Six Days

"If you're worried about defiling me, someone already beat you to it."

Auron scowled.

"At least let me return the favor," she said, doing her best to ooze pity. Her hands came inching back to his belt, but he swatted her away.

"Forget it." He pushed off the bed and found his cloak at the end of the bed. He threw it over his shoulder.

She sat up to watch him leave, but he wouldn't look her in the face. He swung the strap of his scabbard over his shoulder and opened the window.

"At least think of me when you're handling yourself tonight."

Auron stopped and looked over at her. He saw the glint in her eye before she rolled away, fluffed her pillow and settled in. She flipped the covers over her, tucking herself into bed.

"Lock your window," he muttered and hurdled over the window sill.

But as far as he could tell from his post in the junipers, she didn't get up to lock it. Securing the belt of his great coat, he arranged his arm sling-style at the front of it and adjusted the strap of his scabbard on his shoulder, comforted by the sword's weight. His boots fell into the usual ruts in the ground, his shoulder blades leaning on the same worn spot on the fence. But his mind wouldn't stop. While he waited for dawn, he didn't—in Raine's words—"handle himself," but he did think of her, fighting back a grin every time he repeated her words in his head. And for now, it made him forget to feel guilty. But it bothered him the way she rolled over and went to bed, as if it didn't matter, as if nothing fundamental had changed; her vain confidence was unexpected.

The next day was drearily typical. He waited in the sun dappled alley until her friends came to walk her to school, gave them plenty of head start and followed behind. After last night, he didn't expect to see much difference in her appearance, but he anticipated she would be wrought with the shame and indignity of it all. Somehow he figured her disposition would change, whether she would be slow to smile or contribute in conversations, but she seemed her regular self—the self she presented to her friends, at least. She participated quite willingly to the gossip her friends found interesting and Auron felt intensely relieved when her giggles reached his ears.

She only lived a few blocks from the school. Before long, they joined the current of babbling students, flowing up the stark white sidewalk that divided a sprawling, green front lawn. The walkway bulged midway to the main entrance to accommodate a large stone fountain, like an island in a stream of pupils, with bronzed representations of Aeons dancing in the jets and sprays. Raine's school was a historic building made of maintained red brick with bleached columns, gabled rooflines and a steeple over the belfry. The windows were narrow and paned, arranged in groups of two and three and, according to Raine, were drafty in the monsoon season.

Today, Auron remained in plain view, sitting on a concrete bench across the street on the southern main entrance. As usual, the school yard became a deserted wasteland after the second bell and he began to mark the time by the number of bells sounded. He was used to emptying his mind during these long expanses of time where nothing was happening. Auron had spent the better part of the last couple years thinking cold about Spira, Sin and pilgrimages—past and future, but now he realized those sorts of ruminations were futile. Overthinking events he could no longer do anything about made him miserable and he still had a solid 7 years with Raine in Zanarkand.

But as much as he tried to keep his mind a blank slate, today Auron was afflicted with random flashes of last night: the quick tempo of Raine's breathing, the natural settle of her breasts under her shirt, the dark mound of her pubic area. Spontaneous strobes of salacious images, accompanied with an upswing of elation, followed by little stabs of dread that stripped his dignity and made him distrust his effectiveness as a guardian.

It wasn't until lunchtime when Auron began to genuinely relax. The school yard was teeming with students and Raine was sitting cross-legged on the wide fountain ledge with her friends, eating the cold lunch she brought from home. He had half expected a hassling from the school counselor along with a few Zanarkand authorities, but when he saw Raine thriving with her usual temperament, he knew she was handling this better than he was. She was fine. Better than fine. Auron dared to say...glowing.

Suddenly, Auron felt intensely irritated with her. He had purposely sat in the open so she would see him, why didn't she give him some sort of sign? A nod, a thumbs-up, a secret wave, anything trademark to her personality to show him she was doing fine or at least to remind him he wasn't invisible. It was like last night hadn't happened for her and it deeply vexed him.

