#✦ vax'ildan || ic ✦ i wore a mask for a long time

[storiedhistories]

@heartheaded asked: "Let your darker side give in!" (for percy or vax -- scanlan trying to convince them into downtime shenanigans)

"Scan-man, there is absolutely no way I'm putting an apple on Trinket's head and letting you practice using your dick-lightning to shoot it off," Vax said, arms crossed over his chest as he frowned over at his friend. "I'm all for practicing and working on your aim, but I would also like to live." Plus, Trinket was his nephew; he wasn't going to put him in harm's way if Scanlan missed.

But after just a moment, he flashed the bard a little grin, flipping one of his daggers before driving it back into its sheath.

"You really want to get practice on a moving target, Scan-man? Then why not try to hit me?" He could be damn fast when he wanted to be; plus, it was hard to see him coming from the shadows. If Scanlan could hit him, then he'd be able to hit just about any target he was aiming for.

[stardustedstories]

@heartheaded liked this post for a shortish starter!

Vax leans back against the tree, just enjoying the song Scanlan was strumming. He tended to get lost in thought a lot easier these days, but so did the bard, it seemed. There were a lot of things to think about, and Vax, at least, had started to realize that he wouldn't have forever to do everything he wanted.

"Scan-man," he starts in a murmur, still gazing out at the landscape. "Do you ever think about what could have happened if we'd met under different circumstances?" Like maybe if they'd met at a tavern, like so many old songs and stories said people did. Would they still be where they were now? Would they be as important to one another as they were? Or would they have just been ships passing in the night? Maybe a one-night stand between them, never knowing that there could have been true camaraderie…., and maybe even something more.

[storiedhistories]

an assortment of dialogue prompts // Accepting!

@yieldingdreams asked: ❛ your heart is beating so fast right now. ❜ Astarion for Vax. he would know, he has a good eye, ear and nose for pulse related things lol

"Guess you just have that affect on me," Vax responded, trying to pull a smile onto his face for Astarion.

But the truth of the matter was that he was terrified. He didn't know how he was going to help his sister get out of this, and that scared him more than the possibility that he wouldn't make it out himself. As far as he was concerned, Vex mattered far more than he did, and so did the rest of their party. He was the last person they should be worrying about, especially if they could help someone else instead.

And that included Astarion, too. Vax wanted to do what he could to keep him safe too, but it all felt so much bigger than something he could handle. He was the least useful member of their group, when it came to an actual fight. Oh, sure, he could throw his daggers and do some damage, but he wasn't strong like Grog was or powerful like Keyleth.

All he wanted to do was to protect the people he cared about, and he didn't have any idea how he could, not with something like this. There was too much he didn't know, and he didn't even know where to begin to find answers.

Vax tried to keep up a good face for everyone else; it wouldn't help anyone to show them just how fucking scared he was. But Astarion had seen right through that…, and even as his thoughts were racing, his shoulders slumped, letting the facade drop just a little.

"I don't know how I'm going to get Vex out of this," he admitted, "or how much help I'm going to be to anyone." He felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest, and he knew if he didn't manage to get himself under some sort of control, his thoughts were going to keep spiraling.

[storiedhistories]

@celestialdetected didn't ask for a thing but I had an idea

When they'd discovered that the person from whom they needed to obtain information was in prison, Vox Machina decided that that was where they needed to be, too. Of course, it was kind of a less-than-ideal plan to send the entire group into such a place, which would leave them without a plan to get out, if things went poorly. Which was why Vax had volunteered to go in on his own. Either he could get himself arrested (pretty far down his list of preferences, truth be told) or he could sneak in, find the prisoner they were after, get the information, and sneak his way back out, with no one any the wiser.

Unfortunately, as the 'simple' plans Vox Machina made tended to do, everything went tits up very early on. And that meant that Vax had been stuck in said prison for longer than anyone had intended.

Of course, being Vax, he'd managed to befriend a few of the prisoners, and he'd promised to look in on family members, to send word back when he could. And while he hadn't gotten exactly what he'd come for, once he got back to Vox Machina, they had enough to go on anyway.

And just like he'd promised, after he was sure that Arawn was out, he'd made an excuse to drop by, to visit his new friend.

"Glad to see you got out all right," he said by way of greeting, something of a smile on his face. "I half-expected you to say the wrong thing to the wrong person, but I'm very glad to have been proven wrong."

