This chapter has been censored (not for sexual content).
Please see footnotes for details.

43: The Second Concert

Rikku wandered through the busy village, trying to avoid bumping into other people. It buzzed with activity; villagers scurried back and forth like colorful jungle birds flitting about their treetops.

The jingle of coin was a comforting sound in her ears; after returning from the temple, Auron had relented and gave them each some shopping money. As she searched the marketplace, Rikku passed Jecht – chatting with a blitzball peddler, of course – and Braska, who seemed to be bemoaning the state of his footwear with a cobbler.

I'm a little surprised Auron let those two have any money at all, considering how grumpy he's been. Then she winced. She wasn't exactly in a position to complain, being partially to blame for Auron's foul mood.

Before long, she arrived at a stall that looked promising, judging from the swathes of colorful cloth draped about. She spent a few moments eying the pretty fabrics wistfully, then approached the vendor with a gleam in her eye. One short round of haggling later, Rikku left the stall feeling satisfied. Packing the needle, thread, and shears away for later use, she sought out the others. Auron was nowhere to be seen, so she stopped a passing woman.

"Excuse me, but have you seen a big guy in a red coat around anywhere? He's got long black hair, a really huge sword, and he looks kinda mean."

The woman's expression brightened. "Oh, you mean that visiting Guardian? Yes, he's helping us with some security for the festival tonight."

"Thanks," Rikku said, distracted. Festival? What festival? And what kind of problem would demand Auron's attention in Kilika, of all places?

The "security issue" became clearer as she noticed the activity surrounding the skeleton of a large, unlit bonfire, set up in the center of a wide clearing near the jungle's edge. A vendor's stall already had food prepared, sending the pungent scent of smoked fish into the air. There was even a raised platform doubling as a makeshift stage. One eager villager was encouraging the rest of the workers with a lively beat he thumped out on his hand drum.

Hmm, looks like they're getting ready for a party. She grinned, spotting Jecht near the edge of the stage. He was showing off with his new blitzball to the beat of the drums, gathering a few spectators. Hamming it up already, she thought with a laugh.

Jecht bounced the blitzball on his head, then sent it to his knees. He began juggling it with his feet quickly enough to make it look as though the ball was bobbing in midair. A few of the viewers – fellow Blitzball players, by the look of their clothing – were nodding in appreciation. Jecht caught and balanced the ball on his forehead, swinging his arms and legs out in a few dance moves as the drummer whistled encouragement. Mid-spin, Jecht waved at Rikku.

"So, what's the show for?" she called, gesturing at the stage and the enormous stack of wood.

Jecht tossed his head and bent forward, catching the ball on his back. He rolled it between his shoulderblades, the crowd clapping as he kept dancing. "News from Luca! The home team made it to the quarter finals!"

"Beasts! Beasts!" the crowd cheered.

"Well, okay, that explains some of this, but we didn't play for the Beasts," Rikku reminded.

"Not a problem," Jecht said, straightening and sending the ball spinning into the crook of one bent foot. "The Fangs made it in, too." He lobbed the ball high and caught it on his chest, then smoothly circled it along both of his arms.

"I can do that," one boy pouted, invoking laughter from the others. Rikku did a double-take as she observed the teenager; he looked suspiciously like Barthello, although younger and still missing most of his bulk. The squinty-eyed pout was exactly the same, though.

"Give it a try, then." Completing one last roll, Jecht tossed the ball. It hit the kid in the chest, and he promptly lost his balance. More laughter ensued as the kid quickly stood back up with little else than his pride bruised. Jecht waved to his audience, then climbed down from the stage. Rikku watched a juggling game start up behind him as he joined her.

"Didn't you just buy that blitzball?" she noted.

Jecht shrugged. "The kids are enjoyin' themselves. 'Sides, it's not like Auron's gonna let us stop and catch a game somewhere down the line. Might as well get used by somebody." Then he frowned. "You're right though. I shoulda signed it first."

She rolled her eyes. "You make up one original goal shot and you think you're hot stuff."

" 'ey! Didn'tcha just see that performance?" He gestured towards the stage, where one of the young blitzers was trying to replicate Jecht's footwork – unsuccessfully. Jecht smirked at her. "I told ya, I'm the best."

"Mm-mmm," Rikku said, sticking her nose into the sky. "I know somebody better."

"Now, wait just a minute here. There ain't nobody who can blitz better than me! Have you ever heard of an Ohalland Shot? No? Didn't think so."

Rikku crossed her arms over her head. "I know someone who made up two new shots."

"You ain't makin' this up, are ya?" Jecht stopped. "Who're ya talkin' 'bout?"

"Well…" she drawled, before relenting at the look of curiosity on Jecht's face. "It was your chip off the old block, actually."

"Really?"

"He invented the Sphere Shot and the Mark Two." She smiled, remembering all of the games Tidus had dragged Wakka out of retirement for. "Not that the Mark Two and Three aren't impressive, but a Sphere Shot is something anyone can learn and use. Tidus changed the game for everybody."

"He did, huh?" A thoughtful smile crept onto Jecht's face. "There ain't no real Mark Two, yanno. The whole Mark Three thing was just a crowd pull. He really made up a move and named it after me?"

"Yeah. Said he was tired of covering your butt on the Mark Three's empty promises, so he filled that hole by himself."

Jecht blinked and looked away, obviously overcome by some emotion despite the snark. Then his brow wrinkled. "It ain't better than the Mark Three, is it?"

"It's slower." She noticed Jecht preening and smirked. "Because it takes out three defenders." Jecht frowned. "He also called it the In Your Face, Old Man shot at first," she added.

Jecht snorted. "Did he ever recruit any Hypellos?"

"Well, no…"

"See? Still the greatest!" Jecht laughed. "That's my boy," he said with a clear note of pride in his voice. "One day he'll catch up."

"You seem to be taking things pretty well," she observed with a smile, which soon faltered. "Better than I am right now, at least."

"I got my ways. Talkin' to you 'bout Tidus means he made it here, or you made it there, right? Either way, I musta figured it all out, so why worry?" He slapped her on the back. "You will too, soon as Auron an' Braska pull their heads outta their asses."

