#LOOK I JUST HAVE ALL THE VEX AND PERCY FEELINGS OKAY | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

blueseachelle · 2 years

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Hi I just saw your post!

Could I ask you do an imagine with percy or vax (or both😅) where they find their soulmate and what it is like. Smut if you like.

Thank you 😊

I can do that! I gotcha! This will not be NSFW. Some spoilers for Season 2 will be in this. I have many other requests in the web I’m creating right now. So, we’ll have an easy one today!

Percy De Rolo

You would join Vox Machina off a whim. Got caught up in a tavern brawl and got kicked out with them.

You actually hit it off with Scanlan and Grog out of the rest of the group first. Then, Pike, Vax, and Vex. Percy didn’t accept you at first. He was wary of you because of his past.

You made it your entire effort into wanting to become Percy’s friend. You slowly gained more feelings for him the more you harassed him into a friendship.

He slowly became comfortable with you. Of course, you would never know that. He loves your company. He will never admit it.

You both are on the same wave length with everything, be it his crafting or to strategy in battle. Always by each others side.

You could sense something familiar about his aura. He found the same in you.

Soon enough, he found comfort in you. Just your presence can help ease if spiraling spirit.

He would always tell himself this is nothing more than a friendship but, he always felt deep down that he was lying to himself.

You knew you loved him with all your heart so, you would always remain by his side. No matter if he got with someone else or never at all.

He wouldn’t realize you are his soulmate until the falling of Whitestone.

You were the only one that could calm down his inner turmoil and was the one to sacrifice everything you could to keep him and his friends safe.

He finally knew it for sure when he was getting taken over by the spirit his gun possessed and accidentally shot you in the side. (As we know that never happened but in this little imagine, it did).

You went down and it snapped him into reality. He ran to catch your body only to be stopped by Scanlan and Grog as Keyleth got to work after being brought back herself.

After that day, for a while, he couldn’t stand to be out of his quarter’s at the Keep. He even refused to look at himself in the mirror.

You made a swift recovery and was told by the rest of the group about what Percy has been doing, Isolating himself.

You went to his door and knocked on it.

Percy was hesitant but opened the door. Before he could do anything, you hugged him and told him that it wasn’t his fault and that he’s okay.

He was caught off guard as he hugged you back. He listened as you consoled him, telling him that it was the spirit inside that did it, not him, and that he didn’t need to worry anymore because its gone and she is okay now.

He slowly pulled you inside during the hug and closed the door. After it shut, he let out the tears he didn’t know he was holding back.

He let himself spill, telling how he felt and that he is sorry. He needed to tell you that he wants to be by your side forever.

Of course, you feeling the same told him that you will never leave and that if you can handle what just happened and can make amends, you can get through anything.

Vax’ildan

I feel like Vax is really in tune with himself.

When he first meets you in a market place, he stole your coin purse but, your keen eye saw him do it and you stole it back and his on top of it. Sending him a wink as you walked away.

He was starstruck. He at least knew that he was in love with you.

When they moved on, he hoped to revisit and see you again but, he didn’t hold to any hope because people have lives and move around too.

He long forgot about you after that because he and the group were really busy and he got caught up in other feelings for Keyleth, which didn’t end well for him so, he hasn’t thought much of you.

After the Chroma Conclave destroyed Emon, He and his friend departed to Vasselheim in search of allies.

Guess who’s there? You!

You are actually are a mercenary. You help whoever pays you, be it the Slayer’s Take or other people.

After being rejected by the clergy, the group was making there way over to the Slayer’s Take and that’s when he spotted you.

You were walking out of there as they walked up. You a large sack of gold that you finished your bounty for and was about to head out.

Before you went too far, Kashaw opened the door and called you back in, telling that the Patron needs to talk to you.

He watched as you sighed and headed back inside.

He raised and eyebrow, You’re so important that the Patron needs to speak with you directly. Interesting.

You were a mystery to him and he loved every second of it. He thought he was the most mysterious person he knew. Not by a long shot.

When they walked in, the quarrel happened until the Patron lets them down to speak with them.

You waited down there on Osysa’s throne was she dealt with each member.

When Vax was encountered, a number of things were said but, one of the most important ones was, ‘You sought love and it wasn’t found but love is a mysterious thing. Soulmates will always be drawn back to each other, no matter the distance or time it takes. Remember what has happened and reflect on this. Love will never always be right in front of you always. Follow your spirit and you will know.’

Vax knew she was talking about you. His spirit was saying it over and over was she spoke to him.

After the dust cleared and they proved themselves worth, you were introduced by Osysa herself.

Osysa knew your heart that you hid away from everyone, she knew that you would help them and not screw them over. Plus, you are preferred to handle in the affairs of God’s, given that you are a Warlock.

Vax couldn’t take his eyes off you. He repeated your name over and over in his head. His spirit seemed to scream out to be next to you.

As Osysa sent you all away, she gave you a knowing look. You two were best friends. You were always there for Osysa ever since you have been confirmed to be of a righteous heart.

The glacé she gave you made you grin and tease back, ‘I’ll tell your hubby you said hi!’

Vax immediately as you all were walking out went up next to you, ‘Hello, I’m Vax’ildan. It’s nice to actually know your name now.’

You just smirked at him, ‘Maybe ask a name before yanking there coin purse next time.’

With that, you passed him as he stood in shock for a second. He watched as your hips swayed slightly back and forth.

It took Scanlan to break him from his thoughts, ‘Someone’s gots the hots’ He semi whispered to Grog in a singsong voice. Grog laughed and covered his mouth.

Vax just rolled his eyes and continued walking.

You hit it off with Pike, Grog, and Scanlan immediately. Everyone slowly pulled there way into your conversations.

As your journey continued, Vax admired you more and more. You’re beautiful, smart, cunning, stealthy, and just a wonderful person in general. He loved it.

After you an everyone made it successfully into the tomb, Percy found the armor.

Instead of hitting Vex’ahlia, it hit you. Killing you in an instant. Vax lost it.

He ran to your corpse and held it tightly as he cried. He just got you. He will not lose you this quickly.

As everyone was trying to resurrect you, Vax had his vision and told the Raven Queen to take him instead of you.

She excepted and you came back. He was so relieved. Yet, his emotions couldn’t express it. He just went and put on the armor.

You realized something was off immediately about Vax. You didn’t know him long but, Osysa told you he was the one. You knew it too but, it’s nice to hear it from your best friend.

After being sabotaged and Vax clutching up, you sat by the fire and watched Vax. He stood and stared into space.

You walked over to him and rested your hand on his new armor.

You knew what he did because of your affairs with the Gods and Goddesses themselves.

You looked at him, ‘Can you go on a walk with me?’

He agreed and you both started walking.

‘I know what you did. You aren’s the only one that see visions and Gods.’

Vax stopped in his tracks and looked at you, ‘I did it to save you. Nothing more.’

‘You lost part of your soul when you did that. That’s why you’re cold and distant now. Don’t worry. I used to be the same. I made a pact too. My feelings came back after I met you.’

Vax felt a rush of emotions come over him. He knew that he had someone to rely on now. He knew that you shared the pain he feels right now.

He hugged you tightly like you were going to disappear again. He let the tears flow as he held you. You held him back as he sobbed. You whispered to him that everything will be okay and that you will be there until the end.

At that point he knew for a fact, you were his soulmate. Be in life or amongst the Gods.

#vox machina #d&d 5e #x reader #dungeons and dragons #percy de rolo #percy de rolo x reader #percival de rolo #critical role #dragons #vax’ildan #vax x reader #tlovm vax smut #vaxildan #vax’ildan x reader #tlovm vax #tlovm x you

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your-turn-to-role · 2 years

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so, was rewatching s1 of lovm, got to episode three again. and i'm thinking about percy's backstory. and also because of sylas briarwood, thinking about dalen's closet

and percy's got a real interesting relationship with the concept of drowning, huh

i mean first of all he's almost drowned (or actually drowned) three major times in the story. and all of those had similar themes, though different outcomes

so to explain what i mean, let's look at these in chronological order

1) the river. one of the worst days of his life, if not the actual worst. watching your entire family murdered, being locked up and tortured, your siblings bodies dumped in the cells next to you, just to rub it in. after weeks of this, you learn your youngest sister is alive, and she helps you escape, it's the first tiny bit of hope you've had. and then they kill her. you realise you're on your own all over again. you're hurt and you're lost and you don't know what to do, you run because you can't do anything else. and then you trip and before you know it you're in water and it's freezing and you can't breathe or move and you're so scared and so tired- and you don't remember much after that

when that fishing boat finds percy, he's basically in a fugue state, he has no idea what's going on and is barely responding to anything, his mind just couldn't take it anymore and left. and it doesn't get any better when he comes back to himself, because he survived, but for what. they're all gone. he couldn't do anything about it. he couldn't even save his sister like she saved him

and yes, they eventually save whitestone, and get cass back, but that experience stays with him

because then we get 2) duskmeadow.

percy's just learned that ripley bought up near industrial amounts of gunpowder, and he's terrified. he doesn't know what she's planning, but he knows what she will do with his weapons will change the world for the worse. it'll get countless people killed. and he made the decision to let her go, because at the time his personal revenge mattered more to him. he's feeling that "i survived for what" more than ever, because now not only did he survive when his family didn't, he didn't deserve to be the one that survived. none of the others would have caused destruction on this scale. he's not just alive for no reason, him being alive made things worse. (this is kinda explicitly his most suicidal point in the campaign, to the point of he literally wrote a goodbye letter that evening, and then just kept it on his person knowing vox machina would find it when his mistakes inevitably got him killed)

and so he goes to ask the raven queen for help. he's not yet reached the point where he's stopped trusting in gods (this meeting is about to be what sparks that), and he knows she's helped vax, so maybe she can help him, tell him how to fix this, he'll do anything

but there's only one way to talk to the raven queen. and that's to willingly let yourself drown in the communion pool.

and he tries, he tries so hard. he's putting every bit of trust he has in the raven queen right now, that this will be okay. but it's freezing and he can't breathe and he's so scared and so tired and all he can think about is how he survived and he shouldn't have, and then he has a panic attack. the only reason it eventually works is because he hits his head on the stone of the pool and then he's too confused and hurt to fight it

and when he finally talks to her, she tells him he can't fix it. that he was a broken person right from the start.

so far his two experiences with drowning have not only caused him lasting trauma around the whole experience, but continually affirmed that he's not only incapable of saving anyone he cares about, he actually makes the situation worse just by getting involved. and drowning honestly in itself makes a pretty good metaphor for how overwhelming and out of his control all of this is

but 3) dalen's closet. god, this was so good for percy and vex in so many ways, you can keep meta-ing about this episode for years. and in this case, sylas' attempt to murder vex and percy? chain them up and drop them from a cliff into the ocean

they're both drowning. there's no easy way out, and no one around who could rescue them

their attempts to free themselves, while clever, don't work

vex loses consciousness

it's just percy, alone, about to lose the person he loves most in the world, again. to a man who only knew vex even existed because percy got her involved

and percy doesn't panic

by all rights he should have, he's certainly got more than enough reason to. but he manages to stay calm enough to figure out a way to get his head above water, and to yell for help, because his fault or no he is not losing anyone else

and because of that, their friends can find them in time. he didn't get vex killed, he saved her

he's not helpless underwater anymore. and he's certainly not broken beyond repair. and it's only now that he's come far enough to realise that

#i think the fact that he has a daughter in dalen's closet also helps #she's only a few months old but she means the world to him #and she's proof that not everything he's ever created is evil #anyway i love him #cr1 #percy de rolo #meta #cr thoughts

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waltwhitmansbeard · 1 year

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a little thing based on this art. nsfw but not explicit.

