Five
Tidus awoke to spots of warm sunlight shining on his face. He rubbed his eyes as they adjusted to the light of the room, focusing on the woven hut roof. He yawned and rolled over, feeling the fabric next to him. It was warm beneath his hand, and he sat straight up as the memories from the previous night rushed back to him.
It hadn't been a dream. The kissing, the touching... it had all happened. But where was...
"Rise and shine sleepyhead! We've got to go!" Rikku's voice called as she threw aside the fabric blocking the entrance to the hut. She eyed Tidus' bare chest, and he jumped out of bed, pulling the covers along to cover his lower half.
"Rikku... last night was..." Tidus began, but couldn't find the words to explain the way he felt about the previous evening's encounter.
"Last night? What happened last night?" Rikku asked, confusion crossing her features. The smile disappeared from Tidus' face. Had it all been a dream after all? Was he mixing up his memories and reality? He could have sworn...
Rikku stepped forward, pressing her lips against Tidus' half-agape mouth. Surprised, he kissed her back, wrapping his hands around her waist and pulling her closer to him. After a moment, she stepped back, breaking off the kiss. She looked up into Tidus' eyes, a smile playing at her lips.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," she said sweetly with a wink, before turning toward the entrance. "Come on hot stuff, we are LEAVING!" she called over her shoulder before disappearing into the sunlight. Tidus stood rooted to the spot for a moment, the smile returning to his face. He had the feeling that it was going to be another interesting day.
Several hours later, Tidus sat watching from the cabin window as the Gullwings' airship landed in Luca. Rikku was preoccupied with helping gather the refugees who were going to deport in Luca, so Tidus had had some time to himself. Not that he had a lot to think about; he had decided to stop thinking in circles about the memories of his missing past, and instead just think about Rikku.
The scent of her hair falling in his face, the way she looked at him, the way she kissed him, the way her clothes barely covered her, and the way they came off so easily...
"Hey Tidus!" Yuna's gentle voice interrupted Tidus' train of thought, and he looked up at her blushing, thinking for a brief second that Yuna knew what he was thinking about.
"Hey, Yuna, hey! How's your day going!" Tidus said, subtly adjusting his baggy pants as he stood up.
"It's going well, thank you for asking. Although, just between you and me I'm kind of nervous!" she said in a hushed voice.
"Nervous?" Tidus questioned, as the two began to walk down the stairs, meandering toward the airship exit.
"Yes! The concert is tonight. I've sang before crowds before, but for some reason I'm just a little," she paused, making a motion with her fingers in front of her stomach. "Nervous! I've got... butterflies," she said reluctantly. Tidus smiled at her antics, finding them to be kind of cute.
"I'm sure you'll do great," Tidus reassured her.
"Thanks Tidus," Yuna said with a smile. "I think... it's because after the concert I'm meeting with..."
"YUNA! There you are! We've got to go!" Paine said, appearing out of nowhere and taking Yuna's arm. "Your sound check is in ten minutes, not to mention your wardrobe fitting and everything else," she continued sternly, pulling Yuna quickly down the hallway toward the exit where Brother stood waving impatiently.
"See you later Tidus!" Yuna called over her shoulder, as she and Paine broke into a jog.
"Bye! Good luck tonight!" he called back, his hand waving automatically, even though Yuna wasn't looking. He sighed, awkwardly putting his hand back down. He looked down at his palm, and almost immediately his thoughts turned back to the previous night. His mind wandered until he finally spotted the subject of his thoughts, standing with some refugees outside the airship.
"Tidus! Hey!" she called waving. He smiled and walked over to her, the refugees saying their goodbyes and heading off toward the city.
"Hey you," he said with a smile. Rikku excitedly reached out and grabbed both of Tidus' hands in hers.
"I'm so excited! Today is going to be so much fun, and Yunie's concert is going to rock!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah, sure is," a gruff voice said, interrupting. Tidus and Rikku turned to see Gippal standing next to them, his arms crossed. Rikku immediately dropped Tidus' hands and frowned. "We need to go round up any new refugees before we can have fun. Come on," he said insistently, trying to wrap his arm around Rikku's shoulder. She wriggled away and sighed dramatically.
"Great. Definitely sounds like a three-person job," she said, annoyed.
"We can always make it a two-person job," Gippal said sweetly, giving Rikku the up-down look. "Just like old times," he tried to grab her again but she shook him off.
"Whatever Gippal, let's just get going," she said, walking ahead quickly. Gippal looked back at Tidus and smirked.
"She wants me," he mouthed, pounding a fist to his chest before turning to follow Rikku. Tidus raised his eyebrows, not sure what to make of the situation. Before he could think too hard about it, vivid thoughts of Rikku flooded his mind again, and the smile returned to his face as he headed toward the city.
