(no subject)

[xshatterheartx.livejournal.com]

Who: Fran, Balthier, baby Krja
When: Evening
Where: The Strahl
What: Bonding
Rating: PG-13



Fran carried a mug of tea through to Balthier. She paused at the door, watching him for a moment before bringing the drink over to him. "You are exhausted. Go sleep."

Balthier had been sat on the floor, his daughter in front of him, his eyes almost closed as he gently rubbed some of Jote's potion into Krja's skin. "I am fine. Krja must have this potion applied."

Fran shifted on her foot a little, setting the drink down. "... I shall take over. Go sleep."

Taking up his cup, he sipped the tea, sighing softly. "Are you sure? I do not wish for you to force yourself..." He smiled softly at her.

She moved to sit on the floor beside Balthier. "If I do not take over you a like to collapse before the day is done."

Balthier laughed silently. "I will sleep only a short while, I do not wish for you to worry." He smiled, leaning against her and resting his head on her shoulder.

Fran threaded her fingers through his hair, pressing a soft kiss against his head.

With her scent and warmth, it wasn't long before he drifted to sleep, leant against her.

Fran held him against her, her free hand skimming over the incubator, before reaching in to run her fingers over Krja lightly.

Balthier sensed her movements and cracked his eyes open slightly. A smile crossed his lips as he watched her touch their child.

Fran's touch was uncertain and a little tense, her fingers barely brushing against their daughter's tiny body.

"She needs your touch, Fran. I know it hurts your heart... yet she needs you most." Balthier said, his voice barely a whisper.

Fran swallowed hard, her touch faltering slightly. "You are supposed to be sleeping..."

A soft laugh came from him and he nuzzled her neck lightly. "I will sleep. My anxiousness for her keeps me awake, however."

"I shall not kill her like a rejecting mother while you sleep, if that is your fear." She replied, petting the stubs where her daughter's ears should be.

Another laugh erupted and he kissed her cheek. "That was not my fear. I... worry for her survival. She is stronger but still so very weak." He reached in and guided Fran's fingers to Krja's hand, watching the infant grasp onto her mother's finger.

Fran tensed a little more, her eyes fixed on the child. "I shall apply the potion from Jote if you sleep past four hours."

Balthier soothingly stroked Fran's back, kissing her cheek again. "You should perhaps hold her close. It is possible, if you are careful and keep her warm. I... have not yet. I thought it best you were the first to do so."

Fran kept her eyes on Krja. "She is safer within her box. I fear she may shatter in my arms. So tiny and fragile. Far more precious than any treasure."

Balthier nodded once to her decision, knowing it was best not to push. He stood and leaned down to kiss her cheek. "She cannot grow emotionally in that box. Free her soon, my love." He then moved to the bed, already dressed in night clothing, and curled up under the covers.

Fran frowned a little at Balthier's words. Once he was under the covers she looked at the box for a long, silent moment. She opened it slowly, reaching in to lift the infant out. She was so tiny in Fran's hands. She so wanted to hold the child, but she was also scared to take Krja from the safety of the box that was keeping her alive. She chewed on her bottom lip, moving Krja to lay against her chest, inside the warmth of her towelling robe.

Balthier had stayed awake, just to see her reaction to his words. Upon the sight of her cradling the child, a soft smile fell upon his face. "Never a sight more beautiful and natural." He murmured, watching them from the bed. His heart warmed at the very maternal image.

Fran touch was gentle and very cautious. She was so scared of breaking the tiny child. "Never again will I believe you are asleep." She commented to Balthier, looking down at Krja. "She is so small..."

Balthier chuckled, leaning up on his hand. "When did you ever begin believing this foolish pirate?" He looked to the child, still smiling lightly. "She will grow. Your bond may have been damaged, yet with this moment so early in her life, your tie will be the strongest of all."

Fran lifted her gaze to Balthier. "I have always believed you. And believed in you." She lowered her eyes to Krja again, knowing she should put her back in the box, but really not wanting to. "Hello my little angel." She whispered.

Balthier rested down on the bed, trying to keep his eyes open yet unable to fight sleep any longer. Without a word, he drifted to sleep, still facing his lover and their child.

After a few moments longer, Fran lowered the baby back into the box, shutting it back up securely.

The pirate didn't stir from his sleep, he simply lay still, only just asleep, having not drifted deep enough, yet.

Fran got up, taking the box with her so she could keep an eye on Krja while she worked. There was cleaning to be done, and repairs to be done. She left the bedroom, leaving her lover to sleep.

After many hours of sleep, Balthier stirred. Blinking a few times, he frowned upon the space his daughter had been. He shifted from the sheets to walk towards the cockpit. "Fran?"
Gunblade Dancer: Fran was currently in the engine room, clunking and clattering about with a wrench and other tools. Krja was far enough away from danger, but close enough that Fran could see her.

Balthier asked the moogles where his lover was and, upon discovery, he sighed heavily. Heading down to the engine room, he walked towards Krja's incubator. "You, my dear, should be resting." He called to Fran over the noise of the engine.

"There are jobs that cannot be put on hold simply because I have suffered a slight infection." She replied. "Besides, the noise seems to sooth our child."

Balthier looked to Krja and laughed slightly, crouching down. "So it seems. She truly is a pirate child." He watched her rest a while before moving behind Fran, wrapping his arms around her stomach. "How is your wound?"

Fran leaned back against him slightly. "I am healing." She looked over at Krja. "I will be at ease once I hear her cry."

Balthier looked at the child with a half-smile. "I am sure she shall. By all rights, she is not yet viable... a week, mayhaps. She may cry then."

Fran gave a nod. "And then we shall spend the next few montsh wishing she would cease her tears." She mused.