Keyleth didn't buy the lingerie for herself. She never would—it just seems so...frivolous, and expensive, and embarrassing. She understands the appeal—people like soft, delicate things, like butterflies and lace—but...it just wasn't her.

Which is why she couldn't help but stare owlishly when a package was dumped unceremoniously in her lap on a random afternoon by a sun-kissed Pike. "Happy birthday."

"My...birthday was four months ago."

Pike shrugged. "Time is an illusion. Go on, open it."

Nothing could have surprised her more than the forest green negligee and matching panties she discovered nestled among blush pink tissue paper when she opened up the box. She sputtered out half a dozen different sentences at once, before finally choking out, "Why?"

"I thought it would go nicely with your complexion. I got a royal blue for Vex, because, y'know, she's got a motif going on." Pike smirked. "My set is yellow."

"Do we...have matching underwear?"

Pike rolled her eyes and hopped up on the couch in Keyleth's Zephran cottage. "Not matching, I just got a set for each of us. Y'know..." She elbowed Keyleth in the ribs. "For fun."

"Oh." Her blush extended all the way down her arms. "So this—I mean—I'm supposed to—"

"Keyleth, you can do what you want with it. Vex is gonna use hers to fuck Percy nasty, and I like to wear mine to dance around the house." She paused. "And also to fuck nasty. But why don't you just try wearing yours to sleep? It doesn't have to be sexual if you don't want it to be."

Keyleth swallowed hard. "Right."

"I mean, you put this on and Vax is definitely gonna break his leash, but—"

"OKAY, THANK YOU PIKE." She slammed the lid of the box closed and buried her face in her hands.

And yet, here she is, just a week later, inexplicably wearing the surprisingly soft lingerie set, lounging on the bed with a book in her hand. It's not a particularly interesting read—something about architecture and city planning that Percy insisted she peruse—but at least it'll help her fall asleep. Vax is curled up beside her, his long hair a waterfall up over his pillow, and she's got an arm around him, keeping him close, her favorite place for him to be.

Pike wasn't wrong: the first time Vax saw her wearing this, face red and lip chewed nervously, his eyes bulged—as did other things. But when she stammered out an explanation, he took her face in his hands, kissed her gently, and said, "You're always beautiful, and I always want you." His fingers toyed with the hem of the negligee. "This is just...bonus."

Now she pulls him in tighter, eying him over his shoulder. He's pretending to be asleep, probably to guilt her into turning off the light so he actually can go to sleep, and she takes the opportunity to admire him in the way she so often feels him admiring her. His muscles are long and ropey, giving him a deceptively wiry look, and in the past year or so since she's given it to him, the burn scar of her palm in the center of his back has healed into a warm red the color of her freckles. He is, in a word, sexy, and wearing this ridiculous, frilly thing makes her feel sexy too, a feeling that is so often foreign to her.

She catches him peeking over his shoulder at her. "Ah, so you are awake."

"No I'm not." He grins.

She sets the book on the nightstand beside her. "That sucks. If you were awake..." The sentence dangles in an unfinished suggestion.

His head fully cranes around, eyes dancing hopefully. "Yeah?"

Keyleth shrugs, and the motion makes the gauzy negligee ripple across her stomach. "But you're so tired."

He's on her then, warm body held aloft over hers by arms leaned by years of hurling daggers and scaling walls. "Oh, trust me." His smile glitters, playful and devilish. "I would love nothing more for you to tire me out."

And as his hand comes skittering up beneath the nightie, she grins up into a kiss, silently thanking Pike for the strangest, best gift she would never have asked for.

#critical role #critical role fic #cr fic #tlovm #tlovm fic #vox machina #vox machina fic #vaxleth #vaxleth fic #my fic

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belphegor1982 · 2 months

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Scanlan with 17, if you feel so inclined ✨

(17. Tending to an injury/wound/illness from the Put That Guy in a Situation™ Ask Game/Prompt list)

*rubs hands* You know, it just so happens that I had an idea floating in my head and that I was able to use it for your prompt. Thought it might be a nice little 1,000-word story, maaaaybe 2,000, but instead have this 6,100 word behemoth! Thank you so much for the opportunity to write for these characters 💜 I'll post it on AO3 ASAP!

—

Friends in Low Places

“—og! Grog! Scanlan! Can you hear me?”

There’s a voice in Grog’s ear, piercing through the fog, and he makes an effort to shake the cobwebs because Pike almost sounds scared and she never does.

It works, and he realises a few things in rapid succession:

Pike is calling through the earring.

They were all fighting some big beast with lots of teeth and claws. Now they’re not. (At least Grog isn’t.)

They were in a cave, deep underground, and the fight happened right next to a really big drop. Presumably Grog is still in the cave, just… a lot lower.

And last, he’s covered in rocks and pebbles and dirt like a blanket, curled up on himself around something warm and small –

Oh, that’s another thing: Scanlan is alive, too. His breath is coming hard and fast against the middle of Grog’s chest, tickling the scar tissue there, and he’s clutching Grog so tight Grog can almost feel the sting of nails. (Grog likes to think he has really thick skin, so that’s saying something.)

“Guys, speak up if you’re okay – or at least alive,” comes another voice, sharper. Vex.

Grog feels Scanlan move around a little.

“I don’t know about ‘okay’,” he croaks, like the inside of his throat is coated in dust, same as Grog. His voice makes a weird echo in the earring. “But, uh, the other thing, I guess.”

Scanlan is one of those people who often uses more words than necessary. Grog doesn’t mind; that’s just how he is. Besides, Scanlan being tricky with words is a good thing more often than not.

Still, Grog unlocks one of his arms to touch his own earring and says, “We’re good.”

There’s an assortment of relieved noises in his ear. Instead of trying to make out what Vex, Vax, Percy and Keyleth are saying (that would take too long), he zeroes in on Pike’s voice. It shakes just a little still when she asks, “Do you think you can climb back up?”

Good question. Grog unfolds completely – realising in the process that he’s been wrapped around Scanlan, who also slowly lets go of him – and looks up.

And up.

Not that he can see all that well in the dark, even with the dull light of some of the weird worms Keyleth said are attracted to warm spots, but man, this cliff is high. And, unfortunately, way too steep to climb.

“I don’t think so,” says Scanlan, his head tilted real far back, and Grog remembers gnomes can see pretty well in the dark. “I can’t even see you guys.”

“Man, this is deep. How the hell are you still alive?” There’s wonder in Vax’s voice. Now that Grog thinks about it, yeah, that’s a good question.

They’ve been hired by a local mine owner to kill a monster that mangled and munched on some miners; nobody was sure what it was, other than pointy, dangerous, and probably hungry. After two days underground the S.H.I.T.s finally found the thingy – a big beast with long spikes on its tail and fangs that had to be worth a lot of gold each. Grog, who still had no idea what it was except ‘a future corpse’ (and didn’t really care), called it ‘the thingy’. Then, since it just wouldn’t die, apparently, not without trying to take all of them with it, he called it ‘that fucker’ as he hacked at it with his great axe, grinning all the while (gods, whaling on monsters is fun). And then none of that shit mattered, because it scuttled back and swept its tail behind in a wide arc, aiming for the spot Scanlan stood at a safe distance hitting it with magic (and hitting them with healing spells).

Grog completely stopped enjoying himself or wondering what the creature was called. Instinct took over. He bolted between the spikes and his friend and the giant tail knocked them both over the edge of a drop.

Neither of them died, so clearly it was the best decision.

“What happened to the thingy?” he asks as Scanlan opens his mouth to answer Vax’s question. That seems more of a pressing concern.

“Oh, it’s dead,” comes Keyleth’s voice, then some shuffling as Grog pictures her nudging something heavy with her foot. “Yup, very dead. Ew.”

“I’ll put a handful of fangs into the bag of holding,” says Vex, sounding like she’s not exactly looking forward to it, “so we can show them to Barandiaran and get paid. A couple of those spikes, too. Doesn’t look like they’re venomous, but they might be worth something. Oh, and Keyleth picked up your axe, Grog.”

“Hey, thanks, Keyleth.” Grog feels a little naked without his great axe, but at least he knows it’s in good hands and he’s gonna get it back soon.

Scanlan, who’s been looking a little put out that Grog cut him off, crosses his arms and looks vaguely upwards, in the direction Grog assumes the rest of their friends are.

“Yeah, that’s nice. What about us? How do we come up?”

“I’m not sure you can,” Percy remarks, sounding distracted, like he’s thinking hard. Just as Grog and Scanlan glance at each other in alarm, he continues, “So I guess we’ll have to go to you. Do you see a way out?”

“Hah, yeah sure, we… Wait.” Scanlan peers towards the back of the cavern which, to Grog, looks exactly like the sides of the cavern – utterly dark. “Hang on, I think we actually passed this way earlier on our way up. It’s not far from where we last set up camp to lunch-dinner-whatever.”

“Are you sure?”

If it was anyone else than Pike who asked, Grog is fairly sure Scanlan would have said something snarky; but Scanlan is funny about Pike. Even in the dark at a foot of a cliff, where she can’t see him, he beams like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

“Sure I’m sure! I dropped an apple core not far from here – pretty sure I can find it again if nothing ate it in the meantime.”

“Do not move,” says Vex, almost as sharp as when she demanded a sign of life from them. “Seriously. Stay put, we’re coming down to meet you. You’re closer to the way out anyway, we’ll be retracing our steps.”

“Sure you’re both okay?” Pike asks. “Not hurt?”

Grog smiles. As usual, he took some damage in the fight, scuffs and scrapes and things – he’s definitely gonna have new scars on his shoulder and his thigh – but he’s super tough and he heals fast. And apart from a few bruises of his own Scanlan doesn’t move like someone who’s injured.

They both reply in the negative. Scanlan’s answer is longer and more flowery. Pike says, “…O–kay,” a little uncertain, but it sounds more like she’s still worried rather than her usual disconcerted and/or amused response to Scanlan being Scanlan. Then, because she’s the best, she adds just for Grog, “See you soon, buddies” before the earrings go silent as they walk away and out of range.

The scratch on his thigh is smarting a little and sending tingles down his leg, so Grog makes himself comfortable on the ground while Scanlan stares up the cliff with a funny look on his face.

“That really was a hell of a drop, huh.” He looks back at Grog and smiles. “Thanks, bud. I think I would’ve looked like one of those fancy holey cheeses if you hadn’t been there.”

