DISCLAIMER: I do not own Trigun, Nightow does (wish I did, though :p)
Over the next few days, Vash and the insurance girls worked themselves into a routine. They had not meant for it to happen, but like any other situation, a routine usually happened. Millie would wake up every morning and dress Knives' wounds before Meryl would send her off to the construction job she had to do to help ends meet. Meryl would put on her waitress uniform after typing her report to Bernardaili. It was always the same report every morning. Vash the Stampede, the humanoid typhoon was in her custody. His troublesome brother was also in her custody and they were currently unable to bring them in for questioning due to the fact that the Humanoid Typhoon's brother was still in critical condition. She embellished the same thing every time she wrote the report about Knives. Meryl liked her job at Bernardaili, but was afraid that the days of roaming the planet would be over. Plus, Vash was just not the domesticated type. This is what she pondered as she said her goodbye to Vash and went to work. I wonder what he would be like as a father, well, a husband, for that matter! Meryl laughed to herself. She had contemplated these thoughts several times before. These thoughts surfaced especially when Vash was around Wolfwood. Wolfwood always had a way of bringing the more serious side of Vash to the surface. They were like Yen and Yang. I miss him. I wish he were still here. I know Millie misses Wolfwood as well. Meryl made it to the local pub that doubled as a restaurant. She usually worked a double shift there to help make up for the fact that Vash didn't have a job. She didn't mind. It kept her out of the house away from that genocidal maniac. Meryl walked past her boss and hung her cloak up in the kitchen on a nail by the door. There were no lockers for your things in dives like these. Meryl knew these places all too well. Just a hole in the wall pub that decided to serves food because a real restaurant could never hold it's own in a town like this one. "Hey, Meryl." Meryl's boss walked through the swinging doors of the kitchen. "Is that broom headed fellow going to be in here tonight?" Meryl shook her head in an "I don't know" fashion. "Why, boss?" The man looked at Meryl and smiled. "Because I want him to pay his bar tab if he comes in. Now, I know he lives with you and is your friend, but he can't come in and drink up our profit if he isn't going to pay!" Meryl groaned and opened her wallet. She only had 50 in her wallet. "Here, will this do until you pay me again? Millie gets paid tomorrow, but I have already sanctioned her money for the rent." Meryl's boss took her money and scoffed. She sighed heavily and began washing the dishes that had already started accumulating.
Vash walked into the bedroom where Knives lay sleeping. He did this every day after he was sure that the girls had left for their jobs. Ash walked over the bedside and scooted Knives' body over. He lay down beside his brother and rolled over to face him. Knives lay there still in his comatose state. Vash put his forehead up against the side of Knives' head. He closed his eyes and tried to communicate with Knives through telepathy.
It really never worked. When Vash thought he was breaking through the barrier, another wall would go up and Vash was shut out again. It always made Vash tired to do this. He would practice breaking down one section of the wall until he could hear screaming. The screaming was always in Vash's head. He never knew if it was him or if it was Knives who was screaming. This was always Vash's stopping point. Today, though, Vash heard the screaming but didn't stop. He was too afraid to allow that piece of the wall to be built back up. I'm here, brother. Let go. I can help. Please, Knives. I really want to help you. Vash could see through a pin hole in the mental barrier that Knives had up. He saw Knives crouching down in his own mind. Brother, I hear you. I can't see you, but I hear you. I have hope. Please come get me. Vash broke away from his telepathic link with Knives. He got up out of the bed and realized he was in could sweat. He positioned Knives back in the center of the bed so the big girl wouldn't notice that her charge had been moved. It was a good thing, too because as Vash stepped away from the side of the bed, Millie came into the room. "Hey, Mr. Vash!" Millie walked past Vash to Knives' bedside. "Have you and Mr. Knives had a good day?" Vash mopped his brow as he looked at Millie and smiled the daftest smile he could muster. Thank God she didn't notice the sweat. Vash walked over to Millie. "We've been fine insurance girl. I'll think I'll go to the local pub now. Is that fine with you?" Millie shooed him away with her hand. As Vash was walking out the door, Millie discovered the wet spot where Vash had been laying. "It sure is wet here. Mr. Knives, have you been too warm?" Vash chuckled to himself and walked out of the front door. He made his way to the pub where Meryl was working.
Vash walked into the pub. When he did, he kept to the shadows like he usually does. It was nice for the girls to stay with him in this town, and he didn't want to cause them any trouble. Vash made his way to the table in the corner of the pub. It was the darkest one they had, so he could lay low. Vash always had the same blonde waitress. He always had the same drink. Warm house beer in a bottle, not a draft. Vash knew that Meryl knew he was there. He never bothered her. He just sat there sipping on his beer. Vash liked to be here when Meryl was working. It made him feel something he has never felt before. He felt somewhat domesticated. Yeah, Vash liked that word. Domesticated. It's about time that something good happened to settle me down. Meryl felt a pair of eyes watching here across the bar. At the same time she heard a word pop into her head. Domesticated. Meryl thought about her ponderings from earlier that morning. She turned around and noticed that it was Vash who was looking at her as she was cleaning off the table. Meryl blushed slightly and turned away. Vash put his bottle up to his lips and took a sip. With his plant capabilities, he had seen Meryl blush through the dim light in the room. Domesticated. Vash smiled to himself.
Come on. You know you like it. Please review. Thanks again to all of my supporters. Sorry it took so long for this one. My computer has been angry with me for purging it of spy ware. LOL! Hope you enjoy!