A/N: Hey everyone, I was going to update yesterday but I had to watch the season finale of Grey's Anatomy. Oh September...where are you? Anyway, I am going to get into the Aurikku part of the story in this chapter. If you have anything you want to see put in the story please tell me and I will see what I can do:)
xxRhixx and xxela14: thank you for reviewing and I am glad you like the story!
rr1963: thanks for your review and the advice!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, least of all Final Fantasy or any of its characters.
The Inn at Luca
Auron couldn't have asked for a better day. He was alive and he was with friends he missed dearly. He didn't realize how much he missed them all on the Farplane. He missed the group dynamic they had. He smiled at the girls being girls. He even joined in on the conversation when Tidus and Wakka were discussing something random. He even made them laugh from time to time, and not at him. He was surprised at how well he and Rikku got along. He decided it must be a side effect from being dead or something. He couldn't explain it but he liked being around her.
The group was walking through the center of Luca winding down from their day of shopping. The girls and guys were separated into two groups a little ways apart involved in their own conversations.
Tidus and Wakka were arguing about which blitzball team was going to win the tournament this year. "The Aurochs are going all the way," Wakka firmly stated, "you two should join ya?"
Tidus laughed, "Hey Wakka can you imagine Auron playing blitzball?" Tidus did an impression of a very slow and heavy underwater player. Auron rolled his eyes and pushed Tidus over onto the ground.
"Heeeeyyyy! That hurt. Big Bully." Tidus stood up and dusted himself off. He suddenly felt he was channeling Rikku's spirt.
"I don't know Tidus. I think Sir Auron would make a good blitzball player. He could probably throw the ball clear across the sphere..." Wakka trailed off daydreaming about winning.
Auron nodded at Wakka, "Yes I imagine I would."
"Yeah yeah yeah, " Tidus sighed, "Look Auron I'm glad your going to be a blitzball star and all but, I have more important things to bring up right now."
"Like what man?" Wakka asked.
"Like why a certain legendary ex-guardian is getting along famously with a certain Al Bhed ex-guardian. Last I checked, she was number three on the people you hate list." Tidus raised an eyebrow at Auron.
Auron was miffed. "First of all Tidus, I like Rikku fine. I like all you guys very much. And equally, I might add. Also, you were too busy to notice I was getting along with everyone because you didn't move three inches away from Yuna all day."
"Ha ha, he's right man," Wakka pointed out, "you gotta give girls space. Once Lulu and I..."
Auron half listened to his friends discuss women, glad that Wakka unknowingly took the heat off of himself. Auron didn't like to be grilled about anything. Especially by Tidus. Mostly because Tidus was usually right. Auron looked across the plaza at his female friends. Yuna, Rikku, and Lulu were sitting together on a bench laughing. Auron caught Rikku's eye and quickly looked away. What is going on with you old man? It's just Rikku...
Rikku looked up and over to the guys and saw Auron looking at her. Then she saw him quickly look away. He's so weird, she thought, was he looking at me? What does that mean?
"So Rikku, what about Auron?"
Rikku looked over at her cousin. They had been discussing how Tidus was reacting to his newfound aliveness.
"What do you mean Yunie?"
Lulu smiled at the girl. "I wanted to know how Auron was adjusting to life Rikku. Yuna said you have spent the most time with him." Lulu was trying not to laugh at Rikku. She had noticed the look Auron and Rikku had just exchanged.
"Oh! Well he seems..." Lulu didn't get to hear Rikku's answer because Tidus and Wakka had run over hollering something about women and space.
Yuna was laughing at the pair as Auron strolled over behind them. "What is going on Sir Auron? Did these two finally lose it?" Auron shrugged his shoulders and switched his attention to Rikku. The Al-Bhed was looking over Auron's shoulder with a confused look on her face. Auron turned around to see a very, very dark sky approaching and dozens of people moving indoors fast. Yuna walked to the front of the group and stopped a young boy. "Hello, could you tell me what is going on?"
