[EP/GP] Today is Check-In Day

[st_illunsmeared]

When the fifteenth of the month came and went without any new arrivals, most people logically supposed that there would be no new arrivals that week, or that the pattern they believed they'd found was false after all.

Kitty Pryde, Caroline Forbes, and Phryne Fisher were decidedly not most people.

Between them, they agreed it would be best to keep a watch for a few days following the fifteenth, on the grounds that, often enough, holidays interrupted regular schedules, which would reassert themselves again at the next instance. If "keeping a watch" had required them to do anything out of the ordinary, they might have been somewhat less sanguine about it. Might have, as they were not, after all, most people. Yet since their routines, almost invariably, had them in public places, working and people-watching, it required no special effort on their part to be alert for new arrivals.

So it was that Phryne had taken up a table in the lobby cafe to read and hold court, while Kitty took an extra shift tending bar, and Caroline tidied up and labeled the boxes of decorations from Valentine's day "for next year's residents" on the morning of the sixteenth and again on the seventeenth--and not one of them were surprised when, in early afternoon, newcomers began to arrive.

Comments

Re: For Phryne

[st_abby]

"I believe you," Vax answered, though he looked away. Mostly because he couldn't function if he let himself think of it any differently. He was barely functional as it was.

"...I miss her so fucking much, Percy." His heart broke across his face as he said it, no more or less than it had in all this time, but he'd never quite said the words aloud. They clung thick in his throat, like a sob. It was such a stupidly obvious thing, and such an understatement at that. But no one else here knew Vex'ahlia to be able to understand what he meant.

Percy loved her, too.

Re: For Phryne

[st_ockandbarrel]

Percy let Vax's wrist go. He did not, as a rule, touch people voluntarily or for any length of time. "I know." Because he'd seen his sister struck with four arrows. He'd seen her fall and he'd run. When Vex and Vax had been inseparable, he'd been alone and keenly missed a family he'd never see again.

And he knew what it was to miss Vex herself. Not yet - not the way Vax did and he doubted that he ever would - but it had been ...years really, years since he'd looked into her eyes and realized for the first time that he was utterly in love with her...

and that it was possibly the worst thing that could have ever happened, because he was damned and no relationship could ever survive the hate that was at the core of him. So he'd pushed it away and made arrows. He'd given her every coin that passed through his hands. He'd fought beside her and missed her.

And now, he was going to learn a new way to miss her - when less than a week ago he'd kissed her for the first time, when 24 hours ago he'd gone to her room with liquid Courage and discovered she was way head of him.

Percy cleared his throat. Not the time to relive that particular memory.

Re: For Phryne

[st_abby]

Vox Machina was a family, and Vax had said as much before. But even if they hadn't become so close, Percy would be the nearest thing he had to a brother. They weren't as conspiratorial as he and Scanlan, nor as playfully antagonistic as he and Grog. It was enough - because it was the single most important thing - that Vex and her happiness came first.

Percy could be a creepy, snobby, broken shit - both eyes open, Vax had warned her - but the way she smiled, the way her eyes sparkled when she looked at him, Percy did make her happy.

"You're as close as I've got, now. So if you think I'm going to let you pickle yourself or blow yourself up or lock yourself away in a new workshop evermore, you've got it coming."

Re: For Phryne

[st_ockandbarrel]

"If it's all the same to you, I'm not going to turn it in reverse. I don't mind standing in for her for you but," he had to smirk then. Vax and Vex were similar in many many respects. Percy was not currently willing to think about how many respects there were.

"Now, get out. I died today. I'm exhausted."

Re: For Phryne

[st_abby]

Vax'ildan stood, and actually quirked a bit of a smile at that. He had been about to get the lush a glass of water, but now he moved for the door to the hall directly.

"We've both got the same perfect ass," was all he left Percy with. "So try not to stare as I walk away."