pathography | open post.

There's a chuckle under her breath when he says he misses Vax, too. They've come far from where they once were. She's grateful the two men she loves most love one another now as well. It's as it should be.

"Whatever will we do without all the bickering, belching, and things catching on fire?" Vex asks, sitting up so she can repay that kiss with one of her own, another brief thing on the edge of his lips. He does look better out in the sunlight. She takes a moment to admire him before letting out a soft sigh.

"I love you, you know."

And how wonderful it is to feel brave enough to say it with ease, now.

Step back a year, even a few well-chosen months, and he'd probably bristle at the idea. Vax has been a thorn in his side, a reminder of one of the worst missteps of his life - an ally through everything, but not always a friendly one. But the old tensions have eased, in great part thanks to the fact that they both love Vex, and walking past his door in Whitestone feels strangely lonely now.

(Having their friends here made the castle come alive, truthfully, in all the ways it hasn't been since he was a boy. This is a place that needs the warmth of other people filling it, even if it comes with bickering, belching, and the occasional fire. It's a home built for large families, for endless visitors and convivial dinner parties. He, Vex, and Cassandra aren't enough on their own, even if they're a grand improvement over its last occupants.)

His expression, already gentled by the conversation, manages to grow even softer at her words. He hasn't grown used to it yet, hearing her say she loves him; some part of him hopes he never will, that she'll draw a faint flush to his face every time. "I know. And I love you, too."

Percy seals the thought with a real kiss, one that befits something as vital and alive as their love. And then, cupping her cheek, he adds wryly, "And because I love you, I'm going to walk around the entire courtyard if it kills me."

Too soon, Percy. Despite the kiss, Vex manages to make a face. No wonder no one appreciated her morbid humor about her own demise. A way to cope with the horrific nature of it all, but she gets it.

"Let's not let it come to that, dear."

Her cheek presses to his palm before she turns her face to press a kiss to it. Then, she stands. Her smile is back on her lips as she patiently waits for him to get to his feet. It takes longer, these days, but they have all the time in the world. And while she's there in case he stumbles or needs a helping hand, she gives him the opportunity to attempt to get himself up, first. Neither of them like to be coddled.

"I certainly hope not." Having died once, he's not anxious to try it again - though if raising the spectre of death nets him such a gentle kiss to his hand, he can't complain. Vex, he hopes, won't actually worry (though he knows on some level she will, the same way he did - and does - about her). It'll take more than an abbreviated walk to send him back down to the crypt.

With effort, he stands, somewhat shaky but capable enough without help. Having someone nearby makes it easier, somehow - a guarantee that he can't fall far - and that somebody being Vex is ideal. They start off again at a leisurely pace, Percy trying not to lean too obviously into the cane.

Percy's free hand finds hers a few steps in, fingers twining between Vex's as they walk. That he's not yet winded feels like a minor miracle; he'll take it, if it means some of his strength is returning. "It is strange to be here for so long, though. Every time I enter a room, I remember something that happened there ten years ago."

From before the Briarwoods' arrival. The castle's haunted by old memories, and he's not yet decided whether the bulk of them taste sweet or bitter at this point.

Knowing Percy means knowing he needs to find his own strength--but she's happy to exist in the space beside him, to be the one he trusts to brace him if he falters. Her fingers lace between his, but that's all it is. He's keeping himself up, setting the pace, and she's proud of him. Each day he improves.

"I can only imagine," she says, looking to him with a sympathetic smile. There's a lot of history here, though not all of it can be bad. "You have the opportunity to make this place your own. Honor the memory of your family, and shape it for the future you want. You and Cassandra both."

Whatever that might look like. Thoughts of the future are a relatively novel concept to Vex. While she misses her brother like a limb, the prospect of a future here, with Percy, is a balm.

"There's a lot of work to do, and we have time to do it. That's something to be glad for."

"One of many things," he agrees. Her voice is lulling in the best possible way; she makes even the complicated bits sound easy to accomplish, and she paints a picture not unlike the one he'd offered her. A way to move forward, to be more than he'd started out - to remember the past without becoming mired in it.

Perhaps that's what they both need, at this point. They're finding out just who they are on their own, and what it means for the two of them together. Each of them has a future to shape, one bloody step at a time.

