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If you were to ask Percy, love was waking up in the late hours of the morning to the smell of freshly made coffee and freshly cooked breakfast, knowing that Vex always rose with the sun and let him sleep in a bit while she went with Trinket for his morning walk. It was also learning to cook Vex’s favorite meals so he could return the favor.
It was her sense of humor being so similar to his, the way she laughed even from his worst puns and matched them with some of her own. It was how she always had witty retorts to parry his sarcastic remarks.
It was reading Vex’s favorite books to learn more about her and so they could talk about them, and the eager anticipation for her to read his favorites so he can listen to her thoughts on them. She always seemed to find something new he didn’t notice and made him see the books in a new light.
It was the way she listened to him when he rambled about his ideas and projects, how she actually paid attention and didn't just yawn or roll her eyes. The way she even had follow up questions and asked for more details, how it actually interested her to hear it. How she called him brilliant.
It was every "text me when you get home" remark, and how he eventually started saying that to her as well, way back when they were still just friends. How it was both a reassurance that she was alright, and an excuse to continue talking. It was staying up late because he wanted to keep talking to her and not just because his projects kept him up.
It was the way he wasn’t a dog person, but meeting Vex and getting to know Trinket started to slowly challenge that assessment. Even Percy had to admit that the mutt was rather adorable, and he became quite fond of joining Vex when she walked him. He also enjoyed walking Trinket himself when she was too busy or not feeling well, eventually even allowing him to get on the bed at his place (it turned out Vex was right, Trinket really was a great cuddler). And, well, if the dog ended up occupying half of Percy’s camera roll by now, that was only for him, and Vex, to know.
It was the way she would make him playlists to listen to while he was working (“Darling, you’ve got to listen to something other than Three Days Grace and My Chemical Romance on repeat”, she told him one day, and after protesting and saying he also listens to Linkin Park, which earned him a pointed glare, he begrudgingly had to admit that she was probably right. She usually was).
It was Vex checking up on him, making sure he was eating and sleeping regularly and not staying up till late at work, because she knew how caught up he can get when he was focused on a project. The way she made sure he wouldn’t overwork himself. He never had someone trying to stop him from that before, not successfully anyway.
It was how close Vex got with Cassandra, and the way she helped her with homework, took her to shopping trips and suggested she’d adopt that adorable ginger cat, who later got the name Mr. Whiskers (Cassandra would call him Whiskey for short, but Percy always preferred formalities). He would not admit it to Cassandra but he loved that cat dearly, even if Mr Whiskers insisted on wandering around his workshop and leaving cat hair everywhere. He suspected it was all Cass’s doing, but seeing his sister’s smile was worth it. And seeing Vex’s smile when Trinket and Mr. Whiskers played together, being unable to hold back a smile of his own, was definitely worth it as well.
It was the warm, dark honey hue of her eyes and how they almost seemed golden in the sunlight. The way nothing escaped her scrutinizing gaze, how he sometimes felt like she was seeing through inside his soul. It was surely mostly darkened by now, but no matter what she saw, she still chose to remain next to him, still her eyes reflected nothing but warmth and kindness (and the occasional mischievousness).
It was how he had never considered himself particularly poetic or romantic, but looking into Vex's eyes made him want to recite every romantic poem and song he had ever heard. Maybe create some new ones too, because she deserved originality.
It was the way she remembered his full name, and all the other little details he had told her. It had been hard, talking about his family and his past, but in time, she made it feel easier. Everything was always easier with her.
It was how she was so verbally affectionate, calling him darling and dear. Percy was caught off guard at first. It's not as if she didn't use these terms when speaking to other people, it was simply a part of her inherent kindness (he had his fair share of experience with people using these words sarcastically or mockingly, and she was nothing like them, even if she didn’t always outwardly show it). He just never thought those words would be aimed at him in that tone, and it warmed his coldened heart. It was him starting to use those terms of endearment to address her as well, as she surely deserved them far more than he did.
It was definitely also Vex’s physical affection. Touch was never that prominent in his family growing up, and later on after losing them, it had an entirely different association, a very bad one. But Vex’s physical contact was different. It was always so gentle, way before they got together. It was every little cheek kiss, every reassuring arm on his shoulder. He hadn’t even realized how touch starved he actually was until the first time they hugged. It was the way hugging her felt like coming home.
It was not being able to stop himself from interlacing his fingers with hers at times, how they seemed to fit so well when they were intertwined. The light squeeze and lovely smile he received in return every time he did so.