Grog shrugs. “I mean, it’s not a big deal.” Then, as Scanlan gets a look on his face like he disagrees and it is a big deal, “Hey, by the way, did you do somethin’? ‘Cause for a second there I thought we were gonna go splat.”

He registered sensations as they fell, other than the wind whistling in his ears and his body trying to curl into the tightest ball imaginable to protect his insides and Scanlan’s. A muffled voice against his chest, a warm tingle enveloping him, the impression that the world slowed down for a couple of heartbeats before he crashed into the ground. Either he developed powers – which he doesn’t rule out, maybe he is a secret wizard and just didn’t know it till then – or Scanlan used his own.

It’s hard to see in the mostly-dark, but he thinks Scanlan looks miffed at the ‘no big deal’ for a second before he shakes his head and grins.

“Well, yeah. I had one spell left in me and I wasn’t about to—what the hell, Grog, is that blood yours!?”

His face went from smiling to shocked in the middle of his sentence. Grog frowns and looks down.

Oh.

Yeah.

Shit.

The scratch on his leg isn’t very big, but turns out it’s a lot deeper than he thought. One of the thingy’s tail spikes must have gone deep into the meat of his thigh. It doesn’t hurt more than the kind of injury that takes care of itself with a bit of rest, so Grog honestly hasn’t noticed till now, but it’s bleeding steadily, probably has been since their fall. There would be a little puddle of blood on the ground under his knee if rivulets weren’t slowly trickling down the slow incline and around the bigger pebbles. The back of his trouser leg is warm and sticky almost down to the top of his boot.

“Huh,” says Grog, blinking down. At least that explains the pins and needles in his leg. “That’s, uh. Not. Good?”

“Not good, sure, let’s go with that.” Scanlan hurries closer and starts rummaging around Grog’s belt and trousers. Good thing Grog isn’t ticklish.

“Lookin’ for something?”

“Yeah, the bag – where is it?”

“I don’t have the bag,” says Grog, who doesn’t like that Scanlan’s usual grin disappeared. Scanlan’s always smiling. “I gave it to Keyleth, and she gave it to Percy.”

“Gave it to… Why?”

“He wanted to keep working on a ‘project’ bigger than his pepperbox. Said he needed the bag to keep the parts.”

“Okay, but you don’t happen to have a healing potion on you, do you?”

“Nah, they’re all in the bag. That’s also why I gave it to Keyleth: you lot need those potions way more than me.”

Scanlan stops frisking him and stares up at him.

“I guess, but what happens when you need one and you don’t have any on hand?”

“Then Pike heals me, gets me back up. Or Keyleth, or Vex, or you. I mean, you have magic, right?”

“Sorry, big guy,” Scanlan says slowly, “I’m beat. I don’t have anything useful left – most I can do right now is try to send a message thirty feet away or hurt somebody’s feelings, and neither works on rocks.” He searches his own pockets and adds with a grimace, “Damn, I don’t even have the fun stuff on me.”

“What fun stuff?”

“Just straps and ribbons and things.” Grog blinks; Scanlan shrugs. “You never know when you’re gonna meet somebody who’s down with a bit of bondage. But they’re all in my pack, and I put my pack in the bag of holding –”

“Why’d you do that?”

“Because it was heavy and I wanted to move quickly in case we found the thingy, or the other way around!”

That’s… a good reason, Grog muses. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that not everyone has his muscles and endurance.

Scanlan stands there for a second, his hands in his pockets, slouching slightly. He bites his lip, looks at Grog’s leg, and shrugs off the leather vest he uses as armour. Then he starts to undo the few buttons on his shirt that aren’t already undone.

“Uhh,” says Grog, baffled, “what are you doing?”

“What does it look like? I’m stripping.”

“Okay, but why? Oh, you mean you wanna, like, bang?”

Grog knows Scanlan likes having sex, a lot. Which is fair; so does Grog. Having sex is awesome. But this is Scanlan, his second best little buddy, the guy who never balks at going with him to houses of lady favours, one of the very few people he knows who never talk down to him or treat him like he’s too stupid to understand things. Grog loves him a lot, and the thought of having sex with people he loves is too weird to contemplate.

Also, while a few girls Grog had the best kind of naked fun with had dicks, he’s never been with a dude, and he has a feeling it’d be kinda weird, too.

So he sits up straighter and tries to recall the words Pike taught him in case someone was interested in him and he wasn’t.

“’Cause if you do, I am sorry,” he says, sounding out each word carefully, “you are a great person and I respect you very much, but I am not attracted to you like that.”

He must have got it right on the first try, because Scanlan chuckles as he takes off his shirt.

“You don’t know what you’re missing, buddy. Don’t worry, though, I will do my best to live with the sting of rejection.”

He eyes his shirt, then Grog’s thigh, and makes a whole-body eh gesture before walking right up to Grog. “No, my big, incredibly sexy goliath friend, I’m not trying to woo you. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’d totally be DTF if, you know, you were interested and I’d get to not be dead by the time we’re done, but that’s not why you’re getting a strip tease.”

“So?” asks Grog, still puzzled. It was warm in the part of the cave where they fought the thingy; Keyleth said it’s because of some gas that makes it smell like walking into a fart at times. But Scanlan usually gets cold way before he does. Why did he take off his clothes?

“So, while we’re waiting for the others to waltz back in and save the day…” Scanlan stops, cocks his head to the side. “By which I mostly mean Pike. She’s amazing like that. Hopefully she still has energy for some spells left – but failing that, a bag full of healing potions works, too. Anyway,” he adds, crouching in front of Grog and trying to wedge the shirt under his thigh as gingerly as he can, “while we’re waiting, you’re getting a bandage so you don’t bleed to death. Or rather the funny word Vex said that time, way back, before Pike came into the picture… You know, the thing she tied around Vax’s arm when he got stabbed bad… What was it – sounded kinky, like pourniquey, or… Tourniquet! That’s it!”

The triumphant grin turns into a grimace when he has to pull on his shirt with all his might to fasten it properly. He’s so small there’s almost not enough material to tie a really tight knot, even when Grog gives him a hand and pulls on the sleeves as hard as he dares. So Grog also keeps his right hand firmly on the wound, half at Scanlan’s insistence and half because of a dim memory from when he was really young, of seeing a fellow member of the Herd clutching a gushing wound to keep the blood inside while other people ran for a healer. His father made him watch so he’d toughen out. Grog guesses it worked.

When they’re done, Scanlan takes a step back and a satisfied look at his handiwork with his fists on his hips.

“There you go. Deluxe bandage. I’ll be taking that shirt back when you’re done with it, though. That’s imported silk from Marquet.”

Grog watches the blood slowly seep into the fabric, dark on white, and frowns.

“Scanlan?”

“Yes, bud.”

“Do you really think I’ll bleed to death? ‘Cause that would be a shitty way to go.”

Scanlan’s eyebrows go up, his smile goes down. He goes to sit on Grog’s left and elbows him in the side.

“What? No, Grog, come on. You’ll probably go out fighting dragons and hydras, only you’ll be so old by then people will wonder How the hell is he still alive and still so awesome? Also, who is that extremely handsome gnome bard who seems so chummy with him? Do you think they’re single? Unless you’d prefer to die peacefully in your bed, surrounded by your kids and grandkids. That might not be so bad, either.”

“Pssh, are you kidding me?” Grog scoffs. “That last one sounds lame. I prefer the other one, it’s badass. Plus I’m a dude, so it’s not like I can have kids, right?”

Scanlan scrunches up his face.

“I mean. You don’t get to, you know, grow them inside you, but you do get to help make ‘em if you want some. As far as I know that’s the fun part anyway.”

Then, as Grog nods and does his best to look knowledgeable, he gives him a funny look.

“Grog.”

“Yes?”

“You… do know how kids happen, right?”

“Obviously,” says Grog, who has little to no idea, but who’d rather get stabbed by a thingy again rather than admit it.

Scanlan shuffles forward to perch himself on Grog’s good leg, just before his knee, and squints up at him.

“Okay. Spill. Where do you think babies come from?”

“’That a trick question?” Grog scratches the back of his head and tries to dredge up relevant memories. The topic’s never been of much interest to him. “Well, sometimes ladies get big, so they go to the healer’s tent and, well, they make the babies, I guess.”

About a year after he came to live with the Trickfoots, Pop-Pop Wilhand tried to explain what that entailed exactly. His explanation was long, rambly, and full of embarrassed hemming and throat-clearing. He said something about a man and a woman loving each other very much, then segued into flowers and bees, and by the time he reached the tadpoles Grog had checked out completely. He listened politely, or rather waited for Wilhand to finish his speech so he could go outside and help Pike chop up wood. Wilhand did so with relief and the pleased look of someone having Done Their Duty, and Grog walked away wondering what the hell that was about.

Technically he could ask Pike about it, of course, but he won’t. Either she got the same talk and didn’t understand either, or she knows a lot more than him and he’d look like an idiot.

It’s always hard to read Scanlan at the best of times, but at least he’s not laughing at Grog, just staring at him like he’s expecting more.

“Uh-huh. Okay. But before that?”

Grog is sitting in a puddle of blood that isn’t even someone else’s, his thigh started throbbing while he wasn’t paying attention, and he hates feeling cornered like this. His patience has limits. He crosses his arms against his chest and says in a huff, “I don’t know, mate, that looked like none of my business, so I didn’t ask, okay? Nobody ever managed to explain that shit properly, anyway, so I figured it was magic. Just works and no one really knows how.”

Scanlan looks blank for a few seconds. Then he smiles widely, and to Grog’s relief it’s not the kind of smile that means he’s gonna say something snarky.

“It’s not magic, buddy – well, not that kind of magic, anyway. It’s just sex.”

“What?” asks Grog gruffly.

“People make kids by having sex.”

“You’re messin’ with me.”

“I’m not!” exclaims Scanlan, throwing up his hands in the air. “I promise!”

Grog pauses to think. “…Really?”

“Yep. That’s why I said helping make them was the fun part, not actually making them.”

He did say that. Grog thinks some more.

“So… a dude really can’t, like. Grow a baby.”

“If he has a vag and the right insides, sure he can.”

“Oh. Cool.”

“But you need at least two people to bump uglies for that. One of each set.”

Grog taps his finger against his chin. “So, uh. How’s that work?”

And Scanlan explains, matter-of-factly, with normal words and all sorts of expressive gestures, what goes where and how. It doesn’t sound all that complicated. Why so many people clam up and go red about it is just baffling.

But then something disturbing occurs to him.

“Scanlan?”

“Oi?”

“Do I help make a baby every time I visit a house of lady favours?”

“Nah,” says Scanlan confidently. “There’s potions and cantrips for that kind of stuff. These ladies are pros, they know what they’re doing.”

“And the ladies that aren’t pros?”

Scanlan looks thoughtful for all of two seconds. Then he waves the thought away. “Like I said, potions and cantrips. I’m sure it’s fine. If you don’t forget to pull out in time it’s all hunky dory.”

“Oh, good.”

Then he remembers he’s supposed to keep a hand on his thigh, to help the doohickey do its thing. After he presses his palm flat on the wound again, though, he lifts his hand again to glance at it real quick, and frowns.

