'Vaan, a word.'

Vaan, sitting in a corner of the Sandsea examining his accumulated treasures, automatically looked up at Balthier. As ever, the mere presence of the sky pirate knocked the breath out of him for reasons he couldn't understand. Trying to hide his excitement over being approached , Vaan directed his attentions back to his loot.

'We've already shared everything out,' he said pointedly. 'This treasures mine. We agreed.'

'Shut up and come with me,' Balthier demanded, already exasperated.

Vaan sighed and stood up, dusting off his hands. Aloof. Uninterested. Busy. Breathe. 'Okay, okay, two minutes...'

No one noticed them leave the tavern.

The thief and the pirate boarded the Strahl, where they eventually sat on the front passenger seats. Instantly, Vaan felt his mood improve., as he took in the leathery oily scents of the airship.

Balthier smirked. 'You must really stop treating my ship as a narcotic.'

'Yeah,' Vaan mumbled, still a little dazed. He imagined himself as piloting the Strahl, drifting through the clouds...

'Vaan!' Balthier said a little impatiently. 'I summoned you here for a reason. I wish to discuss matters of the heart.'

'What? Heart? With me?'

This got Vaan's attention. Was Balthier ill? Was his heart failing? He tried to work out the other man's age...wait...he didn't look that old...but neither did Fran, yet she was practically prehistoric...

Balthier took a deep breath. 'I just want to know...what the current situation is between yourself and the princess Ashe.'

'Me and Ashe...' Images of the two of them run trough his head haphazardly; Ashe leaping into his arms and shuddering in disgust; Ashe telling him to not interrupt; Vaan's fear for his own safety following Ashe's attack on Basch aboard the Leviathan; Ashe telling him to not interrupt; the two of them fighting over the new sword that they had just bought from the bazaar...

'I mean,' Balthier said hurriedly, noticing the paranoid expression on Vaan's face, 'I understand that you have become rather close with our royal company.'

'Close?' Vaan asked incredulously, 'Close? Ashe treats me worse than the Imperial guards! She insults me even more than Tomaj! She...wait...' Vaan narrowed his eyes mid rant, and studied Balthier's closely guarded reaction. 'What's it to you how I get on with Ashe? Has she been talking about me? What's she been saying?'

''Steady on, Vaan,' Balthier sighed, and smiled slyly at the frantic thief. 'This shirt is one of a kind, you know.'

Vaan lowered his eyes and noticed that he was clutching Balthier's arm tightly. He gave a small cough and jumped back to his seat.

'As to your question, I wanted to know if the two of you are...romantically... involved.'

Vaan snorted. Balthier ignored him and continued.

'It makes a good story, you know, for a princess to love a thief. Its not unlike that Alexandrian play, 'The Dagger and Her Thief...'

Vaan looked blank.

'...and I'm quite aware of your little rendezvous sessions together, gazing at the moon, discussing matters of great secret importance...'

'That was the one time!'' Vaan said defensively, 'trust me, there is nothing between me and Ashe. If it wasn't for you, I'm sure we wouldn't even have stuck together in the waterway.'

'Well, that settles that then,' Balthier said, seeming satisfied, half talking to himself. 'I suppose the path is clearer than I first anticipated.'

'Wait,' Vaan said, realization dawning, 'why did you want to know this? What-'

Suddenly, Vaan's overactive imagination began to work its wonders again. Flashed of Balthier and Ashe skirted across his mind like waves on the sand. There was Balthier storming off after Ashe and Vaan first met and introduced themselves; there was Balthier whispering something to Ashe before she was hoisted away under Vayne's commands in Rabanastre; Balthier's cryptic demands for Ashe's ring; the way Balthier seemed to take a personal interest in every word she said...

All of a sudden, Vaan felt less special sitting next to Balthier on the mighty Strahl, discussing 'matters of the heart'. A part of him had felt honoured at being chosen as Balthier's confidante, as he knew how guarded the pirate was wit his feelings. But it seemed that Balthier just wanted to make sure that Vaan wasn't competing for his desired treasure, and now he could freely pursue Ashe without murdering his opposition...

'Yeah, well, I'm going to see Penelo,' Vaan announced shakily, his face reddening. 'She's probably wondering where I am..'

'Ah, Penelo...' Balthier said, scowling slightly. 'Of course. Your girl. I forgot...'

'Well, actually she's not my...wait, forget it. You can't have Penelo. Chase Ashe all you want, but Penelo's my best friend. She's not one of your playthings, and I'm not helping you win her over!'

Vaan leapt to his feet, and charged off down the ship's corridor, his temperature rising. Balthier also jumped up, and grabbed Vaan by his wrist. Vaan spun around, eyes flashing. 'Let go of me!'

Balthier pushed Vaan backwards against the cold metal wall, and placed his arms either side of the thief to hold him in place.

'You know, Vaan' Balthier breathed raggedly,, for someone who's supposed to be streetwise, you're really not that clever.'

'Lemme go,' Vaan struggled to no avail, 'I mean it, Balthier! I just want to get back to the Sandsea!'

'We haven't finished our talk,' Balthier insisted, his voice low.

'What's there to talk about?' Vaan retorted. 'All you're interested in is racking up your conquests, while making me feel like a big loser.. And I thought you wanted to talk to me as a..as a...'

As a what exactly? Not like a brother. Reks never shared his secrets with him, always told him he was too young. Friend? Did he even want Balthier as a friend?

'What, Vaan?' Balthier asked softly, his eyes searching Vaan's. 'Surely I have made it obvious to you since the day we met. You can't be that stupid.'

Vaan gulped, noticing how close Balthier's face was to his...

'I'm not interested in Ashe,' Balthier said simply, 'or Penelo, for that matter. I was asking in relation to your availability.'

Vaan held his breath, his eyes wide.

'Call it a lapse of judgement if you will...'

And with that, Balthier moved back and gave small smile.

'And that concludes our talk. Although don't worry; its unlikely I shall need your ear any time soon.'

Balthier turned in the direction of the cockpit, leaving Vaan to stare after him in utter disbelief.

'That's it? he asked, still dizzy after being in such close contact. 'That's all you wanted to say?'

Balthier turned around, arms crossed.

'You dragged me here, spoke in riddles that only smug sky pirates can understand, and then just tell me to get lost?' Vaan shouted, shortening the distance between them.

Balthier rolled his eyes and groaned. 'This was a mistake...'

'...well that's fine. Gods, I'd HATE you if I didn't like you so mu-'

With that, Balthier pressed his lips against Vaan's in a fleeting kiss, and pulled away. Vaan gawped, his eyes wide.

'Well, you wouldn't listen to my confessions,' Balthier shrugged. 'Time is short.'

'Yeah, well for someone with a silver tongue you're not very good with words,' Vaan said shakily, his lips burning.

'I have better uses for a silver tongue,' Balthier teased lightly.

And as Vaan met him in a deeper kiss, he just had to agree.