Second Best (closed)

Rikku knew she shouldn’t be watching. She knew she should just leave, head back to camp and leave them alone, but she couldn’t. Her emerald Al-bhed eyes kept staring at the two of them in the lake, holding each other close and kissing like there was no tomorrow. Well, she supposed for Yunie, there really wasn’t.

Rikku balled up her fists and punched the dirt. She wished she was the one in Tidus' arms. She’d liked him ever since she met him. He was odd at first, yeah, but he was so kind to her and didn’t care that she was an Al Bhed. He’d been the one to tell off Wakka when he’d judged her by her race and he’d been the one to stop and insist they stay at Rin’s Travel Agency in the Thunder Plains because Rikku was afraid to go on. Tidus had always looked out for her, and for a while, she’d thought he may have liked her the way she liked him, but apparently not, seeing as his tongue was halfway down Yunie’s throat right now. Rikku knew Yunie deserved him. Yunie deserved the best, because she was so selfless and sweet and everything Rikku wasn’t.

She knew she had no right to be angry with her cousin, but she couldn’t help being envious. She’d give anything to be the one wrapped up in Tidus’ embrace right now, being told how they’d dance in Zanarkand and play Blitzball. Yuna and Tidus had definitely sealed the deal now. Well, it’s not as if Yuna’s going to live much longer, the thought raced through her mind, unbidden and despicable. Rikku’s tears fell faster. How could she even think such a thing?!

Ashamed and furious with herself, Rikku sprang up from the ground and rushed away. Of course she didn’t want Yuna to die! Rikku loved her with all her heart! She was just really upset right now and pretty unstable. She was still young, and Tidus was the first boy she’d gotten so head over heels for, so now, seeing him with her cousin really hurt her.

Rikku wasn’t paying much attention to where she was going. She figured her feet would lead her back to camp eventually. Tears blurred her vision and she didn’t feel like investing energy in navigating right now. Besides, there was no way she wanted everyone at camp to see her like this.

She took a sharp turn past yet another sparkling crystal and then crashed into something tall and hard. “Ow!” she exclaimed, falling flat on her ass. Rikku wiped her face hastily and looked up to see what had blocked her path. Her puffy red eyes spotted Wakka. Great, like she needed his racist nonsense right now. They'd sort of, kind of made up when her Home was getting destroyed, but she doubted his racism had just disappeared. He literally disliked her for no reason! Rikku glared up at him, angrier at the Yuna and Tidus situation than anything else, but having him here wasn't helping. “What are you doing here?” she asked, hands on her hips.

Wakka was thinking, as he often does, of the day Chappu left. He had started to feel guilty whenever he thought of Chappu because of his relationship with Tidus. He'd not know Tidus for very long but already he was starting to feel like a little brother to him. He was so engrossed in his thoughts as he walked that he didn't hear the sound of somebody running towards him.

Wakka felt somebody crash straight into him, dragging him back to reality. He looked, startled, to the ground and saw the Al Bhed girl, Rikku, crumpled on the floor. She didn't look in a good way, it was obvious from her face that she'd been crying. He looked down at her puffy green eyes and could still see the tears in them.

Wakka still wasn't sure how he felt about the Al Bhed girl, he wasn't too sure how he felt about a lot of things after what they'd all been through. It was a strange feeling to have liked somebody only to find out they were something you hate. He had just been beginning to like Rikku when he found out she was an Al Bhed, this hit him doubly hard because not only did he have his hatred for the Al Bhed but he also felt ashamed that the group had felt the need to keep it from him.

He'd been jolted from his thoughts once again when she spoke, Wakka recoiled slighty. Not like her to be so rude He wondered what she was upset about, probably the loss of her home. Not even the Al Bhed deserved that Things had been better between them ever since he'd tried to offer a bit of an apology when she lost her home, she knew how he felt about the Al Bhed though so it didn't change much.

"I'm just clearing my head" he offers Rikku his hand to help her up, feeling unsure of exactly how to deal with an emotional Al Bhed girl. "Rough night eh....anything you wanna talk about?" Wakka gives her a smile and hopes she can see he's genuine. She's Yuna's guardian after all, so we at least have to get on a little

Rikku sniveled up at him, feeling kind of bad for snapping at him like that. He didn't deserve it. Her lower lip trembled as she tried to compose herself. He offered her a hand and she took it, bouncing up a little less enthusiastically than she normally would. "Oh Wakka!" she lamented. "I'm sorry!" She fell forward into his chest as she had back at Home, when the fire and fiends had consumed it all up and she told the others the story of her people's past. She'd turned to Wakka then, hiding her face in his chest as the fiends inched closer, cornering them. Like then, it was Wakka who just happened to be nearby when she was having a mental breakdown.

