A/N: No reviews? That hurts. –sniff- I decided to go ahead and write because I'm tired of waiting for you all to read my last chapter. And personally, I liked it…a lot…

I am now depressed. Such an odd feeling.

All well.

Hatch of Rikku's Boat-Late Afternoon

A groan escaped the lips of Rikku, who had been set down in a pile of quilts by Gippal. As soon as he had come down, he had to admit he was a bit impressed, at her living and all,but he had no idea what to do with Rikku. So, he grabbed a number of blankets from the closet and laid her body down in the warm, comfortable folds…hoping she'd awaken soon.

"Rikku?" He asked, a bit more hopeful then he had wanted it to come out.

"Mhm?" She mumbled, eyelids fluttering open. Gippal let out a sigh of relief, and even though he would have preferred not to have one, a huge smile plastered on his face.

Rikku yawned, her mind moving at the pace of a snail. Where was she? Down in the hatch…in a pile of quilts? There was Gippal…she felt slightly wet, and she could smell the subtle scent of salt lathered onto her body…

"Oh no!" She cried, sitting up straight. "The fiend! What happened? Did it—"

The sudden memory of being encased in the octopus's tentacles sent a shiver down her spine, but she forced herself to remain cool. She slowly turned to Gippal for answers, a little surprised to see his eyebrows furrowed together and a deep frown set on his face.

"Err-Gippal?" She asked timidly. She heard a sigh escape from his lips. Casually he set his head into the palm of his hand, a seemingly bored look on his face.

"Sunny got it."

"Huh?"

"Sunny. Killed. The. Fiend." He answered dully. She thought she had seen a glint of anger in his eye, but soon it was gone. Must have imagined it. She thought.

"Could you elaborate on that?"

"He went down. Killed the fiend. Came back up with you and—and—" His clenched hand trembled slightly, but she didn't notice it.

"I took you down here." He finished lamely. Rikku eyed him with suspicion, but asked no further questions.

"I should really go up and thank him! I mean, I saw him, but I fell unconscious right when he touched a tentacle…Brave fellow…"

"What?" Gippal asked, sitting a little straighter, eye narrowed on Rikku. "Tell me what happened down there." He stated forcefully. Rikku sniffed and looked in the other direction-she didn't like how Gippal was being so bossy! She'd tell him if she wanted to…wait. Why was she being such a jerk?

Eh…might as well have some fun.

"What if I don't want to?" She asked snobbily, smothering a grin as she looked the opposite direction of Gippal. She snuck a glance to see his mouth hanging open slightly, a look of utter confusion on his face.

"Huh?"

"What if I don't want to tell you what happened?" She asked again.

"Oh, sorry-am I asking something a little too private?" He retorted with a snarl.

"What?"

"Did you and Sunny have a little smooching fest or something down there, while I waited up here for what seemed like hours, WORRYING about you?!"

It was Rikku's turn to stare at him open mouthed, with a look of confusion.

"What in Spira are you talking about, Gippal?!" She glared at him as if he had just grown an extra arm and it was waving hello to her.

"Well-well—" Gippal spluttered, sighed, and ran a hand through his hair—which wasn't so spiky lately, now that he didn't have his constant supply of hair gel.

"You were worried about me?" Rikku asked incredulously. Gippal bowed his head and answered with a feeble sort of mutter.

"What?" Rikku asked, louder. Gippal glared at her, a pink forming around his ears.

"I said yes!" He hissed, eye a slit. "Are you happy now?"

"No." Rikku stated back, feeling her stomach give a nervous sort of jiggle. He had been worried about her…but what was all this junk about her and Sunny?!

"Whaddya want now?" He asked grouchily.

"WHY you thought Sunny and I were have a 'smooching fest' as you like to call it!" Rikku was standing up now, arms crossed at her chest. Gippal too was standing up, an equally, if not more, disgruntled look on his face.

"Because-Because-well Rikku, open your eyes! Can't you see what Sunny wants?!" She saw that Gippal's face was a light shade of red…from embarrassment or anger she couldn't tell.

Rikku wracked her brain but couldn't find an answer-at least not one Gippal was looking for.

"What does he want? What does he want?! Don't be so stupid, Gippal! He wants us to make a safe journey to Djose, have some fun spending time with me again-and that's THAT!" She stomped her foot childishly, eyes flaring. Boy, this guy could make her mad!

