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[ With the information he gathered it led him on the trail of a few of the culprits of the explosion. However, from his previous encounters these people were not pushovers. Outright dangerous and possibly murder happy. Going on his own would probably end in him either dead or extremely injured. He figured it would be a bad idea to rush in on his own.

Thankfully, he managed to come across a certain rogue. They managed to cross paths in their own separate look abouts so...here they are.

He has his staff in his hand as he crouches behind a large crate looking towards a house. It sat beside two others, it wasn't run down but neither was it prestigious. A little place that would look completely unsuspicious to those in need of a hideout. ]

All right, from what I gathered there should be a few in there. If we're quiet we may be able to take them by surprise. Think you can do that?

[ Like he should ask. ]

[ while he's gathered some decent enough information now that he was out on his hunt, there hadn't been nearly enough progress. he's frustrated, because he feels like he's just spinning his wheels while his sister is at home, sick, and things weren't moving fast enough.

coming across the elf was a good help, yes, but overall vax was in a kind of crappy mood. better, now that they were crouched out in front of a house. they had leads, now, a direction, and vax was antsy.

the question earns his companion the most unimpressed look he can muster. think you can do that? before he pulls out his flametongue and flips it over his fingers with ease. ]

I can do that. [ he says, with the most sarcasm he can muster, glancing back over towards the building. ] Think you'll be able to keep up?

[ He definitely doesn't miss the sarcasm and it earns a glance with a cocked brow. He had wondered what the cold reply had come from but there's finally a long look. Sen hadn't gotten a good look before when he came across them on the hunt. It's now Sen definitely has a better look with the flame of the dagger highlighting their face.

It was hard to miss. The cheekbones, the black hair, the curvature of the face. He bore a very striking similarity to another elven individual Sen had the opportunity to meet.

He cants his head to the side and well, he holds off on answering their question when he asks one of his own; ]

You're....Vex'ahlia's brother, yes? Vax'ildan?

[ He only knows that much from Keyleth mentioning her twin friends and having met Vex'ahlia personally. The connection was almost too easy to spot considering how few people with elven blood or traits resided amongst the refugees. But, he figures he should move this along; ]

Senren Lavellan. And as for keeping up, I should be fine. [ He's already standing up clutching his staff and just gives Vax a look asking if they wanted to lead or if he should.]

[ the mention of his sister's name pulls more of a smile from him, though it is still tinged with the heaviness of the events, where they are and what they're doing. sen looks at him and tilts his head, and vax lets him really see.

and there it is. there's the recognition. vax nods. ] Twin, actually. [ said with a bit more playful sarcasm, this time, because it would be hard for someone to see them and not know they're twins, with how identical they look.

senren lavellan. he recognizes that name. ] And you're a good friend of Keyleth's, yeah? [ because she's mentioned him before, and vax takes care to at least recognize the name of keyleth's friends. but then sen is nodding, i should be fine, and vax just keeps looking at him for another second. ]

If you need help, or get caught up, call for me. I should hear it and I can circle back. [ because suddenly there's a bit more at stake than someone he just partnered up with to raid this building. suddenly, vax is also worrying about protecting. but sen grips the staff and vax nods, checking back over the crate. ] I'll sneak in, first, and get an idea of the place, and then you follow in after, yeah?

[He definitely does take notice. The likeness is pretty uncanny. ]

Ah, I see what you mean. You both have the same nose and warm demeanour.

[ Though he definitely doesn't sound sarcastic about that.

At the mention of Keyleth's name there's a small smile he gives in return. A little bashful at the fact she referred to him at all. He wonders what she's been saying, good things from the tone this man carries. ] You would be correct.

[ However, this plan? He's not sure about. Sen definitely isn't comfortable with sending them in ahead and trailing too far behind. He see's the merits but, well, he's also one for protecting people. So he will compromise the best he can here. ]

We'll keep in sight of one another. I won't fall behind but don't rush ahead. If we can get the jump on them the better. Unless we're ambushed, well...I'd prefer to get both of us protected with my barriers before their blades our out.

[ This wasn't his first stealth like mission nor he believed it would be his last. A mage he may be but he knew he could be more help than just staying in the back. One more look back at the house and he indicates with his middle and index finger. ]

Lets go.

