Thank you for making it this far! I would like to thank my reviewers and everyone whose taken the time to read this.

Disclaimer: Square Own FFX-2 and it's characters. I own nothing.

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Seven and a Half Circles

Chapter 4

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I was freezing, wet, and wanted to start hitting anyone who so much as looked in my direction. I decided to walk up a few flights of stairs to stay away from all of the people who were here, and crowded into tiny elevators. I just wanted to get to my room, avoid all the concerning looks that I hoped Paine would spare me, and sleep. Maybe not sleep but stare at the ceiling. If I slept I would have to wake up tomorrow. I wasn't entirely sure how I would be able to survive that. Even thinking about seeing Tidus right now was causing me to choke while I breathed.

The halls were empty when I reached the door to my room. After a few moment of searching for a key I remembered that I didn't have one and began pounding on the door. I waited standing there for what seemed like forever before hitting my back against the door and slumping down. I hit my head against my knees, just staring at my expensive shoes and the mud caked to them. There wasn't any where else I could go, or wanted to go. So what else could I do but wait for Paine to come back from where ever she was.

I wanted to cry. But nothing came to me. I didn't even feel sad any more, just empty.

I traced my finger along the little swirls in the carpet absent mindedly, pushing back the sleeves of my jacket to do so. This was an expensive hotel. They didn't have pastel colors and elevator music. Most of the floors were polished wood, and those that were carpet were elegant vibrant reds, whites, and purples. Every hallway had intricate designs on lanterns that hung around every door, and laced across the ceiling. Employee's would come down the hall every so often to make sure every light was lit, and the carpet and walls were clean to a microscopic level. They cleaned with manual presicion like machina, in there uniform that looked better than what most people wore during the day.

I had the money so I got the most expensive room I could find. I wanted the penthouse, but some one at the front desk told me they didn't have one. From that moment I knew this place was messed up. It was the grandest place I had ever seen, and it didn't have the granduer that I was starting to become obsessed with. Maybe I was the one who was messed up. I was becoming so obsessed with doing something new and making people look disgusted at me that I started to need this place. This city that I had once been so afraid of became the only place I ever wanted.

I shuddered at the thought. It was unfortunate, but I still didn't want to leave. The fact that it was abnormal and creepy encouraged me. I wanted so desperately to go against the grain.

The elevator door opened and I looked to it hoping to see Paine walk out, but she didn't. A nice Bevellian family did. They all had curly brown hair, and wore flawless outfits, even the little boy who walked with them. As the walked by me they fell silent but I could feel the disgusted looks on their faces as they looked at me. The little boy stopped and bent down to be at eye level with me dispite his parents looks of disaproval.

"Do you need any money?" He said softly, but with a haughty disrespect in his voice. I thought he was about to spit on me.

I lifted my eyes to meet the dark brown in his, "You're so small," I said with a laugh then turned my tone of voice drastically, "I could snap your little neck with my own two hands," I then clasped then together and looked at him with a smile. He started to cry and scream and beat on me with his fists. His parents ripped him off of me.

"You monstrous thing!" the woman's voice called out, "Get out of here now before I call security one you! I'm sure there are plenty of park benches for you scum to sleep on!"

The door suddenly opened behind me and I fell back onto somebodies feet. My eyes were closed so I didn't look up to see who it was.

"I'm sorry for the disturbance Sir," she spoke again, "This girl here was just sitting front of your door, and when my son tried to help her-- she threatened him with bodily harm!"

I heard a man laugh, "Really I thought you liked kids, Cid's girl." I opened my eyes instantly and stood up to look at the man who had just come out of my room. I felt a little self-conscious being soaking wet and insulted every few seconds by a little inocent looking child. I turned and hissed at the boy.

"Just until they start something with me!" I moaned, but felt a smile creeping onto my lips.

I looked back at him as he waved an arm casually, "I assure you this sort of behavior will not go unpunished, threatening children seriously what is world coming to? Am I right?" Gippal walked over to the woman and put an arm around her shoulders earning a disaproving look from her husband.

The woman nodded and began to walk towards her room, Gippal and her family all following. The little boy looked back at me and spit his tongue out. I repeated the gesture and stood impatiently waiting for his return.

He gave me a stupid smile after ushering them away from me, and reaching into his pocket to take out a key.

"Um, Gippal?" I looked at him with a little bit of spite for not immediately taking my side, "Why do you have a key to my room? I don't even have a key to my room." I reached for it but he held it above my head.

He laughed when I started to jump for it, "Paine gave it to me." he said simply. I wondered absently why Paine would give him a key. What if they were...

"Hey! You were in the room this whole time? Why didn't you open the door and let me in?" I put a hand on my hip as he unlocked the door and walked inside, almost shutting it before I got in too.

He shrugged and slumped down on the couch. He put his hands behind his head and pretended to be sleeping, or something.

"Well at least tell me why your in my room! I could just call the front desk and have you removed!" I was starting to get angry now. I couldn't sleep while he was here, sitting on my couch and… doing things.

