Chapter Text
When the whole group learned that He and Vex hadn’t had a ‘true’ birthday party everything erupted into chaos, the end result being a party thrown together and hosted at Keyleth’s father’s house. It both was and wasn’t a surprise, he and his sister knew what they were doing, they knew they sent him and Vex out with Keyleth to buy them time to decorate. Yet when they entered the home with everyone immediately shouting ‘Happy birthday’ upon their arrival the twins couldn’t help but let a few tears fall. Vex had almost been beside herself till Percy swooped in to distract her by listing off the snacks, drinks, and other things they’ll get to enjoy for the occasion.
It’s late into the night when Vax finds himself outside underneath the awning watching the rain pittering down, with the warm light from inside lighting up the yard in a gentle comforting glow. He can hear his sister and the others enjoying themselves and he can’t help but let a smile crawl its way onto his face.
It really does shock him how much effort everyone put into this. Throughout his life the only other person who’d put a great deal of effort in for him and his sister had been their mother, he’d like to think his mother would’ve like the little found family they’ve scrounged up. More like were tossed into. Vax thinks, chuckling softly to himself.
He stands out there leaning against the patio railing for a few more minutes before he hears the backdoor open, the sounds of his friends laughter and conversations rushing through into the night air before the soft click of the door closing returns the sound to a calming white noise that joins the rain once again. Vax hears the sound of footsteps before he feels the presence right beside him, leaning against the same railing as him. He doesn’t need to turn his head to know it’s Keyleth who’s joined him.
The two stand in companionable silence before Keyleth gently nudges him causing him to finally turn his head to her. As soon as he sees her his breath halts, the gentle warm glow leaking through the window alights her face and hair in a halo of what he could only call gentle fire, she looks ethereal. Playful mirth enters her eyes as she begins to giggle which is when he realizes he completely missed what she said, he can feel the heat crawl up his face and down his neck. “Uh, sorry, what?” Vax inwardly cringes at himself but Keyleth just continues to giggle a blush of her own appearing on her face.
It takes her a moment to get her laughter under control but when she does she gives him a soft smile. “I said, happy birthday Vax.” He can’t help the smile that comes to him as he feels himself fall even deeper. “And, I already gave Vex her present, here’s yours.” Keyleth says as she grabs a somewhat small box out from under her jacket. Vax can’t help but blink in surprise as he takes the present from her.
It’s somewhat plainly wrapped which is a little surprising itself considering Keyleth’s love of artistry but as he opens the box concealed by the wrapping his mind goes completely blank. Inside the box is a very pristine custom dagger, though the blade is beautiful in its own right Vax’s attention is glued onto the hilt, it’s made with some sort of see through resin or glass but the contents inside are what cause a tear to slip from his eye. Beautiful gemstones and strange rocks that Vax recognizes as ones Keyleth had shown him before, the ones her and her mother had found together when she was a child and her mother was still with them.
But in the center of all those is a singular snowdrop, flower and stem intact. He can’t help but just stare at it, just like the twins Keyleth doesn’t talk about her own mother often and she keeps any fragments of her close to her. For Keyleth to part with something that means so much to her and for her to remember his mothers favorite flower from just a small off comment. It means the world.
When he finally looks up from the dagger to Keyleth, she’s staring at him with a somber yet serene smile. Gently he reseals the dagger in the box before embracing Keyleth in a hug that she returns wholeheartedly.
“Thank you, Kiki.”