Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy X-2. Square does. Crudcakes. Actually, though…it'd be a lot of work to be the owner of something so huge.
A/N: This chapter is chock-full of yaoi content, so if you don't like that…how did you get this far?! But what I mean is that there is actually sex in this chapter. So if that isn't your thing, I suggest hitting the back button.
Thanks to: yuyemi 01 (About the Rikku thing… Heh heh, I've had plans for that. And as for the age thing, in Spira I'll count Gippal as a minor…mainly because it makes decent fodder for Anyata to beat up on him. XD), JokaJoker (I've never seen Black Hawk Down, but I picture Gippal wearing this military uniform… :D), Slash Fanatic, Wai-Aki (Nooj's reaction… Well, I wonder that, too. Heh heh. I must continue to look innocent.), Minamoto Miyuki, Mashimaro-Byul-012, BBchan, Kirie Himuro (I always go back and see all these little annoying errors I make… – grin – So I try to fix them! As for the personality thing, well…I really think that's a matter of interpretation. We didn't see tons of Gippal or Baralai during the game. Not as much as our friends, YRP, anyway…), Asidian (Holy crap! You flatter me! XD), Si-chan (Hope you won't have any computer troubles this time!), Jade Samurai, and Icicle Goddess (I have decided to dedicate this to your meowing parrot and iguana. – grin – ).
Chapter Four – Sunny-Side-Up
"Baralai…?" Gippal opened his eye sleepily.
"Time to wake up." The voice in his ear was huskier than usual. It always was in the morning.
Not that he minded.
"I fell asleep to the sound of your breathing… That's why I slept in so late." Baralai was propping himself up on his elbows, looking more than a little dazed. "And we did sleep in."
"According to whose schedule?" Gippal wanted to know. "Ooh… This thing – this cot – is shit on my back." He sat up and arched his back, causing it to crack, not oblivious to Baralai's wincing. "Sorry for complaining. Feels better now."
"We've slept on worse. Remember the first time we…? All we had for a blanket was my coat."
Gippal smiled contemplatively. "Yeah. But that was different. After that, I could have been happy sleeping upside-down in a pit full of rabid tonberries." He nuzzled Baralai's chest, taking in his scent. "Mmm. Sex. Want now."
"We can't…" Baralai informed him, disappointment in his tone. "Unless you're fine with the possibility of the entire crew sighting your derriere."
"Quite fine." He found this amusing. "In fact, I think it would do them all a great deal of good!"
Baralai laughed, then heaved a sigh in mock-annoyance. "I don't know why I deal with this. Honestly, I don't."
Gippal grinned. "Because you love me."
--- Past:
"Gippal…"
"Hmm?" He was semi-conscious of Baralai speaking to him.
Whether it was another one of his dreams that Baralai floated in and out of, he wasn't sure. These dreams had, oddly enough, never been sexual. At least not before last night, when they had first kissed. The dreams had usually been ordinary, with just he and Baralai talking about things. Simple things, really. Shapes of clouds. Ripples on water.
They were sepia-colored halls, twisting, and he had no idea where the two of them were going. He was just following Baralai, who was in front of him, running and laughing playfully. Gradually, he caught up, and then Baralai turned to face him, brimming with liveliness. That's when Gippal reached to grab him – But he always woke up.
Last night, he finally caught him.
The halls dissipated and were replaced with something else. Skin on skin. Desperate, breathy kisses…
"Time to get up."
Gippal was convinced that there could be nothing better to wake up to than Baralai, with his tousled hair, eyes watery from sleep, and slightly out-of-it expression.
He was beautiful.
"Baralai." He raised his head and hooked an arm around Baralai's neck to bring him forward, then dropped himself back on the pillow. "I was wondering if…it was a dream."
"It wasn't."
A smirk. "Want to confirm that?"
Apparently, Baralai did, because he brushed his lips against Gippal's. Once. Twice. Before he could make another move, Gippal drew his bottom lip into his mouth and sucked, swirling patterns with the tip of his tongue. Then he –
The sound of knuckles rapping on wood. "Guys, come on!" Paine called from the other side of the door.
– flung himself as far away from Baralai as he could, eyes trained on the door.
"Are you even awake?" She exhaled loudly. "If you don't answer, I'm coming in to wake you up…"
The door creaked, and Paine stood there, looking somewhat amused. "I've never seen you like this before."
Gippal was suddenly curious as to how many hickeys were blatantly visible. But she didn't appear to be shocked…so it had to be the lack of hair gel and clothes she was referring to.
He really wasn't awake. Common sense had flown into a temporary hiding place.
