No Place For Romance

Title: No Place For Romance- Part Two
Author: Anais C.
Rating:NC-17
Pairing: Baralai/Gippal
Warnings: male slash and SPOILERS
Summary: Gippal and Baralai's relationship is questioned by the priests of New Yevon and they must decide if they should continue or let go forever.
Disclaimer: Squenix owns the FFX and FFX-2 characters, I don't.
A/N: To Nikki - my partner in crime. This was inspired by "Modern Romance" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and is not a songfic.
A/N 2: If you didn't read the warning (spoilers, male slash) and you don't like this pairing (Baralai/Gippal) then you need to move on to greener pastures. So in other words: SOD OFF!!! Plus I know that Baralai isn't a good guy, but when you're in love you forget that kind of stuff.

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~*~Chapter Two: Meeting Behind Bevelle Walls~*~


Baralai walked into the Bevelle Palace with a great weight on his shoulders. Outside of this place he always felt free. He owed that to Gippal. New Yevon was constricting him, cutting off his circulation. He wanted to get out, but he needed a more valid reason than his male lover.

"Praetor Baralai!"

Baralai looked around to find the source of the voice. It was one of the acolytes that he recognized, Gisele. "Afternoon, Gisele. How have you been?"

She bowed. When she looked up she put on a false smile."Fine, praetor. I wanted to know if you would be speaking in Luca on the 15th?"

"Tell them no, I won't be. I have a prior engagement that day."

The girl looked stricken. Baralai knew they expected so much more of him now, especially with the spheres that were pouring into Bevelle and all the new sphere hunting groups who wanted in on the action. But Baralai had his limits.

A "yes, sir" was all she could muster. She hurried off and Baralai continued down the hall. As he walked by a few of the priests he noticed that their stares lingered long after he had past. They knew something that he didn't or either they wanted to know something. Baralai was growing tired of all this.

He entered the council chambers to find a few of the priests already gathered. They looked up when he entered and bowed their heads. The head of the council, a stoic-looking man with a short brown goatee, smiled and addressed him. "Afternoon, praetor."

Baralai bowed. "Afternoon, Father Hume. I'm sorry if I'm late."

"No, you're fine, praetor. Please have a seat." Hume gestured to an empty seat.

Baralai sat down, nervousness taking hold of his stomach. He watched as the other priests shifted uncomfortably in their seats. It reminded him of the priests he had past on his way here.

Father Hume cleared his throat and rested his hands on the table. "Well, you know why I called you here don't you?"

"No sir," Baralai replied," I do not."

Hume rubbed his chin and casted dark glances around the room. "You do not? I thought I had Father Lollin inform you of the subject." Hume looked over at a balding man who shifted twice and ed ded down at the floor.

Baralai shook his head. "If you mean did he inform that this meeting was on if I could remain praetor any longer than yes."

"That's only part of it, Baralai."

Father Hume had never used the praetor's first name so loosely. Baralai looked down at his nails. They looked interesting suddenly. "Then what did he not tell me, Father Hume?"

Father Hume took a deep breath. "Apparently you've been seen with an Al Bhed. An Al Bhed male." Father Hume looked as if he was trying hard not to lose his composure. "We've dismissed this as a lie. Why would our praetor be seen with an Al Bhed."

"I thought we over our prejudice of the Al Bhed!" Baralai knew he had risen his voice. Eyes were on him, boring into him. "I thought we no longer cared about that!" Baralai balled his fists up. He knew what this was coming to. How dare they do pry into his personal life?

Father Hume straightened his robe. He looked away from Baralai. "Baralai, we feel that if you are to remain praetor of New Yevon then you must sever your ties with this young man. It would not be fitting for our leader to be in love with a man who is an Al Bhed. Think of your reputation, praetor. Think of your future."

Baralai could feel tears welling up in his eyes. He let them fall. He didn't care if they saw. They were forcing him to choose. This was something he did not want to do. "I want to resign as praetor then."

"That isn't an option. You see, we thought of that, but you're the only one able to manage us efficiently. There is no one else among us who can do that. We need you, Baralai. Your duties as praetor are lifelong now."

"No. No. NO! This is wrong! Twisting my arm into staying. I won't," Baralai cried. "I won't! You can't make me choose."

Father Hume smiled tiredly. "Yes we can, praetor. We have been doing this for years. Under Yevon and now under New Yevon. It is tradition. Manipulation is our strongest asset. You know that yourself, praetor. Now, we will give you until tomorrow to bid farewell to this young man. Then we arrange your upcoming marriage to Father Lollin's daughter."

Marriage to someone he didn't know? Life-long praetorship? Giving up Gippal? This was all madness. Baralai shook his head. They couldn't do this. He wouldn't let them.

"This meeting is adjorned," Father Hume said. Everyone in the room got up except Baralai. Father Hume walked past him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Trust me, praetor, this is for the best."

"How can you say that? Leave me alone!" Baralai snapped.

Father Hume sighed and did as Baralai asked.

Baralai got up and went over to one of the cathedral-style windows. Bevelle bustled beneath him. Somewhere Gippal was running some errand, thinking of what to do for Baralai when he got home. Baralai rested his head against the frame of the window. He had until tomorrow to think of something. Even if he had to leave Bevelle and take another name then he would just as long as Gippal was there with him. Just as long as he had Gippal he'd be fine.

