Disclaimer: Don't own shit.

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Ahem.. Ahaha, Kid Rock... Right. I knew that.... That's what I get for borrowing a mixed CD from someone v.v
Thankies for reviewing, and I guess I'll just stick with the title I have. For now. e.e Knowing me I'll probably change it twenty-five plus times... Is it all right so far? :S And I screwed up on the last one, for one part of it, it said 'Rikku First Person POV' but it wasn't. So whatever. I'll get around to changing it.

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Rikku's POV

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It's been nearly a fortnight since I've met Sir Auron's son, Leije. I made my way back to Djose Temple, and why Leije accepted my offer to come, I really couldn't say. Well, yeah... It wasn't exactly an offer, more like an order - but still! Maybe he wanted to get to know me. Or maybe he doesn't have anywhere else to go. Wait... Maybe he just wants to meet the famous High Summoner. Hmmph. Well, that would be awfully rude of him, using me like that. Even though I invited him.

...Oh well.

But, I get the feeling that he's coming for a different reason. I know, I can almost sense that he's been having the same dreams. But then, why have we not spoken of it yet?

Anyhow, I got a hold of Yuna and told her that I had found someone that I'd like her to meet. Being me, I decided it should be a secret, a surprise of sorts, but maybe I should have just came out and said it. Maybe then she wouldn't have postponed the meeting - a whole three weeks, too! The nerve!

I'm being selfish, though. She had her reasons. Baralai was upheld with meetings and such, he couldn't possibly schedule it any sooner. Honestly, I can't really remember why I wanted Baralai to meet him; he wasn't close to Auron, right? Ah, I'm thinking too much. Anyhow, Yunie had also preceded to tell me that she was in the final stages of her pregnancy... Her baby was scheduled to be due in exactly two weeks... Oh, cred.

It's two weeks now! And to think that I had spaced on the arrival of her second child. You think she'd have waited, I mean, she already has little one year old mini-Jecht running around. Pretty scary, if you ask me. Maybe I'm just not as excited as before, it being the second child and all. Or maybe we've grown apart. Just a teensy-weensy bit.

Where was I? Ah... Well, Leije wasn't upset about having to wait, which surprised me a little. He just nodded his head and went off to sign up for some work. I was thrilled - I was going to get to work with him.

Have you ever believed the saying, "Love at first sight"? I used to, back when I was completely infatuated with Gippal. In fact, I don't remember ever not liking him. Back when we were kids, he was the sweetest thing - but as soon as his friends showed up, he'd treat me like dirt. And then - whoosh - he hit puberty, and man, was that hell on me. Believe me, it's not the most pleasant feeling when you run into your crush and some chick making out in the shadows - several times. The odd thing was, all of his friends came and went. along with his assortment of girls. But the constants - the only constants in his life, mind you - were Brother, Buddy, and me. That's gotta count for something, right? But a girl can only take so much of jealousy and anger and abandonment before she goes numb to it all.

That day when I was fifteen, the day when Gippal tried his 'moves' on me, completely freaked me out. Did he think I was just another of his girls? I couldn't be that. I was one of the constant things, right? If I turned into one of them, eventually he would have ditched me for someone prettier, someone sexier, and then everything we had would have been destroyed. So I slapped him, yelled the nastiest words I knew at that age and told him that I'd never, ever even consider dating him - and in a much nicer tone, that I wanted to be friends.

He stopped making moves on me after that, we stayed friends, he continued to date random girls every three days - but he told people that we were going out. Figures. I should have kept the bitch tone going on.

Ugh, time to get my head out of the clouds and back in my present life.

So, Leije signed up to work at the Faction for a few weeks, and we got to know each other. At times he's got this whole I-have-no-feelings thing going on, like a chibi Sir Auron, but when you get to know him he's got the disposition of a mischievous little boy. Like Gippal, minus the flirting and the cockiness. And the sarcasm. And the- ...Okay, maybe he's not like Gippal. In that case, why am I comparing them, anyway? Why am I even thinking about Gippal?

Ah, speaking of Gippal... Apparently when he hired Leije he didn't know that I was already acquainted with him, or that he was Sir Auron's son. Wait... Why would he know that anyway? Heheh.. Sometimes Gippal can be such a dumbass...

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Flashback

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"You guys doin' all right? No problems?"

"Oh, of course not, Gipp! We're fine," Four pairs of eyes flashed their most luring, seductive looks in his direction, all while trying to look professional and efficient at their jobs. The male workers around all snorted in disgust and muttered a few 'fine's and 'all right's.

"Great, great," Gippal grinned and strutted out through the corridors. Entering one of the workrooms, he scanned to make sure everyone was present, doing their job, the usual. Then he noticed that Rikku wasn't present.

A little off, Gippal faintly wondered if she quit already. "Hey Runnet," he called out to one of the workers situated in Rikku's division.

"Gippal, nice to see you again," Runnet replied in a sweet voice, clearly remembering the previous weekend.

"Where's Rikku at?"

"Oh. Her. She was sent to check up and repair the Tacdnuoan. Who knows how long it'll take her to finish it; she's been preoccupied. Less focused on her work, and all. You should lower her paycheck," Runnet commented smugly.

