Falling Pt. 2
by PrettyGothGirl

All Standard Disclaimers Apply
Summary: Gippal feels there is a little too much reality on the floor and has to set the mood, Rikku wavers between security and insecurity and things go from hot to burning, not that either of them notice.
A/N: All right, I will admit I severely editted this story (by about five pages or 2000 words) to fit within the 'guidelines'. IF you would like to read the unedited full out passionate burning HOT version, please go to my fiction journal at prettygoth_ink(dot)livejournal(dot)com and get more story for your viewing pleasure. Otherwise, I hope you still enjoy this fade to black version.

Rikku was unaware of her change of status in Gippal's mental estimations. Or perhaps, even to herself she'd still been Cid's little girl and with her lips still molded to Gippal's she could classify herself as Gippal's woman. She would even be Gippal's girl if that meant he'd never ever stop touching her.

Though he'd already agreed to no stopping. She loosened her hand on his shirt. He had better not stop. She had waited too long for something like this and to have it literally drop into her lap... The thought would have made her giggle, except Gippal was kissing her and she didn't want to ruin it. She slid her hand up his chest until she hooked it around his neck. Her fingers paused in his hair. She curled it around her fingers, feeling how fine and soft it was. She wondered if the rest of his hair felt the same.

Gippal made a little noise in the back of his throat as she massaged the back of his head with her fingers. He closed his eyes to focus more on the sensations of her lips brushing against his, their heat rising between them and her fingers twisting in his hair almost begging him to make it harder and hotter. Did she have any clue what she was doing to him? No. Probably not.

He ran his tongue across the seam of her lips, begging entrance. She opened her mouth more for him. It took a few minutes of fumbling and near misses, scraping against teeth and butting up against cheeks, but their tongues finally found and played against each other. The rough and then gliding sensations created a tingle that started at the back of Rikku's throat and shot down to her stomach. Rikku's hand stopped moving, cupped against the back of his head and he wished that he wasn't completely on his knees and elbows so he could take advantage of touching her more. Because, damn. He wanted to touch her more. Soft, hard, warm, smooth, soft, rough, every single inch of her until she writhed beneath him demanding more. For some odd reason he figured he'd gotten all of the begging out of Rikku he was ever going to get.

His knees and elbows began to burn, muscles trembled from holding up his own weight. It was a little too much reality invading his ultimate fantasy. He broke the kiss and pulled back a bit until their lips barely brushed. They panted, hot breath between parted lips ghosted across the others. His eye wandered across her face. Her eyes half closed, her cheeks slightly pink and her swollen red kissable lips that still had a trace of strawberry flavor. He brushed his lips across hers again. He had to pause here, because contrary to what people thought, rug burn was not sexy. He eased backwards.

Rikku's hand slid off his neck. Her nose wrinkled as he gingerly stood. What had happened? He'd promised! Her gut rolled. "Gippal?" She asked, her voice rose on the last syllable. She cringed at the quaver. She shoved up onto her elbows. He walked away towards the kitchen, pulling his shirt over his head exposing the long line of his spine and bunching muscles under smooth creamy skin that looked good enough to lick. His shirt dropped to the floor forgotten. Her fingers dug into the carpet and her heart pounded as she felt what ever it was that had been happening between them slipping away from her. Had she done something wrong? He disappeared into the kitchen. Did he not really feel what his body told her he was feeling or it wouldn't really matter if he would just answer her!

The cold box opened. Her brow furrowed. Was he thirsty? What was going on? She sank back to the carpet her mind a whirl and the bottom of her eyes and inside of her nose tickling with threatening tears. She'd been so close.

Gippal stuck his head into the freeze box. He couldn't get that image of Rikku and ice cubes out of his brain even as her tongue had skillfully been making all the blood rush from his head. Ice cubes… Ice cubes…. Ice cubes. He pulled the little box from the back and absentmindedly twisted it as he shut the door with his hip. He licked his lips and tasted the faint sweetness of strawberries. He paused and opened the cold box door, maybe- He grabbed the container of whipped cream, which was conveniently under the bowl of strawberries. He turned and kicked the door shut with his heel.