*

Gippal could spot the Gullwings in a second. Rikku was their dead giveaway; bouncing up and down like a hyper chocobo. They were standing in front of an Item Shop debating on what to get. Paine leaned against the side of the door looking at the other two girls as if she didn't know them.

"Hey, Gullwings!" Gippal called out.

Yuna turned and waved. "Gippal, how are you?"

Gippal swaggered over to them, smiling. If he wasn't attached to Baralai, Gippal would make a pass at Paine, but he had Baralai and the silver-haired warrior was scowling hard. "I'm just fine, Yuna. How're you, girls?"

"Frustrated!" Rikku pouted.

Gippal laughed. "What's up, Rikku?"

Rikku, relieved that someone was finally going to hear what she had to say, turned to him. In one breath she said," I told Yunie and Paine that we should get this new sphere-oscillo-finder and they both think we shouldn't. I mean, we have to stay one step ahead of the game. We're now rivaling the LeBlanc Syndicate! We need better machina!"

Yuna rolled her eyes and Paine snorted. "We have Shinra, Rikku," Paine said," he can build us a new one. Why waste hard earned gil on that thing?"

Gippal didn't want to get in the middle. Not when Paine was ant ant about the subject at hand. She wasn't going to budge one bit. He shrugged. "Paine's got a point, Rikku. Shinra's a whiz kid."

"Come on, Rikku. Don't get mad," Yuna said as Rikku huffed and puffed. "We'll get our new sphere-oscillo-finder! Just for cheap!"

"Argh!" Rikku stormed off leaving Yuna baffled and Paine pissed.

Paine snapped," Respect points are getting low here, Yuna. You better talk to her."

Yuna nodded. "I better. Well, sorry about that, Gippal," Yuna said," How about you come onto the Celsius one day? We can actually have a conversation."

Gippal agreed. "Sure. Besides Paine wants blood now. Get her to a fight fast or she'll blow."

"Very funny," Paine muttered.

"You girls better get Rikku. She'll get lost in this crowd and you know how that is."

"She's 17," Yuna stated.

Paine, who was standing beside her now, gave Yuna a look that said "and?"

Yuna shook her head. "Alright. We'll go look for her. See you later, Gippal."

"Later, Gippal," Paine said as she walked away.

"Later, Gullwings. Take it easy." Gippal watched the two sphere hunters take off after their teammate, shouting for her to stop acting like she was a child and to get over it. He laughed to himself. Rikku had always been like that. That was something you couldn't change overnight.

Gippal went into the Item Shop. He was glad that Bevelle finally had an Item Shop. Now he didn't have to go all the way to Luca or Kilika or wherever to buy goods. He browsed the shelves, completely immersed. So much so that he never noticed Baralai come in.

"G'day, praetor," said the shopkeeper.

Gippal spun around to spot the silver haired young man standing before a bunch ofionsions. "Hello there, Res. How are you doing today?"

"Just fine, praetor. Business is booming."

"That's good," Baralai said softly. Gippal could tell he was distracted.

The shopkeeper smiled. She knew the praetor from when she was an acolyte. "And how is the Temple treating you?'

"Horrible."

"Oh?"

"I can't talk about it, but I will say that it has solidified my want to leave New Yevon." Baralai sniffled and turned away.

Gippal walked closer. The shopkeeper spotted him. "Hello, sir, are you ready to check out?"

Baralai turned to see who she was addressing and felt his heart drop to his feet. "Gippal," he breathed.

"Baralai, hey. What's wrong?"

Baralai shook his head and mouthed, " Not here."

Gippal nodded and let the woman check his goods out.

When they got onto the street, Baralai fiddled with the ribbon tied around his waist. "Gippal, I don't know how to tell you this."

"Tell me what?" Gippal gave his lover a sideways glance.

Baralai took a deep breath. "New Yevon," he began, "they want me to stay on as praetor. It is a life-long term now."

"But, I thought..."

"That isn't all though, Gippal. If I am to remain praetor I must give up something."

"What? What do they want you to give up? I mean, what could a praetor give up if he's given his life to New Yevon completely."

Baralai stopped in the middle of the crowd that moved around them. He turned to Gippal, his eyes red and puffy. "T-T-They want...me...to give...up...you," he sputtered.

Gippal's mouth dropped open. "WHAT?" A few people turned to stare at them.

Baralai dragged Gippal over to the side. "You heard me, Gippal. They want me to let you go. They have decided that the praetor shall not love a male, let alone an Al Bhed man."

"You must be fucking kidding me!" Gippal looked at Baralai. He put his hands on Baralai's shoulders. "You are aren't you?"

When Baralai didn't say anything, Gippal let him go. Baralai looked up at him. They didn't know what to say or do now. Gippal spoke first. "Let's go home. We can think of something there. Okay?" He put his arm around Baralai. "Come on."

Baralai allowed Gippal to move him through the crowd.

Gippal casted occassional glances at him, hoping to see a smile there, but Baralai looked as if he had lost everything. Gippal tightened his grip on Baralai. He was not giving up on Baralai no matter what.

"Damn them," he thought. "Damn them all."

*to be continued*