(no subject)

[xshatterheartx.livejournal.com]

Who: Fran, Balthier, Mustadio, and Nono
When: The day after Fran is rescued
Where: The Strahl
What: Fran tries to remind Balthier why he is a sky pirate
Rating: PG-13



Balthier shifted slightly, groaning quietly at the mild ache in his head. He moved onto his side and rubbed at his eyes before opening them. He could already feel he was alone in bed. With a heavy, almost painful sigh he sat up, glancing around the room. So, this morning was a glasses morning. He pulled them on and swiftly got out of bed to put on pants. Sighing heavily again, he made his way to the 'kitchen' of the Strahl, hoping some sort of strong yet non-alcoholic drink might liven him.

Fran had awoken in the dead of night. Despite not feeling fully recovered, she knew she had to try and do something to cheer Balthier up. o do something big, to remind him why he loved being a Sky Pirate. She had lost her bow during her time in Draklor Laboratory, so she took Balthier's beloved gun instead. Dressed and ready to face the world, she had left the Strahl, and thus far still hadn't returned.

Pouring himself some coffee, Balthier leaned on the wall as he sipped it. He called for Nono but the moogle knew not of Fran's whereabouts, only that she had left during the night and Mustadio was still sleeping. Balthier moved himself to his captain's chair, putting his feet on the console and sipping his black coffee again. He wasn't in the mood for anything. No hunts, no 'liberating', not even drinking ale. He was purely at a deadlands.

Fran had spent most of the night and the morning so far liberating, hunting, trading and downright stealing. She was quite tired and in need of a good bath. She returned to the Strahl carrying her haul. A golden chocobo feather, the pelt and tooth of a rare white wolf, some bottles of ale, a sky-stone, some gemstones and some other trinkets and treasures. She approached the Strahl, nudging the button for the door with her elbow.

Balthier raised an eyebrow to the sound of the door opening and turned to look over his shoulder. Had Fran come back or had some filthy churl, namely Vaan, found the button and made his way on?

Fran made her way on board, moving to put the haul down on the floor. "Ah, you're awake I see." She said, removing Balthier's gun.

Balthier rose from his seat, carrying his coffee over to the filthy churl who had come aboard. Fran was dusty and looked exhausted. "There is such a thing as common manners. Borrowing a man's gun without permission should be a hangable offence." He replied in jest.

"Said man was snoring his head off." Fran replied, handing the golden chocobo feather to Balthier.

At the sight of it, his eyebrow quirked up and he took it carefully. "Where in Ivalice did you find a thing like this?" His face showed surprise and amazement.

"A good pirate never reveals their sources." She smiled at him, kneeling down to dig through the pile of treasures.

"You've been busy, it seems." A smiled was on his lips, partly because of the loot in front of him but also at Fran's skills of pirating. She had been a pirate just as long as he had but it seemed he was being surpassed.

"Mm. It was a good day for pirating, I think." She held the pelt up to him, she had killed and skinned the wolf and trimmed and washed the pelt herself.

Balthier's eyes widened at the pelt, taking it and stroking his fingers through the fur. "Dear Gods... you've mastered a white wolf? Alone?"

Fran smiled soft, watching Balthier. "Well... mostly alone." She admitted, holding out the tooth to him, she had cleaned it and had it tied to some bright coloured thread by a kindly gentleman in exchange for the rest of the wolf carcass. "For you. For luck."

Balthier looked like a small child at Christmas. He slipped the makeshift necklace on and admired it a moment. Carefully, he placed aside the other treasures she'd handed him and tugged her close, by her waist. "You are, by far, the most incredible woman I've the pleasure of knowing." He practically purred at her, smirking with that familiar glint returned to his eyes.

Fran laughed softly, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "Ad you are the most incredible man I've ever had the pleasure of knowing." She placed a kiss to his temple, stroking his cheek softly, before picking up the sky-stone. "For the Strahl. It will make her fly faster."

Balthier smirked broader, raising an eyebrow. "Faster, you say? Fran, you should stop your sultry teasing, it'll only arouse me at this point." He joked, holding the hand which held the stone. He was certainly back into the swing of things with Fran's wondrous collection.

"Mm. Of course the ship it came from won't be flying fast. In fact it won't be flying at all for awhile." She replied non-chalantly.

