bakerstreet | stolen moments.

stolen moments.

the stolen moments meme.

Time spent with the person you care the most for is a precious, invaluable thing. Most people take it for granted, though, as they can be with their beloved as much as they'd like. But not you. You and the one you love are kept apart - be it by the people you know, the merit of what you are causing your relationship to be taboo, your true destiny and calling, or even something as relatively mundane as your job.

Today, though, you get a rare private moment with them. This is the first time in quite a while, and may be the last time in months, if not years. What do you do? Comfort each other? Hold each other tight? Have sex? Argue? The specifics are up to you; mix and match your canons, tag someone new to see how this stolen moment plays out.

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[Possible ideas if you're at a loss:

- mid-questing in the in-game universe if you're familiar with canon
- helping out with your questing in-game with your canon; probably you ran across Asellus as that Mysterious Wanderer who just decided to help you out because she's bored
- AU in general. We can make up previous CR, I love doing that. Maybe they wander the world helping people? Maybe Asellus finally gets away from her throne for a while? Maybe they work together in an office building and they're both working late on the same project? I don't know, let's just do the thing.]

[It's quiet, here.

Here being another stop on their European tour. Yes, they were still a success. The same way everything changed, nothing did. Besides Jerry finding his way to another group, which the band seemed eternally grateful for.

Aisha'd made arrangements this stop. Special ones. So they stayed in a villa on the outskirts of the city, room enough for everyone. It has a pool, and that's where the two ladies find themselves tonight, alone. It doesn't mean anything, or it could mean something. It's hard to tell.

Either way, she strips off her shirt, revealing bare skin. Why nots kinnydip when the worst that could happen was Byakuya's fussiness?]

I love it out here. You can see all the stars like this.

[Thank god for small favors. Like Jerry getting the fuck out. Asellus had finally gotten to the point where she was comfortable in her skin like this, their success settling over her shoulders like a mantle. For a while she had been all wild lashing-out-- parties, small flings with handsome actors that never seemed to last. But foremost was the music, and the band-- her family, at this point. Or maybe something else. They all tried not to examine that too closely.

She likes the quiet, though. It's a nice change, and Aisha's right-- there are all those stars. And this pool. And-- well, hell, if Aisha's going to skinnydip, it would be cruel of Asellus to let her be the only one fussed at when Byakuya inevitably caught word, right? Right. So she shimmies out of the (already brief) sundress she'd been wearing, and debates whether she trusts the pool water enough to take off her panties. Downing the last bit of her white wine, she grins and abandons clothing entirely.]

How did you even find this place? I had never even heard of this country before this tour. [Mostly because of a pretty terrible homeschooling effort by parents who really didn't know much of anything.] It's gorgeous.

[She wades into the water-- not warm, but comfortable. Very nice.]

God, Aisha, I would never have been able to imagine this even a year ago. We owe you a lot.

Edited (IT JUST KEEPS GETTING TINIER) 2016-06-02 05:57 (UTC)

[Asellus's freedom makes Aisha so happy. She remembers watching her videos, the love of performance shining through. This band's success was made from that, all the passion they poured into it. Even perks like this location weren't the real benefit, but the pool is just right. She dives in the water, popping back up to answer the question.

Long story, but to put it shortly-]

Found it during a road trip back in my DJing days. Rich guy threw a party here and needed entertainment, and I promised myself I'd be back some day.

[She doesn't judge the lack of knowledge. They'd all been lacking in some way, before this.]

Aisha owes you just as much. No one trusted me to do this right but none of you ever stopped having my back.

[Humming, she lazily backstrokes to where the other girl is. This close, she could tug at her arm, touch her ankle. At the moment Aisha is happy enough to be here, close, under shining stars with someone she'd weaved a dream with. What else could she need?

Nothing comes to mind.]

You all've spoiled me rotten, this is nothing compared to that.

[He'd seen his Queen in many moods, many states of mind, but not often enough had he seen her like this. It was as if she'd thrown the weight of the crown and all it entailed into the sea surrounding their humble little kingdom (well, at least on three sides...the fourth being where most of the issues came from).

He had followed, as any good knight would. He was sworn to her service, had been all his life, and he'd never have wished for anything else. His battle prowess was much talked about in the kingdom, but the skill he was most proud of was that of being her bodyguard.

Not that she needed one. Her Highness had insisted from a young age on being taught all manner of fighting techniques and battle tactics, as well as how to use a great variety of weapons. She could easily defend herself, but he was often the extra pair of eyes there just in case she happened to make a misstep. Or to fail to see an assassin approaching.

The nobles would have loved that. While a very popular Queen in the hearts of the great majority of her people, Asellus ruled a kingdom over which the noble factions were quite powerful, and usually at odds. Her father, the King that had been so revered, had dealt with the same: multiple plots to assassinate him to put upon the throne someone who would further a particular family's goals, opposition at counsels and general policy meetings, and all manner of things.

Kurogane had no head for all that, though he was, technically, a part of the noble class. His father had land holdings and while not extremely interested in political affairs, he did try to support the royal family in whatever way he was able. That had included sending his son, a gifted fighter from childhood, into the Castle services while still a boy.

He didn't mind. His Queen was wonderful and ruled well, but often needed to be instructed to leave her duties at times to rest. This time, Kurogane had added his voice to that of her advisers, and threatened her with his resignation if she refused.

