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Pike leans over the array of plates covering the table and places a hand on Keyleth’s bicep to catch her attention, meaning to ask her a question about a druidic healing method she had read about last night, when she notices the heat radiating off of Keyleth.
“Keyleth,” Pike moves her hand to the back of Keyleth’s neck, “Do you feel alright? You’re burning up.”
Keyleth presses the back of her hand against her forehead for a moment before shrugging, appearing nonplussed. “I feel fine, it’s just a little warm in here,” Keyleth finishes off her plate and moves to stand, “I’ve got some work I wanted to finish up this morning, but I’ll see you later?”
She doesn’t wait for a response as she exits the dining hall, leaving Pike staring after her before sharing a concerned look with Grog and Vax.
“We should probably do something about that,” Vax says once Keyleth is out of earshot.
“Yeah, but what?” Pike replies, frowning down at her bowl of porridge. Both Pike and Vax sit in silence, pondering their choices when Grog speaks up, his mouth full of bacon.
“What about Vex?”
“What about her?” Pike asks, curiosity flitting across her features.
“Why don’t we tell Vex that Keyleth is sick and let her handle it?”
“What would my sister do about the matter?” Vax asks, trying to work out where Grog is going with this.
“Well, you know,” Grog says, looking at them both meaningfully, “Her and Keyleth…”
“You know what, you’re right,” Vax says, nodding in agreement, “My sister is pushy enough that she’ll be able to get Keyleth to see reason. I mean, if she can’t none of us can.”
“Good idea, Buddy,” Pike says, reaching out to pat Grog on the back, which ends up being more like his ribs despite the fact that both of them are seated.
“I don’t think—” Grog starts before letting it go; if Pike and Vax think he’s had a good idea he’s just going to leave it at that, “Thanks’ Buddy!”
//
Vex finds out that Keyleth is sick when her brother comes to find her in the archery range she had set up in Greyskull Keeps expansive garden. She’s just notched another arrow when her brother speaks up from behind her.
“So, I need you to talk some sense into Keyleth,” Vax says, leaning against one of the large trees that grow throughout their property.
“And why would I need to do that?” Vex asks, “Keyleth’s probably the most sensible of the lot of us, at least most of the time.”
“Well that explains why she’s working on her potions when her temperature is through the roof,” Vax says as she lets her arrow lose. It flies wide, hitting just outside the bullseye instead of dead centre like Vex has been aiming for. “She’s being sensible, making the most out of the day.”
“She’s not,” Vex says, despite knowing that her brother was telling the truth. Despite how much Keyleth cared about Vox Machina, about their little family, she had a tendency to be reckless with herself. Sometimes stupidly so.
“Please, just talk to her,” Vax says, “Or strong arm her into bed. Whatever you think will be more effective.”
“I’ll do my best,” Vex says, sliding her quiver onto her shoulder as she heads towards the keep, “No promises though.”
Vex leaves her quiver and longbow in the mudroom, her footfalls heavier than normal as she heads towards Keyleth’s newly set up laboratory. She takes a moment to compose herself outside the door. As irritated as she is with Keyleth’s lack of self-regard she doesn’t want Keyleth to think that Vex is angry with her for even a moment. That’s the last thing Vex would ever want.
Vex lets the door swing open and takes a few steps into the room. Keyleth doesn’t hear her enter and while Vex would like to claim that it’s because of her stealthiness it’s more likely the result of Keyleth’s fever. Vex watches her for a moment, sitting at one of the workbenches measuring out powders with shaking hands and a sheen of sweat on her face. The fourth time she has to remeasure something Keyleth swears softly under her breath. She sets the powder down carefully on the bench but flings the metal measuring implements across the room. Vex watches them crash into a collection of glass vials and jars, wincing as one of them breaks with a sharp crack that Keyleth doesn’t seem to notice.
“Oh Keyleth,” Vex says softly, stepping forwards until she can sweep Keyleth’s sweat damp hair off of the back of her neck and place her palm against one of Keyleth’s bright red cheeks, “What’s going on here, Darling?”
“It’s nothing,” Keyleth says, leaning into the coolness of Vex’s palm, “I’m just trying to get some of these potions done before we leave next.”
