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Percy was tired. So very very tired. The rest of the team trailed ahead, chatting amongst themselves. Vax was talking with Keyleth, the two blushing and shy as always. Vex was holding up conversation with Scanlan, the two bantering and boasting back and forth, while Pike kept up a steady litany of nonsense with Grog. They were cheerful. Relaxed. Happy.
Everything he was not.
When it had happened, he didn’t know, but Percy hadn’t felt quite right for days. Sleep had alluded him far more often than usual, and what little he did get of shut eye had been wracked extensively by horrific nightmares of blood shed and pain. He’d startled awake in a cold sweat, heart pounding so hard he feared his ribs may bruise. No sleep would be had after those moments. So, he spent his time instead keeping watch over their camps, tinkering with his guns or polishing his friend’s weapons.
It was surprisingly therapeutic, the action of pouring oneself into the maintenance of items held near and dear to those close at heart. He’d learned how best to care for each weapon, to hone blade to their sharpest points, to string lutes and bows, and to refine arrowheads. Some times he’d be called to invent something new to improve their durability. Like lightweight alloy tips for better wind dynamics with the right amount of oomph behind a shot. Or outfitting the wooden shaft of Grog’s axe with a reinforced steel binding at the joint to reduce wear and tear in battle.
It was the little things. The things that could be done in the quiet of the night without the prodding of awkward conversation, yet still had the biggest impact.
Percy didn’t mind talking with his team, per se. Quite the contrary, actually. He enjoyed it immensely. Especially, when he was able to go on rants about some new book he’d read through in town, a new invention he added to his journal. It was just…they worried. A lot.
A gesture quite appreciated, he might add, but sometimes it could be stifling. Suffocating. Especially, when nothing was wrong.
He was fine. Sure, his joints ached with a persistent throb, and his body felt as though he’d been wrung out one too many times over the wash bin, but it was nothing he couldn’t handle. He was used to roughing it by now. 8 years on his own outside of the palace and 4 months fighting the worst of the worst had forged his body into a reinforced machine. Some wear and tear was expected with their lifestyle, but it was alright. Percy could handle it.
He could handle anything. He had to. It was the only way he could earn his place among them.
“Percy? Percy. Oi, Freddy.”
Fingers snapped in front of his face, startling Percy back to reality. He blinked a few times, noticing that they’d stopped in the middle of the road, all eyes looking at him worriedly. Vax stood beside him, his fingers poised to snap again for his attention.
“H-huh?” Percy cleared his throat, shaking himself out of his thoughts. “My apologies. You were saying?”
Vax furrowed his brows, setting a hand on his hip. “Would you like to explain why you were standing in the middle of the road staring at nothing?”
“What?” Percy blinked and he realized that the rest of the team was walking towards them from far further ahead than they had been just moments before. A blush spread across his pale cheeks. Ah, he must have spaced out and his feet had come to a stop without the focused demand to keep moving. He cleared his throat, pulling away slightly from Vax’s close proximity.
“Ah, yes, well, mm…” he needed to think of an excuse and quickly, the others approaching with equal looks of concern and worry. Luckily, a glowstone still functioned in his sluggish mind, if only a little. “I merely was caught up in my own thoughts, is all. Apologies for the delay.”
“No offense, Percy,” Keyleth said gently, “But you, uh, kind of…well, you look…”
“You look like shit, man.” Scanlan snorted from beside her. “Like real bad shit.”
Pike winced. “Hate to say it, but he’s kinda right.”
Percy scoffed, averting his eyes. “What!? I am perfectly fine. There is nothing wrong with the way I look.”
“Percival, darling.” Vex came forward, voice a sirens call that silenced his protests as her hand gently reaching out to cup his cheek and make him look her in the eye. Her brows furrowed, concern in every facet of her beautiful face. “You’re warm.”
“I-it’s just the sun…I’m fine. Really, we should get moving.” He shook himself slightly out of her hold, a nervous laugh as he pushed past her and her brother. “I’m fine, really. There’s nothing wro-ngh…”
As soon as he moved, the world tilted, his feet couldn’t find purchase, and his knees gave in to the call of gravity. An arm wrapped tightly around his middle, his face pressed into the cool steel of armor. Percy felt his glasses tumble to the ground, his vision as blurry as the ringing in his ears. He thought perhaps someone was trying to speak to him, but he only cared about the coolness on his face. Maybe Vex was right, he was warm, sweat gathering along his skin under his heavy coat, his shirt clinging to his skin.