A soft laugh came out and he nuzzled her neck. "She will be as loud as Vaan. Perhaps louder." He kissed her skin lightly.

"Gods help us. I shall be sure to keep a Silence spell ready at all times." She leaned against Balthier more. "You look a little more alive for your sleep. How do you feel?"

"Mm... a little better. How do you feel after holding her?" He asked, nuzzling her neck affectionately.

"I... feel a little more at ease. It is easier to see her as a child rather than... an object. Or a parasite. Such cruel words I know. But it was hard to see her as my own..."

"I understand... she was taken away so harshly, your bond being broken viciously... I am just pleased you are at ease." He kissed her cheek before moving towards Krja, sitting beside the container and reaching in to gently touch her cheek. The child moved her mouth just slightly.

Fran watched father and daughter, before turning her attention back to the engine. "You wish to hold her?"

Balthier laughed quietly. "If I were to try, I would hurt her. Humes are not as gentle as Viera. I would hold her too tightly."

Fran put her tools down and moved over to Balthier. "Your touch is gentle and soft." She knelt down, opening the box, lifting their daughter once more from the security of the box.

"Against your skin. You are an adult Viera, not an underdeveloped, injured child." He looked at her with nervous eyes.

"You are her father, it will come natural." She whispered, resting Krja against Balthier's chest softly. "Hold her. She needs her father's touch as much as her mothers."

Balthier held his daughter, trying to keep his hands as steady as when he pilotted the Strahl. His breathing shallowed as he stared down at her. He could barely believe what was in his hands.

Fran smiled softly. "Now this is a sight I never expected to see. The infamous womanising pirate Balthier, smitten over his own daughter."

Balthier breathed out a laugh, keeping Krja close. "It is a sight I never expected to experience. With my 'womanising ways', I never expected to have a child... a true family..."

Fran continued to smile. "You are happy, yes?" She asked, watching Balthier hold their tiny daughter.

"Happy? I am elated. My heart is... indescribable." He chuckled a little, watching Krja shift in his hands slightly.

"You do not feel tied down into a situation you do not wish for?" She asked, gently petting the stubs where Krja's ears should be.

"Far from it. This moment is... incredible." His voice was barely audible above the roar of the engines and he held in tears.

Fran leaned in, kissing his cheek. "I do love you, you know this yes?" She petted Krja with a finger tenderly.

Balthier finally lifted his gaze to look at her, smiling despite the tears in his eyes. "I know, Fran. I love you, too." He leaned in and kissed her lips lightly, looking down to Krja only a second later.

Fran smiled softly, pressing a tender kiss to their daughter's head. "Mayhaps we should put her back in the box... It seems so cruel, but it is her lifeline..."

Balthier nodded once, also kissing the tiny child's head, before laying her down in the incubator. "She will soon be free of that case, disrupting the order of the Strahl, pressing buttons she should not press and pulling at Nono and Gero."

Fran laughed softly then, the sound surprising even herself. "The poor moogles will not know what has hit them."

"I am sure they will be amused by her... at least, Nono. Gero may throw a tantrum or two." He chuckled, still watching Krja inside the case.

Fran smiled and slipped a hand inside the box the stroke Krja's spine. "Mm. It shall be interesting at least."

Balthier nodded slightly, watching Krja twitch and shift and the touches. "It seems she is reacting more to us. That is a good sign. Jote spoke of this..."

"Mm." Fran reached for the potion, rubbing a small amount onto the child's chest, watching her shift a little more.

"The next step, I assume, must be noise. She is moving, it should progress to sounds." He smiled, watching the child and her mother.

Fran nodded and continued to rub Krja's chest lightly even after she had applied the potion.

Balthier kissed Fran's cheek, laughing softly afterwards. "I am glad to see your affection for her, love. It warms my heart."

"It is still a little hard for me..." Fran admitted, continuing to pet and stroke their child tenderly.

"Mm, I expect it is... yet, she is returning the affection." He spoke as Krja grasped Fran's finger rather tightly for her size and injuries.

Fran flushed a little. "She holds onto you the same way. A Daddy's girl already." She smiled a little, holding Krja's hand with her thumb and finger. "She shall wrap you around her little finger and you shall cave to her every whim."

"Hah, so you assume. I am not going to be a pushover. The instant she discovers the allure of others, I shall lock her in her room until she is thirty years of age."

Fran laughed a little. "She can love no man but her father?" She teased. "Already you are like all fathers."

"She can love no man nor woman until she is old enough to understand the weight of it." He replied, looking to her. "Not all fathers. Yet, I am not my father. I will never harm her the way Cid harmed me."

"Of course. I would claw you to death before you had the chance." She murmured. "Mayhaps I should lock you up until you are thirty, hm?"

"What use would it have now? I have made all my mistakes in relationships. I am here for her now." He smiled softly. "And you, of course."

Fran smiled at him before turning her attention back to Krja. "She seems to be at rest now. I cannot wait to gaze into her eyes."

"With noise will come sight, even if she will not focus at first." He smiled, stretching his arms up and slumping back across the floor of the engine room, just listening to the hum.

The Viera nodded. "Comfy?" She asked, glancing at Balthier. "We can return to the bedroom if you wish?"

"I'm certainly comfortable. The purr of her engines and the warmth of her power is soothing after such stress." He closed his eyes, staying laid out on the floor.

Fran moved to sit beside him, bringing Krja's box with her. "We should introduce her to Vaan once we are recovered."

"You wish to traumatise the poor child? She'd take one look at him and try to claw her way inside you." He teased, looking at his lover. "No, we really should introduce him to her. Perhaps even Larsa and Squall?".