The night out was proving to be a downer. Rikku, determined not to be in a bad mood, was standing by the bar throwing beers back and not speaking to anyone. The Goers proved to be a lame time, which she vaguely remembered after dating one of them for forty-eight hours a few months back. Paine sat next to Rikku nursing her drinks and watching the crowd. Yuna, who was in a shorter skirt than usual and a lower cut top than usual was dancing with Tidus most of the night. Part of her needed the release and part of her didn't want to let go of him for one second after his impromptu broadcast that afternoon.
Buddy and Brother were chatting up the Goers cheerleaders. Brother was surprisingly making more headway than their manager, and Paine chalked it up to those bimbos thinking his accent was 'exotic'.
Gippal was sitting a few stools down the bar from Rikku. He hadn't said much to anyone since the outing of his misfortune at the press release. Nobody could blame the guy.
"This party sucks," Paine said flatly, bringing her bottle to her lips.
"It totally does," Rikku agreed, relieved that the party actually was bad and she wasn't just viewing it through a foul mood. The crowd was tame and small. It was a room full of VIPs all trying to be more VI than the P they were standing next to. Rikku only liked the fact that she was so famous because she could do whatever she wanted. She didn't care if someone was more or less famous than she was, as long as she could still go to the party.
"Do you think VIP stands for Vastly Ignorant Population?" Paine joked. She was a little buzzed and enjoying Rikku's company. She was glad someone else was disinterested in being there when they were supposedly figure heads on the guest list.
"Or Very Icky Poopheads," Rikku rolled her eyes and scoffed with such genuine disgust that Paine couldn't help but burst out laughing. Rikku smiled against her will at Paine's laugh. She really liked it when she got her like that. They both chuckled a little longer. Paine's gaze inadvertently fell on Gippal.
"Poor guy," she sighed.
"I know." Rikku was picking at her fingernails.
"I hope you're not mad at him," Paine said. Then added thoughtfully, "Over the Faction thing, anyway."
"How can I be? It wasn't his fault. Pops can be pretty persuasive," Rikku's eyes widened as she recalled some spats she'd had with her father.
"Sucks," Paine nodded.
"Yep," Rikku replied, nodding slowly back.
"You wanna call him over here?" Paine asked, a smile begging at the corners of her mouth.
"What the heck is there to say?" Rikku kept her voice down.
"I don't know. I thought you two were trying to be friends now," Paine shrugged.
"Yeah, what the hell," Rikku surrendered. "Flag him over."
"Hey! Dipshit!" Paine shouted. Gippal looked up just the same as if she'd shouted his name. "Get over here and stop moping by yourself!" Gippal pretended to scowl and make a production out of getting up, but was soon sitting on Rikku's other side.
"Evening, Ladies," he offered up a weak attempt at a smile.
"Think this party sucks shoopuf balls too?" Rikku asked flatly. Gippal choked on his drink laughing at her frankness.
"Well, I wasn't phrasing it quite so eloquently as you, Princess, but yeah. Completely," Gippal laughed.
"What did I say about Princess?" Rikku joked, a hand on her hip.
"It's the truth, though. That's not fair," Gippal argued.
"Well, when I'm head of the Al Bhed, I'll appoint you as my executive butthead. That way we can keep all our facts straight.
"I gotta pee. I drank enough to try and make this party interesting and it didn't work," Paine excused herself.
"Look, Rik," Gippal began after a few beats of silence. The bass of the music and noise of the crowd was filling space for them. "About this whole thing."
"Don't, Gip," she said quickly, cutting him off. Her voice was soft. So were her eyes. He swallowed hard. "I know how he can be, and I'd really rather hear it from him than from you." Gippal smiled at her. It was a grateful smile and it made them both feel good in a weird way.
"Thanks," he said carefully.
"You're welcome," she replied, an honest smile spreading on her lips.
"Those bathrooms were not VI enough for my pee," Paine rolled her eyes as she popped back into the group. "I'll hold it till we get home."
