livvyplaysfinalfantasy:

There’s so much to love about this scene, starting with Basch’s subtle changes in expression as Penelo teasingly accuses him of complaining.

But this is also our first real indication that Basch has formed a strong bond with Vaan and Penelo. Considering Vaan and Penelo have believed for the past two years that Basch was the one who killed Reks and betrayed Dalmasca, it’s remarkable that Basch has become a sort of older brother figure to them both.

Then there’s the way he talks about serving royalty; even though he admits that it can be frustrating, you just know that there’s nothing else he’d rather be doing with his life.

It’s a bit of a mystery why Ashe is smiling even though she’s the subject of Basch’s joke, but maybe it has something to do with seeing Basch look so happy. He’s in Archades, where his brother has lived for the past nineteen years, but that doesn’t seem to be on his mind at all. Maybe Basch is acting more like he used to before the war. For Ashe, who has lost everything and everyone else in her life, it must be comforting beyond belief to see the Basch she remembers from her childhood.