"You didn't have to get up so early," Jasmine told Noctis as he held open the passenger door for her the day of her mission. "I could've gotten a car to take me to base."
Noctis, who appeared a bit tired and disheveled, mustered a half-smile for Jasmine. "It's fine. I can just sleep once I drop you off," he insisted, glancing at his watch and noting that it was almost four in the morning.
Once Jasmine was safely inside the passenger's seat, he shut the door, popped the trunk and placed her backpack securely inside before shutting it tight.
When Jasmine came back to the apartment last night, she immediately shut herself off in her room. Noctis checked in to see what was wrong, but she insisted that everything was okay. However, even though Noctis thought that she sounded fine, he knew that something was off about her. And he had a sneaky suspicion that it had to do with Ventus.
Noctis slid into the driver's seat and shut the door behind him, but he didn't start the car.
Jasmine, who looked a little weathered, looked over at her partner. "Something the matter?"
The dark-haired prince turned to meet Jasmine's gaze and he sighed. "I'm worried about you," he answered honestly, clutching the steering wheel. "You don't seem yourself today."
Jasmine was surprised by the observation and leaned back, tearing her eyes away from the prince. Noctis was right: Jasmine was nowhere near her usual self.
After her and Ventus' fight, she stormed off and locked herself in her bedroom for the rest of the night. Her and Ven occasionally had a difference of opinion, but it never led to a fight like that. In fact, it felt more like a breakup than anything else.
None of it made sense to Jasmine. All along she and Ventus had maintained their "arrangement" without a single hitch. After all, he was the one to say how they didn't have the "luxury" of a relationship and that they should still remain platonic.
"It's not that I can't imagine anything with you," Ventus trailed off under the light of the Agrabah moon.
After the fight, Jasmine went through a myriad of emotions that were unfamiliar to her and some that she knew quite well: like hurt, anger, and confusion.
"Ventus and I got into a fight," Jasmine revealed casually.
Noctis was surprised by the announcement and looked to Jasmine for answers. "Really?"
Jasmine nodded her head to confirm it. "Yeah."
Noctis was hesitant to ask why, but his curiosity got the better of him. "What happened?"
Jasmine cackled inwardly, thinking there was no way in hell that she would tell Noctis why they were actually fighting. So instead, she gave him the simplified version of the truth. "He said something rude," she replied. "Although I think the fight was about something else altogether."
While Noctis was secretly tickled to hear that there was tension between Jasmine and Ventus, he didn't like that she was upset. "Well, once the mission is done, you guys can talk about whatever the problem is."
"Yeah," Jasmine agreed. "He just needs to be honest."
Seemingly satisfied (while also knowing that this was probably the best he was going to get from Jasmine), Noctis started the car and headed to their base.
Once the pair were five minutes into the drive, Jasmine spoke up again.
Thinking of Ventus' words about Noctis also made her uneasy and led to her choppy sleep. However, even though she was still furious with Ven for how he talked about her and how he picked a fight for no apparent reason.
"Which leads me to you," Jasmine trailed off distantly.
Noctis froze inwardly but focused his driving on the road. "What about me?"
Jasmine folded her arms over her chest and stared ahead at the well-lit streets of Radiant Garden. Even though it was early in the morning, the city still seemed alive in its own way. But regardless, she was happy to get away for a bit. "I don't think I know enough about what's really going on to make a decision about coming with you."
Noctis stiffened. After his talk with Prompto, he anticipated something like this, but not now. And, had it not been for Jasmine's unexpected mission, he would've had the time to go through with his and Prompto's plan. But now, with their time cut short, it would be a lot more difficult to get a "yes" from Jasmine.
"That's fair," Noctis said distantly.
Jasmine looked at the road ahead and realized that they were close to headquarters. "I just want to make sure I'm making the right decision, because I have a sneaky suspicion that you don't want me there to JUST help you win a war or fight or whatever."
Noctis was shocked and a bit stunned that she put him on the spot like that. Then again, Jasmine was smart. And he knew that there were obvious holes in his proposition.
"That's also what I wanted to talk to you about," Noctis began slowly, noticing that there were already at the gates of their base.
Once Noctis pulled up to the first of several security gates, he showed his ID and used his keycard to get them through to the main entrance. He stopped the car once the pair reached the stairs leading to base and shut off the engine.
"But I don't think we should discuss this now," Noctis continued.
"Why not?" Jasmine asked, mild irritation in her voice.
Noctis sighed heavily. This wasn't the conversation he wanted to have at four in the morning with his (hopeful) Queen's Candidate/fiancé. "Because you have a mission and I don't want you to go into it with a lot on your mind."
"Too late," Jasmine scoffed, thinking of the four-hour helicopter ride she would be sharing with Ventus and Axel (who was the pilot).
