-Unjust-
Balthier gathers courage, something that seems to be lacking for him lately, at least in these situations, and reaches his hand to interlock with Basch's.
Basch glances back at him and he's afraid he'll pull away, cast him off, but the hand only wraps around his and he's greeted with his first smile, if ever so slight, from the other.
Balthier finds himself relaxing, the knot in his chest untying, and all the while the knot in Basch's chest is getting smaller and smaller, the wing beats and warmth returning once more.
They stand like that, hands locked in the night, even when Fran passes by, ears twitching to relieve Basch. Balthier feels Basch start to let go, but he squeezes his hand, and Basch turns back towards him.
He takes the time to give the slightest peck on Basch's lips before releasing hands and retreating back to his tent. Basch only exhales a breath he hadn't realized he been holding into the air, the fluttering in his stomach spreading up into his chest again, the once tight knot nowhere to be found.
Each watch Basch takes starts like this and ends the same, holding hands and the slightest of kisses. What has to be several long nights for the pirate later, he changes tune and instead squeezes the hand and motions to his tent.
He can see Basch's eyebrows start to crease so he speaks, "I'll be on my best behavior my Captain, I swear."
Basch sighs, but follows him once again to the tent.
Balthier sits down, patting the spot beside him, so Basch sits reluctantly next to him. The pirate begins to take off his vest, and Basch almost stands before a hand pulls him back down.
"I swore my Captain. You must trust me." Balthier keeps his gaze level, though his heart feels in his throat.
Basch takes his seat again, watching warily, but Balthier only removes his vest, his shoes, and then his jewelry before turning back to him.
"I was hoping for some company myself." Balthier manages, sounding more confident then he feels. He lies back on his pillow, and motions to the spot beside him. "I can't promise I don't snore or hog the covers, but I'll keep my hands to myself, pirate's honor."
He holds up his hand again but when Basch narrows his eyes he tries again, "Perhaps a promise then?"
Basch stands for only a moment and Balthier's heart nearly twists out of his chest before the Captain simply removes his shoes and vest before lying next to him. He faces away, but Balthier breathes a quiet sigh of relief none the less.
Balthier wants to move closer but doesn't dare test his luck. Instead he allows himself to drift off, simply inhaling the scent of the man next to him.
With morning he finds he's not very good at promises. He's entangled his legs into Basch's, one arm under the man, the other wrapped around his chest, his head rising and falling with each breath from the other. He isn't sure how to disentangle without waking the Captain though. He's not sure he wants to let him wake like this either, unsure of the reaction. He moves one leg ever so slowly and manages that, with only a stir of movement elicited.
He's about to shift the other leg when Basch moves, throwing a leg over him and wrapping an arm around him; now he's pressed against his chest, no room to even budge. Balthier isn't sure what to do; all he can manage is a wriggle or two, and he's no more unstuck then before. One arm he manages to pull, out from under the Captain, and he begins to push against his chest to try to tug out the other when Basch grumbles.
Balthier freezes in place, and then once Basch is breathing normal once more he tries again. "I do wish you wouldn't move so much, pirate, when I'm trying to sleep." Basch mumbles, cracking an eye at him.
He wants to snap at the man for scaring him like that, but instead he's pleasantly surprised he's not being scolded and lies still. Basch on the other hand only wonders if it's right to trust the man in his arms again, but that furious flutter in his chest is hard to argue with; and though he doesn't know it, Balthier is having just as much trouble with his own feelings.
When they finally move and dress there's a comfortable silence and Basch gives the pirate the lightest peck before leaving and Balthier can't help but hope, that maybe, just maybe, it will work out.
The following nights Basch come into his tent without invitation and lays beside him, and though he's a tad surprised, he doesn't complain when Basch grabs him and pulls him into his arms.
The group is comfortable again, Balthier is all sincere flirts and compliments, and Basch is finally giving the smallest of smiles in response. There is no balking at slight touches, they share food, and exchange pleasantries.
Balthier lets time pass by, trying the waters, and managing one morning when Basch pecks him on the lips to pull him in and kiss him. He won't push it, but he won't wait forever either, the feeling in his chest is fit to burst if he does. Basch allows the kiss, simple, sweet, and still just as fiery as before, and makes it into a habit that Balthier thoroughly enjoys.
Each night watching the Captain remove his shoes and vest is torture, and Balthier has to hold back, no matter how much he wants to touch, to roam, to kiss all the skin he can reach. Perhaps he shouldn't have tried his luck, or perhaps it was his own old habits, but one night when Basch makes to lie next to him, he instead grabs him and kisses him.
Basch doesn't mind, at least at first, it's no different from their morning routine after all, but Balthier isn't listening to the rational part of him at the moment and he's climbed into the Captain's lap, one arm snaking around the back, the other up into his hair holding on for dear life. He doesn't get pushed off though, and the small voice that he could barely hear before is silenced altogether and rationale is all but out the window.
Balthier flicks his tongue out and pulls at the fastenings on his vest all at the same time and Basch grunts and pushes him off. He blinks, trying to get his bearings, watching the Captain begin to stand. The rational voice pipes back up and he near punches himself, "Basch, wait."
The Captain glares at him and grabs his shoes to put them on.
He's a little flustered, and that flutter is tying a knot in him that he remembers well. But dammit, he was tired of waiting; he couldn't grovel forever, could he? "Basch you can't expect me to wait forever. I've been doing everything I can think of to make this right, I swear to you, but you just keep making it harder and harder for me. I want you Basch, okay?"
Maybe it wasn't the right words, because Basch only slaps his other shoe on haphazardly and begins to move.
"Perhaps that wasn't the right thing to say." Balthier admits, but Basch isn't stopping, "Basch, I need you."
The footsteps slow, hesitant and Balthier knows he's heading in the right direction. The feeling in his chest is suffocating, but he can't let this man walk out on him.
"Basch…I…" Gods why is it so hard to say? He takes another breath, Basch is standing there, facing away from him, but his feet are stilled and so he plunges in.
"Basch, I love you."
AN: YES READERS IT HAS HAPPENED! He's said the words we've all been waiting for (or at least, I have) and the world didn't end right there! Surprise, surprise. So does Balthier really mean it? Will Basch believe him? Will he walk out instead? Read on to find out!