“Who died?”

Ashe’s head whipped around. Vaan had just stepped out of the corridor and was stretching his arms over his head.

“Come on. You all look downright depressed. What’s going on?” He looked around, peering into the kitchen. “Where’s Penelo? I’m hungry.”

“It's a long story.” Larsa tapped his fingers on the windowpane. “You see, out of concern for Penelo, I confronted Balthier – his interest in her does seem to be somewhat less than familial, after all. I thought it best to make it clear that toying with her would be a mistake on his part, one that, should he choose to tread that path, I would make sure he regretted.”

“I’m afraid I didn’t help matters much, either,” Ashe said morosely. “At any rate, Penelo must have overheard us speaking of her. She…made her displeasure rather plain.”

“We knew not that she was possessed of such a temper,” Fran marveled.

“Yeah, she can be pretty scary when she’s mad.” Vaan suppressed a shudder. “So, what happened?”

“She stormed out in a fit of pique. Balthier went after her some time ago, but neither of them have yet returned.” Basch shifted uncomfortably.

“She’s what? You let her go outside alone? Here?”

Larsa winced. “Balthier has made that speech already,” he said, “unless you have something new to add.” He sighed, pressing his forehead against the cool glass of the windowpane. “We cannot even go after them – as Balthier pointed out when he left, the larger the party, the more attractive we shall be to lightning.”

“Idiots.” Vaan dropped into the navigator’s seat on the bridge, bringing up the flight panels.

Ashe gasped, “Have you gone mad? You cannot mean to fly in this weather, it would be suicide!”

“No one’s going to die,” Vaan countered, irritated. “The Galbana’s generator absorbs electricity. This ship stores electricity gathered during lightening storms like this and runs on it.” He made a disgusted sound at Ashe’s surprised look. “A couple months back, we got caught in Giza during the rains. We couldn’t fly in the lightning, and after two days our generator went down. We were stuck there for almost a week with no electricity. We had the Galbana modified almost immediately afterwards. It takes no damage from lightning, water, or ice whatsoever. Which you would have known had you bothered to wake me when Penelo left.”

He wasn’t quite the smooth navigator Penelo was, and the lift-off was a little bumpy. Basch’s chair overturned and he knocked his head against the floor with a muffled curse. Ashe bit back a shriek as a mug of coffee hurtled towards her, soaking her blouse. Fran steered an unsteady Larsa towards a handrail near the window.

“Where are we headed?” Basch asked. “Can you track Penelo, as well? Do you know where she’s gone?”

“No,” Vaan said shortly. “I can’t know for sure. But I think I can guess where she might’ve gone. A little ways north, towards the Sochen Cave Palace, there’s a cluster of smaller caves. Penelo can be foolish at times, but she’s not stupid – she’ll head where there’s shelter. If I’m right, she should be there.” He steered the ship up over the cliffs, dipping down into the valley between them. “There, see?” He pointed off into the distance, directing Basch to take a look.

“I see nothing.” Not even the caves of which Vaan had spoken.

“Look.” Vaan insisted. “Over there, by the eastern wall. You see those Coeurl carcasses? She’s been here. With any luck, she’s still here.”

“What about Balthier?” Basch asked.

“If he was smart, he followed her. If he wasn’t…” Vaan sighed, pushing back the steering column until the Galbana touched lightly down. “If he wasn’t, he’s probably dead.”

--

“Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Balthier tossed another stick in the fire.

“It sounded like…like an airship.” Penelo shrugged, feeling a little foolish – and wondering if Balthier thought her odd for hearing things.

“I did not hear it. But then, I can’t hear much of anything over this rain,” he answered.

“I haven’t heard any thunder in a while,” Penelo offered. “Maybe we could head back to the Galbana? We’ll probably just get a little wet, and most of the fiends will have taken shelter from the storm, so it should be pretty safe.”

“We’ve only just dried off,” Balthier pointed out. “Besides, I wouldn’t want to take a chance on the brief break in thunder only to find ourselves caught in the midst of it should we venture out. Give it a little more time.”

“Oh.” Penelo looped her arms around her knees and rested her chin atop them. “It’s just that…we’re running out of firewood, aren’t we?” She indicated the much smaller fire with a nod.

“No, we have enough to last us a while,” he said. “Still, it is better to be cautious when we don’t know how long we’ll be stuck here, don’t you think?” He watched her sidle closer to the fire. “Penelo, are you cold?”

