"Soooooooooo Painey… what'cha doin' this evening?"
"I swear, Rikku," said Paine, looking up from her book, "if you don't stop bugging me, I'll withdraw another 50 Respect Points."
"50! But that's an uber great deal of pointies!!!"
"Well you're being an 'uber great' annoyance," said Paine dryly, snapping her book shut.
Groaning inwardly, mind full of made-up curses, Rikku squeezed her eyes tight shut, "fine! I don't care, then! I was wondering if you'd like to come out to dinner with me and Gippy tonight?"
"Why?" asked Paine, "so I can watch you suck each other's faces while I attempt to eat whatever disgusting cuisine that pig is testing out this week?"
"Don't be mean, Painey! I'm nervous- O! I know! Why don't we make it, like, a double date! That's not nearly so intimidating, huh?"
"Not for you, it's not," said Paine irritably, "and I really hope you aren't trying to set me up again, Rikku, because I can make you hurt in places you never knew existed."
"Just take a friend then," said Rikku quickly, "it doesn't have to be a date! Saaaaaaaaay! What about Baralai! He's in Besaid on vacation, right?"
'What a God-Damned coincidence' thought Paine miserably, even though it wasn't.
"You, Gippal, 'Lai and me… having dinner at some posh restaurant? No thanks, Ree."
"PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE! I'll die if you don't come!"
"Minus 20 Respect Points, Rikku- desperation is not pretty on a girl."
"So you'll come, Painey?"
"Minus 5 for the nickname."
"But you will come, won't you?" Rikku persisted.
"Fine," said Paine, rolling her eyes, "I'll come."
-
"Paine wants to… go on a date… with me?" Baralai repeated, staring at Gippal uncertainly as he searched his drawers for a suitable dressphere.
"Yeah, man! Totally! But… uhh… try not to say the word 'date' to her, eh? She's a little nervous- that's why she wants me and Rikku to come along."
"I just can't picture it," said Baralai, shrugging at his image in the mirror. "Paine? Nervous?"
"Oh, yeah," said Gippal, waving his arms about in exaggeration, "way nervous! She practically begged us to come!"
"Really?"
"Really, man."
"I really like her, Gippal."
"I know ya do, man," said Gippal, grinning, "I know ya do."
-
"Hurry up and open the door, Painey!"
"Rikku, you're the one who told me it was a formal occasion," said Paine irritably, double checking that she had locked the bathroom door as she switched to her Trainer Dressphere (minus the stupid bird) and strapped on a pair of black heels.
"Yeah, but I didn't figure you the type to take forever in the bathroom! I gotta go!"
"So go to Yuna's- she's just next door."
Rikku, unwilling to admit that Yuna was away getting the restaurant ready for Operation Paralai and had locked the door on her way out, just groaned, "hurry up already!"
Eventually Paine emerged, having tweaked her outfit a little and put on some light make-up.
"Oh! Yevon, Painey! I'm sorry for yelling you look beautiful."
Paine shrugged it off, "whatever," she said, "hurry up yourself and let's get this over with."
-
"G-good evening, Paine…" Baralai stammered as he caught sight of Paine and Rikku approaching.
Far from being the desperate, nervous wreck Gippal had warned him of, Paine nodded coolly, "hey," she said, then, looking over to Rikku and Gippal, who were giggling softly, she added, "shall we go?"
"Heh, yeah!" Rikku agreed, then, as her communicator started beeping, she apologised and stepped aside, followed by Gippal.
"What do you think's up with them?" asked Paine, raising an eyebrow.
"Maybe they're trying to leave us alone together?" said Baralai, still believing that they were on a date.
"Why would they do that?" asked Paine, nonplussed and Baralai looked surprised.
At that moment, though, Rikku and Gippal returned, "okay, team!" she giggled, "let's move out!"
-
The restaurant was in Luca, but –for reasons vaguely covered in Yuna's desperate plea via SphereChat- the airship seemed scheduled to stop off at every other possible place first, then, checking the SphereChat again, Rikku decided they had to go back for something or other that she'd forgotten on Besaid.
Eventually, though, they arrived at Luca and entered the restaurant.
