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Percy struggled against the vines, kicking and thrashing against the tendrils as the pair neared. Vax and Keyleth had long been dragged off, he was alone. No, not really. He was left alone with a feywild psycho and a dead woman. He tossed his head back, trying to fight against the vines wrapped around his mouth.
"Poor, broken, Percival…" The woman whispered, ever so gently cupping his cheek.
Percy jerked back in response. This wasn't his Vex, it wasn't. Everything was all wrong. The touch sent a shiver down his spine and made his stomach turn. "Mmgh-" he groans, fighting against the vines wrapped tightly around his body and mouth.
Her skin was pale with a green tinge, vines wrapped around her body and dipping into the black chasm in her chest where her heart used to lie.
"Don't struggle, darling, please," Vex pouts softly, bringing her hand up and pressing it against Percy's cheek. "If you promise to be good, I can have this taken off, okay?" Vex asks, her voice soft as she gently taps on the vines wrapped around his mouth.
Percy timidly nods, desperate to have any sort of release. Vex flashed him a gentle smile before turning to face the man behind her. "Can you please take it off?" Vex asks, clasping her hands together pleasingly.
"Vex'ahlia…" Saundor sighed lovingly, cocking his head softly as he smiled down at her.
"Only the mouth! Please?" She whines.
It was odd hearing her speak like that. Sure, it was Vex's voice, but not her words. Vex never spoke like this.
Saundor sighed, but relented. The vines slipped away from Percy's mouth and Saundor came closer. "Get away from me!" Percy immediately shouts, still fighting against the vines.
"Percy," Vex says gently.
"No! No, Vex, please. Vex'ahlia, this isn't you. Your brother, Vax, he took your brother. Remember?" Percy quickly says, looking down at Vex.
"I know, but Percy…" she sighs.
"Vex, dear, please. Listen to me. You need to kill him, you don't understand," Percy pleads, staring down at Vex with a pleading look.
"Please, darling, I know you. Don't do this for me, do it for your brother-" he was cut off by a sudden kiss.
Vex's lips were soft, but cold. This wasn't how Percy imagined this at all. This was wrong. This wasn't Vex. Percy went rigid, staring down at Vex in shock as the woman cupped his face. He tried his hardest to pull away, not wanting to indulge this. "Percival, poor, broken, Percival. It's alright, I understand," Saundor says gently, raising his hand to the back of Percy's head to try and get him to indulge in the kiss.
"Mmgh-" Percy weakly shook his head and managed to pull away. "This isn't her- this isn't real, just let us go. Please," Percy pleads, staring up at Saundor with an angry expression.
Saundro was standing behind Vex now. He pulled his hand away and brought it back to cup Vex's face. "I assure you… this is her," he says, turning the woman's head to kiss her.
"Stop it- stop it, no, don't," Percy pleads, and immediately pries his gaze away from the couple as they kiss. After a moment the kiss ceased, and Saundor turned his gaze back to Percy.
Saundor reached around Vex, raising his hand and gently brushing his knuckle over Percy's cheekbone. "Sweet, Percival, what an angry, broken man," he says, his voice soft.
Saundor's face was a mix of sadness and softness, but not of pity. No, this wasn't pity. This was connection, this was a look of broken understanding. It made his skin crawl. "I understand," he says, his voice only softening. "I understand the rage, the anger, the agony," he mutters, brushing his knuckles along the man's cheekbone in a soothing motion.
Percy tilts his head back, trying to avoid the touch, but it persisted. "... I understand it, truly. I understand what it means to lose, what it means to be abandoned and betrayed."
Percy cringed and clenched his eyes shut, it wouldn't work. At all. No, Percy knew Saundor's tricks. He saw them firsthand with Vex. He saw how easily he could get in her head, he wouldn't have that repeat itself. "Percy… dear," Vex says, raising her hand to cup the man's other cheek.
Percy shivered at the touch, keeping his eyes shut in order to avoid both their gazes. "We understand… you've lost so much, it's okay," Vex says endearingly.
"No- this isn't you-" Percy hisses, feeling his eyes grow wet.
"Oh… Percy," Vex says gently, "it's okay to cry… I'm here, you can cry," Vex coos.
Percy clenched his eyes together harder, refusing to let the tears fall. He weakly shook his head, refusing to look. He felt Saundor's cold touch brush against his cheek, his fingertips gently raking through his hair. "You've had to be strong for so long, you don't need to be. You're already broken, Percival, you don't need to pretend," he coos. "Open your eyes, Percival," he says, his voice still gentle.
