More Paralai to come!

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to FFX-2

"So he just came right out and told you that he was a spy?" Paine laughed, curling up to Baralai on his sofa under the trusty brown throw over and listening to the snow haired boy recount his earlier conversation with Tidus. Baralai shook his head and chuckled.

"You know Tidus. Apparently, even a threat from a mob can't stop him." Baralai smiled. "I've told dad to stay out of this Seymour business. He's gone. Now all we have to worry about it surviving the holidays." He smiled, chocolate eyes betraying his excitement for the upcoming event. With only one week until Christmas, term was already over at college. Paine was contently spending the day relaxing with Baralai who was finally easing up on revising since she had pretty much aced her politics exam. The other girls weren't so happy to hear this as her boyfriend though. Yuna had passed sure enough, but only marginally enough that professor Mika had taken her to one side to ask if she had any issues going on at home. She'd spent the next two hours crying hysterically and then went on a rampage of studying. Paine was pretty sure Yuna would have her nose stuck into Industrial temple- a short look into Yevon's lies on Christmas day too. Rikku had taken the complete opposite approach. On completely flunking her exams she shrugged it off and went for a smoothie with Gippal as if nothing had happened. The poor girl then had to endure a whole evening of lectures from her cousin who was not letting up on the score. Paine smirked to herself. Not only had she gained a boyfriend but also, apparently, the key to success. Now all she had to face was the holidays with her mum and Nooj. If he even bothered to turn up.

"Uh, spare me." She groaned, rolling her eyes back into her head. "A whole week with Nooj. I'm not sure I can bear it." She pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them sadly. It made her sad to hear about Baralai's family, she thought, when her own was just three lonely people sat around a turkey with stupid paper hats on then avoiding each other until new years. Baralai was different. He had a father, albeit a mobster one, and a loving mother. He had crazy aunts who bought him socks every year and uncles who tried to sneak his cigars. His grandmother was a woman who was as stubborn as Paine. Baralai told her how his Grandmother would insist on always asking about his love life in front of his family and force feed him brandy through a straw. "I swear, if I go home to another year of paper decorations and microwaved vegetables i'm just going to flip." She continued. It was true her mother wasn't exactly a great cook, but then I guess she wasn't exactly a great mother either. Her and Nooj had to look after them selves for as long as she could remember. Sure, she could blame her fathers psychotic killing spree for killing her mothers spirits, but every one deserved a Christmas without microwaved sprouts.

"Why don't you skip it?" He asked innocently, as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

Because microwaved sprouts are still a tradition Paine thought to herself silently. You can't just skip Christmas. No matter how crappy it is. "I mean, do you want to come and meet my family on Christmas day?" He asked shyly, turning a tinge of pink in the cheeks. A real Christmas. With family- well not her family and presents – not her presents but happiness everywhere.

"Thought you'd never ask." The red eyed girl sighed in relief throwing her arms around her charitable boyfriend and planting a small trail of kisses down his neck.

"Wow. You sure seem happy about that." He laughed uncomfortably as her eagerness in kissing him seemed to increase. Her hands fumbled quickly along his collar, tugging at the buttons.

"Baralai?" Paine breathlessly asked in between kisses. He just sat there nodding softly, no thoughts able to form in his mind apart from how great Paine smelt and what she was doing. "No more words." She smiled, pulling him closer into her embrace and unbuttoning his shirt with a quickened pace. In the heated moment, Baralai wasn't sure how far this was going, but he was very glad it was.

"Late!" Yuna yelled, standing up from her armchair under a lamp. She threw her history book to the seat and pointed accusingly at Paine sneaking back in so late with ruffled hair and two buttons done up wrong on her blouse. "Curfew starts at 11. It is now 12.05" The brunette girl scolded, huddling into her pink dressing gown as the cold air from the front door hit her hard.

"So you waited up? Come on Yuna its Christmas." Paine laughed as she kicked her heels off and left them by the door lazily. She slung her bag over the sofa and slumped into the seat next to it. Rikku popped up behind the sofa in her yellow chocobo pajamas, giggling and poking her friend in the arm.

"Looks like Painey has been giving out her 'Christmas presents' early." The blonde jested, pointing at the silver haired girls messed up hair. Paine just smirked, uncaring of the situation and in her own blissful little world.

"Paine!" Yuna gasped, rushing over to her two house mates. "So this is what you'd sooner be doing than revising?" She glared, hands on hips menacingly. Paine just laughed softly and covered her eyes with the palm of her hands sleepily.

"I'm going to bed." She red eyed girl announced sleepily, dragging herself up from her spot and leaving a bemused Yuna to scold a giggling Rikku. From the stairway she heard the blond girl defending her actions. 'But Yunie! All you ever wanted was for Painey to start having more fun' She whispered so her friend wouldn't hear. Faintly Paine could hear the brunette respond. 'Not that kind of fun...' As she reached her bedroom door she couldn't care less what her friends thought of her. She collapsed onto her bed exhausted, grabbing her phone from out of her pockets. As predicted Baralai had already text her, despite having walked her home. Her mouth uncontentiously spread into a wide smile. Every time she closed her eyes she just saw images of him in her head on a loop. It was very distracting.

