#vax x shaun Gilmore

[drowningkeyborad]

SEASON 3 OF TLOVM SPOILERS BELOW!!

Not to be horny on main—

But Vax crying out and squirming (boi was straight up ARCHING his back), and Gilmore shouting “Hold him down!” and then having a bonding spell on hand…

“Beetle, Vax was in pain—“

Okay I get that!! But GILMORE!! You KINKY MFER. Mans had that spell on CALL. And specifically had it at the ready for VAX.

Two kinky mfers.

[zaliaslapasz]

I continue to live my truth

[daydreamdeuce]

Goodbye my friend~

I ship them so bad and its gonna hurt

[anonymousonlyanonymoud]

The Lost de Rolo Chp. 4

The Merchant

TW: TW: Murder, child murder, blood, panic attack, vomit

Previous Chapter

The Market Ward of Westruun was slowly becoming alive as the shops began to open and the chatter of the morning began to fill the streets.

Small crowds formed in front of stores while people began exiting taverns, either drunkenly stumbling home or leaving for whatever job that'd been found for the day.

And at the end of one of the darkest streets, coming out of a dilapidated tavern known for serving watered-down ale and food that was similar to mush, and having beetles in their beds, was Ciara de Rolo.

Her weathered and thin cloak was tightly pulled around her shoulders in a feeble attempt to keep the chill that had begun to set across the realm as the first flurry of snow began to fall. 

The signs of winter were all around the town as the preparations for Westruun's Winterscrest Festival were underway, but Ciara kept her head down to avoid looking at any decorations that would have been put up.

The last Winterscrest festival she'd celebrated had been before she lost everything.

It used to be a happy time for her, watching the Castle of Whitestone being transformed into a wonderland of celebrations as the surrounding city shared a festive joy.

Vesper had taken an interest in overseeing the festivities during the years before...

Both mother and father praised her for her work while Julius said he was grateful for not being the one in charge of parties as it would never look half as good as what she came up with.

Percy asked millions of questions regarding the construction that went on during the setup and would have to be pulled away multiple times from the head builders who had come to finalize plans with Vesper.

The twins had always rolled their eyes at Percy, teasing him about what he was asking. But Whitney and Oliver always looked with awe at what Vesper was able to accomplish.

Ludwig and Cass were filled with wonder at the way the city transformed. Their excitement built each day preparations were made while they used the progress being made as a calendar to count down the days till Winterscrest.

The excitement was infectious and spread throughout the city as the holiday drew closer, even the year the Briarwoods came.

They had been welcomed warmly along with that fucking doctor by her parents, and they repaid that kindness with murder.

Ciara no longer thought about her siblings' happiness when Winterscrest came around. Her mind instead was filled with Whitney's sobs of terror as she was ripped from their sister's arms by Captain Kerrion Stonefell. The man's laugh rang in Ciara's ears before he slammed Whitney's head against the wall. Her blood dripped down the stonework and stained her light brown hair.

Vesper's screams as Stonefell pulled her by her hair and threw her from the window. Ciara heard the sickening snap of bones as her sister's screams cut off. Stonefell continued to laugh as he dragged Ciara to that same window and forced her to look at Vesper's broken body in the courtyard below.

The laughter of children filtered through her head as a small group rushed past. One of the children fell into her side, unintentionally jerking the metallic right arm that the doctor had melded to her years ago. The rods and screws tugged at her skin which sent a sharp twinge of pain through the remains of the limb as she grimaced.

While attempting to blink away the image of her sister's broken body, Ciara sent a glare to the kids who ran off without looking back. 

A part of her, the old part of her that belonged to a young girl who had sat through hours of etiquette lessons with her siblings, the old part that was caged away in the back of her mind in a darkened room, wanted to scold the children for not looking where they were going. That it wasn't polite and they should apologize.

But the main part of Ciara, the part that had been fed on, tortured, ripped apart, and sewn back together with jagged stitches that left horrific scars, only glared as the kids scampered away. 

Ciara continued weaving through the growing crowds, not lifting her head as vendors began calling out for customers as their stalls went up. She heard all the sales pitches before, and it wasn't like she could afford the wares anyway. Ciara was ready to walk past and ignore the merchants until she caught a conversation that her freezing in her tracks,

"-a shop in Whitestone at some point. The tyrants who'd forcefully taken control five years ago are gone and, thankfully, dead. The city is now rebuilding and in need of new economics in the market," The de Rolo felt herself turn toward the voice and saw the person who'd caught her attention.

