Two Birds and The Cat

Summary: Sequel to "He Just Smiled". Vaan and Basch were living a blissful dream, that is, until Balthier decided to get in the way. [Lemon, Fluff, Yaoi. BaschxVaan. References to BalthierxAlmost Everyone.

Disclaimer: None of these beautiful men (8D), nor the women in this fic, are my property. They belong to Square Enix.

A/N: This was unexpected. I started a new game and had Vaan and Basch, alone in a mindless leveling-up session in the Lhusu Mines, when this came upon me. Although this happened in the Lhusu Mines, the story is set in the Mosphoran Highwaste, so don't be confused. And don't ask me why Balthier, but... I imagine this easily. Enjoy!

As for the following fic, it's not in Balthier's POV at all, though I try to see all in his perspective as much as possible, at least in the scenes he is in.

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"I presume you haven't seen the other males of this cheerful party, have you, ladies?"

Fran, Ashe, and Penelo all shook their heads, not even looking at Balthier. They sat around a pile of wood, which they would later set on fire for the camp when the sun set. Balthier rose his eyebrow at this lack of attention. Why, he was always the center of the attention, but now, the ladies were looking at a lump of wood. What in the Hell did the lump of wood have that Balthier didn't?

He put his hands on his hips, how graceful he was like that. Of course he was. A gallant man, a Sky Pirate, no less. The women always put down their defenses whenever Balthier was around. A gentleman, an expert in the arts of 'sleeping with someone'. He was young and beautiful, needless to say, he always had what he wanted.

This time though, Balthier found himself in a dillema. He wanted something different... something perhaps that would replace the woman's part in the act of sex. He had done such before, be assured. The self-proclaimed most handsome Sky Pirate in the history of Ivalice was bisexual. And he loved it. There was no 'one and only Lover, the sky of his Heart', but a lot of people who had deemed themselves worthy of sleeping with such a unique character, Balthier.

Indeed, a lot of people. There wasn't one single time which he arrived to Balfonheim Port to pick up some whores, or find himself a drunk man who, although handsome, would never compare to the perfect features of Balthier. Even Fran had her chance many, many times. He even found it in himself recently to seduce Penelo, and succeeded. However, Ashe was too clingy on the memory of dead Lord Rasler. Weren't for that, Balthier would have her, and such annoyed him.

All that time around he thought either Vaan or Basch would be his next victims, since Ashe was out of reach, and taking to account his current cravings for males. But where to find them? There he stood, hands on his hips, pondering about why the lump of wood was so interesting to look at, and realized he was wasting precious time. So he cocked his head to the side, approaching the women just a little more.

"Any idea where they might have gone, dear Fran? In which direction?" Balthier asked. Fran finally laid her eyes on her partner, slightly amused.

"Pardon my question, why would you like to know this?"

"Simple curiosity, my dear. I have found the need to have a man's conversation, but sadly, none of you seem to be men. Pity, that."

Fran seemed to stop to think for a moment. Balthier had this small impression there was something that she knew about those two, she didn't want to tell at all. He raised his eyebrow again to make that typical expression, raising his voice just a bit:

"Well, Fran? Do you know anything?" It might have been the first time that Balthier annoyed her so.

"It is not in my right to tell you. Do not ask me."

Ashe and Penelo were quiet. Balthier presumed they knew something too. Luckily, it was too obvious. If Fran said she "didn't have the right to tell him", then it was only normal the brunette would speculate Basch and Vaan were lovers. Just his luck.

"Very well. I will go for a walk. I apoligise not asking for your company, ladies, but I must be alone."

"That's okay. We weren't going anyway!" Penelo said giggling. Balthier's eye twitched as he turned on his heel.

The three women watched as he walked away, axe in hand in case he would find any enemies, dissapearing upwards into the Highwaste. As soon as he was out of sight, Ashe started giggling along with Penelo, regarding the statement Penelo had thrown at the man. Fran's ears poked with curiosity, as she couldn't take her eyes off the road which Balthier had taken.

"Excuse me. I should think it is best I keep my eye on him. Sometimes he can do things inconvinient."

With that, Fran ran in the same direction, grabbing her crossbow in the process.

Penelo and Ashe looked at each other in confusion. It wasn't long before Penelo made the obvious statement.

"Oh? Is this about what Vaan told me about Basch and him? I hope Balthier doesn't start anything."

Finally, after much walking, Balthier reached a deserted cliff. Not even monsters were roaming about. There were just a few bushes here and there, and the ground was decorated with millions of pebbles, ranging from grey to black tonalities. He walked over to a random spot and started thinking.

