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Yasha looked out at the expanse of white tundra ahead of her; she tried to take a deep calming breath, but the uneasy that’d settled in her chest just wouldn’t go away. She knew it would probably stay with her for the remainder of this trek through Eiselcross; wherever it ended up taking them. She sighed as she looked back towards the two camps that were being set up behind her; thankfully the two travelling parties, though apparently grouping up for this journey now, were not comfortable enough with each other to sleep in the same camp. They would be able to see each other, sure, but Yasha was glad that they would not be forced to bed down next to the body of her dead best friend.
They’d been traveling with Lucien and his crew all day...since being bombarded by them early in the morning. The tense interaction had Yasha wanting to reach for her greatsword more than once. In the end, they refused to give up the threshold crest, but were now traveling with the Tomb Takers to their final location. The aasimar had been reserved all day; sticking to the back of the party, but her eyes kept dragging themselves to the purple tiefling. She watched him; she knew he could probably tell, but she couldn’t help herself. Yasha could feel a small, sharp pain in her chest all day as she watched Lucien make his way.
At first, she felt as though she were trapped in a memory, her periphery vision catching the familiar lilac color, causing her eyes to snap over and watch as Molly’s body trudged through the snow in front of her. The way it moved now was not so unlike the way it moved then; both captains confident in their claim over the vessel they steered. Whenever she got a look at his face, she could see that Lucien, like Molly, also wore a smirk on it nearly constantly. His was different though; where Molly’s was light, inviting and friendly, Lucien’s was calculating, untrusting, like a snake waiting for you to give it a reason to strike. The longer she watched him, the more she could feel the sinking feeling in her heart grow. They were so similar, it began to make her start to believe that maybe Molly and Lucien really were both parts of the same person, but then it only made her crave her friend even more. Why couldn’t Molly be the one in control again? Why did it have to be this guy?
Yasha also fucking hated the creepy group talking thing; on top of everything else, she really hated that. It unnerved something inside of her that she couldn’t name, made her want to crawl out of her skin and scream. The frown was deep across her face as she made her way to help finish setting up their camp before the sun went down, hearing the Tomb Takers bid her friends farewell for the evening in unison. Their camps were set up in a small valley that they’d been trudging through before deciding to make camp before losing all of their sunlight. As the barbarian glanced up at the sky, she could see the bright colors of the sun beginning its descent into setting, much like the morning, it looked as though the night might actually be a clear one for once; there were no clouds to speak of in the sky and the wind was light for the first time since they’d arrived.
The aasimar sat down on her bed mat, leaning against the stone face mountain wall they’d backed their camp up to as she took a deep breath, trying to relax herself for the evening; they still had a bit of sunlight and it would be a little while before they began watches. Yasha looked into her bag, considering taking out her book of flowers, but something stopped her, something told her it wouldn’t really make her feel better in that moment. When the reality of what Lucien’s existence really meant for Yasha’s friend and the memory of him was literally staring her in the face all day, the safety net of the book he’d given her and the mementos pressed therein did not make her feel as safe. She felt a small surge of tears well in her eyes at the thought, but was thankfully able to push them down; it really was a shame that they had to go without the tower now that they were essentially traveling with the enemy. It’d been a unanimous decision, and an easy one to make for all of them; they didn’t want to risk the safety of their home, not to this crew. Still, Yasha desperately wished for the comfort and privacy of her room, of the home she shared with the people she cared for most.
Heterochromatic eyes glanced up and looked around when Yasha felt eyes on her, meeting the bright blue ones that’d already been looking in her direction after only a moment of searching. She felt a small smirk begin to form at the corner of her mouth when Beau didn’t immediately look away like she usually did. Yasha felt a warmth spread through her chest when she could see the almost imperceptible shifting of a long brown eyebrow, knowing that the ever perceptive monk had noticed the distress on her face and probably the tears in her eyes. She watched as Beau nodded her head slightly, just enough for Yasha to notice, a small question as her eyebrows rose slightly. A small sad smile spread across Yasha’s face; she knew she couldn’t lie, not to Beau. So she shrugged her shoulders slightly...and nodded her head. Because she was okay...but this still fucking sucked. The smirk that spread across Beau’s face let Yasha know she understood exactly what she meant.Yasha continued to watch Beau for another minute as the smaller woman set out her sleeping mat while absentmindedly talking to Caleb about something before she stood and left the area of the dome, probably to find some quiet place to meditate Yasha assumed. The barbarian pulled Magician’s Judge across her lap and began her grounding habit of sharpening and polishing the already impossibly sharp and shiny blade.
