Yes, Rikku and Gippal did "it" (quote marks) 'Cause you know, it's unrealistic for them to be eighteen and nineteen and probably have more hormones than most people do and not do it. Ahem… anyway. Moving on to the morning after, 'cause I'm not gonna go into detail.

Rikku opened her eyes slowly. Where… am I? She looked around. This isn't my room… She turned her head. Blonde hair. Tanned skin. Gippal. She smiled as she watched him. And he's still asleep. She turned over all the way and looked around the room. She sighed slowly. I don't even know where all my clothes went! She merely stared at Gippal, wondering about things that she couldn't put into a solid thought. She wanted to get up and get her things, since she felt a little odd being naked, but Gippal was on the outside of the bed and there was no way to get out. She just sighed and lay back in the pillows, pretending to be asleep. Her mother had always told her that if she believed she could do something, than she could. I can fall asleep, I can fall asleep, I can- There was a shudder next to her and she jumped a bit, and then closed her eyes. For some reason, she didn't want Gippal to know she was awake yet. She heard him sit up. A few seconds later, there was a pressure on her forehead. She grinned and nestled into the covers more. She heard him pick up bits of clothing. She felt the bed tilt; he had sat on the bed again.

"Riiiiikku…" she felt a hand on her shoulder. Feign sudden awakness! She groaned.

"G'way Brother. Ge'outta mah room…" she said, waving at the hand that was holding her shoulder. Oh, I'm good. Gippal only shook harder. She opened one of her eyes a crack and pretended to be confused. "You're sure not Brother…" she stated, sitting up. Gippal smiled.

"Nope. Sleep well?" Rikku nodded. He leaned over and kissed her gently. "Well, I think you should get dressed before Brother comes looking for you. You know this will be the first place he'll look." He said, standing up and going to the door.

"You're leaving me?" she whined, holding the cover to her collarbone. He looked at her and smiled wickedly.

"You'd rather me stay?" She looked down at herself. Oh yeah…

"Heh… nevermind." He opened the door and walked out. She poked around the room until she found all her clothes, then combed her hair out as best she could with her fingers and tied it back up into a plait. She looked at herself carefully. Her lips were a light shade of rose from where her lip gloss usually was, but it had sunken into herlips now. The pleats in her skirt weren't as perfect as they had been before. But overall, after waking up from a… different night, she didn't look half as bad as she'd expected. She sat on the bed and thought. She could hardly remember, and she couldn't figure out why. But she had remembered a pain that had splintered through her, causing her to recoil back. She remembered Gippal getting so worried about her. She jumped up and pulled back the covers. Blood…! I really did have sex with Gippal! She felt dizzy for a moment. She had always told herself she wasn't going to have sex until she was about 21 and she could drink it off the next day. She turned her head to the door and opened it. Oh well. All I can think of right now is that Fruna was right. It is better than you'd think it would be.

Rikku walked out into the temple and looked around.

"Hey." She looked over. Gippal was sitting on the stairs to the Cloister of Trails. She walked over and sat next to him in what narrow space she could.

"Hi there." She said, grinning at him. He looked worried.

"Are you sure I didn't hurt you last night?" he asked. Rikku's smile dropped for a moment as she thought, then she grinned up at him again.

"I didn't know you'd care. Positive. Am I really the first virgin you've slept with?" Gippal seemed to think for a moment.

"I think so… you really don't give me as much credit as I deserve. I don't sleep with that many women." He glanced at her expression and sighed. "Aw, how would you know anyway?" Rikku stood up and laughed.

"Call it a hunch." She said, walking off the steps and sitting in the middle of the temple. They sat in silence for a moment.

"You know, we didn't first kiss at Fruna's birthday party." He said. Rikku scrunched up her eyebrows.

"Huh?" she asked.

"We kissed before that. I guess you don't remember. I didn't think of it till this morning. Remember, when I was twelve and you were eleven and we stopped being friends for about a year?" Rikku thought hard. Oh yeah…

"Why do you always have to be like this?" Gippal asked in a harsh tone, his gaze boring down on her. Rikku narrowed her eyes at him in defiance. Just because he was taller didn't mean he was better.

"Like what? Normal?!" Rikku asked.

"No! Annoying!"

"Well if I'm so annoying, then why do you talk to me?"

"Because you never leave me alone!"

"Yes I do! I'm not some lost puppy y'know!"

"I know… You're my friend."

"Well ya know what?"

"What?"

"Maybe I never wanted to be friends with a jerk!"

