The Calm Lands spread out like an inland sea where wanderers might drift for years without finding a familiar shore. Ripples of vibrant green grass lapped at distant cliffs and serene sky. At night, the stars were brilliant. The deadly serenity of these vast plains had lulled countless travelers into carelessness. Yuna and her friends, however, had learned too well the lessons that danger might lurk anywhere - in a temple, in a Maester's twisted heart - and were hardly likely to be fooled by the secretive music of the wind rustling through lonely grasses. They knew that fiends stalked the shadows and roamed freely even under the bright light of day. So they had steered a loose course towards the Al Bhed inn that lay roughly midway across the plains. After a few days' travel and more than a few fiends, Wakka himself had crowed Rin's praises when they stumbled into the enclosed yard surrounding one of his immaculately-maintained establishments.

There had been a snag, however, when they checked in for the evening. Refugees had been streaming into every Agency since the Al Bhed home's destruction, and there were only a few small rooms left, not enough for all of Yuna's party. While they were debating options in the lobby, Sir Auron moved off and settled on a seat by the wall, stretching out his legs and propping his sword against the arms of the chair. "This will do fine."

"Sir Auron!" Yuna wrung her hands. "I'm sure we could squeeze you and Rikku into a room together."

The older Guardian chuckled. "No, thanks."

"Hey!" The Al Bhed girl glared over at him. "He's being mean again!"

Kimahri reversed his spear and tapped the roof-beams overhead. "Kimahri guard outside," he announced, turning and marching towards the door. The mountain-born Ronso was prone to perching on outcrops and rocky ledges over their campsites, so they knew he would be perfectly happy dozing on the roof. However-

"Kimahri, don't interrupt!" Rikku was working herself up to another of her minor explosions.

Auron ignored Rikku and pushed up his glasses. "Yuna, it's fine. This is better than some of the places Jecht found for me and Lord Braska. Go on. Let's not waste time arguing over beds."

Realizing there was little chance of budging him, the party had separated for the evening. The cousins went off together to share one room, Wakka and Tidus another, and Lulu, by unspoken consent, was given the remaining room and a wide berth. She had been suspiciously quiet since their encounter with Father Zuke a few hours ago, and no one wanted to risk a tongue-lashing by asking the wrong question.

* * * * *

Lulu returned from the small washroom down the hall and closed the door behind her with a soft click and a sigh of satisfaction. Getting the stench of Marlboro-poison out of her long hair was of more worth to her right now than fine accommodations. That was just as well, since the narrow room where she had been installed did not afford many. A window, a chair, a long padded shelf for a bed, and a lamp in a niche up on the wall: that was all. It was still palatial compared to some of their lodgings on this journey. She would not soon forget the ice caves of Macalania.

Lulu snapped a small flame between her fingers and reached up to light the oil lamp, then settled down on the edge of the bed to comb out and braid her damp hair. The end of the narrow room was quite dark, but she suddenly realized that there should have been moonlight filtering through the curtains. Sure enough, there was a shadow blocking the lower half of the window. Immediately she clenched her fingers into a loose fist, knuckles dancing with sparks, and drew back her hand.

"It's me."

The sorceress lowered her hand and let the tiny chains of lightning dissipate slowly, dancing up and down her bare arm. "Kimahri must have dropped his guard and missed the fiend climbing in through the window. I wonder if I should call the others."

"I recall your handling a similar threat a few nights ago," Auron said mildly, taking a swig from his jug and setting it on the sill. "I would not trouble them."

Seated on the small stool before the window with arms folded, leaning back against the windowframe, Auron was watching her with relaxed detachment- indifference, she might once have thought. It was a wise move on his part. Tidus had accidentally entered the wrong room when they were staying in Luca and found himself bodily ejected by a minor thunderbolt. Lulu valued her privacy.

She admitted to herself that she honestly did not mind Auron's presence, however. After mulling over several options, she dispensed with those that would leave him singed. "So what brings you here to trouble me?" she queried guardedly.

"You seemed... preoccupied."

She shrugged. "Hardly a surprise." There was an edged warning in those words, and she changed the subject deftly. "I think we ought to stop by the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth before we attempt the mountain pass. Yojimbo could be a powerful ally. "

"Hm." He rubbed his chin absently. "Perhaps."

Lulu frowned at his lukewarm response. "This isn't about Lady Ginnem's death," she insisted. "I confess, I should like to pay my respects. But my duty now is to Yuna. My only concern is to ensure that she has as many allies as possible, especially since Yevon and the Maesters are against us. Every Aeon could make a difference for her chances at journey's end."

"I wonder." As usual, there was little to read in his expression or his tone.

"Sir Auron?" She raised an eyebrow. "Is there a problem with Yojimbo?"

"No." He tipped the stool forward, boots hitting the floor with a soft thump. "You're right. He drives a hard bargain, but he could prove useful." The older Guardian waved a hand wearily. "Very well."

The mage tilted her head. "Auron, are you all right? I saw what happened when Yuna started to Send Lady Belgemine today. You take no small risk, traveling with a Summoner. Sooner or later Yuna may catch you by accident."

