Sahrah: Happy Leap Year Day Thing or whatever. Sorry this is a short little GippalxRikku belated Valentine's Day filler, which is dedicated to Zoey because she made me pretty artwork. But this is really short. I wanted to write something short and sweet for Rikku and Gippal because they were away last time.

Squall: What, nothing annoying to say as to why this was posted at the last possible minute? Not going to mention this is a raw? No disclaimer? Useless…

Sahrah: Psht. They know me by now. Again, this is a short little chapter. EMPHASIS ON THE SHORT. Ehehe, quality, not quantity, right?

Squall: Speak for yourself.

Sahrah: Ehehehe… Rikku's Point of View.

Chapter 13: The Star of My Show

So it was Valentine's Day. Six in the morning on Valentine's Day. And let me just mention that there were NO roses or breakfasts in bed or cards or chocolate. Not at six in the morning on the day of opening night. I think Gip and I were super disoriented when we woke up in the hotel room.

We were woken up at six on the morning by our director, Isaaru, who is even more of a morning person than I am, and it's actually annoying. To me. Isaaru ran up and down the hallway where all the cast and crew were staying for the following month while we performed the city. I think someone made the mistake of giving him a bullhorn.

Quickly, Gippal and I rolled out of the big squishy bed and threw on sweats. We ran into the hallway where a slew of actors and techies were gathering groggily for breakfast. An hour later, we were at the Luca Playhouse, setting props into their places and putting on stage makeup, which is totally different than normal makeup because you need to glob it onto your face so you don't look like a blank piece of paper on the stage.

Anyway, I was helping Gippal with his eyeliner—yes, boys have to wear makeup on stage too. It sooooo does NOT mean they're gay or whatever, not that there's anything wrong with that, I mean our director's gay for Yevon's sake. But yes, guys wear makeup on stage too. If they don't, their expressions can't be picked up and their faces look white as fresh snow under the stage lights. So I was helping my fiancé with his eyeliner, and before I got the chance to say 'Happy Valentine's Day' to him, the makeup crew chief yanks him away to do his 'Phantom' makeup, which involves removing his sexy eye patch—YOU KNOW IT'S VERY SEXY—and making that side of his face look icky.

In case anyone's wondering, he lost the sight in that eye from a car accident when he was really little. Just thought I'd share with the class.

I was kind of sad, because I thought he'd forgotten it was Valentine's Day. So while the costume crew chief, a nice girl from Kilika, is helping me with the corset I have to wear, I can't help but complain.

"Manda, it's Valentine's Day," I pouted as she pulled on the ribbons of the costume.

"That it is," she replied, grunting with the effort of the tying. And it was tight, so it hurt. Ouchies!

"So why am I here and not on a date?" I frowned. "And ouch! That hurt!"

"Sorry," Manda amended. "And you're not on a date because it is opening night and you're the star of the show. And even if you weren't, your husband is the other star."

Of course she was right, regrettably, but soon it was too late for me to talk to anyone, because the audience lights dimmed and the pit orchestra blasted out the music of the overture soon after the prologue, and we rushed onto the stage in costume.

As Christine, I sang my song about how much I love Raoul, and then the Phantom (whose name is actually Erik, which you'll only know if you like, read the book, because Andrew Lloyd Webber, the guy who wrote the Broadway show thought it wasn't important for anyone to know his name, which I think is totally not cool, but whatever) sends Christine a bunch of Roses for her performance.

So we have this super-real looking plastic set of roses for the prop, which was made by the props crew chiefs, Al and Jules. And they get delivered to "Christine's" room after her performance. But when the actress playing Madame Giry gave me the roses, they sure as hell weren't fake plastic ones. They were real, beautiful, crimson red roses with a tiny card on them. I lifted the card up.

"You're my angel of music. Happy Valentine's Day. Love always, Gippal." I smiled softly at the letter and looked up at the actress. Behind her, offstage on the wing, was my 'Phantom' standing with a grin on his face. His mask hid half of his smile, but I know it was there. Then the stage manager, Kate, she shooed him to the other side for his entrance through the mirror.

I almost missed my line; luckily Pete, the guy playing Raoul, covered for me, saying, "Got that, Christine? I'll see you in a few minutes." With a grateful smirk, 'Christine' protested as 'Raoul' left.

Somewhere behind me, the Phantom started singing "The Mirror."