"I know what I want for Whitestone," Percy goes on, thoughtful, as he pauses and knocks a stone off the path. (It's a multi-step process, at the moment: Glance down at the ground, notice the rock, stop, balance against the cane, kick it away. Slow and deliberate to the point of annoyance, but far preferable to tripping.) "Prosperity. Security. A lot of broad-minded buzzwords that really just mean I want everyone here to feel safe at last. And I've some ideas for how to get us there - new building projects, maybe investigating new ways to farm and mine stone. But when it comes to everything else..."

It might be the first time in her life has has a list of things to be grateful for. Vax, while not by her side, is living a life that's sure to bring him joy--just as she is, right here with Percy. Her thumb caresses his hand idly at the thought. Vax has something that is only his, and she has something that is solely hers. And they fought hard as hell to make it so.

"Everything else... such as yourself?" She asks with a knowing smile. The moment his heart beat she's sure he knew what he wanted for Whitestone and how to get there. "That's just as important, I hope you know."

Which might be a little hypocritical of herself to say when she hasn't exactly sat down and thought about what she wants for herself, either. Simply having Percy's love is enough. Anything more seems like a fantasy. Not asking too much--a part of her feels this is well-deserved for the both of them. A home. A life together. Peace.

"That's the problem," he says, and it comes out lighter than it feels. Not that it's a problem, exactly, or that it's heavy right now - but there's an enormity to the idea of everything else, of sorting out the trajectory of the rest of his life. Having the opportunity is a blessing he hasn't yet figured out what to do with. "It is important, and there's so much to decide. Do we want to stay here permanently? Does that look like running Whitestone with Cassandra for the long term, or do we want to turn our focus to other things? And when it comes to talking about we and us, just what does that look like?"

Marriage and children are the obvious answer for a member of the de Rolo family, but they've yet to talk about either. If they're really going to stay here for the long haul, though, they'll have to address questions of succession eventually.

Fortunately, it fees like a conversation that could happen at any time, like something that might be put off as long as necessary. They've got long, happy days to spend together right now, and he's got endless skills to relearn. He won't be fit for travel until he can ride a horse again, and right now, he's nowhere near saddling up.

"We'll know when we get there," he adds, after a moment's thought, one corner of his lip pulling up into a half-smile, "but I'm starting to think I'm an inveterate planner, Vex. I like to know just what I'm working towards."

Vex smiles to herself as Percy holds a conversation on his own. He's sure to cover all angles: we'll know when we get there, he says, and before she can chime in that he's not one to simply go with the flow, he says it himself.

"You know yourself best, darling," she says, but perhaps she can give him some further insight. "You hold yourself differently when we're here. Prouder. More sure. I think this is where you're meant to be. You've lost this home before. I don't think you'd feel right, settling down elsewhere."

Which puts her in a position she'd never imagined for herself. It could overwhelm, were she to think on it too much, but she's already been a raincloud on a beautiful day. She smiles, examining the nails on a hand that is conveniently lacking any adornments such as rings.

"As for us... well, you'll get around to that eventually."

Though there's no denying the prospect--the inevitability--of being his wife makes her heart flutter in her chest.

He's fortunate she doesn't find him an utter bore, with how he can go on at times - but occasionally, it doesn't feel like his mouth can keep up with whatever's going through his mind. Now's one of those times, his thoughts ricocheting like bad shots, one after another. One thing, and then another, but obviously this other thing, and then there's - on and on again.

As always, she can cut neatly to the heart of things; it's the hunter in her, even when her prey is all metaphorical. A smile takes him over, all affection, and perhaps some of the pride she describes. It's not a change he sees in himself, but if she says it exists, he believes her. The thought is gratifying, that being here steadies him somehow.

"It's hard to imagine anywhere else coming close." If she'd had some attachment to her own ancestral ties - but she doesn't, and he can hardly blame her. The alternative to Whitestone would be someplace new to them both, and they'd have no meaningful influence on the lives of the people around them. Here, he thinks they could do real good.

Vex gives her left hand a significant look, and it's not the exertion that colors his cheeks. At some point, he'll have to talk to Cassandra alone, see if there's any hope of turning up their mother's jewelry. (He can half imagine Delilah poaching from it, mixing it into her wardrobe as one last fuck you to them all. The idea burns him up, even now, but if it meant that the de Rolo jewels survived, he'd take it.) There's a particular ring he's thinking of - but it hardly matters right now. "I will...though I think we'd both enjoy the honeymoon more if we wait until I can pick you up again."

