Final Fantasy XII (Basch/Vaan)
Title: Desperate Times
Author: cleflink
Rating: PG
Warnings: boykissing
Word count: 1783
A/N: Set somewhere in-game - no real timeline continuity intended. City is also nowhere specific (If anyone's been to Italy, think of Venice... just without the canals). Quite likely not was exactly intended by the prompt, but I hope the requester enjoys anyway :)
Summary: Fight, flee or... what was our third option again?
They were all deathly silent as the Imperial soldiers marched straight by them, spotless armor glinting painfully bright in the midday sun. Vaan’s hand tightened reflexively on the hilt of his dagger as they passed and Balthier shook his head minimally, warning the young blond into stillness even as his attention remained fixed on their oblivious pursuers. Basch didn’t so much as glance in Vaan’s direction, the coiled-in readiness thrumming through his body the only hint as to his own wariness at the threat presented.
But for once they needn’t have worried. The captain of the Imperial squad didn’t so much glance in their direction as he led his men crisply across the square, long cloak snapping at his heels as he rounded a corner and strode out of sight.
“Damn!” Vaan breathed, though quietly to avoid causing more trouble. “That was close.”
“Mmm,” Balthier agreed, extricating himself neatly from the crowded doorway. “Funny the things that happen when you ignore the ‘don’t’ in ‘don’t look now’, isn’t it Vaan?”
“Hey, I’m not the one with his face plastered on every wanted poster in this stupid city,” Vaan retorted even as he obeyed the guiding hand Basch had placed on his shoulder to lead him out of their impromptu hiding place. “Don’t start blaming me.”
Basch’s forehead creased as he frowned at the pair of them. “We don’t have time for arguing,” he admonished. “They could come back any minute.”
Balthier nodded. “Agreed. Shall we keep moving forward then?”
“It’s probably best,” Basch answered after a moment’s thought. “We’ll have to keep our guard up though. The last thing we need right now is a pitched battle in the middle of the city.”
“Indeed.” Balthier smirked lazily. “I doubt the ladies would be especially impressed if we returned to the inn with a military entourage.”
Vaan snorted. “Ya think?” He glanced impatiently at the pair of them. “So let’s go then - no point sitting round here waiting for them to come back.”
Balthier gestured gallantly. “After you, O intrepid one.”
Ignoring the gibe, Vaan led the way out of the empty square and into the mazelike jumble of roads beyond, his feet all but silent on the heavy cobblestones. Basch and Balthier followed behind less quietly but just as cautiously, their watchful eyes betraying the affected nonchalance with which they walked.
They traveled the roads with seeming abandon, Vaan leading them easily even as the twisting streets did their best to thwart their every attempt to travel in anything even remotely resembling a straight line.
“Perhaps we should have bought a map from the Cartographer’s Guild after all,” Balthier observed at one point, just enough of a drawl to make it an insinuation. “I’ve seen mazes with fewer corners.”
Vaan rolled his eyes at him, still moving confidently forward. “Would you have a little faith, Balthier? Just because you’re lost doesn’t mean I don’t know where I’m …shit.”
The ominous clink of heavy armor in the street ahead offered not nearly enough warning as a pair of Imperials rounded the corner right in front of them and skidded to a halt with a startled curse.
“It’s the rebels!” one yelled. “STOP THEM!”
“This way!” Basch seized Vaan and Balthier by the wrists and pulled them down a narrow side street. The two men behind them cursed creatively, light flashing off tempered steel as they gave chase.
With hardly enough room to run - let alone fight - in the narrow streets, Basch, Balthier and Vaan tore away from their pursuers in a mad rush, the clank of rattling armor echoing after them as more Imperials joined the hunt. Their feet pounded against the ground without any attempt this time at finesse, the heavy pressure of pursuit spurring their headlong dash as they weaved blindly through one faceless alleyway after another.
And then Balthier rounded a corner and drew up short, mouth twisting up in consternation at the sight of a blank wall blocking their escape. “Oh. That’s awfully unfortunate.”
