i felt so much, i couldn't feel at all.
"Hey kid-"
"Hello asshole."
"Hey whoa! Where did that come from?"
"I don't know Gippal - when Keyani was leaving your room this morning - where did she come from?"
I watched as Rikku's crossed leg twitched, her arms folded taught across her bust and her bottom lip was jutting out in an unhappy pout. I ran a hand through my hair, a grin finding its way onto my face.
"Gee Cid's Girl, I didn't know you cared-"
"Oui kuut vun hudrehk, cdilg ib ouin ufh ycc, nuddah, pycdynto pycdynt!" she was hissing out the furious Al Bhed and swiftly lifting her leg up to kick me fiercely in the chest before I could finish my sentence. I grasped her ankle after she had kicked me, holding it taught in my grip. I grinned.
"I can see your panties."
"BANJAND!"
Barrel. Click. Oil. Click. Bullets. Click. Click click click.
Seven books of matches in my back pocket, 12 rounds of bullets around my front, a glance in the mirror and hey, I looked as damn good as always.
I didn't know exactly what Baralai had been reeling about... but he was right. We had to talk to Nooj.
D'jose Temple always sizzles in the darkness, never silent, always humming gently in my ears - the hum was interrupted as soon as I felt her right behind me, closer than she had been in over two years.
"Chaygehk ib uh sa, Cid's girl?"
Its a habit to speak to her only in Al Bhed when we're alone, and she looked at my reflection in the mirror past my side, her eyes bright.
"First things first then, I guess," she began slowly, squeezing my bicep and pulling slightly. I turned to face her, the full force of her golden appearance meeting my solitary eye. I found my hand sliding up the side of her face, my gloved fingers becoming entangled in her sunny braids. Her lips looked as soft as the skin of her shoulders and I found myself involuntarily leaning in to her.
How long had it been since I kissed her?
I nursed my smarting cheek, as 'Ku wriggled into her skirt further, bottom lip jutting out in distaste.
"Since when do you care what Keyani and I do with our spare time?"
"I don't."
"Then why so quick to punch me in the face?"
"That was for an entirely different reason, banjand!"
"Ah yes, silly me."
"…."
"…."
"… Anywho, I don't care whatyou do with Keyani. I do care when Brother tells me what you plan on doing with your time come cissan cumcdela."
"… Anikki's a little rat, he said he'd keep quiet!"
"Really Gippal? The Crusaders?!"
She stopped my lips from reaching hers by lifting her hand and ghosting it along my eyepatch.
"Fancy," she murmured, a smile in her voice and I grinned at her.
"Yeah, well, I made a life for myself out here. Could finally afford something a little classier than a grubby piece of cloth made out of old jumpsuit," I reasoned, my voice a low rumble, as the tip of my nose ghosted her own little button one, and she blew at her hair in her eyes, the swirling mass of jade intent and uncharacteristically serious. She let out a low breath, before scooting up onto her tip-toes and kissing me long, and hard.
She smelled of sand and sunshine and Home.
"The Crusaders won't have me, stupid kid."
"I'm NOT a kid!"
"You are."
"Whatever, asshole."
Our lips had barely parted when she spoke next, her voice low, yet still sweeter than honey.
"I was so scared."
Stupid little Cid's Girl didn't know what she was talking about.
Her eyes glistened.
"I couldn't even visit the Farplane... dummy. A 'hello' on the commsphere would have been nice."
I laughed and flicked her forehead back from me, turning to fix my hair where her little fingers had mussed it.
"And what, you think when you were off getting swallowed by Sin I was camping in Guadosalam?"
She rubbed her head and pouted in disdain again, a half laugh, half snort erupting from her. She turned to my bed, bending over to shove some of my clothes off the side to make room for herself. I glanced absently in the mirror, heart soaring at the sight.
"Hey, Cid's girl?" I asked softly, the hum of the Temple alive once again. Her shoulders stiffened and she plonked herself down on the bed, rolling her eyes.
"What?"
"I can see your panties."
Stupid little Cid's girl didn't know what she was talking about.
But my Golden girl smelled like sunshine and Home.
Al Bhed translations:
- You good for nothing... bastardy bastard!
- PERVERT!
- Sneaking up on me?
Hey whoa, I wrote a second chapter. Go Rippal! I love looking at the dichotomy between these two, and how their little experiences have made them grow up - but not completely. Reviews are love, RG friends :)