Work Text:
'Well, I'm going back down to my workshop,' said Percy, standing up from the table. 'I'll probably be working late, so I'll say goodnight now.'
'But we were going to have some drinks after dinner, and hang out,' said Keyleth, looking wounded. 'You won't stay even for a bit? Ten minutes?'
'You look like you could use something to relax you, Percy,' Vax drawled. 'You've been acting strangely all day.'
'No, really, I have- I have- I'm working on a grappling arrow and there are still problems with the mechanism,' gabbled Percy, heading for the door. 'I should go and fix that and… make it work. And then I was planning to…' his voice faded as the door closed behind him and he moved off down the hall. Grog, in the process of tapping a cask of ale, noticed nothing unusual, but the rest of Vox Machina looked at each other silently, wondering what was causing Percy to act so strangely.
When Vox Machina tapped their second cask of ale for the night, Vax decided he should probably take some down to Percy and get a look at how the gunslinger was faring. He refilled his cup, drew a generous cup for Percy, and set off down the corridor to the basement. He knocked on and then cracked open the door of Percy's workshop.
'I brought you some ale,' he announced. He went and sat on the workbench where Percy was working, and placed Percy's cup of ale in front of him.
'You're sitting between me and my tools,' grumbled Percy.
Vax looked around at the tool rack. 'Which one do you need?'
'The medium-sized pointy one,' said Percy unhelpfully.
'This one? No? What about this one? It's pretty pointy.'
'No. If you must sit on my workbench, would you at least sit on the other side where you won't be in the way?'
Vax sighed and moved to lounge on the workbench on Percy's other side. Percy selected the required tool.
'I offered you that one!' said Vax indignantly.
'You didn't,' said Percy. 'The one you offered was larger. Now, sit there if you must, but please let me work in peace.'
Vax sat in silence for a while, sipping his ale and watching Percy work. Eventually he shifted and cleared his throat slightly.
'Pretty stressful spending two weeks down there in the underdark,' he said casually, watching Percy's face closely for a reaction. Percy made a noncommittal noise and tightened a screw. His eyes didn't leave the arrow.
Vax tried again. 'You could say that the Council's pretty intimidating.'
Percy frowned, still looking at the arrow. 'I suppose you could. I'm a bit surprised that you're bothered by them, though.'
'I'm not. I just thought… someone could be. Intimidated. That's all.'
'Fascinating.' Percy flicked one of his lenses down and peered closely at the mechanism again.
Vax sighed; this wasn't how he'd imagined the conversation going. He hesitated for a second before dropping a hand onto Percy's shoulder. Percy stiffened and looked up sharply, but seemed to acquiesce to the contact and continued fiddling with the grappling mechanism. Vax continued sitting with a hand on Percy's shoulder long after he felt Percy relax under his fingers, long after he'd finished his ale, long after the others had gone to bed, until Percy finally pronounced the arrow complete.