Roses are red
Violets are blue
In case you're reading this
Vaan causes mayhem anew
Summary: In which Vaan stirs up trouble.
Standard Disclaimer: I own nothing. Final Fantasy belongs to Square Enix and whoever else conjured up our beloved, sexy men. :3
Dedication: Written for my good friend (and sister), who wanted a story where Vaan was causing a ruckus between the male members of his party.
Setting: Takes place somewhere when I was looking for one of those boss monsters with Larsa in my group. Dunno if I'm hallucinating, or whatever, but just for imaginative purposes, let's say that Larsa was there and not snooping for info about his elder brother.
A/N: I have such a horrible time, trying to finish anything remotely long. I don't know if I have a Leonardo Da Vinci Complex or something, but yes. First time for a long story, is a first time for everything. sigh
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"Basch."
"Hn."
"Basch."
"What, Vaan?" aggravated, the older man frowned at the sandy blond ahead of him. Vaan lay on his stomach, head propped on his arms. He looked to be the perfect picture of innocence, though Basch knew better. Beneath the goofy laid-back exterior, was a mischievous pickpocket, looking for another victim to pursue. At this thought, Basch once again frowned.
"What do you think of Larsa?"
He regarded the aspiring sky-pirate with arched eyebrows. That was a relatively easy question to answer, but Basch didn't really have an opinion of the enigmatic fourth prince of Arcades. Larsa was Larsa. As pretty as a woman, and yet too princely and chivalrous to be called one. So the ex-knight finally said in all seriousness:
"I think the Prince is in need of a mirror."
Basch was only looking out for the prince after all. It wasn't everyday you'd find someone so… feminine. It would ruin your reputation, to put.
Confusion stole over Vaan's features, before morphing into an expression of dawning realization.
"Ooohhh. You mean he's pretty, right?"
"Yes, yes he is," grunted Basch deadpanned.
A sudden rustling of clothes, and in an instant, Vaan was perched in front of him, burgundy eyes staring intensely at his own pair of amber. Those intriguing orbs flickered, then glinted, and Basch felt a brief shudder of intuition run down his spine.
Oh no…
"Why is he prettier to me than Penelo?" Vaan queried softly, face solemn. His lips twisted into a grim line, and hands wrung themselves in anxiety. It seemed as if Vaan really did want to know, and not pull his leg like he did all those other times…
For once in his long and bitter life, the older man was stumped.
"My apologies, Vaan, but I… I truly do not know," Basch replied overwhelmed; "Perhaps it is because Larsa appeals to you more than Penelo?"
Vaan shrugged. "I guess so. But liking someone whose name is close to Panola is like liking the oil itself. Or was it Canola? Oh well." Frustrated, the blond let out a suffering sigh; "Don't worry about it though. I'll just have to ask him myself." Determination shone in his dirty features, and Vaan shuffled away to the young prince brooding near a crumbling wall. Watching the pair talk animatedly from the corner of his eyes, Basch couldn't help but wonder about what they were truly chatting about.
Their faces were both stained a dark, crimson. Although Vaan seemed to be fighting the urge to say something else, he kept on fidgeting making it difficult for Basch to comprehend how Larsa responded.
He shook his head at the youths.
"If only you could see me now, Noah," he mumbled, staring into the bleak darkness.
Oh how the mighty have fallen indeed.
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"I think you're pretty."
"I beg your pardon-?" spluttered Larsa. A shocked expression plastered itself onto a smooth face, while a tinge of red bloomed on Larsa's cheeks.
"You're pretty," Vaan repeated, sidling next to the stunned prince.
"What?" said Larsa, his serene, and composed self once more. Though inwardly inside, he was raging. What was this moronic thief prattling about? If he was speaking of Penelo's looks, Larsa thought she was rather average-looking… If he was uttering that he of all people was 'pretty', then he had another thing coming.
"Do ya have a big ego or something?" asked Vaan irritated, "I don't want to say it again."
"……"
Larsa narrowed his eyes.
"Hey, don't give me that look." Vaan placed his hands up defensively. "I was just wondering out loud, sheesh."
