Sorry it took so long for me to finally get this up, but the good news is I have most of the fourth chapter done, so you definitely won't be waiting long for that one. Thanks to all the reviewers, I'm glad you like what you've read so far.
Now, I don't own any aspect of Final Fantasy X-2...because if I did, it would be hours upon hours of Gippal. ;)
Italics are thoughts; and this chapter is in Gippal's point of view.
Enjoy!
Not So Ordinary
Chapter Three - The Fist-bone Is Connected to the Cheekbone...
I am an idiot. I should've known better than to come rushing in here. Seeing a scantily clad Rikku only brought back the feelings and memories I'd been trying, though not achieving, to suppress for years.
But her beautiful, porcelain skin...it looked just as smooth and soft as I remember it being. I shook my head violently, hoping it would rattle these thoughts right out my ears and onto the floor. Experience alone makes me realize it's futile.
Sadly, I also knew another confrontation with Brother was unavoidable. Begrudgingly, I made my way, (very slowly, I might add), to the Bridge.
Rikku might've been right when she sad Brother let me on the ship, but I'm not so sure that she knew how close Brother's fist had come to connecting with my cheekbone. Thankfully, somewhere in my sputtered explanation he recognized Yuna's name and I was off the hook for the moment. Once again, High Summoner Yuna to the rescue. With a chuckle, I mashed the elevator button and the doors slid open with a gentle swoosh sound.
You're probably wondering why Brother is so wonderfully fond of my existence. Well, let's just say me plus Rikku minus our clothing plus Brother barging in...equals a less than ecstatic Brother. We were just crazy sixteen year olds, hormones raging, so engrossed in our teenage romance we didn't even hear the door open. What could anyone have expected from us? All those long, hot days in the desert didn't make for satisfied libidos, that's for sure. Not that things have changed that much on my side of the fence. After all, although I am head of the Machine Faction and I have an office in Djose Temple, I still spend a fair amount of my time in Bikanel. And I still have that talent of getting women out of their clothes. Flings are my specialty. Back then though, with Rikku, things were different. So carefree, so easy. Now that I'm older, relationships never stay that way. Women want to settle down, have kids. But I can't picture myself with any of them. So, when they start that kind of talk, I just move on to the next ready and willing contestant. It's getting a little monotonous now, and I'm starting to feel the urge to settle down too, but...I just can't seem to find the one. Well, I certainly have one in mind but I'm sure she doesn't want anything to do with me. A certain recently towel-clad, swirly eyed Al-Bhed who probably hates my guts...
Enough of that; back to the Brother situation. Breaking his innocent little sister's heart and leaving Home for the Crimson Squad probably didn't help my case any. I can't believe it's already been four years since that 'fateful' day I was dragged by my ear naked, kicking, and screaming from Rikku's room and down the hall towards Cid's office. Most of the kicking and screaming was definitely coming from a beet red Rikku covered in a sheet, stomping and crying like the world was ending. Somehow, (probably with blackmail of her own), Rikku deterred Brother from telling Cid. Even now, the only reason I have any fear of Brother was due to the life-threateningly incriminating evidence he had against me. Sometimes even a guy like me has to put his pride aside. In this situation, it was my ego or my life; an obvious choice.
I can't help but go back to the thoughts of how back then, everything was just so less complicated...
Lost in my train of thought, I didn't even notice the doors in front of my slide open until I was bombarded with a slew of curse words and insults.
"GIPPAL! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING BRINGING YOUR SORRY-EXCUSE-FOR-A-MAN SELF IN HERE AGAIN?"
Ah, nice to see you too Brother. Still, the image of Cid's face after hearing about Rikku and I's escapades kept me intimidated.
"I...err...uh...Rikku..." Yevon, I was pathetic.
"WHAT ABOUT RIKKU? YOU BETTER NOT HAVE TOUCHED HER WITH YOUR FILTHY HANDS YOU PERVERTED PIG! I HOPE SHE GAVE YOU THE BEATING YOU DESERVE!"
As much as Brother "hints" at Rikku attacking, hurting, maiming, or abusing me; I could never picture her laying a hand on me...well, at least not in the way Brother's describing.
I reached my hand up to the back of my head, scratching at my hair nervously.
"Rikku just wanted me to tell you to head to Besaid."
"AND WHY COULDN'T RIKKU COME TELL ME THIS HERSELF? HMM?"
"Oh, well, she's in the shower, so she sent me."
"IN THE SHOWER YOU SAY?"
By the screaming alone, I'm sure you get the impression that Brother is easily excitable.
"Yeah, apparently you interrupted her when you told her I was here. She didn't even have time to get dressed..."
Uh-oh. Wrong thing to say. And the last thing I remember is a fist zooming towards my face before I blacked out.
Aww poor Gippal! I know it seems a little OOC for him to be that intimidated by Brother, but he's really thinking of how hard Cid would kick his ass for getting with his little girl.
Review, Review, Review!
xoxo for always x