"Preoccupied? With what?"

"Ahhm..." She flushed, quite forgetting Gippal was there. "Oh, there's this new guy. He's not Al Bhed but... wow! I wouldn't mind giving him a try," she blinked and noticed that Gippal had given her an odd look. "I mean if I wasn't already completely head over heels for you," She added quickly. Gippal ignored her.

He glanced around the room, looking as uninterested as humanly possible. "So, is he in this division?"

"Oh, yes. Thankfully,"

"Where's he at? I don't see anyone new,"

He's with Rikku fixing the Tacdnuoan. The really do make quite the team-"

"Okay, thanks. Keep working, guys," Gippal left the room without even finishing the conversation.

In one of the more solitary rooms, Gippal finally came across the Tacdnuaon and his lost workers.

Rikku kneeled down, covered in grease and tried her hardest to concentrate on the repairs. With eyes locked on the core, she yelled, "Leije, toss me that wrench, will ya?"

"Sure thing, Ri," Leije fished for the right wrench. Getting a hold on it, Leije made a motion to her - and then chucked it through the air.

Dodging her head and catching the flying piece of metal, Rikku attempted a glare. "HEY! I didn't mean literally. Sheesh,"

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Lady Rikku," Leije bowed his head, looking somewhat repentant. Rikku just giggled and wiped grease all over his shirt.

"Sorry if I'm interrupting anything," Gippal cleared his throat, making his presence known.

Rikku's attention snapped to Gippal, and Leije retreated to his usual disposition around strangers - amused, distant, and a this-has-nothing-to-do-with-me-so-I-don't-really-care sort of attitude.

"Oh, it's just you," Rikku gave out her playful smile.

'What's she so happy about all of the sudden? Last time I checked she was depressed... Hey, I remember that face...'

Who're you?" Gippal directed to Leije, who looked a little vexed by the question.

"Leije... you hired me little over a week ago."

"Oh," Gippal was a bit relieved. Why, he couldn't tell.

"Yup, yup! I convinced him to work here for a little while until Yunie and Baralai are ready to meet him." Rikku chirped in.

'What the hell? Why do they need to meet this punk?'

Rikku seemed to have read his mind. "Gippal, this is Leije - Sir Auron's son." She preceded to zone out, thinking of Yevon-knows-what.

"Sir who?"

That snapped her back. "Sir Auron. Yunie AND her pa Braska's guardian?"

"Huh. Well isn't that nice," Gippal smirked. 'So we've got a big shot here. Grrreeaaat.'

For some reason, Gippal just didn't like him. It wasn't that he didn't trust him, or didn't believe him, or thought he was an idiot.. He just couldn't pin point it. It probably had nothing to do with him at all.

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End Flashback

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Heh, one of the rare times when Gippal was out of smart ass remarks. That certainly made my day. But a small part of me - okay, maybe more of a medium-sized part of me - was hoping that he'd show a small fraction of jealousy. I couldn't tell, but I guess jealousy isn't one of his faults. Besides, he has tons of women drooling over him. Who cares about me? I certainly didn't before.

But now, I can't explain why - but I'm starting to feel.. happy again. Like my old self, like I had during the Gullwings, like I had during most of Yuna's pilgrimage. I had caught the icky disease of depression and suddenly I had found my cure. A friend, a rare one that understands what it means to be lonely. To be something your not. To smile and laugh and talk every day and lead a fake, pretend life that no one but you knows about. I think it might be Leije. I can't explain why exactly, but he makes me feel like I belong.

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Normal POV

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"Ugh, finally! Work is over!" Rikku stumbled into the cafeteria, yawning and stretching all the while. Going through the buffet line, Rikku's eyes scanned the seats and snapped fixed on Leije's form. Skipping merrily over there, she was observed by more than a few jealous women - and Gippal.

"Ho, boy. How much longer until we get to head to Bevelle?" Rikku was getting overly anxious, and when she's anxious, well - you can just toss any hope for working right out the window.

"Don't look at me. You're the one who planned it."'

Rikku glared at the man next to her. "Another week, right?" she sunk her head into the table, a few strands of hair falling into her mashed potatoes, quite unaware why she was receiving girly giggles from the other tables. Was everyone always watching them?

Light bulb. Rikku's head snapped up, bits of potato flying behind her. "I've got it, Leije?"

"Err, got what?"

"We've got a whole week, and I can't possibly work under these stressful conditions, so... Let's go visit your mother. I really really wanna meet her, and I don't think we'll have time with Yuna and all-" Rikku was practically bouncing with joy - no, wait, she was bouncing. Yes, she was standing up and basically making a public announcement.

Leije looked a bit uncomfortable. "Well.. I.. I don't see what the big deal is. I haven't spoken with her in so long.. I don't even remember.."

"C'mon, it'll be fun!" Rikku lightly punched him on the shoulder, intent on making him at least a bit happier. It didn't work. "Oh, I know, we can sneak away at night too, so that everyone will think we've mysteriously disappeared - and Gippal will freak out, maybe anyway, and-"

"Or we could just leave in the morning." Leije cut in.

"Yeah. Or that."