There's A Light
A/N: For the love of all things femmeslash... I hope this turned out well. Not too bad for a drabble-turned-story, eh? Well, that's what I think, anyway. XP
Disclaimer: I am not a popular, multi-national electronics company. So I can't own X-2. Dammit!
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There's A Light
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"Don't get overconfident. You're bound to screw up shortly."
One keen pink tongue flashed out at such a statement, the visible sign of the younger's irritability and annoyance. "Nyeh! I've been doing this longer than you have---I think I know what I'm doing!"
A shrug followed. "Think what you want. You'll still screw it up."
"Arrgh! I don't know why I even bother!"
Storming off in a huff, the overly-moody girl struck out at a rocky pillar with one of her twin blades. For the past year and a half, she'd been at this profession. And suddenly this new girl---four months in with the crew of the Celsius---knew more than she?
Rikku's blood was boiling.
And as her comrade stalked off, the stoic warrior whom really couldn't be called much else let out a sigh. Rikku, the Walking Screw-Up. It might as well have been painted on her face. For as long as Paine had been working with the Gullwings, it had been her own eyes that had borne witness to the 'accidents' the young Al Bhed caused.
Cave-ins. Floods. Catastrophes. And that was only on and under her own bed, too.
Even now, she thought that she was unseen. In all truth, the glint off the sun off her weaponry shone like mad in the dancing sunlight.
Disgusted enough, the iced-over partisan began to turn away. The sphere they were after would not be embedded in the rock, no matter how hard the young thief tried to warp that theory.
"Oh---hey---!"
One crimson orb flecked backwards, and leather boots came to a halt. But just as quickly as the reprimand surged from her mind to her lips did she see the disaster falling into place before her.
The words, unheeded, died in her throat as dust and rock consumed the naked pathway where once an Al Bhed had stood, frozen, paralyzed with an unknowing grip of shock and fear.
Leather and metal kissed the earth as the unfeeling warrior dropped to her knees and began to dig through the rubble, its constant and contemptuous pile growing and showing no hope of fortuitousness.
"Rikku!" came the shout now, frenzied by adrenaline and an unbidden surge of caring. "Rikku!"
More rocks fell away. Hands clutched at more and let go instantaneously as the cold, clear sting cut through even the most well-made gloves.
In her hands was the dagger, and her glove flit open to reveal the line of blood seeping out from both palm and fingers. Dribbling down, it smeared the rocks she continued to shove out of the way, mindless of the infection that might and would ensue.
Movement slowed, ceased, and the bloodied digits buried themselves into cold, stony nothingness. It was as it had been prior---fruitless.
With a clambor and a scuttle, the rocks seemed to twist below the fighter's still form. Her hand, uninjured, moved immediately to the handle of her sword as she waited for the proper fiend to appear.
But only a burst of sunlight, kissed by the sweetest breath of the phoenix came flying through. Covered in dirt and mud and grime, the prettiest face flew back, matter hair flying out.
Though torn in places, her clothing held like that of something angelic and her smile failed only as she saw the elder's face.
One gleeful cry left her, and so too did the forces of gravity and the laws of physics as she flung herself into still arms, attached to a body still clinging at disbelief.
"Paine!" was called, and dirty arms slithered around a neck. "You really do care!"
The shocked silence was then broken as though it were but a spell. Arms began to move in response, only to grip at bare shoulders instead of the possible embrace.
"You---!" came the hiss. "You---!"
But no more of the threat could be vocalized, even as her warm eyes hardened. Her position had already been given away, no doubt due to the chipper young thing.
Rikku's smile faded as the hands left her, red smearing her arm from a wound that was not her own. Bright green eyes looked up instantly, swirling with an intense emotion.
"You cut yourself!" Followed by, "I can't believe you cut yourself!"
A scowl followed. "Watch it."
The immediate reaction was to go in and kiss her, and Rikku fought it for a moment, body swaying back and forth as though being punished by a great and terrible wind. The urge was too strong and her lips soon met the warrior's in a quick peck.
Blank eyes stared into hers as she pulled back, pink swlling over her cheeks, and still no response came forth.
And so the pretty young Al Bhed pouted and let go, pulling herself away, but never fully. Golden strings remained, entwined with silver chains, and the insanely nervous grin returned to her face.
Amused now, for the first time in years, Paine's smile too was the first in a long time and she went about removing the girl's skimpy top from her clothing slowly, Rikku growing all the redder.
It twisted in her hand, a ball of immaculate sunshine. Giving the other female the usual once-over, she was quick to drop the cloth as though it burned through her thick gloves, her hands in which pressed against the younger's topless body.
Her eyes met the blonde's, who could not expect any other reaction but the closeness of the warrior's body as her lips met the thief's ear, her body sliding in closer. The words came as a breath of whisper and awe, and there was some element in them that had her gasping out loud.
"I knew you'd screw it up."
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fin
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A/N: ... XD I love my study hall sometimes. ::lovelovelove:: And if you thought the ending was weird, well, SO DID I. Gah, I just can't win with my brain sometimes...
And yes. Topless!Rikku at the end there. Good thing Paine was there to cover her up, eh? Eh? XD
---Gangsta Videl