A.N. Wrote this a while ago for a contest on DA, but I couldn't be asked to finish it at the time. I have started playing with a second chapter, but dunno if I should continue it. Review with opinions? It's Balthier/Vaan, as there is just not enough around! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Do we see Balthier wandering around topless and kissing Vaan every 5 seconds in FFXII? Didn't think so.

Vaan had two simple words for his predicament. Just great.

Imagine this. He had not see his best friend, Penelo, for five years, due to her moving to England. He still couldn't fathom a good enough reason to move from nice sunny Florida to horrible, wet, cold, wet, depressing and, did he mention wet England. But he loved Penelo like a sister, and so when she begged him to visit her in London, how could he refuse?

And that was how he had wound up in this predicament. He had arrived at the airport, and he waited outside, just like Penelo had told him to. So where the Hell was she!?

Vaan rubbed his arms in a vain attempt to keep warm as the rain continued to pelt down as dusk approached. He'd been waiting for two hours. Two hours. He couldn't exactly wander off; he'd never been to England before and would just end up more lost than he was.

The blond young man was brought out of his musings as he felt a vibration in his pocket. He quickly whipped his phone out, and seeing the caller ID, answered it, glaring.

"Penelo, you better have a good excuse-"

"I'm really sorry Vaan! I tried to get off early from work, but the person to replace me bailed on Migelo and I can't leave until tomorrow!"

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

"Get a cab to the Strahl Motel. My friends run it. Ask for Balthier and say you're a friend of Penelo's, and they'll look after you tonight and I'll pick you up in the morning."

Vaan sighed, "Fine, but you can pay for making me stay there."

"Of course I will! I'll speak to you soon Vaan, again, I'm sooo sorry." Penelo abruptly hung up, and Vaan shrugged as he slipped his phone back into his pocket. Grabbing his rather tattered suitcase, he meandered over to the taxi stop.

The bell tinkled as the Vaan slammed the door open in the vain attempt to stop himself getting even more soaked from the torrential downpour. How did people put up with this weather!? He quickly thanked the taxi driver for bringing the rest of his bags in – despite the fact said driver was glaring at him for making the seat wet, what else did he expect? – and went over to the front desk.

Which by the looks of things, was empty.

"Hello? Anyone here?" Vaan awaited a response, but sighed when no one arrived. Two weeks. Two weeks and he's be back in the lovely sunshine of Florida, where you actually got service when you arrived at a hotel. Or motel in this case.

A female voice shouted through that someone would be with him shortly, to which Vaan sighed in aggravation.

The décor inside the lobby was odd to say the least. There were paintings of strange flying ship things and places that looked like they were out of a Star Wars movie. There were several bows, arrows and firearms in display cabinets, all with odd names. Whoever ran the establishment must have been pretty damn weird in Vaan's opinion.

And that's when he heard it.

The most gorgeous voice that had ever graced Vaan's ears.

"I assume that you are Penelo's dear friend Vaan?"

Turning around, Vaan gazed upon the stunning man with dark hair and the most dazzling smile he had ever seen (and that was saying something, Florida was full of those fake dazzling smiles).

"Well?" Vaan suddenly realized that the gorgeous man had asked him a question.

"Sorry, what?"

Gorgeous Man chuckled, "Obviously you are Penelo's friend, she warned me about possible jet lag."

Vaan decided not to bother correct gorgeous man (who had the loveliest British accent ever. How could a guy be that perfect!?) on the fact that it was him causing Vaan's idiocy.

"My name Balthier, the leading man here at the Strahl. Penelo just rung to alert me to your impending arrival."

"V-Vaan."

Balthier smiled, which made Vaan weak at the knees, "Well, I have a spare room for you. In between my room and Fran's. Dinner will be in an hour." He handed the keys to the still rather dazed Vaan, "Top floor, room 2." Balthier smiled again (Vaan started to wonder if the man knew what effect his smile was having on him) "I hope to see you at dinner."

With another striking smile, Balthier wandered off back into what Vaan assumed was his office. As he heard Balthier talking to the woman's voice from earlier, his opinion changed very rapidly.

He was going to stay in the horribly rainy England a lot longer than first anticipated, to get closer with Mr. Gorgeous Man Balthier.

TBC? Review to make it so!