"Huh," she said, slightly bolstered by his optimism. Did Jecht grow up while I wasn't looking?

"Jecht! Rikku!" Braska approached, staff in hand. He smiled, but only glanced at them, searching for something over their shoulders. "Have you seen Auron?"

"Nope," Jecht answered. "Last I heard, they wanted him in the forest for somethin'. "

Rikku also shook her head "I just got back from shopping. I was looking for you guys."

"I see." Some of Braska's excitement seemed to dissipate. "It will be getting dark soon, and the villagers have asked me to light the bonfire. I suppose I cannot delay any longer, even to wait for him."

"You gonna summon your new pet now, B?"

"Mm," he hummed, readying his staff.

"They're not pets," Rikku grumbled, pulling Jecht out of Braska's way so he could begin his dance. Braska's staff burst into trails of flames as he spun it, and then he struck the ground. A ring of fire raced from the impact, and an ominous rumble filled the clearing. All around, villagers slowed down to watch as the summoner fell into Rapture.

"Whoa!"

The ground shook, and everyone struggled to keep their balance. With a loud crack, four large horns broke through the earth. A snarling, shaggy head followed it, and the aeon roared as it burst out, spraying rubble everywhere. Ifrit landed on his massive forearms with a grunt, snorting warm blasts of steam. Then he looked around and caught sight of Jecht and Rikku.

"Why's it comin' this way?" The note of awe in Jecht's voice was tinged with wariness. "Aeons attackin' people who summon them ain't… a normal thing, right? Or is that your specialty now?"

Ifrit stopped before them and ducked his head, bringing one glowing eye level with Rikku's face. He stared at her for a moment, then let out a loud whuff of hot air that blew her braids back.

"Aeh-heh-heh," she said, trying not to make any sudden movements. She'd never really noticed before, but up close, Ifrit's claws were gigantic. Just one of his fingers was nearly the length of her upper body. "I think he's friendly. Right?"

In response, Ifrit ground his massive palm into the top of Jecht's head.

"Ahh! Hot! Hot! Get it off!" Jecht yelled, batting the aeon away.

Rikku choked back a laugh as Ifrit released him; faint wisps of steam curled off of the ends of Jecht's hair. "I think he just gave you a noogie. Maybe he likes you!"

"The ice bitch won't gimmie the time o' day, but the flamin' dog… gorilla… thing wants me to go bald? You gotta be kiddin'," Jecht groused, patting his head.

"It could be worse," she told him. "He might have licked you."

Ifrit grinned, baring rows of razor-sharp teeth. A literal tongue of flame flicked out of his mouth.

"Down boy," Jecht said, taking a quick step backwards.

Ifrit huffed again before turning to face the bonfire. He inhaled, his massive chest expanding, slammed his forearms into the ground, and belched a stream of fire at the huge pile of wood the villagers had prepared. It exploded into flame with a bang, and all around, people cheered. Shaking his shaggy mane, Ifrit rumbled and leapt into the air. His body wavered and dispersed into pyreflies before he hit the ground.

"Nice show," Rikku said when Braska blinked back into awareness.

He smiled, waving a hand at a few of the clapping villagers. "I aim to please." Then he looked around again. "We should find Auron. It will be difficult to make plans once the festivities begin." His expression brightened as he spotted the other man approaching them. "Ah, there he is."

"My lord," Auron said, jogging toward them. He glanced at the fire and gave Braska a curt nod. "Things went smoothly with the new aeon?"

"Ifrit was much more cooperative than the last one," Braska answered.

"Ya missed out on bein' a part of that thing's pettin' zoo," Jecht complained. "Where were ya hidin' anyway?"

"Yeah, you never miss Braska's summonings!" Well, beside Baaj. Obviously.

Auron spared her a glance, but didn't respond.

Rikku chewed her lip. Of course he's still ticked off. We really messed up.

"The celebration tonight is going to be a lively one," Auron said, raising an eyebrow. "You've heard the news?"

Jecht pumped his fist.

"I helped the village guards establish a perimeter and set up our lodgings for the evening. We'll be staying at the Seaside Inn, on the lower floor. You each have your own room and I've stored our things there for the time being. You'll know which room is yours by your belongings." He paused. "Even you should be able to find it, Jecht. There's only one inn in this village."

"Figured," Jecht answered, unruffled. "This place is a two-mosquito town. Don't think we could get lost if we tried." His annoyance transformed into anticipation. "So… that mean we're free to party like there's no tomorrow?"

A slight smile crossed Auron's face. "Well… yes. Just don't get drunk. We're still leaving for Besaid in the morning."

Jecht scoffed. "I don't drink no more. But that don't mean I forgot how to live it up," he added. "Who's with me for a dance-off?"

Braska laughed. "Hardly! I think I'll pass."

"I don't dance," Auron said with finality.

"Blondie, you're my only hope!"

"No way," Rikku said, warding off Jecht's pleading look. "I just saw your moves while you were balancing a blitzball on your back. I'm not going up against that!" She clucked her tongue and pointed at him with a melodramatic wink. "You're the best!"

"Damn." Jecht rubbed the back of his head with a sour look. "You guys really know how to kill the mood before it even starts."

"I'm sure you'll find others who share your enthusiasm," Braska said. He gestured around them; with the fire going and twilight descending, the rest of the villagers were steadily streaming in, livening up the atmosphere. "Although, I don't think the musical entertainment will be starting until later this evening, so you may have to wait to find a partner."

Jecht snorted and crossed his arms. "Why should I wait? We got our own walkin' music box right here, don't we?"

Rikku glared and mirrored his pose. "Say that again? I dare you. No, I'll have Braska double-gorilla-dog dare you."

Braska sighed. "Rikku, aeons are not meant to settle personal grievances…"

"And my belt isn't for personal entertainment!" she shot back. "This thing is a weapon! I'm not gonna use it to give another concert just because Jecht wants a dance-off!"

"Actually..." Braska began.

Rikku's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Not you, too?" she whined.

"I admit to some personal curiosity," Braska assured her. "It's the only dressphere that I haven't tried yet. It's… quite the experience, each time. I'd happily assist Jecht in this matter if you were willing to loan me your grid once more."

