Chapter 3

I don't know what I had been expecting.

I guess I still had that image of her in my mind as a little girl, the one I left back at Bikanel when we split up. Despite seeing her with the 'Gullwings', all decked out in her oh-so-suggestive clothing (little more than a bikini. Did the girl have no shame?) I guess I still expected her to be that small little teenager with the mass of golden hair.

Well, she was still fairly small. She still had a mass of golden hair. But no longer did she look like a teenager.

The person across the room from me, crouching down and talking happily with one of my technicions was most definatly a woman. A young one, certainly-- she being what, nineteen?-- but a woman nonetheless.

She greeted my cheerfully, like she did everything else, and I pulled off some remark about her being a kid and managed to insert a 'Cid's Girl' in there, teasing her just like always. I couldn't help checking her out however.

And she was hotter than hell.

Of course, I'd seen beautiful woman before. I'd known plenty of beautiful woman before, and I mean known. It still threw me, however, because we weren't talking any old beautiful woman. We were talking Rikku, the little girl who tagged along with me when we were kids, who I put up with and even dated for awhile until I decided I was too old and mature and left seeking jucier pieces of meet, if you get my meaning.

Well, Rikku was looking pretty juicy herself, at the moment.

Mentally telling myself the shut the hell up, I looked around for someone to give them the tour. I wanted to get away from Rikku for a moment so I could instill some control in this brain of mine. I mean, it was Rikku. I spotted Ryhcis and called him over, but then regretted it when I saw Rikku's eyes flash with interest.

Okay, it's just big brother instincts, I told myself. You're not jealous. You can't be jealous. It's Rikku.

Determined to put her out of my mind, I was extra flirty with that Anne chick at dinner. I thought I saw Rikku glance over at me, but I might have been mistaken. I hung around in the mess hall for a bit after dinner, not having much else to do. Anne offered to take me back to her room, but to my surprise I found myself refusing.

I wandered around, checking machina without much interest, until I found myself in the doorway of the room where I knew Rikku's sqaudron would be working. She was in there, all alone, snuffing out the lights.

I had to say something, I knew, instead of just standing there staring like an idiot. I could tell it was freaking her out to the point that she demanded what I wanted. She sounded so like the Rikku I knew that I was able to snap out of my revene and ask her if she was settling in okay.

Instantly, I regretted it. That's not the kind of thing I'd normally say to her! Rikku replied with some glib, joking comment while I gave myself another mental ass-kicking. I was able to turn it into a teasing insult, and get close to her in the process, so I guess it was okay.

Except I don't care about being close to her, I had to remind myself, saying for what felt like the umpteenth time: It's Rikku.

She said goodnight and started to go, but I grabbed her arm, struck by a sudden wish that she wouldn't leave. I froze for a moment, wondering what the hell I thought I was doing, before wishing her goodnight as well, throwing in another Cid's Girl for good measure and making some lewd comment about her needing company in the night.

She kicked me, then danced away, and I was able to breathe again. That was the trick. Keep things normal between us, just like they used to be. That's the way I wanted it. At least, that's was I kept repeating, over and over in my mind.

I began to doubt myself the next day, however, when I wound up standing in that same doorway once again, watching the bright golden head that bobbed happily about the room.

I would never have admitted it aloud. I didn't even like admitting it to myself, but it was the truth:

I was impressed.

Machina piece after machina piece emerged from the back door of the room, supported by members of my faction and Rikku's squadron, with the energetic blond directing where to put them. She'd already set up a team with that weird kid as captain to start analyzing the pieces that came up, taking notes and making spheres as they deemed necessary.

Another group, lead by one of my archenemies, Brother, was clearing out the old mess left from the last people to use this room, while the third, led by the muscular Buddy, kept bring pieces up from the basement. Rikku darted about between all three, supervising, checking, and offering positive comments along with her bright smile.

It was clear everyone there adored her. I could tell right away when she arrived that her squadron thought the world of her, some of them practically worshipping the ground she walked on. That was partially what made their team so effective, I'm sure.

And I could already tell my men were being taken in by her bright and cheery ways. I had assigned her only men, because of the heavy lifting involved, and I both was glad of it and regretted it, seeing the way they took her orders without question, glancing at her with wide, fawn like eyes.

It was going to be a struggle to get their loyalty back once she left, I could tell.

"Gippal!" Oh, shit. Brother spotted me. "What are you doing here?"

"It's lunchtime," I said casually, priding myself on my quick thinking. "I was worried you were all being help prisoner in here or something, I haven't seen anyone all morning."

Rikku giggled at that, pushing unruly strands of hair from her face. She was wearing oversized, dirty overalls that might have once belonged to Brother over a tight yellow t-shirt, and she had a smudge of dirt across her nose. I tried not to think how cute she looked.

"I guess we have been working kind of hard," she said, a wide smile on her face. It was clear she was completly enjoying herself.

"All right, everyone, listen up!" She had turned to face the room, waving her arms wildly for silence. Immediatly, all noise stopped. "It's lunchtime, as Mr. Big Important Leader Gippal has kindly thought to remind us, so we're going to take a break now. Everyone get some food and have something to drink, and I'll expect to see all of you back here in half an hour!"

Wow. The Rikku I knew couldn't have pulled off a speech like that. She sure had changed.

Rikku turned around, smiling happily again, and bounded forward. Her foot hit a loose machina part that was lying on the floor and flew out from underneath her. With a little cry, she toppled backwards and landed squarly on her butt.

