A/N: So this is just another snippet fic because I'm really stuck for ideas for full-blown novel-sized fics. And I know I'm procrastinating on my Christmas fics but I seriously have no idea as to where to take them right now. Anyway, based on a section of Embracing Love by Youka Nitta, my favorite yaoi manga ever. Hope you enjoy. Probably not though, I realize that the FFXII section of the fanfiction forums has gone completely cold for almost a year now. Nonetheless, I'm gonna write another one and hope that someday someone will read it and like it. BaschXBalthier, this is basically the story of an OC's life stalking Balthier, so there's a little hint at BalthierXOC but nothing to worry about. It'll be great. Enjoy.


-W-

From the large hotel complex across the street from Balthier's apartment, Marcus had watched through curious binoculars the sky pirate whom he had been following for quite some time now.

"Welcome back," he said quietly to himself, watching intently as the pirate through the window had grabbed a canteen of water. "How was your morning jog?" He continued watching, knowing that Balthier wasn't in the slightest aware that there had been a fanboy right across the street with his eye on him.

"I wonder, Balthier… will you take a shower now?" Hmm, he thought to himself, probably not a bad idea. I should shower before heading into the office myself. Until tonight, Balthier. He sat his binoculars down and padded down to the bathroom.

6:30 A.M. My day begins with me waiting for him to open his curtains. Because of his busy schedule as a sky pirate, I don't get to see him every day.

But that doesn't matter. I enjoy our "conversations" whether he's there or not.

7:50 A.M. I'm ready to start my day.

After finishing my work day…

I return to the room where he "lives".

See you this afternoon, Balthier.


-W-

"What do you mean Basch isn't coming with me today?" Marcus's ears perked up when the sound of Balthier's voice hit them.

"Keep your voice down," Fran told him gently, and Marcus turned to see the infamous pirate and his Viera partner. Balthier! His eyes followed the two as the Viera walked Balthier out to the vehicle waiting for him. "Please remember your position, now. Granted, this whole scandal involving the good captain was great publicity… but you shouldn't be too open about it publicly or you'll cause trouble for him and his agency."

Balthier looked troubled. "But the job is almost over… After that, I won't be able to see him anymore…" He mumbled that last part, and his attention had turned to the young blonde Marcus, who hadn't even realized he was staring at him.

Marcus felt his breath hitch in his throat and found himself running away, in the opposite direction. He saw me. I'd better go before he thinks I'm staring at him. It was far too late for that, but he was hopeful. And with that, he disappeared into the crowded streets of Rabanastre.

"What is it, Balthier?" Fran watched her partner watch the man, who looked strangely like the captain he'd fallen in love with, disappear.

He turned back to Fran. "It's nothing. Let's go."


-W-

Why was he staring at me like that? Marcus sat at his desk in the Rabanastre Clan Hall, writing up the account reports of the members. Has he figured out that I've been watching him? No. How could he have? I've been so careful.

"Here you go, Mr. Usa," a pretty little moogle set a tall cup of coffee on Marcus's desk with a bright smile.

"What about me, Dahlia?" asked Rin, the guy who worked with Marcus in the office.

"I only made enough for Mr. Usa. You're just going to have to make your own coffee." She smiled, her crush on Marcus so obvious on her face.

Rin got up and started an argument with the poor moogle, and the bangaa Jarvis sat down next to Marcus. "What the hell was that?" He whispered. "Man, you've become quite popular with the ladies of late. Is it really because you're the spitting image of that knight, Basch whatshisface?"

Marcus shot a death glare at the bangaa. "I don't like him. He looks like me."

Jarvis leaned over the desk and propped his head on his hands. "Oh yeah? But you've changed too. It's almost like you've turned into a twenty-something Basch."

A twenty-something Basch?! His eyes lit up slightly.

"I totally thought you were mimicking him on purpose now. Like his haircut and stuff." Jarvis said thoughtfully. But Marcus was no longer there.


-W-

No wonder! Marcus thought as he ran home. That's it! It has to be!

He ran inside his hotel room and slammed the door shut, leaning against it and panting, with a bright red blush covering the entirety of his face. A long smirk grew on his face and he felt a deep laughter bubble up inside him, stumbling past his teeth and lips.

He flopped down on his bed and wrapped his arms around himself as he tried to muffle his laughter. "If I really do look like his lover, then of course Balthier…" he pulled a slip of paper out of his pocket that turned out to be a candid photo of the sky pirate, "… then of course Balthier would prefer a younger version!" He panted, trying to catch his breath, and he ran his fingers through his hair. "No wonder he was staring at me!"

I'm sure Balthier would accept me for who I am. Maybe even as his lover too!

"Oh, Balthier~" He purred to himself, and his hands wandered to the buttons on his shirt and the clasp on his pants. He slipped his hand into his shirt and gently traced patterns along his chest, pinching his nipples somewhat roughly. His other hand had found its way down his pants, inside his undergarments, wrapped around his member, stroking it gently. "N-No… Balthier…" He moaned softly.

"No", what? He imagined the pirate planting a gently kiss on his chin and touching him. I mean look at how ready you are. He let out another moan. Your clothes are in the way. Take them off.

"Okay…" he said to the pirate of his imagination, and slid off his top and bottoms till he was lying on the bed naked.

You're good, imaginary Balthier said as Marcus slid two fingers inside himself. Very good. Much better than the real Basch. Turn around now, I'm going in.

The young blonde man grabbed his makeshift sex toy *A/N: I'll let you guys guess what it is that he's using* and went down on his stomach on the bed, his back curved so that his ass was up in the air. He bit the pillow and slowly started to stuff himself with the toy. Imaginary Balthier grabbed the younger male by the waist, forcing him to quicken his pace as he jerked himself and pounded his ass in. He started to sweat, a dark red blush covering his face as a loud cry forced itself out of his throat, and he felt the pleasure of an orgasm rock his entire body for a few blissful moments.

