Titanium

Chapter 1

"I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose, fire away, fire away. Ricochet, you take your aim, fire away, fire away. You shoot me down, but I won't fall, I am titanium." – David Guetta ft Sia.

"Are you going to keep staring at me or are you going to help?" Gippal asked Rikku. She shook her head and realized she had been sitting there watching him work on a machine.

"I'll help." She replied meekly as she walked over and picked up some tools. She felt really hot and knew she must be blushing like crazy. She pulled her goggles she kept around her neck up over her eyes and flicked a hanging orange feather out of her face.

"You smell amazing." She could have sworn she heard Gippal mumble. She turned her head quickly so she was facing him and he just had a lopsided grin on. She did not want to ask him if he had said what she thought he had because what if she was wrong. He would make fun of her for it until the end of time. She felt her face grow hotter and then it happened. Gippal leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "So meddma muja." (my little love)he murmured.

Rikku could hear the loud pounding on her door but she was doing her best to ignore it.

"Rikku! Fyga ib! Fa yna ymnayto pareht." (wake up! We are already behind). She sighed and rolled out of her bed. She looked at herself in the mirror above the dresser in her room on the boat she was on.

"You look awful." She told her reflection then stuck her tongue out at herself. "Getting away from Gippal via salvage ship was a great idea." She rolled her eyes as she reached for a brush to brush out her hair. She then reached for her orange feathers and dropped them back down. There was no point. The diving suit would cover most of her hair and there was no one here she wanted to impress anyway. She quickly pulled her suit on and headed out to get the salvaging over with.

Xxxxxxxxxx 3 years later.

Rikku laid back on her bed and sighed to herself. It was a beautiful Saturday and she had not one thing to do. They had just finished rebuilding this small house for her in Bikanel so now she could relax. But her mind would not listen to her body and was itching to do something. Just then she saw her commsphere buzz, letting her know she had a call coming in. She hoped it was Yunie with something exciting to do. She hopped off the bed eagerly and flicked the switch.

"Rikku, you there?" She groaned at her father's voice. So much for fun. She rolled her eyes slightly.

"Yes pops, I'm here. What's up?" She asked, hoping he was not going to ask her to do something with Brother.

"Well you know home is coming along nicely but we are low on parts. I was wondering if you could head to Djose temple and see if Gippal has some parts we can buy." Rikkue groaned on the inside. She would much rather being hanging out with Brother.

"Why can't you go ask him pops? He's closer to you then he is to me!" She whined.

"Well I am busy. So hop to it. You know I do not like to be kept waiting and I have a full schedule." He replied. She went to respond but the commsphere went blank. He hung up on her. She growled slightly and shook her head. Why did this stuff always happen to her?

Xxxxxxxxxx

"Ruf muhk femm oui pa?" (how long will you be?" Brother asked after he landed the airship and waited for her to get off.

"I don't know. Hopefully not long at all." She replied in English as she ran off the airship. Brother had landed right beside the temple so she did not have far to walk to the entrance. "Please let it be his day off, please let it be his day off…" She murmured to herself as she reached the doors. She reached out for the handle when the door swung open at full speed, knocking her onto her bottom. "Owie…" She cried as she slowly got up and rubbed her butt.

"Cid's little girl! What are you doing creeping behind the front door?" Rikku took a deep breath and lifted her head to look into the eyes of the enemy.

"I have a name." She said angrily. "And I was not creeping behind the door. I was trying to open it before your giant self threw it open like Sin was chasing you." She continued to rub her tender butt.

"Ya ya what would you like?" He asked as he lifted an eyebrow. "I can massage your sore area for you." Rikku turned red as a tomato and had to look away from him. He was just as annoying as she remembered… and cute. He wore a tight lavender long sleeve shirt and dark purple pants much like she remembered him. He still wore his big boots, over pants with suspenders and gloves but had lost the shoulder armour. "Can I take that as a yes?"

"HU!" (NO!) She shouted at him, turning even more red. "I just came here to get some parts for pops." She rubbed her toe in the sand as she waited for him to say something.

"I know. He already let me know." Gippal winked at her as he headed back inside the temple.

"What?!" She cried as she chased after him. Pops had already told him? Then why couldn't he just deliver them? What a lazy. He walked into a side room in the temple and she followed. He had a box of parts sitting there, just waiting for her to pick up. "I can't believe I came all the way for this!" She muttered as she reached down for the box.

"I'll carry that for you." Gippal offered as he reached down to take the box. She quickly slapped his hands away.

"I can carry it myself." She said and quickly heaved it up. She willed herself not to grunt as she realized how heavy the box really was. She wanted to drop it right down but she would not give him the satisfaction. She quickly turned on her heel and headed out of the room. He followed her. She wished he would have stayed, now if she dropped it he would witness it.

"Did you drive this here yourself?" He asked as he looked up at the airship she had come in. Just then Brother pressed his face to the window and waved.

"Does that answer your question?" She replied as she started to walk up the ramp leading into the airship. He unfortunately, continued to follow her in.

"She looks great. You must be taking great care of her." He said as he admired the inside of the airship. Rikku dropped the box of parts on the floor and turned to him.

"I have to go. Pops is waiting on these parts and he seems to be in a rush." She said as she waved him away.

"I don't even get a goodbye?" He said as he pouted. She rolled her eyes and pushed him down the ramp.

"No, you don't." Rikku said. "No kindly vacate the ramp so I can close the door."

"Oui muug kuut Rikku."(You look good Rikku.) He said as he smiled from the bottom of the ramp. She hated when he was nice. It's like he forgot who left who.

"Oui tuh'd." (You don't). She said as she pressed the button to close the ramp to the airship. Gippal just stood below smiling.