ugyo..*' taking a deep breath and shutting her eyes, Rikku hesitated for a fleeting moment before running at full speed towards the tall structure - failing to see a rock in her path and tripping over it with full force.
Rikku went crashing into the small group, falling heavily against Jecht and sending him sprawling to the ground due to the impact. Auron and Braska had been merely knocked aside, turning to stare down at the two guardians with suprised expressions.
Rikku groaned and rubbed her elbow, it had hit against something hard during the fall and was now throbbing gently with pain, but she forgot about the minor injury when she became aware of her current position - face down on top of Jecht.
'Ur so-- Cunno!'*
The blitzer peeked up at Rikku and grinned cheekily, winking as the Al Bhed's eyes widened. 'I have no idea what you just said.. but you can stay put if ya want!'
Auron's eyes flashed darkly from his place over the two guardians. 'Enough! Let's go.' He reached down and pulled Rikku to her feet by the back of her top, hardly caring if she was opposed to the action in any way.
'Hey! What are you doing..! don't be so rough!' She shot Auron a harsh look as she brushed herself off, helped Jecht up and holding on tightly to his arm. 'Okay.. NOW we can go!'
The two dashed off ahead, clinging tightly together as they weaved their way from spire to spire - leaving Auron and Braska where they stood.
The summoner just chuckled as he glanced at the look of annoyance on his friend's face. 'There's a little agency built in the middle of these plains - I'm sure they'll wait for us there, let go.'
Auron started out suprisingly fast, but was unsure of why he was rushing.
Of course it's because of her.. that crazy Al Bhed woman! Damn that Jecht.. he must be interested in her.. but why in Spira do I care?
Just as Braska had guessed, Rikku and Jecht had stopped at the agency half-way across the plains - but unknown to the summoner and Auron, they'de also booked rooms for the night.
'Rooms?! Jecht, we were only going to stop here for a rest.'
'Exactly, a rest - that's what the rooms are for.'
'Not overnight! A rest as in.. to get supplies.'
'We didn't buy any supplies in Guadosalam because the shopkeepers and merchants all marked their prices up when they heard that a summoner was arriving,' Auron broke in.
'Well, Rikku's tired.. so let's just stay already.'
'Since when do you care about anybody!' Auron confronted, annoyed that Jecht had brought the Al Bhed into it.
'Since I met somebody who ISN'T just anybody!' he shot back, delighted in the reaction it got from the dark guardian.
'Hmph.' Auron clenched his fists tightly and marched into his own booked room, slamming the door behind him angrily.
As it had turned out, Braska was sharing the room with him whilst Rikku and Jecht had the other. Not really something Auron was too happy about - although he would never admit it!
Time passed and Auron gradually complied to the sleep that threatened the clarity of his thoughts. Dragging himself up from his seat, he stretched out on the cool sheets of his bed and fell into a torrid slumber.
A soft clicking sound finally woke him up some moments later, clouded eyes slowly focusing on a blurry figure by the door.
'Sorry Jecht,' the figure whispered, as Auron's vision cleared to reveal Rikku standing by the lock and bolting it shut tightly. 'I didn't mean to wake you, it's just that my Pops always told me that it's dangerous to leave the door un-- AURON!'
She'd turned around and now stood facing him, her bright green eyes widening to enhance the swirling pattern inside them tenfold. Although fully clothed, her hair was unbound and lay softly against her shoulders - slightly damp from the shower she'd just taken.
'Uh.. gosh, I must have the wrong room..' she murmered, a blush rising on her cheeks as the devistatingly handsome guardian stared at her. 'I.. I'll go than, I guess.. bye..' the sound in her voice as well as the fact that she made no attempt to move displayed her unwillingness to make good with her words.
'Stay.'
The words spilled out of Auron's lips before he could even contemplate their meaning, but as it was.. he was hardly contemplating anything besides the beautiful woman that stood by his door.. .
Than Rikku smiled nervously, and slowly walked over to him - taking a seat by his bed and staring into his eyes. At that moment, partially relaxed as he lay propped-up on his side, his oculars were soulful and warm. Beautiful... more beautiful than Rikku had ever seen them before.