The voice belonged to a man with dark skin, hair in a half-ponytail with two short braids framing the side of his face, a braided goatee, purple robes with gold trim, gold jewelry, and a red sash around his waist to complete the look.

He was standing in front of a building that looked to be in the middle of renovations with four other merchants. Two humans, a halfling, and an elf. Ciara recognized them as members of the Westruun Merchant Guild. She'd stolen a thing or two from the halfling and spied on the elf. 

His sister was a cartographer who had married a diplomat in Syngorn. He only kept in touch with her and his niece. From what Ciara had found, he didn't have much love for his brother-in-law and rarely spoke to him. Which meant the Clasp no longer wanted anything to do with him.

The merchants were listening intently to the purple-clad man as he spoke about bringing business to Whitestone during and after the city was restored.

But what made Ciara turn cold with shock was when she heard the goateed man say,

"A council has been made, with a de Rolo at the head to rule Whitestone once again," 

A de Rolo? That couldn't be possible.

The de Rolo's were all dead.

Ciara knew they were dead.

She'd seen them, her parents, Julius, Vesper, Oliver, Whitney, and Ludwig. 

She never saw Percy or Cass alive after that dinner, but she heard them. The Briarwoods made sure she heard them scream.

Ciara heard her remaining family as she sat frozen in the cell The Briarwoods had shoved her in. Bound under a Hold Person Spell she was forced to listen as Ripley tortured Percy and Cass. 

She heard them.

Ciara heard Percy weakly insisting he didn't know what was below Whitestone before his voice became desperate as Ripley began cutting into their sister.

When the screaming stopped and Ciara was dragged away, Ripley would visit. The doctor would show her the hooks and tools that had been embedded in her siblings' mere minutes ago. Ciara was forced to listen as Ripley described how she tortured Percy and Cass before going on to say Ciara could stop it.

She just needed to tell Ripley about what was under Whitestone.

But Ciara hadn't, and still didn't, know what the woman was talking about.

And the screaming continued.

Ciara had each of their screams etched into her mind that she heard it everywhere. Even after she'd been taken from the dungeons.

And then, the screaming stopped. She was no longer tossed into a cell to listen as Ripley tortured her siblings. And because of that, a venomous hope leached into her mind, because despite all that she had witnessed, Ciara was naive enough to think that Percy and Cass had somehow escaped.

Until-

Until-

Anger bubbled to the surface as Ciara found herself standing in front of the goateed man with words that were spat with rage and vitriol flying from her mouth,

"Enough! Enough of these lies! The de Rolos are dead! All of them are dead!" 

The goateed man looked momentarily taken aback at Ciara rushing into his space, but he composed himself while leaning against the wall behind him. His arms crossed in front of his chest which made the bangles clink together,

"I can assure you, I speak no lies-"

"And I can assure you, you are!" Ciara hissed, but the man seemed nonplussed at her anger and merely raised a perfectly trimmed brow,

"You are quite confident that I am lying," 

"Because I know you are! Seven of them were killed in one night by the Briarwoods! And the two who were left alive were tortured and killed a year later!" Her voice was tapering out into a harsh whisper, "The only de Rolos left in Whitestone are the ones in the crypts!"

The man, despite the other merchants quickly making their exit, only began inspecting his nails before meeting her gaze,

"I admit, I've never been told the details about what happened. My friend was present for the events, and understandably, Percival hasn't wanted to explain how his family was murdered in front of him,"

Her whole body began to shake as her hands clenched,

"Percival is dead! I don't know who you've been talking to, who's been claiming to be him, who is using his name to rule, but Percival died years ago!"

Once again, as Ciara's anger rolled from her in waves, the man didn't seem bothered and continued inspecting his nails. But Ciara hadn't noticed how his gaze hardened as he began taking in the details of her.

Gilmore was beginning to put the similarities between the woman in front of him, and the gunslinger that followed Vax'ildan's sister around, carefully putting pieces of the puzzle together as he said,

"It is not Percival who rules Whitestone but his sister Cassandra," He tilted his head and gauged her reaction.

 The fire that had been raging inside Ciara turned to ice as the tremors racing through her tripled in strength while she felt her eyes begin to burn,

"Then whoever rules Whitestone is an imposter!" She hissed, "Both Percival and Cassandra de Rolo died! They were flayed and murdered!"

