Balthier paused, his hand stopping before he could drag his finger along the bed in a coy gesture. Larsa knew? After a second of thought, he decided he didn't really care. That one was always perceptive for a kid. How could he expect less? "It is true you have a most open face," Balthier admitted. Like right now, he saw the feelings Basch had, and the hurt that Balthier's actions caused. He turned his gaze away.

"Still serious I see. Truth is, I was already in the city when my friend informed me of the report. Figured I would just...drop by, you know." It wasn't an overly complicated thing. It didn't mean he had worried while waiting for so long or that he couldn't tell you what book he'd been reading. He just dropped by. "Seriously," Balthier groaned, dragging a hand through his hair. "Does this have to be about you? Ever consider that this is about me?"

Basch listens closely and he could tell Balthier was worried. Why else would he be here? Maybe there was some hope he was getting thru. Basch walks over and picks up the book off the floor before sitting on the bed. "Sorry...I need to break that habit anyway. Of course I do. I'm worry about you after all," Basch says, "I know I never didn't ask on how you got out of Bahamut. I figure it was probably to hard for you to repeat. After all the radio cut off even before we could hear anything else."

He leans closely to Balthier and stares at him. Basch reaches over and runs his fingers tip gently across Balthier's cheek. "So I'm asking now...I want to know how you survived." It was hard not knowing. Maybe this would be the next still on strengthing their relationship that both seem to want

Balthier sighed and dropped his chin into the palm of his hand. A part of him wanted Basch to ask this. Without even Fran to share the burden with, he knew he needed friends. Basch once told him before to let others in, to let them help carry things. At the time, he'd followed the advice because they'd never survive their journey otherwise, but it was much harder to do now.

"Luck, I suppose?" Balthier answered after a minute. "I'd just gotten the rings working again when Fran passed out. Girl just couldn't take much more of that ship. By then, it was all going down around us though. It was close and and I swear we..." Memories of the fire coming down in flames caused him to pause. "...but a damaged rover got left behind and we crashed it out into the sands." Balthier didn't offer a lot of details and instead rubbed his back self-consciously.

Basch watches him while he listens to Balthier's tale on what happen. From the outside of the fortress watching from the Strahl was nothing compare what happen inside. It sounded like hell from what Balthier said. Luck was just small...it had to be a miracle by the gods they made it out before the fortress was made their tomb. Looking over seeing Balthier rubbing his back. He already figure he had been badly injury.

Basch reaches over and hugs him. "I'm sorry, I didn't know..." he really didn't know what to say. He was just a lost of words at that point. "I never knew what had became of you...or how you managed to get out alive. Even if you guys was injured in the process. I'm just very greatful you are alive. I love you no matter how bad injured you are." he says softly.

For the moment, Balthier let Basch hug him though he normally wouldn't. In the month since the crash, he'd done his best to never think about. To think, at the time, he truly thought he would die. After tossing Fran to the rover, debris fell and had him trapped. Though he yelled for her to just go, the viera woman roused enough to help him and together they flew the rover. Though flying didn't quite seem the right word when it just spiraled madly in a slow enough result that they survived the crash. If not for a concerned citizen, it still would have ended there.

"Injured?" Balthier tried his best to snort. He knew he didn't sound as cool as he wanted to though. "What makes you-" He dropped his hand back onto the bed, his composure faltering. "think I'm injured?"

Basch gave him a look, "Balthier...I know you...you couldn't have came out of there un-injury. Plus I saw you rub your back." He moves back a little and moves to the head board of the bed. Sitting down behind him. "Come on, I want to see, please." He looks at him conurned about him. Was always worried about him. Never did stop thinking about him for a month. If he wasn't in his brother's postion first off. He would have gone out and search for him.

He tugs on Balthier's shirt to see if he would finally give up and let him see it. He was some what curious about his 'future lover' hopefully. If they wanted to be in a good relationship. They have to be on top of everything.

Balthier wanted to hit himself. Of course Basch saw him messing with his back every now and then. He kept doing it subconsciously, not quite able to ignore what his shirt hid. "You don't really want to see it," he brushed off before Basch tugged on his shirt. Balthier shifted away just enough that he reclaimed his shirt tails. "Geez you, don't mess up my clothes. Fine, I'll take it off if you just quit wrinkling them."