The sun was still hanging in the sky more than a few minutes later, though much lower as Yasha continued to zone out while tending to her weapon. She felt a shift beside her and began to smile as she turned her head to see the flash of blue robes as Beau settled in, mimicking her position with her back against the wall. She tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach at the fact that the monk sat close enough that when she turned, their faces were only inches from each other. Her smile widened when the shorter woman turned to make eye contact with her, a mirroring smile on her own face.
“You uh think you’ve gotten that thing sharp enough yet?” Beau took a breath in through her nose, trying to keep herself cool in such close proximity to Yasha, but as she inhaled the aasimar’s intoxicating scent of calming lavender mixed with something sharp as if pure electricity had an actual scent the monk felt her heart race increase. She felt a blush creep onto her cheeks when Yasha’s perfect mouth spread into a grin, her eyes sparkling with playfulness.
“Never…” Yasha felt a surge of...something down her spine when she noticed the pupils in front of her dilate at her playful tone. She immediately recognized the surge as wanting when Beau’s voice filled her ears, having actually dropped a couple of octaves and coming out incredibly husky.
“That’s hot…” Blue eyes widened when Beau’s tone hit her own ears and she cleared her throat as she sat up a little straighter. “Sorry...that uhm...that just slipped out…” She let a relieved sigh go and a small smile grace her features again when a small chuckle came from the woman next to her.
“It’s okay, Beau. I-” Yasha turned to look back down at her sword before continuing. “I like hearing what you think about me…”
“Heh, well there’s plenty more that I could say…”
Yasha’s widened eyes turned quickly back to the woman next to her, but Beau had been looking at her own lap when she’d spoken. The aasimar’s face relaxed into a shy smile when she saw the genuine expression on the smaller woman’s face. She simply sat and waited, seeing something written in Beau’s features that said she had something else to say.
Blue eyes finally turned back towards the beautiful woman that always made Beau stumble over her words, feeling her chest tighten and calm at the same time. Something had shifted between them...again. For all of their nervousness and insecurities surrounding each other, it had begun to feel like they had managed to create a mutual understanding between them. They looked out for each other. Sure, their entire group was a family that looked out for each other, but for Beau and Yasha, they began to pay more attention to each other; special attention. They were oftentimes a single tank unit in battle, moving with instinct around and with each other, checking in to make sure the other was okay afterwards. But now, after Yasha’s letter and Beau’s subsequent acknowledgement of it and request to move them into more romantic territory, another shift has happened. Sure, the literal angel seated next to her still had Beau’s heart racing and words jumbling in her brain, but she no longer felt afraid of misreading how the other woman felt; she no longer felt okay wasting her time with this. She wanted to try and see if it could work, and Yasha did too.
Beau couldn’t help the huge smile from spreading across her face as she looked up into Yasha’s eyes. Yasha, who agreed to go on a date with her, said the words ‘I like you, Beau’, out loud, to her. Gods, Beau liked her too...so fucking much; she could feel it in her chest as it fluttered when Yasha’s face lit up with a smile of her own. “Will you come for a walk with me? I want to show you something.” Giddy was the only word she could use to describe her emotion at watching Yasha’s eyes widen in excitement.
“Of course, Beau...I’d love to.” Multicolored eyes followed as the shorter woman stood up next to her and held a hand down for her to grab. Yasha sat up, leaning her sword on the wall next to her before taking hold of Beau’s hand.
“Cool-” Beau helped hoist Yasha up to her feet with a grunt, their bodies almost coming flush together once they were both standing, stealing her breath for a split second. “Uhm...l-lets go.” Beau turned around after a nervous laugh fell from her lips, rolling her eyes at herself at her stutter. She could hear the smile in Yasha’s voice from behind her.
“After you…” Yasha was glad she was behind Beau so that the small monk was unable to see the deep blush forming on her face as she followed her towards the edge of the dome.
“Where are you guys going?”
The pair paused as the accented voice met their ears, Jester standing right behind them. Beau turned with a smile, scratching the back of her neck. “Scouting...uhm...up on the ridge...won’t be long.”