"Hey guys!" a more than pleasantly buzzed Tidus and Yuna popped up, sweaty and grabby, next to the group. "We're gonna head home. Yuna's a little tipsy," Tidus bellowed. He was shirtless. He promised to give away jerseys and had drawn such a crowd that he ended up giving up the one he was wearing.
"Oh thank god, we were just talking about leaving," Rikku piped in.
"Should someone tell Buddy that we're-"
"NO!" Paine and Rikku cut Yuna off.
"Let's just get out of here," Tidus winked at Rikku. Everyone else was starting to catch on that Tidus knew more than they thought.
"Why sit in this dump when we can go home and drink for free in our jammies?" Rikku asked.
--
"Sometimes, I just don't know WHAT to think about you two!" Rikku giggled at the punch line of another one of Paine and Gippal's war stories about re-wiring Nooj's appendages in the trenches while he was sleeping.
"Oh come on, you would have been all over that, and you're better with microrobotics than I am. You would have had his arm on his knee in no time programmed to juggle his balls!" Gippal was roaring with laughter.
"TELL me you didn't," Rikku cried, nearly spitting her drink out. They'd had a few more rounds back home and were now almost in tears they were all laughing so hard. Tidus and Yuna had turned in and the group successfully left Buddy and Brother in the club.
"We didn't, but you've got to admit, that'd be something to see!" Gippal slapped his knee and Paine fell forward, covering her face with her hands as she shook with laughter. They all froze when the elevator door slid open. It was technically a public cabin, but no one went there this late because it doubled as Paine and Rikku's personal quarters. It was Tidus and he had a guilty drunk grin on his face.
"Hi," he giggled.
"Are you lost?" Paine asked flatly.
"Yuna's passed out and I want to party more. I could hear you guys up here so I thought I'd join!" he chuckled. They shared a three way glance and shrugged.
"Pull up a chair, dude," Gippal nodded at the empty seat next to him. They were lounging around one of the tables in the middle of the floor.
"Niiiice!" Tidus flashed a thumbs up that they all found cheesy, but he was already up and bought another round of beers over which they found perfectly wonderful.
"Welcome to the nightlife club, Tidus," Paine raised her beer. All four of them clinked bottles. "I feel like we need to initiate this guy or something. His lady never lets him stay up late with us." Tidus was beaming at the idea of some sort of initiation. He hoped it involved binge drinking, yelling and maybe some streaking for good measure.
"Whoa-ho! Bring it on!" Tidus punched his fists against his still bare chest.
"Easy, killer," Rikku giggled. "How do you want to do this?" she glanced back and forth between Paine and Gippal.
"Well, the way we use to get the rookies on leave is pretty easy. Especially cause we know him," Paine raised a brow at Gippal.
"We're going to get him really fucked up if we're not careful," Gippal rolled his jaw in thought.
"Yuna is going to kill you if you break him," Rikku pointed at Gippal with a stern look in her eyes.
"Fuck Yuna, let's do it!" Paine slapped the tabletop.
"Yeah!" Tidus cheered, two fists in the air.
"Alright. See if you can catch on," Gippal smirked at Tidus. "Never have I ever fucked the high summoner."
"Oh crap," Tidus laughed, picking up his beer and taking a sip. "You assholes. This is going to be a mess! I LOVE YOU!" Tidus cried. "Alright, Alright, fine. I can play this shit. Never have I ever fucked someone in the room. Eh? EH?" He pointed at Rikku and Gippal who bashfully drank. They made blushed eye contact and smiled around the tops of their bottles.
"Never have I ever played for the Besaid Aurochs," Rikku sarcastically stuck her tongue out at him. She was too drunk to care about the fact that someone had just made a sex reference to her and Gippal.
"Lame," Tidus huffed, taking his drink. "Never have I ever been part of the Crimson Squad," Tidus said back just as tartly. Paine and Gippal were good sports and drank.
"Never have I ever done it on the Celsius," Paine raised a brow.
"Oh come on!" the other three cried.
"What? I haven't?" she shrugged.
"Never have I ever gone on Yuna's pilgrimage," Gippal laughed drunkenly halfway through his broken sentence.