The prince exited the vehicle and hurried to Jasmine's side, opening her door for her. Once she stepped out into the crisp morning air, Jasmine slipped on a heavy grey trench coat and pulled the black hood from her sweater over her head.
Noctis retrieved her belongings from the trunk and headed over to her. Jasmine thanked him for the ride but didn't look directly at him, which she usually only did when she was mad.
"Listen, Jasmine," he began slowly. "I realize I'm asking a lot of you because you're right – this isn't a quick trip. I talked about it with the team, and we want you to stay with us: for good."
Jasmine stared at Noctis incredulously, caught off guard by the sincerity, and resolve in his gaze. The prince already had a intense stare with those powerful blue eyes of his, but he'd looked at her in this moment like he'd never done before.
It honestly took her breath away.
"Look," Noctis placed his hands on her shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze. "I'll tell you anything you want to know as soon as you get back. We still have a few days together – I think we should make them count. I just want you to have a safe mission."
Jasmine felt her heart sink. Though she knew that Noctis was probably right in not having this discussion now it didn't help her nerves or ease her anxiety. But at least he was being honest.
"Hey," Noctis called out softly.
She looked back at him but was surprised to see that he was standing closer over her, with his hands now at her shoulders while he held her in a way that he hadn't done before.
"Just take care of yourself," Noctis told her. "I know you've got a good team, but I'm still a little worried."
Despite being flustered from being in such an…intimate situation with Noctis (right at SOLDIERs doors at that), Jasmine had to admit that it was comforting to have someone THIS concerned about her well-being. She'd been on numerous missions with him in the past, but this was maybe the third time that they'd been separated since becoming partners.
She couldn't place her finger on it, but there was also something very different about how he was treating her this time around. Maybe it was his impending departure that brought out a different side of him, maybe it was the reason for his proposal not long ago that had him acting out of character. But even so, it was nice to have his concern especially when she didn't know what the status of her friendship with Ven was at the moment.
"I'll be fine," she reassured him, "it's just a little bit of recon. Nothing I haven't done before. If things get crazy, I'll send an SOS."
"Promise?"
"I promise," she replied quietly, mustering up a small smile for him.
Seemingly satisfied with the promise, Noctis sighed in relief.
"Okay. Just let me know when you get there safely."
Jasmine nodded but before she could say anything else, Noctis pulled her into a tight hug. Initially stiffening at the act, Jasmine returned the hug and, to her surprise, felt both her heart and his racing.
From her end, she was sure it was from the shock of everything he'd revealed to her but the reasons as to why his heartbeat was faster than normal were unknown to her – at least in theory.
Realizing how much time had passed, Jasmine pressed her hands to his chest and gently reminded him that she had to leave.
Noctis reluctantly let her go, waving to her as she ascended the stairs to base. Only when Noctis got back in the car and drove off, did Jasmine relax.
'Ven might actually be onto something,' she thought quietly.
In that moment, Jasmine remembered her cell phone and fished it out of her coat pocket. Ever since she'd left Ven's apartment, she shut the phone off and hadn't seen any of her calls or texts.
She held her breath as the phone powered on and closed her eyes as she felt it vibrate over and over and over again. When Jasmine finally looked, she had seen that she did in fact have more than a few missed calls and texts from her friends and family.
One call was from Tifa (who she'd told about her mission on the day they went out for lunch), one text was from Naminé, another from Sora.
When she reached the top of her notifications page, she was horrified to see that Ventus called her three times and texted her five times since she'd stormed out of his apartment.
Every bone in her body told her not to look at the texts, but she paused at SOLDIER's doors to go through them.
"Jasmine, can you please answer the phone?"
"I've been trying to reach you."
"Please, let's talk about this."
"I didn't mean it."
"We need to talk. I am so sorry."
Jasmine swore at the urgency of the texts but instead of replying, pocketing the phone after putting it on silent. After all, she would be seeing Ventus shortly as they were scheduled to leave in an hour for Traverse Town together.
While Jasmine's heart ached (for a variety of reasons), she felt bad about ignoring Ven. In her gut she firmly believed that the blond was indeed sorry for what he'd said, there was a part of her that knew that she needed to put distance between them for now – especially because she was still very hurt and confused by what had been said.
Inwardly, Jasmine swore. The cynical side of her wanted her to believe that Ventus was just panicking because he'd swiftly and suddenly lost his "friend with benefits" and no longer had access to her…at least sexually.
Rolling her eyes as she punched in her code for the building, Jasmine promised herself that she would keep this trip as professional as possible. If Ven approached her about what happened, she would shut it down immediately and offer the chance to talk after they took some time apart.
'Great', Jasmine thought, laughing darkly at her luck. 'I have to go on an overnight trip with a guy I technically broke up with. My timing is, as usual, absolute trash.'
