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Oh those letters must have been a trip for little Balthier. David, on the other hand, had basically been adopted by Tommy for the duration of things and thus hadn't spent enough time in his apartment to really explore too deeply. Some of the shame and fear had motivated that of course.

"Hey," he said when the kiss ended, "your rare magical artifacts have to be handled delicately or we get those damn cursed spirits again. Mine are just collectable toys."

Poor packing skills, hardly! The man lived on a ship. With turbulence. David has faith in his packing skills. Just not in the durability of the toys.

"Thank you, love. You're going to make some of this a lot less painful."

But not less scary.

Balthier's glad to do it, and he pulls himself away knowing he's making David's life easier, getting a load moved to the house before taking David back to the Conference. Over the next few days -- and numerous text messages -- he gets things sorted to the spare bedroom and storage, pulling the things David uses more often and putting them in their rightful places at home.

A home that now is going to include David, all the time. It makes Balthier's breath catch over and over, and while he's vibrating with nervous energy and doing his best not to give into the fearful side of this decision, he also indulges in setting up a few surprises for David. He wants this to feel special and celebratory, and when David finally gets back, Balthier greets him with a meal full of Ivalician spices waiting, and doesn't say a word about the way he's filled half the shelves with David's books and figures, or that he's already put David's favorite cooking items in the kitchen.

He does, however, get a cheeky grin when he says, "Welcome home," and very much sweeps David into a kiss.

The miserable part is, of course, playing at being a 'normal' person. It meant that on his way back from the conference he had actually bothered to take the plane. And then get a cab back. Has he ever mentioned he hates planes? He does.

But he's got keys to a new home, and while he's certain there are still a few things he needs to address at the old place (which he is still fucking paying for part of and he hates that of course), he shows up at Balthier's door. Their door. His door. Fuck. That's got him grinning when he walks in with his bags.

And is immediately met with warmth, affection, the smell of good food, and a kiss. Damn that's good.

"Hey," he says after he catches his breath. "I'm home."

Powerful words.

Balthier didn't particularly like David going on a plane either; it seemed like a lot of extra time and stress when they had the technology to move rapidly, but he understands the decision. Even if some part of him was nervous that David would somehow get detained in travel.

But he's here now. Not just for the night or the weekend or until work calls. Balthier finds himself grinning and flushing at David's echoing of his words.

"On that note, I have something for you," Balthier says, plucking a plainly wrapped package from the entry table. Inside is a fairly quiet wooden wall ornament with the words "David and Balthier, est. 2022" carved in Ivalician calligraphy with traditional braided floral decorations around the edges. Getting them to do the nonsense date had been a task, but, convincing them to weave in moon and star motifs had been much easier.

He'd meant to give it to David for their anniversary, but then had felt perhaps he was putting too much pressure, or maybe it was a silly gift when they didn't live together. Now, though, he was so glad to have it.

Have something for him? He takes the little package and opens it up, and is almost immediately laughing in delight. It's so cute, so right, and theirs.

"Yes," he says with a fond smile. "Yes, I love this. I..."

He sets it on the entry table with a chuckle and reaches into one of his bags, pulling out his own gift from the trip. He hadn't been sure what to get Balthier to apologize for being away for so long until he got asked to move in. Now he pulls out his own wrapped package.

One that contained a small wooden box that clearly went with the decor of the place. There wasn't carving on this, but rather the pattern was burned into it of stars. David had absolutely used technology to find out the stars in the night sky the first night Balthier had taken him up on the flier and their pattern was repeated here. And what was it?

"For letters. I thought we could put it on the wall."

For love letters actually. Living together didn't mean he wanted to abandon those. There was even a nice set of hooks on the bottom that one could tie a small netting to so they could put packages in it.

Balthier laughs with delight, pulling David tight to him with one arm and kissing him again. He's not sure if the joy of David loving his gift or having had such a thoughtful one himself is greater.

"It's perfect," Balthier promises. "I even have one I wrote you this weekend, and this is much better than hiding it in your bag when you may not open it for weeks." His heart skips at that again. No going back and forth between apartments means no more overnight bags, no more well, until next time.

"You know, you're terribly romantic and I'm wildly in love with you." Of course David knows this, but it feels important to say it out loud, to remind himself of how real all of this is.

"I don't know," he says with a wide smile. "I think you are terribly romantic and I'm wildly in love with you too."

See, they are just like that, connected to each other. They repeat this so many times, the parallels and yet they were so happy to have it too.

"We should put these up soon. But first, I'm so damn hungry."

The parallels are what make it so wonderful. He's never had someone return his affections and his dreams and his love so thoroughly, and he doesn't think he'll ever have enough of it.

