Disclaimer: I do not own Aly and Aj's song, Like Whoa.
Rest of Day 5
Rikku opened her eyes slowly. This isn't my tent… what the… OH! Realization dawned over her. She pulled Gippal's down blanket closer around her shoulders and snuggled closer into his pillow. She didn't mind that it wasn't hers. It was better than her nylon sleeping bag. She sat up after a few minutes and poked her hand under his pillow. She felt something solid, but her hand couldn't grasp it. She put her hand inside the pillowcase and gripped the rectangular object. She pulled it out and looked at it. She grinned.
A mirror. Perfect.
She perched it up with the kickstand on the back and started to braid small locks of hair. She then tied up her hair and looked at herself. Good enough. She touched her hair. She had never exactly figured out how to shower. She had been considering just doing it in the rain, until she learned that other people would be there. She then decided, maybe when they were all asleep. But then when she learned Gippal was a slight insomniac, that plan was definitely out. So, she basically hadn't showered for four days. And it felt disgusting. But, nobody really noticed. She had become a hermit the past few days. The only thing that kept her on with reality was Gippal talking to her. Else she would have been out of there awhile ago. Socializing was Rikku's life besides machina and adventures.
She crawled out of the tent after she tugged on her shoes and looked at the sky. The rain was only a light mist for one reason or another. But there was still thunder. She heard the rumble start as soon as she emerged and she stuck her head back into the tent. She clenched her fists. She couldn't do it. She only had a day and a half left, and she was still terrified. She would fail. Even if she would improve a little bit, she would have to camp out in the Thunder Plains for months if she ever wanted to truly be free of her fear.
She didn't hear Gippal come into the tent. She also didn't feel the tears slipping down her face. She had gotten so used to the rain that she couldn't really tell the difference between the rain and her tears until she tasted the salt of them. She felt Gippal's hand on the nape of her neck. It went comfortingly back and forth along her neck.
"You okay?" he asked. Rikku shook her head.
"I'll never be ready. I'm never gonna get over this," she stated. She felt Gippal take her hand.
"Fine. Then I'll help you. The next two days I devote myself to curing you," he said with a sweet smile to her. She wiped her tears away with the back of her free hand.
"Where are we going?" she asked weakly as she stood up.
"For a walk. Don't worry. I'll take care of you."
The rain had gotten harder. They walked for awhile in silence, Gippal's grip comforting on her hand. She soon started to drone, thinking about a thousand things. Mostly how much her opinion had changed about him over the past week. She hated him in the beginning. But after talking to him for less than an hour, he turned into an object of fascination to her. She speculated and wondered about him. About how he changed so much since she had last seen him. Then, he became one of the most important things to her over the rest of the week. Maybe her craving for a familiar face was what it was. Or maybe it was genuinely him. Maybe she actually really liked… him. She thought more on this until suddenly she was spun around and pressed close to Gippal's chest. There was a crash behind her. She squeezed her eyes shut and shrieked. She knew that she had almost been hit by the lightening. How had he known? She eventually found the courage to open her eyes and looked up at him. She was watching her carefully.
"Thanks," she said with a weak smile to him. He looked at her carefully. Then Rikku realized that he was coming closer. Slowly, but he was. She didn't know what to do. It wasn't unexpected this time like the first time. But this time she wasn't sure what to do. If she wanted to reject him. What if she really liked him? What if him kissing her again would prove something to her? She resolved quickly and felt her eyelids starting to slide closed when she was released completely by Gippal.
"You're welcome," he mumbled. She blinked and then followed him as he started to walk again. She heard thunder in the distance and grabbed Gippal's hand. His head whipped into her direction. Rikku was afraid he would take his hand away. She didn't mean anything by it. She was just scared. Instead, he gripped it tightly. She sighed quietly.
Eventually they came to the shelter. She remembered this place. The same place Yuna had told them she was going to marry Seymour. Rikku could still see Tidus's face. She sometimes had wished someone would care for her that much.
Gippal leaned his back against the inside of it and looked out into the distance. Rikku leaned her side against a pole and watched the rain. She was only too aware of Gippal behind her. Was he looking at her? What was he thinking?
