Chapter 3

The Tenderness Of The Heart

Paine's POV

Scarlet spreads through my cheeks as my mind finally kicks in and realizes what just happened. As Rikku slides her slender arms around my back.

"Anytime Rikku, anytime," I whisper the words swirling in my head. My arms wrap around her slender waist as we walk down the freezing cave's path. I look down squinting for an image, two green eyes look up at me and my heart starts racing.

I shake my head and look away from her. "Are you cold?" She asks her voice full of worry and concern. I lick my lips for moisture and let out a small sigh.

"No, are you?" I reply keeping up a rock solid emotion barrier. Her arms squeeze tighter as she starts to shake.

"N-no," she mutters letting her teeth start to chatter. I stop walking and pry her arms off me, I reach for the silver clasp on my shawl and slowly remove it. I then reach out for Rikku and feel her let out a violent shiver as my fingers dance across her bare shoulders and neck.

"Here," I say wrapping the shawl around the freezing girl. I retract my arms only briefly skimming the side of her shoulders.

"But Dr. P, you will freeze!" Her voice raising but just over a whisper. I wrap my arms around her again and her arms go back to their place.

"Rikku, If only one of us gets through this. Then I want it to be you," I say cursing myself for the sappy mini speech. Her body presses up against my side conversing the few degrees she had collected. I feel her soft hair tickle my neck as her head nuzzles into my almost bare left breast. The shawl normally did a decent job of concealing me. Now that it was gone all I had was a black thin bra and two thick red straps.

"I won't let you leave me," She whispers letting out a small giggle at her own sappy sentence. My heart jumped as her small giggles filled me with long awaited warmth. Small gasps of hot breath tickle my neck as she leans in closer. "Paine, I'm tired," She mutters. I watch as green orbs disappear then reappear as her lashes tickle my neck.

"Must be the potion's drowsy affect," I spit forgetting this obvious miscalculation in my plan. I feel her arms start to lessen their grip and her weight on my side increase. "Shit," I whisper as all her weight slumps onto my side.

Shit now what, If we rest we will surely die. But what about Rikku, ugh I hate this.

I stop walking and grab under her knees, I swing her legs up and place my other hand under her back. Her head leans against my neck deep fiery breaths against my cold skin. My eyes drift up as a small shaft of light appears in the distance, I feel my legs start to speed up. I stand in front of rock after rock but at the very top a small ray of light shines through the darkness. I look at Rikku and notice the light catches her now dirty blonde hair. My lip trembles as I lean down placing a warm kiss on her sun kissed cheek.

"Returning a favor," I whisper my eyes averting back up to the small hole. I slowly bend down placing her small frame on the ground. I reach up for the top rock and give it a yank, it slides neatly off the top and another ray of light streams in stinging my eyes. I reach out for the next and throw them behind me in desperation for the few rays of sun. My arms start to tire as I form a small hole at the top of the pile.

I squint as the sun shines through hitting my now bleeding hands. I reach down and lift up Rikku's freezing body. A soft moan escapes her lips as I stand on my tip toes grunting under extreme pressure slowly pushing her through the hole. Her head fits through followed by her shoulders and finally her body. I clench my teeth and push off the ground with all my remaining strength. I feel sharp pains at my sides as I reach out for the hole and start to scramble up the wall of rocks. They start to slip out of place and a loud rumble starts to emit.

"Rikku!" I yell throwing my body weight forward and pulling up from the hole. I collapse next to Rikku's body on the soft grass. My eyelids start to shake before slowly closing.

"Paine!" She calls through my mind as it shuts off accepting long awaited slumber.

Rikku's POV

I stare wide-eyed at her as her eyes close. Her loud screams previously waking me from my slumber, I reach forward and pick up one of her slender hands. I slowly take off the torn glove and look down at her bleeding fists.

"Oh Paine…" I whisper looking at her chest as it slowly rises and falls. I look up at my surroundings, we are on a large hill. There are trees surrounding us and a small stream at the bottom. I look back down at her serene face as she continues her slumber. My eyes start to twitch as sleep starts fighting back. Curling up against her side I rest my arm across her cold stomach. My leg hitches up and I fall asleep across her like moss on a rock.

I open my eyes hours later and stare into deep crimson orbs. Her arms tighten around my waist as I nuzzle into her neck.

"Rikku," Her words ringing through my head. Small tears slip down from my eyes slowly dripping down onto her collarbone.

I look up into her eyes, losing my thought in red depths. "Oh Paine, you saved my life. I just don't know what to say." I whisper letting more tears escape, she takes her arms off me and sits up.

Without word she pulls me up and lets out a soft sigh. "No Rikku, you don't have to say anything. What I did, is what anyone would do for you. Don't get the idea that I'm special," She says staring at the ground. I take one of her hands in mine and use the other to guide her chin up.

I bite my lip, "To me your special," I whisper my voice croaky from the sleep. A small smile dances across her lips, I let out a giggle as I notice the deep red flooding into her cheeks.

