Chapter 3 - Waltz Through a Dream

Painwalked slowly to the dining hall. Her eyes still hurt when the glare of themocking hall lights sparkled on her placid red irises. She had spent the lastfew hours staring into the dark, waiting for the slight girl atop her to wake.Rikku had woken with puffy eyes and a faint smile; the emotion in her spiralingpupils had not matched the façade of calm she had worn about her features. Shehad made the excuse of needing to wash up before dinner, smiled, and kissedPain gently on the mouth before leaving with a slight bounce back in her boots,er, socks. Pain could not help but smile at the memory.
Atthat moment, one of the more bold Al Bhed crew members came up to her andsmiled toothily, asking for her arm to walk her to dinner. She, as she alwayshad before, gave him a look of disgust and walked faster, leaving him to keepthe awkward pace and try again to woo her.
“Tyshed(damnit), would you just listen to me? Lusa uh (come on)!” He gave her awinning smile and expected her to bend to his will as she slowed and stopped.
Paineturned and glared at her victim, the sights were almost visible narrowing onhis forehead. “If I wanted the affections of one who does not even have thebrain power to speak one language at a time then I would seek out theassistance of a fiend. Goodbye. Oh, if you can’t understand that here’s atranslation: ku yfyo oui cyt aqlica vun y syh (go away you sad excuse for aman)” She turned away, her glaring expression having borne a bullet through themans’ shocked expression and into his minute brain. He took a different routeto dinner that night and followed it every day after that.
Painsmiled happily, her mission accomplished, and almost ran directly into herlittle Rikku. She barely managed to stay on her feet as Rikku grasped heraround the waist protectively, already over balanced by the sudden stop.
“Ha!Showed him, didn’t you Pain? I have been angry with him for the longest time. Ialways had the lingering worry that you would accept his offer one day…” Shegiggled when Paine gave her a look that clearly saidare-you-kidding-me-I-would-rather-have-a-fork-stuck-in-my-eye.
Rikkugrasped Paine’s hand and happily proceeded to tow her to the dining hall. Paineput on her usual unreadable expression as they neared other people and glaredcallously at all who would question her current situation. She merely held herhead up and took her place at Rikku’s side, one glance enough to deter anycurious or lingering looks.
Dinnerseemed to take far too long with all of those people chewing quietly, notasking pent up questions. Was it so obvious, she and her Rikku? Please, Yevon,let it be just her imagination run wild…
Afterdinner Rikku and Paine walked together back to Rikku’s room. They made sure noone followed and Paine slipped into the cherry scented room. They stayed up andjust talked for hours about nothing in particular, Pain did not once have toglance towards the door or ceiling for inspiration, Rikku was her muse, her oneand only.
Paineleaned back and flipped on the radio at a point of silence and guided itthrough the placid static to a classical station.
“Careto dance, m’lady?” She asked with a funny smile. Rikku blushed and stood up,giving her hands to Paine who gently pulled herself up with her love’s arms.They put their arms around each other and placed their foreheads together, eyeslocking and not letting go. They stepped in slow circles around the room, lostin the timeless limbo of each other. The alarm clock spun around them reading12:34 and then again 12:50, an unnoticed onlooker.
Thesong ended far too quickly and the girls listened to the others breathing asthe rumbling bass of the announcer proclaimed the coming of another song byGustav Holst. The orchestra started up, bows quivering above glisteninginstruments, lips trembled above sparkling silver metal. The specter of aconductor raised his thin willow rod and time stood still.
Thegirls took advantage of this and leaned forward slowly. An explosion of soundand music marked the kiss, setting it in stone and in memory. They stood likethat, gently kissing one another straight through the first movement of thesong before breaking apart ever so slowly, ever so quietly.
Paineleaned forward and whispered to Rikku, tickling her cheek with her mouth, “Ilove you, my little muse…”. Rikku squeezed her eyes shut and a tear drippedfrom her eye down Paine’s check.
