[ she's supposed to be the one comforting him and yet the moment Ace shifts and wraps his arms around her she feels something shift. something snap. Vex breathes in, sharp and short, ache blooming from the center of her chest. this kind of hug, it's different from when she hugs Percy, it's comforting, assuring, familial and gods she hasn't been held like this for years.

tears well in her eyes only held back by a stifled laugh and a butt load of determination. can't have him seeing her cry over something so simple as a hug. ]

Don't let him hear you say that. [ Vex sniffs, trying not to bury herself against him. ] You'll inflate his ego and he's insufferable when he gets like that.

[ but what she would give to have him here right now, to hear Vax's stupid shitty comments about her getting emotional and how Ace thinks he's just really cool. Ace pulls back and Vex shifts trying to hide wiping the tears from her eyes with a strategic hair tuck, she might've gotten away with it were they not so close. or if Trinket didn't immediately make a worried "row?" up at her. ]

Sake? There should be a bottle in the kitchen. [ honestly? isn't at all her drink of choice, but you don't turn away gifts from the kindly old Japanese lady you visit on a biweekly basis. ]