#though in fairness to vax his sister was dead in front of him

[nanierose]

Liam O'Brien characters have one mission, and it's to love their friends so much they will offer themselves up to save their friends no matter the cost to them personally. Looking forward to seeing how this particular deal will resolve itself, and what Orym has gotten himself into.

[vexing-imogen]

the persistence of 2/?

read from the beginning | on ao3

Percy holds his breath, waiting for Vex to react to Pike’s statement. He likes to think he knows his wife well enough to guess at her potential reaction. He’s expecting confusion, shock, fear. A demand for answers. Possibly denial.

He’s not expecting her to laugh.

Vex holds Pike’s gaze for a good thirty seconds before she snorts and dissolves into helpless laughter. “Alright, that’s a pretty good one,” she says, pausing to wipe away tears. “You really had me going for a minute there.” She takes a breath to compose herself. “Did Vax put you up to this?”

“This isn’t a prank, Vex,” Pike says softly.

“Oh, come on,” Vex says, her tone shifting from humor to exasperation. “You don’t honestly expect me to believe that, do you?”

Scanlan shifts uncomfortably. “Do you really think we’d lie to you about something like this?”

Her response is immediate. “Yes.”

“Okay, fair,” he relents. “This does sound like something I might have pulled back in the day. But do you really believe that Pike would go along with it? Or Keyleth, or Percy?”

“Hey, what about me?” Grog protests.

“You would,” they all chorus.

Vex goes quiet, her eyes flicking from person to person. Percy can see the change in her expression, in her posture as she takes them all in. He sees the moment where she shifts from annoyed confidence to genuine fear.

“Prove it,” she finally says, her voice catching.

Keyleth frowns. “Excuse me?”

“Prove it,” Vex repeats. “If you’re really not fucking with me, tell me something that you’ve learned about me in the past five years. Something that you couldn’t possibly have learned from my brother.”

“You’ve showed me your titties,” Grog offers before anyone can stop him.

Vex’s eyebrows shoot up in alarm. Percy and Scanlan audibly sigh, while Pike facepalms.

“That’s not...really what she meant, Grog,” Keyleth stutters.

“It’s the truth, though,” he says. “And it ain’t like Vax could-”

“Okay, technically, you’re right,” Keyleth interrupts. “I mean, at this point, I think we’ve all seen them in some capacity.”

“I beg your fucking pardon,” Vex says, and Percy might have laughed if he weren’t completely freaking out.

“Not in, like, a creepy way or anything,” Keyleth defends. “You’re just naked. A lot. Sometimes. They’re really nice?” She turns to Percy. “Help me.”

He closes his eyes and thinks. Remembers a conversation had in bed one night, shortly after she’d earned her title of Grand Mistress. The way she couldn’t face him until after she’d told her tale. The tears she’d tried to pretend weren’t falling.

“Trinket,” he says, and her eyes snap to him, her gaze intense. “You once told me the full story of how you acquired Trinket.”

She swallows hard, her eyes darting around the rest of their friends, all of whom are watching him intently. If they’ve heard any of this story, it’s bits and pieces. He suspects he’s the only person she’s ever told the whole truth, that there are details she chose to hide even from Vax.

“Leaving out the bits that you asked me to never speak of,” he starts, “you were kidnapped by poachers. Trinket and his mother were also prisoners. You couldn’t save her, so you took him to raise as your own.”

His heart breaks just a little more when she turns away from him, a single tear falling down her cheek. She gives a tight nod.

Scanlan clears his throat after a minute. “Well, now that we’re acknowledging that this has happened.” He looks to Vex for confirmation, who nods again, sniffling. “I think the big question here is how did this happen? And how do we fix it?”

“I’d like to know that, myself,” Vex agrees, deceptively calm. “I’m guessing I got knocked out, somehow, since I woke up on the ground, but obviously I don’t remember how that happened.”

