Chotto. Konnichiwa.
The idea for this story came to me this morning and I spent the entire day
jotting it down. Inspired by Valentine's Day? Maybe. Inspired by an
irrational obsession with the Vash and Meryl pairing in Trigun? Most
likely. Inspired by a lack of gettin' any on this end of the line? Most
defiantly. But that's not important right now...(sniff)
Hope you enjoy. Just so you know, this story sent me into some major giggle
fits, so proceed with caution. Oh yeah, I own 0% of these characters;
although I am planning another hostile takeover...wanna join? +_-
Domo arigato gozaimashita.
The Kissing Booth
The sky overhead was miraculously blue. The twin suns shone down, not with their usual overpowering glare, but with friendly warmth on the crowds of people milling about in the town square. Countless happy faces could be seen on all the townsfolk who were out on this special day. Overhead, stretched in between two tall buildings, a white banner flapped in the breeze. It read, 34th Annual Oregon City Carnival, in bright red letters. The rest of the town was decked out in colored streamers, balloons, and long flapping banners, making it look no longer like a barren wasteland, but like a giant kaleidoscope. Blue, orange, yellow, green, violet, and every color you could imagine draped the stark white houses. All the local businesses set up brightly colored booths in front of their stores, while the restaurants were handing out free samples from their kitchens. The smell that hung in the air was heavenly. And then there were the games, and the rides, and the prizes. And the music, which filled the air over the town's loud speakers. Everywhere you looked, people were smiling, laughing, talking, holding hands, and having a general good time.
All except one.
Meryl Stryfe, of the Bernardelli Insurance Company, age 27, was not enjoying herself one bit.
She had been sitting outside the Bernardelli Building at the Companies local booth for two hours now, doing her best to appear as serious and professional as she could. She had on her cleanest best-pressed white jacket, her hair was impeccably cut and styled, and she wore her most expense gold dangling earrings. Her cold demeanor and business like appearance made her look equally beautiful and imposing.
**No wonder she's not getting any customers,** thought her best friend, Milly Thompson, who was passing out balloons with the Company Logo to a group of children nearby. She watched the smaller woman, sitting ramrod straight on her stool, thin lips pursed together in a peevish frown. Milly sighed as she saw several young men point excitedly at the sign over Meryl's booth. However, they all screeched to a halt after seeing the young woman who sat under the sign, and quickly made their retreat glancing over their backs and whispering to each other as they walked off in the opposite direction. The tall blonde shook her head sadly before getting distracted by another group of children who wanted balloons. Meryl, on the other hand, glared at the fleeing group of men and sighed in relief. As long as no one came up to the booth she would be fine.
**How did I get myself into this situation?** she thought.
Out from the crowd a tall man swaggered over to the Bernardelli Booth. He had long lanky brown hair, and wore a lecherous grin on his stubbly face. Meryl could tell instantly that he had been drinking. His unsteady gait and the stench of cheep booze made her turn up her nose in disgust.
The drunk leaned his weight on the booth, eyeing Meryl before giving her a wink and smirking wolfishly up at her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sweaty wad of double dollar bills. Meryl sat up as stiffly as she could.
"What'll dis buy me, love?" the inebriated man slurred, showing off his yellow teeth and putrid breath in the process.
Meryl's eyebrow twitched in anger. Clenching her teeth she quickly looking over to Milly, eyes pleading for assistance.
The tall blonde merely smiled and gave her a thumbs up before going back to her balloons. With a defeated face, the small dark haired woman turned back to the drunken yokel and his pile of damp money. A little black cat had leapt up onto the booth. Both it and the man seemed to be leering at her. Swallowing back the tears of rage that threatened to fall as she reached out and gingerly picked out one of the revolting bills, throwing it into a pot on the counter.
The slovenly man grinned wider before leaning over the booth toward her, closing his eyes and puckering up his fat lips. Meryl felt like sinking into the ground as she stared at the horrific sight before her.
**How did this happen to me?** she whined.
Flashback : )( : ***********************************************************
"YOU DID WHAT!!!"
The screeching voice shook the top floor or the Bernardelli Insurance Building and resounded down and out into the street. People passing by stopped to look up at the tall white building, open-mouthed. Inside, Meryl Stryfe was having trouble controlling the urge to straggle her well meaning but pigeon brained best friend.
Milly Thompson was looking extremely puzzled at her friend's sudden outburst.
"Gee, Meryl, it's just for charity," she said gently.
"I don't care if it's to save the whole damn planet, there's no way I'm doing it! It's so humiliating!" Meryl seethed. "Why didn't you ask me before you signed me up?"
"I'm sorry," Milly's eyes were getting large and dewy, "They were just passing the sign up sheet around and I thought I'd save you the trouble of doing it yourself. I didn't think you'd mind that much."
"Mind that much! I'll be the laughing stock of the office! Fred's gonna have a field day with this one!" the fiery young insurance woman was pacing the floor at a rapid pace.
"It won't be that bad, Meryl; really!" Milly piped up, attempting to cheer up her extremely pissed off partner. "Just think of it as a game! It'll be fun!"
"Fun!" she screamed, "What's fun about letting random losers slobber all over me! Why on Earth would I ever want to do something as stupid as that!!"
Milly bit her lip to stop it from quivering.
"Well," she started softly, "Because you're a good person and I knew you'd want to help. Besides, it's only for one day and all the money goes to the orphanage. It would have made him very happy to know that they're being taken care of." the tall woman's eyes were cast down toward the floor, hiding her face, but the slight shake of her voice told Meryl just how upset she was.
Suddenly, Meryl felt like the biggest heel on the planet. Wolfwood had been Milly's only love, and he'd been taken away from her too soon. No wonder she'd been so keen on the idea. The orphanage was Wolfwood's legacy, and in a way, Milly's attempt at keeping his memory alive.
**I'm such a jerk,** Meryl berated herself.
The afternoon dusk crept red and warm in through the window of the now silent locker room both women were sullenly standing in. The deep red color painting the walls reminded Meryl of a man she used to know. Regret filled her heart as she lost herself in the color of the man and his determination to live his life the way he thought was right. What would he have thought of the way she was hurting her best friend right now? Guilt took her over and she sucked in her lower lip.
"Milly," she ventured humbly, "I'm sorry, Milly, I...I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I guess...I guess it won't be that bad."
Instantly the big girl's face lit up.
"You will? You really mean it, Meryl?" she simpered with shining eyes.
"Yeah, of course I will." Meryl sighed, giving up all resistance, "What are friends for after all."
She had a feeling that she was going to regret this, but it beat making her best friend cry.
Just then the door to the locker room squeaked open and a handsome red haired man leaned his head into the room.
"Oy! Is that you Meryl? Milly?"
"Yeah, Fred," Meryl huffed, "What do ya want?"
"Ha! I thought that was you! Only one woman I know whose voice is able to penetrate solid rock and mortar!" Fred guffawed.
Meryl frowned. Fred was all she needed right now. "I said what do you want, Fred, we've got a lot of work to.."
"I just came up to see it the rumors were true!" Fred interrupted her, grinning like a Cheshire cat.
"And what rumor would that be?" Meryl glared, fisting her hands on her hips. Fred's grin grew.
"That you, rough and tough Stryfe, are going to be this years Bernardelli Kissing Booth Girl for the Oregon City Carnival!!!" he exclaimed, nearly dancing on his toes.
Meryl was too stunned to answer, but shoot a glare in Milly's direction. The tall woman just scratched the back of her head and laughed nervously. "Gee Meryl, I thought you knew? They post the list in the main hallway every year before the Carnival."
Fred nearly jumped out of his skin. "It is true! Hey guys!" he shouted and ran off down the hall to inform the rest of the office.
A small twitch of her eyebrow was all Meryl could do.
**How did I get myself into this one?** was all she could think.
**************************************************************************** *****
"How did this happen!?" Meryl complained, as she wiped her mouth clean with her sleeve. She had been sitting at that stupid booth for over three hours now, and so far she'd been able to scare off most of her co- workers and the general male population by putting on her scary dangerous look. While this was good in general, it meant the only men stupid enough to come up and pay for a kiss were the drunken slobs too intoxicated to notice she was even a girl.
"That last guy was the worst," she groaned, "Ugh, I still smell like cheep gin!" she reached for a canteen of water, gargled and spat. "Damn Milly!" she said under her breath. "And damn me for being so soft, I should have said no."
A shy looking young man stopped and glanced over at her, his buddies obviously daring him to go for a kiss. The man caught Meryl's eye hopefully, but was instantly terrified when she sent him one of her death looks. As he and his friends wandered off into the crowd again, Meryl felt that she had escaped another one.