“Oh, just a little, I suppose.” She shrugged indifferently, but Balthier had spotted the gooseflesh that had risen on her arms.

“Come sit with me,” he said. “We’ll keep each other warm.”

“Thank you, no,” she answered primly. “I think I’ve had quite enough of that.”

His low chuckle sent shivers up her spine. “As you wish, then, Penelo.” He stretched out a little, warming his bare feet by the fire. Abruptly, his head jerked towards the opening of the cave. “Hmm,” he said, frowning, “It appears you may have been correct. I do think I heard something just now, after all.”

It was hard to hear over the rain, but Penelo sat quietly for a moment, and then heard it too – a faint call that sounded remarkably like her name. She glanced over at Balthier, who appeared to have heard it as well.

“I think…I think it might be Vaan.” She scrambled to her feet, gathering up her still soggy boots and dashing to the cave entrance. Peering out into the washed out grey of the landscape, she squinted until she saw it – the Galbana docked some distance away, on a grassy plain devoid of trees. She couldn’t see Vaan, but she knew he had to be there somewhere.

“Vaan!” She shouted. “We’re here; we’re coming!”

“You go,” Balthier ordered. “I’ll bank the fire and gather my things. Go make certain they don’t continue their search further south, or we may never find our way out of this mess.”

“Okay.” She stumbled into her shoes, grabbing up her satchel as she hurried out into the pouring rain. Her pants sagged with water, her shoes slipped in the mud – but she trudged towards the Galbana, shielding her face from the hard, cold droplets.

A hand caught her shoulder and her steps faltered. Basch pulled her upright, catching her arm to steady her.

“Let’s get you back to the ship,” he shouted over the rush of water.

“Balthier’s still in the cave,” she shouted back. “We have to wait for him!”

“Aboard the Galbana,” he insisted, urging her along.

They ran for the ship, struggling up the hill upon which it was docked. Penelo scrambled up the ramp, shivering with cold.

“Stay here,” Basch instructed, already turning away. “Go get yourself dry and warm. I’ll round up everyone else.” He disappeared back into the storm.

Penelo headed for the washroom. She tugged off and discarded her soaked clothing, filled the large tub, and sank as deeply as she could into the hot water. It felt like the cold had soaked into her bones; even as hot as the water was, it took long minutes to penetrate the icy chill that had her clutched in its grip.

As she rinsed the conditioner from her hair, she felt the subtle shifting of the ship, and knew that they were in flight. It was also a considerably smoother flight than Vaan would have been able to manage, so Penelo assumed that Balthier had been located and was currently flying the Galbana. She wondered if they were going to meet up with the Strahl.

‑­

Penelo stayed in the bath until long after her toes had wrinkled, but eventually she began to feel selfish – there were likely several other people waiting to get their turn in the washroom, and she’d been monopolizing it much longer than was strictly necessary.

Regretting not having first stopping by her chamber for a change of clothes, Penelo selected the largest towel she could find, wrapped it securely around herself, and slipped out of the washroom.

“You certainly took your time.”

Suppressing a startled squeak, Penelo whirled to find Balthier leaning against the wall outside the washroom. He was dressed in clean, dry clothes and was wearing his customary smirk.

Defensively, she crossed her arms over her breasts – which he was surveying with obvious approval. “I was cold and dirty.”

“If you’re done, might I request that you see what can be done about lunch? We’re all rather hungry, and you seem to be the only one of us who knows her way around a kitchen.” He shouldered off the wall, examining his pristine fingernails.

“Lunch?” She echoed incredulously.

“Indeed. It’s going on half past one. All I’ve had since breakfast is a bit of jerky that tasted suspiciously like old shoe leather.” He reached out, cupping her shoulder with one warm hand, flashing her a disarming smile. “I would settle for a sandwich.”

“I-I have to get dressed first.” She edged away from him, gripping the towel tightly.

“Of course.” He graciously removed his hand from her shoulder. “We’ll be waiting.”

She scurried away, heading to her room with all due haste. Balthier watched until she’d disappeared into her bedroom.

Vaan rounded the corner, frowning at Balthier. “She’s off-limits,” he said.

“I beg your pardon?” Balthier arched an eyebrow.

“You heard me. I’m not an idiot. I’ve seen the way you look at her,” Vaan said. “You hate to see her leave, but you love to watch her go.”

Balthier stared at him blankly. “I’m afraid your colloquialism escapes me.”

“You were staring at her ass,” Vaan clarified.

