Strongly yet Gently

I wrote this nearly a month ago, but I was never sure about sharing it or keeping it – selfish! Lol. Anyway. Another Basch/Vaan, no surprise there if you're read the summary. This is a companion fic to my other fic Reassurance & Trust, you don't have to read it to understand, but I wouldn't be human if I didn't encourage you to do so nonetheless. )

This time from Basch's point of view. I'm also thinking on writing a third installment/conclusion to this. It all depends on you readers and what you thought of this, so please do let me know! Even one-worded reviews are appreciated! )

Enough rambling. Enjoy. And Final Fantasy XII and its characters don't belong to me.

Basch frowned as he opened and closed his eyes a few times. Oh, how he hated the practicality of waking up. Going to sleep was easy enough, most of the time, but waking up…it was just too often so difficult. He hated it, and he knew for sure that he wasn't the only one. He sighed tiredly as he looked down at the boy sleeping soundly in his arms. Vaan hated mornings. Well, he didn't hate evenings or nights any less if he ever had to wake up then of course, but still. Mornings were worse because of the insufferable brightness they brought.

Repressing another sigh, Basch got up, careful not to wake the boy, and closed his eyes as he stretched his body, flexing his shoulders to get rid of the sleepiness that had settled there since he hadn't changed positions much during the night. He then got up and managed to get dressed somewhat silently. Finding his belt was slightly harder than he remembered but eventually he was fully set to go. As he tightened said belt on he paused and then laid his glance on the one thing it had been avoiding ever since he'd gotten up.

The bed, and more precisely the boy still sleeping in it. Sighing, he walked to sit next to him, the mattress dipping slightly under his weight. His look softened as a hand reached out towards the young man. But he stopped it right before it reached his face. Swallowing a lump at the back of his throat, he leaned on his hands over the sleeping figure and lightly brushed his lips against his.

"Vaan." He called softly. He pulled back and put a hand on his shoulder, shaking him gently. "Vaan. Time to get up."

Vaan drowsily opened up one eye, then the other, and looked at him with a frown. "No." He simply said, his sleepiness being the only reason he wasn't pouting. Yet. As the man shook him a bit more, he groaned and it was all he could do not to cross his arms. "…okay." He sighed as he sat up, the sheets pooling at his waist. "Go, you should be gone already." He commented as he looked at the sky's color through the window, running a hand through his hair.

Basch frowned slightly at his comment, even though he was right. Nodding at him, he got up, repressing the urge to kiss him again.

There were two walls between them, and neither had the courage or maybe simply the will to bring them down. The first was voicing their feelings, and the second…was that damned rule of 'them' only existing during nighttime.

Nighttime was all they had. During the day, they couldn't. That was it, simply – and yet somehow it seemed that much more complicated sometimes. So he left without a word, the cabin door closing behind him with a soft 'click' sound.

As he was gone Vaan's gaze shifted from the sky to the closed door, and he sighed as he looked down at his hands, his grip on the sheets tightening unconsciously. "Right…only nighttime…" He whispered to himself as he shook his head softly to dissipate these thoughts. Sighing once more, he bent over the edge of the bed to get his clothes and set to put them on, his mind focused on one thing all along.

Basch's side of the bed was still warm.

o0o0o0o

Basch held back a moan as the other's lips were hot on his own, hands roaming over his body like his were on the other's, pressing him close against him. Always closer. Strongly yet gently.

Pulling back just slightly as he lowered the boy down on the bed, his gaze was infinitely soft as he took in his disheveled features. "You…" 'are beautiful'. He trailed off there and instead kissed him again.

He always thought it, but never said it.

Because he knew that theirs was a relationship that held on but a thread. He didn't know for sure if voicing his affection would really change a thing, since his body conveyed so much of it, but he didn't want to risk scaring the boy away. Because he really cared for him. Because somewhere along the way he had let himself believe that loving the other would have no consequences. But he wasn't sure if either of them were ready to accept that.

But no matter. This was enough, he thought as the other's lips left his own to trail down his neck, the boy having used his moment of pensiveness to reverse their positions. "Vaan…"

He always called out his name softly, and it always seemed like he wanted to say something more.

And they both always waited to hear what it would be. But more words never came as he joined their lips again, hoping and feeling his body could transmit those words.

But not this time.

This time Vaan pulled back and cocked his head to the side as he looked down at him. "You always do that…sound like you're about to say something important but then you never do." He commented softly.

"Vaan…" The man let out as a hand reached up to his face, the other still on his waist, holding him slightly.

"It can't be that bad a thing to admit if it's so important to you, right?" The thief asked once more as he shrugged ever-so-nonchalantly. But his eyes were earnest. True, he had always loved to surprise people – mostly because they expected so little out of him – but not Basch. No, he knew that if Basch was perplexed now, it wasn't because he thought that he hadn't understood; it was because so far it had been a mutual, silent agreement that nothing more had to be said.

The older man sighed softly as he stroked his cheek, his hand then moving to the back of his neck to pull him back down. Vaan resisted a little at first but eventually let himself be pulled down into the man's arms once more, resting his face in the crook of his neck. "When we're like this…" Basch started at last. "I feel like this is what happiness feels like." He admitted.

"It's…kind of obvious it is." Vaan commented with a slight frown. He fidgeted slightly for a moment, his hand playing with the other's vest. "Where does that leave us?" He didn't really want an answer to that, but now that the issue had been brought up, it couldn't just be forgotten and pushed aside anymore.

Basch sighed once more and turned them over so he could look into the other's eyes. "I don't know." He started. Before the other's raised eyebrow he smiled ever-so-slightly and kissed him quickly before he could make a comment. He then took his hand and placed it on his chest, above his heart, before placing his own over the boy's. "But this is all I need."

You are all I need.

Once more, he didn't say it. But this time, he knew that Vaan read it clearly in his eyes. It was obvious the boy had understood as he pulled him down on his lips.

So Basch held him, and pulled him closer, always closer, strongly yet gently.

And outside, the sun had just set.

Yes…for now, it would be enough.

End

Basch/Vaan needs more love. Come on, show me! I know I'm not the only one! Seriously though, if you've read it, let me know what you thought of it, it's considerate. )

Renn