Jester smiled. “Do you want more people-”
“Hey Jester, could you help me with something over here real fast?” Fjord’s voice cut into the conversation from a few feet away, having noticed the interaction between his first mate and the aasimar before they’d gotten up to get some space from the group, no doubt. He smiled at the blue tiefling, feeling a small blush form on his green skin when she smiled dreamily back and began to walk over to him, forgetting about the other pair. His yellow eyes flicked to Beau’s for a split second, an understanding smile in them as the monk nodded her head in thanks before pulling the taller woman out of the dome before anyone else could try and stop them.
Yasha chuckled as she allowed herself to be pulled from the dome by Beau’s warm hand on her arm. “Do you think there’s something going on between those two?” Yasha fell in step next to Beau, feeling the loss of her hand when it dropped from her arm with a small frown. She followed as the monk led her up the slope of the ridge towards the mouth of a small cavern near the top.
“I’m not sure. Jess definitely seems...I don’t know...smiley-er? That’s stupid…” Beau shook her head, turning when another small chuckle fell from Yasha’s lips; she loved watching her beautiful pale face contort with laughter.
“No, I understand what you mean...she seems bouncier, but not...physically.” A shy smile worked its way onto Yasha’s face as she felt Beau’s hand on the small of her back, guiding her around a bend in the small foot trail they were taking up.
“I’ve been meaning to ask her about it, but...there hasn’t really been time.” Beau looked up, seeing their destination just ahead with a smile on her face as she saw the sun was just about to set fully. She quickly scurried up the last small incline that required a bit of a hoist up and waited for the woman behind her to follow. “Lots of stuff has been put on hold since we started this job…”
Yasha pulled herself up onto the ledge, bringing herself to stand right next to Beau. When her eyes landed on the tanned face in front of her, her breath left; the ridge was high enough to have crested out of the valley, the orange glow of the soon to disappear sun’s light hitting both of them and it made Beau’s bright eyes shine in an otherworldly way. Yasha’s eyes widened and all she could do was stare, the small monk was absolutely striking. “Beau...you look...really beautiful right now.” It was too true to not say; she simply had to know. Strangely, Yasha felt no insecurities about having said that outloud; because standing there, looking at Beau looking like that, she could think of no other words that would have been appropriate to say at that moment.
Beau’s mouth twisted in a smile that she tried to keep smaller than it wanted to be as a blush erupted on her cheeks. “Yasha…” Her hands felt braver than her brain in that moment because Beau had to just watch and let it happen as she reached out and took hold of the end of Yasha’s belt, pulling the aasimar ever so slightly towards her. She looked up at the taller woman through her eyes lashes, smirking at the hitched breath she saw Yasha take. “I’m trying to do something special here for you, and if you keep saying things like that to me, I’m totally going to lose my cool.” She kept her breathing under control...barely as the taller woman brought her hands up to her shoulders, smiling down at Beau as she did.
Her hands were on Beau’s shoulders to stabilize herself; because Yasha wanted Beau so much in that moment that she had to stabilize herself before her knees gave out. Her thumbs rubbed the front of the small muscular shoulders underneath them before she smiled and let out a breath. “Okay, okay...I’m sorry...what are we doing exactly?”
The small monk reached up and took hold of one of Yasha’s hands, intertwining their fingers as she let the other one fall as she turned and led Yasha towards the edge of the cavern entrance where a cliff face that held a view of the entire valley and beyond sat. Beau had come up earlier to place a blanket roll down and dig a pit for a fire before going back to ask Yasha to join her. She looked up at the face next to her, smiling at the surprised look on the aasimar’s face at the set up and the view in front of them, the sun just barely visible still as it was setting for the night.
“Beau…” Yasha really had no words. She stopped when she felt a small tug at her hand, turning to see Beau had stopped and was turning to face her.
“I know we can’t do the date I’ve been planning in the tower for...well, lots of reasons. And we don’t have to consider this our date-date if you don’t want to, but...it’s actually a really nice night.” Beau reached out and grabbed Yasha’s other hand, taking her growing smile as she was doing good. “Aaand we both didn’t die…” Her smile grew when a small laugh fell from Yasha’s lips. “And I don’t want to just sit around and wait for when it's convenient...I-” She shrugged her shoulders, bouncing their still laced hands between them as she did. “I just want to spend time with you.” Blue eyes rounded as they looked up at the beautiful barbarian before her. She thought her heart stopped and she died and she was dreaming when the taller woman leaned down and placed a light kiss to her cold cheek, though dangerously close to the edge of her lips before straightening back up with a radiant smile.