Her voice was shattered as her legs shook harshly and it was a wonder that Ciara was able to stay upright as her mind filled with the bodies of her siblings.

Of Percy and Cass who had been flayed by the doctor's hooks until they died and then thrown out into the courtyard in front of Ciara. Ripley had lit the torch and Sylas Briarwood had thrown it onto what remained of her siblings. 

Ciara had screamed. Screamed loud enough that she was certain her voice had reached beyond the Timberlands as what remained of her family became nothing more than charred bones. And when the fire had gone out, Delilah Briarwood had cast a magical flame that turned their remains to ash that blew away in the wind.

A hand was now on her shoulder and pulling her up.

Ciara had collapsed to her knees without realizing and the merchant was now leading her inside the renovated building behind them.

The interior was plain with empty shelves and display cases, a few rugs rolled up and crates stacked against the wall.

When the door shut behind them, the man snapped his fingers, and a table and two chairs appeared before the two. 

The young woman found herself now sitting across from the merchant who was staring at her with a critical gaze,

"Well," He began after a moment of studying her, "I suppose introductions are in order before questions are asked. I'm Gilmore, owner of Gilmore's Glorious Goods in Emon and of this soon-to-be-open store here in Westruun,"

The merchant, Gilmore, waved his hand in a flamboyant fashion that had small sparks falling from his fingers which made Ciara flinch back.

Gilmore then looked at Ciara as the sparks quickly dissipated and gestured toward her with an open palm and expectant look until she answered,

"People call me Bird,"

"I imagine due to your corvid friends there,"

She didn't need to look to know that Adrik and Nyx were peering in through the window. They were like two small shadows that followed her everywhere, no matter how many times she refused to acknowledge them,

"Suppose so,"

Gilmore hummed while resting his chin against his hand, "If I were to ask for your real name, I assume you would not give it,"

The tension that had slowly been ebbing away returned tenfold as Ciara leaned as far away from the man as possible,

"If I were to say you were right?" 

The merchant shrugged while leaning back in his chair, "Names have power. From the gods and fiends to the most ordinary of folk, a name can have a hold on someone. Whether to bind or summon a being of power, or simply be a shield for someone hiding,"

She should leave. Ciara needed to leave. She had a job that was given a deadline of two days, and she knew better than to slack off or be late. And this Gilmore was prying into open wounds that had festered and rotted over the years,

"What you're implying," Her voice was shaking, "Is wrong. It- It's all wrong!"

"Are you certain? Earlier you counted nine de Rolo's. Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't there ten in Whitestone? The lord and lady with their eight children? Why have you only counted seven children?" 

Her trembling hand found purchase on the short sword that hung at her hip as she whispered, "The eighth died. She died when her brother and sister's bodies were burned in front of her,"

Gilmore's eyes were trained on her with a look of sadness as he leaned forward,

"Then I'll speak to the ghost sitting across from me. And I'll tell her that her brother, Percival, is coming to Westruun-"

He was cut off by Ciara shoving away from the table, causing the chair she'd been sitting on to clatter to the ground, 

"No-he-He's dead! He's-" She darted out of the store without finishing.

The ravens that had been sitting at the window croaked and squawked in alarm when the door slammed open and Ciara stumbled out into the street.

She couldn't see the people around her, she couldn't see where she was going.

There were some shouts as she ran into things, but Ciara kept running until she skidded to a stop and fell to her knees in an alley.

A burning, acrid taste came hurtling up her throat and onto the ground in front of her as she only thought of the last two bodies. Of Cassandra and Percy.

The exposed muscle and bone had been barely covered by the remains of their formal wear. The remains of what they had been wearing to that fucking dinner!

They were dead. They were dead! 

They couldn't be alive because that would mean she would have-

More bile worked its way up Ciara's throat as her vision blurred. 

When the meager contents of her stomach had all been expelled from her body, Ciara coughed and gagged while wiping at her mouth. She managed to push herself up and saw someone standing to her right with a waterskin held out.

Ciara saw who had found her and took the skin, swishing the water around her mouth before spitting it out as the Spireling made himself comfortable on a few crates,

"You're taking a late start, Bird. Not like you," The halfling rasped.

