percy and vex for 10. “Please don’t make me socialize.” c:
on bad days
Percy was having a Bad Day. Well, it was more of a Bad Week, or a Bad Period of Indiscriminate Time That He Didn’t Realize Was Happening Until He Was Already Miserable.
He struggles with his work; all his recent designs had major flaws which he realized in the meeting with the rest of the Chamber when he was supposed to present. It’s springtime, so Vex and her Hunt were spending much of the time in the Parchwood, rooting out poachers. When she wasn’t with the Hunt, she was checking in on the reconstruction of her manor.
Also, spring has always made him feel rather stuffy.
All together, it’s quite a miserable time.
He’s not sure how long he was sitting at his workbench, drawing minuscule crosses in his notebook and not actually thinking, but when he hears the knock at the door he has a page and a half filled with useless lines. Percy startles, and turns around as Vex walks in.
She looks lovely, still in her hunting leathers and her hair wind-blown. She smiles at him and walks up, wrapping her arms around his still-seated form and peering over his shoulder at the notebook. “What are you working on, darli…?”
“Ah…” Percy shuts the book quickly, face red with embarrassment. “Nothing of consequence, obviously.”
“Well, I came to fetch you because I thought we could go to the tavern tonight. We’ve both been working so hard, and maybe a change of scenery would be good for us.” She kisses the top of his head. “How does that sound?”
Percy leans into her embrace, and turns his head to press his face against her. With her leaning over him like that, his voice is muffled by her chest. (A lovely chest, one he adores, even when covered by leather armor.) “Please don’t make me socialize.”
“Okay, darling. I’ll take a rain check. Now, I need a bath, and then we’ll have dinner brought up to our room.” She kisses the top of his head again, then steps away and tilts his head up so she can look in his eyes. “Think you’d be up for a night out in two days?”
He thinks for a minute, then nods.
“Good,” Vex says, and offers her hand to help him up, “Let’s go upstairs.”
Percy is somewhat surprised that the mansion still has a workshop in it. He goes there after dinner to tinker with Diplomacy; the glove had made a slightly worrisome sound when he’d activated it earlier.
He’s engrossed in his work–ignoring the headache from the unknowable knowledge in his mind–when Scanlan arrived, and jumped when the gnomish man appeared at his elbow.
“I haven’t properly congratulated you on your nuptials yet. I’d say the gift was on its way but I don’t think it’s necessary when I wasn’t invited to the wedding.” Scanlan had that same wry, calculating smile he defaulted to when he was taunting someone.
Percy huffs, “Don’t you start. We wanted to have something of our own for a while, and you didn’t exactly make it easy to send an invitation. You know Grog and Pike went looking for you, right?”
“And that’s something I’m dealing with, with them. You don’t get to use them against me.”
“Something about you makes me want to commit extreme violence,” Percy replies, though he does not look up from his work. His anger at Scanlan had waned over the year in Whitestone, but the small prick of jealousy over being chosen of Ioun had reignited the flames.
Scanlan shrugs, and climbs up onto the stool next to Percy. “I get that a lot. So, has Vax given you the shovel talk?”
“The what?”
It’s actually uncanny how well the bard could impersonate their friend, his voice going low, dark, and threatening, “You don’t deserve my sister but I can see you love her and you better not ever hurt her.”
Percy finally puts the glove down and looks at Scanlan properly. “Don’t think that you get to do that. Not when you left like that. Did you even know that both Vax and Keyleth died while you were gone? Any claim you had to treating her like family died when you said we went into the Feywild because of daddy issues.”
“May I remind you that in the same fight you called my actual child a shit? She heard that. You’re not the only one who has a right to be angry,” Scanlan’s voice stays even, calm. Percy suddenly realizes that at this range, if Scanlan wanted to hurt him, he could. He was probably the single most powerful magic user he’d ever encountered, outside of Keyleth. And Vecna.
Percy purses his lips. “Fine then. If I ever hurt her you’ll hurt me worse. I understand. Are you happy?”
They stare at each other for a long moment, then Scanlan sighs. “Look, Keyleth and Pike have taken Vex and a bottle of wine to the hot spring, probably to grill her. And you know Keyleth will be saying the same kind of thing about you. And with Vax just happy for any minute he has left, I figured someone should be on Vex’s side for this.”
“Me. I’m on Vex’s side.” Percy runs one hand through his hair, making it stand on end. “That’s why we got married, you imbecile. We’re in love, but it’s more than that. We’re partners.”