"You have five minutes before Nooj leaves without you," Paine warned.
Baralai yawned. "Good morning to you as well…"
"Oh, I just know Noojster couldn't live without us…" Gippal told her in a falsely hurt voice.
"Funny. Judging from what he's said, I seem to think otherwise," she retorted before leaving.
The pillow that he and Baralai had been using smacked into the door.
---
"E tuh'd ghuf fryd oui'na dnoehk du bnuja, Gippal, po tuehk drec. (I don't know what you're trying to prove, Gippal, by doing this.)" Anyata shook her head. "Pid ev oui drehg dra Yevonites femm cusaruf cdynd du keja y tysh ypuid dra Al Bhed… (But if you think the Yevonites will somehow start to give a damn about the Al Bhed…)"
"Ev E hajan duug necgc, E fuimt ryja bnupypmo teat po huf. Yht E fuimt ryja hajan sad oui. (If I never took risks, I would have probably died by now. And I would have never met you.)" It was easier to look at the floor than to face Anyata's disappointment head-on. "Dyga lyna uv ouincamv yht Neona. K'poa. (Take care of yourself and Neona. G'bye.)" He turned and headed for the door, where everyone else was waiting.
"Oh, Gippal!" she cried out, throwing her arms around his back. "Ev E veht uid dryd oui kud eh yho cund uv dnuipma yd ymm, E'mm lusa yht payd oui socamv! (If I find out that you got in any sort of trouble at all, I'll come and beat you myself!)"
"Heh. E muja oui, duu, Anyata. (I love you, too, Anyata.)"
When he began walking toward the door, he glimpsed Neona, who was peering out a window. "Neona, E's mayjehk huf… (Neona, I'm leaving now…)"
She continued to stare blankly ahead. "Yna oui kuehk frana Susso fahd? (Are you going where Mommy went?)"
He frowned, sensing her distress. "…Hu, Neona… E's lusehk pylg cusatyo. (…No, Neona… I'm coming back someday.)"
"Dryd'c fryd cra cyet. (That's what she said.)"
"Lusa rana… (Come here…)" Gippal beckoned to her and knelt down.
She listened to him, but her feet dragged as she walked.
"Pa y kuut kenm. Dyga lyna uv ouincamv yht mecdah du Anyata. (Be a good girl. Take care of yourself and listen to Anyata.)" He pulled her close and ruffled her hair. "Oui'na kuehk du pa ugyo. Muja oui. Poa. (You're going to be okay. Love you. Bye.)"
With one last wave, he left them.
---
With canteens full of fresh water and soup from Anyata, the time spent after leaving the outpost wasn't all that hard. There was the grueling heat, occasional bickering, and hordes of fiends, but to Gippal, that was all bearable. He knew that when night fell, he and Baralai would be taking advantage of the fact that their watches were back-to-back. This arrangement resulted in a dramatic decrease in sleep, but Gippal didn't care, and as far as he was aware, neither did Baralai. The mornings, however, like this particular one, gave them the most difficulty.
"Still sleeping."
"Paine…" Gippal mumbled into his sleeping bag. "Was that a question or a comment? It's hard to tell, y'know, when you normally don't put any inflection in your voice."
"You know what else is hard to tell?" she shot back. "How much longer I can put up with you. And maybe if you listened once and awhile, you could tell that I do put inflection in my voice. I just did it three times, four if you count that. And it was a comment, by the way."
Gippal ignored her and stole a glance at Baralai, who was also resting.
"Mmm…" Baralai smiled into his sleeping bag. "Well, I'd say that she just showed y – Ah!"
"Hey!" Gippal protested as a very unsatisfied Nooj dumped him from his sleeping bag. He dusted sand off his face and looked around, trying to find Baralai.
His answer came when he eyed the source of the looming shadow above his head. Nooj was holding Baralai's bag by the end, but no Baralai had come out. Confusion, an emotion Gippal wasn't used to seeing flit across Nooj's face, was visibly attacking him now. Nooj bent down and waited. No Baralai.
"What…?" he grumbled. "Damnit, Baralai. Are you still in there?"
He received a squeak in response. Baralai's head poked out of the sleeping bag, complete with disheveled hair and wide eyes. His nails were tightly gripping the fabric inside of it, and his legs must have been pushing against the bag, preventing him from falling out. Baralai looked like a frightened bat inside of a cave. His eyes darted back and forth. He blinked.
It took Gippal and Paine almost three seconds of stunned silence before they burst out laughing.
Then Nooj swung him about, obviously not humored by all of this, and threw him a good eight feet or so.
"Ahhh, no! …Ouch."
