lalala..
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Silence echoed through the vacuous forest as the two stalked farther and farther away from the camp. The sterling twinkles of the trees, the dim glow of what little light filtered through the dense canopy.. It was maybe early evening by now.. Since the group had taken time to walk to and set up camp between early and mid afternoon.
Finally, Lulu came to a halt.. Auron stopping shortly after, ahead of her, but his back still turned. He eased his chin upwards a little, as a few wisps of charcoal and tainted gray tendrils strayed upon his scarred visage. A discontent expression tugging at the corners of his lips.
"You wished to speak with me, Sir Auron?"
He still remained silent. What was he to say to Lulu? His duties compelled him to question her position in possibly splitting up the group.. He had believed that her meddling with his affairs, along with Rikku's may only be a small part of her plot.. Perhaps she was aiming for dissension within the ranks of the guardians? To avoid the final battle with Sin? Though.. Another thought swelt in his mind.. He wanted to speak not only on behalf of the group, but on behalf of Rikku.. He couldn't nail the feeling that the name caused. He could only relate it to the feeling of completeness he felt journeying with Jecht and Braska.. Somehow.. It wasn't the same.
"Sir Auron?" The mage questioned, taking half a step forward, but another one back as Auron spoke.
"Do you fear Sin?"
Lulu shook her head, puzzled by his question.. Of all things, she would want to get revenge upon the creature which took the life of Chappu.. Wouldn't she? "I only wish to avenge Chappu." It was true, she wanted to be rid of Sin.. She hated the being with every ounce of her soul.. Though at the same time, her bitterness caused her no sympathy for those who died because of Sin's wrath.
She remembered.. Back in Kilika..
Lulu recalled her tone with Tidus when he questioned the ceremony Yuna was performing.. The sending.. How matter-of-factly she sounded. "You really are clueless, aren't you?" It was one more day in Spira for her, nothing different. Not happier, nor sadder than any other day of her life.
She remembered.. When Yuna had completed her first sending..
"No tears next time.." The mage slipped one lace draped arm about Yuna's shoulderblades, her other hand; covered by the luxurious ebon satin of her gown smoothed the Summoner's tresses. Tears had spilt from the eyes of the girl who had performed such a massive sending.
Though.. She only wished to comfort who was like a sister to her, Yuna. She felt no remorse for those who had died, and encouraged the girl to shed no tears for the tragedy.. Sin already had taken away all it could from her, Chappu. Though, she cared for Yuna, Wakka, and Kimahri deeply.. Along with the other members of the group later on, they still couldn't amount to what she had lost.
Leaving the ruined docks towards the Inn, she recalled the blitzball floating amongst the waves and broken planks of wood..
Perhaps, if it weren't for Yuna's pilgrimage, she'd very well let Sin ravage Spira with it's spiral of death.. Yuna had provided her good reason to avenge her lover's death, and without the Summoner, she may have sunken even deeper into a fit of hate, and bitter memories.
"Then why do you insist on creating discord between myself and Rikku, and perhaps the others?"
"Not the others."
"Only us?"
"That is right.." She tilted her head to the side, caliginous oculars averting their gaze downwards in a soft, yet slightly shamed matter.. Beads clacking as her braids cascaded down her shouldlers and back. Her moggle doll slipped out of her grasp to stand on the ground, and with a blink of the mage's lashes became inanimate.
"Tell me." Auron didn't ask, he demanded an explanation.. As he idly shifted his position so he turned about to face the mage.. His gaze was piercing, and unforgiving.. The full potency of his stare was dimmed only by those tinted lenses he fashioned upon his countenance.. Concealing in part his scar.
Lulu hesitated.. But she knew he wasn't going to let her get away without explaining her actions. She tilted her head back upwards to look up at him, directly. Atramentous lashes hardly batting over her eyes, lilac dust framed sphericals intently staring back. She took a series of steps towards him before there was barely any distance between them, the sterling glow of the forest playing upon her pallid complexion.. A delectable smile upon her lips.
Auron didn't seem to waver, despite the phantasmic, ghostly pulchritudinous features of the mage.. And the miniscule amount of space she left between them.
