ax_main | Vex & Scanlan (Dec 16)

Vex&Vax’s bday bash. Vex gets mushy over her friends arrival and shares the love with Scanlan.

By the end of the night Vex was more than buzzed, but not so far gone that she’d curse herself in the morning. She was flying high mostly because of current company. Vex came back to the booth they’d claimed and flopped into the free seat next to Scanlan. She threw an arm around him and rested her cheek on the top of his head. She was in such a good mood that she didn't care that curling up at this angle gave him a view straight down her cleavage.

“I am so glad you are all here,” she repeated for the umpteenth time.

"We've noticed," Scanlan told her impudently, not minding her using him as a place to rest for the moment owing to the really quite spectacular view it offered down the front of her shirt--so much so he could have identified her underwear by brand. But even that look was more force of habit than actual lascivious interest, and his lower half shifted slightly with the mild discomfort of Actual Feelings, carefully avoiding jarring Vex. "I can't speak for Grog or Kiki, but I, certainly, wouldn't make this kind of trip for just anybody. It's nice to be appreciated." He looked for something relatively safe to pat reassuringly, and eventually settled on her knee. "Which is my way of saying I'm sorry I didn't bring a present, and I'll steal you guys something very tasteful in a day or two. Once I'm over the jet lag and culture shock. And probably the hangover."

“You are a gift,” Vex said generously. A pause, then, “Not to say another trinket would go amiss. Oh! Trinket.” She gave Scanlan a squeeze. “When we’re somewhere less crowded I’ll have to introduce you all to him.”

"Him?" Scanlan inquired, still buried under a liquored-up and happy Vex, and really not minding the temporary constriction which engulfed him deeper in pretty girl. "Is he your boyfriend? No, that can't be it," he corrected himself immediately. "Vax would have killed him already, and possibly made it look like an accident. And then none of our festivities would be so festive. I'm going to guess ... pet, of some kind? Though your dad really didn't seem like the animal-friendly kind."

"Vax wouldn't dare murder someone I've chosen to date. Intimidate, threaten, maybe. And Percy's alive, isn't he?" She sat up and lifted the charm at her throat, holding the golden bear up to see. "This is Trinket. And I'd change him now, but people would probably freak out at a bear in a bar."

"I assumed you were just lulling him into a false sense of security," he said as he examined the stylized bear dangling from the end of the slender necklace. "But I'd miss him if he were gone, so thank you. And since when did we ever worry about freaking people out? I thought that was our signature." Scanlan waved all that aside. "Anyway, most of these folks are so far gone, they wouldn't notice if you trotted out a full grown bear in here. Alcohol mixed with hormones can blot out pretty much anything."

“You say this now…” Scanlan was right, they rarely worried about a scandal. Getting out of sticky situations was usually a forte. Failing to get out of sticky situations… well, that’s why they were here now as well. Vex glanced around the club, appraising who was genuinely looking at them. Their party caused a scene once tonight, but they weren’t the center of attention anymore.

“Alright Scanlan.” She untangled from him and backed up to put a cub sized space between them. Her fingers clasped her necklace, and then Trinket was seated in her lap. He made a questioning sound, side eyeing their current location. Vex dropped him down on to the seat between them. “Scanlan, this is Trinket. Trinket, this is our dear friend Scanlan. Don’t eat him.”

Trinket huffed and tipped his head back to look at Vex, seemingly affronted at the suggestion. His judging look was brief, quickly broken when he nuzzled her arm affectionately. The bear cub then turned to Scanlan to eye him curiously. Trinket was a small bear, but Scanlan wasn’t exactly a big guy, so Trinket easily leaned over and snuffled his cold nose against Scanlan’s ear.

"Ack!" Scanlan protested immediately, skin breaking out in goosebumps at the cold touch of the miniature woodland predator's nose. "It's a bear! An actual, for-real bear! Never mind other people freaking out, you could have warned me. I'm pretty sure in bear-terms, I'm a fun-sized between-meal snack." Through all his protests, he kept very, very still. Bears couldn't see you if you didn't move, right? Or ... wait. That was Tyrannosaurus Rex. What was the thing you were supposed to do with bears? Play dead? Charge them? Start a fire? The distinction was pretty key, and he didn't want to pick the wrong one and end up mauled because of it.

“Trinket’s a sweetheart. Besides, I’m sure you taste terrible.” Vex reached over to rub Trinket’s head. He rumbled against Scanlan and then settled back to snuggle against Vex.

"Excuse me," Scanlan protested, seemingly genuinely affronted. "I'll have you know that I am packed full of nutrients and high in soluble fiber. Anyway, it's not his heart that concerns me." He spared another suspicious look for the miniature bear cuddling with Vex, and forced himself to relax into the aged upholstery of his seat. "So you make jewelry into woodland creatures. I'm not sure there'll ever be much of a market for that, sadly. Now, if you could do it the other way around, maybe ..."