There’s a lot of blood on and under his leg. More than before. His palm drips with it and some of it is seeping up on the back of his hand from between his fingers. The doohickey did slow down the flow, but Grog’s pretty sure that so much blood on the outside rather than the inside is a bad sign. So’s the tingling that started in his fingers and has been creeping up to his elbows in the last few minutes.

Nothing he or Scanlan can do anything about, though, so he doesn’t bring it up.

Scanlan is humming absently, still sitting on Grog’s good leg. He leans back and yawns, then mutters, “Where’d they go, by way of Wildemount? We didn’t take so long going up, right?”

Grog shrugs. Without the sun or the night sky it’s always hard to tell the passage of time, so he stopped trying. Maybe it’s night outside and his body knows it, hence the impression that the ground is leeching warmth from his bones.

“Gettin’ cold too, huh?” he asks with a jerk of his chin to Scanlan’s bare chest. Scanlan shakes his head.

“Gods, no. This place is more stuffy than the Nine Hells. Well, maybe not literally, it’s probably even hotter down there, but I’m not sure it smells worse. Like… farts and rotten eggs. Ugh.”

“Can’t be that warm if I’m getting cold,” Grog points out, lower than he means to. Wait, when did it get hard to speak at a normal volume?

And why are his eyelids so heavy all of a sudden?

Scanlan’s gaze whips up to his face then down to his leg so fast Grog has trouble following. He springs up and sits astride Grog’s other knee, close enough to press a hand on the wound, right next to Grog’s. His hand is so tiny that it immediately looks like he dunked it in blood.

“Shit,” he says in a tone so sober it sends a chill up Grog’s spine. With the other hand he touches his earring. “Guys, can you hear me? Pike? Pike, we need you here, fast, it’s… Ah, fuck.”

Nobody answers. They’re still out of range. Numbers are stupid and make no sense, but ‘five hundred feet’ suddenly sounds like a lot anyway.

Numbers are stupid; Grog isn’t. He doesn’t need to be able to count to weigh up the odds and see that they’re starting to look bad. Like, bad bad.

The shirt Scanlan used as a doohickey has gone almost completely red, for one. So has the hand he’s pressing into Grog’s thigh with so much force – for him – Grog actually feels the weight of it. Maybe Grog should worry more about the dark that’s creeping up on the edges of his vision, but at this point it feels like too much pointless effort.

“Hey!”

Scanlan snaps his fingers in his face, making him start awake.

“None of that, you’re not going anywhere. Come on, you just gotta wait for the others. They’ll be here soon. Guys? I’m serious, get your asses down here stat. Tell you what, I’m gonna keep talking till one of you replies. I’m going to annoy the shit out of you and you’ll hurry back here just to get me to shut up. How’s that sound?”

Still no answer. Scanlan throws his head back and lets out a string of very creative swears. If Grog wasn’t halfway gone he’d congratulate him.

Gods, it is a shitty way to go. Bleeding out in the dark after fighting a thingy he didn’t even get to kill. Fighting dragons and hydras when he’s really old would’ve been so much more badass.

Somehow, without meaning to and even without much breath left, the words must have passed his lips, because he could swear Scanlan turns pale.

“Stop it, okay? You’re not helping. Forget the thingy, you’re not dying now just because of… Godsdammit! Guys! Help! Pike!”

The last word sends a jolt throughout Grog’s body. Pike is kind and bright, fierce and strong; she loves drinking and fighting and helping people. She would get sad if he died, and the world isn’t right when Pike is sad. Scanlan gets it. He’s always trying to make her smile or laugh.

“Come on, buddy, please don’t – PIKE! Oh guys, thank gods, just – no, shut up, get the fuck over here now! Pike… Please…”

Scanlan’s voice cracks a little on the last word. Grog didn’t know it could do that.

The last thought that successfully takes shape in his brain is that maybe this isn’t such a shitty way to go, after all. He saved Scanlan from the thingy, and Scanlan saved them both from the fall; and sure, he’s not taking a big badass monster with him, but he’s dying with a good friend at his side. It would have been a bummer to die alone, in the ass crack of the world, with miles and miles of rock between him and the open sky.

Grog’s right hand goes slack and slides down from his thigh.

Scanlan makes a strangled noise.

“Grog, don’t you fucking dare—”

Everything stops.

* * *

“—og. Grog. Can you hear me?”

There’s a voice in Grog’s ears, piercing through the fog, and he makes an effort to shake the cobwebs because Pike definitely sounds scared and she never does.

…Wait. This feels weirdly familiar, like a dream he’s already had.

Time pauses, rewinds. Grog recalls a fight, a fall, a friend – yeah, that definitely happened. His right thigh aches dimly, and exhaustion is weighing his bones. That tracks. But also, he’s alive, which definitely doesn’t.

Plus there’s a wet nose that smells of bear nuzzling the side of his head.

Voices burst out (“Hey furball! Back off, let him breathe!” vs. “Trinket, darling, give him some space”), but as usual there’s only one Grog really pays attention to.

Sure enough, when he works his eyes open, Pike is crouching just in front of him, very pale but smiling, looking up at him with tears in her eyes. Her holy symbol is still glowing faintly from between her clenched fingers and her dark hair is falling out of her crown of braids.

“Hey, buddies,” she whispers. “Welcome back.”

Her voice quivers a little, but the small hand laid on his chest is perfectly steady. Maybe it’s the residual warmth of whatever spell she hit him with, maybe it’s just because he’s surprised and happy to find himself not dead after all, or maybe it’s because he just loves Pike a whole lot and he’s glad to see her – the last vestiges of cold leave him.

“Hi, Pike.” He frowns. “Did I die?”

She chuckles, and lets go of her pendant to wipe her nose on her sleeve.

“No. Well. Maybe just a little,” she says, still with that weird combo of big smile and wobbling voice. “You gave all of us a hell of a scare, you know.”

All of us?

Indeed, now Grog’s eyes focus farther than Pike in the light of a torch planted into the ground, there’s Keyleth, staring at him with wide eyes, shoulders trembling just a little; Vax, a look of naked relief on his face so stark it startles Grog; Vex, one hand gripping Trinket’s fur and the other grasping Grog’s good leg – whether to prop herself up or to physically make sure he’s indeed alive is anyone’s guess; Percy, both fists clenching and unclenching as though of their own accord, breathing much too deeply and carefully to be natural; and Scanlan, sat slumped near Grog, his face almost as white as his shirt was before he took it off. Blood coats both his hands past the wrists and his eyes are almost as shiny as Pike’s.

“Told you,” he says with a weak smile, “dragons and hydras. Not some random thingy in a cave that smells like farts and rotten eggs. Also –”

He holds up the bag of holding and fishes out a sparkling red bottle that he hands out to Grog.

“There you go, big guy. Bottoms up.”

The healing potion must be one of the really good ones. It goes through Grog like a trail of fire, energy fizzing to his fingers and down to his toes. He doesn’t usually need potions to heal, so it’s odd to feel flesh knitting itself up and blood rushing along his veins again. His limbs still feel weird, and he has a feeling he’s going to need some rest before he’s back to full health, but life and strength are flowing through him once more.

Turns out Scanlan was right: it takes more than a thingy to kill Grog Strongjaw.

Vex takes the empty bottle from him and the bag from Scanlan, who barely reacts, and asks, “Better now, darling?”

“Yep, all good,” Grog replies. It’s not really true, and he doesn’t miss a look from Pike that says she’s going to keep an eye on him no matter what, but it feels kinda true, and that’s enough for now. “So what now? I mean, we’re done here, right?”

“I suggest we find a safe place to camp before we head out,” says Percy, looking around as though he expects another thingy to leap out of the shadows. Which wouldn’t surprise Grog overmuch, really. This place sucks.

They all agree, and after Vax suggests they set up camp where they stopped earlier, pretty close from here, most of them leave to do just that.

To Grog’s relief, nobody fusses over him more. He’s not used to people worrying about him outside of Pike and Wilhand. It weirds him out. Vax slaps his arm with a smile and walks away, Trinket padding after him; Keyleth climbs back to her feet and pats his shoulder awkwardly, though her smile is warm and genuine; Percy gives him a nod before following her, his breathing normal again.

And Vex tightens the bag’s drawstrings and puts it in his hands.

“Grog,” she says. “Um. Listen.”

Grog listens.

“I know you can take a hit better than anyone else. It takes a lot to knock you down, like… a lot. And I know today was, well, an anomaly. But I was thinking… You should keep the bag. You know, full time.”

“Okay,” says Grog, who’s waiting to see where she’s going with it before deciding if it’s worth getting angry about. He loathes being coddled. But Vex also essentially said he was a tough motherfucker, so that makes up for it. “Why?”

“Because you’re not just tough. You’re the fastest of all of us, so if anyone needs a potion or something else from the bag in the heat of battle, you can just run and give it to them, right?”

Oh. Yeah. That’s a pretty good reason. Good thing he didn’t get angry.

“As long as you don’t forget to take one yourself when you need it, okay?” Vex adds in a softer tone. “Anyone can need first aid at some point, dear. Even a barbarian built like a brick shithouse.”

“Right.”

She looks at him intently some more, as though there’s a question in there he’s supposed to answer. When it becomes obvious that he’s said all he wanted to say, she rises, winks at him, and leaves him with Pike and Scanlan.

Vex’s winks are something else. More often than not she uses them at other people like she fires her arrows, so being on the receiving end of a nice one for a change is a treat.

“What’s that on your leg?” Pike asks Grog as they all stand up.

Grog is about to reply ‘just some blood’, but then he remembers Scanlan’s shirt is still tied around his thigh and that’s why Scanlan’s holding his leather vest instead of wearing it.

“I forgot,” he says, “I did get first aid. Scanlan made a doohickey, look.”

Pike does look at the doohickey. Then at Scanlan. Then back at the doohickey, Grog, and then Scanlan again.

Scanlan stuffs his hands into his pockets.

“I mean,” he says just a little uncertainly, “I was tapped out of useful spells and I think that’s how you tie a tourniquet – but then again, you know, I’m a bard, if you asked me what rhymes with ‘tourniquet’ that’d be more my speed. Like, I might say ‘turning key’ but good luck fitting that in a song and it doesn’t really match the scans—”

Without warning Pike grabs him into a hug. An actual hug, so sudden Scanlan doesn’t even have time to say anything, and so tight he lets out a little breathless ooof. He goes an interesting shade of red. Although maybe that’s just because he just got crushed against chain mail.

“Thank you,” she murmurs, very quietly but so fiercely Grog has no trouble making out the words. “Just a minute more, and I wouldn’t have… He’d… Thank you.”

Well then. If Grog still had any doubt left that he really would have died down here without his best little buddies… He’s not afraid to die, as such, especially if it’s against something really badass or to protect someone he loves (which is not that many people). But he’s fucking glad he didn’t.

Scanlan looks at Pike (or rather the back of her head, mostly), looks at Grog, and, wonder of wonders, says nothing for once – just holds her back a little awkwardly, his vest dangling from his hand.