"Because.. You'll hurt her when your gone." Lulu sighed, taking a brief moment to glance downwards.. Taking her gaze of the unconcealed features of the man who stood before her.
"What do you mean?" He didn't understand what she was getting at.. Of course, he knew she meant Rikku.. Though he didn't understand how she could come to the conclusion they were in any way involved with each other.
"How you were both out late together.."
"I was escorting her to the lake."
"Why you are talking to me now.."
"For the unity of the group."
"I saw the way you ran after her! Without another moment's thought..!" She tilted her head to look up at him sharply. She had seen that panicked expression which swept his visage as Rikku retreated, however brief and fleeting it was.. How he questioned nothing, even his own involvement in the matter yet charged after her as if he were running from the Farplane itself.
Auron hadn't given the situation another thought..Until Lulu brought it up.. He remembered it so clearly.. Almost as clearly as the instant Yunalesca had struck him.
"Rikku." A gruff voice muttered from besides him. Kimahri had uttered her name, and for some reason his head perked at the mention of the Al Bhed's name.. Despite the fact he had been quite content staring down at the trodden dirt pathway before them.
When he did look up, that feeling which prompted him to raise his watch sunk. He watched as she turned and fled the area.. He remembered the wave of panic which struck him, something he hadn't felt many times since his death.. He recalled his thoughts as he chased her.. Convincing himself he needed to pursue her for the good of the group..
He was lying to himself, coming up with legit reasons to be with the Al Bhed, excuses for his pursuit.. It took the mage's inquiry for him to realize this. Though he wouldn't admit it to her.. He had barely let himself realize it.
"You have feelings for her..?" The mage questioned following his silence.
"Of course not." He retorted.
A coy smirk coiled it's way upon her tiers and she extended her hands upwards.. Deep lilac nails tugging at the collar which concealed the lower half of his scarred countenance. He raised his gloved hand upwards quickly and roughly grasped her wrist, squeezing so tightly it caused the Besadian mage to wince. "I have a feeling there is more to it that you are telling me." He almost hissed, but retained his composure. He wasn't easily swayed by her charms, rigorous training as a warrior monk taught him such dicipline.
"Must I say, Sir Auron?" Despite the sly and seductive tone of her voice, she had a sadness in her eyes. And the question went unanswered by the man, she knew he was waiting her full reply. "The sadness we share, the losses we endured.. And..Because of all this.. I have learned to.. I have come to.. I- I love you, Sir Auron."
They both knew it was a lie. She knew she didn't love him, she only loved Chappu.. And he knew it too, she was only looking for somebody to displace her bitterness, to temporarily relieve her loneliness. Women. He thought. She was using the word 'love' to justify her emptiness, her lust, everything that was taken away from her when Chappu was killed.
"You don't."
"You understand me then." He understood the lack of meaning the word now held for her, and his grip eased as he contemplated her pain.. What drove her to such.. Seizing the opportunity, she briskly tugged his collar down.. He tensed for a moment as he let his gloved palm rest idly at his side once again. Raising herself onto her toes, she tilted her head so that their lips met.. She initiated, she was the aggressor in the locking of lips.. Slender digits removing those lenses from his eyes before she reluctantly pulled back from the kiss.
He seemed just as stoic, and unmoved as before, though Lulu was not to be disappointed. One palm gently reached up to stroke the side of his face, creased with frown lines.. The other slipping inside of his coat where he hung his arm as she came to lean against him.. Despite his dispassionate demeanor.
He only stood there, and waited as long as it would take for her to lose interest.. He knew she was only a lonely woman on the inside.. Was he only a lonely bitter man beneath his exterior? He sighed, and let her remain as she was..
Little did they know that a disappointed blitzer was sulking his way back towards the camp.. Wakka had gone to find Lulu and Auron to inform them of their night watch schedules. He was happy to find that he and Lulu shared the same watch hour, but his delight faded upon catching a glimpse of the mage and unsent guardian finding sanctuary in one another.
And so he sighed, smoothing his crimson mane as he trudged his way back towards the others.
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Whatcha think?