Someone’s hand was on his face, thumb stroking his cheekbone. It felt good. An arm was curled around his back, hugging him closed and he wanted only to relish in the touch despite the heat prickling uncomfortably through his body. People assumed Percy was a prude, shying away from other’s touch from his years of torture. It was quite the opposite, actually. Percy craved the loving touch of those nearest to him. He was starved for their embraces, their gentle holds. They grounded him. Rooted him in place. So his nightmares didn’t leave him untethered in the rapid waters of guilt and rage.
All too quickly that comfort was yanked away, replaced instead by the biting chill of water as cold as ice. It slid over his neck, his chest, even his lower legs. It was sharp, jarring, but felt incomparably good. He groaned softly, tongue too heavy to speak. A cloth doused in cold smoothed over his face, over his eyes, blocking the rays of light. Throwing him into pure darkness.
Panic gripped his chest, but for only a moment. A hand combed through his hair, slicked with sweat. A voice that sounded so far off coaxing him down.
“We have you, Freddy. We have you. You’re alright. We have you.”
Vax. Relief sighed through his chest. There was something magnificent about the half-elf twins. Something that made his heart stutter in ways he never knew was possible, and slightly concerning. Vex was all strength and swagger and elegant ferocity. While Vax was something softer, quieter, and far more deadly than anything that lurked within the shadows themselves. They were like twin suns, beacons of warmth and comfort and safety, and he chased them like a corpse clawing his way free of the darkness.
His mind lapsed. Sleep a sudden and unexpected thing. One moment he was basking in Vax’s comforting touch, the next he was jerked awake by the bite of cold enveloping his entire body at once. He gasped, thrashing in the fridges depths, but strong arms held him steady, a rumble across a mountainous chest.
“I got ya, Percy. It’s okay. Groggy won’t let ya drown.”
Grog? Oh. He was being held by Grog. Okay. That wasn’t so bad. Grog was a gentle giant, a man fueled by ale and battle, yet a heart of gold under all that muscle. Percy’s body began to relax ever so slightly, even though he trembled in the cold. The barbarian frequently got on his nerves, but it was more familial annoyance than anything else. Much like with his brothers. There was a love there. A bond. One that he would not soon admit, but would always deeply cherish. He trusted Grog, and with that trust he relaxed. Further and further, until sleep overtook him once more.
-----
He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t breathe. There wasn’t enough air. It hurt. He was suffocating. It hurt. It hurt. He needed air.
“I have you. I have you. It’s okay, Percy.”
A gentle hand, as light as a leaf drifting off an autumn tree, laid on his chest and pressed down. Air expelled from his lungs in a gentle whoosh, before coming back in to fill the depths of his chest with much needed oxygen. The hand pressed and pulled, a gentle rhythm aiding his breathes, until he could breathe on his own. There was a happy hum, before those gentle fingers combed through his hair.
“I did it. I did it, right?”
“Yes, Kiki. You did. Thank you.”
Ah. Keyleth was there. Vex too. Something comfortable settled into his stomach at the two of them being there. Keyleth, so much like Cassandra, like Whitney. His younger sisters were terrors. They made such a mess of everything. Always trying to one-up the boys. Always doing the most with the least. Keyleth was no different. A woman of determination, strength, focus. She was a storm of power, a leader born of heart, a protector in soul. She made him want to be a better person. Her presence a comfort as much as a burning flame, pushing him to do better, be better. Just to be worthy to stand by her side and call himself her friend.
The next time he woke, it was to the taste of broth sliding along his tongue. He sputtered a moment, forgetting how to swallow, but soon he did, gulping down the small amounts poured into his mouth in an easy stream. A hand cupped the back of his head, keeping him propped, making it easier to swallow.
“Oh, thank Everlight. That’s it, Percy. Take as much you want.”
Pike. The beautiful gnome that inspired him endlessly with her mind and heart. He would do anything for her, just for a chance to see her radiant smile, earn her belly-deep laugh. How so much love could be contained in such a small body amazed him. It was a masterpiece by the gods if he’d ever seen one. She was perfect. Someone he held near and dear and would fight tooth and nail for. The cleric that kept them all together. The heart of their little family.
All too soon the final drop of broth touched his tongue and he let out a broken groan, wanting more to chase away the stale taste in his mouth. There was a giggle beside him, a relieved sigh.
