Title: Love, huh?
Author: Cade
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance
Pairing(s): Balthier/Vaan(one-sided), Balthier/Basch
Summary: Vaan's trying to figure out something about himself.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by SquareEnix. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author's Note: This was started when I was in a good mood, continued when I was in a shitty mood and completed when I was in a drained mood. I hope that it will be better than I think it is, but whatever.

We probably had the strangest meeting I've ever heard of. Seriously. I met him in a treasury – with both of us trying to steal the same thing. If that isn't a strange meeting, I don't know what is. Granted, meeting everyone was strange. After all, we met Princess Ashe in a sewer and Basch in a prison cell… but there was something more to the time that I met Balthier.

He was arrogant, pompous, and he's got a really strange accent, but he's also a sky pirate. He can do what he wants, whenever he wants and no one's going to stop him.

Sometimes, when he looks at me, I can feel my breath catch and my heart pound and I went to Penelo. She said I was in love or some mushy crap like that. I don't get her sometimes.

Love, huh?

Yeah, right.

Still… it would be nice. I don't think he's the type to actually love though. He has the skies. He has the Strahl. Where does the street thief, Vaan, fit into that equation? It doesn't, you see.

It never does.

It doesn't help that I saw Balthier and Basch talking last night. I've been thinking for a while that there's something going on between them. They just seemed so… familiar with each other. I mean, yeah, all of us are pretty familiar with each other. We've been traveling together for quite a while. I think I know a lot about all of us, but there's always going to be secrets.

I think those two are a secret. One of the ones that can't be brought up. Like Fran's age. I wonder if Balthier knows that. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. It's not like I can ask him. Besides, I really don't care about her age.

Still, they were awake even after Fran, Ashe and Penelo had gone to sleep. I was only awake because I was wondering how to deal with what Penelo had said earlier. Love, right? Stupid thing. I don't know. It's given me too many sleepless nights and distractions.

Back on topic, I suppose. They were talking. I only caught bits of the conversation. I don't think I can relay it accurately, either, so I'll just tell you the gist of what they were talking about.

Balthier was confessing his love. I'm not sure if that's the right way to say it, if you look at them, but it was close enough to love. Of course, he did it in riddles and words, like he does everything else. After a moment, Basch seemed to accept this with one of those weird smiles on his face and then hugged him. I was shocked. They were being almost… intimate. I guess the two of them are together now.

I couldn't watch it anymore. I decided to go for a walk. I don't even remember where I went or anything. I was in a trance. Love, huh? Yeah… I guess it could be. I guess I was in love. Fun right? I was in love with someone who loved someone else. Well, love can't last forever. I can will it away. It's not like I had much experience with it. Not since Reks died. It can't be something that lasts. It's probably just a crush or something silly like that.

No more than a crush.

That's what I kept telling myself, and I don't believe me.