It was funny. He never knew why he liked strawberries before. He wondered if it would've been different if she wore cherry lip-gloss. He grimaced. Nah. Most cherry tasted like bad medicine in lip-gloss and not the sweet tartness of a ripe real cherry. He set the food on the counter and dumped the ice cubes into a bucket with his other hand. He shook his head and set the tray down. He turned back to the cold box and turned the bottles in the wine rack over it until he found the one he wanted. He slid it out and walked to a drawer, he opened it and got out the corkscrew, closed it and popped the cork as he walked back to the counter. He placed the bottle into the bucket, the corkscrew he tossed on the table before he reached up and selected two glasses from the rack overhead.

Then he looked at his gleaning. Damn it, not enough hands to get it all out at once and carry Rikku too. He frowned, champagne and ice to get the rest of the afternoon started right away or berries and cream to pacify Rikku?

Berries to pacify Rikku. Berries so her lips would taste sweeter than their natural sweetness. He picked up the bowls and left the kitchen. He paused at the door and looked at Rikku. Her hair in its glorious tangle, her hand splayed across her belly, her closed eyes and slightly quivering lips as she swallowed over and over again.

He could've kicked himself. Idiot. He narrowed his eye. He could fix this. He could. He crossed the room and lay down beside her propped up on his side by his elbow. He set the bowl above his head and selected a strawberry. He nibbled the end off and gently ran it over Rikku's bottom lip, leaving a layer of pink glistening juice.

She opened her eyes, deep green pools shiny with unshed tears and full of confusion. He was officially an ass. He made a mental note to never leave Rikku in the middle of anything without a quick explanation. He offered the strawberry and tried to look contrite, widening his eye and tucking his chin down. Her mouth opened and he fed her the strawberry in two small bites. She nipped his thumb on the second bite. His breath caught in his throat, even confused and sad she was sexy; unintentionally sexy he was sure, but sexy. He ran the same thumb across her bottom lip as she swallowed. Her cheeks flushed. He cupped one and leaned down to brush her lips with his, just as he had before he'd left her for all of five minutes. Her eyes almost closed again.

"Gippal?" She whispered, it had the same intonation as before. The time he hadn't heard her. Maybe she hadn't said it as loud as she thought she had.

"Just a pause." He kissed her again.

A pause, not a stop? Her shoulder's relaxed as him mouth made requests against hers. She tried to lean up into and had to use her elbow to get leverage. She reached up and placed her hand over the one cupping her face. Her heart sped up. She hadn't done anything wrong. They weren't stopping. This accidental, whatever it was, it was real? It was happening? She couldn't hear anything over the pounding of her heart.

He tugged his hand out from under hers, fingers twisting together for a mere moment. Her mouth opened under his and he deepened the kiss. He set the two bowls on her stomach. She didn't seem to notice, her tongue to busy playing against his to care. He worked his arm under her and pulled them upwards. Her knees bent and he slid his other arm under those, picking her up and managing somehow to get to his feet without dropping her or breaking the kiss or spilling the bowl of strawberries. He'd never be able to do that again.

She felt the floor fall away and didn't care. She placed a hand on the back of his neck and let her tongue glide across his teeth. She didn't know where he was taking her. She didn't really care as long as he didn't leave her hanging again.

He eased her down onto his bed and pulled away from the kiss. He sat on the edge of the bed. She looked at him, face muscles relaxed and eyes slightly wider than normal. "I'm left something in the kitchen. I'll be right back. I promise." He murmured.

She rolled her eyes and half sat up. "Gippal."

He placed a finger over her mouth. "I never mentioned my ideas." He picked the bowls up off her stomach before they tumbled onto his bed. "These are part of my ideas." He set them on the bedside table.

She leaned her head back. "Your ideas?"

He smirked and raised his eyebrow. "Yeah." His voice turned husky.

She stared at him. His eye had turned darker and it almost seemed to twinkle. Her mouth watered and she swallowed. Something in her stomach tightened. "All right."

He leaned over her with his arm propping him up on the other side of her body. "Will you take your hair down for me? I want to see it loose."

