Here it is! The wrap up! Would you all believe me if I said I forgot to post it yesterday...?

12) Well, you know how men are. They think "No" means "Yes" and "Get lost" means "Take me, I'm yours."

—justhavefaith

"Well, you know how men are. They think 'No' means 'Yes' and 'Get lost' means 'Take me, I'm yours," the women laughed at Paine's dry assessment of the situation. "It took her finally walking away from him to make him realize what an ass he was being about it."

"Baralai, how set are you in your plans?" Gippal grumbled to his friend. The shorter man started and flushed before glaring at the Al Bhed out of the corners of his eyes. He ignored the glare, too busy sulking. Sure, he may owe Paine for setting them up, but still…

"I'm pretty sure there are indecent behavior laws here."

The drawled comment tore Gippal from the haze he had been in; a haze of soft tan skin, the taste of sweetly tart apples and spicy cinnamon, and the sounds of Rikku mewing desperately in his ear as he relentlessly teased her with what he knew and he had made painfully sure that she didn't have a clue she could feel.

He heard Rikku whimper when he stopped, snapping him out of the haze yet again. This was going to be bad for his work when they went back to Djose, but one glance at her made it abundantly clear he couldn't turn her away anymore. She beamed up at him, before looking over her shoulder to glare at Paine. "You are turning into Tubby," she scolded, "He interrupted Yunie's 'Awwww' moment, and now you are butting into mine. And I've waited longer than her, too!" She pouted, making Gippal swallow and remind himself that eating Rikku's lip wasn't appropriate in front of her friends. He had to look somewhere else, and the tree line worked.

Paine's dry laugh told him she knew how much of a struggle he was going through to restrain himself. "If I had left you two alone for much longer, Gippal would have done something stupid," the older girl replied, "Or at least, he would have done something that would have resulted in a rather cranky pregnant ex-summoner who still has rather prudish ideas about the proper order in relationships."

"Like she's one to talk… She was sharing a hut with Tidus within the week he came back…" Rikku muttered petulantly. Gippal could hear the pout. Don't you dare look, he snarled at himself. It was a lost warning. She wrapped her arms around his middle and he glanced down at her. Yep, there was that pout. Before she had time to react, he scooped her up and soundly kissed her, only stopping when Paine cleared her throat-loudly.

"Meanie," Rikku accused as her friend smirked.

Gippal only sighed, refusing to set Rikku down this time. "Is there a reason you are being a bubble-popper, or are just being annoying?" he asked casually.

"While you were making up for the three years spent being an dimwitted ass, Yuna was wondering where her darling cousin disappeared to, and Baralai is here and spilled that you were suppose to arrive earlier today," Paine dryly informed him, "She's trusting, not stupid. I was given strict orders to preserve Rikku's chastity, despite my doubts it even exists."

Gippal growled under his breath, "I've invested time in making sure it exists—ow!" He leveled a look down at his scowling girlfriend. "What was that for?"

"What do you mean 'investing time'?" she demanded instead, "Are you the bastard that kept chasing away the guys I would meet and consider going on a date with?" He stared at her ruefully, and she glowered at him. "Ohhh!!! I should slit your throat, you ass!"

"I'm really getting sick of people calling me that…" Gippal said with only mild annoyance.

"Then quit acting like one!" the two girls said in sync, before glancing at each other and laughing.

He sighed and draped his arm over RIkku's shoulders. "I am so abused…" he whined, "Alright, pypa, let's go before your cousin completely melts down."

She nodded, blushing slightly at his new nickname for her. "It won't be good for the baby if she does…"

The pair were walking up, Paine behind them, when the platinum blonde mused, "You are just incapable of calling her by her name, aren't you?" He turned his head and glowered at her, but otherwise didn't comment.

Their friends had been gathered around, everyone from both world-saving adventures (sans Auron and Kimari) gathered to celebrate (belatedly) Yuna's pregnancy. The sight of Gippal's arm wrapped firmly around Rikku's waist and the smile on her face had many people forking over money to others due to numerous bets placed on the two (neither were amused), grumbling all the while, as Anikki squawked in outrage, held back by an amused Buddy. A few hours (and drinks) later, the group had split into the females cooing over baby crap and the males talking blitzball. However, Gippal had kept his eye on Rikku constantly. Underage, skinny as a rail, not to mention short, she did not bode well for more than two drinks, if that.

Even then Cid would kill him later, not matter how much he protested that it was just a one-time thing and wasn't he technically not responsible for her yet?

Ixion, I'm thinking "yet"… he mentally groaned, though amused at himself. At this point, Paine set off another one of her dry, sarcastic jokes at his expense. Once again, the darker blonde glared at his friend, and Baralai glared right back. "One more, and I tell the whole room," he growled.

"You wouldn't dare."

Gippal opened his mouth to give him an uncharacteristically snarky reply when Paine's voice drifted over from the other side of the room. "Honestly, I've seen doors that aren't as thick as Gippal's head when one of us would try to convince him to just confess already," she said in amused disgust.

The Al Bhed gave the praetor an annoyed smirk. "Gippal," Baralai tried to warn, but it was too late.

"Oh, Paine…" Gippal called in amusement. When she looked over at him, he casually began tossing what looked like an innocent enough white box around in his hands.

Baralai's muffled yelp was heard by everyone present, making them stare at the dark-skinned platinum blonde as he covered his eyes with one hand, obviously unable to believe his luck. He knew he should have kept a closer eye on Gippal during their little office discussion… He had just gotten back from Luca where he purchased the damn thing in the first place, and never even noticed it was gone…

"What, Gipster?" Paine finally snapped, her eyes narrowed suspiciously at him and drawing everyone's attention back to their exchange.

He smirked in response, ignoring the disliked nickname. "You know that little trip you and Baralai are planning on taking?" When she nodded, obviously still suspicious, he tossed the box at her. She caught it, and quirked a brow at Baralai's muffled groan. "Look what our favorite praetor wanted to give you on this little trip," Gippal suggested, swinging his arm over Rikku's shoulder. His pypa was looking at him in amused confusion, trying to figure out what he wanted.

Rikku's attention was torn away from trying to figure out what was going through her new boyfriend's—she inwardly squealed—mind just by looking at him, but was interrupted by Paine's startled gasp. She quickly returned her eyes to the box in her friend's hands, only to gasp along with all the other girls. Under that plain white cardboard had been a smaller, black velvet ring case. When Paine's shaking hand opened the lid and revealed the sparkling diamond ring inside, amazed murmurs came from all those who could see, and silence reigned for a moment.

And Rikku knew what was about to happen.

Grabbing, Gippal's hand, she yanked on his arm to make him follow her as they fled the scene of his most recent stupidity, just as the ring case snapped closed, loudly. "Gippal!" Paine's thoroughly enraged growl came just as they disappeared out of the immediate line of fire.

"What was that about?" Gippal gasped, obviously not expecting that reaction from Paine. Rikku tartly informed him as she led him to a safe hiding place, away from Paine who was probably planning on subtracting more than respect points from her new beau.

"Why do you think she tried so hard to set us up? Under all that leather and bad temper is a die-hard romantic, you ass!"

My first Rippal fic is done! SQUEEE!