Chapter Text
When he gets up early the morning after the battle he dresses and heads downstairs to find that no one else seems to be around.
He can't quite stomach another morning of chicken oatmeal but he tries, mostly because Vex will be upset if he doesn't.
After an hour wasted just staring off into space thinking about absolutely nothing productive he can't quite convince himself to get up and go back to bed but suddenly sleep seems like a good idea. Which is when he realizes that the cushions of the dining room chairs are rather comfortable.
He wakes up to her face, her hand on his shoulder shaking him awake. For a moment he thinks he's still dreaming because this isn't all that different than the most pleasant of his dreams.
"Percy do you want me to put you back to bed?"
His brain isn't fully functional at this moment but he tries his best to nod that yes his bed sounds perfect. She always has the best ideas.
"Come on it's still very early. I doubt anyone will be up for a while yet. What time did you and Keyleth even go to bed last night? You were still out there carving up Vorugal when I went to bed."
She heaves him upright and manages to position him with his arm around her shoulder and his head leaning against hers. His entire side pressing against her and doesn't that feel wonderful. It's only then that he realizes that she's dressed but is without her armor and strangely enough is barefoot.
The heat of her next to him wakes him up more, so that by the time they reach the front hall he is actually standing upright, barely leaning on her for support.
Managing the stairs is quite easy at this point and even though Vex must know he's capable of the rest by himself, she keeps his arm around her shoulder.
They reach the landing and Vex separates a little from him, their sides no longer touching as they move towards the bedrooms. When they reach his room he opens the door and to his surprise she follows him in, closing the door behind her.
Why he had gotten fully dressed this morning he can not remember, but for now, while she is still hovering, taking off the cloak and his boots are all he's going to manage before he gets into bed.
The cloak comes off easily, putting it over the back of his desk chair. Sitting on the edge of the foot of the bed to take off his boots, he starts with the left boot. Then he realizes that the ties and buckles are a little beyond his still half-asleep mind and takes much longer to manage than they normally do.
"Thank you for fussing over me Vex, for both right now and the time you spent working on my cover before the battle, but I am fine or at least I will be soon."
He can see her in his peripheral vision moving from the door to his desk chair. Sitting so she faces him.
"I know Percy but the fussing makes me feel better. I keep replaying the moments over and over in my head. It helps to be near you, it quiets the memories."
That is something he understands completely. His heart starts to beat a little faster knowing she feels the same as he did after her death.
"In regards to yesterday, well you were dead not a week ago, I'm not going to lose my favorite again, not when I just got you back."
He's just finishing with his right boot as she said the last bit and immediately he turns to look at her. She seems fine, but then again she always does, no matter what she's feeling.
"Sleep well Percy."
With that she's up, moving quickly to the door. She's halfway there by the time he gets his thoughts together.
"I'm your favorite?"
She's two steps from the door when she turns around, face tense like she trying to school her expression and he releases the breath he didn't even know he was holding. She was so close to leaving him here filled with questions.
"Yes, you are."
Her face softens as she speaks, she walks over to him and sits next to him on his right side.
"What do you mean by that?"
She takes his hand and takes his pulse at his wrist then traces the calluses on her pointer and middle fingers over the calluses on his own hand and fingers. Her touches tickle just a little, it sends a smile to his face.
"Percy, I haven't asked what you meant when you called me 'your favorite' all those weeks ago but don't think I didn't want to, that I don't still want to."
She leans into his shoulder and laces their fingers together.
"This has to be fair between us Percy, If you tell me what you meant then, I'll tell you what you want to know."
He turns his head to look at her face. What he sees is shining eyes and a smile that is as large as her entire face looking back at him.
She's leaning on him heavily and the continuous pressure feels wonderful. He's not afraid to tell her, not right now, not while they're like this. He looks down at their hands and finds courage.
"Favorite means I love you, it's just a lot easier to say than I'm in love with you."
He can't make himself look at her but he moves their hands to his lips and kisses her hand, below her knuckles.
"What did you mean, Vex?"
Her other hand takes his chin and he allows it to move his head to face her. Vex's expression has not changed since he last looked at her. Her head moves toward his lips but then at the last second moves toward his ear.
"It meant that my heart is yours Percy, that I love you."
He kisses her then because he has to. He can feel her smiling into the kiss pressing hard against his lips. Pulling her with him as he moves them backward so that they're laying on the bed. His hand untangles from hers and moves into her hair, keeping her close to him and deepening the kiss.
She disentangles herself from him after a short time, while they were catching their breath. Her feet hit the floor and she moves toward the head of the bed and pulls back the covers, smile on her face. His disappointment must be obvious because her expression becomes serious.
"Come on Percy, you have to sleep."
He kicks off his right boot then joins her. He presses her into the side of the bed. Her arms wrap around him for stability. Taking her face in his hands, he kisses her forehead.
"Will you stay?"
He's rather pleased that he can now ask this of her, that he can get her to even consider it.
"If you promise to sleep, I'll stay."
No thought necessary he'll do anything she says to keep her here, so this moment doesn't end.
"I promise."
Her smile returns and she tightens her hold around his waist, before releasing him entirely.
"Take the vest and shirt off."
She's not making this easy for him. He turns around and heads toward the desk. He unbuttons his vest and shirt, putting them unfolded on the chair then turns to the bed.
Vex is already laying face up in the middle of the bed, still fully clothed. Pillows propping up her head, all of the blankets pushed down at her feet. Leaving his glasses on the desk, he gets into bed and brings the blankets and sheets up with him.
He'd intended to settle on her right side but she moves him so he settles completely on top of her, blankets covering his entire body from the neck down. His head laying just above her chest on the soft fabric of her shirt, her legs entangled with his.
"Vex where do you want my hands?"
She leans her head down and kisses the top of his head. Taking his hands in hers, she moves them to the hem of her shirt and slips them under so that his fingers press into her sides.
Her arms wrap around him, keeping him from moving too much. She's so warm under him. He allows himself to relax and slowly starts to feel sleep take him.
He feels a kiss on his head, which wakes him up just a little.
"I'll be here when you wake up darling, sleep well."