“You know...for someone who never does anything the right way…” Yasha cocked a long eyebrow. “You’re doing a really good job right now, Beau…and I would very much like to count this as a date-date. If...ya’know, that’s okay with you.” Her confident facade faltered slightly when she thought that perhaps Beauregard didn’t want to count this as a date.
Beau smiled dreamily back up at Yasha, loving the praise she was receiving and feeling dangerously close to elated; she wasn’t sure, it wasn’t an emotion she was particularly familiar with. “Y-yeah...of course that’s okay with me. Let's do it!” She turned, still holding Yasha’s hand and with another laugh from the woman behind her, quickly pulled them over to the set up and began building a small fire.
It’d been slightly awkward at first, both women falling into their nervous word tripping, but after the sun had properly set, and Beau pulled out a bottle of wine that she’d been saving in the bag of holding, they’d gotten comfortable and things got easier.
The small monk smiled down at the bottle after pulling it out of her bag before turning to the woman seated on the mat next to her. They were both leaning on a log behind them, close to the fire...and each other; Yasha had taken her shawl and thrown it over their legs as a blanket. Beau had never felt warmer. “I was saving this for...well not really for a reason. I was just waiting until I had a good reason to drink it.” She removed the cork with a small pop before turning it up and taking a sip. “I uhh didn’t save any glasses though…” She handed the bottle to the taller woman with a shy smile.
Yasha reached for the wine, considering Beau’s words for a second before taking a sip. “And what’s your good reason?” When she looked back down at Beau, Yasha was surprised to see a serious expression on her face as opposed to her usual playful smirk.
“You are, Yash.” Tanned fingers took hold of the wine bottle, making sure to brush along the pale ones of the angel seated beside her as Beau smiled softly at Yasha when she turned to look at her own lap with a blush forming across her cheeks. Beau recognized the puff of air that left Yasha’s nose as one of insecurities surrounding the words she’d just spoken; she understood it, that was usually her specialty. “I mean it...I don’t-” A nervous laugh fell from Beau’s lips and she could feel Yasha’s eyes turn back to her as she took another sip of wine before taking a deep breath and turning to look into the multicolored eyes above her. “I don’t think you understand how much that note you wrote to me meant. How much it means to know that you like me and you...you want to see how this might go.” Beau was feeling her confidence in expressing herself to Yasha grow with each word she said and she could see nothing but the encouragement to continue in the violet and turquoise eyes in front of her. She sat up on her knees so she could face Yasha fully as she continued, placing the wine on the ground next to them so she could take hold of one of Yasha’s hands. “And I just want you to know that I meant it when I said it's okay if you decide that you’re not into it anymore. No pressure, I’m just...I’m just happy to be spending more time with you…” She nodded her head quickly. “Okay...that’s it...I’m done rambling now…” She released a breath, feeling a blush spread down to her chest at the way Yasha was now looking at her, one of the softest smiles Beau had ever seen on her face. The monk leaned into it when a large hand reached out and cupped her face.
The aasimar ran her thumb across a tanned cheek, a pulsing thrum of fondness spreading through her chest as she looked at the surprisingly adorable woman in front of her. Her smile grew when a small sigh left Beau before she spoke, the smile evident in her voice. “I happen to enjoy your rambles…” Her hand ran down from Beau’s cheek to her shoulder, continuing down her arm until it was held within the monk's smaller one. Yasha gave a small tug, gently pulling the smaller woman towards her until she was leaned under her arm, sitting next to her once more. The barbarian felt a warmth spread throughout her entire body as Beau’s arm reached across her lap, resting on her other hip as she settled in against Yasha’s side. “I am also happy to be spending time with you...and as of right now...I’m still very much into this. As long as you are.” She let a small laugh go when the arm around her tightened and Beau adorably snuggled closer to her. Yasha reached over and grabbed the bottle of wine, taking another sip before handing it down to Beau, the smaller woman sitting up slightly to sip it, though making sure to stay under Yasha’s outstretched arm.