"Gods, you are the perfect woman! No doubt the fates are teasing me with you." He called the little moogle in and handed him the sky-stone, smiling as Nono squeaked excitedly. "Tell me more of your adventures, Viera! I shall make you some tea perhaps?"

"Tea would be good." Fran replied, moving to put the bottles of ale in the kitchen. "It is a little too early in the morning to crack these open after all." She smiled and leaned against the counter. "What would you like to know? This day was a perfect day for 'liberating'."

Balthier chuckled at the bottles of ale, knowing they'd drink some later that evening. He poured Fran a cup of tea while he spoke to her. "Tell me, for one, what spurred you to vanish in the night to begin on a masterful hunt as this?"

Fran drummed her fingers against the counter lightly. "You." She replied simply, taking the cup from Balthier with a thankful smile.

"Me? Why me?" He tilted his head in confusion, scratching lightly at his bare abdomen, his fingers touching the muscles there.

"The look in your eyes last night. You looked so confused and alone. Lost. I couldn't stand it. I thought... maybe I could remind you why you fell in love with this way of life."

Balthier smiled softly, rubbing his eye under his glasses. "This has certainly made me happier than I'd been. It has reminded me of the life I love... but there still feels as though something has yet to fall into place. A hidden nagging thought in my mind."

Fran shifted to sit on the counter, taking a sip of her drink before tilting her head to watch Balthier. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Balthier smiled again, putting one hand on her thigh, just near her knee. "Be here. That's all I ask of you. Whether is be as co-pilot or as lover, I always wish for you as my Leading Lady." He was not about to assume she was taking him back right away.

Fran cupped his cheek tenderly. "I will always be with you. As whatever you need me to be. If you wish for me to be just your co-pilot, then that is the role I shall play."

"The role I want you in will always be my lover, Fran. I am nothing but a harlot without you." He smiled softly, kissing her palm.

"Then perhaps you should kiss me." Fran suggested, tilting her head. "Is that not what the leading man does? Woo the leading lady?"

Balthier took the tea from her hands and placed it on the counter along with his glasses. He then tugged Fran onto her feet, held her close and dipped her down, holding her from falling with only a hand between her shoulder blades and another on her waist. At that, he pressed his lips to hers, being sure to have her safely in his arms.

Fran smiled against his lips, draping her arms over his shoulders before kissing back, letting out a sot sound, closing her eyes.

Balthier kissed her a moment longer before parting from her lips, only enough to see her face. "The leading man does nothing but fit his part, do you not agree?" He smirked, looking into her eyes.

Fran opened her eyes slowly, looking into back into Balthier's eyes. "Hm. I'm not sure. Perhaps he should try again so I can judge better."

Balthier raised both eyebrows at her small challenge but took it, leaning down to kiss her again. This time, he kissed her firmer before slipping his tongue between her lips and capturing her mouth.

Fran kissed back, laughing soft into the kiss. She let her fingers thread through those blonde locks, before giving Balthier's tongue a playful nip.

At the nip he almost purred, still perfectly able to hold her in this position. After a moment or two, he pulled away from the kiss and smiled at her. "Any better that time, Judge Magister?"

Fran smiled and gave a slight nod. "Yes, I believe that time was much better, a better example of what the leading man should do."

Balthier chuckled and pulled her to stand straight, holding onto her waist. "Your attitude is a prime example of what a leading lady should do. So, we're evenly matched." He moved to pick up his gun. "Though, I have a weapon, and you... well, you know what they say about folk from the woods." He teased.

Fran rose an eyebrow. "And what do they same Hume? I would pick your words carefully if I were you."

"...only the beautiful can outshine the woods?" He grinned cheekily at her, offering rather a sparkling expression with that glint in his eye.

Fran laughed softly and cupped his cheek, kissing his lips once more. "I've missed that look. It seems so long since I saw it."

Balthier smiled at her, in a far lighter mood than he'd woken in. "It seems so long since I felt like using it." He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her and looking into her eyes, slightly above his own eye-level.

Fran rested her head against his. "I hope we find what is needed to fill the void in your heart."

"Undoubtedly, with you at my side, I shall find it one day." He smiled, kissing her lips gently again.