"Rikku, your going to make me gag." She tells me, I lean forward and wrap my arms around her. I feel her arms hug me in return and we stand there holding each other forgetting everything.

She is so warm, she must stick a heater in that bra. Which would explain the size…

I lean up towards her ear. "You look really cute when you blush," I whisper hotly into her ear. She pulls back and raises an eyebrow before smirking.

"You look cute all the time," She replies, we stare at each other before erupting in laughter.

I look at her and give her my biggest grin, "Come on love Dr. P! Let's go save Yunie" I yell taking her hand and running down the hill. She lets out a grunt in response and jogs after me her hand safely in mine. Paine sure has been acting different lately, she seems so more open towards me. But I still think her hard exterior is too sexy anyway. Oh yevon I just called Paine sexy, well I suppose I am kind of attracted to her. But who wouldn't be, any guy would want to caress those curves and any girl would want them. But, I'm not even sure. Maybe I do swing that way, but what about Gippal. Everyone thinks we are going to run off and get married, this is so unfair, if this is love then…

ME? In love with Paine!

I look at Paine and send her another grin as we reach the bottom of the hill. Our pace slows but I keep holding her hand. "Just in case I fall down another hole," I tell her grinning from ear to ear. She gives my hand a squeeze and watches as my grin grows wider. We emerge from the heavy forest and stare at the village of Besaid.

I walk with Paine towards Lulu's hut and walk in. My brow furrows as I look at the black mage sitting on her bed not moving. Her eyes are wide open and in catlike readiness.

"Oh no!" Paine mutters dropping my hand and rushing over towards Lulu. She grabbed her by the shoulders and begin wildly shaking, Lulu's eyes suddenly blinked and Paine let go.

"Paine, what on spira where you doing! I was in the middle of meditation," Lulu snapped sending a glare at the solemn warrior.

"I thought Seymour had gotten to you," Paine replied sending back her death glare. I started to giggle at the two and they both looked at me.

"What!" They snapped simultaneously, I started giggling again and they both rolled their eyes.

I stopped and looked at Lulu. I began to tell her our story leaving out the cuddling and the after sleep. When I finish she apologizes to Paine and then asks us to leave. The nerve of that woman, doesn't she care that we just lost Yunie. I always looked up to Lulu like a mother, I wonder why she is treating us like this anyway. I feel Paine tug at my arm as we get pushed out of the tent.

Paine turns around at the mage. "Your just a stupid old witch that's still depressed because Wakka left you, go burn in hell." With that Paine grabbed my arm again and dragged me out of the village. She finally stops tugging and sits on a nearby rock, I watch as she starts a small chant and I feel a rush of air as her sword flies past my ear and lands in front of her.

"Woah, where did you learn that?" I ask, she simply picks up her swords and sends me a shrug. My brow furrows and I sit on the ground. She looks at me and I watch one thousand emotions pour into my soul. How she rendered me speechless with a look I don't know, I just can't look away from her. I feel my legs start to shuffle as I crawl towards her.

"Rikku, what are you doing?" She asks her voice swirling past my head. I crawl up the rock and latch onto her side crying. Tears stream down my face as I think of Yunie and Lulu. Paine doesn't push me off or tell me to suck it up. She just holds me to her every so often whispering comforting things and wiping my tears. I nuzzle into her neck and look up at her dry as a bone face. She leans down and plants a kiss on my forehead eliminating any pain I feel or have ever felt. How could such bliss come with one kiss. I stare up at her lips, her perfectly tender lips. Oh how I want to kiss those lips, how I want to feel the smooth sensation of her lips dancing against mine. The security of being off limits to anyone and everyone. Paine could provide that, Paine could make it all true.

"I'm sorry Paine, I-I'm having some problems." I tell her, she raises an eyebrow and frowns.

I feel her fingers start to draw small circles on the small of my back sending shivers up my spine. "You can tell me anything," She whispers her hot breath tingling my neck. I feel more tears well up, should I tell her. Should I let everything out and tell her that I need her more than life itself.

"I don't want to scare you, I don't want to ruin everything." I say biting my lip and looking away from her.

"Rikku, tell me, have you ever seen me scared. I assure you whatever this is, will not ruin anything we have accomplished. Over the last couple of hours I have experienced more emotions and feelings than I have in my entire life. Whatever this is can't ruin anything of what I have found." I feel my heart soak up her words and grow at least a couple of sizes.

My entire world was flipped as the odds of Paine loving me back grew just a couple more fractions. But then again, all I needed was a couple more. "Paine, I need you." I whisper into her ear. I reach up and slip my fingers into her silver mane before closing the distance between our lips. Despite her rough appearance her lips must be the softest things in the world as they clashed against my own……

Well that's done, seriously there are so many people reading this and not reviewing! I know when you do it so please don't, because reviews really help me as my inspiration and motivation dies down really fast. So please just write one, .