“AndI love you, my gentle rose.” She smiled with Paine as they enjoyed the metaphorof a rose, the perfect semblance to Paine. So gentle and soft was a rose, abeautiful thing, but only once one has gotten past the thorns.
Paineheld Rikku for a long moment longer before taking her leave, stealing one lastkiss to hold her until morning.
 
~~~
 
Andso bliss went on for several days, it was like a dream had sat up from it’sslumber and stumbled it’s way haphazardly into their lives. I bet if I bit it,Paine thought, it would taste of cherries. She giggled at this though,disturbing Rikku who had been laying with her head resting on Paine’s chest.
“What’sso funny?” she mumbled sleepily. Paine smiled and said “Nothing, dear heart,nothing at all.” Rikku didn’t seem to believe this and looked at Paine inhumored suspicion before leaning forward and kissing Paine’s check and then hermouth. “It is far past your bedtime, my rose.” She said softy and blushed,“Unless you wanted to stay…”
Herwords trailed off uncertainly but Paine cut the awkward silence before it beganwith a kiss. She sat up and proceeded to pin Rikku under her on the bed,kissing her ever more passionately. Rikku moaned her submission but Pain brokethe kiss. She placed her forehead on Rikku’s and said, “I’m afraid not, love. Iwould rather our relationship be stronger first.” She pecked Rikku quickly onthe lips and got up. “Goodnight, dearest.” And she walked towards the door,glancing at the red numbers scrawled across the clock. 2: 34. Wow, it waspretty late, maybe tomorrow she would keep track of the…
Shenever finished the thought because the door slid open in front of her framingthe hulking form of Cid, the Airships’ captain and Rikku’s father. He looked ather angrily and pushed her back inside the room. Rikku sat up and smoothed herhair before skipping over to her father and giving him one of her big happyhugs, “Daddy!” she said, looking a bit worried “It’s really late, what are youdoing here?” she then asked shakily.
Hehugged her back distractedly as he gave Paine the evil eye; it was a true workof art, that evil eye, he must have been working on it for days.
 “I’m here because she is.” He noddedaccusingly at Paine, “Alone with my daughter at two thirty in the morningcorrupting her.” Pain just about shot a stream of acid at the old man but Rikkubeat her to it. Barely.
“Daddy!How can you say that?! Paine is one of my best friends!” She spewed, faceturning red in anger or embarrassment. She edged over to Paine and stood infront of and a bit to the side of her protectively. Cid crossed his arms andlooked at the glaring couple with spite.
“Sureshe’s one of your best friends, one that you might call, say, a girlfriend?!”Rikku opened her mouth to say something, a lost expression on her face, butclosed it and stood stark still, waiting for the next blow. Paine steppedforward and placed her arms around the stoic girl and rasped at Cid before hecould get another word from his mouth, “So what if I am? Did it ever occur toyou that this is your daughter’s life? Hell, did it ever occur to you that whatwe’re doing isn’t wrong or disgusting or anything?! No, I’m sure it couldn’tget through your thick skull!”
Tears spattered fromRikku’s face onto Paine’s hands and fell in sparkling rivulets down Paine’scheeks. Rikku put her arms up and clutched at Paine’s hands for support.
“Daddy”she choked out, “This is my choice. Won’t you please just accept it?” She brokeoff into sobs after the last word and bent her head down over Paine’s fingersin acquiescence, laying her lips on the cool skin of Paine’s knuckles.
Cidstood in pure fury, carving angry wounds into the girls’ hearts for severalminutes, a deep growl could be heard every once in a while deep in his chest.He threw his hands in the air and stalked out of the room with a howl of rage.The door shut thankfully behind him and Paine dove for and locked it as quicklyas she could. She went back to Rikku and led her to the bed.
Painepicked her up like a child and slid her under the covers, tucking the girl inas a mother would her daughter. She kissed her on the forehead and sat down ina chair next to her. She sang any tune that came to her head and strokedRikku’s hands until she fell asleep, sniffling a little but exhausted and inneed of rest.
