Drawn by the baffling Asestrada157 from deviantART.
Original:Â Story Not Told cover
Summary:Â My take at what happened between Buster and Ash during the movie, starting at when she broke up with Lance. Eventual BusterxAsh, Bustash, Ashter, whatever floats your boat. No hate please. MAJOR SPOILERS! CHAPTER 9 IS MATURE!
Rating: T (minus chapter 9, which is M)
Fun fact: Every chapter is named after a song, which relates in some way to the events in that chapter. So, if you want to listen to them while you read, be my guest! (Also, if you click on the song name below, it'll direct you to a YouTube page where you can listen to it ;)) (Oh, and if you're wondering my personal favorite, I got two. Freedom is a Voice and Then She Appeared.) (Yeah, I love Johnny Cash and the Bee Gees.)
Chapters:
Chapter 1 – Heartbreaker
Chapter 2 – How Can You Mend a Broken Heart
Chapter 3 – Hot'n'Cold
Chapter 4 – You've Got a Friend in Me
Chapter 5 – I Walk the Line
Chapter 6 – Freedom is a Voice
Chapter 7 – Set it All Free while I do it My Way
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Here’s the thing, I kinda went overboard writing Ash, so I’ll compensate with Buster.
Ash:
Alright, so Ash comes from this mad rich background. Her parents are assholes in many senses, yes, but being sexist isn’t one of their various flaws. So from a young age, poor Ash is taught how to administer the family’s business and be a ‘proper lady’. As young as four, she’d already be wearing expensive dresses and being scolded for doing normal child stuff (eg. getting some dirt on her dress). Her mother (Marina) has always been more understanding and easy-going, while her father (Michael) is way more stern and strict. Marina understood her desire for running around and doing shit and causing havoc in school, yet always told her not to do that, because that’s not adequate behavior for the heiress of such a big fortune. So Ash just shut herself out for the longest time. When she’s 10, she decides enough is enough and skips school with the help of her sidekick, the driver her parents hired to leave her at school. So she goes to the other side of town and asks to be left there on her own. Yet reluctant, the driver agrees and they agree with a time to pick her up and take her home. She says she’ll be there and so starts walking down the shady streets.At a determinate shady spot, these three guys around her age surround her and start picking on her because ‘she’s a rich snob’. So among taunting and bullying (and throwing Ash’s shit all over the sidewalk), Tara (my OC) appears and tells them to drop it. She’s older (15) so they bounce in no time. Tara then helps Ash up, who replies with a soft ‘thank you’. Tara nods and asks what is she doing there, why isn’t she at her parents’ mansion or going to some fancy dinner. Ash then says she wanted to walk around town and find out everything about it, but now finds that to be a bad idea. Tara tells her not to worry about those kids and, as long as she’s by her side, she’s totally 110% super safe because all the other kids and teens respect her. Ash agrees and asks her if they’ll take too long, because her driver is to pick her up at a designated hour. Tara laughs and tells her that they’ll enjoy themselves and there’ll still be time left. So they introduce each other and start walking side by side down the streets to Tara’s house. Upon entering, of course Ash is surprised at how tidy-up the place is, since her parents always shoved down her throat that poor people were filthy and messy. Tara shows her around and pays some special mind to both her cinema shit and the fact she’s an escapee. Ash is surprised at that and asks if being an escapee is allowed. Tara just laughs and says she’s her own woman making her own rules and trying to survive in the urban jungle. Ash eventually tells her that she loves the way she talks, and Tara is always grateful. After that, Tara tosses some old clothes to her so she can go out and be more comfortable. Ash quickly dresses up, and thus has the day of her life. She meets all the ‘cool kids’, gives skateboarding a try (she ends up bruised and Tara covers that up so her parents won’t be suspicious), plays soccer with some kids around her age, overall she has an amazing time.With the precision of a sniper, Tara takes her back to where Ash’s driver is supposed to pick her up (after obviously returning her clothes and allowing her to take a quick shower). So before getting into the car, Ash asks if she’ll see her again. Tara says that of course they will, because who is alive always shows up. She quickly writes down her phone number and gives the paper to Ash, and so they bid their goodbyes. As she grows older, Ash eventually sneaks out to see Tara and the boys and have fun, and that’s when she finds out about PUNK ROCK BABY! She just sees a much older kid giving his guitar some cool strokes and that is so