A/N: Hello! New chapter! Sorry for such a short one last chapter, but no matter. Shout outs:
rr1963: thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like the dialog. That's my main focus in the story!
Pyschostudent06: glad you liked it! Here's some more!
Kitty malone: thanks! Hope you like this mushyness:)
starry34: sorry I didn't update for you Tuesday:( I hope you feel better and this makes up for it!
RikkulovesAuron: I'm glad you like the romance stuff. I want to put a lot in this story so I hope you like it:)
krazie-edge: thanks as always for reviewing:) love ya!
XxRhixx: hee hee, I take it that you like the last couple of chapters? I'm glad:)
perfect yet broken: yea! I got some more for you! Hope you like!
Disclaimer: I don't own FF or any of it's characters.
More Surprises on the Way
So what do you say when the person who is responsible for your friend's death walks in the room? Tidus had no idea. When Krya came into the house, his gaze immediately went to Auron's face. He would never forget the look that was there. Tidus felt Yuna shiver a little next to him and when he turned to her, he saw she was looking at Auron also.
Rikku felt Auron's grip around her waist tighten. She felt his body stiffen and become alert. Somehow, Kyra didn't scare her.
"Hey guys! Couldn't wait fo me, huh? I caught a ride back with Gippal." Kyra announced.
Everyone continued to stare at her. Kyra didn't seem to notice. She sat down in the chair opposite Auron and Rikku and helped herself to Lulu's homemade muffins. Wakka gripped his wife's hand. He knew she had baked those for especially for Rikku. He doubted Lulu would take this calmly. He was right. Lulu dropped Wakka's hand and stood.
How dare you show your face here! In Rikku's home! Acting like your one of our friends!" Lulu screamed at her. Everyone in the room was taken back by the mage's outburst. They hadn't expected Lulu to go off like that.
Kyra's eyes widened and she dropped her muffin. "What did I do?"
If the group thought Lulu went off before, they soon found out what she really sounded like when she was mad.
"YOU KILLED RIKKU!" Lulu shouted at her. Kyra looked over to Rikku and looked very confused.
"But she's alive. How could I have killed her?"
Yuna decided she was going to have to be the voice of reason. "Lulu is angry Kyra. She meant to say that you almost killed Rikku." Wakka pulled Lulu back down next to him and held her in place. He hoped she wouldn't fry him with a spell to get loose.
Kyra again looked confused. "When?"
Yuna kept her calm. "During the tournament Kyra. You cast Thundaga at Rikku and injured her greatly. She almost died."
The color drained out of Kyra's face. "Oh my gosh! Rikku, I'm so sorry! I had no idea. There was so much going on I never thought to look over at you after the battle was over. It was supposed to be a grand finale kinda thing. For the crowd you know!"
"What?" It was the first time Auron spoke and he sounded as scary as he looked. "You somehow overlooked the fact the you cast not one, but THREE powerful spells at Rikku and expected her to be fine! She wasn't fine!" Auron remembered the way he felt when he saw Rikku fighting for her life. He wanted to kill Kyra. The only thing that stopped him from lunging at her was Rikku on his lap. He felt her tense up when he yelled at Kyra and now she was petting his chest in attempt to calm him.
"I'm so sorry Auron," Krya cried, "this isn't how it was supposed to happen! He told me Rikku was wearing a thunder targe and the spell wouldn't affect her! It would just make me look like a good fighter!"
"Who! Who told you that Kyra?" Tidus asked.
Krya looked up at him with tearful eyes. "A man came to my team to give us a pep talk before the fight. He didn't say his name, he just said he was a fan. At the end of the fight, he came up to us and asked us if we wanted to make a good last impression. We were excited from the fight and we said yes. He told me that Rikku was wearing the targe and it would look good on us if we used powerful magic. Everyone agreed it was a cool idea and no one was getting hurt so why not. I wanted to show that I was just as good at magic as Lulu!"
She slid off the chair and landed on her knees in front of Rikku. "Rikku, I'm so sorry! I had no idea!"
