Title: Dead Air
Author: Potatocrumbs
Pairing: Balthier/Vaan
Summary: Silence makes Vaan remember. Vaan/Balthier-ish; drabble, angst.
Author's note:
Because a couple of years ago my dad was in the hospital and I got the call from my mother. It took me some time not to expect the worst every time she called after that.
…Mediocre drabbles cures all ills!
It doesn't take much to make Vaan remember the feeling of Balthier dying in front of his eyes.
A moment of dead air over the communication device in The Strahl and Vaan's stomach drops like lead; Air get caught in his throat and Vaan has to will himself to breathe deeply so that the dizzy panic that strikes him will stop. His fingers tighten around the receiver turning his knuckles white, blood pumping fast in his ears and somewhere in his mind he knows that he's not back in front of the controllers, watching The Bahamut burn, explode and crash with Balthier in it.
There is nothing but static and the steady beat of his pounding heart before Balthier finally speaks and everything slows down:
He's still there and Vaan lets himself breathe like he couldn't at the sight of the falling warship.
It isn't until the sky pirate sets foot on board The Galbana that he can will his fingers to unclench.