~ Riding On The Winds of Desire ~ My first fanfic! BalthierXVaan By LeadingMan777
Preface: Balthier didn't know when he started to notice Vaan in such a romanticized way, as a youth before him, becoming a man. Vaan's skin, golden from the desert sun, his eyes so inviting, his figure almost perfect - like a god. Balthier was falling deep in love with Vaan, but he was too afraid to approach the youth, for if he did he knew that he would be opening him to a world unlike any other that he has ever known!
Read On!
Unrequited Love is the Bane of the Heart..
As evening approached, the cool winds blew through the streets of Rabanastre, bringing with them the varied scents of the city, both pleasant and profane, and along with the winds came the promise of spring to come.
Balthier was standing on the top outdoor deck of the Sandsea tavern, looking down below, onto the streets where people walked by in the early evening. He brushed his hair back and straightened his collar. He pulled down on his gilded vest, and then leaned over the railing for a moment, resting his arms on the edge, clasping his hands together.
Thoughts of Vaan crept into his mind, memories of their encounters and travels winding and twisting their way in his mind until he felt that familiar feeling in his heart, the feeling of love. Balthier knew that there was no doubt that he was falling for the youth. He felt that he had waited so long, for an entire year, their journey through Ivalice ended, their experiences thus far creating a bond between them that even time could not shatter.
As spring approached, the sun entered the sign of the Ram. This was the time of year when Vaan turned eighteen. Balthier had waited for this moment to confess his love to Vaan, for this was the custom in Ivalice to only take the hand of one who could consent to returning love. But would Vaan turn him away?
In realizing this, Balthier's heart sank as he thought of what task lay before him. "Why are the gods toying with me?" he said aloud to himself, looking down and clutching his heart. Balthier was not comfortable with the idea of unrequited love. While he was used to having his way and familiar with taking many lovers, he was cautious in revealing his desire for Vaan.
A sky pirate would take any treasure that he wished, so why was Balthier so indecisive? Thinking himself for being a fool for wanting Vaan in the way that he did, he decided the best thing that he could do would be to have council with Fran before he left to find Vaan at Migelo's shop, for only Fran knew the depths of Balthier's heart and soul like no other in all of Ivalice could ever know. She could offer him true advice that would help him to come to a decision once and for all.
His thoughts then returned to Vaan. He wanted to return in an instant to Migelo's shop and find Vaan, to confess his love for him, to take him by his side, to bring to him all the pleasures that lovers only know. He knew that Vaan wanted more than anything to be a sky pirate, but Balthier wanted more than just to show him the controls of the Strahl. He wanted to show Vaan the stars, to fly the entire sky, to bring him to a new realm, a new world that Vaan had never witnessed before.
But for now, he sought out the wise council of his partner in crime, Fran. Afraid of what she may say, he decided that he may as well get it over with. So, he turned around and walked back inside the Sandsea tavern, returning to his glass of Serpentwyne, and to find Fran. The sounds of merriment and song filled his ears as he entered through the door, but to him this was just rowdy noise compared to the beautiful song that was in his heart.
Upstairs, in the corner sat Fran all by herself, at a table reserved for the two of them. Her long Viera ears were pinned back, muffling the sounds of the Sandsea Tavern. Her eyes were closed as if she were in a deeply meditative state. The light of candles flickered and danced off her dark skin, her curves barely revealed in the dim lighting.
She was aware of Balthier's presence before he walked closer to her. Fran opened her eyes and looked up at Balthier with a disapproving look that shot straight into Balthier's spirit like an arrow. Her Viera soul could sense Balthier's uneasiness, an uncertainty that was unusual for his character.
Balthier approached her and took a seat, resting his chin on one hand, his colored rings glinting in the candlelight. After a moment, he grasped his glass of Serpentwyne with his other hand. Settling in and leaning back, he finally sighed.
Above the din of the tavern she spoke to him softly and thoughtfully, her words calling to Balthier's heart, "You look sad, Balthier. Your heart is filled with indecision." She looked into his eyes, leaning in closer to him. "Don't you know that Vaan's heart is like a delicate flower? Do you want to be the one to break his heart?" Her red Viera eyes changing in an instant to a look of concern.