[ that actually does get something of a smirk out of him, giving sen a brief look before turning back to the task at hand. even if sen doesn't necessarily agree with his plan, vax gives him a look. ]

We won't be in sight of each other. Or- you won't be able to keep eyes on me.

[ stealth, friend. even without his magica abilities, it's still a +15. ] But I'll stick close.

[ he doesn't have any plans to get killed today, after all, and if his now-partner has any magic that could help things along, he's not going to say no. and then there's the indication, and vax nods once, before ducking down in between crates and - for all intents and purposes - all but completely disappears.

see you inside, buddy. ]

[ He arches a brow and just blinks but as soon as he does, Vax is utterly gone. Seriously?

He wants to let out a sigh of slight frustration but he's got a strong feeling that the half elf would hear wherever he was.

Regardless, he heads to the side of the house where there was a side door. He takes a hand to the handle and turns, thankfully unlocked. He steps on through trying to make his foot steps as soundless as possible. He can hear the voices upstairs and he's careful stepping up the staircase.

The voices get louder as he reaches the top and he's already clutching his staff more tightly than before. He'd feel more reassured if he knew his ally was in visual view. He presses up against the wall, sliding along it until finally he's at the door where the voices are and he takes a small peek inside. There they were. A few of the culprits to the attack, a table laden with what appeared to be documents. More plans to bomb? Or just more safehouses?

Either way, he ducks back and mutters, hoping Vax hears him; ]

Vax'ildan? If you're around, they're inside here. Doesn't look like they're are any exits aside this one so if we burst in I can seal the door behind us to stop from escape.

Are you ready? [ Mythal, he feels like an idiot talking to air right now. ]

[ he disappears, and suddenly, insanely, inherently, misses his boots of haste. he'd have already been inside, if he still had them. he'd be inside, he'd have figured out how many there were, what the perimeter would have given them, just how dangerous this place would have been.

still, this is his time. this is his skillset. he disappears and makes his way inside, gets to the room, figures out how many there are, checks the first floor, and then ends up back in the hallway. he sees sen approaching, sees sen check the door, ends up against the wall. vax'ildan keeps just a bit behind him, just far enough to go unnoticed, before he hears his name.

he misses those earrings, too, now. he misses a lot of his stuff.

but vax'ildan steps back out of the shadows, now standing just a couple of feet behind sen, whispering lowly. ]

Ready when you are.

[ He manages to not jump out of his skin the moment he hears the whisper in his ear. This guy was good, not being heard in the slightest. There's a short nod he gives the other before he whispers; ]

All right, this should keep their weapons fairly useless for a short time.

[ he gives as he clicks his fingers together.

A glyph springs up below them and covers them; both not shielded by temporary, mobile barriers covering their persons. The little wisps of blue light circling around them. The light of the glyph is enough to catch the people's attention from the inside, but Sen steps out from his hiding place.

His hand lifts and his fingers unleash blast of electricity that rockets into the room. They are caught unawares, there's yelps of pain as some of them begin to scurry to the side to grab weapons. They were injured but not severely.]

[ brownie points for him, really, for not totally losing it the second that vax appeared. he'll make note of that, mostly thinking he'll need to try harder, but not right now.

when sen puts up the barrier, vax eyes it momentarily, wondering the logistics of it and if his own weapons will be hindered by it, but shrugs off the thought and figures he'll find out as they go. because in that moment, sen steps out, and vax quickly ducks back into the shadows and dives in once his electricity shoots further into the room.

the first one to grab for his weapon will end up with a dagger to his leg, forcing him to drop to his knees and giving vax enough time to grab his weapon and use it to drive into the space just above the next one's shoulder - leaving a mild gash but nothing super serious, and more to pin them to the wall. ]

[ Vax will find that the barrier definitely does not interfere with their attacks. They land and injure his opponents. If their enemies try to land a hit and either Sen or Vax are unfortunate enough to get hit, they merely bounce off. But, overtime they decay, the blue wisps of light and the faint aura around the barriers fade slowly and more so with each hit.

The enemy Vax pins to the wall lets out a howl of pain from the piercing wound. Firmly caught he still attempts to pry the dagger out of his shoulder blade.

The other four in the room decide to split off, two going for Sen and the other two going for Vax from behind.

