Past all thought of "if" or "when" -
no use resisting:
abandon thought,
and let the dream descend . . .
The night that followed the awkward encounter earlier that day was cool with a slight breeze. No cloud dared come out to block the beams of the moon as it shone mercilessly bright, almost as if it was trying to confuse the unsuspecting mortals below into wondering whether was night or day.
For the man pacing on the balcony of his room it mattered nothing. He could not sleep due to the troubles that plagued him, the thoughts that suffocated him, which, combined with the sheer lack of any form of relaxation made him all the more alert.
Finally ceasing his pacing he sank into a chair and put his blond haired head into his callused square hands. His scars, illuminated in the moonlight as a reminder of who and what is was.
Despite the chilly night he was shirtless, his chiseled abdominal muscles glowed with a light layer of sweat accumulated from his constant movement. As he sat there deep in contemplation there was a small knock at his door. His head shot up as he drew himself away from his thoughts. He listened intently, upon hearing a more forceful knock he rose, walking briskly to the door. Upon opening it he found Ashe wearing a long, shimmering, sliver robe, her hand raised in the process of a third knock. She instantly dropped her hand and clasped it with the other, looking down like a small child does before chastisement.
"I came to talk" she said softly
Was this Ashe? The Ashe he knew was forthright and spoke her mind, she didn't turn into a child in the mere presence of a man. But there she was, standing there looking down at the ground. Before he could make any more inferences he found she had slipped past him into his room. She now stood behind him, looking at him expectantly.
"She hasn't changed that much then…" Despite himself, he smiled lightly, before wiping it away as quickly as it had appeared.
"Ashe…" He noticed she was staring, impressed, at his shirtless top half, her arms crossed, a smug expression written on her face.
"I see there is no more need for decency," she sated, raising an eyebrow as she caught the small tinge of red creep up he cheeks.
"Please turn away, while I find…."
"There is no need."
"But your highness"
"If you even dare as to say it is improper I swear I will do something you would rather not have me do"
Before he could stop himself, his mouth moved faster than his brain
"But it is improper your highness"
Nothing could've prepared Basch for what happened next
Ashe walked up to him, grabbed the sides of his face with both hands and pulled him into a fierce lip-crushing kiss.
Basch's senses were sent reeling. Before he could make a decision it was over. He saw Ashe's triumphant smirk set firmly in place, while she backed away to give him a more comfortable circumference of motion. Resisting the urge to somehow get if off of her face he just stared at her like a lost chocobo.
"How was that for improper" she hissed seductively.
Every intuition inside of him, all of his training, his entire upbringing, was telling him to throw her out, get her out of his sight. She had just stepped over the line. She had past the point of no return. If he followed there was no going back.
"Ashe, I love you, I always have, but I just…. we just… this can't"
All those pent up emotions, all those years of rejection and solitude finally caught up with him. He found himself advancing toward her. Her smile was gone now, replaced by fear and apprehension. She backed away afraid he was angered by her rash, mindless actions, but a hand caught her around her mid-section and pulled her in. She found her face in dangerously close proximity with a bare chest. Looking up expecting to see an outraged expression, she found a smile. Eye's filled with a passion that had never been there before, a new emotion revealed. Love.