Disclaimer: Final Fantasy X-2 and all related characters and materials are property of Square-Enix. I claim nothing.
A/N: I wrote this about two years ago. I had it posted somewhere and I never put it here for some reason. I went back to it now and fixed up some glaring errors and made it more readable. It's still really waff-ish, though, so prepare yourself for embarrassed cuteness. (If memory serves, I based this on a doujinshi somewhere but gave it my own interpretation.)

Cadenza
By: Nanaki BH

The threat was over, the world was saved, but Gippal couldn't escape the feeling that something was still amiss. There were things within himself that still needed to be resolved. He couldn't place his finger on it, but it was there, continually making him more and more anxious. He felt unfulfilled. While everyone else celebrated their victory, he put up a cheerful face in the hope that his efforts would one day pay off and he'd be able to smile for real too. If only he could figure out what it was.

Even if the world around him seemed to be saved, his own world felt like it still needed fixing.

A few days after this new sort of Calm, the famous troupe of sphere hunters decided to throw a party in celebration. Naturally, Gippal and the rest of the Machine Faction were up for throwing back a few, but it finally occurred to him then what had been bothering him. Nooj would be there – no problem. But Baralai would be there too and at the very thought of that, his heart beat a little bit faster. Gippal wasn't dumb; he knew what it meant and began to realize the signs. Strangely, he didn't feel as weird about it as he thought he would.

Until the night of the celebration, new worries only found a way to surface, though.

"I feel ridiculous here."

Buddy slid onto the bar stool next to Gippal and glanced at him sidelong. "Oh?" he flashed a smirk. "Here? I'm surprised. I thought I had you pegged as the party kind of guy." He waved a hand and the bartender came over.

Of course, normally, parties wouldn't be such an issue for him but the place they'd got for it was huge (the most lavish hotel around) and the person he wanted to see the least was there. Or maybe he really wanted to see Baralai the most? His alcohol fogged mind couldn't tell the difference anymore and that was starting to worry him.

He sunk to the counter top on his folded arms and looked up at Buddy.

"Definitely ridiculous. Look at me, man. This thing only just started and I'm already half-drunk." He considered what lying on the top of the bar meant. "Okay, probably mostly drunk. I haven't been countin' 'em."

The bartender quickly returned with the sphere hunter's drink. Giving him a suspiciously knowing laugh, Buddy cradled the glass and slid down to place his chin on his arms to get them at eye level. "You wouldn't be drinking like that unless there were a reason, though. I think I've got an idea of what's going on."

Gippal nearly jolted out of his stool. He had better not have an idea.

"Oh, come on, like it hasn't been obvious." He sat back up and shook his head – Gippal hoped that wasn't pity. He looked over his shoulder. "You've been staring over yonder all night at the praetor. You might be the only person who thinks it isn't obvious."

Instantly, Gippal felt his heart sink, like he'd been found out. He tried to reassure himself that nobody could possibly know, but who could tell with the drunken state he'd gotten himself into? He could be as subtle as a shoopuff in a china shop for all he knew. He buried his face in his hands, feeling suddenly more out of place than ever. He'd rather make a fool of himself up front than to poorly act quiet about it. What could he do, though? There were so many people around. He either had to get this messy story over with before it really began and tell Baralai how he felt... or he'd could just leave and bury his head in the sand until these kinds of feelings for him just passed.

It was Baralai, after all! Baralai...!

But there he was over there, looking as handsome as ever, a light rosy tint to his cheeks, looking like he was having the most fun in the world... But... Baralai!

"Please tell me I'm not that obvious," he mumbled into his hands, his shame mounting.

Buddy allowed himself a second, looking from Gippal to Baralai and then back again. "Nope, kind of sort of really obvious. Then again," he said, and Gippal picked up his head, "I think he's kind of been looking over here, too."

"S-seriously?"

Taking a drink, Buddy muttered something to the affirmative. "Yeah, look – I don't know what all you're thinking but you should seriously just go over there. I don't recall the praetor being known for a quick temper."

Gippal stared down into his drink, hoping that floating somewhere between the chunks of ice he would find a sliver of courage. He drained the last of it for good luck and jumped to his feet, trying to get himself encouraged. "Alright. I'll go... say hi or something. N-nothing serious. I'm gonna say hi!"

The Gullwing crewman laughed, far too amused with his friend's drunken determination. "Good luck with that."

After a good pat on the back, Gippal marked his course. Baralai was hanging around toward the center of the room with some former supporters and a ton of other people. No doubt, he was one of the most popular people in the whole place. Second, of course, only to the great YRP themselves who seemed to be the total life of the party. Getting Baralai alone seemed nearly impossible with so many people, but that meant that even getting a word in (even just "hi") would be difficult.

