In Memory of Our Revelation
a c a n t h a - c h a n
Authoress' Note & Disclaimer: I started this a long while ago and then abandoned it. I picked it back up after finishing the draft of Opulent Quicksilver and finished it but it still pretty much sucks because I'm having a complete brain freeze. You can tell me otherwise if you think I need a mood-boost; also, I don't own Final Fantasy XII and I wish I did. I don't have much to say about this because Balthier and Fran look perfect together. Why else would I write this?
But anyway, read, review, and hope I don't scratch your eyes out for no reason. I hope you enjoy it aside from that threat of impending doom I just spouted out at you.
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001 - sickness
Delirious with fever and only partially conscious of his surroundings - Balthier is a fool for thinking the wood folk would help him.
002 - anger
Silence is the only barrier that marks their frustration at one another, but it is both a wall high and mighty as well as a barricade of defense.
003 - salvation
Fran is usually the one doing the saving, something that Balthier finds rather annoying, because after all, he is the leading man.
004 - doors
"After you," he says graciously as he lets Fran bypass him into the Aerodrome without so much as a thank you or a good-bye kiss.
005 - ocean
The first time he sees Fran content is when they visit the Phon Coast and she sees blue waters for the first time (it's always first times with her).
006 - flowers
As the Viera sleeps, Balthier slowly creeps into her cabin and sets a sentimental gift on her nightstand; something dry and flat and pressed to the page of an old text - ancient, but still precious, just like her.
007 - angel
A fair lady deserves a dashing leading man, he decides once he sees the crown of light that the setting sun illuminates in her mane of silver.
008 - hierarchy
Viera have no need for social status, so his Archadian roots mean nothing to her.
009 - speed
The lazy sway of her hips as she moves quickly across the fifty-so yards of open space leaves Balthier oggling at Ashe's posterior, much to Fran's obvious discontent.
010 - implication
Partner was not at all the definition the sky pirate had in mind: he'd been thinking more along the lines of bed-mate.
011 - delicacy
Deadly, yes, but not only was she fatal and fleeting in motion, her movements were so articulate none of their enemies knew it was coming.
012 - cocoon
He wraps the blanket around them both as they huddle in yet another sewer under yet another treasury, trying to hide from Imperials, and takes advantage of the situation to lean his head on her shoulder - Balthier doesn't get any reaction, as Fran is already asleep.
013 - voice
The first thing he hears when he wakes up is her voice; but they're not on the Strahl and they're certainly not in bed together, so his fantasies have been for nothing all along.
014 - apathy
Only an impervious fool would describe Fran as apathetic - if you knew how, you could tell exactly what was going on behind those garnet eyes.
015 - sky
I'd promise you the heavens themselves if it meant the delight of your company, he reflects, and the feel of your hand in mine.
016 - waif
She's afraid he'll waste away in a dungeon for the rest of his life, while he's afraid she won't be there with him.
017 - phobia
Balthier swats at a spider with a quick movement that makes him pull his feet up to his chest and try to look as if he's not scared in front of Fran.
018 - zeal
Nothing impresses her so much as when he cocks his gun and blows off the head of something that actually dares to cause her harm.
019 - ivy
Tendrils of a plant he can't identify curl around her forearm and she pulls away like she doesn't want to remember what the forest can tell her.
020 - guile
All throughout their partnership she has never found another with a tongue so much like quicksilver.
021 - discipline
"The next time I have need of Basch's imperious attitude I shall make sure his scorn is directed towards you - remember that, Balthier."
022 - evergreen
Her scent is always that of a tree forever in bloom that he finds beautiful as anything.
023 - choir
So far as he knows he has never heard her sing.
024 - sketch
In the dark she can hardly see his outline in the Strahl's pilot seat; she has to make do with the whirring of the engines and the constant hum of a skystone in her ears.
025 - threshold
The door is closed but he intrudes upon her anyway: he does not like what he finds.
026 - fetish
"Fran...There wouldn't happen to be any viera out there with floppy ears, would there?"
027 - elite
Others adore him because he is rich and handsome - Fran acknowledges him because she just can.
028 - empire
Whenever she feels especially unappreciated he informs her, "I gave up a kingdom made of skystones and magicite to be with you...appreciate it, why won't you?"
029 - atheism
Balthier is the only one of the two who believes that the Gods do not exist.
030 - reprieve
The period of silence is broken by another whore's attempts to size up Balthier and Fran suddenly wishes she could have a more exclusive partner, if not one that actually bothered to close the door when he had a little fun in bed.
031 - substitute
All of the women he knows seem to look a lot like Fran.
032 - names
She asks for his name; he replies brazenly, "...God."
033 - sacrifice
Sacrificing himself for his leading lady isn't such a drastic measure as she seems to think; but then again, Ashe isn't exactly who Balthier was talking about.
034 - photograph
He paints a picture of her in his head - like he actually needs help recognizing who she really is.
035 - gossamer
Her clothing tears like gossamer the first time, but silk is by far the most beautiful...It's what Fran reminds him of, actually, smooth and sleek and with such well-endowed assets too...
036 - mark
He relishes the idea of her feline claws tearing scars into his backside.
037 - time
The only thing that can move her is time; even for one such as her there is no escape from being the forsaken.
038 - families
He'd rather not think about what children with Fran would be like.
039 - flowers
Chrysanthemums are sacred, so he enjoys comparing Fran to one.
040 - stench
Their connected chambers still reek of sex, so much so that Fran decides to sleep under the stars that night for fear she should walk in upon Balthier and yet another nameless woman.
041 - rings
She wears no jewelry to hide her scars, he notices, while his jewelry has that exact purpose.
042 - waltz
The way she moves is practically a dance of its own, elegant stance and elegant woman in one package that Balthier would just love to get in his grubby little paws.
043 - lacking
When Vaan asks him why Fran wears clothes like a prostitute, Vaan gets both a bloody nose and a set of broken ribs.
044 - foreign
The knowledge of the Green Word is now unknown to both of them - the one who once knew wonders and the one who had never wanted to.
045 - postponed
"We'll regroup in the Aerodrome, Fran, while Vaan and Penelo are busy running errands for that Migelo fellow they prattle on about; it'll keep them occupied and give us some well-deserved free time."
046 - pastel
He holds up a garment that looks faintly reminiscent of a ball gown; it's the color of daisies dyed a faded rouge and she hates it immediately.
047 - eyes
Their face both hide something more to be said, especially the eyes - one pair ruby red and the other's like opals set in white gold.
048 - mosaic
He scuffs his boot on a face that looks like Fran's on the floor of the temple at Mt. Bur-Omisace; her visage is one that is too pure to be depicted on a floor tread upon by people like him.
049 - aim
The gunshot wound misses her critical areas but she's already falling to the ground and waiting for Balthier to bring her lingering soul back from Limbo: he never does.
050 - exotic
Fran doesn't listen to his murmurings of sweet nothings because she knows they're only true when he whispers them in another woman's ears.