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Giving birth wasn’t any pleasing and even though that much was obvious, the sharp pain that took over Vex’ lower body cut through her in a way she would never predict or expect. She knew she could take it and that it was for her daughter, but by the love of Pelor , did it hurt.
Percy held her hand, but Vex could tell how nervous he was and how he barely managed to look at her, she knew when he was pretending to be cool about things and hiding how he really felt, which was most of the time, really. But right now, he was having a hard time to keep his cool attitude. She couldn’t say if he was shaking since she was making a lot of effort at that moment and her own body was shivering, so she wasn’t sure, but she had a feeling he was.
It was okay. All that mattered was that he was there. And while the midwife worked on helping Vex with her birth, he was right there as he would always be and in between the overflowing emotions, the pain and the effort she was making, she almost could ignore the fact neither Vax or Keyleth were there.
Missing her brother would never get any easier. She knew that very well. There wasn’t a single day she didn’t think of him, where she didn’t miss having the other half of her heart right there with her. She had a new life, the life she had always wanted as the lady of a castle, she had an amazing man by her side and she was giving birth to her first child. If she told young Vex she would get there someday, she would probably have shot her, yet there she was.
But it still didn’t suffice it.
She wasn’t supposed to have that life without him. How could she have a baby and not have him there to hold it right after Percy? Why wasn’t he there, holding her other hand? Probably teasing her about the birth itself all the while encouraging her and making that exhaustive and painful task feel almost easy?
And Keyleth, her dear Keyleth.
As Vox Machina settled down and each of them followed their own paths, they always knew it wouldn’t be easy for their relationship. Back when Vax was alive, they had always promised that Vex and Percy would be in Whitestone, while Vax would go to Zephrah with Keyleth and the two of them would keep dating, meeting whenever they could and exchanging messages, but of course with the loss of her brother, it wasn’t like that anymore. It wasn’t fair that some as good as Keyleth had to suffer such faith and both of them knew she couldn’t leave her duties as the Voice of the Tempest behind just so she could be Vex’ wife. Still, she did what she could and with the power of transporting via plants, she could be there in an instant. She had been with Vex through most of her pregnancy, helping in anyway that she could. It was almost palpable how much happier Vex would be when she could have both of her partners there. It wasn’t as if she loved Percy or Keyleth any more or less than the other, but each of them filled her up in a different way and whenever she could have both by her side, everything felt in balance.
Or almost, since there was that hole left by Vax, which could never be filled again. And she knew it was the same for Kiki, she knew she wouldn’t be able to bask in the feeling of having both of her partners with her anymore. She hoped she could make it weigh a little less on Keyleth as it did on her, with the both of them sharing that pain.
But today, of all days, Kiki had a last time emergency with the Ashari and she couldn’t be there. Of course, Vex couldn’t have predicted that Vesper would be born on that day. It was supposed to be sometime that week and Keyleth was actually supposed to be there later on that same day, but then she had to postpone that and of course, the baby decided it was a good time to come.
It wasn’t just about her only, also. Not only did Vex want Keyleth to be there for her, but also for the baby itself. They had formed a strange bond while they were still in the womb and more than anything else, Vex wished for Keyleth to be one of the first people her child would meet. The baby loved Keyleth’s voice. Whenever she was around and started talking to the belly, she would be able to feel the baby getting excited inside of her, kicking more than usual. She had a feeling those two would be very close and perhaps, depending on how things went and if Keyleth agreed, she could be their second mom. They had had that talk a couple of times, but of course, with the druid’s self-confidence issues, she admitted she had to think about it for she wasn’t sure if she would be a good mother to them especially while being so far away. But both Vex and Percy believed they could make it work and most of all, they had always believed in Keyleth, even when she couldn’t do it herself. And it was clear she loved the baby just as much as Percy did, even before they were born.
So why wasn’t she there?
Vex was mad. Felt like a cruel trick of destiny and she had had enough of those for a lifetime already. Channeling her anger almost made it easier to push, however and she squeezed Percy’s hand so hard it went numb for a moment.
“Lady De Rolo, you’re almost there, I can see the baby’s head!” The midwife claimed. Vex could feel the sweat gathering on her forehead, her hair sticking to it, her chest moving up and down quickly with how fast she was breathing, her heart beating fast against her chest. She was so tired, she just wanted the baby to be out.
“Come on, Vex…” She heard Percy saying softly, his free hand touching her face gently, yet firmly. All the while he took her other hand to his lips and kissed it. She couldn’t help but allow a small smile to touch her lips. “Just a little more, dear.”
Just a little more.
She nodded, taking a deep breath as she felt the contraction coming. She pushed with everything she had, letting out a loud, guttural noise come out of her throat. She heard Trinket roaring from outside, in response to it. He couldn’t be in her room, he wouldn’t understand what was going on and would probably react to seeing Vex in pain so it was best that he’d stay outside. Still, he could hear her.
Vex’ vision went dark for a moment and she was almost sure she would end up fainting, her legs shaking strongly and falling onto the bed.