It doesn’t last long anyway. Pike lets go of him and steps back quickly, looking a little self-conscious, like she just only noticed he’s naked from the waist up. Chest hair or jewellery probably doesn’t count. And that’s funny, because she’s never like that around Grog, who rarely wears anything except his trousers, belt, and boots. Plus, now, the doohickey, which he manages to loosen but not quite untie; the knot is really tight and the congealed blood isn’t helping. So he shrugs it off for now and picks up both gnomes, setting one on each shoulder. Pike is a little heavier than Scanlan, because of the chain mail, but as usual it’s like carrying a couple of kittens.

There. Just as things should be.

“Hey, Scanlan,” he says, walking towards the others while Pike wipes her eyes and clings to his shoulder a little tighter than she usually does, “sorry your shirt got messed up.”

“It’s okay, buddy. It was for a good cause.”

“You know,” says Pike, “I think a tourniquet works better with a stick. I could teach you.”

“Well, not many sticks underground, but I suppose if needs be I can always use my—”

“Your what, Scanlan?”

“—flute! I was gonna say ‘my flute’! I am not risking the Cube just to make a dick joke, guys, come on.”

“Hey Pike, remember when Wilhand said babies come from birds and tadpoles? Turns out he was wrong.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. They actually come from people havin’ sex. Do you thinks he knows?”

“I… You know, I think you should definitely tell him next time we see him. Sounds important.”

“Pike? This Wilhand, he’s your… great-grandfather, correct?”

“Great-great-grandfather, why?”

“Oh, nothing. Hey Grog, be a pal and pass me my pack, will you, there’s a clean shirt in there. Also, tell me someone picked up my flute?”

Turns out Vax did.

Having friends, Grog reflects before they settle down around a campfire and take a flagon of ale from the bag, is indeed pretty great.

⁂

(uuughhh I'm still meh about the last sentence (it's been kicking my arse for the past two days at least) 😭 I'm waiting to see if/when my beta is available to look this over before I post it on AO3, but I will as soon as I can 💜)

EDIT oh!! I had fun with a 5e monster/NPC stat block builder and homebrewed a thingy :D Let me know if you think it's appropriate for a level 5-ish party! (ngl, I ripped the Deadly Leap feature from the bulette ^^')

What do you think? Total shit or could actually work?

#critical role #vox machina #the legend of vox machina #grog strongjaw #scanlan shorthalt #pike trickfoot #vex'ahlia #vax'ildan #keyleth #percival fredrickstein von musel klossowski de rolo III #fanfiction #the big and his smalls #<3 #ask reply #my stuff

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utilitycaster · 2 years

Text

I think the enduring, if now somewhat worn threadbare appeal of Delilah Briarwood, is twofold:

She was also just a normal, if particularly skilled, regular person; and she did it, at least initially for love.

I'd argue that almost all the most interesting villains of the show were, like Delilah, normal people who crossed a line somewhere: Ripley, Avantika, Trent, and even Lucien were simply people whose zealotry, or desire for power and knowledge, eventually outstripped their humanity. If you're willing to reach far back enough, Vecna and the Somnovem were once mortal humanoids too, though the haze of time makes them a little too removed for this comparison.

The thing is, about the other modern-day villains, is that they either never, seemingly, loved anyone (Trent, Ripley) or they notably betrayed a lover or a close friend in the pursuit of their power (Avantika, Lucien). And so if you're, say, Percy, or Vex, or Fjord, or Caleb - someone who could have taken a far darker turn with the right circumstances and the right pushes - you can look at all of them and say "okay, but I'm different; I have people around me and I'd never do that to them."

Delilah though - the thing about Delilah is that she never abandons Sylas. She grieves him when he dies, even when she's otherwise succeeded, and he loves her back. The only real differences for her are that the corruption came after the love and was motivated by it and tied up in it, whereas for the PCs, their pacts and traumas came before and their feelings were seen as a way out; and that when things went too far, they wanted to stop.

Delilah was just as desperate and real as any PC. The difference is that she got Sylas back and then said "Okay, Vecna, what else you got" instead of making any attempt to extricate herself. I do, in fact, think that it's not at all unique or special that she broke the world - it's a great line, but it's something that, frankly, Percy arguably and to his chagrin did more thoroughly, and that Fjord was equally (perhaps even more so) willing to do for love.

What's unique and villainous about Delilah is that she gladly rode that wave to the bitter end and beyond instead of ever stopping and saying "okay, but what if I also tried to fix it." That is, in the end, the only line that divides her from the PCs; she could have at least attempted to extricate herself from Vecna once she had Sylas, but never did.

Laura said once that Vex could have quite easily become a Delilah-like figure. She is not alone, and all four PCs I mentioned turn down or defeat an ancient, tempting power in the end because of love, even if their actions were initially also motivated by it.

#don't talk to me about corruption arcs and evil aus if you aren't on my level #critical role #delilah briarwood

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bookish-blood · 3 months

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Deafness

Boom! Percy’s gun goes off, right next to Keyleth’s ear. She flinches and presses her left hand against her ear, trying to not let her staff fall to the ground. A high-pitched ringing sound takes over her senses and she barely dodges the attack from one of the things they are fighting (what are they, even?).

Keyleth shakes her head and tries to duck out of the way to regain her bearings, but stumbles into Vex and nearly pulls her with her to the ground. As soon as someone touches her, she again shrinks back, but then suddenly hands are grabbing her face and Vex’s face appears in fron of her. Her mouth moves, but-

„I-I-I can’t hear you,“ Keyleth manages, her own voice sounding strangely over the still present ringing. Even without Vex’s talent for lip reading she can see the „fuck“ she’s spitting out. Vex is gesticulating to someone over Keyleth’s shoulder before focusing again on her. She is trying hard to manage a soft expression but Keyleth can clearly see the worry in the lines around her eyes.

Vex soon joins the fight and Keyleth tries to help as best she can until the last enemy is chased away or killed. Still, the ringing in her ears has barely subsided and the talking of the other members of Vox Machina is barely more than a murmur to her. The worried looks are clear as day, though, as well as Percy's clumsy attempts at apologizing which she's all waved away. It hasn't been his fault.

Suddenly, Scanlan’s voice pops up inside her head. „Please don’t panic, but that seems the best way to communicate right now. So, Pike’s out of magic except for the really small things, so you have to hold out until tomorrow. You’re okay?“

„Don’t tell the others, but I’m scared,“ Keyleth confesses and looks up, finding Scanlan’s gaze.

He smiles softly. „No offense, but everyone got that. Your face has subtitles, if you know what I mean?“

Groaning, Keyleth lets her head fall back on the arms on her knees. Just a moment later, there’s a wetness at the side of her head as Trinket nuzzles her. His deep rumbling vibrates through her body. Teary-eyed, Keyleth looks up and scritches his head. „Thanks, buddy. We’re getting through this, right?“ Trinket answers with another low moan she rather feels than hears and then plops down beside her. Keyleth smiles without meaing to and leans her head against his shoulder, continuing to burrow her hands into his long, thick fur.

After a few moments, Vax’s face appears in her vision, a soft, cocked smile on his lips. He starts speaking, slowly, so that she has a better chance of following along. Oh how she wishes to be able to really hear his voice! But Keyleth can get the gist of it; the bowl in his hands certainly helps. „I’m not hungry right now.“

This causes him to frown. „Just until tomorrow. Pike needs to rest up.“

„I wish I’d have taken Lesser Restoration today.“

„How would you have known?“ Vax sits down beside her, always careful she can keep him in her field of vision to try and follow what he is saying. He nudges the bowl closer to her. „You will be alright.“

Keyleth nods mutely and reaches out; not for the bowl, but for Vax’s hand. He takes her hand and kisses her knuckles. „Tell me how to make you feel better.“

„Stay with me, please?“

„Always.“

Find the master doc here

#critter genfic bingo #cr fanfic #vox machina #keyleth #vax'ildan #vaxleth

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dreaming-in-4d · 1 year

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Beauty and the Booze - Grog Strongjaw x Dragonborn Reader

Vox Machina arrived in a new town just as night was falling. They were all tired, hungry, and magically burnt out. Grog had already decided many miles ago that his allies were in need of ale. The group headed for the local tavern only to see a large crowd gathered around the entrance.

Our heroes asked one man, "what's this here, friend?"

"A weekly ritual at this point, stranger," he replied. "Another dumb schmuck has challenged (y/n)."

"(y/n)?"

"The blacksmith's daughter."

With his great strength and might need for booze, Grog plowed through the crowd. The goliath's companions follow behind. Once inside, the adventurers take in the sight of two figures sitting across from each other with several empty mugs and a number of spectators strewn about them.

On the left is the challenger; a large man nearly seven feet tall. To the right, the reigning champion, (y/n); a dragonborn lass with shining golden scales and sharp curving horns. Her smaller stature doesn't seem to deter her from downing multiple rounds of alcohol.

Grog gazes at the hardy female, feeling both impressed and infatuated. He couldn't help but stare as the ale dribbles down her chin and onto her chest, soaking into her soot-covered shirt.

The challenger seemed to be near his limit. Onlookers could see the man going pale. Moments later, he rushes from the building to unload his insides on the outside streets.

The bar erupts in a roar of rowdy cheers as their champion arose from her seat, pumping her fists in victory.

"She's perfect," Grog swooned. Pike looked up at her lovestruck friend and smiled.

"Well lads," the draconic dame chuckled proudly, "it's been fun but I gotta head out."

She began making her exit tipsily, bumping into our heroes and unintentionally tapping shoulders with Grog.

"Oh, sorry about that, bud," she said. Grog just stood there slack-jawed and with even less brain power than usual. "Right." She moved past the crowd and began making the trek back to her own home.

Percy went to the tavern owner and acquired a couple rooms for his party. Room 1: Percy, Vex, Vax, Keyleth. Room 2: Pike, Scanlan, Grog.

Most of the party were able to knock out pretty easily while one remained awake. Grog couldn't get (y/n) out of his head. She was everything he could've ever wanted, but judging by their interaction downstairs, he didn't know how to approach his feelings.

The goliath nudged Scanlan awake. The gnome groaned, looking up at his friend with tired eyes. "Ugh, Grog, it's late. What do you want?"

"I need to ask you something," Grog explains, "do you uh...do you believe in love at first sight?"

Upon learning that this was a romantic matter, Scanlan sat up from his cot. "Well buddy," he began, "if you look just a little bit to your left you'll have your answer."

The duo moved their vision towards the sleeping form of Pike.

"I don't get it," Grog responds.

Scanlan refrains from smacking his own forehead at his friend's utter obliviousness. "Yes, Grog. Yes I do."

"Okay. And say you want to try to impress the person you're in love with. What would you do?"

"Well, going by my own talents, I'd most likely spin a heartfelt song for them. But that's me. You need to think about what you're good at."

"Hmm...fighting, smashing things...fighting...and drinking. Oh my gods. Scanlan I think I just had an amenity."

"I think you mean epiphany," Scanlan commented.

