ax_main | Percy & Vax, backdated to 12/16/17

Percy and Vax share a moment together during Vax and Vex's birthday party.

The party was going better than Percy could have ever hoped for. The drinks were great, the music was (he could only assume as he'd never heard its like before) good, and everyone seemed to be having fun.

Percy finished the last of his drink, then set the empty glass on a table and moved to just stand on the fringes and watch. Keyleth or Vex had convinced the other to dance on a table, and Grog was cheering them on while Scanlan was talking to a girl, probably regaling her with some tale about Obbie DeRatte. The other guests were around, dancing and talking and drinking. He was struck by how normal it was for them. Like they were average teenagers with average lives instead of a collection of misfits brought together by bad luck and genetics.

As Percy watched from the edge of the crowd, a shadow slipped up behind him, two arms snaking around his waist, warm breath ghosting against the back of his neck. "Penny for your thoughts.”

Percy jolted in surprise, then grumbled, “Sneaky bastard,” without any venom as he gently elbowed Vax in the side. He laid his hands over Vax’s, lacing their fingers. “I was just thinking that this was nice. I almost…”

Vax grinned and tugged Percy back against him. "Almost what?”

Don’t feel guilty for being happy. “Wish it wouldn’t end.” Percy turned his head to kiss Vax’s cheek, and then rested his forehead against his temple.

Vax sighed out, leaning his head against Percy's. "What makes you think it will?"

"I imagine the club would like to close at some point." Percy chuckled. "And Keyleth can't possibly keep drinking like that without doing irreparable damage to her liver."

"Oh, you mean..." This. The party. Right. "Well fuck, Keyleth's birthday is in just a couple of months, right? Then Grog's. And we don't even know what our New Year's plans are yet."

"I'd forgotten about New Year's." Maybe they could get in touch with Pike and Skype her in for it. "Maybe we can keep this going then. Indefinite party, brought to you by Vox Machina."

Percy's thumb stroked the back of Vax's hand and the corner of his mouth tugged in a smile. "What did you think I was going to say?"

Vax took a moment to wet his lips, gathering his thoughts. Finally, he ghosted his fingertips across Percival's stomach, beneath his shirt. "All of us together. Safe. Happy.”

Percy’s skin prickled with warmth under Vax’s touch and he put his hand over Vax’s again just so he could feel their linked hands against his bare skin. It was his turn to be quiet now, gathering his own thoughts. “Why did you think that? Have you been worrying about it?”

"It just seems so unlikely," Vax admitted quietly.

Percy's heart broke. "Vax, dear..." He stepped out from the embrace and took Vax's hands, leading him somewhere a little more private.

They ended up in the narrow hallway that led to to restrooms. It was empty and secluded enough that the music was a muffled, bass-y thump-thump. Percy kept his hands in Vax's. "Why do you think that?"

Vax glanced down the hall, then back at Percy. "All of us having powers? All of us showing up here? Reuniting just in time to watch each others' backs. What are the odds?”

God, Percy was terrible at this. There was a right thing to say and he didn’t know what it was. He didn’t know how to be what someone needed. “Rather slim,” he admitted, then hesitated a moment, unsure of himself. “I don’t believe in fate, or destiny, or some omniscient force deciding the outcome of events, but, if there is such a thing, I don’t think our reason for being brought together is so final. Why does it have to be? Maybe we found our way to one another simply because we all needed a family.”

"We did that before we ever knew we all had powers," Vax pointed out, frowning. "I'm just not sure I trust it.”

“You don’t have to.” Percy drew Vax closer. “You’re clever. I trust your instincts. If you think we should be careful, we will be. The moment something feels off, we’ll run in the other direction.”

"Right," Vax agreed quietly. And he could do that, at least, with his powers. He couldn't get everyone out at once, but a few trips...he could get them all. And Shaun too. Speaking of...he switched gears and pulled Percy closer. "Have you talked to Shaun at all?"

Percy put his arms about Vax's neck. "While we danced earlier. Why?”

Vax blinked, remembering, and flushed slightly at the memory. "Jesus, that show-off.”

So, Vax had seen them after all. Percy chuckled, and said, “I told him his plan wouldn’t work.”

"Who said it didn't work?" Vax asked, then tugged him closer. "Depending on what the plan was."

"To make me look irresistible." Percy's fingers absently toyed with a lock of Vax's hair. "I told him if anyone was to stand out it would be him."

"You don't think I haven't been staring at you all night?" Vax grinned. "Trust me, his plan worked."

Percy blushed, but grinned as well. "Then my own plan worked as well. I did dress to impress."

"You succeeded," Vax agreed. "Although I think you did your job a little too well. I don't think I'm the only one following you around the room like a rabid fanboy. I'd be jealous if I wasn't so proud to have locked you in before anyone else."

Percy glanced back the way they'd come as if he'd find some mysterious figure skulking there. There was no one there (not that he'd expected there to be) just as there had not been all night. He looked back to Vax, his brow knit with an amused kind of confusion. "I'm flattered, dear, but I do believe you're hallucinating."

