Stolen Moment

Author's Note: Much more to come and lots of yummy goodness action!
Disclaimer: I own nothing of Final Fantasy X and do this for my own entertainment as well as for my readers. I made no financial gain off of writing this.

Chance Taken

Rikku ran as fast as she could after Wakka as he barreled through the trees and bushes. As soon as she knew they were far enough away from Auron and Lulu, she called after him hoping that he would stop. Rikku was not sure what compelled her to go after him, especially after the look she saw in his eyes. She was familiar with what he was feeling since she had seen who Wakka truly cared for and loved by the way he looked at Lulu with Auron. It was the same thing that was tearing apart Rikku's insides that very moment after seeing the truth as to who really held his heart. Despite the defeat she felt, Rikku kept going because she could not bear to know Wakka was hurt and felt betrayed. She still cared for him even if he did not return it the same way.

"Wakka! Stop!" she cried out, feeling her breath come shorter with each stride, her energy falling as he got further from her.

A loud bang caused Rikku to stop suddenly with her heart racing inside her chest while also seemingly beating in her ears. She stood still and tried to quiet her breathing as she tried to hear where Wakka had gone. Hearing a cracking of wood and a muffled groan, the Al-Bhed girl sprinted in the direction of where the sounds came from. She entered the campsite clearing to find Wakka cradling his hand, blood droplets below it on the ground, and a deflated blitzball next to him.

Not wanting to interrupt Yuna's alone time, Rikku hurried to Wakka's side after grabbing her nearby pack. She began pulling out items to help him: a potion, gauze, and splints. Rikku was not sure if he broke any bones after punching the nearby tree trunk that had blood stains on it. Wakka did not even look at her as she gathered everything together. When he eventually would, Rikku wanted to try her best to help him.

"Lemme be," he said quietly, crushed.

"Come on, Wakka," she replied. "We have to have you good and healthy to protect Yunie, ya know?"

"Donchya pretend with me, Rikku," he turned bitter. "You saw what I did. I was following you, ya? And look what happened..."

Her silence and downcast eyes confirmed the truth to him. Turning slightly away, he shook his head sadly.

"It's no big deal, right?" Rikku tried to shrug it off. "Just surprising."

"I love Lulu, Rikku!" he all but yelled it at her, causing the girl to cringe from him. "How could she do dis to me?"

"Maybe she doesn't know," Rikku tried to help him before realizing the reality to her counseling. "You can't blame her for that?"

"She should know," he said sourly.

The blitzer who was so strong in the face of danger just as much as he was a dominant force in blitzball, turned away ashamed. He covered his face with his good hand as his body shook with silent sobs. Rikku felt her own eyes clouding with tears but blinked them back. Reaching out, she took his injured hand and began to treat it. Luckily nothing was broken, just bruising and cuts, so Rikku finished quickly. She let him continue in his sadness despite wanting to hold him. Fighting the urge, she picked up the flattened blitzball and began to mend the hole Wakka had busted into it.

"You don't hafta do that," Wakka said suddenly.

"I want to," Rikku said, looking into his tear-streaked face. "For you."

"Why?" he asked.

"To make you happy, I guess," she said with a shrug then turned her eyes away. "Otherwise, how are you going to do battle with fiends and protect Yunie without your blitzball?"

Wakka smiled slightly at her comment, "You're a good friend, Rikku. I'm sorry I have been so mean to ya lately. Just ignore me next time, ya? I'm getting over it."

"Good to hear it," she said with a small smile. "If there's anything you need, let me know?"

"Aww, ok then," he said as he watched her inflate his blitzball again, the mended hole hardly noticeable.

* * * * *
Rikku frowned as she watched Wakka ahead of her. Despite her attempt to cheer him up, his spirits fell once more. She was not sure if it was Wakka dwelling on the night in Macalania or the reminder of the past when Father Zuke visited them in the Calm Lands that had made his mood change. The slight caress at the small of Lulu's back by Auron, caught by both Rikku and Wakka, did not help either.

Her own feelings seemed to come forth again from the short sabbatical taken while she tried to focus on Yuna's pilgrimage. Yet, the sight of Wakka suffering made her ache more for knowing the eating away sensation he had within. There was also the agonizing need she had to make him forget about Lu and Rikku wanted to let Wakka escape from the cage in which he had imprisoned himself. She wanted to show him the great things and places outside of his narrowed perception and desires. That she could do so much for him beyond that.

Uncertainty and fright kept her from saying it to him for fear of rejection. Even as Yuna and her guardians began to scale the foothills of Mount Gagazet, Rikku felt the urge grow stronger due to her realization of how close to the end and possible death they were. Those thoughts began to build up the confidence she needed as she faced the possibility Wakka might never know how she felt.

It was the first cold night they spent on their climb to the summit that Rikku noticed her chance. Auron and Lulu had volunteered to watch the outside of their cave, which also happened to be near some hot springs the group discovered earlier. Yuna and Tidus decided to have some privacy in the warm oasis with Kimahri not far from them. That left Wakka all to Rikku for a while but she wanted to plan it perfectly. Lost in her thoughts and trying not to think about the cold seeping through her blanket causing her to shiver, Rikku did not realize the opportunity she opened for Wakka.

"You're gonna catch somethin' if you don't stay warm," Wakka said, throwing his own blanket over her shoulders.

"What about you?" she asked in concern, noticing the goose bumps starting to appear over his skin. "This isn't exactly sunny Besaid for you, ya know?"

"I can handle it," he said with a wave of his hand to dismiss the thought. "Besides, you need it more than I do."

"No, Wakka! I don't want you to freeze!" she said, opening up her arm to offer a warm spot next to her under the blankets.

"I guess I could do dat then," he said as he huddled next to her.

Inhaling for a deep breath, Rikku caught the smell of fresh snow and the aura of Besaid all mixed into one wafting scent. It was a strange concoction of very different places but it also reminded her of her thoughts the night her lips found his. Looking to the blitzer, Rikku had her mind set as she gazed into his face. Close your eyes and go for it.

"Rikku, what are you...?"

The warmth of his lips seemed to pass right into Rikku, sending hot waves through her limbs. Wakka did not pull away but he did not quite kiss her back either. He's surprised, she told herself as she continued. Thrills radiated in her mind at the new way it felt to kiss Wakka while he was awake. He held his breath as she tasted him again, not sure of what to do. When she finished and opened her elated eyes, he looked at her dumbfounded and speechless at first.

"Wha... why did you do dat?" Wakka stammered.

"I wanted to, silly," she said with a smile. "I thought perhaps we could have fun while everyone's away."

"Rikku..." he began but she already heard it coming in his tone; though, the astonishment gave her some hope. "We can't do dat. I... I don't think of you... you and me like dat."

"I understand," she said but drew closer to him. "Could we try it just this once? I know I'm not Lulu but I can try! Really, I can. I want to see you happy, Wakka, because I know you're not."

"You never could be Lu, Rikku," he said.

"Don't think about that then," Rikku said. "She isn't here but I am! Forget about her for now and look to who is here for you."

He opened his mouth as if to say something then hung his head with a shake.

Wakka sighed, "I can't, Rikku. You're so young..."

"It isn't like I haven't seen or done things before," she said. "I know what I'm doing. You need this."

The orange-haired blitzer remained quiet, not arguing her last point because he knew she was right. Taking his non-response as acceptance, Rikku learned in to begin anew.