A/N: Hey all! This one took me so long to finish! Just kept starting and stopping and getting distracted by other projects but I'm glad it's finally done!
If you know me, then you know I LOVE Final Fantasy XII. And I love Basch and Ashe. They are not the most popular couple but, hey, I like them. I did this story for that love and because there seems to be a lack of Ashe/Basch stories out there.
I hope you guys enjoy it and leave me some reviews! Thank you so much! Have a great one!
Never Say Never
Balfonheim Port was quiet that night or perhaps Basch had managed to block out all of the sound. He was standing on top of the roof of Reddas's home, staring at the sky. He knew what was coming next. The time at the Pharos of Ridorana brought a lot to light.
Gabranth. Reddas. The Occuria. The attempt to make a new Dynast-King.
Now, the Bahamut.
It was enough to make anyone go mad. But Basch was used to unfavorable situations.
"How lost in thought we all have become this evening," Ashe's voice rang out through the silence.
She snapped Basch out of his stupor and he turned to look at her.
"Vaan and Penelo were sitting in total silence while Balthier and Fran have gone off somewhere. Drinking, I presume."
"Your Majesty," Basch nodded to her.
"Good evening, Basch," Ashe said, walking closer to him.
"Good evening," Basch replied. "How are you?"
Ashe searched her mind for a way to answer. "Stunned, for lack of a better word."
"A fine word that covers us all, I'm sure."
"Including you? How are you feeling?"
"I am…" he took a deep breath and exhaled, "…at a crossroads."
She stopped, standing next to him, "In what way?"
He looked back over the port. "Everything that has happened, that was revealed to me."
"And revealed about you."
"Aye. It's left me… concerned for the future."
"I understand." She leaned against the stone railing. "The Bahamut is awakened. This may be our last night together."
He looked at her, "Yes. It… may indeed be."
She stood up straight and looked at him, "I have to ask you something, Basch. It's very important. You absolutely must answer me. Understood?"
"Of course."
She stared at him for a while. "Can you forgive me?"
He jerked his head back, positive that he heard her wrong. "I beg your pardon."
"Can you forgive me," Ashe repeated.
Basch gazed at her in bewilderment, "I… don't understand."
She took a second before answering, looking down in shame. "I blamed you for Rasler's death." She looked back at Basch, "For so long, I blamed you. Every day I was in pain, I cursed your very soul. Hoping you were dead. I hoped that you suffered as much as possible and died."
"You were not alone. I cannot fault you for…"
"But you can for my behavior since learning the truth!"
"You were pained," he said. "You still are. As am I. Rasler's death, all of the circumstances surrounding it… I often hate myself for it."
"For what?" she asked.
"For failing to save him. Failing to prevent it. For all that happened afterward."
She shook her head, "There was nothing you could've done. You tried."
He looked down, "I should've done more. I should've saved him. I should've saved the king. Or have the honor enough to die alongside either of them."
"Basch… you cannot hate yourself for crimes you didn't commit." She touched his hand. "You're loyal, honorable. You're a hero."
He stared at her, in shock. "Hero." He looked down at her hand on his. "I do not believe I'm worthy of such a title."
"You are more than worthy. And I'm glad you did not die, as well. In fact, I… am very grateful that you did not."
"Thank you."
Ashe saw that her hand was still on his. She found that she didn't want to move it. "I've seen what you've had to endure. How much pain you've had to carry. Including the pain you… cannot speak on."
"I've learned to endure it. I've had to."
"I know. I finally understand that." She rubbed her thumb across his knuckles. "It's made me appreciate… and cherish who you are."
At that instant, Basch's mouth became dry, causing him to clear his throat. "It's… nothing that you haven't done yourself, Your Majesty."
She leaned her head to the side, curious.
"You've had to survive all this time, evade capture, and fight on. My strength counts as nothing compared to yours."
She smiled. "We both know the other to be strong but find ourselves weak. I wonder what the others must think of us."
"Mostly the same, I would imagine," Basch said.
"Yes," Ashe replied. "All of us… we've gathered together… joined by our own sorrow to regain what we've lost, take back some power to do what we must. From this I've learned… true strength doesn't just come from inside ourselves. It can also come from the people we have around us." She stared at him, "As you have helped my strength increase."
He stared into her eyes, "And you've increased mine."
She moved closer, "Maybe… you've done even more."
All words flew from Basch at that moment.
"Perhaps… you've helped me realize and reclaim more than I ever dreamed possible."
He studied her for a moment. "Yes. I dare say… you've done the same for me."
She smiled at him.
"Forgive me. I have had… passing thoughts of caring for you but I imagined that…" Basch exhaled, "such dreams are quite farfetched. I never expected to have feelings like that for you. Nor for you to ever have them for me."
Ashe slowly took his hand inside hers. "Never say never, Basch."
"Your Majesty…"
"Ashe."
He stared at her.
"You've called me 'Ashe' before. Please. Where we stand as equals, do so now."
Basch gazed into her eyes. "Ashe."
She smiled again.
"We don't know what tomorrow will bring."
"Then… let's not worry about tomorrow," she said. "We only have tonight, this moment. I'll take it."
He nodded.
"I blamed you… for years. But now? The truth has revealed itself to me."
He shook his head, "I failed you. I failed so many. How can you see me as…"
"I see you… for the man you truly are." She placed her hand on his cheek. "The man who never gave in."
Her touch felt amazing to him. "You, yourself, declared to 'never say never,'" he said. "I did give in."
"If you gave in, then you wouldn't be here."
Basch was finding it harder and harder to resist the urge to kiss her. But he kept telling himself it was wrong. "My queen. We cannot…"
Ashe leaned closer to him. "Yes, we can. Because we both want to."
"We shouldn't."
"Yet we do."
"Ashe…" Basch whispered.
Ashe didn't respond in words. She simply pressed her lips to his.
There was so much comfort and reassurance in that one act. Basch gave in to the feeling of it almost, immediately; all of thoughts of why this shouldn't happen fleeing from him the moment she kissed him. Ashe felt instant relief; one, because he didn't push her away, and, two, that it felt so comforting.
Ashe had no idea what to expect what she began this. Her heart was telling her that she had feelings for the man she once hated but she didn't know if it was truly right to begin to feel that way. But she wanted to know if it was real or just her imagination. This proved it was real.
Basch felt more than just simple relief. He felt redemption through Ashe's forgiveness. But, more than that, he felt something that he didn't expect in Ashe's feelings for him. Only a fool would fail to notice her beauty and he was no fool. In the time they had spent together, he felt himself being drawn to her but that felt wrong. She proved just the opposite now.
After their kiss, Ashe and Basch gazed into one another's eyes. There was certainly something there and it was strong. But how strong, was the question that came to them.
Basch held Ashe close. "Ashe. What will we do when this is over?"
Ashe shook her head. "I told you I'm not concerned about tomorrow. We have now. We have this night, this peace. We are living in the present." She hugged him tighter and laid her head against his chest. "Please. Let us take solace in this moment. In case, we… in case, we can never have it again."
"As you wish," Basch said.
Truly, they did not know what tomorrow had in store. And, though they didn't say it, it terrified them both. They had survived so much and found so much more. It was painful to imagine losing any of it. But they would deal with that tomorrow, when the sun rose. But tonight they had each other.
And that was more than enough.