Inhaling deeply with a small smile on her face, Jasmine took in the scent of the sweet Traverse Town air.
Traverse Town is one of the "worlds" she had first visited when she joined SOLDIER. It is a town with a distinct Victorian-age feel that is much less modern than her home. Initially only having three districts, it now held five with the last two being currently developed to be more up to date with shopping centers, restaurants and other leisurely activities.
She'd heard this story from Ventus when they first met that Traverse Town acted as a home for those who needed shelter, whether they were fleeing from death and poverty of their homelands or drifters who just needed to get away and start over.
Still, with a smile on her face, Jasmine looked up at the brightly lit buildings. Even the air smelled sweet and inviting. The whole town just felt…warm.
A sharp whistle broke Jasmine out of her daze and she whipped around to see Axel and Ventus heading straight for her.
"Thanks for getting us here safely," Jasmine said graciously, looking directly at the red-headed pilot.
Axel casually shrugged his shoulders and grinned, dropping his duffel bag on the cobblestone floor underneath him. "No problem. I'll just be relaxing while you two lovebirds handle your mission."
Jasmine grimaced inwardly and avoided looking at Ven, who was standing right beside Axel.
She had avoided Ven like the plague from the time she made it to base to when she got on the helicopter and headed for Traverse Town. While Axel and Ventus were up in the pilot and copilots' seats, she elected to take a nap in the back and rest before the mission started. While Ven did say good morning to her when they first met up on Radiant Garden, Jasmine was still rather standoffish and made no attempt to hide her feelings of ire.
"Jasmine! Ven!"
The trio turned to see Aqua and Terra atop of the steps of the accessory shop with the blue-haired young woman waving.
Jasmine, Ven and Axel ascended the steps to meet up with the pair, greeting them warmly with hugs all around.
Aqua ran to Ventus first and wrapped him in her arms. "It's so good to see you! It's been too long."
Ventus, who gladly returned the hug, shared the same sentiment. "I know. It's weird not being here with you guys."
Jasmine stared at Ventus and Aqua, feeling something quite foreign to her well up in the pit of her stomach.
She recalled the night that her and Ventus slept together, which was also around the same time that he revealed he still had feelings for Aqua. And it made perfect sense as to why he would be head over heels for her.
Aqua was strong (regarded as one of the best SOLDIER members – male or female – to ever join the organization), intelligent, with a certain grace and kindness that couldn't be taught; it was something that was simply within her. Jasmine recalled her early days when she struggled in SOLDIER and Aqua, who didn't know Jasmine in the slightest at the time, took her under her wing and provided her with a vast amount of knowledge and support on how to excel (and survive) in such a difficult profession.
In truth, if Jasmine continued with SOLDIER, she hoped that she would turn into someone like an Aqua – who was sweet and just and caring despite all the horrors that came with their careers.
In addition to that, Aqua was a natural beauty. She was tall (about Jasmine's height if not an inch shorter) and petite with a perfect hourglass figure, had gorgeous blue eyes and hair (which was the only thing unnatural about her appearance given that she was a brunette according to Ventus).
Jasmine's heart ached when she watched the Ven and Aqua interact.
Despite her disapproval with Ventus coveting his best friend's girlfriend, she couldn't blame him for having feelings for her.
"Long time no see," Terra said with a smile as he approached Jasmine and gave her a hug which she gladly returned.
"I know," Jasmine replied, recalling the last time she had seen the pair. "The last time I saw you was when Ven took me out here. What was it, a couple months ago?"
Terra agreed and then greeted his best friend. Jasmine watched the trio interact, stuck in her thoughts when she felt a nudge in her side. She glanced over to see Axel on her right.
"So, what happened with you and the kid?" The redhead asked, his voice in a low whisper. "You could barely stand to look at him at base and now it's even worse. What gives? I thought you two were a match made in non-romantic heaven."
Jasmine rolled her eyes and became quickly annoyed. She should have known that she couldn't get anything past Axel. Then again, she was very aware that she was being openly standoffish towards Ven. She just hoped that no one would call her out on it.
"I don't want to talk about it," Jasmine answered, faking a smile as to not draw attention to herself and Axel.
Axel smirked. "Meet me for dinner later. We'll let the three of them have some alone time."
Just before Jasmine could open her mouth to protest, Axel cleared his throat loudly, interrupting the group.
"I'm gonna get some sleep while you guys go to work," he announced. "If you need to reach me, just shoot me a text."
"Wanna join us for dinner later?" Terra asked.
"Can't. Me and Jasmine have a date planned," he announced, earning a confused look from the entire group, including Jasmine. "Maybe after the fact. But if you need backup for whatever reason, let me know."
"Thanks, Axel," Jasmine said calmly while fuming on the inside. She was going to tear him a new one later, but now was not the time to start an argument.