[stardustedstories]

@heartheaded asked: "If they want to get to you, they'll have to go through me first." (scan to vax or keyleth :") )

Vax was no stranger to being wanted, in one form or another. It had happened more when he was younger, when he wasn't nearly as skilled as he was now, but if the people currently sitting in their camp were any indication, he'd apparently gotten sloppy at some point along the way.

A frown slips onto his face as he tries to remember ever seeing the people accusing him of stealing from them. And they weren't just accusing him of theft; they were accusing him of having stolen some sort of priceless artefact, which he also didn't remember.

The rogue wouldn't lie and say he remembered the face of everyone he'd stolen from, but he liked to think he could at least remember if he'd taken something priceless, especially recently. Because their story just wasn't adding up, as far as he was concerned. And he was pretty sure the rest of his party wasn't fooled, either.

Well, Grog might be, but even he didn't just…..blindly believe the word of strangers over his party. The two of them might have a friendly rivalry going, but Grog still trusted him, which Vax knew was big.

And while the rest of their party was off discussing what to do about this situation, Grog kept an eye on their visitors, his looming presence enough to keep them from trying to pull anything (Vax hoped).

While everyone else was talking, he sat off by himself, in full view of everyone, his daggers currently in his sister's possession, as a show of good faith. But Vax hadn't expected Scanlan to join him, to keep his eyes firmly fixed on the strangers as he told Vax that if they wanted to get to him, they'd have to go through Scanlan first.

A little smile slips onto Vax's face, and he reaches out to put a hand on Scanlan's shoulder.

"Thanks, Scan-man," he murmurs, giving his shoulder a soft squeeze. "It means a lot, knowing you've got my back." Scanlan might be small, and people might underestimate him, but Vax knew better than anyone just the sort of punch the gnomish bard could pack when he put his mind to it. "There's got to be some sort of misunderstanding; I really don't think I've seen these people before in my life."

The smile he'd given Scanlan turns into a frown as he takes another moment to wrack his memory as much as possible before shaking his head. "Think they have me mixed up with someone else? Or are they after me specifically?" Scanlan was good at reading people, way better than Vax was. And if he could tell anything about the strangers…, then Vax was going to trust his judgement.

[stardustedstories]

Vax hadn't exactly been a bird person before, but considering everything that had been happening with the Raven Queen recently, he figured he should probably get used to them, ravens in particular.

Is it a coincidence, then, that his current companion has a raven with them? Vax isn't sure he fully believes that himself. But he offers the other half-elf a smile and reaches out to the bird, admittedly curious about the creature.

"How did you come to have a raven as your….pet? companion? anyway?" he asks, even as he realizes he's not entirely certain how to refer to the animal. Was it a familiar? Hopefully she'd forgive him for not fully having the right words; he was new at this sort of thing, after all.

@storiedhistories liked for an Alinor starter !

A small smile appears on Alinor's face, as the raven curiously moves towards her companion. "Ikia is a sweet bird, I promise. You can touch him, if you want."

[stardustedstories]

@tugsheartstrings clicked the ❤️ for a starter!

They'd been tracking their quarry for days, getting in close enough to attack only for it to wriggle away once more. At this point, even if they hadn't had a contract to bring the thing back to the Slayer's Take, Vax was pretty sure they'd have killed it out of spite. It had been quite some time since any sort of animal had managed to get the better of them like this, especially his sister.

"Watch out!" he called to the stranger, a dagger whizzing by their head to finally find purchase in the beast, slippery as it was. A few arrows from Vex should take care of it, and he glanced in her direction to make sure she was handling it before extending his hand to the stranger.

"Sorry about that," he said with something of an apologetic grin. "Looks like you might have distracted the blasted thing. Didn't mean to use you as bait, but looks like it worked."

[stardustedstories]

an assortment of dialogue prompts // Accepting!

@storiesrolled asked: ❛ i thought you’d like some company. ❜ ( keyleth to vax ! )

He was sitting off by himself, the way he so often did, these days. Vax had volunteered to take first watch, hoping that by spending some time on his own, he could pretend he didn't notice the way that everyone was staring at him when they thought he wasn't looking.

Problem was, even when he wasn't looking, he could feel their eyes on him, especially Keyleth's. He wasn't sure if she was worried about him or how his mood might affect the rest of the group, but he tried to avoid her gaze more than anyone else's.

It was a shame, because they'd been getting a lot closer, and now he can feel himself pulling away.