"Well maybe I never wanted to be friends with a stupid blonde!"

"You're blonde too!"

"Least I'm not stupid."
"Least I've got two eyes!" Gippal stayed silent after that. Rikku stared at him with hatred.

"Fine. Then maybe we shouldn't be friends." Gippal said, almost in a whisper.

"Good. Then I guess we're done here." Rikku said, turning away. There was a sharp pain that shot up her arm. She turned to realize Gippal had grabbed it and was holding it tightly. His hand was big enough to wrap around her entire arm, and the grip he had was bone crushing. "Let go!" Gippal pulled on her arm and crashed his lips down on hers clumsily. He pulled away after a second and looked at her with a calloused gaze.

"Now we're done." He said, shoving her arm away as if she was the one who had made him grab it. He walked away briskly, his hands in his pockets. She stamped her foot and screamed, spinning on her heel and stomping in the other direction. She hated Gippal too much to think of the kiss. And so, she never thought of it again.

Rikku couldn't help but laugh.

"What were we fighting about?" she asked, staring up at the ceiling.

"I don't know. Probably another time when you talked to me when I was with the guys and we were both having a bad day. Kinda got out of hand." Rikku thought for a moment. Everything seemed to play into her mind suddenly. Him leaving. Her trying to kidnap Yuna. Auron finding she was an Al Bhed. Wakka finding she was an Al Bhed. Going to the Farplane.

"Memories are nice but… that's all they are."

"Now I know why I didn't go to the Farplane. Well, part of why." She took a deep breath. She had never said this out loud. She had always thought that saying things out loud was binding. Made it true. "I was afraid… that I'd see you there. I don't think… I don't think I could've gone on learning from some stupid pyreflies that you were dead. I would want to hear it from the living." She heard footsteps behind her, and then Gippal's hands slipped around her waist, pulling her to his side. She stared up at him. "I guess if I had gone in there I would've found out if you were alive or not." She said. Gippal didn't say anything. He just leaned down and kissed her gently. Suddenly, there was a loud bang, and Gippal shot away from her as though there was static between them.

"Rikku! How did I know you would be here? With him?!" Brother yelled. His figure was silhouetted from the light outside, but it was unmistakably him.

"Well, you never exactly said when you would come pick me up." She said in her 'I'm So Cute' voice. She saw Gippal grin from her remark out of the corner of her eye. Brother growled.

"Out, out, out!" he said, waving his hands in the air before marching out of the temple. Rikku giggled and looked back at Gippal.

"So, what're you gonna do without me for the next six days?" she asked. He thought for a moment.

"Well, I can't go back to Bikanel with you… maybe I'll go out and get some fiends, save Spira one angry pyrefly at a time." Rikku giggled then kissed him once more before following Brother out of the temple.

All the way back to Bikanel, Brother was nagging her about how Gippal would "never be someone who can live up to your standards." I believe he can live up just fine, thank you.

"Hey, Brother?" she said, staring out from the cockpit. "Can you drop me off at Besaid? I wanna go see Yunie." Brother sighed and tapped in some new coordinates.

She jumped off the airship before Brother could land it and started to run towards the town. She finally got to the edges without running into any fiends and stopped to stare at it.

"Hey there!" She whirled around to see Tidus waving at her. She smiled and waved back.

"Hi." She said, sounding a little less enthusiastic than he was.

"Whoa. Already sick of me?" he said, holding up his hands.

"Nah, just thinking." Rikku looked around. "Uh, where's Yunie? Aren't you guys attached at the hip lately?" she asked.

"I just had to go… go get something. Anyway, she's over in the tent, I'm gonna go to the beach with Wakka for a while. Uh, don't leave without saying bye to me, alright?" he said, turning halfway around.

"Okay." Rikku said, waving to him a bit before turning on her heel towards the village. She hadn't come to visit Yuna at all since she moved back here. She walked slowly through the village, looking around. Heheh… Tidus didn't tell me which tent was theirs…

"Rikku?!" Rikku turned her head, and then toppled over with a thud.

"Ow, Yunie! Hi, hi, hi!" she said, trying to stand up.

"Sorry!" Yuna said, getting up and helping Rikku stand up. "Those clothes look familiar…" Yuna said, looking at Rikku's outfit.

"Do they, heheh?" Rikku said, clasping her hands together and walking past Yuna a bit.

"So… how've you been?" she asked, turning around. Yuna had a stubborn expression on her face.

"Rikku…" she said warningly. Rikku turned away.

"Y-yeah?" she asked, her smile dropping.