"Rough night eh....anything you wanna talk about?" he asked with a smile that seemed genuine. His kindness just made Rikku feel worse for yelling at him. Okay, so she supposed her wasn't that bad. He'd gotten over himself these past few weeks, especially after his faith in Yevon had been shaken when they infiltrated Bevelle and found Maester Mika to be unsent. Rikku would have felt smug about all that, but she was too busy being angry towards Mika, Kinoc, and especially Seymour to relish in her victory against Yeon.

Looking up at Wakka now, she saw he was genuine in his wanting to help her, but she didn't want to tell him the truth! He'd known Yuna since they were kids, so how he could he possibly sympathize with Rikku when the very reason Rikku was so upset was because of Yuna's happiness? "Hmm," she thought aloud. "I'm just upset about my Home." But even Wakka, who was quite pig-headed most of the time and took things at face value, would likely see through this lie. She'd said the words stoically and they sounded like a rehearsed line. Of course, she was upset about home, but it wasn't her current cause of distress right now.

She wondered why she hadn't gotten out of Wakka's way yet, so she sheepishly backed away from him and side-stepped around him. "Enjoy your walk!" she chirped, but she'd barely taken one step away from him when she scampered back, hands waving. "Ah! Ah! You shouldn't go that way!!" she insisted, realizing that Wakka's likely path would be right past Tidus and Yuna.

Wakka looked down at Rikku clinging to him, smiling down at her but inside his thoughts were a mess. He was constantly arguing with himself, he hated the Al Bhed but he felt betrayed by Yevon and that was worse. Since it was because of Yevon that he hated the Al Bhed then maybe that wasn't right either. How do you just stop hating something that has been festering inside you for years, it didn't help that he still linked the Al Bhed with Chappu's death. Though everything he thought of had nothing to do with the girl desperately clinging to his chest. As he looked down at her he didn't feel hatred, he couldn't quite tell what he felt but it definitely wasn't hatred.

His thought about the way she clung to him when her home was lost, it felt the same this time. It was fresh in her mind then, she wouldn't react like this just from thinking about home would she? Although Wakka knew very little about the Al Bhed so concluded it could be anything. "I'm just up set about my Home" she said as if reading his mind but he still wasn't sure. The way she said it didn't feel....fresh. Not like the way she was clinging to him, something didn't feel right.

As she walked away he thought about stopping her, why? What would he say? All he knew was that he did feel good when she was clinging to him. It felt good to be needed, especially know that Yuna had gotten so close to Tidus, a part of him felt like she didn't need him as much with Tidus around. He knew it was nonsense but a part of him still had the nagging feeling from time to time. Before he'd even had time to give it much thought she was back "Ah! Ah! You shouldn't go that way!!" she was moving around frantically and this only confused Wakka more. What is going on with her?!

Wakka looked back at Rikku with a frown "Trying to hide something from me huh?" he half meant it as a joke but he did want to find out what was going on. He stepped closer to her "did something over there remind you of Home?", his tone more hushed now as he tried to calm her down. Rikku was prone to being excitable but this was beyond her usual level of lovably crazy. "W-we can talk about it if you want?"

"Trying to hide something from me, huh?" Wakka asked with with a frown. She thought he meant it as a joke but it ended up sounding a bit accusatory to her ears. He stepped closer to her, closing the little distance she'd made, and looked down at her with a concerned yet firm expression. Rikku almost had to crane her neck to look at him. She hadn't noticed how tall Wakka was until she'd hugged him those weeks ago. She's always been too distracted by his wide shoulders to notice, but now she knew that he wasn't only strong, but tall as well. Or maybe Rikku was just short.

"Hmm..." she pondered, finger on her lip. She was starting to calm down a little because her brain was too focused on coming up with a reasonable lie as to why he couldn't go over there than to wonder why Tidus didn't love her. She didn't want to tell Wakka because she was afraid it would make him mad. She wasn't sure at who, exactly, but she was pretty sure he'd get angry at someone. Whether he'd laugh at her for overreacting or get angry at Tidus for being with the girl he considered his baby sister, she wasn't sure. Wakka had always said that Lulu had a short fuse, but she noticed that he got angry pretty easily, well, at least when it came to her and protecting Yuna.

