Appearance had only been half the battle on her way to becoming a thief. Her own brothers had never paid much attention to her-Keyakku had taught her how to fight out of necessity and Brother had schooled her in engineering because Cid hadn't been prepared to. Neither of them had taken much interest in her as a person until she had turned fourteen and gotten her first boyfriend; then they couldn't bug her enough. Only after a few spars, in which she proved that she could take care of herself, did they back off.
Not by much, of course-she had suddenly become their baby sister again, and nobody was good enough. She wondered where Cid had been through all that, but had never commented. He was the maytan-he’d had enough on his plate. And once Keyakku had died, Brother had suddenly distanced himself as well. So it had just been Rikku, only Rikku, with Gippal in tow sometimes. Taking care of herself had become first nature, and she doubted anything would ever change that.
The change in posture caught her eye, but she just continued to smile and hum. After all, a dip was just a few seconds away, and she needed to ready herself. One-two-three, and she felt his arm tighten around her waist before she leaned back towards the floor. The blonde girl moved her arm from his shoulder and reached towards the floor as if to steady herself, but slipped her fingers into his boot, snatching a small gem and tucking it up her sleeve before actually pressing her fingers to the ground. As they straightened, she gave a planned sheepish smile and returned her gloved hand to his shoulder, continuing the step without missing a beat.
Okay, so maybe she was the smallest bit out of practice, or she had just made a mistake, like all the best do, or that had been calculated to distract him from thieving hands elsewhere. Whatever it was, he had to admit, it was cute, as was the sheepish grin.
He had to admit, without the guild around, it had been far too long since he had played the game, and he had missed playing it.
Not missing a step, the thief glided across the room with her, pocketing in his swirling cape the "trinket" he palmed from her back pocket while dipping her. He had to admit, he was almost tempted to check to see whether the scarf was concealing any little gems, aside from her neck. Well, he was also tempted by a lot of things about her. Tempted to do a lot of things that would be highly unprofessional. Especially in this setting. Part of what made the thought so attractive.
But, knowing how public a figure she was, he also knew he'd have no problem arranging another such meeting as this, and extending the play longer. It would be a terrible waste to spoil all the fun just in the name of instant gratification. Besides, she seemed the kind of girl who would tease, but wouldn't give so much as a kiss until she was good and ready.
Lulling marks into a false sense of security with her ditzy façade had more or less kept her in business for the year she'd been in the city. A lot of people-especially those that were exceptionally wealthy-didn’t bother to look beneath the bubbly blonde's outside. They saw a cute call girl sort of person, while there was usually so much calculation and scheming going on behind that smile that even Rin would be proud. After all, he was pretty much the master of masquerading as someone he wasn’t.
The waltz was drawing to a close, though she was positive she could snag one more jewel before she completely ran out of time. In the last few steps, she slid her hand around his neck, pulling him closer as she dipped her fingers into a pocket on his cape just behind his right shoulder, slipping the gem into the folds of the bows tied up her arms. There was no mistake this time, just a smooth transition from one position to the next.
The last couple bars were hummed before she came to a stop at the exact same time as her fellow thief, spiraled verdant eyes fixated on the undoubtedly one-way material that covered his. If she ever got into a tight spot, she might have to invest in finding some of that. The most brilliant smile was on her lips, and she continued to hold his hand, fingers resting lightly on his neck, staying in the waltzing pose. "We should do this more often," she chimed. Whether she was referring to the game or the dancing was completely up to him, though in reality she meant both.
Oh, he noticed that one. He noticed most of the moves, for that matter. But they were subtle enough that he couldn't stop them without being obvious about it, and, he was sure, it was the same for her. Still... he had invited her to the dance, and, from the sound of things, she needed it more than he did. After all, to him, it was just supposed to be a warm up. Wouldn't hurt to let the lady have the last say, especially if she was down on her luck. X was no Robin Hood, but he was never one to steal from those who couldn't afford it, either.
"We will."
He'd find her soon enough, or they'd run into each other, he knew, and they would dance and thieve and flirt relentlessly again. But, for now, he didn't want to pull away just yet, and so he held the pose, too, waiting for her to make the next move as they entered the endgame.