It was Vex, tracing her fingers gently along his scars, the ones that still flared up sometimes and filled him with dark and painful memories, the ones he was so anxious she'd find out about, only to be met with gentleness and care instead of pity or mockery. It was her never probing or asking for more answers than he was ready to give. The way she asked for permission before pressing soft kisses to the scars, and how the lingering pain seemed to be somewhat dulled under her lips.
It was her complimenting his appearance, calling him handsome, hot, stud. He was never particularly confident about his looks, even before his skin was a patchwork of scars and his hair turned white decades earlier than it should have, but the way she said it felt so sincere, so honest, so adoring, that eventually he started believing her.
It was the way she was so patient with him, never pushing too far and always willing to match his own pace. Always making sure that he was comfortable, that he felt safe.
It was the way she held him during and after his nightmares, that still occurred more often than not, how she would be so gentle in waking him up, telling him that he is safe, she is there, the nightmare was not real, not anymore, but this is, they are. The way he actually believed her.
It was Vex never prying about his nightmares, or his past, and just being there for him. The way that when he did feel open enough to talk about it, she always listened. How gradually he started to not feel so ashamed of tearing up in front of her, and let her gently wipe his tears away or kiss them better.
It was also how she reminded him not to be so serious, and always managed to find a way to make him smile. Even just thinking about her felt like a sun illuminating the dark shadows of his mind.
And it was Vex trusting him enough to let herself be vulnerable in front of him as well. How she took off the confident mask he could always see through, and told him about her own past, her and Vax’s childhood and their god awful father. How she let him comfort her in return.
The way she felt like she could confide in him, how she asked him to be there by her side, the privilege in Vex choosing him to be one to stand beside her.
It was the hot white rage burning inside him at the mere idea that there were people who made Vex question her worth and how lovely she was, that one of them was her own father. The way she looked at him when he tried his best to remind her just how invaluable she is, the soft smile she adorned whenever he complimented her, or told her he loves her, as if she wasn’t used to it. His silent promise to himself to repeat it as much as he could until she was.
It was the way he felt like she could be with anyone, but she chose to be with him.
It was the way he didn't feel like he was deserving of her, but she made him want to be.
It was in every cheek kiss, every darling, every gentle caress and warm hug.
To Percy, love was Vex.
If you were to ask Vex, love was Percy making her laugh with his unbelievably bad puns, especially when she was stressed. It was also doing her best to come up with even worse ones just to see the smile on his face.
It was Percy always bringing a sweatshirt when they went outside, even though cold rarely bothered him, just so he could offer it to her, because he knew she gets cold easily. And how he didn’t complain when more often than not she ended up claiming the sweatshirt as her own. Vex had quiet a collection by now.
It was the way he saw her for the huge nerd she actually was, and how they exchanged so many book recommendations. It was him reading all of her favorite books, and her making sure to read all of his.
It was the way she felt like she could talk to him for hours, about everything and nothing. How even silence did not feel uncomfortable when they were with each other.
It was how his body seemed to just emanate heat, and how when she joined him in bed in the wintertime and pressed her cold hands and feet against his own, he only complained a little before snuggling closer and warming her up.
It was how quickly Percy and Trinket bonded and became so close, how Percy kept toys and dog treats in his apartment for whenever she came over with Trinket, even long before they got together. It was also Percy offering to walk her dog when she was busy or not feeling well, even if it meant he had to wake up uncharacteristically early. And it was definitely her eventually starting to refer to Trinket as their dog.
It was the way Percy sketched her, how you could find more drawings of her in his sketchbook than of his inventions. And it was the way she looked in those sketches, ethereally beautiful, even if they depicted the most mundane activities. The realization that this is how he sees her.
It was the way he would read to her when she was curled up against his chest, or with her head on his lap, as his fingers played softly with her hair. It was how soothing and melodic his voice seemed to her, and how she could easily fall asleep like that, relaxed and content.
It was the way he would sometimes braid her hair, with a technique so familiar that she just knew he learned it from Vax specifically. He and Vax butted heads more often than not, but eventually her twin was the one that encouraged her to finally admit her feelings to Percy, and she was very thankful to him for it. And knowing they seemed to be getting along well enough for Vax to actually demonstrate Percy how to braid their hair definitely meant a lot to her.