“Keyleth,” Vex says with enough feeling that Keyleth forces her eyes open to look at Vex, “The potions can wait.”
“But what if they can’t? What if the next time one of us is on the edge of death one of these potions could help us, but we don’t have it because I didn’t get it finished?” Keyleth’s voice rises at the end of her question and Vex barely manages to conceal her flinch, but Keyleth seems to pick up on it anyway. “I’m sorry Vex,” Her eyes widen and her hand comes up to press against Vex’s cheek, hovering for a moment before finally making contact, “I didn’t mean to snap.”
“Get up.” Vex says in response and Keyleth blinks at her.
“What?”
“Get up,” Vex repeats, moving both her hands to rest under Keyleth’s elbows so she can help her stand, “We’re going to your room.”
“Yours?” Keyleth asks as she stands, looking at Vex with sad eyes.
“Alright, Darling, we can go to my room instead,” Vex readily agrees, leading Keyleth through the hallways of Greyskull Keep until they reach her chambers.
Right after they had first taken Greyskull Keep as their home Vex had dragged her mattress off of her bed frame so that she could curl up with Trinket on the comfortable mattress without him breaking her bed. Now she nudges Trinket awake with her foot and settles Keyleth into the patch of warmth he’s left behind. She presses a kiss to Keyleth’s sweat slick brow and pulls back. At the whimper Keyleth makes when Vex lets go of her she stops and places her hand against her girlfriends back.
“You’re alright, Darling,” Vex unnecessarily adjust the sea of pillows around Keyleth, “I’m just taking Trinket downstairs to help me bring water up from the hot spring for your bath.”
“I don’t need a bath,” Keyleth whines, apparently finally embracing the fact that she’s sick. She kicks her feet a little in protest and Vex scrunches up her nose at how cute the sight is.
“You kind of do, Keyleth.”
“I can go downstairs then,” Keyleth continues to argue, “It’s a hassle for you to bring everything up here just for me.”
“It’s not a hassle and I’m doing it,” Vex says firmly, “Don’t even think about moving while I’m gone.”
She leads Trinket down to the hot springs and loads him up with two barrels of fresh water to dump into the tub in her washroom. She plans to let the water sit for a while and cool down before she attempts to get Keyleth into the tub.
When they return Keyleth is exactly where Vex left her, her eyes closed and her breathing even. Vex tries her best to keep the volume down as she fills the tub, but she doubts Keyleth would wake up for anything less than the world ending right now.
Vex wakes Keyleth with gentle hands, brushing her hair out of her face and softly tapping two fingers against the curve of her cheek.
“Keyleth,” Vex sings, “Kiki, time to wake up. The bath is ready.”
Keyleth rolls onto her back at the sound of Vex’s voice and blinks up at her.
“Okay,” Keyleth says after a moment, her voice rough, “I’m up.”
Keyleth leans into Vex on their walk over to the tub, already exhausted again. She sits down beside the tub once they reach it and starts attempting to pull her clothes off. Vex watches her struggle for a moment before stepping in when Keyleth manages to get her dress stuck over her head.
“The waters not too warm for you?” Vex checks, watching Keyleth dip her hand into the tub.
“No, that feels nice.”
“Okay,” Vex holds onto Keyleth’s hands and helps her climb into the tub. The humid air of the washroom is heavy with the scent of the lavender oil Vex dropped into the water and Keyleth seems to visibly relax from the combination of the scent and the warm water.
“You are joining me, aren’t you?” Keyleth asks when Vex moves to riffle through the basket filled with scented bars of soap.
“Hm? Oh, no,” Vex half turns to face Keyleth, “I wasn’t going to, why?”
“Oh,” Keyleth says, voice small. Looking down at the rippling water instead of at Vex.
“Would you like me to join you, Darling?”
“No, that’s alright,” Keyleth brushes off the question.
“Keyleth,” Vex says, tone firm, “I don’t mind. If you want something you can tell me. I know you push down a lot of what you want for the rest of us, but you don’t have to do that with me.”