"Yeah that too"

With the situation supposedly remedied, the two friends returned to their sleep.

The next morning, Grog conspired with his two gnome friends on how to get (y/n)'s attention. The plan was for Grog to be the next person to challenge the object of his affection to a drinking contest.

The downside was that Grog was in no position to talk to her when out of his element. Instead, Scanlan was sent as a singing telegram to the daughter of the blacksmith.

Scanlan entered the smith's shop, its walls and shelves filled to the brim with well-grafted weapons and armor. His eyes first take notice of a towering dragonborn working at the forge.

"Um, hey there," he said awkwardly.

The draconic male stepped away from his tools and greeted him saying, "good day, my small friend. How can I help ye today?"

"I come on behalf of a lovestruck goliath."

"Well you may tell them I'm flattered but I'm already married."

"Well actually his affections are directed to your daughter."

"(y/n)? How unforeseen. Very well. (y/n)!"

(y/n) enters the shop from the back door dressed in full artificer's regalia. "What is it, dad?"

"This gnome apparently has a message for you from a friend."

(y/n) looked curiously as Scanlan retrieved his lute.

♫ my dear beauty with the golden scales,

meet me tonight for a round of ale

I've seen the might of your drinking skills

let's see who has the greater will ♫

(y/n) was stunned. Never had she received a challenge in song form and certainly not one with romantic undertones.

With an intrigued chuckle she says, "tell your friend that I happily accept his challenge."

"Great," Scanlan said with a grin, "thank you. I'll be on my way now."

Scanlan exited the shop just as (y/n)'s mother entered.

"What was all that now?" she asked.

"Our daughter has a date," the father answered.

Later in the evening, everyone gathered at the tavern to witness the challenge. Grog was sitting at the bar, feeling anxious. Pike gave her friend some words of encouragement. In that moment, Grog decided he needed a starter. He ordered himself a pint, filling his body with liquid courage. The townsfolk announced (y/n)'s arrival at the tavern.

"Alright," she said with confidence, "who among you has challenged me?"

Swallowing down his starter, Grog stood up and said awkwardly, "uh, that'd be me."

"Oh yes, I remember you from the night before. I'm flattered by your rather unorthodox message."

Grog felt a warmth in his face that for once in his life didn't come from booze.

"I see you've already given yourself a head start," (y/n) commented, noticing the large mug in her challenger's hand. Grog embarrassingly tosses aside his mug (nearly clocking some poor soul in the face) before moving to one of the large tables. (y/n) took her seat across from him as the barkeep came over.

"House rules," they began, "first to puke or pass out loses."

"Good luck," (y/n) says.

The barkeep brings over the first round and the battle of the booze begins. The two appear equally matched as stacks of empty mugs begin to pile up. (y/n) seems to move at a slightly faster pace. A half-hour passes by as (y/n) takes the time to compliment Grog.

"I must say," the gold scaled girl says, "I don't think I've had anyone keep up with me. Color me impressed."

Grog tries to keep his composure at her words, focusing on his drinking.

Tensions rose at the top of the hour, the locals cheering for (y/n) while Vox Machina (specifically Pike and Scanlan) calling out to Grog.

"This goes on much longer and tavern will be completely cleaned out," Percy commented.

"Wouldn't be the first time," Vex added.

"Indeed."

The tavern was in fact on their last barrel. (y/n) winced slightly while promising to heavily compensate for the amount of ale she and Grog had been running through. She looks to her opponent who has been double fisting for the past few rounds. With a slip of the hand, (y/n) toppled over, knocking her head on the table.

There was a long silence as all gazed in awe. The townsfolk were in shock as their long time champion lay buzzed out on the floor.

"Fuck yeah!" Scanlan hollered, breaking the silence.

"Woo, Grog!" Pike shouted out. They rushed to their victorious friends.

Grog himself was almost in disbelief. He didn't feel like he had to win the challenge. To him, he had already won back when (y/n) had spoken her words of admiration. On the subject of (y/n), she slowly came to, groaning in pain.

"Pike," Grog gestured to his friend. The cleric understood what he was trying to communicate.

Pike wanders over to the inebriated dragonborn and uses her magic to heal her.

(y/n) came to asking, "What happened?"

"You...you lost," one of the bystanders answered, still shocked.

"Lost?" she turned to Grog who gave an awkward wave. She chuckled and said walked over to him. "I seem to have been bested. I congratulate you Mr..."

"Uh Grog. Grog Strongjaw."

"Grog; another word for ale. I like it."

The smitten giant responded with a goofy smile, making (y/n) giggle.

"Damn," she said looking at the time, "we've been here a while. Guess I'll see ya around." (y/n) took her leave, smiling back at the tavern.

After spending two nights in town, Vox Machina was ready to press on. They were about to exit when they heard a familiar voice behind them.

"Wait!" The group looked to see (y/n) rushing towards them. She had an unknown object tucked under her arm. Grog's face flushed as she approached them. "I just talked to the innkeeper," she said, "He told me that you were on your way out and that you paid for ale."

"A gentleman must be the one to pay the bill," Percy stated.

She nodded to the gunslinger and turned to Grog, presenting the object him. A gauntlet to be worn on the wrist, forged with obsidian.

"To yesterday's champion," she spoke, "I've been saving it for two-and-a-half years, waiting to gift it to whoever could out drink me."

Grog accepted the gift with awe-stricken eyes.

"It might be a bit small on you but I'm sure you can have it resized."

Grog snatched the bag of holding from Vax and quickly tucked the piece of armor inside.

"One more thing..." (y/n) gestured for him to lean down at which point she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Until we meet again."

(y/n) trekked back into town as Scanlan hollered, "Alright Grog!" The goliath didn't answer.

"Grog?" Pike spoke. The group looked to see that Grog's eyes were glazed over and he had a slight smile on the corner of his mouth.

"Oh great," Percy spoke, "she stole his heart and his brain."

"What was left of it anyways," Vex added.

It took the whole of Vox Machina to pull Grog along as the band of adventurers continued onward.

#critical role #reader insert #female reader #grog strongjaw #grog x reader #goliath #dragonborn #oc npcs #i intend to turn the blacksmith family into full-fledged npcs #perhaps even the daughter to a pc #vox machina

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mintywolf · 5 months

Note

eisfuura, bard and fighter?

(CR Asks)

Eisfuura: Who is your favorite NPC?

Appropriately enough (since this is a bird question) it’s Kiri!! She is one of my top favorite characters in the whole M9 campaign. I really hope we get to find out in C3 what she’s up to these days and I can’t wait to see her in the M9 animated series. (Also I’m glad we’ll get to see her goodbye to Jester animated because I can’t believe they parted ways with her while Laura wasn’t there! I understand why they did it, it would have been too dangerous for her where they were going, but I’m sad that Laura wasn’t there to RP Jester in that moment.)

Bard: What is your favorite “how do you want to do this?”

Ooh okay. I don’t know if it’s my favorite but the one most burned on my mind is Imogen lightning bolting Evil Sun Tree in Darkstone because that was the end of a MERCILESSLY INTENSE fight to determine whether my favorite character of all time was going to be allowed back in the game. And it was SUPER CLOSE, she was barely alive and only survived because she had to spend her last Mote of Possibility (which she was probably saving for Laudna’s resurrection ritual) to make Delilah reroll her last attack on her.

Also there was some really nice symbolism there because she opened the fight with the words “Delilah Briarwood, we’re gonna sunder you.” You know, like lightning does to a tree. And that was what she did in the end, with all the love and fury in her soul.

Fighter: What was your favorite funny moment?

Oh no there are too many individual moments to choose so this is more like “funniest running gag” even though most of the scenes involved with it are actually traumatic but is endlessly hilarious to me though how much of a ruckus Bells Hells cause whenever they go to Whitestone. Especially from Percy’s point of view. They barge into his office at 7am with a dead body demanding he bring it back to life, unwrap it to reveal what at first appears to be the corpse of his wife before he realizes that no it’s actually it’s the anonymous girl whose murder has been haunting her for 30 years why do they even have this?? also HOW is she somehow inhabited by the spirit of his worst nemesis? Against his protests they bring her back to life (?? this part is debatable) and she in turn immediately resurrects a dead rat which she insists is a long-lost relative of his, and then makes him hug a tree. They refuse his offers of hospitality but steal a bunch of linens from the castle and sleep outside in the main square. They leave. They come back and inform him they need to go to the moon. They break into a room in the castle that he has specifically sealed off and invoke the spirit of his worst nemesis IN HIS HOUSE. They destroy an armoire to make a sled and break all the castle windows with rocks. Before they leave for the moon one of them turns himself into a living bomb and detonates right underneath the thing that is the living heart of his city. Also, they picked a fight with a blameless crepe vendor in the street.

BH, why are you like this. (Don't ever change.)

Also something about the contrast between how Laudna is perceived by the de Rolos when she's dead -- she's this object of pathos, a symbol of the guilt and trauma of a horrible thing that happened 30 years ago that they feel both responsible for and a victim of, and can never fully atone for -- and when she's revived like oh she's not just a dead doll that looks like Vex there's a whole personality there and it's bonkers and delightful and she has a pet dead rat and friends who love her so much they crossed continents to bring her back to life -- is so good. (Not necessarily funny just really good.)

#reply #got a little off topic there as is my wont haha

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romeoandjulietyouwish · 6 months

Note

If ur still accepting writing prompt, could I kindly request the relationship situation #18 for either the twins/partners and Velora?

I’m feeling siblings feels today for some reason, maybe I miss mine 😭🥰

Their sibling(s) need help

If Percy is honest with himself, he's never really liked kids all that much. He doesn't know how to talk to them or what to do with them. Somehow, Velora is the exception. Since she appeared in the twins' lives, she's become part of his life as well. He's walked her home from school a few times and looked after her when Vex got stuck at work late.

He knows that she vastly prefers Keyleth and Grog as babysitters which is why he's more than surprised when Velora appears at his door one night.

She's wearing her pajamas under and coat and her feet are shoved into boots. Velora's cheeks are wet with tears, eyes red and lip wobbling. Percy just stares at her for a long second, no idea what to do. Velora makes that decision for him by bursting into a sob and throwing her arms around his waist.

He stumbles back a step before putting one hand on the back of her head, "Uh, what's wrong?"

Velora pulls away and looks up at him with her big eyes, the same color as Vex's. She holds out her hand to him and he can see one of Vex's necklaces, the arrow pendant broken in half. Through hiccuping tears, Velora manages to tell him, "I-I didn't mean to I swear, I just thought it was so pretty-" She cuts herself off as she gasps for air. "Can you fix it?"

Despite himself, Percy smiles, "Of course I can, do you want to help me?"

She shakes her head quickly, "I don't want to mess it up more."

As he takes the broken necklace from her hands, she wraps her arms around her stomach. Percy wishes he knew what to do to make her less scared, Vex has told him about the trauma she went through with her father and how she's so scared of Vex and Vax abandoning her.