---
The sunrise illuminated Baralai, painting a glowing outline, as he held the compass in various positions. "I'm eternally grateful that we only have to go north…and this automatically points in that direction."
"Couldn't be easier," Gippal agreed. He was lying on his back next to the morning fire, which normally cooked their breakfast.
"Except that we have no more food, and we're down to our last two matches." The worry was evident in Paine's voice.
"And something's wrong," Gippal spoke. "Don't you feel it?"
He received three empty looks for that one.
"What…do you mean?" Baralai asked.
"Well, Nooj. Isn't your leg and arm bothering you right about now?" He tilted his head back to observe Nooj's reaction, which he was sure would be bewildered or angry.
"That's…none of your business."
Or both. Nooj was a bit sensitive on the subject of either his arm or leg.
"The reason it feels like that is because something's coming. Something to do with the weather, probably, 'cause it's in the air," Gippal explained. "Could be a sandstorm."
No one said anything, so Gippal figured they all must have been thinking.
"So we should take shelter," Nooj finally muttered.
"What about that cave we passed a short time ago? We could go back there."
Gippal happened to think Baralai's idea was an excellent one.
---
It had seemed like a good idea at the time.
"Baralai! Where are you?!" Gippal called out over the roar of the wind. "Can't see anything through this sand…"
As if the sand was infuriated that he dared to complain, it blew under the hand held over his face and clogged up his nose.
"Ugh…!" He tried to snort it out.
"Gippal…"
"Baralai?" He whirled in circles but could see nothing. "Keep talking!"
"I think you're over this way…"
"Stick your arm out…" Gippal advised while putting out his own.
"I… I think I see you…"
A flash of green, and then something solid stumbled into him.
"Baralai!" Gippal shouted, wrapping his arms around him. "Where's everyone else?"
He gripped Gippal tightly. "I don't know… We should have held onto each other."
Gippal laughed. "Somehow, I don't think Nooj would agree to that…"
"He would if he foresaw this. If we could only find the cave and… Wait…"
"Our bags! Cred! (Shit!) I guess we left them…" Then something tough ground into Gippal's knuckles. Strangely enough, it felt like rock. "Ow." He shook his hand in an unsuccessful attempt to alleviate the pain. "That fucking hur – Hey, I think this is it!"
He didn't have to see Baralai's face to picture the disbelief on it. "Gippal… You're serious…?"
Gippal groped for his hand to prove that he was. After blindly crashing into the stone some more, he at last thought that they had come across the entrance. It was like sticking his head through a waterfall and into the area behind it. There was the screaming of sand…and then silence, save for the sounds of panting and gasps for air. He sat down and lowered his body to the cool cave floor, too tired to even explore their surroundings.
"What about Paine and Nooj?" Baralai asked, lying next to him, his brow starting to furrow like it constantly did when he worried. "And this could be a different cave."
Gippal let out a short laugh. "That'd be just great…" He rolled his head slightly to the side so that he could look at Baralai. "You worry too much. If you can't fix it now, there's no point in worrying at all."
"There are times when it can't be helped," Baralai spoke softly. "You looked worried to me."
"I know, it's crazy…" Gippal smiled, and it was almost sad. "It's just a stupid sandstorm. Paine and Nooj will pull out all right. I know they will. But you…make me feel things I shouldn't."
Brown eyes, spilling with emotion, searched him. "You're afraid?"
Startled, Gippal immediately opened his mouth to respond, but a clever answer was beyond his reach. "I – You – You're the same. You have to be." He knew that he was stammering, but he could never have anticipated this. It wasn't supposed to be this way. He had sworn to himself that he would never care enough for it to frighten him. "If I lost you…I would…" His gaze fell to the floor.
"Gippal…" Baralai's voice was closer to him now, breath gently beating on his face. "I felt the same, but I can't do that anymore. I know that I trust you. I think that's enough…" He moved close enough for his lips to graze Gippal's ear. "Even though I don't know what will happen in the days from now, I'm ready to let go…" He paused and brought a hand up to rest on the side of Gippal's face. "Are you?"
"Baralai…" Gippal was too overcome with that feeling again, always that feeling. He glanced his lips over Baralai's skin, halting when he got to his mouth.
"Yes."
And felt himself fall.
Their kisses were different this time, more needy than usual, hungering and wanting more. He had had a necessity for Baralai before, but not quite like this. The slow incineration he was used to experiencing was quicker this time, devouring his senses and lighting his nerves on fire. It was hard-hitting and merciless.