After the show was over and everything was cleaned up, a bunch of the cast and crew wanted to explore the city. Sadly, however, it was past midnight, and that meant that technically, Valentine's Day was over. With a sigh, I waited outside the Broadway building for Gippal.

And then I felt raindrops on my face. Oh, perfect. Rain. Which makes me think of Raine. Which makes me think of all my friends, and how maybe they got to go out for Valentine's Day with their loves instead of work. I closed my eyes and gripped the bouquet of roses I was given onstage. Next to me, a door opens and then closes, and Gippal slips my hand into his and kisses me on the cheek.

"Great show. I hope you liked your flowers," he said, giving my hand a squeeze.

"I did," I replied, "But I'm kind of sad." We started to walk through the rain to our hotel, getting thoroughly soaked in the process.

"Why?"

"Because we didn't do anything special for Valentine's Day! And now it's over, so we'll have to wait a whole 'nother year, and—" Gippal silenced me with a kiss.

"My Valentine's Day," he murmured, "Was incredibly special."

"Really?" I murmured back, pushing my soaked bangs out of my face. "How come?"

"You were in it." And with that, he takes off running towards the hotel.

"Heeeeey! Get back here!" I exclaim, laughing and running after him. When I finally got to the hotel, I couldn't see him. The receptionist at the front desk just looked at me with a bored stare and said that no, no crazy blonde guy with an eye patch had come into the lobby. I figured Gip was planning something, so I shrugged and got into the elevator.

Gippal's Point of View

I can't believe I said something so sappy. But Rikku seemed to like it, so I said it and then took off running to enact my master plan. I ran as fast as I could through the lobby and up to the happy looking receptionist.

"Hey there," she said.

"Can you do me a favor?" I asked her hurriedly, looking back at the door, where Rikku had not yet emerged.

"Umm, I guess so…"

"My wifeis gonna come through that door any second. If she asks you if she's seen me, can you please tell her no? I'm giving her a surprise for Valentine's Day."

This seemed to please the receptionist (she was probably a romantic) and she smiled and nodded. "Yessir! Good luck with that." I thanked her and took off up the stairs, knowing that if I ran, I could beat Rikku to the punch.

I unlocked the door to the room and hid.

Rikku's Point of View

When I opened the door to the hotel room, the lights were all off.

"Gippal!" I exclaimed, "You get your butt out here!" I looked around wildly. I flicked on a light, and saw nothing. Taking a few steps into the room, I put my roses on the table and my soaking wet coat over a chair.

Strong arms hugged me from behind and I smiled.

"I know it's not Valentine's Day anymore," he whispered, "But that doesn't mean I can't show you how much I love you."

I smirked, even though he couldn't see.

"I don't need Valentine's Day to show you how much I care, but I know it's important to you," Gippal said. "Rikku, you're the star of my show."

"That's such a lame thing to say," I complained.

"Oh,ouch!" he laughed. "You're a charmer, you know that?"

"Of course I am!" I exclaimed, turning around in his arms and hugging him fiercely. "But you, Gip, you're something else. I love you so much."

"You're my angel of music," he told me.

"And you're my love," I replied.

He kissed my nose. "That, Rikku, is a lame thing to say." I kissed his lips.

"Fine, then I take it back!" We kissed again, but longer.

"And that," he said, "Is taking it back?" He deepened the kiss.

"Sure it is." I pulled away and led him to the bed, where I jumped on it dramatically and smiled sexily. "Come on."

So that was the day after Valentine's Day. It was almost as good.

End of Chapter 13

Squall: Yeah, okay, what kind of chapter was that?

Sahrah: …A… short one…?

Squall: Oh really. ((Sarcasm))

Sahrah: Yeah. Really. Happy belated Valentine's Day, guys! And don't ask what kind of theatre company opens on Valentine's Day. Because the correct answer would be mine. Seriously. Massive amounts of cast and crew members were whining about the missed holiday, and so I said, "HEY! You don't need a holiday to tell someone how much you love them." Thus, this chapter was born. Fun fact: It's only one day and two hours late. Yay me!

Squall: …Whatever. Oh, and in case anyone cares, all the crew members were named after actual members of Sahrah's school's theatre company.

Sahrah: Indeed they were. I want to mention, I am a CO-costume crew chief. My better half is one of my best friends in the whole world, Mandarin. So she got a cameo. I ought to tell her sometime. In the meantime... READERS! PRESS THE PRETTY REVIEW BUTTON! IT GIVES FREE COOKIES I SWEEEARRRR.