Title: Something Like Love

Author: CrimsonRose327

Summary: A collection of several vignettes (some may be multi-chaptered) centering mostly on the romantic relationships of Final Fantasy X-2.

Part One

A Storm in Djose

It seemed even the very sky was mad at me as she sent furious droplets plummeting to the earth, to collide with the now moist ground and gather in puddles that splashed my ankles as they fell. The sky cracked in every so often in jagged bits of yellow accompanied by loud booms that made the very bridge shake and me stop and cover my ears trying hard not to whimper. I had gotten over my fear of thunder, but anyone would be scared when mother nature was yelling at them while standing on a shaky stone bridge.

'Almost there, almost there, almost-' "EEK!" I exclaimed, jumping nearly a foot into the air as I felt something furry run across my ankle. I waited for my heartbeat to return to normal before looking down to realize it was just a stupid monkey. I scowled sticking my tongue out at it. It did the same before holding up a yellow pouch and running off. Another long crack and an even louder boom made me run the rest of the bridge. I jogged a bit more before finally reaching the town. "Djose," I breathed relieved as I hurried into the inn.

I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I walked in, I was drenched, my hair was sticking to my bare shoulders and face and I was sneezing. "I'd like a room please," I asked the inn keeper. He looked at me.

"One thousand gill please," he said with a thick al bhed accent. I smiled reaching for my pouch at my belt. My hands grasped air and my eyes widened as I realized what had happened on the bridge just a few minutes ago.

"THAT DIRTY THIEF!" I exclaimed angrily slamming my fist on the counter.

"No money, no room," I stared at the man for a moment blinking several times before stomping out toward the door. A large boom of thunder made me flinch as I looked back pleadingly at the hotel attendant trying my best puppy dog look, screw my pride. He merely scowled and with a whimper I went back into the cold rainy town.

My phone needed to be charged so I couldn't call Brother to pick me up, Yuna was in Besaid with Tidus, Paine was in Bevelle with Baralai . . . who did I know in Djose that would provide me with a free room, food and dry clothes?

As I walked aimlessly, not really thinking about where I was going I noticed a large tower, lighting moving along the roof and sides. Djose temple, the head quarters of the machina faction, Al bhed, I was saved! I ran the rest of the way, banging on the doors with all the strength I had left. I wasn't sure whether it was the rain, the miles I'd walked without food or rest, the stress of having my gill stolen by a monkey, or all of it put together, but regardless of the reason my vision started to get hazy and all I saw was a mess of blonde hair before everything went black.

I sat up slowly, reluctantly pulling my tired muscles into a sitting position on the bed. 'Wait a minute,' I thought 'a...bed?' I ran a hand through my now dry hair and looked down to find my self wearing a pair of oversize black pants and a brown t-shirt that smelled suspiciously of-

"Rao oui'na ib"

I closed my eyes hoping the voice didn't belong to who I thought it did. 'Of all the places in Spira,' I thought bitterly

"How ya feelin Cid's girl?"

I looked up slowly and stared straight into a pair of green eyes...well one eye actually but, who counting?

"I have a name Gippal!" I snapped irritated. He held up his hands,

"Hey, I'm tryin' to be a gentlemen here! I gave you clothes a bed," he said with a smirk

I looked down at my dry clothes. I gulped fearing the answer to my question.

"You dressed me?"

He laughed "Don't flatter yourself Cid's girl, I had one of the females do it, but if you really wanted me too..."

I rolled my eyes picking up a pillow and throwing it at him. "Perve," I said before I began to cough, my body rocked from the force of the coughs and I sneezed. Gippal made a disgusted face.

"Don't you know running around in the rain in just your...uh...clothes will get you sick?" he said glancing wearily at my wet clothes in a corner, not sure what to call the small bathing suit top and skirt my father like to call a belt with pockets.

"Since when did you become my mother Gippal?"I asked. He grinned cheesily at me.

"Hey, you're Cid's daughter, we all have an obligation to protect,"

I rolled my eyes at him. Cid's girl, Cid's girl, Cid's girl! Thats all I was to him? So what if I was 18? I'd always be Cids little daughter, fragile little Rikku. I wanted to bash his head in, even though I knew I was being unfair. He had given me dry clothes and a place to wait out the storm.

"Look, thanks but I'm gonna be going now, I can walk from here," I said trying to stand up.

"Ah ah ah," he said pushing me back down onto the bed, "You my friend, are sick and I'm not letting you leave until your one hundred percent better, I'll contact Cid and let him know you're here, the storm should pass in a couple of days and you should be better in a few,"

I wanted to argue, to get up and fight with him. To yell at him for thinking I couldn't care for myself but on the inside I knew he was right, my body was sore and tired and I couldn't breathe out of my nose, my lungs were on fire and I was coughing my brains out every ten seconds.

"Fine,"I mumbled dropping back on to the pillow somewhat gratefully. "But only till I get better,"

Authors Notes: Bare with me people, it's 1:52 am, I'm bored, sugar deprived with a writers wall so big it rivals The Great Wall of China...blame the E.L.A Test, blame my c.a. teacher, blame school, blame fictionpress, blame fanfiction, just please pretty pretty please review!

To be continued in "A Storm in Djose" Episode Two