Not An Instant Romance

by PrettyGothGirl

After Vegnagun, Gippal is a little dense about matters of the heart, it isn't his heart that's in jeopardy and his workers take things into their own hands and give him a little push.

Not an Instant Romance
By PrettyGothGirl

All Disclaimers Apply
Summary: After Vegnagun, Gippal is a little dense about matters of the heart, it isn't his heart that's in jeopardy and his workers take things into their own hands and give him a little push.
Author's Note: So, yesterday for no good reason I felt on the verge of tears all day. This is what came out of it. The POV sort of wanders back and forth a bit, but overall I think it's apparent who is thinking what where. Or at least I hope it is.

It was the sixth new outfit Gippal had seen Cid's girl in since they'd been reacquainted. He thought sixth because the whole yellow string bikini and tan miniskirt ensemble had been new to him too. It confused him at first when she'd shown up in the second outfit but he'd chalked it down to Cid's girl being Cid's girl and left it at that. The new clothes had her sense of style to them, practical yet feminine. He knew that she counted a single ruffle as feminine or her countless number of collected orange feathers. It'd been amusing to see all three girls lounging around Djose in varying lengths of shorts. He'd kept his opinions to himself and after the third such outfit he'd stopped consciously noticing. Though, it was interesting to see how many styles of ponytails and braids Rikku could come up with.

So, on the sixth outfit, another skirt and top in his favorite colors of purple and charcoal but in shades fit for her complexion, it was becoming routine. Indeed, he had started to play a game he'd called "what will Cid's girl wear today?" It wasn't an imaginative title, but then again it wasn't an imaginative game. The more colors and general items he got right, the more points he awarded himself.

Over time, Yuna and Paine somehow had taken back seat and let Rikku run the show. The conversation was the usual, "what are you doing here?" and "checking up on you," with the accompanying gestures and the tilted head, fluttering eyelashes on Rikku's behalf. All, he thought, to show off her new make up job.

He smirked down at Rikku ending the conversation with a particularly witty remark and watched her growl, spin on her heel with a flip of her hair and stalk back towards the bridges. He grinned, ticking off another win for him in their little one-upmanship contest, completely different from the "what will Cid's girl wear today" game. Different rules and play and a game he was definitely winning.

Then watching her walk away, some of the little pieces came together, the different clothing, make up, hairstyles, and the little gestures of her hands, head and well, entire body. His mouth opened and spilled out his conclusion before he could censor it. "Huh. I think Cid's girl's got a crush on someone. Wonder who it is." He shrugged, turned and walked into Djose Temple. In his mind, the confrontation was over.

So, he completely missed the blank stares of Paine and Yuna and the equally shocked look exchanged between his guards that turned to chuckles as the doors slammed shut.

Paine shook her head. "Rikku's going to get hurt."

The guard's chuckles quieted. Yuna and Paine paid no attention to them. Yuna clasped her hands behind her back. "She hasn't admitted to anything."

Paine uncrossed her arms. "Sometimes, you don't need to. Come on." She walked after Rikku. Yuna looked at the doors of the Temple, sighed and headed after Paine. Yuna was learning she couldn't solve every problem in the world. It was a hard lesson.

Neither of them noticed yet another exchange between the guards.

So, Rikku was a little surprised when one of the female Al Bhed employees of Gippal's touched her arm and asked to speak with her. It was rare that one of them spoke to her at all. All she could do was tug on the hem of her dress and say yes. Even though she wanted to show off the new dress to Gippal, to see if she could finally get a rise out of him or even just a 'nice outfit, Cid's girl." It was a cute dress, even though she didn't really like dresses and she was wearing heels. Since, maybe he wanted someone taller and if she couldn't grow she could fake it.

She thought she saw a flash of concern cross Gippal's face as the woman led her off to the side where they wouldn't be overheard easily. She couldn't help biting her lip and looking over her shoulder as Yuna engaged him in conversation, easily pulling his attention away from her. A little too easily, no boy who was interested in a girl should look away that quickly. It made her chest hurt.