Fran was well aware of Balthier's long and varied history with lovers. She knew his fondness of both kinds of love, that of men and women and Viera alike. She knew that he went from lover to lover, with no shame or indiscretion. Even still, she wondered to herself if Balthier would act on his building desires that had been welling in his heart like a spring. She wondered further if he would be the one to love and leave Vaan so quickly as he had done to other lovers before.
He looked back at her with a sideways glance, smirking his sultry and charming grin. "Fran, you know me all too well, better than I may know myself. I daresay, that boy has got me thinking all kinds of thoughts, thoughts that I wont be able to hide for very long." After he spoke, he sighed again, grasping the stem of his chalice, looking into the dark green swirl of his glass of Serpentwyne.
Suddenly then he looked up at Fran, his eyes locked with hers in a thoughtful way. He spoke again even though he knew that there was no need for words in this moment. Feelings arose in his heart as he spoke, "You do know that Vaan will someday be mine, I want to be the one to show him the skies of Ivalice, I want to be his friend, confidant and lover. He is eighteen now, becoming a man, but he has no one to call his own. Whatever shall I do? I want more than anything in Ivalice to confess my love to him, but my predicament is that I don't want to ruin what friendship we do have."
Fran kept her eyes on Balthier, ready to speak as she reached out to touch his hand. Her white hair curled around her beautiful face, her eyes a deep red that Balthier felt piercing into his heart once more.
He returned her touch, holding her warm and lithe hand. She spoke softly, "Vaan is not as inexperienced as you think, Balther. I have seen how he looks at other men, with admiration. If you do not follow what is in your heart, you may loose all that you desire. You can not claim what you want until you know that you really want it." She released her hand from his, leaning back in her chair, sipping her water.
Balther smiled, raising his glass of Serpentwyne. "Fran, you are correct, for if I do not take this opportunity I may regret it for the rest of my days. I too have seen how he admires other men, how he wants to be a part of that world of men whose love I would imagine he has yet to know."
"Will you go now and speak with him? I know he is waiting for you there at Migelo's store." Fran spoke, smiling in such a way that made Balthier look twice. Fran, as beautiful as she was, rarely smiled. Ivalice, filled with so many things to observe, thoughts and feelings and emotions, made it so that she was always in constant, deepening thought that connected her to the world around her in a way that transcended the physical. Fran's smile was her Viera way of relating to Balthier on a more Hume level. Balthier knew this, and the very thought of it warmed his heart.
Balthier sat up and pushed himself away from the table. With his mind made up, he stood up and tugged on his cuffs like he often did. He brushed his hair back, smoothing it. Taking a compact mirror from his pocket, he eyed his reflection in the dim light. "I must say, am looking exceptionally well this early evening! Today will be the day, Fran, mark my words!" He smiled back at her as he returned the compact to his left pocket.
Fran reached into her leather bustier, and from in between her bosom she brought out a red gem, set in silver. "Take this with you, Balthier, it is a charm, an Aries gem that will not only bring you fortune but will help you to act on your desires. Give it to the one that you love."
Balthier reached out and took the Aries gem. As he clutched it, he felt the energies touch his heart in an instant. He smiled again as he realized, "More so, Fran, the Aries gem when used as a talisman in pursuit of romance is quite useful for men to take lovers with other men."
He spoke again, his confidence returning, "Fran your council is wise and I will heed your words. Many thanks for all that you do for me." He placed the gem inside the top pocket of his vest, close to his heart, feeling its energy and warmth.
"It is my pleasure, Balthier." She spoke as she turned to look at the tavern door downstairs.
He then turned to leave the Sandsea, and as he walked out the door into the cobblestone streets of Rabanastre his spirit and confidence was renewed as the Aries gem in his vest pocket gave off its energetic vibrations. His mind was made up, now Balthier was ready to confess his love to Vaan.
Balthier's heart smouldered like embers...
~~ Thank you for reading, part 2 coming soon! ~~