“We were getting ready to all go home after spending the weekend in Emon together,” Pike says. “We were saying our goodbyes when we got ambushed. It was a pretty easy fight, we scared most of them off pretty fast, But their mage hit you with a spell that I didn’t recognize. It sent you flying, and you hit a tree and were out cold.”

“Did anyone recognize the spell?” Percy asks. “Keyleth? Scanlan?”

Keyleth shakes her head, and Scanlan shrugs. “It could have been Modify Memory?” the gnome guesses. “I don’t know, I’m the worst person to ask about this stuff.”

“We could just ask the mage,” Keyleth suggests. “Can’t you speak with the dead, Pike?”

“Well, I could,” Pike says, “if Grog hadn’t turned the guy’s head into putty.”

“Sorry.”

“Regardless, Pikey, you were able to fix Grog and Percy when they lost their memories of the Feywild,” Scanlan says. “Couldn’t you just do...whatever you did then?”

Percy nods. “That’s right. Greater Restoration, wasn’t it?”

“Yes,” Pike agrees. “But I kind of used up all of my high level spells for today. Keyleth can do it though, right?”

Keyleth winces. “I...don’t have Greater Restoration prepared today?” She huffs a sigh at their disbelieving looks. “I didn’t think I’d need it, okay!”

Pike sighs. “I guess we just all go to Whitestone, and try it in the morning.” She turns to Vex. “Is that okay?”

Vex gives her a weak smile. “I guess it has to be.” She pinches the bridge of her nose. “Um. You still haven’t said.” She sighs. “Where’s Vax?”

There’s an unspoken agreement in the moment that their eyes all meet. Lie. 

“He’s not with us right now,” Keyleth says carefully.

Vex frowns. “Why not?”

“He’s working for his goddess at the moment,” Scanlan says. “He became a follower of the Raven Queen a few years ago, and then her champion.”

“He’s on a vision quest,” Pike adds. “He had this dream, about a week ago, and he just...left. Said it was a solo mission. And we don’t really have any way to contact him.”

Vex presses her fingers to her temples. “My brother. Is the champion of a goddess?” She lets out a shaky breath. “I think I need a minute. Or ten.”

They retreat to the other side of the clearing, and Keyleth’s hand is on Percy’s arm the moment they’re out of earshot.

“Hey, how are you doing right now?”

He sighs. “I am having about three separate panic attacks, but other than that...” He gestures at Vex helplessly. “What do I do, Keyleth? How do I help her?”

She shrugs. “What are you going to tell her about, you know, the two of you?”

“How do I not tell her everything?” he asks. “She’ll see it all once we get to Whitestone. The house, and her title, and gods Vesper.” He scrubs at his face. “I don’t want to overwhelm her, she barely trusts what we’re saying as it is, but I’m not going to let her hurt our daughter because she doesn’t remember that she exists.”

Keyleth tries to smile. “I know this sucks, but we’ll figure this out. We always do, right?”

They all sit in awkward silence for a few minutes, occasionally glancing over at Vex, who hasn’t moved. Eventually the silence is broken by Vex’s voice, tentatively coming through the earrings.

“Um, Percy, if you can hear me, I think you and I need to talk?”

============================================================

She watches Percy freeze in place for a moment before he stands. Pike says something that her lip reading doesn’t catch, and he nods. He doesn’t look at her as he crosses the clearing, his eyes fixated on a spot just above her head. He doesn’t look at her until he’s sitting down in front of her, his expression unreadable.

“Hi,” she says softly. “I wanted to start by saying I’m sorry for slapping you.”

He shakes his head. “Vex’ahlia, you don’t...given the context of the situation, you have nothing to apologize for.”

She shrugs. “I’m still sorry.” She looks down at her hands. “I also have some questions that I think only you can really answer.”

“Ask away.”

Vex sighs. “Are we...married?” she starts. “I only ask because you did kiss me, and everyone looked at me funny when I said that we weren’t, and I’m wearing this ring-”

He takes her left hand in his, rubs his thumb over her knuckles. “Yes,” he confirms. “Yes, you and I are married.”

“How long?”

