Devotion & Desire
Chapter 1 – Delays, Arrivals, & Moogles
Written by: Oneiromancy

Disclaimer: I don't own FFX-2; or its characters.

A/N: The story is based, well I shouldn't say based, but influenced by the song "Devotion and Desire" by Bayside. It'll get around to connecting to it, hopefully, in the end.

Italics – character's thoughts.
( blahblahblah ) – translated al bhed.

(O)¸.·(N)·.¸(E)¸.·(I)·.¸(R)¸.·(O)·.¸(M)¸.·(A)·.¸(N)¸.·(C)·.¸(Y)

A girl lays on her side with her swirling emerald eyes wide open as she stares into nowhere listening intently to the commotion down the hall.

The voices in the hallway echo all the way to her doorway. She listens to a gruff voice ask, "How you holding up, kid?"

She listens for that other voice as it pauses before it answers, "All right, I hope my aunt takes good care of her. It's pretty lame that she didn't want me around to help out, but I guess I'll understand her choice for sending me off." I don't understand her choice. "…By the way thanks for letting me stay here for the year, while things straighten out." His voice, it still sounds the same.

The middle-aged man laughs, "No problem. I'd do any favor for your mother. You'd like it here." The voice gets louder as they walk closer to her door and stop. "You'll stay in the extra guest room; I think Brother's placed some of his spare school uniforms on the bed. They'll do for now, 'til you go and get yours fitted. Basically, our home is your home. Hungry? You can get something in the kitchen; bathroom is at the end of the hall. It's late; better get some rest, school tomorrow. Nothing better than you're education, you can get a ride with Brother or Rikku."

The girl glances at her clock, the bright red numbers glare back at her. 1:27 A.M.

"Thanks, Cid."

She listens to the shuffling of feet as one of them leaves. She continues to listen intently to the silence for what seemed like forever, before she heard the other person walk into the room and close the door.

I can't believe Pop is letting him stay here. She lies on her back and stares up at the ceiling. Tons of glow in the dark stars were plastered all over. Her mind begins to wander to two weeks ago when she first heard the news.

Rikku and Yuna were sitting at the island counter eating cookies Yuna had baked earlier. Rikku watches as her dad walks in and drops the mail on the counter. "Have I told you, guys, yet?"

Yuna looked up at him and smiles, "Tell us what?"

"Yah, Pops, what?" Rikku chimes in grinning.

"Gippal is coming to stay here to finish school."

"WHAT? Why?" Rikku's grin quickly disappears.

"Well, his dad's doing some time for domestic violence, and his mother is staying with his aunt. His mother thinks it'll be good for him to stay somewhere else for a while, while things cool down."

Rikku frowns. He's always had it tough. Yuna looks at both of them, "Who's Gippal?"

Cid answers, "He's –"

Rikku interrupts him before he could say much of anything else, "AN ARROGANT COCKY JERK!" She jumps off her stool and angrily storms off to her room leaving a confused Yuna, and Cid shaking his head.

Rikku sat in her room that whole day and refused to come out.

Okay, so maybe I sort of overreacted, but still. The past isn't something I want to deal with right now, and with you back, all that past that I put behind me is all rushing back. She turned and looked over at her clock, 1:53 A.M. She closes her eyes and tries counting moogles jumping fences. One, two, three … why are moogles jumping fences? … Four, five, six … She eventually drifts to sleep.

(O)¸.·(N)·.¸(E)¸.·(I)·.¸(R)¸.·(O)·.¸(M)¸.·(A)·.¸(N)¸.·(C)·.¸(Y)

The 18 year old boy looks around the room. His eyes shifting from one object to the other, a comfy double bed, a large sturdy dresser with full length mirror. Pretty nice. He puts down his suitcase and walks over to the bed and looks over the uniforms. He picks one up. White collared shirt with grey slacks. He picks up the red and gray striped tie and plays with it as he walks around the room. He opens the top drawer of the dresser, places the tie on top of the dresser, and rummages through. His eyes fall on a box shoved in the back. He pulled it out and opens it, inside were neatly folded notes.

He sat on the bed and opened the folded piece of paper that was on top.

To: rikku,

i hope ur doing well, u havent responded to any of my emails. i don't understand y. i didnt do anything wrong, did i? u could always tell me when something's wrong. oh, u never gave ur new number to me, how am i supposed to call u? dont u ever check ur email?

well things here r the same. My dad's been doing well with his gambling so nothing bad has been happening. good money i guess. me and my mom r trying our best 2 please him. no need 2 worry. school's fine, still feel lost with my best friend not here, n cmon 8th grade work is extremely easy. garret, lilly, leanna, and arroh all miss u, but i miss u the most. i need my partner in crime around. mrs. yarak's dog acts like he owns the neighborhood again. i hope this letter may get a response from u or a call. u know my number.

ur best friend n partner in crime

gippal

He rereads the letter again. This is the last email I ever sent her. He sighs, folding it up and placing it back into the box. Why'd she print them out, but not reply to them? He puts the box back into the drawer and closes it, looking up at the mirror at himself. His one eye scans his reflection of a tall, tan, muscular man with a black eye patch over the right eye. He runs his hand through his spiky golden blonde hair. Crap, better call her. He digs through his pocket for his cell phone, goes through his phone list, and dials the number.

He listens to the phone ring.

"Hello?" a woman answers.

"Hey, mom. How you holding up?"

"Fine, oh fine." He hears a voice on the other line. "Your aunt sends her hello. How was your plane trip?"

"Just as plane trips are. Plane food sucks and the chairs are uncomfortable. There was some plane trouble at one of the stops so there was a major delay. I didn't get to Cid's house 'til about 1:00 A.M."

"Oh, I'm sorry, dear. Well, you be good, and get some sleep. Don't you start school tomorrow?"

"Yah, yah… I know, just wanted to call and check in just like you wanted me to"

"Of course, hun. Well you be good. Give Cid my regards and say hello to Rikku, and Brother for me."

"Okay, night mom."

"Good night, Gippal, I love you."

"Love you too, mom."

He turns of his phone and looks over at the clock, 1:53 A.M. He changes out of his clothes and puts on sweatpants and climbs into bed. It's going to be a long day tomorrow, but I can't wait to see you.

A/N: We all have to start somewhere. I'm not sure what I was doing with the time thing. Feedback is always appreciated.