"I'm not when it comes to Shaun Gilmore," Vax pointed out.

Percy felt a not at all undeserved twinge of guilt. "Now I know you're hallucinating. Shaun fancies you, Vax."

Vax huffed a soft laugh. "Yeah. Yeah, he does. But not just me."

Percy only looked more confused. "He--No. You're mistaken. I would certainly--If he..." He trailed off, his expression going slack with dumbfounded realization. "Huh."

"That's what I said," Vax agreed, grinning a little bit wider.

Percy's brain was still trying to disassemble this new information and put it back together in a way that made sense. "Which part?”

"Which part confused me?" Vax clarified. "The part where he's thoroughly attracted to the two of us. Apart, and together."

Percy had recovered some and his look of shock had been replaced by a thoughtful furrow of his brow. "You fancy Shaun." It wasn't an accusation.

“If fancy means crush on,” Vax agreed, pulling Percy closer. “Not like I feel about you.”

Percy gave Vax a fond look, then nodded in consensus. “No, same.”

Vax tilted his head, fingers slipping under Percy's shirt, over the skin of his hip. "Does that mean you're attracted to Shaun too?”

“Mm,” Percy hummed at the touch, skin prickling with warmth. “Yes. A crush, as you said. Not like I feel about you.”

"So. If we both like him and he likes us..." Vax drawled slowly.

That possibility had occurred to Percy. It made sense. If Warren, Jean-Paul, and Simon could do it, he, Vax, and Shaun certainly could. He could think of a number of ways it would end poorly, all of which he ignored in favor of two facts: He liked Shaun a lot, and it would make Vax happy.

“If you’re willing to give it a go, I am,” Percy said.

Vax tilted his head to look at Percy. "Do you want to is the question.”

“Yes,” Percy answered without hesitation. “I do.”

Vax's eyebrows went up. "Wow."

"You're surprised?" Percy asked.

"I mean, a little," Vax admitted sheepishly.

Percy hmmed quietly.“Why?”

"Don't take this personally, Percival," Vax grinned, ghosting his hands over his boyfriend's hips, "But you do tend to be a bit...tightly wound."

It was a fair assessment, though any other time Percy would have argued on the wording. Proper would have been better, perhaps. But, that was all secondary when what Vax had said somehow sounded like a challenge.

The only warning Vax got was a smirk before Percy grabbed the front of his shirt and tugged him into the bathroom, pushing him up against the door the moment it had closed behind them. He tilted his head in the direction of the empty bathroom stall. "I'm going to drag you into that stall, get down on my knees on the filthy floor, and then we can discuss who's tightly wound."

Vax, his breathing a little quick, stared at the bathroom stall for just a moment before meeting Percy's gaze again. Suddenly, his eyes had become just a little darker, lips parted at the thought, a flush rising along his neck. "Jesus, Percy, it wasn't a dare.”

“I decided to take it as one.” Percy’s fingers had found their way under Vax’s shirt and were running lightly over his stomach, dipping low to hook over the band of his trousers. “But, we could return to the party if you’d prefer.”

"No. No, your plans are always amazing, I love this plan, let's do it," Vax huffed, his eyes glazing over as his jeans became a little more uncomfortable.

Percy pressed a lingering kiss to Vax’s mouth, his fingers still tracing soft caresses on Vax’s stomach. “Come with me,” he murmured, then kissed Vax again as he started walking them backwards.

Practically entranced, Vax followed, step for step, even as he chased Percy’s kisses with his own, unwilling to stop for long.

Equally reluctant, Percy drew Vax into the stall, kissing him still as he blindly reached back to close and lock the door. He guided Vax back against the stall's partition, then leaned up against him to kiss him slow and deep.

Vax found a soft moan swallowed in the kiss as he wrapped one arm around Percy’s back, locking him in place.

Percy’s hand wormed under Vax’s shirt to explore bare skin and he pressed in closer as his hand ventured up further, rucking up Vax’s shirt in the process.

Breaking from the kiss for a moment, Vax dropped his head back against the stall's partition and sighed out at the touch, eyes falling shut. "I take it back. I take it all back."

“Do you?” Percy dipped his head to press slow, lingering kisses along his neck. “Tell me what you take back, dear.” His thumb brushed over a nipple.

“You damn well know what I take back,” Vax moaned happily, his hands wandering every bit of skin he could get. “You’re not wound tight, not at all…”

Percy chuckled, the sound coming out warm and rough. He teased at Vax's nipple with his thumb and forefinger if only to get him to moan like that again. “Convinced you already, have I? Whatever shall I do now…”

Vax couldn’t help a small shiver as he looked up at Percy, dazed, uncomfortably aroused, buzzed and happy. “This is the best birthday ever.”

God, the way Vax look stole Percy’s breath away. He smiled, kissed him softly, and said, “And it’s not even over yet. Happy Birthday, Vax'ildan dear.” He sunk to his knees.

Vax huffed a soft breath, then slipped his fingers into Percy’s hair, reveling in the feel of it between his fingers. “One I won’t soon forget.”