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ax_mainWhat starts as a perfectly nice explanation is entirely ruined when Drunk Warren can't keep his mouth shut. Percy panics. Warren peaces out.
Warren was only halfway to drunk, but he was working hard on it. He'd wandered away from dancing with JP for a moment in search of more liquor, and was pouring something-or-other delicious into a cup, bobbing mostly in time with the awesome DJ set. This Otabek guy knew what was up.
Having decided against attending Shinobi's party, Percy was only passing it when he spotted Warren. He hesitated a moment before crossing the lawn to him. The first time they'd met it had been at a party; it seemed only right he apologize for what a prat he had been at one as well.
“Percy the third!” Warren held out his fist for a bump after another long drink.
Percy awkwardly bumped his fist against Warren’s. “Warren the third,” he replied with.
The awkwardness was still funny. And kind of charming. In spite of Percy's total lack of charm.
But hey, Warren was dating Simon Tam. He was okay with that. Also drinking. "No beverage tonight?”
“No.” That being said, perhaps Percy would snag cups for himself and Vax before he left… “Anything you’d recommend?” His experience with alcohol was limited. There had been wine on occasion for holidays or at events, a taste of brandy once that his father had allowed him, and, of course, the bottle of…something that Vox Machina had stolen and gotten absolutely sloshed for Grog’s birthday.
"This is a thing Shen made me with tequila in it," Warren said. "But I don't know what else. It's good, though. Also anything with tequila.”
The corner of Percy’s mouth tugged up. “Anything with tequila. Noted.” Maybe he’d steal a whole bottle… Later, though. He hadn’t come here for the drinks.
“I’ve been wanting to speak with you, actually.” Percy folded his arms behind his back. “I…owe you an apology. I’ve always taken umbrage with people who believe that their wealth or blood puts them above everyone else, and when we spoke I made unfair assumptions about your character based on what little knowledge I had of you. It was wrong of me.”
"Aw, dude..." This time Warren held out his hand properly for a shake. "I appreciate it, but no worries. I mean, one of my boyfriends acts like that when he meets people even if he hasn't made assumptions. I get it. It's cool.
"Also my family is terrible, so, you know. Fair enough.”
The shook hands and the corner of Percy’s mouth tugged up again, though this time it was more wry. “They can’t be so terrible. You turned out alright.”
Warren chuckled. “In spite of them, I promise.” Then he paused slightly. Was he drunk enough to do this? He took a drink as he retracted his hand. “I, uh. So, your family…”
Percy’s expression became guarded and let the sentence hang there. It was hard to talk about his family in the past tense, and speaking about them in the present felt like an injustice to them. Better to not talk about them at all. It was easier. It hurt less.
"Okay, yeah, none of my business." Warren sighed. Jesus, what, had he been raised by wolves or something? Ask the guy if his whole family died of a sudden illness all at once, why don't you, Worthington? Anyhow, Percy de Rolo should be dead, so it was just a weird fancy of his, and there was no way. "I mean, if you are who I kind of wonder and maybe think you might be then--right. Stupid question. Sorry.”
Percy went cold. He knew. Oh, fuck, Warren knew. Panic clenched in his chest and he felt suddenly as if he couldn’t breathe. He clenched his hands into fists, digging his nails into the heels of his palms. “Come with me,” he said tightly and started away from the party.
A little confused but also certain he shouldn't have tried to get out of the conversation in that particular way, Warren followed silently, clutching his cup. "It's okay. You don't have to--uh. Just, your name made my brain itch so I tried to figure out why, and..." And, well. Maybe he had been right...
Which would suck. Holy shit it sucked a lot. This poor dude.
Percy didn’t reply. His thoughts were racing, each one chasing the tail end of the last. This was his fault. He’d slipped up. Percy the third—What the fuck had he been thinking? He should have been more careful. All anyone had to do was fucking Google him and they’d know everything. He should have changed his name. He shouldn’t have come to the school. God, he was an idiot.
He led Warren around the corner of the building, putting enough distance between them and the party that they wouldn’t be seen over overheard.
Turning to Warren, Percy asked in a low voice, “Who do you think I am?”
"Well, I think you're--dead," Warren said with an apologetic look. "I mean, I wasn't sure you were a de Rolo, but..." But him acting like this now kind of suggested as much, didn't it?
Percy felt sick. “Stop,” he said sharply, punctuating the word with a chop of his hand. He pinched the bridge of his nose with a shaking hand, sighing, then looked at Warren. “Who else knows? Have you told anyone?”
Warren had a half-drunken idea that he'd just blown the cover of someone in Witness Protection. Then he realized... no, because they gave you a new identity when they did that, right? At least, in the movies they did. Maybe the movies just said that to further protect people, like--
Okay, off point, here. He shook his head. "I thought it sounded kinda crazy--and anyhow, I doubt it'd mean much to people around here. I just remember people talking about it at a party.”
A party, Percy thought bitterly. Of course. The deaths of his family must have been The Talk of every blasted old blood and nouveau riche family with nothing better to do than gossip about the misfortune of others. The bastards.