She set her face into a sunny smile when she returned her gaze to the woman. "You wanted to talk."

The woman took her goggles off and her eyes seemed wide with sympathy. "Honey, it isn't going to work."

Rikku knew instantly what the other woman was talking about. She knew what she was doing and knew how transparent of a ploy it was. The back of her eyes felt funny and her head dropped as her shoulders sagged. All the excitement over the dress leeched out of her and she fiddled with a strap. Sparkles surrounded her, occluded her vision and her clothing returned to the yellow bikini and tan miniskirt. It took no more than a second. She scuffed her boots against the dirt. "But- is, is he taken?"

"No."

Her lips trembled. If there wasn't another girl, "Then why?"

"He's dense. Men can be like that. It won't matter what you're wearing when he finally gets the idea. Who knows, you might not be wearing anything at all. He'll figure it out when he figures it out. He's just as likely to figure it out when you're being yourself just as much as when you're dressed as an Al Bhed lady."

Rikku flushed. "I guess I see." She lifted her chin. "But I don't want him to find someone else either. Someone taller or prettier or more, more girly." She bit her lip and looked up towards the sky willing with all her soul for the tears to stay in her eyes and not travel down her face.

"There're no guarantees." The woman reached out and squeezed her shoulder. "Though stay out of his employ and you'll have the best chance."

Rikku looked down and blinked. "All right."

The woman smiled and squeezed her arm again. She put her goggles back on and strode back to her patrol of the bridge. Rikku watched her for a few moments and with sagging shoulders and dragging feet joined Yuna and Paine near Gippal.

She ignored Paine's raised eyebrow and Yuna's frown. She crossed her arms and held her biceps, more of a hug than anything else.

Gippal's brow furrowed. "Hey, Rikku, you okay?"

She mustered a smile. It wasn't a full smile and it trembled. It was the best she could do on short notice. "You can remember my name. Now, if you could only remember to use it."

He rolled his eye.

Yuna smiled at Rikku. "He's offered us a job."

Rikku froze and looked over towards where the woman was patrolling. 'Stay out of his employ.' "Us, as in all of us?"

"Employ one Gullwing, you employ them all, right?" Gippal shrugged.

Rikku scowled. "Well, I don't want to work for you." Her arms slid down until she was mimicking Paine. "You're annoying and arrogant."

"Oh come on, you haven't even heard the job."

She turned her head away. "I don't have to."

"It's good pay." Paine said. Her tone said she didn't see why Rikku would have a problem with it.

"Gil isn't everything." She said with a sharp glance at Paine.

"That's not-" Yuna started.

"Yunie!" Rikku hissed. She glared at her cousin trying to convey she had a reason for refusing but Yuna wasn't getting it.

Gippal smirked. "You'll get to work on some cool machines and-"

Rikku shook her head. She'd be all over it in an instant except for the warning. "Nope. Don't want the job. Hire Yuna and Paine all you want, I'm not doing it." She uncrossed her arms and turned away.

"Come on, Cid's girl. It'll be fun. It's not digging in the desert."

"No." She started to walk down the bridge. Gippal took a few long strides and caught up with her. Yuna and Paine glanced at each other and hurried after them. The guards, the same from the other day, weren't willing to miss any of the unfolding drama and followed as well.

"But I need your help." Gippal said as he looked down at Rikku, adjusting his stride to fit hers.

"No." She didn't even look at him.

He tried flattery. "It's only something you can do."

"Not interested."

"I'm compromising my morals here, asking for the High Summoner and Company's help. Work with me."

"I don't think so."

The woman noticed the argument and discreetly trailed after them to listen.

"Please."

"How many times do I have say no for you to get the hint."

"I'm begging here."

"And I'm still saying no."

