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And Baby Makes Three
Chapter Thirteen - It's Not Really That Bad...
By: Digi-Esca Girl
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy X and all of it's characters, settings, places, etc. belong to Squaresoft. **************************************************************************** ********** The light breeze whistled through her hair, echoing in her ears alongside the light laughter of the little girl she had come to know as her daughter. The wind brushed swiftly past both of their faces in the ten seconds it took to slip down the white and green slide that had been Rikku's favorite park "attraction" since she herself was three years old. Alatriel giggled in an innocent voice that could only be described as belonging to a child, and the sound put a serene smile on the young Al Bhed's face as the trip came to an end, and her feet met with the sandy ground.
"Was that fun, Alatriel?" Rikku asked, picking the girl up out of her lap as she rose to a standing position.
The toddler clapped her chubby little hands in answer, and continued to smile broadly. Her arms outstretched towards a young blonde man approaching them, and Rikku's smile widened as she took in the handsome face of her "husband", Carter Sinclair.
His blonde hair hung just above his eyes in an almost boyish fashion, adding to the soft, sincere look that glimmered in his russet eyes. Rikku often found herself taking nonsense to him, simply so that she could spend those few minutes getting lost in the cinnamon depths that went on forever. To her, they seemed like a chocolate river that ran straight down to his soul. His lips parted, revealing white teeth and a perfect smile as he came to stand beside her, his own arms reaching out in his daughter's direction.
Rikku transferred the girl over to her "Daddy", and marveled, for about the fiftieth time, at the close bond they seemed to have formed in just over a week. He lifted her up close to his face, fluttering a butterfly kiss on her left cheek, and watching with what looked to be adoration as she giggled at the feathery touch.
"Again!" Alatriel cried, the wide smile on her face never faltering as she looked between Carter and Rikku.
"Go ahead," Rikku said, nodding towards the picnic spot they had set up upon arriving, "I'll just go wait for you two to finish."
"Oh no you don't," Carter reprimanded, reaching out with one hand to grab Rikku's wrist gently, while leaving his other limb to support the little girl who'd made the request, "You're coming with us."
"I am?" Rikku answered, a small smirk creeping its way onto her lips as her eyes locked with Carter's.
"Yes you are. Let's go!" He replied enthusiastically, leading her towards the stairs at the slide's base.
The two of them climbed up to the top, and just as Rikku was about to sit down, Carter paused, holding Alatriel out to her. Rikku looked at him questioningly, but he simply placed the girl in her arms and motioned for her to sit down. Not one to inquire to him, the Al Bhed did as she was asked, taking the toddler and sitting down at the very top of the slide. A crimson stain spread upon her cheeks as Carter slid in right behind her, placing his arms around her waist and encircling Alatriel in the same motion. His legs stretched out beside hers, still longer despite the fact that he was further back.
"Ready?" He asked, his mouth dangerously close to her ear. She could only nod in reply as he slid forward, sending the three of them down the slide in the time it took to blink.
The feeling of the wind barely even registered to Rikku this time, as all she was concentrating on was the handsome blonde man behind her, who was laughing like it was going out of style. She could just picture what his face looked like in that moment, and it brought yet another smile to her face. She closed her eyes, trying her hardest to etch the feeling of this small event into her mind so she could look back on it whenever she chose to.
The ride ended too soon, for any of their liking, and even though he and Alatriel wanted badly to go again, Carter decided that it would be a better decision all around to go and have something to eat first. He waited for Rikku to stand up before he did the same, walking behind the young blonde girl towards the picnic area they had made ready. * * * * * After all of the packed food was eaten, or at the very least nibbled at, Alatriel announced, rather bluntly, that she wanted to go and sit on top of the bright green monkey bars. A flash of worry illuminated Rikku's swirling eyes, and she turned to face Carter, who seemed amused by the toddler's declaration.
