Chapter 4
"I told you it's the only place I feel safe." Tears rolled down her cheeks and she turned away from Baralai and faced the wall.
"Paine what do you mean?" He turned her face so he could see her eyes they were a bright red from crying and they shone with fresh tears.
"Hey you two! What's going on?" Gippal's voice came from the door and he stopped when he saw that Paine was in her pajamas and Baralai only had his pants on. He started laughing. "Way to go lover boy! I didn't know you had those kinda' balls!" He left the room before Paine or Baralai could say or do anything.
"Umm what do you say we hurt him?" Baralai's soft voice broke the silence and Paine hesitated. She wanted to talk to him but she saw he was uncomfortable as it was.
She got up and changed into her Black Mage dressphere. Baralai got up and put on a light canvas shirt. Together they walked out the room and into a hut where Gippal was sitting with his arms around Rikku. The news of their marriage had been announced that morning.
"Hey Gippal!" Paine said lunging at him. "Wataga!" She said dousing him with water.
Baralai tripped him with his staff and Rikku screamed and ran over to him.
"HEY MEANIES! Stop!" she said pouting. "Are you okay Gippal?"
"Respect points. Minus 25 from Gippal and 5 from Rikku." Paine said hiding a smile.
"WHAT WHY DO I LOSE POINTS?" RIkku screamed looking hurt.
"Because you're marrying this pinhead." Paine replied.
Gippal pretending to be hurt lay with his eyes closed causing Rikku to get worried then he poked her in the sides causing her to screech with laughter.
(by the beach)
Paine sat by the water in her bathing suit that Gippal had given her all those years passed, remembering how Baralai had blushed. She got up and walked into the water going under has she got deep enough allowing the cool water to flow through her hair, she imagined all the blood from people she's killed washing away. She remembered that day when she had fought with him underneath Bevelle.
"PAINE!" He had called her name with regret.
She felt a pang of sadness wash over her at the sight of his battered body how even after Yuna and Rikku had no HP left she had still attacked with all her might swinging her sword at him as though doing so would make him go away.
'No' she thought ' you didn't want him to go away; just your feelings.'
She surfaced but didn't open her eyes fearing the water around her would be red.
"You know they say you should always swim with a buddy." A voice came from behind her. "Can I join you?"
Baralai was there walking up behind her. She looked at his well built form and then scolded herself for it knowing that she shouldn't be thinking that.
"Leave me be Praetor. You'll lose respect points, 4 to be exact." She said glancing at him not turning around.
"And how many will that make?" He said grabbing her waist and turning her around.
"97." She said laughing.
"Paine I wanted to talk to you about last night. Um when you were sleeping you kind of said something." He started but then stopped seeing her smile fade and her eyes stone over.
"Look Baralai I'll tell you once and never again you can't tell anyone what I tell you now and well, don't repeat it. It's just that day when we fought I wanted so much to beat you because I didn't want to have feelings for you anymore and I just felt like it was the only way. I'm sorry Baralai I really am and its just I don't want you to leave ever again, I wanted to tell you that when we left the Squad but I couldn't because I knew you didn't feel the same. And, and- well its just that—" She stopped and looked up at him tears once again forming in her eyes. She was mad at her self, she never cried. Until now twice, in one day.
"What about feeling safe? It was a different room both times." He inquired softly putting his hands on her shoulders.
"It's not the room I feel safe in. It's you. Being near you makes me feel safe, just thinking about you makes me feel safe and the entire time I was away I felt vulnerable. And now we have to go back to our homes? I don't want to be alone again."
"Paine—I'm so sorry." He pulled her in to him brushing his lips against hers and feeling hers tears against his cheeks. "I love you. I always have, I was worried you didn't fell the same. That day in Bevelle I thought it was the last time I was ever going to see you. And I didn't want it to end."
(On a cliff nearby)
"Move over! Idiot, I can't see what's happening?" Rikku whispered to Gippal.
"He's hugging her… wow he really doesn't have balls…" Rikku pushed him. "Ow! Cid's girl what was that for?"
Rikku grabbed the binoculars which were still around Gippal's neck. "Oh my gosh! They're kissing! EEEE This is adorable." She was leaning forward so far that Gippal was chocking. "AWWW that's soo cute!"
(Back to water)
Baralai pulled away his hazel eyes now shining with tears as well, happiness or sorrow he couldn't tell. He was happy, of course, that she felt the same way for him but he felt sorrow at how long he had ignored it.
"I'll always keep you safe." He said softly holding her close.
FIN
(A/N THE END AHAHHAHAH)