Percy's hands tremor in the vines' grip, desperately fighting against the vines' grasp. Vex repeated Saundor's desperate plea, clearly doing as he wished. He couldn't help it. He let his eyes slip open, but no one was there. He wasn't in the feywild anymore. He was in a grand dining room. The dining room of Castle Whitestone in fact, and at that table sat his entire family, alive and well. He was sitting at his mother's side, just as he had the night she died. The room was filled with laughter and speech, children running around the table before settling on the floor to doodle in their notebooks.
"What a wonderful family, really," Saundor mutters, creeping up behind Percy and slipping his hands over Percy's shoulders.
"Look at the children… your siblings were simply adorable… I wanted children," Saundor mutters, slipping his hands up from Percy's shoulders and up to his neck before slipping back down. His touch was gentle and soothing. "I'm envious that you have this memory… truly," Saundor mutters, continuing to gently rub his hands along Percy's shoulders.
Percy shuttered softly at the touch, turning his head to look up at the man standing behind the chair he was sitting in. "Poor Percival, only looking to be trusted again," Saundor mutters.
Suddenly they were gone, no longer in the dining hall. They were now in the Sunken Tomb, Vex'a body lying dead on the floor. It was different now, it was only him and her in the tomb now. "That's what you'd like, isn't it? Trust? Trust from your friends? Your family?" Saundor asks, circling Percy with his hands clasped behind his back.
"Stop it-" Percy demands, feeling hot tears pour down his cheeks now. He stepped away from the body, covering his ears as he clenched his eyes shut. "Shut UP! SHUT UP!" He demands, dropping his head as he stumbles back.
"Percival, you cannot find your trust in your friends. You simply cannot, you know this, you've hurt too many," Saundor says, nearing Percy with open arms.
"What?! And I can with you?!" Percy shouts, raising his head and staring at Saundor through tear stained eyes. Saundor raised his hands, cupping Percy's face with them.
"Of course, Percival. You can with me, and your Vex'ahlia," Saundor coos, gently brushing Percy's white bangs out of his eyes.
The human let out a broken sob, unsure of what he could even do. He knew none of this was real, it couldn't be. "If trust is what you seek, you can find it in a fellow lost soul," Saundor says, leaning in close to Percy while cupping his face.
Percy let out a quiet sob, his shoulders growing tense at the action. He just wanted this to stop. He wanted his Vex back, he just wanted her at that moment. He had no idea where the others were and he was lost in the fey realm. He was lost forever. There was no way he could ever return home to his sister. He lost everything. He lost his friend, family, and his home again. He was lost.
Percy reluctantly considered it. Vex was right here, somewhere. Could he learn to love this new Vex? If he couldn't, could he really say he ever did love her at all. You're supposed to love someone despite how they may change.
"... And what would you need in return?..." Percy asks softly, tilting his head down slightly as he untensed slightly in Saundor's grip.
"... only your heart," Saundor says, gently resting his palm over Percy's chest through his shirt. Saundor towered over Percy, but he leaned down to rest his forehead against Percy's.
"Is that all?..." Percy asks with a small chuckle, sounding pleasantly bemused.
"That's all I want, I want you, Percival. Vex'ahlia wants you. Be with us, forever," Saundor says softly.
Saundor's words were so soft and alluring, Percy found it hard to question whether or not to say no. The words would've left his mouth instantly if he didn't know any better. Percy's lips parted softly, his head tilted back so that he could stare at the fey. Percy hadn't really taken in the man's complexion just yet, so it was really just hitting him now. He was a sad, handsome man. His face looked so honest, and his voice was sad and longing. Who could say no to that?...
"... it's yours," Percy says, raising a hand and laying it gently on Saundor's.
Saundor smiled fondly and leaned down by another inch, his lips gently brushing against Percy's and then suddenly Percy felt the vines on his body once more. They were back, no longer in whatever mindscape Saundor constructed for him, but Saundor's lips were still on his own. The kiss felt awkward for Percy, but only for a moment. He grew much more confident in the kiss when he felt the vines loosen and slip off his body. Percy melted into the kiss. The man's lips were soft but his touch was even softer. He felt Saundor's fingertips brush over his chest through his shirt. "Vex, my sweet," Saundor mutters against Percy's lips.