"I'll be right there with her, okay?" He assured her, reaching out and watching the girl walk awkwardly over to sit in his lap. Rikku still seemed a little uncertain, but the warmth floating in Carter's chocolate eyes made her melt inside, and she knew that he would never let anything happen to the young girl that had been entrusted into their care. She was surprised by the strong maternal instincts that took over her whenever Alatriel was concerned, especially so early on in the assignment, but she was certain that having these motherly reflexes was a good thing.
"Alright, alright..." Rikku agreed, mockingly rolling her eyes as both her 'husband' and 'daughter' smiled broadly.
Carter rose to his knees, Alatriel in his arms, and leaned over to kiss Rikku lightly on the cheek. He hesitated afterwards with an awkward pause, as if caught off guard by his own actions. He blushed lightly, a contrast to Rikku's new shade of bright crimson. He cleared his throat and got to his feet, hoisting the girl onto his shoulders.
"Sorry. Reflex..." He muttered, as if those two words could completely explain what he'd done.
"It's okay. Reflexes are good, right?" She replied, giving him a secret look that told him all he needed to know:
He now had her permission to do that again anytime he wanted to.
With this thought buzzing around excitedly in his head, he smiled, turning and heading off towards the vividly colored playground that his 'daughter' wanted so badly to be in. Rikku simply sat on the picnic blanket, watching them go, a small, shy smile on her face. Once they were walking in the sandy edges of the children's heaven, she cast her arms out to the side and lay back spread-eagled on the ground, staring up at the calm, clear blue sky above her.
All she knew was, if the rest of the assignment was like this, it would be the easiest, and most enjoyable, passing grade she'd ever received. **** **** **** **** **** 'I can't believe I'm doing this...' Yuna thought, watching as Tidus swam over to the net and readied himself for the assault he knew was coming.
Kieran was bouncing the ball off his head excitedly, waiting for the blonde blitzer to position himself in the net properly so he could begin shooting at him. Knowing that Tidus' skills surpassed hers and Kieran's incredibly, Yuna had suggested that to start off, she and Kieran could simply shoot at Tidus and see if they could score. The left corner of the blonde's mouth had quirked upwards at this, and he had wholeheartedly agreed, passing Kieran the ball he was dribbling and heading off towards the square-shaped structure on the right side of the field. As he watched Yuna pass the ball slowly from one hand to the other, he couldn't help but think back to the morning when he'd woken up to find her nestled in his arms, a small smile playing on her lips. Her hair, smelling of pure cinnamon, had been so soft it felt like spun silk, and for some inexplicable reason, Tidus found himself aching to feel that texture brush against his skin again. He kicked himself mentally, reaching upwards to stretch out his arms as Kieran centered himself with the net in the middle of the sphere pool.
'Piece of cake....' The blitzer thought, bending slightly at the waist and placing his arms in front of him. His fingers were wiggling anxiously; his eyes darting all around the pool as if he was expecting three other attackers to be coming towards the net. Despite the relaxation and sureness in his thoughts, he couldn't help the nervous feelings that were surfacing in the pit of his stomach.
The first time he'd ever played blitzball on a team, he had been placed in the net; a direct result of the high Catch status he'd gained blocking shots from Jecht as a young child. Their first game, he had felt like a nervous wreck; like the whole world would crash and burn if he let even one shot go past him. It was this feeling, however, that led his team to the playoffs that first season.
His nerves constantly jumbled, Tidus continued to block shot after shot, holding the record in his age league for the most consecutive shutouts. Over time, though, his nerves relaxed, and he found himself getting more and more comfortable in the net, sometimes stopping the ball at the very last second, putting the crowds and his teammates on edge. He never let one in, despite all his tricks, and he grew even more cocky than the previous game every time.
Then, in the final playoff game, the game from which the city-wide winners would be crowned and given a trophy, his luck ran out, and his confidence got the better of him. With thirty-seven seconds left in the second half, he'd attempted to do a trick to save the shot, but he took too long and the ball whizzed past him, breaking the 2-2 tie and giving their opponents the trophy.