'Are.. you sure?' she murmered in almost a whisper, unsure wether to ask the question knowing it was tempting her fate.. but at least give him the chance to back out if he'd changed his mind.
A slight nod. 'Yes.'
Rikku's heart began to beat more swiftly as she lent down towards him.. seeing the light of the bedside lamp flicker across his tanned skin, afew strands of his dark hair boardering the side of his face being gently brushed away by her delicate fingers.. and than being lost in his dark iris' as they met her own.
She'd often spent lazy summer days daydreaming about the feeling of his lips against hers, but they could never have prepared her for the wonder of the real thing.
On contact, Auron released a quiet groan - his eyes shutting gently as the soft sensation washed over his body, causing him to reach up and cup her chin in his hands in an attempt to ensure that it wouldn't stop. Rikku's tender lips slowly parted, allowing the tip of her tongue to run moistly over his mouth before tilting her head to the side and indicating that she wanted to kiss him more deeply. He obliged -powerless to stop her in any case, his free arm slipped around her slim little waist - drawing her body down closer to his.
'Rikku..' he whispered softly, desire coloring his words and making the stoic guardian seem just a shadow of his former uptight self. 'Rikku..'
The Al Bhed girl had come to kneel by the bedside, fingers gently teasing the fine hair at the nape of his neck as she sighed happily against his mouth - but now she slowly pulled herself up to lie next to him, shivering at the warm contact of his strong body as she pressed closer.
Their mouths continued to fuse, tongues running softly against one another for several more moments until Auron finally broke it off - slowly looking up into deep green eyes that mirrored his look of longing.. and loving.
As if afraid that to go any further would be to defy some unbreakable rule, Rikku simply sighed with a smile, bending down to brush the dark guardian's lips with her own before whispering gently in his ear.
'I love you, Auron.'
*************************************************************************************
*AL BHED TRANSLATIONS AND PRONUNCIATIONS:
Ur kaa.. (OO-ra kahah..) = Oh gee..
U-ugyo.. (OO-oo-geaeoh..) = O-okay..
Ur so-- Cunno! (OO-ra seeoh.. KUoonnoh!) = Oh my-- Sorry!
*************************************************************************************
©Erica Runge, 17th of March, 2003. All characters, etc ©Squaresoft and FFX. Songwords ©Vanessa Carlton.
No of course there's no lemon YET! Let's be realistic here folks, it'll happen - but give it some time!
*sighs* it's so dreamy writing about kissing Au *lubblubb* What I wouldn't give to be Rikku! lol
Now for the thankies! Oh! and I might not be able to do the next chappy for afew days - my computer is having problems -again- so it has to be checked out -again-.. so yeh.. hope you're a patient person, reading this ^.^
Blurry - I know how much you wanted romance to finally come up.. so i hope you're happy!! Just.. be aware that it's Auron in question here.. and that can mean just about ANYTHING *subtle hint in no particular direction* ^.^
Cherry Bunny - dear me! Alotta posts there! *deep breath* ^.^ For a start - I didn't say there will be ALOT of lemon in here, i just said there would be SOME (could mean once.. twice.. maybe more! ^.^) but i would NEVER use sex to cover up the romantic aspect in my story - I'm a hopeless romantic myself, and couldn't imagine one of my stories with sex but no romance behind it! It just wouldn't happen. Hmm.. I'm not too sure if your comment about my chapters was a put-down or not.. but I assure you that I don't make them 'short' with the motive of getting more reviews - that's just how I write - and i enjoy writing that way! ^.^ Besides, in the end the story comes out - and quickly too, seeing as i usually post a chapter a night. I'm not sneaky and i don't have any ulterior motives for writing the way i do - it's just how i do it *shrugs* hope that didn't seem harsh or anything, but I started writing some of my stories long before i'd even known about fanfiction.net, and so they were always that length! ^.^ Thanks for the reviews but, I hope you can look past length and focus on content ^.^
Rinny Leonhart/Rikku - *giggles too* Ya, i liked the 'auron isn't my husband' bit too! How horrible am i - putting them in all these crazy situations ^.^
Ater Serpens - lol.. Auron blushing ^.^ ya, it is kinda funny when you think about it! I couldn't imagine him doing it at 35 or anything.. but at 22 it's still plausable imo ^.^ It wouldn't be a full on blush tho (like rikku could prolly do! ^.^) just a little redness on his cheeks! *kawaii overload* waiiiiii! ^.^v
M.Stygianstar - Here's your romance mr./ms./mrs./miss./sir/madam/lord/lady (yeh yeh! *sweatdrop*) romantic! ^.^ just a tidbit for now!
