When earth was smoking

[desert-baby.livejournal.com]

Characters: Vaan, Balthier, Fran, and Mjrn (and Jote, if she wants?)
Progress: Ongoing
Summary: Vaan finally makes it to Shumi Village and waits for Balthier and Co to pick him up.
Location: Shumi Village
Date: January, 1804
Warnings: None



Vaan shivered as he stood by the elevator. He had made it inside and had immediately been given a blanket but he refused anything else in waiting for his friends. He wanted to know what happened before his arrival. What was all this about... rescuing him from this Kefka guy? What had happened to get him taken and needing to be rescued?

Comments

[shatterhearted.livejournal.com]

Fran turned her attention to Jote, quirking her eyebrow with a smile. "It seems you mellow towards Humes in your old age." She was teasing of course. And this time anyone would be able to tell that, even someone who didn't know her. "I thank you."

And then her sights were back on Vaan. "Can you walk or shall we carry you back to the Strahl?" Yes, it seemed even Fran was far too excited to have the airship back.

[xbalthierx.livejournal.com]

Balthier caught Jote's look and gave her one back, just as intense. It wasn't that they'd ever start anything with Fran and Mjrn around, but it could happen. They'd already swapped harsh words at Garnet's ball. She disliked him, he disliked her. That was the simple fact of it and it was a silent yet mutual agreement never to fight in front of Jote's sisters.

Balthier reached to ruffle Vaan's hair lightly. "He can walk, of course. It isn't far." Sure, he said that, but if Vaan was too tired, he'd carry the boy. He'd missed their closeness.

[dewdrop-pebbles.livejournal.com]

Mjrn pulled back from Vaan, suddenly sheepish. She glanced to her sisters, hoping that the tensions that usually rose between them before long could be spared just this once. After all that had happened, she didn't have the emotional strength to deal with it right now. Fran's thanks relaxed her a bit, though, and she nodded in agreement with that. "Thank you, Jote."

She seemed about to say more to her, but Fran and Balthier refocusing on Vaan reset her priorities also. He may be out of danger, but that weariness did not escape her. "Let us not detain him from further rest." The young viera remained by Vaan, in case he chose to walk but needed support.

[woodguardian.livejournal.com]

Jote gave a nod to Mjrn and Fran each, but didn't comment otherwise. Now was not the time. Quietly, she moved back into the shadows, though she wouldn't leave the area until the others had all left as well.

[desert-baby.livejournal.com]

Vaan rubbed his eyes, trying to be less sleepy till he had a cot beneath him. But it was becoming harder to do with each passing minute. The trek wore him out worse than he thought it did. Which was odd because it wasn't like he wasn't used to the hard work of traveling and the like. But perhaps all the shivering and pushing through the snow was just too much work all at once.

But still, even as he swayed slightly on his feet, he looked for Jote, spotting her just before she disappeared. "Thanks Jote, really."

[shatterhearted.livejournal.com]

Fran smiled warmly at the sight of the exhausted Vaan, quite expecting Balthier to have to carry the boy back to the Strahl. She crossed over to Balthier's side, reaching for his hand, a silent thank you for playing nicely with Jote. Or as nicely as he could play with her.

"Come. Let us get you to the warmth and comfort of the Strahl. There is much to discuss, but rest must come first."

[xbalthierx.livejournal.com]

Frowning at the swaying, Balthier eyed Vaan with caution in his gaze. He didn't like that swaying. Fatigue was likely getting to the boy and Balthier knew the young man had his pride but perhaps it was best he was carried.

"Vaan... would you prefer if I carried you?" By far, he was the strongest of the group and the one not wearing damnably high heeled shoes. He was clearly the best option for Vaan to be carried. Of course, the last time he'd picked Vaan up was to throw the boy off a building and dangle him by his arm from a hover bike...

[dewdrop-pebbles.livejournal.com]

Mjrn watched Jote slip back into the shadows, wishing they could have a moment...but it seemed her stay in the village would be delayed yet further, for now. She then turned her attention to Vaan, frowning a bit as she noticed the slight swaying. That caused her to automatically step in close, just in case his ability to stay upright deteriorated.

At Balthier's suggestion, Mjrn nodded as she peered at Vaan. "Your weariness is taking its toll. Perhaps it is best." She didn't want him falling over, after all, and Balthier could aid Vaan better than they, much as she ached to do something for him.

[desert-baby.livejournal.com]

Vaan found it embarrassing that he would have to be carried but as his eyes grew even heavier, he sleepily realized he had no choice. "Okay," He murmured, but he was smirking slightly. "But don't throw me off a building, please."

He, too, remembered that the last time Balthier carried him, it was to throw him off the palace and onto the hoverbike (and which he horribly missed). He doubted Balthier would do it now, friends just don't do that. But friends do tease and he couldn't help but do so now.

[shatterhearted.livejournal.com]

Fran missed the hoverbike. She missed it a lot. But at the same time, she had the Strahl back and that was much more important to her. The Strahl was... home. Balthier, Mjrn, Jote, the Strahl. They were all here, in Gaia. There was little reason for Fran to desire to return to Ivalice. Penelo, Nono, Basch, they were some of the few reasons.

"Do not worry. No one shall be thrown from a building today. Tomorrow, perhaps, we shall throw you from the Strahl."

[xbalthierx.livejournal.com]

Laughing lightly, Balthier scooped Vaan up, hooking an arm under his legs (wherever they were under the blanket mountain) and another around his back. "I may throw him from a building if he complains."

Giving Vaan that smile that stated he really wouldn't but the possibility was there, he shifted the boy in his grasp and made for the exit, slightly surprised at how the boy wasn't really as heavy as he recalled. Though, that was likely because he had a proper grip on him now, and not just a one armed hold.

[dewdrop-pebbles.livejournal.com]

At Vaan's request, Mjrn stared at him questioningly. She couldn't tell if that was random or stemmed from some inner joke, though her sense of humor was severely blunted for the time being, anyway. When Fran and Balthier added to it, she just shook her head and followed them to the exit.

[desert-baby.livejournal.com]

"No throwing me off anything," Vaan murmured as he was lifted into Balthier's arms. His head dropped immediately to the man's shoulder. Now that he was off his feet and next to something warm, his body demanded sleep now. He managed to mutter one last thing, however. "Thanks guys."

Vaan was dead asleep by the time they were all in the elevator again.

[shatterhearted.livejournal.com]

Once they reached the surface, Fran exited the elevator, walking off ahead to prepare the Strahl for swift flight. The cold barely seemed to bother her, despite the minimal clothing the Vieran race tended to wear.

Boarding the Strahl, she instantly made way to the cockpit, adjusting the heating to warm the ship up for Vaan without overheating him. Next she checked the ship's stats, everything was in working order. All that was left was to get Vaan settled and set a course. She would leave those tasks to the captain.