He thinks for a moment. “Oh gods,” he mutters. “Not quite four years.”

“Oh.” Fuck, that’s longer than she was expecting. “Do we. Um.” She chews on her bottom lip. “Dowehaveanychildren?”

He squeezes the hand he’s holding, nods. She gasps, feels as though all of the breath has been punched out of her.

“A little girl,” he offers after a moment. “Vesper Elaina, after my sister and your mother.”

She doesn’t try to stop the tears from falling. “How old?”

“Three,” he says with a small smile. “Just barely.”

“Fuck.” She wipes away tears with her free hand. “Pike mentioned a place. Whitestone? Is that...”

Percy nods. “That would be home,” he says. “The de Rolo family, my family, has ruled there for generations. Still do, in a fashion.” He smiles again. “You’re technically a Lady.”

“Huh.”  She sighs. “One more question.” He nods. “Has Grog really seen my tits?”

He almost laughs. “You have flashed him on more than one occasion.”

She snorts. “Yeah, that does sound like something I would do.”

She loses track of how long they sit together, her hand in his, neither of them looking at the other. Their bubble is only broken when Keyleth approaches, twisting her hands.

“Hey guys,” she says. “Um, we were just talking about how we should probably get going soon. It’s getting late, which means it’s probably really late in Whitestone, and Cass will probably get worried if you guys aren’t home soon.”

“My sister,” Percy mouths when Vex glances at him. “You’re probably right,” he says to Keyleth. He stands, offering Vex a hand.

The world tilts and her vision blurs as Percy helps her to her feet. She’s back on her knees in an instant, and this time she actually does vomit. “I think,” she manages, breathing deep, “I think I might have a concussion.”

“All the more reason for us to get you home and resting,” Percy says, rubbing her back. One arm goes around her waist, and she realizes his intent as he asks, “May I?”

She nods, keeps her eyes closed as he gathers her in his arms and stands. It helps with the nausea, but the pounding headache has returned, and she thinks she may have to ask Pike for another heal soon.

Vex hears, rather than sees, everyone gather around them. She briefly wonders exactly how they’re going to get where they’re going, but before she can ask, there’s a tearing sound just in front of them. She opens her eyes to see Keyleth opening a portal in one of the larger trees. There’s a city on the other side, and she doesn’t have time to ask before Percy is hurrying through.

It’s cooler on the other side of the portal, the sun is setting. They’ve apparently crossed the continent in mere seconds.

“What the fuck was that?” Vex asks weakly.

“Ohh, right,” Keyleth says, “I forgot you wouldn’t know about that. That’s how we travel for the most part. As long as I know of a tree in any given place, I can get us there.” She pats the trunk of the enormous tree they just stepped out of. “Hi, Sun Tree.”

“She always does that,” Percy murmurs in her ear. She feels his chest move with a sigh as she takes in the city square around her. “Welcome to Whitestone.”

[ranjxtul]

Illusion

Spoilers for Dalen’s Closet 

Ao3 Link: Illusion

She watches her family celebrate, a small smile resting on her face. This is a joyous occasion, truly. To see Percy and Vex as happy as they are, to see Grog and Pike drinking and having fun together, to see Scanlan entertaining and flitting around, being the life of the party that he’s meant to be is a gift she supposes.

All of it’s a gift really, to be here still, after everything that everyone’s gone through. A part of her wonders if this is real, or if this family is just a feverish illusion and that she’ll wake with a jolt. She knows for the most part this is nonsensical; Vox Machina has proven time and time again that they love her, that they’re real.

Life can be illusory, Keyleth knows though.That’s why the small insidious part of her mind that whispers that her family may not be real and she doesn’t deserve this still lives on. It thrived when she lost Vax'ildan. Logically, she knew it was his price to pay and there was nothing she could do about it, but, in moments of self doubt and loneliness, that remnant of her old self buts its way through to taint the vivacious, strong, flower she’s become.

It’s almost as if she can never kill that part of herself that believes she doesn’t deserve to be happy. She thinks of Vax, and of the innocents whose deaths she’s had a hand in and wilts further into the visage of her former self.

