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As Scanlan rocked out on stage, his final final final show before retirement (he swore), Keyleth was curled up in the corner of the reception, hands wrapped around something fruity and sparkly - she would expect nothing more of Jester Stone. She was already feeling bloated after the seventeenth hamster unicorn floated over to her with another pastry - and when she insisted she was more than full, they’d still insisted she take a bag of treats home for the one giving her that glow - apparently at the bride’s very insistent request. She looked across the room where Jester squealed and winked at her, and even at her age, she blushed, as if she were a twenty-something again. She and Vax were solid again - albeit a domesticity that still took adjusting to. They weren’t hiding, but speaking with Jester that day, it had still been the first time she allowed herself to put a title on it in public.
You have the glow of a woman in love, Jester.
I am! And you do, too.
She’d just smiled politely, laughed awkwardly, and thanked her. It’d been decades since she’d been able to say that. At the time, she’d been so focused on growing the trees for the wedding that she’d been able to distract herself, but now, watching the love in the room, the pink glittery lights, watching other couples pair up for a slow song - first the newlyweds, then Beau and Yasha, Allura and Kima, others joining one by one - she felt her heart swell.
“Mom, I think I’m ready to head home.” She whispered, glancing over at her mother, sitting at her side, watching the proceedings.
“Are you sure? I would’ve thought you wanted to catch up with Scanlan.” She frowned, squeezing her hand. Keyleth shook her head, smiling shyly.
“There’s plenty of time for that. Right now? I have somewhere I need to be more.” She glanced out at the pink trees, the petals of the cherry blossoms already polluting the area. “But I promised that–”
“I’ll handle it, sweetheart.” Vilya chuckled, knowingly. “Go see if he’s home.”
As Keyleth stepped through the tree outside her home in Zephrah, she tensed. This was the part she always dreaded. Despite their long hours of discussions, one truth remained that neither could deny - sometimes she’d come home, and he wouldn’t be there. He’d always return, but after the years of being alone, Keyleth still didn’t trust herself to believe that. He would leave a note, of course (Lead in Issylra. Could be a few days.) but she’d still be restless until he came back again. She’d got better at her insecurity, though, framing the search for the Raven Queen as Vax’s job, rather than the mistress she used to feel as though he was leaving her for. But the goddess had let him go, to a point - she had to thank her for that, and if Vax chasing after her meant she had time with him, that was a compromise she was willing to live with.
Stepping into the home, her shoulders instantly relaxed, and slowly she took off her mantle and antlers, not needing to rush. The room was warm, a fire crackling in the study, and the smell of incense drifted through the house - sure signs that she wasn’t alone. That had been another promise - if he was home, he’d make sure she knew it, to avoid the seconds of her anxiety stretching out into minutes as she searched the house for him. Stepping through to the study, she found him curled up on the couch, a book open in his lap, a half-finished letter to Vex sitting beside him. He hadn’t been home when she left for the wedding, but it looked as though he’d been home a few hours at least. Approaching him, she tapped him on the nose with a pamphlet on The Traveller. Sensing her nearby, his hand flicked up to grab the pamphlet, snorting as he looked at it.
“The Traveler? Are you trying to convert me, darling?”
“He isn’t a god. See? It even says so.” Keyleth smiled, blushing as he took her hand and kissed the back of it. He looked down at her blush pink dress and raised an eyebrow.
“I love you, but pink isn’t your colour.”
“Artagan says pink and green go together well.”
“He would say that…” Vax murmured, tugging her down to his side. Instantly, she moulded to him, placing the letter on the floor—Vex could wait. Tilting her head onto his shoulder, she closed her eyes as he played with her hair.
“How was work?” She asked, tilting her head up to kiss his cheek.
“Mmm… False lead. Morrighan agrees it’s too early; it’s probably going to be a few more years until we know anything for sure. Any child born now is going to be too young to articulate if they’re Her, but we have to follow them anyway.” He murmured, casually, as though his job was farm labour or working in a shop, and not tracking down a powerful reborn Goddess.
“You could’ve come to Nicodranas once you clocked off; everyone was invited.”
“For the same reason Vex chose not to go, pink and sparkly isn’t exactly my thing.” He laughed. “Plus, I don’t know her, and I’d stick out like a sore thumb.”
“We should’ve taken Gwen. She would’ve loved it.”
“I think Jester is the last person we should let influence Gwen.” Vax smirked. “We don’t need to shoot the last of Percy’s nerves if she started drawing dicks on everything.”
“Point taken.” Keyleth smiled, taking one of his hands and kissing the back of it. He shifted a little more to lie on the couch and pull her to laying against his chest.
“Did it all go well?” He asked, brushing her hair again.