Keyleth stays silent, gaze still on the water where the ripples are slowly disappearing. Vex turns back to the soap, looking for the bar she had picked up in town a few days ago that was a mixture of sage and lavender and had made her think of Keyleth when she’d smelt it.
“Vex, would you please get into the bath with me?”
“Of course Keyleth, I would be happy to,” Vex says, finally locating the bar and shedding her clothes before climbing into the bath opposite Keyleth. “Washing first, relaxing second.” She says, motioning Keyleth towards her.
Vex helps Keyleth tilt her head back and wets her hair, careful not to get water in her eyes as she rinses the dirt and sweat from the red locks. Keyleth’s eyes flutter shut as Vex’s fingers work through her hair, massaging her scalp with deft fingers.
“Here Darling,” Vex passes her the soap and a wash rag before slipping around to sit behind her, helping Keyleth reach the middle of her back when she asks.
“Thank you, Vex,” Keyleth says eventually. She’s leaning back into Vex, body relaxed and eyes shut, and Vex had actually thought that she’d fallen asleep again until she had spoken.
“It’s just a bath, Darling,” Vex says, her fingers idly tracing patterns against Keyleth’s hip.
“Not for that,” Keyleth says, “Or not just for that. Thank you for looking out for me, even when I’m not looking out for myself.”
“Always Keyleth,” Vex says, biting her lip at the surge of affection she feels for the girl in front of her. “I’ll always have your back Darling, no matter what. You mean a lot to me.”
Keyleth turns, careful not to disturb the bath water too much, just enough to press her cheek against Vex’s shoulder.
“You mean a lot to me, too.”
//
Keyleth perks up and her fever breaks after the bath and a nap, which is how Keyleth manages to talk Vex into letting her downstairs for dinner. That and a combination of compliments, promises, and puppy dog eyes that Vex was too weak to resist. As dusk falls Vex finds herself escorting Keyleth down to the dining hall for dinner with the rest of their family.
“If you even think you don’t feel well enough to be in there you let me know,” Vex warns her outside the dining room. “I’m serious, Keyleth.”
“I promise,” Keyleth says, holding her pinkie out in Vex’s direction. “See.”
“Alright,” Vex says, linking her pinkie with Keyleth’s for a few moments, “So long as we’re in agreement.”
Keyleth heads into the dining room and takes a seat beside Vax. She says a few words to him and he nods at whatever she says before reaching for her hair and beginning to weave it into a fancy looking braid. The corner of Vex’s mouth ticks up into a small smile at the sight.
She drops down across from the pair, sliding a plate towards Keyleth who’s listening to Scanlan tell an elaborate story with a lot of hand gestures that Vex thinks might be a little embellished. Keyleth smiles in appreciation and Vex smiles back. Beside Keyleth her brother catches her eyes and shoots her a weird look before returning his attention to Keyleth’s hair.
Keyleth makes it three quarters of the way through dinner before her eyes start to droop and she excuses herself.
“I’ll see you upstairs when you’ve finished dinner,” Keyleth says, leaning in close to Vex and pressing her hand to her shoulder before she leaves the room.
Once the sound of Keyleth’s footsteps disappear they all turn to Vex and start asking questions, voices raising as they fight to be heard.
“Keyleth is fine,” Vex announces, raising her voice slightly to be heard over the others, “Well, sick, but fine.”
“So she’s listening to you then?” Pike asks.
“We all know how Keyleth gets when she’s sick,” Percy agrees.
“She’s behaving,” Vex assures them, “The sooner she’s better the sooner she gets back to work.”
The others seem to find that assessment agreeable and turn back to their prior conversations with the exception of Vax, who fixes her with another look. Down the table Vex can hear Pike congratulating Grog on his brilliant idea and Vex’s wonders what that’s about as she picks her fork back up and goes back to eating.
Vax corners her in the hallway outside her bedroom after she exits the dining room, stepping out in front of her and barely managing to dodge the punch she throws when he startles her.
“God Vax,” Vex hisses, placing a palm over her racing heart, “What are you trying to do, get one of us killed?”
“If you were paying attention that wouldn’t have happened,” Vax chastises and Vex scowls at him.