Rounding up refugees didn't prove to be the most exciting job in the world. Most people's brains were kind of fried, so it was impossible to talk to them. Without knowing where they were from or where they wanted to go, the Gullwings couldn't take them because it would be considered kidnapping. At this particular moment, Gippal stood speaking some foreign language to an attendant at a desk while several children in raggy clothes pulled at him excitedly. Rikku stood with her arms crossed, tapping her foot impatiently. She blew a piece of hair out of her face and let out an irritable sigh when it fell back.
"Okay. Okay," she said under her breath, her voice anxious. "Tidus, let's get out of here," she looked at him, her eyes wide. He froze, transfixed by her gaze.
"Out... of here?" he asked slowly.
"Yes," she said in a hushed voice, glancing back to Gippal and grabbing Tidus' arm. "Gippal's a meanie. Let's go have fun without him!" she said quietly, looking back again to make sure Gippal's attention was elsewhere.
"But what about the..." Tidus began, but Rikku put a finger against his lips.
"They will be just fine without me. Gippal doesn't even need another person for this job!" Rikku said airily, as she and Tidus watched the children begin to climb up Gippal's legs and waist, pulling him off balance. "Let's go!" she said quickly, stifling a laugh and pulling Tidus toward the exit.
The warm sunlight greeted them outside, and Rikku broke out into a run, pulling Tidus with her.
"Where... are we... going?" he asked between breaths. Rikku looked back at him and smiled.
"Somewhere no one will find us!" she called. "Come on!" Rikku tugged his arm one more time before letting go, and Tidus followed Rikku through the winding city streets. He dodged people left and right, some surprised and some who didn't even seem notice their close call collisions.
After a few minutes, Rikku ducked into a small, dark alley. Tidus followed her, panting as he slowed to a walk in the tiny space.
"Rikku? What is this?" Tidus asked, as they walked down the alley, the walls of each building becoming closer and closer.
"This," Rikku began, looking up toward the distant sky. "Is how I get to my secret place," she said smiling, before jumping up and pushing herself in between the walls. "Follow me, we're almost there," she said mysteriously, climbing slowly up the narrow space. Tidus watched her, mouth agape, as she propelled herself about three stories up. She stopped, leaning over to the building on the right, and began to fiddle with something on the wall. To Tidus' surprise, a small door creaked open, and Rikku pulled herself gracefully inside. She stuck her head out and beckoned with her hand. "Come on Tidus! You have to see this," Tidus gulped nervously as he sized up the distance. "It's not that bad! If a wimpy girl like me can do it, so can you! You big, strong man you," she said flirtatiously. Tidus nodded and smiled, taking the same position Rikku had to climb up. He found it to be harder than it looked.
"Rikku," Tidus began, as he pulled himself slowly up. "You... are not... a wimpy... girl," he said, pausing with each foot scaled up the wall. She giggled, stretching both of her arms out of the opening and waving them.
"I know," she laughed. "Just trying to make you feel better!"
"Oh, so I'm not a big strong man?" Tidus said pausing with a pout, looking up at Rikku who was still about fifteen feet above him.
"You are! But... I saved your life," she said dramatically with a laugh as Tidus climbed closer and closer.
"Yes... you did... thank you... again... for that," he said between gritted teeth. He felt beads of sweat dripping down the back of his neck as he grew closer to the door. "And someday... I'll... save you," Tidus smiled as he finally became parallel with the small door and Rikku's outstretched arms. The two smiled at each other, Rikku's white figure the only thing visible in the dark hall beyond. "Now... how do I get to the..." Tidus mumbled, shifting his weight, attempting to reach the opening as Rikku had.
He let out a yelp as he began to fall back, flailing his arms, reaching for the wall. Rikku gasped, and leaned halfway out the opening to reach Tidus' arms before it was too late. She grabbed him, their skin clapping together as she secured her fingers around his forearms. Rikku gritted her teeth and pulled, hoisting the blonde young man as he regained his footing and helped propel himself to safety. The two lay breathless in the darkness, their faces laying parallel.
"Make that twice," Rikku said with a wink, sitting up.
"Twice! But this was your idea..." Tidus began, but was interrupted by Rikku's lips pressing against his. His mild irritation melted away as her hands wrapped around his face, and then slid into his hair.
"You know... I'm just... kidding..." she said between kisses, before breaking apart and sliding back over toward the door. "Watch your feet," she said as she pulled the door shut with a metallic click. Tidus' eyes adjusted to the darkness as Rikku's figure brushed past him. "Stay close," she murmured in his ear, assuming a half-standing position as she quietly headed into the darkness. Tidus headed after her, not wanting to get lost. "Keep as quiet as possible. I don't know if there's people below us... or if we're even allowed to be here," she said in a mischievous whisper. Tidus imagined Rikku's grinning face in the darkness and smiled, despite the prospect of getting caught in an impossibly dark hallway. After several minutes of winding through darkness, half hunched over, the glowing outline of a door became visible. Rikku accelerated the remaining distance, excitedly throwing open the door.
Tidus shielded his eyes as the sudden brightness blinded him. He felt his way blindly to the door, his eyes gradually adjusting to the change. He wrapped his hands around the door frame, and peeked his head out into the new room, viewing through his half-open eyes. Rikku stood in the middle of the room, her arms outstretched. She turned to look at Tidus and bounded over to him, pulling him into the space and shutting the door behind him. He stood up straight, and winced as his back popped.