FactorMatrix - *grins* ah yes - the juicy goodness of a love triangle! ^.^ I'm gunna be writing another aurikku (well actually aurikka [auron/rikku/wakka!]) soon too! *grins*
Dat's all of 'em! ^.^ Thanks guys!
Remember - Al Bhed translations & pronunciations at the very bottom! ^.^
Now enjoy! Till next chappy - Ciao! *runs off to polish off her jar of Nutella* ^.^v
*************************************************************************************
*************************************************************************************
The Power Of Change
a Rikku and Auron romance
*************************************************************************************
Chapter Eleven: 'Undeniable Love'
*************************************************************************************
..And I need you,
And I miss you,
And now I wonder..
If I could fall into the sky,
Do you think time would pass me by?
'Cos you know I'd walk a thousand miles,
If I could just see you..
If I could just hold you..
Tonight..
~"A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton~
*************************************************************************************
The next day brought another challenge to the small summoner's party - their inevitable crossing of the Thunder Plains.
Currently they all stood at the edge of the gloomy expanse, slightly sheilded by the edge of the tunnel from Guadosalam and watching as the bright bolts crackled into the resisting earth mere meters away, sending handfuls of rock and dirt into the air following each viscious assult.
Rikku shivered at the back of the group, her eyes squeezed shut and hands trying desperately to block out the sounds that wormed their way between her tightly pressed fingers. Even after Yunie's pilgrimage - and the additional six years following it - Rikku still hadn't been able to dismiss her phobia of the storm's yellow fury, cringing at its mere mention. She'd been overjoyed after the last Plains crossing was finally behind her.. but now she had to face its wrath all over again.. .
'Right, we cross quickly - understood? Stick to the conductor spires and don't look back.' Braska explained, his eyes shifting between each of his guardian as he did. 'Rikku.. are you okay?'
The terrified Al Bhed bit her lip harshly as she answered. 'Y-yes.. let's g-go.'
Jecht pumped his fist in the air enthusiastically. 'Yeh! This is my kinda challenge!' He chuckled, tightening his protective armband as his eyes flashed with excitement. 'Here I go! Watch and weep!'
'Jecht!' Braska warned, as the blitzer began to slowly walk towards the first spire - daring the heavens to take him on. 'Don't be a fool - remember what I just told you! A dead guardian is no use to anyone!'
'Geez Braska, don't get your knickers in a twist! I'll be just fi--'
CRASH!
Jecht lept out of the way just in time, the bolt zapping into the ground where he'd stood seconds previous and making the tanned guardian whoop loudly.
'OH YEAH! Ya see that?! Didn't I tell ya!' He grinned triumphantly, even puffing out his chest a little boastfully.
Braska shook his head and sighed, pulling out a travelling sphere and handing it to Auron. 'If he gets hit, I want it captured- okay? Should be a good reminder of what happens when a fool goes against the words of someone with his best interests at heart.'
Auron raised an eyebrow at the words of his summoner, but nodded anyway. 'Okay.'
Rikku, who was still shivering further back in the caves enterance, let her fright abate for a moment while she remembered the results of Auron's capture on the sphere.. when she'd watched it during Yunie's pilgrimage. Just a pity that he was too busy filming the lightning in the distance to actually capture the very moment one stray little bolt happened to make contact with the champion blitzer. She chuckled quietly.. if only!
'Auron,' she began, wobbling slowly towards him on legs of jelly, 'Could.. I do the filming?'
The dark guardian looked down at her for a moment, before handing her the sphere and turning away slightly.
Still distant.. Sigh.
Rikku peered through the strange gooey vision that met her gaze as she drew the object up to her face, strange at first, but she quickly got accustomed to it. 'Here goes!'
Jecht was doing some sort of weird victory dance.. or so it looked through the oozing lens. Rikku couldn't help but laugh, What a goof! This is going to look great on film!