appealing to her that she actually goes out of her way to ask her parents for a guitar. They end up giving her a classic one, and she risks her first few chords surrounded by the friends she grew to love: Tara, the boys in the neighborhood, and Matthew. They eventually start a secret relationship, meeting a few blocks away from her school. Matthew loves the way she plays the guitar (even though it sucked because half the time she had no idea what the hell she was playing and could hardly put two chords who combined together) and she’s always bashful when he says so. Well, all secrets come to light, and so Ash’s parents find out about Ash’s secret life when they go into her bedroom one day and don’t see her there. The doorman ends up selling her out, saying that she ran off to a party. So, her parents call the police and find the party. Problem is, they get inside in the exact moment Ash is sharing a sweet kiss with Matthew, and damn that enrages Michael XD So he declares the party is over and drags the two of them back to their house. There, he kicks Matthew out and gives all that talk that is in Story Not Told ( https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12312646/1/Story-Not-Told ). That very night, she runs away to Tara’s house and tries to get in touch with Matthew (who didn’t know she was rich) and he flips shit on her, saying he doesn’t want that in his life.Even tho Ash assures him that it won’t happen again because she ran away, they break up, and Ash is devastated. She starts working as a sort of camerawoman to Tara and her cinema buddies so she earns a little money. One of the crew members knows how to play the guitar, so she instructs Ash. Eventually, a band puts up some ‘looking for guitarist’ flies, and obviously Ash tries her luck. On the day of her trial, she meets Lance, a songwriter/singer/guitarist who was applying as well. After the ‘auditions’ are done, the two of them and the band (and some other animals too) just sit there talking shit and getting drunk off their asses. That’s when Lance starts hitting on Ash, and even plays a song just for her in a separate room. She falls head over heels for him and they’re about to kiss when someone knocks on the door and says it’s time to go home. So they go and leave. When it becomes Ash’s turn to get down, Lance goes along, telling her it’s not a good idea to let her walk alone at night in such a dangerous neighborhood (Lance, she’s a porcupine and it’s LITERALLY two feet). She finds that cute, and agrees. When they get down, the car takes off and Lance tries telling them that he’s just accompanying her. They don’t really care and just leave, and so Ash invites him inside. He thanks her and starts charming her through some other songs he has written (and even an improv one that was about Ash). He even teaches her how to play some punk songs in his electric guitar. Mid-lesson, they kiss on the floor of Tara and Ash’s apartment XD Ash is accepted into the band, while Lance is not (Sing 1.0 much lol) but declines the chance so the two of them can make a duo. Eventually, Lance tells her he has no place to live and so they move in together (and Ash starts working at a nearby coffee shop to pay their bills). Only then, Lance grows in egoism and belittling her skills.
Oof.
Buster:
I haven’t given Buster that much of a backstory besides his mother dying during labor, him meeting Eddie in college, sometimes skipping lunch to save money to afford the theatre, and him and Ash being together since the competition.
(SING!) The Best Valentine's Day (one-shot) – follows Story Not Told
Story Not Told Masterpost
Hey, if you haven't read Story Not Told, you'll be a little lost in this. The link's up there for you to read it :D If you've already read it, just click below to read The Best Valentine's Day:
Rated: T for implied sexual activity
Dating for a while now, it was normal for Ash to eventually sneak into Buster's office to cuddle or kiss, even though she preferred to do it when everybody had left. That way, they'd have more time, and not being interrupted was almost certain.
But today was Valentine's Day, and she wasn't gonna wait until night to be with him. Quite frankly, she never cared about the event. Mostly because she and Lance never did anything special to celebrate it. He was too cheap to take her out, and the one time she had taken him out he found a group of RPG players and played his way into the night.
That is, until they got kicked out by the owner, and then Ash was stuck with five drunk guys playing in her apartment. But something told her Buster wasn't gonna do that.
They'd go out and have a good time together.
That is... they would have a good time together, if they could go out together. She knew Buster, and he wouldn't risk their relationship to take her out. Why risk? Because they were 25 years apart, and as close as she might be, she's not 18 yet.
