-Chapter 10
A/N: This is like... the last chapter. But I'm finally updating again! I want to thank Dark Shedevil for actually making me want to finish this story. And thank you to all of you who reviewed! This is my most reviewed story!
I have to warn you though, there's a small time jump from the last chapter and this one. They're back in the Cabin now after coming back in from the fight. It's not explained exactly how they reacted, I just like to say that they just sort of... stopped kissing and went back inside. So yeah, hope you enjoy the chapter, because I love it! And I worked really hard on it too! XO
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The air of the Cabin was mostly undisturbed, save from the sounds of Rikku shuffling around her inventory every now and then. Said blond sat on the edge of her bed, facing Paine who was sitting, in turn, sitting on her bed facing Rikku.
Rikku breathed in a sigh as Paine shifted to rest her back on a pillow, no longer facing Rikku.
"Listen, Rikku..." the warrior started, drawing her knees up to her chest, absent of her gloves and boots. The blond turned to look over at her friend, having just taken a potion.
"... I'm sorry."
There was slight silence for a few moments after that, where Paine waited for the blond's response. Rikku smiled.
"It's okay, you didn't beat me up that bad. Nothing a potion can't fix. Need one?" she spoke in her normal, cheery tone.
Smile gracing her lips as crimson eyes looked over to the thief, Paine nodding.
"You know that's not what I meant, though."
At this, Rikku's overly cheerful aura fell.
True. Paine wasn't referring directly to the fight. She was apologizing for her behavior for the past few days. And Rikku was aware of this.
With a small nod in return, Rikku stood up and walked over to sit on the edge of Paine's bed, next to the older girl's drawn up knees.
"Thanks for catching me back there." the blond spoke, a more genuine smile appearing on her face.
"Well, I wasn't going to let you fall off the side of the deck. Too many people would skin me alive for it. Like Brother, and Cid, and maybe Yuna..." Paine replied, gaze turning upward in mock thought. Rikku giggled for a moment before sighing.
"I know." Paine started, looking back at her partner. "You're welcome."
The two smiled at each other for a moment, before the smile on Rikku's face fell. Look on her face serious, she leaned in towards Paine.
"But about the other day... On the cliff." she spoke, voice quiet and calm. She noticed Paine tense up again, and part of her was afraid that she was going to push her away again, when the warrior surprised her by meeting her gaze and speaking.
Paine's lips parted upon Rikku's mention of the other day, eyes falling down to the opposite edge of the bed. Taking in a breath, she looked back up, crimson meeting emerald.
"I remembered everything that happened that day.
"It hit met just as I reached the top of the hill..." she started, looking to the side for a moment as she collected her thoughts.
"I had a younger sister." she stated, tone softer then Rikku had ever heard her use.
"My parents had been called in for a mission to protect a bunch of summoners, and they had taken her and myself with them... We were too young to take care of ourselves for the amount of time they were supposed to be away, and they didn't know anyone well enough to leave us with them. Their mission was to get them from the Calm Lands and Requiem Temple to Mt. Gagazet. They had set up camp for a few days... but something went wrong."
Paine stopped then, sounding almost as if she had been cut off. Rikku shifted to sit closer to her partner, looking concerned. The crimson-eyed girl's gaze fell back to the thief, shaking her head to show her that she was alright. Rikku's posture seemed to relax a bit, but the look on her face did not change.
"Sin showed up at the camp... We were totally unprepared for an attack, so there was chaos... everyone was rushing to prepare. But it was too late for that."
Paine paused again, seemingly gathering her thoughts again. Taking a deep breath, she continued.
"My mother... " the word felt odd on her tongue. "In a effort to have my sister and me escape, my mother had us leave the cliff top while everyone was busy fighting off Sin. She handed me my sword... and this." Paine's hand closed around her necklace, her gaze once again distant.
"She told me..." her tone wavered, causing her to pause yet again. At this, Rikku placed her hand over the grip Paine had on her necklace. Facial expression softening, crimson eyes found the meek smile Rikku was giving her. With another nod, she continued.
"She told me to take care of my sister. And that we should run. So we did...
"We had almost made it down the hill when some Sinspawn attacked us. I had told her everything would be okay..." Paine's voice broke then. However, before Rikku could react, she spoke again.
"I moved to cut our way through them, but the moment I let go of her hand-"
Paine's eyes shut as a tear made it's way down her face.
"I don't remember anything after that. I woke up in some hospital in Bevelle." she started again, voice more steady then it had been a moment ago.
"No one survived that attack. They had almost left me for dead.
"After I woke up, all they told me was that my parents had been killed in an attack by Sin, and that I wouldn't remember because I had been exposed to too much of the toxin. So it wasn't as if I cared much.
"When they had asked me if I remembered my name... I told them it was Paine. I wandered for a few years after that... and I still can't remember what I did too well. But I remember hearing about the Crimson Squad... so I decided to sign up."