“That’s all for now, buddy. Can’t give you too much. You’ve done so well. I’m proud of you, Percy. Now get some sleep.”
Proud of him? Warmth grew in his chest, radiating throughout his body. His lips twitched. She was proud of him. He’d done well. He’d been good. It was all he needed to fall back into sleep.
-----
It hurt. It hurt. His chest was burning. His stomach turned. It was hot. So hot. Why was it so hot? His skin prickled and burned and he gasped, coughing. His stomach spasmed and he whimpered. It hurt. It hurt. He gaged. Once. Twice. And acid crawled up his throat, burning as he coughed it out. He vaguely heard a scramble. A curse, before strong arms were holding him up as he gagged and heaved. Again and again. Acid burned his throat, bitter and horrible against his tongue. His stomach pressed in and in and in, trembling with every push.
“Shh. Shh. It’s okay. I have you, Freddy. Let it out.”
Vax. It was Vax. He moaned in discomfort, heaving again. A warm hand rubbed circles over his back, lips pressing to his temple.
“I know it hurts. It’s alright. It’ll be over soon.”
And it was. Percy coughed, spit, but there was nothing left. He slumped on Vax, panting heavily. A wet cloth whipped over his mouth, and Vax’s voice was close to his ear, low and comforting.
“Here, small sips. Rinse your mouth out.”
A cup pressed to his lips and Percy took it some of the water, feeling it wash against his tongue, his teeth. He spit it out as instructed, repeating a few more times.
“Good. Good. Now, small sips. Just a little to settle your stomach.”
This time he swallowed, soothing his throat, his stomach. Percy melted into him, panting softly as the cup was removed.
“There we go. That’s all for now. Don’t need a repeat of this. Come on, Freddy. Let’s get you cleaned up.”
Percy felt himself lifted, the steady footsteps of being carried. Next thing he knew he was back in the cold water, this time, sitting on the smooth surface of what he assumed was a rock. Cold water was dripped over his back and chest, a cloth wiping over his face.
Wait. Where was he? What happened? Clarity was a sharp and sudden blade, lancing through the fog in his mind. He furrowed his brows. This didn’t make sense. They had been walking. Walking where? He didn’t remember. But he knew he’d been walking. His friends getting further and further away. Vax was there. Vax would know.
His eyes cracked open, sticky and heavy. The light was a surprise, but not painful, night overhead, the only light that of Catha. He blinked, glancing up to find Vax, the half-elf shirtless, void of his usual Deathwalker’s ward.
“V-Vax…?” Percy croaked.
Vax, to his credit, didn’t jump nearly as high as Percy knew he was capable when startled. His dark eyes shot to Percy, widening as they realized Percy was staring back.
“Freddy?” There was a giddy note to his voice, an overwhelming relief. He dropped the cloth into the water and cupped Percy’s cheek, surprisingly gentle. “Percy? Are you back?”
Percy frowned in confusion, struggling to get his voice to work properly. “D-did I…leave somewhere…?”
A bark of a laugh, Vax shaking his head and if he wasn’t mistaking, there seemed to be tears in his eyes. “Not exactly. You’ve been sick, Freddy. Really sick. We had to make camp to take care of you. It was too dangerous to keep traveling with you like this.”
Percy blinked slowly. “Ah…s-sorry for the delay…”
Vax snorted. Then, he pressed his forehead to Percy’s temple, sighing in relief.
“I was so scared.” He admitted brokenly. “You’ve been feverish for days. I don’t know what I’d do if we lost you.”
Percy was so tired. So very tired. His eyelids felt like they were a hundred pounds each. He didn’t want to sleep though. He wanted to remember. Remember this. Singe it into his memory.
“V-Vax…” he slurred. “I…ngh…”
Vax pulled back all too soon, eyes widening. They then softened, almost sad. He took up the cloth from the water, wiping his cheek and down his neck, shoulder.
“It’s okay.” He said softly, coaxing Percy to lean into his strong chest. He rubbed the cloth up and down his arm. “It’s okay, Freddy. Get some rest. You need it.”
Percy wanted to stay awake. He wanted to talk to him. He wanted to keep this moment forever. Instead, his eyes fluttered and he was pulled under once more.
-----
The world made no sense. Why was it all so heavy? So hot? Why did everything ache so much? He was so lost. So confused.
“He’s sleeping better, but his fever is still high” Pike?
“We need to do something. Get him to town, maybe?” Ah. Vex, her voice right beside him.
