A Kiss of Necessity

Ashe fancied Rasler, she really did. And as they'd promised each other before Rasler had left to fight Arcadia on that fateful night, she tried to get to know him–and him, her–so they could make their marriage, and the adoration that they did have for each other, everything it could be.

But that had proved to be somewhat difficult, when Dalmasca had been taken over by the Empire, and Ashe, Rasler, Basch, Balthier, Fran, Vaan, and Penelo, had had to work to reclaim Ashe's throne. And now there was all the things with Lemurés going on…

But still… the couple had tried; and having learned a few things about each other, they had!

Ashe realized that Rasler was actually afraid of chocobos, and so she'd tried to keep her own fascination with the creatures somewhat a secret, and to make sure they rode the birds as little as possible on her and Rasler's first adventure together.

And Ashe also came to see that as awe-inspiring she'd, personally, found the Dynast-King to be–especially when the occuria were trying to get her to follow in his footsteps–Rasler had his concerns with that particular tale… which was part of the antidote she'd needed, when she'd almost fallen down a slippery slope with her desire for revenge for her father's death. "Ashe, do you not think his actions put humanity's destiny in the hands of the gods, rather than their own?" he had said.

…There was even the time when Rasler had, for whatever reason, inquired as to why Ashe wore the hot pink skirt that she did. And she had tried to explain that it was because it was close to red–a masculine color that she should be respected for wearing–but also… not. In reality, it was pink, and that allowed Ashe to revel in her feminine side while out questing. And Ashe thought Rasler must have understood, because he then started wearing a "blue", that was really violet.

But what really made Ashe fall in love with Rasler, was the situation with Velis–who reminded Ashe of one of her own brothers, too (similarly to what Penelo was feeling…).

At the moment, Vaan was certain that he was losing Penelo to Velis–something that Rasler may have feared with Ashe, too, if he didn't understand things as he did–"In times of grief, it is common to hide from memories of your loved ones to escape the pain. And it is often times only when you find someone like them–and enjoy traits of theirs, that are much likes your lost loved one's–that you can finally look upon your past with a smile. That's all that's happening here… And your brothers must have been quite the men, Ashe."

After Rasler read her heart as if it were a book, Ashe kissed him out of necessity. Not out of "convenience": proof of the alliance between Nabradia and Dalmasca, like Rasler had said ages ago.

But because there was nothing else in the world she would have been wanting to do then…

Especially while the world fell down around them, as their friends figured out right then that Velis was really dead and the dreadful Judge of Wings' former lover.

And as Rasler clung to Ashe, whilst their lips still moved together–as if she were the only sure thing in all of this chaos–she thought he must have wanted nothing else, too.