When Paine looked back up at Rikku, she found herself in a tight embrace.
"I'm so sorry!" the blond said, voice muffled by her mouth being buried in the pillow Paine was resting on.
"It wasn't your fault." the warrior replied in her normal tone, sitting up while hesitantly returning the hug.
"I know but..." Rikku started, leaning back to look at her partner.
Paine just shook her head. "It's okay. I've had time to get over it, I just had to forgive myself first." she stated. Rikku opened her mouth to speak, but Paine put a finger to the blond's lips to shush her. Finally dropping her knees, she looked the thief in the eye.
"Rikku, I have to thank you." she started, hand falling away from the blond's face.
"... If it weren't for you, I doubt I'd ever remember what happened."
"-But it got you so upset!"
"It doesn't matter, I'd rather live knowing what happened to me rather than going my how life wondering what could have happened."
At that, the conversation seemed to have ended, as Paine leaned toward Rikku, placing a light kiss on her lips. The blond quickly returned the kiss, waiting a few moments before deepening it, tongue gently sliding into the warrior's mouth. Paine brought her hand up to cup the blond's cheek, as Rikku lowered Paine to her former half reclining position, placing an arm on the opposite side of the older girl.
Paine pulled back slightly, pausing their kiss.
"And about this..."
"... This?" Rikku asked, blinking like she hadn't a clue -but knew exactly what the warrior was referring to.
Their relationship.
"I guess I wasn't kidding when I told you that I care about you this morning." Rikku replied lightly. The comment would sound harsh to most, but it caused Paine to smile.
"I know." Paine replied.
After waiting a moment, Rikku seemed to grow uneasy.
"So... that means it's okay then, right?"
Paine laughed at the blond's question, giving her a nod. After this, she seemed to grow quiet and serious again.
"Rikku... I..." Paine trailed off, trying to find her words. With another small laugh, she continued.
"I don't know what I'd do without you."
At this, Rikku smiled before leaning down to kiss Paine again. The blond shifted on the bed, positioning herself so that she rested on top the older girl.
"So, can I stay here for the night?" Rikku asked sheepishly.
"I don't think I'll be having anymore nightmares." Paine replied, a small blush apparent on her face. Rikku's face began to fall when she spoke up again. "-But yeah."
And so the thief got to happily fall asleep in the arms of the warrior.
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XD
I want to put up an epilogue or something after this. Too bad it's like... pretty much over and stuff now.
A/N: This is like... the last chapter. But I'm finally updating again! I want to thank Dark Shedevil for actually making me want to finish this story. And thank you to all of you who reviewed! This is my most reviewed story!
I have to warn you though, there's a small time jump from the last chapter and this one. They're back in the Cabin now after coming back in from the fight. It's not explained exactly how they reacted, I just like to say that they just sort of... stopped kissing and went back inside. So yeah, hope you enjoy the chapter, because I love it! And I worked really hard on it too! XO
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The air of the Cabin was mostly undisturbed, save from the sounds of Rikku shuffling around her inventory every now and then. Said blond sat on the edge of her bed, facing Paine who was sitting, in turn, sitting on her bed facing Rikku.
Rikku breathed in a sigh as Paine shifted to rest her back on a pillow, no longer facing Rikku.
"Listen, Rikku..." the warrior started, drawing her knees up to her chest, absent of her gloves and boots. The blond turned to look over at her friend, having just taken a potion.
"... I'm sorry."
There was slight silence for a few moments after that, where Paine waited for the blond's response. Rikku smiled.
"It's okay, you didn't beat me up that bad. Nothing a potion can't fix. Need one?" she spoke in her normal, cheery tone.
Smile gracing her lips as crimson eyes looked over to the thief, Paine nodding.
"You know that's not what I meant, though."
At this, Rikku's overly cheerful aura fell.
True. Paine wasn't referring directly to the fight. She was apologizing for her behavior for the past few days. And Rikku was aware of this.
With a small nod in return, Rikku stood up and walked over to sit on the edge of Paine's bed, next to the older girl's drawn up knees.
"Thanks for catching me back there." the blond spoke, a more genuine smile appearing on her face.
"Well, I wasn't going to let you fall off the side of the deck. Too many people would skin me alive for it. Like Brother, and Cid, and maybe Yuna..." Paine replied, gaze turning upward in mock thought. Rikku giggled for a moment before sighing.
"I know." Paine started, looking back at her partner. "You're welcome."
The two smiled at each other for a moment, before the smile on Rikku's face fell. Look on her face serious, she leaned in towards Paine.
"But about the other day... On the cliff." she spoke, voice quiet and calm. She noticed Paine tense up again, and part of her was afraid that she was going to push her away again, when the warrior surprised her by meeting her gaze and speaking.
Paine's lips parted upon Rikku's mention of the other day, eyes falling down to the opposite edge of the bed. Taking in a breath, she looked back up, crimson meeting emerald.
