A/N: Thank you to everyone who took the time to review! As you may have noticed, this story seems to bare resemblance to another story of mine (which is not surprising since this was the original plot for "Of Beer and Rain"). Thus, it's not all fluffy and cute like the last chapter lol. But it is full of emotion, or at least, that's my aim. And will certainly be different story-wise. Hope you'll enjoy. Special thanks to cupcakegirl for betaing, she's awesome.

Warning: This chapter contains mature (sexual) subject matter.

To Recap: Unable to handle Crimson's "touchy-feely" attitude towards her, Rikku decides to leave him with nothing more than the clothes on her back and her stolen gil. She heads for Djose temple, where Gippal already knows about her pitiful situation, and she doesn't have to face new humiliation (unlike if she went to her other friends). Gippal's thoughts over Selyna's recent letter are interrupted when Rikku arrives in the middle of the night. Relieved by her long-awaited return, he asks her to promise not to leave him again.

Djose Days
Ch. 5: Fragile Friendship

Gippal

I don't get much sleep within the next couple of minutes. After having removed the little blockage of squashed dessert from in between us and promising to buy her a whole tray of muffins in the morning, we settled back in our comfortable positions. My arms wrapped around her thin body, hers slung about my neck and burying her head in my shoulder. We're quiet after that, but still awake.

She sighs deeply into my chest, moaning a bit and pressing her legs harder against mine, pulling back suddenly when she realizes it's a little suggestive. "Cunno (Sorry)," she whispers.

"You're cold?"

"A little."

It's humid and hot, sticky and we're already both barely clothed. But for some reason, she's cold. And remembering that she'd only begun to dry a few moments ago, I realize she must've been splattered harshly by the rain of warmth and maybe that's why she's shivering.

I release her, sitting up and pulling her along with me. "C'mon, I'll find you something to wear." But she groans suddenly when I drag her to her feet, knees buckling and she grips her side as her head droops down. "What's wrong?" I grip onto her arm to stabilize her, my hands slipping underneath hers and uncovering a clear patch of skin. No cuts, no bruises. Yet.

"I – I fell," she forces out. "- on the stairs."

I hesitate. "Want me to carry you up?"

She shakes her head vigorously. "No, I'm fine. Just a – just a potion or two, really."

I don't let her see my frown. Because we've basically used up all of our medical supplies, relying mostly on passing healers and a few remedies and X-potions for only the most serious of injuries. "We kinda ran out. Sorry."

She gives me a hopeless look. "What? Not even one?"

"No."

She glances downward, and I think she's a little angry because suspicion has gotten the better of her than my sincerity. And she's thinking just like the other day, that I'm simply cheap. I reach out for her arm, offering to carry her upstairs but she quickly slaps it away, limping up the steps herself.

- - - - -

Rikku

Crimson would've gone out at four in the morning to get me a mega-potion but Gippal can't even try to look in the medicine cabinet for a dinky little potion that he obviously must own considering that Faction work isn't all that safe in the first place. Figures. Whenever I start to feel the slightest bit of liking toward him, he always manages to upset me.

I listen for his footsteps behind me but they aren't there. And I guess he supposes that I go into his room and find a sweater myself. It's a little frustrating considering I've known him for the longest time, and never once has he made me feel… like he genuinely cares about me. But it's not his fault really; no one expects him to but me.

The first thing I notice upon entering the room is the pale green shirt he'd given me a week ago, lying across the foot of the bed. The shouting and the anger and the way he tried to play me suddenly comes back to mind, and I wonder again why I had wanted to come back here.

Gippal's ignorance is better than Crimson's attention. Right, that's why.

I find a blue and white, checkered, button-up shirt near his desk and slip it on, buttoning it loosely and relishing in the warmth the long sleeves provide. Groaning a bit as I make my way back down the stairs, face scrunched up and a little bit of sweat trails down my forehead because it hurts and Gippal's an ass.