Wakka asked her if something had reminded her of Home, but she shook her head. That was impossible. They were surrounded by nature. There was no machina in sight. "No, it's not that..."

Wakka then told her they could talk about whatever it was that was bothering her, and his gentle tone made her give in. She wasn't used to him speaking so gently to her. Usually it was battle orders or ramblings about the Al Bhed. Her feelings were ready to burst anyway. She just had to tell someone. "You can't go over there because Tidus and Yuna are kissing!" She said with an air of drama, flailing her hands in the air as she spoke.

"You can't go over there because Tidus and Yuna are kissing!"

Wakka must have heard those words three times in his mind before they finally sunk in. If he was confused before he didn't even know how to express what he was feeling now.

How long have Tidus and Yuna been sneaking off like this?
What's that got to do with Rikku anyway?

Even as he asked himself the second question the answer materialised in his head, that explains the fresh tears and the need for closeness. Wakka wasn't sure what to tackle first, deciding what to think about Tidus and Yuna or trying to be supportive to Rikku. There's so little time left, why would they do this now? His first instinct was to go straight back to camp and tell Lulu, she would be much better at dealing with this than he was. Yuna had never seemed interested in any sort of relationship before so it had never been an issue.

Wakka wanted to ask Rikku if she knew any more about it but realised she couldn't have done, she must have only just inadvertently discovered them herself. Come on Wakka breath, think about it It obviously didn't come as a surprise that there was something between them, in reality there always had been otherwise Tidus wouldn't have agreed to be her guardian in the first place. Wakka decided to put that to the back of his mind and deal with the immediate situation, what to say to Rikku?

He realised he hadn't said anything for at least 2 or 3 minutes since Rikku told him and she looked uncomfortable. Wakka smiled at Rikku, he did feel sorry for her. Al Bhed or not, she doesn't deserve to feel so sad. He reached forward and wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb, his blitzballers hands were huge in comparison to Rikku's face. This was the first time Wakka had ever really touched Rikku, other than maybe a pat on the back after a battle, her cheeks were soft. "So you like Tidus too?" It was a silly question but he didn't know what else to say, he just stroked her cheek gently and smiled.

I think I broke him Rikku thought as more and more seconds passed and Wakka still hadn't said anything. She contemplated slapping him in the face so he'd say something, but figured that would be a little extreme. He seemed to be thinking a whole heck of a lot. She supposed she did sort of spring this on him, but this long stretch of silence was getting ridiculous.

Rikku was shifting on her feet, feeling awkward, when Wakka finally did something. It wasn't a reply exactly, but it was something. He'd reached out his massive tanned hand and stroked her cheek. His touch was surprisingly gentle, despite his calloused fingers. Rikku closed her swirly Al Bhed eyes, surprised at how nice it felt. He was trying to comfort her, she guessed. But then he had to go and ruin it.

"So you like Tidus too?"

Rikku's mouth shot open in shock. Wasn't it obvious? "Of course I like him too, you dummy!" She exclaimed. She then realized that he was smiling when he'd asked the question, and that only angered her more. "Why are you smiling? This is serious! I know you're on Yunie's side but that doesn't mean you have to make fun of me!"

You idiot! Wakka cursed himself silently for saying the wrong thing, although he couldn't tell if she was genuinely mad or not. He'd felt her cheek flush slightly in his hand as her held her but then it flushed a whole lot more when he opened his stupid mouth.

After Rikku chastised him for smiling, Wakka began to feel like she was being a bit more serious but he thought he could save the situation. "I was trying to look concerned!" he said with a guilty shrug of the shoulders that said 'my bad'. He laughed it off "and I don't know what you are talking about, me being on Yunie's side. I only found out about this 30 seconds ago, I don't know what to think!" he placed his hand under her chin and lifted her face so he could look into her eyes "I'm not making of you though, you know?" All thoughts of hating the Al Bhed gone for a moment as his brain was too busy trying to figure out what he felt about Yuna and Tidus being together. As well as trying to figure out exactly how he felt about Rikku.

Rikku couldn't help but laugh when Wakka said he was trying to look concerned. "You should work on your concerned look," she quipped.