He'd began kicking a blitzball around in the open whilst Braska lectured him from the first conductor spire, a look of strong dissapproval on his handsome face as he spoke.
'Jecht! One of these days--'
CRASH!
The blitzball went flying from the tanned guardian's grasp as he got slammed heavily into the hard ground beneath him, Braska gaping in suprise before beginning to laugh loudly.
'The all-mighty Jecht isn't so all-might NOW, is he!' the summoner chuckled, walking over to help his friend up.
'Ah geez, that one just came out of nowhere.. .'
Rikku flipped the recording switch off and was suprised to find Auron smiling at the recent events, such a rare happening.. shame, he has such a nice smile too..
So she clicked the device on once more.. and moved the lens to capture the look on the dark guardian's face, not stopping even as he turned around and the smile slipped away.. to be replaced with a frown.
'What are you doing?'
'Filming. Obviously!' Rikku grinned at him and handed the sphere back to Braska as he rejoined his other guardians.
'Enough time has been wasted, let us cross.'
Auron, Jecht and Braska began to dash towards the first spire, stopping shortly when they reached it before preparing to run to the next. But where was Rikku?
'Rikku?' Jecht spotted the pretty Al Bhed peeking out from the tunnel's entrance, a look of fear etching heavily into her features. 'Ah.. are you coming or what?'
'I have a choice?' a glimmer of hope lit up her face.
'No. Unless you want to be left behind.' That was Auron. 'Do you want to be left behind?'
Ur kaa..* Is that hopefulness I hear in his voice?
'No!! But I'm.. kinda afraid.. of lightning.. is all.. .' Rikku jumped back with a yelp as a bolt struck the earth mere inches from where she was situated. Auron just sighed in response, and stared off into the distance.
'Just run over, it isn't far.' Braska shouted - finishing with a chuckle, 'Than you can use Jecht for shelter!'
The blitzer rolled his eyes at the feeble attempt at a joke, but Auron - who was still staring at the glowing spires on the horizon, felt his stomache turn slightly at the suggestion.
'U-ugyo..*' taking a deep breath and shutting her eyes, Rikku hesitated for a fleeting moment before running at full speed towards the tall structure - failing to see a rock in her path and tripping over it with full force.
Rikku went crashing into the small group, falling heavily against Jecht and sending him sprawling to the ground due to the impact. Auron and Braska had been merely knocked aside, turning to stare down at the two guardians with suprised expressions.
Rikku groaned and rubbed her elbow, it had hit against something hard during the fall and was now throbbing gently with pain, but she forgot about the minor injury when she became aware of her current position - face down on top of Jecht.
'Ur so-- Cunno!'*
The blitzer peeked up at Rikku and grinned cheekily, winking as the Al Bhed's eyes widened. 'I have no idea what you just said.. but you can stay put if ya want!'
Auron's eyes flashed darkly from his place over the two guardians. 'Enough! Let's go.' He reached down and pulled Rikku to her feet by the back of her top, hardly caring if she was opposed to the action in any way.
'Hey! What are you doing..! don't be so rough!' She shot Auron a harsh look as she brushed herself off, helped Jecht up and holding on tightly to his arm. 'Okay.. NOW we can go!'
The two dashed off ahead, clinging tightly together as they weaved their way from spire to spire - leaving Auron and Braska where they stood.
The summoner just chuckled as he glanced at the look of annoyance on his friend's face. 'There's a little agency built in the middle of these plains - I'm sure they'll wait for us there, let go.'
Auron started out suprisingly fast, but was unsure of why he was rushing.
Of course it's because of her.. that crazy Al Bhed woman! Damn that Jecht.. he must be interested in her.. but why in Spira do I care?
Just as Braska had guessed, Rikku and Jecht had stopped at the agency half-way across the plains - but unknown to the summoner and Auron, they'de also booked rooms for the night.
'Rooms?! Jecht, we were only going to stop here for a rest.'
'Exactly, a rest - that's what the rooms are for.'
'Not overnight! A rest as in.. to get supplies.'
'We didn't buy any supplies in Guadosalam because the shopkeepers and merchants all marked their prices up when they heard that a summoner was arriving,' Auron broke in.
'Well, Rikku's tired.. so let's just stay already.'
