Her brother is a thief. He's usually a very good thief. The fact he was being punished for it is really the surprising part there.
"You know, brother, I'm starting to think you get sloppy if I'm not around."
Not to put too fine of a point on it, but between that and the fact he failed at killing the Duchess.
She shakes her head.
"Can you think of any reason the Duchess would have kept him like that? She didn't do the same to you, or to Khoriya or Billy, or any number of others. Why him?"
The comment hits a nerve he didn't even know was exposed. Vax looks off to the side and resumes toying with the empty vial.
"Months away from my other half, not knowing what was happening to my friends? Can't imagine what was throwing me off." He hadn't been in a good place. He still isn't, but at least Vex is here. That makes everything better, and worse. "And I wasn't trying that hard to cover my tracks - people were gone, we needed resources, so I took them."
Vax shakes his head - none of that matters right now. Not really.
"She did keep me, for a week. And maybe because he was killed by one of us, or because of what he could do. He made the truth come out. I'm sure there's things she wouldn't want us to know... but he was dead. I don't know, Vex. After being her guest for seven days and then again not long after you arrived, I've stopped trying to guess at why she does anything. Maybe it just amuses her."
He is right about missing his other half. She shouldn't have said it, but his comment goes to the frustration that inspired her comment—he shouldn't have been here without her. The team breaking up was one thing, but the pair of them? They worked together.
They're supposed to, at least.
"Maybe so," she agrees glumly, though it doesn't end her speculation. Vex doesn't think there's nothing to it.
"The monster made promises about the truth, something about revealing secrets about the Duchess... I don't know that it was aware enough for it to mean anything, though. It... he didn't seem present."
"I'm horrified to think that maybe that's all that's left of him. The truth. Maybe Ankari's been hollowed out of everything else that made him who he is."
Nothing left but a monster and the visceral need or ability to tell the truth. Vax sighs and rubs his face, not entirely sure what to do with any of this. He wants to see it for himself. He wants to get Ankari - whatever he is, whatever is left of him - out.
None of those are sane ideas. But he can't shake them.
"I want to get him out, Vex." There's something helpless in Vax's voice, like he's begging Vex to tell him there's no point.
Vex lifts one hand to her brother, reaching to gently touch the beads in his hair. Her temper fades in the face of his feeling. It's not guilt anymore that stings her. She should tell him that there's no point.
She could tell him that there's nothing left to save, and no need to see himself.
Why doesn't she?
Instead, after a pause, she asks, "You know if you did, there might be nothing to do but put him down. If he's still there at all, then he's a monster who's been wasting away for gods' alone know how long."
One 'god' at least.
"Would you still want to do that if it's not a rescue mission?"
"Yes," he answers quietly. "Even if it means putting him down again, it sounds like it'd be a mercy. No one should have to live - exist - like that."
Even if he didn't see eye to eye with Ankari, even if they rarely got along, Vax wouldn't have wished this on him or anyone. And more than anything, he hates the prospect of this happening to anyone else. Of allowing the Duchess to think she is allowed to do this without some kind of consequence.
It's insanely stupid, but stupid and reckless are what they do best sometimes. Vax feels a lot more confidence if they're working in the same direction, though. He doesn't like the idea of Vex getting punished, but right now, for this, he wants to support her instead of circumventing her with the misguided notion that he's protecting her. If they do it, they'll do it together. If they succeed or fail, they're in it together. The way they should be.
He moves closer and presses a kiss to Vex'ahlia's forehead. Vax lingers, then tips his head down to bump their brows together.
"I love you, Stubby. Whatever else happens, you will always be the better half of me."
She rests her forehead against his for a long moment, unsure what else to say to that. She doesn't feel like his better half just now. Not after the secrets, and other things she's done that she shouldn't.
Vex feels, rather acutely, what a shit sister she's been at times.
Her eyes close, and finally she pulls him into a hug.
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no subject
Her brother is a thief. He's usually a very good thief. The fact he was being punished for it is really the surprising part there.
"You know, brother, I'm starting to think you get sloppy if I'm not around."
Not to put too fine of a point on it, but between that and the fact he failed at killing the Duchess.
She shakes her head.
"Can you think of any reason the Duchess would have kept him like that? She didn't do the same to you, or to Khoriya or Billy, or any number of others. Why him?"
no subject
"Months away from my other half, not knowing what was happening to my friends? Can't imagine what was throwing me off." He hadn't been in a good place. He still isn't, but at least Vex is here. That makes everything better, and worse. "And I wasn't trying that hard to cover my tracks - people were gone, we needed resources, so I took them."
Vax shakes his head - none of that matters right now. Not really.
"She did keep me, for a week. And maybe because he was killed by one of us, or because of what he could do. He made the truth come out. I'm sure there's things she wouldn't want us to know... but he was dead. I don't know, Vex. After being her guest for seven days and then again not long after you arrived, I've stopped trying to guess at why she does anything. Maybe it just amuses her."
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They're supposed to, at least.
"Maybe so," she agrees glumly, though it doesn't end her speculation. Vex doesn't think there's nothing to it.
"The monster made promises about the truth, something about revealing secrets about the Duchess... I don't know that it was aware enough for it to mean anything, though. It... he didn't seem present."
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Nothing left but a monster and the visceral need or ability to tell the truth. Vax sighs and rubs his face, not entirely sure what to do with any of this. He wants to see it for himself. He wants to get Ankari - whatever he is, whatever is left of him - out.
None of those are sane ideas. But he can't shake them.
"I want to get him out, Vex." There's something helpless in Vax's voice, like he's begging Vex to tell him there's no point.
no subject
She could tell him that there's nothing left to save, and no need to see himself.
Why doesn't she?
Instead, after a pause, she asks, "You know if you did, there might be nothing to do but put him down. If he's still there at all, then he's a monster who's been wasting away for gods' alone know how long."
One 'god' at least.
"Would you still want to do that if it's not a rescue mission?"
no subject
"Yes," he answers quietly. "Even if it means putting him down again, it sounds like it'd be a mercy. No one should have to live - exist - like that."
Even if he didn't see eye to eye with Ankari, even if they rarely got along, Vax wouldn't have wished this on him or anyone. And more than anything, he hates the prospect of this happening to anyone else. Of allowing the Duchess to think she is allowed to do this without some kind of consequence.
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"Then we'll have to figure out a way to retake the castle."
Is this stupid? It is very stupid. But there's no way she'll let her brother do it alone. If both of them are there, then they might actually succeed.
And they might get punished together, but fuck it at this point, her brother needs this.
There's nothing else to say.
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He moves closer and presses a kiss to Vex'ahlia's forehead. Vax lingers, then tips his head down to bump their brows together.
"I love you, Stubby. Whatever else happens, you will always be the better half of me."
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Vex feels, rather acutely, what a shit sister she's been at times.
Her eyes close, and finally she pulls him into a hug.
"Your other half," she corrects him. "Always."