"Hey, Gippal! Where've you been? Everybody wants to party it up with you!" The people who approached him were unfamiliar but he could tell they were Al Bhed by their attire. All that he had on his mind was Baralai, though. And he'd be damned if somebody was going to try to keep him from talking to him. He offered them some kind of apology and edged his way past them.

Why did it feel like he wasn't getting anywhere? The closer he got, the farther away he seemed to feel. Suddenly, his legs were feeling weak and his stomach felt sick. Alcohol or nerves, he couldn't tell. Palms sweating, mouth going dry, his courage finally fled.

He ducked through the groups of party-goers and before he knew it, his boots had found their way to the exit. His mind refused to take the wheel and he just kept going until he arrived at the room where he was staying. It was only going to be for the night. He planned on drinking and having a good time – it was really just a place for him to come back to crash. Though, while he was definitely drunk, he couldn't remember having much fun. Having fun just didn't work out and neither had his plan to talk to Baralai. Things were just... wrong.

He stumbled into the room and practically threw the door closed behind him as if it would trap outside all the things that weren't right. He slumped from the door to the ground and rested his head back, trying to make sense of his thoughts or forget everything altogether. But even if he could make his mind forget Baralai, he was sure there would be some sort of place left in his heart that would still ache.

"This isn't fair, you know," he mumbled to himself. "You don't even have to do anything and I..." combing a hand through his hair, he released a deep sigh. It looked like the problem would never get fixed.

"This party sucks." Slowly, his single eye slid closed and his thoughts fled into sleep.

He woke up slowly and it took a moment before he registered the sound of the knocking on the door over the sound of the pounding in his own head. Weakly, he got up on his knees and turned around to open the door. The moment he saw the familiar boots and long green coat, he got the sudden urge to close the door. As soon as he grabbed it to pull it closed, Baralai stopped him, pushing a firm hand down on it to keep it ajar.

"Why'd you leave?" he asked abruptly.

Gippal felt his hold on the door go weak and he let his hands slip away limply. Once Baralai let himself in, he closed the door behind them and sunk to his knees to sit beside him. For some time, they just stayed like that, neither looking at each other, gazing silently at the floor instead. Every once in a while, they'd look up to see if the other had given in. When their eyes finally met, Gippal decided to speak.

"I guess I'm not as good with parties as I thought."

"You didn't leave because of the people. You left because of me, didn't you?"

The very disappointed and hurt look on Baralai's face confused him.

Well why did he think I was staring at him all night? Did he think I was just jealous of all the attention he was getting?

"B-Baralai..." He slowly lifted a hand, as if extending it to him might bridge the sudden, imaginary distance. He knew that wasn't it at all but he still wasn't so sure he could just come out and tell him why he'd been looking his way and drinking himself into a stupor.

His hand fell to his lap and his gaze followed. He didn't know what to say. This wasn't how things were meant to turn out anyway and his mind was way too shot to come up with any real suggestions as to what he should be doing. He just wanted to sleep, to pass out again, to turn things back and go the way he wanted them to.

I just don't want to ruin what we have. He's my friend. He doesn't deserve that.

After another agonizing length of silence, Gippal felt Baralai take his hand in his.

"I'm sorry if I ruined your night. I... have to get back before somebody comes to look for me."

He released his hands, his fingers coldly slipping away. He rose to leave and Gippal's mind finally snapped back. This wasn't how things were supposed to go – but they'd only get worse if Baralai thought he had ruined his night. He hadn't at all – it was his own fault that this was happening. If Baralai walked out the door, the only thing that would happen would be that his night would be the one getting ruined instead from some misunderstanding.

Before he got the chance to turn away, Gippal reached out and grabbed hold of the tail of his coat and gave it a firm tug. "Wait."

Baralai looked down, his dark eyes uncertain. "I really should be heading ba..." He stopped mid-word when he saw just how distressed his old comrade looked.

"I'm not mad. I mean... I never was. I really wanted to see you, actually, but..." He rubbed the back of his sleeve against his cheek, hoping he didn't look like a complete fool. Rigorously, he rubbed at his face, denying he could have been on the verge of tears when he finally felt so composed all of a sudden.

Baralai sighed and Gippal looked up, surprised. The tails of his coat slipped from his fingertips as Baralai knelt back down and slid his arms around him. He knew that it could be too good to be true – that Baralai was just a kind, understanding friend and an embrace like this could be just a form of comfort, but he wanted to believe. He wanted it to be the reciprocation he had been hoping for.

