(no subject)

[balthier-strahl.livejournal.com]

Who: Balthier and Squall
What: Ruin raiding
Where: Omega Ruins
When: Morning
Rating: PG-13


The little SeeD issue airship landed softly on the ground outside the Omega Ruins. Balthier had planned to take the hoverbike and go alone but Fran insisted he take someone with him. Whilst he'd have loved for her to come with him, there was a newborn onboard the Strahl that couldn't be away from his mother for too long. And if Fran got hurt, Nyxx would be in trouble. So, Squall was there. Neatening the cuffs on his white shirt, he strapped his gun to his back and looked to the brunette. "Ready?"

Squall gave a soft nod, adjusting his gunblade against his hip. He climbed across some rocks, looking at the entrance. "You know... I did a little research about this place..." He murmured.

"Oh? And what did your research tell you?" He asked, walking through towards the entrance, a slight smirk always on his face.

"That it's filled with dangerous fiends." Squall murmured, jogging a little ahead of Balthier into the ruins.

"Anything worth having will always be guarded by the worst monsters," he murmured back, smiling lightly as he followed Squall in.

Squall pulled a torch from his jacket pocket, turning it on to shine it around. "Mm. I'm beginning to think accompanying you is bad for my health."

"As it should be," he chuckled, drawing his weapon and removing the safety, resting it on his shoulder as they walked further into the ruins.

Squall continued to shine the torch around, his other hand twitching close to his gunblade. It seemed quiet. Too quiet.

Balthier could agree to that and he glanced around, a frown on his face. "How much do you want to bet that whatever is so quiet right now is going to be big, scary and want to eat us?"

Squall gave a dry chuckle. "it's all but guaranteed." He murmured, drawing his gunblade to strike down a low level fiend.

Balthier aimed his gun at a few fiends, using a burst shot to take them all out at once. "Suppose the smart thing to do would be to turn back, heh."

"When do you ever do the smart thing, pirate?" Squall asked, moving deeper into the ruins.

"I married Fran, didn't I?" He chuckled and cocked his gun again, shooting at a few more fiends, bullets skimming past Squall.

"Well, yeah. That's the one smart thing you've done in life." Squall purred, taking down another fiend.

"And I fell for you, didn't I? Then again, that doesn't sound all too clever," he murmured, following behind Squall, seeing as he was a ranger and Squall's battle style was mele.

"Yeah. Dumb move." Squall said, flashing the torch around again. "So... Vaan and Penelo said they found treasure here?"

"Mm, Penenlo said." He glanced around, watching the area for more fiends. "Vaan has the bravery of a Cluckatrice. Five minutes too long in here and he'd be crying for the mother he doesn't have." And then he paused. Because, damnit, he'd insulted an orphan in front of an orphan. Clever.

Squall's nose twitched a little, but he said nothing. "... Right." He curled his hand tighter around his gunblade, glancing around as far as the torche's light could see.

Sighing slightly, he ruffled Squall's hair as he passed him. "My apologies." He didn't apologise often, so it was definitely meant. Squeezing the trigger of his gun, he repeatedly shot down small fiends, reloading quickly.

Squall gave a slight smile. "It's fine. Don't mention it." He murmured, striking down another fiend with his gunblade.

Balthier gave an apologetic smile and kissed his cheek. Turning deeper into the caverns, he noticed a few stray coins. "Ah, the children were here..."

Squall moved the torch around the ruins. "Wonder how deep this place goes?" He murmured, looking at Balthier.

"The only way to find out is by going in deep, hm?" He murmured in Squall's ear, stroking his hip as he walked deeper into the darkness.

Squall smiled a little and jogged after Balthier. "Hey, wait up! Don't go vanishing into the darkness and get eaten!"

Balthier paused, his eyes wide at the fiend stood in the open cavern. "I... don't think we're getting out any time soon..."

Squall skidded against Balthier's back. "Woah... Looks like we'll have to fight our way through it. Feel up to it, pirate?"

"The question is whether or not you can handle it." He smirked at him, before cocking his gun, aiming it at the enormous Tonberry.

"A challenge, hm? Well then... The loser buys the winner lunch!" Squall purred, casting a Protect spell over hm and Balthier, before running at the fiend.

"Alright then." He chuckled and began firing at the fiend, dodging as it brought its large, poisoned blade down, swiping at them both.

Squall managed to roll out of the way of the blade, slashing his own across the back of the Tonberry.

The Tonberry turned in place, bringing its blade down towards Squall again. The room was lit well by the lantern the fiend carried and Balthier raised his gun to aim for the back of the monster's head.

This time, Squall was unable to dodge, blocked between a rock and the fiend. The blade struck him, that poison seeping through him.

Balthier quickly drew an antidote from his pouch, distracting the fiend by shooting down some rocks to hit it's head. Tossing the antidote to Squall, he began shooting at the eyes of the fiend.

Squall caught the vial, opening it with one hand, kepping his gunblade resting across his body as a shield. He groaned a little in pain, pouring half of the goo onto the wound, drinking the rest. "Ngh... It's getting angry..." He mewled, striking at it with his gunblade again.

