****I still don't own Square-Enix. I still don't own the characters. *le
sigh*****
Chapter 15
Warm breezes stirred over the grasses of the Calm Lands. The endless plain stretched out, further, and ended at the foot of the Gagazet Mountains.
Beneath her boots, the sun-parched ground was crunching, and Lulu listened to her every step, and felt her mind slipping away. She let her thoughts wander where they would, comforted in the fact that whatever fiend came at them, she would be able to see with such open land around her.
Beside her, Auron walked; the two of them brought up the rear of the party. The sun glinted off the dark glass of his lens, and for perhaps the thirtieth time that morning, he shifted his eyes over onto the shapely hips of the mage who'd shared her bedroll with him the night previous.
"You must be sweltering under that corset.."
His voice sounded low enough for only her to hear. Lulu stopped her pace for a moment, and turned back to look at him. Purple fingernails dug into the plush fur of the moogle she clutched. Her lips curved in a smile.
"Perhaps you'd like to take it off of me?"
A sort of grunting laughter came from Auron; His mouth was split with a wide grin. Through his one good eye, he watched Lulu's face beam with a wicked smile, and then she turned to face forward, and resume her watch.
As soon as she was turned away, the grin on his face began to fade a little. Mt. Gagazet was looming very close. The way up the mountain would be long and hard, and many summoners and their guardians fell on their way. He didn't think it would happen to this party, just as it hadn't happened to Braska's party. The key was to have a well-balanced party, and barring that, a healthy supply of potions. Their stop at Rin's agency had taken care of that last variable, regardless of the fact that their party was powerful enough to be just fine.
One could never be too careful.
And then, eventually, Auron would have to confess to Lulu that he wasn't going to be able to be with her after Yuna's pilgrimage ended.
He loved her. Yes, he did. He loved her so much, and it had come on him so suddenly that he'd had no time to prepare for it. That addictive mix of frailty and strength. There was no doubt about it; Lulu was all woman, and it was all he could do sometimes, to not pull her to the side of the road and ravish her until they were both exhausted and useless.
It scared him, sometimes, how much he loved her. But of course, he'd never admit it.
Once more, his eyes strayed to her body, and this time, when he looked away, Auron met Wakka's reproachful eyes.
Bloody hell... Auron thought.
Slowly, Wakka began to lag behind, and he leveled his pace with Auron.
No one noticed, and even Lulu began to distance herself from the two, unknowing.
"What you doing, Sir Auron?" Wakka's tone implied absolutely no respect when he said Auron's title; in fact...it was downright hostile.
"Wakka?" Auron nudged his sunglasses up his nose.
A confrontation was coming. He could smell it.
"Maybe if you keep your eyes of Lu's ass, you'd be a logical choice to guard the rear of this party. But you keep ogling, and one of these times, a Malboro might wipe us all out."
"Don't be ridiculous." Auron snapped. "Who's guarding the right flank while you're back here giving me lessons on how to do my job?"
WHAM!
Wakka's fist met with Auron's jaw, and the two went tumbling down on the road. Auron could hear Lulu scream, and then he pounded his fist back into Wakka's face.
The two scrapped for perhaps a minute and half before Tidus and Kimahri were able to get them seperated. Yuna stepped out, and between the two. It was one of the first times that anyone had seen her absolutely furious.
"What is wrong with you two?"
She berated them both, while Auron raised his jaw, and Wakka began to scratch the back of his head. A flush settled on his face, and he looked downward. Auron's teeth began to grind with his embarassment.
"I won't pretend that everything has been peachy between us all since the Thunder Plains. Everyone knows that you and Lulu are an item, Sir Auron. And everyone knows that you're upset about it, Wakka."
Both men gaped at her. That she would set it out so succinctly, and be willing to call a spade, a spade, when they were all trying to keep such a facade of calm was well.....totally alien to all of them.
"I'm telling you three now...whatever issues you have, whatever problems...I expect them to be resolved before we reach the summit of Gagazet. Zanarkand is just beyond, and we're going to need unity when we reach the sacred ground."
Yuna glowered at them. Her arms folded over her small chest.
"I know I don't put my foot down often. Most of the time, I let you lead me where you will. But I'm doing it now. If we're all to bicker amongst ourselves, and indulge in this disharmony, then we might as well return to Bevelle, and Via Purifico and die there!"
"'M sorry, Yuna." Wakka bent his head. Yuna's talking-to had made him red in the face.
Auron too, inclined his head. His respect for Yuna had just grown threefold.
"As you wish it, Lady Yuna." He mumbled.
**************************
I'm sorry it's such a short chapter, guys. I've got the worst case of writer's block known to man. I'll try to have something up soon..
