Chapter 1
Vex’ahlia leans back in her chair and sighs. It’s been a rough day, with students still rowdy from having been home from the summer. She can’t help but think about her home, and Keyleth pops up in her mind, involuntarily.
Keyleth, who’s always there for her, who worships the very ground Vex’ahlia stands on. Vex wishes she could show Keyleth it goes both ways, that Keyleth is a queen in her eyes.
She still has some marking to do, and reluctantly gets out her pen. After a few hours of scribbles and notes, Vex’ahlia decides to head home for the day.
She meets Keyleth on her way out, who immediately smiles at her, and Vex’s heart softens at the sight.
‘Hi Keyleth, darling.’ Vex says. They don’t see each other in school often, as Keyleth teaches Biology and Vex, English. ‘How was the first day back?’ They teach the same year group, and Vex can’t help but wonder whether the kids are just as rowdy with Keyleth.
‘Exhausting, Vex- I can’t blame them though,’ Keyleth says, fiddling with what looks to be a spider plant. She looks down at the plant and continues, ‘Oh- I brought Bloom here because Minxie keeps trying to eat her, and well, that’s not great for her. I can’t find a space in my classroom though, because, well. You know.’
Vex does know. She’s visited Keyleth’s classroom many a times, and every windowsill and ledge have been covered with plants of all kinds.
‘I have space in my room, if you wouldn’t mind parting with Bloom,’ Vex offers, and Keyleth instantly lights up.
‘I wouldn’t trust her with anyone else, Vex, thank you!’ Keyleth hands Vex the plant, and they walk back to Vex’s classroom.
Vex places the plant on her desk as Keyleth tells her how often she should be watering and how much sunlight it needs to get, and other interesting facts about spider plants. Vex listens, although her attention drifts over to how adorable Keyleth is, and she really shouldn’t be thinking such things about a friend, but the way Keyleth cares so much about nature leaves Vex’ahlia enamoured.
Keyleth finishes, eventually, and Vex tears her eyes away from Keyleth’s face. A small smile has made it’s way onto Vex’s face, and she coughs, trying to steady herself.
‘Alright darling, should we head home?’ Vex asks, and her horrible, horrible brain wonders what it would be like to head home with Keyleth after a long day at work.
Keyleth blushes, and Vex wonders if she’s thinking about the same thing.
‘I- yeah, Vex, I’ve got to catch a train home today, my car broke down.’ Keyleth sighs.
‘I can drive you home if you’d like, Keyleth, it’s really no trouble.’ Vex says, and she really means it. It means more time with Keyleth, and maybe she’ll even get to see how far apart they live. ‘I can pick you up tomorrow as well, darling.’
Keyleth blushes, again, before nodding, and telling Vex that she’d really appreciate it, and only if it’s really no trouble, and before she can stop herself, Vex reaches out and touches Keyleth’s hand, and Keyleth immediately stills.
‘It’s really no trouble, Keyleth.’
Keyleth’s eyes are on Vex’s hands, and Vex awkwardly withdraws it, and Keyleth seems to dull for a second before she nods again, and thanks Vex endlessly as they make their way towards the car.
Keyleth sits in the passenger seat, besides her, and Vex thinks about doing this every day, and again, this is not the type of thoughts you have for a friend, Vex’ahlia. She ignores the voice in her head, and enters Keyleth’s postcode onto her phone.
They live about half and hour apart, which- not bad at all- and as they drive and talk, Vex wonders whether she should just get rid of Keyleth’s car entirely.
Keyleth’s voice cuts through her thoughts- ‘and yesterday, Minxie finally started playing with the toy I got her three months ago, and she’s absolutely adorable.’ Keyleth hesitates, then, ‘I’d love for you to meet her, if you want?’
Vex wants nothing more than to meet Keyleth’s cat, and tells her so. But it’s late, and she’s got to get home to her own baby, and asks Keyleth if she can meet her some other time.
Keyleth nods, undeterred, and tells Vex she’s free this weekend, and so they make plans to meet.
When Vex drops Keyleth off at her place, she tells Keyleth she’ll be there tomorrow morning, 7 AM sharp, to pick her up. Keyleth blushes slightly, a small smile making it’s way onto her face.
‘Thanks, Vex,’ Keyleth says, ‘I appreciate it.’
‘No worries, darling,’ Vex says, and waits until Keyleth enters her house. She drives off then, and she can still smell Keyleth in the car, the soft scent of plants and rain, and thinks about Keyleth the rest of the drive back.
When she gets home, her brother is already there, playing with Trinket.
‘Stubby, do you not check your phone? I’ve called you three times tonight, or did you forget we were supposed to have dinner together?’
‘I didn’t forget, brother. I was just- occupied.’ She really didn’t forget. She just couldn’t give up the chance to spend more time with Keyleth, and knew her brother would be fine waiting an hour or so. ‘I drove Keyleth home because her car broke down, I was being nice.’
Vax raises an eyebrow at her. ‘Sure. Being nice. Totally not for some ulterior motives, sister.’
Vex punches his arm. ‘’Shut up. It’s Keyleth. We’re friends.’
‘Yeah, friends who want to kiss each other.’
Vex punches his arm again.
‘And you? Should I talk about you and Percy? Or would you prefer to have dinner instead?’ She smiles, knowing she’s won this little battle.
Vax pouts at her, and begins setting the table.
‘Wait- you think Keyleth wants to kiss me?’ Vex asks, unable to stop herself.
Vax lets out a laugh, then.
‘Do you see the way she looks at you? Everyone sees it, stubby, you guys are just oblivious.’
Vex sighs. Keyleth looks at everyone like that. She’s so lovely to everyone, so kind, and it doesn’t make Vex’ahlia special to be on the receiving end of one of those looks.
She tells her brother so, and he calls her an idiot, so they drop it and eat their food.
But when Vax drives home and she’s left alone with Trinket, her mind wanders to what it would be like to be with Keyleth.
So, being Vex, she comes up with a plan.