Chapter Twenty Six

Always My Heart

Nalbina Fortress

Days passed but eventually they arrived at the rebuilt Nalbina Fortress and somehow the group slipped through the Imperial Army stationed there without any trouble. It had taken them a while to get back to civilization after the excursion to the sacred mountain but the trip to Nalbina allowed each person to think over what had happened.

Vaan's miraculous resurrection was the centre point for their conversations and thoughts but Balthier was the only one who kept his own thoughts locked away and tried to get his head around what those Shards actually stood for.

Vaan was alive because of those things and yet he wanted to destroy them as soon as possible. Even Basch agreed with him on that one. The Sky Pirate knew in his heart that those objects needed to be destroyed especially after what Vaan told them concerning the Occuria and their plans for Ivalice.

Balthier couldn't believe that one species would willingly slaughter another all in the name of survival. Right now all they needed to concentrate on was to get to the Imperial Capital and grab the last stone from the Draklor Laboratories.

Their route would begin from the Nalbina Fortress and from there they would have to cross the Highwaste then across the Phon Coast. Balthier couldn't risk flying his ship over the Imperial Airspace so they would have to cross on foot. He had left the ship at the Nalbina Fortress under a false name while Ashe and Fran went to gather supplies for the trip. The pirate hadn't said much since Vaan's miraculous resurrection thanks to Basch but that was only because he was afraid that he would start another argument again.

Basch was walking next to Vaan and conversing with him in hushed tones. The smaller blond was smiling at what the taller man was telling him and Balthier felt that hot coiling of jealousy boil in his gut. Was it wrong of him to want the Shards to remain intact, even one of them? Vaan could be killed again, it was proven that he wasn't immortal and now Balthier was consumed with thoughts about the small blond.

He had never been like this before not even with Fran. For some reason he always thought that Vaan was an unstoppable force of nature but to see the blood and feel his dying gasps was enough to still give the pirate nightmares. He cared about Vaan a lot more than he ever anticipated. He had always felt lust and desire for men and women alike. But whenever he saw those bright sapphire eyes and that rare smile his stomach would dance and his cheeks would flush.

He felt like a bloody school girl on her first date. Balthier could feel his concentration slipping whenever Vaan was nearby and when he thought the boy had been lost...he never wanted to feel that way ever again. How could he possibly feel this strongly for a boy he awakened from an ancient slumber? It was some plot from a fairytale he used to read as a child.

Finally the girls got everything together while Lluyd and Vossler were already ahead out into the desert just near the entrance to the Mospherous Highwaste. The terrain would be rocky and steep and more than a little treacherous but once they reached the smooth sandy beaches of the Phon Coast the trail would be easier to traverse. Vossler offered to lead the party this time across the Highwaste. A few years ago he had taken a patrol into the terrain to seek out any imperial camps so he knew the quickest way to the coast.

Basch was requested to walk alongside the dark haired man while Vaan waited for Balthier to catch up to him. The blond knew what the Sky Pirate was thinking and he needed to talk to him about the Shards. More than that he wanted to talk about Solaris and the connection he had to Balthier.

"How are you holding up?" Balthier was the first to start to conversation.

"My wounds have healed up." Vann answered with a gentle smile. "I feel much better now."

"And what about Basch?" Balthier inquired about the former knight. "He doesn't look too good."

"He's still exhausted even though it's been a week." Vaan replied with worry in his voice. "And the armour is spreading. His leg is beginning to be covered in the shard."

"What will happen to him?" the pirate asked.

"I really don't know." Vaan murmured but Balthier could hear the pain in his voice. He was so different from how they first met.

"Vaan, he'll be fine." Balthier wanted to comfort Vaan. He didn't want to hear that helpless tone anymore nor see that dejected look in his eyes. "He's gotten this far. And Basch is one of the most stubborn people I know."

"Think positive?" Vaan glanced up at Balthier. He pondered it for a moment before a sigh escaped his lips. "Yeah, I think I can do that."

"I've been meaning to ask but once we have all the Shards where do you have to go to destroy them?" Balthier glanced at his companion.

"I never told you?" Vaan seemed genuinely surprised. "Have you ever heard of Giruvegan?"

"The Ancient City? I've heard of it in story books, nothing else." Balthier shrugged. In fact Fran used to tell him about the city, saying that it was beyond the Feywood and through a snowy wasteland.

"Giruvegan was built to protect the source of Mist in the world. Well, one of the sources at least. It's a giant crystal buried deep within the city itself." Vaan explained.

"And you have to take the Shards down there?" the pirate frowned.

"Not just that..." Vaan shook his head. "The Shards were all cut from that crystal. I want to destroy it so the Occuria won't gain another foothold here."

"You can do that?" Balthier raised his eyebrows.

"I was planning on going there alone..." Vaan's cheeks flushed pink. "But...I wouldn't mind if you, you know, came with me."

Balthier stared at the blushing boy for a moment before nodding and that familiar smirk crossed his lips. Vaan trusted him this much to actually enter a city that was supposed to be simply a legend. The pirate had to wonder what this crystal was like if the Shards had been cut from them in the first place. But Vaan wanted him to enter the city, he was placing his trust in the brunet and how could he refuse such an offer? Soon enough Vossler managed to take them along a thick rocky ledge that acted as a road over a chasm.

The beasts in this region were tough but the group managed to beat whatever came to them. Finally they reached the heart of the Highwaste where a small camp had been set up for trading. There was a blue regeneration crystal here and a man was renting out chocobos for the journey across the higher roads.

