Basch = Presents

"And so, if you do your best to be a good girl, and to be kind to others, then it will be a simple thing to allow Basch into your heart. Not only that, but if you're extra good, you'll get presents because of the wondrous generosity of Basch as well."

A small, silver haired girl stared in wide eyed wonderment at her father, "He gives us presents? Is that true daddy?" Her arms tightened around her stuffed toy bear while she sat next to her father on her bed.

Vaan smiled at his daughter as he ran his mussed up her hair affectionately. "It's absolutely true, little one."

"Ahem," said a voice from the doorway.

Vaan and his daughter turned their attention away from his storytelling to look at the graceful woman wearing a resigned expression in the doorway to her daughter's room. Vaan smiled at the woman and said, "Hello there, Ashe, how was your day today?"

Ashe crossed her arms, "It was fine. How about yours?"

Vaan smiled, "I got a letter from Penelo and Larsa."

"Oh really? What did it say?"

"They're going to have another kid in a couple of months."

Ashe shook her head, "Those two...When will they learn?"

The little girl gazed curiously at her mother, "Learn what, Momma?"

Ashe smiled ruefully and shook her head slightly, "Don't worry about it, Elena. Now then," here Ashe's smile broadened considerably as she moved to sit next to her daughter as well, "how about you? How was your day, sweetie?"

Elena perked up immediately upon hearing her mother's question, "It was great, Momma! I got to watch the chef peoples make those cake thingies, and then my friends showed up, and then we played hide and seek, and then we ate an awesome lunch, and then we played hide and seek, and then we took a nap, and then we played hide and seek, and then..." She continued to ramble on and on, telling her mother how often she played hide and seek and the many other activities, until she began to slow down, eventually starting to try to rub the sleep in her eyes away with her tiny little hands.

Ashe smiled softly and ran her hands through her daughter's hair. "I think somebody's finally ready for bed," she said with a smile in her voice. She gently tucked her daughter in to sleep, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

After Vaan had said goodnight to their daughter as well, both parents made their way back to their own bedchamber. As Vaan was opening the bedroom door to let Ashe in, the silver haired woman said in a slightly amused voice, "What was all that 'Let Basch into your heart' business back there, Vaan?"

Vaan smiled softly as he reminisced, "Well, when I was little, I would often cry at random times because my parents had died. However, my brother told me that they were not really dead, as long as I accepted their souls into my heart, and prayed for their safety in the afterlife every New Year's. He said that every good soul that had gone on was a guardian of children when they first died, but only if that child let them into their hearts. And he also said that every new year's the guardian spirit would give presents to good boys and girls. I guess he thought it would keep me out of trouble. It worked..." Vaan grinned broadly at this, "for a couple of years, at least."

Ashe smiled as she started to lay down in their bed, her nightgown already on, "I already know that. I just wanted to know why you chose Basch of all people. He's not even dead."

Vaan grinned as he removed his shirt, "I guess I was just remembering the time when I went about Bhujerba proclaiming myself to be Basch in order to get an audience with your uncle."

Ashe giggled into her hand as Vaan got into the bed with her, his arm snaking its way across her stomach. "I remember Basch's expression as he explained it to me later on. It was hilarious."

Vaan chuckled, "I always did like throwing Basch off now and again."

"You do seem to enjoy it." There was a slight pause, as Ashe let herself sink into her husband's warm embrace. "I don't think I could join the church of Basch though."

"The church of Basch?" Vaan snickered. "I like that. But why not? It's so fun to say 'Let us all embrace the Basch in our hearts, as he surely does in his own!'"

"Because," Ashe said as she turned in the bed to look in Vaan's eyes, "I'm already a fanatic of the Order of Vaan."

"Perhaps," Vaan said as he teasingly kissed his wife on the lips, "you'd like to show me the extent of your devotion?"

Ashe smirked seductively as she straddled on top of Vaan's hips, her hands roaming throughout her husbands hair. "I was planning to whether you wanted me to or not."

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FIN

AN: Well...that was my first AshexVaan fic! I hope you all liked it!

Review if you feel like it, and accept Basch into your hearts, so you too can know true peace.