“I was not,” Balthier denied immediately. “Unfortunately, towels are not designed to flatter the figure. I would be hard pressed to be able to ogle her through it. Pity, that.”

Vaan scowled. “Look, Penelo is my cook, my navigator, and also my best friend. I look out for her just like she looks out for me. Larsa told you before, and I’m telling you now. She’s off-limits. Understand?”

“Of course,” Balthier smiled obligingly. “I won’t seduce your charming shipmate,” he said. “But, if she should come to me…well, that’s a different story entirely, isn’t it?” He clapped Vaan on the shoulder, ignoring the glare the younger man was giving him. “Far be it from me to deny a lady.”

--

Lunch passed without incident. Balthier did not mention his indecent proposition again. Penelo discovered she was rather tired, despite the fact that it really was the middle of the day. After she nearly nodded off right into her cluckatrice soup, Ashe volunteered to do the cleaning and sent her to bed for a nap. Penelo figured that, with any luck, she’d sleep through the night and in the morning, Balthier would be gone – problem solved.

But it turned out not to be the case. She woke sometime after ten. The ship was quiet. She wondered if the rest of the party had had any dinner without her awake to cook for them. Briefly she attempted going back to sleep, but with several hours of sleep under her belt, there was no way sleep would be easy in coming. Which made her wonder – was Balthier asleep? Was he awake? Was he waiting for her?

She didn’t want to go. Or did she? After all, he’d be gone in the morning – who knew if she would ever see him again? Did she want to sleep with a man she knew wanted nothing to do with her outside of bed? Then again, wouldn’t she regret letting the opportunity pass her by?

She slipped out of bed, threw a nightgown over her head, then quietly crept out the door and down the hall. She paused in front of Balthier’s door, poised to knock, but without the will to do so. What if he’d changed his mind? What if it had been a joke? What if he wasn’t even in there? He might’ve bunked down on the floor aboard the Strahl, for all she knew.

“Come in, Penelo.”

The soft words floated through the door, and she jumped back in surprise. Caught! But how had he known?

Well, she couldn’t turn tail and run now that she’d been found out. Guiltily, she opened the door and slipped through. He was sitting in bed, bare-chested, an open book held in one hand. She tried not to look anywhere but his face.

“Um…” She linked her hands behind her back, rocking on her heels. “How did you know I was there?” She asked, biting her lower lip.

“I heard you sighing. Vaan is the only other person aboard the Galbana right now, but I very much doubt he has much reason to be standing outside my door sighing.” He set the book aside. “Now it’s my turn to ask the questions. Why didn’t you knock?”

“I hadn’t decided whether or not I was actually going to come yet, that’s all.” She tilted her chin stubbornly.

“And now? Have you decided?” He watched her intently – Penelo got the distinct impression he was seeing far more than she wanted him to.

“I-I’m here, aren’t I?” She would not blush – now was certainly not the time for any sort of maidenly modesty.

He scrutinized her for a moment longer, then patted covers beside him. “Come, then,” he said. She moved closer, standing near the edge of the bed. He rolled his eyes. “Onto the bed, Penelo, not beside it.”

“Excuse me for never having done this before,” she snapped, scrambling hastily onto the mattress. She crossed her arms over her chest, glowering at him as she tucked her legs beneath her.

Rather than seeming annoyed, he looked rather amused by her show of temper. “But you do know the mechanics of it?”

“I’m not stupid,” she shot back. “I’m just not as promiscuous as you are.”

“I prefer the term ‘practiced’, if you please,” he replied blithely, not at all insulted. “And, contrary to what seems to be a popularly held belief, I’m rather discerning about my choice of partners.”

“I didn’t ask,” she said through clenched teeth, “because I don’t want to know.”

He reached out, caught her arm, and dragged her across the space that separated them. She made a small sound of surprise as he turned her, settling her in the crook of his arm, back against the pillows.

“My darling, prickly little liar,” he said kindly, feathering his fingers over the soft, pink lips that were pursed into a disapproving frown. “You’re curious, but you fear that you will not like the answers you receive. Or maybe you fear that I don’t care enough to give you the answers.”

“Does it matter?” She shoved his fingers away, causing the neck of her nightgown to slip off of one shoulder. “I’d be an idiot to try to discuss anything seriously with you. You’re always laughing at me.”

“At your charming displays of temper and jealousy, surely. Your delightful naïveté, perhaps. At you, never.” His fingers caressed her shoulder, traced her collarbone. “I am relieved to find that you do own nightclothes,” he said.