"Hmm." She scratched her nose, only avoiding the instinctive jaw drop by remembering him in the Luck dressphere.

Nothing really could top that.

"Well, maybe this once. But don't mess up the festival or anything. The Songstress sphere always makes magic when you use it. If anyone can figure out how to channel that safely, though, that'd be you," she added with a slight pout. She reached for her belt, unclasping it, grousing about the unfairness of Braska's latent talent with her garment grid. Heck, he's probably gonna go down in history as Spira's greatest idol singer after this.

"Hnn."

Rikku looked up at the sound, belt in hand, and saw Auron glowering. He shifted his gaze away when she caught him, but it was too late. He's jealous! A part of her wanted to giggle – Auron definitely wouldn't be quite as envious if he'd seen what she had – but a larger part of her felt guilty. Embarrassing moments or not, it was an experience she and Braska had shared, and one he didn't have.

She hesitated. "You know," she said to Auron. "You could try it out too, if you wanted."

"I don't think so," Auron huffed. "I've no desire to perform for these people. It is, as you said, a weapon."

"Nobody's asking you to put on the Songstress sphere and give us a concert. Shut up, Jecht," she added without looking.

"Fine," Jecht grumbled, closing his mouth.

"I mean… if you wanted to test it out, though," She eyed Auron critically. "... not that it's gonna fit around your waist. But…" Reaching out, she grabbed his arm and wrapped the belt around it a few times.

"What are you doing?" Auron attempted a half-hearted escape, but Rikku closed the clasp around his forearm. He inhaled sharply. "This is – "

She nodded, smiling at him. "Black magic. That's what you're feeling right now. If you think about casting an offensive spell, you can do it, up to a certain point. How strong it is depends on your own magic power, but it'll still fire you up," she winked.

"I see," Auron said, twisting his arm around. A small, unsteady flame flickered in and out of being on his fingertips. "Interesting. This is more intuitive than I thought it would be."

Rikku beamed. Yes! Operation Get Auron Happy Again is underway! It was amazing to think that, at the beginning of the journey, he would have blasted her for using machina weaponry. Now here he was, trying one on for himself. When you get down to it, he's just a big weapon nerd, she thought fondly, watching as he switched spells to coat his fingertips in a layer of ice.

"I don't understand how you cast the final spell to defeat the sinspawn we fought on the coast," Auron said, extinguishing the magic. He continued to study the grid, eyes narrowed. "I don't feel that sort of power in here."

"Oh, that," she said, slipping into instructor-mode. She was the biggest weapon nerd around, after all, according to Paine. "It's a chain reaction. You have to unlock the power by activating all of the dresspheres first. See the circuits here?" She leaned in and pointed to the pathways connecting her dresspheres.

"So, no concert then," Jecht complained behind them, sounding bored. "Great, thanks, just checkin'..."

Auron ignored him. "I think I understand. The nodes connect to the dresspheres." He frowned. "There's something strange about this one, though." The sphere he was prodding pulsed.

"Oh, that's the… Lenne, wait a minute – !"

Things really had been going too smoothly.

A swirl of light burst under Auron's feet, and he stepped back with a look of surprise. "What – " he managed before the light washed over him.

"Uh," Jecht choked. "Think you better start runnin'?"

Auron reached upward and pulled a guitar out of the air, swinging it over his hips. He examined himself, scowling in a way that would have put even Paine to shame. "I don't think I like this."

He was dressed from head to toe in black; his long hair was still slicked back into its ponytail, and somehow, his sunglasses had made a reappearance. That was where the similarities ended. The ripped, formfitting shirt he was wearing was blazoned with the jagged logo of another band, and thick leather straps, studded with spiked metal, were wrapped around his wrist and throat. He was wearing enough belts to give Lulu a run for her money, and his pants… well. His pants.

"... I thought you weren't a fan of the Yocun Revivalists," Braska said to Auron, faintly.

"You should wear that more often," Rikku managed, unable to tear her eyes away from the skin-tight leather that really showed off everything. "Maybe I should tailor your real pants." She swallowed and forced herself to look up.

"What is going on?" Auron demanded, flinging his arm dramatically. "I have an urge to scream. Very loudly." He paused and looked down. "And play this guitar."

"Uh," Rikku said, trying to collect her scrambled thoughts. "The Songstress sphere accidentally got activated somehow." Accidental Auron's ass, Lenne! "So, uh, it puts you in a new outfit, and gives you the ability to pants…" She slapped herself. "I mean dance, dance, make magic with the dancing. In the pants."

Jecht cocked his head. "Do those even count as pants?"

"Just tell me how to stop it," Auron demanded, stepping forward with one steel-toed boot. A chime sounded.

"Too late," Rikku squeaked.

"Augh!" Auron yelled, rather melodically.

"Well, you do have better pitch than the Revivalists," Braska told Auron with a twinkle in his eye. "Maybe you should see this through?"

"How exactly am I supposed to see this through?" Auron bit out, stomping his foot. Another chime sounded and a runic pattern flickered to life under his feet. It was beginning to draw the attention of the bystanders, who were forming a ring around them.

"Is he a rock star?" a young girl asked, her eyes lighting up as her gaze lingered on Auron's pants.

Rikku shoved herself in front of the girl – Dona, of course, she thought with a scowl – and flapped her hands at Auron. "Just do something! You can't keep standing and pooling the magic or there'll probably be a backlash!"

"Do what?" Auron growled. "I don't dance!"

"Well if you're not gonna dance, then you're gonna have to sing." She eyed the irregularly glowing pattern with increasing worry. She'd never tried building up the Songstress sphere's power before, but she couldn't imagine anything good coming out of it. Nor anything good coming out of Auron transforming into Lenne in the middle of a large crowd. "Just… try playing that guitar and sing your feelings!"

Slowly, and with a epic glower that put all of his previous facial expressions to shame, Auron began to pluck a few chords on the guitar. Rikku breathed a sigh of relief as the pattern he was standing on stabilized, then had another moment of panic. Songs always made magic. She reached for the Godhand, remembering too late she'd left it with Auron.