The boy smiled in recognition. "Lady Yuna!" he said excitedly, "There was a broadcast that a severe thunderstorm was coming on shore and it advised everyone to get inside. I gotta go, my mom's waiting for me. Bye!" The boy waved at the group and ran off. Wakka moved to the front of the group and said "Come on guys, lets go to the inn."
"Wakka," Lulu said, "can't we just head home?" Wakka listened to the thunder in the distance and looked down at his wife and wrapped his arms around her. "No Lu, I would feel safer if we didn't travel in this lightning." He around at his friends who were nodding their agreement. All except Rikku.
"Oh NOW we don't want to travel through lightning! NOW he says lets stop! I am going to stop talking to you all. I really am." Rikku glared at her friends and started to shiver while they laughed at her. The rain had started and the temperature dropped fast. Wakka, Lulu, Tidus and Yuna ran toward the inn. Auron walked over to Rikku and removed his coat. He stood next to her and held the coat over both of their heads. "Come on Rikku, you can yell at us when we are inside." Rikku and Auron ran side by side to the inn trying to find a balance between his long strides and her small ones.
When they reached the inn they found Tidus and Yuna already in each others arms smiling and wet. Lulu walked over to Auron while Wakka was paying the innkeeper. "Auron, the innkeeper says he only had three rooms available so we took them before someone else could." Auron nodded at Lulu and pulled his coat back on.
"Hey Rikku," Tidus said, "why didn't you get wet?"
Tidus had just looked up from Yuna and wanted to know why he seemed to be the only soaked one.
"Us Al-Bhed are water resistant." Rikku replied with a serious look on her face. Auron laughed very loudly shocking everyone in the room. When he stopped laughing he found five pairs of eyes staring at him. "What?" he asked.
"Well Sir Auron we just never heard you laugh like that. It was nice." Yuna smiled at him. Before Auron could become embarrassed, a very loud clap of thunder sounded followed the lights in the inn flickering for a moment. "Come on guys lets see if they have hot cocoa here!" Rikku said as she bounced toward the kitchen.
They spent a good amount of time that evening in front of the fireplace in the sitting room. The rain outside didn't let up all evening. The couples sat closely on opposite couches while Auron and Rikku occupied chairs across from the fire. They all talked pleasantly together until Wakka and Lulu announced they were going to bed. Everyone said goodnight and the pair went to their room. Rikku blinked sleepily at the fire and wondered if Tidus and Yuna were going to separate long enough to get some sleep. "Ok guys, I'm tired too. The sound of the rain is putting me to sleep."
Yuna looked over at Rikku and smiled. "Ok Rikku I will be in after a bit. Goodnight!" Auron took the hint and also decided to retire to his room. As he left the room he saw Tidus and Yuna gazing into each others eyes on the couch. Well Braska, he chuckled to himself, I think Yuna is in good hands.
Auron entered the room he was to share with Tidus and immediately like it. It was full off books and rich, dark reds and browns. It seemed like somewhere he would want to live. Auron sighed at the thought. He had been thinking about his living arrangements earlier that day. He appreciated Yuna and Rikku's hospitality but he did n't want to wear out his welcome. Auron fell back on the bed and listened to the rain for a while. He found himself thinking about Rikku.
What is going on with me? It's just Rikku. Loud, bouncy, loud, young Rikku. We are going to be good friends...just friends. Why am I thinking about her?
In her room across the hall,Rikku also was not sleeping. She was thinking about Auron. She thought about him more often then she would admit actually.
Why are you thinking about him? You know he's not thinking about you. It's not good for your mental health Rikku. Get it together. And what about...arrrggh I have to talk to Yunie!
Rikku jumped up and ran to the door. She opened it quietly and went into the hallway. When she got to the sitting room, she found Tidus and Yuna had fallen asleep on the couch she left them on. Damn it Yunie, she thought, if I have a mental breakdown it's going to be your fault. She smiled to herself and retreated back down the hallway. She stopped at Auron's room and wondered if he was still awake. Hmmm...she knocked on the door lightly.
