Hello people! I am very glad that people are enjoying my story. I'm very glad. Sorry that I wasn't able to post this up sooner, my teachers have decided to be very evil and load me with homework. Yes, it's tragic. But hopefully the Valor and honor of good will win out and they will cease to give me as much homework.

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Dream a Little Dream

Chapter 12 : He loves me, He loves me not

Did I tell you all how wonderful life is?

I didn't?

Well then. Life is fabulous. Wonderful.

For those of you who already don't know, or have just recently decided to join us, Gippal thinks I'm in love with Clasko.

And I have absolutely no problem with letting him think that.

Unfortunately I don't think Clasko very much appreciates it. As it was, Gippal's been sending Clasko evil, "I-will-kill-you-in-your-sleep" glares. Which is entirely amusing for me.

Of course it would be too much to assume that Gippal was jealous.

Did people like Gippal get jealous? But see, if he were jealous, it would mean that he actually felt something for me besides what I think he feels.

Which he doesn't. So him being jealous is completely far-fetched. Right?

Right?

Right.

At the current moment, Gippal was trying to bore a hole into poor Clasko's skull. I wrapped my arm around Clasko's shoulders(oooh, I'm evil) and smiled at him(Clasko).

More for moral support then anything else. But I don't think Gippal took it that way.

His eye narrowed, and his hands clenched and unclenched, almost if they were itching to wrap his fingers around someone's neck. He had absolutely no right to do that of course. He was just being a baby.

"Clasko?" I asked Sweetly.

Gippal nearly snarled. His hand going on the hilt of his gun. Uh-oh.

Should I be worried?

"Y-yes?" Clasko said, somewhat unnerved by my actions, and the way that Gippal was looking at him.

"Do you think I could borrow one of your higher level Chocobos?" I said cheerily.

Clasko's eyes brightened at the prospect of discussing Chocobos.

Honestly. He would probably marry one of his chocobos if he had the chance to. Er. And if it weren't totally disgusting.

"Sure, I've been feeding one of them some extra special greens, a cocktail that I mixed myself, she's absolutely beautiful, do you want me get her ready?" He asked, almost with a painful eagerness that made me feel slightly embarrassed for him.

Poor boy must not have had any friends when he was a child.

"Yes, please" I gave him a tight, grateful hug for being so amicable. He scurried off, cooing to one of the chocobos following him.

See? Now why can't everyone be like that?

Gippal had taken his gun out and was now calmly loading it. He was humming tunelessly to himself. Almost happily.

It scared me. "er......Gippal?" I asked, cautiously, afraid that he'd busted some brain circuit in all his scowling and stuff.

He looked at me. Went back to loading his gun.

"He's too fat for you." He said nonchalantly. "And he's short." He frowned.

"He also seems to be lacking a couple hundred brain cells." He added, almost as an afterthought.

I blinked. Well. That was completely random. Clasko wasn't in the best of shape, but he certainly wasn't fat. Short, yes, and he wasn't exactly the brightest star in the sky, that was for sure.

"I should put him out of his misery" Gippal said, locking the bullet shaft, and clicking off the safety.

Eeeeeeek! He couldn't-- he-he wouldn't!

........would he?

He turned around, making a motion to follow the way Clasko had gone, still humming tunelessly.

I grabbed him. "Gippal, please don't hurt him."

I didn't want to have Clasko's death on my conscience because I wanted to get Gippal off my trail

He turned to me. His eye unreadable.

He stared at me. Watching me with that pretty eye if his, reflecting the light of the torches and also burning with some strange emotion I couldn't read. I was kind of scared at the moment. Not of Gippal.

To me, no matter what he did, he would never be able to scare me. Startle me, yes.

Embarrass me? To no end.

Make me feel all tingly and warm even as I wanted to strangle his neck? All the time.

But scare me? No.

I was cared for Clasko. Of what Gippal might do to him. I've heard stories(eavesdropped on Paine and Baralai, and Nooj as they recollected about past events) about Gippal.

Through them, I learned more then I wanted to know. That one moment he could be the easygoing, annoyingly cheerful person I knew in my childhood.

The next second he was a cold-blooded soldier.

I didn't know what he was right now.

He was still staring at me. Probing, questioning..

It made me feel naked.

I didn't like it. The way his eyes kept sending unwanted shivers up my spine.

He leaned close to me, he lips only a breath away.

I knew he was about to kiss me, and at this point, I was too shivery to stop him. I don't think I wanted to.

He leaned closer, I could feel his breath, and then--

"Okay Rikku, everything's ready. Were you going to take....I'm I interrupting something.....?" eeek!!

Clasko was back. And I was mortally embarrassed. I tried to move away from Gippal, but his arm snapped around my waist and clutched me close to his side. He glared at Clasko again.

Spira, if looks could kill......

For Shiva's sake, did he have to so warm, and comforting, and strong?

No. No Damnit. He didn't.

But he was. Stupid Jerk and his manly manliness!

I could see his hand, twitching back to re-grab his gun (He put it down in the throes of our almost passion).

My hand snapped out and grabbed his hand, which was across his stomach. Did he have to have so much muscle?

No.

Why couldn't Gippal have been born fat, bald, and missing teeth?

He glared at me. I glared right back. What was promising to be an interesting glaring contest was interrupted by Clasko

"Erm, Sir?" He asked Gippal. Gippal looked at him, his expression changing from murderous to potentially hostile curiosity.

"Yes?" Gippal answered, through slightly clenched teeth.

"Will you be going with her?"

Gippal's eyebrows shot up.

I wanted to grab Gippal's gun myself, and shoot Clasko at the moment. But I valiantly resisted the urge to do so.