It's only right that at that very moment he valiantly strides toward me with open arms and a first-aid kit in his hand, claiming his idioticy and total lack of respect toward a full grown, independent woman like myself. But of course, that doesn't happen. And instead, I spot him calmly lying back down by the temple entrance, hands tucked behind his head and eye concentrated on the quick splashes of rain outside. I clear my throat purposefully, making his head turn and start toward him.

"I hope you don't mind," I say, gesturing to the shirt.

He shakes his head, sitting up and making room for me beside him. I take the seat, folding my hands in my lap, and wait patiently for him to say something. Something like, Y'know, you can stay here if you want, Kid and I didn't really mean it when I said my offer still wouldn't stand. But I glance his way, and his mind seems focused on something else entirely.

- - - - -

Gippal

She's not Selyna, and I don't want her to be, so she's not. She's Cid's Kid, confused, bratty, and temporarily homeless. Hates my guts but here with me anyway because she needs me. Just as much as I need her.

I feel her gaze on me and turn, seeing her glance away immediately, shoulders twitching a bit as she fumbles with her fingers to keep herself busy. Her hair's a mess, wrinkled and tossed by the rain and wind. Face make-up less, but that's alright because she's never been one to wear much anyway. Still a little wet so I can see her bikini top through the shirt, bright red – too red for her.

And she looks a little sad. Almost as if waiting for me to grab her face and laugh and say I told you so I told you so you'd be back. Part of me wants to do that, and the other thinks she's probably been through enough.

"Y'know, you can stay here if you want, Kid," I tell her, "For the night."

Her face rises and falls almost simultaneously, and I realize she had wanted me to say that she could actually staystay. But I don't think it's such a good idea anymore. With the temple mostly empty because the crew's always gone, she's going to find out about our financial situation. She's going to pity me, and I don't need to be pitied.

"We'll call your cousin in the morning, she's sure to let you live with her for a while," I add.

- - - - -

Rikku

"Yeah," I say back, humbly rubbing my leg. Starting to feel angry with myself for not just accepting his offer in the first place. For going through with the whole Crimson episode and Grey-Eye's flight. Now crawling back to Yunie like always, and Pops will get his chance to prove me wrong.

My hand rests on my skirt pocket, where the 1200 gil I've collected so far lies. He had already rejected my box earlier, which was certainly worth more than 1200 gil, and now I have nothing left worthy of trading. He'll kick me out again – gentler this time because I worried him last time by stomping out. But he's sending me to Yunie's nonetheless, where Pops will get his "haha".

I think about seducing him into letting me stay – because that's always been a good tool for me and never fails. But one look at his shirtless frame and it feels awkward, totally wrong, and absolutely humiliating because it's him. But I CAN'T go to Yunie, I can't! And I WON'T go back to Crimson, I won't!

I look at him, my body trembling fearfully. Not sure if I really want to do this. Scared of his reaction. Deciding that I like being in the temple. Knowing he's really, not a bad person. "I'll let you kiss me if you let me… stay," I say.

He laughs.

He covers his mouth, twinkle in his eye and laughs.

I bite my lip, mind screaming all words synonymous to stupidity at myself for saying that. Yelling at myself for hurrying up and laughing it off because staying with Yunie's better than dealing with this. That my stubbornness isn't worth this embarrassment, this sinking to a new level, this selling of myself that he has mocked me for.

"I'll sleep with you if you let me stay."

Because I'm desperate, and being humiliated in front of Gippal is better than being humiliated in front of my father.

- - - - -

Gippal

It's not funny anymore when those words come out of her mouth, and I stare at her for a long time before I realize she's actually serious. Her staying will add an extra housing cost, water, food, clothes, and toiletries. Things I'm hardly able to keep up with for the Faction's limited crew, let alone a new person. And this time, she doesn't have something of value that can counteract the cost.

But she's offering something else. And I'm surprised, also disappointed that she's that desperate. That she really wants to live here that badly that she's willing to throw away any piece of integrity in her.