“How? We have no idea where the nearest town is.” Scanlan said from further away.
“He needs real medicine.” Vax, on the other side form Vex, he assumed. He felt a hand holding his, calloused thumb rubbing back and forth on his skin. “He needs help.”
“I-I have an idea, but I don’t know if it will work.” Keyleth stuttered.
“Anything, Kiki. Tell us.” Vex pleaded earnestly.
“In Zephra, most of our medicine was made by the herbalists. I…well, I may have watched them a time or two. I could try and scavenge some herbs, see if I can’t make at least something to help him keep broth down and lower the fever.”
“It’s worth a try.” Pike said. “I have some experience with herbs. I can help.”
“So can I.” Scanlan spoke up.
“What?” Vex scoffed. “You probably only know how to find drugs, gnome. What if you poison him?”
“Hey, give him a chance.” Scolded Pike.
A sigh. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Scanlan. Just a bit…testy.”
“It’s okay, really. I get it. But I’m being honest. I did some work for an apothecary once. I helped scavenge herbs. So I know a little. Not much, but maybe enough.”
Scanlan. He was a conundrum, one Percy could never quite get his mind around. He was ridiculous and flamboyant. He was selfish and crude and wholly irresponsible. He was frustrating beyond all means. Yet, Percy would gun down anyone who dared to touch a hair on the gnomes head. There were occasions, rare and quiet, but no less impactful, where Percy would catch Scanlan in the dead of night. The two would sit and chat and watch the moons move across the sky. They would talk, not much, but what little they did divulge always was kept to the chest. Guidance from an eye so different than your own. It was strange, hearing Scanlan volunteer so readily. Yet, it was very much appreciated.
“Anything is better than nothing.” Vax squeezed his hand.
“I’ll go with Scanlan and Vex, then.” Keyleth said. “Is that okay?”
“I can track well. Keep watch for any monsters, or wild animals.” Vex grunted, rising to her feet.
“The I’ll keep watch over Freddy.” A hand cupped his cheek, thumb brushing his cheek. Percy leaned into the touch, seeking the comfort. He heard a faint laugh.
“Don’t hog him for yourself, brother.” Vex teased and then Percy felt lips against his cheek, before she rose again.
“Let’s go.”
Footsteps echoed away from wherever they were. Percy coughed, shifting, struggling, trying to open his eyes. Trying to get a sense of his surroundings. Fingers combed through his hair, small, yet strong.
“Hey. Hey. Don’t force yourself.” Pike said gently. “It’s okay, Percy. Get some sleep. You need it.”
He wanted to argue, to protest, yet his mouth refused to move. He didn’t want to sleep. He was so tired of sleep. But he couldn’t fight it, and once again he was dragged under.
Something bitter and thick touched his tongue and he flinched, choking. Voices hushed him, fingers cupping his head smoothing into his hair.
“I know, darling.” Vex. Her voice was a balm to the sluggishness of his mind, as sharp and kind as always. Grounding him. “It tastes terrible, but it will help. Won’t be long now.”
Percy had no choice but to swallow the horrid medicine. His body convulsed against his will and water quickly chased it, washing away the bitter taste. He coughed, moaning softly.
“Rest now, sweetheart.” She cooed, rubbing soothing circles into his chest. “You’ll feel better soon. I promise.”
What else was he to do but trust in the words of a goddess? Because there was no other being who could have sounded so sweet, so comforting. He sighed and with it came the crawling darkness once more.
-----
He stirred to the sound of a lute playing, gentle strums vibrating the air. Someone singing, low and lyrical, calm. His eyes fluttered, staring at the roof of their expanded tent. Huh. So that’s where he’s been the whole time. He could feel the soft bend of his sleep roll spread out beneath him, shirt half unbuttoned, a cold cloth across his forehead. There was a weight on his chest, not enough to hinder his breathing, and when he tipped his head he found it was Vax. The half-elf was curled beside him, arm thrown over his chest, face squished into the floor of the tent as snores puffed past his lips.
Percy’s own twitched in a small smile, quickly falling when he noticed the dark circles under his eyes, the gaunt pull to his cheeks. He looked haggard. Exhausted. Someone shifted on his other side, fingers squeezing his. Percy tilted his head towards it, surprised to find Keyleth curled into a tight ball, his hand held close to her chest as she slept. An arm was tossed over her curled form, Vex’ahlia pressed into her back, hand resting over both of theirs.