"Does that count cause he's dumb?" Rikku pointed over her shoulder with her thumb and looked at Paine.
"Have you ever gone on Yuna's pilgrimage?" Paine asked, giving it her all not to laugh.
"Fine," Rikku snapped, taking a sharp sip of her drink. Tidus already had.
"Never have I ever done it in a blitz locker room," Tidus slurred. Rikku blushed immediately. "Yeah! Alright! That's what I'm talking 'bout Little Rikku," Tidus clinked his bottle to hers across the table and they both shared the drink.
"Certainly not with him, I hope," Gippal joked.
"No! Not ever!" Rikku laughed. Gippal was laughing too. Her warm drunk mind was making just enough of the situation to enjoy the comfort of just hanging out with him. "By the way, IDIOT. You're not supposed to screw YOURSELF!"
"But Yuna's already passed out? Somebody has to!" He laughed at himself and the trio burst out too.
"Alright, hang on," Paine held her hand up. "This I gotta know. Never have I ever cum in Yuna's bed."
"Psh. DAILY!" Tidus pumped a fist in the air and chugged his drink. Rikku and Gippal were both biting their lower lips and looking at their feet, periodically glancing sidelong at the other. After an embarrassed delay, they finally both drank. "I'm telllllin!" Tidus pointed at the two of them.
"No you're not. Then you'll have to tell her you were up late playing drinking games with us instead of spooning her all night like she thinks," Paine scoffed.
"Touche, Dr. P," Tidus looked up at her, almost hurt.
"Who taught him that?!" Paine glared at Rikku and Gippal. "Never have I ever taught him that shit!" Paine yelled. They both drank and leaned away from her in unison.
Twelve empty bottles on the table later had the trio bursting into giggles over every question.
"Alright. Okay, Alright," Tidus's eyes were half shut. He was sitting on the floor now wearing the helmet from Paine's Samurai dressphere. Gippal was wearing Rikku's black mage hat and feeling rather festive. "Never have I ever boned someone in a club on the dance floor."
"Have you been SPYING on us for the past four years?" Rikku cried out, shoving Gippal in the shoulder.
"With all due respect, Ladies and Bonehead, it was HER idea!" Gippal shoved her back.
"It was NOT!" Rikku yelped, standing up and glaring down at him.
"I'm just kidding, Rik! Jeez!" Gippal laughed, grabbing her by the forearm and pulling her down to sit on his lap. She didn't protest and they both drank.
"Vilgehk zylgycc," (fucking jackass) Rikku muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes.
"YIKES!" Paine and Gippal laughed.
"Never have I ever fallen asleep in the act," Gippal sneered at Rikku.
"Oh my god, ONE TIME!" she shouted, taking a drink.
"You and me are kindred spirits, Rikku," Tidus drank with wide eyes.
"Shut up, you?" Paine slowly turned over her shoulder to look at him.
"I am only so much man after fifteen drinks with the little umbrellas in them they have in Kilika," Tidus shrugged.
"I'll say," Gippal tipped his bottle towards Tidus.
"Never have I ever dated one of the Gullwings, Suckers," Rikku laughed.
"Cheap shot," Gippal took another drink. Tidus was trying not to tip over.
"This helmet rules," he perked up. They ignored him. "Never have I ever taken it in the butt." Suddenly they all perked up. No one said anything at first. "What, they don't have up-the-butt in Spira?" He looked at each of their blank faces. "Then you should probably excuse me because I need to wake my girlfriend up and apologize PROFUSELY!" Tidus clambered to his feet.
"Oh no!" Rikku laughed.
"My EYE!" Gippal covered his good eye.
"She LET YOU?" Paine's jaw was still slack.
"Oh, so you do have that? GREAT!" Tidus cried.
"I can't believe this," Rikku wiped her hand over her eyes, she and Paine both bashfully drinking. She rested her head down on Gippal's shoulder. The booze and the long day in the sun were starting to get to her. She was falling asleep.
"Never have I ever done it in the can," Tidus tried.
"Dude, you just DID up-the-butt!" Gippal waved a hand.
"I mean the bathroom, shithead," Tidus laughed.
