ax_main | Percy & Vex (Backdated Post-Murderworld)

Post murder-world, Vex rescues a stir crazy Percy from the library and they take a walk into the woods.

Vex spotted Percy in the library, usually such a natural habitat for the scholar. There was something in his expression of pure boredom, maybe even growing resentment. With the broken arm, he undoubtedly was spending more time with his books than even he was used to. Vex dropped down to sit on the table in front of him.

“You look like you need jailbreak,” she said, keeping her voice low. “Want to get out of here?”

A look of relief swept across Percy’s face. “God, yes, please.” He was beginning to go a bit mad cooped up in the library, which was a sentence he never in his life thought he would say.

Percy closed his book, left it on the library table where he sat, and stood up. “Where are we going?”

"If you want, I'll can call Yana and we could disappear into the city." Vex suspected Vax was still feeling protective, and would prefer if they picked him up before disappearing off campus. "Or we could go for a walk in the woods and I'll show you all of Keyleth and my favorite trees?”

“You and Keyleth have favorite trees?” How did one even have a favorite tree?

“You’re adorable,” Vex told him fondly. “Don’t look so baffled. I can try to explain it to you when you see them. Fresh air then?”

Percy picked up his jacket, a blue, military-style greatcoat that had been lovingly cleaned and repaired since his time on the streets, and put it on. It was a little awkward putting his arm through the left sleeve and just hanging the heavy material off his right shoulder, but it would do. “Lead the way.”

Vex fortunately had her bag on already so she already had water and a few helpful items with her. She guided Percy outside, picking the clearest path through the forest. The last thing she needed was to drag him through bramble and uneven tree roots in his current state. “It was beautiful in winter, but more treacherous to wander. I’m glad spring is finally prevailing. Soon we won’t need coats at all.”

“One can dare to dream.” Percy extended his good hand, offering to take the bag from Vex. “Personally, I didn’t mind the cold.”

Instead of giving him the bag, Vex took his hand, willfully misinterpreting his chivalrous gesture. “Winter baby. Keyleth needs some fire in the sky or the poor girl is going to wither.”

“I was actually asking for the bag,” Percy said, indicating it with a nod of his head.

“Making you the first man to ever willingly carry a woman’s bag,” Vex said. She squeezed his hand and then released it.

“I doubt that.” When it became clear Vex was in no way going to give Percy the bag, he lowered his hand. “I’m not broken, you know.”

“And I’m not helpless. How about we mutually agree to open doors for each other, and I won’t tell Vax if you want to do some reckless activities in the woods.” She smiled at him sweetly.

Percy’s argument that it wasn’t about Vex being helpless died on his tongue and he gave her a disbelieving look instead. “Really, you’re going to threaten me with your brother?”

She snorted softly. “Quite the opposite, I’m offering to endanger you and attempt to keep it from him. Looking at trees isn’t very reckless.”

“If I do what you say. I’m fairly certain that qualifies as blackmail.”

“And here I was thinking we could provoke some wolves.” She headed into the trees. “I’m open to mischief.”

“You? Open to mischief? I’ll never believe it,” Percy said dryly as he followed Vex. The woods closed in around them and, soon, any sight of the school was gone and it was as if they had stepped into a whole other world.

“I’m the less evil twin,” she objected. Then reconsidered. “Well. The less prankster twin.”

Percy stepped over a large branch that had fallen across the path. “With how much of a prankster our dear Vax’ildan is, that really isn’t saying much.”

Vex smiled. “It’s fortunate he likes you so much. He has some good reasons to to start a dangerous prank war. An affectionate prank war I’m sure you’re on the middle of.”

“He pranked me recently, actually. Got me good.” Percy let out a thoughtful ‘hm’. “I still have to get him back for that…”

She laughed. “Have fun. It’s neverending. I think I still owe him from about a year back. I haven’t decided how to escalate yet.”

Percy’s eyebrows lifted in amusement. “A year? Well, he certainly won’t see it coming.”

“When the chess game is sixteen years in the making you start reconsidering your moves.”

Percy laughed. “Perhaps I should consult you before I attempt any kind of retribution.”

“But it’s so cute to see what you come up with.” Vex winked at him. “And horrifying. It’s like home again.” By which she meant the keep.

“I’ll remind you of that when you get caught in the aftermath of whatever prank I decide to pull,” Percy said.