After that, Wakka explained himself, and Rikku felt horrible for being so mean to him and jumping to conclusions. "I'm sorry, Wakka. I was being unfair," she admitted, shrugging her shoulders slightly. He now had his hand underneath her chin, angling her face so she'd look at him directly. His eyes told her she had been wrong about him making fun of her. He was looking at her like what she had to say actually mattered.

Rikku took a deep breathe and then started to unload her thoughts to him. "I'm just super bummed because I think I missed my chance! If only I'd told Tidus how I felt about him sooner. And now I can't do anything because Yunie's my cousin and I'm her guardian and I love her and want her to be happy, ya know?"

Wakka laughed along with Rikku as was glad for the tension to have eased, though he kept his hand against her chin for a little while longer and smiled again as she apologised. She looked like she was searching for something in his eyes, his worry was that he wasn't sure he wanted her to find it.

"It's ok Rikku, you're upset" What makes Tidus such a stud anyway?? Wakka wasn't bitter at all, things were just a lot simpler in Besaid. They didn't really have love triangles or women tripping over themselves to be with a guy, that being said with the Aurochs being the best Besaid had to offer it isn't exactly a surprise.

Rikku confided in Wakka about how upset she was and he sensed a pattern developing because once again he felt short for words. "I don't wanna upset you Rikku but since Tidus and Yuna first saw each other I think they felt it you know? I'm not saying he'd never be interested in you but they just connected"

Frightened that Rikku would start crying again Wakka grabbed her hand and started walking the opposite direction to Tidus and Yuna "I don't wanna just stand in the middle of the path and talk, let's at least find somewhere to sit down or something ya?" he took a step forward and then turned back scrunching his face up at Rikku "Just practising my concerned look" he said with a laugh

Even though sometimes Wakka was slow in replying, at least it meant he was putting thought into what he said. Rikku wished she was better at that. She was usually impulsive and just said whatever came to mind first. The next thing Wakka told her did upset her, but it was good to know at least. Her sadness showed all over her face. She didn't cry again, but her lower lip trembled and she hastily wiped at her eyes to prevent anymore waterworks. She opened her mouth to explain to Wakka about the connection she'd felt with Tidus on her Brother's Al Bhed ship upon their initial meeting, and how that had been before he'd met Yuna, but she didn't get a chance as Wakka grabbed her hand and started pulling her away from the two lovebirds in the lake.

She didn't pull her hand away from his, and was kind of shocked at how her hand just seemed to disappear with his clasped over it. Why was everything about him so big? Not that she minded, of course. It felt nice to hold his hand. It was comforting.

They'd barely taken a step when he'd turned around and made a ridiculous face that made Rikku cringe. He told her he was just practicing his concerned look, and Rikku shook her head, laughing loud. "That's even worse!" she giggled, hitting him playfully with her free hand.

She followed Wakka down the sparkling paths until they finally found a good spot beneath a large tree with a group of crystals shimmering next to it. The pair sat down and leaned against the crystals. Once they'd sat down Rikku's hurt feelings began to well up again and she pulled her hand out of Wakka's to wrap around her bent knees. She leaned forward and rested her chin on her knees, then tilted her head to look back at Wakka. "I know you said they had a connection... but when I met him I thought that too ya know? I met him first..." she muttered the last part, knowing that it was a stupid argument. "Not like that matters," she added, not wanting him to think she was dumb or anything. It wasn't like she actually thought meeting him first meant she had a claim to him, although she wouldn't mind it meaning that.

She couldn't believe it was Wakka of all people she was talking to about this. Well, better than Auron or Kimari. They probably wouldn't even give her the time of day. Wakka was being surprisingly kind to her. Huh. Seemed they got along pretty well when they weren't arguing about religion.

Wakka groaned and feigned injury when Rikku hit him playfully "have you been secretly training with Sir Auron" chuckling to himself as he pulled her along behind him, he barely had to put any force into dragging her with him. He looked back and realised just how big he was in comparison to her, again it was something he hadn't really noticed before because once he found out Rikku was Al Bhed he had tried to only talk to her when it was absolutely necessary. Which was still actually quite a lot seeing as they were both Yuna's guardians.

Wakka looked at Rikku as they found their clearing and saw her eyes light up slightly at the sight of the beautiful crystals nearby. He thought things were taking a distinct turn for the better until they sat down and Rikku fell into a slump again. She withdrew from his grasp, which for a brief moment just felt wrong, and curled up against her crystal, lamenting some more about Yuna and Tidus.

