thought...but I can wait-”
The two women laughed after trying to speak at the same time, eyes focused on each other’s lips to make sure it wouldn’t happen again.
This, of course, led to its own awkward silence filled with the sound of running water behind the wooden door they were standing in front of and the distant echoed conversation from the communal bath area.
The inn where Vox Machina was staying happened to be attached to a bath-house run by the same family who owned the inn. After returning from slaying the beast earlier, most of the group had headed straight for their rooms where they could easily wash in a basin. Vex was one of the ones who’d had the unfortunate pleasure of spending time prone on the ashy, muddy ground, so she desired a little more of a chance to really scrub down and also luxuriate just a bit because she was feeling deserving of some self-care.
It was Vex’ahlia who finally broke the silence after flashing Keyleth a friendly smile, “I’m fine sharing if you are.”
Keyleth bit at the inside of her cheek before sighing, “Yeah, I don’t really feel like being in a bath with strangers right now.”
They’d been in a rough fight earlier and after being grappled and thrown like a ragdoll by the hellish, multi-armed beast Vox Machina was tasked with killing, Vex’s shoulder was very much not where it was supposed to be. Pike had Grog help her pop the joint back in place, a task the goliath had completed with a surprising amount of caution and restraint. After the joint was reseated, Pike healed her as best she could with her remaining spells and forced Vex to wear her right arm in a sling. Of course, Vex took it off the second she was alone, wincing as the muscles protested when she reached up to remove the feathers from behind her ear.
It wasn’t as if Keyleth hadn’t offered to heal her further- she had- but Vex stubbornly refused and said Vax should get the healing since his injuries were a bit worse. The little furrow that appeared between Keyleth’s brown told Vex that the druid didn’t believe her, but being the saint she was, Pike had piped up and asked Vex for help with something.
Vex’s refusal definitely had nothing to do with dinner last night where her brother and Keyleth sat close together, snickering and sharing occasional whispers behind their hands. Jealousy wasn’t new to Vex, as that corrosive seed had been sown a handful of months ago when she’d been trying to work up the courage to talk with Vax about her budding feelings for Keyleth.
She never got the chance, as he’d come to her room one night and bashfully admitted that he thought he might have a crush on Keyleth. Despite the cracks spiderwebbing across her heart she smiled woodenly and told her brother how happy she was for him.
As much as she tried to smother her own feelings so she didn’t step on her twin’s feet, Vex couldn’t help but fall more in love with Keyleth from afar. She always attempted to not gaze longingly after the willowy red-head when she left the room, but Pike assured her she was unsuccessful and still looked like a lovesick puppy.