Percy puts a hand on Velora's shoulder and guides her into the apartment. The apartment that he shares with Keyleth (and sometimes Scanlan) isn't really furnished for a kid. Nearly every piece of furniture was found on the side of the road or given to them for free. Percy's tools lie strewn about the counter and tables. He sits her down in Keyleth's arm chair, tucking a blanket over her legs and handing her a box of tissues.

He sinks down onto the worn couch, moving aside Keyleth's textbooks and homework assignments to find the tools he needs buried under them.

It takes him a few minutes, but before long, the necklace is as good as new. When he hands it back to her, she throws her arms around him again and thanks him over and over again. Despite the fact that they live in the same building, Percy insists on taking Velora back to the twins' apartment himself. Vex says that she gets flighty when she's scared and the last thing he wants is her running away.

Velora hides behind Percy when he knocks on the door. Vex throws open the door, face a mask of panic, "Percy, have you seen Velora? She's not in her room-" Velora steps out from behind Percy then, cutting Vex off. "Oh darling," Vex hugs her little sister tight, stroking her hair as she says, "you have to tell us when you leave, I was worried sick."

"I'm sorry." Velora's voice is muffled against Vex's hair and shoulder. "I needed Percy to fix this for you." She shows Vex the necklace, eyes fixed firmly on her feet.

Vex chuckles and tucks Velora's hair behind her ear, "Thank you. Now go find Vax, okay? He was so worried about you." Velora nods and walks into the apartment, calling her older brother's name.

Vex rises back up and looks at Percy, "Thank you for looking after her."

"Of course," Percy says. "She's your family," he says as an explanation.

Vex kisses him then, one hand on his chest, "I love you so much right now." He laughs, letting her kiss him again. "I should go, see you tomorrow?"

Percy nods, "See you then. Tell Velora goodnight for me."

#biker au #critical role #vox machina #percahlia

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star--joy · 1 year

Text

5 TIMES PEOPLE THOUGHT PERCY AND VEX WERE DATING…

And the one time they decided to prove them right.

Chapter Five: Trinket

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Warnings: None

Words: 1628

Originally posted: 7/14/23

Ao3 link: archiveofourown.org/works/43509219/chapters/109386198

Trinket whines as Vex gently rinses the pet-friendly dish soap out of his scruffy fur.

“Shh, shh, it’s okay. I just have to get rid of the fleas. I know, it’s not very fun, is it? But you’ll look so handsome once you’re clean!”

He doesn’t fully understand the meaning behind those words, but the soothing tone still makes him relax. Vex won’t hurt him. Vex is kind. Ever since she found him living in an alleyway on campus, she’s been bringing him food and toys and warm blankets. Trinket trusts her.

So he does his best to remain still as she begins to pat him down with a soft towel.

“Such a good boy,” she coos.

Trinket yips. Those words he does understand. It means that Vex is pleased with him. He likes when Vex is pleased with him.

“Alright, I know the bath wasn’t fun, but don’t you feel better now? All nice and clean?” she asks once she deems him dry enough to forgo the towel so she can scratch behind his ears in the way that has Trinket panting happily, tongue lulling out of his mouth. It makes Vex giggle.

Before he can flop onto his side and demand belly rubs, however, the sound of three thuds pulls their attention away. Vex winces. “Shit. Stay here, alright? I’ll be back in a second,” she says.

Trinket doesn’t know what that means, but he’s all too happy to trot along beside her as she exits the bathroom.

Vex pauses, looking down at him nuzzling her leg. “You’re clingy, no?”

He barks up at her, tail wagging.

The creaking of the door peeking open catches both their attention as another human peeks inside. “Vex, is this a good time—” the human cuts himself off abruptly as he catches sight of Trinket. His eyes flicker between him and Vex, though he says nothing.

Trinket sizes the human up with caution, but eventually decides that he doesn’t pose a threat. Besides, he’s sure Vex wouldn’t let anyone hurt him. Mind put at ease, Trinket walks up to the man and gives a happy little bark to show his friendship.

“Vex,” says the human, staring down at the puppy. “That is a dog.”

A nervous giggle slips from Vex as she reaches over to scoop Trinket up and away from where he’d begun to chew on his shoelaces. “His name is Trinket.”

The human slowly closes the door behind him. “…Alright. May I ask why you have a dog?”

“I found him outside, and he was all alone, Percy. I checked, but the shelters are full. And you know how cold winter gets around here, I couldn’t just leave him,” Vex says, gently depositing Trinket down on a soft blanket that she’d set up in the corner as his bed. She sits beside him, smiling softly when he chooses to forgo the blanket to plop down on her lap and lick her hand.

Percy follows her, stark white eyebrows scrunching together. “We’re not allowed to have pets in the dorms.”

“What do you want me to do? Put him back outside?” Vex snaps, softening when Trinket startles at her sharp tone. “I can’t leave him, Percy.”

Her stricken tone pierces through Percy’s caution, and suddenly the logistics of the situation don’t matter as much. He sits down next her on the floor. Vex scoots into his side until their arms are pressed together. “I didn’t mean to suggest anything like that. I was just surprised.”

Vex rests her head on his shoulder. “I know. And maybe it is stupid to try and hide him here, but— God, you should have seen him. He was starving, and covered in fleas, and practically freezing—” her voice breaks off as she stares down at Trinket, tears in her eyes. “How could anyone just leave him out there?”

Percy looks at her, then, lips pursing, his eyes tracking the way tears bud in the corner of her eyes. When he wraps his arm around her shoulders, it’s with no small amount of hesitation, but she leans into it without second thought. “I don’t know. But I do know that you’ll take good care of him.”

She sniffles, wiping at her eyes. Trinket doesn’t really understand what’s going on, but he can tell that Vex is upset, and he doesn’t like it. He tries to lick her fingers to provide his comfort, and that at least makes her giggle, though it’s wet. “You really are such a sweetheart,” she coos down at him, rubbing his belly in a way that makes him pant.

“May I?” Percy asks, hand coming to hover above Trinket’s fur, but not daring to pet him yet.

“Here, let him decide, darling,” Vex instructs, guiding Percy’s fingers over so Trinket can cautiously sniff them. He smells of soap, mostly, with a metallic undertone. It’s not unpleasant, so Trinket happily licks his hand.

Percy looks to Vex for guidance. “That means…?”

“It means he likes you, dear,” she explains, and although the tears haven’t faded fully from her eyes, she still grins wider than Trinket has ever seen. “Go ahead, just be gentle.”

Following her lead, Percy begins to give Trinket’s fur feather-light strokes, though his attention is still on Vex and her lovely smile. He only looks away when she turns to him and asks, “Do you want to hold him? We should get him properly socialized. ”

When she goes to hand him to Percy, the human looks alarmed. “I’ve never held a dog before.”

Vex laughs, easily guiding Percy’s hands into a comfortable hold for Trinket. “It’s easy. Just make sure you’re supporting him— yes, like that.” And then she’s grinning again, watching him cradle the pup cautiously.

Percy holds him a few inches away from himself with an earnest awkwardness. “Are you sure I’m not going to hurt him? He’s tiny.”

“Just be gentle. Here, you can scratch behind his ears, he loves that,” she advises, showing the best spot to make Trinket’s tail shoot back and forth.

Slowly, with Vex’s help, Percy grows more comfortable, bringing Trinket closer to his body, not even complaining when he drools on his neat button-up. “He is rather cute, isn’t he?”

“The cutest. And he really loves you,” she hums as Trinket cuddles into his chest. Vex now has to truly melt into Percy’s side in order to continue petting him.

Percy looks at her, eyes flickering around her face. His throat bobs. “That’s, ah, that’s good.”

When Vex glances at him, something catches her attention, though Trinket sees nothing out of the ordinary. For a second, she just stares at Percy, teeth lightly clasping her lip. “Yeah,” she whispers.

Trinket might not fully understand human norms, but as he squirms in Percy’s hands to look at both his new people, he realizes that they must be mates. There’s too much happiness and love in the way they look at each other for them to be anything else.

Excited at his new discovery, his tail begins to wag. He doesn’t just have one human parent, now, but two! A happy little bark leaves him.

The noise startles Vex and Percy, who break apart slightly. “Ah—” Percy stutters, looking away as his cheeks go ruddy. “I should probably go. I can finish our assignment tonight, you just focus on Trinket.”

Vex nods, fingers trailing over the weaves of her braid. “Oh, yeah. The assignment. I forgot about that. I can do my part later tonight—”

“Don’t worry about that, I’ve got it handled. Here, you take him—”

Trinket is once again transferred to Vex’s hold. He doesn’t mind it so much, but then Percy goes to get up and walk away, and, well, that just won’t do. Twisting out of her hands, he’s quick to grab Percy’s pant leg in his mouth and try to tug him back over, whining all the while.

“Hey, buddy, it’s okay,” Vex coos, “I’m still here, we’re not leaving you alone. But Percy has to do some work.”

He whimpers, tugging harder. Vex might be trying to comfort him, but it’s of no use when he can hear the sadness in her voice. She doesn’t want her mate to leave, and Trinket doesn’t want him to leave, so he’s not going anywhere.

“Trinket, let go,” Vex commands, firmer. Her hands grasp his snout so she can manually unlatch his jaw, freeing Percy’s pants. She’s careful enough that it doesn’t hurt, but Trinket still huffs in annoyance. “That wasn’t very polite of you, was it?”

Realizing that his strength is not enough to keep Percy here, Trinket switches tactics. He glances up at the human with wide eyes and lets out the most pitiful whine he can muster.

Percy, faced with such cuteness, falls right into Trinket’s trap. “Ah— perhaps I should stay here. Just until he settles in a bit more.”

As hard as she tries to hide it, Vex brightens. “If you’re sure, Percy.”

He shrugs. “As long as I’m not overstaying my welcome, I would be happy to remain.”

“You could never overstay your welcome, dear. I enjoy having you around too much for that,” Vex laughs, not paying much attention to the way her words cause a blush to envelop Percy’s pale features. “Come on, let’s move to the couch. It’s more comfortable.”

Trinket proudly follows his new mom and dad over to the comfortable sofa, hopping up and settling so he rests in the crease between them. Vex occupies herself with petting him as Percy pulls out a laptop and opens up their assignment. With the soothing strokes of his fur and the comforting sounds of his new parents chatting, it doesn’t take long for Trinket to fall into a peaceful rest.

#Perc'ahlia #Percy de Rolo #Vex'ahlia #Critical Role #Vexahlia #percahlia #trinket #trinket critical role #tlovm #lovm #the legend of vox machina #vox machina #percival de rolo #bad news bears

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innocent-cat · 1 year

Note

Hello, if you're still taking request could it be headcanons with with Vax, Percy, and Vex. (Separately)

Where the S/O is a lot like Yor Forger.

GUESS WHO IS BACK!!!!

Oh my gosh, I love SpyxFamily! right away xx

Reader x Vox Machina

Warnings - None

"Scarlet paint on their face", Assassin!Reader x Various

Vax

Okay, so, weird thing about both Vax AND Vex, they're extremely stalkerish.

the very MOMENT they thought you were acting even slightly suspicious, they immediately discussed it with each other.

"Vex-" "Yes, me too."

they most def hear EVERYTHING you do.

