video | un: whitestone

[gunsmithed]

Name: Percy de Rolo III
Date: Septeril 14
Format: Video

[ Percy is visibly in the forge, no surprise there, but it doesn't seem like much work is getting done. He looks more than a little manic, not quite able to sit still at the moment. And also like he may not have slept much recently, which might explain it. ]

Alright. I wasn't going to...[ he takes a breath and makes himself settle. A little. ] I've been hearing a lot about bonds recently. And obviously, I can only speak to the Witch side, but for that, I'm going to tell you a secret.

[ He leans forward a bit, mostly to make the point. ] You don't need one. If you want to bond, by all means enjoy yourself, but my gods don't let anyone convince you that you must have one. Going without may not be pleasant or comfortable or even particularly safe, but it is possible. I've managed without for well over a year, and I--

[ Whatever he is gets cut off by a deeply unimpressed woman's voice somewhere in the background easily overriding him: ] Percival, what the fuck?

[ And Percy's eyes shoot wide with maybe just a hint of panic before the video abruptly ends. ]

Comments

video; un: hiccup

[thisisamazing]

Oh. You're in trouble aren't you? Say hi to Miss Vex for me!

[gunsmithed]

[ It takes...a bit for Percy to finally respond. And when he does he looks considerably more disgruntled, but also somehow more relaxed? Funny, that. ]

I'm sure I don't know what you mean.

[thisisamazing]

[Wonder what you were doin' there, buddy. Hiccup is grinning ear to ear when he finally answers, especially when he notes him looking more relaxed and less... frenetic. He knows that feeling.]

You don't, huh? Did you get yelled at, Bonded, or both?

<in the background>

[moneytwin]

[ Pleasantly pleasant, somewhere behind Percy. ]

Hello, Hiccup~

[thisisamazing]

[Calling a little louder so she can hear him,] Did you have to drag him?

[Closed] Action > Percy

[moneytwin]

[ She'd been. Worried.

Yes. Worried.

Little things hadn't quite added up recently, and Vex wasn't referring to the absolute mess that was the state of the forge's finances. It was minor details, things that on their own wouldn't mean much, that would otherwise be no cause for concern.

Yet for all the weeks she'd been in Aefenglom, she'd yet to see hide nor hair of any possible partner for her closest ally, and since the last full moons, Percy had been looking far less rested than she'd first assumed. It was more than just scattered paperwork, than not sleeping well (or at all). She couldn't quite put her finger on why - especially when things had resumed a quieter cadence within the city.

So when she hears him suddenly speaking out loud, voice carrying to where she sat out in the sun running the numbers for supplies and additional blacksmithing materials, Vex sets the papers aside and pads quietly to the door, leaning into the frame. That he doesn't notice is unsurprising - even if stealth twin powers didn't require her twin to activate, Percy's clearly struggling enough with focusing on task as it is.

And from his own mouth, she finds out why.

The missing piece clicks into place. And Vex is all but kicking herself for missing the answer - the most obvious answer, at that. And once realisation had finished processing, she can't help herself: ]

Percival, what the fuck?

[gunsmithed]

[ Percy starts almost guiltily at the not-quite-question, shutting off the video on pure instinct. He manages to get his expression back under control when he finally turns to face her, but only barely. ]

Ah, Vex...[ he starts and then immediately trails off again. Honestly he's not sure where he'd be going with that even if he was feeling well rested at the moment.

It perhaps should have occurred to him sooner than making that sort of announcement in public means that Vex was going to hear about it sooner or later. Just not this soon. ]

I'm fine?

[moneytwin]

Don't you "I'm fine" me.

[ Anger isn't the word - because she is, but she's not. It's a sudden frustration, and confusion, and perhaps a little hurt. But mostly, a whole lot of worry that shapes her tone, and both hands come to rest on her hips as she fills the doorway. ]

A year?

I've been here two months, Percy. How could you not tell me?

voice

[clickclickbang]

A year? What, did you have a familiar this whole time?!

[gunsmithed]

I didn't, no.

[ Just pure, bloody-minded stubbornness. Welcome to Percy. ]

[clickclickbang]

How?

Video

[whomthebelltolls]

[Look who is out of the infirmary! She's still bandaged in a few places, but a good amount of them are gone, and she's no longer stuck in bed. She does, however, seem a bit...

Unphased.]

Other side-effects include lack of being able to concentrate, migraines, and constantly being haunted by the voices of your past, reminding you of all your failures.

Frankly, all of those are worse than the threat of death.

[She raises an eyebrow. It hasn't really been her business, but to hear that he really has been without it the whole time is almost... impressive.

She's coming back for her title now, though.] ... I'm impressed you were able to craft those quicksilver bullets, though. Would that we all have that kind of fortitude.

[gunsmithed]

[ He shrugs in return, trying not to look slightly awkward. Percy hadn't noticed the haunting part, but it wouldn't be all that unusual, really. ]

I find it easier to focus on work. [ Thus the lack of sleep, presumably. ]

[whomthebelltolls]

Perhaps, but I found all my concentration slipping when I was trying to work. Maybe it's the differences in our professions, but that was why... [She reaches up and taps the couple of butterfly bandages still holding the scarring scab on her forehead in place.

... Her lack of sleep is 100% the hallucinations triggering her PTSD which triggers her nightmares tho.]

It's admirable, either way. Quite a while to hold on to yourself.

Seems those halcyon days are at an end though.

voice; un: crow

[crowsfeat]

[ A low, rumbling laugh. ] Trying to convince others, lad, or trying to convince yourself?

[gunsmithed]

[ One eyebrow arches in response. ]If I needed to convince myself, I wouldn't have let it go for over a year.

[crowsfeat]

[ A small groan. ]

I am familiar with the concept of 'stubbornness', lad.

video; un: ALPHYS

[textsfromhotland]

W-wait, really? Everyone says you go crazy eventually without one!

[gunsmithed]

Now that, I hadn't heard before.

[ Explosions yes, crazy no. ]

And yet, I've managed.

[textsfromhotland]

Well, yeah, when you're a monster sometimes you go crazy during full moons. It, uh sort of happened to me once. I got better, though!

video ~ un: petra

[islandhuntress]

A year? [There's a hint of sympathy in her snake-like eyes. Despite only being able to see her face, it's likely safe to assume she's a monster.]

I was not taking a bond either... It was only a few months but it was dangerous. Not for me, but for others.

I am speaking as a Monster though.

[gunsmithed]

I'm aware that there are some differences. But I refuse to believe that any situation only has one answer.

[ For all that he's got the damn bond now. Vex is convincing. ]

[islandhuntress]

If I was wanting to keep control and have certainty that I would not hurt anyone around me... taking a bond was what I was needing to do.

[Despite not having much of an accent, her grammar suggests that the language she's speaking isn't her native tongue.]

I am not knowing about witches, but it was explained to me that magic is needing to be cycled through a monster. Are you never feeling like the magic inside you was becoming too great?

video; un: zewu-jun

[zewu_jun]

It is very kind of you to express your concern for others' rights to their decisions. Has this worried you recently?

[gunsmithed]

[ Percy just gives him a narrow-eyed look before answering in an impressive deadpan. ]

It's a thought that's crossed my mind once or twice.