Please, tell me they’re out…
Vex could hear the very first cry. All of the emotion and pain she had just felt washing over her at once, her eyes filling up with tears.Cathartic, to say the least. She rose her arms, waiting for the midwife to let her see her child. She placed the little baby, a girl, on Vex' arms, smiling widely.
And then.
A knock on the door.
"I'll check it for you!" Said the maid who had been helping out, heading to the door. Vex and Percy nodded, but both of them were too hypnotized by the little one to give much thought to it. She was perfect. She seemed to have pale skin just like Percy and Vax used to have, but the hair on her head was as black as Vex'. It was too early to say who she looked like the most but it looked as if she had Vex’ face shape, but Percy’s mouth. The nose was just a little potato, she was a newborn after all.
“Miss Keyleth!” Those words actually did bring Vex and Percy’s attention away from the little one for a moment, they exchanged a look, smiling widely at each other.
“Let her in, Deirdre.” Percy commanded. The maid gave space for the druid who stormed into the room, practically running to them.
“I am so sorry, I came as soon as I heard they were actually coming today!” Keyleth declared. The little baby moved her little arms and legs agitated the moment she heard her voice, as if she could tell it was the same person who used to make her like that while still in the womb.
“It’s alright, dear…” Vex said softly, holding the little one in her arms. She was still dirty and had her umbilical cord, but it was alright. They were just taking their first moments together.
“Look at her, Keyleth. Can you believe we made her?” Percy asked, laughing a little. Kiki giggled, the sound of it filling the room. She booped the baby’s nose ever so gently.
“She is gorgeous…” The druid stared at the little baby, her eyes filled with tears. “And so small. How can she be that small?” Her voice was soft and full of emotion.
“Oh, thank the Gods she’s that small! It was hard enough to push as it is!” Vex’ comment made everyone in the room laugh. The midwife approached.
“Can I clean her?”
“Yes, please.” Vex nodded. “Thank you…”
“Of course.” The woman smiled, taking the baby to be washed in the basin that was right beside them at that moment.
“How do you feel, Vex?” Keyleth asked, her hands finding the hair that was stuck on Vex’ forehead and putting it away gently.
“Now that she’s out, I’m fantastic.” A laughter. “Plus, now you are here. You’re both here… What else could I ask for?” She would raise her hand and touch Keyleth’s face to that but she was so tired and her girlfriend’s face was so far because Kiki was so tall, she ran a hand through her arm instead.
Of course, the three of them knew there was an answer to that question, but for now, it was better left unsaid.
“Please, tell us you came to stay for a while.” Percy asked, pulling his best friend into a tight hug. Percy and Keyleth shared a heart almost as much as Vax and Vex once did and even though the nature of his relationship with her was different than that of hers and his girlfriend, for him, everything felt much more in harmony when she was there as well.
“I did, actually…” Kiki smiled. “I mean, if there’s any emergencies, they will send a messenger as fast as possible, but for now I have people taking care of things for me. We have a baby to take care of, right?”
Percy and Vex exchanged a glance, both of their faces beaming in happiness.
"That 's right. You two are on mother-assisting duty.” Vex said. “I wanna know which one of you will help me take a bath after I feed her.”
“I can.” Kiki volunteered. “I can wash your hair for you.”
“Perfect. Thank you, darling. Percival, you keep an eye on the baby, then!”
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Vex was exhausted. Giving birth was already hard enough, but after feeding Vesper, it felt as if the baby sucked a little bit of her life energy along with her milk. Still, she wanted to take a bath and so she found herself laying against Keyleth’s chest on the bathtub, the Druid’s legs curled around her. Her hands holding her shoulders, massaging her. Keyleth’s touch was always so gentle, so lovingly. She felt like home in every possible meaning of the word. She was almost drifting off as Keyleth washed her hair, but at the back of her mind, she could still feel her touch, which would only help her feel more relaxed.
Keyleth felt Vex melt against her, her eyes closed, her hands loosely placed on both of her legs and when she realized her body had gone almost limp, she was sure Vex fell asleep. She smiled to herself, calling her gently, just to be sure.
“Vex?”
No response. Keyleth’s smiled grew wider as she finished working on her hair, pushing her away gently so she could get out of the tub, dry herself and put on some clothes before she could call Percy for assistance with getting Vex out and dressing her.
She found Percy sitting on the rocking chair in their bedroom. He cradled a sleeping Vesper close to himself, watching the little baby, his eyes filled with love and care. Keyleth didn’t think she had ever seen that man look so relaxed. She almost felt guilty for interrupting his moment with their daughter, so she observed a little bit more.
“I can see you creeping up there, Keyleth.” Percy said, almost in a whisper not to disturb Vesper, but Kiki could still heart it. She laughed in response, finally properly entering the room, standing beside him as she gently caressed the top of his head.
“It’s just nice, seeing you with her.” She whispered in return. Percy laughed a little bit, nodded.
“Is it, now? She is so… Tiny, so fragile. It’s almost scary to hold her.”