After school, Raine met at the field on the north side for cheerleading practice. Auron had already moved to a wooden slatted bench with iron arm rests, facing the train station across the street with his back to the field. He hated to admit he knew all the cheers, but he did; a consequence of attending all her rehearsals and games. For most of the practice, he was able to tune out the drills, but he could tell they were trying something new today from the change in rhythm. Auron glanced around the empty street before extending his arm over the backrest and shifting in his seat to watch over his shoulder.

It was a complicated pyramid with a lot of technical aspects that not all the girls could grasp right away. The late afternoon sun stretched the shadow of their wobbly human pyramid half the length of the field. Auron's eye automatically trained on Raine during every routine and she was playing her part perfectly at the bottom as far as Auron could tell. But it wasn't enough to avoid the wrath of the head cheerleader, a brunette who was too slim for her head, wore too much make-up and wasn't happy unless all eyes were on her. She called the end of practice soon after their pyramid attempt.

Raine left school from the south entrance, waving or smiling to her friends in farewell as they forked off in different directions towards their respectable streets. Most days, one or two of her friends stayed linked to Raine's hip on the way to her neighborhood and this day was no different. Auron knew to stay back. Part of him hoped she might make an excuse to her friends and meet him on his bench. It was rare, but she had done it before. As much as he dreaded a conversation about last night, apparently not discussing it was making him just as uneasy.

Home again, Auron found his place within the junipers and as it got dark, the windows got bright and he was able to watch them eat as a family. Dinner seemed a little more low-key tonight than last night. Their gestures of conversation were infrequent and looked polite in nature. When it was over, Raine went downstairs to her room, where she would talk on a sphere cam, watch a show or do a little homework.

At some point a few hours later, Raine closed her curtains and it relieved Auron to know she wouldn't tease him. After last night, he was sure she would try to ruffle his feathers again now that she knew she could. On the same note, it disappointed him she didn't trust him to look away at the appropriate times anymore. She was probably right not to.

The curtains parted again and Auron was pleased she was wearing a thick white robe. Maybe this was the start of a new, more maintained relationship. She would be more aware of how she presented herself and Auron would work on subduing his attraction.

With the curtains pulled all the way back, Raine tugged the windows open and Auron raised his chin alertly. She wanted to talk. He supposed it was time. Auron started to step out of the trees, but Raine moved out of the window to the bed where he couldn't see. His eye flicked up to the second floor window. Her custodians were watching the late evening news. They would be retiring to bed soon.

Was she inviting him, or did she just need a little fresh air? It was a brisk night and a basement room like hers was already chilly enough. What was she doing? Feeling a trick, Auron stepped back into the trees. She was luring him, he realized. Forget it. He wouldn't go.

Soon, Raine's aunt and uncle turned out the lights and went to their bedroom on the far side of the upper level where Auron couldn't see. Raine's light was still on, the window still open. Still waiting for him to come. Crossing his arms, he settled back against the fence and became idle. He struggled to hollow out his mind to prepare for a long night of playing guardian, but clips of her self-pleasure blinked unbidden into his mind and he speculated if that was what she was doing now. Was she naked under her robe? Was she touching herself? Was she thinking of him? Whispering his name?

Fuck it.

Adjusting the strap of his scabbard, he glided out of the trees and strode across the yard. He crouched by her window and looked inside. She was sitting on her bed, reading under the covers, looking very snug in her thick white robe. He rapped his knuckles on the side of the window to get her attention. She only turned the page in response. With an inward sigh, Auron dropped down into the room and closed the windows, vowing to only stay a minute.

"It's freezing out there," he said.

Her nose still buried in the book, she answered with a lift of her finger. In a moment, she seemed to say.

Auron rolled his eye and waited, but she was taking her sweet time. "Would you like me to leave?"

"I have a quiz tomorrow. I'll be done in a moment."

Oh she was very good. Smirking, Auron leaned his katana on the wall. From the arm chair, he lifted her open book bag and moved it to the floor so he could sink into it. He tried to get comfortable, twisted, and plucked that little "Luv Sux" pillow out from under him and tossed it on the floor with the rest of the clutter. Although, as Auron glanced around, it seemed he could see more of the carpeting now, enough to realize it was a beige shag. Maybe she had picked up a little. In any case, it was much more comfortable inside than standing in the trees. He rested his head back and shut his eye, listening to the dry slide of paper as she turned the pages.