“Well”Pain thought to herself, “I guess I won’t be sleeping in my room after all…”
Sheflopped down on the couch across from the bed after turning out the lights andfell to sleep looking in the direction of her muse. Her dreams were a productof the muse, much better than anything the ceiling had ever inspired.
Theyboth awoke sometime after noon and talked about what to do. They finallydecided the best thing to do was give Cid a day to cool down. They would stayin Rikku’s room and sneak food in after dinner until the next day.
Itwas harder than they had first thought to avoid Cid. He knocked on their doorat a little past seven o’clock that day when the girls were just starting toget really hungry. Well, pounded may be a better word. He shouted through thedoor after they would not answer “You can’t stay in there forever!”
True.But they could try.
Itseemed like forever until he left, the whole time spent in each others arms.Rikku spoke out once they were sure he was gone. “What are we gonna’ do,Paine?” she said quietly. Pain shook her head showing that she didn’t know.They were silent until it was time to go get food that night.
Theysnuck out quietly through the door. The hallway was quiet and sung of air leaksand darkness. Little glints of metal from invisible light kept both of themalert. Unfortunately, not alert enough. Cid crept up on both of them and laid ahand on either of their shoulders.
Theyturned around slowly; ready to fend off more of the needles and daggers thatwould imminently shoot from his tongue. Instead of insults he handed Rikku a bag holding what was left of dinnerin little containers. “I… thought you might be hungry…” he stammered. Hemotioned for them to go back into the room, they complied warily.
Theyate dinner in silence, their chewing seeming to echo through the room like gunshotsringing out on a foggy night. Paine could hardly stand the loudness of her ownteeth clicking quietly together as she chewed a piece of bread or the noise ofher throat as she swallowed some of the water she had poured herself.
Allthrough dinner Cid watched them in contemplation, neither malicious norsupportive, a truly neutral expression on his face. The mood permeated the roomwith it’s contagious nature, a smoke bomb without the smoke but retaining thechoking nature.
Finallyit was time to talk. Cid began. “I realize you must be very put off by what Isaid yesterday…” He stopped uncertainly.
“Henoticed.” Pain said to Rikku, rolling her eyes at the man and smilinghopefully. He attempted a quick grin but failed, instead he grimaced.
“Irealized,” He said slowly, “That I cannot control what you do, Rikku, and thatI was… wrong to accuse you” he struggle over the word wrong as if he has justinhaled campfire smoke and was having trouble speaking. He even coughed a bitafter the last sentence.
“Thankyou, Daddy; it’s good to have your support.” Rikku said in a quiet and relievedtone. He looked up at her and nodded. He sat there a bit before turning toPaine.
“Iexpect you to take better care of my Rikku than anything, to put her beforeyourself even. If I so much as see her look sad, I’ll blame you first.” Hebegan in that irritating arrogant voice but his tone softened and he added,“Please take good care of my littlest one.” He looked sadly at the two beforestanding up. He had circles under his eyes like he was very tired. “I expect tosee you out and about tomorrow. I also expect you to not sneak around anymore;anyone who opposes this for long won’t be on my airship long afterwards.Including Brother.” He finished dramatically by stepping out of the door, thehiss and metallic click following him down the hall as it closed behind him.
“Wellhe sure seemed happy about all of this.” Paine mused sarcastically, a cheerlessexpression on her face.
Rikkusmiled broadly. “He will be fine, and did you see? He accepted it! Oh Paine, heaccepted us!” She could hardly contain herself with this knowledge.
Paineput her hands on her hips and looked at the door. “True, he even sort ofsupported us, how odd.” She smiled faintly.
Rikkusquealed with glee and flung her arms around Paine’s neck, swinging around herin happiness.
TheAirship continued it course, slicing through the moon splashed clouds, sailingon an ocean of glimmering silver. The moon hung low and full above the world,the ship, and the happiest couple to grace Spira that night
 

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment