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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."

Balthier chuckles, parting enough to get back to his food, but one hand lingering on David's thigh.

"Look at you, not having to be convinced to take a vacation after we do some utterly exhausting world-saving task." He squeezes the other's leg. "I want her to know someone keeps her son's heart safe. He's perfectly capable of taking care of himself you know."

But it's just teasing. He knows David would go to any length for him, should he need it, and that's something that took a long time to believe. He doesn't take it lightly, not when he knows that it isn't just duty. They'd leave holes in each other, if they were gone, and that's terrifying, and it's also so, so indescribably wonderful to be entwined that way.

"Well, I can't very well take a vacation before we do some utterly exhausting world-saving task," he points out teasingly. "Oh, I've been recruited to do some... minor displays of rebellion. Nothing with me there personally, just some anti-Fantasfuck propoganda. And there's a thing with Sephiroth I should brief you about."

Because it's important to keep his boyfriend up to date. And they need to figure out what to do to support Otto of course.

As for the rest, he rubs the back of Balthier's neck.

"Her son's pretty busy keeping my heart safe too. And given it's my third one, that's a pretty lofty task."

"It's a good thing you've moved in, so I can occasionally force you to rest," he teases back, but none of this surprises him. He's always liked that David is so involved in things, and he deeply appreciates being kept abreast of it.

He sighs with pleasure at David's hand though, leaning back into the touch. "Extremely busy. Most demanding charge I've had," he assures David. "Worth every headache."

That earns a loud bark of laughter. Oh he thinks that Balthier will manage to force him to rest quite a bit. And that will be good for him. Very good.

"You joke, but I might well be."

"That you're a headache, or that you're worth it?" Balthier grins back. "Glad you're coming around to reality."

"Yes," he says with a laugh. Wow, Balthier, way to own him though. And he is very happy to accept it too.

"Stay here, I need to go write down the date and time that you agreed with me on this," he laughs, but he's kissing him again.

"Are we talking business and me scoffing at questionable decisions tonight, or are we going to leave that for after your welcome?"

Wow. Wow

"After my welcome," David answers. "Please let's leave more business until later."

"I was hoping you'd say that. In that case, do you want your cake before or after a bath? Or, dare we even indulge in the bath?"

Honestly, David being willing -- wanting, even -- to put work and the outside down and focus on them is the most wonderful housewarming gift Balthier could ask for.

"Oh, I think we dare," he laughs with delight. "I think we dare very much. I can just imagine it now. How decadent. Sinfully delightful."

Especially since he'll get to have Balthier with him.

"Indulgence looks good on you, you know that? Not going to be able to keep my hands off you when you're glowing like that. Head upstairs. I'll get this put away and come join you."

"Glowing? Hold on..."

He raises his hands and makes a circling motion with them. And yeah, he forms a glowing golden circlet of stars between them and puts that on his head.

"There we go. Glowing."

Balthier can't help kissing him, a big grin on his face. "I still remember your face above me and glowing like a god, right around the time I was falling in love with you." Another kiss. "I think the self-aggrandizing humor sealed the deal, though. Makes me feel like I have a match for mine."

"That," David chuckles, "was a migraine. But I'll take the glowing. Just for you."

Though he happens to smile and wrap an arm around Balthier's waist.

"Have you considered I try and match you?"

"I already told you that you're always worth the headache," he responds cheekily, eyes dancing.

And he looks pleased as can be at the arm around his waist, even more so at the comment. "You know what? No. I hadn't. And now I'm flattered."

"I'm glad you find it flattering. I can't always help it. It's part of the power set. Adapting unconsciously to be more like those I care about so they like me more. A lot of people do it unconsciously, but I guess I do it more?"

His powers made it so much easier to mirror people in some ways.

"We do all do that," Balthier assures him, cradling David's face. "But I like you for not being just like me. You make me grow, make me better. And I like thinking I do that for you."

He thinks in his heart he does, and that it's not because of powers. He thinks it's because of fights and patience and trust.

Make him grow? Oh the jokes he could do with that. Instead he smiles.

"You do. In so many ways. Thank you."

And he's still herding them up the stairs because he wants to cuddle in the tub so much.

For all his finesse, Balthier can still be that earnest boy who walks straight into things he's set himself up for. That boy is very happy with the person his adult self chose to guard his heart.

"Thank you for letting me. I know you don't like to listen," he teases, but it's no effort to get him to follow, even if he pauses. "I'll be there in a minute. I need to get the cake." He grins and kisses David a brief goodbye, but it doesn't take him long to get things put away and cake and wine and cold water served on a tray for the bath he hears roaring upstairs.

Well, if Balthier is taking care of the decadence, then David's clearly responsible for the bath. Which he goes up to prepare. He even goes to collect some candles he remembers storing away in case there is a power outage and lighting those in the bathroom. They deserve the extra touch of romance.

"Hey," he says when Balthier enters, perched on the edge of the tub which was already filling with warm water.

Balthier crosses to set the tray across the bath, freeing his hands so he can properly wrap his arms around David and kiss him deeply. "Why hello," he teases. "I'm not ever going to get tired of wandering around the house and finding you there." Just as a fixture of life, not as a guest, not as carved out time, although he wants plenty of that too.

The only reason he steps away is to start stripping, as cuddling in the bath is endlessly more alluring than cuddling next to the bath.

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