“I think unfortunate’s an understatement!” Vaan called, skidding to a stop behind him and dropping to a defensive crouch, dagger at the ready.
“We’re running out of options,” Basch agreed gravely, assessing the situation with a quick swoop of piercing eyes. “This narrow space is going to make it hard to fight.”
“Well, we’ve got about fifteen seconds before they find us,” Balthier observed, his tone casual even as he flicked the safety off his rifle. “And I highly doubt they’ll be willing to forgive us without a virgin sacrifice and several pints of strong liquor first.”
Shadows skittered along the walls towards them, the noise of their pursuers’ approach pulsing through the air in a steady, lethal rhythm.
Vaan straightened suddenly and sheathed his dagger.
“Vaan?” Balthier asked, raising an eyebrow. “I trust this is idea rather than idiocy?”
“Get out of sight Balthier,” Vaan ordered shortly, not looking his way as he strode deliberately towards a perplexed-looking Basch. “Now.”
“What are you planning Vaan?” Basch demanded, his sword point dipping uncertainly as the blond youth marched into his personal space and fisted both hands in the front of his vest.
“Basch.” Vaan closed the last gap between them, his expression deadly serious as he stared up at the swordsman. “Shut up.” Then he kissed him.
Balthier’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline as their young thief backed the shocked Basch up against a wall, pressing in close as he meshed their lips together in a surprisingly passionate kiss.
“Well,” Balthier observed conversationally. “That’s different.”
The echoing ring of clattering metal sharpened suddenly, flattening out into the rapid tread of metal-shod feet speeding across the heavy stone tiles just beyond the corner.
Balthier had barely melted back behind a precarious tumble of boxes when an Imperial squadron burst onto the road at a dead run, upraised swords gleaming with menace.
The squad commander stumbled to a sudden, shocked stop at the sight of Vaan trying to devour Basch from the mouth down, the rest of his squad clattering to an undignified halt behind him. “What the-?” the man demanded, his sword hefted uncertainly in one mailed fist. “What’s going on here?”
Vaan pulled back with a sudden sharp jerk, face flushed prettily as he glared over his shoulder at the man. “What?” he growled. “I’m busy here. Got a problem?”
The captain blinked, caught off guard, and Vaan sniffed dismissively before going back to where he’d left off, arms slipping up to wrap around Basch’s neck and pull the slackly unresisting fighter even closer. Basch’s hands fisted almost unconsciously in the back of Vaan’s vest and the blond moaned in encouragement, the pull of Basch’s hands revealing even more of the boy’s smooth, sun-bronzed back to the suddenly uncomfortable captain.
Long moments passed and anger began to bleed through the man’s surprise. “Now look here you little slut,” he snarled, expression thunderous as he started towards the pair of them, his sword arm raised. “I’ll not be ignored by gutter trash like…”
“A moment, kind sir,” Balthier interjected, sliding into sight with a deferential bow and an oily smirk. “It wouldn’t do to be hasty.”
The captain paused, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at this newest arrival. “What the hell do you want?”
Balthier offered a feline smile. “He’s nice isn’t he?” he offered, glancing significantly towards Vaan. “A real treasure. And, for a prestigious gentleman such as yourself, I’d even be willing to make a deal for him.”
“…what?”
The sky pirate held up three fingers. “Three hundred gil up front. Quite a reasonable price I assure you. You can do anything you want as long as he comes back undamaged.”
Basch’s breath hitched behind them, a strangled groan escaping him as Vaan wedged a knee between his thighs. Balthier smirked.
“Although you may have to wait a while for a turn,” he informed the captain, waggling his eyebrows salaciously. “He takes his, hem, work quite seriously.”
“Filthy mongrel!” the captain spat, drawing himself up arrogantly. “I have no interest in your cheap whores! Come on men!” he ordered, glaring at a few of his soldiers who were busy leering at Vaan. “We’ve got work to do!”
“Do be sure to come back if you change your mind!” Balthier called hopefully as, with an irritated flare of his cloak, the man marched off back the way he had come, his bewildered troops scurrying to catch up.