Angry with himself for practically handing them the trophy on a silver platter, Tidus gave up being a goalie, and even quit blitzball altogether until he entered the eighth grade. It was at this time that he was finally able to get over his guilty feelings and try again, this time as a defense- man. Over the years, however, his potential as a forward came through, with stunts like pulling off a sphere shot from the opposite end of the pool and scoring, aiding his ascension. He was hesitant at first, but had slowly relaxed into the role, much like he had done as a child goalie.
The only difference was, no matter how stubborn and cocky he appeared outside of the sphere pool, he never, under any circumstances, underestimated his opponents again. It was simply a life lesson that he had taught himself at a young age, and it had stuck with him all these years. Shaking himself out of his reverie, Tidus focused on the little boy winding up for a shot.
The ear-to-ear grin on his face was most likely something that almost never occurred, and the blonde silently made a promise to himself that he would do everything in his power to keep that expression on Kieran's face for as long as he could. Oblivious to the blitzers thoughts, Yuna herself was also making that same promise as she watched the ball fly towards the net with speed that was unusual for a boy her son's age. She smiled brightly when Tidus made a show out of trying to stop the ball, only to twist his arm out of the way discreetly at the last possible second, letting the blue-and- white sphere slide past him and into the net.
As the goal buzzers sounded, Yuna and Kieran's smiles did not go unnoticed, and they triggered another happy expression on the face of the Great Trickster himself as he watched them, laughter shining in his cerulean eyes.
'Maybe they won't be THAT hard to live with after all...' Tidus decided mentally, watching with an amused smirk as Kieran performed his own version of Wakka's famous victory dance. **** **** **** **** **** The nervousness was apparent in both young adults standing in the room, one wondering what to say after such a stellar opening line, while the other contemplated what to say period. The latter of the two parties reached up with an unsteady hand to brush his fingers over the backward russet wave that was his hair. The aforementioned first party was trying to imagine what was going through the head of the Besaidian native before her, but she simply couldn't sink down to his evolutionary level. A smirk played on her cranberry stained lips as this thought entered her head, distracting her from the uncertain conversation that was due to begin at any moment.
"I never thought...that this would be so awkward, ya?" Wakka said quietly, suddenly finding a very interesting spot on the carpet to focus his vision on. Lulu could only nod in reply, knowing that he couldn't see her do so, while she formulated her verbal response in her head.
"Wakka, I...." She paused, unsure of how to proceed, "It was just a kiss, right?" She finally looked at him, only to find that he was still enthralled with the floor. He nodded after a moment, finally looking up and meeting her gaze. The stunning crimson depths still surprised him every time he looked into them.
"Ya. Just a kiss..." He at last agreed, a tiny smile appearing on his face. Lulu decided to be bold at that moment, and took a step towards the blitzer, realizing as she neared him just how much taller than her he really was.
"Wakka, would I be wrong if I said that..." She looked to the ground for a second, then pulled her crumbling resolve together and met his russet gaze once more, "it was a great kiss, albeit a short one?" Wakka's smile became even wider as he looked down on her, his straight white teeth almost seeming to sparkle in the dimming sunlight coming through the windows.
His mind was racing, and he had the slight urge to lean down and kiss her again, if even it was only to feel that delicious chill slither up and down his spine one more time. "Ya. It was pretty good, eh? Well..." He continued, reaching up and interlocking his fingers behind his head, "that's just what happens when you kiss someone as great as me, ya?" He finished, smirking.
"Oh is that what you think?" Lulu replied, glaring up at him with a smirk equal to his own on her face.
"Nope. That's what I know, ya? And I think that you noticed it too, judging by the way you got "cold" when I kissed ya," Wakka answered, his cinnamon eyes glimmering with the cocky mischief present in his voice.
At this, Lulu's cheeks stained a light crimson, and she looked at his now retreating back with a fire in her eyes. She clenched her fists and hurried to stand behind him, bringing one of her closed hands down on his back. He stopped, turned around, and grabbed her wrists before she could repeat the motion. His expression was simply infuriating, but his words were even worse.