If Scanlan had more to say, he doesn’t get a chance, as Percy stands up and starts pacing. “If you really want specifics, then here: I don’t drink half as much as I used to because I’m not as angry as I was. I’m getting better at recognizing when my judgement is compromised and relying on hers. She makes me…she makes me so happy.”
Percy’s hands fall to his sides, and Scanlan nods before asking, “Seems like you put a lot on her.And what does Vex get out of this?”
“Privacy, for one.” Percy spits out, “If you want to know what kind of emotional support my wife needs that I provide, you can ask her. I’m not going to go telling anyone things she’d prefer to keep quiet in order to prove a point.”
“Except Pelor.”
“Except Pelor. But that was…you were there. Extenuating circumstances. We did it under the Sun Tree; I’m pretty sure the Dawnfather already knew.”
“Well, that’s reasonable.” Scanlan shrugs, and hops off the stool he was sitting on. He has to crane his neck to meet Percy’s eyes again. “For whatever it’s worth, I am happy for both of you. You’re a good match.”
Percy scowls, about to spit something out again, then takes a deep breath. “Thank you. I agree.”
“And whenever little de Rolos come along,” Scanlan’s level smile widen’s to a proper grin when Percy’s face goes white, “I’m sure the two of you will be great parents.”
“That is…that is not something I want to think about considering the current state of the world. You know, newly risen evil deity and all.”
“Well, I’ve only been a parent for a while–a father, technically, since before you were born, but not a parent. And you see, being a parent is about hope, and wanting what’s best for them, and doing everything you can to ensure it. We all need a little more hope right now.” Scanlan heads towards the door, then turns and looks back at Percy. “Once we save the world, talk to Vex about it. You two will have a great legacy.”
Scanlan walks away, and Percy sits down at the workbench again to think.
The de Rolos (the Vexes, the ‘ahlias) finally have a reception after Vox Machina seals away Vecna. Though it starts out a little somber, a hole in their midst, things cheer a little when Vex spots a raven perched on the windowsill. It meets her eyes and caws.
There is much drinking, and dancing, and all-around rejoicing. Pike, getting a little winded, finds a quiet corner of the ballroom and sits. She watches her friends and family enjoy each other. It is splendid.
She kind of wants to cry.
Pike watches Vex and Percy dance. They move in sync, and even when they are with other partners–Zahra insists on dancing with both of them–they seem to find each others eyes.
She finds a bottle of wine and starts in on it. She is happy they’re happy. She really is. They both deserve the best in the world.
No one has a heart of stone. Pike pours herself another glass.
They spend the night at the top of Black Mountain. The curse may be lifted, but none of them want to hike back to civilization in the dark.
Darby and Kayden start a fire with some tinder soaked in the remains of his first flask, and they pass the other flask around. When he drinks, Kayden realizes he can still taste the vomit in his mouth. He drinks again.
They agree to take shifts sleeping, and soon Darby and Raina are curled up together. Sat leans into Kayden’s side and he wraps his arm around her protectively. (As if anything he did now could protect her from what had happened.)
“You did it again, Kayden.” Sat says, staring into the flames. “You ran in against something you shouldn’t have. You always do that.”
Four eighth graders picking on sixth grade Tanner because he was small and skinny and bookish and couldn’t catch a ball even with his glasses on. Two older boys their first year of high school who liked to snap Raina’s bra. The first drunk guy who tried to ignore Sat’s “no” at a party and the several more after him. The Goat last year. Now Simon.
“I’ve never killed anyone before.” Kayden lets her take his other hand and wrap it around her. He rests his forehead on the side of her head, giving her all the body heat he could.
Sat lets him drape himself around her. He’s warm, and solid, and there. “You nearly killed yourself.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time.”
That hangs in the air around them. Sat’s fingernails dig into his hand. “Kayden…”
“It should have been me, and you know it. He wouldn’t let me take the bow and arrow. I could…” Kayden stops and swallows, fighting back the tears that choke out his words. “I could have saved him, the dipshit.”
“But then you’d be dead.”
“And Tanner would be here. Fuck, you know it would be better if Tanner was alive.” Kayden has to fight to keep his voice quiet. He wants to scream at her. No, not her, at the very mountain. “Tanner should have lived, and he didn’t because he was pissed at me and he died pissed at me.”
“Did you ever tell him that you loved him?” Sat asks. Kayden wonders if she’s searching her memory to see if she’d ever been enough of a sap to say it out loud.
