A/N: Hey, I have an short note at the end of the chapter for you to read! Can't forget the shout outs:
rr1963: Thanks for your opinion on the chapter! It's really helpful. Yeah I am not a Gippal fan myself. Nothing against him, I just never really paid attention to him in the game. He isn't going to be in the story too much. I needed another familiar character to add some tension between Auron and Rikku.
VampyreQueen24: Thanks for reviewing! Yeah its about to get interesting! Lots of dirty fighting coming soon...stay tuned!
Leslie Thoidorchadas: Thank you! I'm glad you like it! Let me know how you like the new chapter!
Ruki The Sake Fairy: Hakuna Matata! There is more coming! Keep reading:)
An Unexpected Visit
Auron felt his heart drop into his stomach. "You're Rikku's boyfriend?"
"Yeah, Gippal's the name. Nice to meet you." Gippal extended his hand to Auron.
For a brief moment Auron played with the idea of throwing this man on the ground, face-first in the dirt kind of throw down. But that wasn't his style. "Likewise I'm sure," he replied in his best cool manner, "Now if you'll excuse me..."
Auron turned on his heel and walked away from Gippal. To where, he had no idea. He just knew his wanted distance between himself and this man. His head was starting to pound. When he thought he was a safe distance away from his problems, he ran into-
"Auron! Hey man what's happening!" Tidus and Wakka yelled at him.
Damn, this island is too small, he thought. Auron sighed inwardly and decided to act cool. He had plenty of practice of guarding his emotions. He wondered how Rikku had the ability to bring them to the surface. "Hello. What are you two doing?" Auron stopped a few steps away from the other men.
"We were just practicing some blitz moves. You play, don't you Sir Auron?" Wakka tossed the ball to Auron. "Come down to the beach with us and we'll show you what real talent is, ya!"
Auron held the ball in his hands and suddenly felt very out of place. Being alive was harder than he remembered. He was too old for this. Auron dropped the ball at his feet and turned to walk away.
Wakka and Tidus exchanged looks. "What's his problem?" Wakka asked Tidus.
Tidus looked on as the older man walked away and shrugged. "Lets follow him"
Rikku stepped out of her new house and smiled. It was hard not to smile in Besaid. The sun was warm and smiling down on the villagers. Kids and their dogs were playing in the plaza. There were sounds of summer all around. She suddenly felt peaceful. Well, as peaceful as she could feel before going to talk to Auron. She had a knot in her stomach and didn't know why. It's just Auron, she told herself, you can talk to him. Why so nervous girl?
Rikku really wished she knew the answer to that.
"Hey Rikku! There you are. I've been looking all over for you!"
Hey that sounds like...uh oh.
Rikku looked up to see Gippal walking towards her. He had a huge smile on his face as he approached her. He looked just as hot as he did when she saw him at Home a few months ago. When he finally reached her, Gippal picked Rikku off the ground and hugged her.
"Hey girl! You're a hard one to track down."
"Heh heh...yeah I guess." Rikku managed to say.
"What? Not happy to see me?" He set her back on the ground.
"No Gippal, I am happy to see you. It's just a surprise, ya know?"
Rikku really was surprised. She and Gippal had known each other forever. They had grown up together at Home. They were playmates when they were very little and stayed close until they reached the age where it was no longer cool to be friends. It was the age when Gippal started noticing girls. The thing was Gippal never really paid Rikku any attention because she was younger than him and during that age, a few years can make a lot of difference. She had a crush on him just like every other girl at Home. But since Gippal was a little older, he seemed out of reach to Rikku and her friends.
It was after Rikku and Yuna joined the Gullwings when the two started talking again. Or more specifically, flirting.
"Yeah we missed you at Home so I decided to see how you were doing on Besat."
"Besaid" Rikku corrected.
"Whatever. So are you going to show me around?" Gippal stood next to Rikku and put his arm around her shoulder. Only when Gippal moved out of her line of vision could she then see Auron across the plaza. She held his gaze for a moment until he turned to address Tidus. She saw them speak together and then walk into a shop. Auron did not look at her a second time. The knot got bigger.
Rikku showed Gippal around the island. It didn't take too long and after the tour the two sat on the beach.
"So Gippal, why are you really here?"
"What do you mean Rikku?" Gippal picked up a stone and tossed it into the water.
"I'm not stupid Gippal. You have a lot of work with the Machina Faction and at Home. Why did you come all the way out here?" Rikku wasn't sure she wanted the answer.
