Story Challenge:
Theme: Gippal's Reaction to Rikku and Tidus being 'buddy-buddy'
Length: 100-?
About: Write a story, any length that centers around the theme. Does not have to be a one shot or stand-alone.

It was no secret to those that knew him, Gippal could be a jealous man. Not fly off the handle and murder someone jealous, perhaps. But still, jealous.

It wasn't so much the fact that she was friends with the guy that was the problem. Honestly, it shouldn't have been an issue at all.

Because damn it all the hell, the kid was supposedly in love with The High Summoner. He was the whole reason they'd gone on the massive spherehunt last summer, right?

So, if that was the case, what in the hell was he doing here, with his arm latched around Rikku's waist, laughing and giggling, and looking like he didn't have a care in the world.

And Rikku! She was equally as bad! Laughing like that was only encouraging him! He was going to have to teach her a lesson in how to properly tell a guy to leave you alone. Obviously she didn't have a clue right now.

Gippal's eye narrowed.

Didn't he know that that was his waist?

And his laugh?

His girl?

Of course he did! Because everyone with half a fucking brain knew that Cid's girl was Gippal's girl!

It was clear that this guy... What was his name? Teacup? Tye-dye? Didn't matter. It was clear he had no brain.

He honestly hadn't even realized he had been walking toward them until he looked down, and there was Rikku looking right back up at him, a smile on her face.

His anger melted a bit, she was so damn cute when she smiled. It always reminded him of Home, all bright and shiny and warm. And other poetic things he couldn't think of at that moment.

"Something wrong, Gippy? You look like you swallowed a big ol pile of shoopuf shit."

Oh yeah, so poetic.

"Nothing, just wondering what you two were up to." His gaze fell to the man's hand which was still firmly situated at the small of Rikku's back.

"Not much," She brushed her braids back behind her shoulder before continuing, "Just reminiscing a little bit is all."

Tye-dye teacup nodded, "Yep! Lots of things have changed since I was around." He turned his attention to Rikku then, "I still can't believe how much you've changed."

Gippal's glare returned. Was he actually hitting on her? In front of him? And to top it off she was blushing!

Oh, he was so telling Yuna.

"I just wish we could've met under better circumstances. We all could've had so much fun together if.." She couldn't finish the sentence, some wounds simply didn't get better with time.

Tidus nodded that he understood, "We had a lot of good times too, though. Like that time on the moonflow after Wakka and I kicked your ass."

Gippal's eyes narrowed further, "You kicked her ass?"

Oops. Hadn't meant to say that out loud.

Rikku laughed again. Laughed! At getting her ass kicked! "Yeah, I remember. Though I honestly thought you were going to have a heart attack when I started stripping."

Gippal opened his mouth to ask her when, exactly, she had learned that stripping in front of strange men was a good idea. A sharp pain in his side quickly shut the words off before they could be spoken. He glanced down, rather irritated, at the spot in question.

Only to be even more irritated when he discovered that he was being.. nudged? By the same man who's head he wanted to rip off and feed to a Zu. How wonderful.

"Though honestly, who could blame me, right Gippal?"

"Come again?"

"Oh come on, you mean to tell me you wouldn't have gone all googly eyed at the chance to see Rikku naked?"

Looking back on the situation later, he realized that his reaction might not have been the most mature one ever. "Pssh, I've seen her naked so many times it doesn't actually phase me anymore."

It was at that moment that Gippal realized that perhaps he had been wrong about Nooj. Perhaps it wasn't really so bad to be a death-seeker. After all, running off at the mouth could never actually be conducive to a long life.

Rikku though, Ixion bless her, took it all in stride, "Well Gippy, you know, if I'm not doing it for you anymore, we could always just see other people."

He honestly tried not to notice her triumphant smirk.

But even he had to admit, she had won.

Granted, he wasn't even aware of the fact that they were seeing each other , but hell, it could be arranged.

Plus, there was the small detail where he had never actually seen her naked. But that too was a quick fix. Matter of fact, if the moron would just leave he could fix it right here, in the middle of the temple Yep, there were a million different ways he could use that column over there.

Leverage was a good thing.

"Aww, do you really have to run off so soon? I hardly get to see you anymore!"

Until that moment, Gippal hadn't even realized the conversation had moved on without him.

"Yeah, I'm going to have to get back to Besaid." Tidus dropped his gaze to the ground, suddenly becoming rather interested in a small pile of rocks, "Yuna worries when I'm gone for too long."

"I can imagine. Two whole years without seeing the person you care about most. That's got to be hard."

Gippal could practically feel her eyes boring into him. It was actually kind of nice. In a painful if looks could kill sort of way.

"I think that's what makes it so bad. For her, it was two years. For me, it was.. Nothing."

"But you're here now and that's what matters. Plus, you've got to give her some credit, she went through hell and back to get you. If nothing else, she's dedicated."

Tidus gave a large smile and a nod, "It was great catching up with you, Rikku. He inclined his head in Gippal's direction, "Take care Mr. Faction Leader." And with a quick wave, he was gone, leaving Rikku, Gippal, and a rather awkward silence behind.

"Well now, that was interesting." Rikku spoke after a moment, eyes still locked on the door that Tidus had disapperead through.

Silence.

She tried again, "So, how about them Psyches?"

More silence.

She had just opened her mouth to give it another shot when he finally spoke, "See other people, huh?"

She smiled.

Okay, so perhaps it wasn't the smoothest thing he'd ever said. Or even a full sentence. But hey, at least he was speaking.

"Hey, you were the one that said my nakedness did nothing for you."

"There has to be nakedness for me to do anything with it, sweetheart."

"Use your imagination." She gave him a quick wink.

"I've tried that. It's not working anymore. So I'm thinking," He took a step in her direction. She didn't move, "I'm thinking that maybe I'm just not getting it right, you know?"

"If it's not getting you off, then no, you're probably not doing it right."

He made a mental note to punch Dachi and Anikki later, because he was fairly certain that one of them had been the one to teach her what the term 'getting off' meant. "It's not a problem with getting off," He ran his hand down her neckline and into the valley of her breasts, "It's a problem with wanting more when it's over."

"Ah, I can see how that could be a problem."

He nodded gravely, "Then you see why it's absolutely imperative that I have you completely naked sometime in the next ten seconds."

She nodded as well, "Yes, I think I can see how this is indeed a life or death matter. But you know what else I'm thinking?"

He quirked an eyebrow at her, "What's that, sweetheart?"

"I'm thinking that you got jealous because you thought I was flirting with Tidus, and now you're trying to reestablish yourself as the only constant male in my life."

He gave a deep chuckle and took another step forward, pressing their bodies flush together. It was all she could do to repress a shudder., "Is it working?"

"That depends, are you going to kiss me, or just keep running your mou--"

She never got the chance to finish the sentence.

Somewhere between the time his tongue entered her mouth, and they both entered his bedroom, she made a mental note to thank Tidus.

Even if the poor guy probably had no idea what for.