Balthier stared after them with an obsequious smile until the last echo of their boots had faded from the air. Then he turned back to his companions.
“Well,” he observed blandly. “At least we got the virgin sacrifice in.”
Vaan lifted his head with an abrupt gasp, chest heaving and lips shining wetly as he twisted his head to look at Balthier. “That was quick thinking, Balthier,” he smiled gratefully. “Thanks.”
“Hmm? Oh yes, you too. But really Vaan,” Balthier quirked an amused eyebrow at the thief. “You were supposed to distract the Imperials, not your allies.”
“Huh?” Vaan looked back at Basch, who looked as stunned as if he’d just been told the lady Ashe was going to marry a green chocobo. “Oh. Oops.”
Vaan unlaced his fingers from where they were buried in Basch’s hair and backed away to a more respectable distance.
“Thieves always need a ready excuse when they’re caught somewhere they’re not supposed to be,” he explained, slightly sheepish. “This was the first one that came to mind.” He ducked his head solicitously. “You’re not mad, are you Basch?”
“N-no,” Basch answered, his voice grating out rough and unusually deep. He coughed and tried again. “It’s fine Vaan. At least they’re gone.” He offered a weak smile. “Let’s just hope we don’t run into any more trouble.”
Vaan rolled his eyes. “If we can even find out where we are. I got completely turned around while we were running.” He tugged his vest absently back into place as he turned towards the crossroad. “I’ll go ask around for directions back to the inn.”
“You do that,” Balthier said, highly amused. His expression was more than slightly speculative as he watched Vaan amble casually around the corner and out of sight. “I certainly wasn’t expecting that.”
Bending carefully to retrieve his fallen sword, Basch shot Balthier a wry look. “You’re telling me?” He adjusted his suspiciously tight trousers then went to stand next to Balthier. “I’ll tell you one thing though,” he offered in a low voice.
“Oh?” Balthier turned his head, one eyebrow quirking as Basch grinned a surprisingly wicked grin.
“For that?” A tilt of Basch’s head in the direction Vaan had gone. “Three hundred gil isn’t asking nearly enough.”
~owari
Author: cleflink
Rating: PG
Warnings: boykissing
Word count: 1783
A/N: Set somewhere in-game - no real timeline continuity intended. City is also nowhere specific (If anyone's been to Italy, think of Venice... just without the canals). Quite likely not was exactly intended by the prompt, but I hope the requester enjoys anyway :)
Summary: Fight, flee or... what was our third option again?
They were all deathly silent as the Imperial soldiers marched straight by them, spotless armor glinting painfully bright in the midday sun. Vaan’s hand tightened reflexively on the hilt of his dagger as they passed and Balthier shook his head minimally, warning the young blond into stillness even as his attention remained fixed on their oblivious pursuers. Basch didn’t so much as glance in Vaan’s direction, the coiled-in readiness thrumming through his body the only hint as to his own wariness at the threat presented.
But for once they needn’t have worried. The captain of the Imperial squad didn’t so much glance in their direction as he led his men crisply across the square, long cloak snapping at his heels as he rounded a corner and strode out of sight.
“Damn!” Vaan breathed, though quietly to avoid causing more trouble. “That was close.”
“Mmm,” Balthier agreed, extricating himself neatly from the crowded doorway. “Funny the things that happen when you ignore the ‘don’t’ in ‘don’t look now’, isn’t it Vaan?”
“Hey, I’m not the one with his face plastered on every wanted poster in this stupid city,” Vaan retorted even as he obeyed the guiding hand Basch had placed on his shoulder to lead him out of their impromptu hiding place. “Don’t start blaming me.”
Basch’s forehead creased as he frowned at the pair of them. “We don’t have time for arguing,” he admonished. “They could come back any minute.”
Balthier nodded. “Agreed. Shall we keep moving forward then?”
“It’s probably best,” Basch answered after a moment’s thought. “We’ll have to keep our guard up though. The last thing we need right now is a pitched battle in the middle of the city.”
“Indeed.” Balthier smirked lazily. “I doubt the ladies would be especially impressed if we returned to the inn with a military entourage.”