The redhead grabbed his belongings and headed towards the alleys of the first district that led to the hostels and hotels. Once he was gone, Terra cleared his throat.
"How are you both feeling?" The brunette asked the younger SOLDIER members.
"I'm feeling alright," Jasmine replied casually.
Ventus grinned for his response. "I'm ready to go."
"Perfect. We should meet at our place in half an hour to go over the mission. You guys are staying at Ven's old spot, right?"
The blond opened his mouth to speak but Jasmine quickly cut him off.
"I'm actually staying in the third district for the night near the plaza," she announced.
Ventus stared at Jasmine, confused and a bit hurt by her statement. "I thought you were staying with me."
"Yeah, but Tseng put me up in one of the hotels. He wants me to put together our findings," Jasmine explained. "I'll probably have to put an all-nighter."
In truth, Jasmine had changed her accommodations shortly after her fight with Ventus to avoid spending the night with him. While she was more than sure she'd be able to keep her emotions in check for the duration of the trip, she just wanted the space away from him. And in truth, she did have an additional assignment from Tseng that Ventus and the others weren't aware of.
Aqua, noticing the tension between Ventus and Jasmine, tried to lighten the mood. "Well, how about we grab some coffee and then we can link up in a bit at me and Terra's apartment. That way we can go over specifics on what we have to do here."
Before Jasmine could say anything else, Aqua grabbed her hand and linked arms, steering her towards the coffeeshop with Ven and Terra in tow.
As the two women struck up general conversation, Jasmine couldn't help but feel Ven's eyes on her. The pair had initially planned to stay at his apartment in the second district, something they always did when they visited Traverse Town, so she was sure that the news caught Ven off guard. But she was sure that he'd want to talk about what happened (as evident from his texts) and didn't want to get worked up again so she took an extra step and booked a hotel room in the heart of the third district.
'It's for the best,' Jasmine told herself, trying to put the mission at the forefront of her mind while she eased back into conversation with Aqua. 'We'll figure it out…eventually.'
"You wanted to see me," Jasmine said as she closed the door to Tseng's office.
The SOLDIER director leaned back in his chair and stared at Jasmine, his dark brown eyes narrowed into harsh slits.
Jasmine took note of her boss' foul mood and immediately went on the defensive. "I haven't done anything wrong, have I?" She asked cautiously.
"No," he replied curtly. Tseng motioned for her to have a seat and brushed his shoulder-length black hair behind him. "We have a situation."
Jasmine felt a lump in the pit of her stomach. She'd never seen Tseng this intense before. Whatever was troubling him had to be major.
"Two of our agents have turned up missing," Tseng announced.
"Missing?" Jasmine's eyes widened and she took a seat in the chair in front of Tseng's desk. "What about their trackers?"
Tseng shook his head. "They seem to have been deactivated or destroyed. It's been days since we heard from them."
"Where were they stationed?"
"Traverse Town," Tseng replied.
Jasmine felt a wave of dread wash over her. However, she refused to let Tseng see her discomfort over the situation and put on a façade of calm.
Every time her or any other member of SOLDIER left for a mission, they were given a tracker which was a small, circular device that was attached to their skin behind their ear. The devices themselves were almost impossible to remove and very difficult to see. Even she had a hard time seeing her own tracker from time to time.
"Aqua and Terra know, right?" Jasmine asked curiously.
"Correct," Tseng replied. "They were two 2nd Class members working directly under them. According to the reports, the four of them were doing reconnaissance work in the fourth and fifth districts. However, when it was time for them all to meet up, the two 2nd Class members never showed up. When we tried to locate them, we'd already lost their location. That's why we're sending you and Ventus with them – to finish doing the research and find leads on where they are."
Despite keeping up the appearance of being cool, calm and collected, Jasmine was uneasy about the entire situation. When she'd first been given the assignment, it was just recon. Now it had turned into a potential search and rescue mission.
"Terra, Aqua, Ven and you are all 1st Class," Tseng began slowly. "I expect that, at the bare minimum, you will finish off the recon and find clues. I have a suspicion that SHINRA is involved with this."
Just then, something clicked with Jasmine. "Why is it that you only called me in here?" She inquired, lifting an eyebrow in suspicion. "Shouldn't Ventus be here too if he's part of this mission?"
Tseng folded his hands and set them in his lap, his stare still as icy and intense. "Ventus already knows about the missing persons. I have a special assignment for you while you're in Traverse Town."
Jasmine's ears perked up, curious as to what it was she had to do.
"One of the now-missing 2nd Class agents found a document related to Project Heartless and Master Xehanort. Your job is to head to the last known location, retrieve the document and bring it back here. No one else is to know about this."
