Rit was so close, it was almost enough to make Ash's heart stop beating. She had to remind herself to breathe, or else she feared she'd drown in Rit's presence, lost. She was her Bond, Ash knew, and they were always close, but this was the closeness that Ash had always craved, that Ash had never brought up, because she didn't know what would happen if she dredged up those feelings, expressed them verbally, put her heart up on display.
She laughed as Rit specified she wanted her blood on the cake. "For the next offering, then. I'll keep it in mind," she noted, shaking her head. The Martyr hitched a breath, teetered on the verge of saying something more. "Or, you know... if you didn't want cake..." She started, groping for words. "Maybe you could have me instead? Ah, I mean..."
Ash looked down, gathering her hands in her lap, her voice slowly growing soft. "I mean... you and I, we're close, you know? I mean, we're Bonds, we are supposed to be close – but I've always felt... ah, I don't know the word... more." She placed her hand over her heart at the word, to accentuate the word. "What I guess I'm saying... or asking, rather?... is, ah, I don't know..." She laughed at herself, finally looking up at Rit. "I want to feel closer to you." Her cheeks were flushed red. "I want to be... more... with you."