He worked his way ahead of her just before they reached the end of the bridge and his 'domain' and blocked her path. The little group stopped. "Why not?"

"Why should I?" Rikku placed her hands on her hips.

"You didn't have a problem before."

She poked his chest. "We were rescuing your ass mister, one shot deal."

"You worked the desert." He crossed his arms and tilted his head.

"Yuna worked the desert."

"The pay's good, better than the desert."

"And?"

"There're lots of machines involved."

Rikku rolled her eyes. "And?"

"You can impress your boy."

Rikku flushed and went pale. Her heart hammered in her chest. She was interested in him and he was offering her a job and she wouldn't have a chance if she worked for him and this was supposed to impress him? "I don't think so."

Gippal blinked. He'd thought that last argument was perfect. She had a crush on some boy, probably some Al Bhed boy. Doing his job successfully would surely create an impression. Somewhere he'd miscalculated and he wanted to know where. "Why not?"

She shoved past him and towards the Celsius' open ramp. "Because you're an idiot that's why. Go to hell." She shouted and stomped up the stairs. She pulled at her hair and felt the intricate arrangement fall around her shoulders. She was going to have put it back to the style the garment grid would recognize when she changed dresspheres.

Gippal spun slowly and stared, his jaw a little agape. He closed it with a sharp click of his teeth. Yuna was pale and Paine seemed calm but wasn't moving. The guards leaned against the rails, their guns dangling from loose fingers as they laughed. The woman had her hand over mouth and he could tell she was grinning. His shoulders tensed and the back of his neck itched. "Did I miss something?"

"Did you?" Paine asked.

He wanted to grind his teeth. Paine seemed to make a point of living up to her name. "What do you think, Dr. P?"

Paine lifted and lowered a shoulder. "I think the person who needs to know the most is always the last to find out."

"Thank you for that bit of cryptic wisdom."

His guards just laughed harder.

Paine gazed at him without speaking. Sometimes Paine didn't have to speak. Rikku would tell him he had asked. Paine would just stare and somehow manage to convey the exact same thing. He looked at Yuna. "Did I miss something, Lady Yuna?"

Yuna bit her lip and peered around him. "I really thought she'd be happy to work with you."

"He doesn't date employees." The woman murmured.

Yuna's face filled with understanding, eyes widening and mouth forming that little 'oh' of comprehension. He felt he was the only one not getting the entire picture or even all the pieces to the puzzle or he wasn't putting the puzzle pieces together correctly. Gippal rubbed the back of his neck and stared at the road. What did him not dating his workers have to do with anything? "It's a sound policy." He protested. "No complaints of favoritism or corruption."

The woman sighed. "Give him a week and maybe he'll get it."

Paine's voice held a smirk. "We might have to hold his hand through this one."

Gippal growled.

"But we aren't the ones who want to hold his hand." One of the guards managed to say. His chest heaved as he struggled for air.

"She could get very angry." The other said and chuckled some more.

It appeared that the audience wasn't going to help him clear up his confusion. Gippal turned and marched into the Celsius. He'd just take it up with Rikku. Though she hadn't been that helpful either. He hated it when people knew more than he did and weren't willing to share that information and insisted that he figure it out for himself. It didn't matter to him that they thought he'd learn more from it that way. He just wanted to know so he'd quit feeling like an idiot…

Which was what Rikku had called him.

He didn't enjoy invading Anikki's domain. The Celsius was Anikki's, that was that and Gippal tried his best to stay off of it. Anikki didn't like him and hadn't since he'd turned fourteen. Gippal still had yet to figure out why, though that wasn't on his mind as the lift deposited him at the bridge. He was still too wrapped up in the injustice of everyone knowing everything but not telling him and Rikku's rejection of his perfectly legitimate job offer without even hearing what it was. He strode onto the bridge and looked around. Dachi at navigation, Shinra at communications and science, Anikki pacing about the floor like a caged animal. "Where's your sister?"