So they'll just spend the night at her house. Watch a movie, play songs, whatever. They'll be together. And that is good enough for her.
"Hey, Ms Crawly!" She greeted, going past her boyfriend's doddering assistant.
"Hello, dear!" The lizard replied. "Do you want some coffee?"
Miss Crawly always had the best intentions, but she also had a missing glass eye that could be anywhere, including that mug. "Thanks, I pass." She directed herself to Buster's office. All blinds were open, which was odd.
"He's not here now, he had to go somewhere."
"Do you know where? He's usually here at this time."
"He's out for lunch. Somewhere down the street." Opening the door, Ms Crawly quickly grabbed a box. "Shouldn't you be home with your loved one, dear?"
Well, he hadn't told her. And she wouldn't be the one to do it. "I don't have a loved one." She lied. "I'm by myself today. I came here to see everyone and just chill. I'm gonna go after Bust- Mr Moon."
"Oh, just call him by his first name, dear. He considers you family anyway." Ash nodded, smiling, and left. She had heard that before, the lizard had that to the entire cast. No one called him by his first name, and she wasn't gonna be the one to do it. It'd be too suspicious.
Ash walked down the street, looking into restaurant after restaurant for Buster. He was very characteristic, it wouldn't be hard to find him. She froze. In one of the diners, Buster was talking nonchalantly to a female koala. She mentally slapped herself. Come on, the guy had the right to be friends with girls. On the other hand, she had dated a cheater previously.
She took a seat outside the place, almost instantly recognizing the girl as Laura. She watched their interaction. They were laughing, tossing words back and forth. They could be mistaken for a couple, but until then there was nothing suspicious. They seemed to be good friends. Ash wasn't 100% sure of how she felt about this, until it happened. Both stood up, and hugged, staying like that for quite a while.
They kissed each other's cheek, and tossed a few more words in air, giggling. Ash's heart sank.
"Are you working tonight? Or will I have to look for someone there?"
"I'm working, so is Munro. I told him to take you guys there just in case we don't see each other. No way you miss him. Taller than you, buff, and few friends face."
"If he scares me, you will have ruined my date, because I'm running off!" He laughed, soon being followed by his ex. "Tell me about the room. It isn't... too much, is it? Ash is simplistic, I don't wanna make her uncomfortable."
"Buster, if it wasn't a fancy restaurant, the room'd cost $200 for the night. But it is a fancy restaurant, so it's tad bit beyond that. I promise, the room's the definition of simple, of course it has decoration, but nothing too great. It's gonna be a nice candlelight dinner for the two of you. A dinner that can't last a second over 8:30, because that's when the cleaning personnel's stepping in to clean the room to the couple that actually paid for it."
"And dinner?"
"Nothing you can't afford. But stay away from the wine chart, the cheapest thing you're gonna find there is $2,000 bucks and tastes like grape juice. Sneak wine in on your own."
"I'll hide it on my top hat, don't worry." Laura cracked up laughing.
"If you're gonna use one, you'll see me first thing there. I can't lose that." This was Buster's turn to laugh. He quickly brought the woman into an embrace once again.
"Thanks. I owe you." She nodded, and smiled.
"Go and have fun."
But of course Ash heard none of that conversation.
When Buster went to pick her up that afternoon, he was his usual formal, hadn't he added a beautiful bouquet for his loved one. Knocking on her door, he didn't get an answer. He figured she must be taking a shower or whatever, so he grabbed the spare key she kept under her 'welcome' mat, and unlocked the door.
Ash was sitting on the couch, watching TV, and cursed herself for leaving that key there. "There you are! Didn't you hear me?" He said, cheery. "Listen, I know it's a last minute thing, but I need you to get dressed. I have a surprise for you. Now I'd really it if you wore a dress, but anything's fine." She didn't say a word as he handed her the bouquet. "I got these for you." She kept her eyes glued to the screen, but didn't miss his ears lowering. "Hey, you alright?"
"Listen, Buster… why don't you go give those to Laura, or whatever her name is?"
He looked puzzled. "Why'd I do that?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because the two of you were hugging and kissing out there like you didn't have a girlfriend!"
"What?! What are you-" She glared at him, and he froze. "Oh. Ash, it's not what you're thinking."
