The Dresspheres

The first time Rikku tries out the Samurai dressphere, she and Yuna share a Look, and that look has history in it, the type of history that is beyond words. Paine is surprised by the flash of jealousy that shoots to her heart, although she isn’t sure who, exactly, she is jealous of.

That night, Paine finds Rikku sitting on her bed quietly, still in Samurai, just sitting down and examining her sword. The damn thing is almost as tall as she is, and Paine is mildly surprised that she can lift it. It is slightly unnerving, to see Rikku sitting there quietly, not fidgeting or fiddling with anything, just looking down at the hilt of a giant sword, seemingly unaware of the rest of the world.

Rikku looks up at Paine when she hears the click of her boots on the floor, and she smiles, albeit a bit weakly. “Hi,” She says, and awkwardly sets the sword down. She clearly isn’t accustomed to such big weapons, but she’s been carrying the thing around all day. She usually changes dresspheres, going back to her default of Thief, but today she’s stayed Samurai, carting the big sword around.

“Hi.” Paine sits on Yuna’s bed, looking at Rikku and feeling a bit awkward as well. Usually, Rikku is the one who cheers up Paine, Rikku deciphers and picks apart Paine’s sulks and pouts. Not the other way around. But, well, Rikku is clearly feeling… something, and Paine worries that her bubbly friend (or whatever the fuck it is that Rikku is to her) is hurting. “Do you… wanna talk about it?”

Rikku looks up at Paine, startled. “Talk about what?” She asks, stroking the leather of the hilt gently.

“Whatever it is that’s bothering you,” Paine says, and feels like an idiot. She should have asked Yuna for help, or just to do the damn thing.

“Nothings bothering me,” Rikku says. “Why do you think something is bothering me?”

“You’ve been acting… odd all day.” Paine is now fervently wishing that she had never began this conversation in the first place. “Forget it.”

Rikku goes quiet, for what feels like forever but for what is probably about a minute. When she does speak, her voice is missing it’s usual… rush. Rikku usually talks as if someone is timing her, and she will get a prize if she finishes first. She’s speaking slowly, now, almost thoughtfully.

“When Yunie was going on her pilgrimage, she had this one Guardian, Sir Auron. You’ve heard of him, obviously, everyone’s heard of Sir Auron. Well, I used to have such a crush on him, ‘cause he was all big ‘n strong ‘n stuff, and sometimes you kinda remind me of him.” She catches Paine’s look and makes a decidedly Rikku-like face. “You both got that way of looking at me whenever I say something stupid.” She patted the sleeve of her robe gently. “Well, he used to walk around in a robe like this and I think this might be his sword, and, well…” She blushes, examining her feet. “And, well, I guess I kinda miss him.”
Then she dusts her hands off and stands up, changing dresspheres back to Thief. “But, well, memories are nice but that’s all they are.” She quotes, ever the practical Al Bhed.

Paine blinks. She wasn’t expecting Rikku to work it out that… quickly. She does accept the kiss Rikku offers easily and happily enough, though, and resolves to talk to Yuna about it some time, once she’s nipped that little spark of jealousy in the bud..