Beau tilted her head back with a smile as she took another sip of wine, her bright blue eyes looking up at the dark night sky...and then she saw it. She quickly pulled the wine bottle away from her mouth, spilling a little bit down her chin as she did, but she couldn’t take her eyes off of the single stream of light she was beginning to see in the sky. She gasped, it couldn’t be; she couldn’t fucking believe they could be so lucky. It was the reason she’d set them up all the way up here, but she couldn’t- another gasp cut her off as a laugh fell from her lips. She could see another stream of color, this one brighter making its way across the dark sky. A bright green, flowing into blue and sometimes yellow. “Yash!” She threw out her arm, laughing slightly at the ‘oof’ that came from the aasimar when her hand landed right on her stomach. She turned to the taller woman with a huge smile. “Look!”
It was difficult for Yasha to want to take her eyes off of Beau. The monk looked almost adolescent in her excitement and it was the most endearing thing. Yasha felt her chest swell and couldn’t stop herself from matching the huge child-like smile that she was suddenly looking at, the always bright blue eyes even brighter somehow. When she felt another pat to her stomach and saw the blue eyes widen further before pointing at the sky, Yasha finally looked up...and it took her breath away. The once dark sky was now alight with all sorts of colors; bright greens and blues that sometimes turned into the most beautiful purple were flowing through the air as if it were tangible and you could see it in neon. “What...but how…?” Yasha was at a loss for words.
Beau smiled at the wonder in Yasha’s voice. “I read about it somewhere...it only happens really far north, on really clear, dark nights. Some people say it happens when the magic in this area swells and there’s just so much of it, you can see it all in the air, but y’know...it could be anything, no one really knows. But it sounded dope and tonight was clear so I thought...maybe? I didn’t think we’d actually get to see it though…” Beau sighed as she turned her body to be able to look at the sky and lean on the warm body next to her.
Yasha found it hard to choose what to focus on when the smaller woman turned and leaned herself back into her, her back resting into Yasha’s side as she pulled the aasimar’s strong arm around her to rest across her chest. Glancing down, Yasha marveled at how comfortable it felt to have Beau like this, pressed up against her, not even sexually...but, supportively, trusting, comforting. Away from the prying eyes of their well intentioned family and the pressures of the job they were here to do, just being here alone with Beau...Yasha found that she felt exactly like herself; and felt no pressure to be anything more. It was a feeling she’d rarely had in her life; only twice actually. The group as a whole made Yasha feel comfortable and safe to be herself, but to truly feel comfortable, to truly just feel it in your bones that you are around that special person who will genuinely understand the real you and will safeguard your heart if you let them? Well...it was a feeling she’d been without since Molly died...and he’d been the one to fill that hole after it’d been left by Zuala. Yasha had never dreamt that she could ever again feel that level of comfort, but here she was, leaned up against her; this brash, over confident young monk who, before Yasha’s eyes has grown into one of the smartest, most loyal and caring people that Yasha had ever come across, and suddenly Yasha felt safe again.
Suddenly Beau had turned into Yasha’s safe place; she wasn’t even sure when it’d happened, but as she took a deep breath and looked back up at the sky, she knew it to be true. “I meant what I said…” Yasha’s thoughts came out aloud before she realized it and suddenly Beau turned her head, and blue eyes looked up at her in question. “You said the note I wrote meant a lot to you...I just...I meant what I wrote in it.” Her arm instinctually tightened around Beau. “It meant a lot to me too…” A small shrug of her shoulders caused Beau to slowly lift her head and turn again to face the barbarian. “You mean a lot to me, Beau.” Yasha’s eyes fell back down to her lap before she felt a small hand reach out and rest on her cheek, gently easing her to look back up.
“You mean a lot to me too.” A small scoff fell from Beau’s mouth and she rolled her eyes. “That’s why I’m really trying to figure out how to go about this the right way, Yash. I don’t really know much about doing anything other than falling into bed with someone who won’t be there when I wake up…”
Yasha smiled, placing a hand over the one still on her cheek. “If it makes you feel any better, I probably know less than you do…”
Beau quirked her eyebrows at the taller woman. “Yasha...you literally had a wife.” She could see that while the smile Yasha had was sad, it was more thoughtful than anything and so Beau sat next to her and waited for whatever she was about to say.
“Well...Zuala would probably say that it was no thanks to me. I was never very good at...these kinds of things. She-” A self deprecating laugh fell from her mouth. “She definitely had to take charge most of the time.”