Jasmine reeled back, shocked that this was still an issue. When she set off months ago for the Project Heartless mission, recovering journal pages, she was sure that she'd gathered them all. In addition to that, she found it odd that she still had to keep this information and her mission to herself. With the disappearance of those other agents, Jasmine would have thought that maybe Tseng would open up such a sensitive matter to other SOLDIER members.
"Why am I the only one who can know about this?" She asked cautiously. "Ventus and the others are more than able to assist with this sort of mission."
"Of course they are," Tseng deadpanned. "However, you're the only one capable of carrying this mission out and having more success."
Confused, Jasmine asked, "Why? Why me?"
"Our sources say that Vanitas is on Traverse Town. Before we lost track of our agents, they said they pursued him. I'd wager that if Vanitas is involved, it would be easier for you to get close to him and possibly figure out what's going on."
Jasmine's eyes widened, shocked and horrified at what Tseng had revealed to her. Still, she steadied herself, letting her "Valentine" persona take over.
"So…you're throwing me out there, on good faith that Vanitas might not kill me," she stated darkly, feeling ever so like a pawn. "At least not quickly."
"Precisely," Tseng answered. "I will admit, I don't understand the nature of your relationship with Vanitas – "
"We don't have a relationship," Jasmine cut Tseng off swiftly before he could even entertain that thought further.
"But I do suspect that he'd at the very least show restraint towards you given your past," Tseng finished. "Bottom line, recover the document and bring it back to me."
Jasmine inhaled, feeling the weight of her mission. "And what are your orders regarding Vanitas? Should I bring him here for questioning? Since we're on the subject…"
Tseng's brow furrowed, the tilak in the middle of his forehead scrunching up. "We are not taking prisoners," he informed her. "But if he poses a threat, kill him where he stands."
"Wouldn't that start a war with SHINRA?" Jasmine asked. "After all, he is one of their higher-ranking members."
"As you know from experience, Vanitas is far too dangerous for his own good. I would hope that it wouldn't come to that, as I suspect that if you do in fact kill him, SHINRA activity will skyrocket, which is why I say avoid it if possible. But if it comes to that, it can't be helped." Tseng sighed heavily and went through the papers on his desk. "You can go now."
Jasmine nodded in understanding, rose to her feet and headed for the exit. However, she was stopped by Tseng, who called out to her before she had left the room.
"You shot him once I recall without any real training," he chuckled darkly. "A fully realized 1st Class Valentine like yourself should have no problems missing the mark this time."
End of Flashback
Jasmine cringed when she thought back on her meeting with Tseng.
Even though her boss was known for being harsh and crude, this time in particular caught her off guard.
Sighing heavily, she plopped down on her bed in the red-themed hotel room. She wanted nothing more than to be done with this mission and go home to Radiant Garden.
While the outing with Terra, Aqua and Ven was pleasant (after all she enjoyed the two elder SOLDIER members and even considered them friends), it was still uncomfortable being around Ventus. During the course of the breakfast/coffee meet up, Jasmine was trying to carry on as if nothing was wrong, but she still felt the heaviness between herself and Ven. And though she did try to lighten the mood by being more social with him around Terra and Aqua, the interactions still felt forced and strained. Once they were done, she was ecstatic to get away from the group and check into her hotel room.
In truth, Jasmine still wasn't sure why Ventus said what he said last night.
It just didn't make any sense.
And it was a new side of him that she'd never seen before.
Ventus was very much like Sora – always kind, a very sweet, and rarely said anything negative about anyone (unless it was someone on SHINRA's list – and even then, he kept most of his comments brief).
For the life of her, she couldn't understand why he flipped on her like he did. It was true: their "relationship" was physical but, as far as she knew, that's how he wanted it. Throughout the entirety of it all, they'd taken great care to keep communication open and honest on how they felt or if things with one another had changed. It almost seemed like Ventus had been holding onto something and it just slipped out.
The thought of them arguing deeply disturbed her.
If Jasmine had to be honest, Ventus was her closest friend. Perhaps even more so than Naminé. They shared everything with each other, had been there for each other through thick and thin (especially in their early days), and just had this connection that was almost magical. She loved Ven and to see him almost do a complete 180 was jarring to say the least.
But she was still mad at him for talking about her in that way.
Yes, they were friends with benefits who decided to keep their relationship platonic. But the way Ventus spoke about her and the nature of their situation was off-putting. Gross even. And of top of that, he kept throwing Riku in her face over and over again.
"Jeez," she groaned, feeling the hurt from the previous surface.
Jasmine had never once brought up Aqua because she knew just how strongly Ventus felt about her.
Replaying the argument in her head, Jasmine found herself getting frustrated all over again.
Eventually, she would have to sit down with Ven and talk about what happened. But right now, during a mission when emotions were already running high (especially with her having to carry one out on her own without Terra and the others knowing), she knew that talking to him now would only stress her out further.
