The characters herein are the sole property of Square-Enix. I am only exploiting the tempting opening they left in the story.
Variation Number Six
What's in a Fling?
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—
"... is due no apology from me. Why do you ask?"
"How can you say that? Everybody knows you have a thing going with her."
"A what?"
Gippal twisted his face in amusement. "Oh, come on, Noojster. She's not trying to hide it. Why are you?"
"I honestly don't have any idea what you're talking about. What sort of 'thing' do you think I'm having with that woman? Can't you speak Spiran?"
"You know, an affair, a romance, a ... Oof!" Nooj had stopped dead in his tracks and Gippal had run into him. "What's the matter with you?" The blond rubbed his nose and winced.
"You think I'm romanically involved with that woman? Why would anybody think that?" The taller man demanded in an outraged tone.
"She chases you all over the planet and hangs on to you every time you're both at the same place. How much more obvious can it get?"
"She does that? I hadn't noticed. Are you sure?" Nooj resumed his painful walk, placing his cane with exquisite care.
"You hadn't noticed! Are you blind?"
The other turned and glared. "In spite of these disgusting spectacles, or perhaps due to them, my vision is excellent." With a sniff, he limped away.
Gippal stood, arms akimbo, for a few moments then ran to catch up. "And you're seen coming out of her chateau early in the morning. What's that mean?"
"It means I spent the night there - if you're enough of a lout to think about such things. It's none of your business and means exactly nothing." He did not even glance back.
"You're sleeping with a woman and don't think you have a thing going with her?"
"If I had a 'thing' going with every woman who has shared her bed with me, I would be the possessor of the biggest harem on Spira. Well, one of the biggest. Look, my naive friend, it takes a lot more than that to constitute an affair in my books. This is nothing more than a courtesy, a gesture of mutual respect."
Gippal shook his head in wonder. "Hold up a minute, Noojster. I think I'm glad I'm an Al Bhed. We think sleeping together is a little more than a handshake. I didn't know the rest of you had that casual a view of it."
Nooj looked down at his flustered companion. "I know you have a, as you would put it, 'thing' with Baralai. That may complicate your idea of what the relationship I have with a willing woman is about. LeBlanc is a pleasant enough partner in sphere hunting and other pursuits but we're nothing more than casual acquaintances who find one another of use. You're making too much of it."
"If's that's all it is, why's she chasing you all the time?" Gippal was a bulldog when challenged.
"I don't know. I really haven't noticed her chasing me. I've had other things on my mind."
"Yeah." Gippal grinned. "Things like Paine, I bet."
"Don't start ..." Nooj lifted his cane threateningly. "You've just about used up your share of my patience for today. Now, let's find your main interest. Baralai's around here somewhere."
"Right." The humour vanished from the Al Bhed's face and he strode out vigorously, concentrated and intent.