She batted at his hand. “Just because I don’t wear them doesn’t mean I don’t own them.”

“Am I not allowed to touch you? I’ll warn you now, that could make this a rather difficult task.”

“Oh. Sorry. I-I forgot.” The blush she’d tried so hard to resist came out in full force.

“In my bed, in my arms, and she forgets,” he sighed. “I must be losing my touch.” He reached for the buttons on the front of her gown, but her fingers tangled in his.

“No. Please.”

He drew back, a slight frown creasing his brow. “Penelo, are you frightened?”

“No!” She denied at once. “I’m just a little nervous, that’s all. I think you’ll be…disappointed.”­

“With you? Why?” He brushed her hair away from her face tenderly, watching with keen interest as she worried her lower lip.

She met his eyes, unflinching. “I’m not beautiful. I’m skinny and unsophisticated and I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to be a disappointment, but I can’t help what I am.”

“You are quite lovely, actually,” he said. “But there are many beautiful women in Ivalice, Penelo. One does not require classic beauty to be attractive, and you have something much more rare than simple physical beauty. As for sophistication, well, let us say that you are a refreshing change from it – I would not wish for it in you. Cynicism closely follows sophistication, and I think your complete lack of it is part of your appeal.” He tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “There are some that would say that an ideal bed partner is one uninfluenced by previous encounters.”

“But not you,” she said. “You would rather have an experienced partner.”

“Yes,” he answered honestly. “However, at this moment, that has more to do with sparing you the pain of your first encounter than anything else.” He slid one hand behind her head, his fingers gently sifting through her unbound hair, and bent to kiss her. “You do not disappoint me,” he murmured against her lips.

Her eyes fluttered closed. “Okay,” she murmured, and her fingers fell away from her buttons. Carefully he slipped the buttons through their loops, distracting her with soft, delicate kisses as he parted the soft linen. He freed her arms from the fabric, touching his lips to her temple, and the soft, sunny hair there. He eased the cloth away from her, tossing it aside even as he nipped her earlobe. Eyes still closed, she moved restlessly against him, seemingly unaware that she’d been divested of her nightgown. Balthier could have taken that moment to look on that which he’d so skillfully revealed, but, knowing just how uneasy Penelo had been made it seem distasteful, somehow, to take advantage of her ignorance. So he slid his arms under her knees, lifted the covers out from under her, and gently slipped her beneath them.

Penelo’s eyes opened as she felt him draw the cool sheet over her breasts. She blinked up at him, startled.

“Is your modesty appeased?” He propped himself up on one elbow, and stroked his thumb along her bare arm.

She nodded, grateful that he’d decided to indulge her. “Thank you,” she said. “It’s just that no one’s seen me that way since I was a baby. It’s embarrassing.”

He resisted the urge to point out he’d already seen most of what she had to offer when they’d been stuck in the cave. “I’ll look my fill at some point,” he warned, “but I can be gentleman enough to wait until you’ve surrendered a few more of your reservations.” He shifted a little under the covers, opening his arms. “Come, Penelo. I can’t make love to you if you keep a buffer zone between us like this.”

Obligingly, Penelo sidled closer until he caught her in his arms, drawing her up against the heat of his body. He pressed her cheek against his shoulder, molding her against him so that every soft curve of her body fit every hard line of his. She sucked in a breath when she felt the hard length of him against her belly, but then he wrapped his arms around her and she was overwhelmed – surrounded by his heat, his strength, the intoxicating scent of him. It was all she could do to link her arms around his neck and bury her face in his throat.

He nuzzled her ear and slid one hand caressingly down her arm, over her hip, then up to cup her breast, learning the smooth feel of his skin. His warm breath stirred the hair at her temple.

“You are…so soft,” he murmured huskily. “You feel like silk beneath my hands.” His thumb teased her nipple into a hard point, and she made a small, embarrassed sound against his throat. He chuckled, easing his knee between her legs to let her grow accustomed to the feel of him there, then he gently eased her onto her back. She folded her arms over her bared breasts defensively. Smiling, he pressed a kiss to her shoulder, then laid a small trail of soft kisses down her throat, over her collarbone, to the upper swells of her breasts. Fixated on the sensation of his lips on her, she didn’t protest when he gently lifted her arms away from her body.