“I tried. I was high, and I think he thought I was making fun of him somehow.”
They hold each other for a long time, long past when they were supposed to wake Darby and Raina. The sky is starting to turn purple far to the east when Sat says, “It wouldn’t be better if you were gone, Kayden.”
Kayden squeezes his arms around her. “Yeah, that’s bullshit.”
Take your pick for whichever tickles your fancy most: Scanlan and Kashaw, 20. || Percy/Vex: 13, 50 || Keyleth and Vax: 2, 22. || Pike and Percy: 15, 39.
(I’m going with Perc’ahlia, 13 “How can anyone not be afraid of love?”)
Sometime after they return from Dis, Vex and Percy climb out a window of Whitestone Castle and sit on the roof. They pass a bottle of snow mead between them, and when a chill wind blows in from the Alabaster Sierras Percy wraps Cabal’s Ruin around them both.
In the moonlight, Percy thinks Vex looks like she’s cloaked in the universe. She is his universe.
He must say it out loud, because Vex laughs and presses a sloppy kiss against his cheek. “Darling, you are drunk.”
“I’m in love.” Percy retorts, though he is also drunk.
Vex giggles, and leans against him. “I love hearing you say that. I don’t think I will ever get bored of it.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner.” In this position, it’s easy for him to bury his face in her hair, muffling his words. “I was afraid.”
“I was too.” Vex pats his leg and lets him nuzzle at her. “How can anyone not be afraid of love? It’s like… It’s like being drunk. You can’t control yourself, you feel so good, and you know there’s a chance there will be pain.”
“You’re worth it, Vex.” Percy kisses the top of her head, and sets her giggling again. “You’re worth any hangover.”
aaaaaand vexcyon and 16. “If you want, we could go together?”
Vex kisses Tary first.
It is gentle, on his cheek, and he fears he must look stricken because Vex immediately apologizes. “I’m sorry, Tary. To be clear, that was in friendship. I know I am not your type. I just want you to know that you have become my best friend, and we are so happy to have you living here with us.”
Vex turns to leave, but he catches her by the hand. He brings it to his lips and kisses it chastely, like a knight from the stories he’s read. “I value your friendship too. I have never had a friend like you–or Percival–before.”
She beams up at him, then looks over at Percy and winks. “Darling, there’s no one quite like us.”
She leaves the room. Percy’s kiss comes moments later, and does not come with an apology or disclaimer.
A few weeks later, there is an official invitation to the ball being held for Winter’s Crest at the castle. Tary is surprised that there is just the one, and says so. “Cassandra seems like such a stickler for protocol.”
“I think she assumed you’d be joining us.” Vex says, then grins at him teasingly. “Unless you have a plus one we don’t know about?”
Tary blushes, “You know there isn’t.”
Percy rolls his eyes and tugs at the end of Vex’s braid. “Don’t tease him. Tary, if you want, we could all go together. Cassandra knows you’re part of us. It wasn’t a snub.”
“Very well.” Tary looks at the invitation again, smiling. Then he adds, “Actually, there is a snub here. Trinket is not mentioned at all.”
“Please don’t make me socialize.” Tanner mutters quietly to Kayden when the other boy finds him. The house party is loud, with music blasting and their classmates drinking. A while ago Tanner saw Sat disappear upstairs with Josh Goldstein and that made his drink taste even worse.
(He had no clue what was in the red cup in his hand, other than it looked like murky Kool Aid and tasted like cough syrup and fire.)
Kayden looks at him, then over to where Darby and Raina were laughing with some of the other girls of middling-coolness. Surrounded like that, they were probably fine. “Wanna go smoke?”
“I don’t smoke.” Tanner says, but steps forward anyway, following Kayden out of the house and into the backyard. They head behind the shed to an old swingset and sit on the swings.
Kayden lights a joint, and takes a hit. After a moment, he holds it out to Tanner, who doesn’t take it. Kayden shrugs. More for him.
They sit in the dark for a while, music booming from the house and occasional rustles in the bushes across the yard disturbing what may have been a nice night.
“I don’t even know why I came to this.” Tanner says, drawing a line in the dirt with his sneaker.
Kayden shrugs. “I dunno either. You’re not gonna be stuck in town with the rest of us assholes. You and Raina and Darby are gonna get out. Sat too, if she decides she wants to go.”