It took some effort, but Beau managed to ignore the old habit of her brain focusing on what circumstances might cause Yasha to take charge in a relationship and the tug in her lower abdomen at the quick thought. She instead focused on the other half of her brain and smiled as she thought about a younger Yasha and the person that’d managed to bring her out of her shell for the first time. “She sounds dope.” The monk winced at herself and her lackluster vocabulary sometimes. “Or some other, better adjective-” She sighed at herself. “It sounds like she was really great…”
Yasha allowed the small chuckle to bubble up from her chest. It was strange, to be on a date with someone that she was quickly realizing she was falling pretty hard for while talking about her first love that she lost too soon and brutally...and feeling something other than heavy and tortured over it. It was nice to be able to remember Zuala happily. “She really was...dope that is…” She leaned over and bumped their shoulders together with a smile.
Beau’s mouth twitched as she tried to decide on her next words. “I-uh want to do right and be respectful of that too.” She turned to meet Yasha’s eyes as they looked at her expectantly for her explanation. “I know she’s very important to you...and I just want you to know that’s important to me. It's one of my favorite things about you actually, how much care you take of the memories of the people you love.” Beau shrugged her shoulders, remembering the smile that’d just been on Yasha’s face as she thought about her wife. “Maybe one day you can tell me more about her?”
Yasha’s eyebrows rose to the top of her forehead. “Really?” She felt her heart skip a beat at Beau’s words as she nodded her head at the shocked angel.
“Of course. I would love to hear about her.” Beau sat up off of the log, crossing her legs in front of her as she grabbed the bottle of wine and took a sip before looking back at Yasha. “Only if you want to tell me though. I only want you to do what would make you happy.”
Strong arms leaned back against the log as Yasha spread her elbows out, looking at Beau. Her eyes moved up and down the other woman’s entire form, a smile spreading wider across her face as she did. There really wasn’t a single thing she didn’t like about her; from her strong body, to the dopey way her mouth twitched into a smirk even when her face was doing nothing at all. The simultaneous stillness and excitement in her chest when her eyes met Beau’s was all Yasha needed to know without a doubt: this woman made her happy. “You make me happy.”
A small, delighted puff of air left Beau’s nostrils; she would never tire of Yasha’s short, honest responses that came when you least expected them. “You make me happy too…” She didn’t want to break the eye contact they’d managed to maintain, but she also needed a sip of wine.
Yasha took a deep breath, looking up at the still glowing sky while the monk sipped, rubbing her hands together as she released her breath and put her arms back against the log behind her. She fixed her gaze back on Beau, who’s eyes were already back on her. “I think I have come to realize that…'' She took a small breath, feeling a few tears prick the corners of her eyes. “I think Zuala would want me to be happy. I would certainly want that for her if our fates had been reversed.” She frowned slightly when she noticed the small wince from the other woman at that possibility, but then reached out and took hold of one of Beau’s hands, rubbing her thumb across the back of it. “And I mean it...you make me very happy, Beau...and that is rare...and ya’know...I am starting to think maybe I deserve it...some happiness.” She squeezed the hand in hers. “And I know you deserve it-” She rolled her eyes at the small scoff Beau couldn’t help but make, apology already written on the monk’s face as she made it. “So...if we make each other happy...I don’t know. Why don’t we just see how long we can...keep doing that for?” She shrugged her shoulders, a flush coming to her cheeks at the grin and look Beau was giving her. Suddenly a bright flash of purple wove across the sky, pulling Yasha’s attention up with a small gasp and a smile.
Beau watched as the beautiful woman in front of her got lost in the lights above them, the bright purples and blues shining across her alabaster skin. She looked ethereal; like the angel she fucking was. Beau had no idea what she could have possibly done to deserve the attention and affections of such a creature; and as a breeze blew a strand of white hair across her face, the monk reached out slowly, almost as if she shouldn’t be allowed to touch Yasha, pushing it back behind her ear. Beau was leaned up now, still watching the lights dance across Yasha’s face as she slowly turned to look at the monk. It was then that Beau realized that the finger that’d pushed the hair back was now tracing the outline of Yasha’s ear, running over the very top that was ever so slightly more pointed than a humans would be. She could see Yasha’s pupils dilate from this proximity and as she released a small breath and glanced down at her lips, she could see the aasimar was slightly nibbling on her bottom one. “I uh-” Beau’s voice rasped out before she could decide against it, taking a small gulp before she took the plunge. “I really want to kiss you right now…” Her breath hitched when she felt fingers at her hip as Yasha’s hand rested on it and pulled her in slightly closer.