'Since when do you care about anybody!' Auron confronted, annoyed that Jecht had brought the Al Bhed into it.
'Since I met somebody who ISN'T just anybody!' he shot back, delighted in the reaction it got from the dark guardian.
'Hmph.' Auron clenched his fists tightly and marched into his own booked room, slamming the door behind him angrily.
As it had turned out, Braska was sharing the room with him whilst Rikku and Jecht had the other. Not really something Auron was too happy about - although he would never admit it!
Time passed and Auron gradually complied to the sleep that threatened the clarity of his thoughts. Dragging himself up from his seat, he stretched out on the cool sheets of his bed and fell into a torrid slumber.
A soft clicking sound finally woke him up some moments later, clouded eyes slowly focusing on a blurry figure by the door.
'Sorry Jecht,' the figure whispered, as Auron's vision cleared to reveal Rikku standing by the lock and bolting it shut tightly. 'I didn't mean to wake you, it's just that my Pops always told me that it's dangerous to leave the door un-- AURON!'
She'd turned around and now stood facing him, her bright green eyes widening to enhance the swirling pattern inside them tenfold. Although fully clothed, her hair was unbound and lay softly against her shoulders - slightly damp from the shower she'd just taken.
'Uh.. gosh, I must have the wrong room..' she murmered, a blush rising on her cheeks as the devistatingly handsome guardian stared at her. 'I.. I'll go than, I guess.. bye..' the sound in her voice as well as the fact that she made no attempt to move displayed her unwillingness to make good with her words.
'Stay.'
The words spilled out of Auron's lips before he could even contemplate their meaning, but as it was.. he was hardly contemplating anything besides the beautiful woman that stood by his door.. .
Than Rikku smiled nervously, and slowly walked over to him - taking a seat by his bed and staring into his eyes. At that moment, partially relaxed as he lay propped-up on his side, his oculars were soulful and warm. Beautiful... more beautiful than Rikku had ever seen them before.
'Are.. you sure?' she murmered in almost a whisper, unsure wether to ask the question knowing it was tempting her fate.. but at least give him the chance to back out if he'd changed his mind.
A slight nod. 'Yes.'
Rikku's heart began to beat more swiftly as she lent down towards him.. seeing the light of the bedside lamp flicker across his tanned skin, afew strands of his dark hair boardering the side of his face being gently brushed away by her delicate fingers.. and than being lost in his dark iris' as they met her own.
She'd often spent lazy summer days daydreaming about the feeling of his lips against hers, but they could never have prepared her for the wonder of the real thing.
On contact, Auron released a quiet groan - his eyes shutting gently as the soft sensation washed over his body, causing him to reach up and cup her chin in his hands in an attempt to ensure that it wouldn't stop. Rikku's tender lips slowly parted, allowing the tip of her tongue to run moistly over his mouth before tilting her head to the side and indicating that she wanted to kiss him more deeply. He obliged -powerless to stop her in any case, his free arm slipped around her slim little waist - drawing her body down closer to his.
'Rikku..' he whispered softly, desire coloring his words and making the stoic guardian seem just a shadow of his former uptight self. 'Rikku..'
The Al Bhed girl had come to kneel by the bedside, fingers gently teasing the fine hair at the nape of his neck as she sighed happily against his mouth - but now she slowly pulled herself up to lie next to him, shivering at the warm contact of his strong body as she pressed closer.
Their mouths continued to fuse, tongues running softly against one another for several more moments until Auron finally broke it off - slowly looking up into deep green eyes that mirrored his look of longing.. and loving.
As if afraid that to go any further would be to defy some unbreakable rule, Rikku simply sighed with a smile, bending down to brush the dark guardian's lips with her own before whispering gently in his ear.
'I love you, Auron.'
*************************************************************************************
*AL BHED TRANSLATIONS AND PRONUNCIATIONS:
Ur kaa.. (OO-ra kahah..) = Oh gee..
U-ugyo.. (OO-oo-geaeoh..) = O-okay..
Ur so-- Cunno! (OO-ra seeoh.. KUoonnoh!) = Oh my-- Sorry!
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©Erica Runge, 17th of March, 2003. All characters, etc ©Squaresoft and FFX. Songwords ©Vanessa Carlton.