He leaned down until his lips were poised beside her ear before he spoke. "If you don't stop throwing yourself at me, how am I supposed to resist you, ya?" He asked, his voice sending those familiar chills racing through her limbs. She was attracted to him, and she despised him for it.
"You..."She began, glaring up at him when he pulled away, "are the most arrogant, infuriating, pompous, whiny, BRAT I have ever met in my entire life!! You-you-you aahh!!!" The mage threw her hands in the air, not being able to come up with enough rude comments to describe the man standing before her.
Wakka just chuckled, a rumbling that began deep in his chest and slowly tumbled forth out through his lips, which angered Lulu even further as he found her frustration amusing. He stopped after a moment and, still smiling, met her gaze. "I'm going out. I'll be back before 7:00, though, so don't worry, ya?" Was all he said as he left the room, heading for the front door.
Once he got there, he slipped on his runners, pulling his keys out of his jacket pocket. He discarded the outerwear garment, knowing that he wouldn't need it in the warm weather, and opened the door. Before he walked outside, however, he turned and looked back, spotting Lulu heading up the stairs to check on Jade.
He simply left the house, closing the door quietly behind him as he did so, and heading out to his truck. As he climbed in the driver's seat and took off for the gym, he couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face. Unbeknownst to him, he and Lulu were sharing the same thought at that moment: 'Maybe I won't fail this project after all.......' * * * * * * * * **************************************************************************** ***** Well THAT was certainly a long time coming, wasn't it? I'm soooooo sorry about the wait, and to tell you the truth, I have no justification for it this time. The only reason I can offer you is that I simply did not feel like writing until recently, and here is the product of that.
As one reviewer pointed out, it seems that I update roughly once every month, which may become more-or-less the norm for the next few months, as I have final exams, which are a total bitch, and summer school after that. I am, however, extremely grateful for all the reviews I've received thus far, and I hope that this chapter satisfies you for the next little while.
Once again I would like to apologize for making you guys wait so long, and I hope I won't take as long next time. Pray for me and maybe it'll happen (- _^)
Until next time, ja ne minna!
Digi-Esca Girl
laurie_22@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy X and all of it's characters, settings, places, etc. belong to Squaresoft. **************************************************************************** ********** The light breeze whistled through her hair, echoing in her ears alongside the light laughter of the little girl she had come to know as her daughter. The wind brushed swiftly past both of their faces in the ten seconds it took to slip down the white and green slide that had been Rikku's favorite park "attraction" since she herself was three years old. Alatriel giggled in an innocent voice that could only be described as belonging to a child, and the sound put a serene smile on the young Al Bhed's face as the trip came to an end, and her feet met with the sandy ground.
"Was that fun, Alatriel?" Rikku asked, picking the girl up out of her lap as she rose to a standing position.
The toddler clapped her chubby little hands in answer, and continued to smile broadly. Her arms outstretched towards a young blonde man approaching them, and Rikku's smile widened as she took in the handsome face of her "husband", Carter Sinclair.
His blonde hair hung just above his eyes in an almost boyish fashion, adding to the soft, sincere look that glimmered in his russet eyes. Rikku often found herself taking nonsense to him, simply so that she could spend those few minutes getting lost in the cinnamon depths that went on forever. To her, they seemed like a chocolate river that ran straight down to his soul. His lips parted, revealing white teeth and a perfect smile as he came to stand beside her, his own arms reaching out in his daughter's direction.
Rikku transferred the girl over to her "Daddy", and marveled, for about the fiftieth time, at the close bond they seemed to have formed in just over a week. He lifted her up close to his face, fluttering a butterfly kiss on her left cheek, and watching with what looked to be adoration as she giggled at the feathery touch.
"Again!" Alatriel cried, the wide smile on her face never faltering as she looked between Carter and Rikku.
"Go ahead," Rikku said, nodding towards the picnic spot they had set up upon arriving, "I'll just go wait for you two to finish."
"Oh no you don't," Carter reprimanded, reaching out with one hand to grab Rikku's wrist gently, while leaving his other limb to support the little girl who'd made the request, "You're coming with us."
