Balthier Audition

”Even the dark corners feel like a lighted stage.”

Balthier’s quip to the Viera beside him came matter-of-factly, his eyes intent on the room before them as he sat with a glass of liquor in his hand and his arm strewn along the back of the booth where the two of them sat. He made a motion with his hand, letting the ice in the glass clink against the sides quietly before he moved the liquid to his lips again. Admittedly, the drink’s preparation and taste showed the mark of a good barmaid – the rather voluptuous young lady with the dark hair that claimed she ran the place, occasionally passing by the doorway of the room wherein the sky pirates were sitting – but Balthier could not help but pick up the hint of a different taste in his drink as it swept across his palate. He lowered the glass down to the table with a silent sigh. Ah, yes, he was being quite picky and perhaps rather childish for the loss of his Ivalician pubs, but only Fran would have the ability to judge such childishness. He sincerely doubted that she felt any differently from her seat.

They could not have found a better well in which to whet their appetites, though considering most of the bars that Balthier and his partner had come across on Gran Pulse, the complement wasn’t any reason for the owner to become too enthused. Still, this 7th Heaven that they currently sat within had proven the one place that looked to be up to their typical standards. Balthier and the lovely Viera to his side had never been ones to settle on the qualifications of an establishment. For both of them to have parked themselves in a booth for the better part of the night as opposed to escaping through the door at first chance spoke that the aforementioned barmaid did have a grasp on her trade, regardless of Balthier’s pickiness about his drink.

The atmosphere was, despite Balthier’s earlier comment, tolerable as well, though naturally he and Fran tended to keep to themselves on these evening excursions if they could help it. His earlier comment had been born from the continued tendency of the residents of this city to give Fran their undivided attention. One particular younger male at a table across from the sky pirates had been completely enamored by Balthier’s companion and, as Balthier had noticed in studying the youth from the corner of his eye, had barely taken his eyes off of her to speak with the rest of the company at his table. For the first time, Balthier looked the youth square in the face to discourage his awful ability to stare. The Archadian’s eyes slowly slid from the youth’s, once he was sure the youth had seen him returning the stare, over to the exposed midriff of the Viera that the other set of eyes had been trained on. Balthier’s gaze didn’t linger there, rising to Fran’s face with a shake of his head. ”If the typical citizen is any indication, these people would see you drowning in gil if they could only pay to watch you all hours of the day,” the sky pirate disinterestedly commented, looking back at the youth who was starting to get the hint and finally averted his eyes. His tone dropped into one of distaste. Naturally, he couldn’t expect the two of them to walk around day and night with not a single individual taking a long look at Fran and all of her…offerings as a Viera. Balthier did expect them to close their gaping mouths occasionally, however, to keep the flies from entering. ”You would hope their eyes would eventually grow tired.”

His drink was brought to his mouth for another sip, his eyes returning to their neutral position in indifferently scanning the room. The people Balthier could see, Fran could hear twice as well. There must have been some interesting thought or other being expressed in this place. ”Have any thoughts on our evening’s business, Fran?”

What a good supporting role he has

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