I can easily tell her forget it, that she can stay regardless. Easily. But the way she's staring at me, longingly and hopeful, willing and pleading. Not everyday a girl like her looks at you like that. Makes you an offer like this. Makes it so easy for you to accept or reject, and you know you've imagined yourself with her before.

The risk I'm running of her finding out about our financial situation seems unimportant now as she rubs the side of her arms. Face fallen with shame and regret. Hating my guts all over again and wishing she hadn't come. Promising herself that she won't ever come to me for anything ever again.

"Alright," I tell her. "I'll let you stay." And I try to ignore the guilt that washes over me at her relieved smile.

- - - - -

Rikku

I grin immediately and want to hug him, but remember that he's not doing this for free. I'm half saddened and half trying to look on the brighter side because at least he's a hundred times better looking than most men I've flirted with – even though I've never gone this far.

When he doesn't move, I realize he plans on doing it here. A little disturbed and a little okay with it simply because that means I don't have to endure the pain of climbing back up the stairs to his room. And no one comes by the temple this late at night anyway. He gives me a reassuring look of conformity and my fingers tentatively start to unbutton the shirt.

He watches in silence. This time, his mind entirely on me and my show for him. Once in a while glancing upward to catch my gaze, but he doesn't hold it for long. When the garment slides off my shoulders, it's nothing new because he's seen me in it earlier. I just look way hotter this time because the tone between us is different now. And I try not to admit to myself that it's not totally that bad of a commitment when I think about it.

I kneel as my hands slip under the border of my skirt, slowly pushing it down, as if I know he's going to stop me any moment and say that I don't have to continue. But he doesn't, and it slides right off, revealing the only type of underwear I own, a g-string.

He's focused on me intently, the sizzle of lightning and crash of thunder outside not drawing an ounce of his attention as he leans back coolly against the temple column and waits. Rain falls outside like my expectations of his morals, dropping with every lingering second.

I reach behind my back and untie the top, slowly. Seeing if he'll get up. Seeing if he'll stop me. And even after it has fallen to the ground and I'm exposed, he's still sitting there as nonchalantly as ever, and I decide that I hate him for it.

I slide toward him, feeling cold again but burning under his watch. Flinching when he touches me, when he lowers me to the cool marble floor. Stomach clenching when he kisses me, deep and hungry. Moaning as his hands brush over between my legs. Gasping when he bites into my neck, soft and gentle. Numbing when he kisses a wet trail down between my breasts. Tearing when he unbuckles his belt. Crying when he suddenly stops and looks at me.

When he pities me.

- - - - -

Gippal

She's not Selyna.

Not a substitute, not a replacement. Not to be used like this. She's still the little spoiled brat, annoying kid that I've always known. Under me and crying because I'm not as indifferent to her as I used to be. Not as safe as I used to be.

I get off of her, quickly tighten my belt and grab the shirt from the ground. Wrap it around her bare body and leave her there. Walk up the stairs and into my room and leave her there. Sniffling and sobbing, hugging herself as I firmly shut my eyes and ears. Closing my door when it turns into a bawl, gripping my head and I can't believe that just happened.

I collapse on my bed, pounding my fists against the mattress. Half relieved that I hadn't gone all the way with her, but half angry that I'd even let it go that far. Guilty that I'd taken advantage of her, but a bit frustrated for feeling guilty – for not being able to just do it with her like I've done so many others in the past.

When a half-hour's passed, I peek out of my room to see if she's still down below. And she actually is. Huddled in the corner, her skirt and top still scattered on the ground but the shirt wrapped around her like a protective coating as she lies as still as a rock against the wall. Quiet.

I jog down the steps and over to her, cautiously slipping my arms around her sleeping form. Pressing my face against hers and holding her delicately as if she were made of porcelain. Guilty as if I've broken her. Knowing I have no right to touch her after what I've done. And maybe I'm crying a little too because of it.

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