“This is my home, I shouldn’t have to be on guard!”
They stand there scowling at one another for another few minutes before Vax caves.
“What was all that about at dinner?”
“What was what at dinner?” Vex asks, not having to fake her confusion at his line of questioning.
“With Keyleth,” Vax elaborates, “The giddy smile and the fact that you spent the whole meal staring at her like she hung the stars. Do you like her Vex?”
“Okay, so, here’s the thing,” Vex begins; lying is easy but lying to her twin? “I—“
“We’ve been dating for nearly two months,” Vex looks past Vax and Keyleth is sticking her head around the door to Vex’s room watching the pair of them. “I’m going to be in bed when you’re done here, Babe.”
The door shuts again as Keyleth disappears into the room and Vax looks at Vex with wide eyes.
“Two months? How did you manage to keep this a secret from everyone for that long?”
“A combination of luck and skill,” Vex says, “It was a little tricky at times.”
“I would imagine,” Vax says, and then, “Well done.”
Vex reaches out and pulls her twin into a hug, wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulders and feeling herself relax as he squeezes her back.
“She makes you happy?” Vax asks, voice low.
“So happy,” Vex admits quietly.
“Good. After everything you deserve to be happy.”
“Goodnight Brother,” Vex says, pulling away and walking towards her bedroom door.
“Goodnight Sister,” Vax replies before disappearing off down the corridor.
//
“So,” Vex says, shutting the door behind her, “That happened.”
“Someone was bound to notice something eventually,” Keyleth says, Vex’s thick fur curled around her on the bed, “It’s been nearly two months. That’s a long time for no one to notice anything.”
“You’re right,” Vex begins stripping down, ready for bed after such a long day.
“How would you feel about telling the others now that your brother knows?”
“I think I could handle that,” Vex says, pulling one of her slips over her head. “It’s about time they found out. Besides, then I can show you off when we’re travelling.”
“I would like that very much,” Keyleth sits up and takes a hold of Vex’s hands, tugging her forward until she’s kneeling on the bed beside Keyleth. “Now, c’mere. Lie down with me so I can go to sleep.”
Vex settles into the mattress and feels the familiar sensation of Keyleth moulding herself against Vex’s back.
“About what you said earlier, about one of us dying and there being a potion that could help stop it. Whether we have that potion or we don’t that’s not ever going to be in you Keyleth, we all knew what we were signing up for when we started traveling together, we all knew the risks.” Vex entwines her fingers with Keyleth’s where they’re settled across her stomach, “And I don’t want you to ever think that us getting hurt is on you in any way.”
“I’ll try to remember that, but I might need you to remind me sometimes.”
“I can manage that, Darling,” Vex smiles when Keyleth presses a kiss to her shoulder. “Now get some sleep, I want you better sooner rather than later.”
“Definitely sooner,” Keyleth agrees, sounding like she’s already halfway towards being asleep.
“Definitely sooner,” Vex echoes softly.
//
“Alright,” Vex announces the next morning, halfway through breakfast, “Listen up, I’ve got some news.”
“Good news?” Scanlan asks, sounding a little nervous.
“Very good news,” Vex assures him, “Keyleth and I are seeing each other, we have been for nearly two months.”
There’s a moment of silence before, like the previous night, everyone starts talking over each other. Vex leans over and presses a chaste kiss to Keyleth’s lips while they all clamour to be heard over one another.
“Why are you so surprised?” Grog asks, confusion evident on his face, “I told you they were together yesterday morning.”
“Oh my god,” Pike and Vax exclaim at the same time, twin looks of realisation on their faces and everyone else stops talking.
“How did you know?” Pike asks, one hand on Grogs arm.
“The way they were looking at each other, and then in one of our last fights Vex got hurt and Keyleth kissed her after we won.”
Keyleth reaches over to hold Vex’s hand at the mention of that fight.
“Nice work Grog,” Vex says, looking impressed.
“I was really glad you weren’t dead,” Keyleth says, leaning over to give Vex another kiss.
“Me too, especially since it earned me a kiss like that.”
Keyleth just laughs and squeezes Vex’s fingers. Vex smiles at the sound.