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fandomweekly2017-01-26 03:06 pm
toffeecat) wrote in fandomweekly2017-01-26 03:06 pm
Entry tags:
[#030] New-Found Family (Critical Role)
Theme Prompt: #030 - Redemption
Title: New-Found Family
Fandom: Critical Role
Rating/Warning: G / None
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 974
Summary: After the events in Whitestone, Percy is ready to give up. Keyleth would rather fight the Briarwoods again than lose one of her closest friends to his personal demon.
"It's over, Percy! The Briarwoods are history, so why don't you- Percy? Percy, please talk to me!"
Keyleth's tentative plead gave him pause. The last couple of days had taken their toll on all of them, but him especially. He had not wanted to pull his friends, the people he cared about most in this world, into this mess that was his life.
Not that he could still stop that, as he already had. Another burden making his life harder; another family, because that was what they were, at least to him, he would lose because of his actions, and his alone. But he would be damned if he did not try to keep them from following him any further. The descent to madness would be a path only he alone should wander.
Her slender hands grabbed his shoulder with a force that still surprised even him sometimes; he should know her better by now, though, her of all people.
"Percy, this is important! You've been even darker than usual lately, with everything you've said, and done, and... We're just worried, are you- are you alright?"
She could be persistent, when she wanted to. Whatever awkwardness she usually displayed was gone. How she still thought she was not fit to lead her tribe was beyond him. He chuckled despite himself.
"Keyleth," he began, though he didn't raise his voice above a whisper. Even if he had wanted to, the previous fight had left him with an exhaustion no potion could cure; no-one had ever claimed facing one's demons was easy. But really, what was there for him to say?
She leaned in, arms dropping down to her side, eyeing him with that mix of pure friendliness and guarded caution only she could pull off. He would miss her the most.
Well, not quite the most, but close second; and he was not ready to disentangle those feelings yet, anyway. He shot a glance towards the gates of Whitestone's castle. If ever.
"I am beyond saving, Keyleth." He gently took her hands in his, but not once avoided her gaze. The change in her eyes, her look was something he needed to see; confusion turned anger turned helplessness turned resignation. Turned compassion.
"No-one is, Percy."
She looked at him, so convinced of what she was saying, that he almost believed her. A small part of him certainly wanted to. But he could not share her sheltered views, life had taken too much from him for that. While Keyleth could achieve many things destined for greatness, even she could not make the murder of his family undone; and he would carry the guilt of not having been capable to save them for the rest of his life.
His lips tugged up into a bitter smile. "It is not that easy, Keyleth. I have endangered you, our group, my sister, all of Whitestone, because I was so fixated on my vengeance. If I had not struck that deal with Orthax..."
He broke her gaze just as his voice pitched slightly higher; her understanding expression was suddenly too much for him to bear. He did deserve so much less than that.
"But all of us have made it out of there alive. Don't beat yourself up about something that hasn't happened, Percy."
Keyleth cupped his cheek, gently tilting his head until he met her gaze once again. Her sad smile made his heart ache.
"All of us have had their fair share of pain in their lives; everyone has their own demons, even if some are more tangible than others. Maybe all but Scanlan, but still." She grinned at the huff she had coaxed from him; the image of his gun dissolving in a pool of acid was still prominent in his mind, but he could not fault the gnome for it. For all he knew, it had saved his life, and what little sanity he had left. Not that he would ever tell Scanlan he even thought about it. He was already at least as confident as the rest of them together, if not more. Probably more.
Despite her small joke, her voice did not lose its serious tone, and she clenched her other hand before her chest. "You only need to let us help you. Together, we will get through this. I promise you!"
Percy nodded slowly. She made it sound so easy, so uncomplicated; he was willing to try, at least. For his friends' sake.
A wide, genuine smile on her face, the one that always made her eyes gleam mirthfully as well, she released him, only to embrace him into a fierce hug. It all but knocked the air out of his lungs, though he could not care less. He returned her hug just as strongly.
"That's what a family is there for, after all," she whispered into his ear, before she stepped back. "Now, I think your sister wanted to discuss something with you."
He grinned sheepishly; this was one of the many, many things he had been convinced he would never hear again, and yet... Not only would he be talking to his sister he had believed to be dead for years, but he had a new-found family to return to, as well. A family that knew what he had done, and liked and accepted him despite it. Maybe even for it; he loved them because of their wrecked past as well.
Knowing that he got this far, it was easier to believe he had done something right in the world, something worthy of being loved by this wonderful group of broken people. Maybe she was speaking true; maybe he was not nearly as far gone as he had feared.