Still muttering under his breath, he undid the clasps on his vest so he could unbutton the white shirt he wore underneath. Only when he had them all undone did he slowly slip the shirt off to pool at his waist. The marred flesh started its worst at his shoulder and went most of the way down his back. "Not quite the scar that ladies dig is it?"

Basch rolls his eyes and looks at him, "Oh brother...you and your clothes. I'm not going to mess your clothes up." says shakes his head at him. He couldn't help but to laugh a little. Balthier was always like that during their trip. The man had more pairs of clothes that either of the girls. Not sure about Fran.

Basch looks at his back and stares across the scar. It looked bad but at lease Balthier had his life. "Who cares if the ladies don't dig it? All they want is money or whatever," he says. He moves closer and hugs him from behind. Of course he was shirtless to so his flesh was pressing against Balthier's back. "Does it still hurts?" asking in a calming matter. It had been a month ago since he got it so he was worried.

It took a lot not to turn over his shoulder and stare at the scar too. Not that Balthier liked looking at it or anything. He did know he wanted to avoid whatever look Basch wore on his face right now though. Probably pity? He would have pulled his shirt back into place, but Basch's words made him snort with laughter. "Wow, that's a surprisingly pessimistic view of women you've got there!" he exclaimed, not that he disagreed.

Balthier stiffened at the hug, but he didn't try to pull out of it either. "It does hurt sometimes," he admitted. "I got some special potions from this lady. If I use them over time, it's supposed to make even the visible scar go away." He wasn't sure how much he believed this fairytale, but so far it did a good job.

Basch teasely kissed Balthier's neck in a playful matter. Listening to him and not sure if the potions would work. Plus not sure what type of woman this was. He nibbles on the bottom of his lip while thinking. "Maybe but potions are tricky on cure scars like theses. Magi is a little but different than potions. They can heal more quicker than potions." He knew what he was talking about cause it wasn't to long ago he learned something like it.

He lets go of Balthier for an moment and stands up. "I may can help you on that. Potions takes hours to work as I said if it the good kind. Not sure what type of potions you was giving." He didn't want to see Balthier in pain like this from the scars. If they truly hurt him like he said. Basch wanted to do everything he could to get even closer to Balthier.

"Perhaps," Balthier sighed. Even if magick would work better, potions were easier to come by and he knew the ones he'd been gifted weren't your standard shop potions. He reached to the floor next to the bed where he left his bag. It wasn't like he planned on staying anywhere else for the night. He waited on Basch's bed after all.

After finding the bottle of potion, he tossed it to Basch. "Take a look at that and tell me what you think? It's pretty neat." Laying down now, he pillowed his face in his arms. "I mean, I don't know how much you can help me otherwise." At least he'd pulled his shirt back up over his shoulders again when he shifted. Those ugly scars weren't there in the open. Far more than any pain they gave him, the sight bothered him more.

Basch catches the bottle and looks at it. "Yea it is...very rare. I have seen them around lately in potion shops. Never knew had it out again. Makes me wonder what kind of side effects have." He walks over and looks him over as he thought he look right at home. He sets the potion down on the nightstand and moves over. Slowly climbs up over Balthier and stares at him.

"You know, you look so comfy on my bed." Basch smiles at him.

He didn't care what Balthier's back look like. He knew he would be able to heal him enough, that they wouldn't be a problem. So he was trying to change the subject now from his scars to something else. Basch looks down at him, "So, what you want to do?" He shifts his weight to one side and runs his finger tips down Balthier's chest.

"Side effects?" Balthier asked with an eyebrow raised. "Haven't noticed any." He shifted to grab his potion and return it to his bag, but before he could, he found Basch looking down at him. Just like that, the mood changed. Balthier hummed as he fixed Basch with a heated stare.

"What do you want to do?" he whispered back. A slight smirk played on his face. He reached up to capture Basch's hand though he did nothing to hinder its movements. He just followed along, guiding the hand as he willed. Even if Basch just distracted him from the conversation--and a part of him did believe he intended that--Balthier didn't mind. "There's no one that needs saving now. Nothing in the world to stop us..." His smirk in itself was an open invitation.

It seem the mood was right and of course both men was shirtless. So what could happen. Only a few knew the truth and far as he knew the young emperor was safely within the palace. So nothing would stop what ever was going to happen. "Oh I can think of a few things," chuckles lightly. Basch leans his head down and kisses Balthier deeply, while grabbing both of his hands and pins them over his head.