Sen steps inside now, and flicks his wrist to the doorway behind him. A wall of blue ice erupting and covering the door. His face hardens and he just stands there, waiting for them to draw closer. As they do, their blades are raised, ready to cleave him on either side. He raises an arm out to his side and swipes it across his front and as he does a dome of shimmering clear energy surrounds him and them. Their movements inside this dome are slowed, like they're drifting through molasses as their swords come towards him.

But, Sen seems to remain unaffected as he merely steps out. They'd be immobilized for a short time but it's enough to give them both a quick crack on the back of the head with his staff. Now it's just time to watch the comedy ensue as they just slow mo fall unconscious inside his Disruption field. ]

[ for as much as he was able to gather with sen, vax couldn't shake the fact he'd made the wrong decision to go. murmurs of what the illness was doing were all around them, and the more he heard, the more he regretted leaving vex. she was in good hands, of course - vax trusted pike with his life, and then more importantly, his sister's life, but he had a bad feeling. a really bad feeling. and that bad feeling grew and grew and grew the longer away he was.

so much that it came to a point that vax had to give up on it. without any solid way to communicate that he felt was safe enough, he just...couldn't stand not knowing how vex was doing. so he went back, picking up some supplies he figured might be worth it - some food, maybe another blanket, just to make it feel like he did something. and then he was back, back to the house, up to vex's room, not even really bothering to knock so much as call out when he starts to open the door. ]

Stubby? You awake? [ he probably should check in with pike, see how things have been, but first he just needs to make sure...]

[ Should he happen to glance on the table, there's a note for Vax in Pike's steady hand in case he returned before she did - his sister is finally sleeping (as is, by some miracle, Percival), so she's off to get a few things to help from the Sanctuary.

Pike, bless her heart, is MVP in the Vox Machina house at present, tending to the members who've fallen prey to the fevers that have been slowly consuming her charges. The magic eases the aches a little, but there's only so much that can be done when Greater Restoration won't lift what ails them, and Vex has at least tried (with much grousing) to be a good patient, if only to set a good example to Percival. ..Results have varied on that, but she has at least tried.

Still, given that sleep has evaded her greatly in the last week, however, and coupled with her loss of appetite, Vex hasn't looked at all her best. So by rights, it should be no surprise at no answer if she is now asleep when Vax knocks on the door, right? ..Right? Save that when the door is opened, he'll find the bed quite empty, the sheets crumpled to one side. Armour remains neatly stacked in one corner, yet her bow is knocked askew across the floor, the quiver of arrows lying prone beside it. Clumsy of her..But there's no obvious sign of Vex.

Definitely pay no attention to the muted sound of running water coming from the shared bath room down the hall.. ]

[ he probably notices that yes, there is a note on the table, but he doesn't take the time to read it. his priorities are on his other half, who had just started experiencing the symptoms when he left. it has been a few days, which is where his worry stems - he doesn't really know what's happening, but he knows something is.

when he leans into the room and finds it empty, he fights the initial panic back down. vex is here, he knows she is, she's just...not in her room. she had been recently, a scan of the room makes that perfectly clear, but she's not in it. for a moment, vax almost lets himself believe that's because she's feeling better. that she's up and moving around. but his gut doesn't quite relax as he looks around. ]

Vex? [ after a look through the room, he picks up on the sound of running water, and returns to the hallway to follow the noise. he drops whatever bags and things he'd been holding - his flametongue still sheathed and held to the small of his back - as he pulls down his hood with his next couple of steps.

as he comes to the door, he reaches out to slowly push it open, unsure of why his stomach is so tense. ] Vex'ahlia?

[ The water grows ever louder as he moves towards the bath room, sloppy and slapping the floor in a manner akin to an overflowing basin.

There's no response, no obvious sounds of movement within, no reaction to the sound of movement and the dumping of bags outside in the corridor - Vax is a stealthy man, but he by no means made an effort to disguise that sound. It's almost as though someone left a tap running..

Which, when Vax nudges open the door, that's not entirely inaccurate - save that the one that left it running hasn't gone anywhere. The room is mostly dark, the lights left off, and the door to the shower unit is partially ajar, the stream of water rippling over the lip and spilling onto the floor tiles. It's cold in here too, chilled by the shower stream.

