He spoke as much in the days after that. Simple things, orders as how best to attend to his care. He became increasingly irritated with her, even worse so than when he had first arrived. She had, at the time, started to think something would end in violence, and often wondered if he was weak enough that she could hurt him.

But one evening, days later, he didn't start barking orders at her the minute she walked in the door. She was curious, but didn't speak. Give him time to pipe up, she had figured.

"Where did my brother go?" he finally asked.

"He didn't tell you?"

"He just said that he had to take care of something in December. He said I shouldn't worry about it."

"That sounds like him," she had agreed.

Knives sat silent, waiting for an answer.

"A priest that used to travel with us had an orphanage in December, and we got word that they were behind with the rent. Vash decided to go down and clear things up."

"I see." He tried to sit up, clearly in pain.

Meryl pushed him back down. "Don't do that." She said. "You know you're still healing."

"I'd appreciate some attempts to use whatever passable intellect you have," he said. "It's late. Shouldn't you be making me dinner?"

"In a while. Unless you think you're able-bodied enough to give it a shot." she said.

"I don't know how to cook like a human. I never cultivated the urge to learn how to burn things in rancid oil or drown them in Thomas milk." He sneered.

At least he hadn't called it spider food. "I'll start it in a few minutes."

"You'll start now."

She had hesitated, then she went right back to dressing his arm. Angry, he jerked it away. "Where do you go when you leave this place?" he asked.

"What do you care?"

"Answer me."

"No place in particular, errands mostly."

His cold face twisted in anger "Don't lie to us, human. I can read your thoughts. We both can."

She had sighed, and then admitted, "I have a job in town." He lowered his arm enough for her to go back to cutting away a stubborn bandage.

"Didn't my brother tell you to take care of me?" he asked.

"I think I'm doing that well. You're not feverish or leaking pus. You're not encrusted in filth, human or otherwise."

"I demand that you quit your employment and stay here. How can you take care of me if you leave for hours on end?"

"Because if we would kill each other in a couple of hours," she said.

"You're not a very good nurse, human."

"And you're a horrible patient," she snapped.

The best thing about living this far out in the middle of nowhere was the sky. In the nighttime the galaxies spilt above Gunsmoke like a handful of diamonds, tumbling over black velvet. There was a cool breeze coming in from the west, and the small, hearty insects that managed to find some purchase in the barren soil chirped their simple night songs.

One night found her lying on the roofless porch of the house Vash and Milly had been working on before the letter came. It was far enough that if Knives screamed in pain, she could hear him, but if he just screamed she could pretend she wasn't there.

The night sky reminded her of the days they had spent in another small town. The place where Vash had tried to heal before he had journeyed out to face his brother. The one night that she had joined him as he sang an old colonist song, laying out, staring up at the stars.

That night anyone could have fallen in love with Vash the Stampede.

And looking up at that night sky, lying on that porch, she wondering why she hadn't.

For so long she had tried to convince herself that she had, and her inexperience with the subject had confused her. Up until that point, she had always thought Love was just mutual respect that ran its natural course. But Vash still confused her to no end. It was obvious that he cared for her in some fashion, but he had never tried to elaborate on what those feelings were. Her own feelings had mimicked the love of a brother and sister, but she had still had an uncertainly longing for it to develop into something else that never went away. She had always hoped that some day... even if it was a couple years down the road that he would feel for her... come to her. In a way she was glad she had at least another month to think about it before she had to face him again.

It just seemed like something that was bound to happen. Milly had had Wolfwood, while he had still been with them, so Vash automatically went to her. It was destiny… or extreme convenience at the very least.

At least until she had heard his voice.

"How touching."

She had looked up where Knives was looking down on her from a window on the second story. She realized that he had gotten to the window on his own, and must have been healing even faster than she had guessed. The thought had not been a pleasant one.

"You…" She hoped the look she gave him was a withering one. "Don't you have anything better to do, than follow me around and listen to what I'm thinking?"

"Not really." he had said, looking at the sky, "Even if I am getting a headache from listening to you moon over my poor brother. It's pitiful how little you understand your own motivations. Human relationships base their strength not in real attraction, but in the fear of your eventual demise and a weak attempt at a kind of immortality through your stunted offspring. At least animals have enough sense to know it's their biology that's making the decision for them, instead of claiming it's a divine and special thing."

"Coming from you that could sound charming."

"You don't accept it?"