Still, something had been nagging her for the past hour. Looked at the pot reserved for donations and the meager takings inside, she couldn't help but feel guilty at her behavior. There should have been five times as much money in there by now. It was for the orphanage, after all.
Meryl chewed her lip in thought.
**Am I really that selfish?** she thought bitterly, watching the crowds of smiling people pass by. From the midst of them, Meryl Stryfe caught sight of one small boy. He was laughing and holding onto a bright red balloon, which bobbed up and down as the child walked with his father.
Red.
Again, she saw the man from her past. His own smiling face bobbing up and down like the balloon, and his wiry blonde hair sticking up like a haystack. There had been a time in her life when she would have given up everything to follow that man, including her job, which her colleagues thought she was so obsessed with. The guilt she had felt before came back ten times over and her heart clenched painfully.
**If he were here right now, he'd hate the way I've been acting.** she chocked back tears, **I hate myself right now.**
She looked over at Milly, who seemed to be having a great time with the boys and girls. A brilliant smile lit up the face of her best friend who had never looked happier.
**She thinks I'm earning money for the orphanage, for his memory. She'll be heart broken when she sees how little money I've made.** Silently, she searched for a way out of her dilemma. If she continued in the way she'd been going, it would only lead to a miniscule profit, but her pride would be saved. If she swallowed her pride, Milly would be happy and she would be able to feel that she'd done the right thing. Which one would he choose?
Instantly, she knew what she had to do.
"Milly!"
The tall girl raised her head and glanced questioningly at the Kissing Booth Girl, before handing the balloons to a co-worker and rushing over to the booth.
"Yeah, Meryl, what's up?" she asked cheerfully, "Have you been having a good time over here?"
"Uh, sure, Milly, but..." she paused, telling herself to bite the bullet already, "I, uh, haven't been getting a lot of customers as you can see," she showed Milly the pot.
Milly's eyes glistened, "Oh, I see, that's too bad."
"But, I have an idea." Meryl continued before her friend could tear up too much. "Do you still have that megaphone we brought with us on our mission?"
"Sure, it's up in my locker. But why do you want that, Meryl?'
"Just go get it and bring it down here, okay? You'll see." she smiled encouragingly.
It only took a couple of minutes for the tall blonde to race up to the top floor, snatch the battered megaphone and arrive back at the booth.
"Great," Meryl exclaimed, "Now, Milly, I want you to get on that thing and let this whole fair know we're here. Say anything you want, just gets some butts in the line, got it?"
"Ok, Meryl," Milly said nervously, "You sure about this?"
"Positive." she replied, rolling up her sleeves.
The sound crackled on the old amplifier as Milly switched it on, and few heads turned in their direction listening for any announcements. Milly cleared her throat.
"Ahem, um, may I have your attention please? Attention please, everyone!" All eyes were now focused on Milly.
"Um, hi! I'm Milly Thompson and this is my friend Meryl Stryfe," Meryl managed a weak smile, "And we would appreciate it very much if you would buy a kiss from her today to help support the December Orphanage."
No one moved.
"Only one double dollar a kiss." Milly continued.
Nothing.
"Um, I know she looks a little intimidating, but she's really nice when you get to know her. Plus she's a really good cook, not to mention a great shot if you get her mad...err, I mean, she's a very sweet person. So, please give her a chance and...Oh, sempaii, I don't think this is working," Milly said apologetically.
Meryl, meanwhile, was hiding behind the booth's table, as red in the face as she could get. Slowly, she climbed back up on her stool, sighing in defeat.
"It's alright, Milly, we tried. I guess we'll have to just take what we get. I suppose I'm just not alluring enough to demand a crowd."
"Oh, it's not that," said a masculine voice, "you just aren't selling yourself the right way!"
"Fred?!" Milly squeaked as he snatched the megaphone out of her hands.
"Get ready to be swamped by kissing hungry fiends, rough and tough Meryl Stryfe!" he said before raising the megaphone up to his mouth.
"Attention all you young studs of Oregon! I've got the chance of a lifetime for you!"
Nearly every man in the surrounding crowd perked up their ears at that.
"This luscious lady you see seated here next to me is none other than the beauteous Meryl "Lip-Locker" Stryfe! The sexiest babe in the insurance industry! Believe me, whenever this hot chicklet passes by all us lawyers start fillin' out our briefs!"
The growing crowd of men roared with laughter at Fred's crude joke. Meryl felt her cheeks burn as she listened to Fred describe her to the group of men in front of them.
"Seriously guys, this woman has it all. Looks, intellect, a sense of humor, and the greatest pair of legs this side of the Kameha mountains! When you take out a policy from "Hot Mama Meryl", you never leave unsatisfied!"
Several of the guys in the crowd snickered at this, and even Fred had to hold the mic away when he snorted out a laugh.
"Fred," a crimson faced Meryl hissed, "wrap it up now."
"Ok, ok...So! All you buckin' young stallions out there! This is your once in a lifetime chance to get a smooch from Bernardelli's own buxom beauty. Only one double dollar a kiss gentlemen! And, if you're still in doubt, let me show you how it's done!"
"What?" Meryl epped before Fred grabbed her, leaned her over and planted a kiss smack on her lips. The crowd of now hormonally charged men cheered, before most of them began digging in their pockets for change and rushing over to form a line at the Bernardelli Kissing Booth.
Fred swung Meryl up and gave her a small wink before pressing a bill into her hands and whispering into her ear, "Have fun, rough and tough, I except you're gonna be a busy little lady for the rest of the day."
Meryl smiled sincerely at him, "Thank you, Fred. I suppose I've been wrong about you. You really are a nice guy after all."
"Humph, I wouldn't go that far." he laughed, throwing her a smirk before strutting off into the crowd again.
"Meryl, look!" Milly shouted, calling her attention back to the line of men at her booth. "I can't even see the end of it!"
Sitting back down at her stool and smiling at the first blushing male, Meryl inwardly cheered and cursed her fate. They would defiantly make enough money for the orphanage now, but...cripes, all these men. As she took the first man's money and he leaned in for his promised kiss, she noticed the red shirt he had on. She smiled to herself as she gave him a light kiss on the lips.
Yes, HE would defiantly be proud of her today.
******************$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$********************
"Well, I'll be, never thought I'd see something like this."
The twin suns were hanging low in the sky, and the crowds were starting to thin out. Most people were heading away from the part of town where the booths and restaurants were set up, and heading toward the large pavilion at the other end of town for an evening of live music and lots of booze.
Normally, Vash would have been right there with them, probably on his third pint by now, but he was having too much fun watching the sight in front of him.
The line at the Bernardelli Kissing Booth was still as long as it was four hours ago. Some of these guys were on their fifth or sixth rounds! The woman must be extraordinary, and Vash loved extraordinary girls.
"Man, if someone told me I'd be seeing the small insurance girl handing out kisses, I'd have told them to check for head injuries," the tall gunman grinned at the sight before him.
Not only was she kissing without complaint, but also she seemed to be enjoying herself in the process. Every guy who came up for a kiss was greeted with a smile and a kind word and left with the same smile on his own face after.
"Too weird," Vash mused, "Normally, anyone who tried something like that would get the stuffing smacked out of him. I wonder if that's really her?"
Vash the Stampede snuck out from behind his hiding place and crept up behind the booth to get a better view of the scene. Immediately he spotted the taller woman, since she was a head and a half taller than most of the men there. Picking his way around to get a closer look, he dodged behind a car and stuck his spiky head up to watch, his red coat fluttering to the ground around him.
What he saw was simply Meryl Stryfe, taking each dollar bill from the next man in turn and giving him a simple kiss on the lips. But the longer he watched, the more he saw. Every man in line looked at her as if she was a long sought after prize they had won. He could sense their anticipation when they were next in line, and their fulfillment after they got their kiss. The ones going back for seconds had a dreamy look in their eyes and he laughed at them inwardly.
"If they ever saw her other side, they'd probably be keeping a pretty good distance."
However, Vash didn't move from his stop, but stayed and watched. This time, he focused on the girl at the booth. She was short, no denying it, with boyish cropped black hair and large gray eyes. Not particularly gorgeous like the hotties he was used to chasing after. He wondered what had brought on this change.