She sat against the wall and tossed the waterskin back, "Got distracted. Nothing to worry about, Fetch. I'm going to leave now," 

"What did that man want?" The halfling questioned, "The merchant. He's new in Westruun,"

"No one,"

"Really? No one?"

"No one to me,"

Fetch scoffed and leaned toward her, "And despite that, one of your ravens stayed behind at his shop,"

She jerked her gaze toward the sky and only saw one raven settled on the roof across from her. Nyx's beady eyes met hers before darting to Fetch. If a raven could glare, Ciara was certain that Nyx would be. But Fetch was correct, Adrik was nowhere to be seen,

"I don't control where they go-"

"But they've been following you since you arrived in Westruun. And suddenly, one of them leaves your side? What. Did. He. Want?"

Ciara shook her head, "Nothing of consequence-"

"You expect me to believe that?" He leaned forward, "Are you trying to fly away, Bird?"

She unflinchingly met his gaze, "I'm not that stupid, Fetch. I learned my lesson from last time,"

Fetch only continued to eye her for a very long moment before standing,

"You better get going, Bird. You've already lost too much time,"

He disappeared as quickly as he came, leaving Ciara to shakily return to her feet.

With a shaky breath, she glanced up at Nyx who was hopping along the roof and ruffling her feathers, then began making her way toward the Western Gate.

[zyztemz]

yk what i want ? polymachina . yk whats even better ? polymachina + Gilmore .

if Vax , Gil and Keyleth together was endgame I would've been ecstatic .

I love how campaign 1 ended but fuck I want more vaxmore

[nowyoursoulisforfeit]

I would pay to see a fic in which Gilmore takes it upon himself to be Percy’s wingman as he tries to court Vax. Like, he just sees Percy trying to pull it off without any experience whatsoever, coming into his shop every other week to learn how to enchant a dagger he made, and Gilmore’s just like oh sweet love, I like you.

[bettykissme]

Vax, trying to act cool about asking Gilmore out: Would you like to stay for dinner?

Keyleth: WOULD YOU LIKE TO STAY FOREVER?????

[ravenquingvax]

Thinking about Exandria having a holiday that celebrates love, rather than just romantic relationships, but during which you see romantic couples going all out to celebrate their partners rather earnestly.

Inns, bathhouses and taverns give couple discounts.

While high-end stores sell goodies and teddy bears with cute romance themed writing and imagery on them.

Some towns and villages even host speed dating events for those who are single but interested in trying dating out.

Sure, there's also more familial and otherwise platonic stuff too - much like with the many different romantic gifts, a lot of family-themed or friendship oriented gifts and sweets are sold by the thousands.

And some taverns and inns even offer special family meal deals and room discounts.

I think Vax'ildan would love this holiday, Keyleth too.

Vex'ahlia and Percy probably love it secretly but pretend to find it annoying if with others.

I also see Pike liking it, Tary too, while Grog is just indifferent.

Scanlan, though, probably pretends to love it, but in all truth it makes him feel lonely.

Also - Gilmore is a sucker for it, decorating his whole store with enough excitement to make Sherry consider retirement.

While Kims and Allura always take advantage of it to get away from work and take a much needed vacation.

Jarett probably respects it, but I also see him feeling lonely during it and keeping to himself outside of work hours.

Idk, love is in the air or some shit and my boyfriend gave me this idea so I ran with it.

[vaxilraven]

"vaxleth stan’s trying to act like they like vax x gilmore

not me tho stay safe !"

meaning you don't like vaxilmore or you don't pretend to like it because you really do, lol?

No i like vaxilmore here’s some proof:

here’s me defending gilmore months ago (also i’m black before y’all say some shit)

there’s more give me a second

[annemarieyeretzian]

(in reference to this ask)

OH BABE I FUCKING KNOW. the only reason I didn’t add that to my answer is the fact that if I mention or start talking about how fucking angry that (the petulant treatment of keyleth, the misogynistic treatment of marisha, the biphobic treatment of liam) makes me, I will: literally never, ever stop shouting about it. it requires like 98% of my already exceedingly limited restraint within this fandom at all times.

also! I shipped widofjord before I shipped either of them with anyone else! fun coincidence. I really, really loved their energy and potential. and I love fjorester and I love shadowgast which doesn’t make me better than the people who throw fits when their ship doesn’t become canon except it does!