"Save it. Was it a one day thing?" She mocked Lance's voice. "I heard that one!"
"Laura's a friend! I was just getting something ready for you."
"With your ex-girlfriend?"
"Yeah, I needed a favor from her."
"For Pete's sakes, Buster! That's the lamest excuse for cheating I've ever heard!"
"I didn't cheat on you! Ash... I once dated her, these hugs and kisses are a thing we do for old times' sake."
"What's cheating for you?! Looking for an old friend's help to make your girlfriend a surprise, is that it?!"
"The way you hugged her!"
He crossed his arms. "Have you ever seen the way I hug you? If I was with her, I'd hug her like that."
"Ha! In front of everybody?!"
"Well, yeah! It wouldn't be illegal! What, you think I like having to hide us?! If you were ten years older I'd hug and kiss you in public. But you aren't! And I'm not growing younger! Forget ten years, another one'd work just fine!" He threw his head back, surprised at his own energy. He hated heated arguments. Taking a seat by Ash's side, he took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. We had lunch together, talked about the good old days, and when we left I hugged her and kissed her cheek. And the only reason I did this was to get a room at La Bastille for the two of us. I wanted to make you a surprise."
Ash's expression softened a bit. "La Bastille? That's one of the most expensive places in town."
"That's what I needed Laura for. She works there, and she's getting me this room for free."
"You're joking, right?"
"If we get there in time, you'll see for yourself."
"You really have nothing with her? She's an old flame who went out of her way to help you?"
"I told you she's a friend. I'd never go back to a cheater, they cheat again. And I'd never cheat on someone, I know how much it hurts."
'Terrible' was an understatement to how Ash felt right now. She felt awful, and there was something about his speech that made her throat tighten. She moved over and hugged him, not surprised he didn't return it.
"Babe, I'm so sorry, I'm so so sorry."
"Listen, Ash... this has to stop."
"I know, I-"
"We can't be together if we don't trust each other!"
No. That wasn't an option for her. This had to work. "I know we can't, but when I saw you there, I thought you might- how would you feel if you saw me and Lance hugging out there like it was nothing?"
He shrugged. "If it really was nothing, I wouldn't care. Just because you're hugging someone, doesn't mean you're seeing seeing them."
"I know. And you know I have previous experiences with cheating-"
"So have I. And guess with who." She nodded firmly. "But I've put that behind me. She changed, I've grown to forgive her and enjoy her company. We are gonna do things to remember ourselves of how good our relationship was, that doesn't mean I'm seeing her. Just that we bring back old mannerisms we had when we were dating. It was a happy time. I was happy."
"Yeah, I know."
"Just because someone's your ex, and no matter the amount of crap they pulled in the past-" Ash couldn't help but think of Lance. Buster was now friends with his cheating ex-girlfriend, would the same happen to the two of them? She figured time would tell. "Everyone can change, and turn into a nice person. And it's not a problem to hang out with an ex. After all, our hearts care about the ones we are or once were attracted to, right?"
Ash knew he meant it as something poetic and wise, but couldn't help herself. She burst out laughing, and earned a weird look from her boyfriend. "You think I still care about Lance?"
"I didn't care about Laura for the first few years after we broke up." He confessed. "I think this happens over time."
She brought him closer, and gently kissed him, smiling when he returned it. "Alright, I'll take your word in that. I'm sorry, Buster."
"It's fine, you didn't know."
"I could've asked, not outright accused you. I didn't see a romantic kiss there anyways..."
"Love, it's fine. But we gotta get ready, we're running short of time."
"Alright, just let me take a shower." She stood up, and walked ahead, a smirk on her face. "Wanna join me?" He blushed, and she just laughed.
"We'd need more than 20 minutes." Ash turned to look at him, surprised. "Wouldn't we?" His mouth was twisted in a grin.
"I guess we would." She laughed lightly, shutting the door behind her. She hadn't expected him to retort.
Ash hated dresses. She hated them with all of her might. But Buster had asked her to wear one, and that's what she was gonna do. Problem is, apart from her performance's dress (which was creased now) she only has one. It was a flat plain black dress, it was dull and... boring? In lack of a better word. Dressing up, she slid a pair of red leggings underneath, for her own sake. She put on her combat boots, and looked at herself in the mirror. I guess this'll do. She looked decent enough for a date.