There was a part of Wakka that still wanted to just run back to camp and tell Lulu everything, she'd definitely know how to deal with both Yuna and Rikku but something was drawing him to stay there with Rikku for a little longer. "Hey I know we haven't always seen eye to eye, well I mean after I found out you were Al Bhed, but you can't beat yourself up over it. You are the hyper, happy one remember? None of us would know what to do if you weren't buzzing around chatting and cheering people up all the time, if you do say stupid things sometimes" he playfully nudged her shoulder as he said it.

How was this happening? Contrary to every bit of his being that said Al Bhed were the lowest of the low, he could think of nothing but nice things to say to Rikku.

The thing Rikku wanted to hear was that Tidus would soon come to his senses and realize that Rikku was the girl for him, but Wakka didn't seem close to saying that at all. She supposed she'd rather hear the truth than sugary lies though. If she wanted lies, then she'd be just as bad as the traitorous Maesters of Yevon! She appreciated Wakka trying to make her feel better. He told her that she was the motivator of the group. Rikku was glad to hear that, because sometimes she felt less than adequate compared to the others. She was stronger than Lulu and Yuna, but she was no where near the boys' level, and her magic wasn't very good either. Sometimes she worried that she'd be worthless without her knowledge of machina and her ability to mix potions and poisons. She was glad she meant more to the group than she'd initially thought. It meant a lot, especially coming from Wakka, who'd originally hated her on principle.

He nudged her playfully when he said she did stupid things, trying to show her he wasn't serious. Rikku laughed a little, then rubbed her arm where he'd nudged her. He had big shoulders, okay? So it hurt a little. "Hey! You meanie! You've said dumb things too!" she laughed, pushing him as hard as she could, but he barely even moved. "Jeez, you're like one of those armored fiends!" she commented. She hummed happily then and chirped, "You're not so bad you know? When you're not scolding me for being Al Bhed, that is!"

Rikku actually sat there and seemed to think about what he was saying as Wakka tried to motivate her, Wakka got nervous whenever she just listened in silence because it was so unliker her but she didn't seemed too distressed. Sure she was a little hurt from the knockback of seeing Tidus and Yuna but she'd get over it.

Wakka laughed as Rikku tried desperately to push him but to no avail "I'm not sure about an armoured fiend but I suppose I'm pretty tough" as he said it he lifted his arm slightly and tried to subtly tense his muscles. He wasn't trying to show off but she seemed to be enjoying his size so why not play into that a little. Wakka had to hold his tongue though when Rikku said "You're not so bad you know? When you're not scolding me for being Al Bhed, that is!" He certainly didn't want to start another fight with her after she'd only just started to perk up. Instead he thought for a second and said "Well I guess you aren't so bad either. For being an Al Bhed that is!"

After he spoke he subconsciously shifted to sit an inch or so closer to Rikku, still having a healthy respect for personal space but apparently his body had decided he needed to be ever so slightly closer to her. "I just been thinking with all the crazy stuff we've seen and gone through, between us guardians there's no point holding any grudges. Especially when it comes to religion!" Wakka still shuddered at the flashback to Bevelle and the unsent Maester Mika. "Who knows how long we got left together eh? Best just to try and relax and be happy with the little things" That's what Yuna and Tidus are doing but Wakka knew better than to say that

It was nice to chat and joke with Wakka like this. It had been so long since they'd done so. For the first week they'd got along great! But then he'd found out she was an Al Bhed and he'd instantly given her the cold shoulder. The way he was acting now was great, but she was still a little hurt and angry that her race had changed his entire outlook on her. She'd rather not get him angry though, not when he was finally being so sweet to her, so she dropped the talk of religion after he'd joked around with her about it, basically repeating what she'd said, but in reverse. Maybe later she could ask him if his feelings toward the Al Bhed had changed, but not now.

Rikku felt the air beside her get warmer, and realized that Wakka had scooted closer. What was his deal? Did he like her now? The thought nearly made her giggle out loud. For all Rikku's determination and strength, she still fantasized about silly romance and boys thinking she was cute. She thought back to the day she'd told Tidus how she planned on marrying the first man she fell in love with. Hah! That plan had certainly fell through. A tiny frown threatened to tug down her smile but she resisted it, and instead focusing on watching Wakka's muscles twitch when he raised his arm.

