(no subject)

[xshatterheartx.livejournal.com]

Who: Squall, Balthier, Fran, some Imperials and the Doctor
When: After Balthier and Fran’s argument
Where: Rabanastre, followed by Balamb Garden
What: Talking, fighting and seeking medical attention
Rating: R



Squall was sat at his desk, working on data dealing with a cure. He had been reading through reports, data fact sheets, analysis of the vial. He blinked when his phone vibrated. He pulled it from his pocket and answered it. "Hey Stranger."

"Hey..." He all but whispered, making his way towards the Northern most part of Rabanastre, soon sitting on a wall that overlooked Lowtown. "How are you?"

"I'm okay... How are you? You sound... sad." Squall frowned, clicking on his laptop as he spoke.

A slightly shaky sigh came from Balthier and he glanced towards an Imperial nearby who looked slightly threatening. "I am a little... it matters not. I just wanted to hear your voice."

Squall frowned more, knowing there must be something wrong. "Balth? What's wrong? Is it your sickness? Is it worse?"

"It is as it was. I do not know how to say what has upset me. I have little room to be judgemental... it just hurts..." He murmured.

Squall stopped typing and closed the laptop, leaning back in his chair. "Say it. You can tell me anything, Balth."

"You know I have spoken of how I met Vaan and Penelo and Ashe... well, we had a sixth member to our party. The Captain of the Guard. Basch fon Ronsenburg..." He frowned slightly, the man's name bitter to his tongue. "He is one of my dearest, most trusted friends... and Fran slept with him." He murmured.

Squall gave a soft squeak, quickly covering his mouth to hide it. "Gods~ Balth... I dunno what to say... You must be gutted..." He sighed.

"I know I've little room to speak of cheating... it hurts though... more so because it is him..." He muttered, resting his arm over one bent up knee.

Squall sighed and shifted to rest his feet on the desk. "When did it happen?" He asked, his voice soft.

"Last night. What hurts is that she had you distract me in such a way..." He replied, rubbing at his eyes slightly.

Squall frowned a little. "I don't think she brought me there to distract you, Balth. She was really worried about you..."

"She had no right to tell you anything that was affecting me. That is my decision." He grumped, leaning against a pillar on the wall, watching the Imperial from the corner of his eye.

"You didn't complain last night when I was making love to you in your bed..." Squall murmured, huffing a little.

Balthier gave a light chuckle. "That is neither here nor there. It should have been me who explained my situation, not her." He murmured back, frowning as the guard took a few steps nearer.

"You truly think she got me to have sex with you so she could sleep with another man? She just... doesn't seem that type to me..."

"I don't know... it just hurts that it was him. I know where he is right this moment and I'd gladly go and beat him senseless..." He replied.

"How would that fix anything, Balth?" Squall sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Did you find out by accident or did she tell you?"

Balthier pouted. "It'd make me feel better." He grumbled, frowning at that guard. "She had no plan to tell me. I could smell the sex on her. I had to coax her into telling me who it was."

"And did you tell her about us?" He asked, even though Fran had taken him there especially to have sex with Balthier.

"What would be the point? She knew that was what we'd do..." He shifted to stand as that guard neared in. "I am being followed by a guard..." he mumbled, walking swiftly.

Squall blinked. "A guard? For what reason??" He asked, shifting uneasily in his seat.

"For the fact that I am who I am, Squall." He muttered, eyes widening as he looked back and saw the guard had a friend and they both had guns. "Shit!!" He kept the phone to his ear as he ran for the Muthru Bazaar.

"Balthier?! What the fuck is going on?!" Squall hissed, his heart pounding hard against his chest.

Two arrows flew through the air, landing at each of the guard's feet. Fran stood on a wall, bow in hand.

Balthier skidded to a halt at the sound of arrows ripping the air. He knew that sound well. Looking at Fran, he smirked slightly. "I was being chased by guards but it seems Fran has taken control. Oh, I am weaponless and they've guns." He murmured, glancing over the stalls to find a sword good enough.

Squall gasped, shifting uneasily. "Balthier!! Gods~... Don't you think you should... hang up?"

Fran reloaded her bowstring, jumping down from the wall. She torn a feather out with her teeth so that one arrow would fire straight and the other curve, so she could stike both guards at once.

"No, it's alright." He chuckled, taking a sword from a seller and winking at her before running towards the guards, slicing through both of their guns, cutting off the barrels.

"You are the single strangest person I know, Balth..." Squall murmured, still feeling most ill at ease.

Fran moved closer to the guards, bow readied in hands. Now then. Whyever are you chasing an unarmed man through the streets?"

Balthier chuckled and rested the sword on his unharmed shoulder. "No doubt they're after my bounty, Fran." He drawled, smirking at the guards. "How're you doing, Squall?"

"Apart from nearly having a heart attack?! I'm fine!" Squall huffed.

"Too bad they shall not collect." Fran released the arrows, firing them into the guards' throats in the space between helmet and chest armour.

The two men fell and Balthier winced slightly, laughing afterwards. "Oh, look, Fran! They've got friends!" He rolled his eyes. "What say we have a little fun?" He smirked. "I'll call you later, Squall." He purred, hanging up and slipping the phone away before running towards the guards, sword raised.