Then she thought too.
What was she thinking?
What happened to Nere?
She still liked him. A lot. She knew she did.
But… she also could admit to herself now that she liked Gippal.
She hesitantly took a step out into the rain. Then another. And another. Soon, she was about two yards away from the cover. She turned her face to the sky and felt the rain pelt down on her face. She licked her lips and tasted the unusual taste of the Thunder Plains rain water. She didn't know why, but everywhere the rain tasted different to her. The Thunder Plains was sweet sort of. It had a sweet kick to it. Like she tasted it and it stung her tongue a bit. Maybe it was the constant electricity in the air.
"You know what Cid's Girl?" Gippal said behind her.
"Yeah?" she called back to him.
"I'm trying really hard not to kiss you again," he said hesitantly. She took a deep breath and slowly turned around. He was much closer than she had thought. He had moved up to the edge of the shelter. She breathed in a few more times and then tilted her head to the side a bit.
"Then why don't you?" she asked. He furrowed his brow and took a few steps forward into the rain and in front of her.
"Huh?" he asked.
"Kiss me," she said. It sounded to her more like a command than a clarification of what she meant. And it kind of scared her.
Gippal didn't ask twice though. He quickly put both his hands at the back of her head and pulled her to him, pressing his lips urgently to hers. She couldn't think for a moment. She couldn't breathe. She didn't know what to do. Eventually, she sorted out her thoughts. She took a deep breath through her nose and closed her eyes. She slowly started to respond to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist since he was a little too tall for her to put her arms around his neck. She pulled herself up closer to him. This wasn't right. But it wasn't wrong.
It was true now. She definitely liked him. But she hardly knew what to make of it. Could they actually make a good couple? And besides… all she wanted all week was to go home and hug Nere and tell him she missed him like hell. And he would kiss her and finally ask her out and then they'd be the perfect couple anybody had ever seen.
But then Mr. Machine Faction came along and turned things upside down. She didn't doubt her feelings on Nere at all. But she did doubt her overall judgment on people. Maybe she was wrong about Nere? She had been about Gippal.
His lips were soft against hers and she felt sudden warmth in her stomach that caused her to abandon her safe hold on his waist and switch to around his neck. It pulled her even closer and Gippal's mouth opened over hers. She opened hers as well, against her better judgment, and was carried away in it all. She let her instinct take over. She didn't let her thoughts get in the way. This was something she wanted. Otherwise, she wouldn't have invited it. And she promised herself she would have no regrets of it later.
Of course, that's not how it turned out.
When she got back to her tent, she plopped her head down into her pillow and squeezed out whatever tears she had left. She felt like she had betrayed Nere. And herself. There had been no awkward moments between her and Gippal after it was over, and they spent a good four hours talking in his tent. But once she was alone, she felt all the regret come. She suddenly tugged out her old journal and took out the one blue ink pen she brought with her. She started to turn through all the kiddish writing, all the pages that were all about nothing. About what was going through a ten year olds mind which all seemed insignificant as to what was happening now. But then, it was relevant. Once again, there would be one more update about Gippal. She found a blank page and clicked the pen. She started to furiously write.
Life is good I can't complain
I mean I could but no one's listening
His image overwhelms my brain, and it feels good
Like a rollercoaster ride
Holding on my knuckles white whoa, whoa
Can't believe I'm like whoa, whoa
Every time I'm like
Up and down and side to side
Every inch of me is like whoa, whoa
Got me feeling like whoa, whoa
In the morning it begins again
Feels like I'm falling, better strap me in
I think I'm running out of oxygen, and it feels good
Like a roller coaster ride
Like I'm running a red light
Like a rocket ship is like
Every inch of me is like WHOA!
She took a breath and retired her pen. She read over the entry. There. If he ever stole her journal again, he wouldn't know it was about him. She looked at the clock. 1:34. One day left. She flopped down onto the pillow and turned off her lamp.
One more day. Then, if she played her cards right, she'd never have to see Gippal again.
Well, now that it's summer, I have more time to update. And, I'm playing Final Fantasy X-2 again, so I know Rikku's character again. Just a few more chapters!