At the sound of Vax's voice speaking that name (her name, that's her name), a dark and pale shape pressed against the frosted glass of the shower screen seems to recoil away. ]

Edited (subject warning typo correction) 2017-10-20 20:27 (UTC)

[ he doesn't like the feel of the air as he walks closer to the bathroom. he has no reason to believe something is wrong- this is their home, pike has been here, keyleth has been watching over them too. there is no god after them, no evil creeping away at the corners of their world. it'd all been destroyed, just like the rest of their planet, and this one had no reason to come after them.

the hair on the back of vax's neck says otherwise.

he drops his bags and pulls down his hood. tries to remind himself if through habit alone that everything is fine, and that he's most likely going to step in and scare the shit out of vex. startle her like he's prone to do. except that something tells him, again, that's not quite right. kind of like a voice in the back of his head, something omnipresent, not directly helping but guiding him to the right end.

when he takes that first step in, the splash of water under his boots makes him pause. the room is dark, and subconsciously vax reaches back behind him to settle his one free hand on the handle of his dagger. he catches the recoil, catches the figure, but he waits right inside the doorway. just to see if something else happens.

when nothing does, he lets out a slow breath, watching the water spill out over the lip. feeling the chill of the room. ] I'm going to turn on the light. [ which is directly against what he wants to do. his instincts scream at him to duck into the shadows, to press back against the wall, to get close enough to check that it's his sister in there and not something else...

but he doesn't need to check. he knows. rumors of the illness creep back to him - hallucinations, aggression, aches and pains - and vax's chest tightens. ] I hope you're decent.

[ it's half a second later before he's able to find the source of light in the normally well-lit room and flick it on, his breath caught in his chest as he waits for a reaction. ]

[ What had started in not so dissimilar a manner to Percy, simple sniffles and blocked sinuses, bloomed into full and unwanted fever within a handful of days, much to Vex'ahlia's chagrin. When Vax'ildan had left, she'd reluctantly settled in for bed rest, pale but still herself, complaining about his constitution not allowing him to suffer as she was.

What a difference a week makes.

There is no hiss when the light comes on, but Vax may make out a faint *thump* within the bracketed walls of the shower, a raspy take of breath escaping its occupant as they --she-- backs up along the rear side, water slopping as clumsiness marrs the attempted retreat. Away from where the ajar door can be pushed aside. Something glints, something silver held at chest height at odds with the shadows making up a humanoid form, but otherwise there's no verbal response to his comments, beyond the figure trying to stay out of view. ]

[ she is still in the shower, still blocked by the screen, but the lack of an immediate reaction to the light at least gives him some hope that whatever possible...evil that he'd been worried about isn't...what. there? taken over? vax isn't sure what he thought to accomplish by turning the light on, but it does make him feel a bit better, even if all he really sees is a thin layer of water across the tile floor.

he takes another step inside, hesitant and careful to watch whatever movement he can see through the frosted glass.

a very large part of vax'ildan is cursing himself for leaving at all. for what he was able to accomplish, for what he did it wasn't worth whatever left vex like this. it tears away at him, knowing that he left her alone, to the point she is cowering in the shower, dealing with who knows what effects... ] Vex'halia... [ his voice is soft, gentle, coaxing. and pleading, a lot more than he wants it to, terrified at the thought something is happening to her.

his free hand is up, palm flat, as he takes slow steps towards the shower. it doesn't take him very long, as the bathroom is not that large, but he moves slowly anyway. ] What's going on? Are you hurt?

[ There's a muffled cough behind the screen, and once Vax edges that bit closer, all the better to peer around it, he's in for an unhappy surprise - or perhaps not so much of one.

It is a very bedraggled Vex he'll find, clad in sodden small clothes and pressed to the tiled walls as though to prop herself up. Or maybe find a way through it and out, away from whatever, whoever it is, she seems to expect to pop up out at her, eyes wide and pupils little more than tiny pin pricks in the midst of brown iris. Her hair is plastered to her head, little better than a rat's nest now, and sunken shadows beneath her eyes look ghastly against the pale skin made whiter by the cold water.

It's not clear how long she's been here half under the water and partially out, as though using the running flow as an odd sort of shield, but when Vax tries to coax, he'll find her jerking, a trembling hand gripping something metal: a butter knife. Likely filched from the kitchen on her flight from her room, now held as deftly as any rogue might want - save for that shaking.

