Shall we dance?
Inspired by the 31 Days theme for April 24, 2006.
Given the length of the road they had to walk, the members of Princess Ashe's traveling party occupied themselves with whatever they could find in order to keep from going crazy and quite possibly taking it out on each other. This was more of a problem for the younger members of their group, as they were teenagers and, as was typical of their age group, required something that could hold their attention for those long lulls between one destination and the next. At Ashe's instruction, each of the adults were then commissioned each week to find something new for Vaan and Penelo to occupy themselves with, and ultimately that was how they kept the peace.
Balthier's turn eventually came, following Ashe's word games (Vaan ended up very bored but Penelo considered it a challenge, as she was wont to do with such things), Basch's sword-fighting lessons (a moderate success, at least with Vaan, up until the point where Penelo started winning the duels and Vaan would stomp away frustrated) and Fran's story weaving by the camp fire (Vaan slept through most of it while Penelo kept harrowing the renegade Viera for more). True to his claim of being a "gentleman of the highest degree", the sky pirate promptly engaged the pair in dancing lessons for every evening of the week. When it was discovered in the first session that Vaan was a hopeless case (it wasn't long before Balthier and every female in the party, even Penelo, refused to be his partner for the purposes of saving their feet), Balthier scoffed and gave up on the younger man, focusing on Penelo instead.
"…Here. I will play the part of the female, for purposes of instruction. Now, place your right hand on my waist, like so, and then hold your left hand in mine, like so. I will place my right hand on your shoulder, like so."
"O-okay!"
"There we go. Now a one-two-three, one-two-three…"
"He dances well," Ashe noted, as the rest of the troop sat around the campfire, watching the pair circle about over the sand. Fran made an acquiescent sound and took a hold of the bundle of twigs seated by a snoring Vaan's nose in order to toss some of them into the blaze.
"That is how he manages to charm his way into the hearts of most of his fans, male or female, in the past. They would watch him, and it would make them want. Isn't that right, Captain fon Ronsenburg?"
Fran's red eyes turned then, unblinking, in Basch's direction. The blond man promptly coughed and looked away. He stood up and left, muttering something about taking first watch for the evening.
"Were you flirting with me?" Basch would later ask the sky pirate, when they found themselves naked together after another none-too-discreet romp on the beach. Sand was their bed, and the stars their ceiling.
"Flirting, sir knight? With you?" Balthier's smirk was the only thing Basch needed to see. "Whatever gave you that idea? Now, let me teach you some of the moves Penelo and I were going over."
The man reached over to kiss his lover, and in the next moment they were doing much more besides.