“I mean, you’re used to handling little pieces of… Things.” She ducked beside him, to look at Vesper from a closer distance, her heart beating faster at the sight of the baby. The way her body responded to it was so strange. She was immediately filled by the need to hold her close and protect her, never letting anything bad happen to the little girl.
Percy seemed to notice the way Keyleth was staring at the baby and with a soft smile, he suggested.
“Why don’t you hold her a little? I can bring Vex to bed.”
“Oh. I would like that. Yeah.” Blushing, the half-elf got up and stretched out her arms, biting her lower lip. She didn’t get a chance to hold Vesper yet and she found herself craving for it more than she would have expected it. Percy handled her the baby as carefully as possible, getting up and allowing Keyleth to sit on the chair, placing a kiss on the top of her head before he headed to the bathroom so he could bring Vex back to the bedroom.
“Well… Hello, little one.” Keyleth whispered as she stared at the sleeping baby, completely hypnotized, she brushed her thumb against the baby’s arm up and down, caressing it gently. “I hope you feel welcomed here… You are very lucky, you know? You have the most amazing parents one could ever have… I mean. It’s Percy and Vex, perhaps they’ll be a little bit rough to you when needed, but I promise it’ll be for your own good… They are both so cool . I’m sure the other kids in school will wish they had parents as cool as yours…” She laughed a little. “And then… There’s me. I am kind of your mom too, I think. I can druidcraft you pretty flowers and teach you how to talk to Trinket! I’m sure you guys will be best friends.”
A lump started forming in her throat and she forced herself to swallow. The conversation brought up a turmoil of emotions she was not expecting, she bit her lower lip, took a deep breath, her voice breaking as she kept going.
“One day… We’ll tell you everything about uncle Vax. Oh, Vesper, he would love you so much…” The tears started dripping, wetting the baby’s blanket as they fell. “You wouldn’t be here, if it wasn’t for him…”
She heard Percy’s steps approaching slowly and tried her best to suck all of her crying in, swallowing hard. Still, she knew he could tell she had been crying and why for as soon as he entered the room, a sleeping Vex in his arms, they exchanged a knowingly look. Percy placed his wife in the middle of the bed carefully, covering her as he placed a kiss on her forehead. Then, he sat by her right side, getting rid of his coat and shoes, taking off his glasses and placing them on the nightstand.
“You can lie with us if you want to, Keyleth…” Percy offered, pointing at the crib they had set in the room with his head. Kiki smiled in return, nodding.
“I’d love that, I’ll just… Stay with her for a couple more minutes.”
“Yes, of course.”
“She has so much hair for a newborn…” Keyleth laughed a bit, carefully changing the position she was holding the baby so she could touch her hair.
“Yes. Same color as Vex’ as well…”
“If this kid is lucky, she’s gonna have really silky hair.”
“Yeah…”
“Are you scared, Percy?”
“Scared?”
“Yes, of being a parent.”
“Oh, dear. I am terrified. ” He admitted, laughing with no humor. “I’ve never considered myself a good person, certainly not good enough to be a father and yet, now I have this whole world of a person depending on me.”
Keyleth nodded, looking down at Vesper again, the baby cooing softly in her sleep. So fragile and innocent, yet like Percy said, a whole world of a person. An entire new being who had never seen the world before and it was up to them to show her what it was like.
“You’re not a bad person, Percy.” She answered firmly. It wasn’t the first time she told him that and certainly it wouldn’t be the last either. “I know sometimes you make dumb… Very dumb choices. But so do I. And even Vex. It’s part of being human… And Vesper will certainly make some of her own as well. Hopefully, it won’t be making a deal with a demon or turning into a goldfish when she could have been a bird…” She laughed a bit awkwardly. “But your mistakes, they shaped you into who you are today. And who you are today? Is pretty fucking cool.” Her lips were taken by a smile, then her face twisted into a grimace. “Oh, I shouldn’t curse in front of the baby…”
Percy had to hold himself not to laugh so loudly he’d wake both his wife and child.
“Oh, dear. Yes. Neither of us should… Right now I think she’s too young to understand the concept of words, though, so you’re fine…”
“Good.”
“But also, thank you, Keyleth. Ever the wisest of us.” Keyleth shrugged, then smirked with a bit of pride on her face.
“You know… Voice of the tempest!”
“Certainly.”
They remained in silence for a while, Keyleth holding Vesper close and simply admiring how beautiful and warm that baby was. She had been out for a couple of hours only, yet she didn’t think she had ever felt a love like that before. One so pure and selfless, she felt as if she could take on the world for that tiny half-elf.
Eventually, she placed Vesper on her crib and headed to bed to lay on the other side of Vex. Percy seemed to be asleep as well, spooning his wife. Keyleth laid in front of her, also wrapping her arm around the woman who, unconsciously, wrapped her own arm around her. She also felt Percy taking her hand and squeezing it and maybe he wasn’t completely asleep yet either. With a wide smile, she pecked Vex’ forehead and allowed herself to drift off as well, in peace in the arms of the woman that she loved and with her best friend on the other side.
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