Squall squeaked as the phoneline went dead. Worried for Balthier's safety.

Fran pulled more arrows from her quiver, lining them up on her bowstring, firing them at the guards.

Balthier wielded his sword one handed, the other arm grabbing hold of guards as he ran them through with the weapon, kicking them away as blood ran down the groove in his sword, soaking his glove.

Fran retrieved the arrows from the first two fallen guards, reusing them to take out two more.

Balthier swung his sword around and beheaded two guards in one slash, ending up splattered in their blood. He closed his eyes a brief second as his face was spattered before spinning on the spot and whacking the hilt of his sword into a man's face.

Fran continued to fire her arrows, stepping over the trail of blood running towards her.

Balthier kicked back one man coming for him, slamming his sword into one and snatching another guard's weapon, a smaller sword.

Fran dropped her bow, running to kick a guard who was about to strike Balthier, kicking his helmet clear off.

Balthier watched her kick and swung his second sword underneath her leg, slicing through the man's armour, splitting his stomach open.

Even after they had argued, there was no denying that Balthier and Fran made a perfect team in battle. She smiled a little at him, before crushing another man's chest beneath her foot.

Balthier returned the smile from behind his mask of spattered blood, taking down the last guard with a violent thrust of his sword into the man's chest, straight through his armour. Once done, he released the swords, staggering slightly.

Fran moved over to him, wiping away what blood she could with her hands, leaning in to lick at it a little. "You are exhausted, come, rest."

Balthier brushed her hands away, twitching his nose. "I am fine..." He glanced away, taking the spear from one fallen guard to lean on slightly as he headed back towards the Strahl.

Fran frowned and picked up her bow from where she had dropped it, placing it once more across her back.

Balthier headed for the nearest Moogling Attendant and took it to the West, instantly heading for the Strahl inside the Aerodrome, tossing down the spear once he could grasp the hull of his airship, pulling himself inside her, collapsing to his knees the instant he made it in.

Fran followed, tossing her bow aside once she had boarded to kneel beside Balthier. "Balthier...?" She asked, worry on her face and in her voice.

He trembled all over, his skin coated in a cold sweat and guard blood, his eyes glazed. "Nghh..." He groaned in pain, his good hand pressed to the floor to support him.

"Let us get you to bed... You need to rest, love..."

Balthier could barely stand, pulling himself up against the wall, staggering badly as he made for the bedroom.

Fran pulled the man's arm around her for support. "Do not be stubborn, let me aid you."

Balthier leaned into her, staggering his way to the bedroom, kicking off his boots as he lay down. His face was deathly pale and a moment later his eyes rolled back.

Fran swallowed hard, leaving his side for all but a few seconds to fetch a wash cloth and some balm. "Balthier..." She whispered, wiping his face with the cloth tenderly.

He panted softly, his skin clammy from the sweat, his bloodied shirt clinging to his skin as he jerked slightly, his lips parted for him to breathe.

Fran slashed a claw through the shirt, slicing it from Balthier's body, rubbing balm across his chest. Tears filled her eyes. "Don't you dare go and die on me. Not today."

A slight smile came to his lips and he trembled as the balm eased things. However, the bruise was growing before their eyes, crossing his chest to his opposite side, leaving one pectoral muscle normal, ignoring his navel, seemingly going from his chest to his kidney, having claimed the other one, leaving his heart untouched for the time being.

Fran swallowed hard, her tears rolling down her face, dripping onto Balthier's skin. "I think I preferred you drinking to punish me..." She whispered.

"Fran..." He breathed out, his eyes closing properly before opening a little to look at her. He could barely manage that, he wasn't able to speak anymore.

Fran choked a little on her tears, rubbing balm across the newly formed bruises. She pulled away from him and moved to the bedside drawer, pulling out a box, containing two gold rings. She kissed his head, slipping one of the rings onto his left ring finger above his coloured ring, slipping the other onto her own left ring finger. She pressed the softest of kisses to his lips.

Balthier twitched his fingers, a tear running down his cheek. His breathing was steady, if a little laboured, but he remained still, his eyes on the ring on his finger. He had never felt so close to death, aside from being hung of course, and he hated that it was hurting her. All anger towards her had faded.

Fran shifted to cradle his head in her lap, holding his hand in hers. "I love you so so much, Balthier mied Bunansa, King of Skies." She whispered, fresh tears rolling down her face.

The balm had began to make breathing easier for him and he smiled up at her. "I am not done yet, Viera." He exhaled, looking to the ring again. "We are supposed to wait until the wedding." He joked, laughing breathlessly with a wince afterwards.

Fran wiped away her tears. "Then consider this our wedding day." She whispered, lacing their fingers together.

Balthier shook his head slightly. "We are marrying as we should do, Fran." He murmured, squeezing her hand slightly.

"You are not up to such an event. I do not need some big ceremony. All I want is to be with you."

Balthier gave a grunt, shaking his head a little more. "I do not want that. I want a wedding. I refuse to let this ruin my final weeks." He muttered.