“I really wish you would…” Yasha’s eyes widened slightly when the hand sending shockwaves through her body simply by touching her ear wound its way behind her head and gently pulled her up and towards Beau.
When their lips touched, Beau felt as if her whole body, every limb, every molecule was finally able to relax all at the same time; possibly for the first time in her life. She brought her other hand up to grasp at Yasha’s face, pulling the aasimar closer to her as strong hands were on her hips, pulling her to straddle the barbarian’s lap. Beau pulled back for a split second to take a breath, before diving back in just in time to swallow a small moan from Yasha that sent a bolt of electricity directly to her core. She leaned up into Yasha, pushing back down on her lap in search of friction, a small gasp leaving her when the hands on her hips slid up her sides and back down with her, grinding her down onto the tops of Yasha’s thighs. The surge of arousal that shot through her forced a moan to come from her own throat, pushed out of her chest to fall onto the smiling mouth of the woman beneath her.
Beau pulled herself from the contact once more with a frustrated groan, leaning her forehead on the one in front of her. When she opened her eyes, she couldn’t help the huge grin from spreading across her face as she looked down into the bright multicolored ones under her. “That was-” She was still catching her breath. “Fuck, Yash…” A small happy laugh bubbled up from her chest as both of her hands came to rest on Yasha’s collarbone, she felt stoned when the other woman also let a small laugh go and their breath intermingled in front of them, it was intoxicating being this close to Yasha. Her hands slowly snaked their way back up to cup just under Yasha’s cheeks, her fingers rubbing at the spot just behind her ears; Beau noted the shiver that she could feel run through the aasimar’s body at the touch. She couldn’t help herself as she leaned back down for one more slow kiss, slotting her lower lip in between Yasha’s and sucking lightly as she ran the tip of her tongue along Yasha’s upper lip. She smiled as she felt the hands at her hips squeeze tightly in response before she pulled away and sat back on Yasha’s lap, loving the way the large hands at her hips simply shifted to rest on the tops of her thighs.
Yasha’s heart was beating in her throat after those kisses. She rubbed her thumbs along the tops of Beau’s thighs, smiling at the way her legs flexed under her touch. Another small laugh fell from her lips as she brought up one hand to gently brush her fingertips across her now tingling lips. “Wow...I uh...ya’know, I’ve never really been on a-a date, but this is-I am…” Yasha shook her head as a small sigh left her mouth as she looked up into the amused blue eyes above her. “I’m really enjoying this…” Her eyes widened as the bright lights continued to spread through the sky, lighting up behind Beau; it was so beautiful that Yasha would think she was dreaming if she thought for a second that her own mind would be able to come up with a sight such as this.
The small monk smiled at the woman she was straddling before she leaned down, moving until all of her weight was pressed against Yasha’s chest, turning her head as it rested on a strong shoulder. Beau’s lips brushed the skin of Yasha’s neck as she spoke, smirking at the hitch in Yasha’s breath as she did. “I’m really enjoying this too.” She wrapped her arms around the taller woman’s torso as strong arms circled around her, pulling her in close. Beau sighed as she melted into the embrace; it felt like she belonged there, wrapped up in Yasha’s arms. She closed her eyes, relaxing in the warm hug for a moment or two before leaving a small kiss to the neck she was nuzzled against. She smiled when she felt the head above her turn and a light kiss being pressed against her temple.
It was another couple of minutes of comfortable silence before Yasha spoke again. “Thank you for this, Beau…” A slow smile spread across her face as the smaller woman picked her head up to look at her. It fell slightly as her mind drifted back to the difficult place it’d been in all day. “This whole trip has been hard, but today...today especially. I don’t know where this whole journey is going to take us, or if we are even going to all make it out of here…” Yasha’s smile had almost fallen completely, but it remained when a tan hand again reached out for her, gripping her behind the head, running a comforting touch across her cheek with her thumb. Heterochromatic eyes had fallen to her lap, but at the touch, Yasha looked back up at Beau, meeting the steely stare that somehow still remained soft for her. “I’m afraid for all of us, but right now, with you...I just-” She shook her head with a smile. “I’m just really glad we did this...thank you.”