He didn't delude himself that her decision had had anything to do with him, but it was a nice little vacation for his imagination anyway. He'd had plenty of time to just sit on his ass on his horse, since the little cottages she was so keen to get to were at least a few days' ride from the capital.

He'd saddled her beautiful white stallion - as she always refused to be driven in the ornate carriage - with all manner of foodstuffs, and they'd set off with a few more knights trailing along behind just in case. Asellus had wanted to bring a great number of her books, and Kurogane had several in his saddlebag for safekeeping. Her own horse was so loaded down with them he wondered how the damn thing didn't fall over. And speaking of...]

Tch. You planning on stopping for food, or are you just going to try to ride all the way to the cottages in one go? If you fall off that horse from exhaustion I'm not carrying your ass back to the castle.

Don't be silly. I'm not even tired.

[Not entirely honest, but Asellus rarely addressed her own needs like that. Truth be told, she was sore and could use a meal and a good stretch-- but even more so, she was absorbing her kingdom, feeling the scent of the sea in the distance and the warmth of the sun-- now setting-- in her bones. Since she was small, she'd resigned herself to the fact that she was rarely going to have the chance to leave her palace. Whether it was due to learning the ins and outs of ruling a country that was on the edge of war more often than anyone living in it might have been aware, and more often than not with itself, or due to the everlooming threat of assassination, she was more or less a prisoner that got to wear fancy clothes.

This was a valuable chance, and that she'd had to be prodded into it did not signify. The cottages they were headed toward were small, private properties she owned in her own right, having belonged to her mother's family before she'd married high-- very high-- and they had had to move to the capital. They were a sanctuary for her, minimally staffed and tended only by distant cousins-- and only when she couldn't be there. They'd been generously paid and relocated to the capital for this visit. It was just Asellus and her retainers-- Kurogane and the knights.

And she liked Kurogane. She'd grown up with him at her side, more present than even her family, and he was a comfortable presence-- or rather, she found she was uncomfortable without him there. More and more lately, he had also been trapped with her. She knew he knew her very well, but the truth of the matter was that she had no idea how he felt about that-- or about his lot in this life, being personal guard to a princess who wouldn't let him do his job without teaching her how it worked. She was sure it was annoying, and she had upon her 17th birthday-- not so long ago, perhaps 4 or 5 years-- decided she would try to let him have space.

It had chafed then, and that he came with her on this trip without having to be asked was a huge relief.]

...Do you think we should, then? I'm sure the knights are getting worn out. [Because she could not admit to her own needs. It wasn't the way of a queen.]

Tch, sure you're not.

[Because Kurogane wouldn't be Kurogane without outright defiance, even to his Queen. Not too surprising, really, since they'd grown up together and while a good bodyguard, he'd never been a man concerned with formalities. Which was why he tended to stay in the shadows at balls or other big palace events. As her personal guard, he had the right (and probably even the expectation of the people) to be at her side unless she specifically requested he not be, but he absolutely hated putting on airs and sweet talking anyone. Asellus did too, he knew, but she was far better at it than he would ever be.

He would have easily and quickly told her that his life was all right, had she asked. It was better than all right in a lot of ways, really, and he genuinely liked her, which counted for a lot. Her questions were welcome and he respected her for wanting to know how things worked, since it seemed so many of the noble classes didn't care at all for such work, considering it beneath them. Kurogane liked knowing that she was interested in what he did. It went both ways, really...as someone so close to her both emotionally and physically, he knew a great deal about politics and empire building, economics, and all manner of topics that his job let him have a front seat for.

And a big part of his job was to simply look after her. As the old King had once told him, she was more prone to rushing headfirst into a fight or project and completely disregarding her own health and well being. Which could get frustrating, but he couldn't blame her in this case.

He wanted her to enjoy this outing as much as she possibly could, but...]

Yeah, they probably are. 'S a clearing not too far off, we can probably set up camp there and get some fires started.

[Night falls on Devin, settling around the shrine they've taken to rest in, by the generosity of Rei. For the first time in weeks, they have a moment to sit and rest, their pursuers far behind. Here, they can take time to recuperate and think, plan ahead, or make decisions that need to be made.

As tired as he is, though, one of them must keep watch. While those who seek her might not think to look here, nowhere is truly safe right now and he won't take any chances. Instead, he wathes her intently, ears searching for any sounds that might be unusual and waiting for the sound of her breathing to slow and even, a sign she might finally be able to rest.

Only when he thinks she's asleep does he allow himself to stroke her hair, fingers feeling the strands between them as he takes peace from her, bolsters himself or the next leg of their journey to a place where she might never be sought. After all, even this place, if it can be found by anyone, is a place where she is in danger. If they want her, they will come for her and anyone, save for a few trustworthy people, can be a liability.

That, however, is not something he wants her to worry about. She carries enough now, and he must surely not be helping, only adding to those list of worries. Such a foolish woman, running away with him like this. She might have been safe and happy, had they never met. Maybe she would have someone sweeter, more deserving of her, someone capable of a much wider emotional expression range than he. Whether it was true or simply self-loathing for what feels like selfish actions, this is where they are now, this is the path they walk down and no matter how much he thinks on it, he can't go back and change the course. In the end, all he can do is give her a happiness that can rival what he might have taken the day they met.

Byakuya tucks hair behind her ear, follows it with a kiss to her cheek, still threaing his fingers through that unnaturally colored hair, hoping to chase away her troubles, even for just a little while.]