-Home x He had sent. Followed by two more messages. -Paine? Paine scrolled down to see they were at two minute intervals apart. -I love you. How could it be that by that chance encounter Rikku had with him three months ago, Paine, had also found someone she loved? Someone she wasn't scared to even admit to herself or anyone else she loved. She quickly text back and began to drift off into a peaceful slumber recounting today's events when a sudden thought jerked her wide awake. What if Baralai's family didn't think she was good enough for him? Sighing she sat up and leant against the wall, dragging her knees up to her chest. The room next to her remained deadly silent that she knew Yuna was still awake but Paine knew better than to disturb her. She had enough on her plate without having to hear Paine's problems too.

From the room next door soft snores began to echo through the walls. Yuna listened quietly to them, jealous of Rikku's ability to just fall off to sleep. She always took everything to heart but only just passing her term test, really? That wasn't her. She had let herself become absorbed into the guys world. She had spent so many hours with Tidus she had forgotten it was her job to protect the girls. Now Rikku was failing history and Paine was out doing all manner of things she didn't even want to think about. It was funny, because she'd always thought it would be the other way around. That she'd have to protect Rikku from the boys and Paine from the grades. She knew they were just freshmen and there was loads of time to correct all their mistakes but in the mad rush of time she had spent with Tidus she'd missed so much, even both her friends birthdays had been skipped over because of the Seymour incident. It wasn't fair. Tomorrow she'd be leaving the house with Rikku to see her uncle Cid and cousin Brother over Christmas. Yuna never paid much mind to the fact her mother and father were both dead. It had been so long now she had just accepted her family traditions of seeing her Uncle and the predictable family fights that came with Rikku and Brother home for the holidays. She empathised with Paine whose parents were far from role models. But at least she had a brother, Nooj. Yuna really had no immediate family. Maybe that was why she was so tough on the girls. Their little family was changing so much recently she was scare to lose it all again. At least she'd always have Rikku. Loveable Rikku who was probably dreaming of sugar plums and candy canes. She could tell there was no sleeping tonight and by the sound of the occasional shuffling to her left, neither was Paine. Sighing, she got out of bed and knocked softly on her neighbour's door. Paine was a little surprised to see the brunette girl when the door opened but invited her to sit down anyway. They both sat their quietly for a bit, Yuna absently playing with a loose strand on Paine's duvet cover.

"I'm sorry I skipped curfew." Paine began quietly, half joking to her friend. Yuna smiled and waved her hand around to dismiss it.

"I'm sorry I was so hard on you about Baralai." She answered back both eyes fixed on her friends reactions. "He really cares for you, you know." She said slowly. Paine smiled softly.

"I know." Paine responded, ruby eyes glittering with what she wanted to say. "I'll never be the girl he deserves though." Yuna moved closer to her friend and hugged her.

"I don't think Baralai is the kind of guy to do the things you have if he didn't love you." Yuna grinned. "I still can't believe you did that though!" She playfully protested. Paine pulled away from the hug and smacked her hand off also playfully.

"It just sort of happened. Come on, Yuna. Don't tell me you and Tidus haven't had a single moment like that?" She asked, glad she could confess to her friend all the things she had felt.

"Um...well..." Yuna began, turning red.

"Yuna?" Paine probed, laughing. Yuna turned an even deeper shade of red and hid her face in her hands.

"You see, the thing is...Well, me and Tidus have had a lot of those moments. I'm ashamed to say i'm a bit of a hypocrite." She giggled, completely embarrassed.

"Yuna!" Paine gasped, hitting her with a pillow. "How could you do that before me!"

"Well I am older than you and with Tidus I just knew it was right. Did you feel that way too, with Baralai?" Paine nodded slowly and laughed again.

"I can't believe you and me are sat up in the middle of the night talking about sex." She whispered, still laughing. Yuna giggled too and put her finger to her lips to hush them both.

"Don't tell Rikku. I want her to stay a little innocent. Well, just for a little while." She seriously said.

"You don't think her and Gippal...?" Paine began, trailing off a little. Yuna shook her head and hugged Paine's pillow tightly.

"I don't think we'd ever hear the end of that." She laughed.

"When did things start with you and Tidus?" Paine curiously asked.

"Well, remember the day Seymour was being weird in the library..." Yuna began, twirling her hair on her finger.

"That early?" Paine gasped in surprise.

"No. Not then. But that was when things started to get serious."

"I'm just happy that you're happy. You need to let up on yourself, Yuna. You passed your exams. Sure you're going to have to make time for both college and home but trust me, when you get the balance right it will be worth it." Paine assured her. If she could do it then she knew it would be a walk in the park for Yuna. The older girl nodded to herself. "I'm going to Baralai's house for Christmas." Paine continued, awaiting her reaction.

"That's great. But wont Nooj be upset?" She asked.

"I doubt he'll even turn up. I think he has a girlfriend of sorts in Guadosalam. He'll probably go see her" She said, silver hair crumpled against the wall. "Its nice. To actually be wanted somewhere."

"Well I'll always want you here, Paine." Yuna smiled grabbing her hand softly. "Friends forever?" She shyly asked. Paine laughed and nodded.

"Thanks for coming over, Yuna."

"I should be thanking you really. You sure you're going to be alright all alone in this house until you leave with Baralai?" She asked in her mothering tone.

"I'm sure. Now go to bed and stop worrying about everything for once." Paine said, throwing her last pillow at her to make her leave. Yuna threw them both back laughing and retreated back to her room. She was lucky to have a friend like Paine.