'A break is probably for the best,' she reasoned, crossing one leg over the other while she went through her work phone. 'I'll deal with Noctis when I get back and then talk to Ven later.'
A soft knock on the door tore Jasmine away from her thoughts.
Aqua had promised Jasmine that she would drop by and bring over the pair of binoculars that Jasmine let her borrow the last time she was in Traverse Town. When the group was having lunch, she mentioned bringing them back before they met up so that Jasmine could get another nap in before they went out in the afternoon.
Jumping to her feet, Jasmine headed to the door and attempted a smile. However, when she opened the door, her smile quickly faded when she saw Ventus standing there in her doorway instead.
"Aqua told me you needed these," the blonde said carefully, forcing a small smile.
Jasmine's expression went blank and she took the binoculars from Ven.
"Thanks," she said flatly. "I thought she was gonna drop them off."
"Yeah, but they live in the first district," Ventus explained. "It's more convenient if I give them to you since I'm in the second district."
Ventus' story checked out.
She shrugged her shoulders and began to close the door. "Thanks again," she said as she stepped back into her room. "I'll see you guys later."
Before she could get the door halfway closed, Ventus put his hand up to stop it. "Can I come in for a bit?"
Jasmine rolled her eyes, feeling her annoyance begin to bubble up. "I'm gonna take a nap, Ven. I'm tired."
"It'll be quick," he pleaded quietly, his expression reading urgency. "Please, Jasmine."
Jasmine swore inwardly. Even though she was still upset with Ventus, she couldn't bear to tell him no. She groaned loudly and ushered him inside, locking the door behind him.
Jasmine set the binoculars down on the nightstand near her bed and stood with her arms folded across her chest. "If you came to talk about last night, you might as well leave now."
Ventus stood a few feet away from Jasmine and studied her face and body carefully. It was quite clear that she was still very upset and he'd have to tread lightly.
"I just want to explain something," Ventus started slowly.
"Explain what?" Jasmine inquired, lifting an eyebrow in ire. "How you telling me that we were only sleeping together because it may not work out with someone else? Sounds to me like you're projecting what you're feeling onto me. It's not something you have to explain."
Ventus' eyes shifted to the floor, feeling ashamed for his behavior from the last night.
"I want to apologize," he said after a brief pause.
"What was that even about, Ven?" Jasmine asked. "One minute we're fine, then we talk about Riku and Noctis, and then all THAT comes out of nowhere. I know we were sleeping with each other, but you knew that I wasn't using you. What is your problem?"
"Look," Ventus said sternly, taking a step towards Jasmine. "I know you aren't using me. That was never our situation."
"Then why did you say that?"
Ventus fell silent.
"Ven," Jasmine looked away, the memory of last night and her thoughts after the argument coming back to her. "I just wish you'd be honest with me."
"About what?"
Jasmine exhaled. Something had occurred to her last night, something that occasionally came to mind, something she told herself she would never say to Ventus directly for fear of hurting him, or even herself for that matter.
"It really does feel like you're projecting," she began slowly, unable to look him in the eye. "I know you're still in love with Aqua still, and I get it. But I really do have to wonder if you were sleeping with me as a distraction. I've thought about it a lot, and while not a lot of this makes sense, that's literally the only thing I could think of."
Ven stared at Jasmine incredulously, shocked at what she'd just said to him. "Is that really what you think?"
"I don't know what to think," Jasmine shot back, feeling confused and saddened. "But as I said, everything you said last night came out of left field and it felt like you've been carrying something for a while."
Ventus' expression became unreadable and he backed off. "You're right," he agreed.
The pair fell into an uncomfortable silence, neither one able to speak or even look at each other. It was a standoff on who would let down their guard first and neither of them seemed to want to take the leap before the other.
Suddenly, Ventus was standing right in front of Jasmine, so close that they could feel the heat coming from their bodies.
Jasmine finally looked up to meet Ventus' gaze, caught off guard by the intensity of his bright blue eyes.
"Do you remember that night in Agrabah?" He asked simply.
Jasmine batted her eyes, caught off guard by the randomness of Ven's question.
"You mean the night we slept together?"
Ven nodded and said a quick "yeah" continued to speak. "Remember what we said that night to each other?"
Jasmine was getting flustered, unsure of why Ventus was bringing up that night of all things. She could remember the night as if it were yesterday…that strange, dream-like, unreal night. She tapped her foot impatiently on the floor, recalling her emotions during that time.
"What does it matter? We had sex because we got carried away," she reasoned. "End of story."
Ventus' frustration was clear as day. He'd hoped to have an honest conversation with Jasmine, but she was shutting herself off from him. And since she was putting up her defenses, it would be up to him to open up and be honest about what was going on.