Fran returned the kiss. "Perhaps you should look through the gemstones I... 'gathered' and see whether any are valuable." She smiled warmly. "I am going to see if Nono managed to fit the stone."

Balthier nodded once and proceeded to gather up the things she'd 'acquired', moving to sit in his captain's seat as he went through the items, taking his glasses with him to be able to ensure a close look.

Nono was laid out in the engine, his pompom batting him on the nose whilst he fitted the stone. He huffed breath out of his nose, trying to get it to move.

Fran moved to the engine room, crawling in as far as her size allowed, reaching into the small space the flick the pompom out of the way. "How is it going?" She asked, watching the tiny moogle.

The little moogle jumped with a squeak at his pompom being moved for him. "Well!" He squeaked out, clicking the stone into place. "It is done!" He blinked happily, beaming at Fran.

Fran smiled. "Great work, Nono. I just hope it works." She held out her hand to help him out of the engine.

Nono gripped her hand with both paws and pulled himself out, wriggling a lot. Once he was free he tilted his head slightly, looking at her. "The basic design fits the Strahl. It depends if they are compatible, however..."

"If not, I'll simply have to find another stone to replace it with." She reached out, rubbing a little oil from Nono's nose. "Tell me, how was Balthier while I was away?"

"Ah..." He hung his head, shaking it, shaking almost his entire body as he did. "Drinks. Lots of them." He scuttled a little closer, putting a paw on her shin. "You shall stay now?"

Fran frowned a little. "Was he alone? Or were there others?" Fran asked, petting at his pompom lightly. "And yes, I shall be staying now, regardless of what happens."

"There was a trip to Balfonhiem... none did he mate with but many tried to tempt him." He bounced a little on his feet, looking up at her.

Fran smiled a little at Nono's words. "I missed him dearly. I missed you both dearly."

"We missed you, too!" He pounced on her leg, hugging it tightly.

Fran laughed and picked the tiny moogle up, sitting him on her shoulder. She closed up the engine and made her way to the cockpit. "Anything of use?" She asked, looking at Balthier.

Balthier lifted his head at the sound of her voice, having two very distinctly different sized piles of gemstones on the console. One pile was plentiful while the other had, at the most, six. "Make a guess, which pile shall we keep?"

Fran studied the two piles, setting Nono on Balthier's shoulder as she did. "Well, that of course depends on whether you wish for a lot of gil or a lot of shiny stones."

"Well, this pile here has about as much value as the sand in Dalmasca." He spoke whilst pointing at the smaller pile. "Those, on the other hand, are worth enough, combined, to but a nice family home in Archadia."

"Well, that answers that question then." She moved to sit in her own chair. "But before you rush off to buy a house to play happy families in, I need a new bow." She cooed.

Balthier smiled, scooping a handful of gemstones and dropping them on her lap. "Buy yourself three." He joked, that cheeky grin refusing to fully slip away this morning.

Fran scooped up the gemstones in her hand. "And how would I possibly fire all three at once? Unless... I modified it into some new bow." She said thoughtfully, a glint in her own eyes. She took one of the gemstones and set it in Nono's paw. "There, you are a pirate too, you get some of the spoils."

Balthier chuckled and crossed his arms on his stomach, putting his feet up on the console. "Perhaps you shall invent a new hybrid of bow. Would it still use arrows or would you progress to bolts?"

The moogle gasped, hugging the gemstone before slipping it into the pocket on his tiny green jumpsuit.

"No doubt I would stick to arrows. I like the way they fire." She smiled a little at Balthier and then at Nono. "So, where shall we go next? Where the wind takes us, or do you have a destination in mind, captain?"

Balthier paused, pushing his glasses up to his forehead. He looked up, his hands laced on his stomach, his eyes looking out of the skylight above him. After a moment or two of thought, a devilish grin crossed his lips. He kept his head tilted back but tilted it to look at Fran. "How does... a little adventure to the Royal Palace in Rabanastre sound?"

"I'm guessing a social visit is not wha you have in mind?" Fran replied, cocking an eyebrow. "It has been a long time since we ventured into the treasure room, pehaps there is something new and shiny."

"Well, this time, we can walk in through the front door. Of course it will take our skills to get to the treasure room but our last adventure there was ruined by the little churl." He smirked as he spoke to her.

"You were merely sore that he got to the treasure first." Fran all but smirked. "Besides, he made the journey a lot more interesting."