Still, the longer he looked, the more he began to see her like those other men were seeing her. The warm glow in the horizon shimmered over her crisp white outfit, giving her a glow of her own. The glinting rays of the suns caught her smile, lighting her up each time. The soft wind blew her wisps of hair gently around her face. And, her eyes, which he had always considered sort of dark, sparkled with mirth when she focused them on each new customer. More than anything, he could see her self, her personality when she wasn't yelling or obsessing or generally being tense. A heart as warm as the sunset and a gentle caring touch like the kisses he saw. Her beauty, he realized, was like a flower in bloom, it reveled itself slowly. If you weren't paying attention, you'd miss it. She was beautiful.
Vash finally sat back, closing his eyes and leaning against the car.
"All that time," he whispered dumbstruck, "all that time, and I missed it."
But the more he thought about it, the more he seemed to remember other instances of that same beauty he just saw. The time when she had followed him, offered him a damp cloth and just sat with him on a hillside after a rather brutal fight. Her way with the group of abandoned children they had run across and the way she had behaved so motherly toward them. They look in her eyes when she had patched him up after his disastrous fight with Legato when he had been so low. And, later when she placed herself in front of a gun to save him, risking her own life in the process. The pure joy written on her face when he finally returned to that tiny town with Knives slung over his shoulder. Even after his brother had passed on and he had become depressed again, Meryl was there to support him, every drop of her energy she gave to him and his well being. No demand on his attention, no expectation of payment for her services.
He thought of her eyes when he told her he was going away...
And he hated himself at that moment. How could he have been so callous to the one person who cared about him more than he cared about himself? His eyes began to sting. Sometimes, the things you most wish for are the things right in front of your face that you have taken for granted. In Vash's opinion, it had taken him way too long.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" a voice on the loudspeakers boomed out, "The booths will be wrapping up in the next ten minutes, so please make your purchases and head to the central tent for the 34th Annual Oregon Carnival Celebration! Remember to put those kiddies in bed and rock it out all night with your special someone! See you there!"
A general groan was heard from the line at the Kissing Booth, and many of the men still waiting in the back of the group hurried off, disappointed, toward the other end of town. Vash took the opportunity to creep closer to the booth until he was directly behind Milly and hid himself behind a garbage can. On accident, his foot slipped a little and the can rattled a bit. He held his breath and listened for any hint of detection.
"Sempaii?" he heard Milly chirp, "I'm going to deposit the funds we've made so far in the safe and head on over to the tent to save us a good table, ok?"
"Sounds good, Milly," Meryl smiled, "I can finally see the end of the line, so you can go on ahead and I'll catch up in a little while."
"Sure!" said Milly brightly, "And...Meryl?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you." Meryl could tell it was a heartfelt thanks, and she felt pride swell in her chest at the sincerity of the statement.
"You're welcome," she replied, "and Milly? Thank you, too."
With a grin and giggle, Milly Thompson took off into the falling dusk.
Meryl turned back to her line of anxious men, all of whom wanted to get another turn before the whistle rang for the party to begin. She had been pleasantly surprised. Most of the men today had been very nice and polite to her with only a few lechers stuck into the bunch. But she found she could handle it and that there were enough of the kind men around to stand up for her if any one got too overbearing.
**Hmm, only about twenty left,** she thought as she took the next man's bill and kissed him softly. It might look easy, but kissing for four hours straight was pretty tough work. Her lips would be sore for a week!
Just then, Meryl caught sight of a man she hadn't seen yet. He was decked out like a gigolo, she chuckled to herself, and had a ridicules amount of expensive looking gold chains and jewelry on. He had a fedora of black silk and a very large purple feather stuck in the brim. Everything about this man gave off an aura of smug self-satisfaction that made Meryl a little uneasy. He even had a pair of dice, which he had been clicking together in his right hand for a while now.
When the gigolo came up for his turn, he simply smirked and laid his bill down on the table.
"Hello," said Meryl with an apprehensive smile, "thank you for helping to support a good cause, that will be one double dollar please, uh..." as she tried to pick up the bill from the counter but the man put his finger down on it, making it impossible for her to grab it. The strange man grinned through his gold capped teeth and said in a slimy, snake-like voice,
"I noticed you been pretty popular today little missy," he even slithered in his speech, "and I can see how all these respectable gents have been pleased patronizing this booth, but I, as a coinsure require a bit more for my money than the average consumer."
"I'm sorry," Meryl answered coldly, "but I'm not following your line of insinuation. Please make your donation, or go find an establishment that will cater to you "needs".
The gigolo laughed, "Oh no my dear, I don't mean that! And for your information, I could get that anytime I wanted, without payment, if you know what I mean." He straightened his immaculate garish suit, and leaned in, "I just want to give you a "real" kiss, sugar." he leered, pointing to the sign on her right.
Meryl looked at the sign and scowled. Earlier in the day, some over confident prick thought he would be funny and get a little more for his money as well, so when he came up to pay for his kiss, he had surprised her by slipping his tongue in for a bonus.
Well, at least there was one guy in the town who knew how hard it is to bandage a tongue. Meryl had been so upset; she had bitten the guy without thinking. He would be just fine, but would probably not be able to eat anything other than applesauce and oatmeal for the next couple days. The other men in line had been surprisingly supportive of her and had even hauled the guy off to the med center themselves.
After that fiasco, she had taken a bright red pen and scrawled "NO TOUNGES" on the bottom of the sign.
**Is that all this guy is after?** she thought, **just some tongue?** something wasn't right about this.
"So, what do you say, honey?" he asked in a syrupy voice.
"I'm sorry, sir, but it's against the company policy." she replied diplomatically, steel in her tone, the kind she used when dealing with a dangerous criminal.
"Oh, come on now, don't be like that. Give a fella a break, baby."
"I said no and I meant it!" Meryl seethed behind her booth.
"Oh come on, little lady," the purple-feathered man pleaded, "What if I raise the stakes to ten double dollars?"
"No."
"Twenty?"
"No!"
"Forty?"
"NO!"
"Fifty then, my final offer and 50 times your original price."
"And for the final time, I said..."
"Sixty Billion." said a calm voice behind her.
Meryl's heart leapt up into her throat when she heard the familiar voice. She turned slowly, expecting to see anybody else but him. After all, he couldn't possibly be here now, not after a year had passed since they'd last seen him. Meryl braced herself and looked.
Just then the whistle blew from the town's manufacturing building, signaling the end of the street fair and the beginning of the celebration inside the main tent. The rest of the men in line grumbled loudly as they left to go join the rest of the town, and even the gigolo smirked lightly before swaggering off down the street with the rest of the men. For him, there was always another day. Soon the street was quiet and the sounds of music from the tent in the distance wafted out into the darkening night sky. The stars began to pop out of their blanket of darkness as if they too were interested in the soft strains and melodies. The town was deserted.
All except for two.
Meryl stood, speechless as she gazed at the man in front of her. She had known it was him when he spoke, but even now, she was having a hard time believing he was real. Everything she had ever wanted to say to him flew out of her brain.
"Hi," she finally managed, cursing herself for her lack of eloquence. It did not, however, seem to faze Vash in the slightest.
"Well, hello there, insurance girl," he said brightly, "It's been a while."
"Yeah.." she agreed. **Where have you been? Are you all right? Why didn't you come back sooner? Are you mad at me? Have you made any more friends? Have you gotten any more scars? Is there anything I can do to help you? Do you need anything at all? Have you made any more enemies? Are you still depressed over your brother's death? Are you really a year older? Do I look a year older? Have you managed to get near enough to a girl to kiss her without getting clobbered? How many people have you saved? Are you still lonely? Do I look as lonely as I feel? Are you here for a kiss too? Would you ever kiss me? Could you ever love me like I love you?**
All these questions speed through Meryl's mind in lightening succession, the last of which nearly made her sob in the realization that he was actually here in front of her again. However, all she got out was, "How've you been?"
Vash smiled his 60 billion double dollar smile and leaned up against the booth, a glint in his eye, "Oh pretty good I guess, I've been able to get into a lot more trouble without you two along. It's been fun!"
"Oh, really," Meryl bristled slightly, "and if it's been that much fun without us, then what are you doing back here of all places?" How dare he come back and mock her like this. He must really be a featherbrain if he couldn't see the feelings in her eyes.
"Well, if you want to know" the lanky gunman began, catching those same eyes with his, and noticing how filled with starlight and moonlight they were, "I came to make a donation." he chirped holding out a crisp one double dollar bill.
Meryl nearly fell off her stool when he held the money out in front of her face. A donation? Did he mean, he wanted...a kiss...from her? Her face flushed instantly and her hand began to tremble.
"You...want to...make a donation?" she repeated, trying desperately to get control of herself.
Vash grinned and learned against the front of the booth, "I hear it's a worthy cause," he said gently, and placed the bill on the counter. Meryl's mind was swimming.