"Well did you have to wonder so loudly then?" snapped Larsa, the blush refusing to go away. In fact, it got worse. His whole neck and ears were stained a dark red. Talk about being princely. He was bred at birth to talk, act, and manage things in a certain manner. He was not to stammer, or act snappish, or become flustered. It just wasn't princely.
Simply put, princes did not get flustered.
They were supposed to do the flustering.
Their egos were not to be trifled with, because they could order an execution immediately.
Although…
Through his narrowed vision, Larsa contemplated on what made his friend say this. It could be how stuffy the mines were. Or it could be the skeleton warriors that they all fought. Or maybe it was just the stinking manufactured nethecite's powers… Either way, Larsa was baffled by Vaan's weird behavior.
"What brought on this sudden declaration?" he asked finally.
A bright grin met his gaze.
"I was just curious ya know. After all, I find Balthier sexy, and Basch handsome. Are those weird thoughts for someone my age?" Vaan seemed thoughtful (for once) as Larsa choked.
The young prince let out a strangled sound. "Are you… Are you telling me that most of the men in our party—you find attractive?" It wasn't as if Larsa didn't find any of the men handsome. He actually found them all rugged and quite… manly. In truth, he believed that he paled in comparison. Remembering what his older brother, Vayne, once told him, Larsa frowned.
It is a pity that you had been born a boy. I deem that you would have been better off as a princess.
Vaan shrugged, effectively breaking him away from his less-than-kind thoughts.
"Yeah, I guess. Don't you stare whenever Balthier makes those weird comments of his? Or when Basch says something totally unexpected that you could kiss him for it?"
"I suppose," admitted Larsa awkwardly. He never really thought of that… He chanced a glance at the older men, eyes widening when Balthier caught him, eyebrows rising upwards in suspicious. Then suddenly, the handsome sky-pirate winked.
Larsa somehow managed a weak smile in return.
"Hey, what're you—oooohhh. I get it." Vaan's smile grew lopsided. "You were flirting with Balthier!"
"I—I wasn't really," Larsa stammered, mentally berating himself for his tone of voice.
"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me," replied Vaan obnoxiously.
"I have no secret," the prince retorted. "At least, none that any of your sick mind can conjure up."
"Well, well, what have we got here, hmm? Quarreling teenage boys. How fun," spoke up Balthier, amusement evident in his voice. The man had apparently snuck into the conversation, whilst Vaan and he argued. How annoying, thought Larsa, lips puckering into another of his infamous frowns.
"Say, why don't I join in?"
"No."
"And pray tell why, good prince?" Balthier appeared even more amused.
"No," Larsa repeated firmly. "You're as sick as Vaan. Not to mention that your brains are already practically pulp."
"Perhaps we took one too many hits to the head?" reasoned Balthier while Vaan laughed aloud, mirth shining in his eyes.
"I'll acknowledge that," muttered Larsa, now even more irritated than before. "Now could you two please just leave me be?" He gestured to the opposite wall, a few meters away. Vaan pouted, but did as he was told, after receiving a murderous glare from the younger boy. Balthier did the same, although he slinked his way to the blond and had a friendly arm over Vaan's shoulders. Their faces were close…
Maybe a bit too close.
Face heating, Larsa quickly looked away, only to find Basch's eyes boring into his own. He blushed harder.
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"Do you think we got it into his head now?"
"Yes, he's quite pretty for a boy. Nice catch, dare I say." Balthier smiled conspiratorially. "Can I at least have him the first time, please Vaan?"
"No, I think we'd leave that for Basch," replied Vaan dryly. "Besides, don't you see how Larsa looks at him?"
"With complete lust?" Balthier tried a coy look.
"What?" the older man queried innocently at Vaan, who rolled his eyes.
"Just because we're younger doesn't mean that we always think with our body parts," Vaan responded.
"Right, right." Balthier snorted disbelievingly. "Now come here and give me a mouth-watering kiss, so we can have mind-numbing sex in that little niche I found earlier."
"Idiot." But Vaan kissed him anyway.
Like they always had done before.
-Owari