Gippal dragged his mouth away, his desire for skin so strong that he could already taste it. He turned his attentions to the visible area of Baralai's chest below his collar and above his shirt, nibbling and licking. His hands journeyed up, untied the red rope securing Baralai's collar, and tried to tug off the coat. Unsuccessfully. There was that tie around his arm.
"What's the point of this thing?" Gippal questioned, fingers working to unknot it.
Baralai blinked as if coming out of a daze. "Oh, it… It was given to me by a maester at the Bevelle temple before I left for this training on account of something he told me I lacked. Hope."
"Do you still feel that way?" Gippal's fingers stilled, his eye moving up to meet Baralai's warm ones.
He smiled in that manner that made Gippal's stomach jolt and his heart stop. "Not so much anymore."
Gippal knew that the implications were there, that it was meant for him. He wanted to say something in response, but hands were slipping up his shirt, tracing over the contours of his spine. A shiver coursed through him, making him work all the harder to undo the aggravating tie. At last, it came free, and Baralai stopped his discovering to let Gippal pull the coat sleeves off.
He kissed Gippal, unbuckling the strap that held the armor on his shoulders, stripped off his gloves, and slid the yellow straps off so that they hung by Gippal's knees. Baralai was quickly divested of the leather armor tied around his waist and the white shirt underneath that, and Gippal lifted his arms up to have his shirt yanked over his head, resulting in them being chest to chest.
For a moment, they rested like that, breathing heavily, and then Gippal realized they were lightly rocking against each other. He wrapped his arms around Baralai's back and felt his hands drifting lower, seeking a waistband to dip under. Beneath undershorts, he began to knead muscle. Baralai jerked a little at this, sharply sucking in air. It was different from a girl, Gippal mused, because it was firmer, and there was less – actually, no – fat to grasp. Baralai's skin was very…smooth. He liked this better.
Baralai kissed his way down Gippal's neck and his chest, where he swirled his tongue around a rosy nipple. He blew on it, bringing his fingers up to pluck at the other one.
"Ahnn… Baralai…"
Gippal instinctively shifted to transfer the burning hardness between his legs to a more suitable place and bumped into something equally hard. He gasped, throwing his head back and cracking it into the cave floor.
"Ow!" He rubbed the back of his head and laughed sheepishly.
Baralai did the same, though it sounded more breathless than his usual laughter. He cradled the small of Gippal's back, causing him to arch accordingly.
"Gippal… Are you…all right with this?" His eyes were concerned, staring into Gippal's face, most likely looking for any signs of apprehension.
All along, Gippal had had an inkling of where this was going. And now that they were there, he knew what his answer would be. "Yeah… I'm ready."
Shaking hands unbuckled the belt around his waist, and Gippal thought on this for a second before he noticed his own trembling. The need taking over his body was deteriorating his ability to stay still. He reached for Baralai's pants but came upon a mass of intertwined lacing.
"Uhh… Baralai?"
Baralai smiled at him. "I'll get it…"
He seemed to have no trouble, so Gippal tugged the rest of his own clothing off, including his boots. He even had time to help Baralai with his.
"You don't wear underwear," Baralai observed.
"No. It feels kinda uncomfortable to me." Gippal grinned. "But you do… Plain white. Hmm."
A vivid shade of red burst underneath dark skin. "Well, I could never wear hearts."
"Heh, neither could I…" He cautiously pulled the undershorts down, making sure they didn't snag on anything. "White down here, too? I was curious about that…"
"Gippal!" Blushing terribly, Baralai laughed with him and kicked off his undershorts, gripping Gippal's hips unsteadily. "Don't we need…?"
"Lube?" Gippal guessed. At Baralai's nod, he moved downward, treating Baralai's stomach to wet, open-mouthed kisses, trailing lower and lower…
"Ah!"
Fingers tangled in his hair, encouraging him. He closed his mouth around Baralai's erection, somewhat uncertain of how to go about this but sure that some sucking and licking wouldn't hurt. Gippal was pleased to find he didn't mind the taste at all, which was like the rest of Baralai's skin, only saltier. He lapped at the underside, reveling in the beat of Baralai's pulse against his tongue.
Baralai's arms were becoming a bit wobbly, as if they wouldn't be able to hold him up much longer, and no wonder, as he was above Gippal. In order to prevent his collapse, Gippal gently pushed him up and situated himself on top of Baralai. He didn't want to go very deep, at least not this first time, worried that his gag reflex might kick in. Unwittingly, he started humming an old Al Bhed song, like he often did when attempting to concentrate.
"Nnn!" Baralai cried out.
And then he did choke. Rubbing his sore throat, he teasingly glared at Baralai, who was guilty of thrusting with a little too much enthusiasm.