"I remembered everything that happened that day.
"It hit met just as I reached the top of the hill..." she started, looking to the side for a moment as she collected her thoughts.
"I had a younger sister." she stated, tone softer then Rikku had ever heard her use.
"My parents had been called in for a mission to protect a bunch of summoners, and they had taken her and myself with them... We were too young to take care of ourselves for the amount of time they were supposed to be away, and they didn't know anyone well enough to leave us with them. Their mission was to get them from the Calm Lands and Requiem Temple to Mt. Gagazet. They had set up camp for a few days... but something went wrong."
Paine stopped then, sounding almost as if she had been cut off. Rikku shifted to sit closer to her partner, looking concerned. The crimson-eyed girl's gaze fell back to the thief, shaking her head to show her that she was alright. Rikku's posture seemed to relax a bit, but the look on her face did not change.
"Sin showed up at the camp... We were totally unprepared for an attack, so there was chaos... everyone was rushing to prepare. But it was too late for that."
Paine paused again, seemingly gathering her thoughts again. Taking a deep breath, she continued.
"My mother... " the word felt odd on her tongue. "In a effort to have my sister and me escape, my mother had us leave the cliff top while everyone was busy fighting off Sin. She handed me my sword... and this." Paine's hand closed around her necklace, her gaze once again distant.
"She told me..." her tone wavered, causing her to pause yet again. At this, Rikku placed her hand over the grip Paine had on her necklace. Facial expression softening, crimson eyes found the meek smile Rikku was giving her. With another nod, she continued.
"She told me to take care of my sister. And that we should run. So we did...
"We had almost made it down the hill when some Sinspawn attacked us. I had told her everything would be okay..." Paine's voice broke then. However, before Rikku could react, she spoke again.
"I moved to cut our way through them, but the moment I let go of her hand-"
Paine's eyes shut as a tear made it's way down her face.
"I don't remember anything after that. I woke up in some hospital in Bevelle." she started again, voice more steady then it had been a moment ago.
"No one survived that attack. They had almost left me for dead.
"After I woke up, all they told me was that my parents had been killed in an attack by Sin, and that I wouldn't remember because I had been exposed to too much of the toxin. So it wasn't as if I cared much.
"When they had asked me if I remembered my name... I told them it was Paine. I wandered for a few years after that... and I still can't remember what I did too well. But I remember hearing about the Crimson Squad... so I decided to sign up."
When Paine looked back up at Rikku, she found herself in a tight embrace.
"I'm so sorry!" the blond said, voice muffled by her mouth being buried in the pillow Paine was resting on.
"It wasn't your fault." the warrior replied in her normal tone, sitting up while hesitantly returning the hug.
"I know but..." Rikku started, leaning back to look at her partner.
Paine just shook her head. "It's okay. I've had time to get over it, I just had to forgive myself first." she stated. Rikku opened her mouth to speak, but Paine put a finger to the blond's lips to shush her. Finally dropping her knees, she looked the thief in the eye.
"Rikku, I have to thank you." she started, hand falling away from the blond's face.
"... If it weren't for you, I doubt I'd ever remember what happened."
"-But it got you so upset!"
"It doesn't matter, I'd rather live knowing what happened to me rather than going my how life wondering what could have happened."
At that, the conversation seemed to have ended, as Paine leaned toward Rikku, placing a light kiss on her lips. The blond quickly returned the kiss, waiting a few moments before deepening it, tongue gently sliding into the warrior's mouth. Paine brought her hand up to cup the blond's cheek, as Rikku lowered Paine to her former half reclining position, placing an arm on the opposite side of the older girl.
Paine pulled back slightly, pausing their kiss.
"And about this..."
"... This?" Rikku asked, blinking like she hadn't a clue -but knew exactly what the warrior was referring to.
Their relationship.
"I guess I wasn't kidding when I told you that I care about you this morning." Rikku replied lightly. The comment would sound harsh to most, but it caused Paine to smile.
"I know." Paine replied.
After waiting a moment, Rikku seemed to grow uneasy.
"So... that means it's okay then, right?"
Paine laughed at the blond's question, giving her a nod. After this, she seemed to grow quiet and serious again.
"Rikku... I..." Paine trailed off, trying to find her words. With another small laugh, she continued.
"I don't know what I'd do without you."
At this, Rikku smiled before leaning down to kiss Paine again. The blond shifted on the bed, positioning herself so that she rested on top the older girl.
"So, can I stay here for the night?" Rikku asked sheepishly.
"I don't think I'll be having anymore nightmares." Paine replied, a small blush apparent on her face. Rikku's face began to fall when she spoke up again. "-But yeah."
And so the thief got to happily fall asleep in the arms of the warrior.
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XD
I want to put up an epilogue or something after this. Too bad it's like... pretty much over and stuff now.