Yay! Chapter 4 finally up! LOTS and LOTS of stuffy revealed in this chapter! NOT kidding! Fluff, drama, fluff, drama...need I say more? NO! Wait...actually yeah....R&R pwease!!
Krissy-Chan
Chapter 4
Gippal sat down after Rikku had thrown him into the woods, and brushed bits of snow off his pants.
"Sorry," She apologized, hanging her head a slightly. "I just...I don't think I'm ready to let them know yet..." she said.
"That's alright." He said as Rikku plopped down beside him.
"Sorry..." Rikku repeated.
"For what?" Gippal asked, cocking his head to one side.
"I'm moody and I always make a big deal outta everythin. I get so angry, and I didn't mean to be so mean to you. I didn't mean to...really..." she said looking at the snow.
"You're not any of those." He replied without hesitation.
Rikku stood up. "Thanks." She replied.
Then they walked into another clearing, this time at the spring. The snow sparkled around it making it look even more beautiful than it usually does.
Rikku walked into the water, making it come about to her ankles and then turned around to look at Gippal. "Cold." She informed him, shivering a bit.
She didn't hesitate, though. She walked deeper, about to her waist. It wasn't as cold as she expected.
"This is where Yuna and Tidus fell in love." She told Gippal. "Tidus came out here to talk to Yuna. But I knew that they didn't just talk. Kimarhi told me everything." She giggled a bit, remembering the past at Macalania.
"I've always kind of wondered how it felt...to have someone that loves you, like, that much..." Rikku thought aloud.
Gippal followed her into the water and stopped beside her.
Rikku giggled softly. "Okay...now you can tell me how pathetic I am." She laughed.
"Rikku?"
Rikku looked at Gippal and blinked. "Yeah?"
Gippal didn't answer. He placed one of his hands on her waist and the other on her shoulder. "Rikku." He repeated, causing her to look up at him. Gippal pulled her towards him, brushing his lips softly against hers in a gentle kiss. Rikku's eyes were still wide open in shock but soon closed them as Gippal wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
Rikku looked up at him and smiled thoughtfully as he embraced her delicately in his arms.
"Gippal...?" she looked up at him.
"Yeah."
"Could you walk me to the airship?" she asked.
Gippal nodded and shivered a bit as they walked onto the snowy shore.
Rikku walked close by him and then interlocked her fingers with his as they made their way towards the airship.
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Rikku exhaled noisily and plopped down on her bed. "Thanks."
"No problem," Gippal replied headed down the stairs. "Just tell me if you need anything."
"Okay..." Rikku sighed and laid her head on her pillow once more that night.
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"Rikku." A monotone voice came from the end of her bed.
Rikku blinked a few times and then sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Paine?" she asked in a calmed manner.
Paine nodded. "We're home." She enlightened her.
Rikku smiled and scurried to the bathroom to get changed. She wore faded light blue jeans and a black quarter sleeved blouse. Her stone studded belt glimmered as she pranced out into the snow, spinning happily as she went.
"Home!!" she squealed in bliss.
Wakka and Lulu departed to their hut as Rikku took Leblanc to hers. Then Tidus brought Baralai and Nooj into his own for the night.
"Well, it's not much but its home." Rikku said standing in contentment at her colorful and cheery living room.
Leblanc sighed noisily as Rikku rolled her eyes at the fact they both knew this was going to be a long night.
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"Butterflies? How do butterflies get in your stomach?" Rikku questioned, cocking her head to one side in bewilderment.
"Honestly, you're brainless, love. I mean fluttery feelings in your stomach like butterflies...not butterflies literally in your stomach." Leblanc educated.
"I guess I got that when he kissed me...but it doesn't mean anything...does it?" Rikku asked, hugging her blanket closer to her face to hide a shade of pink making its way across her cheeks.
"Take it from me, he likes you...better than a friend."
Rikku's eyes enlarged and then she swung her feet over the side of her bed and stood up walking toward her front door. She clutched her light crimson pullover and then started out the door.
"I'll go find out for myself." She told Leblanc over her shoulder.
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Rikku knocked lightly on Tidus' front door and then positioned her hands in her pockets as she waited.
"Rikku? Is everything alright?" Tidus asked, gazing out into the snow-covered town.
"Yeah, um...can I speak to Gippal?" she requested, taking a pace in the direction of the door.
"Uh, sure." Tidus replied, heading back into the hut."Hey." Gippal welcomed her.
Rikku shuffled her feet nervously and then looked into his dark green eye. She breathed deeply, making her breath show in the chilly winter air. "Do you wanna go for a walk?" she asked quietly, rubbing her cold arms.
"Sure."
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Rikku and Gippal strode through the dense woods in back of the temple, the snow crunching beneath their shoes.
Rikku opened her mouth several times to speak but got nervous each time. She kicked away fallen twigs and bits of snow as they walked unhurriedly. Gippal turned to look at her and noticed she wasn't herself. She was pale and shaking, only a bit of color appeared on her cheeks.
"Rikku?"
"Y-yeah?"
"Are you okay? Do you want me to take you home?" Gippal asked.
"Gippal. I'm fine. But I need to ask you something." She stated, turning to look into his comforting gaze.
Gippal nodded in approval. "Ok."
"Um...It's kinds like...about why you gave me...umm...the gift."
Gippal knew that subject was coming. He could tell by her behavior. She was acting quite...abnormal. He paused for a moment just staring at her...and looking for a rational answer.
"Well?" she asked kindly but with a tad of intolerance.
Gippal knew it. He had to answer that question. There was no way out of it now.
"Rikku...I,"
Rikku didn't know why, but her insides felt as if they were on fire. Her face burned and her stomach was doing somersaults. She turned to look at him when she felt something grab her hands. Gippal took hold of her hands and watched her pant nervously.
"I love you."
Rikku stepped backwards and then blinked a few times. She clutched her stomach, which seemed to be doing constant somersaults, nonstop.
Gippal also stepped backwards, nervously. And before Rikku realized it she was calling out his name.
"Gippal!!" she cried out at him.
Gippal was running deeper into the woods, dodging tree branches and jumping over large roots and stumps.
"GIPPAL!! WHERE ARE YOU GOING??" she shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth.
Rikku dropped her hands to her sides and groaned loudly before running after him.
"Hey!! Slow down!" she panted, placing her hands on her knees and panting loudly. "Gippal..."
Rikku wiped her face from the beads of sweat dripping down until she realized they were tears. "I HATE YOU GIPPAL!!" she screamed, dropping to her knees.
She buried her face in her hands, tears dripping from her emerald colored eyes. She breathed heavily and then stood up, and with impressive speed ran toward the town once more, crying as she went. She was so heated and dejected and felt...alone. How could he have just said that and then left her so mystified.
Unexpectedly, Rikku scampered into someone who noticed her.
"Rikku!" Yuna cried wrapped her arms around the crying Al Bhed. "Rikku, what's going on? What's wrong?"
Rikku bawled into her heartening cousin's shoulder and mumbled blurred words as she cried.
Yuna rubbed her cousin's back comfortingly and then looked deep into the forest. "Where's Gippal?"
Rikku lifted her face from Yuna's shoulder and focused her teary eyes on Yuna's. "I need the airship."
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See? SEE WHAT I MEAN!!???!?!? BWAHAHA!! ...ahem...yeah... thanks for reading... ::huggies for aaallll reviewers::