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Silence echoed through the vacuous forest as the two stalked farther and farther away from the camp. The sterling twinkles of the trees, the dim glow of what little light filtered through the dense canopy.. It was maybe early evening by now.. Since the group had taken time to walk to and set up camp between early and mid afternoon.
Finally, Lulu came to a halt.. Auron stopping shortly after, ahead of her, but his back still turned. He eased his chin upwards a little, as a few wisps of charcoal and tainted gray tendrils strayed upon his scarred visage. A discontent expression tugging at the corners of his lips.
"You wished to speak with me, Sir Auron?"
He still remained silent. What was he to say to Lulu? His duties compelled him to question her position in possibly splitting up the group.. He had believed that her meddling with his affairs, along with Rikku's may only be a small part of her plot.. Perhaps she was aiming for dissension within the ranks of the guardians? To avoid the final battle with Sin? Though.. Another thought swelt in his mind.. He wanted to speak not only on behalf of the group, but on behalf of Rikku.. He couldn't nail the feeling that the name caused. He could only relate it to the feeling of completeness he felt journeying with Jecht and Braska.. Somehow.. It wasn't the same.
"Sir Auron?" The mage questioned, taking half a step forward, but another one back as Auron spoke.
"Do you fear Sin?"
Lulu shook her head, puzzled by his question.. Of all things, she would want to get revenge upon the creature which took the life of Chappu.. Wouldn't she? "I only wish to avenge Chappu." It was true, she wanted to be rid of Sin.. She hated the being with every ounce of her soul.. Though at the same time, her bitterness caused her no sympathy for those who died because of Sin's wrath.
She remembered.. Back in Kilika..
Lulu recalled her tone with Tidus when he questioned the ceremony Yuna was performing.. The sending.. How matter-of-factly she sounded. "You really are clueless, aren't you?" It was one more day in Spira for her, nothing different. Not happier, nor sadder than any other day of her life.
She remembered.. When Yuna had completed her first sending..
"No tears next time.." The mage slipped one lace draped arm about Yuna's shoulderblades, her other hand; covered by the luxurious ebon satin of her gown smoothed the Summoner's tresses. Tears had spilt from the eyes of the girl who had performed such a massive sending.
Though.. She only wished to comfort who was like a sister to her, Yuna. She felt no remorse for those who had died, and encouraged the girl to shed no tears for the tragedy.. Sin already had taken away all it could from her, Chappu. Though, she cared for Yuna, Wakka, and Kimahri deeply.. Along with the other members of the group later on, they still couldn't amount to what she had lost.
Leaving the ruined docks towards the Inn, she recalled the blitzball floating amongst the waves and broken planks of wood..
Perhaps, if it weren't for Yuna's pilgrimage, she'd very well let Sin ravage Spira with it's spiral of death.. Yuna had provided her good reason to avenge her lover's death, and without the Summoner, she may have sunken even deeper into a fit of hate, and bitter memories.
"Then why do you insist on creating discord between myself and Rikku, and perhaps the others?"
"Not the others."
"Only us?"
"That is right.." She tilted her head to the side, caliginous oculars averting their gaze downwards in a soft, yet slightly shamed matter.. Beads clacking as her braids cascaded down her shouldlers and back. Her moggle doll slipped out of her grasp to stand on the ground, and with a blink of the mage's lashes became inanimate.
"Tell me." Auron didn't ask, he demanded an explanation.. As he idly shifted his position so he turned about to face the mage.. His gaze was piercing, and unforgiving.. The full potency of his stare was dimmed only by those tinted lenses he fashioned upon his countenance.. Concealing in part his scar.
Lulu hesitated.. But she knew he wasn't going to let her get away without explaining her actions. She tilted her head back upwards to look up at him, directly. Atramentous lashes hardly batting over her eyes, lilac dust framed sphericals intently staring back. She took a series of steps towards him before there was barely any distance between them, the sterling glow of the forest playing upon her pallid complexion.. A delectable smile upon her lips.
Auron didn't seem to waver, despite the phantasmic, ghostly pulchritudinous features of the mage.. And the miniscule amount of space she left between them.