It was also how sometimes Percy was the one to rest his head on her lap, and how he would ask, almost sheepishly, if she could read to him, as if she would ever refuse, as if she didn’t adore it when he did the same for her, as if she didn’t adore him. And how he seemed to almost purr when she ran her fingers through his hair and softly scratched it as she read to him. How peaceful he looked when he fell asleep like that.
It was Percy always ordering pizza with olives, even though she knew he hated olives, just so she could pick them up beforehand and have extra.
It was him always indulging her when she wanted to watch a really cheesy romantic comedy, and then getting way too invested. His exasperated comments as if the characters could hear him were her favorite part.
It was the way he took care of her when she was sick, how he started making her favorite soup on those occasions after she mentioned that it's what her mother used to do for her and Vax as kids. The way she felt comfortable enough to eventually tell him more about her mom, and allowed herself to cry in front of him. How he gently wiped her tears and held her close while he listened.
It was the sparkle in his eyes when he had a new idea, and later on, she had noticed, every time he had locked eyes with her. It was the way his white hair glowed so beautifully in the sun, reflecting its light.
It was how blue had always been Vex’s favorite color, but when she looked into Percy’s eyes, she found her favorite shade of it.
It was the way he had started calling her dear and darling, her own terms of endearment, the way he never used them to refer to anyone else but her. She could not recall someone else calling her like that in a non-patronizing way, and knowing he picked up this habit from her and only reserved them for her still felt surreal sometimes, too good to be true. But it was. He was.
It was all the little gifts he had given her, the handmade and the bought ones. The bear onesie was among her personal favorites, along with the handcrafted bow he made after she had mentioned her love for archery and how her decade old bow started to give her trouble and disturb her aim. She was still in awe that he really made that bow for her. But the most important thing wasn’t the gifts themselves, it was his intention and the kindness behind them. The way there was never anything he expected in return, “just to see you smile, dear”.
It was Percy joining her on camping trips, even though he was clearly not a very outdoorsy person. It was him using some of the pit stops to sketch their surroundings, and occasionally picking up flowers to bring back to Keyleth because he knew how much the ginger loved them. It was also insisting he’d put on sunscreen frequently, because his white skin had a tendency to get sunburnt quickly (he usually grumbled something along the lines of "It's highly probable that I'm going to get a sunburn either way", until eventually caving in. She could be really convincing when she wanted to, though more often than not it wasn't necessary - a soft 'darling' being just enough to do it).
It was how even after years of being together, he still got so easily flustered from her compliments and displays of affection, especially when they were in public. His pale complexion always highlighted the red hues of his blush, and it was an absolutely adorable sight that Vex cherished dearly.
It was the way that even though he came from wealth, he never belittled or made fun of her for collecting and using her coupons, and for her apprehensive attitude towards money in general. The way he asked if it was alright with her that he would pay the bill when they went somewhere together, instead of just assuming, and respected it when she wanted to pay for her own part.
It was the way other people used to call her pretty, or hot, and it's not that she minded, she knew it to be true, and it's not that Percy did not call her beautiful as well, but he also called her brilliant, lovely, adorable.
It was how he always listened to her, always asked for her advice and never dismissed her opinions. The way her voice could always get through to him, even when he was so deeply trapped in his own dark memories.
It was the way he was able to see through her carefully crafted mask, beyond the self confident attitude and cocky flirtations to the insecure small girl that still questioned her worth, and never judged her for it. How he listened when she eventually told him about her father and always found ways to remind her of her worth in his eyes. The way he made taking the mask off in front of him feel easy.
And it was how he entrusted her with his own mask and took it off when he was with her, how he eventually felt open enough to tell her about his family and his haunting past. How she wished she could kiss away every lingering pain from his body and soul, but for now settled on listening, hugging him tightly, kissing his tears away and pressing gentle kisses to his scars. Her silent promise to be there for him and his sister, and to do her best to protect them from anyone else who would dare to even come close to hurting them again.
It was her never having to second guess how much she meant to him and whether he loved her, because he kept saying and proving it. How he was always by her side when she asked him, and the eventual realization she didn’t even have to ask for him to be there. The way she was always by his side in return.
It was how she had never imagined finding a new home with anyone other than her brother, especially not after losing the one she had with her mom and Vax when they were kids, but in Percy’s embrace, it felt like she did.
It was the way she hadn’t always felt worthy of Percy’s affections, or any of this, but he had never stopped proving to her that to him, she was.
To Vex, Love was Percy. Every sketch, every dear, every gift and horrible pun.