Going back into the living room, Ash was surprised. Buster was playing a tune to himself on her guitar, and humming along with the melody. His tie - for once not a bow tie - lying flat on the ground, she took a good look at him. Wine red suit, light pink shirt, and black shoes.
"Elegant."
Buster cut the song short, and looked up at her, checking her out. "So are you! You look great, rockstar." He smiled at her, and leaned over to grab his tie. "Sorry, I got a little carried away."
"I don't mind. You're a good singer. Must've been a sensation when you were young- when you played." She knew he had problems with their huge age gap, and didn't need to hear any mentions of that now.
Buster seemed not to care, as he let out a heartfelt laughter. "Ha! One can only dream. I only performed in my friends' parties, Ash. I never got a proper..." He adjusted his tie around his neck, and shut his eyes in thought. "Gig! I never got to perform live." He offered Ash his arm and, altho laughing, she took it.
"I rarely got a gig. Apart from the theatre, I mean." Both walked out the door, and locked it behind them. "As you know, Lance was lead, and not many animals cared for that."
"Figures."
Ash laughed. "Yeah, okay. We hardly ever got a gig together."
"Pity. You got a beautiful voice." Ash blushed, and thanked the dim lights of the street for hiding it. Whenever he told her that, her heart melted. "And I got us a ride." He pointed to an old-fashioned car. "It's Eddie's, he let me have it for the night. Can't get in trouble if I crash, right?"
Ash froze in place. "Wait, what?"
"Nothing. Nevermind." He opened the door for her, and stepped in. There were adapted pedals in the car, as it had been made for animals thrice their size.
"Do you know how to drive?"
"A little. It's been a while. Seatbelt on for your safety, please."
"Hey, I can drive if you want. License's still valid for another year."
"Nah, I'm good. Erm, just remind me... which one is the brake again?"
Ash rolled her eyes, and let go of the seatbelt. "Alright, move over."
"I can drive! I'm asking for a quick reminder."
"The middle one. The left one is the clutch, and the right one's the accelerator. Indicator is the left lever behind the wheel. Push it down if you wanna go right, and up if you wanna go left." Buster was looking at her with eyes wide open. "What? That's basic."
"You're the boss! Alright... so we go!" He turned the key in the ignition, and the car sprang back to life. It took Buster a moment to grab the gear, accidentally set it to reverse, and send the car crashing into a garbage can behind the vehicle until Ash pulled the parking brake, sending the car into an immediate halt. She shot him a smirk, cocking an eyebrow. "Yeah, I can't drive."
"I noticed." She laughed. "So you were saying..?"
He sighed. "Can you drive?"
Not long after, Ash pulled into a fancy looking restaurant. It was Victorian-styled, but had been repainted over the years. Whenever there was a holiday, the prices of rooms dramatically increased to numbers bearing a few zeros. How does she know this? Well, her parents used to throw parties at this place.
"Good evening, ma'am." A smiling monkey greeted her. He opened the door, and offered his hand. She shook her head politely, and climbed off.
"Thanks."
"Thank you monsieur!" Buster faked a French accent. "And park nearby, s'il vous plait?" The monkey nodded, already pulling ahead. "Merci!"
"Does that bother you, by any chance?" She shook her head. "Sure?"
"No, I mean... you're entitled to your past, right? And you two are friends, I don't mind you having friends. Just introduce us if you see her." Buster was listening intently, looking slightly concerned. She sighed. "I'm not as jealous as I made you think."
"I know, but you don't have to do this if you don't want to."
"I want to. After that day in the theatre..." Ash laughed. "She actually sounds cool."
"She is." Buster smiled, leading her to a door. "Thanks." She nodded. Buster then turned to a tall alligator who was keeping the door. "Hello! I'm looking for Laura or uh... Munro. Know where I can find them?"
The guard opened the door just enough to let the couple in. "Know what a sommelier is?" Buster nodded. "See that sommelier over there? Past him, straight to the bar. Munro is a koala I think a couple hands taller than you, he has a tattoo on his left arm, and is always wearing sunglasses. No way you miss him."