A few minutes later, Auron heard the soft thump of the book closing and he opened his eye. She was looking at him with a soft gaze. He shouldn't have gotten so comfortable. It would be easier to deflect her charms if he was standing.

"I saw you at lunch today," she said. Her knee came up and she placed a fist on top of it to prop up her chin, tilting her head sweetly.

"I wasn't sure that you did," Auron said impassively.

"Why?"

Auron sat still as stone and didn't answer right away. He wasn't sure he had a reply.

Her eyes turned bright, but wary. "Because I didn't come over and talk to you?"

"You have nothing to say?" Answering a question with a question was usually a good way to take the heat off.

"There's nothing more unattractive than a clingy girl."

"How would you know what I find attractive?"

Her cheeks stained red, but she wasn't about to be sidetracked and flashed him a hard look. "Nobody likes clingy."

Auron wondered if he was the clingy one. After all, he was the one sitting in her bedroom and had come inside without a proper invite. He didn't push the topic and was glad when she changed the subject.

"Did you see me on the field today?"

"I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't."

"How did you like our pyramid?" she asked with a roll of her eyes.

"You did well," Auron said, skirting the question.

"Yeah," she said with grim sarcasm. "I'm so great at the bottom."

"If you want to prove yourself, first you must complete the tasks you're given," he said.

She sighed through her nose, annoyed. "You've never been a cheerleader before, have you?"

"No," he laughed. He figured she might not buy that. "In my world, the pyramid is a symbol for ascension."

"Well, in the real world, it just means Lindsey gets all the attention at the top." She sipped air and looked at him contritely. "Not that your world isn't real."

Affecting mild surprise, Auron said, "You want to be at the top of the pyramid?"

She shrugged. "Everybody does, so why shouldn't I?"

Auron mulled that over for a minute. "I didn't realize you craved that kind of attention."

"Everybody deserves to be at the top of the pyramid if they want to."

He nodded on that for a few beats, considering her, but didn't say anything.

With a flirty quirk of her lips, she said, "Did you think of me today?"

"No more than usual." He wasn't lying. Lately, it was typical to think of Raine squirming on his lap in her cheerleading uniform.

"Well," she sighed, "I thought of you a lot." She got up on her knees and removed her robe, draping it over her footboard. She was wearing her usual sleeping attire, a tank top and underwear. The top was burgundy with spaghetti straps and her panties were lavender, printed with fruit shapes: red apples, yellow bananas, oranges, violet grapes. She lied on her belly and rested her head on her folded arms, a drowsy smile on her face. Knees bent, she kicked her legs lazily in the air and Auron's eye lingered over the soft bump of her ass.

"Platonic thoughts, I hope."

"Oh yes," she said, her eye glinting.

"Good," he said. It was easy to sound stern, but it wasn't easy to mean it. She was often playful with him, but it was always guarded, as if she wasn't quite sure how he would take it. Now she treated him with an ease he didn't recognize. Sometimes he suspected she feared him; not from harm, but the humiliation of being scolded. He didn't necessarily like being feared by her, but it did suit his needs to keep her at a distance. But now, she had penetrated a weak spot on him and it wouldn't take much to exploit it. "You realize that can't happen again."

"Goodness no," she said, head rising in simulated horror. "There's plenty of stuff we can do before we do that again."

"That's not what I mean."

"No?" she asked with a sweetly pitiful look.

"There's a name for people who are attracted to children."

"What, pedophiles?" Her eyebrows raised in mock-surprise. "Then why are you here? I don't see any children."

"Your window was open. It's freezing."

"I'm well aware of the temperature outside and I assure you its above freezing. And you can go whenever you want. I haven't tied you up," she said and gave him a sly look. "Yet."

He couldn't help smirking, but pursed his lips to restrict it and deepened his voice slightly. "You can't talk to me like that, either."

"It's called flirting. I've been doing it with you since I was 7 years old."

He raised an eyebrow in condemnation. "I find that hard to believe."

"Really?" she asked, with a challenge in her tone. She got up on her knees and clapped her hands on her cheeks, gazing wistfully up at the ceiling. "Owen, weed me this story while I sit on your lap. Owen, I'm supposed to hold someone's hand when I cwoss the street. Owen, will you tie my shoe for me?"

