7. Gradual Smile

You might think it's foolish, what you put me through.

You might think I'm crazy, but all I want is you.

- You Might Think, by The Cars -

"Do you think they're alright?" Tidus hovered next to Yuna, eyes fixed worriedly on the abyss and the pyreflies swarming above it.

"I don't know," she answered honestly, and took his hand. He pulled her close. "I hope so."

"Aw, c'mon, it's Gippal. Nothing could happen to that big meanie." The tone was right, but Rikku's cheerful words couldn't hide her anxiety as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other and back again.

Paine rolled her eyes. "Stop that."

Around them, Al Bhed whispered quietly. None of them felt comfortable in a place that had become their symbol for pain and death, of yet none of them made a move to leave. Their leader was down there, as was his friend. They might not be able to help, but they would stay until this was over, one way or another.

Oblivious to their presence, pyreflies danced

As Baralai woke up, he was sprawled across Gippal's familiar body, pyreflies zig-zagging around them. The Al Bhed's eye was closed, and for one endless terrifying moment, Baralai thought he had just imagined their argument, that he had collapsed from pain and his friend was still gone, still dead. He kneeled with the grace of panic, running his hand over the blood-soaked fabric of Gippal's shirt. It had started to dry and felt stiff under his touch, but the flesh underneath was smooth and whole and warm.

Baralai sighed in relief, before he noticed the tension that had taken residence in his friend's body. He remembered Gippal's reluctance to return, and it had him worried, because he was missing something and didn't understand what it was. Searchingly, he looked up, trying to find the answer in that familiar face. It had never been quite clear to him just what was going on in the other man's mind, but as his questioning gaze was met with one of quiet desperation, it hit him. Hard.

He gasped, twisting Gippal's shirt in a white-knuckled grip until the Al Bhed winced in pain, but he didn't care, staring in open-mouthed wonder at the man he had thought he knew.

"Gippal…" he tried to say more, if only his brain would work.

"What?"

"Gippal, you…" but the words still wouldn't come.

"What?"

He couldn't answer, so he did the only thing he could to share his revelation, to comfort, to welcome back, to reassure. Ignoring Gippal's startled "Hmphfff", he pressed his lips to the other man's, trying to convey through touch what he couldn't put into words.

His kiss was hard, desperate, without finesse. Gippal lay tense under him, unmoving, and he was just about to draw back and apologize when suddenly, there were arms embracing him, one around his waist, the other cradling his head. With a choked off moan, Gippal pulled him close, and opened his mouth.

It felt like he was trying to crawl into his friend's skin, pressing into his body and sinking into the wet heat of his mouth as their tongues clashed and danced in frantic need. Teeth, lips, damn, tonsils, he wanted it all, and he needed it now, revelling in the tiny noises coming from the Al Bhed as he tried to get even closer, bucking against him. He was drowning, flying, soaring through the skies and diving into the depths of the ocean. This was what he had wanted all along, and now that he had it, he would never let it go.

Nibbling his way across his friend's lower lip in one last caress, he pulled back, smiling into Gippal's dazed face before affectionately smacking him on the head.

"Ow! Hey!" the Al Bhed protested, but Baralai would have none of it.

"Why didn't you ever say anything?" he demanded.

"And how was I supposed to know that this would happen?" his friend snapped back, sitting up and rubbing his head. "I thought you had the hots for Dr. P!"

"Paine? Are you nuts?" Baralai asked in disbelief.

"Oh, come on, you did spend an awful lot of time together!"

"Well, yes, we're friends! What do you expect?"

"It sure didn't look like that to me!"

"Oh, right, and you're one to talk!"

"Now what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you and Nhadala seemed to get along just fine when I came by!" the ex-praetor accused.

"Nhadala? Now why on Spira would you think that?" Gippal asked disbelievingly.

"She knew about your nightmares!"

"Baralai, the whole temple of Djose knows about my nightmares. I was screaming loud enough for anyone to hear. Sleeping with Nhadala would be like incest, for fuck's sake! She's like a sister."

They stared at each other, grinning sheepishly. Gippal scratched his head.

"I guess we're both kinda stupid, huh?"

"Seems so," Baralai answered, and shrugged.

The Al Bhed rose to stand, wincing as he looked at the blood-soaked sand before him. He reached a hand out to his friend, who took it and let himself be pulled to his feet.

"You do know I love you, right?" Gippal asked, a hopeful expression on his face.

"Sure," Baralai offered nonchalantly, which earned him a punch to his shoulder. And he laughed, feeling more carefree than he could ever remember. He put his arms around his friend, and drew him in.

"I love you," he whispered, before their mouths met again, melting against each other as they allowed their emotions to run freely.

And around them, the pyreflies rose, swirling upwards in their eternal dance to hover over the Bikanel desert, sharing the love and joy of two men with those who had been waiting for them to return, before, one by one, they blinked, and faded.

End.