"Open your eyes!" Rikku prodded, jumping up and down. Tidus finally eased them completely open, and gasped. "It's beautiful isn't it?" Rikku said excitedly, stretching her arms open again.
Tidus was standing in an enormous room. It was at least ten stories tall, and the arced ceilings overhead seemed even more distant. The room was illuminated by the sun filtering through the enormous stained glass mural that covered the left wall for several stories. Reds, blues, yellows, greens, purples, pinks, and other various shades of color spotted the room, almost making it difficult to figure out the actual color of the room. Tidus was speechless for a few minutes, as he walked forward, admiring the enormous glass mural.
"It's one of the few beautiful things that survived the war," Rikku began. "I think... the people in charge of this building hid the entrances to this room so no one would destroy it. Maybe it was special or sacred... but I've been coming here for years, every time we come to Luca. I found it accidentally when I was a kid, running from the enemy. I've never showed anyone else... so... lucky you," she said with a smile, looking up at Tidus.
"It's... beautiful," he said, speechless. She smiled and stepped closer to him.
"I had a feeling you'd like it," she said, pulling Tidus into a kiss. They embraced, the light dancing around them, enveloping them, disguising reality and leaving them in a beautiful escape. Rikku pulled Tidus gently to the floor, his mind going blank as he let his thoughts go again. Rikku's lips found his neck, and she kissed around the base of his jaw line to the center of his neck, kissing down to his collar bone. He ran his fingers through her hair and she looked up at him.
"Why is it so easy?" she asked, her eyes questioning.
"Easy?" Tidus echoed, not sure what she was talking about. He twirled her hair between his fingers, meeting her gaze.
"Why is it so easy for me to be with you? It's..." she paused, resting her chin on his chested, green eyes transfixed on him. "It's like I'm dreaming. I'm not... it usually isn't... this easy for me to be with someone. But... here I am... all over you, again," she laughed. Tidus smiled, keeping their eyes locked.
"I'm okay with that," he said, and Rikku continued to laugh.
"I kind of figured," she said, climbing on top of him, wrapping her hands around his face and pulling him into another kiss. Tidus kept his fingers wound in Rikku's hair, and placed his other hand on her waist. She squirmed at his touch and his fingers gently traveled up and back down the small of her back. He smiled as the kiss deepened, Rikku pulling herself closer to him. Her fingers found the edge of his shirt, and she pulled it off, interrupting their kiss for only a moment as the shirt fell to the floor next to them.
"You know..." Tidus began, as Rikku's lips traveled across his neck, toward his chest. "You don't wear a lot of clothing," he said, half smirking as he let his fingers trace the inner edge of Rikku's bikini top. Her breathing became shallow as his fingers lightly caressed the visible part of her breast.
"I guess I don't," she said with a laugh, sitting up. "But, we could always make it less," she smiled mischievously as she reached behind her neck, fiddling with the knot that held her top together. Tidus held his breath, as he watched Rikku slowly work her way out of her tiny top.
In the distance, Tidus heard the melodic chiming of bells, and then the brassy fanfare of trumpets. It was faint, but Rikku must have heard it too, because she paused, the strings of her top wound through her fingers.
"Oh my god... the concert!" she squeaked, jumping up and running to the stained glass. "CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP!" she chanted, peering through a clear pane of glass that must have had a view of the stadium. Rikku frantically tied her top together again, adjusting her clothing and running her fingers frantically through her hair. Tidus jumped up, not sure what to do as Rikku ran to different points of the room.
"Has it started?" Tidus asked, reaching for his shirt and pulling it back on.
"Not yet, but soon. Really, really soon," Rikku sighed, shaking her head. "Alright, we're going to have to take the express,"
"The... express?" Tidus asked, adjusting his clothes so they were back to normal.
"Yes," Rikku said, without hesitation. She took Tidus' hand and pulled him toward a large wooden counter with many cabinet doors surrounding it. She threw open random doors, murmuring "No" before slamming them each shut again, until finally she opened one with an "Aha!" She slid legs first into the small space, her feet kicking into the darkness. "Get behind me," she said, motioning for Tidus to put his legs on either side of her.
"Okay..." he said, slowly sliding into the dark space.
"And shut the door," Rikku added. Tidus did as she said, and they were left in darkness once again. Rikku pulled Tidus arms around her, and she held his hands in front of her as she began to slide forward. Tidus suddenly became aware of the slanting cabinet floor beneath his bum, and slowly he realized what was about to happen. "Hang on!" Rikku said breathlessly, giving one more strong tug. Tidus let out a scream as he felt himself drop off the edge and begin to fall. Rikku squeezed his hand and screamed along with him, as the two descended rapidly into the darkness.
Author's Note: Sorry for the brief hiatus! Hope this chapter was worth the wait ;P Please let me know what you think! Stay tuned for chapter six...