"SAFE journey? Safe journey my-my foot!" Gippal bellowed, eye narrowed. "Get a CLUE Rikku-he doesn't care about us getting to Djose, or just catching up with you again-he wants something MORE! He-he wants YOU Rikku, alright? So quit beating around the bush and look at him! Have you even seen him? Every time he's drooling over you! He can barely keep his EYES off of you, okay? It makes me sick, the way he's pretending to be the friendly boy next-door! If you hadn't been unconscious…" Gippal trailed off, fingers rubbing at his forehead slightly, a look of aggravation and confusion written all over his face.

Rikku was stunned-no other word for it. Was Gippal out of his rocker?! Sunny didn't like her! Of course not! Gippal wasbeing such an idiot…such an over-protective, overbearing JERK who thinks he can be the only one to come within a 10-mile radius of Rikku! The nerve of that guy!

"Look Gippal," She said in a dead serious voice "I don't want you pickin' on my best friends anymore, alright? You're not the only guy who can talk to me, ya know?!" Her voice rose a bit at these words. "Yevon, ever since this stupid boat trip, you've made me feel like some caged animal! Like I can't even go and talk to my friends I haven't seen in TWO YEARS! You're being such a-such a—" She glared daggers at him, trying to find the right word.

"You're such a BABY!" She finally decided.

Gippal just stared at her, as if the words she had spoken were a foreign language. "Baby?" He asked hoarsely, and Rikku felt her stomach somewhere up by her ears, "Baby?" Gippal repeated, eye round.

"Fine. You know what? I'll be the 'baby'. Whatever." He waved a gloved hand at her, and Rikku felt even worse. "I'm sorry I'm trying to point out obvious things that'll later get you killed…I'm sorry I was being nice to you, and trying to-to save you." He shrugged and blushed lightly at this, but that was all.

"I'm so sorry I cared." He stated sarcastically, glaring at her. With that he whirled around and tromped off into the steering room, where he slammed the door so forcefully, it knocked a stack of papers off of the table.

"Ohhh no." She moaned, sliding slowly to the floor. "Oh no, oh no, oh no…" What had she done?

Well, it's not just you-Gippal started the whole thing about Sunny liking you-pff! What a loser!

But…Sunny did seem kind of jealous this morning…

AND Gippal's saying they're dangerous-what's up with that?!

Don't you remember those papers you were reading this morning? About a plan? And how odd is it that an octopus fiend comes along, so huge and so freakish…and Sunny can just send it away with a single touch?

You just don't want to admit the truth-your friends aren't who they say they are.

"No!" Rikku hissed, pulling at her hair. "They are my friends…they would never betray me…not like Gippal thinks, anyway…"

The doorway above the stairs hissed open, and Rikku hurriedly glanced up, her hands immediately clenching together. She let out a small, all too cheery laugh as Bilak stepped lower.

"Bilak! Hullo!" She grinned up at him, feeling like the biggest loser in the world-she really needed to work on her acting skills.

He gave her a curious face, an eyebrow quirk, but asked nothing.

"Hullo Rikku."

"What were ya guys doin' up there?"

"Trying to figure out where the fiend came from." He answered quickly…a little too quickly…

"Cool! So-er-did you guys go down with Sunny? To the fiend?"

Bilak gave her a slow nod. "U-huh."

"Really? Thanks soooooo much!" She cried, clasping her hands together and giving a fake giggle.

What is WRONG with me? Why can't I act normal around him anymore?

"No problem…"

"How'd you guys figure out how to get rid of it?"

"Er—a little Al Bhed gadget."

"Cool! What did it do?"

A pause greeted this. "Stuff." He coughed and hurried onto a different topic. "Where's that other guy? The-er-angry one?"

"Angry one?" Rikku asked stiffly, feeling her body tighten. "Whaddya mean?"

"Well-uh-he kinda blew up on Sunny on the deck…punched him round the head and all…"

"PUNCHED him?!" Rikku shrieked shrilly, trying very hard not to feel guilty.

"Well, not exactly punched, more like a swipe of the arm into the boat railings…"

Rikku felt the blood rush to her head. "Thanks Bilak." She stated coolly, straightening her scarf. "Now, if you don't mind, I think I'm going to go and have a little talk with…or anger management student." With that she swerved around and strode quickly over to the steering room door, a look of determination written all over her face.

…………….

"I did what you asked, Sunny." Bilak said breathlessly as he ran back up on deck. "She was seriously mad—went to go yell at that guy."

