Dear Faithful Readers,

I'm seriously busy lately so please don't scream if I don't update as much as usual. As my buddy Si will tell you, I have this one music assignment, due when the holidays end next week, that is the total bane of my existence- I seriously can't do it. Evil composition- I'm a writer, okay, Mr G? WRI-TER!

Sorry- lost myself for a minute there… enjoy!

Xx-Bex-xX

-

Chapter 7

"So?" said Gippal, raising an eyebrow as they finished replaying the last tape for Baralai on the Celsius.

"So what?" said Baralai, shrugging evasively.

"What is this?"

"What do you mean?" asked Baralai.

"Well, what happened to Happy-Huggy Paine?" asked Rikku, pouting.

Baralai just shook his head, "that was filmed just after the Crimson Squad… you know… she was probably upset about that."

"Don't give me that!" said Gippal, shoving Baralai a little. "Paine was just like that when the Squad started out, too- you know her, 'Lai! And I know you know what changed her so dramatically."

Baralai's head snapped up, "Rikku, take us back to Besaid," he said.

"Not until you tell us what happened to Paine!" said Rikku, huffily.

"You won't?" said Baralai. "Then I will."

And he stormed off to the bridge.

Rikku and Gippal remained in the cabin.

"Paine's parents died when she was only a little kid," said Gippal, "so it can't be that…"

"Whatever it was made Paine seriously depressed," said Rikku, shifting uncomfortably. "But she looked so happy in the first one…"

"Maybe she was raped!" said Gippal, looking up quickly.

"What?!"

"Well face it," said Gippal defensively, "she was hot."

"I hate you," Rikku huffed, picking up a random pillow and thrashing him with it.

"Ouch! Ouch! I know already!"

Rikku relinquished her pillow, sighing, "you know what we have to do, don't you?"

"Yeah! …Uhm what…?"

"Steal the spheres back and ask Painey, of course!" said Rikku, rolling her eyes.

"Isn't that a little… dangerous?" asked Gippal. "How do we explain having them?"

"Hello! Painey's happiness is at stake here!"

"It is?"

"Duh! Let's go!"

-

"Exhibit A," said Rikku, back on Besaid, shoving the first sphere into Paine's hands.

Paine waved it in confusion, "what is this?"

"Watch it," said Rikku, flipping back onto the sand and pillowing her head with her hands.

Paine switched it on and only needed to watch the first few moments before recognising it as her first concert, "Where did you get this?"

"Swiped it from 'Lai," said Gippal easily.

"Figures… well, what's Exhibit B?"

"Huh?"

"This is Exhibit A," said Paine, rolling her eyes, "what other memories are you going to shove in my face?"

"Uhm, this one," said Rikku, leaning on her elbow as she sat up a little to take the last sphere from her pocket. "Here."

Again, Paine only watched a few seconds before turning it off, "what's your point?" she asked, her voice a little choked.

"What happened?" asked Rikku earnestly.

"I don't know what you're talking about…"

"You changed," said Gippal simply.

"Yes," Paine agreed, staring at the blank sphere absently, "I did."

"Why? What happened?"

"Sin happened. Again and again," she stood up and began walking away. "Sin happened…" she repeated sadly.

Rikku and Gippal watched her go.

"You reckon we should pry?" asked Gippal.

Rikku shook her head sadly, "I think we've pried enough."

"Then there's just one thing left to decide."

"What?"

"Do we use one of Paine's spheres in the wedding?"

Rikku thought for a moment before replying, "definitely," she said, "and stuff Baralai- we're using the first one."

-

"Have you been showing around my spheres?" asked Paine huffily as she found Baralai in Lulu and Wakka's home, playing with Vidina.

Baralai nodded slowly, "Rikku and Gippal were looking for one to use in the wedding reception- they're making a music mix."

"And you gave them mine?"

"It was Gippal's idea- they reckoned their respect points were worth it."

"I knew telling Gippal about the whole singing thing would come back to bite me in the butt someday…"

"Butt!" said Vidina loudly.

"Oh, cripes, kid!" said Paine, slapping a hand to her head, "don't say that! Lulu'll kill me!"

"Butt!"

"Say something else!" said Baralai, somewhat desperately. "Love Lai, remember?"

"Love Pay, right?" said Paine.

"Lai love Pay," said Vidina, clapping his chubby little hands.

Paine blushed and shook her head, "no. Lai no love Pay."

"Lai love Pay. Pay love Lai," said Vidina, sounding very certain.

"N-no way!" said Baralai, waving his hands like an idiot.

"Pay and Lai-ai siddin' in a twee, K-PRY-PRESS-PRESS-DY-EN-GEE, fiwrst come love, then come mawwige, then come baybee in da baybee cawwige!" Vidina sang to very almost the right tune, and Paine and Baralai exchanged furious glances.

"RIKKU!"

"Problem?" said Rikku, poking her head around the door.

'Were we that loud?' thought Paine, momentarily silence.

"I was walking past," she explained and Vidina chose that moment to start singing again. "Wow, you're doing great, little guy!" she squealed, before seeing the looks on her friends' faces. "Oooooooh, I see how that could be a little awkward…"

"A little?" said Paine. "Why must you go around teaching him things like that?!"

"Butt!" said Vidina and Paine and Baralai hushed him quickly.

"Well at least I didn't teach him that!" said Rikku smugly. "Lulu's going to kill you!"

"Luluh?" said Vidina.

"Mommy," Rikku explained.

"Mama," Vidina corrected her.

"Whatever," said Rikku. "'Lai, Paine- face it- you're as crazy about each other as Tidus and Yuna."