Vaan snorted. “Ya think?” He glanced impatiently at the pair of them. “So let’s go then - no point sitting round here waiting for them to come back.”
Balthier gestured gallantly. “After you, O intrepid one.”
Ignoring the gibe, Vaan led the way out of the empty square and into the mazelike jumble of roads beyond, his feet all but silent on the heavy cobblestones. Basch and Balthier followed behind less quietly but just as cautiously, their watchful eyes betraying the affected nonchalance with which they walked.
They traveled the roads with seeming abandon, Vaan leading them easily even as the twisting streets did their best to thwart their every attempt to travel in anything even remotely resembling a straight line.
“Perhaps we should have bought a map from the Cartographer’s Guild after all,” Balthier observed at one point, just enough of a drawl to make it an insinuation. “I’ve seen mazes with fewer corners.”
Vaan rolled his eyes at him, still moving confidently forward. “Would you have a little faith, Balthier? Just because you’re lost doesn’t mean I don’t know where I’m …shit.”
The ominous clink of heavy armor in the street ahead offered not nearly enough warning as a pair of Imperials rounded the corner right in front of them and skidded to a halt with a startled curse.
“It’s the rebels!” one yelled. “STOP THEM!”
“This way!” Basch seized Vaan and Balthier by the wrists and pulled them down a narrow side street. The two men behind them cursed creatively, light flashing off tempered steel as they gave chase.
With hardly enough room to run - let alone fight - in the narrow streets, Basch, Balthier and Vaan tore away from their pursuers in a mad rush, the clank of rattling armor echoing after them as more Imperials joined the hunt. Their feet pounded against the ground without any attempt this time at finesse, the heavy pressure of pursuit spurring their headlong dash as they weaved blindly through one faceless alleyway after another.
And then Balthier rounded a corner and drew up short, mouth twisting up in consternation at the sight of a blank wall blocking their escape. “Oh. That’s awfully unfortunate.”
“I think unfortunate’s an understatement!” Vaan called, skidding to a stop behind him and dropping to a defensive crouch, dagger at the ready.
“We’re running out of options,” Basch agreed gravely, assessing the situation with a quick swoop of piercing eyes. “This narrow space is going to make it hard to fight.”
“Well, we’ve got about fifteen seconds before they find us,” Balthier observed, his tone casual even as he flicked the safety off his rifle. “And I highly doubt they’ll be willing to forgive us without a virgin sacrifice and several pints of strong liquor first.”
Shadows skittered along the walls towards them, the noise of their pursuers’ approach pulsing through the air in a steady, lethal rhythm.
Vaan straightened suddenly and sheathed his dagger.
“Vaan?” Balthier asked, raising an eyebrow. “I trust this is idea rather than idiocy?”
“Get out of sight Balthier,” Vaan ordered shortly, not looking his way as he strode deliberately towards a perplexed-looking Basch. “Now.”
“What are you planning Vaan?” Basch demanded, his sword point dipping uncertainly as the blond youth marched into his personal space and fisted both hands in the front of his vest.
“Basch.” Vaan closed the last gap between them, his expression deadly serious as he stared up at the swordsman. “Shut up.” Then he kissed him.
Balthier’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline as their young thief backed the shocked Basch up against a wall, pressing in close as he meshed their lips together in a surprisingly passionate kiss.
“Well,” Balthier observed conversationally. “That’s different.”
The echoing ring of clattering metal sharpened suddenly, flattening out into the rapid tread of metal-shod feet speeding across the heavy stone tiles just beyond the corner.
Balthier had barely melted back behind a precarious tumble of boxes when an Imperial squadron burst onto the road at a dead run, upraised swords gleaming with menace.
The squad commander stumbled to a sudden, shocked stop at the sight of Vaan trying to devour Basch from the mouth down, the rest of his squad clattering to an undignified halt behind him. “What the-?” the man demanded, his sword hefted uncertainly in one mailed fist. “What’s going on here?”
Vaan pulled back with a sudden sharp jerk, face flushed prettily as he glared over his shoulder at the man. “What?” he growled. “I’m busy here. Got a problem?”