Thankfully the group had enough money to spare for the chocobos and Vossler was once again leading them out of the camp and back into the Highwaste. Ashe and Lluyd were both admiring the landscape around them. Fran was her usual silent self while Basch was alongside Vossler. The tall blond didn't look all that well. His skin was pasty and he had dark circles under his eyes.

Balthier didn't miss the worried looks Vossler was shooting at his companion but Basch didn't comment on it. It took the party a few hours to reach the pathway at the top of the Highwaste. There was no longer any sand but instead sharp rocks and the smell of damp moss was thick. Rain clouds were already moving in from the north and Vaan was worried that a rainstorm would occur. By the time they reached the bottom of the road it was already raining.

They still needed to cross through the valley to reach the Phon Coast but with the rain at least one of them would end up sick. It was already freezing but there was a cave at the entrance to the coast. They found it after walking down the pathway for half an hour and they were completely soaked.

Fran and Vaan weren't that affected by the rain but Basch was looking sicker and Vossler was now openly voicing his worries. Lluyd immediately flew towards the trees to find firewood while Ashe went on into the cave to scout it out for any monsters. When Lluyd returned with the wood he built a fire and soon the party were warming up while Fran was handing out rations.

"Ahh, the joys of travelling without an airship." Balthier pressed his back against the wall as best he could.

"At least this keeps you in shape." Lluyd commented.

"So says the boy who can fly." Balthier scowled while Lluyd grinned. "At this rate we'll reach the Imperial Capital in no time."

"We'll have to be careful entering the city." Fran pointed out. "It would be best if we enter through the old quarter. We will attract less attention that way."

"How can we get into Draklor? I doubt we can just want in through the front door." Vossler asked.

"Leave that to me." Balthier answered smugly.

"Why am I not surprised." Vaan shook his head. "We better get some sleep."

"That would be best." Ashe nodded in agreement. "I heard that the coast is a vast stretch of sand and rock. It takes a day to travel across."

"Your information is correct princess." Balthier said. "Once we're into the Phon Coast region it's all Imperial land."

"I shall keep first watch." Fran stood up. "Get some rest."

"Thanks Fran." Lluyd laid down near the fire and wrapped his wings around his body to act as a blanket. Ashe curled up against the wall and was asleep within moment. The girl must have been exhausted.

"Can I sleep here?" Vaan asked when he crawled over to Balthier on his hands and knees.

"Are you cold?" the brunet asked. It took all of his self control not to lunge forward and grab the sultry boy.

"Not really...I just wanted to be close." The blond admitted with a tiny smile. Balthier could have been imagining it but ever since Vaan was revived he seemed to be staying around the brunet a lot more than usual.

"Sure." The pirate didn't argue when the blond boy pressed his back against Balthier's chest and gripped his hand.

"Thank you." The blue eyed beauty whispered as he drifted off. Balthier said nothing but instead he pressed his face against Vaan's neck and inhaled the exotic scent that was entirely this special treasure.

"Basch? What's wrong?" Vossler glanced at his friend when the older man started shivering violently. Everyone else was now sound asleep.

"I-I'm c-cold..." his teeth chattered.

"You're freezing." Vossler rubbed Basch's arms through his coat sleeves but the man just couldn't get warm. "Come here."

"What?" Basch felt hands gently push him down onto the ground while Vossler wrapped his arms around Basch's body. "V-Vossler?"

"I'm here Basch...I won't let you go that easily." The knight swore.

"W-Why?" Basch whispered. Vossler just wouldn't give up even when he was told all the facts. The armour was already spreading down onto his leg and his torso. His body felt so numb all the time.

"I..." Vossler choked a little. "I don't want to lose you for a second time."

"Y-You can't h-help me." Basch murmured as he shivered.

"Are you cold now Basch?" Vossler asked. The blond man frowned but he had to admit that he was slightly warmer since Vossler was lying behind him.

"No..." he whispered.

"Then I'm helping you." The dark haired knight responded. "If there's anything I can do to save you then I'll do whatever it takes."

"Vossler..." Basch turned his head ready to argue but a soft pair of lips pressed against his own.

Immediately heat flooded his belly and he felt his toes curling. It had been too long since he had been touched like this and the fact that Vossler was doing this to him made it all the better. He had always loved Vossler even when the man rejected him cruelly after that one night together Basch just couldn't help how he felt.

As he felt Vossler's lips press harder against his own he realized that even if he picked up this relationship it would never last. The Shard would kill him in time, there was no stopping it. Basch felt tears escape his eyes and finally a gentle sob.

"Basch?" Vossler sounded worried when he drew back. "What's wrong?"

"I..." he placed his mutated hand over his eyes. "I'm going to die Vossler. I can't do this."

"No!" Vossler grabbed his hand. Basch watched in amazement when Vossler kissed the mutated fingers then pressed the palm against his face. "I won't let you die."

"Please don't make that promise." Basch pleaded.

"Basch..." Vossler stared into those shimmering blue eyes. "I can't think about losing you. Just please let me try to help."

"Alright..." the blond whispered then he reached up and pulled Vossler's lips back against his own.

He really did miss this.

Fuck you writer's block I am victorious!!!!

So here we have a lovely little bit of fluff between our four hot boys.

It took me forever to get this chapter out but I think the end result is good enough. Coming up next is the Phon Coast and the Archedes fiasco.

Much love my beautiful and faithful readers.

Thank you all so much for all those am amazing reviews and helpful suggestions you gave me. They kept me going with this story and I am currently getting the next chapter written up. Stay tuned people and I'll see you all soon.

Much love from glass!!!