"Good." Sunny stated, his voice distant, his hand rubbing thoughtfully at his chin. "Good." He repeated quietly.

"Err-what was that for, anyway?"

"To get her sympathy, you dolt! Really!" Sunny sighed and threw his arms up in exasperation. "To make her come easier, we want her to be on our side! We heard them having an argument-that blasted boy is trying to make her believe him. He's a little too quick for my tastes-and strong." He added, wincing as he rotated his neck.

"I still don't understand why you kissed her…like that." Lienn stated sullenly, a kind of sulky glare on his features. "I mean, right in front of the boy? And-well-she doesn't even know it happened! Doesn't that seem kind of mean?"

"Mean? No, no, Lienn-I did it then so first of all, the boy would be angry, and Rikku would have a reason to want to be on our side-you know, being mad at him already, and then hearing he beat me up is a pretty good way to learn to dislike someone. Secondly, I did it when she was unconscious…" He just gave them a grin.

"Don't worry…there was a reason."

…………………….

"I mean come ON Gippal! Swiping at him?! JUST after he saved me? Seems a little unfair, he must have been so weak after all that fighting and swimming!"

"FIGHTING? I bet he just pressed a button and his little invention just flew off!" He glared at her angrily, not knowing how close he was to the truth. "Why'd you come in here anyway? To pick another fight? Sorry Cid's Girl, but I don't feel like fighting right now, alright?"

Rikku, though she felt like blowing up on Gippal, instead lowered her eyes. "You're right." She mumbled, kicking the toes of her right boot into the floor. Gippal heaved a sigh, and Rikku snuck a glance to see him leaning against a wall, arms crossed over his chest. She felt a shiver as she realized his eye was trained on her.

"Are you ever going to tell me what happened down there?" He asked suddenly. Rikku stood a bit straighter, glaring at him.

"Why?"

"Because it sounded suspic-er-interesting when you said Sunny just touched the thing and you immediately fell unconscious."

"Oh my God, Gippal…"

"Can you jest TELL me?" He finally asked, a bit louder than Rikku would have liked.

A silence followed this as Rikku hurriedly tried to make up her mind. "Fine."

And thus, the young girl told Gippal all about her journey down into the water, even her confusion about the right dressphere, and the detailed description of the fiend. Of course, she couldn't help but practically act it out, almost forgetting her and Gippal were at a tense stage right now.

To Rikku's disappointment, at the end of her story-telling, Gippal let out a snort of laughter.

"What's so funny? Don't believe me?" She asked with a slight pout.

"Oh no Cid's Girl-I believe you. Just that…" He shrugged, and Rikku felt her curiosity growing.

"Tell me!" She whined, giving him a pleading look.

"'Maybe I don't wanna." Gippal retorted in a high-pitched, just as whiney voice. Rikku giggled and punched his arm lightly.

"Just tell!"

"No."

"Come on!"

"No thank you."

"Pleeeaase?"
"Why Rikku, I never would have thought-"

"Oh you sicko!" Rikku cried, making a gagging noise and taking a step back. "Don't-augh! Just-come on, tell me—"

Without even thinking, Gippal grabbed Rikku around the waist and spun around with her very quickly, knowing soon…

"GIPPAL!" She shrieked out with a bit of giggle. "Stop it! I'm going to be sick…" Gippal slowed down to just a few steps, a huge smile plastered on his face.

Rikku felt her stomach starting to settle after being spun around madly by Gippal. She had not been expecting his warm hands to grasp her waist. But she loved it all the same.

"Gee-thanks Gippal." She muttered, glaring up at him. "Don't be complainin' when vomit gets all over your brand new clothes…"

He just grinned at her, and Rikku realized for the first time in a long time how white his teeth were…she wondered how they stayed so white…

"I don't buy new clothes," he finally murmured, snapping Rikku out of her thoughts, "as I said in Luca, I prefer to stay all natural."

Rikku just grinned up at him sheepishly, realizing first of all, his hands were still wrapped around her waist, and secondly, the two were oddly close…

"So are you going to tell me?" She finally managed, feeling his warm breath on her face. Wow, that one word had taken quite an effort.

"No."

Gippal must have noticed the blush rising in her cheeks, for he gave her a cocky grin.

"What's the matter Princess? Scared?"

"Of what?" She snapped, though she wasn't angry at all. Instead she felt rather nervous-her stomach was twisting and forming itself in all sorts of complicated knots.