“No, but it may mean something to people outside of here.” Percy glared at Warren, scrambling to hold onto the anger building inside of him instead of giving into the fear. Shadow leaked from beneath his sleeves and curled out from under his collar. “Do not tell anyone. Understand? Percy de Rolo is dead and he’s staying that way until I decide otherwise.”
Warren's eyebrows went up. He was... impressed, but also kind of like... what the hell dude? "Yeah, I understand, you don't have to go all... whatever that is on me." He gestured at the black creeping smoke... thing. "I might be kind of a drunk dumb blond at the moment but I'm not, like, into gossiping about other mutants. Or people in general. I leave that to my parents.”
Percy glanced down at Warren’s gesture and his eyebrows lifted in surprise at the shadow…leaking from him. That…wasn’t on purpose. He crossed his arms, shoving his hands under them for what little good it did. “Drunk, maybe, but not dumb and you and I both know it. This is as much for your benefit as it is for mine.”
“Uh huh.” Warren made a face. Was that a threat? Sounded like a threat. He was not impressed. “Look, I shouldn’t have said anything, so clearly I’m a little bit stupid tonight. But no, not in general. And I don’t need to be threatened not to talk about it if you don’t want it talked about. So. Like. Stop, bro.”
If Percy could make it stop, he would. Shadow curled around him, growing as he spat, “I’m not threatening you.” It could be a threat, though, a dark thought suggested. It could so easily be a threat. “The people who—” He stopped himself before he said too much and made a sound of frustration. “Just keep your bloody mouth shut.”
"Yyyyeah, bout time I learned that lesson, clearly." Warren was already turning to walk away because--this was a whole bunch of weird he wasn't even ready to process. First the smoke, then the threat, now this? Nope. So much nope. He had the feeling it was somehow his fault, but he couldn't figure out how, so he just wanted to... not be here anymore.
His feathers ruffled in irritation, under the sound of his voice saying: "No one will hear anything from me. Percy." Notably not the Third.
Percy stood steel-backed and head held high, his arms folded behind his back to hide how his hands trembled. “Good.” He bite back the startling, unexpected urge to say something cruel. “Enjoy the party.”
Warren shot him a look over his shoulder and wing before fading into the crowd gratefully.
The tenseness in Percy’s muscles released immediately and he felt a sudden rush of dizziness. “Arsehole,” he said and even he didn’t know whether he meant himself or Warren. Turning away, he quickly left, trailing shadow behind him.
Warren was only halfway to drunk, but he was working hard on it. He'd wandered away from dancing with JP for a moment in search of more liquor, and was pouring something-or-other delicious into a cup, bobbing mostly in time with the awesome DJ set. This Otabek guy knew what was up.
Having decided against attending Shinobi's party, Percy was only passing it when he spotted Warren. He hesitated a moment before crossing the lawn to him. The first time they'd met it had been at a party; it seemed only right he apologize for what a prat he had been at one as well.
“Percy the third!” Warren held out his fist for a bump after another long drink.
Percy awkwardly bumped his fist against Warren’s. “Warren the third,” he replied with.
The awkwardness was still funny. And kind of charming. In spite of Percy's total lack of charm.
But hey, Warren was dating Simon Tam. He was okay with that. Also drinking. "No beverage tonight?”
“No.” That being said, perhaps Percy would snag cups for himself and Vax before he left… “Anything you’d recommend?” His experience with alcohol was limited. There had been wine on occasion for holidays or at events, a taste of brandy once that his father had allowed him, and, of course, the bottle of…something that Vox Machina had stolen and gotten absolutely sloshed for Grog’s birthday.
"This is a thing Shen made me with tequila in it," Warren said. "But I don't know what else. It's good, though. Also anything with tequila.”
The corner of Percy’s mouth tugged up. “Anything with tequila. Noted.” Maybe he’d steal a whole bottle… Later, though. He hadn’t come here for the drinks.
“I’ve been wanting to speak with you, actually.” Percy folded his arms behind his back. “I…owe you an apology. I’ve always taken umbrage with people who believe that their wealth or blood puts them above everyone else, and when we spoke I made unfair assumptions about your character based on what little knowledge I had of you. It was wrong of me.”
"Aw, dude..." This time Warren held out his hand properly for a shake. "I appreciate it, but no worries. I mean, one of my boyfriends acts like that when he meets people even if he hasn't made assumptions. I get it. It's cool.
"Also my family is terrible, so, you know. Fair enough.”
The shook hands and the corner of Percy’s mouth tugged up again, though this time it was more wry. “They can’t be so terrible. You turned out alright.”
Warren chuckled. “In spite of them, I promise.” Then he paused slightly. Was he drunk enough to do this? He took a drink as he retracted his hand. “I, uh. So, your family…”
Percy’s expression became guarded and let the sentence hang there. It was hard to talk about his family in the past tense, and speaking about them in the present felt like an injustice to them. Better to not talk about them at all. It was easier. It hurt less.