"Why would I accept anything you say? You can't manufacture the way two people feel when they're together. Sometimes there's just this… click."

"You let yourself believe that?"

"Of course."

"And you think my brother… clicks with you?" he mimicked

"Not right now." Meryl said, "But someday he might."

"Really." The smile the blond suddenly wore was cold and satisfied. "He fucked the priest, you know."

The words hit her like an ice cold fist through her rib cage, crushing her weak, warm heart. "W-What?"

"No… that's wrong. The priest fucked him, at least for the first few times. My mistake."

For a moment she stumbled around for who he might mean, then it suddenly became painfully obvious. What other priest did they know? "Mr... Mr. Wolfwood?"

Knives had leaned against the windowsill. "It's a pity that age and experience doesn't necessarily equate wisdom. You'd think with enough of both between them that Vash would have kept his mouth shut, or the Priest would have kept his filthy hands to himself. But Vash swore over and over that they loved each other, and that was all they needed to be happy. He always forgets how fragile a human life is."

She couldn't speak.

"Well?" he smiled for a second, drinking in the confusion and horror on her face, "Aren't you coming in?" He had melted into the shadows of the house. She could hear him singing, singing that song that she had sung with Vash, and her stomach turned.

He was still pleased with himself when she came the next morning. "You're still thinking about it, aren't you?"

"How did you know?" Meryl's mind had been giving her images of things that she had never wanted to think about, odd conversations between Vash and Mr. Wolfwood that suddenly made painfully clear sense.

"I told you we could read your minds."

"It was a hypothetical question." Meryl said, pulling the wrap a bit too tight. "It doesn't matter. I know you lied."

"Why would I?"

"Because you need someone to hurt, and Vash isn't here."

"You believe that if anything is painful, it's untrue? And here I thought you understood how things worked in the real world."

She didn't answer.

"Why do you think I'm not telling you the truth about my brother and the priest?" he asked.

"Because Milly told me that the night before he died Wolfwood and she... comforted each other."

"Really." The 'filthy humans' didn't have to be said.

"It's what she told me," she said. "It's the truth."

"And how does that prove that my brother didn't fuck him?"

"Will you stop-! Milly… Milly's a lot smarter than you think!"

"Ah. Yes. So say you. And my brother." He ground his fingers into his temples, irritated at some old memory.

"She would have known if Vash and Mr. Wolfwood would have been… together."

"Yes. She did. And she went and 'comforted' her priest anyway. I certainly never thought her capable of it. She's usually quite carrying, even to a fault. But it is encouraging that she saw something she wanted and took it. I suppose if Chapel had lived, things would have gotten messy. But they usually do when spiders are involved."

"I don't have to listen to this." She said, firmly, tears welling up.

He snorted. "You don't understand, do you? He doesn't want you, human. He'll never want you. Don't you wonder why he's never really picked up on all those little hints you keep throwing at him? Never stopped to think why he doesn't even call you by your name, even your last name? He's trying to let you down easy."

It took all of her strength not to start screaming. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because it's irritating to see you ignoring the truth that's right in front of you. Even Milly recognizes enough social cues to know when to take what she wants. You seem to think yourself to be too good for that. Imagined superiority can be a dangerous thing."

"You should take your own advice." Meryl hissed.

"I just don't like you pretending to be something you're not." Knives said, glaring back at her, "It's like watching an anthill. Entertaining at a distance, but when you have to live with the filthy things, it starts to grate quickly." He said, his eyes pale and blazing. "I do not allow an over inflated illusion of superiority to exist for long without punishment. And the sooner you get rid of the illusion of … equality, the easier it will be for you. I'm certain you would not survive the punishment for any continued insolence."

"You'll never be my equal!"

"No, thankfully I won't. I suppose your recognition of it is a start." He leaned back, and watched her for a moment, considering. "But I should treat my brother's little human pets better, shouldn't I?" A smile hesitantly played at one corner of his lips.

"I'm not a pet."

"Mmm..." He had paused and carefully looked her over. "I will fuck you, you know."

She stopped, turned abruptly to stare.

"Not now, of course." He explained, with that cold, easy smile. "I can tell already you'll be one of those unbearable types who keeps thrashing even after you've been thoroughly broken. But I will regain my strength eventually. I assure you, it won't be a long wait."

Stunned, she had managed to leave loudly.

Well isn't Knives a charmer? Check back next Friday for the newest chapter... And don't forget to review.