Work Text:
“You won’t risk anything for me.”
Those words from Keyleth’s own mouth continue to haunt her even now.
She was angry, and had every right to be.
She and Vax had just shared their first kiss, and then seemingly out of nowhere, just as she was beginning to forgive him for not siding with her in regards to Raishan… he decided on his own not to continue this… “dynamic” between them.
And all of this was because he had somehow seen a vision of her in the future, grieving everyone after they were gone.
How?
How did he know?
How did he know that this was a recurring nightmare she’d been having for quite some time?
A nightmare of her kneeling at a massive memorial to the fallen members of Vox Machina, still looking mostly the same as ever except for even bigger antlers and a few lines on her face to show the passage of time on her otherwise youthful appearance.
Was that what he’d seen the moment they…
Keyleth can’t help but let out a low growl. How dare that raven bitch meddle in their affairs.
Not even the soothing waters of the hot spring she’s bathing in can quell this anger in her.
But this anger is of course directed at the Matron. Not at Vax.
She… can’t be angry at Vax. Even at her lowest point just yesterday, that anger had died and scattered as easily as ash.
And that’s only because he proved her wrong. Like always.
She wanted to apologize so badly when he checked in on her last night. But she couldn’t fight off her nervousness.
Things are still uneasy between them. She’s not sure where they stand currently.
Maybe they can’t reclaim that bit of magic that was there when they first kissed, but… perhaps they can work on repairing their friendship at the very least?
Things are already awkward as is, having to work together and put aside personal feelings. But what about afterward?
Keyleth can still feel a tingling sensation right down her chest, right at the scarring left there from Delilah’s retaliation meant for Vex.
Vax had managed to bring her back from the cusp of death, using what he’d seen her pull off to do the same for Cassandra.
It’s proof that she survived, and that she can continue to survive.
But not if she can’t remedy at least some of these issues plaguing her.
Raishan is a greater concern, as is Thordak.
Repairing what she and Vax have, even if it’s just platonic, that’s a start.
She pulls herself out of the hot spring and wraps herself in her bathrobe.
Ugh, she really needs to tell Scanlan to provide better aesthetics. Purple and pink are not her colors. But she’ll have to make do for now.
Her slippered feet are easily cushioned by the lavish carpeting throughout the ethereal chateau.
If circumstances were different, if she and Vax weren’t on such shaky ground, she’d totally invite him to her room and…
Keyleth shakes her head. She’s never had to think about such things before.
Being around him has changed so much.
Even just last night, she’d been dreaming of him.
Just the two of them, holding each other close, tired but comfortable.
At some point, she hopes that they can mend that aspect of their “dynamic” too.
For now, she’ll settle for just what she has in mind as she knocks on his door.
Much like with her own door, this one is also personalized. It’s raven-themed, with a bird skull at the center of the top, and jet-black plumage bordering it.
Keyleth hears footsteps approaching and then the door opens.
When Vax answers, he’s rubbing sleep out of his eyes, dressed in a plain black tunic.
At least he’s not forced into wearing the armor. Must be a Champion thing.
Plus, he wasn’t wearing it last night and… the way he looked…
Keyleth clears her throat, both to get his attention and to shake that thought out of focus.
“Oh. Keyleth. Um… is something wrong?”
He sounds nervous, apprehensive. She can’t blame him after what recently happened.
”Um… I just wanted to let you know that we’re going to have breakfast soon. Might want to get ready, you know?”
Vax blinks a bit. “Oh. Is that all? I see…”
Now he sounds defeated, disappointed.
“And also… I wanted to apologize.”
He was about to close the door when she said that. “Apologize? Ki— Keyleth, if anything, I should be—”
He was about to call her “Kiki”. He’s denying himself that now?
She misses it already.
“I was wrong.”
“Huh?”
Keyleth clears her throat again. “I… What I said about you wasn’t true. You… proved that just yesterday… protecting me— all of us, from that demon as I tried to open the portal.”
She winces a little. Why did she have to correct herself?
It’s because that wasn’t untrue. He was protecting all of them, risking his life for them.
She had wanted to turn back, to help him, but she had to focus on the portal.
It was the right move, and everyone else had managed to get him out of harm’s way.
It should have been me, though…
“You did risk your life for me… like always. I had forgotten that when I lashed out at you…”
Vax sighs heavily. “Keyleth, if you’re asking for me to forgive you… there’s nothing to forgive.”
He pauses, obviously noticing that she’s about to object, so he clearly adds, “But if it helps in settling your nerves… then yes, I forgive you.”
Upon hearing that, Keyleth can feel a little of the tension in her shoulders subside.
“Oh. Okay. Thank the gods, I was scared that you wouldn’t…”
She can’t help but offer a sheepish smile. A smile that Vax returns in kind.
“So… we’re good?”
She offers her hand, hoping that everything unsaid (“Are we good with just being friends? Can we try to get along again, and worry about everything else later?”) comes across this way.
And Vax, to his credit, seems to have that look of understanding as she takes her hand and shakes it. “Yeah. We’re good.”
They’re nowhere near back to how they were before, but it’s a start.
“Good. Um, I’ll see you at breakfast.”
Vax chuckles. “I’ll be sure to save you a seat next to me.”
“That would be nice,” Keyleth responds as she turns back towards her room, hoping he didn’t catch her cheeks burning red.
Gods, she’s a hot mess. Discombobulated, disoriented, and a little bit confused.
She’s got a lot of pent-up anger towards two dragons and a death goddess, and unresolved feelings towards Vax that even now she still can’t quite describe.
She’s also just a nervous wreck overall in spite of the confidence she’d gained over time.
Maybe a good old strategy meeting over breakfast will settle her nerves.
At least in that respect, only one question plays out in her mind:
What kind of breakfast would manifest from a magical hideaway conjured by someone the likes of Scanlan Shorthalt?
Hmm…
Maybe it’s best not to assume things before they happen.
Especially because it’s Scanlan.