She was so pleased by what he next said, that she didn't even have to try to hold up her smile. "Ah, Wakka! I'm so glad you've had a change of heart!" She smiled at him happily and moved a bit closer to him herself. "But I don't want to die, Wakka. I mean, we can go on after this... even without Yunie..." That thought made her sad again and she sighed, frustrated with the never ending tug of war with her emotions. "Tysh ed!" she cried, slipping into her native tongue with a curse. She didn't bother to correct herself though as she continued. "Why do we gotta be so sad all the time? Let's just be happy! We gotta try real hard to be happy, okay? For us and for Yuna!"

After he'd first moved closer to Rikku, Wakka wasn't sure how she'd taken it. It was clear from her face that she noticed it but beyond that she wasn't really giving anything away. He did catch her looking at his muscles though and had big grin on the inside. He didn't have to guess for long though because a couple of minutes later she inched even closer to him.

When she actually used the word "die" Wakka felt the conversation darken slightly. It didn't even sound like she was convincing herself. He was about to say something when she shouted something in Al Bhed. Wakka couldn't help but cringe slightly at hearing her native language, even after what he'd said about not holding grudges. That didn't mean he had to like the Al Bhed, just Rikku.

Wakka wanted to point out that the reason he'd said they may not have much time together is that without Yuna, who keeps the group together? Him and Lulu will always know each other but he certainly wasn't expecting Kimahri or Sir Auron to stick around. When Rikku said that she wanted everyone to try hard to be happy, he just didn't have the heart to tell her what he'd been thinking.

"You're right Rikku, we've come so far that we can't just waste it all by moping around. It's gonna be tough for you though, who knows how much time Tidus and Yuna will want to spend together. Best just to move on from him" Wakka paused, letting that sink in because he knew Rikky wouldn't want to hear it

"You gotta know that if you are finding it hard, we can do this again ya! Just come find me and we can sit and talk until we're happy again ok?"

Rikku didn't notice Wakka cringing at her use of the Al Bhed curse word because she was so caught up with emotion. She hadn't even realized she'd slipped into her native tongue. That happened sometimes, whenever she was really passionate about something she'd speak in Al Bhed without even realizing it.

The next words Wakka spoke stung. She knew everything he said was true, but he didn't have to say it outloud! Rikku shifted towards him and let go of her legs, changing her position to a more comfortable one in order to yell at him. "I know all that Wakka, but you didn't have to say it like that!" she cried out.

Rikku was quiet for a moment before adding, "I mean, I will get over him, but I just saw them kissing. You gotta give a girl a little time to get over someone!" Her hands were on her hips now as she spoke, which probably looked a little silly given they were seated on the ground.

"You gotta know that if you are finding it hard, we can do this again ya! Just come find me and we can sit and talk until we're happy again ok?" Wakka told her.

"Hmm I like that plan, Wakka!" she said, slapping a hand on his shoulder. Even though he said things she didn't want to hear, he was pleasant to talk to. She especially liked the bit of laughter they'd shared tonight. Rikku didn't want him to think she was mad at him, so she added, "I wasn't actually mad at you a few seconds ago. I just thought you could have said what you said in a nicer way!" she clarified for him, not wanting to lose her newfound friend. Why was it that she always had to remind the boys in the group to do this? She never had to tell Lulu or Yuna.

Her hand still lingered on his shoulder. She was amazed at how bulky his arm felt. Al Bhed men were usually thin and lanky; they were strong sure, but Wakka certainly had them beat with these guns.

"I just thought you could have said it in a nicer way" Wakka thought about what Rikku had said, he'd been told off for this same thing about three times already. Why is it so difficult to say the right thing? Auron or Kimahri would never have been annoyed at him because they thought he could have said something in a nicer way. He was glad when she relaxed again because he really hadn't known what else to say to that without risking getting himself in trouble again.

Rikku said she wasn't mad at him and grabbed his shoulder and her hand lingered there. Every time the two of them had touched one another their hands seem to linger for no real reason. Was something happening between them? Did Wakka want something to happen between them. He decided that for now he at least wanted a little bit more so took a bit of a plunge. "I'm sorry Rikku, when I talk to the guys they don't really care how I say things so I guess I just need to think before I speak a bit more"

Wakka lifted his arm around her and placed his hand on her hip, pulling her closer to him and keeping it there. He didn't say anymore, he just did what he did and let it sit there. If Rikku wanted him to stop then he would but he had a feeling she wouldn't ask him to let go.