Waiting. She had never liked the sound of that word, or the action-rather, lack thereof-that followed it. There was just too much to do, too much to see to keep waiting. Waiting was the one thing no Al Bhed was good at. And anybody who knew Rikku at all was well aware that moving was just a part of her. From place to place, room to room, or just while she was standing. Fidgeting was a natural instinct, one that had been drilled into her head since birth.
So remaining motionless for more than a few seconds obviously didn't sit well with her. Action was imminent.
The hand hooked around the back of his neck smoothly moved, and she slipped her fingers beneath the edge of his mask. She felt skin there, warmth, even through the thin material of her gloves. The pads of her fingers rested over his pulse, and she felt it beating there, almost in time to the song they'd been dancing to. Her smile softened, became warmer. Waited. "I can't leave without giving a proper thank you."
Not by much, of course-she had suddenly become their baby sister again, and nobody was good enough. She wondered where Cid had been through all that, but had never commented. He was the maytan-he’d had enough on his plate. And once Keyakku had died, Brother had suddenly distanced himself as well. So it had just been Rikku, only Rikku, with Gippal in tow sometimes. Taking care of herself had become first nature, and she doubted anything would ever change that.
The change in posture caught her eye, but she just continued to smile and hum. After all, a dip was just a few seconds away, and she needed to ready herself. One-two-three, and she felt his arm tighten around her waist before she leaned back towards the floor. The blonde girl moved her arm from his shoulder and reached towards the floor as if to steady herself, but slipped her fingers into his boot, snatching a small gem and tucking it up her sleeve before actually pressing her fingers to the ground. As they straightened, she gave a planned sheepish smile and returned her gloved hand to his shoulder, continuing the step without missing a beat.
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He had to admit, without the guild around, it had been far too long since he had played the game, and he had missed playing it.
Not missing a step, the thief glided across the room with her, pocketing in his swirling cape the "trinket" he palmed from her back pocket while dipping her. He had to admit, he was almost tempted to check to see whether the scarf was concealing any little gems, aside from her neck. Well, he was also tempted by a lot of things about her. Tempted to do a lot of things that would be highly unprofessional. Especially in this setting. Part of what made the thought so attractive.
But, knowing how public a figure she was, he also knew he'd have no problem arranging another such meeting as this, and extending the play longer. It would be a terrible waste to spoil all the fun just in the name of instant gratification. Besides, she seemed the kind of girl who would tease, but wouldn't give so much as a kiss until she was good and ready.
Reply
The waltz was drawing to a close, though she was positive she could snag one more jewel before she completely ran out of time. In the last few steps, she slid her hand around his neck, pulling him closer as she dipped her fingers into a pocket on his cape just behind his right shoulder, slipping the gem into the folds of the bows tied up her arms. There was no mistake this time, just a smooth transition from one position to the next.
The last couple bars were hummed before she came to a stop at the exact same time as her fellow thief, spiraled verdant eyes fixated on the undoubtedly one-way material that covered his. If she ever got into a tight spot, she might have to invest in finding some of that. The most brilliant smile was on her lips, and she continued to hold his hand, fingers resting lightly on his neck, staying in the waltzing pose. "We should do this more often," she chimed. Whether she was referring to the game or the dancing was completely up to him, though in reality she meant both.
Reply
"We will."
He'd find her soon enough, or they'd run into each other, he knew, and they would dance and thieve and flirt relentlessly again. But, for now, he didn't want to pull away just yet, and so he held the pose, too, waiting for her to make the next move as they entered the endgame.
Reply
So remaining motionless for more than a few seconds obviously didn't sit well with her. Action was imminent.
The hand hooked around the back of his neck smoothly moved, and she slipped her fingers beneath the edge of his mask. She felt skin there, warmth, even through the thin material of her gloves. The pads of her fingers rested over his pulse, and she felt it beating there, almost in time to the song they'd been dancing to. Her smile softened, became warmer. Waited. "I can't leave without giving a proper thank you."
Reply
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