Anikki stopped and waved his arms about. "I don't know. I am not her keeper. Why do you ask? Are you going to hurt her feelings again? I don't know why she likes you. No matter what you do she defends you."

Gippal really didn't want to hear Anikki's rant about his shortcomings and stupidities again. He turned around and headed back to the lift. She wasn't on the bridge or in the engine room. The deck was possible but unlikely. He hit the button for the cabin.

He didn't enjoy feeling like he was at the butt of some great joke. He wasn't a punch line! And if Rikku had started this whole little mess than Rikku could very well straighten it out and give him a real reason for turning down the job. Gil wasn't the problem, the pay was fair and he could raise the price some. He wasn't going to take 'not interested' for an answer.

He squared his shoulders and walked out of the lift and up the stairs.

Rikku sat on the edge of her bed, facing away from him. Her hair fell around her shaking shoulders. Her hand rose and fell as she pulled a brush through the strands. She wasn't laughing. He knew Rikku laughter. It was giggly and often ended up with her on her back clutching her stomach. He paused and approached as quietly as possible.

Rikku took deep breaths, each one catching as she inhaled and she couldn't seem to exhale without making an inarticulate noise of pain. Hot tears flowed down her cheeks and off her chin and she determinedly pulled the brush through her hair. Somewhere, Rikku had missed the joke too.

He'd heard that she hadn't cried when Home was destroyed. Anikki had wailed and carried on but Rikku hadn't shed a tear. Now, she couldn't seem to stop.

He realized she'd evaded his question earlier, neatly too. Baralai couldn't have done better. Of course, if he asked if she was okay now he'd get the 'you're a complete idiot for asking when I'm obviously not okay' look. He wasn't an idiot. He hated feeling like an idiot. Idiot and him did not go together.

But he still had no idea why Rikku was crying or looking like she was in complete misery. Okay, what did he know? She had a crush. He sat down next to her on the bed.

"Did you get dumped?"

High pitched inhale, shoulders shuddering. "No."

Oh-kay. He leaned back on his arms. What else did he know? Well, she was mad at him, but that wasn't useful. She didn't want his job. Wait, at least, he thought she had a crush. She hadn't denied she had a boy. Maybe- He looked over and couldn't see her since a curtain of golden hair separated them. "Is there someone you like?"

The hairbrush paused. "Y-yes."

Back to the beginning then, he was a little pleased that he'd been right, all right, very pleased. He knew better than to ask straight out who it was though. She'd flush and proclaim it a secret. Okay, she was mad at him. She didn't want his job. She had a crush. The crush wouldn't be impressed with the job. "So, this guy you like would be mad if you worked with me?" It was a wild shot.

"N-no."

"I'll raise the pay."

"It's not the gil." She tossed her head and glared at him. She moved away down the bed and her hair moved back between them. "You have lots of workers. Choose one of them."

"They don't have airships and the machine experience." He bit the inside of his lip. Great, he felt like he was going to have to play twenty questions or hot/cold to get the answers out of her. "You're mad at me." She didn't say anything. He really deserved a 'no, you think?' for that one but she graciously kept her mouth shut. He'd thank her later even though it got him no further. "You won't work for me. There's someone you like." He trailed off. It felt like he was missing something. Like, he knew there was more information but it was like he had a mental block about it. The last person to know was the person who needed to know the most. He didn't date those on the payroll. How did this fit in with the whole 'Rikku was mad at him, wouldn't work for him and had a crush' thing?

Of course, she might not be mad at him. She could be mad at someone else. But she'd stomped off after talking to him. So by all logic he was the one she was mad at. His skin tingled and he shifted his eye to see Rikku staring at him with absolutely no expression on her face. He blinked. He didn't think Rikku knew how to do that. He shifted his weight under her bloodshot gaze. He shifted his line of sight back to the ceiling. It was better to not dwell on it and ignore her until he had something figured out in his head.