"I do not call 'roping us into a string of errands for others' interesting. You know the only reason I took him with us was for that magicite." He pouted rather childishly.

Fran set the rest of the gemstones aside and folded her arms across her chest, resting her head back. "To think the Goddess' Magicite was Deifacted Nethicite all along."

"It's as Basch said, 'the fates jest with us'. Those fickle fates led us by the nose to that shard and threw us in the midst of a war we had no business being involved in." Balthier looked out onto their surroundings through the window before quickly getting to his feet. "I shall change, you should clean up and rest. Then, we shall pay the princess a pleasant visit."

"As if you'd have had it any other way, leading man." Fran teased, getting to her feet, once more collecting the gemstones to put somewhere safe. She leaned over and stole a soft kiss. "Sounds like a plan."

"Then hop to it, you saucy minx." He gave her a cheeky smack on her backside before striding past her to head for the bedroom.

Fran let out a squeak, glaring at the back of Balthier's head. "You shouldn't say such things in front of Nono, you'll teach him bad habits." She replied, moving towards the bathroom.

Balthier chuckled slipping into the bedroom. "He'll need a mate soon enough, Fran. If he learns a few of my charming ways, he may get one without difficulties." He then began to change into his white shirt, leather pants, gold over-shirt and heel-less sandals.

"Or he'll get many a paw across his face." Fran called back from the bathroom, using a washcloth to wipe her skin down.

"All in experience!" He practically sang back to her, slipping into those pants and fixing the crossed over belts on it.

Fran leant over the tub to pour water through her hair, ridding it of grime. "Hmph, I do not think too many moogle ladies who would appreciate having their behind smacked. You should teach him how to woo the ladies."

Balthier chuckled, fixing his hair before slipping into the bathroom to have a quick wash and brush his teeth. "You'd like me to teach our little Nono how to leave us and start a family? Hm, and there was I, thinking you wanted us all together." He teased.

"Of course I want us all together, but if he is at... that age, we can't keep him against his will." She replied, wringing the water out of her hair.

"Don't fret, love. He's a few years shy of 'that age'. Moogles live longer than Humes. As do you Viera." He frowned just slightly before slipping into his white shirt.

Fran started to redress, fixing her armour in place. "Well, it is something we'll have to deal with one day. A hormonal Hume and a hormonal Moogle, however shall I cope?"

Balthier laughed pulling on his final shirt before wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. "Simply by becoming a hormonal Viera." He kissed her shoulder before releasing her.

Fran chuckled softly. "I think you have had quite a large effect on such feelings within me." She replied, turning to cup his cheek.

"Oh really? Have I made you into a whole bundle of quivering hormones, Love?" He rested his hands on her waist, smiling at her.

"I believe you have." She smiled, resting her hands on his shoulders. "Too bad we have a guest, and a journey to take, or I might have had to show you just how much."

Balthier smirked at her, his eyes warm and happy. "Well, you'll just have to show me this evening, won't you?" He pulled her a little closer, casting a single glance down her body then back to her face.

"If you are a good boy, and do not get us into too much trouble." Fran replied, kissing his nose.

"Fran, just admit you are a pirate for the trouble and we shall settle this right now." He chuckled and kissed her nose before releasing her and heading to the bedroom to slip his sandals on.

"Well... I suppose your trouble-making ways do keep things interesting. And you are much like a child at Christmas whenever we take something worthwhile."

"You are just full of compliments today, aren't you?" He laughed, shaking his head and putting on his footwear before moving out of the room and towards the cockpit.

Fran slipped her own heeled shoes on before following. "So, to Rabanastre, then?" She asked, leaning against the wall, picking up the voice changer's mic to speak into it, sounding like Balthier.

Balthier rose an eyebrow as he seated himself. "Yes, Rabanastre." He smiled at her with that cheeky expression. "You're far more an attractive woman without my voice, Fran."

"Is that so, Pirate?" She asked, now sounding like Ashe. She set the voice changer back in place and moved to take her seat next to Balthier.

"It is so, Princess." He replied subconsciously before realising it was Fran playing around. He shook his head slightly, focusing on setting the flight pattern and co-ordinates for Rabanastre.