"For the record, it's was never JUST about the sex," Ventus clarified. "And if I'm being really honest, we've been attracted to each other for a while. You know that and I know that. And you know that I do care about you."
"Yeah, and? You made it very clear quite early on that we'd just keep things platonic," Jasmine reminded him.
"I know," Ventus rolled his eyes. It was obvious that Jasmine was not ready to have this conversation. Usually when they talked, she was always open and made time for him. But now, she had made it known that she wanted nothing to do with him. "Look Jasmine, I'm sorry."
Jasmine's foot-tapping ceased and she broke eye contact with Ven, feeling a strange uneasiness within her.
"I didn't mean to make you feel like you were just a body," Ventus continued. "That wasn't my intention. I've just been in my own head for a while about things and it came out wrong. I apologize."
Before Jasmine could say anything, Ventus wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug. Her body became stiff from the act, not knowing how to react. But at the very least, she accepted his apology.
"I appreciate it, Ven," Jasmine said softly, still feeling a heaviness in the pit of her stomach for reasons unknown to her. "However," she pulled away from Ventus, who was caught off guard by her stoicism. "I still think it's best we not sleep together."
The blond stepped away from Jasmine, unsure of how to feel in regard to everything.
"Look," Jasmine began slowly, knowing most likely that Ventus was looking for answers. After all, she had accepted his apology, so in theory, things would go back to normal. "I do forgive you, but I don't think it's a good idea for us to keep doing this. I need to deal with the Noctis situation when I come back and to be honest with you, I just need to think about things all around."
Ven stared at Jasmine dejectedly, looking like he'd just lost something precious to him. "What about Noctis?"
"Listen…" Jasmine inhaled sharply, Axel's words from the night of the party practically ringing in her ears. "I can't keep giving everyone the runaround. I need to at least talk to him and see what he actually wants from me."
"So…you do like him?"
Jasmine shook her head. "That's not it. Ven…we can't keep doing this," she stressed, her eyes started to water out of frustration and confusion. "This is almost the exact same situation I was in with Roxas."
"What do you mean?" Ven asked curiously, unsure of where this conversation would be going.
Jasmine never went into detail about her past with Roxas, though Ven was well aware of most of it thanks to Axel. But for her to bring it up now, shortly after Axel had delivered an almost warning about her relationship with his cousin, it seemed to hit him a little bit differently than he'd expected.
"I used to really like Roxas," Jasmine revealed. "Honestly? I loved him. He had been there for me from the very beginning and when I came back to the real world, he was all I had, and he was the only one who saw what was really going on.
He knew how hurt I was. Despite how I felt about Riku, those feelings for Roxas were still there. But I knew that I wasn't capable of giving him what he needed or deserved. Axel called me out on it, and shortly after that me and Roxas just stopped seeing each other. But I know it hurt him at the time – both of us honestly. All because I was indecisive and never made a real choice and drew it out for too long. Even though I know he's forgiven me, there's not a day that goes by that I don't regret how I handled that. Screwed up or not, and even though I did still care for Roxas, it isn't an excuse.
End of story," Jasmine wiped away the few tears that stained her cheeks. "I don't want complicated relationships if I can help it. It's gotta be clear cut. And as much as I loved our arrangement," she whispered sadly before adding strength to her voice, "I want to be with someone who feels something for me. We can be friends like it was before but everything else has to stop."
One Jasmine had finished, the room became suffocatingly heavy. She and Ventus stared into each other's eyes, neither one of them knowing exactly what to say. However, while Jasmine was silent, her eyes were pleading yet stern, letting Ventus know that she meant every word that she said while his were completely devoid of emotion with his expression unreadable and controlled.
Ventus covered his mouth with a hand and he turned his back on her.
"I get it," he said finally. "No…I really do."
Surprised by Ventus' behavior and change in attitude, Jasmine took a step towards him. "You do?"
"Yeah," he replied, his voice slightly muffled by his hand. "Lemme ask you this: do you still love Roxas?"
Taken aback but understanding where the question came from, Jasmine replied, "As a friend, yes. But I don't love him anymore in that way."
"And what about Noctis? Do you love him?"
Jasmine shook her head fervently. "I'm not in love with him. But he is a good friend."
Ventus dropped his hand and stared up at the ceiling before shutting his eyes. It appeared as though he was trying to muster up the courage to say something to her. "Are you being honest with me?"
"Completely," Jasmine answered with sincerity. "But that's also why we can't keep doing this. You're still in love with Aqua and I don't want to be the rebound. It just doesn't sit right with me anymore."
"And why is it that whenever I bring up that night in Agrabah, you shut it down?" He asked after a brief pause.
Jasmine batted her eyes, feigning confusion. "What do you mean?"