Her breasts were small, but perfectly formed. He brushed his fingers over the crest of one reverently. “Penelo,” he breathed, “you are beautiful.” He captured one tiny peak in his mouth, flicking his tongue over the delicate bud. She drew in a shaky breath, moving impatiently against him. Her trembling fingers dived into his hair, holding him to her body as she made soft, satisfied noises in her throat.

He enjoyed the feeling of her soft body twisting against his as she was caught in the throes of passion. The unconsciously seductive movements she made fed his desire – he could not ever remember being so violently aroused, and only from such light love play. That Penelo had managed to evoke such a fierce need in him surprised and alarmed him.

He touched her, slipping his fingers within her to test her readiness. She whimpered, a small sound of surprise at the invasion, but inside she was hot and wet, her body attempting to hold his fingers within her. Suddenly, he needed to be inside her – he needed the comfort of her body like he needed to draw his next breath.

He parted her soft thighs, sliding further between them, poised at the entrance to her body. Her eyes opened – she knew there would be no turning back from this point. He kissed her swollen lips tenderly.

“If it hurts, I’m sorry,” he said.

She braced herself for whatever pain there might be, linking her arms around his neck and squeezing her eyes shut. He eased inside her slowly, carefully – but he was too large for Penelo’s untried body to easily accommodate. By the time he reached the barrier of her virginity, he was sweating and she was whimpering in pain.

“I-I don’t think we…fit.” Her teeth were clenched in pain, eyelashes spiky with barely-contained tears.

He smoothed her damp bangs away from her face soothingly, bracing himself on his forearms above her and steeling himself to wait out her discomfort. “You can take me. Trust me.” He brushed a soft kiss at her temple, murmuring comforting nonsense in her ear until the tension began to drain from her body.

He was nearly panting with the effort to hold back. He had yet to bury himself fully within her – but she was in pain. He’d be an animal to make demands of her now.

Then, unexpectedly, she shifted beneath him. The movement forced him to complete his downward plunge, breaking the fragile barrier. He suddenly found himself buried so deeply within her that he could feel the frantic beating of her heart. The blood rushed from his head to other, more involved parts of his anatomy. A tiny wail – a mixture of discomfort and confusion – broke from her throat.

“I don’t think…I don’t know if I want to do this anymore, Balthier.” Her eyes were squeezed shut, her inner muscles clenched tightly around him, trying to force him out of her body. But he was firmly planted, and going nowhere.

He could feel the sweat beading on his forehead, even as he touched it to hers and closed his eyes. He took a few moments to collect himself, but his voice was still tinged with hoarseness when he spoke.

“You knew it might be difficult, but I promise it will get better. On my honor as a gentleman.”

A strained laugh. “You don’t have any honor, Balthier. You’re a pirate.”

His eyes opened. “I have a good deal of honor.” Just none where she was concerned, it seemed, or he would never have invited her into his bed. “It’s just a bit tarnished, so to speak.” He cupped the back of her head in one hand and bent down to brush her lips with his. At his gentle urging, her lips parted beneath his, and he slid his tongue into the sweet recesses of her mouth, coaxing her back into the passion of a few minutes prior. His free hand slipped over the smooth slope of her belly, across her hip and down to where their bodies were joined.

She jerked when he touched her. Her eyes opened wide, surprised, as if she couldn’t believe what he was doing to her. Her small, white teeth tugged her lower lip pensively.

“You needn’t look so shocked,” he said. “This isn’t the first time I’ve touched you like this.”

“Yes, but...” She bit back a gasp when his fingers stroked along a particularly sensitive area. “Well…oh…it’s just that I’ve, uh, never done this before.”

“I figured that part out first hand, thank you,” he said dryly. Her voice had taken on a decidedly breathy quality. He liked it immensely. “Let loose your charming inhibitions, darling,” he murmured in her ear, catching the lobe between his teeth. She shuddered, making a small, approving sound in the back of her throat. Her thighs trembled around his waist, her feet rubbed restlessly against his calves.

“Oh…Balthier, that feels…so…so…” Her eyes were closed, drinking in every last sensation that she could as he fed her pleasure in little bites. Her arms looped around his neck, fingers slipping into his hair caressingly. Her hips arched against his, unconsciously drawing him deeper. She was too close to release to feel any pain, if, indeed, any remained.

Cautiously, he pulled back a few inches and slowly, carefully slid back inside her. She made a low sound of pleasure and her legs tightened around his waist. He couldn’t wait any longer. He kept his thrusts slow and measured, and she quickly matched his rhythm, moving in delicious tandem. He could feel the pressure building, knew he likely had only a few minutes to be sure that she found her pleasure first.