And there doesn't seem to be a lick of recognition for her brother, his presence earning a hiss instead. Or perhaps not his - she doesn't seem to be looking at Vax, but through. ]

You. I, I told you. Fuck. Off. [rasping voice folds in on itself, turning into a cough; then, muttered feverishly:] You can't have it.

[ the sight settles something uncomfortable and cold deep under his ribs. confusion, sure, but fear. worry. panic. anything and everything that could possibly bubble up at the sight of his sister, terrified and damp, curled in the back corner of the shower. the air seems to get a bit colder at the sight, but vax lets go of his dagger anyway, pulling out both hands to show her - to try and calm her. ]

Vex'ahlia. [ his voice betrays his attempt to remain calm, shaking lightly over the syllables. he reaches closer for her, and she jerks away, and that's enough to strike something sharp and painful through him. he quickly glances around the shower, as if something in there will explain to him exactly what is happening, and when he doesn't he looks back to her.

she doesn't recognize him. she's scared of him. something is wrong. ] Vex, it's me. Vax. Vax'ildan. It's okay.

['...𝔰𝔴𝔢𝔢𝔱, 𝔟𝔯𝔬𝔨𝔢𝔫 𝔙𝔢𝔵'𝔞𝔥𝔩𝔦𝔞.'

The words, memory gleaming like the knife in her hands, warp and twist in her ears, and Vex blinks rapidly as dripping trails of water flow across her brow and catch on her eyelids, breathing still shallow and harsh as something blurry seems to sway back and forth in front of her.

The blunted curve of her 'weapon' points towards the shadow making garbled noises at her. Stay away, she wants to hiss. Logic dictates that if the enchanted flowing river could keep a corrupted fey and the sickness that he perpetuated within the land at bay, then surely any water source would do. But it's fever logic, leaving no room but for the blinkered interpretation that had her running for the bathroom, had her certain he could not reach through a constant cold curtain of water.

But there's brightness now where there wasn't before, and something about the shape is coming into focus, even as she pulls back as far as she can against the wall -- which isn't very, she's already occupying as little space as she can. Her right foot slips, an uncomfortable thump landing her on her ass, and she kicks out instinctively before pulling her leg back in. Nononono..

Then Vex freezes, as she recognises words, real words, lacking that haunting lilt. Finds familiarity in the voice speaking. Pupils dilate, forcing her to blink rapidly, before she seems to flinch.

And finally, finally look directly at her brother. ]

..Vax?

[ his eyes move with the blunt knife in her hands. he knows he could disarm her if he needed to, could reach in and pull it away without harming either of them. but he's worried - worried how she might see it, how she might panic, what she might do when she panics. he doesn't want to hurt her, he can't bring himself to do that, but something is wrong and he can't even begin to figure out what.

i have to find pike, i have to fix this, i never should have left i never should have-

vex slips and falls back on her ass as she tries to back away from him, and vax freezes where he stands, hands still out, lurching slightly like he could stop her from falling but realizing too late that the sudden movement would probably scare her more, so he stops. ]

It's your twin, I'm here to help you, it's going to be okay, you're safe-

[ that's when she pauses, when something fades out of her eyes and she blinks, her eyes recognizing him, and vax lets out a soft breath of air, unable to hold back the soft, still scared sort of smile. ]

Yeah. Hey Stumpy. [ he pauses for just a moment longer before he takes a step closer to her. ] I'm back early.

Edited 2017-10-30 21:15 (UTC)

..hey..

[ Her voice wobbles, as watery as the rivets finding their paths down her face, and brown eyes meet brown as she maps her brother's features, finally seeing him for himself. It's silly, and a little (a lot) frightening that she could not know the other half of her for who he was. She swallows, tongue feeling thick and heavy in her mouth, her throat aching, before she glances down, attention snagging on the knife in her hands.

...How pathetic What must Vax think, to see her here with a butter knife, instead of a blade far sharper to ward off her foes. Shoulders hunch, defensiveness and shame making Vex pull in on herself. But she had reason! She had GOOD reason! But if Vax is here.. ]

..Is he gone? [chapped lips are licked, her distress wavering beneath the shabby attempt at pulling herself together. Then, slowly, she reaches over towards her brother, trying to wind fingers into the length of his sleeve. Trembling, cold and wet and trying to keep herself strong for him but she has so little strength left] He was here, he, I could hear him. Is he gone?

