Through Glass
A Legend of Vox Machina Fanfic
Vex caught a glimpse of her reflection in the glass door of the cafe. She took a moment to re-arrange her scarf, ignoring the pang that shot through her heart at the sight of the familiar blue material in her hands. Percy had bought her this scarf and it always reminded her of his eyes.
With a sigh, she jerked the door open and went inside. The cafe was busy with most of the tables occupied. She was able to spot Keyleth and Vax in a corner. Keyleth was showing him something on her phone, making him laugh.
Vex wanted to turn around and head home.
She loved her brother. He was her twin, her other half. The constant presence in her life.
And Keyleth was her friend. They had been through so much together. Late night study sessions. Bad break-ups. Her relationship with her brother.
But Vex didn't want to be around their happiness. Not while her heart was still hurting. Not this much.
"Vex! Over here!"
Keyleth's cheerful voice pulled her out of her thoughts. She plastered on a smile and sat down. "Hey, Keyleth. Brother."
Vax passed her a cup. "Your usual, I believe."
She quirked an eyebrow as she took a sip. A dirty chai. One of her favorites. "Thank you."
Keyleth began to tell them about her latest pottery project. She was getting her masters in fine arts. Vex bit back a smile as she imagined the mug that she would be getting for Christmas. To add to the collection already in her kitchen.
Vax, who worked as an EMT, was telling a funny story from one of his recent shifts when Keyleth's phone buzzed.
"Oh, he's almost here," she said, smiling down at the screen.
"He?" Vex asked. As far as she know, it was just the three of them today. "He who?"
The guilty look the flickered across Keyleth's face confirmed her suspicions. She couldn't do this. No, she wouldn't do this. Not like this.
She stood up, tossing a few bills on the table to cover the cost of her drink.
"Vex, please, wait," Keyleth pleaded.
"Stubby," Vax began.
"No," Vex said firmly. "I'll call you later."
She ignored the rest of their pleas as she headed towards the door. She slung her scarf angrily around her neck. She couldn't believe that they would stoop so low. That they would try to ambush her like this. She would see Percy on her own terms when she was damn good and ready.
She reached for the door hand and froze. On the other side of the glass stood Percy. Who stood staring back at her.
He looked thinner, like he hadn't been eating. And the circles under his eyes, his piercing blue eyes, were darker. Was he not sleeping because of some new all-consuming project? Or was it something else?
Percy seemed to recover first. He simply nodded and then walked away. Just like that, he was gone.
She stared at the empty doorway for a moment, her mind a whirl of emotions. Hurt. Loss. Grief.
But then anger won out.
How dare he walk away from her again!
She yanked the door open and stormed down the street. "Percy!"
He stopped for a moment, not bothering to turn around, before continuing on.
"Percival!" Damn his long legs! "Percy, damn it, stop!"
He finally stopped, whirling around to face. "What? What do you want, Vex'ahlia?"
Oh, it was to be like that, was it? "Can't you wait a second? Can't we just talk for a moment?"
"I need to be somewhere. I have a meeting." He turned to leave but she grabbed his wrist.
"Really? Because it looked like you were going to meet Keyleth and Vax for coffee until you realized that I was there."
"Please, Vex. Don't do this."
She released his arm. "What? Make conversation?"
"Force a confrontation."
Someone on the street knocked into her. She stumbled. She looked up in surprise as she felt Percy grab her shoulders to steady her. They locked eyes for a moment before he dropped his hands.
"I think you owe me an explanation, Percy."
"An explanation?" He shoved his glasses up his nose. "For what?"
"For why you left!" She balled her hands into fists, fighting the urge to punch that blank look off his face. "We were together. We were happy. You were going to move in with me. And then you just suddenly broke up with me."
He sighed. "I told you, Vex'ahlia. I changed my mind."
"Bullshit! Something happened." A dark thought entered her mind. "Was it me? Did I do something?"
She didn't realize that she had looked away until he tipped her chin up to face him. "Vex, you didn't do anything. It was me. It was all me."
His thumb ghosted over her cheek. She found herself leaning into his touch. God, she had missed this, his touch. Missed him.
Percy jerked his hand back. "I should go." He took a step back, away from her.
"So, that's it? You're just going to leave it like that. You're just an asshole who changed his mind?"
There were cracks in his calm facade. "What do you want from me, Vex?"