"I am?" Rikku answered, a small smirk creeping its way onto her lips as her eyes locked with Carter's.
"Yes you are. Let's go!" He replied enthusiastically, leading her towards the stairs at the slide's base.
The two of them climbed up to the top, and just as Rikku was about to sit down, Carter paused, holding Alatriel out to her. Rikku looked at him questioningly, but he simply placed the girl in her arms and motioned for her to sit down. Not one to inquire to him, the Al Bhed did as she was asked, taking the toddler and sitting down at the very top of the slide. A crimson stain spread upon her cheeks as Carter slid in right behind her, placing his arms around her waist and encircling Alatriel in the same motion. His legs stretched out beside hers, still longer despite the fact that he was further back.
"Ready?" He asked, his mouth dangerously close to her ear. She could only nod in reply as he slid forward, sending the three of them down the slide in the time it took to blink.
The feeling of the wind barely even registered to Rikku this time, as all she was concentrating on was the handsome blonde man behind her, who was laughing like it was going out of style. She could just picture what his face looked like in that moment, and it brought yet another smile to her face. She closed her eyes, trying her hardest to etch the feeling of this small event into her mind so she could look back on it whenever she chose to.
The ride ended too soon, for any of their liking, and even though he and Alatriel wanted badly to go again, Carter decided that it would be a better decision all around to go and have something to eat first. He waited for Rikku to stand up before he did the same, walking behind the young blonde girl towards the picnic area they had made ready. * * * * * After all of the packed food was eaten, or at the very least nibbled at, Alatriel announced, rather bluntly, that she wanted to go and sit on top of the bright green monkey bars. A flash of worry illuminated Rikku's swirling eyes, and she turned to face Carter, who seemed amused by the toddler's declaration.
"I'll be right there with her, okay?" He assured her, reaching out and watching the girl walk awkwardly over to sit in his lap. Rikku still seemed a little uncertain, but the warmth floating in Carter's chocolate eyes made her melt inside, and she knew that he would never let anything happen to the young girl that had been entrusted into their care. She was surprised by the strong maternal instincts that took over her whenever Alatriel was concerned, especially so early on in the assignment, but she was certain that having these motherly reflexes was a good thing.
"Alright, alright..." Rikku agreed, mockingly rolling her eyes as both her 'husband' and 'daughter' smiled broadly.
Carter rose to his knees, Alatriel in his arms, and leaned over to kiss Rikku lightly on the cheek. He hesitated afterwards with an awkward pause, as if caught off guard by his own actions. He blushed lightly, a contrast to Rikku's new shade of bright crimson. He cleared his throat and got to his feet, hoisting the girl onto his shoulders.
"Sorry. Reflex..." He muttered, as if those two words could completely explain what he'd done.
"It's okay. Reflexes are good, right?" She replied, giving him a secret look that told him all he needed to know:
He now had her permission to do that again anytime he wanted to.
With this thought buzzing around excitedly in his head, he smiled, turning and heading off towards the vividly colored playground that his 'daughter' wanted so badly to be in. Rikku simply sat on the picnic blanket, watching them go, a small, shy smile on her face. Once they were walking in the sandy edges of the children's heaven, she cast her arms out to the side and lay back spread-eagled on the ground, staring up at the calm, clear blue sky above her.
All she knew was, if the rest of the assignment was like this, it would be the easiest, and most enjoyable, passing grade she'd ever received. **** **** **** **** **** 'I can't believe I'm doing this...' Yuna thought, watching as Tidus swam over to the net and readied himself for the assault he knew was coming.