It wasn't as fancy as Paine had feared, and she found it to be quite a nice environment. The tables were set in booths, circling a large dance floor- "Oooh!" Rikku giggled, "let's all dance later!"- and, to Paine's great relief, there was no sign of caviar on the menu.
Paine ordered a salad; Baralai, the grilled chocobo with sweet nectarines. Rikku and Gippal shared spaghetti and, confessing themselves bloated, offered the rest to Paine and Baralai- most likely hoping for a Lady-and-the-Tramp sort of thing.
"Dance time!" Rikku squealed brightly, dragging Gippal, on one side, and Paine, on the other, to their feet.
"I don't want to," said Paine irritably, sitting back down and letting the others pass her.
"But if you don't dance who will Baralai dance with?"
"Himself- I don't care," said Paine determinedly, "I. Don't. Dance."
"So you say," Rikku agreed, "but I'm sure Baralai's a really good daaaaaancer…!"
"Then you dance with him, and leave me alone," snapped Paine, crossing her legs.
Defeated, and unable to think of an excuse to get out of it, Rikku led Gippal out onto the dancefloor alone, always keeping a wary eye on her friends.
"So how have you been?" asked Paine, sitting back in her seat casually.
"Okay- quite busy," said Baralai, shrugging. "Praetor business." He made a face.
"Ouch," Paine agreed.
"What about you- the Gullwings are dead, right?"
"Stone cold," said Paine. "I'm holding up, though- doing a little Sphere Hunting with a new friend, Rebekkah, she's called. Just on the side, though- I'm saving up to pay for an airship." A little surprised at herself for being part of such easy, flowing conversation, Paine closed up a little with a shrug, "you know- stuff…" she finished lamely.
"Are you happy?"
"Are you?"
"Politics are tiresome," said Baralai, "and frankly, they bore me. So with them, no, I don't suppose I am… but life in general is pretty good. This is fun don't you think? After all these years of separation…?"
"We used to be pretty close didn't we?" said Paine thoughtfully, almost sadly.
"Yeah…"
"…"
"…"
Eventually Paine spoke again, "I'm glad… that all of it was a lie. I wouldn't like to think that my friends would so easily betray me."
"Me neither," Baralai agreed.
"It… hurt…"
Baralai took her soft, gloved hand gently and she moved a little closer to him- filling in the gap where Rikku had sat.
-
SphereChatCodename: FluffyBunny007 enters the chat
Codename: GoldDigger enters the chat
FluffyBunny007: Is anyone there?
GoldDigger: Me?
FluffyBuny007: I'm standing right next to you, you goon!
Codename: Crimson enters the chat
Crimson: I got your message- what's the problem?
FluffyBunny007: Painey won't dance!
Crimson: -rolls eyes- You actually thought she would?
FluffyBunny007: You didn't?
Crimson: Look don't cry, Rikky-
FluffyBunny007: I'm not crying!
Crimson: I bet you are.
GoldDigger: She is.
FluffyBunny007: I hate you, Gippal.
GoldDigger: Love ya, Riks.
Crimson: -sighs- Look, I've got an idea. Leave it to me.
Codename: Crimson leaves the chat
FluffyBunny007: …
GoldDigger: Eh?
FluffyBunny007: I still hate you.
-
"Where did Rikku and Gippal go anyway?" asked Baralai, searching the dancefloor for their friends as the song ended.
Paine shrugged silently.
"Well… as long as they're not here… do you wanna dance?"
"I told you, Baralai- I don't dance," said Paine harshly.
"No, you told Rikku that. I'm irresistible, right?"
"I don't think so."
"Meanie."
"Yep."
-
Paine's P.O.V.
I'll admit it- it was nice speaking to Baralai again- once we got past the small talk anyway. It's been so long since he and I spent any real time together. Kicking his ass in the hunt for Vegnagun does not count. But this does. It almost makes it worth coming her… just to be with my old friend again. It's funny, how easily I spoke to him. I was talking about my old dream- to get an airship and be free to roam wherever, whenever… I didn't have to explain it to him- I just knew he'd understand. He always does.
Maybe things haven't changed so much after all.