By: MMK

Pairings: None. Well, not really.

Rating/warnings: PG-13, T. Implied shonen ai

Disclaimer: FFXII belongs to Square Enix and not Mad Mary Kidd, no monies made here

Intro: Fran has a way of asking the very questions Balthier would rather avoid answering. Weeny little ficlet

A Viera's Entertainment

"You do know how his admiration of you has chosen to manifest itself, don't you?"

"Yes, I'm quite aware that the boy has a violent crush on me, thankyou Fran," said Balthier. He could have put the controls of the Strahl on auto but he wanted to have something to do, if only in order to avoid looking at her. It did not help that he knew Fran knew this. Bloody Viera.

"Are you going to do anything about it?"

"Like what? Throw him against a wall and - "

"No. I mean to put him off."

"Like what? Throw him against a wall and - "

"I get the feeling you're not taking this seriously."

Balthier sighed. "What would you have me do? It's just a crush, it'll pass."

"He needs to know that you don't return his feelings."

"Oh what, is honesty the best policy all of a sudden?"

"If I didn't know better I'd say you liked the attention."

Well, so what if I do? was what he wanted to say. What he said instead was, "I'm not so desperate that I'll cherish the half-arsed affections of some snotty little orphan cutpurse."

"You protest too much. You know you can't lie to me," said Fran. "Perhaps you do return his feelings."

"Don't be absurd," snorted the pirate, now thoroughly uncomfortable with where this conversation was heading and searching frantically for a change of subject. There were times when he wondered if Fran really did have a sense of humour after all. No smile graced her features but he was pretty certain she was laughing at him all the same.

"Then why not try to put him off? I know he must be annoying you, following you everywhere and asking questions all the time."

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

Fran regarded him coolly. "All right, I'll leave it alone. But don't say I didn't warn you."

"I wouldn't dream of it," replied Balthier, inexplicably relieved.