Chapter 4: Time of Inconvenience

Altered slightly 7/22/06

Djose a few hours later

"So you mean to tell me that's it?" Gippal said in disbelief; a hand to his short spikes as he plopped onto their green sofa and rested his boots on the coffee table. With a un approving shove Paine tossed his dirty clodhoppers off the furniture and sat herself down next to him. He put his arm around her and pulled her into his chest. Paine sighed and burrowed herself deeper into him. She had explained the whole situation to him about her and Rikku and her engagement to Baralai while they were at Yuna's and it was still bothering him after they had gone home several hours later.

"Yeah." She nodded, just as unconvinced as he was. "She just hugged me. I guess I couldn't miss this opportunity. Maybe enough time has passed, I don't know." She shifted, making herself more comfortable by lying on her back with her head to his thighs. Her legs dangled off the edge of the couch and she kicked off her boots with her feet. Gippal placed a hand to her head and ran his fingers through her hair absentmindedly. It was baffling to the couple. After all the drama it ended like that; At least for Paine anyway.

The light from the sun outside began to diminish as evening crawled into the living room. For a moment they sat in silence; the only sounds that could be heard were the humming of the fridge in the kitchen and maybe the electronics that were on standby before them. Paine leered at Gippal studying his face. He seemed deep in thought; a couple of times she noticed him sigh to himself and change his expression kind of like he was conducting a private conversation with himself. After a couple of minutes observing, her curiosity got the better of her and she nudged him from his thoughts.

"Something on your mind?" she wondered, squeezing his hand in hers in a sympathetic manner. Gippal glanced down at Paine and sighed, smiling weakly. With his head to the ceiling he exhaled sharply and searched for his words carefully.

"I was just kind of thinking that if you and Rikku made up would there be any chance for me and Baralai?" He spoke as if the request he wanted was out of reach. "Nah. I guess there's no chance for us. He'll probably just punch me again." He lifted her up so he could stand on his feet and he headed to the kitchen. "Hey, want a beer?" Gippal shouted to her from the kitchen. She hollered back a yes and he took two 'Bhed Lights' out from the fridge. Opening them as he walked, he made his way back to the living room and handed Paine hers. She was sprawled out on the couch but she crunched up in the corner of it to give him room to sit. Gippal patted his legs for her to stretch hers out and she did, resting her feet on them comfortably.

"I don't think Baralai would be that way, Gippal." Paine answered, rolling her eyes to suggest Gippal may be overreacting about the whole thing. "It has been six months." She said between gulps. "Baralai is not one to hold grudges that don't suit him anymore. Why would he still be mad at you if he's happy with Rikku? If things didn't turn out the way they did he wouldn't be getting married now would he?" She made a good point and Gippal knew it. With a hand to his chin he thought again for a moment before swigging his beer and shooting up from the couch. Paine retracted her legs and bent them back down over where Gippal formerly sat.

"You know, you're right. I knew there was a reason I loved you!" Gippal winked at her and she waved her hand at him as she drank her beer. He walked over to where she was and bent down to give her a kiss on her forehead. She just smiled one of her sarcastic smiles and watched him as he went into the bedroom. Gippal came out after a few minutes and grabbed his keys off the coffee table. "I'm gonna go over there. It's not too late. Besides, I do want to congratulate him so..." he trailed off as he headed to the door.

"Good. Tell him I said hello and be careful." Paine called out to him as he closed the door behind him.

Rikku lay on her stomach facing the edge of their queen sized bed as she read a newspaper. Her legs stuck up behind her and she dangled bare feet up into the air as she hummed to herself contently. Her blue nightgown was low cut and from the way she was positioned it just covered her behind leaving her legs naked. Baralai emerged from the bathroom wiping his hair dry with a towel and another one fashioned around his waist. Lifting her head up from her newspaper she caught a glimpse of him coming from the fog filled room and raised her eyebrows seductively while pursing her lips suggestively at the sight of him. Baralai walked over to the edge of the bed where she was and Rikku got up onto her knees. They were face to face and she put her arms around him, his skin slightly damp with steam from his shower made her hands wet but she didn't care, running them up and down his back gently.

Baralai threw the towel in his hand on the wood floor and pressed his lips to hers. Rikku's body shivered with anticipation as he continued to kiss her while leaning her back onto the soft blankets and pillows. Goose bumps formed on her stomach as his hands ran up and down her sides gently underneath her nightgown and she sighed with every touch. Rikku brought him closer to her, pressing him into her until there wasn't an empty space between them. Crawling under the covers he anchored above her and they stared with strong desire eminent in both their eyes. Baralai caressed her cheek and wiped stray blonde hairs from her face. Putting her hands to his face she leaned up and brushed her lips to his again, biting his upper lip and tasting the petal soft skin on her tongue. Separating to breathe, he softly smiled and she whispered in his ear.

"E muja oui" she exclaimed as she reached in to kiss him again. After she said this, he gave her a curious look and lifted an eyebrow in said confusion.

"What does that mean?" he asked, feeling a little stupid. In the time he'd known her she never really spoke Al Bhed around him. She just giggled and proceeded to explain.

"It means 'I love you' she noted and he nodded in silent agreement.

"Oh, e mooga owie then." He tried to repeat, curling his lip in frustration. That just made Rikku laugh and she traced her finger up his arm lightly.

"No silly, its 'E mooya wee' the j is silent" she enunciated hoping it would be easier for him to pronounce. Taking a deep breath and stealing a kiss he tried to say it again.

"E muja oui." He said proudly, pressing his finger affectionately to her nose. "You don't know how much really." Baralai declared, bringing her close and kissing her again. As he kissed her along her neck and down her chest he could feel his blood start to boil beneath his skin. With every caress from Baralai's hands to her body Rikku shook with uncontrollable pleasure and it built her up even more; he delighted in the fact that she didn't know what to do with herself every time he felt her most sensitive spots causing her to cry out his name desperately.

Baralai would get her in such an increasing state of delectation she felt like she would just die if he didn't take her that very second. In those times Rikku would grab at him hungrily and on several other occasions she had scratched him so hard on his back from the intensity that he would have long scars on his back for weeks; she would have scraps of his flesh embedded in her fingernails when they were finished. After it was all over, Rikku felt like she had been exorcised; her body was a trembling mass of mush and she couldn't move.

Baralai rested his head on rikku's chest; his hair was stuck to his face from the sweat that had formed atop his forehead. He sighed contentedly. As they lay in the dark together a banging on the front door ruined the intimate moment and startled them. They looked at each other with wonderment as to who would be interrupting their bliss so late in the evening. Crawling out of bed a little annoyed, Baralai went to his dresser and threw on a pair of pants and a white T-shirt. Looking back at Rikku he blew her a kiss and beamed at her.

"Don't you go anywhere, beautiful." He said, pointing a finger at her playfully. Rikku just stuck her tongue out at him and waved him off. He closed the door behind him and headed for the front door guided only by the moonlight shining through the darkness. As Baralai opened the door he was surprised to see someone he hadn't expected to see for a long time.

Gippal.

Title is a song I borrowed by Nanci Griffith