"Well--" Gippal started.

"No, he won't, But thank you for asking Clasko, it was very considerate of you." I said.

Gippal glared at him, then turned his glare on me.

"I'm Coming." He stated flatly.

"No." I stated just as flatly.

He tried another tactic.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

Oh no buddy, you aren't going to find out where I'm going. Not that easily.

"Luca" I lied.

His eyes narrowed slightly. Suspicious.

I shrugged. I had to get rid of him. He wasn't supposed to know.

"Clasko?" I asked, ignoring Gippal. I peeled him away from me. "Can I speak to you alone, for a moment?"

Gippal snarled that time. Really, like a wolf. snarled.

"Uh....sure Rikku-"

The next thing I know, Gippal had Clasko by the neck, pinned to a wall.

eeeeeek!!

I lunged forward and grabbed Gippal's arm.

"Gippal! Put him down!"

He wasn't listening. Ack I had to do something before Clasko ran out of air.

I grabbed Gippals face and kissed him.

Believe me, It surprised me just as much as it surprised him.

Why was I kissing Gippal? Didn't I promise myself that I wouldn't do anything to make him suspect my feelings?

So why was I kissing him? Right, to save Clasko's life.

I heard Clasko gasp, and choke and breath in coarsely. Deep shuddering breaths. I heard his armor (Lot of good that did him) clank gently together as he slid down to the floor.

I assumed Gippal let him go. There were....one....two arms holding me. Yep, Gippal had let him go.

Right at the moment right now, he was thoroughly engrossed in attacking my mouth. Invading it with his tongue, nipping, and biting, and basically raiding my lips with his.

It was possibly the most carnal kiss I had experienced. I'd be lying through my teeth if I said I didn't like it. His hands were everywhere. I couldn't bring myself to pull back.

But I did. Against the odds. against what my body was tell me, against what my heart was telling me, I pulled back.

It broke my heart.

"I'm coming with you." he said with determination. The light in his eye brighter then it was before.

I closed my eyes and I knew what to do. "Okay." I said. Looking at him, I smiled.

"Why don't you go get another Chocobo?" I said, he nodded, and walked away.

Let me just make sure Clasko's okay "I'm really sorry about that Clasko."

Clasko grinned sheepishly, "It's okay. I've never seen anyone who looked so jealous, I should feel used." He grinned. "But I don't"

Jealous? Gippal? Impossible.

"You're wrong Clasko, buddy boy. He doesn't get jealous"

Clasko made a sound that sounded suspiciously like a snort. "whatever you say Rikku."

I could feel Clasko watching me as I took out my new pistols. I started loading them with low Level Alchemy bullets. I didn't want to use the Medium and high level ones just yet. I didn't need them at that moment.

I took a deep breath and started walking towards Gippal. My pistols still in my hands, loaded. I hated myself for what I was going to do, but I couldn't let him follow me. I wouldn't put his life in possible danger because of me. He was petting a chocobo. Clasko, who stood behind me, I could feel all his negative thoughts about Gippal(possibly thinking he was a mean, scary jerk) fade away.

You can tell if someone is a good person by how they treat a Chocobo. Clasko had once said to me. He was right.

I motioned Clasko to gradually shoo out the Chocobo so only Gippal would be left in the stall.

I raised my gun. Thought of an iron cage, unbreakable. To hold him for the night, and all through late in the afternoon tomorrow.

I swallowed. He turned around. stared at the gun. looked at me.

"...Rikku...?"

Shiva it hurt. I didn't want to do this. I felt like I was betraying him.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. "I'm really, really sorry, I hope....when this is all over, you'll find it in your heart to forgive me."

And I fired.

I didn't look at him, I knew he was in the cage. I knew he was trapped. I knew I'd made him feel like I'd betrayed him.

I took the Chocobo Clasko silently offered me. And I got on.

It maybe was the fact that this was an omen that Gippal and I would never be together. Maybe it was an omen that I wasn't meant for this world.

Maybe I was just growing up.

Or maybe it was because of Gippal's voice, calling out to me. Hurt, betrayal, and(if you can believe it) concern, calling out to me that had me riding out as fast as I possibly could.

The Chocobo, sensing that I didn't want to stop, shot forward and ran like Sin himself was on it's very heels, all the way to Remiem Temple.

It was then, when I was at the entrance of the temple, I allowed myself to cry.

I wanted my story to end right there. If I had to push away the person I loved just so I could save the world from time. Saving people who would probably be happier if the Al Bhed were gone.

But Stronger voices kicked me in the butt. I heard my mom's voice. Remember what she said to me after she had saved Pops from a particularly nasty Machina .

"Doesn't matter if you die, little sunshine, when your daddy was out there, about to get cut in two, I couldn't let something I could stop take my man away from me, now could I? I wanna protect your daddy, even though the silly man thinks he can protect himself. When you find love, I hope that someone is worthy enough that you'll be able to give your life up, just to protect him. Just like I would, for your daddy."

I have found him, Mama. I thought.

Suddenly, I felt better. I didn't feel bad anymore. I was protecting someone I loved. Just like I protected Yuna.

This was what I was gonna do. My story, I'll see it all the way through.

With or without a happy ending.

Damn straight. And when this is over, I'll be happy.

It's all in perspective you think of.

And if by any chance Gippal does find me again. I'll just have to strangle him.

er....Or do the same thing I did now.

I smiled. Or I could say something that would probably stop him in his tracks and have him shocked for long periods of time. But I won't. It was just a thought.

What would I say?

Simple. The Truth,

But I'll never say it, at least not out loud.

Never say

I love you, Gippal.