Auron rolled his eye. "None of that counts."

"Please. I was reading at an 8th grade level at 7, I had been crossing the street alone since I was 5 and I had plenty of dexterity to tie my own shoes."

"Acting inferior for attention? Who taught you to do that?"

"Well, since it worked on you, I guess...you did." She smiled. "Look, I'm perfectly capable of delivering my own orgasms, too, but it was more fun when you did it."

To cover a grin, he jutted his chin and quickly glared. "I apologize for invading your privacy last night. When I realized what was happening, I didn't want to embarrass you by announcing myself."

"Thank you for that," she said insipidly, tipping her head, giving him a level look. "Moaning your name was so much less humiliating."

"It was an awkward situation and I made the wrong choice. " He hesitated. "You understand you didn't do anything wrong, don't you?"

"Stop it. You sound like an afterschool special. Look, I can see this makes you uncomfortable. I'm willing to forget about it."

Finally. She was being reasonable. "It's best if we do."

"I'll forget about it for exactly 6 days."

Auron frowned. "Why 6 days?"

"I turn 19 in 6 days. Well, 5 after tonight."

"Raine—"

"I thought we were supposed to be real friends? Like you and TIdus."

Auron sighed. "We are—"

"Well, real friends should be able to talk about this. I'll agree not to talk about it for 6 days if you promise to talk about it openly when those 6 days are up."

He considered her deal. With her attention span, she would likely forget about it by then. He nodded. "I'll agree to that."

"Good," she said spritely, jumping off the bed. She approached him with a sideways smile and crawled into his lap.

Auron tensed. "This isn't part of the agreement."

"Friends do this," she assured.

"Believe me, my friends have never done this."

He was already missing the days when she used to fear him—his efforts to repel her were ineffective. The chair springs were squeaking as Auron squirmed to deter, but she managed to raise her knees like a fetus and cuddle against him. Disgruntled, Auron allowed it and situated in his seat to accommodate her. The weight of her against him was as comfortable as the sword on his back and his hand betrayed him almost immediately as his gauntlet cupped around her shoulder. His other arm was still tucked into his coat and Auron doubted it would have wasted little time finding its way to bare skin if unhampered. He closed his eye and his high collar bent forward as he leaned his cheek on the top of her head.

There was something innocently familial about sitting like that with her, an intimacy they were both unaccustomed to, since Jecht was lost at sea before Raine turned 5 and the only life Auron knew as a boy was inside a monastery. Although it was like huddling for warmth, he wasn't foolish enough to believe that made it permissible. And yet, his heart was thrumming behind his armor and his excitement was persistent on the side of her hip.

She busied her fingers by tracing the seams around his chest armor and even though he couldn't see her eyes, he could tell her mind was working. "How well does this armor protect you?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Just curious," she giggled. "Jeez. It's not like I'm trying to learn your weak spot."

"I think you're closer to knowing than you think."

Her arm came across his chest to touch the small medallions, hanging like ornaments from the corner of his shoulder guard. Auron cast his eye down to simply watch, reminiscent of when she would play with them as a little girl, as if she liked the sound of them tinkling together.

"These are for beating Sin," she said and Auron couldn't tell if it was a question or not. It must have been a statement because a moment later, she asked, "Is this all you get for doing it?"

"And reputation."

"Nothing else physical? Money? Treasure?"

Auron shook his head.

"Is it worth it?"

"No. The Calm makes it worth it."

Pushing back the shoulder guard, Raine released his arm. Just as Auron thought, his freed hand went straight for her thigh, sliding around the outside of her leg. Hearing the clicks of his collar buttons, Auron felt the delicate yanks as Raine unsnapped them and the material split apart, away from his mouth, weighed down by the heavy buckles.

"Why don't you face the field while I'm at practice?" Raine softly asked.

Auron almost smiled. He began rubbing his whiskers in her hair, stroking the outside of her leg. "Why do you think?"

"Do you think it's creepy for a man to watch girls through a school yard fence?"

"I wouldn't trust me," he chuckled.