"Don't be ridiculous," Paine snapped, a little too quickly, refusing to look at Baralai.

"It's seriously not nice," Baralai agreed. "I could just as easily say the same thing about you and Gippal."

"Pfft!" said Rikku. "As if!"

"I agree," said Paine. "You and Gippal spend just as much time together as Baralai and I!"

"What about your sphere?" said Rikku, "you kissed him!"

"On the cheek!" Baralai protested.

Paine sighed deeply, "look, years ago, that was normal behaviour for me, okay?" she said. "I told you- I'm different now."

"I don't buy it," said Rikku, shaking her head. "If you really don't care about each other at all- kiss."

"What?!"

"If you don't like each other it won't mean anything," said Rikku, shrugging. "I'll be able to tell, trust me."

Paine and Baralai exchanged a nervous glance.

"Come on, then," said Rikku. "It doesn't have to be big and sloppy or anything- just a normal kiss. If you really don't appear to have any feelings for each other, I'll leave off."

"Can I have that in writing?" said Baralai, and Paine nudged him irritably.

"I am not kissing you."

"Scared, Paine?" Rikku taunted.

"No," Paine snapped. "I just don't fancy throwing my first kiss away on someone I have lukewarm feelings for."

"Lukewarm?" said Rikku, raising an eyebrow, "'Lai's way hot and you know it, Painey. And, Baralai, you said yourself that Paine was beautiful! Surely you can sum up enough passion for one kiss?"

"You said I was beautiful?" said Paine, looking away and Baralai blushed a deep red.

"Uhm… yeah…"

"Focus people! Are you going to do it or what?"

Paine fidgeted a little, "but…"

"But nothing," said Rikku, jutting her chin out determinedly, "you're eighteen-years-old, if you're still waiting for your first kiss then I have no choice but to intervene!"

"Maybe I don't like people touching me," Paine huffed.

"This isn't 'people'- this is 'Lai," said Rikku, rolling her eyes.

Paine sighed, long and deep, "I'll tell you what- if you can get Gippal to lay off us as well, then we'll do it," she looked at Baralai, who nodded.

Rikku beamed, "I'll go get him!"

Baralai grabbed her elbow as she made to leave, "can't you just message him?"

"Nah! He has to see for himself!" said Rikku brightly and she scattered.

"I can't believe this…" Paine mumbled.

"If it helps," said Baralai, shrugging, "you can have my first kiss too."

Paine raised an eyebrow, "you?"

"Yeah," said Baralai, a little embarrassed, "is that surprising?"

"Well, it's just that…"

"What?"

"In the eyes of… some girls… you're pretty, uhm, well, hot."

"Thank… you…?"

"That was a compliment," Paine clarified and he nodded.

"Back!" Rikku giggled, bursting through the door, followed by Gippal.

"This I gotta see!" he laughed as the both of them sat down next to Paine, 'Lai and Vidina. "Paine and 'Lai's first kisses!"

"Baralai too???" said Rikku, eyes bugging. "You're both nuts!"

Baralai and Paine glared at her huffily before turning to each other. Paine's gaze softened involuntarily and, awkwardly, she leaned forward a little before falling back suddenly and scampering away.

"What's wrong?" asked Rikku, blinking.

Paine stared at the floor, eyes wide.

"Paine?" said Baralai.

"I'm fine…" said Paine quickly. "Just give me a minute."

Rikku, Gippal and Baralai watched as her laboured breathing calmed a little and Vidina, slapped her on the back, most likely thinking that she was choking.

"It's just… the closeness."

"Do you want to give up, or forfeit and condemn yourself to a life with us bugging you and Vidina singing his songs?" asked Gippal, in a way that was probably supposed to be supportive but came out more threatening than anything.

"I said I'd do it and I will," Paine barked, and this time she closed her eyes as she leaned forward, trying to pretend that there was no one there.

But her eyes snapped open as she found Baralai's lips on hers. She hadn't been expecting them to be so warm… and not only that… the touch sent a sort of electric heat throughout her entire body- a heat that had nothing to do with the unbearable weather on Besaid. Baralai's hand came up to touch her cheek gently and her mouth opened of its own accord.

'Stop it,' Paine begged herself, 'you know that Rikku and Gippal are going to get the wrong idea if you keep- oh Yevon… what if it's not the wrong idea…?!'

Paine tore her mouth away quickly and evaded the eyes of her friends. "Happy?" she mumbled.

"You looked happy," said Rikku, grinning.

"You're imagining things," said Paine, giving her a hard look. "I took absolutely no pleasure in kissing him, okay? To be completely honest, the whole touching thing scares me- will you leave me alone now?!"

"Baralai liked it too," said Gippal, grinning.

"Leave off, guys!" Baralai huffed, "you promised."

"No," said Rikku, "we said 'if you really don't appear to have any feelings for each other' and, guys, you seriously looked like you did."

"You mean I kissed him for nothing?" said Paine, trying to silently cool the heat that still coursed through her veins at his touch.

"Uhm, no," said Rikku. "Now you both know how you feel about each other!"

"But you're wrong," said Paine determinedly. "I don't like him! And Baralai doesn't like me!" She sighed deeply, "you morons! Let's go, 'Lai."

With that, Paine stood, leaving Vidina with Gippal and Rikku and she and Baralai prepared to leave.

"Pay love Lai," said Vidina as they reached the door. "Lai love Pay. Love good- good, good, good."

Paine just shook her head, fighting back tears for some strange and mysterious reason, before leaving with Baralai.

Who meant absolutely nothing to her.

Really.