(no subject)

[xshatterheartx.livejournal.com]

Who: Fran, Balthier
When: Day
Where: The Strahl
What: After the crash
Rating: PG-13



Apart from the few times she had had to tend to Krja Fran had been at Balthier's side all through the night. She had not slept nor bathed. She was still covered in sand, sweat and dried blood, she was tired, but she refused to leave the Hume's side. Her hands were blistered and aching with Mage burns, but as long as Balthier was still alive, she didn't much care.

The pirate had been in and out of consciousness throughout the night but settled comfortable nearer the morning. Sighing softly, skin cooled now his fever had gone, Balthier blinked a few times, a noise of discomfort coming from his mouth as he reached a hand to touch his wound, hissing slightly and curling away from the fingers as though they were somebody else's.

Fran was instantly back at his side, checking over his wounds. She rested a hand on Balthier's cheek. "You are awake." She brushed a thumb across his lips tenderly.

"Just about." He groaned, reaching out to take her hand. Balthier looked to her, frowning just slightly. "You have not rested?" He tilted his head just a little.

"I... am fine." Fran murmured. "How are you feeling? Any pains?"

"A little, here and there, nothing too severe, I believe." He managed to push himself to sit up and curled his arm around her neck, leaning in to kiss her head. "Bathe. Sleep. It is what you need."

"I shall do those things later. For now my undivided attention falls on you and only you." Fran murmured, nuzzling her cheek against Balthier's.

Balthier smiled, stroking his hand down her hair. "Fran, I am fine. My fever has receded and I feel well." He kissed her face before taking her hands in his and murmuring a few consecutive Cure spells.

Fran flushed and kept her gaze on Balthier's, lacing their fingers together. "I shall not move until I am certain."

The pirate laughed softly, hiding the wince that wanted to come out at that. "I am well, my love. I simply need to bathe. As do you."

Fran leaned in to kiss him softly. "Very well. We shall bathe. Together."

Balthier nodded, after returning the kiss. "Together." He shifted to get out of bed, gritting his teeth at the pain but trying his damn hardest not to make it obvious. He held her hand, guiding her to the bathroom.

Fran moved with Balthier, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "Once you are clean and the sheets and bandages are changed, it is back to bed for you Hume."

Balthier laughed softly. "I said, I am fine. We should... continue to somewhere. Though, I wonder upon Vaan's situation, now. With his home destroyed..." He shook his head slightly, seating himself on the edge of the bath and turning the taps on. He then moved his hands to remove the bandages binding his wound.

"Vaan is putting on a brave face. Though I am sure he is distraught. We shall offer him room aboard the Strahl, though no doubt he shall refuse. He is, after all, babysitting Larsa." Fran reached for a potion, pouring it into the bathwater, before rubbing her blistered hands together a little.

Balthier frowned slightly, clenching his jaw as he pulled the bandages from his skin. "Then we convince the boy along too, if Vaan has no means of living. Either we have Vaan or we have them both. I refuse to leave the boy unhomed." It was obvious he had a lot of respect for the teen.

Fran leaned in to kiss his nose, moving to push Balthier's hands aside, gently unwrapping the bandages for him.

The pirate let out a shaky breath as the bandages were taken away. "I... apologise, Fran..."


Fran blinked, her ears drooping slightly. "Whatever for?" She asked, head tilting.

"This trouble I have caused. The airship would not heed me, no matter what I tried. It refused to listen..." Balthier looked away, frowning. "I claim to be such a legend yet a small craft as such defies me? Hah..."

"Even Legends are not perfect." Fran helped Balthier into the tub. "Besides, I am to blame. It was I who did not notice the fault."

Settling into the water, he hissed as his wound was touched by it. "Nghh... no, you've no blame here. The ship, itself, refused to listen. This is not a normal fault." He shook his head slightly.

Fran stripped and climbed into the tub, sitting opposite Balthier, with her back to the taps. "Even so... I should have noticed something wasn't right."

"I have known airships as long as I have known life, Fran. It eluded me, also." He shook his head a little, sighing a slight sigh of relaxation.

Fran lowered her hands into the water slowly, bracing herself for the sting as they hit the surface, but still unable to hold the wince in. "I should not have let you fly alone."

Balthier shook his head. "You know it was safer I flew solo. Were the ship to have gone down with us both, Vaan would not have been able to rescue us. Krja would be orphaned, we would be a charred mess and Vaan would be stuck homeless, with a child that is not his."

"Mayhaps..." Fran looked down, ears still drooped slightly, as she splashed the potioned water over her palms.

"The simple fact of the matter is that we could not have flown together. It was the least practical situation." Balthier slid down the tub, until the water was up to his chin.

"Then mayhaps I should have flown. At least then you would not have been injured." She wrinkled her nose, resting her hand on Balthier's leg beneath the water's surface.

"Mmm... then you would be injured. You are a far better mage than I am; no doubt you would've died during the night if you'd sustained these injuries instead. I would not have been as level-headed as I assume you were." Balthier smiled, eyes closing as he felt her hand.

"It was Vaan that remained the calmest. He really has matured. He kept me calm. I was most worried. Especially when you started to say your goodbyes."

Balthier cracked his eyes open, looking to her with a bemused expression. "I did? That, I do not recall." He chuckled, yawning just slightly.

Fran slapped his leg lightly. "Do not jest, Hume. It was not funny. My heart felt as though it would snap in two."

"I am serious, Fran. I do not recall saying any goodbyes." He smiled to her, his eyes warm as he looked at her face.

Fran shifted a little, leaning across the bath to press an oh so tender kiss against Balthier's lips, resting her hand on his shoulder.

Balthier smiled, resting his hand on her lower back and returning the gentle kiss. "Mn... I do love you, so very much, you worrying Viera."

"As do I, you, troublesome Hume." Fran replied, curling a hand around his cheek, petting softly.

Balthier took her hands, kissing them both before casting another Cure over them. "My magicks may not be very strong, but they will aid."

Fran flushed once more, her fingers twitching a little at the curative magicks. "I am fine. Do not strain yourself."

"It is alright, I'd rather help than let you suffer because of me." He chuckled lightly, pulling her to rest on his chest, curling his arms around her.

Fran shifted to lay against Balthier. "I worry your wounds shall bleed or your fever return..."

"If it does, I am certain you shall aid my recovery." He smiled, petting her hair gently as he did so.

Fran purred a little, her eyes fluttering shut under the gentle petting. "Of course."