Kieran was bouncing the ball off his head excitedly, waiting for the blonde blitzer to position himself in the net properly so he could begin shooting at him. Knowing that Tidus' skills surpassed hers and Kieran's incredibly, Yuna had suggested that to start off, she and Kieran could simply shoot at Tidus and see if they could score. The left corner of the blonde's mouth had quirked upwards at this, and he had wholeheartedly agreed, passing Kieran the ball he was dribbling and heading off towards the square-shaped structure on the right side of the field. As he watched Yuna pass the ball slowly from one hand to the other, he couldn't help but think back to the morning when he'd woken up to find her nestled in his arms, a small smile playing on her lips. Her hair, smelling of pure cinnamon, had been so soft it felt like spun silk, and for some inexplicable reason, Tidus found himself aching to feel that texture brush against his skin again. He kicked himself mentally, reaching upwards to stretch out his arms as Kieran centered himself with the net in the middle of the sphere pool.
'Piece of cake....' The blitzer thought, bending slightly at the waist and placing his arms in front of him. His fingers were wiggling anxiously; his eyes darting all around the pool as if he was expecting three other attackers to be coming towards the net. Despite the relaxation and sureness in his thoughts, he couldn't help the nervous feelings that were surfacing in the pit of his stomach.
The first time he'd ever played blitzball on a team, he had been placed in the net; a direct result of the high Catch status he'd gained blocking shots from Jecht as a young child. Their first game, he had felt like a nervous wreck; like the whole world would crash and burn if he let even one shot go past him. It was this feeling, however, that led his team to the playoffs that first season.
His nerves constantly jumbled, Tidus continued to block shot after shot, holding the record in his age league for the most consecutive shutouts. Over time, though, his nerves relaxed, and he found himself getting more and more comfortable in the net, sometimes stopping the ball at the very last second, putting the crowds and his teammates on edge. He never let one in, despite all his tricks, and he grew even more cocky than the previous game every time.
Then, in the final playoff game, the game from which the city-wide winners would be crowned and given a trophy, his luck ran out, and his confidence got the better of him. With thirty-seven seconds left in the second half, he'd attempted to do a trick to save the shot, but he took too long and the ball whizzed past him, breaking the 2-2 tie and giving their opponents the trophy.
Angry with himself for practically handing them the trophy on a silver platter, Tidus gave up being a goalie, and even quit blitzball altogether until he entered the eighth grade. It was at this time that he was finally able to get over his guilty feelings and try again, this time as a defense- man. Over the years, however, his potential as a forward came through, with stunts like pulling off a sphere shot from the opposite end of the pool and scoring, aiding his ascension. He was hesitant at first, but had slowly relaxed into the role, much like he had done as a child goalie.
The only difference was, no matter how stubborn and cocky he appeared outside of the sphere pool, he never, under any circumstances, underestimated his opponents again. It was simply a life lesson that he had taught himself at a young age, and it had stuck with him all these years. Shaking himself out of his reverie, Tidus focused on the little boy winding up for a shot.
The ear-to-ear grin on his face was most likely something that almost never occurred, and the blonde silently made a promise to himself that he would do everything in his power to keep that expression on Kieran's face for as long as he could. Oblivious to the blitzers thoughts, Yuna herself was also making that same promise as she watched the ball fly towards the net with speed that was unusual for a boy her son's age. She smiled brightly when Tidus made a show out of trying to stop the ball, only to twist his arm out of the way discreetly at the last possible second, letting the blue-and- white sphere slide past him and into the net.
As the goal buzzers sounded, Yuna and Kieran's smiles did not go unnoticed, and they triggered another happy expression on the face of the Great Trickster himself as he watched them, laughter shining in his cerulean eyes.
'Maybe they won't be THAT hard to live with after all...' Tidus decided mentally, watching with an amused smirk as Kieran performed his own version of Wakka's famous victory dance. **** **** **** **** **** The nervousness was apparent in both young adults standing in the room, one wondering what to say after such a stellar opening line, while the other contemplated what to say period. The latter of the two parties reached up with an unsteady hand to brush his fingers over the backward russet wave that was his hair. The aforementioned first party was trying to imagine what was going through the head of the Besaidian native before her, but she simply couldn't sink down to his evolutionary level. A smirk played on her cranberry stained lips as this thought entered her head, distracting her from the uncertain conversation that was due to begin at any moment.
