You Misunderstand

You Misunderstand



Chapter Two





He was wearing only his shorts as he ran through the camp and down to the water. The moon was full and the sky clear. He easily made out the features of the rocks and trees as he ran. He reached the water’s edge but did not stop. He waded out till the water reached mid thigh, then went right under to cool himself. He stayed under till his lungs burned. ‘What have I done? I’ve hurt my friend.’ He thought to himself ‘What a coward I am.’ He stood again facing away from the camp. He put his hand down the front of his pants and touched his limp member, nothing happened. He closed his eyes. ‘All that and nothing, not even a twitch. Pathetic old man.’



“What the FUCK is this?” Balthier yelled from just behind him, his voice full of anger.



Basch looked over his shoulder. Balthier was wearing his tight undershorts and his white blouse undone. He looked unbelievably sexy, even with his brow furrowed and a scowl on his face. Had he been under the water so long? Basch goes to his knees and buries his face in his hands. The water came up to his chest. ‘I don’t want him to see.’



The pirate stormed up to him and pushed him whilst yelling, “I’m in there fucking falling apart for you and you’re out here beating yourself off.” Basch splashes to avoid losing his balance.



“It’s not like that,” he says not meeting Balthier’s eyes.



“What’s it like than?” Balthier asked in a calm tone, as he put a hand on the kneeling man’s shoulder. Basch can feel his friend’s once again hard cock pressing into his back as Balthier sinks down in the water behind him. The pirate ran his hand down the knight’s strong rippled stomach, wrapping his arms tight around Basch.



“Why don’t you let me help you with that, Captain?” Balthier said seductively as his hand slid down below Basch’s waist. Basch felt trapped. He exploded into motion rising out of the water, flinging his arms wide whilst turning to break the man’s hold before Balthier could meet his goal. The young man was surprised and did not react in time, Basch’s elbow connected with his face. He fell back into the water, breathed a bit in but was back to the surface before he could struggle, Basch’s strong hand on his shoulder.



“Balthier, I’m sorry…”



Balthier coughed a few times and spit water out.



“I didn’t mean to…” The ex-captains voice trailed off as he stepped away from Balthier.



“You don’t understand,” Basch’s voice was quiet and broken.



“You’re right, I don’t understand!” the wounded pirate says, as he spits blood into the water. “I don’t understand which of us is more blind. YOU! That you cannot see that I need you. Or me. That I don’t want to see that you would never want me,” Balthier yelled. There was no trace of his cocky drawl only anger and hurt. They stood in the water staring at each other. Basch broke the eye contact, and looked to the water. He could hear Balthier’s breathing heavy and quick with rage. He tried to look up but caught a glimpse of the pirate’s hard cock straining under the wet cloth. He looked toward his own unresponsive member and shook his head.



“I did for you what I could. Be satisfied.”



He didn’t see the strike coming, for he was still looking down in shame. He could feel the four throbbing marks from the knuckles of Balthier’s backhander and taste the coppery blood in his mouth.



“Is that what you think I wanted from you,” Balthier practically screamed. “A method of release.”



He spat some more blood that had gotten into his mouth from his bleeding nose. This time it splashed on Basch’s broad chest. Basch just starred at Balthier.



“Sky Pirate…” his head nodded in understanding. “Of course. How could I want anything more than a common whore?” The last words more a roar then speech.



“That’s not what I meant, you misunderstand.” Basch’s voice was now full of anger and frustration at Balthier. After all he was the one calling him the cocktease. “You wanted me, now you’ve had me. Curiosity satisfied. Now please find something else to spark your curiosity. I can do no more for you.” He didn’t want to say that, he didn’t mean for it to sound so cruel.



Balthier’s face dropped, he looked as though he had been stabbed in the back. The pirate took a few steps away. He tried to speak but the words caught. He swallowed and tried again. “I see… It’s me you think the whore.” Balthier took careful steps backward toward shore. “What else could a Sky Pirate be?” His voice was thick with hurt. He turned back to camp and quickened his steps.



“Balthier. Wait. I…” Basch tried to tell him what he meant. Balthier cut him off.



“You know Basch, after all we’ve been through. After all I’ve done for you…” He glared back at Basch. The blonde could tell the man was on the verge of exploding with anger, but Balthier remained calm. “I thought you of all people might be able to see me for more than a FUCKING Sky Pirate. What a fool I am…” He turned back to shore. “A Dalmascan Knight befriend a Sky Pirate. What a joke.”



Basch watched the man walk into shore. He couldn’t talk; what could he say, things had gone so wrong. He had said everything wrong and Balthier had taken it all in the worst way.