"Oh. In that case," Gippal took a swig. Paine took an extra long chug. Rikku sleepily raised her head to take a sip.
"I hate vilgehk in the bathroom," (fucking) she mumbled.
"That's not what you used to say," Gippal joked.
"I was young then. And trying to spite my vydran," (father) Rikku yawned, setting her bottle on the table and dropping her hand on Gippal's chest. She was laboring to keep her head up.
"Never have I ever fallen asleep in the game!" Tidus pointed at her.
"kad Vilgat, Oajuheda bnelg," (get fucked, Yevonite prick) Rikku chuckled as her head lolled back onto Gippal's shoulder.
"My Al Bhed is rusty, but I know that that had some dirty words in it, Young Lady," Tidus playfully shook a finger at her. She smiled and chuckled lightly, but nuzzled her forehead into the crook of Gippal's neck. He swallowed hard, suddenly wide awake.
The game filtered to a stop, but Gippal, Paine and Tidus continued to chat and laugh for quite some time longer. Rikku was fast asleep in Gippal's arms and he was using every fiber of his being to ignore her body. The hand on his chest slid down and wrapped itself around his waist, snuggling herself as close to him as she could get. He could tell by the way she was breathing that she was completely out. He'd shared a bed with her for enough years to know how she slept. Her hair smelled dangerously good and it was tickling his chin. He was having a hard time focusing on what Paine and Tidus were talking about.
From what he could tell, it was Tidus's brilliantly idiotic stunt at the meet and greet. The moron had really saved his ass. He hadn't given the guy a proper thanks, or the proper chance. He made a silent resolution to try and not be such a dick to him when they set the stage up in the morning. On the other hand, he knew how hung over he'd be and how frustrated he was going to be after Rikku snuggled in his lap for a hour and he couldn't so much as kiss the top of her head even though it seemed to be the only thing he could think of doing at the moment.
"Alright. I think we have all drunk ourselves to the level of 'getting yelled at by Yuna tomorrow' so I'm going to hit the sack," Paine stretched, setting her last empty bottle on the table.
"Who are you telling?" Tidus muttered, setting her helmet down with a clang on the table. They all jumped. Rikku didn't stir. "Night guys!" he headed for the elevator and they called good night after him.
"Why don't you let me take this off your hands," Paine nonchalantly snatched Rikku's mage hat off Gippal's head. He chuckled.
"C'mon, Rik," Gippal gave her a shake. She didn't budge. She was in her pajamas which was both good and bad. Good, because he didn't have to change her and she didn't have as much skin exposed. Bad because she was still wearing his god forsaken undershirt and those stupid pilgrimage shorts that drove him nuts. "Princess?" He tried.
"Fryd?"(what) she moaned.
"Bedtime, Cid's Girl," He said softly. Paine rolled her eyes from the stairs.
"Pid E's hud denat," (But I'm not tired) she said, her voice muffled by the front of his shirt.
"Yes you are, come on, get up," He tried not to laugh. He tried not to kiss her.
"Lynno sa," (carry me) she whined. He bit his lip, trying not to laugh at how sweet and freaking adorable she was. He hoisted her up easily and carried her to the stairs. She looped her slim arms around his neck.
"Deja Vu, Executive Butthead," Paine smirked.
"Go to hell," Gippal smiled at her and laid Rikku down on her bed. "Come on, get some blankets. Tuck yourself in," He said, pulling the sheets up over her sprawled out body.
"E's cunno so vydran ec y zang," (I'm sorry my father is a jerk) Rikku mumbled into the pillow.
"Rik, Babe, don't," He winced. He used to call her Babe a lot. That one slipped out. He hoped she didn't catch it.
"Ugyo," (okay) she sighed heavily.
"Night, Rik," he said again, bending down and finally planting that soft, chaste kiss in her hair he'd been fighting for hours.
"Night," she didn't budge. He backed away a few steps and waved goodnight to Paine. "E mega ed frah oui lymm sa Pypa," (I like it when you call me Babe) she said, just barely loud enough for him to hear.
"Me too," he said quietly once the elevator door shut behind him.