"We're um, we're closed really, and uh, I'm not suppose to take donations after six." My god, why am I making excuses!?
"I won't tell on you," he smiled, "Besides, it's for the kids."
"Umm, right, but uh, all the money is locked up in the safe now and I, I don't have the key."
"So, turn it in tomorrow, I'm sure Milly will understand," he leaned in closer and dropped the bill into the pot. Meryl swallowed and looked up at the man in front of her. All he was asking for was to make a donation to the orphanage; just like every other guy she'd kissed today. Why shouldn't she let him? She could think of no other reason to deny him what he was asking for.
"Ok." her mouth felt dry and her blood was beating. She tried to calm her heart, which was pounding so loudly she was certain he would hear it. But, as soon as she looked into his eyes, Meryl was lost to the world. Blue that matched the perfect summer sky, in depth of color that seemed to her to be the closest thing to the oceans she'd always heard stories about. It felt like some sort of electricity was zinging through her body as she leaned herself foreword and raised her chin. It was all happening too fast. She needed to stop everything and think, there was no time to think!
All at once the noise in her head stopped and she felt a warm hand pressing against her cheek, centering her once more. She felt oddly calmed by this simple gesture and felt her breathing return to near normal. Vash cupped her face in his large calloused hand, feeling the smooth skin burn to his touch. He had dropped his lighthearted guy guise a while back and was looking into her face simply and seriously, making everything known without saying a word.
Meryl answered back with her own eyes, letting him know she was ready.
She could feel her heart thumping against her chest as she leaned slightly foreword, her mind only able to focus on his hand against her cheek and his lips as he wetted them with his tongue.
Closing her eyes, she waited.
It was hard to tell at first, the touch of his lips were like a whisper. Then she felt them brush sideways along the line of her mouth and settle against her, pushing slightly, but soft and warm. The feel, the scent of him, and everything about the gentleness of the gesture was overwhelming. Meryl leaned in more, pushing her lips on his as gently as she could only to feel him push back into her again. Vash placed his other hand tenderly on the other side of her face and held her in his hands. Meryl answered by placing her hand over his own.
Then as quickly as it had begun, his mouth left hers and the kiss was over, and Meryl opened her eyes.
Vash was gone.
Her heart fell in shock, "Vash?" she felt a little panicky, **God, I couldn't have dreamed that,** she thought, "Vash...are...are you there?"
Suddenly Vash's blonde spikes popped up in front of her, his bright face beaming, "Sorry Meryl, I had to get something out of my bag," he grinned holding out another new dollar bill, "I'd like to make another donation if that's ok with you."
Meryl only stared wide-eyed, "What did you say?" she whispered.
"I said I'd like to make another donation," he breathed while looking at her intently.
"No," Meryl said, "I mean the part before you said that," she looked at him anxiously.
"You mean the, 'Sorry Meryl, I had to get something out of my bag' part?" he asked a little confused. Meryl's face lit up.
"That's the first time you've used my real name to me," tears of happiness threatened to spill out of her shining gray eyes. Vash sighed in relief, he had thought she was going to tell him he couldn't have another one.
"So, Meryl," he continued, "can I make my donation now, Meryl, or should I find another establishment, Meryl?" he teased, placing the new bill in the pot with his other one.
"Well," she laughed lightly, "normally I'd say you'd have to get to the back of the line again, but seeing as you are the line, I think I could make an exception. What brought on the sudden generosity?"
"I'm a sucker for a good cause," the humanoid typhoon grinned, leaning foreword and capturing her in another sweet kiss.
This one lasted nearly twice as long as the first until Meryl finally had to pull away in order to breath properly, only to find another crisp double dollar bill floating in front of her nose, and Vash's mischievous face smiling from ear to ear behind it.
"Just, how many donations do you plan to make this evening, Mr. Stampede?" she arched her eyebrow at him.
"I don't know," he teased taking her face in his hands again, "what's my limit?"
"Oh, I don't' know," Meryl said taking the lone bill from his outstretched hand and pulling him toward her for another kiss, "sixty billion?"
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$*****************$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Epilogue:
The soft strains of the band from the main tent hung lazily in the night air, and the stars overhead glittered out their seeming approval.
Far from the crowds of the town, two figures lay snuggled up against one of the few trees that grew in the city. Their arms entwined, their lips meeting in a gentle kiss, and a large pile of single bills on the ground next to them.
The man suddenly moaned softly and pulled away from the woman in his arms.
"Why, Ms. Meryl Stryfe, I thought that was against company policy? Or at least against the little sign on your booth," he laughed, tickling her neck with his breath.
"So report me," she giggled from the sensation, "I couldn't care less if they fired me tomorrow."
"What!" Vash leapt to his knees, "Meryl Stryfe defying her job, shirking her duties! It can not be!" he swept his hand up in a dramatic pose, "Has the world gone mad?"
Meryl laughed as the goofy side of Vash took over.
"Something must be terribly wrong, wouldn't you agree doctor? Yes, I most certainly would doctor. Your prescription? Hmm, I recommend immediate resuscitation!" he shouted triumphantly.
"Knock it off you big broom head, someone's gonna hear u..." but she was cut off as Vash glomped onto her open mouth in an attempt to "resuscitate" her. Meryl play-fought him, but eventually gave in and attacked him back with equal fortitude. The end result was two very ruffled looking but contented people lying on the grass, looking up at the stars. Meryl never wanted this night end. However in the back of her mind, she knew she had to ask him. She had to know the truth.
"Vash?" she began.
"Mmm?" he responded, absently playing with her shiny black hair.
"Are you staying? Will you stay here now?"
"I don't know," Vash sighed, leaning back and gazing at the stars again, "It'd be nice to stay in one place for once instead of wandering all over the desert. I'd like a place to call home, and...someone to come home to." he added, making her heart leap again for the second time that night.
"You can stay here as long as you like," she whispered, repeating her phrase of over three years ago. He didn't miss the meaning and hugged her closer. Meryl snuggled into his warm chest, resting her head against his heart, feeling the ridges of metal along with soft skin underneath.
"Vash?" she ventured again.
"Mmm?" he responded, sending vibrations through her head.
"I, well, there were so many questions I wanted to ask you when I first saw you today. Unfortunately, they've all flown out of my head. All except one..." she felt slightly nervous.
Vash sat up, looking down at her, "You mean all those questions you were thinking from earlier?" he asked, "Sorry I didn't answer you back then but I thought it would freak you out and you would pound me into the ground!"
Meryl gaped up at him from the grass, "What? But...how could you...I didn't...wait a minute..."
"Okay doky, let's see if I get them all. Ahem," he cleared his throat, "All over. Fine. I had to think. No. Lots. Some. Yes. Yes. A couple. A little. Yes. No. Not a chance in hell. I'm too modest to say. Yes. I couldn't tell. Yes. Yes. I already do."
The answer to the last question she had asked left her short of breath. For some reason, the young insurance woman felt her eyes fill with tears as she listened to this amazing man prove that not only could he read her mind, but that he loved her as well.
"You...already do?" she breathed.
"Yeah," he said, brushing his hand across her cheek and down her flushed neck, "I'm sorry it took so long for me to know it, but I do. I really do."
"Oh, Vash," she pulled him closer, gazing into the ocean in his eyes, "I do to." and she kissed him. Finally, both of them felt the completion they'd been longing for in each other. A love, a home, a place to belong.
"Vash?"
"Mmm?"
"You're running out of money," Meryl teased.
"Well, I've uh, got a confession to make. It's really not my money." he grinned sheepishly.
"What? Then whose is it? Don't tell me you.."
"No no, it's Milly's," he said, "She lent it to me for the booth. I told her I just needed the one, but she made me take the rest too, said I'd need them. Hmm, now I know what she meant."
"Milly!?" Meryl exclaimed, "You mean she know that you were...and that you were planning to...and that's the reason she signed me up for...she and you...it was a set up?!"
The blonde gunman simply beamed and nodded, obviously proud of the way the ruse had turned out. Meryl processed the information and finally beamed back, "That girl is craftier than she lets on. Alright then, in that case, Mr. Typhoon, none of these donations have been legal, since employees can not contribute to the public pot, so I'm afraid I'll have to take them all back, unless of course, you'd like to play with your own money from now on?"
Vash said nothing, but reached into his jacket and pulled out a fresh double dollar bill, making a new pile on the ground.
Smiling, Meryl pulled his lips down to meet her own, kissing him with everything she had.
By the time the sun came up, Vash the Stampede was utterly broke, and extremely happy about it.