"I never thought...that this would be so awkward, ya?" Wakka said quietly, suddenly finding a very interesting spot on the carpet to focus his vision on. Lulu could only nod in reply, knowing that he couldn't see her do so, while she formulated her verbal response in her head.
"Wakka, I...." She paused, unsure of how to proceed, "It was just a kiss, right?" She finally looked at him, only to find that he was still enthralled with the floor. He nodded after a moment, finally looking up and meeting her gaze. The stunning crimson depths still surprised him every time he looked into them.
"Ya. Just a kiss..." He at last agreed, a tiny smile appearing on his face. Lulu decided to be bold at that moment, and took a step towards the blitzer, realizing as she neared him just how much taller than her he really was.
"Wakka, would I be wrong if I said that..." She looked to the ground for a second, then pulled her crumbling resolve together and met his russet gaze once more, "it was a great kiss, albeit a short one?" Wakka's smile became even wider as he looked down on her, his straight white teeth almost seeming to sparkle in the dimming sunlight coming through the windows.
His mind was racing, and he had the slight urge to lean down and kiss her again, if even it was only to feel that delicious chill slither up and down his spine one more time. "Ya. It was pretty good, eh? Well..." He continued, reaching up and interlocking his fingers behind his head, "that's just what happens when you kiss someone as great as me, ya?" He finished, smirking.
"Oh is that what you think?" Lulu replied, glaring up at him with a smirk equal to his own on her face.
"Nope. That's what I know, ya? And I think that you noticed it too, judging by the way you got "cold" when I kissed ya," Wakka answered, his cinnamon eyes glimmering with the cocky mischief present in his voice.
At this, Lulu's cheeks stained a light crimson, and she looked at his now retreating back with a fire in her eyes. She clenched her fists and hurried to stand behind him, bringing one of her closed hands down on his back. He stopped, turned around, and grabbed her wrists before she could repeat the motion. His expression was simply infuriating, but his words were even worse.
He leaned down until his lips were poised beside her ear before he spoke. "If you don't stop throwing yourself at me, how am I supposed to resist you, ya?" He asked, his voice sending those familiar chills racing through her limbs. She was attracted to him, and she despised him for it.
"You..."She began, glaring up at him when he pulled away, "are the most arrogant, infuriating, pompous, whiny, BRAT I have ever met in my entire life!! You-you-you aahh!!!" The mage threw her hands in the air, not being able to come up with enough rude comments to describe the man standing before her.
Wakka just chuckled, a rumbling that began deep in his chest and slowly tumbled forth out through his lips, which angered Lulu even further as he found her frustration amusing. He stopped after a moment and, still smiling, met her gaze. "I'm going out. I'll be back before 7:00, though, so don't worry, ya?" Was all he said as he left the room, heading for the front door.
Once he got there, he slipped on his runners, pulling his keys out of his jacket pocket. He discarded the outerwear garment, knowing that he wouldn't need it in the warm weather, and opened the door. Before he walked outside, however, he turned and looked back, spotting Lulu heading up the stairs to check on Jade.
He simply left the house, closing the door quietly behind him as he did so, and heading out to his truck. As he climbed in the driver's seat and took off for the gym, he couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face. Unbeknownst to him, he and Lulu were sharing the same thought at that moment: 'Maybe I won't fail this project after all.......' * * * * * * * * **************************************************************************** ***** Well THAT was certainly a long time coming, wasn't it? I'm soooooo sorry about the wait, and to tell you the truth, I have no justification for it this time. The only reason I can offer you is that I simply did not feel like writing until recently, and here is the product of that.
As one reviewer pointed out, it seems that I update roughly once every month, which may become more-or-less the norm for the next few months, as I have final exams, which are a total bitch, and summer school after that. I am, however, extremely grateful for all the reviews I've received thus far, and I hope that this chapter satisfies you for the next little while.
Once again I would like to apologize for making you guys wait so long, and I hope I won't take as long next time. Pray for me and maybe it'll happen (- _^)
Until next time, ja ne minna!
Digi-Esca Girl
laurie_22@hotmail.com