"You know what I'm talking about," Ventus snapped back, this time with a little more bite in his tone which shocked Jasmine.
Jasmine inhaled sharply, the feelings she had surrounding that fateful night finally bubbling up to the surface. "I keep downplaying that night because back then, I thought that I was starting to, or could, fall for you," she answered darkly. "There? Are you happy now? I was always attracted to you and then that night I got caught up. And no, I wasn't into you because you look like Roxas. But we decided to stay friends, and that's what we did. End of story."
Before Ventus, who stood in stunned silence, could say anything else, Jasmine headed for the door and gripped the handle.
"I think you should go," she told him somberly with her head hung low. "I just want to be alone."
"Jasmine, let's talk about this, please," Ventus pleaded, feeling horrible as he took in the pained expression on her face.
"No," she said firmly. "I didn't even want to have this conversation in the first place. I'm done, Ventus. I just want to get through with this mission and go home. I'm over this."
Feeling defeated, Ventus headed for the door while Jasmine continued to hide her face from him. Before she had the chance to open the door, Ventus grabbed her free hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"I'm so sorry," he said softly. "Can you at least promise me something?"
"What's the promise?" she asked weakly.
"When we get home, maybe in a day or two when you're ready, I'd like to talk to you about something that I should've told you weeks ago – preferably before Noctis leaves. I should probably say it now, but I know you want your space and I need to honor that. Will you see me once this is over with?"
Jasmine sniffed, not even bothering to hide her tears at this point. "I can do that," she whispered.
Suddenly, Ventus pulled Jasmine into him, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. She was initially shocked by the action, not knowing how to react at first. But instantly she melted into Ventus' arms and cried softly into his shirt, hating that this was now her, no…their reality.
Ventus placed a hand on the top of her head. "I really am sorry for how all of this turned out. I'll make it right, I promise."
Jasmine felt the sincerity of his words and, despite her frustration over the entirety of the situation, she became a bit more at ease at Ven's promise to make the situation right. She didn't know how he was going to "make it right" but without question or doubt, she believed that he would. After all, Ven had always kept his promises to her no matter how big or small.
"I know this isn't the time for it, but don't forget that I really do love you, Jasmine. With all my heart," Ventus told her.
Before Jasmine could even respond, Ventus let her go and rushed out of her room, shutting the door tightly behind him.
Once she knew that he was gone for sure, Jasmine let loose an exasperated sigh and sat down in the chair near her nightstand. She quickly dried her tears and shut her eyes, trying to shake the feeling that she'd made a mistake by telling Ventus how she felt back then.
"Oh well," she mumbled out loud, thinking about her mission. "At least I was honest this time."
Author's Note: Hello everyone! I hope you're all doing well. I know there's still a lot of chaos out here in the world, but I do hope that despite it all, everyone is taking care of themselves and doing alright.
Honestly? I didn't plan for this chapter to be so long (especially because the others in this particular are going to be equally as long) but it just seemed necessary for the story.
Rynxenvy: Thank you! I'm glad to know that you and others still like reading such lengthy chapters. I hope you're staying safe out there too, friend! I (almost) can't believe that we're living in times like these. But yes, Ventus and Jasmine are in a bit of sorts. Their relationship is extremely complicated, and their story will be, in truth, a challenging one. Almost more complicated than Jasmine and Riku's relationship.
Rawrrbreee: Thank you for the review and well wishes. I'd only wished that I'd been half as fast uploading this chapter as I had been the others. Lol I love that the keyword is "trying" which is extremely accurate. I think he's realized that they just need to grow independently and try to work on their friendship before anything else (especially since they had such a strong friendship before anything else in "Heartbreakers") but of course, he still gets excited whenever she's mentioned (and vice versa). As for Vanitas, he's definitely a hoot and a half to write. I find him to be one of the most fascinating characters in the KH universe. As for whether or not he'll redeem himself or continue down this path we'll have to see. And the scene between Jasmine and Ventus was kind of heavy to write. They're two people who absolutely value and care for one another, but they have such complicated backstories in regard to their love lives. In regard to your question, I'd have to say yes and no. There are some parts that I know the end and some things that still need ironing out. It's so much that I might have to add a fourth and final story onto this (but that might be a bit ambitious, so we'll see). Take care!
Hopefuldreamer1991: Aww I'm glad you liked it! It did feel like the old days when I wrote "Heartbreakers". As for the mission, it should take place over this chapter and the next two and I hope you enjoy it. Vanitas will definitely be more prominent in upcoming chapters as well.
Thank you guys for the views, reviews and for favoriting the story. It really makes me feel good knowing that you are enjoying it (and still liking it) after all this time. Let me know what you guys thought of this chapter. I'm also updating other stories in the next few days so check them out!
I hope you guys stay safe and sound with everything going on and I'll see you next time!