“Mmm… May have altered the ecosystem of Nicodranas permanently, but mom’s gonna figure that out. Plus, there was a brief few minutes where the wedding party… disappeared?”
“Disappeared?” He sat up slightly, raising his eyebrows. “Everything okay?”
“I guess? They came back looking a little worse for wear, but everyone was there so, I guess it’s fine?” Keyleth snuggled into his side, letting him wrap his arm around her shoulders. “But it looked beautiful. Jester’s dress was gorgeous.”
“I’m sure it was.”
“Oh! And I have pastries for you. She insisted on it.”
“She doesn’t even know me.”
“She knows you make me glow.” Keyleth blushed again at that, and Vax chuckled, kissing her head.
“Oh? I do, do I?”
“Mmm… Maybe a little. Don’t let it go to your head.”
“Too late.” He snorted, leaning in to kiss her. “It went to my head decades ago when you told me you were in love with me.”
“A girl could change her mind.” She lied, smacking his arm. He pouted, sitting up a little straighter, and easing her out of his lap as he took the book he’d been reading from the coffee table beside him, moving it back to the shelf.
“Still, it would’ve been nice to show you off.” Keyleth smiled, shyly, watching him with his back to her.
“Mmm… I don’t think I would’ve been very wanted at the reception, anyway.”
“Why not? Of course you would’ve been.”
“Well… Apparently, it’s very frowned upon to do at a wedding what I want to do.”
“Oh? What’s that?” Keyleth frowned, confused, cocking her head. She watched as his shoulders shook a little, and she was about to rise, concerned, when he turned towards her and got down on one knee. Her hand immediately went to her mouth as she stared at the forest green plush box in his hand.
“You told me once that you would’ve married me, but it was too late. And I could die a thousand times over, and still it wouldn’t hurt as much as those decades without you. The decades of knowing the hurt I put you through. But now we have this chance, and I know. I know I can’t promise you perfection, I can’t promise you that we’ll never be apart, that this is forever. But it’s real, it’s love, and I fucking love you, Kiki. I have loved you across decades, across planes of existence, across life and death itself. I always have, and I always will, and I don’t want to spend another sunrise without holding you in my arms and making sure you know all the ways that I love you. So please… Will you let me be yours forever, and become my wife?”
Keyleth sobbed, tears rolling down her cheeks. Wiping at her eyes she nodded, words escaping her as he pulled her into his arms and held her close, crying into his chest.
“I love you… I love you, I love you…” Keyleth whispered over and over again, pulling back to look at him. “Oh gods I… I feel sick… but in a good way! You… Of course I’ll marry you, Vax!”
“Well if you’re gonna be sick, I’d better be the one to eat these pastries.” Vax laughed, tears of his own rolling down his cheeks.
She followed him through to the kitchen where the bag of treats sat in a sparkly pink organza bag, feeling as though she was floating. She poured herself a glass of water, leaning against the fridge as he sifted through the piles of lollipops, cupcakes, and tarts.
“We need to tell Vex.”
“I was in the middle of writing the letter. I just had to know your answer first.” He laughed, glancing back at her, then back at the bag, his face dropping a little.
“What?! I can’t believe you were telling Vex before–” Keyleth paused, seeing the look on Vax’s face. “Vax? Is everything okay?”
“I–” He stammered, swallowing hard, speechless himself now. He turned to stare at Keyleth, eyes wide and shining. “Something you… have to say?”
“What are you talking about?” Keyleth frowned, going over to the bag. She looked over the pastries and cakes, confused, before her eyes landed on a cookie in the centre of the table.
A pink rattle with a gold handle, shaped like a love heart, tied with a pink bow. Next to it was a note scribbled in Jester’s handwriting. ‘Surprise! (Unless you already knew) Hello, tiny Vox Machina-ite! Love Auntie Jester xx’
“You’re…” Vax started, Keyleth’s own face pale, and she spun around to stare at him.
“How did she–” Keyleth paused, laughing and putting a hand over her face. “She’s a cleric. Of course she knew.”
“And you didn’t?!”
“I thought I was sick worrying about those damn wedding trees!” Keyleth squeaked, looking back at the cookie, then back at Vax. “I… I guess… we’re having a family, too?” He looked as tears flooded Vax’s face now, and he wrapped his arms around her tightly, pressing his face into her neck.
“We already were, darling. It’s just gotten so much bigger, that’s all.” He pulled back, wiping at his eyes, even as more tears fell. “I have to finish that letter.”
“Nono, not tonight. She can wait for you.” Keyleth laughed, kissing him. “We’re going to bed, and cuddling. Just the three of us.” Vax smiled at that, nodding, kissing her again.
“Just the three of us. Forever.”