"Okay," she whispered.

He tilted his head and their lips met again, pressing against each other softly, and then slipping into place as they parted. Her eyes half closed again. He pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. Were they okay? He didn't want to ask and he really just wanted to kiss her again. He closed his eye. Kitchen, ice cubes… daydreams turning into reality before his eyes, why was it so hard to focus when he had an already half naked Rikku woman in his bed? The question was really the answer he decided after a second. "Kitchen." He muttered. "I left something in the kitchen." He opened his eye and pulled back.

Rikku tucked her bottom lip between her teeth and smiled. He ran his fingers over her belly, almost catching on the smooth skin. Her eyes closed, darkened eyelashes lying against her cheeks. He sighed and stood.

Her eyes opened as she heard him walking away, padding across the carpeted floor. He looked over his shoulder at her and she wrinkled her nose at him. He grinned. She let her lip loose slowly from her teeth, and looked over at the bedside table. She rolled on her side and stretched to reach the strawberries. She rolled it in her fingers. What was Gippal up to? He had plans involving fruit and cream and her. She pressed the cool fruit against her lips and inhaled filling her nose with the sweet scent of strawberry. Her eyes closed. Laughter bubbled in her chest and threatened to escape. Strawberries, cream? She struggled not to giggle. Was Gippal really that much of a romantic? If she had known that… Maybe they wouldn't have been engaged in their little dance for so long. Maybe… maybe earlier she wouldn't have been as worried. She set the strawberry back into the bowl and sat up, reaching up to tug her hair loose. Maybe she could incorporate some of her bad ideas that were now beginning to sound like really good ideas because she wouldn't, maybe couldn't, lose him.

Gippal returned. He saw her hand in her hair and paused, leaning against the doorframe. She caught his eye and slowly pulled out the rubber band. The hair fell out around her shoulders, braids swinging down across her breasts. Golden strands captured the afternoon sunlight streaming through his windows. She reached her hand out and dropped the band on the floor. His eye roamed over her hair, finally resting on her face again. He couldn't, he didn't know how to describe it other than beautiful. He swallowed hard.

Her eyes dropped to his hands, the glasses dangling from one and the way he cradled a bucket in the other arm. She pressed her lips together and raised her eyes back up to meet his. "Your plans, huh?"

He flushed.

Rikku's eyes widened and her jaw dropped a little. She snapped mouth shut and tried to regain her composure. Maybe they were both idiots. His jaw jutted out and he raised his eyes.

"Yeah, my ideas." Gippal tried not to growl. They were good ideas. There was nothing wrong with his ideas.

Breathe, breathe Rikku, breathe. She told herself. And whatever you do, don't laugh. What would some cheesy romance heroine do? Her brain raced. She reached up and began toyed with one of the braids, running the end across her lips. What to do? What to say?

She didn't have to do or say anything more than she was already doing. He watched mesmerized as her hair drifted over her lips again, gold against pink. What would it feel like against his skin? He crossed the room in a daze. He set the bucket near the bed and the glasses on the table without thinking returning to the position he'd left in, sitting on the edge of the bed. He trapped her there with his arm across her body. The braid flicking stopped as her gaze refocused and she realized how close he was. Her pulse flickered in her throat.

He leaned his head down, pushing her hair aside and pressed his lips against the throbbing spot of skin on her neck. His hand hovered millimeters above her shoulder. She gasped. The braid dropped from her fingers. He inhaled deeply trying to decide what she smelled like and couldn't other than adventure, spice and home. His eyes closed and he shuddered. He kissed that beating point again, hotter than the rest of her skin. His hand glided down, just above her arm.

The little hairs all over her body stood on end. She tilted her head to the side unconsciously. Her lips parted as she tried to breath for entirely different reasons. Her fingers dug into the sheets. Such light touches shouldn't make her body react so strongly. One wasn't even a touch at all! She couldn't figure out what to do with her free hand. She turned it and it ended up against his arm. She curled her fingers around it, rubbing her hand over the skin and muscle. He leaned back, other hand reaching out pulling open the drawer. Her eyes flicked to meet his. He fished out the lighter and without once looking lit the candle on the bedside table. The lighter dropped back into the drawer and he shut it. The smell of hot beeswax began to fill the room.

