"Damn."

"Don't say damn, you're a girl."

She slanted him an annoyed look from beneath mussed bangs. "I'll say damn if I want to."

"It's uncouth. Ladies shouldn't curse." He folded his arms behind his head, nodding resolutely.

"Pfft." Rikku flopped backwards on the bed. Her muddy boots landed on the footboard, sending a small shower of dirt skittering across the tile floor. "I'm no one's idea of a lady, so who cares?"

Gippal nudged her feet with his own until they slipped off the footboard and onto the floor. "You've got that right. A lady wouldn't be tracking mud all over my nice, clean floor."

"A lady also wouldn't be the best damn mechanic you employ," she remarked snidely. "So watch it."

"Your old man's gonna think I'm a bad influence on you," he warned. "He always lectures me when he comes over, anyway." He sighed, slipping an arm beneath her neck. "When're you two gonna get married? Why's my baby girl slavin' away in a garage all day? Why dontcha come around Bikanel more'n once a year?" he imitated.

"Just tell him to shut up." Rikku kicked off her boots. More mud flaked off, liberally coating the floor beneath the bed.

"I can't tell your old man to shut up," Gippal scoffed. "He'd whack me upside the head. Anyway, you curse around your old man, and I'll be the one paying for it."

"Pops has a pretty colorful vocabulary," she replied. "It's pretty impressive, actually." She turned towards him with a wicked grin. "Wanna hear some? You could learn a thing or two."

"Thanks," he said. "But I'll pass. I couldn't hold my head up around here if any of the men found out I learned to curse from a girl."

"Hey, girl and lady are not necessarily synonymous," she said. "Just because I'm female doesn't mean I have to act all prissy. I like being one of the guys, if you must know." Her lips pursed into a little moue of irritation.

He nudged her shoulder, then kissed her cheek. "You know I love you even if you can out-curse me," he said. "So, what brings you up here in such a bad mood, anyway?"

She thrust her hand up in the air, spreading out her fingers so he could see them, sighing in disgust. "I broke a nail."