He pulled the toy out of himself, setting it on the bed, and laid on his back panting, gently stroking himself until it was no longer pleasurable. He put his hand up to his mouth and licked the sticky, somewhat salty substance off carefully, savoring the taste.

"All right, Balthier." He spoke softly to himself. "I'll give you to opportunity you're looking for."


-W-

Marcus was up early the next morning. He knew Balthier's schedule like the back of his hand, so he knew that Balthier would be out soon, jogging as always. He watched as Balthier fixed his shoes and stretched a bit, and then, just as he was making a move to go talk to him, Balthier took off, running down the street quite gracefully. Marcus had no choice but to follow him.

What started as a jog slowly turned into a sprint when Marcus realized there was no way he'd be able to catch up to the other. Balthier was quite fast, and once he turned the corner, causing him to lose sight of the pirate, Marcus realized he needed to step up his game. He turned the corner himself and stuttered to a stop, almost falling flat on his ass (which had still been sore from the previous night's events). Balthier had now been leaning up against a building in the little alleyway, and his eyes were solely focused on Marcus. He could even feel the burn through those hazel eyes he adored so much.

"What do you want?"

Marcus knew that the other had seen him running after him. He wouldn't have stopped otherwise. The young blonde blushed. "Um, I…"

"Never mind, it doesn't matter. But you know something?" Balthier smiled a little, more to himself than to Marcus.

Here it comes! He thought, overly excited.

"You look an awful lot like Basch Fon Ronsenberg."

His facial expression had turned into one of sorrow that took Marcus every ounce of his being to conceal.

"When I saw you yesterday, you reminded me of a twenty-year-old Basch." Balthier let out a content sigh. "It was fun to imagine what it'd be like, but I love him as he is." He spoke as if he knew exactly what the younger male was thinking.

Marcus didn't want to hear this. He hadn't even considered any of this to be a possibility, and more so it hit him like a bag of oranges. He couldn't hide his feelings anymore. He turned and jolted back down the street from where he had come.

"Hey! Where are you going?!" He moved to see the other, but by time he peered around the corner, Marcus had already been gone.


-W-

Marcus slammed his bedroom door shut and grit his teeth, trying not to let the tears through as he started tearing every last candid photo of the famous pirate off his bedroom walls and trashing them.

Even Balthier thinks I'm a fake! Out of everyone, I thought at least he would understand me.

Screw him, I don't care about him anymore!


-W-

Marcus felt groggy. Awake early, again, he thought sadly. It's been a month, but I still can't stop waking up at 6:30. It's not like I have to get up early to see him now…

He sat up and turned on the small television he had by the bed. They were extremely primitive but they were colored and got the news broadcast, so no one was complaining.

"And now let's look at today's headlines!" said the lady anchor cheerfully as Marcus lied back down, back towards the t.v. "It looks like every paper in town is covering the same hot topic. It appears that the pardoned sky pirate Balthier Bunansa and the knight captain Basch Fon Ronsenberg have moved in together!"

Marcus's eyes widened and he jolted up to face the television, that showed a picture of the two kissing outside of Basch's home.

The lady anchor continued. "Though they've made no secret of their relationship, have they finally decided to take the next big step?"

The male anchor stepped in. "Well, it's true that they're both men, so a legal marriage is out of the question. But according to the articles, Balthier has practically steamrolled his way into this relationship with Basch."

"Isn't that incredible?" The lady spoke up again. "I'm so jealous!"

Marcus felt himself start to hyperventilate and he flung himself out of bed, grabbing the binoculars from the desk and peering through them to the apartment that Balthier had been living in. It can't be, it can't be… he told himself, but it was evident that he was wrong. The room he had seen his beloved in so many times before was empty, missing its furniture, and its inhabitant. All of it, wiped away as if it had never existed in the first place.

Hot tears started to pour down his face, and he let himself fall back onto the bed. He pulled his pillow up over his face and let out a loud, almost painful cry, choking sobs and salty tears dumping themselves into the pillow. He wouldn't ever be able to see Balthier now.

Losing him finally made me remember.

Remember how I fell in love with him out by that window…

Remember how happy I was to look like his lover…

I wanted to 'be' Basch.

I thought that if I was, Balthier would love me too.

I started copying Basch… and somewhere along the line, I actually started believing I 'was' him.

After hours of crying, I came to a decision.

I was going to leave this imitation room.


-W-

"Basch! Balthier! Congratulations on the latest mission! I'm sure you've received many questions in regards to your private lives together, but could you please give us a comment?"

Balthier sighed. Paparazzi really had been following them around a lot. In fact, they had been following all of the queen's private friends (which ranged everywhere from Balthier, Basch, Fran, Vaan, Penelo, and even Larsa). Balthier certainly didn't like the attention, but he did have an appearance to keep up.

"Balthier! What do you think of your newlywed life with Basch?" The reporter spoke and Balthier turned around, only for his eyes to widen in surprise.

"You?!" He was shocked at seeing Marcus standing in front of him, pad of paper in hand.

"You remember me, huh?" Marcus smiled. "I quit my day job to become a reporter!"

Even if he thinks of me as just another annoying paparazzo, I've made up my mind. I'm going to stand in front of him as myself…

"Get ready! I decided to turn my hobby into a career, so I'll be everywhere you go!"

"Huh?!" Balthier was confused. "What 'hobby' are you talking about?"

... And as a bonus, I get to write scathing articles about Basch!

/The end. Please let me know what you think, if any FFXII fans are existent anymore.