His lips touched her again, molding against hers for a second then pulling away before touching again. She squeezed his shoulder. She wanted more. Tingles skittered across her skin. An ache built up in the back of her throat in anticipation. She darted her tongue out, running it between his bottom lip and his teeth before just as quickly removing it. His tongue invaded her mouth seeking hers and she curled her tongue around his. He cupped his free hand on her side, his thumb only needed to move a few centimeters to brush the underside of her breast. And Rikku wasn't sure on where to move her hand from his shoulder, up and back into his hair or down to caress the bared chest. She ran her thumb in little circles into the muscle. There was strength under her fingers. Strength he hid so carefully with his stupid shoulder guards. She was glad she was lying down because she doubted her knees would hold her and her elbows felt like jelly.

It was silly. She could kick his ass with one hand behind her back if she needed to and yet, she felt safe because he had well defined shoulders. And the long stare she'd gotten of his back, she shuddered. She needed to kiss down that at some point. He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. He stared into her eyes and she relaxed even further. Whatever this feeling was, she liked it.

Gippal closed his eyes. The light pressure of their foreheads together, the soft silk of her skin under his hand, her fingers digging into his shoulder reminded him that she was there and this was real and how much he wanted. Why had he denied himself so long? Why had he denied her? He rubbed his thumb in a circle, the hem of her bikini bra stopping him from actually touching her breast. The tips of her hair tickled the back of his fingers.

She half closed her eyes and raised her hand enough to stroke down his arm. She traced the curves of the muscles with her fingertips, stopping as she came to his elbow and going back up, smooth, warm and creamy. She didn't even notice the fine hairs flat against his skin. And even though the heat of the day hadn't abated, she didn't care about the heat rising between their bodies.

He opened his eyes and tilted his head, brushing his cheek along hers moving downwards. Her lips came level with his ear.

"Kiss me." She whispered. She didn't care where or how, she wanted his lips on her body somewhere. Her lips brushed against his temple.

His mouth watered and he swallowed. His arm trembled under her hand. He pressed his lips slowly against the junction of her neck and shoulder. The black leather band holding her top up got in the way of his next kiss, but he kissed the ball of her shoulder next. Her fingers stopped tormenting his skin. He stopped the trail of kisses because of her sleeves. He looked up at her. Her bright green eyes seemed like liquid under the veil of her eyelashes. Her parted lips drew him back to her face. He kissed her lips, their mouths sealing slowly. Her eyes closed completely and she sighed. He gently tugged the first bow on the one sleeve loose. It slipped apart and he moved to the next, the sleeve falling open until it fluttered to the bed and he had to shift his weight to do the other one. All the while, he distracted her with sweet kisses.

She couldn't care less that he was undressing her. He could have torn her clothes off in a mad frenzy of lust and she would have egged him on for more. His fingers fumbled with the buckles on her top for a moment, before he figured out how to get them undone. He paused at her top, unsure how to do it. She smiled and leaned her head back. "Let me." She murmured.

His brow furrowed as she shimmied back a little, but she tugged it up and over her head, tossing it away. He stared at her breasts as they bounced. Her nipples were pink and already hard. He didn't see her own eyes roaming along his chest.

She lost her train of though, drawn in by his skin and his scent rising off of it. She drew closer and kissed the side of his neck, her hand just above his nipple. The smell of him filled her nostrils, musky, masculine and earthy. She kissed downwards, her hand moving as she did so, drawing a line down his chest to his stomach. His hand slid around to lie against her back. Her hair brushed against his skin and it felt like he could count every single strand.. She paused her hand at his nipple to rub around it and then run her thumb across it. The nipple stiffened and he groaned. Her hot mouth leaving a trail of wet down until it ran into his other nipple. Her hand slid down to splay across his stomach. He could feel her nipples scraping across his skin. He could barely breathe.