Hope you enjoyed yourself here. Until we meet again...dewa mata! Oyasuminasai...Zzzzzzzzz
P.S. Did you like it? Would you like something heavier? Go read "Survive the Night"(completed R) or "Edge of the Sea" (work in progress R).
The Kissing Booth
The sky overhead was miraculously blue. The twin suns shone down, not with their usual overpowering glare, but with friendly warmth on the crowds of people milling about in the town square. Countless happy faces could be seen on all the townsfolk who were out on this special day. Overhead, stretched in between two tall buildings, a white banner flapped in the breeze. It read, 34th Annual Oregon City Carnival, in bright red letters. The rest of the town was decked out in colored streamers, balloons, and long flapping banners, making it look no longer like a barren wasteland, but like a giant kaleidoscope. Blue, orange, yellow, green, violet, and every color you could imagine draped the stark white houses. All the local businesses set up brightly colored booths in front of their stores, while the restaurants were handing out free samples from their kitchens. The smell that hung in the air was heavenly. And then there were the games, and the rides, and the prizes. And the music, which filled the air over the town's loud speakers. Everywhere you looked, people were smiling, laughing, talking, holding hands, and having a general good time.
All except one.
Meryl Stryfe, of the Bernardelli Insurance Company, age 27, was not enjoying herself one bit.
She had been sitting outside the Bernardelli Building at the Companies local booth for two hours now, doing her best to appear as serious and professional as she could. She had on her cleanest best-pressed white jacket, her hair was impeccably cut and styled, and she wore her most expense gold dangling earrings. Her cold demeanor and business like appearance made her look equally beautiful and imposing.
**No wonder she's not getting any customers,** thought her best friend, Milly Thompson, who was passing out balloons with the Company Logo to a group of children nearby. She watched the smaller woman, sitting ramrod straight on her stool, thin lips pursed together in a peevish frown. Milly sighed as she saw several young men point excitedly at the sign over Meryl's booth. However, they all screeched to a halt after seeing the young woman who sat under the sign, and quickly made their retreat glancing over their backs and whispering to each other as they walked off in the opposite direction. The tall blonde shook her head sadly before getting distracted by another group of children who wanted balloons. Meryl, on the other hand, glared at the fleeing group of men and sighed in relief. As long as no one came up to the booth she would be fine.
**How did I get myself into this situation?** she thought.
Out from the crowd a tall man swaggered over to the Bernardelli Booth. He had long lanky brown hair, and wore a lecherous grin on his stubbly face. Meryl could tell instantly that he had been drinking. His unsteady gait and the stench of cheep booze made her turn up her nose in disgust.
The drunk leaned his weight on the booth, eyeing Meryl before giving her a wink and smirking wolfishly up at her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sweaty wad of double dollar bills. Meryl sat up as stiffly as she could.
"What'll dis buy me, love?" the inebriated man slurred, showing off his yellow teeth and putrid breath in the process.
Meryl's eyebrow twitched in anger. Clenching her teeth she quickly looking over to Milly, eyes pleading for assistance.
The tall blonde merely smiled and gave her a thumbs up before going back to her balloons. With a defeated face, the small dark haired woman turned back to the drunken yokel and his pile of damp money. A little black cat had leapt up onto the booth. Both it and the man seemed to be leering at her. Swallowing back the tears of rage that threatened to fall as she reached out and gingerly picked out one of the revolting bills, throwing it into a pot on the counter.
The slovenly man grinned wider before leaning over the booth toward her, closing his eyes and puckering up his fat lips. Meryl felt like sinking into the ground as she stared at the horrific sight before her.
**How did this happen to me?** she whined.
Flashback : )( : ***********************************************************
"YOU DID WHAT!!!"
The screeching voice shook the top floor or the Bernardelli Insurance Building and resounded down and out into the street. People passing by stopped to look up at the tall white building, open-mouthed. Inside, Meryl Stryfe was having trouble controlling the urge to straggle her well meaning but pigeon brained best friend.
Milly Thompson was looking extremely puzzled at her friend's sudden outburst.
"Gee, Meryl, it's just for charity," she said gently.
"I don't care if it's to save the whole damn planet, there's no way I'm doing it! It's so humiliating!" Meryl seethed. "Why didn't you ask me before you signed me up?"
"I'm sorry," Milly's eyes were getting large and dewy, "They were just passing the sign up sheet around and I thought I'd save you the trouble of doing it yourself. I didn't think you'd mind that much."
"Mind that much! I'll be the laughing stock of the office! Fred's gonna have a field day with this one!" the fiery young insurance woman was pacing the floor at a rapid pace.
"It won't be that bad, Meryl; really!" Milly piped up, attempting to cheer up her extremely pissed off partner. "Just think of it as a game! It'll be fun!"
"Fun!" she screamed, "What's fun about letting random losers slobber all over me! Why on Earth would I ever want to do something as stupid as that!!"
Milly bit her lip to stop it from quivering.
"Well," she started softly, "Because you're a good person and I knew you'd want to help. Besides, it's only for one day and all the money goes to the orphanage. It would have made him very happy to know that they're being taken care of." the tall woman's eyes were cast down toward the floor, hiding her face, but the slight shake of her voice told Meryl just how upset she was.
Suddenly, Meryl felt like the biggest heel on the planet. Wolfwood had been Milly's only love, and he'd been taken away from her too soon. No wonder she'd been so keen on the idea. The orphanage was Wolfwood's legacy, and in a way, Milly's attempt at keeping his memory alive.
**I'm such a jerk,** Meryl berated herself.
The afternoon dusk crept red and warm in through the window of the now silent locker room both women were sullenly standing in. The deep red color painting the walls reminded Meryl of a man she used to know. Regret filled her heart as she lost herself in the color of the man and his determination to live his life the way he thought was right. What would he have thought of the way she was hurting her best friend right now? Guilt took her over and she sucked in her lower lip.
"Milly," she ventured humbly, "I'm sorry, Milly, I...I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I guess...I guess it won't be that bad."
Instantly the big girl's face lit up.
"You will? You really mean it, Meryl?" she simpered with shining eyes.
"Yeah, of course I will." Meryl sighed, giving up all resistance, "What are friends for after all."
She had a feeling that she was going to regret this, but it beat making her best friend cry.
Just then the door to the locker room squeaked open and a handsome red haired man leaned his head into the room.
"Oy! Is that you Meryl? Milly?"
"Yeah, Fred," Meryl huffed, "What do ya want?"
"Ha! I thought that was you! Only one woman I know whose voice is able to penetrate solid rock and mortar!" Fred guffawed.
Meryl frowned. Fred was all she needed right now. "I said what do you want, Fred, we've got a lot of work to.."
"I just came up to see it the rumors were true!" Fred interrupted her, grinning like a Cheshire cat.
"And what rumor would that be?" Meryl glared, fisting her hands on her hips. Fred's grin grew.
"That you, rough and tough Stryfe, are going to be this years Bernardelli Kissing Booth Girl for the Oregon City Carnival!!!" he exclaimed, nearly dancing on his toes.
Meryl was too stunned to answer, but shoot a glare in Milly's direction. The tall woman just scratched the back of her head and laughed nervously. "Gee Meryl, I thought you knew? They post the list in the main hallway every year before the Carnival."
Fred nearly jumped out of his skin. "It is true! Hey guys!" he shouted and ran off down the hall to inform the rest of the office.
A small twitch of her eyebrow was all Meryl could do.
**How did I get myself into this one?** was all she could think.
**************************************************************************** *****
"How did this happen!?" Meryl complained, as she wiped her mouth clean with her sleeve. She had been sitting at that stupid booth for over three hours now, and so far she'd been able to scare off most of her co- workers and the general male population by putting on her scary dangerous look. While this was good in general, it meant the only men stupid enough to come up and pay for a kiss were the drunken slobs too intoxicated to notice she was even a girl.
"That last guy was the worst," she groaned, "Ugh, I still smell like cheep gin!" she reached for a canteen of water, gargled and spat. "Damn Milly!" she said under her breath. "And damn me for being so soft, I should have said no."
A shy looking young man stopped and glanced over at her, his buddies obviously daring him to go for a kiss. The man caught Meryl's eye hopefully, but was instantly terrified when she sent him one of her death looks. As he and his friends wandered off into the crowd again, Meryl felt that she had escaped another one.
Still, something had been nagging her for the past hour. Looked at the pot reserved for donations and the meager takings inside, she couldn't help but feel guilty at her behavior. There should have been five times as much money in there by now. It was for the orphanage, after all.