"Rikku, what's wrong?"

"Uh… is there somewhere else I can talk to you?" she asked, looking at all the people. Besaid had really gotten popular over the past two years. Or maybe Rikku just felt confined again. Yuna took her by the arm and led her behind a tent, sitting down and looking at Rikku intensely. Rikku wrung her fingers together.

"Well… you remember when I told you that I didn't want to… to do that thing until I was twenty one?" she said nervously. She never knew she would be this scared to tell Yuna about Gippal. Yuna thought for a moment, and then nodded, her face solemn. "Well, you see, uh… Gippal and I sorta started going out again and I just... I couldn't help myself." She mumbled. All of a sudden, Yuna was hugging Rikku so tight that she squeaked from the sudden pressure on her lungs.

"Oh, Rikku, I'm so happy for you!" she said excitedly.

"Y-you are?" Rikku asked, her voice choked from Yuna squeezing her.

"Yes!"

"Oh…" Yuna finally let go of Rikku.

"Are you alright?" Yuna asked, concern dripping from her gaze. Rikku couldn't answer for a moment.

"I don't know. I'm still getting over this feeling inside me… things aren't going to be the same now…" she said nervously, knowing that now that she put it in words, it would be true.

"Oh, don't worry Rikku, everything will be fine!" Yuna said. "You're just thinking too much." Never thought I'd hear Yunie say that. Rikku raised an eyebrow.

"Have you slept with Tidus yet?" she asked. Yuna turned red in the span of half a second.

"Well, er-." Rikku laughed.

"You don't have to tell me!"

"Yes, I have." Yuna said. "I'm tired of being the timid little Yuna when I'm two years older than you! Now come on, you've gotta stay here for the night! There's going to be a bonfire tonight!" she said. Rikku's mind was already wandering.

"For what?" she asked dreamily.

"Not sure. Something to do with blitz. Anyway, come on! I know Lulu and Wakka will be happy to see you!" Yuna said, grabbing Rikku's hand and dragging her along. Rikku just smiled and walked on her own, telling Yuna about what had happened to her in the past two months.

Rikku burst into Wakka and Lulu's tent.

"Hi there!" she said, putting her hand up in a half wave.

"Hello." Lulu said, putting Vidina down in his crib.

"Where's Wakka?" Yuna asked, coming in behind Rikku.

"He went to the beach with Tidus." Lulu replied. "Probably playing blitz while Tidus broods over you." Lulu said.

"Brood…?" Yuna said. Rikku changed the subject quickly. The last thing she wanted to hear about was relationship problems. She knelt by Vidina's crib and out her finger in his small hand. Vidina grinned slightly and tightened his grip on her finger. Rikku smiled down at him. Wonder if I'd make a good mom? She thought. Probably not for awhile.

"E's cina Lulu yht Wakka dyga aqdny kuut lyna uv oui. Yht ev drao ajan ycg sa du pypoced oui, damm dras dryd E lysa du oui eh y tnays yht dumt oui hud du belg sa. Oui'na kuhhy pa duu kuut y puo du ryhk ynuiht sa. (I'm sure Lulu and Wakka take extra good care of you. And if they ever ask me to babysit you, tell them that I came to you in a dream and told you not to pick me. You're gonna be too good a boy to hang around me.)" Rikku said softly to him. He smiled broadly at her. Maybe Al Bhed is a baby's language. She took her finger away and became engaged in conversation that lasted the entire day.

It was nightfall sooner than Rikku could have imagined, and the bonfire was set ablaze. She sat next to Yuna as they sang songs that Rikku didn't know. She felt as if she didn't belong, but also felt as though she'd been there her entire life. She smiled and sang along once she got the hang of it. About halfway through, Tidus knelt down beside Yuna, taking her hand and whispering in her ear. Yuna nodded and stood up. Rikku smirked knowingly at Tidus, and he grinned back. Yuna came back minutes later, smiling broadly. She showed her hand to Rikku, and on her finger was a band with a small diamond in the center of it. Rikku stared at it for a long time. It wasn't anything special, but it was the thought that counted. She smiled at Yuna then turned her attention back to the fire. The flames danced in her eyes, making the sound around her fuzzy. She couldn't hear anything soon after. She felt herself curl up. She felt cold hands on her shoulder, and she reassured them hazily that she was alright. Just tired. She fell asleep soon after, dreamless and lonely.

Rikku opened her eyes dizzily. She looked around, expecting to see something amazing. Instead, she saw brightly colored rugs. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. I need to get home. She stood up and walked outside the tent. She hardly saw anybody. She guessed it was early. Yuna came over to her, looking worried.