"Me." He breathed, watching her carefully.

"Er-no." She lied, realizing she was actually rather frightened of him from time to time-his quickly changing personality that went from happiness to anger in a moment, having fights with him, not to mention his overall hotness unnerved her a bit…

"I'm sure." He murmured even quieter.

"Well I'm not the only one who's scared of the other!" She retorted, face now as red as a tomato.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gippal asked, his voice a bit more sharp then before.

"Well…at least I can handle a real relationship!" Rikku snapped, feeling the hatred she had had for him these past years rise to a boiling point again.

And, just to infuriate Rikku more, Gippal grinned.

Smile?! Why SMILE?! I'm talking about when you broke up with me, you DOLT! She screamed inside of her head, body seething with anger.

"You may be able to handle a relationship…" Rikku felt her heart start to pound again as Gippal got closer…their noses were almost touching…

"But can you handle this?"

And before Rikku could object, shriek, pull away, or even rip at his hair, Gippal's lips were on hers before she could say the word Spira. Her eyes widened as she felt the familiar softness of his lips, so tender…

And she realized—she was kissing him right back!

NO! STOP RIKKU! STOP! …This is going to cost you…

Letting out a contented sigh, Rikku flung her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Right now, she didn't care if it was going to cost her…she didn't care if she hated him even more after this…right now she just needed some comfort…she needed Gippal back.

Rikku heard him give a barely audible moan, and she couldn't help but almost smile. So he was enjoying this too…

The door suddenly slammed open, breaking Rikku and Gippal's lips apart-though both still clung onto each other as tightly.

"Oh-so sorry. Am I interrupting something?"

Yes! Yes you ARE, Sunny!

"No." Gippal finally stated, pulling his arms away. Rikku reluctantly did as well, suddenly remembering, though this wasn't perfect timing…Gippal had kissed her. After breaking up with her. After dating someone else.

He DOES love me, I just KNOW it!

"I—see." Sunny stated, a small smile playing at his lips. Rikku just planted her hands firmly on her hips, watching him with narrowed eyes. She snuck a glance at Gippal to see him blushing slightly…she probably was as well.

"Well-so sorry if I did—"

"You'd like that, wouldn't you Sunny?" Gippal finally cried, his voice louder than it had been in a while. Rikku was slightly taken aback, and she glanced up at Gippal questioningly. But Sunny didn't seem to surprised-on the contrary, all he did was quirk an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

Gippal took a few steps closer, and Rikku realized this was one thing she was scared of-Gippal becoming angry. Which, he was becoming right now.

"You'd love to break up something Rikku was doing just to stick your big nose in on her business, eh? Just to get as close as you possibly can to her!"

Sunny blinked a few times, and Rikku could almost feel his confusion. "I have no idea what you're talking about…Gippal, is it?"

He growled in response, eye flashing. Sunny just gave him a smile. "I suppose that's a yes, then."

Rikku took a few steps meekly over to Gippal and tugged at his arm. "Gippal?" She asked quietly, and he rounded on her—but then his eyes softened as he saw her, and Rikku felt a little braver.

"What are you talking about…"

"This-this-" Gippal was pointing a trembling finger at Sunny. He didn't care anymore if he had promised himself not to tell Rikku about what he had done-he was sure she would feel very invaded-he didn't care about trying to keep her safe-he just wanted her to get so—mad at this guy…

"This monster—"

"I'm a human, thank you." Sunny interrupted coldly.

"You didn't ACT like it!" Gippal bellowed, his hand automatically sliding to his gun holster-Rikku watched the hand with nervous eyes.

"Gippal…" Rikku muttered, now completely confused, "what did he do?"

"ASK HIM YOURSELF!" Gippal yelled, eye still stuck on Sunny. The man started to look rather nervous, his eyes a bit rounder than normal…

"What did you do Sunny?" Rikku finally managed, and she felt her suspicions arousing-stupid Gippal had finally convinced her to be a bit suspicious…now that she remembered those papers she had read on the desk…

"What did you do, Sunny?" Rikku repeated, eyes flashing.

"Absolutely nothing." He answered. "Rikku, do you actually think I would—"

"HE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF YOU!" Gippal interrupted, eye wild with anger. Rikku could tell he was having difficulty controlling his temper-this must be pretty big.

"What do you mean?" She asked coldly, feeling her insides twist.

"He-He used your body!" Gippal choked out, eye finally looking at Rikku. He saw her eyes widen, and he immediately felt sorry for telling her. He clasped her hands without thinking.