And he would not disappoint them. Still smiling, he followed Keyleth into the castle, where the others would be waiting. Not again.
Title: New-Found Family
Fandom: Critical Role
Rating/Warning: G / None
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 974
Summary: After the events in Whitestone, Percy is ready to give up. Keyleth would rather fight the Briarwoods again than lose one of her closest friends to his personal demon.
"It's over, Percy! The Briarwoods are history, so why don't you- Percy? Percy, please talk to me!"
Keyleth's tentative plead gave him pause. The last couple of days had taken their toll on all of them, but him especially. He had not wanted to pull his friends, the people he cared about most in this world, into this mess that was his life.
Not that he could still stop that, as he already had. Another burden making his life harder; another family, because that was what they were, at least to him, he would lose because of his actions, and his alone. But he would be damned if he did not try to keep them from following him any further. The descent to madness would be a path only he alone should wander.
Her slender hands grabbed his shoulder with a force that still surprised even him sometimes; he should know her better by now, though, her of all people.
"Percy, this is important! You've been even darker than usual lately, with everything you've said, and done, and... We're just worried, are you- are you alright?"
She could be persistent, when she wanted to. Whatever awkwardness she usually displayed was gone. How she still thought she was not fit to lead her tribe was beyond him. He chuckled despite himself.
"Keyleth," he began, though he didn't raise his voice above a whisper. Even if he had wanted to, the previous fight had left him with an exhaustion no potion could cure; no-one had ever claimed facing one's demons was easy. But really, what was there for him to say?
She leaned in, arms dropping down to her side, eyeing him with that mix of pure friendliness and guarded caution only she could pull off. He would miss her the most.
Well, not quite the most, but close second; and he was not ready to disentangle those feelings yet, anyway. He shot a glance towards the gates of Whitestone's castle. If ever.
"I am beyond saving, Keyleth." He gently took her hands in his, but not once avoided her gaze. The change in her eyes, her look was something he needed to see; confusion turned anger turned helplessness turned resignation. Turned compassion.
"No-one is, Percy."
She looked at him, so convinced of what she was saying, that he almost believed her. A small part of him certainly wanted to. But he could not share her sheltered views, life had taken too much from him for that. While Keyleth could achieve many things destined for greatness, even she could not make the murder of his family undone; and he would carry the guilt of not having been capable to save them for the rest of his life.
His lips tugged up into a bitter smile. "It is not that easy, Keyleth. I have endangered you, our group, my sister, all of Whitestone, because I was so fixated on my vengeance. If I had not struck that deal with Orthax..."
He broke her gaze just as his voice pitched slightly higher; her understanding expression was suddenly too much for him to bear. He did deserve so much less than that.
"But all of us have made it out of there alive. Don't beat yourself up about something that hasn't happened, Percy."
Keyleth cupped his cheek, gently tilting his head until he met her gaze once again. Her sad smile made his heart ache.
"All of us have had their fair share of pain in their lives; everyone has their own demons, even if some are more tangible than others. Maybe all but Scanlan, but still." She grinned at the huff she had coaxed from him; the image of his gun dissolving in a pool of acid was still prominent in his mind, but he could not fault the gnome for it. For all he knew, it had saved his life, and what little sanity he had left. Not that he would ever tell Scanlan he even thought about it. He was already at least as confident as the rest of them together, if not more. Probably more.
Despite her small joke, her voice did not lose its serious tone, and she clenched her other hand before her chest. "You only need to let us help you. Together, we will get through this. I promise you!"
Percy nodded slowly. She made it sound so easy, so uncomplicated; he was willing to try, at least. For his friends' sake.
A wide, genuine smile on her face, the one that always made her eyes gleam mirthfully as well, she released him, only to embrace him into a fierce hug. It all but knocked the air out of his lungs, though he could not care less. He returned her hug just as strongly.
"That's what a family is there for, after all," she whispered into his ear, before she stepped back. "Now, I think your sister wanted to discuss something with you."
He grinned sheepishly; this was one of the many, many things he had been convinced he would never hear again, and yet... Not only would he be talking to his sister he had believed to be dead for years, but he had a new-found family to return to, as well. A family that knew what he had done, and liked and accepted him despite it. Maybe even for it; he loved them because of their wrecked past as well.
Knowing that he got this far, it was easier to believe he had done something right in the world, something worthy of being loved by this wonderful group of broken people. Maybe she was speaking true; maybe he was not nearly as far gone as he had feared.
And he would not disappoint them. Still smiling, he followed Keyleth into the castle, where the others would be waiting. Not again.