So when Vax hears someone's approach, coupled with a voice, he's surprised to find Keyleth, offering him company. He moves over on the log he'd been occupying, giving her space to sit nearby, if she wants it, and offers her a lopsided, small smile.

"I figured you'd want to avoid me, like everyone else," he murmured, keeping his voice low. The others were trying to sleep, and after the day they'd had, they all needed it.

[stardustedstories]

@kissofthemuses clicked the ❤️ for a starter!

"I am perfectly capable of choosing my own outfit for parties, Vex'halia," Vax said, unable to keep an amused little grin from his face. She'd insisted upon going with him, ostensibly to make sure he didn't spend too much of their money, but they both knew it was to make sure he was presentable tonight.

After all, it wasn't every day you scored an invitation to a swanky to-do like this one…., and he fully intended to make the most of it. Lifting a few things here or there, just enough that wouldn't be missed, especially in tonight's crowd? It would definitely help them, provided they could look like they belonged.

Okay, fine, he probably needed Vex's help more than he would admit. But that had pretty much always been the case, and it likely wouldn't change any time soon.

[stardustedstories]

"What, am I not pretty enough for you?" Vax shoots back, trying and failing to keep himself from smirking even as he joked. "I didn't think Trinket was your type, but they say you learn something new every day." Sure, he knew Scanlan was open to new experiences, but he'd thought he'd be more into a different type of bear.

But after only a moment, Scanlan looks over at him, as though trying to picture what hitting him with lightning might look like. Vax mock-poses when he sees what the gnome is doing, but he had to admit that he'd be very impressed if Scanlan managed to hit him.

It wasn't that he doubted his friend's ability or had an inflated sense of his own gifts; he just knew that he was good at …. blending in. At keeping himself out of the spotlight. Which was kind of the opposite of what Scanlan did, really.

But they were talking about target practice, not their philosophies in life.

Scanlan's words bring him back to the present, and he pulls a smirk onto his face, hiding the momentarily dark place his thoughts had gone to.

"If you manage to hit me, you buy the drinks while I'm nursing myself back to health," he suggests. What other rules did there really need to be, when it came to trying to hit a moving target?

𝄇𝄋𝄋𝄆 < ❝... You'd let me hit you, but not the bear? You're twisted, Feathers, but I can't say that isn't dark.❞

There's a chance Scanlan might bring this up again later... but don't count on it, especially if their downtime isn't as long as they hope it is.

Scanlan straightens up, arms held high as his fingers form a mock frame over Vax's head. His friend can certainly take the hit, and it's not like he doesn't have a single healing spell... with Pike gone, someone had to pick up the slack.

In a way, Scanlan's in the best position he can be. And he's all about getting into the best positions. The gnome grins, on board after only about five seconds of thought.

𝄇𝄋𝄋𝄆 < ❝Alright, you've got yourself a deal. What are the rules?❞

[storiedhistories]

@missallanea asked: ❛ i guess it runs in the family, huh? ❜ / vex @ vax

Vax snorted at his sister's words, rolling his eyes.

"Like you're one to talk, Stubby," he shot back, even as he checked the nearby chest for traps. They both had something of an eye for shiny things, though how they went about acquiring those tended to be a little bit different.

It probably came from living a very simple life and then being thrust into a place where there was an abundance of wealth….for some, at a very impressionable age. Syngorn was where Vax had first learned to pickpocket, after all, a skill that had served them quite well over the years.

Vex, on the other hand, tended to obtain things in a more….legal way, one that required face-to-face interactions and a very strong will (coupled with a wink and the right words). But Vax would give up all of his gains, ill-gotten and otherwise, to keep his sister safe, to make sure she was happy.

"Is there a reason you're bringing up the fact that we're clearly related this time?" Vax asked, opening the chest and moving onto the next. The sooner they got out of here, the less likely they were to get caught.

[storiedhistories]

@missallanea asked: ❛ i’m just saying, murder is an option. ❜ / pike @ VM

"I appreciate the vote of confidence, Pickle," Vax said, flashing a smile in the direction of their cleric. After all, if that was the route they ended up taking, it would be all on him to sneak in and take care of things before anyone else noticed. Then they could get the information they needed and be on their way, with very few people being the wiser.

Besides, from what they'd heard, killing this particular person would end up being better for pretty much everyone they were involved with.

Of course, Vax knew how complex that could actually be; the rumours could have been exaggerated, or honestly, just rumours. But it would be a lot worse to just sit around and wait; they didn't have time to see if other gambits would pay off, so it was likely down to murder.

