"Getting Rest" - the last "Comfort Zone" fic!

[owlmoose]

Title: Getting Rest
Fandom: FFX
Rating: R
Wordcount: ~2300
Pairings: Lulu/Rikku
Spoilers: Minor, for the first half of the game. Set right after Bikanel.
Notes: Written for first_seventhe, for the Out of the Comfort Zone meme. I think the fact that it took me a year and a half to get around to writing this serves as evidence of just how far femmeslash is outside my comfort zone. ;) But I would like to be at least as comfortable writing this as I am writing other sex scenes (which is still actually not very), so I'm glad I took it as an opportunity to do so. I've written other stories that allude to femmeslash pairings, but this is easily the most explicit. So I hope it works! Sorry it took me so very long to pull it together.

This officially fulfills all the requests on this meme, although there are plenty of other unwritten prompts there that I might get around to, someday.


"We ain't gonna find her today. Might as well head for the cabin, get some sleep."

"Easy for him to say," Wakka muttered to Lulu as the two of them left the bridge, Cid's words still echoing in her other ear. They passed Sir Auron, who acknowledged them with a nod; Lulu nodded in return, then turned to Wakka.

"Perhaps, though it is still good advice." Lulu raised her left shoulder in a shrug. "We won't be any good to Yuna if we're not well-rested when we do find her."

Wakka sighed as they passed through the doorway. Kimahri was on the other side, standing guard in the corridor, and he turned his head in their direction. "Quarters through there," he said, gesturing at another doorway behind him. "Men's on left, women's on right."

"Thank you, Kimahri." Lulu paused and laid a hand on his furred bicep. "You needn't stand watch, you know."

Kimahri looked down at her, his face as impassive as always. "Kimahri is guardian. Kimahri stands guard."

Lulu squeezed her fingers around his arm, then let her hand fall. She walked through yet another doorway to find herself in a small foyer with two more doors off it. She could hear Wakka still in the hallway, talking to Kimahri. His voice held an edge of fear, and as she listened, she could feel her own shoulders tensing at the thought of taking on his stress. No, she thought as she turned to the door on the right, best to be alone tonight, focus on her own emotions rather than having to deal with anyone else's. With a decisive push, she activated the lever that opened the door to her quarters, then stepped inside.

The room was empty but for four bunks, one against each wall. She let out a sigh of relief as her back unstiffened; after dropping her satchel on the floor, she slumped onto one of the beds, then rolled her head around her shoulders, feeling her neck stretch forward and back. Once that was done, she lifted her eyes and took a moment to look around the room, examining the walls of bare metal, and she allowed herself a small shudder. How did the Al Bhed stand being so cut off from the natural world? She laid her hand against the smooth steel of the nearest wall, closed her eyes, and reached beyond it, trying to make any connection to the elements. She found energy there, surging back and forth; it reminded her of a thunder spell, but odd, artificial. Shaking her head, she moved away from the wall before pulling a comb out of the bag. She pulled the sticks out of her bun to let the braids tumble free, along with what seemed like a bucketful of sand. As she swept the sand from the bed to the floor, she registered the sound of the opening door and turned to face it.

"Hi, Lulu." Rikku stepped into the room, clearing the door as it closed.

"Rikku." Lulu set down her comb. "What are you doing here?"

"Pops told me these were the guardians' quarters." Rikku looked around the room. "But, uh. I'm sorry. Did you want to be alone?"

Lulu held up her hand and shook her head. "It's fine. I just assumed you'd rather be with the other Al Bhed tonight." While most of the Al Bhed on the ship had thrown themselves into their work, Lulu had noticed some taking a moment to mourn Home, talking quietly in small groups, embracing in corners. In their grief, she saw a mirror of the blank stares and downcast eyes of the people of Kilika, and she ached for them.

"Oh." Rikku bowed her head. "I guess... I can't really think about that anymore. It's too big, y'know? Besides, I'm too busy worrying about Yuna." She looked up at Lulu, eyes huge and shoulders trembling. "She just has to be okay!"

"She will be." Lulu's response was firm; she would not allow herself to project any doubts. So much for letting go of her emotions in private.