Fran had soon arrived to the same place. As soon as she saw Balthier, she hid behind a huge rock, head poking out the side to watch with curiosity. As one hand grabbed lightly on his chin, making the typical pondering position, the other rested on his hip. Balthier stayed like that for a few moments, until he spoke to himself.

"Hmm... Vaan gained my affection the first time we met." he sauntered over to his left, and added, "But Basch is so mature and... muscular..."

The spying Viera's eye twitched at this. He kept repeating the process; one spot spoke for Vaan, the other spoke for Basch.

"But Vaan is oh so, innocent and instantly fuckable..." again, he sauntered over to 'Basch's spot', "however Basch is stronger and much more difficult to get. That's what makes it fun..."

"Vaan is so cute and cuddly..." "But Basch is extremely sexy, and surely he would give to me hardcore."

Balthier stopped for a moment, grinning with the thought. 'Gods... a whip... Basch and a whip... the perfect combination...'

'Do not tell me he is going to masturbate...' Fran hoped to herself such wouldn't happen.

Sighing, Balthier sank to his knees, then shifted so that he was sitting cross-legged on the pebbles. Fran sighed in relief. She knew that when Balthier had that content look on his face, and didn't masturbate at all after a talk of sex, it just meant he was slightly angered and was going to get his prey at all costs. Such a weird behaviour, that of Balthier.

But then Fran's eyes widened. That meant trouble for Vaan and Basch. She would have to try and keep Balthier distracted.

-X-

"Hey Basch, hurry up! You're slowing down!" Vaan shouted, smiling, from a distance.

Basch stopped for a moment to notice this. The boy looked so happy, waiting impatiently for the man to catch up to him, and yet, for Basch he would wait an eternity. Vaan had even told the Captain he'd forgotten all of his Sky Pirate dreams. Staying on land, just as long as the two are together, sounds so much better.

Since that day on the Ozmone Plain, they started distancing themselves from the rest of the party, at least just a bit. They had found time to be intimately together, have their lover talks, and of course, that little in-between journey intercourse.

Just when Vaan was about to shout again, Basch surprised him by sprinting over to him and throwing himself atop of the boy. They both laughed, Vaan almost insanely, as Basch started to tickle him. They somehow managed to roll over to a tree, and stayed there in the same position, protected from the sun with the shade the tree had to offer.

Vaan sat up, and Basch followed. On their knees they stared at each other for a moment. Neither could tell what the other was thinking, both waiting for a reaction. Without a warning Vaan wrapped his arms quickly around Basch's waist and rested his head on the Captain's shoulder. Basch was used to these random acts of affection. Vaan was one given to randomness.

"Vaan..." Basch whispered. He stroked the boy's soft blonde hair, inhaling the scent. Typical Vaan, some sort of sea-breeze fresh air. Why that, the man always wondered.

"You're getting old, Basch. You can't keep up with me anymore!" he joked. As a response Basch lightly pinched a patch of skin of Vaan's back.

"Ow... that hurt!" he complained.

"Well, about me getting old also isn't very polite, my Love..." Basch sighed, "though such may just be true."

This time it was Vaan who sighed.

"Let's just forget that! I wanna live like, one million lives with you before I die." he grinned at Basch, who raised an eyebrow.

"What, it's true! Wouldn't you like to live that long?"

"Of course, as long as you are there."

Basch nuzzled on Vaan's hair, then started trailing kisses sidewards upon reaching Vaan's ear. He liked to nibble around with it. Vaan purred softly and carressed just everywhere of Basch he could get his hands on. Suddenly Vaan pinched a nipple, and Basch let out a quiet moan.

"We're even now." the Rabanastran smiled victorious.

"Hasty, aren't we?" Basch smiled in return.

"Well, we haven't... you know... since last week. Could we?"

"Right now?" the Captain asked, quite intrigued, infact. Although Vaan always loved the sex, it was always Basch who had to tease it out.

"Yes, well..." Vaan murmured. Basch smiled even more. 'Still so shy...' When suddenly he had an idea.

"Come. I have found a place up in the Highwaste. It will be of your enjoyment, I promise."

Without a word from Vaan, Basch pulled himself up along with Vaan, and they walked towards that place, holding hands.

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A/N: Yay. I love this, it's so sweet. More supporters for this couple, please? This is not finished, okay? XD There will be more. Next chapter will be Lemon, for Basch has indeed found an interesting place in the Mosphoran Highwaste.