Rikku smiled at him when he said he'd try to think more before he spoke. He told her he didn't have to think when he spoke to the guys, so it wasn't as if he were trying to be insensitive. Well, Rikku would just continue to teach the guys to be more sensitive, she thought. "Yeah, it's all right! You guys are just different from Yunie and Lulu I guess."

When Wakka reached over her and draped his arm behind her back, allowing his fingers to curl around her waist, Rikku jumped a little in surprise. He pulled her closer to him, securing her in his grip. Here was Wakka, a former Al Bhed hater, getting all warm and cuddly with her! Rikku was taken aback by his action, but that didn't mean she didn't like it. On the contrary, his touch was very welcome. She wasn't sure why he was doing it, but she didn't want him to stop. It made her feel pretty, having a guy touch her like this, even if it was just a gentle arm around her shoulders.

She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder and placing her hand on his bare chest. She couldn't help but move her hand slightly over him, feeling the strong muscles of his chest and admiring the contrast of her lighter complexion over his tanned skin. She smiled peacefully against his shoulder, then looked up into his eyes and said, "For a rough and tough kinda guy you're awfully cuddly!" She didn't bother to suppress a giggle as she spoke, and cuddled up to him a little closer.

Wakka was concerned when Rikku jumped as he touched her but he didn't protest so he thought that he had read the situation properly. She's an Al Bhed! The thought kept nagging at him but he was able to push it to the back of his mind, he'd think of her as Rikku first and an Al Bhed later.

His hopes were confirmed when he felt Rikku press herself against him. As soon as she did he began to feel a sort of satisfaction, partly because it made him feel more manly. It was easy to feel neglected with Tidus, who was evidently quite a ladykiller, and Sir Auron, who just inspires awe in everybody. Wakka would joke with him that his name should be spelt Awe-ron....he never found it funny.

If feeling Rikku's head against his shoulder was satisfying, the touch of her hand made him feel something very different indeed. Wakka held her tightly against him while she began to explore his chest with her soft touch. As her fingers moved across his muscular chest they left a slight tingling feeling in their wake which was beginning to make the hairs on his neck stand on end. "For a rough and tough kinda guy you're awfully cuddly!" she giggled and at him and he felt her press against him. She was staring up at him in such a tantalisingly cute way that he just didn't no what to say.

Short of words, Wakka slowly dragged his fingers up Rikku's side until her got to her shoulder. Then he pulled her in towards him, dropping his head as he did to softly press his lips to hers. There was a stillness in that first brief kiss but when Rikku did not object he kissed her more forcefully, his arm tensing as he held her against his body. He did not hold this kiss for too much longer than the first before lifting his head with a smile. "I'm not cuddly!" he joked trying to defend his masculinity "I just uh, thought you might be getting cold so pulled you closer to keep warm"

Rikku shivered against Wakka's side, her small yet perky breasts rubbing against him as his fingers journeyed up her torso. His fingers tickled her side as he did so and she giggled in response. When he got to her shoulder, he pulled her forward and leaned in. Rikku's giggles abruptly subsided as his lips collided with hers. Her eyes were wide open as he kissed her, but they slowly flickered closed when Wakka gave her a second kiss more forcefully. She felt his muscular arm twitch against her side as he held her tighter, discouraging her from moving. Rikku liked the way he pressed against her, and she liked the way his lips felt against hers. She was too shocked to stop him, and even when he did pull away she was quiet. He was smiling at her, and she couldn't help but grin back at him.

"I'm not cuddly!" he joked trying to defend his masculinity. "I just uh, thought you might be getting cold so I pulled you closer to keep warm."

Rikku laughed at him and shook her head. "Nah uh Wakka! You just wanted to kiss me!" She started giggling again as she spoke, and she hit his chest flirtatiously. For now, she blocked thoughts of Tidus and Yuna from her mind and held on to the fact that at least Wakka found her appealing enough to kiss. She hummed happily before squeezing his chest tight and leaning forward for another kiss. She gave him a quick one, puckered lips pressing against his eagerly. When she pulled away the grin was back on her face and she kissed his cheek. "Do you want me, Wakka?" she asked, breath fanning out against his ear. She wasn't intending to be sexy, but the way she whispered it sounded both sultry and innocent. Rikku had only kissed three boys before, and each time she'd gotten a rush. Wakka was no different, and she wanted to hear him say the words. She wanted him to want her.