"I hope so." Rikku sat down on the bed next to Lulu, the mattress shifting under her weight. "Say, do you want some help with that?" She tentatively touched one of Lulu's braids. "I know Yunie usually takes care of your hair. If you told me how..."

"All right." Lulu shifted her body to face away from Rikku, and she could feel Rikku settling down at her back.

"So, I should just undo the braids?" Rikku began to unravel the first with only a slight tug to Lulu's scalp. "And then what?"

"There's a small pouch of yellow powder in my bag; do you see it? Sprinkle a handful on my hair and comb it through. That will do for a cleaning until I can get a proper bath. Then just rebraid it. I'll twist them back up in the morning. Can you do that?"

"I think so." Rikku had already finished the first braid and was moving on to the second. "I saw Yunie do it once before."

"You work quickly," Lulu commented, twitching her head slightly

"Thanks. You have such pretty hair." Rikku moved onto the third braid, undoing the strands and running her fingers through them. "I wish I could do mine into braids long enough to tie up."

"You could always grow it out."

"I guess. Not so practical for salvage work, though." Rikku returned to her task, working in silence, and Lulu closed her eyes and let her head fall forward, breathing deeply. To her surprise, the air in the cabin was fresh, and Lulu took it deeper into her lungs, imagined she tasted the sweetness of an ocean breeze. Finally, the last braid came free and Rikku pulled off the thong that held the hair at the crown of her head, bringing it all tumbling down over her back. The tension in her scalp released all at once, and Lulu sighed at the relief of it -- it had been days since she'd last taken her hair down. She massaged her temples with her fingers, then lifted her hair through her hands, shaking her head as the strands fell again.

"Ooof!" Rikku made an odd noise, and Lulu turned around to see her wiping her mouth and grinning. "Should have gotten out of the way there."

Lulu lowered her chin with a smile. "Sorry."

"Nah, it's okay." Rikku shifted forward on the bed, catching her eyes, still smiling. "So now I comb the powder through it?"

"That's right." Lulu faced forward again as Rikku scattered the powder over the crown of her head, closed her eyes and let out another sigh as the comb touched her scalp, then ran through her hair. The first few strokes were smooth; on the fourth, Rikku hit a tangle, and Lulu took a sharp breath.

"Ha, gotcha," Rikku muttered, and she worried at the knot for only a second before she was through, her quick strokes much more effective than Yuna's gentle tugs ever were. Then she was on to the next, one hand running the comb over Lulu's long hair, the other curled around Lulu's shoulder, calloused and warm. Lulu found herself settling down, tipping her head forward, relaxing more with each breath. It was almost like meditation, but better, thanks to Rikku's nimble fingers and calming presence. She felt herself starting to drift off, her mind letting go of worry and fear, not allowing anything in except for the soothing strokes and the ever-present gentle hum of the engines.

"There, finished," said a distant girlish voice, and then the hands were bundling her hair back up, gathering it together and tying it off with the thong atop her head. Lulu thought she might drift off to sleep before Rikku finished with the braids... and then an unexpected sensation drew her back to the physical world: warmth on the back of her neck, followed by a soft, swift kiss.

Lulu caught her breath, her eyes flew open, and she looked up, the shock of the touch of lips against her skin overwhelming any other possible thought. "Rikku?" she murmured. "What--"

Rikku was leaning closer, her breath tickling Lulu's ear now, one hand cupping each shoulder. "Should I stop?"

The word "Yes" started to bubble automatically to Lulu's lips, but she pressed them together, silenced herself and took a moment to think. She had not expected this, but she could not honestly say that she had never thought of it. More than once, she had noticed Rikku's profile by the campfire, her blond hair catching its warm orange glow, and wondered. Now Rikku was here, with quick hands and a soft mouth, and Lulu was so tired of being the one to always be strong, to take the lead. Maybe this was her opportunity to let go. "No," she said. "Don't stop."