"Let us hope the new stone works well. We should be there in no time if it does." Fran replied, pressing some buttons on the control panel.

"If not, will it at least explode and give us all a good send off?" He joked, pulling a lever before switching certain switches.

Fran sent a glare his way. "As if I would do something to get us killed, pirate. She simply will not work if the stone is not compatible."

"Oh, and there I was, hoping for some fireworks." He teased at her glare, glancing her way to see if she'd finished with the controls. As soon as she had, he eased the ignition button down before smirking and just hitting it.

Fran prepared herself for the worst. Expecting the ship to simply remain stationary. She was a little surprised when everything worked. "Now, just because she is faster, doesn't mean you can get into more trouble."

Balthier pouted playfully at her. "But you know I love high-speed airship chases..." He took the manual controls smirking at the speed she was already flying at.

Fran laughed a little. "I know, but just imagine how you'd feel if she was blown out of the air and made unflyable." Fran replied.

"I'd be heartbroken. If this old girl ever gives up, that will be when I do, too." He ran his thumbs over the manual steering control as he gripped it, contemplating the thought of ever losing the Strahl.

"Then be sure to take care of her. I am sure this girl will outfly you and even me. She is sturdy and trustworthy. She has a lot of flight left in her yet." Fran got up from her seat and moved to sit on Balthier's lap.

Balthier leaned back slightly as she sat on his lap, his arms either side of her and on the steering controls. "You are awfully good at distracting a pilot, Fran."

Fran smiled and leaned against his chest. "Then you'll just have to learn to mulitask."

"I've managed the past six years, I'm sure I can manage now." He chuckled, tilting his head to kiss her cheek. It seemed only natural to have her like this with him, he'd thought of it from the moment they first agreed to co-pilot the Strahl. When they met.

Fran smiled and rested her head against his, wrapping one arm around hs neck to support herself, the other resting on her leg. "We're going to be okay, aren't we?"

"So long as you can put up with my childish tantrums, we shall be wonderful, Fran." He smiled at her, kissing her cheek gently again.

Fran turned her head to catch hs lips, kissing him for a moment before turning her head away with a soft laugh.

"Do you want me to crash this ship, woman?" He asked playfully, intentionally making it jerk about in the air before steadying her again.

"It is not my fault you can't keep your lips off me." She teased, tightening her hold on him as he jolted the ship.

Balthier scoffed slightly. "You, Viera, are getting better at the ways of piracy each day... especially with the lies." He joked, jigging his leg lightly to bounce her on his leg a little.

Fran laughed and held tighter. "Unless you are prepared to put this ship into autopilot and taking me to bed, I suggest not jiggling me around so much."

Balthier smiled placing a kiss on her neck. "You're worse than I am, Fran. Do you think my brother would like to enjoy the show?" He joked, laughing at it.

Fran flushed bright. "Perhaps you could sell tickets and popcorn while you are at it." She nuzzled her head against his, holding onto him more.

"We'll invite Nono, shall we? He needs to learn how to woo a female." He chuckled, leaning forward to switch the Strahl into autopilot but then simply resting back in his chair and holding onto her, looking at her pretty face.


Fran ran her fingers over Baltheir's face lightly. "These past few weeks have aged you." She murmured.

Balthier frowned just slightly, blinking a little. "Don't tell me I already look like Cid?" He glanced down at his hand as he trailed his fingers over her leg.

Fran shook her head. "No, you are far more handsome." She ran her finger along his nose lightly, she loved it. She loved his entire face. He truly was a good looking Hume.

Balthier smiled as her finger touched his nose, those claws so very close to his eyes. Any other Hume would flinch but he would not. Balthier was comfortable with Fran. "Then what do you mean by these past few weeks 'aging' me?"

"You look older, a little rough around the edges, but you are still so very handsome." She smiled, kissing his forehead.

Balthier frowned slightly, gazing at his hand as he touched her leg. "I feel older. I don't feel like that young teen you once knew." He frowned more at that, sighing just softly.

Fran leaned in and kissed him softly. "You will age. This... is something I have to come to terms with." She nudged his nose with her own. "But there are many more years in you yet."

Balthier smiled a little, raising one hand to stroke through her hair. "There needs to be. I've got to live a long life for you." He kissed her nose gently.

Fran smiled back at him. "Then you need to stop rotting your liver, Hume."