"I noticed," he replied, loading his gun with a blast shot. The Tonberry seemed to make a roaring noise and brought its blade down towards Squall, from behind. Diving in the way, he quickly shot his gun, watching as the head of the fiend exploded and the blade cut into his side, ripping through shirt and skin.

The whole thing was a bit of a blur. In fact, Squall wasn't entirely sure just how he had ended up on the floor, covered in Tonberry brain and blood that wasn't his own, with Balthier on top of him. He sat up a little, looking Balthier over. "Gods~ You're injured!"

Balthier pushed himself up on his arms, wincing a little and shifting to sit back against the wall, panting a little as the poison seeped into his skin. "I... ngh... I'll be alright." Suddenly, a loud rumbling came and several large rocks slammed down, blocking their exit. "Shit!!"

Squall frowned and knelt beside Balthier. "We'll worry about that later." He rested a hand over Balthier's wound, casting an Esuna over it. He frowned as it didn't stop the poison and tried again. "What the..." He ran a hand lightly over Balthier's side. "Fuck... Brace yourself... this is gonna hurt..." He warned.

Balthier grit his teeth, leaning back against the wall as he braced himself. He was pretty sure he knew what Squall was about to do and having Esuna cast on him twice already made his head a little light.

Squall leaned down, pressing his lips to the bloodied, poisoned wound and began to suck. After a few moments, he pulled back, spitting a small fragment of metal out his mouth, the poisoned tip of the Tonberry's knife.

Through the whole moment, he squeezed his eyes shut, his jaw clenched as he groaned from behind his gritted teeth. "Fuck..." he exhaled, going dizzy for a few moments.

Once the fragment was removed, Squall once more cast an Esuna spell over his pirate lover, followed by a Cure spell.

Balthier winced, his head pounding. "Gods... I think..." he forced himself to stand and hurried to a corner, emptying his stomach behind a rock. Coughing a bit, he trembled. Being poisoned then having so many spells cast on him at once made him feel very weak.

Squall followed him, rubbing at the small of his back as he vomited. "Rest. We'll search for a way out when you feel better." He murmured, casting a Cure spell over his own words. "Balth.... Thanks..."

"Nghh..." he coughed a bit more then grabbed a flask of Archadian whiskey from his pouch, washing his mouth out with it before taking a long drink. "No problem..."

Squall curled an arm around Balthier to guide him to sit down against a different rock.

Balthier slumped down, resting his head back with a soft sigh. "Nh... I hate fiends. Especially ones with stupid knives."

"I kinda guessed when you blew it's brains out." Squall settled next to him, pulling his phone from his pocket, finding it - as expected - had no signal. He put it away and removed his jacket, laying it across Balthier as a blanket.

Balthier hooked an arm around Squall's neck, nuzzling his ear. "I wouldn't have let it kill you. So I took a knock, but at least you're alive."

"You're always rescuing me, huh?" Squall murmured. In the back of his mind he wondered just when he became so weak and pathetic. He was a trained soldier, when had he stopped being able to defend himself. He sighed and curled an arm around Balthier. The man looked deathly pale and weak.

Balthier sighed heavily, closing his eyes for a long moment. "You've saved me plenty of times, too..." he smiled lazily before looking at Squall with a gentle, loving expression. "I wouldn't have let you take that hit. SeeD or not." He smiled softly, kissing Squall's forehead gently.

Squall lifted his head to press a soft kiss against Balthier's lips. "You're cold." He whispered, Balthier's lips seeming cold against his own.

Balthier laughed softly against Squall's lips. "I feel quite hot, actually," he murmured, his brow damp with a cold sweat. He was producing a fever.

"That's what I'm worried about..." Squall removed a glove, resting the back of his hand against Balthier's forehead. "You're burning up..."

He chuckled gently. "Not to worry, it'll go." He smiled, resting his head on Squall's shoulder, sighing softly and curling his hand in the younger man's.

Squall gave Balthier's hand a light squeeze, kissing his head. "You need proper medical treatment."

"You fancy lifting those rocks on your own? I should be alright after a rest." He smiled lightly and tilted his head to kiss his neck gently.

Squall threaded his fingers through Balthier's hair. "Not if your fever gets worse, you won't."

Balthier took another drink and exhaled slightly. "I'll be fine. What is it... starve a cold, feed a fever? I never did remember that properly..."

"I... always get the mixed up." Squall frowned, curling his arms around Balthier more, trying to keep the older man warm, even if he said he was already warm.

Balthier nuzzled at Squall's neck, nipping his ear gently. "I'll be alright, stop frowning, you depressing little creature," he teased, smiling lightly.

Squall's frown turned into a pout. "You're sick and it's my fault."

"My fault. I chose to stand in the way." He leaned to kiss him softly, nipping his lower lip. "Stop blaming yourself."

Squall returned the kiss, holding Balthier protectively. "You should sleep. I'll watch for fiends."

"Alright..." he smiled softly, shifting to lay back as best he could, his wound stinging, despite the magicks. Exhaling a little, he closed his eyes.

Squall toyed with those sandy locks as he scanned the area for fiends, holding his gunblade close.