Title: Something Like Love

Author: CrimsonRose327

Summary: A collection of several vignettes (some may be multi-chaptered) centering mostly on the romantic relationships of Final Fantasy X-2.

Part Two

A Storm in Djose

I was cold.

That was one of the first things I realized after my somewhat peaceful sleep had been disturbed by a particularly violent sneeze. I coughed burrowing deeper into the down comforter I had been provided with. A gush of air hit me causing me to sneeze again.

I sat up eyebrows furrowed as I listened closely. I didn't hear the usual pitter patter of the rain drops furiously tapping the glass but instead the splash of water hitting the stone floor. I looked in the direction of the window.

Yup, it was open.

Slowly and some what labored I got up, wrapping the comforter around my body. I walked over to the window, sure enough a puddle had formed at the bottom of the window and the window sill was covered in a thin layer of water. My arms were splashed with freezing cold water as I reached up to pull back the latch and pushed the window closed.

'Leaving a sick persons window open, how considerate of your Gippal,' I thought to myself as I shuffled like an old woman back to my bed.

I sat up, staring in awe at the sight in front of me. The room was now lit by several thunder spheres in the walls, allowing me to clearly see Gippal, on his hands and knees cleaning up the water that had accumulated on the floor the night before.

I rubbed my eyes. Gippal, cleaning? I must be delusional...yea that's it...I was delusional.

"Gi...Gippal?"I asked somewhat timidly. He turned around, facing me,

"Ay, your up!" he said flashing me his stupid cocky grin...I hated that grin...

He stood up setting the rag down on the now dry window sill.

"I got something for you," he said moving to a table in the far corner of the room and coming back with a tray. He placed it in my lap smiling proudly. The tray contained a bowl of chicken noodle soup, a cup of orange juice, and a vile of green liquid...most likely medicine...grossness...

"I'd have made you some toast if you woke up a little earlier," he said

"What time is it?" I asked looking out the window. Because of the storm the day just looked gray, no moon, no sun, just clouds, rain and...lightning.

"It's four in the afternoon, so I figured soup would be best,"

"Wait, you made this?" I asked picking up the spoon, now a little weary of tasting it. He nodded.

"Sure did Cid's girl, just for you," he said

'Oh crap, I'm blushing,'

"Thanks," I said trying to keep the shock out of my voice. I lifted up a spoon full and brought it to my lips. I gasped slowly putting the spoon down into the bowl. Gippal was at my side in an instant.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Slowly I turned my head to face him.

"You...made...this?" I asked, my taste buds doing back flips. He nodded somewhat reluctantly. "This...is...GREAT!" I exclaimed proceeding to shove spoon fulls into my mouth ignoring the heat. He laughed nervously, inching slowly away from me.

He turned to face the window, rubbing the back of his head. "Listen, about the window thing, I wasn't thinking...sorry,"

I stopped mid mouthful, I could feel a noodle hanging out of my mouth.

'I must be hallucinating' I thought. First, Gippal was cleaning. Gippal never cleans...I've seen his room...maybe you have too, it's called a junkyard, Second, He cooks...and now he's apologizing?! I was tempted to say 'Who are you and what have you done with my Gippal?!' But hey, if some alien wanted to take over Gippal's mind and make him civilized who was I to deny Spira that pleasure? Who was I?

He laughed a little, leaning in closer. My cheeks were on fire as I felt his fingers brush across my lips. They burned an even deeper red when I realized that he was brushing off the noodle that had been dangling there the whole time....

"Cute Cid's girl cute," he said flicking the noodle into the garbage can. "Don't forget to drink your medicine," he said with a smirk.

I looked down reflecting on the intense embarrassment I had just suffered.

"You know what I like about you Rikku?" he said hand playing the doorknob. "When your embarrassed, you look like a tomato," he said with his cocky smirk and his stupid laugh before closing the door.

I glared at the door...I hate tomatoes!...'Wait a second,' I thought, not able to stop the smile from spreading across my face. For once he hadn't called me Cid's girl or kiddo. He'd remembered my name. He called me Rikku. I never wanted to hear someone say name as much I wanted to hear him say it and I didn't even know it. 'Gippal's not that bad," I thought...woah...I must be delusional.

A/N: Fin! Yay! My first completed fanfic! Yay! What did you think? I really should be studiying for my american history midterm tommorow....o well...

Thanks so much to:

BlackEyedMistress

HomestarGirl69

oOoDancingQueenoOo