“The one benefit to sleeping in separate dorms from you boys.” She snickered.

Percy grinned and ominously joked, “It’s a prank, Vex. It could happen anywhere.”

“You’re brutal, Percy,” she said with a laugh.

“Ruthless is the word you’re looking for, I think.” Percy cast a look around him. The trees were closely crowded together now and they all looked…very much the same. “So, where are these infamous trees?”

She brushed his hand, fingers grazing before she thought better of taking his hand again. When living in London she’d been free with small touches, doing her part in breaking Percy into accepting affection from the group. Since her arrival at school, she touched him much less. Getting over her feelings hadn’t happened overnight. Moments like these, she second guessed her instincts. She was trying very hard not to be weird. “This way,” she told him. “You’ll understand.“

Percy followed. He didn’t have as much faith that he would understand, but Vex was excited, and it was definitely better than slowly going mad in the library. The trees grew a little thicker, and the pathway a little more narrow, and Percy kept pace with Vex as best he could, though he moved nowhere near as quietly, leaves crunching and twigs snapping under his feet.

"The forest growing up was much smaller than this," Vex said, voice softening. "It seemed infinite at first, but the more I explored I realized I could make it to the farthest edges and back before dark. I'll never forget the first time I got lost. I made it by tea, but I was out there so long, I don't know who panicked more Vax or our mother. It was probably the only time we were separate back then. Before London.”

Percy thought of his own siblings. They’d never been as close as Vax and Vex were, nowhere near, really, but it’d never been far apart from them either. Not until… “He missed you terribly. It was like a piece of him had been taken away.”

This time Vex took his hand. She squeezed softly as she looked out into the woods. “A piece was taken away,” she said quietly.

“But, you’re together now, and I don’t think he’ll let anything part you again,” Percy reassured.

She smiled, head tipping thoughtfully. “If we’re all going to live together forever we’re going to need a bigger keep next time. Or at least one with better soundproofing and enough space that I can have a room on the very opposite side of yours and Vax’s.”

There was a lot Percy could say to that, all of it ranging a gamut of emotions from amusement to horror to disbelief, but he settled with, “You’ve put a lot of thought into this.”

“Really, separating a boys and girls hall would be old fashioned but not a terrible idea. Bookend you with Grog and Scanlan. Scanlan’s another one to worry about.” She smiled wistfully. “If they'll stay.”

“They’ll stay.” It was hard to imagine anything dragging Vox Machina apart. “And, if they don’t, you’ll still see them. We’re more a family than most families I’ve seen. Distance nor time will change that.”

She gave his hand one last squeeze before letting go. "Percy... If you ever want to talk about them. I know it took you a while to share what you did, and even happy memories can ache, but sometimes that ache is worth remembering anyway. We never replace the people we loved, we just add more love in our life. And I'm here... we're here for you.”

Percy knew Vex meant well. God knows why, but she cared about him, and she wanted to help him, but the first sentence was barely out of her mouth before Percy felt like all the air around him had left in a rush. As she finished, he managed to force a smile, and nodded. “Ah, yes. Thank you. Your brother has said the same.” He glanced over his shoulder back toward the way they’d come from. “I’m starting to feel a little chilled. I think I’ll go inside. Raincheck on the trees?”

She smiled wryly. "Run if you need to.”

Percy gave Vex a flat, unamused look.

“That look doesn’t work on me. I love you, Percival.” For the first time in a long time, that sentence didn’t feel weird or double-edged. “I will push you as much as I push Vax. If you want space, take it. But if that ever changes, you know we’re not going anywhere without you this time.”

Percy wished Vex had just allowed him his graceful exit. “It’s not that I don’t want to talk about them. I talk to Vax. I plan on telling the others what happened. But, it’s hard to talk about them and you caught me off-guard, which makes it even harder.”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to force you into anything right now. Sorry for catching you off guard.”

“Thank you,” Percy replied.

She nodded back the way they came. “Do you need to go, or if I promise not to talk about serious topics would you like to continue?”

The rush of initial panic had subsided and all Percy felt now was a slight tightness in his chest, and a crawling of his skin. He glanced back too, then said to Vex, “Are we nearly there?”

“Another five or ten to the clearing.”

“Then, by all means,” Percy said, indicating for Vex to lead them on.