Chapter 15
Warm breezes stirred over the grasses of the Calm Lands. The endless plain stretched out, further, and ended at the foot of the Gagazet Mountains.
Beneath her boots, the sun-parched ground was crunching, and Lulu listened to her every step, and felt her mind slipping away. She let her thoughts wander where they would, comforted in the fact that whatever fiend came at them, she would be able to see with such open land around her.
Beside her, Auron walked; the two of them brought up the rear of the party. The sun glinted off the dark glass of his lens, and for perhaps the thirtieth time that morning, he shifted his eyes over onto the shapely hips of the mage who'd shared her bedroll with him the night previous.
"You must be sweltering under that corset.."
His voice sounded low enough for only her to hear. Lulu stopped her pace for a moment, and turned back to look at him. Purple fingernails dug into the plush fur of the moogle she clutched. Her lips curved in a smile.
"Perhaps you'd like to take it off of me?"
A sort of grunting laughter came from Auron; His mouth was split with a wide grin. Through his one good eye, he watched Lulu's face beam with a wicked smile, and then she turned to face forward, and resume her watch.
As soon as she was turned away, the grin on his face began to fade a little. Mt. Gagazet was looming very close. The way up the mountain would be long and hard, and many summoners and their guardians fell on their way. He didn't think it would happen to this party, just as it hadn't happened to Braska's party. The key was to have a well-balanced party, and barring that, a healthy supply of potions. Their stop at Rin's agency had taken care of that last variable, regardless of the fact that their party was powerful enough to be just fine.
One could never be too careful.
And then, eventually, Auron would have to confess to Lulu that he wasn't going to be able to be with her after Yuna's pilgrimage ended.
He loved her. Yes, he did. He loved her so much, and it had come on him so suddenly that he'd had no time to prepare for it. That addictive mix of frailty and strength. There was no doubt about it; Lulu was all woman, and it was all he could do sometimes, to not pull her to the side of the road and ravish her until they were both exhausted and useless.
It scared him, sometimes, how much he loved her. But of course, he'd never admit it.
Once more, his eyes strayed to her body, and this time, when he looked away, Auron met Wakka's reproachful eyes.
Bloody hell... Auron thought.
Slowly, Wakka began to lag behind, and he leveled his pace with Auron.
No one noticed, and even Lulu began to distance herself from the two, unknowing.
"What you doing, Sir Auron?" Wakka's tone implied absolutely no respect when he said Auron's title; in fact...it was downright hostile.
"Wakka?" Auron nudged his sunglasses up his nose.
A confrontation was coming. He could smell it.
"Maybe if you keep your eyes of Lu's ass, you'd be a logical choice to guard the rear of this party. But you keep ogling, and one of these times, a Malboro might wipe us all out."
"Don't be ridiculous." Auron snapped. "Who's guarding the right flank while you're back here giving me lessons on how to do my job?"
WHAM!
Wakka's fist met with Auron's jaw, and the two went tumbling down on the road. Auron could hear Lulu scream, and then he pounded his fist back into Wakka's face.
The two scrapped for perhaps a minute and half before Tidus and Kimahri were able to get them seperated. Yuna stepped out, and between the two. It was one of the first times that anyone had seen her absolutely furious.
"What is wrong with you two?"
She berated them both, while Auron raised his jaw, and Wakka began to scratch the back of his head. A flush settled on his face, and he looked downward. Auron's teeth began to grind with his embarassment.
"I won't pretend that everything has been peachy between us all since the Thunder Plains. Everyone knows that you and Lulu are an item, Sir Auron. And everyone knows that you're upset about it, Wakka."
Both men gaped at her. That she would set it out so succinctly, and be willing to call a spade, a spade, when they were all trying to keep such a facade of calm was well.....totally alien to all of them.
"I'm telling you three now...whatever issues you have, whatever problems...I expect them to be resolved before we reach the summit of Gagazet. Zanarkand is just beyond, and we're going to need unity when we reach the sacred ground."
Yuna glowered at them. Her arms folded over her small chest.
"I know I don't put my foot down often. Most of the time, I let you lead me where you will. But I'm doing it now. If we're all to bicker amongst ourselves, and indulge in this disharmony, then we might as well return to Bevelle, and Via Purifico and die there!"
"'M sorry, Yuna." Wakka bent his head. Yuna's talking-to had made him red in the face.
Auron too, inclined his head. His respect for Yuna had just grown threefold.
"As you wish it, Lady Yuna." He mumbled.
**************************
I'm sorry it's such a short chapter, guys. I've got the worst case of writer's block known to man. I'll try to have something up soon..