Vex kissed the top of Trinket’s head. “You’ll meet Keyleth later, and she will adore you,” Vex promised before popping Trinket back. They were in a club. No one was screaming, but it was only moments before that changed. “I also create localized ice storms and horticultural bondage. It’s pretty versatile.”

The diminutive teen blinked. "Huh. Horticultural bondage. I had no idea your kink was so... green? At least it's environmentally conscious. All jokes aside, it is good to see you again. And Vax. And Percy. And ... everyone, really. Weird that a school, of all things, would be the catalyst for it, but I can't find it in me to complain. Especially not if the co-eds are hot."

Vex snorted. It sounded more like a Keyleth thing, if she understood what a kink was. “There are some very hot coeds. Sadly a bunch of them are dating each other, but I think there may be more single girls than guys. I’ve not done a poll.”

Scanlan shrugged, seemingly unconcerned. "As long as they're attractive or charming--or, preferably, some combination of both--I don't really sweat the minor details. Though I suppose it would be nice if they had an ear for music, too." He tilted his head as he looked up at her. "And you're ... happy there? I mean the twins are back together, plus Percy. The three of you would have taken off by now if it were all bad. Right?"

In her buzzed state Vex gave that serious consideration. “I’m skeptical, but so far it’s good. There’s a bunch of students training to be mutant superheroes and Boy Scouts, but it’s not required. The woods are beautiful, the food’s good, there’s decent heating and water pressure… we’re spoiled as fuck.” She reached to pinch Scanlan’s cheek fondly. “And now you’re here. All of you. I will put up with much bullshit if means we keep the family together. Life without all of you was tedious, darling.”

"I hate it when you do that," he noted uselessly as she squeezed the side of his face tight. "But ... you're not wrong, I suppose. Vox Machina would put up with a lot, if it meant getting to stick together. I'm not joining the mutant Boy Scouts, though," he added seriously. "I'm sure they have all kinds of rules against fraternization that a young, healthy guy like me couldn't possibly be expected to stick to." He produced a flute from somewhere inside his loose-fitting jacket and trilled a few notes, in imitation of the house music blaring around them. Color flashed around them, short-lived but definite bubbles floating briefly through the air, their existence largely lost on the assembled clubgoers, much as Trinket had been.

Vex stared in delight. "Oh my god. That's as fabulous as Shaun."

"Just a little parlor trick, really," Scanlan replied with false modesty--his grin gave every indication that he was quite pleased at the compliment. "Some time when there are fewer bystanders around, and maybe better light, I'll show you something that's actually impressive." He perked up suddenly. "Does your school have its own stage? Because that would be perfect."

“As long as that something isn’t a euphemism.” She grinned. “And honestly, they might not, but there’s a ballroom. I’m not sure actually if they have a stage area in there. When I see ballrooms now I have terrible flashbacks of my father.”

"If you were anybody but Vex'ahlia, that would have absolutely been a euphemism," he grinned back. "As it is, I'd just like a space in which to present my particular gifts with all appropriate pageantry and pomp. They're very of a highly theatrical bent, after all, and I'm a born entertainer."

“Well, you can entertain us when you get your arse to the school. Come join us, Scanlan.” She leaned against him. “Yes, there will be math class, but there will also be plenty of coeds to ply your charm on.”

"It's not fair to try to ply me while pressing your girl-parts into my arm," he protested, but without much genuine enthusiasm. He'd been going back and forth on this whole school thing for some time, but the fact that Vex, Vax, and Percy were there made his decision obvious. "Anyway. You don't have to charm me, though I appreciate the effort. We're better when we're all together, whether that's at a school, or a deserted warehouse, or wherever."

Vex cupped his face with one hand and pressed a kiss to the opposite cheek. “I’m so glad. Home is wherever we live. If you guys are here, then we’re home again.”

Though he made a face, his eyes twinkled with amusement as she bussed him sentimentally on the cheek. "Now, now. Let's not get mushy. I don't do mushy. Let's just say we're getting the band back together," with one notable exception, "and leave the feeling of ways for our inevitable mid-life therapy."

“I lost control over mushy 3 shots ago,” Vex said with a snort. “But yes, that’s it for sentiment tonight. Also, probably it for hard liquor or I’ll end up ridiculous.”

"It's your birthday; if you don't end up ridiculous, I'll consider it a personal failure. Come on. I'll ply the DJ with my bottomless charm and get him (or her) to play your favorite song next. We can bust out our fly moves, or most reasonable approximation thereof."

"Sounds perfect," Vex said with a smile. "Lead on, music man."