Sorry everyone! I've been really busy not having any inspiration to write . but I'm back now! Constructive criticism and just plain compliments are still appreciated and thank you so much for all your nice things to say! I could also use a beta reader, if anyone is interested.
One of my reviewers had a really good question...Icing Flower, I actually read an AU Aurikku by Eva Harlow that took place in our Universe when Auron was still around. It kind of altered my perception of the whole story and I liked the idea of him being around in an AU. So I guess this is sort of AU. I'll have to work out how he's still around sometime in the future.
He is better off dead in X-2 because goddamn that game was warped and not half as good as FFX. Amen, sista.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, nor am I gaining any profit (except personal satisfaction ) so please don't come after me with your money-fiends.
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Chapter 03
They're Fine
Rikku landed as gracefully as she could on top of the roof of the Travel Agency, her wet braids slapping against her face. The rain wasn't as bad today, though once you jumped below the dark clouds you immediately got acquainted with a permanent night. And it wasn't cold either --- infact, the rain was warm and soft against her skin and clothes, almost soothing, as if silk was melting through her skin.
She hopped off the roof, but this time she wasn't so graceful. Landing in what she thought was a puddle turned out to be a mud slide. Her legs went up in the air as her upper body came splashing down in the mud.
A wave of fear came over her as she became aware of what just happened. The cool mud slid like slime downwards while she tried to rest on her elbows. Blinking her eyes roughly a few times, she shook her head and brought herself to her senses. There before her stood Auron, his great figure looming over her.
"Hmhmhm," the closest you could get to a chuckle from him.
"Don't laugh at me!"
He stopped and watched her struggle. A sound like "hmph" erupted from Rikku as she struggled to get herself up. She barely got to her feet, one knee still on the ground, one arm in the air grabbing for balance...then fell back in.
"You could help me, you know!" But the guardian's hand was already outstretched towards her. Rikku took it after looking at it for a few seconds, as if trying to label what it was. He pulled her up with ease and a slight grunt. She stood apart from him, trying to wipe off the mud from her skirt without hitting him with any.
Thunder crashed, a big flash of lightening across the sky.
"Eeek!"
This time Auron predicted her instinct to fall into mud puddles and caught her in his arms, dropping his katana in the mud.
Suddenly aware of her bearings, Rikku hopped up, mumbled a nervous "thank you" and picked up her belongings that landed a few feet from her.
"I guess we should find a good spot... what about that shelter thing over there?" She briskly walked towards the potential area, talking to herself. It looked like a dried up, wooden mushroom. Couldn't be wood, though. It would've softened and caved in if it was wood.
Auron chuckled, picked up his sword and walked slowly behind her, keeping a safe distance. It was just like her to be hyper and bouncy. Tidus made a remark to him once, a while back, when they were still on Yuna's pilgrimage; Auron remembered it well.
"You know, Auron...she's really not as annoying when you're not around." Tidus smirked at the knight.
"Hm. What do you mean?"
"Well, I remember on the ship when I first came to Spira, and while she was rather friendly...she was never shakingly hyper. And then you were with us, and when she came...she was..."
"I know what you're getting at. Leave it alone."
Tidus shrugged. "I know what you're thinking, old man."
"Leave. It. Alone. Come on, they're waiting." Auron got up to leave. As he was turning his back...
"Just saying..." Auron froze, turned his head to the side so he could see Tidus out of the corner of his good eye, and glared. Then he walked on.
Auron chuckled at the memory and sped up his pace to catch up with Rikku. When he got there, she already set her bags down and stood staring at them. She shifted her weight to her left leg, tilted her head to that side and started lightly scratching her cheek with her forefinger; a trademark Rikku mannerism.
She's cute when she does that, Auron grinned at the gesture and set his katana against the large pillar that held up the...shelter. Standing at the edge of the platform, he quietly surveyed the land and decided the only place he could get anything useful for heat was at the Al Bhed Travel Agency.
"I'm going to get some food, want anything?"
"Uuhh...sure! I'll have a cheesburger with fries, and a Mountain Dew. That okay?"
"That's it?"
"What do you mean?"
"I recall you had a much larger appetite." He said kindly, almost amusingly. Rikku didn't take offense at the potential implication that she was fat.She wouldn't not wear as much as she does if she were fat.
"I had something before we got here."
"How about...two cheesburgers?"
"Better make it two Mountain Dews, then."
"Want any shoopuff milk? It might help get you relaxed."
"No, Mountain Dew is fine."
"I'll be back soon."
"I'm not going anywhere," she said, and with that she unclipped her bags and dumped the contents all over the platform. Auron walked out into the rain and made his way to the travel agency.
He acts like...my guardian, or something, she said to herself as she watched him out of the corners of her eyes.
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It came to the point where Rikku had to decide where they would both sleep...that is, would he rather sleep on the other side, or closer to her, or...?
"Gross!" She said as an image of Auron and her sleeping together flashed into her mind. She couldn't help but smile, though. She did feel a little tingling in her "secret area," which didn't help her decision-making, either.
Maybe I should've taken him up on that shoopuff milk offer, she thought as she neatly set up the "beds" a safe distance apart, but still close enough to...keep an eye on each other.
She heard that familiar growl coming from her stomach that she knew all too well just as she finished setting up her books next to her bed. Standing up to survey her work, she noticed how closely the beds were. They were practically on top of each other, not even two feet apart.
"What am I thinking?" she said aloud. She bent down to scoot the beds apart, when Auron spoke.
"Something wrong?"
Rikku's heart nearly popped out of her chest. She jumped back and put her hand on her heart, trying to catch her breath. Raising her eyebrow and giving him a half-annoyed, half-amused look, she went back to what she was doing. "I made these beds too close..."
"They're fine."