"Okay, yeah, none of my business." Warren sighed. Jesus, what, had he been raised by wolves or something? Ask the guy if his whole family died of a sudden illness all at once, why don't you, Worthington? Anyhow, Percy de Rolo should be dead, so it was just a weird fancy of his, and there was no way. "I mean, if you are who I kind of wonder and maybe think you might be then--right. Stupid question. Sorry.”
Percy went cold. He knew. Oh, fuck, Warren knew. Panic clenched in his chest and he felt suddenly as if he couldn’t breathe. He clenched his hands into fists, digging his nails into the heels of his palms. “Come with me,” he said tightly and started away from the party.
A little confused but also certain he shouldn't have tried to get out of the conversation in that particular way, Warren followed silently, clutching his cup. "It's okay. You don't have to--uh. Just, your name made my brain itch so I tried to figure out why, and..." And, well. Maybe he had been right...
Which would suck. Holy shit it sucked a lot. This poor dude.
Percy didn’t reply. His thoughts were racing, each one chasing the tail end of the last. This was his fault. He’d slipped up. Percy the third—What the fuck had he been thinking? He should have been more careful. All anyone had to do was fucking Google him and they’d know everything. He should have changed his name. He shouldn’t have come to the school. God, he was an idiot.
He led Warren around the corner of the building, putting enough distance between them and the party that they wouldn’t be seen over overheard.
Turning to Warren, Percy asked in a low voice, “Who do you think I am?”
"Well, I think you're--dead," Warren said with an apologetic look. "I mean, I wasn't sure you were a de Rolo, but..." But him acting like this now kind of suggested as much, didn't it?
Percy felt sick. “Stop,” he said sharply, punctuating the word with a chop of his hand. He pinched the bridge of his nose with a shaking hand, sighing, then looked at Warren. “Who else knows? Have you told anyone?”
Warren had a half-drunken idea that he'd just blown the cover of someone in Witness Protection. Then he realized... no, because they gave you a new identity when they did that, right? At least, in the movies they did. Maybe the movies just said that to further protect people, like--
Okay, off point, here. He shook his head. "I thought it sounded kinda crazy--and anyhow, I doubt it'd mean much to people around here. I just remember people talking about it at a party.”
A party, Percy thought bitterly. Of course. The deaths of his family must have been The Talk of every blasted old blood and nouveau riche family with nothing better to do than gossip about the misfortune of others. The bastards.
“No, but it may mean something to people outside of here.” Percy glared at Warren, scrambling to hold onto the anger building inside of him instead of giving into the fear. Shadow leaked from beneath his sleeves and curled out from under his collar. “Do not tell anyone. Understand? Percy de Rolo is dead and he’s staying that way until I decide otherwise.”
Warren's eyebrows went up. He was... impressed, but also kind of like... what the hell dude? "Yeah, I understand, you don't have to go all... whatever that is on me." He gestured at the black creeping smoke... thing. "I might be kind of a drunk dumb blond at the moment but I'm not, like, into gossiping about other mutants. Or people in general. I leave that to my parents.”
Percy glanced down at Warren’s gesture and his eyebrows lifted in surprise at the shadow…leaking from him. That…wasn’t on purpose. He crossed his arms, shoving his hands under them for what little good it did. “Drunk, maybe, but not dumb and you and I both know it. This is as much for your benefit as it is for mine.”
“Uh huh.” Warren made a face. Was that a threat? Sounded like a threat. He was not impressed. “Look, I shouldn’t have said anything, so clearly I’m a little bit stupid tonight. But no, not in general. And I don’t need to be threatened not to talk about it if you don’t want it talked about. So. Like. Stop, bro.”
If Percy could make it stop, he would. Shadow curled around him, growing as he spat, “I’m not threatening you.” It could be a threat, though, a dark thought suggested. It could so easily be a threat. “The people who—” He stopped himself before he said too much and made a sound of frustration. “Just keep your bloody mouth shut.”
"Yyyyeah, bout time I learned that lesson, clearly." Warren was already turning to walk away because--this was a whole bunch of weird he wasn't even ready to process. First the smoke, then the threat, now this? Nope. So much nope. He had the feeling it was somehow his fault, but he couldn't figure out how, so he just wanted to... not be here anymore.
His feathers ruffled in irritation, under the sound of his voice saying: "No one will hear anything from me. Percy." Notably not the Third.
Percy stood steel-backed and head held high, his arms folded behind his back to hide how his hands trembled. “Good.” He bite back the startling, unexpected urge to say something cruel. “Enjoy the party.”
Warren shot him a look over his shoulder and wing before fading into the crowd gratefully.
The tenseness in Percy’s muscles released immediately and he felt a sudden rush of dizziness. “Arsehole,” he said and even he didn’t know whether he meant himself or Warren. Turning away, he quickly left, trailing shadow behind him.
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Date: 2017-11-14 05:34 pm (UTC)Also: OH WARREN.
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Date: 2017-11-14 06:56 pm (UTC)