"Paine told me she wants to 'talk' or something," he looked back up at me looking tired, "She said you'd be out, which is why I had to come here right away. I guess I'm in for a lecture," Gippal waved his hand as if to brush of the conversation and yawned.

"So she's not here?" I muttered hopefully. I had been hoping for her to be here with room service, and a warm towel. I knew she wouldn't but for now I liked the idea.

He shook his head, "You've got a nice room here. Hell, you can't even call it a room with so many doors inside it. Mine's not like this at all it's got a bathroom and a small room with a pathetic looking bed in it. It's got a nice balcony though. I mean sure the room is probably only 10 cubic feet, but it's on the top floor and you can see the whole city. I'd rather have an ocean view or something--"

"Can I see it?" I said softly cutting him off. I wondered vaguely why he was talking so much about his room. Had we become so desperate for small talk? It did interest me though. I had visions of having a penthouse suit when I came here, and no penthouse is complete with a balcony over looking the city.

He sat up and gave me a grin, "You want to go up to my room?" The was a silent laugh on his lips. I shook my head and glared at him.

"I just want to see it. Okay, for like two seconds then leave." I stood up and took off the jacket he had let me wear the night before to reveal my dry expensive dress underneath. I ruffled my hair and smoothed it down were it needed it and took off my shoes replacing them with bulky work boots. He watched me while I did this, and merely laughed when I told him it was creepy, and flung a muddy shoe at him.

The minute I walked into his room I ran to the window. Only sparing the clothes and paper lying all over the floor a seconds thought. I looked and greeted the sight before me with a happy squeal. Immediately I shuffled the curtains away from the glass door in the back of his room and opened it. The balcony was so small it was almost like a ledge, and being on the top story there was nothing on top of it to block it from the rain.

As soon as I saw it the city took my breath away. The building we were in was one of the tallest ones on the highest tier of the city that wasn't owned by New Yevon. All the red buildings and ancient looking shingles. I had just been in those small streets half an hour ago. I had just been among all the little tiny people running for shelter. Now I felt like a goddess above them, with the power to smite everyone who didn't do my bidding. I laughed at the thought. Even after my thoughts shifted else where I kept laughing and fell to my knees almost to tears.

But I was done crying about this.

"You like it that much?" He said after walking into the little place behind me. Even up against the wall he was still an arms length away.

I didn't move, I couldn't. I just looked through the little bars in the railing, and stared at that city. I knew somewhere down there Tidus and Yuna were walking and talking. Somewhere down there was a man about to get his heart crushed. Somewhere in this beautiful city I'd lost something inside of me, and I knew with every thing I could see from where I was I had to be looking at it. I just couldn't spot it because I didn't know what I was looking for.

My gaze landed on my lap. I didn't want to look at it any more. Sure it was beautiful and it was mine. But really what did that matter.

"Don't you like Bevelle?" I asked after an uncomfortable silence. My voice was sad and uneven.

"I don't hate it or anything," his footstep found there way next to me and I felt his eyes on me, "But then again I can't say I would try to stop it from burning to the ground,"

I smiled a little, "Why Gippal, that's a terrible thing to say." I laughed a little thinking how I've sad my share of horrible things lately, "I love Bevelle. It's the most wonderful place in the world,"

"Whatever," he muttered then grabbed my arm to pull me to a more upright position. My eyes burned into his face. I wasn't sure whether I was feeling a little bit of hatred for him right now, or maybe… indifference.

His face twisted into a smile, "I got something for you," he said softly opening the door back to his room. My eyes opened wide with surprise and I clapped my hands together.

"It better be something good," I sad happily ignoring the look he shot me. When he came back out there was something behind his back. I tried to walk around behind him to get ahold of it, but he turned away, blocking me every time.

He took his free hand and grabbed one of mine, "Hold still." he said in a tone I didn't like so I sneered at him. After a few seconds of suspense he pulled his other hand out from behind his back and put something in my hand.

"You got me a daisy?" I asked quietly looking down at the little thing in my hand.

"Now don't get worked up. I'm just being nice." he pointed to his mouth as he smiled, "I'm sure you've done it at least once in your life. I mean you can't be all scaring children all the time."

I laughed a little curtly, then locked my eyes on his, "I don't like daisies."

He blinked several times, "What…? Well I'll just have to take it back then" Gippal reached his hands to take it from me.

"No, I still want it. I just want you to know that I don't like it," I said defensibly then held it up so the rain could hit it, "I'm disappointed in you, Gippal. Your becoming a softy."

"I try to do one nice thing. And suddenly your calling me names." He said waving his arms around and looked away. He was smiling though, I guessed that he was trying to make me feel guilty.

I giggled, "That's right, your being punished. I like it better when your mean to me." I twirled the daisy in my fingers unable to take my eyes of the little thing.

"Masochist, " He smiled then walked back over to face me.

"You sound awfully happy about that," I said attempting to take a step back but hitting the railing. There goes that personal space thing again. A smile was plastered on my face.

Our eyes were locked on each others, as he leaned down a little to become a little closer to my eye level. I let a smirk cross my face as I dropped the daisy and crushed it under my work boot. I rose my eyebrow.

It was his move.