Sidling closer to Braska, she leaned in. "Hey, maybe you should be ready to summon something. Y'know. Just in case."

Braska started in surprise, but refocused his attention on Auron as the music grew in volume.

Auron was glaring at them, fingers clenched around the neck of his guitar. He opened his mouth, but instead of angry words, he started singing. "Love me for all time, or don't waste mine. End of our ropes, goin' for broke!" Braska was right; Auron did have pretty good pitch, even if it sounded like he was dragging his voice over rough sandpaper.

...but he's not half bad. Actually, he sounds pretty good, she revised. Although he'd probably sound better if the words weren't so furious.

He strummed his guitar, eyes boring into Rikku. "Let me hold you, don't question why. Make me no promises, together 'til we die!" He broke eye contact, looking down and stomping his foot. The magic exploded, harsh and angry, breaking in shockwaves over the crowd and making people stumble. An angry Auron was powerful, no matter what weapon he was using.

"Everything's changing, but it all seems the same! We're all at fault, but there's nobody to blame!" His face contorted as he sang. "Every escape takes you back to the start. Someone will die and break someone elses' heart!"

His fingers flew over the strings of his guitar, freezing the crowd in place. The chords were fierce and loud, and people began to sway uneasily. Rikku still wasn't sure what spell he was casting, but it didn't feel good.

"We are each other, you'll laugh and you'll cry," Auron continued, his voice harsh. "True to the end, or a dagger in your eye!"

His frenzied guitar riff reflected the internal rage and turmoil he'd pumped into his song. "Love is a thief, she'll steal your heart in the night. Then she'll fall from your grip, you better hang on tight!"

Rikku swallowed as she finally understood she was to blame for his spell. This is what I did to him, she realized as the clearing grew murky in an unnatural darkness. Even the light of the huge bonfire seemed to dim. He was making his guitar wail in a way that his voice never would, spreading his turmoil to everyone listening.

She looked at Jecht, who was kneeling and staring at the ground with a hard look in his eye, far away from the present. At her side, Braska fared no better, his eyes closed as sweat beaded across his brow.

Stop, she thought, but the weight of the song made her legs want to fold under her and she couldn't gather the energy to raise her voice. It almost felt like gravity magic, but it tugged at her soul instead of her body.

As Auron continued to sing, Rikku felt the magic taking hold of his anger and lashing out like hammers bludgeoning the crowd. She forced herself to look at him, meeting his gaze and seeing the frustration and despair obvious on his face. But he sang one final line at her, filled with something more than fury. "I'm begging you, love, return to me!"

His hands stopped moving, allowing the reverberation to die out into the now-silent night. The unnatural darkness lifted, and people began to shift and look around in confusion.

Rikku's mind cleared when the last notes ended; she heard Braska chanting, sending a powerful wave of Esuna magic into the crowd. Ignoring them, she rushed to Auron's side and deactivated the grid.

A soft breeze passed over her as the swirl of light surrounded Auron, releasing him from the dressphere.

Jecht came to his feet, shaking his head. "Well, that love song made me feel like shit. Great job, Auron."

"I'm not sure what it did or if I countered it effectively," Braska told them, looking at the subdued crowd that was beginning to disperse. Many were making their way back towards the village; the joy and life seemed to have been sucked out of the air itself. The faces that passed them were angry, worried, and upset. One woman even slapped her partner.

Rikku winced; her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton and her temper was frayed. Pushing down her growing feeling of guilt, she turned on Auron. "Look at what you did to these people!" she hissed. "They came here for a party, not to get their souls crushed! We need to fix this!"

Auron was unwrapping the belt from his forearm with a look of disgust. "Never again," he muttered. "I regret even asking about it." He shoved it back into Rikku's hands, the look on his face a mixture of humiliation and building anger. "You wanted to know my feelings? Now everyone does!"

Rikku drew back, hurt. "I didn't mean to – "

Auron cut her off. "This was just one more mistake in a countless string of them!" He palmed his face, exhaling loudly. When he next spoke, his words came out calm and flat. "No. This wasn't your fault, it was mine. But it is a sign of how incompatible we really are."

No. No, no, no, no! I'm not letting it end like this! "We aren't incompatible! So maybe this was a bad idea, but ending us? That's just the magic talking!" She lifted her hand, thinking to catch Auron, who had turned away from her. The belt still dangled from her fingertips, and a sudden flash of fury overwhelmed her. It's all because of this thing – !

Jecht caught her arm on the downswing, snatching the garment grid away before she could smash it into the ground.

"You ain't thinkin' right," he told her. Then he scampered onto the stage.

"What is he – " Auron began.

Rikku groaned, not wanting to watch the inevitable disaster.

Jecht raised his voice, addressing the rest of them. "So, that sucked, but this is still the greatest idea ever!" he yelled, snapping the garment grid in place around his wrist. The crowd milled about the stage restlessly, still plagued by an almost tangible cloud of depression and irritation. "It's my turn now!"

Braska made an abortive noise of dismay as Jecht activated one of the nodes on the dressphere and was surrounded by light.

When it faded, Rikku peeked through her fingers. "...Jecht?"

His overalls had lengthened into pants, though he was still shirtless. Even the patterns on his clothing remained the same, though now his trousers were of the same orange dye as his former sash, and his arm guard was completely missing. "Huh. Don't feel too different," Jecht mused. Then he looked down at her with a wide grin. "Yeah?"

"Which dressphere is that?" Braska asked, also confused. "You do not look much… changed. Did you activate your own sphere?"

A rotating pattern lit up underneath Jecht's feet as he laughed. "Now why would I do that? I'm tellin' ya, you don't see a difference 'cause I already am a superstar!" Jecht reached and pulled down the microphone that materialized over his head.

"Yevon help us," Auron muttered, turning as if he was going to bolt.

Rikku clamped down on his arm. "Nope, you said we're a team. That means we face things together," she grit out.

Auron shook her hand off. "You're the one who wanted your space earlier." It was too late for him to escape, though; magical notes had already started chiming.

Jecht continued to build the music, deftly moving across the stage. "That's the problem with all you people. Always caught up in your own love lives, singin' out your boo hoos to each other. You gotta look at the bigger picture!" He stomped, freezing everyone in place with two strong chords and capturing the attention of the depressed villagers.