"Because.. You'll hurt her when your gone." Lulu sighed, taking a brief moment to glance downwards.. Taking her gaze of the unconcealed features of the man who stood before her.
"What do you mean?" He didn't understand what she was getting at.. Of course, he knew she meant Rikku.. Though he didn't understand how she could come to the conclusion they were in any way involved with each other.
"How you were both out late together.."
"I was escorting her to the lake."
"Why you are talking to me now.."
"For the unity of the group."
"I saw the way you ran after her! Without another moment's thought..!" She tilted her head to look up at him sharply. She had seen that panicked expression which swept his visage as Rikku retreated, however brief and fleeting it was.. How he questioned nothing, even his own involvement in the matter yet charged after her as if he were running from the Farplane itself.
Auron hadn't given the situation another thought..Until Lulu brought it up.. He remembered it so clearly.. Almost as clearly as the instant Yunalesca had struck him.
"Rikku." A gruff voice muttered from besides him. Kimahri had uttered her name, and for some reason his head perked at the mention of the Al Bhed's name.. Despite the fact he had been quite content staring down at the trodden dirt pathway before them.
When he did look up, that feeling which prompted him to raise his watch sunk. He watched as she turned and fled the area.. He remembered the wave of panic which struck him, something he hadn't felt many times since his death.. He recalled his thoughts as he chased her.. Convincing himself he needed to pursue her for the good of the group..
He was lying to himself, coming up with legit reasons to be with the Al Bhed, excuses for his pursuit.. It took the mage's inquiry for him to realize this. Though he wouldn't admit it to her.. He had barely let himself realize it.
"You have feelings for her..?" The mage questioned following his silence.
"Of course not." He retorted.
A coy smirk coiled it's way upon her tiers and she extended her hands upwards.. Deep lilac nails tugging at the collar which concealed the lower half of his scarred countenance. He raised his gloved hand upwards quickly and roughly grasped her wrist, squeezing so tightly it caused the Besadian mage to wince. "I have a feeling there is more to it that you are telling me." He almost hissed, but retained his composure. He wasn't easily swayed by her charms, rigorous training as a warrior monk taught him such dicipline.
"Must I say, Sir Auron?" Despite the sly and seductive tone of her voice, she had a sadness in her eyes. And the question went unanswered by the man, she knew he was waiting her full reply. "The sadness we share, the losses we endured.. And..Because of all this.. I have learned to.. I have come to.. I- I love you, Sir Auron."
They both knew it was a lie. She knew she didn't love him, she only loved Chappu.. And he knew it too, she was only looking for somebody to displace her bitterness, to temporarily relieve her loneliness. Women. He thought. She was using the word 'love' to justify her emptiness, her lust, everything that was taken away from her when Chappu was killed.
"You don't."
"You understand me then." He understood the lack of meaning the word now held for her, and his grip eased as he contemplated her pain.. What drove her to such.. Seizing the opportunity, she briskly tugged his collar down.. He tensed for a moment as he let his gloved palm rest idly at his side once again. Raising herself onto her toes, she tilted her head so that their lips met.. She initiated, she was the aggressor in the locking of lips.. Slender digits removing those lenses from his eyes before she reluctantly pulled back from the kiss.
He seemed just as stoic, and unmoved as before, though Lulu was not to be disappointed. One palm gently reached up to stroke the side of his face, creased with frown lines.. The other slipping inside of his coat where he hung his arm as she came to lean against him.. Despite his dispassionate demeanor.
He only stood there, and waited as long as it would take for her to lose interest.. He knew she was only a lonely woman on the inside.. Was he only a lonely bitter man beneath his exterior? He sighed, and let her remain as she was..
Little did they know that a disappointed blitzer was sulking his way back towards the camp.. Wakka had gone to find Lulu and Auron to inform them of their night watch schedules. He was happy to find that he and Lulu shared the same watch hour, but his delight faded upon catching a glimpse of the mage and unsent guardian finding sanctuary in one another.
And so he sighed, smoothing his crimson mane as he trudged his way back towards the others.
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Whatcha think?