Balthier kissed Basch back. Even with his hands pinned, he could care less. Maybe he didn't realize how much, but he always wanted this, probably since he first saw Basch. It was funny how they drew close to each other. "And I won't say no," Balthier added as he pulled back from the kiss. "Basch...you know for you, I-"

He didn't get a chance to finish his words. Footsteps sounded from outside, booted and running. Balthier turned his head, trying to figure out why so many people could be running nearby. It smelled like trouble. "You weren't planning for visitors were you?"

Basch heard the foot steps running around like crazy. Of course, he didn't think nothing was bad about it. Probably just some guards chasing thiefs or something. He looks down at Balthier, shakes his head. Basch kisses Balthier's neck, saying "No hardly no one else knows about me leaving. Unless something happen to Larsa. I'm sure they are just chasing...." then out of nowhere a one or two Archadian Soldiers came into his house then to his room. It cause Basch looks up at the guards, "What is the meaning of this?!" glaring at them.

Basch had never thought about locking the door when he arrived home. "Judge Gabranth....Larsa...uhhh...." one of starts to speak frantically but it changed a little when they saw them. Both Basch and Balthier in a very intimacy way. It cause both guards to blush but it was hard to see with their helmets on. Basch closes his eyes and lets out a sigh, "By the divines..." not what he wanted but hearing Larsa's name being said that way wasn't good. Basch rolls over off of Balthier and still glaring at the guards. "What? What happen to Lord Larsa?"

The guards regain their composer and answer, "The young lord emperor has been kidnapped!" Basch's eyes widen and he reaches out and grabs the guard, slamming him against the wall. "What?! How is that possible?!" Basch's yells. How could someone take the emperor and for what reason.

Balthier couldn't shake the feeling that trouble came their way. He only just started to pull away when two guards burst right into the room. "For the love of sky," he muttered under his breath, feeling very much like shooting someone, but his guns lay on the floor and very much out of reach. It probably wouldn't help his reputation either. He rolled into a sitting position after Basch and slipped his shirt back into place. Not that he looked the least bit embarrassed to be seen like this. It was a matter of pride after all and he needed to show a straight back.

"Larsa?" he echoed, at first just shocked. When he saw Basch's reaction though, he was on his feet in a second. Balthier laid one hand on the other man's arm. "Don't be such an idiot. Getting violent won't solve anything." He switched his attention to the guards. "What happened?"

Basch felt Balthier's hand touch his arm. He looks over at him and back to the guard before he backed off. He over reacted but he had a right to be. He never should had left his lord's side but he also wanted to search for Balthier. Who ever kidnapped Larsa better be ready for some hurt. The guard clears his throat before he looks over his partner before he looks over at Basch and Balthier.

"The Leviathan arrived back at the empire palace. Ondore was there to greet us then out of no where men, those who still support the late Vayne, attacked. They knocked out Ondore as he was trying to protect Larsa and took out a few other guards before grabbing Emperor Larsa. Then went north toward some old ruins," the other guard explains calmly so he wouldn't try anything else. Basch walks over and grabs his shirt as he puts it on. "Sounds like they are trying to start this war again by kidnapping Larsa," he said turning around.

Balthier pondered the story for a bit before he nodded in agreement. "Sounds like it. Damn, I thought this was all over." He had no idea supporters of Vayne still existed. Shouldn't they have weeded them all out by now? Did he just get that far out of the loop? This did not bode well and Balthier never intended to get involved in anything more serious than stealing an airship. Yet, he found it hard to leave Basch to this alone.

Grabbing his things, Balthier put his clothes back in order. He glared at the guards before making a shooing motion with one hand. "You've said your message. If there's not anything else, then carry on," he muttered before turning to look at Basch, both hands on his hips. "Well, I suppose you'll need my help. Anyway, I need to see how this story ends." He paused, rolling his eyes. "Since it's obviously not over yet."

Basch listens to Balthier and knew he was right. When would this story have a ending. Clearly there had been some who survived and not got captured for treason or death. The guards leave. "One thing for sure...they are paying for a new door." looking over at it as Basch's mumbles to himself. Basch turns around and looks at Balthier, "Thank you, Balthier." walking over to him. "I know, there will be someone there helping me getting Larsa back. You and I know what would happen if another war starts and so soon before Princess Ashe's coronation."

Basch straps his sheath sword around his waist, "At lease, we can weed out those whom might attempt something like this, since they are dead." Basch rubs the back of his head as he heads to the door.He stops and closes his eyes, "I knew something wasn't right when we was Rabanastre," leans against the door. This was his fault that Larsa was kidnapped in the first place. He wonder what Gabranth would do if he saw this.