"This ain't a song for the sad and lonely!" he belted out. "No quiet prayer for them Yevonites only!" His loud words arrested the drifting crowd. Even Rikku felt the pull of magic, giving Jecht her full attention.

"I ain't gonna be just a flash in the pan! You're gonna hear me sing, I know you can!" He stomped again and the music exploded, a driving beat urging them to do something. Rikku twitched.

"This is my life! It's here and now! I ain't gonna wait to take a bow!"

Rikku opened her mouth to ask what Jecht was doing, but instead, song burst forth. "This is my life!" She noticed she wasn't the only one; a few others in the crowd sang with her as they swayed.

Jecht continued to dance, grinning. She noted with some distraction that he was still better than most people at it; maybe having practiced on his own helped? Then she noticed that she was copying his moves. And as much as she wanted to yell at him for making dance magic, she couldn't help the snicker that welled up as he bounced around their makeshift stage. "I'm just gonna live while I'm around!"

"Here's to the kids who stood their ground," Jecht sang to his warming audience. "For Auron and Rikku, who never backed down!" Rikku spun around with a laugh, coming to an abrupt stop when she realized she was face-to-face with Auron.

"Tomorrow's gonna be hard, got that alright. If there's darkness all around, you gotta make your own light…" Jecht twirled his hand at them.

Auron directed a look of utter frustration towards Jecht. He opened his mouth, likely on a reprimand, but instead sang, "This is my life! And it's here and now!"

Jecht nodded and continued to belt his refrain, working the now-eager crowd into a fervor. Rikku focused her attention on Auron, no longer fighting the magic that spurred her into a loose dance.

"We ain't gonna take a bow," she hummed to her unwilling partner. She trapped Auron's waist in her arms, swaying with him. "Don't you wanna live while you're around?"

Auron gave her a measured look, but sang along with her – and the rest of Kilika, thanks to Jecht's spell. "This is my life," he grumbled.

"My heart's a wide open pathway – " Rikku grinned.

"Like Braska said – "

"I travelled it my way," Rikku finished for him. At least he was still dancing, though not even Jecht's spell could make them stop arguing. "I just wanna live while I'm around," she sang.

" 'Cause it's my right!" Jecht roared. He'd somehow managed to transform his mic into a guitar which he was playing for the cheering crowd, and the air of celebration returned with a vengeance.

Jecht was still singing, but the magic he'd poured into trapping them was beginning to fade, freeing their feet. Auron's swaying motion slowed down, and Rikku reluctantly stilled as well. His hands reached for hers, tugging her away from the center of the festivities and towards the edge of the crowd.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take," Auron told her, though he didn't seem as upset as before. Rikku wondered if it was the lingering effect of magic lightening his mood, or if he really had managed to let go of some of the inner turmoil he'd let them glimpse.

"I can't believe he did that," she snorted, gasping for breath when they stopped near the trees. The music faded to a pulsing beat in the background, and she turned to face Auron with a grin. "Are you okay?"

"Would you believe me if I said I was fine?" Auron asked. He choked out a rough laugh, then dropped his head. "Look at the difference between what I wrought and what Jecht has done."

Rikku's smile faded. "Jecht was just trying to do some damage control. You were telling me how you really felt, though." She looked at the hand he was still holding. "Am I really like a knife to your eye?"

Auron sighed. "My feelings were in all of it. I still love you enough to hate feeling this way." He shook his head. "And now I've made you and many innocent people suffer."

Rikku thought about his song. Yes, it had been angry, but he had ended it with a plea. She was tiptoeing around Auron, waiting to see when, or even if, his simmering anger would ever disperse. Maybe he wasn't just angry, though; maybe he was waiting for her to do something, too.

She clutched his fingers like a lifeline. "It doesn't have to be like this, you know," she said. Then she darted in, not bothering to ask for permission. Her lips crashed into his before he could pull away, and she held him in place.

He stiffened, but slowly unwound as she persisted, refusing to give up. Finally, his arms came around her and he tilted his head, responding to her touch. It didn't have the magnetic pull of the kisses they'd shared before; it was filled with an emotion much more raw and desperate.

Rikku drew away first, looking up into Auron's grim face. She reached over and tried to smooth the furrows from his forehead. "I'm here," she whispered to him. "I'm alive, and I'm not going to leave you."

Auron cupped her face. "I was lost without you here." He bent down and kissed her again, properly; the way we should have on the Winno. Some part of her that had been curled up in a wounded ball relaxed.

Auron's right. He drew her closer, deepening the kiss. Words would never be enough between them; it was his lips and his crushing embrace that told her how he felt; how much of his desperate anger had masked his fear.

So she did her best to reassure him, stroking her fingers across his scalp and letting him hold onto her. They separated after a few moments, breathing heavily. Rikku couldn't help smiling at him. "Even if you messed up, I really liked those pants."

Auron groaned. "At least one of us did, then." He pulled her closer and rested his chin on her head, and Rikku tucked herself against him. In the village, a cheer rose up as a new song started.

Another grin spread across her face as she looked up. "Is that his third one in a row? Looks like Jecht is going wild," she noted.

"Let him," Auron replied, tightening his arms and brushing his lips against her cheek. "It's a time of celebration that we all need after that ordeal."

She grinned as strains of the music spilled over them. "Hey, this one sounds different. Kinda makes me wanna dance!" She swayed in Auron's arms, waggling her eyebrows.

Auron huffed a quiet laugh at her. "This is a celebration. Our celebration. Now don't spoil it by talking about Jecht." He leaned forward and recaptured her lips, and Rikku melted in his arms.

.x.x.x.

"Ah, we're drinking and we're spinning, and the music is fantastic…"

Near the village fire, Jecht was having his dance-off, trading moves with a Kilikan woman to the beat of the music. He wasn't, however, singing; Braska smiled in satisfaction and lifted the mic to his lips to continue.

"A new partner found, an old partner lost, and it'll be hell to pay when the music stops..."

