Author's Note: Merry Christmas, and if not, Happy Holidays! Either way, here's a little present to all my good friends of the FFXII fandom whom I adore! I hope you guys are having a great December! I blame the velveteen splendor that is the Balthier/Ashe community on LJ. Happy Holidays! ♥

Warning: Extremely cheesy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy XII.


Twas the Night Before Bahamut

Twas the night before Bahamut and all through the Strahl
Not a creature was stirring, not a one, not at all

Or so it appeared to the stark naked eye
But as it so happens what I said was a lie

No one was nestled all snug into bed
They were up and about and all drinking instead

Balthier in his cuffs and Fran in her thong
And the others, making their last lone night long

Basch in his potholder, Ashe in her belt
(No, not a "skirt" as she misguidedly felt)

When into the pub burst Penelo and Vaan
Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and stifling a yawn

It caused such a clatter, they jumped in their stools
And plummeted straight from sad drunkards to fools

Away from the bar fell Balthier with a smash
Taking by wrist with him poor Princess Ashe

Who in her alarm grabbed Basch by his shorts
Who tumbled on top of his other cohorts

Fran, far too graceful for such a guffaw
Merely tottered and smirked, not that they saw

Then Penelo came over, swallowing a laugh
With Vaan, far less courteous by a good half

Who was rocking and folding with chuckles so rich
He got kicked in the shins by Ashe, the cruel… witch

So he tumbled on top of both Ashe and Balthier
And of course, Captain Basch, with a wheeze and a sneer

Penelo, left standing, too amused and too drunk
Was dragged down by Vaan and collapsed with a thunk

It goes without saying, while they both gasped for air
Neither Balthier nor Ashe envied Fran, on her chair

Who, all the while, watched with vague concern
While gravity said it was finally her turn

It happened so sudden, when her stool went astray
By a pickpocket fleeing, with she in his way

So she fell back on a certain blond knight
And oh, the mess now, you should see such a sight!

Yet no one complained or grumbled or griped
That the rug under all of their feet had been swiped

While all this transpired to the humor of others
The growing pell-mell of comrades and lovers

Balthier and Ashe, between Basch and the floor
Were kissing quite fervently (but oh wait, there's more)

When they stopped and they stood, not a soul missed
Their fingers entwined and a last furtive kiss

Vaan and Penelo, off some to the side
Merely sat up and watched, amused and wide-eyed

And dear Basch and Fran, both stern to a fault
Weren't laughing like mad, or making out

Both arose quickly, straight-laced and tight-lipped
(Though lips pressed together, it won't hurt to quip)

So there in a tavern on some coastal town
The evening before the whole world might fall down

We find a rogue and a royal, not flighty of heart
A leading man and his lady, just right for the part

A knight and a pirate, so unlikely a pair
A mixture of chocolate, scars and straw hair

And our two young observers, orphans the both
Watching with smiles and an inkling of hope

Then they all left the tavern, no hand left unclasped
While the owner cursed out to them crudely and rasped

"Don't you never come back! I've lost all my peace!"
To which Balthier laughed, "Well, we found ours at least."