He then felt hands slip up from his back and over his chest. Percy momentarily glanced down to see Vex's hands beginning to undo his vest in order to remove his clothes. "What are you-" he asks, but was cut off by Saundor grabbing his chin gently.
"Your heart, you'll lend me it, won't you?" Saundor asks, keeping Percy's attention on him.
After a moment, Percy timidly nods. "Good… just focus on me, everything will be alright," Saundor reassures, slipping a hand back to cup the back of Percy's head before pulling the man back into the kiss.
The kiss was a little more passionate this time, and Percy nearly instantly melted into it as Vex pushed his coat off his shoulders and onto the dirt floor before. The same was soon done with his vest, leaving only his tie and button down. Vex made as quick work with the tie as she could, the action taking a moment as she couldn't properly see what she was doing. Soon that was discarded and Vex was undoing the buttons on his shirt. "Vex…" he groans into the kiss, gently raising his hands to rest on Saundor's shoulders.
"Quiet now, Percival," Saundor mutters, slipping his hand over Percy's chest and resting his palm against the man's heart, feeling it beat rapidly under his cool palm.
Vex then took hold of Percy's wrists, holding them by his sides and pressing a soft kiss to the back of his neck. The whole thing was so soft and loving, it was almost too much for Percy. That was before he felt the blistering pain in his chest.
The action knocked the air from his lungs, and a pained gasp left his lips as Saundor plunged his clawed fingers straight into Percy's chest. He tensed up, thrashing and trying to pull away but found Vex holding him in place. Percy couldn't find the strength to speak as Saundor dug his clawed fingers in deeper. Tears spilled down his face as Saundor dug around in his chest cavity. He suddenly yanked back, leaving a gaping hole in his chest much like the one Vex had. Percy shouts in pain, thrashing and squirming against Vex's strength. Blood poured down the front of his chest, quickly oozing from the hole left in Saundor's wake. Saundor dropped the piece of flesh he yanked from Percy's body and made quick work to make his way through bone before Percy breaks Vex's grip. Percy was kicking and crying now, desperately trying to break from Vex's grip which had shifted to holding him by the upper arms. Saundor gently shushed him as he pushed his hand back inside. Percy choked, eyes wide as he watched a man's hand disappear into the hole in his chest cavity. He let out numerous pleas for mercy, but all were ignored.
Saundor let out a shiver as his hand closed around Percy's heart. Percy gasped, tears pouring down his face as he sobbed. "stop- stop stop stop-" Percy pleads. This wasn't what he wanted! He didn't know it would be this way!
Saundor took hold of his still beating heart, letting out a soft shiver at the sensation. In one swift movement, he yanked his hand back, taking the heart with him. Percy choked once more, his sobs being silenced almost instantly as he stared at the still organ in Saundor's hand. He fell limp in Vex's hold, his gaze still fixed upon his heart laying in Saundor's hand. He completely fell back against Vex. He was gingerly lowered to the ground and Saundor came with him. Percy lays back against Vex's chest as the woman coos and lovingly plays with his hair. She whispered soft praises to him, pressing kisses all over his face as Saundor crouched down in between Percy's spread legs. He sobbed, watching as the blood drained from his body and down his chest, just narrowly missing his shirt. "Perfect… perfect perfect, Percival…" Saundor praises, gently cupping Percy's cheek as he holds Percy's face in his hand.
Percy watched as Saundor raised his heart to his own chest, slipping it into his own cavity where it disappeared from sight. Percy shakily raised his hands, gripping Saundor by the arms tightly and trying to pull himself up. "No no, Percival. It'll only take a moment. You're dying," Saundor says simply as he lays Percy back down.
"I-I- I don't- I don't want to die-" Percy gasps, tears pouring down his face as he clings to the man.
"It's not all that bad, Percy… I did it, and you're doing so good. You can be with me soon, don't worry," Vex reassures as she presses a kiss to Percy's cheek.
Percy felt the blood drain from his body drop by drop, his head felt light and he wanted to collapse onto the floor and never get back up. Saundor and Vex were with him the entire time, gently praising and giving him loving touches all until he died. They praised him until Percy laid dead in Vex's arms, his body drenched in blood and left completely hollow. They sat until Percy's body ran cold. As cold as Vex and Saundor themselves.
They sat until Percy shot up with a gasp, his whole body jerking as he felt his body taking back its control from rigor mortis. His skin was unhealthily pale, his eyes a pale green in comparison to how it used to be, and a deep, black chasm in his chest where his heart used to be.