He was better than Rikku with the dressphere, his feet moving gracefully over the pattern as he sang. "We may be lonely old romantics – "

The strange feminine presence inside of the sphere harmonized with him, giving the spell more power – another summoner's soul, he sensed, her time long past. She was basking in the freedom he was weaving for her into the magic, a host vessel capable of properly broadcasting her own considerable powers. "The evening air is bursting with the hope of some release..."

He continued the song, wondering at the sense of familiarity the other presence gave off. No, not familiarity; recognition. As if the presence in the sphere knew something about him. But how would that be possible? Chiding himself for the brief flight of fancy, he pushed the strange thought away and focused on his dance. As his eyes cast over the crowd, he saw Auron and Rikku, outlined by firelight against the trees on the edge of the jungle. "... I swear to you, it happened on an evening whim like this…"

People whirled around him, hypnotized. They were pictures of joy and vitality, shedding the burdens of their sorrows for a single night with the help of his magic. Their happiness was infectious, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the couple that had drawn away from the dance.

"It was but a sigh, and a desperate shared kiss…" Braska watched as Auron leaned down and kissed Rikku, who responded in kind. A pained smile passed over his face as his feet moved along the pattern, keeping the music flowing. So they'd taken Jecht's advice to heart and were allowing themselves to move on. "For a moment, I thought my heart had opened a bit..."

Sing your feelings, Rikku had told Auron. "... but those dreams, they've been trampled on since," he sang, realizing that he, too, was broadcasting his own feelings. "Oh, how I've missed you since that wretched kiss…"

The sphere unlocked the truth from one's soul and freed it, influencing the will and desires of all who heard the heart's song. "... I no longer care what happens next. Letting go seems like it should be freedom but it's just like death..." Braska tore his eyes away from the couple. Sing your feelings, she'd said. "... maybe it's something in between, I guess… it's time for an end."

.x.x.x.

When their next kiss finally ended, Rikku felt lightheaded.

"So… does this mean we're okay again?" she breathed, trying to find her balance.

"Yes," Auron replied unsteadily, and she was glad to see that he just as flushed and shaken as she was, for once. "More than that," he added lowly, taking her by the hand and leading her back towards the festival.

It looked like the Songstress dressphere was finally being retired for the night, but the villagers had stepped up, providing their own music. The tunes were much more primitive – powered only by the collection of drums being played by hand and one woman piping on a set of reed flutes – but that didn't stop the eager dancers from whirling around the bonfire, shouting and yelling in a celebration of life.

"Are we gonna join the party?" Rikku called out to Auron in confusion. He'd turned her into jelly, and now he expected her legs to work? "I don't know if I'm ready for that after being kissed into a pile of goo. Besides, I thought you don't dance!"

Auron stopped and squeezed her hand. "Both of us are ready to dance." Turning, he pulled her through the crowd. She tripped along behind him, trying to keep up with his long strides.

Confusion blossomed into slow comprehension as he forced their way out of the clearing and towards the village. Soon, the sounds of the party were left behind, nothing more than a low murmur competing with the gentle slap of water hitting the docks. Their surroundings were dark and empty; the night was still young and celebrating the victory of the Kilika Beasts was a community event. He slowed as they approached the simple hut that was designated as an inn for visitors, drawing her inside.

"But – " Rikku protested as he pulled her into one of the rooms and shut the curtain that doubled as a door. Moonlight spilled in from the window, illuminating the lone futon spread across the floor. She eyed the thatch shutters that Auron hadn't bothered to close, letting the distant sounds of the festivities carry into the room. "This isn't exactly private! And what about the others – ?"

"I rented three rooms," Auron said, facing her. "This one is ours."

She blinked, then looked down as his arms circled her waist. "Three – " Understanding dawned, and she scowled. "You planned this, didn't you? You big meanie! Holding back your kisses all day long, and now this?"

"And what if I did?" he asked. His face was hidden by the long shadows of the night, but she could still see the traces of amusement lining his eyes. "I was only returning your favor. You made me suffer, Rikku." The humor leaked out of his voice, and his arms tightened around her. "More than you know."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, the words bubbling up unbidden. It was a strange day, and turning into an even stranger evening – Auron was hardly being subtle, and his sudden swing from angered distance to desperate longing filled her both with anticipation and dismay. He was supposed to be their rock. I did this to him, she thought again, guilt gnawing at her conscience. And not just what I did with Braska, either. I taught him to care this much and then disappeared somewhere he couldn't follow. She clasped her hands behind his neck, drew him in, and felt him shudder when he buried his face against her neck. "I didn't mean to make you worry."

"Very few people ever mean to die," Auron answered, relaxing his near-bruising grip and straightening. "I would appreciate it if you didn't in the foreseeable future."

She lay her head into his chest. "I worried about you, too," she admitted. "I'm going to teach you to swim in Besaid. And no, you don't have a say in this," she added when he looked affronted. "I dreamt you'd drowned. That Sin ate you. That Jecht tried to reach you and couldn't make it in time. I dreamt you died a thousand different ways and I couldn't stop it. I hated it."

Auron held her for a moment longer, soothing her with the steady rhythm of his breath. Then he pushed her back gently.

"Tonight is a celebration of life," he said, reaching for her head. He unwound her bandana, letting her hair hang free over her shoulders in a tangle of beads and braids. He straightened the messy locks with his fingers, but his eyes never left her face. "Will you join me?"

Rikku's fingers twitched. She felt heat rising in her cheeks, but ignored it and instead focused on undoing the buckles of his belt. It clattered to the floor, and she pushed the red overcoat off his shoulders. That, too, dropped to the floor with a whisper, leaving him in his pants and armored chest plate.

He leaned down and pressed a tentative, questioning kiss against her lips. "It's not like you to be so quiet," he murmured.

"Words get in the way sometimes," she answered thinking back on their time together. Her fingers unbuckled the clasps of his armor. Whenever we talk, we mess things up. But he can't misunderstand this, right? She tugged at his chestplate, and he backed away to help her remove it and then stripped off his grey linen undershirt.

Rikku inhaled sharply. She'd known Auron was strong; it was obvious, given the size of the sword he carried around and the definition in his arms. But this…

He bent in the moonlight, removing his boots, and her eyes were glued to the ripple of back muscles the simple motion highlighted. When he straightened again, she was drawn to the chiselled planes of his chest.