Beau moved forward, pressing another soft kiss to Yasha’s lips. “No need to thank me...this is the best I’ve felt in...I don’t even know how long.” Her brows furrowed as her expression became more serious. “I’m afraid for us too...this whole thing could end very fucking badly.” The frown on her face deepened for a second, her gaze drifting behind the aasimar, unsure of where to continue. She brought her eyes back, and couldn’t stop the smile that formed when their eye contact was returned; no matter how terrible the situation was that they were in, at least they were in it together. “I can’t help but at least be glad that we are here together. I’m nervous and scared every time we go diving into the next pitch black cave; and we really have no idea how any of this is going to end.” She absentmindedly continued to rub her thumb on Yasha’s cheek. “But if you were right about anything in your note, it would definitely be that I would have your back no matter what.” Beau made sure Yasha was really looking at her when she continued. “No matter how this goes or what happens, we’re going to figure it out together...and I’ll be with you every step of the fucking way.”
Yasha’s hands moved up to Beau’s lower back, pulling the smaller woman slightly closer as she leaned up to press her lips against the soft ones above her. She remained straightened up when they broke apart, foreheads still touching as she spoke. “I believe you...and I will be with you as well. No matter what.” Yasha’s voice had dropped a few octaves, her eyes exuding how seriously she spoke.
Blue and grey clothed arms wrapped around the taller woman’s shoulders as Beau pulled Yasha into another tight embrace, trying to push down the tears that were threatening to spill out at the seriousness with which they just promised to stick with each other. Of course such a sentiment had already been understood between the two, but hearing the words out loud, speaking them to someone, knowing you were speaking the absolute truth...it sent a shiver down Beau’s spine. The young monk was not someone that had even been looked after, but as she held onto the hug with Yasha for dear life, she realized it was all she ever wanted. She wanted someone to care for her, care about what happened to her, to appreciate the care she could give to someone. She wanted the reciprocity of the love she could give. Her best friend had been the first to show her a glimpse of what love without conditions felt like, Jester offering her friendship and love freely, quickly, and without taking no for an answer. Beau should thank her...that forced kinship probably helped foster her growth to finally be prepared for something like this. This...thing with Yasha was not something she was used to, and she still wasn’t sure how she could have ever possibly deserved it. She silently cursed at herself when she realized that a few tears managed to escape her eyes as she’d gotten lost in thought, she pulled back when Yasha did so, no doubt after hearing Beau’s small sniffle.
“Are you alright?” Yasha’s expression was one of concern when she looked up at Beau and the couple of tears that’d slipped down her face. She reached up a hand to wipe at the tears, relaxing when she saw a smile on the smaller woman’s face.
“I’m….yeah, I’m fucking great actually.” She glanced back up towards the sky before looking back down at Yasha. “I know we should probably get back soon, but can we just…” Beau’s shoulders shrugged her chest warming at the knowing smile crossing Yasha’s features. Both women knew they had no way of knowing when they would get to do something like this again. Could be days, could be weeks...could be never. “I just want to enjoy being here, away from...everything. With you.” She gave a small yip when strong hands and arms lifted her from Yasha’s lap, maneuvering her around until she was seated between the taller woman’s legs, her back flush with the front of the aasimar’s warm torso. Her smile was wide as those same strong arms wrapped around her, pulling the shawl up their legs to keep the warmth inside and she let a sigh go as she settled back against her.
Yasha rested her chin on top of Beau’s head as she looked out at the brightly lit sky. Her fingers easily intertwined with the tanned ones that quickly found them once they were situated and Yasha let out a sigh of her own. “I’m not done enjoying this either.” She pushed past the sad feeling their unknown fates left her with; feeling as if it were almost unfair that they should finally reach this point with each other while on such a dangerous journey in such a dangerous place. If she really considered it though, their circumstances made perfect sense; their entire journey up to this point had been fraught with dangers and struggles they had to overcome. It was really only fair that they would finally allow their paths to join together in the most dangerous location they’d found themselves in yet. Yasha and Beau were both survivors; it was what drew them to each other in the first place. As the pair continued to silently enjoy the company they were in for a while longer, both realized that they felt more prepared then they could ever remember feeling to continue to do just that...together.