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“Vax?”
The sound of his own name being spoken aloud riles the Champion of Ravens out of a slumber plagued with nightmares.
It was the same nightmare he had endured for weeks after he had been freed from his spherical prison.
The same nightmare that had plagued him ever since he first set foot onto Exandria as a mortal once more.
The sound of his own name being spoken aloud riles him, but he is still in the midst of panic.
That is, until he feels the gentle touch of a very familiar hand coaxing him back to the waking world just as gently.
At last, Vax’ildan opens his eyes.
It’s still night out, and he’s still seated in a chair in someone’s room, having been exhausted from another occasional sojourn to search for the reborn Matron and needing to return home to rest.
He had snuck his way in, mostly out of habit more than anything, not wanting to wake up the love of his life.
Alas, she is awake now, and she’s locking eyes with him as his vision clears.
“Kiki… hi.”
Keyleth gives him that familiar smile that could brighten the darkest of rooms on a pitch-black evening. That same smile that helped to sustain him and ease him during his time wearing the Champion’s mantle.
“When did you come back home?”
Vax returns her smile with one of his own, placing his hand atop the one still holding his shoulder. “Not too long ago. Sorry I didn’t wake you first upon my return.”
She shakes her head. “That’s okay. But… you were also talking in your sleep. And… what you had said worried me.”
Vax frowns. “What… did I say?”
Keyleth’s smile only falters slightly as she takes a knee to meet him at eye level, not letting go of his shoulder.
According to her, he had been muttering about what had occurred at the Key, the sight of her broken and bloody body at the feet of Otohan Thull, his own retort of “don’t you even dare”, and his constant calling out for everyone he had ever known.
And sure enough, as she explains, he can’t help but notice.
The wounds have long since healed, but his keen sight can still see the almost imperceptible scars across her skin. Not the faded scars from decades past, but the freshest ones that resulted from a mad gambit to lure him into a fanatic’s cruel plot to kill the gods.
Not a day goes by that he hates himself for not being more careful, for not acting sooner to prevent such harm from befalling her, for allowing those old emotional wounds of hers to reopen upon seeing him again.
He’d do it all over again, of course, but he’d still hate himself for making her suffer.
Keyleth must be able to read his mind, because her grip on his shoulder tightens and she takes her other hand and caresses his face.
Gods, the warmth she provides soothes the cold in his bones that resulted from weeks of searching.
He swears that much of it must be due to that sparkstone energy from decades ago still surging through her body.
It’s only been a few weeks since he came back to Exandria as a mortal, and as he took everything in, memories of a life long ago had flooded back into his mind after a long time utterly removed from mortality.
Memories of his life with Vex and Mother in Byroden, and then under Syldor’s oppressive glare in Syngorn.
Memories of meeting acquaintances both good and ill before Vox Machina.
Memories of forging strong bonds with others aside from his sister for the first time, bonds of friendship and found family.
The strongest of memories, of course, are the many moments he had shared with Keyleth, memories of before and after their feelings had grown beyond mere friendship.
And of course, those memories are suffused with abundant sorrow and regret due to how they were forced to part.
”Vax…”
He must have looked haggard because the look on her face is taut with concern.
”It’s okay. I’m here. I’m alive, because of you.”
“Still… I caused you so much harm just by being there.” His voice is thick with emotion.
“True. But you still ensured that I lived. And… I did help to return the favor, don’t you forget.”
There’s no way he could, remembering that the first sight he had witnessed upon his release was the familiar air elemental form she had assumed, that very sight itself bringing back even more memories.
“And now…” Keyleth continues as she leans in and gives him a gentle kiss. “We can live our lives the way we want. ‘A new beginning’, remember?”
Vax wants to cry so badly at the fact that despite the hardening of her heart for three decades, her empathy would still crack through when it’s needed.
He is very lucky to have her near. Very lucky, indeed.
“Of course,” he replies with a smile as he returns the kiss. It’s only then that he finally sheds tears. They are tears of sadness mixed with those of joy.
He’s here. Again. In her comfortable company. And it’s here in her company that Vax promises himself that the next time he comes home after some time away… he’ll tell her first and foremost.