Vax especially encouraged her to live and forgive herself. He helped her want to live the life she deserved and he stood up for her. He helped guide her, and she wishes he still could.

She’s a strong leader, and she always will be. She is the Voice of the Tempest and the ruler of Zepharh. However, she understands that without Vax’s influence she would not have become what she is today. Without her family too, she wouldn’t be the person she is. She’d still be that shy, awkward girl she was.

In her present situation, she is both lost and found. When the ground shakes in Zepharh, she looks to her side for the rogue she loves so much, only to find an empty space. Where he should be is a void of deafening silence amongst whatever chaos is stirring her panic. She is strong enough to lead on her own, and she has for a year. Keyleth also knows she does a damn good job of leading. She simply wishes she could see the face of the one she loves, to ask for his encouraging words and to know that she is not alone.

The redhead thinks of his words only hours ago, telling her to move on. Even now, having said a more finite goodbye, she doesn’t know if she can. It’s all so uncertain. Before him, the concept of soulmates was completely unbelievable, but now, looking at the situation, perhaps Vax’ildan was her soulmate. Of course, this could be coming from a place of raw emotion. After all, seeing your dead loved one again, even if for a tender moment is jarring. The half-elf considers, new love is out there, but is she ready to find it?

Vax is her first love and that’s special to her. He is also part of the family she now has. Looking at the scene before her, she would die for these people. Pike, Scanlan, Grog, Vex, Percy.

They’re the people she loves more than anything, but she knows they can’t and won’t be around all the time when she needs them for something, especially something trivial. She’s learning to be alone, but that doesn’t erase the fear and insecurity that crawl in the pits of her stomach still. A leader has to be strong and good, not fearful.

She’ll do anything she can to aid those who need it, but she’s aware of her flaws. Keyleth finds herself wondering occasionally if she’s unbalanced as a leader, but that doubt thankfully dissipates. She’s ruled Zepharh well and succeeded on many diplomatic missions. She is fulfilling her role as the Voice of the Tempest.

The druid is succeeding. She has a family and she has a tribe and people who love her. This is the part of Keyleth that is found, that she’s sure of. She’s happy despite still healing. The juxtaposing lost and secure feelings provide an uncomfortable contrast she prefers not to ruminate on because it ultimately leads to uncertainty.

Instead, Keyleth does her utmost to focus on the present and channel her energy into whatever task is at hand. In doing so, she can honor her title, her family, her love, and herself. The present is the wedding on the cliff though, and as guests mingle, Keyleth sits with her wine and spectates.

Scanlan and Pike have already asked her to dance and she’s put it off until a bit later for favor of taking the scene in. The soft, warmly lit night is a welcome contrast to the image of Vex’s body at the bottom of the sea, lifeless. To think, they’d come this far, and grown so far and once again, someone died. Thank god for Pike.

Vex is a perfect example of the fragility of life, she supposes. It’s unfair, the circumstances of her temporary death (not that Keyleth expected anything else from Silas), the Ranger fought so hard under the water only to die. Death’s indeterminacy is unfair, she thinks next. If Vex had died, Percy would be a widow and Vesper would be left without a mother. Her thoughts regarding death aren’t exactly angry, but they’re tired.

When Vax died, the rest of Vox Machina thought it was all over, and that they could begin to heal and go on living. No one imagined Silas to be alive and no one ever imagined that on the eve of Vex and Percy’s wedding he’d strike.

At least he’s actually dead now, and Keyleth doesn’t have to stumble through a speech in front of masses of people tomorrow. It’s ironic that a beautiful thing like a wedding can come at the end of such a perilous day. Silas’ day of intended destruction has turned into something absolutely beautiful, and that makes the druid feel a bit warm inside.

Her family is still here, and they have survived yet another trial. If only Vax had been at their side. The pang in her heart upon another thought of Vax isn’t enough to distract from how much love she feels for her family. She then thinks of his promise, that he’s always there with them, and then of his reminder that he’s safe. That’s all she can ask: that he’s safe.