Auron opened his eyes and said "Come in" and then felt foolish. He knew no one was knocking on the door and he must have heard something outside. He sat up in surprise when Rikku walked through the door.
"Oh sorry Auron! I thought you said to come in."
"I did Rikku. Where are Tidus and Yuna?"
"Asleep in front of the fire." Rikku paused for a moment. "Auron, I wanted to ask you something. Kinda clear the air, ya know?" Auron raised an eyebrow at her wondering what she was going to say.
Before she could start talking, the inn was rocked by a deafening roar of thunder followed by lightning.The inn lost power. "Rikku," Auron said calmly, "stay still. I am going to come to you."
Auron walked across the room and without thinking put his arms around Rikku. He looked down at her shocked by his own actions. "Are you okay?"
Rikku was momentarily unable to speak. She was surprised at her sudden situation. She was so warm and so comfortable in his arms. He was so close she could feel his heartbeat his in chest. She tilted her head up to him and said "Yeah I'm fine. You?" Auron was about to answer when another clap of thunder made Rikku jump. Her face was very close to his now. He could feel her broken breaths on his cheek and if he closed his eyes, he could almost feel her lips on his skin.The thought made him shiver against her.
When she felt his body shiver, she instinctively pulled herself closer so he would become warm again. When she did this, without meaning to, she found her lips were on his jaw line. Auron inhaled and pulled back a little.
"Auron, I'm sor-" she whispered.
"Shhhhhh-" He hushed her very lightly, his lips inches from hers. Rikku almost didn't hear it but she felt his breath on her. She felt him pulling her a little closer. Auron touched his nose to hers and then stilled.
Auron closed his eyes and very lightly touched his lips to Rikku's. She held still while he brushed his mouth over hers. He moved one way, then the next. Rikku held onto him a little tighter when she felt her legs try to relax on her. She tilted her face up slightly so Auron only touched her bottom lip and she very softly kissed his upper lip. Then she moved and kissed one side of his mouth, then the other. Auron brought her lips back to his and then deepened the kiss. His mind went blank. All he was aware of was the feel of her soft lips against his. He was pleased at the fact she has hanging onto him. He had a feeling if he let her go she would slide to the floor.
Rikku found herself melting into Auron. He had a firm grim on her waist and she was glad for that. Oh my gosh! I am kissing Auron! What are we doing. Oh, but its so nice... Rikku sighed into his mouth and kissed him harder. Auron's eyebrows shot up at her movement. Not to be outdone, he slowly ran his tongue over her lips. Auron you have to stop this. What are you doing? His mind knew he had to end the kiss but his body wasn't listening. He had only been alive two days, but he felt something for Rikku he couldn't describe. Suddenly, Rikku jumped back from him ending the contact. She thought she saw a hurt look on his face for a moment in the dark but she wasn't sure. Auron blinked a few times and heard a knock on his door. Oh that must be what happened. Did I really not hear that knock?
Rikku moved out of his arms and to the door. When she opened it she found Wakka and Lulu there.
"Whoa, did you guys hear that! The whole city probably lost power! Hey where's Yuna and Tidus?" Wakka asked.
"We're right here Wakka. We're fine." Yuna told him.
"Speak for yourself Yuna. My head hurts." Tidus rubbed the back of his head. Yuna giggled. "Tidus fell off the couch," she explained, "Well lets all go to bed. Try and get some sleep everyone!"
The group said goodnight again as everyone went to their rooms. Auron and Rikku were last to enter their rooms. They looked at each other for a moment not knowing what the other was thinking.
"Goodnight Rikku"
"Goodnight Auron"
A/N: Ok that is the end for now. Look for the next chapter either Friday of Saturday. It's going to be some Auron and Rikku reflecting on their feelings. Also expect a few little complications with their relationship. Until this weekend...Jaymo