One benefit to the man being white as snow is the fact that his blush, no matter how minimal, is vibrant. Vex tries not to look too smug about it.

But it's there in the curve of her lips.

Their positions would be reversed if she could even imagine his thoughts on a ring. She doesn't expect anything of that much significance. The red might stain her cheeks for days.

As it is, she's oblivious, and only delicately leans in to kiss his cheek as they walk, mindful not to compromise his stride.

"Certainly. You'll need your strength," she says, and it's somehow both a promise and a threat. More seriously, she squeezes his hand. "There's no hurry. We have the rest of our lives together and I don't intend to be apart from you for any significant amount of time."

The closest she comes to compromising his stride is raising the desire to stop and kiss her properly - but he resists for now. The thought's taking shape in his mind, though, to see if his endurance can be stretched as far as sex after a short walk. It'd certainly make a better reward than the vague sense of accomplishment that comes of making a full circuit around the courtyard. If Vex is on top, or if they restrict themselves to touching, and they take it slow, it can't be so far out of reach.

(Focus, de Rolo.)

"I like the sound of that." He squeezes her hand in answer. "We'll come back to it when it seems right - that's enough planning for now."

Especially since he has the sense that committing to a wedding means a great deal of planning, entirely regarding things he has absolutely no interest in. Decoration colors and cake flavors and just what kind of flower he sticks into his lapel - it seems tedious at best. Pity they can't simply skip to the part where they're married.

"Agreed," Vex says, glad. It feels like she's just making herself at home in Percy's bed. He needs to continue to improve and she needs to settle in before any more planning about them can be done. She already has so much more than she could have dreamed.

Except she's of a similar mind, and she can't help but sigh aloud.

"A pity we can't just... elope. What a scandal that would be if we were found out."

Not that she has anything to be ashamed of, but she imagines marrying a de Rolo will be a rather public affair. Something to bring the people joy. It won't be just theirs.

"Can it be any more scandalous than everything else about us?" he asks, telling himself it's an entirely theoretical conversation. And it is, really - they've committed to nothing, and he'd still like to talk to his sister before they actually make a move - but he's never so much as considered elopement before now. Why couldn't they run off and marry? Or stay right here and marry, but privately? If Whitestone needs a wedding, it can have one, but it doesn't have to be the real one. "We're technically mercenaries and occasionally drunkards, I was possessed by a demon for years, and you...well, you're perfect, as far as I'm concerned, but Trinket's a little terrifying until you get to know him."

Not that everyone knows all of that, of course, but Vox Machina's got something of a checkered past - and in the wrong taverns, probably a checkered present as well. The idea of eloping is sounding less and less absurd by the moment.

Beloved, logical Percy. Vex arches a brow at him, lip curved in amusement. This very theoretical conversation has some very valid points.

"And it's not as if we'd be obvious. What would change between us, really?" He's the one for her. She's not afraid of falling because she's in it, and the worst has already happened to them--they've overcome death more than once.

(Nevermind it was because of Vax, both times, and she often tries not to think about the price for meddling.)

Nothing much would change between them that she can imagine, but it would be nice to be his wife in a way she can't describe.

She looks at him, and he looks at her, and suddenly, it feels inevitable that they'll do it. They both know it, Percy suspects - they've just got to get to the point of saying it, yes, why not. It buoys him to think of it; he could walk a league today (and probably sleep for a day and a half after) off the feeling alone.

"We're already obvious," he says warmly, because they are. There's nothing subtle about the room they share, or the way he leans on her, or the way her eyes follow him. "If we kept this secret, it'd be a miracle."

And the idea of trying appeals more by the second.

"You think so? If I were a betting woman..." She absolutely is a betting woman. Though she doesn't bet on losing dogs. We'll see is the train of thought, but she knows he's right. Vex shrugs with a smile and a wave of her hand. "Well, I suppose it's all just speculation, anyway."

Unless. She looks back at him again. He seems fond of the idea. She doesn't hate it. They're in love, and they've almost lost one another too many times. Being wed wouldn't protect them from that in the future, and might in fact make the pain worse, but the fondness in his voice is encouraging.

There are worse things they could do. Criminal activities and murder and the like. This would be a selfish act, but she knows they're going to dedicate the rest of their lives to Whitestone. They should be selfish.