Vex’s voice pulls her out of her reverie then, “Dance with me?” asks the Ranger.

Keyleth blinks a few times before she can form a response, “Uh, yeah, though if Scanlan sees us dancing, he might try and steal me away,” she half jokes with a short laugh as she allows Vex to pull her up.

“Oh, I think he’s quite busy,” she nods toward the Bard in the corner. He’s talking to a small group of people, a flirty grin on his face.

Once properly on the dance floor Vex takes the lead to the slower music and the two fall into a pleasant but silent pace as they go. After a moment, the red head speaks up, “Could I ask you something?” She ventures.

“Hm?” Vex tilts her head in curiosity.

“Why’d you let me have time to speak to Vax today? It was your wedding gift,” her voice is soft, as if she’s unsure about broaching the topic.

A look of grief crosses the Ranger’s features for a split second before she answers, “Because I know how much he meant to you, and you’re my family, and besides, I think he would’ve regardless of if I attempted to monopolise his time.”

The latter half is a fair point. The rogue acknowledged the whole group at least once, but Keyleth had been able to hold him one last time, on Vex’s wedding day. The gesture in of itself was unfathomably kind. “Thank you,” she finally replies with a nod, hoping her voice conveys a semblance of the emotion she feels.

Vex simply nods, offering her sister a smile, who returns it. The day feels surreal and for a split second, her life feels extremely surreal. What if she wakes up and this has all been a dream?

It is then though, that Vex’s arms resting around her as they dance, remind her that this is reality. Every experience and every person she’s ever known all weave together to form the tapestry that is part of who she is. Parts of it are burned, yes, but it’s also beautiful and rich, it is her. She is Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest.      

[lunarlover12]

Based on @miss-ingno‘s heartbreaking Critical Role fanfic A Deadly Legacy.

They were all back at Whitestone, but Vex couldn’t remember how they got there. Couldn’t recall how she got up two flights of stairs of the castle and managed to find her way into her room. The last thing she remembered was the remainder of Vox Machina finishing off Dr. Ripley with Percy dead on the ground in front of her. She recalled throwing Fenthris to the side and not so silently sobbing as she tried to Cure Wounds him even though they all knew that it was no use.

She glanced up at her brother and pleaded with him to pray to the Raven Queen. To do what he had done before for both her and Grog. But when he sat for a moment then shook his head, Vex could feel her heart break again. She quickly took her amulet and released Trinket before pressing it to Percy’s forehead. “No time passes in there. We can get him to Pike before his minute is up.” She said, mostly to herself. She couldn’t tell if anyone was listening but it didn’t matter. She was mostly trying to convince herself anyways.

With a glance in Vax’s direction, she saw him healing Trinket just enough to bring him back from unconsciousness and stared at Keyleth. “Tree walk us back.” She ordered. And maybe there was a bit of venom in her voice, but they needed to hurry. The other half-elf looked at the ground and bit her lip.

“I can’t right now. I’m completely tapped out. If we stop to take a rest, I can.” And the tears began to fall again uncontrollably. Vex’s breathing was coming too quickly and the world was beginning to spin.

Now she lay on her bed in the castle of Whitestone. Trinket lay on the bed behind her, pressing into her back to remind her that he was still there if she needed him. The amulet was in her hands on the other pillow and she was silently stroking it with her thumb. She could just make out the inside of it, thanks to the low light, the throne raised above on a dias and Percy’s dead body laying on the floor. She had run out of tears long ago and now was simply numb. She could hear hurried footsteps in the hall and wiped at her face before sitting up. Pike rushed in, breathing heavily, and face flushed.

“Start the ritual. I’ll let him out when you’re almost done.” Pike frowned at the hoarse voice but nodded her understanding. ‘Of course’, she responded and set to work.