"Well, don't you worry. We'll have this all fine and dandy again soon so nothing is going to happen. Just us then?" he asked as he checked his guns. Of course they were still loaded and beautifully clean. He just liked to check for the sake of things. In some ways, he thought this whole adventure would go quicker without the others tagging along, although they helped so much before. Only Fran did he worry about leaving out.

Balthier slipped out the door with the most prideful step he'd worn in a while. Having a purpose just felt so right. "Alrighty, first things first, we need an airship. And then to figure out just who took Larsa and where."

Basch follows Balthier out the door and smiles lightly, "Let's hope so...they will pray they had died when everyone else did. Not sure who is leading this army." Plus not sure how many there was left after the war. So many questions and there was no answers. One thing for sure....they will try to make Larsa start the war by anyway possible. "I supposed so...we can't drag Lady Ashe into this. She needs to stay where she is safe in case something happens. I just hope not. If something happens to her there will be chaos."

He thinks of something, "I do have an airship at the air dome that I used." Looking over his shoulder at Balthier, "Or should we get the Strahl. I'm sure you miss flying her." It was odd to see Balthier being without his airship. So he figure to open up the offer. Strahl was a little bit faster than his own. Plus they need to get to Larsa fast before they used him or brainwash him. Basch rubs his chin, thinking what the guard said.

"I think first we need to check Draklor Laboratory. After Cid's death, Larsa made sure the laboratory was shut down. So we need to making sure that all of the manufacted nethicite is truly destroy. I'm sure it's all gone. But even one is intact..." not wanted to finish the sentience. The laboratory was on the other side of the city so it was going to be a long walk. Of course, they could get supplies from the shops along the way.

Balthier bit his lip, thinking. The Strahl. He loved her and he'd been a ground lubber for far too long now. Still, he had his promise to Fran. After almost a minute, he shook his head. Even if they made a stop to get her, assuming they had the time for it, she wasn't well enough. He felt guilty just considering pulling her away from the wood so soon. Because she would come, no matter if she was ready or not, if he just said the word.

"We'll just use your airship for now. I have a grand re-entrance still planned, remember?" Though this late in the game, it started to sound pointless. Balthier's face twisted at the mention of his father and the nethicite that drove him insane. "Right, to Draklor then. Just when I thought I was done with that place too," he added with a roll of his eyes.

They stopped at a couple shops, restocking, and found themselves at the heart of the city and the Draklor Laboratories smack in the dead of night. "Shall we?"

Basch looks up at the laboratory as it look eerie at night. The full moon shines above the tall building. It was a historic building, so they couldn't really destroy it, no matter how many bad memories it held. It was the last place he knew Balthier didn't wanted to go much less himself too but something told him they needed to check. They did seal it just to keep others from enter it, unless someone broken the seal. He hopes it wasn't the case but they had to be sure. "Alright...just take it slow..." he heads to the door and stops.

It was crack open, so someone had broken into the labs by removing the seal. 'This is impossible....no one could have broken this seal. Unless they was familer with it to began with', He thought once he saw the door. He rubs his head never knew there had been people within the ranks that could do this. Now this got him worried. How many was corrupted in the army? Now it was going to be hard to tell who is friend or foe again.

Basch looks over at Balthier, "Be ready for anything, no tell how many it could be in there." He unsheathe his sword and slowly opens the door, figure he needed to go in first before Balthier did. Poking his head around not seeing much since it was dark. The power had been shut off since there was no reason for anyone to be in here, right?

"Bodes ill," Balthier muttered before he followed Basch into the laboratory after only a slight pause. He spent most of his life running away from bad memories. A little confrontation wouldn't hurt him. He readied his guns, but with the lights out, he didn't think they'd do much good. "This place always gave me the creeps," he muttered under his breath. More so now at night, a month after they abandoned it. It felt like he could hear his father's voice echoing from the very walls.

"Hold on, there should be a power box around here somewhere. I can at least get the back up power on." He couldn't quite shake the feeling that the laboratory wasn't empty. Still, he just shook it off and felt around until he found the panel on the wall. Kneeling down, he used the full moon's light that snuck through the door to fix the wiring and a minute later, he had the overhead lights flickering on. It still left the halls eerie and full of shadows, but at least they could find their way.