Tanner is silent for a while longer, and Kayden blows smoke at him, trying to get a nice smoke ring. Finally, Tanner kicks him. “Stoppit.”
“There’s not much else to do unless you want to go back inside.” When Tanner shakes his head, Kayden continues, “or we can do like the people in the bushes over there.”
“What’re they doing?”
“Blowjobs.”
It was too dark to see, but they had known each other for long enough that Kayden knew Tanner was blushing. The tall boy stood up from the swing and mumbled, “I’m gonna go find Darby and Raina.”
“‘Kay.” Kayden watches him leave, then takes another hit of his joint. He smokes until it’s gone, then grinds it out under his boot. He doesn’t return to the house though, just sits on the swing and thinks.
Perc'ahlia and "Are you drunk?" for the prompt thing?
on honeymooning
The thing is, when you have a completely private wedding ceremony, it’s hard to take time off for a honeymoon.
They have so many responsibilities in Whitestone, between the Hunt, the Riflemen, the bakery, and all the other projects they took on. They can’t get away, and so it is only three days after their wedding that Percy found himself at a party in Whitestone Castle. A party where he was for some reason talking to Syldor Vessar, of all people.
Vex’s father is stiff, but he was talking about Velora with such pride that Percy was only mostly annoyed with him. There was a small part that knew Vex would be happy to know her sister was doing so well.
Almost as if his thought had summoned her, Vex appears at his side. Percy smiles at her and says, “Yes, my darling?”
“I’m afraid I have to steal you away for a moment.” Vex’s cheeks are flush, and she even smiles at her father as she takes Percy’s arm. “Excuse me, but I have to speak to my husband regarding some trade negotiations.”
Vex guides Percy away, whispering in his ear, “Sorry I left you alone for so long.”
“Darling,” Percy responds, “Are you drunk?”
“Tipsy, maybe. Why?”
“You just called me your husband. To your father.”
Vex’s face turns redder as she replays the conversation in her head. “Oh no.”
Percy pats the hand she still has on his arm, “Well, at least we know he doesn’t talk to anyone important.”
Tanner wakes up to a weight on his chest and panics.
He flails, fights, pushes the attacker away and off the mattress onto the floor. He scrambles to his feet so he isn’t overtaken again. It is dark and hands are reaching for him and he screams. He lashes out pushing the dark shape away and hitting it until it stays back.
The room floods with light, and there’s Kayden. He stands in his boxers, holding his face with one hand, the other hand on the lightswitch. “Tanner. Tanner, it’s just me.”
Tanner falls to his knees on the mattress, gasping for air through his panic.
“Fuck, Tanner, what was that?”
“I just…” Tanner scrambles for his glasses, put away safely on the box they use for a nightstand. He puts them on and looks up at his boyfriend. There’s a trickle of blood running from Kayden’s nose. “Fuck, did I do that?”
“Yeah, you clocked me pretty good. Nightmare?” Kayden picks up a black teeshirt that was discarded on the floor when he got home from his shift at the bar.
“Yeah. I thought…I thought I was being dragged away again. I’m sorry.” Tanner takes a few more deep breaths while Kayden disappears to the bathroom. He comes back a minute later, face clean and tissue shoved up his nose.
“S’okay. Nothin’s broken. The bleeding’s almost stopped, anyway.” Kayden leaves the light on, and guides Tanner back down onto the mattress. He’s a good deal shorter, so when he spoons up behind Tanner, his face is pressed between skinny shoulder blades.
It’s a long few minutes before either of them speak again. Tanner finally says, “I am sorry though. It was just a dream, and I hurt you for real.”
Kayden’s voice is level, and about as soothing as he gets when he says, “S’not a dream. Nightmares are different. We all get ‘em.”
Tanner sullenly retorts, “You’ve never woken me up by hitting me and pushing me out of bed.”
“My nightmares are usually about losing you.” Kayden presses his face into Tanner’s back, mumbling his words. If Tanner could actually see him, he probably wouldn’t be saying this. “I wake up and have to make sure you’re alive.”
Kayden moves his hand to cover Tanner’s heart. It’s still racing. It’s still there.
(Oh my god I can’t believe I never posted this i’m sorry anon. This is from the kiss meme i posted ages ago.)
on homecoming
The home is beautiful, large and tastefully appointed. Her garden is barely planted, but there will be all sorts of things growing there soon, and Trinket has already claimed a sunny spot to nap.