"Thanks." Both went in the direction the alligator had pointed, and not long after they were at the bar lounge area. On the other side of the room, a koala held a frown on his face, wore black aviator shades and had a dragon tattoo on his arm. Despite his size, he looked just ready to kick someone's ass. Ash laughed lightly. "What?"
"I have a question for Laura. I wanna know how she went from you to him." Buster gave her a bored stare, only making her laugh harder.
Altho shaking a little, Buster approached the guy, being followed closely by his girlfriend. "Uh... hey. Are you Munro?"
The guy took a good look at the couple, and shrugged. "Depends. Are you Buster?" The other koala nodded. "Laura talked to me about you."
"She said you are the biggest dork she ever met." His expression hardened, and softened up when he let out a heartfelt laughter. "But with a good heart. Finally get to meet you!" Munro moved closer to shake his hand.
"Nice to meet you. You scared me!"
"That's my job."
Buster let out a nervous laugh, and took a few steps back, wrapping an arm around Ash. "And this is my girlfriend, Ash."
"Nice meeting you." Ash took a step ahead.
"Nice to meet you!" The pair shook hands. "Man... you got a firm grip! Have you ever been in jail?" His tone was serious, and Ash was about to retort when he laughed. "I'm just kidding, Ash. It's nice meeting you. Anyways... tag along, the two of you." He held the door open for the couple. "So. I know Laura talked to you about this but I'm gonna say it again because I want to."
"Can we go on a double date with Laura and him?" Ash whispered.
"If he promises he's not gonna kill me, maybe." Buster replied. Both laughed quietly.
"The cleaning personnel is stepping in 8:30, and not a second over that, do you get me? If you make me lose my job, I'm gonna kick your ass." Buster gulped audibly. "But not much, I don't like hitting girls!" Ash cracked up laughing, pointing at her boyfriend. "Loosen up, Buster!" He smacked the other guy's shoulder. "Just leave in time."
"We got you a good room, hence why your date is so early." A voice spoke behind them, making the trio turn to look. "Clear view of the sky."
"Thanks." Laura nodded, and Buster turned to his current girlfriend. "Well... I want to introduce you to someone." He walked her over to the other female. "Ash, this here's Laura. Laura, this is my girlfriend Ash. You two were never introduced."
"Nice to meet you. I heard a lot about you."
"So have I about you. I got you the tape, by the way, and let me tell you... didn't think I'd ever see Buster here hitting someone."
"Oh come on, it was a one time thing!" Buster interrupted.
"And it suited Lance just fine. He's an idiot." Ash stated, matter-of-factly.
"That too."
Silence hovered over the quartet for a while, until Laura spoke up.
"Well, we'll let you to your date. Enjoy your evening, don't make much noise. Oh, and leave before-"
"8:30, alright. I have an alarm set up."
"Better yet. Nice seeing you again, Buster. And Ash, nice meeting you." The porcupine nodded, smiling. "Let's go, Mun!"
"Be right with you, dear!" Laura went ahead. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Ash." The two exchanged a quick hug, and the man went to the stairs. "And Buster. Treat her right. She's a keeper."
"I know." He turned to his girlfriend, a broad smile on his face.
"I see you guys. Be downstairs if you need me!" Munro called out, hopping down the stairs.
"So, if a thief climbs up the vines we know who to call." Ash laughed, and Buster swopped her in for a sweet kiss, walking ahead and pressing the girl against a wall. They kissed for just enough time to be panting upon parting. "Shall we?" She nodded, and both went into the room.
The room was nice and cozy. You could tell why it was the favorite of couples all over town: it was bathed by moonlight, had a big balcony, and some neat background music. The balcony faced a big lake, and there wasn't a light into the night in except for the stars'. Sure, some of the star light was obfuscated by city light, but it was still a great view.
In the balcony, Buster and Ash gazed up at the stars, a dim candle keeping them from absolute darkness. Both decided words were too much for that moment, and remained silent for most of the time, yet eventually sharing a kiss. Ash climbed onto his lap, sitting sideways for obvious reasons, and rested against him, closing her eyes.
"Sleepy?" He muttered. She shook her head.
"Just resting my eyes. Moon, you, this… this is awesome." She smiled sweetly at him. "This is the best Valentine's day ever. Thank you."