Wow. Then her gaze dropped. She swallowed, reaching out with trembling fingers, then paused.

Auron caught her movement, eyebrow lifting. "You are allowed to touch me," he told her with a hint of amusement.

She crooned in satisfaction, then ran her hands down his abdomen. "Covering these up is a crime against nature," she drooled.

Auron laughed, and Rikku tracked the mesmerizing shift of his torso as he did.

"So you think I should walk around baring myself as you usually do?"

Yes, please! was her immediate thought before the image played out in her brain. "...Probably not," she admitted, tracing the dip between the muscles from his chest to his navel. For once she was thankful for the sweltering heat in Kilika; thin beads of sweat dotted his bare skin. "You'd attract too much attention." She traced the defined line down his hip and he jerked. "Ticklish?" she mused.

Auron swore and leaned down, catching her in an unexpected kiss. The easy, flirtatious atmosphere melded into focused intensity in an instant. For all his light humor, Rikku could feel the tension coiling underneath his skin.

He, too, had missed her, she realized, as his hands rose to hold her head steady. The hunger that had sprouted in Luca had festered into something darker when he thought she might be dead.

And then he found me again, and I threw what I did with Braska right in his face. She faltered, surprised that Auron still wanted to be with her at all. Maybe… we shouldn't be doing this yet? Is it really the right time?

Perhaps sensing her hesitation, Auron growled. "I do not care," he said, the heated words washing across her collarbone. "Whatever you are thinking, I do not care. I don't want to keep myself from knowing you any longer, whether you hurt me again or not."

That stung, spurring Rikku to silence him with a kiss. "I won't hurt you," she said, fumbling with her battered bikini bottom until it joined his clothes on the floor.

He hiked up the edge of her shirt, his hand a burning warmth as he pushed it over her thigh. When he paused, she whined in protest. "Don't make promises you can't keep." He continued lifting her shirt off. "I'm willing to be hurt if it means I can have you." He pulled the cloth over her head and dropped it aside, then guided her to the floor.

Rikku shut her eyes and pressed against him, searching for relief to the growing heat under her skin. Auron's fingers caught against her top, untying the string. When he pulled it away, she felt him lean back to observe her, just as she had done to him.

Her eyes flew open and she watched him watching her. His brows furrowed, gaze darting back and forth over her; he was giving her the same considering look he used when appraising an opponent. She shivered at the intensity, but still managed to inject a smug note into her voice as she spoke. "You know, you're allowed to touch me, too. Even if you think they're small."

"You're never going to let me forget that, are you?" He fell forward, trapping her head between his hands and kissing her hungrily, a man starved for touch. She wrapped her legs around his waist and breathed out a moan as his fingers trailed down her sides. This is happening. This is really happening!

Reaching for the tie of his ponytail, she yanked it out. His long black hair spilled over their shoulders like a silken waterfall. Maybe there's something to combing your hair after all, Rikku thought, running her hands through the smooth, tangle-free lengths. She curled her fingers into Auron's scalp and tugged.

He let out a low groan and in answer, another woman moaned with him –

They both froze, and then she realized the groans weren't coming from him.

Auron murmured something under his breath, and it didn't sound complimentary. Turning her head towards the open window, she squinted.

The moans grew louder – definitely not either of them. In fact, they seemed to be coming from another room in the same inn.

"Uh! Celes!" a man cried out.

Rikku thumped her head against the futon as Auron collapsed next to her with a pained grunt.

"You wanna keep going?" she whispered, then winced as another strangled cry sounded. Whoever the two lovers were, they weren't shy about letting the world know they were going at it.

Save some action for us! You're killing the mood over here!

Auron rolled onto his back and covered his eyes. The scowl forming on the lower half of his face hinted at his desire to unleash an overdrive.

Rikku could commiserate.

Shrugging, she sat up and kicked off her boots. Then she leaned her chin on her palm, sulking and listening to the sounds of their amorous neighbors.

Eventually, Auron sat up beside her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and moodily rested his chin against her shoulder. Another loud cry split the air and Rikku smirked.

"He must be good," she whispered.

Auron opened his mouth to reply, but a sudden shout, followed by a long moment of silence, made him pause. His eyebrows rose, and he turned to Rikku, his mouth close to her ear. "You think they're done?"

A giggle sounded. "Again? Already? Oh! Oh, Locke – "

Rikku sighed. "We should've just dance-danced," she answered under her breath.

Still, despite the distracting noise, she felt Auron nuzzle her. "Mmm," she hummed as he brushed his lips over a particularly sensitive spot on her neck. "What're you doing?"

Auron didn't answer, too busy tracing a path up her chin and towards her own lips. He drew away before kissing her, but she hardly noticed, distracted as she was by his wandering hands. "I thought you didn't want to – "

"What did he do to you?"

Rikku's stomach dropped out and she shivered at the low, angry note coloring Auron's voice. There it was: his jealousy.

"Did he touch you here?" he murmured against her ear.

She shook her head, breathing shallowly. "Why are you asking me this now?"

Auron's mouth drifted down her neck, suckling the sensitive skin. "And here?"

Her eyes fell shut and she tilted her head back. His lips were warm and insistent, but he pulled away even as she leaned forward, forcing her hands down to her sides.

"Answer me," he demanded, his breath hot against her skin.

Opening her eyes, Rikku looked out the window. The two lovers continued to provide the backdrop to Auron's bittersweet interrogation.

"Yes," she sighed, conflicted by the mixture of arousal and guilt threatening to overwhelm her.

Auron stiffened, but his fingers continued to trail down her sides, stopping at her hips. He traced the edges of their curves, then forged a path to her outer thighs. "Where?" he asked again.

Is this the right thing to do? Rikku wondered, even as he raised goosebumps with his touch. She'd lied so much to him already… could she do it again, now, to spare him? Did he even want to be spared?

No. She was done making the same mistakes. He deserved her honesty, no matter how much it would hurt them both.