Basch looked away from Balthier to see their shouting had awoken their companions. They were all watching from the beach. Thank the gods they were too far from the hunter’s camp, or the residents would’ve heard them. Fran met Balthier as he reached the shore, said a few words to him that he waved off. She stepped in behind him as they walked to the tent the ex-captain had shared with the pirate.



Perhaps this was for the best, he tried to convince himself. Balthier should not be wasting his time with a dead old man such as he. What could the young man want from him other than what he was not capable of giving? Even if his cock would rise, which it wouldn’t and hasn’t since his imprisonment. Even if he physically could, his heart could not. He was not a person for casual sex. He understood friendship and casual sex, he and Vossler had tried it many years ago. But he wanted more, wanted it all. Vossler did not. They had managed to stay friends, but they had been friends for many years at that time and understood each other well. Balthier and Basch had only just begun their friendship. Besides what could a sky pirate want from a fucked up old man. He was a knight after all. He would not forget his duties and Balthier belonged to the sky. Basch could never have what he wanted from Balthier and he could not give Balthier what he wanted from him. It was just better this way. He had a job to do. He had to protect Ashe. He could not let his feelings for Balthier distract him.



He could see Ashe watching him from the beach. Vaan and Penelo where going back to their tent, Penelo half-pulling Vaan. He looked back to the tent he had shared with Balthier when he saw Fran emerge. She was carrying his stuff. She neatly set it down in front of the tent she had shared with Ashe. She looked out to him and shook her head then went back to the tent where Balthier was. At that moment Basch’s heart fell to his stomach and made it turn. He went to his knees in the water. He could feel his hot tears on his cheeks. His friendship with Balthier had meant so much to him. He found it very hard to make friends. He had had only two before in his life, his brother and Vossler, both now gone from him. He had now ruined it with Balthier. If only he could have found the words he wanted to say; if only his shame could have let him tell his friend what was truly wrong with him. Why he panicked at the man’s touch. Why he couldn’t give Balthier what he wanted, all the reasons. Perhaps he could have saved their friendship.



He hadn’t even noticed Ashe had come out to him till she was but two paces away. “Basch, are you okay?” He was startled by her presence and splashed backwards in the water. He had forgotten he was even in the water till then. He stilled again and looked back to shore, at the tent Balthier had disappeared into.



So much pain, so much hurt. The sound of his own sobs seemed distant to him. Ashe’s hand gently touched his shoulder. “Basch? Breath Basch.” Her voice was full of concern. He looked to her; her face was contorted with worry and sadness. She slowly moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She held him, as he had held her so many times. When she was seven and her dog had died. How he and Vossler had taken turns holding her when her brothers had died from the plague and when Rasler had died. She now held him. His heart held so much pain, and never had he let it out. Not when his father and country fell, not when his wife and child had died, not when he was imprisoned, and not when Vossler had died.



“Let it out Basch, it’s okay you have to let it out.” Ashe gently cooed in his ear. The same words he had said to her all those years ago.



He put his head on her stomach. His brother’s words rang true to him now. “Less than a shadow, less than a man.” Was there nothing left of the man he once was? There he was, on his knees chest deep in the waters of the Phon Coast, in the arms of his Princess, when his heart finally broke. He let it happen, let himself sob and wail as Ashe gently reminded him to breath. He grieved for all his pain, all the wrongs done to his heart. He wanted to stop, to make himself steel up, but he was broken and could be no lower then he was now. There was no point trying and stop this. He was no longer a man. He was nothing but a ghost.



They stayed that way for what seemed hours as he cried a pain filled life of tears. He had always been Ashe’s rock and now for one night she was his. She had just gently talked him out of hyperventilating, when he noticed she was shivering. He came back to himself quickly then.



“Princess, you are cold you should go back to your tent, and get warm.” His voice was hoarse and rough. She pulled back just a bit, to see his face better and looked into his reddened eyes. He now sees she had been crying as well.



“I will not go back with out you.” Her tone managed to be both gentle and unarguable.



“I’m sorry.” He said voice heavy with shame.



“ Don’t ever say that. Do you wish for me to be sorry for all the times you held me?” She said with a touch of anger. Her face lightened. “Besides, there will always be pain in life. So you must let it out of your heart to make room or it will become too heavy to carry.” She did her best impression of Basch’s gravelly voice. His word’s repeated to him again.



He moved away just out of her reach, and went fully under the water. He rubbed his face to rinse away the tears. He stood and walked to her, put his arms around her and kissed her forehead as he had done so many times when she was a young girl.



“Thank-you.” Was all he said, he turned toward shore. He made a swooping motion with his left arm to present her the lead. She took his right hand and walked to shore with him.