A snore, deep and nasally, rang from the side, and Percy squinted into the dark to see Grog propped against the side of the tent, head lulled on his shoulder, mouth open with each roaring inhale. Pike stretched out between his legs, head pillowed on his thigh and wrapped in a blanket like a rather tightly wrapped pastry.
Each member of his party, his team, his family, bore haggard appearances and exhaustion in every crease of their forms. Percy’s fever addled mind didn’t need to be but so lucid to deduce that it was from caring for him. It both warmed his heart and sickened his gut, a pooling of guilt for having caused them so much strife. It was never his intention to burden those he’s grown to love, to cherish. Yet he had, and he hated it.
It took him a moment to realize that not everyone was accounted for. There was a gnome missing, one that was more headache than joy most days. Percy’s eyes squinted towards the opening of the tent, and that is where he found Scanlan, sitting within the tarped frame of the tent as he kept watch with lute in hand.
Ah, so the singing had been him. It was more of a hum now, broken only by tiny noises of frustration when a cord didn’t hit right, or a lyric didn’t quite fit. Percy tried to be quiet, to listen to the sounds of lute strings and familiar breathes all around him. But his body had other ideas. His throat tickled and itched and he tried to swallow only to find his mouth far too dry. He coughed, and one became two, before it spiraled into a fit.
“Shit.” Scanlan cursed and Percy heard the sound of scrambling footsteps before a small hand propped up his head, the nozzle of a water bladder pressed to his lips as a small stream eased past. He swallowed, coughing slightly with each until it soothed his dry and cracked throat.
“Easy. Easy. There ya go, Percy. Cant having you croaking on my watch.” All too soon the nozzle was taken out of reach, and he must have made a protest as Scanlan chuckled.
“Yeah, I know, it’s good. But we don’t need it making a reappearance in the middle of the night. These guys need some rest.” Scanlan said as he laid Percy’s head back down on a pillow.
The gunslinger licked his dry lips, voice broken and croaking as he whispered. “A-are y-you…all…alright…?”
Scanlan snorted at that. “Of course, that’s gonna be the first thing you ask in a moment of not being fucked up?”
The bard shook his head, a slight smile on his lips. “We’re alright. As good as we can be, anyway. Well, everyone is exhausted really, and let me tell ya, Vex without her beauty sleep is rough. But it’s fine. It’s good. It’ll be better with you back on your feet.”
“Y-you helped…” Percy croaked. “Medicine?”
Scanlan shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked away. “No, not really. I mean. I did. Kinda? It was really Keyleth and Pike that did all the magic. I just found some herbs, helped grind them up a bit. No big deal.”
“Thank you…” Percy breathed.
The appreciation seemed to catch him off guard, Scanlan freezing like a deer at the end of an arrow. He blinked and blinked again, before, for the first time that night, genuine emotion filled his eyes.
“Don’t sweat it,” he cleared his throat, smiling big. “Just get better, okay?”
Scanlan rose to return to his lute, retaking his spot for watch. He winked at Percy. “I’ll play something good for ya.”
And he did. It was a classic melody, one Percy had heard many times in his youth. It was soft and warm and comforting and just what he needed to lull himself back to sleep.
Scanlan was many things, an annoyance, a pervert, a reckless scoundrel, but there was one more thing he was too.
A good friend.
Family.
One that Percy cherished just as much as the rest.
-----
The next time Percy woke it was like stepping out a densely packed fog and into the clarity of an expansive countryside. Or, well, as clear as he could see without his glasses. He blinked, body sore and joints stiff, but he could finally think, finally see with some idea of direction and coherency. What the bloody hell had happened?
He voiced as much, pushing himself up as he touched his head, trying to settle the sudden bought of dizziness.
“Careful there, Percy. Don’t wanna break yourself.” Grog’s low baritone rumbled behind him, before a strong hand cupped nearly his entire back, supporting him with the ease of a wall.
Percy startled at the touch, but soon relaxed into it, chuckling softly. “Yes. Well. Thank you, Grog.”
“Any time.” He could practically hear the half-giant preening. Percy’s lips twitched slightly before the tent flap parted and in walked the twins, laden down by a bowl of broth in Vex’s hand and a vial of something thick and green in Vax’s. The two were mid conversation, when they suddenly froze at the sight of him up.
“Good morning.” He croaked, clearing his throat shyly. “I, uh, don’t suppose either of you know where my glasses are?”