"I have some skill at dodging."

She shook her head in exasperation. "Dodging questions, anyway."

He shrugged. "You're the one who likes giving long explanations."

"And evicting intruders who fail to satisfy me."

He raised an eyebrow, but did not rise to the bait. "I'll go, if you wish."

A pregnant silence fell. The dancing threads of lightning from the mage's spell had faded away by now, and Auron's end of the long, narrow room was plunged into shadow once more. She could only catch the faint flicker of flame reflected on his glasses, the gold medallions on his boots, the sheath of his sword propped against the wall. In the wavering light of the lamp beside her, Lulu gleamed a pale gold wherever her bare skin was not covered by the soft, sleeveless linen guest-robe that she had picked up in the washroom.

"I do not." Lulu exhaled, her fingers absently combing the same area over and over. "Even if we defeat Sin and save Yuna, we won't see you after that...will we?"

"Probably not." He looked up, expression opaque. "Best not to get too attached."

She knew she must be tired; no barbed retort had sprung to mind. "Well," she said a little too quietly. "I suppose we had better make the most of you while you're with us."

His eye glinted. "That would be wise."

She tilted her head in a silent invitation, but said nothing. She went on combing her hair.

Auron's mouth twisted into a crooked smile at the unspoken message: he would have to come to her.

Unwrapping his gauntlet and hanging it on his sword-hilt, the swordsman stood up and removed his coat, dropping it onto the chair loosely folded. His battered metal cuirass joined it with a thump. Auron never hurried, moving as if conserving all his energy for a fatal sword-strike, one deadly burst of motion and metal that left utter devastation in its wake. Now was no exception. He would come to her when it suited him.

Enjoying the unspoken ballet between them, and enjoying more her unobstructed view of his broad chest and shoulders, Lulu started in on her braids. Auron crossed the small room and settled next to her with a creak. Quietly he gathered the rest of her wet hair into his hands and lifted it to one side, planting a kiss on the back of her neck.

She breathed in deeply, shivering once again at the uncanny electric pulse from his merest touch.

Wordlessly he collected a few tresses out of the wild mass and started another braid. The soft, quick movements tugged at her scalp. Lulu almost laughed aloud. Auron, Legendary Hero, wasting time over a lady's hair? But the solicitous attention felt decadent. There was something deliciously sensual about the rhythmic motion of braiding, especially when someone else was doing it. The regular twisting motion of hair brushing against her neck and upper back tickled pleasantly.

He leaned over and kissed the tip of one ear, inhaling her scent. Oh, yes, she was glad that she had not shooed him out with a thunderbolt.

"A pity," he murmured, fingertips caressing her upper back through her robe as he worked his way down the plait.

"Mmm?" She slipped a bead onto the braid she had just finished and turned towards him to trail the loose end up his chest.

"I like your hair better loose." Auron paused and brushed his fingers through the gleaming black waves cascading down past her waist, causing the damp cloth of her robe to stick to her skin. "But we can't have you getting tangled up with the bedposts, I suppose."

Ah, he was asking for it. Her eyes gleamed. "Are you volunteering instead?"

He jerked down on the braid, pulling the hair of her scalp. "I can always use these."

She snorted. "And I can incinerate your hands. But we must careful; we don't want to wake the neighbors."

"Or ignite the bed."

Lulu chuckled softly and leaned over to kiss the tip of his nose, too amused by his uncharacteristic flirting to be properly aloof just now. "Tidus is right. You truly are a troublemaker. I like that."

"I'll keep it in mind," he grunted, reaching around with the lock he was plaiting to slide it across the top of her breasts. She let out a pleased sigh, brushing her knuckles against the back of his hand.

Lulu was quite relaxed by the time they had come to the end of the other two braids. It usually did not take her so long to finish putting her hair up for the night, but a six-foot bare-chested warrior in close proximity made for a pleasant distraction.

Tucking the end of the last braid into a bead, Auron dipped his head to sample the outer curve of her ear with the tip of his tongue. "Are we finished here?"

Lulu made a soft, pleased noise in the back of her throat and hitched herself around on the edge of the bed, angling towards him so that the sides of their knees brushed together. "Yes." She settled her hands on his shoulders, circling the corners of his jaw lightly with her thumbs and leaning close. "Your patience is extraordinary."

"I expect full recompense." He brought his hand up under her chin, caressing her throat as he drew her into a soft, nuzzling kiss.

"Mmm," she murmured contentedly. "I think that can be arranged."

Author's Note: I wrote that bit of dialogue about keeping away from Yuna's Sending while only halfway through the game. Did he listen to me? Noooo. *sigh*

A/N 2: This story was written in Feb 2006. I didn't post it until now because I was worried about posting a truly M story (after this chapter). But considering what else has been posted in this section, it's too late to be worried about that, eh?

There's a few quotes from this story that become a sort of running joke in my later A/L stories, or, sometimes, a more serious theme ("Don't think. Feel.")