"I want to know why! And not this shit excuse that you don't love me anymore."
He was beginning to look angry. "I never said that I didn't love you anymore."
"Well, you doing a damn fine job of acting like it."
"I still care about you, Vex'ahlia. But I couldn't move in with you. Things have changed and I can't be with you."
"Things have changed? What things? Please, Percy, stop talking in riddles. Just tell me what happened?"
"I don't want you involved, Vex."
"But what if I want to be?" She took a risk and took his hand. "I still love you. That hasn't changed. And I want to be with you, be part of your life. But you have to let me, Percy."
He closed his eyes for a moment. With a sigh, he opened them. She was alarmed to see him looking tired and defeated.
"Anna Ripley has been granted a new trial."
"What?"
"Apparently she has been appealing her conviction and a judge has found grounds for a new trial. Cass and I will have to testify against her again. It's going to be a media circus."
"Oh, God, Percy."
No wonder he looked so bad. Anna Ripley was the one of the people who had attacked his family, only leaving him and Cassandra as survivors. She had personally tortured Percy for hours, leaving both physical and mental scars behind. A new trial would reopen all of those wounds. And Percy was trying to face all of this on his own.
He squeezed her hand. "I was trying to spare you all of this."
She pulled her hand out of his and punched him in the shoulder. "You fucking hypocrite!"
He gaped at her. "What!"
"You're a hypocrite, Percival de Rolo!" She gave him a slight shove. "You stood by me while Saundor stalked me. Helped me press charges. Sat beside through the trial. And you think I wouldn't do the same for you?"
"I don't want you to have to deal with my monsters," he said, his voice deep, almost a growl. "I don't want you touched by the darkness of my past. It's bad enough that I can't protect my sister. But I can spare you."
She took a step forward, invading his personal space. She was glad when he stood his ground and didn't retreat. He met her glare, not breaking eye contact.
"Let me tell you something, Percy." Her voice was low and fierce. "You don't have to protect me. I don't want you to spare me from your past, from your darkness. I am more than a match for your demons."
She grabbed the lapels of his coats, hauled herself on her toes and kissed him.
He stood still underneath her lips, not reacting. She thought that she had miscalculated. That they were truly over.
Then his arms surged around her, crushing her to him. His lips devoured hers. They were probably making quite the spectacle on the street. She really didn't care.
Reluctantly he released her. He pressed his forehead to hers. "I'm sorry. I'm an idiot."
"But you're my idiot."
"Always."
She leaned back and studied his face. His cheekbones stood out too much, announcing how much weight he had lost. "When is the trial?"
He sighed. "Not for months. But the lawyers have already started prepping me and Cass. We're not going to let her get out of prison. Not on a technicality."
She cupped his cheek. "But you're already not sleeping or eating."
He squeezed her hand. "I'm fine."
She quirked an eyebrow.
"I'll do better."
"Yes, you will because I'm going to keep an eye on you." She drew his head down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "You are precious to me. Don't forget that."
"I won't."
They stood there for a moment looking at each before Vex asked, "So what now?"
"Well, we could go back to the cafe and have coffee with Keyleth and your brother."
Vex thought about it for a moment and then shook her head. "No, I don't want to do that."
He gave her a grin and pulled her close. "Or we could go back to yours or mine and celebrate our reunion."
She let out a mock gasp. "Percival de Rolo, are you propositioning me on the street?"
"Yes." He gave a quick but heated kiss. "Is it working?"
She gave him a sultry grin. "Let's go to your place and find out."
scene change scene change scene change scene change scene change
Keyleth gave a squeal of delight as she watched Vex and Percy walk away together. "It worked! It actually worked!"
"Great," Vax said. "So, can we go to the movies now?"
She whirled to her boyfriend. "Aren't you happy for them? They're back together!"
"Yes, very happy," he said dryly as he steered her away from the cafe. "But I want us to get away before Vex remembers to come back and kick our asses."
"Oh, she wouldn't," Keyleth protested. She grabbed his arm. "She wouldn't, right?"
"Well, we did trick her into coming to the cafe and running into Percy when she was trying to avoid him at all costs."
"But look what happened! They're back together again."
"And let's hope she stays so happy that she forgets to be mad."
She snuggled into his side. "Your sister is scary."
He laughed and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Absolutely. But don't worry. I'll protect you from Vex."
"You better. Or I'll tell her it was your idea."