ibythetide (ibythetide) wrote in areyougame, @ 2008-10-11 19:14:00 |
|
|||
Current music: | cut copy - feel the love |
Cabin Boy, Final Fantasy xii (Balthier/Vaan)
Title: cabin boy
Author/Artist: ibythetide
Rating: pg
Word count: 748
Prompt: October 11 - Final Fantasy XII, Balthier/Vaan: Age differences - Cabin boy
Balthier struggles against the assortment of chain, cloth, and rope until his hands came together. Applause, muffled and halting as he can manage, is warranted for his captor is inventive if nothing else. The monologue had been staged well, fire highlighting the madness in his eyes, his shadow looming along the cave wall, creeping towards Balthier with slow menace.
Raphel certainly knows how to entertain his guests.
Balthier tells him such, grin lazed, drawl bored. Their history extends far into the past and Balthier uses this to distract and enrage. His moves are but petty blows to Raphel's ego and he succeeds. The blow crashes him into stone. Pain blooms across his shoulders and neck in a rhythm counter to his heart. His cheek pluses, split at Raphel's response.
“I'll allow you your humor,” Raphel says, boot heel grinding into the wound at Balthier's shoulder. “It will soon be all you have left.”
“So this is personal,” Balthier says. He holds Raphel's gaze even as he curls his body away.
“Not at all.” Raphel steps back to slide free his sword. The blade curves, a sign of Rozzarian wickedness. “No one cares for a noble pirate, certainly not one who flies under the protection of Dalmasca newly allied to Archadia. You're simply worth more to me dead than alive. I win, Balthier.”
“Sorry to disappoint you,” Balthier says. “But it appears that today, time is on my side.”
Black film bursts from the earth. A flare of deep blue and Raphel freezes mid swing. Vaan ducks around his still body. His crossbow holds steady on Raphel's chest while he cuts at the ropes tying Balthier's feet. Faded amber buzzes along his skin, after affects of time magicks, and Balthier wonders where the boy had learned this particular trick. Vaan is full of surprises, his ability to move both hands independently of each other a bonus Balthier would explore in time.
“Fran?” he asks instead.
“I hit a trap and we separated.” Balther watches Vaan flush to admit his mistake. The bindings snapped free and Vaan began at those tying his wrists. The shackles will have to be attended to later. “She's with Penelo though. We found her first. She's safe.”
His hands are suddenly more mobile and Balthier catches Vaan's wrist, squeezing once. “As am I.”
Vaan ducks his head. It does nothing to hide the grin.
“Cabin boy,” Raphel croaks. The sound is both incredulous and derisive.
“Do I look like a boy to you?” Vaan growls. He braces Balthier against his hip and together they struggle his dead weight upright.
If pressed, Balthier will admit to being astonished by the sheer amount of will Raphel displays. He speaks through the spell of immobilization and manages to return Vaan's glare with a leer.
Vaan has grown in these two years. He and Balthier are almost of height. The round boyishness has faded from Vaan's face leaving him lean with a sharp jaw and full lips. His body, also lean and shaded in desert hues, moves with a reckless grace which attracts all eyes. To see Vaan as such in the face of possible death and still find time to appreciate raw beauty is a worthy trait. And Raphel, eyes hungry even in defeat, has noticed Vaan's, named him cabin boy. One as young, as winsome as Vaan can be cabin boy to a sky pirate such as Balthier, who plucks only the rarest of treasures. His surprise at Balthier's rescue by such a prize is understandable.
But Balthier is not pressed. He is sore and tired and somehow annoyed at the banter between the two. “We've more than earned our share this round, Vaan.” He leveled a smile at Raphel. “Do give Aldo my regards, pet. And I welcome our next encounter.”
Promise is dark in his voice.
Glow moss line the walls allowing them a lighted path. They push through the caverns quickly, stopping briefly to address Balthier's wounds.
“I want to know why,” Vaan says, securing Balthier to his side with a hot palm. “every time I rescue you people call me your cabin boy.”
“Every time?” Balthier asks mildly. “Twice and you consider yourself my hero?”
“Five times,” Vaan says. “And don't change the subject. Cabin boy?”
Cabin boy, catamite? No Vaan is an apprentice and five years too young to appreciate how this scene could end.
“You can hardly count Mandola. As for your question,” Balthier's smile is weary. “Perhaps when you're older.”