“Percy!”
“Freddy!”
Within moments their contraband had been - carefully - discarded and their arms were thrown around him. Percy grunted under their weight, thankful for Grog’s steady strength preventing him from falling over.
“What’s gotten into you two?” He chided gently, patting either of their sides in comfort. “You act as though I’ve risen from the dead.”
“You very nearly did.” Vex said, tears in her eyes as she pulled back, cupping his cheek delicately. This close, he could see the exhaustion in her eyes, the barely contained tears.
“You scared the shit out of us.” Vax added, frowning as he pulled away with his sister. “All of us. What were you thinking? Being so irresponsible.”
Percy furrowed his brows. “I…I would very much like to apologize for any distress I’ve seemed to have caused, but may I be so bold as to request a reminder of what it is I’ve done, exactly?”
Vex combed her hand through his hair, massaging the back of his neck. “What is it you remember, darling?”
Percy cleared his throat again, swallowing against the dry disuse. “I remember…we were heading towards Westruun, for a job, I believe. Everyone was chatting rather amiably. I was trailing behind the group and realized you all were getting rather far away. Far more than you should. I tried to catch up, but you seemed to only move further, and then I…”
He paused, frowning. “Well…I, uh, can’t quite seem to remember what happened after that.”
“You collapsed, Scrawny.” Vax said, setting a hand on Percy’s knee, rubbing up and down his shin over the blankets.
“I...what?” Percy blinked, startled. That explained the shock, then.
“I noticed you had stopped in the middle of the road,” Vax explained, refusing to meet his eye as he continued the rhythmic strokes. “We were worried. We called for you and there was no answer. So, I dialed back, came to see what the hold up was. You were…flushed and red and when I felt your forehead you neither protested nor responded. You were burning up. And then all at once, you just collapsed.”
“We thought perhaps you’d been injuries.” Vex added, frowning in displeasure. “Pike tried to heal you, but it did nothing. That left poison or illness. Kiki ruled out the poison, so a disease it was. You’ve been out for nearly a week.”
Percy sputtered. “A-a week!? But what of the job? We were in desperate need of funds!”
“Shh.” Vex hushed him. “You needn’t worry about that. You are far more precious to us than any job.”
“Yeah.” Grog chimed in. “Besides, adventurin’s no fun if you’re dead. That’d be borin’!”
Percy chuckled. “Quite right.”
Vex pinched his chin gently, giving him a look over with a soft hum.
“Your color has returned,” she said. “I think the fever finally broke.”
“Still, you should take this.” Vax dangled the vial between his fingers. “Best to be safe than sorry.”
Percy made a disgusted face at the sight of the thick green contents.
“Must I?”
“I’ll give you a kiss if you do.” Vax teased.
The gunslinger gave him an unamused stare, took the vial, and downed it in one go. It was thick and bitter and just as horrid as it looked. Percy swallowed and a full body shiver wracked his frame.
“Here, Darling.” Vex coaxed the bowl into his hand and Percy sipped on it, letting the rich flavor wash away the horrid aftertaste. It was a simple broth, more than likely made of a rabbit or bird they’d managed to catch. At some point, Vax had replaced Grog’s steady hand and Percy sighed as he leaned back, resting on the half-elf’s chest. Vex sat close, running a comforting hand through his hair. They sat in silence and Percy unashamedly relished the closeness, the feeling of safety. It was so rare, he couldn’t help being greedy, soaking in the affection.
The quiet didn’t last long as Keyleth soon poked her head into the tent. Grog must have told the others he was awake.
“Percy!” She cried with a beaming smile and tearful eyes, rushing over to throw herself against him, thin arms wrapped tight around him.
“You’re awake!” Pike was next, hoping over Vex to snuggle into his chest with radiant joy.
“Gods, you scared us there, pal.” Scanlan took out the rear, coming in with Grog trailing behind.
"Yes, well, I'll endeavor not to make the same mistake again." Percy said. "Though I make no promises."
Vax snorted, rubbing the back of Percy's neck. "I'll just have to kick your ass until you remember to take care of yourself."
"And I will assist." Vex chuckled, pressing a kiss to Percy's cheek. His ears warmed and he struggled not to break out in a ridiculous smile.
Instead, he wrapped his arms around Keyleth and Pike, thankful for Vax’s support and Vex’s comfort. After a moment, he allowed himself a small smile, sighing as he basqued in the warmth of his friends.
His family.