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Prompt: feather soft


"You look good with your hair cut like this."

Basch had been sitting at his, well really his brother's, desk when the soft and sultry voice whispered right next to his ear and long fingered danced in his hair. He jumped out of his chair and quickly turned around, hand grasping for the sword that wasn't there.

"My, my, haven't we become paranoid since assuming our brother's position and name of Judge Magistrate."

"Balthier…." The former Dalmascan Knight was shocked to see the infamous sky pirate Balthier in front of him. He had heard from Queen Ashe months ago that the pirate had escaped the burning Bahaumt after turning it away from its crash course in to the city. Even if he knew the other man was alive and well, Basch never thought he would actually see him again, at least so soon anyways.

Balthier smirked at the look on the recently appointed Judge's face. "I'm flattered that you're so surprised to see me." He moved from behind the chair and leaned against the desk next to it.

Basch relaxed, sitting back down in the chair as he looked up at his pirate friend. "Well yes, I didn't think you would be coming back to Archades, what with the bounty on you head and the memories that this-"

"I wanted to see you again." Balthier said suddenly, cutting off Basch's sentence.

The ex-knight flushed at the simply statement, his heart fluttering in his chest. A soft smile graced his lips as his ungloved hand reached out for the pirate, ghosting the backs of calloused fingers across his jaw. "I see, so you braved the dangers of Archades to see me, I'm honored."

Balthier tilted his head into the touch, a grin painted across his face. He grabbed the hand and began to lick at the fingers slowly, nipping at the callused pads. Gazing at the former Dalmascan Knight luridly he asked. "Honored, huh? Just how honored are you?"

A shiver ran through Basch as the tongue lapsed at his fingers. He grinned at the other man and started to lean in, wanting to use that agile tongue in other ways. Suddenly there was a loud knock at the door that made the both of them jump apart. Basch sat back down behind his desk and waited for the pirate to hide before answering. "Come in."

Judge Magistrate Zargabaath entered the room. He paused at the door and raised a brow as he eyeed a dark corner behind the other judge. Stepping from the doorway he approached the desk. "I was coming by to collect the reports if you have them ready, Gabranth."

"Ah, yes I those right here." Basch picked up the stack of papers from the one side of his desk and handed them to the other Judge. "Is there anything else I can do for you, Zargabaath?"

The older man took the papers and glanced at the dark corner once again, a small grin forming on his face. "No, no, this is it. Have a pleasant evening, Basch." With that he walked back towards the door, once again pausing within it. Turning, he looked back at the corner and added. "Oh, and a pleasant evening to you too, Ffamran."

Basch looked at him, slightly startled, and there was quiet cursing from the dark corner. Then there a slight wave of a colorfully jeweled hand from the shadows that indicated it's owner heard what was said and returned it in kind.

Zargabaath merely chuckled and closed the door behind him as he left.

Basch sighed. "Nothing ever seems to get past that man."

"He's always been good at that, made it really difficult when I wanted to hid from my duties." Balthier exited his hiding spot; he had a frown upon his handsome features. "I wish he wouldn't use that name though."

"That's the only name he knows you by, you know." Basch chuckled. "And he says it with such a fondness too."

"Yes, well, he practically helped raise me as a child in this place." Balthier let a small growl escape as he walk back towards the desk. "I'm surprised, since he obviously knows who you really are, that he didn't use your real name from the start."

"Hmm." Basch gave that statement some thought before commenting on it. "He probably didn't know who you were until he got closer, so he kept up the farce as a precaution. He and Larsa are the only two in the city who know who I really am, and I think he would rather keep it that way. I do not think the people would quite happy if it was found that I was masquerading as my brother."

"Hmmm, that is true." Balthier moved to sit on the other man's lap, long legs stretched out before him while his arm snaked around strong shoulders. He reached up with his other hand and ran his fingers through the knight's soft short hair. "So, should we continue where we left off?"

Basch grinned and pulled the sky pirate in closer by the back of his head, finally claiming those feather soft lips with his own.


A/N: Yup, I wrote this and I still haven't finished the game. XD

Reviews are most welcome!