The Princess, normally strong and stalwart and a person who would never let others see her weak, had tears in her eyes and was appearing to be the most vulnerable she had ever been in her life. He had his back to the wall, and Ashe's cold hands were pressed against his chest. Her sobbing caused her chest to heave with every breath and her hands shook.

Comfort me… Those words echoed through Vaan's mind, and he wasn't too sure what she wanted him to do. For what he knew he had thought he'd been doing just that, albeit it was in what one would call small amounts. Thus, in Vaan's mind, the best thing for him to do in order to find out the answer was to let Ashe make the next move or say what she meant.

He didn't have to wait long for an answer.

She ran her cool hands slowly across his chest and down his sides, which made him shiver slightly. Vaan was not used to the contact, it was unfamiliar and he wasn't sure what to do.

Ashe pulled her hands back up his chest to his shoulders, "Sorry, Vaan. If this is too much to ask for from you…just tell me—"

Vaan brought his hand up to Ashe's lips, "All I need to know, Ashe, is what you want. Are you using me for your own benefit?"

Taking his hand in her own, Ashe slowly shook her head, "No. Being used is something I never want anyone to feel, especially you. You've done too much for me." She put her head against his shoulder, resting comfortably there. "But if you don't want to go too far, just tell me, but…"

She felt his hands move. One went to her lower back, the warmth there feeling good against her skin. The other went up her back to run gently through her hair. As he did she moved closer. There wasn't any space between the two now. "Ashe, if you need me…just say it."

She lowered her chin, almost shamefully admitting, "I…I need you…"

That was answer enough.

The hand that was on the back of Ashe's head came to her chin, lifting her eyes to his. "Then that's all I need to know."

He didn't move next, it was Ashe that leaned forward until her lips touched his. It was Vaan's first kiss, yet it was also Ashe's first. She hadn't shown anyone any affection since the death of Rasler and the loss of her kingdom. At one point, before she had supposedly killed herself in her grief, she had even vowed to never take another man as her lover. Yet now, here she was, locking lips with a teenage boy who had also lost everything to war and Arcadia. A thief who was willing to do what he needed to get retribution. Yet, none of that mattered now. Not a lost kingdom, not lost loved ones, not even Arcadia mattered at this moment. Instead, what mattered was the welling up of emotions in the former Princess of Dalmasca that she needed to release. It was because of that that she didn't let him stop, she didn't want him to stop.

And Vaan was the only one who could help her.

Ashe closed her eyes as Vaan held her close, finally releasing her lips so she could breathe. Her chest heaved into his, the soaked cloth of her shirt rubbing against his chest. She leaned back to give herself some space between herself and Vaan, waiting to see what his reaction would be.

The thief lowered his hands to Ashe's back again before stopping at her hips. She ran her hands across his shoulders, trying to push the vest off him. She managed to get it loose until Vaan took it off for her. He was bare-chested, and Ashe admired him for being as fit as he was. She took a few seconds longer until she brought her hands to her own chest. While Vaan watched her, she undid her shirt before slowly taking it off. The sound of the rain pounding away outside hid the sound of the gulp Vaan made in his throat as the woman before him stripping down to nothing. When she was finished taking her skirt off Ashe stood up straight, and hard to believe her cheeks were red as apples. She moved back to him, and she lessened the space between them immediately by pressing her chest up against his.

Vaan, being a complete virgin, had never seen a naked woman before. Sure, he had known Penelo since they had been kids but he had never gotten intimate with her and he considered her to be something akin to a little sister. Still, this was all new to him, and so he was glad that Ashe was making her own moves for him.

This time it was Vaan who kissed Ashe, and while she didn't have the chance to say it she was caught off guard. That didn't matter as time went on. Hands moved where they wanted without restriction, no hesitation from either of them even as they moved to the floor to lie on the fur blanket Vaan had brought with him.

Before it was all over, Ashe had remembered how it felt to be alive.

It was still raining when Ashe woke up, albeit much lighter than it had been as of late, and it was darker out as well. She also noticed that she was alone. Wrapped in the fur blanket that was Vaan's, she wondered where he had gone. She sat up slowly, feeling a slight pain between her legs and on her chest. She used the blanket to cover her chest as she sat up

She didn't have to wait long as Vaan climbed back into the room from outside; he carried a bog of plants. He opened his bag and then noticed that Ashe was looking at him. "Sleep well?"

The princess nodded once, her body was still sore from earlier. Can't blame her as it had been over two years since she had shared a bed with a man. She didn't want to tell him yet, but though he had been inexperienced Vaan had done wonders for Ashe during their 'session', and it had been amazing. "I did." The blanket only covered half of her body, and as she was colder out of it, Ashe kept herself wrapped up and lay back down, still tired.

Vaan started to go through his bag, "I got us some vegetables to eat while we wait for the storm to finish passing. It won't be too long before the sun will come out."

Ashe sighed, though she did find the prospect of leaving the plains after being stuck out here for days quite lovely. "So, Vaan, I just wanted to say—"

"Don't thank me."

Ashe sat back up slowly, dropping the blanket to her lap, "Vaan…I have to, otherwise I would not live with myself."

Vaan turned to look at her, and for a few moments was mesmerized by her. She looked so beautiful and serene sitting in the light, her body shown for him to see whether it be accident or not. He had to shake his head to focus, "Ashe, I helped you. I'd do anything to help you, so being thankful to me isn't needed."

"But if I didn't, it would feel like I used you."

"We've already gone over this, Ashe. You didn't use me. If you hadn't asked me then it would have been different. That's all there is to it," he said, closing his bag. He wasn't feeling hungry at the moment.

Ashe felt a smile come across her lips as she brought one of her arms to her chest, "If that's how you feel, then I shall leave it at that." She lightly sighed, "Also, I should say, you did very well earlier."

The look she gave him made Vaan feel a little embarrassed and he had to turn away from her to hide it. "T-Thanks."

Ashe felt her smile grow.

"Um…it will still be awhile before the rain stops, and then we have to wait for the ground to dry before we can walk again. Better rest while we can," he said trying to but was unable to look away from her.

Ashe's smile vanished slowly, "Alright."

She lowered her head but had to raise it again when she noticed Vaan crawling over to her, lowering her back to the blanket. She felt him gently pressing a leg against her center while one of his hands was at her lower back, to balance his body over hers. Such an action would have been uncalled for on Vaan's part days ago, but Ashe was more comfortable with him now more than ever. So comfortable was she that her left hand grabbed his right and held it tightly while her right rested on the back of his head and pushed him into a kiss.

She didn't want to let him go, and she had until the sun came out, and so she made the best of the situation.


A/N: I plan to make at least one more chapter to finish this story, since more than likely my other stories need to be completed as well.