She licked his nipple. His abs clenched under her hand. She licked it again. He gasped and then cursed, shoving her to her back. Rikku's eyes widened as her head hit the pillow. He crawled over her. "Little witch." He muttered. She licked her lips and grinned. She reached up and ran her thumbs over his nipples.

She fluttered her eyelashes. "I do have a sexy witch outfit." He'd like it, she knew. It was in one of his favorite colors.

He made a noise in the back of his throat. "I just got you partially undressed."

She laughed and it turned into a gasp as his mouth closed over one of her nipples. He sucked it into his mouth, using his tongue to lick it quickly. Her back arched and a mew escaped her lips.

He let go and looked up at her. His eye narrowed and his lips turned upwards. Oh, she liked that.

"Gippal?"

He reached over the edge of the bed, fingers closing around one of the ice cubes in the bucket. He raised his eyebrow at her. There were just so many things he could do with an ice cube, and to think, they had all afternoon. He raised the ice cube and considered it. Her eyes widened again.

What the hell was he going to do with that? She panted in sharp little bursts. Her eyes flicked from him to the ice cube in his fingers and back. By all that was holy and dark, did she even want to know? Sure, it was hot out, and being close together made them hotter still. Just… an ice cube? Her mind turned slightly weak.

He ran the ice cube over his lips while she watched. Her eyes were glued to the motion as he sucked on it for a moment before carefully running it down his neck, around his nipples and over his stomach leaving a long trail of glistening water exactly over the places her mouth and hand had touched. She licked her lips.

He shuddered, the things that tongue could do if she'd but knew it. He slipped the ice cube into his mouth and leaned down to kiss her. His lips were cold against hers and she shivered. Her mouth opened and he carefully maneuvered the ice cube into her mouth. Cold and wet into the heat, already half melted from his body and his mouth. She slid her tongue around it and reveled in the slick texture. His tongue rubbed against hers adding rough into the mix. Her hands slid around his chest and smeared the trail of water. She arched upwards into the kiss, pressing her breasts against his chest. The ice cube melted and she had to be careful not to choke on the water. Her hand slipped around his chest and caressed along his back. Her leg rubbed against his.

He mouthed her bottom lip and pushed her bangs away from her face. His fingers buried into her hair, it instantly tangling around them. He kissed her again trying to run his fingers through her hair, but couldn't and he instantly stopped.

She could stay like this forever. She found his spine and ran her fingers down the parts she could reach. His mouth pressed against hers and their tongues tangling from time to time. His weight holding her down didn't bother her nearly as much as she thought it might. She closed her eyes.

Gippal noticed and broke the kiss to kiss her chin and then her collarbone. He slipped one hand over the side of the bed again and found another ice cube. He kissed the base of her neck. She felt the cold radiating off something as it moved above her skin, but she couldn't persuade herself to open her eyes to figure out what it was. He pressed his lips against her pulse, taking time to lick across it. She sighed in pleasure and felt him smile into her skin. He drew his body away and placed the ice cube right under where his lips had been and drew downwards. Her eyes flew open.

"Gippal!"

He grinned. He liked how she said his name, even in shock. He tilted his head and glanced at her ear. The feather dangling from the hoop rested against the sheets. He put a finger under it and raised it up, then let it drop. He slipped the ice cube into his mouth and sucked down on it. He could always get another one. He pried the earring apart and set it to the side. The ice melted and he swallowed rest of the water. He got another ice cube, sucked on the end for a second and then placed his lips right next to her ear. "Rikku." He murmured. It came out husky and deeper than he intended.

Tingles exploded at the base of her spine. Her mouth formed an o and she arched upwards against him. She couldn't breathe for a few seconds. Her hands flailed and she finally gasped.

"Damn it." She swore.

He chuckled and it reverberated down her back, the tingling ache starting to form again. He took her earlobe into his mouth sucking on it for a moment, and then blowing on it. Her eyes closed. He ran the ice cube along her neck and then shifted to blow on the trail of water. Her skin flared to life and she exhaled. He leaned in and licked the water away, sweetness and Rikku, now slightly warmed by her body. He kept the ice cube moving, trailing it over her chest in random patterns, following it with his lips and his breath. He carefully avoided her jutting nipples and the dip of her belly button. The skin of her breasts felt softer to his tongue, more moist to his lips. At the base of her stomach he looked up her body across the expanse of her belly to the rise of her breasts. Her head was tilted back and she arched upwards, insensible noises coming out of her mouth.