Meryl chewed her lip in thought.
**Am I really that selfish?** she thought bitterly, watching the crowds of smiling people pass by. From the midst of them, Meryl Stryfe caught sight of one small boy. He was laughing and holding onto a bright red balloon, which bobbed up and down as the child walked with his father.
Red.
Again, she saw the man from her past. His own smiling face bobbing up and down like the balloon, and his wiry blonde hair sticking up like a haystack. There had been a time in her life when she would have given up everything to follow that man, including her job, which her colleagues thought she was so obsessed with. The guilt she had felt before came back ten times over and her heart clenched painfully.
**If he were here right now, he'd hate the way I've been acting.** she chocked back tears, **I hate myself right now.**
She looked over at Milly, who seemed to be having a great time with the boys and girls. A brilliant smile lit up the face of her best friend who had never looked happier.
**She thinks I'm earning money for the orphanage, for his memory. She'll be heart broken when she sees how little money I've made.** Silently, she searched for a way out of her dilemma. If she continued in the way she'd been going, it would only lead to a miniscule profit, but her pride would be saved. If she swallowed her pride, Milly would be happy and she would be able to feel that she'd done the right thing. Which one would he choose?
Instantly, she knew what she had to do.
"Milly!"
The tall girl raised her head and glanced questioningly at the Kissing Booth Girl, before handing the balloons to a co-worker and rushing over to the booth.
"Yeah, Meryl, what's up?" she asked cheerfully, "Have you been having a good time over here?"
"Uh, sure, Milly, but..." she paused, telling herself to bite the bullet already, "I, uh, haven't been getting a lot of customers as you can see," she showed Milly the pot.
Milly's eyes glistened, "Oh, I see, that's too bad."
"But, I have an idea." Meryl continued before her friend could tear up too much. "Do you still have that megaphone we brought with us on our mission?"
"Sure, it's up in my locker. But why do you want that, Meryl?'
"Just go get it and bring it down here, okay? You'll see." she smiled encouragingly.
It only took a couple of minutes for the tall blonde to race up to the top floor, snatch the battered megaphone and arrive back at the booth.
"Great," Meryl exclaimed, "Now, Milly, I want you to get on that thing and let this whole fair know we're here. Say anything you want, just gets some butts in the line, got it?"
"Ok, Meryl," Milly said nervously, "You sure about this?"
"Positive." she replied, rolling up her sleeves.
The sound crackled on the old amplifier as Milly switched it on, and few heads turned in their direction listening for any announcements. Milly cleared her throat.
"Ahem, um, may I have your attention please? Attention please, everyone!" All eyes were now focused on Milly.
"Um, hi! I'm Milly Thompson and this is my friend Meryl Stryfe," Meryl managed a weak smile, "And we would appreciate it very much if you would buy a kiss from her today to help support the December Orphanage."
No one moved.
"Only one double dollar a kiss." Milly continued.
Nothing.
"Um, I know she looks a little intimidating, but she's really nice when you get to know her. Plus she's a really good cook, not to mention a great shot if you get her mad...err, I mean, she's a very sweet person. So, please give her a chance and...Oh, sempaii, I don't think this is working," Milly said apologetically.
Meryl, meanwhile, was hiding behind the booth's table, as red in the face as she could get. Slowly, she climbed back up on her stool, sighing in defeat.
"It's alright, Milly, we tried. I guess we'll have to just take what we get. I suppose I'm just not alluring enough to demand a crowd."
"Oh, it's not that," said a masculine voice, "you just aren't selling yourself the right way!"
"Fred?!" Milly squeaked as he snatched the megaphone out of her hands.
"Get ready to be swamped by kissing hungry fiends, rough and tough Meryl Stryfe!" he said before raising the megaphone up to his mouth.
"Attention all you young studs of Oregon! I've got the chance of a lifetime for you!"
Nearly every man in the surrounding crowd perked up their ears at that.
"This luscious lady you see seated here next to me is none other than the beauteous Meryl "Lip-Locker" Stryfe! The sexiest babe in the insurance industry! Believe me, whenever this hot chicklet passes by all us lawyers start fillin' out our briefs!"
The growing crowd of men roared with laughter at Fred's crude joke. Meryl felt her cheeks burn as she listened to Fred describe her to the group of men in front of them.
"Seriously guys, this woman has it all. Looks, intellect, a sense of humor, and the greatest pair of legs this side of the Kameha mountains! When you take out a policy from "Hot Mama Meryl", you never leave unsatisfied!"
Several of the guys in the crowd snickered at this, and even Fred had to hold the mic away when he snorted out a laugh.
"Fred," a crimson faced Meryl hissed, "wrap it up now."
"Ok, ok...So! All you buckin' young stallions out there! This is your once in a lifetime chance to get a smooch from Bernardelli's own buxom beauty. Only one double dollar a kiss gentlemen! And, if you're still in doubt, let me show you how it's done!"
"What?" Meryl epped before Fred grabbed her, leaned her over and planted a kiss smack on her lips. The crowd of now hormonally charged men cheered, before most of them began digging in their pockets for change and rushing over to form a line at the Bernardelli Kissing Booth.
Fred swung Meryl up and gave her a small wink before pressing a bill into her hands and whispering into her ear, "Have fun, rough and tough, I except you're gonna be a busy little lady for the rest of the day."
Meryl smiled sincerely at him, "Thank you, Fred. I suppose I've been wrong about you. You really are a nice guy after all."
"Humph, I wouldn't go that far." he laughed, throwing her a smirk before strutting off into the crowd again.
"Meryl, look!" Milly shouted, calling her attention back to the line of men at her booth. "I can't even see the end of it!"
Sitting back down at her stool and smiling at the first blushing male, Meryl inwardly cheered and cursed her fate. They would defiantly make enough money for the orphanage now, but...cripes, all these men. As she took the first man's money and he leaned in for his promised kiss, she noticed the red shirt he had on. She smiled to herself as she gave him a light kiss on the lips.
Yes, HE would defiantly be proud of her today.
******************$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$********************
"Well, I'll be, never thought I'd see something like this."
The twin suns were hanging low in the sky, and the crowds were starting to thin out. Most people were heading away from the part of town where the booths and restaurants were set up, and heading toward the large pavilion at the other end of town for an evening of live music and lots of booze.
Normally, Vash would have been right there with them, probably on his third pint by now, but he was having too much fun watching the sight in front of him.
The line at the Bernardelli Kissing Booth was still as long as it was four hours ago. Some of these guys were on their fifth or sixth rounds! The woman must be extraordinary, and Vash loved extraordinary girls.
"Man, if someone told me I'd be seeing the small insurance girl handing out kisses, I'd have told them to check for head injuries," the tall gunman grinned at the sight before him.
Not only was she kissing without complaint, but also she seemed to be enjoying herself in the process. Every guy who came up for a kiss was greeted with a smile and a kind word and left with the same smile on his own face after.
"Too weird," Vash mused, "Normally, anyone who tried something like that would get the stuffing smacked out of him. I wonder if that's really her?"
Vash the Stampede snuck out from behind his hiding place and crept up behind the booth to get a better view of the scene. Immediately he spotted the taller woman, since she was a head and a half taller than most of the men there. Picking his way around to get a closer look, he dodged behind a car and stuck his spiky head up to watch, his red coat fluttering to the ground around him.
What he saw was simply Meryl Stryfe, taking each dollar bill from the next man in turn and giving him a simple kiss on the lips. But the longer he watched, the more he saw. Every man in line looked at her as if she was a long sought after prize they had won. He could sense their anticipation when they were next in line, and their fulfillment after they got their kiss. The ones going back for seconds had a dreamy look in their eyes and he laughed at them inwardly.
"If they ever saw her other side, they'd probably be keeping a pretty good distance."
However, Vash didn't move from his stop, but stayed and watched. This time, he focused on the girl at the booth. She was short, no denying it, with boyish cropped black hair and large gray eyes. Not particularly gorgeous like the hotties he was used to chasing after. He wondered what had brought on this change.
Still, the longer he looked, the more he began to see her like those other men were seeing her. The warm glow in the horizon shimmered over her crisp white outfit, giving her a glow of her own. The glinting rays of the suns caught her smile, lighting her up each time. The soft wind blew her wisps of hair gently around her face. And, her eyes, which he had always considered sort of dark, sparkled with mirth when she focused them on each new customer. More than anything, he could see her self, her personality when she wasn't yelling or obsessing or generally being tense. A heart as warm as the sunset and a gentle caring touch like the kisses he saw. Her beauty, he realized, was like a flower in bloom, it reveled itself slowly. If you weren't paying attention, you'd miss it. She was beautiful.