Grasping her hips in his hands, he held her motionless to receive his thrusts, piling sensation atop sensation until she was a mass of over-sensitized nerves quivering with the need for release. All it took was a few delicate touches, and she fell apart in his arms, crying her pleasure. Her sweet body clenched around him, grasping him with all its might, forcing his own release. He gasped helplessly, fists clutching great handfuls of covers as her silky inner muscles milked him of his stamina.

It took him a long time to come back to himself. He felt her small, delicate hands stroking his back, caressing his sweat-slickened skin. He had to be heavy, and all his weight was on her, but she just touched her warm lips to his cheek and murmured, “I love you, Balthier.”

It was far from the first time he’d heard the words – but it was the first time he believed them. They changed nothing. Love was not enough. She did not belong in his life. But he was certain that forever afterwards he would carry those sweetly-spoken words around in his heart; a bittersweet memory of the one woman who had made him wish he were different.

With a soft sigh, Penelo turned her cheek against the pillow, closed her eyes, and fell into a blissful and exhausted slumber. She was lovely in sleep, her elfin face relaxed and her cheeks flushed. He cradled her in his arms, turning so she lay with her head tucked against his shoulder. Her hair fell over his arm, cool and silky, and her warm breath feathered out against his throat. Unconsciously, she slid her arms around him, murmuring something unintelligible.

Balthier wished he could join her in sleep. He wished he could find peace with the situation in which he’d placed himself and catch a few short hours of sleep with Penelo by his side for the first and last time before dawn’s coming would separate them. But suddenly these last few hours seemed precious, and he didn’t want to waste them sleeping. Instead, he watched over her – content, at least, to spend the time memorizing everything about the one woman who had been fool enough to truly love him.

--

Penelo awoke the next morning in her own bed, with the faint memory of having been carried there in the early pre-dawn hours. The covers were still tucked neatly around her, and no indention marked the pillow beside her, proving Balthier had not joined her there. Likely he’d merely removed her from his own chamber so he could pack his things and be on his way.

With a sigh, she turned on her side, curling up into a little ball. She’d known he’d intended to leave. It was foolish to think that maybe she might’ve changed his mind. Still, until now, she’d still had the tiniest shred of hope. She reached out blindly for the mug of water she typically kept on her nightstand, but came up with a handful of fabric instead.­

It was his handkerchief. The one he’d so craftily stolen back from her. He’d folded it neatly and placed it on her nightstand – a final reminder that their game was done, their time was over. After all, he’d willingly surrendered the handkerchief this time. He would not be back to retrieve it.

Somehow, that hurt the most.

--

“What’s for breakfast?” Vaan dropped into a chair at the table, eyeing Penelo speculatively.

“Pancakes, eggs, and bacon. I can make some toast, too, if you’d like it.” She didn’t look back at him, fearing that he might sense some change in her. The last thing she wanted was Vaan thinking she’d driven off Balthier, even if it was the truth.

“Great, I’m starved.” Vaan jumped up and headed into the kitchen to get a glass of orange juice.

“You’re always starved,” Penelo admonished. She scraped the eggs out of the skillet, dumping them onto Vaan’s already heaping plate. He got a couple of utensils from a drawer and took the plate back to the table.

“So. Balthier left early this morning, huh.”

Warily, Penelo brought her plate to the table. “That’s right.”

“Strange that he didn’t stick around until morning. I wouldn’t have passed up your cooking for anything.” Vaan passed her a napkin.

Penelo murmured something non-committal, digging into her breakfast in the hopes that it would shut Vaan up and he’d forget about his current topic of conversation.

“You know, I heard some pretty interesting sounds last night, too. Seemed to be coming from Balthier’s room. And you weren’t in yours.”

Penelo choked. She clapped her hand over her mouth, then grabbed hastily for her orange juice, throwing it back quickly, looking at Vaan with dawning horror.

“Oh, Pen, you didn’t. With him?” Vaan shook his head in disapproval. “Why?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Appetite thoroughly gone, Penelo scraped the contents of her plate into the garbage.

Vaan sighed. “He’s not coming back, is he?”

Penelo turned her back on Vaan and slipped her hand into her pocket, feeling the soft linen of the handkerchief. She willed away the tears that pressed behind her eyes. “No,” she said. “He’s gone. Again. For good, this time.”