The captain blinked, caught off guard, and Vaan sniffed dismissively before going back to where he’d left off, arms slipping up to wrap around Basch’s neck and pull the slackly unresisting fighter even closer. Basch’s hands fisted almost unconsciously in the back of Vaan’s vest and the blond moaned in encouragement, the pull of Basch’s hands revealing even more of the boy’s smooth, sun-bronzed back to the suddenly uncomfortable captain.
Long moments passed and anger began to bleed through the man’s surprise. “Now look here you little slut,” he snarled, expression thunderous as he started towards the pair of them, his sword arm raised. “I’ll not be ignored by gutter trash like…”
“A moment, kind sir,” Balthier interjected, sliding into sight with a deferential bow and an oily smirk. “It wouldn’t do to be hasty.”
The captain paused, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at this newest arrival. “What the hell do you want?”
Balthier offered a feline smile. “He’s nice isn’t he?” he offered, glancing significantly towards Vaan. “A real treasure. And, for a prestigious gentleman such as yourself, I’d even be willing to make a deal for him.”
“…what?”
The sky pirate held up three fingers. “Three hundred gil up front. Quite a reasonable price I assure you. You can do anything you want as long as he comes back undamaged.”
Basch’s breath hitched behind them, a strangled groan escaping him as Vaan wedged a knee between his thighs. Balthier smirked.
“Although you may have to wait a while for a turn,” he informed the captain, waggling his eyebrows salaciously. “He takes his, hem, work quite seriously.”
“Filthy mongrel!” the captain spat, drawing himself up arrogantly. “I have no interest in your cheap whores! Come on men!” he ordered, glaring at a few of his soldiers who were busy leering at Vaan. “We’ve got work to do!”
“Do be sure to come back if you change your mind!” Balthier called hopefully as, with an irritated flare of his cloak, the man marched off back the way he had come, his bewildered troops scurrying to catch up.
Balthier stared after them with an obsequious smile until the last echo of their boots had faded from the air. Then he turned back to his companions.
“Well,” he observed blandly. “At least we got the virgin sacrifice in.”
Vaan lifted his head with an abrupt gasp, chest heaving and lips shining wetly as he twisted his head to look at Balthier. “That was quick thinking, Balthier,” he smiled gratefully. “Thanks.”
“Hmm? Oh yes, you too. But really Vaan,” Balthier quirked an amused eyebrow at the thief. “You were supposed to distract the Imperials, not your allies.”
“Huh?” Vaan looked back at Basch, who looked as stunned as if he’d just been told the lady Ashe was going to marry a green chocobo. “Oh. Oops.”
Vaan unlaced his fingers from where they were buried in Basch’s hair and backed away to a more respectable distance.
“Thieves always need a ready excuse when they’re caught somewhere they’re not supposed to be,” he explained, slightly sheepish. “This was the first one that came to mind.” He ducked his head solicitously. “You’re not mad, are you Basch?”
“N-no,” Basch answered, his voice grating out rough and unusually deep. He coughed and tried again. “It’s fine Vaan. At least they’re gone.” He offered a weak smile. “Let’s just hope we don’t run into any more trouble.”
Vaan rolled his eyes. “If we can even find out where we are. I got completely turned around while we were running.” He tugged his vest absently back into place as he turned towards the crossroad. “I’ll go ask around for directions back to the inn.”
“You do that,” Balthier said, highly amused. His expression was more than slightly speculative as he watched Vaan amble casually around the corner and out of sight. “I certainly wasn’t expecting that.”
Bending carefully to retrieve his fallen sword, Basch shot Balthier a wry look. “You’re telling me?” He adjusted his suspiciously tight trousers then went to stand next to Balthier. “I’ll tell you one thing though,” he offered in a low voice.
“Oh?” Balthier turned his head, one eyebrow quirking as Basch grinned a surprisingly wicked grin.
“For that?” A tilt of Basch’s head in the direction Vaan had gone. “Three hundred gil isn’t asking nearly enough.”
~owari