"We have all the time in the world," he grins. "But yes, soon I think. For now--" he sets the letter box down carefully beside the plaque and takes David's hand, pulling him to the dining room. "Sit." Another kiss, and he goes to pull dishes from the kitchen, kept chilled or warm with the slow spells etched into the dishes. Things David likes, things from anniversaries, all warm welcomes.

And tonight Balthier sits next to David, not across, wanting to be close and casual.

Dinner looks amazing, and David sighs in delight.

"I'm so tired of take out," he says and smiles as he loads his plate. And if his feet nudge Balthier's under the table, he's not going to apologize. This was so nice. "You're spoiling me and I'm grateful."

“You’re fun to spoil,” Balthier points out, and his hand goes to David’s thigh while the other’s foot nudges his. They’ve done this a hundred times and yet it’s still so wonderful. “We should have leftovers, too.” Good food and no work.

Was he? Well, he likes that.

"I don't have work tomorrow. Any chance I can just stay home with you and recover before we start emergency planning?"

“A fair chance,” Balthier grins before finding David’s hand to squeeze. “I would like that quite a lot.” Take space and time for them, force the world to wait a minute.

“Any requests, or just laze about?” They hadn’t done that in awhile.

Oh man, that's a really good question.

"Laze. Though maybe a nice soothing bath," he says with a smile. "My hotel room had a space that wasn't suited to it."

“Mm we can certainly accommodate that,” Balthier assures him. And he’ll happily make tea and snacks, and maybe convince David into a massage. “Always more relaxing at home.”

And yes, he’s going to abuse that word for awhile yet.

“The weather should be nice tomorrow. We can go up on the roof too.”

Tea, snacks, a hot bath, and a beautiful man.

"Oh yes, this is the most comfortable home I've had. Thank you."

But he loves the idea of the roof.

"Will we be safe up there? I'm just worried about the Alliance."

That pronouncement makes his chest warm, even as he feels himself shrinking slightly from the cruel voice telling him that’s an expectation he can only disappoint.

No, he isn’t letting that voice in today.

“Good. I want you comfortable and cared for,” he says instead. “I want this to be a place you’re happy to return to — your port, too.” They both needed it.

He gives real thought to the roof concern but slowly shakes his head. “I have a general illusion on it, but others use their roofs, and the Society isn’t going to take kindly to interference with any of its members. Besides, this place is mine, not guild. I think we are just as safe up there as using the front door.”

His port too. Yeah, he can accept that. Now if only Excelsior in general was safe for them.

"Alright then. I would love to spend some time up there then."

But he would probably insist on the illusion protection.

Balthier laces his hand in David's. "We're going to have a lovely homecoming, and then we'll figure out the rest of this," he says coolly. He didn't know how yet, but he'd be damned if they didn't.

"We're two brilliant, beautiful, and tricky men. Of course we'll figure it out."

David a year ago wouldn’t have been that confident, not in the future and not in their union.

His hand gently turns David’s face to his, but there’s nothing gentle about his kiss. “Even fate ought not be fool enough to try to cross us,” he murmurs firmly, and right now, he means it. He has no desire to have to bring down gods again, but he would. He could.

No, he wouldn't have been. David was so much better for coming to know this man.

"Fate can try. Mutants don't really appreciate gods drawing lines for us to walk."

They both are. Balthier couldn’t believe some days how much he’d grown and rooted, how much they both had. That wasn’t something he was going to let go easily, not even around the edges.

“A thing we have in common,” he chuckles warmly. And if they need help, well, he’s been experimenting with what he can bring back from Ivalice. Fran still has their Esper glyph.

These roots were running deeper with each day, each crisis, and each moment of support. Soon they would be deep and spread and help assure they would weather any storm... if they were given a chance.

As for David... he hasn't had the courage to go back home yet. Because to do so would be to step into a time where he had another romance, another life, and he wasn't that man. He felt like he hadn't been that man in years.

"Someday," he says at last, "Will you come home with me? To maybe a different time in my world if I can do that? I would like to get to know my sister."

And the best way to do that, actually, might be to put himself near a younger version of himself in a world where his powers are whole, so that he could reabsorb them. It might even work.

Balthier blinks, staring for a second as his lips part. He hadn’t really expected that David could invite him any closer than having accepted to entwine their lives by moving in, and yet.

He smiles, cradling the other’s face and kissing his head. “I would go anywhere you asked me,” he assures David. “But I would be particularly honored to meet your sister.”

Which also makes his heart catch as he realizes the implication of that. “I…if that’s possible then…maybe you could meet my mother.”

Was that really so much to believe? David doesn't even know it. But he enjoys the affection because it makes him feel alive. So alive.

"After we figure out how to protect the people we love who aren't in this room, yeah. I would like to see if that's possible. I want her to know someone will keep her son safe."

I would enjoy the coming home if it would please

It would please!

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