Vash finally sat back, closing his eyes and leaning against the car.
"All that time," he whispered dumbstruck, "all that time, and I missed it."
But the more he thought about it, the more he seemed to remember other instances of that same beauty he just saw. The time when she had followed him, offered him a damp cloth and just sat with him on a hillside after a rather brutal fight. Her way with the group of abandoned children they had run across and the way she had behaved so motherly toward them. They look in her eyes when she had patched him up after his disastrous fight with Legato when he had been so low. And, later when she placed herself in front of a gun to save him, risking her own life in the process. The pure joy written on her face when he finally returned to that tiny town with Knives slung over his shoulder. Even after his brother had passed on and he had become depressed again, Meryl was there to support him, every drop of her energy she gave to him and his well being. No demand on his attention, no expectation of payment for her services.
He thought of her eyes when he told her he was going away...
And he hated himself at that moment. How could he have been so callous to the one person who cared about him more than he cared about himself? His eyes began to sting. Sometimes, the things you most wish for are the things right in front of your face that you have taken for granted. In Vash's opinion, it had taken him way too long.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" a voice on the loudspeakers boomed out, "The booths will be wrapping up in the next ten minutes, so please make your purchases and head to the central tent for the 34th Annual Oregon Carnival Celebration! Remember to put those kiddies in bed and rock it out all night with your special someone! See you there!"
A general groan was heard from the line at the Kissing Booth, and many of the men still waiting in the back of the group hurried off, disappointed, toward the other end of town. Vash took the opportunity to creep closer to the booth until he was directly behind Milly and hid himself behind a garbage can. On accident, his foot slipped a little and the can rattled a bit. He held his breath and listened for any hint of detection.
"Sempaii?" he heard Milly chirp, "I'm going to deposit the funds we've made so far in the safe and head on over to the tent to save us a good table, ok?"
"Sounds good, Milly," Meryl smiled, "I can finally see the end of the line, so you can go on ahead and I'll catch up in a little while."
"Sure!" said Milly brightly, "And...Meryl?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you." Meryl could tell it was a heartfelt thanks, and she felt pride swell in her chest at the sincerity of the statement.
"You're welcome," she replied, "and Milly? Thank you, too."
With a grin and giggle, Milly Thompson took off into the falling dusk.
Meryl turned back to her line of anxious men, all of whom wanted to get another turn before the whistle rang for the party to begin. She had been pleasantly surprised. Most of the men today had been very nice and polite to her with only a few lechers stuck into the bunch. But she found she could handle it and that there were enough of the kind men around to stand up for her if any one got too overbearing.
**Hmm, only about twenty left,** she thought as she took the next man's bill and kissed him softly. It might look easy, but kissing for four hours straight was pretty tough work. Her lips would be sore for a week!
Just then, Meryl caught sight of a man she hadn't seen yet. He was decked out like a gigolo, she chuckled to herself, and had a ridicules amount of expensive looking gold chains and jewelry on. He had a fedora of black silk and a very large purple feather stuck in the brim. Everything about this man gave off an aura of smug self-satisfaction that made Meryl a little uneasy. He even had a pair of dice, which he had been clicking together in his right hand for a while now.
When the gigolo came up for his turn, he simply smirked and laid his bill down on the table.
"Hello," said Meryl with an apprehensive smile, "thank you for helping to support a good cause, that will be one double dollar please, uh..." as she tried to pick up the bill from the counter but the man put his finger down on it, making it impossible for her to grab it. The strange man grinned through his gold capped teeth and said in a slimy, snake-like voice,
"I noticed you been pretty popular today little missy," he even slithered in his speech, "and I can see how all these respectable gents have been pleased patronizing this booth, but I, as a coinsure require a bit more for my money than the average consumer."
"I'm sorry," Meryl answered coldly, "but I'm not following your line of insinuation. Please make your donation, or go find an establishment that will cater to you "needs".
The gigolo laughed, "Oh no my dear, I don't mean that! And for your information, I could get that anytime I wanted, without payment, if you know what I mean." He straightened his immaculate garish suit, and leaned in, "I just want to give you a "real" kiss, sugar." he leered, pointing to the sign on her right.
Meryl looked at the sign and scowled. Earlier in the day, some over confident prick thought he would be funny and get a little more for his money as well, so when he came up to pay for his kiss, he had surprised her by slipping his tongue in for a bonus.
Well, at least there was one guy in the town who knew how hard it is to bandage a tongue. Meryl had been so upset; she had bitten the guy without thinking. He would be just fine, but would probably not be able to eat anything other than applesauce and oatmeal for the next couple days. The other men in line had been surprisingly supportive of her and had even hauled the guy off to the med center themselves.
After that fiasco, she had taken a bright red pen and scrawled "NO TOUNGES" on the bottom of the sign.
**Is that all this guy is after?** she thought, **just some tongue?** something wasn't right about this.
"So, what do you say, honey?" he asked in a syrupy voice.
"I'm sorry, sir, but it's against the company policy." she replied diplomatically, steel in her tone, the kind she used when dealing with a dangerous criminal.
"Oh, come on now, don't be like that. Give a fella a break, baby."
"I said no and I meant it!" Meryl seethed behind her booth.
"Oh come on, little lady," the purple-feathered man pleaded, "What if I raise the stakes to ten double dollars?"
"No."
"Twenty?"
"No!"
"Forty?"
"NO!"
"Fifty then, my final offer and 50 times your original price."
"And for the final time, I said..."
"Sixty Billion." said a calm voice behind her.
Meryl's heart leapt up into her throat when she heard the familiar voice. She turned slowly, expecting to see anybody else but him. After all, he couldn't possibly be here now, not after a year had passed since they'd last seen him. Meryl braced herself and looked.
Just then the whistle blew from the town's manufacturing building, signaling the end of the street fair and the beginning of the celebration inside the main tent. The rest of the men in line grumbled loudly as they left to go join the rest of the town, and even the gigolo smirked lightly before swaggering off down the street with the rest of the men. For him, there was always another day. Soon the street was quiet and the sounds of music from the tent in the distance wafted out into the darkening night sky. The stars began to pop out of their blanket of darkness as if they too were interested in the soft strains and melodies. The town was deserted.
All except for two.
Meryl stood, speechless as she gazed at the man in front of her. She had known it was him when he spoke, but even now, she was having a hard time believing he was real. Everything she had ever wanted to say to him flew out of her brain.
"Hi," she finally managed, cursing herself for her lack of eloquence. It did not, however, seem to faze Vash in the slightest.
"Well, hello there, insurance girl," he said brightly, "It's been a while."
"Yeah.." she agreed. **Where have you been? Are you all right? Why didn't you come back sooner? Are you mad at me? Have you made any more friends? Have you gotten any more scars? Is there anything I can do to help you? Do you need anything at all? Have you made any more enemies? Are you still depressed over your brother's death? Are you really a year older? Do I look a year older? Have you managed to get near enough to a girl to kiss her without getting clobbered? How many people have you saved? Are you still lonely? Do I look as lonely as I feel? Are you here for a kiss too? Would you ever kiss me? Could you ever love me like I love you?**
All these questions speed through Meryl's mind in lightening succession, the last of which nearly made her sob in the realization that he was actually here in front of her again. However, all she got out was, "How've you been?"
Vash smiled his 60 billion double dollar smile and leaned up against the booth, a glint in his eye, "Oh pretty good I guess, I've been able to get into a lot more trouble without you two along. It's been fun!"
"Oh, really," Meryl bristled slightly, "and if it's been that much fun without us, then what are you doing back here of all places?" How dare he come back and mock her like this. He must really be a featherbrain if he couldn't see the feelings in her eyes.
"Well, if you want to know" the lanky gunman began, catching those same eyes with his, and noticing how filled with starlight and moonlight they were, "I came to make a donation." he chirped holding out a crisp one double dollar bill.
Meryl nearly fell off her stool when he held the money out in front of her face. A donation? Did he mean, he wanted...a kiss...from her? Her face flushed instantly and her hand began to tremble.
"You...want to...make a donation?" she repeated, trying desperately to get control of herself.
Vash grinned and learned against the front of the booth, "I hear it's a worthy cause," he said gently, and placed the bill on the counter. Meryl's mind was swimming.
"We're um, we're closed really, and uh, I'm not suppose to take donations after six." My god, why am I making excuses!?
"I won't tell on you," he smiled, "Besides, it's for the kids."
"Umm, right, but uh, all the money is locked up in the safe now and I, I don't have the key."