Vex had been to the house every day that week, watching the final touches being done, but today the last shingles went up, the last shutters installed. (Beautifully painted in a traditional Whitestone style, the way only the oldest buildings in town had.)“Percy,” Vex says, and stops to swallow her tears. She shouldn’t be crying. She’s seen the house in every stage. She has known what it would look like for weeks. “It’s beautiful.”She hesitates on the stone steps, in front of the open door. Inside is all dark hard woods and polished stone. It is ready to be filled with treasures.
“It is. And, ah, there’s one more thing.” Percy puts his arm around her shoulder, “I spoke to Cass, and apparently I was worrying too much about how much she cares where I live.”
“She cares about you.”
“Yes, but she is fine with me moving out of the castle so long as I stay in the city and do my job.” Percy has to take a step back at the force with which Vex threw herself at him. She kisses him solidly, not caring that anyone in Whitestone can see them.
After all, they were home. There would be quite a lot more of that.
They’d pulled him out of a prison cell. He carried a weapon that Keyleth had thought had a thunder enchantment, but he showed her how he’d created the material for it through alchemy. He gave Vex all his money, every copper, except for what it cost to make more ammunition and buy clothing. He calls her “Your Highness.”
They’re camping in a shallow cavern, the twins sitting at the mouth keeping watch. The others were all sleeping, except for Keyleth. And, she noticed, Percy He tosses and turns in his bedroll, as if he can’t get comfortable. Finally he sits up with his back against the cave wall.
Keyleth tiptoes over and sits close beside him. He has to duck a little, to avoid the antlers of her headdress poking at him. She takes it off and lays it down beside her. “Having trouble sleeping, Percy?”
“Yes.” He rubs at his eyes and blinks at her. She doubts he can see her much at all, as a human with poor vision anyway. “Nightmares.”
“I’m sorry.” Keyleth puts her hand on his shoulder and he jumps. She gently slides it down his arm before linking their arms together. She leans against him a little, and is surprised when he leans into her as well.
“It’s not your fault.” Percy’s voice is barely more than a whisper.
Keyleth holds his arm and leans in. She can hear him exhale quietly, but he doesn’t try to pull away. “I’m still sorry. Nightmares are terrible.”
Cassandra and Percy, cuddling out of necessity. Let's go, make those two dumbasses hug it out.
Yes, this fits in with my series of stories about Percy and his relationship to Julius and his mental health.
on remembering
It’s Vex that triggers it.
She and Percy are back from a trip to Emon. Nowadays their trips are scheduled, and it’s so good to see the two of them enter the dining room just in time for lunch. Vex comes up to Cassandra and gives her a hug, already talking about everything they’d done in the past few days.
She’s wearing different perfume.
Cassandra freezes, her throat closing up. That scent… it’s been over a year since she smelled it last, but suddenly her stomach is churning. Her eyes prick with tears as she backs out of Vex’s embrace. “I…ah… excuse me.”
She runs before she starts to cry.
Cassandra hides in her office, curled up on the sofa in front of the fireplace. She’s not sure how long she sits as she tries to force the tears to stop. She can’t breathe. Between sobs she gasps at air, but she feels a pressure on her chest that keeps each intake too shallow to really help.
There’s a knock at the door. She ignores it.
Percy comes in anyway, holding a glass of water. He puts it down on the end table, then takes a seat next to her. (She wants him to leave. She doesn’t want him to see her like this.) “Cass, hunching like that isn’t helping. You can’t breathe properly. Sit like this.”He puts his arm over her shoulder and pulls her up so she’s leaning against his side. Percy speaks in a slow, quiet voice. “Deep breath in. I’m going to count. One, two, three, four. Now out. One, two, three, four.”
Percy keeps counting, his thumb rubbing small circles on Cass’s shoulder. Eventually her sobs subside to hiccups, then silence. She doesn’t know what to say. She’s pretty sure he’s never touched her for this long in her whole life, but he sits with his arm around her, a solid presence at her side.
“You knew what to do.” Cass says. It isn’t a question. The silence returns.
“I, ah…” Percy finally says, then trails off as he thinks of what else to say. “Starting from when I was fourteen or so, I’ve had panic attacks. Julius sat with me and counted out my breathing. And then…well, I’ve been handling them. Has this happened before?”
She doesn’t look at him, just leans her head against his shoulder. Out of all their siblings, she’d probably spent the least time with Julius. He was always busy learning how to be a lord. “A few times. Not since you killed the Briarwoods though.”