"Thanks for being here with me. You made this special." She blushed slightly, and frowned.
"And I'm sorry about-"
"No, don't start that. It's alright, love." Nodding, she leaned in to kiss him. Had him been Lance, and she had slightly doubted his fidelity, he would've dumped her; and then her fears came true. But Buster wasn't gonna do that. He had nothing to hide. He explained himself, and forgave her for doubting him.
Parting her lips, she was greeted by his, and gently nudged him asking for permission. He broke the kiss for a moment. "Let me just… catch my breath." Both were taking short breaths. Buster rested back on the couch, pulling her over him, and earning a surprised gasp from the teen.
"Do we have time?"
"Let me worry about that." She undid his tie and tossed it to the ground, smirking down at him.
"You are usually the upper half."
"Night's young." He said, bringing her closer. "We'll have a chance. But for now, we can continue." With that, he French kissed her. She returning it eagerly.
Not long after, both laid flat on the couch, breathless. Ash resting on Buster's chest. The two animals smiling at what the night had brought. They just remained silent, enjoying each other's mere presence.
A while later, the clock rang, indicating they should get going. Standing up, both quickly started dressing up.
"Not bad for our first Valentine's day together, was it?" Buster smiled, redoing his tie. "I just forgot about one thing."
"And what's that?"
Buster reached out for the windowsill, and grabbed a bottle of wine. "I taped this to the building for us." Ash cracked up laughing. "Hey, I can't afford the wine they serve here!" He sounded embarrassed, and she immediately stopped laughing.
"Moon, look at me." He turned to face her. "That's not something to be embarrassed of. This was just really unexpected, that's all. It's even kinda… cute." She hated the word, but used it for his sake. "And this, everything you did today, it's awesome. I kinda expected we wouldn't be having wine here, because it's super expensive and tastes horrible. I didn't count on you sneaking wine in, though."
"Yeah, alright." He let out a nervous laugh.
"Sorry for laughing at you."
"No, it's okay. I guess anyone would've laughed if their date grabbed some wine from the side of a building." They shared a laugh and a brief kiss.
"I guess they would."
Perfect timing. As the couple went down the stairs, the cleaning personnel stepped in to clean the room to the scheduled - and paying - couple. Bidding Laura and Munro goodbye, and thanking them for the night, the two went to get the car, and in no time were back at Ash's apartment.
There, they changed into some more comfortable clothes and watched whichever movie was on TV, snuggling close to each other.
"Moon?"
"Yeah?"
Ash reached over, and grabbed a flat box. "This is for you. After all this, I'm kinda embarrassed of how simplistic it is, but…"
"As long as it's from your heart." Buster smiled, undoing the ribbon. Opening the box, he found the picture of the theatre's first inauguration. But now, its frame was fixed, and didn't seem to have ever been broken in the first place. Holding it in one hand, he looked at her, his jaw dropped.
"I know it's not even a gift, but I didn't know what to give you. And I saw how upset you were that'd you'd have to change the frame, since it had been a gift from your dad and the all. It just clicked in my head. It was hard to get it from your office without you noticing, and sad to see you going around looking for it but… here it is."
"I searched all over town for someone who'd fix this. Everybody said it wasn't worth it, I was better off buying a new one."
"I have a friend who had a friend who is a restorer. She usually does that kinda things for museums and such, I asked her to do it. Good as new, her words. It will stay strong for a good twenty years."
Buster had his mouth agape, and pulled her into a tight hug. "Thanks, Ash! I really didn't expect this one! Especially because I thought some collector had stolen this." He laughed lightly, waving the portrait in air.
"Welcome. And I'm sorry it's not something… better. I was just really out of ideas."
"This is the best thing you could've gotten me. It's a great gift, love, seriously."
"Glad you like it." She replied, a smile on her face.
"So. Shall we open that bottle?"
"Can't. Underage." Buster froze for a moment, and then shot her a humorous smirk.
"Like it ever stopped you before." He teased, and Ash burst out laughing. She went into the kitchen, and returned with a pair of glasses. He quickly served the two of them, and raised his glass.
"To the best Valentine's Day we've ever had, and the luck of finding each other in such a big city."