[ her voice wobbles, and vax all but breaks, dropping down to his knees and scooting over to kneel in front of her. there is a hollowness to her, a kind of uncertain fear, and vax'ildan wants to pull it out of her as soon as he can. she can see how terrified she is about whatever was happening to her, looking down at the knife in her hands. ]

Hey. [ he reaches out and sets his hands on her shoulders, trying to pull her attention back away from falling back into what she was worried about and instead to here, this, to now. ] Is...he?

[ he looks around, just in case there might have been someone else he missed, and then when he doesn't see anyone, or even a clue of anyone, he turns back to her. ] No one is here but us, Vex. He's gone, I promise. [ her fingers wind within the fabric of his sleeves, and vax lets out a breath, wrapping his arm around her neck and pulling her into a tight hug. ] You're safe, I have you.

Gone..?

[ Safe. Safe. Safe. He's gone, I promise.

safe.

Vex goes with the pull, lets her brother gather her up into his arms as she trembles with fever and cold and distress, turning her head so her cheek rests against his collar bone, both heedless of the water still pouring in ineffective drabs. ]

...G-gone.. Safe.

..That's right. Grog, Grog killed him... So. He's g-gone, right?

[ If Vax says it's okay...but he was here, she knows Saundor was..! Her breathing gets shallower, while the grip of her arms tightens as they move about Vax's rib cage, vacillating between collapse and panic. It's over now, it's okay, it's okay. ]

[ she crumples up into him and vax's arms are immediately around her, uncaring of how the water seeps into his clothes. she's so cold, and it's killing him to feel her trembling under his hands. it doesn't take very long before he's reaching over - one arm still tight around her - to pick up the closest towel and wrap it around her tightly, before once again holding her close to him. ]

Yeah, I have you, you're safe. [ he tucks his cheek against the top of her head, just kneeling there for a few moments with her pulled tight against him. he feels her body shaking, feels her arms tighten around his ribs, and he starts to rub his hand across her back. ]

He's gone, Vex'ahlia. It's just us. [ the worst of it is that he doesn't know what is happening - if it's some kind of magic, if it's just the virus, if it's something else, but he feels his own chest tighten up with his fear of what's going on. that it could be happening to her. he eyes the room around them, just in case, before he pulls her just a little closer, prepared to get his arms under her and carry her out. ] Let's get you out of here...

Just us..

[whispered against his neck as he tucks her against him, and there's no resistance at all as Vax shifts to grab for the towel. There's none as he wraps it around her, but also no help - it's as though the last dregs of her energy are swirling down the drain along with the bath water.

There's a metallic clatter as the knife is abandoned, forgotten by numb fingers, and Vex nods mutely as her brother begins the process of slowly gathering her up and carrying her out. Out, out, out. ]

Okay.. [a quiet whisper, before, finally, the forgotten cough kicks in, hoarse and centered in her lungs, and it shakes her hard, bound up as she is.]

[ he doesn't need any help from her to grab hold of the towel and get it around her. and for a few moments, that's all he wants - just to get her in that towel and to hold her, tight and safe - against his chest. he hears the knife clutter to the ground and he almost feels bad for forgetting that she'd been holding. ]

Yeah, just us. [ his voice is soft, and less concerned with meaning as it is trying to fill the space, shifting his arms around and under her and picking her up off the floor. ] Let's get you dried off and back in bed.

[ which is exactly what he does - carrying her back down the hall and turning to duck into his own room - right next door to hers, yes, but he's going to avoid her's if he can. something about the sickness in the air making him decide that his own is safer, for now.

with a careful attention beget only a sibling, he moves to gently set her back in the bed, rubbing at her back as she finishes off the rest of the cough. ] Hey, hey, breathe, it's okay. [ he reaches for a cup of forgotten water he had settled by the side of his bed, holding it ready for her when he got control of herself back again. ]

[ The least dangerous knife in the house. Especially when emotions cut sharper than the blade. It's already long gone from Vex's mind as her brother packs the towel around her and picks her up, trying not to be dead weight and very much not succeeding. She tucks her head in, chin to her chest, barely cognizant of the fact his room is not hers, too busy waiting for the shadows to jump out of the dark at her, at him.