Gippal sighed and sat down next to her in the sand. "Rikku, I came to bring you home."
"What?"
He turned to her and continued.
"Rikku, you belong at Home with me. We are a good team you know. I think we are ready to start something between us. I know you like me Rikku. I think it's time we get together. We can both build our careers at Home and we can start a relationship. Don't you agree?"
Rikku couldn't believe this. Every Al Bhed girl dreamed of hearing those words come out of Gippal's mouth. She has thought about this since she earned a kiss on the cheek from him when she was thirteen. She stared at him for a moment not knowing what to say. A year ago she would have jumped at the chance. Now there was something holding her back. Or is it someone...
"Gippal," she started, " I'm not sure what to say-"
At that moment, Rikku would have thanked Yevon because she was so happy Yuna interrupted the conversation. Yuna had appeared on the beach a little way from them.
"Hey guys! I though I heard a rumor you were here Gippal! Shame on you not saying hello to me."
Gippal smiled at Yuna as he stood up an dusted his pants off. "Sorry Yuna"
Yuna smiled and nodded. "Apology accepted. Come on you two, Lulu wants you to come to dinner."
Gippal nodded and walked ahead of the girls. Yuna was trying to read Rikku's expression. Rikku grabbed her cousins arm and whispered "Yunie I'll tell you later"
When the three walked into the hut, they found Lulu, Wakka, Tidus and Auron seated around the table. "About time y'all got here. I'm starving, ya!"
Yuna, Gippal, and Rikku took seats around the table. "Gippal," Lulu said, " I don't believe you've met some of our friends. This is Tidus and Auron."
"We've already met." Auron replied coldly. Rikku gulped and thought about what happened in the plaza.
"Yeah," Gippal continued, "Auron was the first person I came across here. I asked him to tell me where my girlfriend Rikku was." Rikku's jaw dropped. Oh no! It's even worse!
"Oh you guys are dating?" Tidus asked with his mouth full, half concentrating on the conversation and half concentrating on his dinner.
"Yup" Gippal said.
"No we're not" Rikku said at the same time.
Auron looked across the table at Rikku and found she was looking back at him. Was that answer meant for me? I have to talk to her.
"Yeah...well, anyway Lu I have something to tell you" Wakka announced pulling the attention away from his blushing Al-Bhed friend.
"What is it Wakka?"
"Tomorrow Tidus and I have to go to Guadosalam. There is this player there that would be a perfect recruit for our team. We have to get 'em before those damn Goers do."
"Oh Tidus," Yuna looked up, "I don't like the idea of you guys in Guadosalam."
"Don't worry Yuna! Auron's gonna come to protect us. Right old man?"
"Apparently so" Auron had to talk to Rikku before he left.
Dinner went smoothly after that until the party heard a strange noise after Lulu served dessert.
"What is that!" Yuna asked.
"Oh that's probably my airship. I have to get back to Djose tonight." Gippal thanked Lulu for dinner and asked Rikku to see him out.
Gippal was right. A small air ship was waiting outside for him. Gippal took Rikku by the hand and led her to the craft. When he reached the door he turned to her.
"Rikku, think about what I said. You know where to find me."
Gippal moved toward Rikku and slipped his hand behind her neck. He pulled her in close to him and kissed her firmly on the lips.
Auron sat inside for a few moments listening to Tidus and Wakka argue over what time to leave tomorrow. When Yuna made the suggestion that they leave tonight so she didn't have to hear them argue anymore, Auron decided to go find Rikku. He stood and left the house, unnoticed by his friends. How they made good guardians I will never know, he smiled to himself.
Auron walked into the night in search of Rikku. He thought she must be on her way back from Gippal's airship by now. He turned the corner of the house just in time to see Rikku and Gippal in the middle of a deep kiss.
Auron stood still for a moment and then turned to go back in the house. He entered the room his friends were in and stood in front of Tidus and Wakka. They quit their bickering and looked up at him.
"You know", Auron said, "I'll bet while you two are here arguing, another team is snatching up your player right now."
Tidus and Wakka exchanged a look. Then they both jumped up and said at the same time,
"Race you to Guadosalam!"
Yuna and Lulu laughed together as the three men left the house in search of their blitzball player.
A/N: Hello again. Just a little note. I usually don't update so close but I'm going to update tomorrow night. I wanted to make this chapter longer to include what happens next chapter but it's not happening. So tomorrow I will finish up. Review please!