It wasn’t much longer before Pike stopped in her movements and looked at Vex expectantly. “Ready?” She asked in that soft voice of hers. Vex’ahlia took a deep breath to steady herself before nodding. She aimed the amulet at the center of the prepared space and released the man. The necklace spilled out and Percy lay at their feet again as Pike continued her ritual.

They both pulled out everything they had in their attempt to bargain with Sarenrae. Gems and gold and pleads and absolute faith. The two of them waited in anticipation. Vex was watching for any sign of movement: the chest rising or falling, a twitch, anything.

Minutes passed. Then half an hour. Until Pike finally shifted to wipe the tears away from her face. “I’m so sorry, Vex.” She whispered but the other wasn’t listening. The motion had tore her out of her wishful thinking and another sob ripped itself from her throat. Vex felt her knees give out as she collapsed on the edge of the bed, averting her gaze to the wall and stayed silent until Pike sighed.

A hand rest itself on her shoulder as the gnome gave it a small massage. “I’ll be nearby if you need.. If you want to talk. Or anything.” Vex merely shoved her fist to her lips and squeezed her eyes shut. She waited for the sounds of footsteps to fade before letting out her cries of pain.

‘Destroy everything.’ Percy’s voice said in her head. Her eyes went to his dead body and let out a small whine. Slowly, she made her way over to where he lay and lifted her hand to search him. But she froze at the thought of touching him for the last time. Her hand hovered uncertainly above him as her eyes locked onto his face.

And with a surge of will, the hand dropped and started to feel through all of the various pockets of Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III of Whitestone. She wanted to throw up at the knowledge that she was just looting her fallen friend’s corpse but swallowed it down. She left all of the gold and such and took only the things that involved his guns.

She pulled away with nothing besides his actual guns, the black powder supply, a journal, and the bullets. She stroked the white hair and chewed on her bottom lip before lowering her head to plant a soft kiss on his forehead. As she was pulling away, her hands trailed to those ridiculous glasses of his and pulled them off as well. The kiss was then replaced with the amulet once more and the body was sucked into the gem.

She never meant to look through his things. But when the journal fell off the desk and opened to a random page, it was hard not to. She flipped it to the very beginning and sifted through the various sketches and designs that were impossible to comprehend. Then came pictures of their makeshift family. There was Scanlan and Grog drinking and laughing. And then Pike in all of her divine cheer. The twins. And Keyleth smiling away.

Two consecutive pictures of Vex made her furrow her brows. A couple more sketches of the feywild and then there were more of her. The details were perfect and she felt the tears trail down her face to drip onto the pages of the journal.

A knock on the door came before Vax poked his head in. “Are you doing okay?” He asked, coming closer to sit beside his twin.

She let out a sniffle and cleared her throat. “I loved him.” She admitted for the first time, the words feeling strange on her tongue. Vax got eerily quiet and Vex thought he might have walked away before he bumped their shoulders together.

“I know. And he loved you too.” They were both whispering at this point for some reason but Vex could still hear the crack in his voice as Vax tried to hold back tears. Vex could feel her throat start to close up while her eyes burned with the tears again. She shook her head and gave out an almost hysteric laugh. An arm wrapped around her shoulders and she could feel her brother at her side as she was pulled into him.

“Bullshit.” She denied. She didn’t want to hear that. Didn’t want to think about what could have been if they had just told each other. If she had gathered up her courage to say she liked him, maybe he would have returned it. They could be just as sickening as her brother and Keyleth.

If only they had said something.

“Look at these, Vex’ahlia. And then look me in the eyes and tell me that he didn’t love you.” Vax demanded, pointing at the journal and the sketches of her within. Her shoulders shook as she buried her face in his shoulder.

“I’m so stupid.” She cried out, clutching the fabric of his cloak as she cried. “I should have told him. I should have told him as soon as I realized.” A hand started petting her hair in a soothing motion and it only made her weep harder.

“I know! I know how dangerous th-this is! We all know we could die any day. And I was still too scared to tell him!”

“It’s okay. I’m sure he knew.” Vax tried -and failed- to calm his sister.

“It’s not fair.” Vex hissed.