"You would still marry me after all I have done?" The Viera asked, slipping the wedding rings from their fingers, placing them back in the box.

Balthier gave a nod, frowning a little. "Even with what you've done, I cannot help but love you as always. I just have trouble believing it truly happened..." He replied, his words pained and breathless.

"Do not think of it. Save your energy." Fran replied, moving to put the box away, before kneeling at Balthier's side, stroking his hair.

Balthier panted softly. "Ngh... get me to Balamb, Fran... I need the doctor..." He murmured, his face suddenly twisting into a look of excruciating pain.

Fran nodded and kissed Balthier's forehead. "Don't you dare die on me." She murmured, getting off the bed t move tot he cockpit, having the Strahl ready and airborne in seconds.

Balthier breathed heavily as he lay there, his eyes on the sky through the skylight above the bed. "Not yet... please... not yet, my love..." he murmured.

Fran pushed the Strahl as hard and as fast as the ship could handle, forcing all unused power to the engine.

Within moments, the pirate passed out from the pain and the exhaustion, his entire torso beginning to blacken. It claimed his navel first, slowly, before crawling up towards his heart. his right arm entirely blackened.

They landed outside of Balamb Town in record time. Fran switched off the power, swallowing hard at the sight of Balthier's blackened body. She moved over to him. "We have arrived... Shall I carry you or bring the doctor on board?"

Balthier blinked at her. "I can manage. Bring me a shirt?" He asked, shifting to sit up, holding his black arm against his chest.

Fran nodded and moved to fetch Balthier a loose fitting shirt, returning with it to help him dress.

He eased into the shirt with a wince before shifting to pull on his boots and gloves, his fingers blackened on the hand that held the ring she'd bought him for his birthday. He shifted to stand, leaning against her as he did.

Fran curled her arm around him, supporting most of his weight. "We leave Krja with the moogles." She murmured, leading him towards the exit.

He gave a slight nod and moved to the exit with her, his skin frighteningly pale. He could feel his body aching all over and as they walked, it felt like he was dragging a ball and chain along with him.

Fran kept a firm hold of him, supporting his weight against her as she led him towards the Infirmary, ignoring the strange looks they received.

Balthier barely even noticed anyone else, all he could feel was the warmth of her as she supported him. When they arrived at the Infirmary, he almost passed out from the clinical smell of the place.

Fran felt Balthier falter and held onto him tighter, guiding him to one of the beds, helping him to lay down, before seeking out the good doctor.

Balthier writhed slightly in pain, his chest heaving as he did. His eyes glazed over again and he closed them, panting harshly.

The doctor had been looking over some files and as she spotted Fran, mostly because Fran was hard to miss, she headed over, frowning. "What's happened?"

"Balthier has taken a turn for the worse..." She lowered her voice a little. "I do not think he shall survive much longer..."

The pirate's body was stinging with the burn of Mist Poisoning, his skin glowing slightly from it.

The doctor frowned, moving over to Balthier and unbuttoning his shirt, eyes widening at the sight of his blackened flesh. "...gods..." She exhaled.

Fran sighed heavily. "It spread within minutes... So suddenly..." She frowned, eyes filling with tears again.

Squall entered the Infirmary, he had a folder full of work on the illness under one arm. He was about to check on Loire when his eyes fell on Fran and then on Balthier. "Oh Gods... No..."

Balthier panted hard, feeling the blackness creeping like little bugs all over his skin, climbing up his neck and down his right leg.

The doctor watched in horror before moving to her cabinet, pulling out a numbing agent and a vibrant pink liquid along with a few syringes.

Fran took hold of Balthier's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "What is the liquid?" She asked, voice shaky with fear.

Squall set his folder down and came over, swallowing hard. "What happened?"

The doctor moved over to Balthier filling the first syringe with the numbing agent. She injected him straight into the heart with it, soon filling the second syringe with the pink liquid. "It is something I have been working on. To slow down the growth of the disease."

Balthier growled in pain as she injected him, soon relaxing and just panting softly, laid on the bed, his eyes open but rolled back to show only white.

"You have tested it, or are we taking a risk..." The Viera asked, swallowing hard, frowning at the sight of Balthier.

Squall stroked Balthier's hair. "We should try the other liquid... We have worked hard on it. I shall be guinea pig..."

"I have tested it." She murmured, hitching up her long skirt to show the small bruise on the back of her knee. "We will try the other one once I slow the growth. If it continues he shall be dead within an hour." She muttered, pressing the needle into Balthier's shoulder, the source of the black growth.

Fran kept hold of Balthier's hand, frowning at the bruise. "You have the illness? It is because of us?" She asked, ears drooping.

Squall swallowed hard at the doctor's words, petting Balthier's hair oh so gently.

The doctor scrunched her nose slightly. "It is my own fault. I dropped a sample of his blood and while I cleaned it up, it got into a cut on my hand." She replied, her eyes on the pirate as she worked.

Balthier gave a wheeze as he was injected, wincing a little, the blackness coming to an abrupt halt in movement.

"I am sorry..." Fran murmured, her eyes fixing on Balthier at the sound of the wheeze. She leaned down, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

Squall sighed soft. "I hope our cure works..."