Okay, so she hadn't changed that much.

Buddy solicitously helped her up, she giggled, then they set off for lunch. I followed, but didn't sit next to her. Anne was trying to catch my eye, but I chose to slide in next to Fruna instead. Anne was getting way too clingy.

After lunch Rikku and her team dissapeared into their room once more, and I didn't see her again until dinner, actually having things I had to do myself (I know, shocking, isn't it?).

She sat with her squadron and her new found groupies from the Machine Faction. I tried not to watch them, especially when I saw Ryhcis had joined the group. Fruna, seated next to me, provided an easy distraction. A nice thing about Machine Faction women: they're good with their hands.

I was able to completly forgot about Rikku for quite some time, having invited Fruna back to my room. It wasn't until I stepped outside around midnight (Fruna having retired to her own quarters) that my thoughts slammed with painful intensity back on the slim Al Bhed girl I was fighting to keep them away from.

She was standing outside the temple, on the bridge, leaning against the railing with her head titled back, her eyes focussed on the starry sky. Her hair was loose and unbound, cascading in a golden waterfall down her back, lit by the silvery luminence of the moon. She was wearing what I assumed were her pajamas; pale green pants and a loose, faded white t-shirt with an odd symbol on it that I think had something to do with Zanarkand. At least, I had seen Yuna with the same thing splashed across her chest, only in a much more literal sense.

"Whatcha lookin' at?" I asked her, smiling a little at the way she jumped, having been totally unaware of my presence.

"Nothing," she replied, tugging on a lock of golden hair. I moved over to stand next to her. "What about you?" she asked as I put my hands on the railing. "Why are you out so late?"

"I needed some air." I shrugged, realizing this is one of the most normal conversations I've had with her in along time. "You seem to be getting along well."

"You mean with the machina?"

"Yeah."

She grinned. "Surprised?"

"Of course. Cid must have taught you a few things."

"A few." For some reason that last comment seemed to upset her, and she turned back to look a the moon, an unreadable look in her eyes. "Of course," she added after a few moments. "Saving the world might have had something to do with it."

"Nah." I reached forward to ruffle her hair like I used to when we were kids, but stopped, afraid I'd end up stroking instead. I settled for giving her a light push on her temple. She pushed me back and I laughed softly.

"Gippal?" She asked after a few more moments of silence.

"Hmm?"

"Have you even been in love?"

The question, spoken in soft Al Bhed, caught me off gaurd, and I couldn't tell if she was serious or not. I decided not to be, just in case. "Why?" I asked. "Interested?"

She snorted, elbowing me in the stomach. "Just wondering."

"I take it then, judging by that question, that you never have been?"

"Not really." Her tone held a slight bit of wistfulness underneath the normal Rikku-cheerfullness.

" 'Not really'? How does that work out?" I was confused, and, though I didn't really want to admit it, curious.

"Never mind." She turned around, fixing me with that bright smile. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Wait, Rikku. . ." Again, I didn't want her to go. She stopped very close to me, looking up at my face, green eyes wide and reflecting the moon. She looked so damn alluring right then that I just grabbed her arm, leaned down, and kissed her.

Well. I'd kissed her before, back when we were dating, but her lips had never been that soft, her body that warm. And she had never kissed as good as she did then. Obviously, she'd had some practice.

I broke the kiss reluctantly when my brain began to remind me rather insistantly that in order to function properly my body needed oxygen. I didn't release my hold on Rikku, however, and she looked up at me, another unreadable expression on her face.

"What was that for?" She asked breathlessly.

I didn't know what to answer. I didn't know what that had been for. She had just looked so gorgeous standing there, and with the moonlight and all. . . Dammit! I didn't know what to do! What should I say? I mean, I didn't want to hook up with her, did I?

No. I knew the answer to that one right away. I mean, Rikku's beautiful and all, and I had loved kissing her, but she's too special for a one night stand. I wouldn't do that to any childhood friend, and especially not Rikku.

So what then? Why had I kissed her? What did I want?

I wanted her to kiss me back, to run her fingers through my hair and press against me-- Realizing she was waiting for an answer, I thought frantically of a response.

I laughed.

"Just because," I added, and shrugged.

I knew immediatly that this had been the wrong thing to do and say. Rikku pushed herself from my arms, her face now blank and closed in a way that cut deep into my heart.

"Rikku," I began, but one looked from those now cold green eyes froze the words of apology on my lips.

"Goodnight, Gippal," she said, and practically ran back into the temple.

Shit. I thought myself. Shit shit shit. I shouldn't have kissed her. I should have said something else after I did. I should have just kissed her again instead of answering her question.

What was I going to do tomorrow? How was I supposed to act around her? Should I try and apologize again? And for what, the kiss, or my reaction? Or both?

Maybe I should just pretend like nothing had happened. After all, Rikku seemed pretty angry with me. Maybe that would be best. After all, it had just been the moonlight and her hair and her oddly intoxicating smell of metal and flowers.

I would simply put it from my mind, and hope she would put it from hers.

Sighing, I made my way back into the temple, knowing it would be a lot harder to forget the feel of her body against mine and the sight her lips, parted ever so slightly after our kiss than I was letting myself believe.

I would have sought out Fruna if I could've stood the thought of kissing another woman right then, because I knew I wish in for a long, sleepless night.

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A/N: I love writing from Gippal's point of view. Right now any way.

Hey, for fun see what happens if Fruna's name ends up in a Al Bhed translator. And then review please.