They had a little book that had information about everything you did.

your fault, why aren't you home by the mandatory curfew (that they implemented that nobody in fact listens to) of 8PM sharp?

You'll usually feel Vax's eyes on you when you come home after a bounty, but you choose to pretend you're oblivious to it so you can continue acting clueless.

HOWEVERRRR he eventually cornered you and confronted you.

you walked in and he was just like.. leaning against the wall all nerdy.. so you kinda just.. side eyed him and walked by..

"Where have you been?"

your heart dropped to your asssssss, him confronting you was so much scarier than it needed to be.

"What are you talking about?"

"We know you've been sneaking out. You're never home by 8."

"..Nobody follows that anyway, Vax.. not even Pikes home right now. Who are you, my dad?" You raised an eyebrow at him as you spoke down to him for asking you what's been going on.

"Vex told me you went to a washers covered in blood. What's that all about?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Maybe don't stalk random people, it's creepy, Vax." You scoff, and storm off to your room.

You sit down in your bed and heave a sigh, letting the knife drop that was hidden between your arm and side under your oversized blouse.

Vex

Vex was the first one to actually confront you and get an answer.

(all combined head cannons above for vax btw)

she low-key scared tf out of you when you turned the corner and saw her.

full on mom stance, arms crossed, face seething..

scary.

"If you won't tell Vax, you better tell me now."

Now, mind you, it was like.. 2am.. and you tried sneaking back in because you didn't have time for a outfit change.. so you did in fact look very incriminating with a knife in your hand, drenched in blood.

You have no clue to get out of it, so you fake cry xx

You drop your knife and start crying into your hands, mumbling.

Vex's face DROPS, and she goes to you and holds you, rocking you in her arms.

"I'm not MAD, I'm just upset you didn't tell me.."

After the little cry, she helps you clean yourself up from them on because OBVIOUSLY what gf wouldn't help.

she was honestly just mad you didn't tell her..

(sorry her's is so short!! I'm like super duper tired rn)

Percy

lmfaooo Percy been knew

the two of you have always just kind of

not talked about it?

of course, you both are aware that the other KNOWS,

it's just Percy wants to make sure he doesn't say something rude to you

he loves u too much xx

He frequently stitches you up, cleans your wounds, and washes your clothes when you come home after killing someone.

Of course, he understands you're very dangerous and skilled, but the fact you're his s/o comes before your large bounty.

"Again? Seriously? You're getting too injured to endure this job." he sighed out to you, frowning at your dampened physical state.

You did not reply, but you looked away, towards a a window opposite of him. You matched his face, frowning.

You flinch back as he applies alcohol to your wound, hissing slightly to your pain.

"Sorry." He mumbled out, and he lifted your shirt more.

He bandages the wound, sealing it so it doesn't become infected. He then pulls off your shirt, and sets it aside to wash later, handing you a new, clean shirt of your own.

he literally loves you so much please assure this boy you'll be fine

#percy de rolo #x reader #vox machina #fluff #percival de rolo #percy de rolo x reader #the legend of vox machina #vex'ahlia #vex'ahlia x reader #vex and vax #vax'ildan #vax headcanon #vax x reader #yor forger #assassin #assassin reader Vox machina #assassin reader

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blorbologist · 1 year

Text

Cat's Cradle, Chapter 14

Ch1 ... Ch13

The kittens, now old enough to go without food for a little more time, are somehow even more of a torment on Percy’s nerves than they were before.

“Vex!” he calls, shrill. “We have fugitives!”

“They’ve started learning to walk, Percy,” she tosses back. From the kitchen, given how she echoes. “Of course they’ve escaped. They can’t get far.”

“Velcro was in the middle of the floor!”

He does not have to hear her sigh to know she makes it. He assumes she pads down the hall, slips over the babygate silent as ever, because she appears in the doorway. Finds him sitting on the floor with his convict in his lap, the tiny blue tom wiggling viciously as he tries to resume his grand exploration of the room.

Percy, in turn, is greeted with Vex in an apron. Which is half of why he avoided cooking with her to instead give the kittens supper, because good gods is it a cute look on her. The kiss the chef reads like an invitation, or an instruction manual. A recipe for disaster.

“We’ll need a box,” he declares around the lump in his throat, plopping Velcro back in the basket. Or trying to - the kitten clings, wailing in outrage, until Percival relents and lets it sit in the crook of his leg. Corralled, for now.

“Or a playpen,” Vex muses, tapping the spatula to her lips. Her eyes flit to something, not Percy but past him, and she grins. “I’ll leave you to figure that out yourself. I’m sure you can manage, my clever man.”

She leaves him fumbling long enough for Velcro and Spanner to stumble out and mewl in surprise at how cool the floor is.

With a soft playpen set up, Percy feels a lot better about leaving the kittens unsupervised, even if only for short bursts.

Such as an impromptu brunch with friends. It is a rare stroke of luck, for time off to line up so adeptly. Perhaps easier, without Vax’ildan’s graveyard shifts leaving him dead tired all day or Keyleth’s numerous projects tripping her up. Emptier, too.

“Okay,” Scanlan is saying, sipping loudly on a mimosa. “But you’re sure it’s alright? Kaylie says she hasn’t seen your truck at the workshop in, like, a week.”

“You have your daughter spying on him? Creepy.” Grog makes a show of scoffing, shoveling pancakes into his mouth. Despite the attention on him, he makes to swipe the french toast off Pike’s plate before she dissarms him with her own fork.

“No - she’s just invested, alright? Won’t stop talking about that shitty day.” Scanlan shivers. “Not that I blame her - I’d be pretty fucked up, too.”

Pike hums in agreement. “Is the cat doing okay? You said her name was…?”

“Curio.” Percy takes a bracing sip of his coffee. “Recovering well from the surgery, seems eager to get out of her crate and stretch her legs. Those she has left, at least. I worry she will ruin the stitching if given that freedom, however.”

“Oy, here’s a thought-” “Manners.” Scanlan rolls his eyes, finishes chewing and swallows before continuing: ”Why don’t we stop by? I mean, you and Vex won’t shut up about these guys, and I don’t know about you guys but I could use some cute in my life. And chicks dig kitten pics.”

Percy hesitates.

So far, these kittens have been theirs. Vex’ahlia and Percival’s little charges, in their own little world. Sure, they had brought them to the vet, and Kaylie’s keen eye had saved Curio’s life. They certainly shared more than enough pictures and videos for all their friends to know many kittens by name.

But there is something about inviting others into this little nest that has a part of him bristling.

Grog tilts his head. “I’d like to,” he admits. “Wouldn’t it be good for them to, like, meet more people? Help them get more specialized.”

“Socialized, Grog.” Pike pats his knee.

Percy nudges Vex, who has been slipping into a food coma. She’s so exhausted it pains him to see. “Vex’ahlia, dear, what do you think?”

She stifles a yawn against her hand. “I don’t mind either way,” she admits. “If you guys do come over, though, keep it down - I think I’ll be having a nap, if that’s alright.”

Even the goliath of a man, all tattoos and muscle, seems to read the reluctance in Percy’s gaze. “I’ll be gentle with them,” he promises. “I can be real gentle with the little things.”

Percy sighs. Smiles. “That’s true, yes.”

“When we said little, I didn’t think - woah,” Grog breathes, eyes blown wide and enraptured by every little hair on the kittens’ heads. He and Pike are both on their knees peering into the playpen. Bleary from their nap, the litter is content to wiggle and chirp. Even the one in Scanlan’s hands is well-behaved.

“Hah! Look - he’s spitting at me.”

Or perhaps not, but that’s a perfectly reasonable reaction to Scanlan.

“She,” Percy corrects with a glance.

“Ohh, I like them spicy.” He only evades getting an elbow in the gut when Pike stops herself, clearly remembering the precious cargo he holds.

Having Scanlan for scale really puts into perspective just how small these kittens are - even in his hands they’re fragile, even without a tremor beneath them they wobble. Percy’s heart lurches in his chest when they move - but no, Scanlan’s just sitting more comfortably, with his back to the bed.

He offers a finger from his free hand for greeting. The verdict is ‘disgusting, I hate it’ until he scratches under that impossibly small chin. “What a cutie patootie. What’s her name?” asks Scanlan.

Pike, peering now over his shoulder, glances between Percy and the kitten. “That’s Bauble, right?” She beams when he nods, pleased they remembered.

“You can hold one, if you’d like,” Percy offers as Scanlan declares, “I’m gonna get Kaylie a kitten.”

“No - no, you’re not.” He swallows his snappy tone - half the kittens are sleeping, and so is Vex. “You can’t just give someone a lifelong commitment.”

Grog giggles - all head turn to find he’s stuck his hand in the playpen, where a curious Ratchet is clumsily batting at it while Screwdriver watches wide-eyed and hopelessly confused.

“Ain’t that what happened to you?” says Grog. “With Kaylie?”

Scanlan rolls his eyes. “I was joking. Wasn’t I?” He rubs his nose into Bauble’s fur. “Oh, wow, she smells like cuteness! And kind of milky?”

Percy relaxes a little as Pike leans over to get a good sniff of kittendown too, scooting into Scanlan’s side for a better angle to coo and cuddle.

That does bring up a thought he’s completely neglected up to date. The kittens are… goodness, not quite two weeks? Two more months and they’ll be old enough to adopt out. How in the hells is he going to find enough homes - good homes - for six kittens? And Curio, too. If matching a half-dozen cute, playful little cats will be a challenge, how will they possibly get someone willing to take on a disabled, probably traumatized adult cat?

He can practically feel his blood pressure spike. Percy carefully leans over the edge of the playpen to pluck Screwdriver (still watching Grog’s hand with something like awe) and settle her in his lap. His hands are shaking, but so is she, so it’s fine.

(What if they choose wrong? What if the owners can’t care for the needs of the shaky kittens? Gods, Screwdriver wobbles so much - what if she falls, what if they let her outside, what if -)

“Oop, gotta tinkle.” Percy’s hand jerks up to see Grog stand and dust off his hands. He coos when Ratched stumbles after him, mewling. “Aww, I’ll be back. Where’s the bathroom Percy?”

“It’s to the right, Buddies,” Pike says, delicately running her fingers from Bauble’s head to her little pointy tail. Scanlan’s eyes are on her, not the kitten, and he looks quite like the cat that got the cream.

“Thanks, Pikey!”

Screwdriver mimics his glance up at Grog, which - yeah, sweetheart, he is very big, hm? Percy makes sure to lavish her with extra pets for her bravery. There’s nothing to be scared of, it’s Grog.

And then Percy remembers, and scrambles to his feet, clutching her to his chest.

“Wait! Don’t go in the-”

He hears the bars of Curio’s crate rattle from here and breaches the doorway just in time to see Grog sheepishly shut the door behind him.

“Guess I’ll hold it in,” he says.

#posting thus between talks byeeee i know its been forever I've been BUSY #critical role #the legend of vox machina #tlovm #tlovm fanfic #critical role fanfiction #cr fanfic #perc'ahlia #percahlia #percival de rolo #cat's cradle au

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