"So, turn it in tomorrow, I'm sure Milly will understand," he leaned in closer and dropped the bill into the pot. Meryl swallowed and looked up at the man in front of her. All he was asking for was to make a donation to the orphanage; just like every other guy she'd kissed today. Why shouldn't she let him? She could think of no other reason to deny him what he was asking for.
"Ok." her mouth felt dry and her blood was beating. She tried to calm her heart, which was pounding so loudly she was certain he would hear it. But, as soon as she looked into his eyes, Meryl was lost to the world. Blue that matched the perfect summer sky, in depth of color that seemed to her to be the closest thing to the oceans she'd always heard stories about. It felt like some sort of electricity was zinging through her body as she leaned herself foreword and raised her chin. It was all happening too fast. She needed to stop everything and think, there was no time to think!
All at once the noise in her head stopped and she felt a warm hand pressing against her cheek, centering her once more. She felt oddly calmed by this simple gesture and felt her breathing return to near normal. Vash cupped her face in his large calloused hand, feeling the smooth skin burn to his touch. He had dropped his lighthearted guy guise a while back and was looking into her face simply and seriously, making everything known without saying a word.
Meryl answered back with her own eyes, letting him know she was ready.
She could feel her heart thumping against her chest as she leaned slightly foreword, her mind only able to focus on his hand against her cheek and his lips as he wetted them with his tongue.
Closing her eyes, she waited.
It was hard to tell at first, the touch of his lips were like a whisper. Then she felt them brush sideways along the line of her mouth and settle against her, pushing slightly, but soft and warm. The feel, the scent of him, and everything about the gentleness of the gesture was overwhelming. Meryl leaned in more, pushing her lips on his as gently as she could only to feel him push back into her again. Vash placed his other hand tenderly on the other side of her face and held her in his hands. Meryl answered by placing her hand over his own.
Then as quickly as it had begun, his mouth left hers and the kiss was over, and Meryl opened her eyes.
Vash was gone.
Her heart fell in shock, "Vash?" she felt a little panicky, **God, I couldn't have dreamed that,** she thought, "Vash...are...are you there?"
Suddenly Vash's blonde spikes popped up in front of her, his bright face beaming, "Sorry Meryl, I had to get something out of my bag," he grinned holding out another new dollar bill, "I'd like to make another donation if that's ok with you."
Meryl only stared wide-eyed, "What did you say?" she whispered.
"I said I'd like to make another donation," he breathed while looking at her intently.
"No," Meryl said, "I mean the part before you said that," she looked at him anxiously.
"You mean the, 'Sorry Meryl, I had to get something out of my bag' part?" he asked a little confused. Meryl's face lit up.
"That's the first time you've used my real name to me," tears of happiness threatened to spill out of her shining gray eyes. Vash sighed in relief, he had thought she was going to tell him he couldn't have another one.
"So, Meryl," he continued, "can I make my donation now, Meryl, or should I find another establishment, Meryl?" he teased, placing the new bill in the pot with his other one.
"Well," she laughed lightly, "normally I'd say you'd have to get to the back of the line again, but seeing as you are the line, I think I could make an exception. What brought on the sudden generosity?"
"I'm a sucker for a good cause," the humanoid typhoon grinned, leaning foreword and capturing her in another sweet kiss.
This one lasted nearly twice as long as the first until Meryl finally had to pull away in order to breath properly, only to find another crisp double dollar bill floating in front of her nose, and Vash's mischievous face smiling from ear to ear behind it.
"Just, how many donations do you plan to make this evening, Mr. Stampede?" she arched her eyebrow at him.
"I don't know," he teased taking her face in his hands again, "what's my limit?"
"Oh, I don't' know," Meryl said taking the lone bill from his outstretched hand and pulling him toward her for another kiss, "sixty billion?"
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$*****************$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Epilogue:
The soft strains of the band from the main tent hung lazily in the night air, and the stars overhead glittered out their seeming approval.
Far from the crowds of the town, two figures lay snuggled up against one of the few trees that grew in the city. Their arms entwined, their lips meeting in a gentle kiss, and a large pile of single bills on the ground next to them.
The man suddenly moaned softly and pulled away from the woman in his arms.
"Why, Ms. Meryl Stryfe, I thought that was against company policy? Or at least against the little sign on your booth," he laughed, tickling her neck with his breath.
"So report me," she giggled from the sensation, "I couldn't care less if they fired me tomorrow."
"What!" Vash leapt to his knees, "Meryl Stryfe defying her job, shirking her duties! It can not be!" he swept his hand up in a dramatic pose, "Has the world gone mad?"
Meryl laughed as the goofy side of Vash took over.
"Something must be terribly wrong, wouldn't you agree doctor? Yes, I most certainly would doctor. Your prescription? Hmm, I recommend immediate resuscitation!" he shouted triumphantly.
"Knock it off you big broom head, someone's gonna hear u..." but she was cut off as Vash glomped onto her open mouth in an attempt to "resuscitate" her. Meryl play-fought him, but eventually gave in and attacked him back with equal fortitude. The end result was two very ruffled looking but contented people lying on the grass, looking up at the stars. Meryl never wanted this night end. However in the back of her mind, she knew she had to ask him. She had to know the truth.
"Vash?" she began.
"Mmm?" he responded, absently playing with her shiny black hair.
"Are you staying? Will you stay here now?"
"I don't know," Vash sighed, leaning back and gazing at the stars again, "It'd be nice to stay in one place for once instead of wandering all over the desert. I'd like a place to call home, and...someone to come home to." he added, making her heart leap again for the second time that night.
"You can stay here as long as you like," she whispered, repeating her phrase of over three years ago. He didn't miss the meaning and hugged her closer. Meryl snuggled into his warm chest, resting her head against his heart, feeling the ridges of metal along with soft skin underneath.
"Vash?" she ventured again.
"Mmm?" he responded, sending vibrations through her head.
"I, well, there were so many questions I wanted to ask you when I first saw you today. Unfortunately, they've all flown out of my head. All except one..." she felt slightly nervous.
Vash sat up, looking down at her, "You mean all those questions you were thinking from earlier?" he asked, "Sorry I didn't answer you back then but I thought it would freak you out and you would pound me into the ground!"
Meryl gaped up at him from the grass, "What? But...how could you...I didn't...wait a minute..."
"Okay doky, let's see if I get them all. Ahem," he cleared his throat, "All over. Fine. I had to think. No. Lots. Some. Yes. Yes. A couple. A little. Yes. No. Not a chance in hell. I'm too modest to say. Yes. I couldn't tell. Yes. Yes. I already do."
The answer to the last question she had asked left her short of breath. For some reason, the young insurance woman felt her eyes fill with tears as she listened to this amazing man prove that not only could he read her mind, but that he loved her as well.
"You...already do?" she breathed.
"Yeah," he said, brushing his hand across her cheek and down her flushed neck, "I'm sorry it took so long for me to know it, but I do. I really do."
"Oh, Vash," she pulled him closer, gazing into the ocean in his eyes, "I do to." and she kissed him. Finally, both of them felt the completion they'd been longing for in each other. A love, a home, a place to belong.
"Vash?"
"Mmm?"
"You're running out of money," Meryl teased.
"Well, I've uh, got a confession to make. It's really not my money." he grinned sheepishly.
"What? Then whose is it? Don't tell me you.."
"No no, it's Milly's," he said, "She lent it to me for the booth. I told her I just needed the one, but she made me take the rest too, said I'd need them. Hmm, now I know what she meant."
"Milly!?" Meryl exclaimed, "You mean she know that you were...and that you were planning to...and that's the reason she signed me up for...she and you...it was a set up?!"
The blonde gunman simply beamed and nodded, obviously proud of the way the ruse had turned out. Meryl processed the information and finally beamed back, "That girl is craftier than she lets on. Alright then, in that case, Mr. Typhoon, none of these donations have been legal, since employees can not contribute to the public pot, so I'm afraid I'll have to take them all back, unless of course, you'd like to play with your own money from now on?"
Vash said nothing, but reached into his jacket and pulled out a fresh double dollar bill, making a new pile on the ground.
Smiling, Meryl pulled his lips down to meet her own, kissing him with everything she had.
By the time the sun came up, Vash the Stampede was utterly broke, and extremely happy about it.
Hope you enjoyed yourself here. Until we meet again...dewa mata! Oyasuminasai...Zzzzzzzzz
P.S. Did you like it? Would you like something heavier? Go read "Survive the Night"(completed R) or "Edge of the Sea" (work in progress R).