"Not there," she answered, moving her hand over his. She guided his fingers along the backs of her thighs with the whisper of a memory. "Here," she added, releasing him.

Auron's mouth silenced her, his kiss hot and angry. There was no hint of mercy or tenderness in the action, just raw fury. Or anguish, maybe, at her words. He drew back after a moment, panting. "Did he kiss you as I have?"

Rikku couldn't meet his gaze, so she closed her eyes instead. "Answer my question," she demanded. "Why are you asking?"

He dropped his head against her chest, his breathing rough and pained. "I can't stand it. The thought of someone else claiming your body." His fingers gripped and released her thighs. "I want to burn away everything he did to you."

Somewhere above them, Celes was singing another aria. Auron had dedicated a song to Rikku too, one that had shown the depths of the turmoil that still boiled below the surface of his outward calm.

"Okay," she breathed. "Okay," she repeated, meeting his kiss with one of her own. "Ask, and I'll show you."

He pushed her down against the futon, and Rikku allowed him to test her, adding her own soft gasps and sighs to the chorus. Her voice rose and fell with each discovery of her indiscretion; it felt like Auron was hunting for and exposing her deepest secrets. True to his nature, he was focused, methodical and relentless in his exploration. It was thrilling; her nerves were on fire, and her body was thrumming with excitement. Gasping, Rikku's eyes flew open. So why do I feel so terrible?

Auron's movements slowed as her words died out. He dropped his forehead against her hip. "Is there anything else?" he asked, his voice strained.

Rikku gulped in a ragged breath and shook her head. "No… no, there's… nothing else to confess."

Something in the way her words caught in her throat made him lift his head and look at her. Climbing to her side, he brushed a tear away from the corner of her eye. "I've hurt you."

"I hurt you first," she replied.

He flopped onto his back, the tension draining out of him. "We really are cactuars," he muttered with a hint of wry humor. "This is not at all how I envisioned tonight's activities."

She rolled into his shoulder, defeated. "I thought this would make me happy, being able to finally be with you like this." I said it to Braska, didn't I? Maybe I'm too stupid to take my own advice. "But, I can't just kiss away our problems." She squeezed her eyes shut. I've figured out that much, at least.

His laugh surprised her.

"You think it's funny?"

"Not that," he said, tracing a gentle finger over her shoulder. "It's just that you're the least Al Bhed Al Bhed I've ever met."

After everything that had happened, somehow, the contradiction warmed her. "Oh, like you're a shining example of the warrior monks, huh?" She poked him in the ribs. "But, maybe that makes us perfect for each other." Sobering, she glanced over at Auron, thinking about their thorny relationship.

The Church of Yevon made a production of being scandalized by the Al Bhed's supposedly promiscuous behavior, and in response the Al Bhed embraced that philosophy without shame. On the other hand, for all of their professed piety, Rikku had never met any warrior monk as straight-laced and honor-bound as Auron. If fact, it was usually the Church's own ranks who were the first to ignore the teachings. She winced, reminded once again of her disastrous stay in Baaj, and pushed the thought away.

"We're both hurting because we want the same thing – just to be with each other. I don't want to do what other people think I should, and I think... neither do you, right?"

He met her gaze. "I want to trust you."

She drifted closer. "I didn't sleep with Braska." Please, please believe me. Maybe this was the real punishment for the myriad of lies she'd fabricated since crash-landing into Auron's life; he just couldn't accept the truth when she told it to him. "I couldn't do it because he wasn't you. Even if you don't want me anymore, I won't run to Braska. I can't be with anyone else. It has to be you."

Auron pulled her close and kissed her; it wasn't the hungry, desperate kisses he'd assaulted her with before. There was something almost delicate in the way he touched her now, every movement an apology. "You're shaking," he whispered.

"I can't lose you," she whispered back, trying to hold herself still. "I know it's childish and there are things going on that are bigger than you and me, but I can't help it. I don't know what I'd do if my stupid lies forced you away."

He brushed his calloused thumb under the sensitive skin of her ear, drawing tiny circles that soothed away her tremors. "I shouldn't have let my frustration and assumptions cloud my judgement." He searched her face. "I know who you really are."

Rikku's breath caught in her throat. "What do you mean?"

He caught a stray lock of her hair between his fingers, his eyes still trained on hers. "You're my love. And I am still yours." He lowered his head, breathing in her choked sob. "I won't forget it again," he added, before sealing his mouth over hers.

The gentle apology gradually heated, and his hands resumed their exploration of her body. This time, his touch wasn't an interrogation, and the renewed tension that sparked between them was no longer filled with anger.

She tore her mouth away from him, sucking in a ragged breath. "So then we're lovers? You're all talk," she said, giddy with relief. "If you mean it, then you better back up those words right now."

Auron slowed her frenetic caresses. "Relax," he told her, gently. "There's no need to rush." His voice grew husky. "I won't let you escape tonight."

Some of her panicked desperation to nail down Auron's forgiveness lessened with his reassurance, and she stopped trying to plaster herself against him like an overly-affectionate Coeurl.

"Your presence in my life is a gift," he continued. "I'm not sure how I earned it, nor how long I'll manage to keep it. But, if this ordeal has taught me anything, it's that you're here now, and I'd be a fool to reject that gift. So I intend to return it." His lips grazed hers. "I am yours. But will you accept me?"

Embracing him, Rikku drank in his presence. She wondered why he couldn't see what she did: perfection, from his sculpted warrior's physique to his sharp mind. Most of all she wondered at his capacity to be loyal no matter what he was put through, expecting nothing in return. Almost as though he was afraid to demand more from the few people he cared for.

Was it just me who did this to you? The thought was fleeting, but the answer didn't matter. Her heart ached, that she had hurt him enough that he thought it necessary to even ask – but the answer was something she was more sure of than ever before. "Only you," she replied, drawing him into a kiss.

I had to censor this chapter because song lyrics – even snippets – aren't allowed to be quoted here. I replaced the song text with approximations, but the songs are supposed to be:

Auron: Motörhead - "Love Me Forever"
Jecht: Bon Jovi - "It's My Life"
Braska: Leonard Cohen - "Closing Time"

This chapter's for Lemmy and Leonard Cohen.