"Good," Rikku whispered, then took the ridge of Lulu's ear between her teeth. Lulu gasped, once again as much from surprise as from the jolt of pleasure that raced down her spine. Then Rikku's hands tightened on Lulu's shoulders, working their way toward the neck, pressing into the stiff muscles. Lulu swept her hair forward, giving Rikku access to the whole of her back, and Rikku responded by pressing her mouth into the crook of Lulu's neck, kissing the length of it up to Lulu's ear. In response, Lulu reached up and back, finding Rikku's cheek and cradling it with her palm, stroking Rikku's temple and pressing her close.

Forever it seemed to go on, Rikku kneading one shoulder and nibbling the other, until Lulu turned her head and lifted Rikku's face to meet hers in a careful kiss. Tentative at first, and then Rikku was forcing Lulu's lips apart with a darting tongue; Lulu groaned, her hands slipping down the thin, scratchy blanket as Rikku pushed her into the bunk. They were facing each other now, Rikku straddling Lulu as they kissed, her hands reaching for the hooks on Lulu's bodice. They came open, and the fabric fall away as Lulu's breasts tumbled free. Rikku took one in her hand, cradling its fullness in her palm; she broke the kiss and looked down at Lulu with a quick, devilish grin before she tipped sideways and took the nipple in her mouth.

Dear Yevon, her tongue is as quick as her fingers. Lulu arched her back, gripping at Rikku's neck with her hand as Rikku kissed her breast, first sucking it into her mouth, then relaxing to tease the nipple with the tip of her tongue. Lulu could not stop a moan, and her hand clenched nearly into a fist.

Rikku looked up, met Lulu's eyes. "Should I stop?" she asked again, but this time her tone was teasing, salacious, as if she already knew the reply. Lulu had let her control slip; there was no going back now. Not waiting for a spoken answer, Rikku returned to her task, kissing around the areola, down to the underside of Lulu's breast, now switching her attentions to the other side. Her free hand slipped down, down to the belts of Lulu's skirt, and then it began to unfasten the first buckle.

A thought stabbed through the haze of pleasure, and Lulu caught Rikku's fingers in her own. "Are you sure?" She struggled to sit up, forced her head to clear. Rikku was young, so young, how could she have forgotten? "Have you..."

Rikku laughed. "Of course I have. With boys as well as girls. So don't worry about my virtue, or whatever silly thing you Yevonites worry about." She nestled her chin between Lulu's breasts, a twinkle in her eyes. " Do you think I would have started this if I hadn't meant to finish it?"

Lulu managed a wry smile. "I-- am not sure what I thought."

"Well, whatever it was, forget it, okay?" Rikku tipped her head sideways, and her smile faded. "Just relax and enjoy yourself."

Letting her head fall backwards, her bare back against the rough blanket as Rikku's fingers continued their walk down her body, Lulu did just that.

-x-

Rikku collapsed on the bed, slick with sweat and shaking with breathless laughter. "Ooh. Ooh, that was.... Oooh." She closed her eyes and stretched, her fingers and toes reaching for the edges of the bed, and Lulu propped herself on an elbow and smiled. Rikku had proven herself equally adept at giving and receiving pleasure, and Lulu took a moment to look her over, take in her tousled hair and flushed skin; unable to resist another touch, she ran a finger down Rikku's sternum and down to her stomach.

With a gasping giggle, Rikku recoiled away. "Tickles!"

"Sensitive?" Lulu removed her hand to Rikku's shoulder, the skin smooth and warm under her palm.

"Mmm." Rikku rolled onto her side to look at Lulu, green eyes still sparkling. "You should know."

Lulu chuckled. "I suppose so." For a moment they looked at each other, Lulu studying Rikku's face for any trace of regret. Finding none, she pulled Rikku close for a soft kiss.

Then Rikku flopped over, pressing her back into Lulu's chest, twining their fingers together and bringing their joined hands into her stomach. With her free hand, she rescued the pillow from the floor and slid it beneath their heads. "I bet we'll both sleep now," she murmured as she snuggled closer

Lulu pressed her lips into the back of the girl's neck. "Perhaps so," she whispered. "Thank you, Rikku."

But Rikku did not hear -- her breathing had already slowed, her weight shifting into the relaxation of sleep. Lulu closed her eyes, pulled Rikku tighter, and joined her there.