[blorbologist]

Hi!!! I love your One For Sorrow stories - your writing is incredible!! If you're still doing the Valentine's Day shorts, could I request one for either Perc'ahlia in the M9 (early-ish campaign as I'm still watching it) or anything Gilmore/Vax/Keyleth? Thanks!! <3

Hey anon! Thank you so much, you made my day! <33

This is some Gilmore/Vax/Keyleth, though focused more on Kiki and Gil because I had an Idea and this could be part of a bigger fic! Sorry it's... a lil angsty, because Whoops!

Scanlan has been breathing again for maybe fifteen, twenty minutes when Keyleth finds Gilmore.

“He’s alive again,” she says before he can ask. And then she tosses a tooth on the coffee table. 

Gilmore is unusually quiet as he picks it up and turns it over. The root is puckered with craters from Melora’s devouring curse, but the enamel otherwise did a good job of resisting long enough for Keyleth to collect a few handfuls. 

“... The groove near the point is intriguing,” Gilmore murmurs. He runs a thumb lightly over the serrated inner edge. Hissing when it cleaves a neat red line in the meat. “Am I to assume the owner was venomous?”

“This was Raishan’s.” 

His eyes widen. Which, fair: as stunted as she was from her disease, Raishan was still an ancient green. Was - it feels so good to put her in past tense. She had massive fangs that could fit neatly to Keyleth’s forearm. Those were too big to pry out in a rush. A blessing, then, that the monster had a second set of teeth along the palate. 

Mostly used them for talking, until she couldn’t - it was those claws that did the dirty work. It’s those that killed Percy. And Scanlan. 

It’s… that’s another thing she can leave behind in the past. Her friends, dead, again. 

Which is why she’s here.

“I have seven more,” says Keyleth. “Dragonbone is inherently magical, right? And Raishan could cast, too.”

Gilmore nods. “What are you looking to do with them?”

Keyleth’s chest rattles with her sigh. “I don’t - I don’t know, Gil! Something! She killed them, and everyone keeps dying, and I - I just don’t want it to happen again.” She crumples onto the couch beside him. 

Carefully, he loops an arm over her shoulder. Not like she might break, but like she might buck him off. They haven’t had much of a chance to talk, since she and Vax and he and Vax and whatever that made she and he. It was a lot. Everything was a lot. Lots of a lot. 

“I’m not quite the person to stay death,” Gilmore hums, a touch wry. “But - hm. I’m pretty sure I can make something of this that can help.” 

There’s quiet as, one-handed, he spins the fang. His bloody thumb draws two runes, drafts or ideas maybe, before it tires of bleeding. With his other he rubs soothing circles into Keyleth’s shoulder. It’s nice. 

She can’t let it stay nice. Scanlan was dead. Percy was dead. A couple of days ago Scanlan and Vex were dead. And before that Percy was dead. And before that -

“You know - you know -” Keyleth stops herself. It takes a few more passes of Gilmore’s fingers before she finds breath to continue. “Vax and I. I mean - we’re the only ones who haven’t died yet. And I don’t - I don’t know when that luck will run out, Gil.”

“Darling, I doubt the gods themselves could strike you down,” he declares. “As for Vax’ildan…” Now his strokes stutter. 

“I’ll get these done.” Promised instead, because they both know what Vax is like. Death dances with him, moth to a flame, forever unclear which is which until something stops moving. Maybe here it’s the light-lustful bug that will snuff out its damnation. Maybe.

Keyleth struggles to swallow. “Thanks, Gil. Do you mind if I just -”

“Not at all,” Gilmore chuckles, and they hug and stare at the tooth. Turning, so slowly, it’s hard not to see the blood far older than the sorcerer’s embedded in its serrations. 

(Scanlan, or Percy, or maybe her own?)

[ahmoseinarus]

Drop

Whumptober 2023 Day 26

Seeing Double | Working to Exhaustion | "You look awful." Drop - Ahmose_Inarus - Critical Role (Web Series) [Archive of Our Own]

[zaliaslapasz]

screencap redraw :,)

[jellojellojello]

Listen, Liam’s characters having a thing for purple-themed characters like Gilmore and Essek is totally a thing. But have you considered his characters having a hopeless, potentially unrequited thing for blue characters like Jester and Dorian?? Hm????

[martianapplecrumble]

Ep2 flirting this, ep2 flirting that, but what about

+ screencap

[batnsons]

the smug little smile on vax’s face when gilmore is flirting with him…