"Give me an alternative to ale and I'll gladly do so." He smirked at that, shifting her slightly on his lap.

Fran shifted her body so she was fully straddling Balthier's lap instead of resting her weight on one leg. "We shall have to seek something out. Or perhaps... drink half as much?"

Balthier rested his hands on her thighs, looking up at her face. "You'll have to keep an eye on me then." He smiled at her.

"Don't I always?" She replied, resting her forehead against his. Am I too heavy for you?"

"Not at all. Height you may have but weight, you do not." He smiled leaning to nip her lower lip lightly.

Fran purred soft. "Yes, but discount my ears and my heels, and I am only a little taller than you, if any." She rested her hands on Balthier's shoulders, letting her claws run over his throat, so gently that they wouldn't mark.

Mustadio had only just woken up. He had been in the deepest sleep he had had for a long time. He rubbed at his eyes as he made his way to the cockpit. His hair tied up in a sloppy ponytail. He slipped his glasses on and blinked. "Oh... I um.... Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt..." He commented seeing the pair in Balthier's seat.

Balthier laughed at what Fran said, biting his lower lip at the touch to his throat, but as Mustadio entered and spoke, Balthier frowned just slightly before turning back to look at him. "You're not. We're only talking." He informed his brother.

Mustadio moved a little closer. "You always sit in such a way when you talk?" He asked, half joking.

Fran made no attempt to move off of Balthier's lap. She let one of her claws run slowly down the front of Balthier's throat slightly harder, but knowing it wouldn't hurt him.

Balthier inhaled slightly at the harder scratching at his neck but smiled at Mustadio and gestured to the seat near Fran's. "We sit in very strange ways to talk. Was there something you needed?"

Mustadio took a seat and shrugged a little. "Nothing really. I just.... wanted to thank you. Both of you..."

Fran rested her hands on Balthier's shoulders. "There is nothing to thank us for."

"For not killing him is something to be thankful of." He laced his fingers behind Fran, holding her close. He kissed her cheek softly.

Mustadio shifted a little. "It hasn't been easy since you left. I missed you. I kept following all the news and rumours about you and your crimes."

Fran shifted a little to rest her head on Balthier's shoulder, listening to the brothers talking.

Balthier smiled, petting Fran's hair but being careful of her ears. "There's been a lot about us. No doubt the stories weren't flattering. Just as when we started, hm, Fran?"

Fran chuckled softly, closing her eyes. "It seems a life time ago." She mused. "Such an unlikely pair of runaways we were."

Mustadio listened, smiling a little. "When we heard you had become a sky pirate, father and Netzach were so angry and disgusted. They thought I was too, but secretly, I was jealous."

Balthier chuckled and kissed Fran's nose. "You still have time Mustadio. Choose your own path. I know mine was mapped out when I met this beautiful creature." He smiled, looking at her face.

Fran flushed a little. "You were lucky I didn't skin you alive, Hume." She said, playing with Balthier's necklaces.

Mustadio blinked, not sure when Fran was being serious and when she wasn't. "I... think I know where my path lies."

Balthier chuckled as Fran spoke, watching her fiddle with the jewellery. "And where is that, brother?" He asked, cocking his head to the side to see him properly.

Mustadio smiled at his brother. "You shall see when the time is right." He laughed soft.

"I suppose I shall." He smiled back before looking at Fran, petting her hair. "I only hope you find yourself a woman nearly as lovely as mine and never make the mistakes I have."

Fran nuzzled, almost purring at the light petting, closing her eyes.

Mustadio watched and shrugged with a smile. "I doubt the Gods have a love in line for me. I've never been too good with the ladies."

"Nonsense! You are a Bunansa! If there is one thing I am glad to have inherited, it is Cid's skills with women." He chuckled, smirking at his older brother.

Fran cracked an eye open. "Do not lead your brother astray with your wicked ways."

"Wicked ways? You've gotten yourself some devious ways of your own as of late!" He replied, chuckling softly.

"Oh? Care to explain what devious ways these are, Hume?" She challenged, smiling at him.

Mustadio stood, running a hand through his ponytail. "I'll leave you two it."

"Your sudden need to pirate through the night, for one!" He replied to her. As Mustadio stood Balthier looked over. "You don't need to leave on our account."