Paines POV

I remember sitting outside, thinking about her; thinking about Rikku. I couldn't think straight when I thought about her. My thoughts became one huge jumbled mess. I thought about things like how beautiful and smart she was, but then I'd think about how childish and clumsy she was. I'd get lost in the strange smell of strawberries that took over when Rikku invaded my thoughts, but then the thought of the ridicule that would ensue if I were to be with Rikku, another female.

Like I said, when it came to Rikku, I couldn't even think straight. Which if you think about, makes sense in more than one way.

For hours on end my brain had an argument with itself, yes, no, yes, no. I was about to ring my own neck. But suddenly as I sat under the hot sun, fatigue set in and I found myself drifting away into sleep.

At first, even in sleep, I found myself thinking about how much I couldn't be with Rikku. That it would destroy my image. That I just.. couldn't. But as the day went on and I slipped into a deeper sleep I remember dreaming of Rikku coming, telling me it'd be okay, and that it was okay to love eachother. I dreamt of holding her in my arms, and kissing her upon her forehead.

All thoughts of what I'd look like if someone saw me together with her were lost. I was victim only to my emotions, and my heart, for I knew it was more than just a crazy crush now.

Sometime during the night my entire dream changed. I dreamt that Rikku had come out for the meeting we were supposed to have. She looked so beautiful in the light of the moon. I can't really remember what happened, but I remember being picked up and carried off to bed by arms stronger than they look.

I remember falling asleep, in my dream, to the sweet smell of strawberry lipgloss and the warm feeling of Rikku next to me.

Now it was morning. I knew because I could hear Barkeep bustling around below. Slowly I opened my eyes, wary of the sunlight that would soon attack them. Something looked different.

'Wait, did I just hear Barkeep? I thought I was outside!' I thought.

Suddenly I opened my eyes completely. I wasn't even in my own bed, the scenery was slightly different. I realized something else was different, too. I wasn't cold.

Looking at the cause of the warmth, I realized I was in Rikku's bed, with Rikku. Then it hit me- the last dream I had had been real. I hadn't really been dreaming at all.

At first, all I could do was stare at the angel in my arms. She looked so peaceful when she asleep. I found a small smile creep onto my lips.

Then I realized that what I was doing wasn't right. Rikku had probably just set me there because my bed was too far. She didn't really want to be with me.

I didn't know what to do, so I did the only thing in my nature.

I shoved Rikku off the bed and jumped up, quickly putting on an angry face.

"OUCH, what the vilg?" I heard her yell, the last word in Al Bhed. I still understood it, being I speak Al Bhed as well.

"Rikku," I said, "what in Spira did you think you were doing?" I stormed passed her, shooting her a glare as I did so. I made my way down the stairs and straight past Barkeep who just gave me a strange look.

As I walked out of the cabin I could hear a soft sniffling sound. I knew I had made Rikku cry. It broke my heart.

I couldn't go back and apologise. I just couldn't. She'd get suspicious then. I didn't want Rikku to know I loved her, not when there was a risk that I'd lose her as a friend all-together. I needed her there, at least as a friend.

I stopped dead in the middle of the hallway outside of the cabin. I didn't know what to do or where to go now.

After a few moments of pondering, I decided I would leave the ship and go elsewhere. Somewhere to get away from Rikku and try to think clearly. I decided to go to Luca where I figured the bustling activity would keep my mind occupied.

So I walked through the rest of the ship's hallways that lead to the bridge. I walked briskly in with my typical attitude and my normal crimson glare.

"Brother, I want to go to Luca for the day, would you please drop me off there and pick me up at dusk?"

Brother merely gave me a strange look before turning around and shouting his directions at Buddy. I briefly wondered why Brother was even needed, when really all we had to do was tell Buddy where we wanted to go.

A few minutes later the ship came to a rumbling halt in Luca, I quickly exited and the ship took off almost immediately behind me..

I looked around at all the people. Luca was busy as usual. I wondered if anything special was going on, such as a sphere break tournament or a blitzball game. I looked around, but couldn't see any signs of anything special.

I had no idea what to do then, so I just took off around the city, stopping at shops and looking around.

It struck me odd that I'd never really looked around Luca before, even though I had been there many times.

The first shop I stopped at was a strange little clock shop, owned by an old lady who wouldn't stop talking to me since the moment I entered. She asked me if I needed any help, if I was doing okay, if I had a boyfriend... That one made me send her a glare as I turned around and left the dusty little shop.

The second shop I entered was a blitzball shop. I looked around a bit, amazed at the multicolored balls and strange looking uniforms.

The third shop I saw was a flower shop. I didn't go in, but in the window I saw a boquet of white roses, Rikku's favorite flowers. She had once told me they used to be her mother's favorite flowers, so Rikku had adopted them as her own favorite as well.

Quickly casting Rikku out of my thoughts, I stopped at a few more shops before I decided to stop at the cafe to get something to drink. I entered the small, quaint cafe in the middle of Luca. People were gathered there, watching reruns of a blitzball game on the sphere screens.

I walked up to the bar and ordered a Spiran Screw, a weak alcoholic drink. I wanted to get away, but I didn't want to get drunk and have to deal with the reprocussions later. After recieving my drink I walked over to an empty table in the corner of the cafe and sat down upon the revolving chair.

I sat there, sipping on my drink as I studied the other people in the cafe. Most of them were men, staring intently at the game on the screens. The group of people that caught my attention most, however, was the group of two girls sitting in the opposite corner from me. They seemed oddly giggly, but I knew that sometimes friends got that way. I had seen Rikku and Yuna act the same way.

Suddenly though, even as I watched, they leaned over the table towards eachother and gave eachother a small kiss.

My heart stopped. I looked around, noticing I wasn't the only one who had noticed. So perhaps that sort of relationship wasn't looked down upon the way I thought it was. I instantly thought of Rikku, and how I had dreamt of kissing her, sweetly, and softly.

I was just about to stand up to go find Rikku, to apologise, and perhaps tell her more, when I felt a hand roughly grab my shoulder. I was turned around quickly and I suddenly found myself staring straight into angry looking green Al Bhed eyes. "Rikku, what are you doing?"

"Why did you push me off the bed this morning?"

I was about to respond when she continued.

"You had no reason to do that. I was only trying to help you. You're the one that pulled me next to you!"

She was mad, more angry than I had ever seen her before. Even more angry than when she had cussed her father out for turning Zanarkand into a tourist attraction.

I didn't know what to say. She had just put me to shame, I had no witty comments to protect myself. Even worse, the entire cafe was now staring at the two of us.

I was embarrassed, and I could feel the rage build up in my chest, curling my hand into a fist.

"Leave me alone, Rikku," was the only thing I said before I stood up and started for the door.

Once again I felt her hand upon my shoulder, and out of instinct I turned around and slapped her.

The look on her face nearly killed me right there. I stood there and stared, completely shocked at what I had just done.

"Rikku, I-"

"Go away, Paine. Leave me alone!" She screamed at me.

So I did, I turned around and walked out of the cafe, trying to keep my cool despite the fact that my face was burning and everyone was staring at me as I walked by.

"I'm sorry, Rikku," I whispered to noone as I walked towards a different area of Luca.

Reviews are welcomed! Oh, and I don't own any of these characters, sadly. If I did, I'd be rich! Mwa.