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The tavern was as packed as ever, and no one looked twice at them as they retreated to a table at the far end of the gallery. Tomaj was quick to deliver their order and while his eyes flitted between the two men in very knowing fashion, his words revealed nothing about what he knew or suspected; the Sandsea had always seen too many men on dishonest business for the details to interest him. Vaan slipped him some coins and the bartender left, leaving them to their drinks.
Balthier took a sip of his tankard, eyeing his companion fondly. He had to admit to being impressed – Vaan had gone a long way since their first meeting. He remembered the bravado with which he'd declared to become a sky pirate, something that had seemed laughable at the time, but the Vaan sitting next to him tonight was no scrawny street kid any longer. His speech was as carefree as ever but Balthier could see that he carried himself differently, with confidence that had not been there some years ago.
Balthier leaned back in his seat, a small smile tugging at his lips. Tonight, they weren't sky pirates, but simply two old friends with catching up to do.
“So what was this proposition you wished to discuss with me?” he asked, taking a long sip of his drink.
Vaan returned his smirk. He had grown since they'd last met, but then again it had been almost two full years. His skin still bore the familiar Dalmascan tan, a striking contrast to his flaxen hair, but he had visibly matured. His cheekbones were sharper, for one, and there was a faint shadow of a recently shaved stubble on his chin that had certainly not been there before.
Vaan slid a piece of parchment towards him. “Got tipped off of a profitable hunt in the Necrohol of Nabudis,” he said. “Clan exclusive, y'know. Hasn't been posted publicly – Montblanc wants his best hunters on the job.”
Balthier examined the poster. The promised reward was very generous, he had to admit that.
“Montblanc would do well to up his bid,” he said instead, quirking an eyebrow. “The Necrohol is crawling with Baknamy and the high concentration of Mist attracts all manner of other unpleasant creatures as well.”
Vaan's grin widened and he winked. “I bet that's why he wants sky pirates on the job.”
“And why would you want to share the bounty with me? Surely you'd rather keep the goods to yourself – to the victor go the spoils, as they say.”
Vaan lifted his tankard and drank, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. His eyes never left Balthier for one moment. “Just thought we'd have one last adventure for old times' sake,” he said. “Just us and The Strahl and the promise of a good journey in the horizon.”
Balthier laughed; he couldn't help it. There was a rather familiar twinkle in Vaan's eye, one that he'd once upon a time learned to associate with immediate mischief, and he had to admit he'd quite missed it. The Fates be damned, it was good to be back in old, dusty Rabanastre.
“Don't you have your own crew to look after?” Balthier man teased. “I imagine Penelo wouldn't take too kindly to you running off into the blue and leaving her behind for some hare-brained scheme of yours – once again.”
Vaan waved his hand. “She'd never let me hear the end of it.”
“But that isn't going to keep you from doing it, is it?”
“Has it ever?”
They both laughed and drank again. There was a comforting familiarity to just spending time with Vaan, something that Balthier rarely got to enjoy nowadays.
Hell, why not just go for it? he thought. He's good fun, and there's good money in it, too.
Their hands brushed against one another's briefly as Vaan grabbed the hunt poster and folded it in his pocket. He leaned back, arms crossed behind his back as he glanced around the tavern, and Balthier allowed his gaze to wander just for a bit. Vaan's shirt was open to his collar bones, revealing a generous amount of tanned skin – a perfectly common trait in the hot climate of Rabanastre while risque even for the fleeting fashions of the Imperial capital. Teeth teased his bottom lip casually as his eyes focused on something. He was definitely a handsome sight, there was no denying that.
Vaan caught Balthier's stare and grinned, returning the look. “See something you like?”
Ah. So he'd also become more attentive over the years.
“Call me sentimental if you wish, but it isn't every day that one gets to entertain old friends in this manner,” Balthier replied, dodging the question.
Vaan's eyes creased as he smiled, the expression so genuine that Balthier couldn't help the feeling of warmth that washed over him. Vaan's face had always been an open book; back in the day Balthier had thought it his weakness. Now he was not so sure any more. On a sky pirate such a trait could be dangerous if one knew how to use to it to his advantage.
And Vaan, he trusted, would certainly do just that.
Vaan leaned his chin on his hand, watching him keenly. “So what do you say? You up for an adventure or two?”
Balthier raised an eyebrow.
“Are you quite sure this is the only reason you wanted to speak in private? We could have discussed this anywhere,” he said.
The place couldn't have been a better set-up for anything requiring perfect privacy; the dim lighting, the corner table well away from all other patrons. A busy evening after sundown when the tavern was packed and rowdy. The noise level was such that no one could have heard a word of what they were saying even if they'd tried to eavesdrop.
“What do you mean?” Vaan asked, his tone a little too innocent. Balthier had a feeling he knew this, too – there was something about his expression that said that he wasn't as naïve as he wanted to appear.
“Come now, Vaan, don't play me for a fool,” Balthier said, cocking his head on one side. “I know you well enough to know when there's something on your mind.”
Vaan lifted his drink again and took a long draught this time. He put down the tankard, now empty, and leaned in conspiratorially, his expression suddenly cunning.
“Keep your voice down,” he told Balthier. “This is just between you and me, okay?”
“I'm all ears.”
He saw the blonde licks his lips, mouth parted ever so slightly. They looked at each other for a moment, and then Vaan had closed the distance between them and brought their lips together, kissing him just once, hard, one hand resting on Balthier's neck. They broke away and Balthier stared at him, stunned into silence for once. Vaan's hand was very warm against his skin and he found he didn't want him to move it.
He saw the question in Vaan's eyes, his eyebrows raised. Balthier's answer was to return the kiss. Vaan's mouth was warm against his, still tasting of ale, and his kisses were none too gentle. Teeth, tongue, heat, almost demanding, and when they broke away again Balthier felt rather warm.
Vaan's mouth curled into a smile, a light flush on his cheeks now.
“So this is your proposition?” Balthier asked in a low voice. Vaan's smile widened.
“I always meant to tell you,” he answered, placing a hand on Balthier's thigh. His breath was warm against the other man's lips, enticingly close. “But I thought you'd just laugh.”
“Three years ago I would have,” Balthier admitted. “You were just a brat.”
“How about now?”
Balthier considered the situation. He was hardly one for commitment; it was something that did not quite suit the profession nor his reputation, and yet there was no denying all the times that Vaan had occupied his thoughts during the past few years.
Too many times, in fact. Too many damn times for it to be a coincidence, regardless of what Balthier liked to tell himself. And now, the look on Vaan's face was making his blood circulate in ways that he found difficult to ignore. It was new, this proximity, and he knew he wanted more of it.
“You know what they say about the leading man: he doesn't do happily ever afters,” Balthier said. It came out without his usual bravado.
Vaan was so close that their lips almost brushed against one another when he spoke. Almost, but not quite, and even that small distance was maddening. “So, does he do more informal arrangements?”
“Perhaps, if the bounty is tempting enough.”
Vaan's hand roamed higher on his thigh, determined. “And is it?”
Balthier smiled. “Persuade me and we'll see.”
Damn the Gods and damn the Fates themselves, the boy was going to be the end of him.