She gives them both an out, just speculation, and Percy takes it with a little noise. Mmm, yes, it's true - all theoretical, nothing real. They walk along with that thought, silently checking how it fits for them.

Now that the idea's raised, it won't leave Percy alone, though. There's something about having something that's entirely theirs, a secret to keep between them. Something about being able to say - if only to her - that he's chosen this, chosen them. If she wants him now, when he's tottering along like someone's great-great-grandfather, what's the point of waiting?

"Oh, fuck it," he says, grinning like an idiot, and stops where he stands, turning to face her properly. "Let's get married, Vex."

She knows what's coming as soon as he opens his mouth. She turns to face him, the man she loves. He's not looking his best, still too gaunt, too pale, too thin for her liking. But there's a life behind his eyes that makes her excited where she might have once spooked and fled. Vex laughs.

"I'll only ask you the one time if you're sure, darling," she says, mostly teasing. She wants no one else, and she doesn't think anyone else would be a worthy match for a man like Percy. A keen eye, such as one right before her face and with the help of spectacles, might see the faintest twinge of pink on her cheeks and the tips of her ears.

"Am I sure I want to marry you?" he asks, unable to keep a laugh from bubbling into the words. It's pure joy, the same kind of manic-ish sensation that comes over him when he solves some stubborn little problem with his weaponry. Tinkering until he gets something right - and in this case, right means Vex'ahlia at his side for the rest of their lives - has always served him well. And how beautiful she looks right now, soft-eyed and blushing, with no need to say sure, let's do it when it's written all over her face. "I can't think of anything I want more than to be your husband."

In his haste to embrace her, he drops his cane - but they're standing still, and he'd like to think he's mastered that, at least. Percy kisses her like nothing else in the world matters, because right now, it doesn't.

The clatter of his cane hitting the path is a distant noise to her ears. He wouldn't need it even if he did find himself unsteady on his feet, not with the way Vex wraps her arms around him as they kiss. To have and to hold and all that. She kisses him deeply and strongly and she knows he knows he's her heart.

Her lungs, however, call for a proper breath, though she only just takes her mouth off his. His glasses are crooked. It's cute. It's good to see him messy rather than just unwell, so she doesn't bother to straighten them for him.

"Today?"

"Do you think we could?" It feels awfully soon, but he has the feeling that waiting's going to be impossible, now that they've decided on it. He runs a hand awkwardly through his hair, the wheels turning in his head. "Keeper Yennen would be willing, I'm sure - and Cassandra could serve as witness..."

It's a pity Vax isn't here to help with the witnessing bit, but Percy's not going to raise the subject now. Vex knows her own heart better than anyone else; if this is something she's willing to do without her twin's presence, then they'll do it without him.

It is a pity her brother isn't here. It's a pang in her chest that's quickly covered by the thought that he and Keyleth and everyone else can be present when they want the pomp and circumstance.

"We can do whatever we want. That includes waiting until tomorrow, if you'd prefer," she offers, voice warm. Today is soon. But she has no idea how they're supposed to act anything near normal, now that there's this plan between them. She feels almost giddy. People will definitely notice, but then again, they can simply avoid people under the guise of Percy's recovery.

"At the end of the day, regardless, I'm yours."

"I know," he says, resting his forehead against hers, "and that's why I don't want to wait."

Not every plan has to be executed immediately; he managed to spend years stalking the objects of his vengeance, on and off. By comparison, this is a rush job, and some part of him wonders if they might regret marrying in haste. But it's a very small part of him, easily drowned out by the idea of calling Vex his wife. He pecks her on the mouth. "I'll find my sister, if you'll look for Keeper Yennen. We could have it done by suppertime, if we wanted."

He'll bring Trinket along to steady him, if he has to. But he's determined not to show up to this wedding empty-handed.

Vex has scarcely left his side, and it's clear the idea of letting him go bothers her with the way her smile falters. He's fully capable--well, mostly--and she'd not let him go far without Trinket to be there to cushion any falls. Still...

"We're not in such a rush that we need to save an hour's time. I'll go with you to find your sister, and perhaps she'll do us the favor of fetching Keeper Yennen."

If a somewhat more domesticated life has done anything to Vex, it's made her stop and think. Eloping is great. Good. Amazing. She'd do it right now if they had all the parts, but she also knows Percy isn't at his best.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

percy has a list of priorities 😂

😉

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject