My chapters, I admit, are confusing. I think. And I think that you'd be confused with this one too - I think...

No, this chapter isn't "related" with: "I think" I KNOW!!

Anyway, flame me - like I care... hahaha... (There's total OOCness in this chapter - all chapters have too! I think...) I know, I'm annoying. Sorry.

Chapter 14

I DO

"Gippal?" the girl turned around.

"Lyda!" Gippal exclaimed.

(A/n: I couldn't think of another name. the name LYDA is actually CUTE in Al Bhed. I know, I'm lame.)

Lyda was Gippal's old friend. Also known as Gippal's past girlfriend and Brother's crush.

"You've grown!" Gippal looked down to Lyda's (you-know-what) and his eyes widened, "A LOT!" he added.

"Yeah, I'm a model now. Actually, I just signed the contract yesterday." she giggled.

Gippal smiled," Really? That's great!"

-----

Rikku looked at her fingers. Her fingers were meddling with the strands of her scarf.

"Anything wrong?" Baralai asked.

"Stop asking that," Rikku glanced at Baralai, "Nothing's wrong. You know that."

Baralai grinned, "Okay, fine."

-----

The lift reached a secret tower in Bevelle. It was Baralai's place. The lift stopped by the top of the tower.

Baralai jumped off and assisted Rikku off the lift.

"Thank you." Rikku thanked.

Baralai unlocked the door with a key, opened it and said, "Welcome to my place. Feel at home." and stepped in the house.

Rikku followed in. Her hands were behind her back, "Wow. Neato!" Her eyes wandering, catching every significant detail.

Baralai's house was big, clean, organized and had this 'homey' affect.

"I thought I was going to be on a special tour or something." Rikku let herself fall on a red felt-like covered wide sofa.

"You want a tour?" Baralai asked.

"No, no. This is fine." Rikku showed her appreciation. Her eyes still wandering.

-----

"So how does it feel like being the machine faction leader?" Lyda asked Gippal. For some reason, they end up walking in Luca with help of Gippal's machina invention.

(Wondering how? from Bevelle to Macalania to Thunderplains to Guadosalam to Moonflow to Mushroom Rock Road to Mi'hen to Luca. Haha! Pretty far, I know)

Both were sitting on the bench.

"It's fun. But it's also difficult at times. I have to be tolerant and everything..." Gippal answered.

"Tolerant? You! Gippal?" Lyda laughed.

Gippal laughed along. He knew his past. He knew how he was before The Calm, before Sin - before the Crimson Squad.

"Anyway, how's your life, now?" Lyda asked.

The first thing that popped out in Gippal's mind was... Rikku. He decided; he had to say it.

"To tell you the truth," he started, "I'm down - at the moment."

"Down? Why?" Lyda asked in concern.

"Rikku." Gippal simply said.

"Rikku? That pretty girl whose brother was... Brother? The one who had a crush on me before?" Lyda asked.

"Yes." Gippal sighed.

"What'd she do?" Lyda asked.

"I don't - I -" Gippal tried to answer.

-----

"So, about Gippal," Baralai sat beside Rikku.

"What about the hypocrite?" Rikku gave a stern look at Baralai.

"Hypocrite?" Baralai echoed. "Anyway, why isn't he with you?" Baralai acted innocent. As if he wasn't aware that he was the reason why Rikku and Gippal broke up.

(Baralai recorded that sphere in the Celsius that night when the Gullwings had a party. Baralai knew that Rikku was in a relationship. Baralai knew everything. It was Baralai who broke Rikku's sweet life - it's all Baralai's fault.)

"I don't wanna talk about it." Rikku looked away.

"Why not?" He questioned.

"You really wanna know?" Rikku asked.

Baralai nodded, not minding that he had crossed the line of secrecy between acquaintances - as long as Rikku didn't mind either, it was okay.

"Well, I don't exactly know why it happened. But it all started when we were looking for that sphere in Kilika. You were there. You remember that, don't you?" Rikku blinked.

Baralai nodded.

"Okay... to cut the story short, the sphere showed a scene between Gippal and me. And apparently, Gippal didn't like his 'love life' being recorded in an average sphere. Then, after one second," Rikku snapped her fingers, "He was gone." tears began to roll down her cheeks.

Baralai wrapped his arm around Rikku and lend his shoulder.

-----

"...and I'm starting to think that it's my fault." Gippal ended, crouching down, resting his arms resting on his thighs.

"Aw, don't think like that. It's no one's fault - I think. Well, at least no one between you and Rikku." Lyda gave Gippal a back rub to help even just a little.

"You still love her, huh?" Lyda asked.

-----

"But you still love him, right?" Baralai asked.

-----

"I do." both Rikku and Gippal looked up and said together.

-----

"I do. I love you." Gippal's voice echoed in Rikku's head.

And so was Rikku's voice in Gippal's head with the same words.

So, about the flames, REMEMBER! NOT too hurtful/harsh... TY, people!