Rikku was a little surprised that Kyra was sorry. She thought Kyra was trying to get her out of the way so she could get to Auron. Sure, Rikku thought she was a bitch but she believed Kyra wasn't a murderer.
"It's ok Kyra. I'm fine now." Rikku told her.
Auron wasn't satisfied. He wanted answers. Before he could ask more, another knock was heard at the door.
"Do we really need to answer that?" Tidus groaned.
"It's probably Gippal." Kyra sniffed.
"Oh goodie" Tidus said under his breath. That's just what Auron needed. "Come in!"
Sure enough Gippal walked in the door. "Hey guys! You left someone in Djose in case you didn't notice!'
"Thanks..." Wakka said slowly.
Gippal looked around at everyone's faces and decided he didn't even want to know. "Well, I have to be getting back, but I wanted to see if Rikku was okay."
Rikku looked up at Gippal and nodded. "I'm fine, thanks" Gippal's eyes widened at the sight of Rikku curled up in Auron's lap.
"Fine enough to walk me back to the airship?"
Rikku immediately felt Auron tighten his grip again. She wondered if he did it on purpose or if he wasn't aware of his action. "Okay, I'll walk with you." Auron's arms fell from around her.
As soon as they left the house, Gippal draped an arm over Rikku's shoulders. "You had me worried kid. I'm glad your okay."
Rikku smiled at him. Not the smile she reserved for Auron, but a smile. "I'm okay Gippal."
"Good. So maybe we can talk now. You never got back to me."
"Gippal," Rikku stopped and removed his arm, "you know I...I wanted to say..." This was going to be hard.
Gippal sighed and put his hands behind his head. He looked down at her and he knew what was coming. "Rikku, do you want to be with me?"
"No, I'm sorry."
Gippal smiled and put his hands on her shoulders. "That's okay"
She looked up at him in surprise. She thought he was going to take this badly. "It is!"
"Yeah, I know we haven't really been close for a long time now. I know we both have different things we are looking for, but I know we are still gonna be friends. And who knows, maybe one day when were older, we'll wake up and realize we were meant to be!"
Rikku rolled her eyes. She should have known. "Of course Gippal!"
He kissed her forehead and returned to his ship.
When Rikku went back in the house, Kyra seemed to have made up with everyone. She was giving Lulu as much information about the mystery man as she could. Auron looked up at her when she entered and she saw a little look of relief on his face. She smiled brightly when he quickly covered it with his nonchalant cool. She went over to him and took his hand in hers.
"So I guess Gippal didn't come to sweep here you off you feet?" he whispered.
"Yeah he did, I just didn't let him."
"And why not? He's a good catch you know. Just your type, and your dad would be happy."
As he was talking Rikku placed her hands on his broad chest and pushed him back into the kitchen. "Hmmm...yeah now that you mention it, why didn't I let him whisk me away on his airship?" she joked back.
"I don't know. You must have a good reason to turn him down."
When they entered the kitchen, Auron reversed their roles and he was pushing Rikku back towards the counter.
"Well it just so happens, that I did have a good reason." Rikku breathed, finding herself pinned between the counter and Auron.
"Oh yeah?" Auron whispered into her neck. He pulled his face up to hers and stopped when their faces were only inches apart. "What could it be?"
"It could be...you" The word had barely left her mouth when Auron kissed her. She breathed in his scent and sighed on his mouth. That, as it turned out, was not a good thing to do because it caused Auron to become more feverish in his kissing. Rikku was a little shocked at the passion she felt from Auron. It made her body weak and her made her mind let go of all rational thought. Auron was kissing her without any regard to what was going on in the world around them. He felt lost in her and he never wanted to be found.
A loud noise from the living room caused Auron to come back to his senses. Rikku whimpered slightly when his lips left hers and Auron smiled. They both stayed still trying to catch their breaths before returning to their friends, but found it was easier said than done. Rikku pushed him back and looked at up at him.
