What Meets The Eye

2

**In this au Keyleth and Vax are together, like, as in dating. If you don't like, don't read**

I slowly wandered out of my room the next day, aching all over. My brown eyes were dull, my hair was a mess, and I hadn't bothered to change my outfit last night. As I made my way into the kitchen for breakfast, the dull pain in my neck returned. Ugh, of course. The two small puncture wounds had long stopped bleeding, but were still red and sore. Everyone looked up at me, and gave some small smiles. I gave a grin, trying to hide my shitty mood. Everyone seemed to buy it except Vex and Keyleth. Possibly Percy, but who knows what Percy is thinking? He's a human with a soul made of metal and a heart of stone. "Good morning Vax," everyone said. "Good morning," I could tell I sounded tired and forced when they shared a collective look I wasn't included in. My mood down-put even more, I sighed quietly and dished myself some oatmeal. A vine wrapped around my wrist and a small ginger flower with black around the edges bloomed on the end. I smiled for real, and looked at Keyleth. "Thank you Keykey, it's beautiful," The redhead smiled at me and continued on with her book. Sitting in my usual spot, I ate my meal In silence. It tasted off, and looked more...unappetizing than usual. I wonder if we had any meat. I made my way towards our pantry, and looked around it for a few seconds. "Vax, why are we looking for food you haven't finished your porridge." I was irritated suddenly for no reason. Vex had only asked a question, so why did it annoy me so much I wanted to flip her off and yell at her? I pushed my emotions down, and put on a slightly amused face with a barely noticeable smile. "Do we have any meat?" Something hit my head. Hard. "Shit! What the fuck?" I looked at the ground and saw a large hunk of chicken lying on the floor. If felt as if it had been frozen, so it hurt, like, a lot. I saw Grog with a guilty face, his hand in a throwing position, holding more chicken. My head throbbed, my eyes blurred with fury. The sensible part of my mind  was shouting at me to pull it together, that it was a joke, and that was how I normally would have thought at first and thrown it right back at him, laughing it off as if he had told an embarrassing story about me and I was getting revenge. But I wanted to attack him. I wanted to hurt him, and I hated feeling that way. The half-giant's eyes widened suddenly, and he began pointing at me. I heard a click and turned to my right to see Percy looking at me in horror and disgust, his gun aimed at my head. Vex's eyes were wide and startled, as if she'd see a ghost. Scanlan looked confused, and Pike was holding her holy symbol in a clenched fist, as if protecting it. And Keyleth. She didn't look mad, or confused. She looked terrified. What happened? What did I do? I glared at Grog, that was it! A low growl sounded behind me. Percy was glaring at me, his soul-piercing eyes brimming with rage. "Your not Vax. I don't know who the fuck you are, but your a vampire and you are going to leave now before I end your miserable, cursed life." My mood seemed to have gone back to my personality, and I stood there, hurt and confused. What did I do wrong? What did I fuck up?  "Percy, what are you talking about?" I took a single step towards him, and he tensed up, applying pressure to the trigger. Not enough to fire it, but enough to concern me.
Keyleth had pulled herself together and grabbed something from the sink. She slowly walked towards me, and when I looked at her, confused, she flinched a little. She looked a way and held up a shiny pan, so I could see my reflection. I jumped back in horror. "What in the ever loving fuck?!" My brown pupils had gone yellow, my teeth-which I had bared in the process-were long and sharp. My vision got blurry. I had never cried before, but now seemed like a pretty good time. I couldn't look away from my reflection. I had to calm down. I closed my eyes, imagining all my fear being sucked out of my body and locked in a tiny little cage, a method I used to use when me and Vex were little. I opened my eyes again, and they were normal. I backed up from all of them, eyes at the floor. "I-I have to go." Vex tried to grab my arm but I shook her off and ran back to my room. "Vax! Wait!" They called after me. I slammed my door shut, locking it and putting a quick enchantment on it so that it couldn't be opened, picked, or broken down. I sat on the edge of my bed. Fidgeting with my dagger. It's shiny surface caught the light and it struck me right in my eyes. Slamming them shut, I quickly moved my knife from the angle and opened them again. At least I still had a reflection, I thought. At least I'm not hitting on random strangers I find in my room and then biting their neck open.

At least I'm not a monster.

...

Yet.