(but he's dead, he's dead, and Vax promised they were safe. Just us.)

The rubbing doesn't really sooth the coughing, and it's a good thing he holds the cup: the earlier shivers leave a shake to her hands, and her fingers are too chilled to bend properly and hold it to drink. Hadn't she had enough of water for one day?

Maybe a little, given she starts coughing again after the second swallow. Making a true mess of yet more water down her chin and front. ]

[ dangerous or not, he's not going to judge her need for protection. it worries him that what she needs protection from would have manifested itself strong enough to her, despite being in her head, but he can worry about that later. later, after vex is dry. later, after vex is calm. when vex feels as safe as she really, really is.

just us. you're safe. he feels like he repeats those words each time he takes a breath, even though he knows he doesn't. instead, she just coughs, and he keeps running his hand over her back, keeps handing her the water, using the edge of the towel to catch as much of the water as he can. ]

Hey, it's okay. I'm here. Breathe slowly. [ and then once she's done, he's going to put the water back, kick off his shoes, and then climb into the bed behind her, sitting back against the wall that the bed is pushed against and pulling her basically into his lap, running his hands over her shoulders to try and keep her warm. ]

[ She shudders between coughs, eventually giving up on the water. More of it is ending up on her instead of in her, and being wiped down like this makes her feel like a child. Which at any other time would lead to petulance.

Vex is too tired to muster the energy for even that. She sits, she sways, she stares almost blankly ahead, no additional movement save to curl fingers into Vax's clothes as he climbs into bed behind her. It's only once he's settled that she unsteadily shifts as directed, her brother wrapping about her as he anchors her against him, damp hair, damp cloths, dampening towel between them. But he's solid as the world hasn't felt at all since she woke up, and she sinks into it, eyes falling shut as he instructs her to breathe.

She's almost settled when suddenly, her spine stiffens, and there's a sluggish twist as she tries to turn to look at her brother, the dark rings around her eyes stark against her washed out skin, panic bubbling free from the corners of her mouth. ]

Pike..! Percy..! Are they--are they?

[ he knows she hates it, and he knows that if she had the energy she would be fighting it, but vax doesn't care. he dries her off the best he can and when he realizes it's not going to help much more he just forgoes it and climbs up in bed with her. because if she has nothing else, she will have him, right by her side through it all.

and honestly, vax is prepared to sit like this for the rest of the night, already planning out just how to get the blankets around her with as little movement as possible when she tenses under his arms. ]

They're fine, Vex'ahlia. Percy is in his room, sleeping, and Pike is passed out in her's. [ getting some well deserved rest herself, he thinks, but doesn't say. instead, he moves to rub at her back a little more, trying to ease that tension there. ]

And you should be following their suit. Come here. [ and that's when he's going to take off the towel - now damp - and instead pull up the blanket on her bed and wrap it around her, pulling her back between his knees and against his chest. ]

You're sure?

[ Her voice comes out raspy and small, clinging desperately to her brother's reassurance. That which sent her fleeing into the bathroom could still be a threat to her friends, and the trembling running through her is as much fear for them as it is the exhaustion crashing down.

The towel slips from her shoulders, and she leans immediately into the thin blanket, drawn towards the warmth of her brother and lets herself be properly settled. Everything aches, and her eyes close tightly as she tries to relax. She needs sleep, but she's so tired.. ]

You promise..?

I'm positive.

[ he answers quickly, and honestly, squeezing her a little closer as he wraps her up in her blanket. he has a quick thought that he's almost glad he didn't have his armor on, if only because then he wouldn't have to worry about pulling off the many complicated pieces, and instead just makes sure to kick off his boots, pushing them off the edge.

she settles, and vax can almost feel the exhaustion seeping off of her. he makes sure to tuck her against his chest, wrapped tightly in the blanket, and pressing his cheek into the top of her hair. ]

I swear it, sister. Now sleep. [ he continues to rub his hands, reassuring and hopefully comforting, across her back. because right now, she is his only concern. her wellbeing, and her health, and while there is little he can do about the latter, he can at least help her to sleep. ]

[ Cuddled into her brother's arms as she is, her head turns as he tucks his chin over hers, ear pressed and listening to the beat of his heart. Vax would not lie to her, not about this sort of worry, and his heart does not trip faster when he speaks as it might were he trying to sooth her with falsehoods.