Well, she might not want to work for him as a matter of principle. She was Cid's girl after all and working for someone who was in semi-competition with her father over Al Bhed manpower could be considered not politic. Just, Rikku didn't care about politics. So, he had to come to the glum conclusion. "It's me, isn't it?" He frowned.

"Yes." Her voice lifted a little.

He turned his head. "You won't work for me because I'm me. That's not really fair." She slumped and bit her lip. Her hair fell between them again. He furrowed his brow. "Ohkay, so you won't work for me because what? I'm an idiot." He tried to keep his tone even but incredulity seeped in.

"N-no."

"Come on, your boy is okay with it. So what is the big deal?"

"I like a boy. I don't have a boy. He's not interested. He- you-" she trailed off and flung her brush across the room. It hit the bookshelves and fell to the floor with a thud.

Gippal's eyes narrowed. "What? Is he dumb or something?"

"Yes, an idiot."

"I'm getting really tired of that word." Even if half the time it was only him thinking it and no one was saying it aloud.

Rikku stood up and marched across the room and picked up the brush. "It doesn't change the truth." She cradled the brush to her chest and walked back.

Somewhere he'd fallen off track and gotten very cold. "Is this whole job issue even related to why you're so suddenly so pissed at me and everyone else is laughing their fool heads off?"

"Th-they're laughing." She blinked, her lips trembled and she sat down on the bed hard.

He clenched his teeth. "Yes."

She sobbed, brush falling from her fingers and landing in her lap. She put her hands over her face.

His eyes widened. Oh great. This was going from bad to worse. He hated when girls cried. He hadn't a clue what to do and that made him annoyed since they were laughing at him and not at her. He growled in the back of his throat. "Will you just answer the damn question?"

She slid off the bed to the floor and put her nose between her knees. "Go away."

That did not answer the question. He crossed his arms. Fine. He'd figure it out himself. Lay it out all logically in the order he'd gotten it. He tucked his chin towards his chest and tried to ignore her little sobs.

One: Rikku had a crush.

Two: She wouldn't take his job.

Three: It wasn't the gil.

Four: He was an idiot. (Not really relevant but still information.)

Five: The last one to know was the one who needed to know the most. (Cryptic)

Six: He didn't date employees.

Seven: Rikku always defended him. (Something Anikki said that might be relevant)

Eight: She hadn't been dumped.

Nine: Rikku had a crush. (Reiteration but necessary, confirmation of previous hypothesis, now a fact.)

Ten: It wasn't the gil. (See above.)

Eleven: It was him.

Twelve: Her crush wasn't interested.

Thirteen: He was an idiot.

Wait, that wasn't phrased right. He reviewed thirteen and couldn't figure out why it looked wrong so he left it and looked up at the ceiling. There was a spot and his eyes focused on it.

He went back over his mental list and rearranged it. He removed four and moved twelve under one and eight above the newly placed twelve. Ten was superfluous. It disappeared. He put eleven under three but that didn't feel right so he put it back. He put six under three and seven under the moved six and discarded five as being useless. Okay, that left…

Rikku had a crush. She hadn't been dumped. Her crush wasn't interested. She wouldn't take his job. It wasn't the gil. He didn't date employees. Rikku always defended him. She had a crush. It was him. He was an idiot.

He fell backward without moving his gaze from the spot on the ceiling.

Oh.

Well that explained five.

In fact it explained a lot of things, including the different outfits and the hair and the make up and the flirting, the dress. His jaw dropped as his mind blanked for a moment. Rikku had been flirting with him. She'd worn a dress with heels for him. Okay, so he had one eye, he had very good vision out of that one eye.

Oh.

Which would explain why she was angry because if he didn't date employees and he had her on the payroll he very well wouldn't date her. That is if he'd noticed her to think about dating her in the first place and she wanted to date him and hold his hand and- well that explained that little remark too. Rikku liked him.