"Rikku-I'm sorry…" He muttered. Rikku just shook her blond head, and he saw something he didn't normally see-firey anger.

"SO." Rikku cried, rounding on Sunny. "WHAT DID HE MEAN BY THAT, SUNNY? HUH?"

Sunny stayed silent, his eyes watching her carefully. She didn't get an answer, so she turned to Gippal. "What did you mean?"

Her eyes were now starting to slowly fill with tears, but she didn't bother to brush them off. She was angry-sad…confused…used her body? How?

"W-When he carried you back on board…he had said your lungs had filled with water. He said he needed to perform-er-CPR…"

Rikku's eyes widened, and she touched her lips gently, a look of horror on her face.

"And-yea. He didn't get off you for the longest time…I swiped at him…"

But Rikku no longer looked horrified. She looked even more angry then before-she looked evil. Rikku was hurt. Of course. One of her 'best friends' had-had kissed her…while she was unconscious, of all things!

"You-You-" She swerved over to face Sunny, who now looked slightly frightened.

"YOU-" She strode over to him, feeling an anger she hadn't felt in a long time.

"I can't BELIEVE YOU! SICK, TWISTED, PERVERT!" She screamed, voice shrill and eyes glistening with tears.

In one swift move, the girl had raised her hand, and concentrated all her anger into it. After that, she felt her hand swat against his cheek, a force she hadn't exerted out of it in a long time falling upon his cheek. Sunny staggered, hand clutched to his cheek.

She glared down on him, breathing in to feel taller. He stood up shakily.

"Look, Rikku-"

"DON'T TALK TO ME!" She screamed, tears now falling freely.

"I TRUSTED YOU-" She gave him another hard slap.

"I FOUGHT FOR YOU-" Rikku willingly slapped him again.

"AND I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND!" She gave him one final slap on the same cheek, eyes squeezed shut.

After this came a silence, where Sunny's cheek was now burning red, blood slowly trickling down. She heard Gippal give a low whistle, and she whirled around to see him smiling…

"He-er-smirked about it." Gippal stated, and Rikku heard his tone was a hopeful sort of one. She whirled back around to face Sunny, and instantly did the same move on him she had on Gippal back in Luca-one good, hard knee to the stomach.

"Oof!" Was all Sunny managed, staggering out even more.

"That's what you get for messing around with Rikku!" She yelled, pointing up to the staircase behind Sunny. "Now go back to your little cronies and tell them I want off NOW!"

"Please, don't—" He tried to say, but Rikku cut him off with a glare only Medusa could best.

"Now." She hissed menacingly. Sunny gave a small whimper and whirled around, running up the stairs. Rikku stood stone still as she heard the hiss of the door open and close.

Then came a silence.

"Rikku?"

She turned around to see Gippal, with a-what was that? A concerned look on his face?

No…couldn't be…

"Whoa-are you crying?" He asked in a rather surprised, and awkward voice.

Rikku felt her face, and discovered it was wet with tears. "Well-" she gave a pathetic sort of chuckle "will you look at that…"

And then she burst into sobs. Without even understanding why, she slid to the ground, crying her little heart out. She was just so—confused. Why had he done this to her? Those men she had thought were her friends…and Sunny had violated her body…

Suddenly shefelt two strong arms lift her up and wrap around her shoulders, holding her close to warm chest.

"Don't cry…it makes me feel slightly awkward."

Rikku gave a hicuppy giggle and dug her head into his chest. "I just-I don't get it…"

"I liked how you slapped him." Gippal stated, and Rikku knew he was smiling.

"Thanks. It felt kinda good."

She felt her arms wrap around his neck, and the two were lost in a comfortable silence.

"Err-about earlier…"

Rikku knew he meant the kiss, and she looked up at him. "Yea?"

"Are you-mad?"

"Hmmm…not yet, but I'll probably bring it up when we're in another argument." He grinned.

"Thanks. I don't even know what came over me…"

Rikku just smiled shyly, and he did so back.

"Does it really matter?" She asked, resting her head on his chest.

"Nah…not in my book."

A/N: AAK I TOOK FOREVER SO SORRY!

But no one barely reviews my last chapter-I am sad. But I added some Gippal and Rikku fluffiness! Yay! Oh, and I added a slap-actually, quite a few, in there, just for you skyhopper!

Review PLEASE, it would make me much more happy than I have been lately…