The characters are the sole property of Square-Enix. My disrespectful variations are my own and no one else should be blamed.
What?
Nooj: If you're done playing, let's go.
Gippal: Chill out.
Nooj: Lost your nerve?
Gippal: Hey, we're talking about Vegnagun. How the heck do you fight that thing? We can't even walk up to it without freakin' it out.
Nooj: Or making it mad. But I've got a plan.
Gippal: If it doesn't work?
Nooj: Death will be my apology.
Gippal: Whatever, man. When a Deathseeker dies, that's no apology. What about Leblanc?
Nooj: Well, she—
"... wait a minute, that's a totally different subject. We're trying to talk about a plan to catch and destroy Vegnagun. Le Blanc has nothing to do with the topic. Why bring her up?"
Gippal shrugged and made an effort to look innocent. "I just wanted to know if you gave her feelings any consideration when you keep talking about killing yourself. She gives a damn about you, you know."
"No, I don't know. I do know she's making a fool of both of us with her ridiculous behaviour. Believe me, I don't invite it. Now about Vegnagun..."
"She's really serious about you. Anybody can see that. She's been ignoring everybody else and won't even give a look at anybody else." Gippal swung his foot at a roadside weed, decapitating it.
"You're repeating yourself. What does it matter anyway? Look, Gippal, for some reason the lady finds me appealing. Some women are like that; they get all motherly or something about an imperfect man and think they are the only person on Spira to make things all better. I was warned about this before I left the hospital and since it was an Al Bhed nurse who gave me the warning, I thought all your people would understand." Nooj threw an impatient glare at his friend.
"Nope. Never heard that. Did the woman chase you before you were hurt?"
"That's not important. When you're young, the blood is hot and things happen. Now, back to our plans..."
"Are you having an affair with LeBlanc?" Gippal gazed at the meadow and the winding paths which traced patterns across it. He had abandoned sublety.
Nooj stopped and, reversing his cane, hooked the Al Bhed's arm. "All right. You have my complete attention. What's all this about? Why are you so fascinated with my private life?" Suddenly he caught his breath. 'No. It's not me; it's LeBlanc. Why you pup, you're interested in that woman. I thought you were otherwise inclined." He laughed in surprise and delight. "So you've got a thing for the Lady in Lilac? Who would have thought it?"
Gippal's fair skin turned an unbecoming shade of scarlet. "Well, why not? I'm not all that set on just one sort. Variety, you know. Why not LeBlanc? She's not connected up, unless you..." He raised the brow over his good eye.
"I'm not. So good hunting. You and LeBlanc." He set off toward their destination, still chuckling under his breath. "You and LeBlanc. So now you don't care if we rescue Baralai or not?"
"Don't make jokes like that. Of course I love 'Lai. Just because you are a one note Johnny doesn't mean I'm not a full orchestra." Gippal, his humour restored, swung merrily alongside, his mind filled with delicious dreams of endless variations.