"Yikes," Rikku whispered, her voice high-pitched and nervous. "You know, this place always gives me the creeps!"

Gippal laughed and gave her an irreverant swat on the rear, though he had to admit that the temple of New Yevon at Bevelle always put him on edge as well. The hymns were too fervent, the robes were too heavy and complex, the atmosphere was too weighty. The worship of Yevon had always had unspoken accusation in it, silent condemnation of all humanity. New Yevon wasn't as bad, but it still remembered what it used to be.

Besides, he could see the faces of the priests and acolytes and worshippers as Rikku and he passd into the main temple. They looked at their blond hair and spiral eyes, at their desert-golden skin and they judged, too. No Al Bhed could ever be welcome here and he couldn't blame Rikku for being nervous. He could only blame her for showing it.

Rikku yelped at the swat and glared at him. "Gippie-!"

"Don't call me that, wench," he crooned in Al Bhed. "Now get going. Yuna said she'd be on the observation balcony."

"Fiiine," Rikku sighed. "What about you?"

"Gonna see if Baralai's busy."

They separated and at least nobody could stop them now, nobody could step in their way and tell them that there're no Al Bhed or dogs were allowed in their temples. Those days were past and, hell, it helped to be friends with the Praetor of their religion.

The Praetor was, in fact, found in one of the back monastic cells with a book in his lap. He looked up with a vague smile that brightened immediately when Baralai saw who was there. "Gippal!"

Gippal felt his shoulders relax. "Heya. Busy?"

Baralai patted the bench beside him. "No. Just looking up some facts I wanted to chase down for a sermon. It can wait."

Gippal's grin widened as he took a seat. He'd be lying to himself if he pretended not to like the way Baralai would put him first. "Rikku wanted to come visit Yuna."

"It's an honour that she's staying here," Baralai said. "People remember all the things she's done to unite Spira, still. Amazing how she's saved Spira twice in so short a time-"

"Yeah, I know." Gippal said. "New Yevon, the Youth League, andthe Machine Faction. Who'd have thought it?"

"It's how things should be," Baralai said, and laid his head on Gippal's shoudler.

Gippal hesitated a long moment before putting his arm around Baralai. "Uh, should you-"

Baralai twisted to look up at him with a half smile. "I find that in" and he hesitated, looking for a word that the Al Bhed didn't have. "...Worship?"

"Appreciation?" Gippal suggested.

The Praetor nodded, once. "I find that in... appreciation... of our -- master? -- ...sod it," he spat, irritated at his own inability to remember Gippal's language, and Gippal choked on a laugh. At least he remembered how to cuss. "Love can't be bad," Baralai said, finally, going for a simpler sentence.

Gippal stopped laughing and just stared at Baralai for a long moment.

Finally, he exhaled. "Yeah," he said, and leaned his head against Baralai's.