He kissed upwards and dipped his tongue into her belly button. It was as if it was connected to something lower. Her fingers fisted into the sheets and she arched up more. He could smell a new addition to her scent, musky, sweet and warm.

He put the last of the ice cube into his mouth and moved further upwards, eyeing her nipple for a moment before taking it into his mouth, rubbing the ice against it.

She swore at him again and writhed against the bed. She felt hot and swollen and achy. His tongue swiped at her nipple a few times before sucking down on it hard. It pulled at something between her thighs and she rubbed against him. She bunched the sheets further in her hands.

He flicked her other nipple with his thumbnail, and then pinched it. She made more noises in the back of her throat. He sucked again, coming off of her nipple slowly. He kissed down her stomach, reminding her he had the ice by touching it to her skin from time to time. His fingers tugged at her skirt.

And one thing led to another…

They panted together, regaining their breath and their senses. She pressed a kiss to his brow, tasting salt. He eased them back, one hand searching for the pillow until they lay together. She stretched her legs, groaning a little and stretched out, half on top of him. He glanced over at the table, intent on finding the strawberries. Beyond the bowl the candle stood in a puddle of melted wax, half of its height. He half smiled and grabbed one of the red berries.

He offered it to her, placing it in front of her lips. She reached up to take it and he pulled it back. "Hey."

She giggled and opened her mouth. He fed it to her, bite by bite. Chewing the last bite, she rolled onto her side and reached over him, grabbing a berry for herself. Two could play at this feeding game. She ran the tip of it over his lips. He opened his mouth for it and reveled in the feel of her skin against his and the brush of her hair falling across his shoulder. He nibbled the pad of her thumb on the last bite and reached for another berry, this time dipping it in the cream. He held it up to her and wiggled his eyebrows.

She giggled again and leaned her head over it, sucking the cream off. Her eyes rolled upwards and half closed. A bit of it stuck to the corner of her mouth and he propped up on his elbow to kiss it away. She turned her head and their lips lingered together. He lay back down and offered the strawberry again. She sucked it into her mouth and ate it. Her eyes still half closed. Her hand flailed around for the champagne bottle, almost knocking it over before curling around it.

He craned his neck for the glasses. They really only needed one he supposed. There was one in reach and he strained for it, fingertips catching the rim and tipping it. He pulled it closer and then picked it up. He held it out for her at an angle.

"I was wondering," he started, he really hadn't been, it had just come to him suddenly but wondering made it sound a little less like she'd fried his brain, "if we should go out for dinner or stay in."

She poured the champagne into the class, bubbles rose to the surface. "Go out?"

"Yeah, once it's cooled off." He paused. "But, if we stay in…" He trailed off.

She ran her toes along his calf. "We wouldn't have to get dressed."

"Or take a shower." He conceded. "But."

Her eyebrow rose. "But?"

He grinned. "We'd have to cook."

She made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat and grabbed a strawberry and shoved it into his mouth. "My cooking isn't that bad."

He had to chew and swallow before he could reply. "Nor is mine! It's just work and…" He caressed her side, running his fingers under her breast before rubbing his thumb across her nipple. He didn't want to leave the bed.

She moaned softly, leaning down to kiss him. His hand covered her breast and squeezed slightly. She took the champagne from his hand and pulled away from the kiss. "We stay in." She whispered. She took a sip of the champagne and swirled it around in her mouth before swallowing. "Besides, I haven't kissed down your back yet."

His breath caught in his throat and he forced himself to swallow. He grabbed the bottle and set it back in the bucket and the bucket back on the floor. "Then we best save some of that."

Her eyes lit up and she smiled, leaning down she kissed him. She set the glass back on the bedside table, pulling away for a moment she smiled and whispered. "Yes, we'd best."

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