"Are you alright? You sort of passed out last night." She said, putting her hands on Rikku's shoulders. Rikku nodded.

"Y-."

"Rikku!" Rikku shut her eyes with a cringe. Right on time.

"Yes, Brother?" she asked, turning to Brother.

"Hello Yuna." Brother said sweetly to Yuna. Yuna nodded to him with a polite smile. "Fro ec ed cu rynt vun oui du yldiymmo lusa rusa?( Why is it so hard for you to actually come home?)" he asked her.

"E ghuf oui'na kuhhy lusa muugehk vun sa yhofyo! Pacetac, E tuh'd aqyldmo ryja y fyo du lymm oui! (I know you're gonna come looking for me anyway! Besides, I don't exactly have a way to call you!)" Rikku stated, pointing her finger at Brother's face. Brother scoffed and pointed at the archway going out of Besaid.

"Go! Goodbye Yuna!" he said harshly to Rikku and lovingly to Yuna. Yuna waved.

"Come back soon, okay?" Rikku waved over her shoulder and set off for the edge of town. She didn't even think that she had forgotten to say goodbye to Tidus again. When she got home, she needed a nice long shower.

Rikku lay face down on her bed wrapped up in her robe, and stared at the ceiling. She was glad to be back at Home. She remembered that Spira was nice, but it didn't have as much sand and sun as Home did. She got up and put on the clothes she wore when she was running around Spira with Yuna. She recalled that they were a lot more comfortable than the white blouse she had been wearing. She rushed out of the room and went to the garage in the lower levels for her hover. (A/N: Yup, she's gotta hover!) She flicked it on and rode it out to the oasis, taking off her boots and letting her feet get soaked in the water. Though it wasn't exactly cold water, it was refreshing from the heat. She heard footsteps behind her and turned abruptly. An Al Bhed child with a full jumpsuit stood behind her. She grinned.

"Hi there!" she said.

"Hi…" It was Shinra. He sat down where he was. Rikku took her feet out of the water and spun around to face him.

"Feel good being back at Home?" she asked. Shinra remained emotionless, as he still chose not to change out of his jumpsuit.

"Nobody to look forward to except you and Buddy really." He said.

"What about Brother?"

"Can't really say that I look forward to him."

"Vaf baubma tu… (Few people do…)" Rikku mumbled, staring at the glistening water.

"Why are you out here?" Shinra asked her, seemingly looking out at the desert. Rikku shrugged.

"Home was getting a little provincial. I went out for a little while and… did some stuff. And now I just wanna relax." She said, lying back in the sand and letting the grit depress around her head. She didn't think to ask why Shinra was out there. She stared at the sky, which had just enough clouds to keep the sun from making her close her eyes. "Shinra, what happened to your parents?" Shinra was quiet for a long time.

"Same thing that happened to your mom." He said, picking up sand and letting it run through his finger before letting go of it and picking up a new handful. He stood up abruptly and stared at her for awhile. He then turned around with a,

"See you later."

"But how're you gonna get back?"

"Same way I got here. I'll walk."

"You can't walk!"

"I already have. Plus you nearly ran me over with your hover. I've got grenades." He walked off. Rikku shook her head.

"Strange kid." She said, picking up some sand and straining it through her fingers. She lay there for a long time until she jolted up and went to her hover. It would be disastrous if she fell asleep out there. When she got back to home, Cid found her and put her straight to work. She sighed and did as she was told. Fixing machina was something she did best.

The days went by quickly. Soon, it was Wednesday, and she finally had a day off. She slouched on her bed and pulled her CommSphere off the floor. She flicked it on and decided she would spend a little time watching Gippal. See what he had to say about her. The connection came in, but it was fuzzy. She waited. Her heart stopped.

There… on his bed was a woman, with long flowing hair that was a bright gold. She lay on top of tanned skin, short cropped hair. Her hand flew to her mouth as she saw them kissing, his hands running across her waist. Gippal… She pushed the CommSphere away, causing it to fall onto the floor. It shut off with a dull hum as Rikku pulled a pillow to herself, burying her face in it and telling herself that it wasn't real.

From the way this is going, this is going to be a very short fic. The chapters are longer than they used to be. So, don't be surprised if it ends at around chapter seven or something. Also, don't be surprised if it ends later than that… ideas come to me randomly, hahah. Anyway, it's taking me a long time to update 'cause my dad's getting territorial with his computer. I'll try to update faster though!