"You gonna patch me up if I hurt myself in the process?" Vax asked, cheeky grin masking his misgivings. If this was what was best for the group, then he'd do it. But he couldn't help but wonder if they were missing something.

[storiedhistories]

@missallanea asked: ‘ i’d call it an uneasy alliance if anything. ’ / lunasol @ any of your d&d muses, save iri

"Well, I can't exactly get my sister back on my own, and I have a feeling you can't get your brother, either," Vax commented, checking and rechecking his daggers. "And right now, if it means finding Vex'halia sooner, I'm willing to accept just about any alliance."

This whole thing made him uneasy, and he wasn't certain how he felt about Lunasol, either. He'd seen how she had looked at them when they'd first met, had seen the look so many elves didn't even try to disguise when they realized the twins were only half-elves. She'd been no different, but right now…., he'd almost be willing to accept help from their bastard of a father if it meant getting Vex back faster.

"Please tell me you have more information than I do," he said grimly. If she didn't, he'd just have to try to pick up on their tracks, but Vex had always been better at that than he had. But he'd do his damnedest, that much was certain.

[storiedhistories]

Spiderman Prompts // Accepting!

@missallanea asked: think you’re pretty funny, don’t you? / vex to vax

The rogue glanced over at his sister, smirk spread across his lips. He'd just shaved half of Grog's beard while the big man slept, and he was very pleased with himself. While he could have put his excellent stealth skills to use elsewhere, what better way to use them than to prank the rest of his teammates?

But apparently, his sister wasn't pleased with his little joke.

"You wound me, Stubby," he said, still smirking broadly. "I don't think I'm funny; I know I am," Vax told her, still basking in his victory. He knew Scanlan, at least, had thought he couldn't do it, and he'd shown him that he could. "It'll grow back; he'll be fine." He never intentionally hurt his party members, but a bit of harmless fun? Vax was always down for that.

[storiedhistories]

@firepassed asked: If you would have asked Keyleth where she would be just a couple of months ago, she would have honestly probably would have answered something that was not too positive and quite the opposite from the truth yet….here she was. Home, Vax at her side. Things calm… A little stressful, as they are now, but also just… normal in comparison to their old usual activities. That didn’t mean her work didn’t overwhelm her, as it was now. She just had a good method of calming down. Her hand outstretched to the other half-elf, smile small on her face. “I need a break. Do you want to do some exploring with me?” ( year off soft thing )

After everything that had happened in his life, Vax had never foreseen anything like this for himself. For one thing, he'd never anticipated that he and Vex would be so far apart, even if Keyleth was able to get them to Whitestone with a single spell. It was still…..something he was getting used to. And if he was honest with himself, he wasn't entirely certain how he felt about that.

But being here with Keyleth, learning about her people, seeing the world through Kiki's eyes….., it was incredible. It was so very different from how he and Vex had grown up, and he thought he understood Keyleth a bit more, now that they'd been spending so much time in Zephrah.

And he'd been doing his best to help out, though he was pretty sure he ended up getting in the way more than he actually helped. Still, everyone seemed pretty good-natured about it, letting him poke around as much as he pleased, even if his help wasn't necessarily needed.

Still, when Keyleth offered her hand out to him, he put down the bucket he was carrying, taking her hand instead, an answering smile slipping onto his own face.

"Always," he said in response to her question. He might not be as outdoorsy as Vex, but he certainly enjoyed a good exploration. "Where are we headed today, Kiki?" She knew the area around here better than he did, though he was getting better with the little footpaths each and every day they went out like this.

[storiedhistories]

@firepassed asked: “take my hand.” to vax?

More Random Dialogue Prompts // Accepting

Vax had been keeping to himself after.....everything that had happened.  And even though he knew Vex wanted him to talk about it, she was giving him space, which he appreciated.  Of course, it was a lot harder to avoid the entire group than it had been when it had been just the two of them, but if there was one thing Vax was good at, it was slipping into the shadows.

Of course, slipping off by himself meant that he got too much into his own head, which was ALSO a bad thing, perhaps especially right now.

But when he saw Keyleth, he managed a smile for her, the way he almost always did.  

"Take my hand," she said, and after only a split second of hesitation, Vax reached out, taking her hand, twining their fingers together.

"What're you doing out here so late, Kiki?" he asked, trying not to show just how grateful he was for the physical contact.  He'd needed that moment of grounding, and Keyleth had seen that.  She might not be the most socially adept, but she always seemed to be there when someone else needed her.