Too good to be true wouldn't last forever, though. After pulling away from each other, Baralai looked at him squarely, as if trying to determine something. It was like his eyes could see into him, into every inch that he now wanted to just hide away in favor of concealing his shame. Unable to match his gaze, Gippal averted his eye and lifted the back of his sleeve to wipe at his face again, to remove any evidence of weakness. He was a leader. It wasn't right.

As he went to move and finally get on with this strange, terrible night, Baralai grabbed his wrist. Raising him up on his weak and shaking legs, the praetor pushed him against the wall and with barely the time to utter a word of his surprise, Gippal found Baralai's lips pressed firmly against his own. It wasn't like he didn't want this – exactly the opposite – but the shock alone of it being true threw him. After he gave his startled mind a moment to adjust, he leaned into it, kissing back, tentatively placing his hands on Baralai's arms.

Baralai felt a little smaller than himself if he wasn't mistaken, but there was something about him, maybe his commanding personality, that made him feel like he was so much younger than him. Whatever it was, Gippal definitely knew that he was submitting to him. His legs were beginning to give, and before he could collapse, if only from pure shock alone, Baralai led him to the bed for them to fall back upon.

Baralai rolled them until he was on top, kissing him until he had him under him. With one final kiss to his eye patch, he sat back with a rather pleasant smile. "You could have just said it, you know. I thought... I thought I was kind of making it obvious by looking at you all night."

"...You really were looking at me all night? What about me! I... Well, I'm probably still a little drunk, but I thought I was making a fool out of myself by looking over at you the whole night as I plowed through drink after drink. And now you're telling me that... you've been... You've gotta be kidding me," Gippal ranted, punctuated with a hard sigh.

"...Really? Well then, which one of us is the fool?"

"I'd say both."

The companionable silence that came then soon turned into more again, as fingers fumbled to undo buttons and unfasten buckles. They had only just come to this understanding but Gippal knew he was still drunk, and hell if he cared what happened anymore. His hands slid against the smooth skin of Baralai's back as he lifted his shirt off and let it fall to the floor to join the quickly accumulating pile of clothing.

Once he had him naked before him, he allowed himself a moment to take in the sight; the praetor, normally such a private man, now so exposed before him. The sincerity of it alone was beautiful enough. Gently, he traced his thumb along his jaw, marveling at his warm, caramel colored skin. It wasn't a dream or anything.

"You really... feel like this about me too?" Gippal didn't want to rush anything and say something stupid just yet. It still felt weird just to say that much.

Baralai laughed softly, trailing his fingers delicately down Gippal's bare sides. "I have for a while now. I just didn't want to startle you. Things are a lot different now than they were only a short time ago. If it weren't for those girls, maybe I never would have had the courage to say anything to you or do anything about it."

"For real?"

Baralai laughed softly against his neck, nuzzling and placing kisses here and there. "I'm glad I wasn't alone. I thought you were too into the ladies for this kind of thing."

"This kind of thing?" Gippal clenched his teeth when he felt Baralai's warm fist close around him, giving a slightly firm squeeze. Part of him didn't expect it, but what should he expect when they'd already undressed each other?

"H-Hey..." He fidgeted, trying to get himself more comfortably situated on the bed before things went any farther.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," Baralai assured him. Not like that sounded very reassuring when it was coming from someone he had previously thought was so prim and proper. The hammering in Gippal's chest refused to stop, though. Nervously, he put a hand down over Baralai's gently to tell him to stop.

"We... Don't really have to go too far, right? It's not like I'm some expert on this myself. And I am still kinda drunk after all. ...Is that okay?"

Baralai smiled, leaning in to kiss him on the lips, taking his time before pulling away slowly. "Then how about this?" His hand still in place, he got on his side, moving closer and rubbing against him, sliding their arousals against each other. Instantly, Gippal jolted, moaning low. Having heard no other utterances of disapproval, Baralai continued his ministrations, taking them both in his hand. Locking a leg around Gippal's, he used his free hand to tip his chin up to distract him with another kiss. To his surprise, Gippal responded strongly as he grabbed the back of his neck and slipped in his tongue to slide against his own.

Baralai had lost count of how many times he caught himself embarrassingly thinking about possibilities such as this while on the job. He knew Gippal must have thought the same thing, but could only imagine the confusion and frustration it brought his Al Bhed friend.

Now all he could think of was the firm pressure of Gippal's hand closing around his cock and the smooth feeling of the other's in his own hand, pumping in sync until they both finally came.

A moment passed with their foreheads pressed together, nothing but the sound of their slowing, heavy breaths between them. Opening his eye, Gippal placed a kiss to Baralai's lips; one that showed simply the emotions he'd held back and desired to share so much.

"They're all going to be suspicious if we don't go back," Gippal murmured at last.

"Something tells me this is more important."

The other smiled, letting his eye slowly slip shut again. "Yeah..."