In many ways, her own lack of armor is a blessing; wet leather is the worst to handle to prevent cracking when drying, and she'd fuss like a babe if she'd had to remove it while in this state. As it is, toes curl as her legs tuck up, and she relaxes further still, cough stirring a time or two in her chest but not enough to prevent the eventual drift.

(It's still blatantly unfair that she got sick and he didn't, but she'd still never wish this on him, or anyone for that matter.) ]

[ he waits for vex to get settled, curled up against his chest with her cheek against him. no, he wouldn't lie to her. not like this, not right now. not with so much changing, and so much different, and so much going on. so instead, he'll soothe her. rub her back gently and hold her close.

it takes him a little longer to fall asleep that it does her, a fact he knows just from the way she finally starts to relax in his arms, her legs curling and her body starting to get more comfortable. he shifts once in this state just to make sure his own legs aren't going to fall asleep, before he lets out a long breath and settles in for sleep.

he's not moving. not tonight, and not until vex wakes up tomorrow. this is a fact he knows and he doesn't mind, at all, even as he closes his eyes and breathes in the damp smell of her hair, his arms tight and protective around her.

tomorrow, they'll have more to deal with. but for now, he'll make sure she can at least sleep. ]

[ there's a lot of time, james thinks vaguely, that he's lost.

the first few days he probably didn't even notice it was happening. sirius had been his main concern, which was understandable, because sirius was impossible when he felt bad and it took all of james' attention to make sure he was sleeping, he wasn't bored, he was drinking enough. things got worse when sirius' fever heightened, mumbles of visions, pained noises. james could barely stand to be in a different room from him, just in case something could happen.

his focus was on sirius, which is probably why he didn't notice his own symptoms. not for that first day, or really that second. it wasn't until the third, or was it fourth? when he couldn't pull himself out of bed that he realized there was a problem.

that was...some time ago. james doesn't know how long. it could have been yesterday, it could have been longer, but he doesn't remember the last time he left this bed and he definitely doesn't remember any text he might have sent. all he does remember is never quite feeling this out before - dizzy, exhausted, hot and then cold, heavy, and missing lily. missing lily more than he can stand. which is why, when he's woken up with a start by a sound in the next room, he can't help but pull himself to the edge of the bed, to set his feet down on the wooden floor. ]

L-lily? [ she....couldn't. could she? there's no telling how long he's been out. maybe there's a chance she's come back. he's a sorry, ugly sight to see at this point, but that doesn't stop him from exerting an unnecessary amount of effort to actually stand up from the bed, heading towards the source of the sound - reaching a hand out to steady him on the doorframe once he's close enough. ] Lily?

Edited 2017-10-25 16:23 (UTC)

ooc so technically this will be later but james is not yet feeling the more intense side effects but he will through the course of this thread OKAY OKAY

I can't believe- [ he starts, words slurred from the heat across his face or the pounding behind his eyes. he blinks, partially, looking up at the ceiling and feeling his body spin, and tosses his arm out across the bed. when it was the decided to curl into this tiny space together, he doesn't remember. only that having sirius here, close, makes him feel better. safer. calmer, despite how he'll hear something off in the corner of the room and has to stop himself from going full prongs and out the back window.

also, it makes it easier to complain at him, grasping around a bit uselessly for wherever it is that sirius' body ended up. ] Got me s-sick.

[ it's been a long few days, and honestly- james doesn't feel bad for remus. sirius, by comparison, is quite an easy patient. but james, who has done nothing but whine and complain since the moment he realized he couldn't really stand up on his own? it all went to hell. which is, pretty much, where he is right now. hot, and then cold, dizzy, exhausted, and all together harboring a need for sirius to understand how he's suffering.

even if sirius has, technically, been suffering for longer. and is most likely dealing with more symptoms than james. it doesn't matter. ] Padfoot look what you did-

( open )

For Vax on the Hunt

casually 800 years later i'm sorry please forgive me.....

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closed { vex

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cw: ill half-elf twinsie may be having hallucinations :<

seester no :ccccccc

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closed { eggsy.

closed { sirius.