"Auron, let's go see what that was making the noise." Auron nodded and bent his head to her ear. He exhaled gently and ran his nose right below her ear on her neck. Rikku shivered and grabbed a hold of his coat, pulling him to her and mashing herself against the counter again. She kissed him this time. He was fully prepared to let her, but he heard the noise again. He took her wrists gently and pulled away.
"Rikku"
She huffed. "I know, I hear it too."
They both returned to the living room and looked around. The noise had been Lulu. She was using her magic to levitate the comm-sphere. After letting it rise a few feet, she would drop it to the floor. Yuna, Wakka, and Tidus were sharing confused glances.
"Um...Lulu, what are you doing?" Rikku asked cautiously.
"I can't (rise) get this stupid (drop) thing to work (rise) properly (drop)!"
Wakka stepped behind Lulu and placed his head on her shoulder. He ran his hands down her arms and she relaxed back into his arms. Rikku looked around and noticed Kyra was gone. She hoped Lulu didn't decide to levitate her too.
Yuna must have noticed the look on Rikku's face because she said "Kyra left. She said she wanted to get some air."
Rikku nodded and looked back to Lulu. "Lulu, are you okay?"
"What!" She was still giving the comm-sphere the evil eye. "Yes Rikku I'm fine."
"Well. you don't seem-"
"I'm fine! It's just these damn hormones."
"What?" Auron and Tidus said.
"Are you pregnant?" Rikku and Yuna said.
"What1? Lu are you?" Wakka asked.
Lulu rolled her eyes. "Damn it. Yes I am."
"Oh my gosh! Congratulations!" Rikku and Yuna hugged her. Tidus and Auron patted Wakka on the back and said their guys things.
Wakka walked over to Lulu and put his arms around her. "Lu, why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Lulu looked up lovingly at Wakka. "I just found out last night Wakka."
Soon after, Wakka took Lulu home, much to her annoyance. He wanted her to rest and she was protesting. Wakka wouldn't take no for an answer and he picked Lulu up and carried her out of the house. Lulu waved her friends a defeated good-bye.
Yuna and Tidus laughed at them as they left. They fell back on the couch together. "Can you believe she's pregnant?" Yuna asked.
Tidus smirked. "Yes"
Rikku laughed. "What are you suggesting Tidus?" She was still standing by the door waving after Lulu.
"I didn't say anything." He wiggled his eyebrows at Yuna. Yuna rolled her eyes at him and looked away smiling.
"Whatcha think about Auron?" Rikku bounced onto the couch next to Auron and interrupted the serious look on his face. Auron looked over into Rikku's sparkling eyes and became more grave.
"I was just thinking about what Kyra said."
"Yeah, who is this guy she's talking about?" Tidus asked.
"Does it matter? I'm okay!"
"Yes it matters Rikku. He might be out to hurt you for some reason. We have to know who he is!" Yuna said firmly.
"Guys, I understand all that. I just want thing to go back to normal now, ya know?"
Auron sighed. "Rikku things haven't been normal for...ever."
"Well, Lulu was trying to get in touch with Shinra. Maybe we can go see him." Tidus suggested.
"But...my bed! We just got home!" Rikku half whined.
"It's okay Rikku. I'm sure Shinra will come here. All he needs is his equipment on the airship. He needs to get out more anyway."
"We can also speak with Baralai and Paine. They were the only two besides us who noticed Rikku was hurt. Maybe they noticed something." Auron said.
"Okay fine. As long as I still get to go to my bed tonight, whatever." Rikku said.
"Didn't you sleep in your bed last night Rikku? What's the big deal?" Tidus asked.
Rikku blushed a little when Tidus asked his question. It wasn't much, but it was enough for Tidus to notice.
"Where did you sleep last night Rikku?" he asked excitedly.
"With me" Auron answered. Tidus didn't expect Auron to answer. He actually thought he would get to tease Rikku for a little while.
"And we can sleep in your bed tonight Rikku."
A/N: Hope you all liked that one! Let me know if you have any suggestions or anything you want to read in the story. I don't know for sur when the next update will be, but you all know it won't be too far off. Laters!