"Sorry." Baralai curled his body upward and planted an apologetic kiss on Gippal's forehead.
"Well, it should be fine now…" Gippal told him, rolling off to the side. "Except…one thing…" He caught Baralai's wrist and slipped a tan finger in his mouth, twirling his tongue around it to moisten it as much as he possibly could, all while curling his fingers around Baralai's sex. Amidst the moans he got in response, his own voice added a "There."
He guided hands between his legs and then positioned his own on Baralai's backside again, waiting for him.
Something – Baralai's finger – pushed into him, and he reflexively bit his lip. "Unnh…"
"It hurts?" Baralai was biting his own lip with him.
"No…" Gippal shook his head. "It feels…weird but not bad exactly. Maybe try moving it around…"
Baralai did so, and – unexplainable –
He writhed, letting out a shout. Whatever Baralai had touched in him, it made his insides twist and his control shatter. Pleasure had completely possessed him.
"I didn't mean to hurt you…" Baralai gazed at him concernedly.
Despite the anxious look on Baralai's face, he couldn't help but allow a giddy laugh to escape. "That didn't hurt, Baralai…"
"Oh." Relief washed over his features.
"Do it again…" Gippal urged. "Please…"
Baralai acquiesced to the request, bending down for a kiss at the same time. Another finger, hitting the same spot…
"Uhhnn… Oh, bmayca (please)…" He couldn't take much more of this before he – "Baralai, please just…"
His legs were quaking as Baralai bent them up. They were really going to…
"Can I take this off?" A hand rested on the strap of his eye patch. "I…want to see you…"
"If I can take this off," Gippal replied, clutching Baralai's blue headband. He had been growing more at ease with Baralai looking at him without his eye patch (but there was still no chance when it came to other people).
As soon as both items fluttered to the floor, Baralai's shaking hands traveled down to cup Gippal's bottom and pressed forward so that Gippal felt him there.
"Gippal."
He could only swallow, stay locked in Baralai's eyes. That connection didn't break, not even as Baralai finally pushed into him.
"Oh…" He winced, breath catching in his throat. It was an odd sensation, being filled and stretched this way, but at the same time, it was a delicious one.
They were part of each other, sharing something wholly theirs, and it was new for both of them.
Baralai was acting like he had a wound, clenching his eyes shut, struggling for oxygen. He swung his head up, panting at the same time. "It's…really tight… Are you okay?"
"Give me a sec," Gippal managed to grind out. "Yeah. You can…go ahead…" He could tell Baralai was still hesitant, so he wriggled his hips –
"Ahn!"
And hesitation was no more.
Baralai's hand began to pump Gippal in unison with their thrusts, making him abandon all other thoughts. He could only feel this now…here with him… Gippal pushed down, aware of his fingernails digging into Baralai, the sweat slicking the space between them, the soft noises of want escaping…
Gippal slipped a hand behind Baralai's neck and encouraged him forward so they could kiss. Baralai's pace slowed down to match that of their exploring tongues. Gippal wanted more, chest hitching as they broke apart. Baralai took his time, going in deeply and then drawing himself almost all the way out. Captivated by his eyes, Gippal squirmed beneath him. A different angle, and he was mindlessly thrashing, clenching muscles surrounding Baralai's length. Baralai groaned, driving into him faster with more force.
"Baralai…" That spot again, and Gippal couldn't stop himself from arching and moaning helplessly. "Please, ryntan (harder)… Nnn…"
The heat became more intense, and he just couldn't take –
"Mnnm!"
– it anymore.
Gippal spilled onto their stomachs, slicking up the space between them and making it hotter.
Baralai's thrusts were more erratic now, along with his breathing, and Gippal could tell how close he was. His fingertips quavered as they brushed against the delicate, dark skin of inner thighs.
Baralai came with a quiet exhalation, flooding Gippal with warmth, and almost crashed onto Gippal's chest. This display of exhaustion made Gippal realize how tired his own body was. He was grateful for how slowly Baralai pulled out, because he wanted to lengthen the feeling of Baralai being inside him as long as he could. And besides that, any sudden moves might hurt. He was sore, no denying that, but it was definitely worth it.
They nestled side by side on the cave floor that had once been cool but was now quite heated as a result of their activities. Baralai leaned over to grab his coat and pulled it over them.
"Nights here are cold," he murmured.
Gippal nuzzled his ear and pressed a kiss there. "Mmm… You're not."
A laugh. Then Baralai was suddenly serious. "Gippal… How do you feel?"
"Sticky."
Baralai still had enough energy to give him a gentle push. But he was smiling.
---
A/N: Next chapter: Traversing the desert ends, and other things begin.