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Realising her feelings for Percy, Vex decides, is the most inconvenient thing that has happened to her in a long time. And of course she had to realise it at the worst possible moment too, just as she found out they were going to visit dear old Dad. She’d even behaved strangely around him, avoiding being alone with him, and if the whole situation wasn’t bothersome enough, he’d noticed it as well. She had blamed the upcoming trip, telling him that she felt – not nervous, she wasn't ready to admit to that but – unprepared. It wasn’t a lie as such, just not the whole truth.
And now they are here, and it is in the middle of the night, and she can’t sleep. She feels trapped in her room, and after pacing for what felt like hours, Vex slips out. She sneaks up on the outer wall, where she flops down. From here she can look down at the city and the soft yellow lights coming from the windows of nocturnal elves.
Only a few minutes later she hears footsteps, and it’s him, because of course it is. She knows the sounds of him by now, and she couldn’t forget it even if she tried. She’s certain he’s noticed her, because the footsteps stop.
“Are you gonna join me or just stand there?” she asks, without ever taking her eyes of the city.
He sits down next to her, and she sneaks a glance. His white hair is dishevelled as always and his glasses have slid down his nose. She likes him best like this, she thinks, and refuses to consider how much she wants to wake up to the sight of him like this every day.
“A copper for your thoughts?” she says, when she realises that he still hasn’t spoken.
“I was – I was just thinking about how different my life was supposed to be,” he says and scratches his neck. “And how much it has changed in wild, unpredictable ways.”
Vex hums affirmingly. Normally she would’ve made a witty quip, but Percy’s words hits close to home. Her life would’ve been very different had she – and Vax – stayed with their father.
“Y’know, they were going to marry me off,” she says, a lot more casual than she feels. She’s not even sure why she’s telling him this, but she finds that she wants to. She rarely thinks about it herself, if she can avoid it. Percy splutters and stares at her, wide eyed and genuinely horrified and she can't help but feel a little thrilled about his reaction. He hesitates before speaking, like he always does, and she can’t help how endearing she finds it. There are a lot of things about Percy she can’t help but feel.
“I did not know, but I am certain whoever they had picked would not have deserved you at all.”
Pleased, she ducks her head to hide her smile.
“So, Vax was snooping–”
“Of course he was,” Percy remarks.
“And he overheard my father telling a member of his staff that, since he couldn’t find any elven men who wanted me, he'd have to pick a human from acceptable family. I was a bit difficult back then.” Percy snorts and she notices that his hand is almost touching hers, as he rests it on the wall they sit on. Ignoring the impulse to take it, she continues.
“And Father had already drafted the proposal letter and he was going to send it the next morning. So Vax rushed to my chamber and we left that night.”
He looks up at her and she is reminded of how bright his eyes are, before he looks down at the city beneath them.
“I'm so sorry, Vex, I hate to think of you being forced to marry someone like that. I know my parents were going to arrange something, but that – obviously didn't happen.”
“It's all right,” she says and means it. “It wasn't even someone important anyway, according to Vax, my father had picked the second son of some noble family up in the far–”
She ends her sentence abruptly, and Percy looks concerned at her.
“Vex?”
It couldn't be, could it? It'd been many years ago, surely? But the time frame fits – Oh!
“Vex, dear, are you all right?”
She regains her voice at last and twists her hands in her lap.
“I was supposed to marry the second son of a noble family far north.”
Percy looks confused.
“But the de Rolos are the only nobles–”
“Yes.” How had she not realised this? Granted, she rarely thought about her time with her father, but–
“Oh,” Percy says softly and Vex looks up at him again. He's usually hard to read and it's dark around them, but she thinks – and she has good eyes – that he might be blushing and her stomach swirls.
“I mean,” Percy clears his throat, “I guess that just proves me right.” Now he’s definitely blushing, she notices gleefully, while he continues. “I certainly don’t deserve you.”
It only takes a heartbeat for Vex to make her decision, and so she reaches out and takes his hand.
“Good thing I’ve never cared much about whether you deserve me or not.”
With fingers intertwined and her head resting on his shoulder, they watch the sunrise.