Author's Note: It's a deadly flu season where I am… -_-; and this stupid freezing weather really doesn't help at all. Well, I'm still on winter break… meaning that I should be getting to my chapters sooner. (Yay!)

Thank you so much to all those who reviewed! You made a little 12-year-old author a happy one! You guys are the greatest! ^_^ In a review I had a concern about them with TV's and phones- Well, yeah. I know they pretty much don't exist there, but imagine theirs looking more… hi-tech? ^_^;;

HAPPY BELATED HOLIDAYS!

Disclaimer: Don't own it… wasn't under the tree. -_-;;

Love Struck

Chapter 5

Day One – part two
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I had to know. I know it wasn't any of my business, but I just had to know what he said. The question couldn't find a way into words, and I could tell that its answer wouldn't either. As to why it mattered?

I had no clue.

Paine sighed. "Okay then - Shoot."

All I could do was gulp. "Well…" I bit my lip. "Yuna called me not to long ago and told me something I wanted to ask you about. And I-…"

"Which happens to be about Gippal - am I right?" she inquired, rolling her eyes. Looks like she knew where this was heading…

"Yeah." I answered. "Yunie said that you told her…"

She merely cut me off again. "That Gippal used to talk about you a lot… I know."  That sure surprised me. She really did know what I'd ask. Paine continued. "Well, if you're looking for an answer, I'm afraid I can't give you one."

Great. Just great.

"How come?" I tilted my head to the side.

Paine turned around with her back facing me. "What he told us… is confidential."

Confidential. Gippal having secrets? Yeah right. There are better chances of Shinra starting a company... (AN: FF7 reference! ^_^ Oh! Sorry! Continue!)

All I could do was grimace. "Confidential?" I asked slowly. "And why is that?" Paine shrugged. "I don't know. Gippal just said that we could never tell anyone."

"Why does that have to matter?!" I snapped childishly.

"Well… Don't you know the meaning of secretive trust?"

"Of course! But when did you start keeping secrets?"

"Five minutes before you came."

ARGH!

"Honestly though, Paine! I mean – what kind of things did he say about me? I'm annoying? I'm appealing?" I walked around her like a vulture looking for an answer.

Confidential my ass.

All she did was keep her mouth shut and turn around when I tried to look at her. "Argh! You should lose ten respect points for this, Paine!"

Paine finally turned around at me, and raised an eyebrow. "You shouldn't be talking, Rikku."

I looked at her strangely. "Why? How many do I have left?"

….

…

"Negative six."

I was about to burst with anger. "Y-You!"

"Rikku - Three words. Four syllables. It's a secret." Paine replied looking me in the eye. "Why don't you just ask Gippal himself?"

I just glared at her like a three-year-old that doesn't get their way. "Are you crazy?" I asked in disbelief.

"No. Just practical."

With clenched fists, I stomped in the ground in frustration. "I can't do that. The guy makes me nervous enough as it is."

"You never let your fears stop you before. You told us that when you used to have that phobia of lightning, you fought back… What did you do again?"

"I camped out in the Thunder Plains for a week…"

"There. And you have some fear of confronting Gippal, am I correct?"

"I… guess." I looked down at my feet.

"And to get rid of that, you fight back. But, instead of staying alongside your fear for a week… you have two." She nodded her head once firmly and placed her hand on her hips. "Do you see?"

My eyes somewhat widened at her statement. She was right. My two weeks with Gippal, is my way of facing what I fear – Gippal himself. And the fact of what could happen if I stay with him. People would say I'm afraid of commitment, but I call it… unforgettable mistakes.

I stumbled over to my door wearily. I'll have to put my question on hold for now. Opening the door, I put my hand to my forehead.  "Gippal, I'm back." I called lazily throughout the house.

"Oh! There you are, Cid's girl!" He came in and ruffled my hair with his hand. I just made a disgusted face and fixed it quickly. Gippal stepped back and looked at me. "Listen, I have some things to do over at the Djose Temple. Wanna come?"

"Machine Faction?" I questioned with a curious tone.

"You bet. It'll be quick. No worries, 'kay?"

"And why would I be worried?" I put my hands on my hips and glared at him.

"Oh, please. Surely you think I'm irresistible enough for you."

"No. You're surely an asshole enough for anyone though."

He gasped in fakery. "Ouch. You broke my heart, Cid's girl."

"Well, I'll just break more than that if you don't stop calling me Cid's girl! My name isn't that hard to pronounce is it?! Say it with me – RIKKU!"

Before he could reply, he was already out the door and waved a hand at me to come on. "Got it Rikki, now let's go."

*

Buddy and Brother picked us up using the Celsius once again. I still never get tired of that ship, though. It carries grand memories as our time as Sphere hunters – the Gullwings… and always and forever, the unstoppable YRP.

"What's up with you and daydreaming?" Gippal asked me, snapping me out of my reminiscing. I stuck my tongue out at him. "Meanie…" I mumbled as I rested my chin in the palm of my hand.

"Couldn't you be a bit more considerate?" I asked.

He combed a hand through his hair. "Well… I could – but then I wouldn't be me."

"I could live with that."

"Hmph. Too bad. 'Cause I already live with you." Gippal said to me with his usual smart-ass reply. All I did was roll my eyes and turn away.

"Whatever."

*

"Rao kioc! Dra pucc ec pylg!" he greeted the gang as he made his so called "dramatic entrance." Some of his workers weren't exactly the high-spirited type. A few were dissolved into a helpless heap in their work area, or even asleep on the job. There were all kinds of machina lying around in the vicinity. Some of them I'd never seen in my life.

"Gippal?" I asked in curiosity.

"Hm?"

"What are they all… doing?" I looked around me, looking at all the types of machina. Gippal chuckled proudly. "We're working on new kinds of machina. The travel agency of the Mihen highroad asked us to create more reliable machina to keep travelers safe."

"Wow. Did you organize all this?"

He closed his eyes and looked up with satisfaction. "You bet. All of this is run by me…"

"I'm impressed."

"And I'm flattered." With that he took my hand gingerly and kneeled down to kiss it softly. I looked at him with wide eyes. He stood up and grinned at me. "Shall we?" he said as he stuck his arm out. I linked mine with his and we strolled into the temple arm in arm…

That was the moment when I realized…

… that I was positively love struck.

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A/N: Aww… adorable eh? This was meant to come out on Christmas… sorry! Really sorry! ^_^ But then I guess this is a New Year's gift?

Another apology for its lack in length… -_-;; I'm getting restless.

But don't forget that button on the left down there! ^_^