He flushed. Oh shit, Anikki had even said it.

"Uh, Rikku."

She sniffled. She sounded absolutely miserable. "What?"

"I'm an idiot."

"So. I said that."

He sat up. "No. I really am an idiot. I deserve to be laughed at type of idiot."

"They were laughing at you." She lifted her head and glared at him.

"Ummm…." He scooted away. "Yeah, a bit."

She frowned. "And you let me think they were laughing at me."

"Not intentionally." He cringed. She threw the hairbrush at him and he ducked. It bounced off the top of his head. "Ow!" He did deserve it so he couldn't complain. He rubbed the top of his head and winced. "Umm, do you still have that dress and those heels?" Since she'd done a magical quick change at the temple. One second, a dress and heels and the next second sparkles, and then back to the original skirt and top, which he hadn't seen since Vegnagun's defeat. He was still interested in how that whole system worked.

"Technically."

"Technically?"

"I'm still wearing them." She flushed.

He straightened and grinned. "Really?" That had to be a really neat trick.

She straightened her legs out. "Where are you going with this?"

He looked at his lap. "Well, I-" He wasn't really sure what he felt about Rikku liking him in the more than friendship sort of way. The feeling was lost in the 'oh' shock of figuring it all out. He didn't know if he liked her back or anything. She was Rikku, Cid's little girl. He didn't want to get her hopes up, though it seemed she already had those and leading her on was likely to get him killed by a raging pops if he hurt said little girl. He had made her cry and well, he was the one who had said they'd made quite the couple once, though he'd been teasing but that led to all sorts of things he'd rather not think about at the moment, because somewhere there was some truth in it. "I, uh, um, owe you an apology." She didn't say anything. And he couldn't force himself to look up and see her expression and so he rubbed the metal rings around his fingers, swallowed and tried not to babble. He managed the first two but not the last. "I, uh, made you angry and cry and I understand why now and you're right I was an idiot and umm- this is all sort of hit me over the head with a crowbar and not at all fair but no one says that life, like and l-l-love is fair and well I don't know if well, you know like that but I know I should at least take you out to dinner because that's how you-"

Lights sparkled just outside his vision range and a small finger rested over his lips. He looked up. Rikku's eyes were still swollen and pink but she was smiling. "I get it." He unintentionally looked down and hurriedly glanced back at her face. He wondered if Rikku knew that when she leaned over like that he could see all the way down due to the low cut of the dress. He swallowed and felt his cheeks heat. She straightened and pushed her hair behind her shoulder. "Dinner."

He had to swallow again. His throat was far too dry. "Yeah."

"Tommorrow?"

He nodded, then paused. "Not tonight?"

She grinned at him. "Well, there is an independent contract that we need to fulfill that involves machines."

His eye widened. "You'll do it."

"As a sub-contractor."

"That costs more."

"Suck it up." She shifted her weight and put her hands on her hips.

"But-"

"Final and only offer."

"Seven o'clock?"

"Sure."

He eyed the dress. It clung to her curves and fell in soft ripples around her thighs. "Dress and heels included."

"Al-all right."

He bounced off the bed and into a standing position. "Then it's a date." He grinned and carefully walked around her and headed towards the stairs.

He heard her sigh. "Yeah, it's a date."

He knew it wasn't what she wanted. She wanted a relationship, not just a date, not an apology date but a real date with flowers and holding hands and romantic walks and probably kisses and candles and starlight. He didn't know if he was ready for that yet. He didn't know if he wanted Rikku. He couldn't give her something that he didn't know he had to give. He paused and looked back. "Rikku."

She spun about. "Yeah."

"Give me time."

She clasped her hands in front of her and nodded. She was a pretty picture, standing in the stream of sunlight coming through the cabin windows. Dress, heels, shiny unbound hair. All he needed was a little time to sort things out. He smiled back and took the stairs down two at a time. All he needed was a little time. He wasn't that much of an idiot.

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