Archive of Our Own ^beta

"Okay pumpkin, go socialize, and make us proud."
Devon proclaims to Ava, arm in arm with Andrew as they bask into the crowd of people waiting to meet them.

Ava takes a deep breath and almost a sigh as she knows whats to come.

Standing behind her, Asch clears his throat, hoping to pull her out of her trace. Before they had arrived, Ava had told him that this would be a social event for upper classman, and that he would be best fit due to his royal background.

Asch had attended events before back on daemos, but none like this. There was loud chattering, but no yelling. Humans didnt carry weapons, but instead purses and cocktail drinks. Ava had helped him into a suit, which seemed to match the other men in the room, but he could care less.

He was more focused on what Ava was wearing. She had a black dress that went across her shoulders and before her knees. She seemed.. distracted. As if the mere sight of the people worried her as she craddled her hands behind her back.

"Should we be doing something?" he prompted her, hoping her ease into the room.

"Sorry, just follow me lead and remember what we talked about." Ava said, lifting her shoulders back and forcing herself into a relaxed smile, almost like a performer popping into place.

She strode into the magnificently lit room, and spend no time as an older woman approached her, lavished in pearls and fabric.

"Oh Ava! How good to see you, you've gotten so big since the last time I saw you! You should know. i have a son your age who would love to meet you!"

"It's great to see you too! Although I'm trying to give myself more time before jumping into a relationship.." Ava rubbed her fingers together, not wanting set off Asch but not reject the Lady to her face.

"Well, I think you need to find someone to settle with. You're no getting any younger, and good looks can only go so far when you're old!" the Lady giggled with with a grin, standing somewhere between and inside joke and a lecture.

Ava blinked a few times, trying to give a friendly response.

"haha.....Right. Well actually I'm here with a friend, Mrs. Sinclaire, this is Asch." Ava put her arm on his back and gently lead him forward, hoping to take the heat off of her.

"Oh! Well its nice to meet you! I can see why you can't think of a relationship when you have this tall drink with you." The lady continued her giggling tome, teasing Ava.

Asch threw Ava a confused look, but didn't say anything as he simply shook the woman's hand as she walked away to find someone else to set her son with.

The night continued, and after talking with more people who gave her complements and criticism, Ava took Asch out to a balcony with a view of the stars so they could take a break.

The melancholy hit Ava as she dropped her shoulders and smile, relaxing herself against the balcony railing. She turned to Asch, as he looked at her with a soft but subtle smile.

"I know tonight has been alot, so thank you for tagging along with me. What are your thoughts? You've been kinda quiet."

"No, its nice. It's just... different from what I've seen on Daemos."

"Can you tell me about it?" Ava tugged with curiosity, as she knew very little of his castle experience. She knew better than to expect a response from her other questions of Daemos.

"Well, usually my father orchestrated events like this and used it to either humiliate a member of the high counsel or to set me or my brother up. But many of the nobles didn't like me or Rhal. They were opposed to our family's..... methods." Asch confessed, seemingly holding back, but Ava didn't push him further.

"I feel you. When I was in high school, I was isolated for being aggressive. I.... didn't get along with many people." Ava nervously admitted, hoping to ease him into talking more.

"Why? The nobles here seemed to like you." Asch wondered, recalling how friendly the people at the event were towards Ava, despite their passive aggressive comments about her life.

"Well most of them only talk to me to get close to my Dad, and they always have something to say about the way I act or .... look." Ava self-consciously whispered, subtly looking down at herself.

Asch was surprised at the comment, as he would never imagine saying such things to her, or hearing them from someone else.

"I like how you act, and how you look.." Asch bashfully answered, silencing himself to the way Ava's eyes looked in into his, smiling to herself.

"Thanks," she grinned even bigger. She paused. "sometimes I think I forget how to feel... enough,.... especially even everyone around me is telling me how to be more fulfilled with my life. Isn't that silly?" she let out a little laugh, hoping to brighten the mood.

But Asch didn't laugh. Instead, he paused before replying:
"I think you're enough."

"What?" Ava questioned, unsure of his intentions.

"And if you forget, I can always tell you again." Asch said softly. holding a straight face to reassure her.

Ava stared him up and down, any doubt fading as she turned to return to the party before looking over her shoulder and motioned for him to follow.

"Maybe we can both remind each other."