by PrettyGothGirl
All Disclaimers Apply
Summary: Cid has contrived of a way for Rikku and Gippal to spend some quality time together. Part Nine: Gippal has had a lousy night
followed by a lousy day and an encounter with Rikku that blows his mind.
Author's Note: Yes, Tomb Raider.. yes I know. Because it just had to be done and it might be a little early, but I don't
care. Okay... ahem...yes. Gippal or Daniel Craig... Gippal or Daniel Craig... must I choose?
It had been a lousy night, followed by a lousy day. Gippal stood in his shower, water running down his skin. All he wanted to do was stand under the stream of super hot water. Let it soak his hair, his muscles, run over his eyes and soothe out every ache and stress. He tilted his head back. The stream of water hit his chin and ran down his neck. He groaned. Steam billowed around his body and warmed the air.
Hell, he loved a hot shower. Especially after a lousy day, it was a reward that he could have even if he hadn't earned anything. It was a guilty pleasure in the worst way. Like kissing Rikku without her permission, or even touching Rikku without her permission.
That ripped another groan from him for an entirely different reason. Hot shower plus Rikku was a combination that would be twice the guilt and twice the pleasure. He leaned forward and felt the water hit the back of his neck, giving it a slight massage. If he thought the hot water would last, he'd stay in here all night.
The door to his place shut.
Gippal's head snapped up. What the-?
He turned off the taps with quick twists of his wrist. Water beaded to his skin. Frowning, he got out and walked out of his bathroom. His revolver was on a nearby table and he picked it up, checked the round. It was full. He shut it and pulled it back to half cock as he headed towards the door. Holding it up near his cheek, he stood behind the door, inhaled and opened it.
No one.
He frowned again and shut the door. Maybe it'd been an apartment down. He was over reacting, jumpy. This job with Cid was getting to him. He was beginning to see shadows where there weren't any. He exhaled, un-cocked the weapon, shook his head, put it by his side and turned. His reaction was stupid. He walked back towards the bathroom with his head down. Small puddles of water dotted the floor. He set the gun back on the table and looked up.
Jackass was written in the steamed glass of his shower. He blinked. Someone elsewas in his apartment. Damn it, he'd locked that door. He spun and jumped. Rikku smiled at him from where she sat on the windowsill.
"Rikku." He said, mouth suddenly dry. Damn, she looked gorgeous.
"Gippal." She jumped down and sauntered over to him. Her eyes glittered in amusement. She wasn't wearing her usual clothes. The skintight dark brown bodysuit left nothing to the imagination as it was almost painted to her skin. Was she wearing anything under that? Her hair billowed around her head a few braids still among the faint ripples left from her normal hairstyle. Shit, he was in trouble and it wasn't just from her clothes. Somehow she'd found out what he'd been up to on his lousy night. Who had told her?
He swallowed. "Look, I can explain."
Her eyebrows rose as she stopped six inches from him. "Really?" She rested her hands on crossed belts slung across her hips, her own pair of guns hanging from them to be strapped down to her thighs.
"It- it wasn't your type of place and I didn't want to take you in there because you'd hurt me." He paused. "Or get embarrassed." He had had her best interests in mind. It wasn't the sort of place you took a lady too or your girlfriend or a girl like Rikku, who despite her ability to kiss and seduce with a single touch, wasn't like the girls there. She wouldn't flaunt herself like that. He hadn't been cheating on her either! He hadn't looked at them. Really! Of course, he knew better than to say that. It would sound like he was protesting too much. It wasn't like he could cheat. They weren't technically a couple, not that he would cheat anyways and he hadn't… girls dancing on tables didn't interest him, unless they were Rikku.
She tilted her head. "Uh huh." She leaned forward and her perfume wafted towards him, ginger, green tea, peaches, and alcohol. He licked his lips. She smiled again. "Pops gave us this job to do together. Do you remember that part, together?" She asked. He didn't know how she was being so self possessed. He was naked, completely and utterly exposed. She didn't even seem to notice, which wasn't at all fair. He'd notice her if she was naked. With that suit she might as well be naked. How did she suddenly become sexual passion with self-possession on two legs? She widened her eyes. "If you leave me behind again, I don't know if we'll be able to continue in a friendly manner."
Evidently Rikku didn't see his actions as having her best interests at heart. She was sixinches from him. It was interfering with his ability to think. He needed to be able to think because something was just not rightwith this picture. He swallowed again. "I-"
She interrupted. "You want to remain friends, don't you?"
Not really, he wanted to be a lot more than just mere friends, but the emphasis she was putting on the word was giving it a lot more definitions than the obvious. "Y-yes." Water ran down his forehead and past his eyes. He shook his head slightly and hoped she wouldn't take it wrong.
She nodded. "Good. Not being friendly would make your life that much more difficult."
It was hard not to feel vulnerable when you were stark naked, Gippal realized, even from a very vague threat. A threat given by a girl six inches shorter than him, didn't weigh more than 110 pounds wet and could kick his ass without breaking a sweat. Underestimate Rikku, he did not. He steeled his muscles and refused to take a step back. He'd just wanted toprotect her. He should have remembered that Rikku didn't need anybodies protection. She didn't particularly want it either. She could protect herself quite competently.
He wanted her to touch him, because having her stand there without turning a hair over this situation was making it feel just a little weird, out of place, surreal. She should be embarrassed, covering her eyes, squealing, telling him to at least get a towel, something!
Her eyes left his face and ran down his body. Hot warmth ran along his skin like he could almost feel her gaze. He tried not to react to the heat in her eyes. He tried to think of something else yet in the abrupt switch of her attention he couldn't think of anything. His body responded in the predictable manner. Rikku's lips twitched into a tiny smirk, though her cheeks turned a light pink. She brought her eyes back up to meet his.
"Always a pleasure." She all but purred.
He watched in shock as she spun on her heel and strutted to the door. The suit was as snug on her ass as anywhere else. The belts only drew attention to it. Shit. Shit. Shit. She opened the door and looked over her shoulder at him, tossing her hair. "See you tomorrow." She winked.
The door thudded shut behind her.
He stood still for a few moments. Once he was sure she was gone, he relaxed slightly. Gah. She drove him crazy, but it was crazy in a good way. Damn, she was hot. Mmmm… she was hot.
"Now for a cold shower." He muttered and turned back to the bathroom.
A very, very cold shower.
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