“I’m glad they’re not frequent. It’s an awful experience.” He shifts slightly, and rests his head on top of hers. “It occurs to me now that this may run in families, and so I should probably tell you about some other….problems. Just in case.”
He clears his throat, and for a moment Cass is afraid he is going to pull away. But Percy stays there, arm wrapped securely around her. “That can wait though. Do you know what happened? What brought this on?”
“Vex,” Cass’s voice is barely above a whisper. She’d probably offended Vex’ahlia, or at least hurt her feelings. “She was wearing perfume. Delilah used to wear the same kind and I suddenly remembered.”
“She won’t wear it again around you.” Percy says without hesitation. “I promise.”
“Thank you.” Cass says, and wills her brother to stay beside her for a while longer.
30 for Vax&Percy and optional Grog. For laughs. Please :)
on desperation
Oh fuck Wildmount was cold.
It was only overnight. There was only so much time that the tree could be open, and the rescued refugees and healers needed to get out first. So Percy, Vax, and Grog had volunteered to stay behind. So long as they stayed close to this tree they’d be okay.
The heavy wind didn’t help. Percy shivers despite his layers and pulls Cabal’s Ruin up over his head.
“It’s so cold,” Grog says, looking down at himself and his booming voice barely carrying over the wind, “that even my nipples are hard.”
Well this will be pleasant.
Percy tries to keep it together. Grog has a natural resistance, and Vax had set his armor to resist the cold when they arrived. They’d found a small cave so at least they were out of the wind. But after a half hour his teeth are chattering and burying his fingertips under his arms isn’t working.
“Freddie? You’re turning blue.” Vax peers over at him, then with a quick roll over Grog, he moves to the other side of the gunslinger and shoves him. Percy ends up wedged between Vax and Grog, with two sets of arms wrapped around him.
Percy tries to pull away, arguing “I’m fine, really.”
“If I let you freeze to death, my sister will kill me.”
Okay, that’s fair.
“Yeah,” Grog adds, “an’ if you freeze any of your bits off, she’d be mad about that too.”
“Let’s not talk about what my sister thinks of his bits, Grog.”
Percy groans and pulls Cabal’s Ruin tighter around him. At least it wasn’t so bad with the extra body heat.
“I was just talkin’ about his fingers! If those freeze off he can’t make her arrows or shit.” Grog says, playing up his offense.
If things had happened differently, Percy would be the one breaking down.
The body of Delilah Briarwood is in the mansion with him, under guard by Grog who seemed relieved that there was something helpful he could do. That would need to be dealt with.
But right now, he holds Vex close. She’s crying, still and again.
“Dearest….oh Vex’ahlia,” he says into her hair as she sobs into his chest. There isn’t anything else he can say. (Gods, he knows her pain, or at least a piece of it. He’d seen the bodies of his brothers discarded like they were nothing.)
There is a plan in place; get the diamonds, cast the spell, bring Vax back.
But that would take time, and travel, and more days of pain.
Percy rocks gently, doing his best to sooth. His mind, the treacherous thing it is, wanders to the “what if?” ideas that were dangerous for him to study too close. What if Keyleth couldn’t cast the spell? What if there weren’t enough diamonds in the world to focus the magic? What if the Raven Queen refused to let him return?
He swallows and nuzzles Vex’s hair. She is quieter now, her sobs muffled. He wouldn’t tell her his thoughts just then. Or ever.
Gods, if he could carry any of this pain for her, he would.
vex n vax cuddling for comfort after they learn elania died?? :evil grin:
on ashes
Byroden is gone.
They walk to the closest building still standing, a farm that would have been outside of town. The farmer’s wife had come to Elena several times to have dresses made.
The farmer tells him of the dragon. His voice cracks; his wife had been in town when it happened.
They get as far as the road before Vax stops. He sits against a tree (half-dead, maybe it had been scorched oh so long ago too) and buries his face in his knees.
Vex drops down beside him and links her arm with his. She presses her face into her brother’s shoulder and lets go. Her shoulders shake as she sobs, and he can feel his shirt grow damp from her tears.
He untangles enough to wrap his arms around her properly, lets her cry. He can handle this. He’s got it.
“Vax?” Vex whispers, her voice raw. “This is why she stopped writing back. Dad sent the letters like he said he did.”
Vax chokes, his response caught in his throat. He hugs her tightly, clinging. He tries to speak, but nothing comes out. He starts to cry as Vex rubs his back.
