#warplanet

❝ oh, well - uh, ❞ an awkward laugh falls from the druid's lips. her hands grip the ridged wood of her staff, cheeks slowly turning the same red as her hair. ❝ i don't just - that's not all i - nevermind. ❞ one hand releases it's grip on her staff, instead rubbing against the back of her neck. way to go keyleth, now she thinks you're a freak! so maybe her words had come out more . . enthusiastic as she had intended. she only wanted to express her admiration. after all, she hadn't ever met a woman like vex before. so sure of herself, so . . fucking badass. ❝ i just meant that i thought it was cool, what you did back there. you know - ❞ hands mime the act of releasing an arrow from a bow, staff dropping to the grassy floor in the process. an accompanying thwip and thud sound effect emitting from her lips. ❝ i just think you're really uh, . . cool. ❞

try   as   he   may   ,   the   gunslinger   can't   help   the   soft   laughter   that   leaves   his   lips   as   his   wife   drunkenly   attempts   to   down   the   small   glasses   of   champagne   served at this ball to   simply   prove   a   point.   his   wife   .   .   .   the   title   never   fails   to   make   his   heart   flutter   ,   recalling   how   not   too   long   ago   , he   believed   they   would   be   nothing   more   than   just a   casual   thing.   it   hurt   to   tell   her   his   feelings   when   she   couldn't   reciprocate   them   the   same   way   ,   only   for   things   to   change   when   he   died   &   his   soul   was   captured   by   orthax for that short period of time.   who   knew   a   death   experience   would   put   things   into   perspective   for   them   ?   if   not   for   that   ,   he   wouldn't   be   here   right   now   ,   enjoying   a   ball   in   whitestone   with   her   as   she   tries   to   soother   her   boredom   with   a   challenge   of   her   own   making.   it's   rather   adorable   ━━   even   with   vox   machina   disbanded   for   now   ,   their   old   ways   never   seem   to   truly   fade   away.

it was getting colder. the twins were better off this winter than the last, though vax'ildan had to admit that something about this one felt different. it felt severe, harsh. the shelter they'd happened upon felt too good to be true — and he couldn't tell if he was thankful for it yet, but vex'ahlia felt the same

❝   you   could   stay   ,   you   know.   ❞   the   comment   leaves   his   lips   before   he   even   has   time   to   mull   it   over.   the   prince   knows   he's   asking   for   too   much   ,   as   the   knight   is   not   one   to   stay   in   one   place   too   long.   even   as   he   turns   to   face   din   ,   there's   regret   in   his   hazel eyes   ,   already   aware   of   the   answer   he   will   no   doubt   give.   ❝   sorry.   i   meant   that   .   .   .   i   wish   you   could   stay.   ❞   mason   closes   the   book   in   his   hands   ,   using   it   to   help   ground   himself   as   he   meets   din's   helmet   ,   but   now   he   no   longer   has   to   imagine   what   might   be   beneath   it.   he's   seen   his   face   .   .   .   he   knows   how   he   looks   at   him.   ❝   i   won't   be   king   forever   you   know. just   until   i   can   help   set   up   a   democracy   among   the   leaders   so   the   kingdom   is   ruled   fairly.   ❞   it's   what   viridis   deserves   ,   but   it   also   leaves   him   free   to   do   as   he   chooses.   in   giving   up   his   power   ,   he   is   trading   it   for   something   far   more   precious   ━━   the   ability   to   choose , to live his life without the stress of a crown.   ❝   when   that's   all   done   .   .   .   could   you   ever   consider   .   .   .   ❞   he   struggles   to   finish   his   sentence   ,   almost   afraid   to   speak   it   aloud.   din   surely knows   what   he   means to say   ,   so   he   leaves   it   all   hanging   up   in   the   air   ,   eyes   watching   him   ,   curious   what   his   response   will   be.

he still can't really wrap his head around it — he even checked his insulin and lithium pumps to make sure they weren't malfunctioning, but this was all real and happening. cars didn't turn into huge talking robots, and yet... he still doesn't quite know why he helped the thing. optimus prime, or whatever it was called, seemed to command respect, and mack was included in that demographic. “ uh, yeah. no problem, man. ” he rubs the back of his neck, head tilted slightly with his eyes narrowed. he'd just said his name and told him where to find an open field. “ sorry, but like... what the hell are you? no offense... i just haven't seen anything like you before. ”

stars flicker out in the distance. almost as if they're waving the normandy by as they continue their journey between systems. despite the danger they face, and the threat of the reapers hanging over them, barbara finds herself feeling at peace. perhaps it's simply that she feels like she belongs once again. ❝ i missed this. ❞ she speaks, not needing to turn her head to know it's garrus crossing the room to sit beside her. a stray finger traces a line down her leg. the last time she was out here she was a different person. her weapon a heavy weight in her hands, rather than words on a screen. ❝ being amongst the stars. ❞

gaze turns to garrus. the stars forgotten in place of the sun. it's almost automatic the way a smile creeps onto her face, turning up each corner of her lips. ❝ so, they finally let you out? ❞ something twists in her gut. the thought that he might have been lost for good. that oracle and archangel may have parted without speaking again, and she would have been left with so many regrets. ❝ dr chakwas did a pretty good job on your face. you almost look more handsome than before. ❞ gentle fingers brush the length of his new scars, soft lips following to press a featherlight kiss. she's not sure who initiates the next, whether it's his had that turns for hers that seeks more, but their lips brush in a chaste kiss. it's enough for her breath to catch. a beat passes, and when he doesn't pull back she finds herself leaning forward for more. cheeks burning when they finally part, their foreheads pressing together. ❝ you know, i've been wanting to do that for a while. ❞