There was something in the way Rikku was grinning at him that got under Wakka's skin, the devilish look on her face was stirring something in the pit of his stomach. A feeling that was spurred on by the continued touch of her breasts against his body. She said that he had just wanted to kiss her and it was true. He knew as soon as he did it that he'd made the right decision, he felt her relax and thoughts of Al Bhed and Yevon disappeared. They were two people sat alone kissing, that was good enough for him.

Wakka was glad to be kissing her again but was left with a dreamy look on his face when she pulled away, he hadn't been ready for that yet. "Do you want me, Wakka?" she asked with a grin. That grin! As he felt her warm breath against his ear, he could feel his cock beginning to get harder. She asked him in a voice he'd never heard before, a voice that said she wanted the answer to be yes because she wanted him too.

Wakka gulped audibly before he answered, he still wasn't sure what to say. Rikku was acting in a way he hadn't expected, but that wasn't to say he didn't like it. "Well I'd like another kiss first!" He said almost jokingly, trying to lighten the mood. Wakka felt like he was struggling to breath because the air was so thick with sexual tension, realising she might be hurt if he dodged the question completed he added "and then I want you"

Rikku had been so caught up in the moment of feeling wanted that she feared she'd pushed Wakka too hard. Going from so sad to so elated from Wakka's attention had sort of mixed up her emotions a bit. The audible gulp she heard from him told her he was nervous and her seductive tone had taken him by surprise. His reaction made her anxious in turn, and she opened her mouth to apologize, try to take back what she said, but Wakka spoke before she got a chance. He told her he wanted another kiss first, and Rikku blushed. Did he think she wanted more than kissing? Oopsie! "Wakka, I--" she meant to explain herself; she didn't want him to think she was just using him... err, she wasn't, was she? Rikku just liked kisses, and liked the way he made her feel. Before Rikku got a chance to think anymore, Wakka began speaking again.

"...and then I want you," he told her. His voice had a husky tone to it that made Rikku's stomach drop with a feeling unfamiliar to her, but it was quite pleasant. But did Wakka mean...? She blushed again and buried her face into his chest in embarrassment. "I just want kisses for now!" she mumbled. Her hands held onto his chest too, and her breasts brushed up against him as she breathed heavily both from her nerves and desire.

Wakka's brow creased in confusion as Rikku blushed. What's she embarrassed about? She asked if I wanted her. Wakka thought he might have said the wrong thing, but then surely she didn't want him to say no. "I just want kisses for now" all the sexuality in Rikku's voice had disappeared, she sounded like herself again.

The shock and confusion of the last few seconds had distracted Wakka from his arousal, calming him down considerably. He cupped Rikku's face in his hand and made her look at him, he smiled and tried to show her that everything was ok. Wakka wasn't completely sure what had just happened but he knew he didn't want Rikku to be upset again. "eh, just kissing for now is fine ya! You were the that started all that other talk" he chuckled. His thumb stroking her cheek again softly, he could feel the heat from her red cheeks as she blushed.

He leant down to kiss her again and this time it was much less frantic, Wakka pressed his lips to hers and then their lips parted and his tongue flicked slowly against hers. He held her face against his and continued to gently tease her tongue with the tip of his own, nothing more than that for now, she didn't seem ready. Wakka pulled away and kissed her forehead softly "there's nothing to be embarrassed about".

Rikku was on the verge of calling Wakka 'a big meanie' and hitting him but restrained herself because she knew she was the one at fault here. She was the one with the crazy urges and emotions all haywire. The reason she'd wanted to hit him was because he told her it was her who'd started all that other talk and even though that was true she still felt funny about it. She was embarrassed about it because she hadn't meant she wanted to have sex with Wakka or anything... woah. That thought was weird... and arousing. Rikku shook her head to clear her jumbled thoughts. "I know, I know! I got carried away!" she admitted, blushing but now smiling back at him.

He answered that smile with a kiss that Rikku willfully returned. It was gentler than the last, but equally nice. Each time his tongue flicked against hers tiny shivers whizzed down her spin. When he pulled away, he planted a soft kiss upon her forehead and told her there was nothing to be embarrassed about. "Thanks, Wakka...For everything tonight. You think we should head back to camp? I'm gettin' kinda sleepy."