Disclaimer: Trigun is sadly enough not mine, or there would have been way more episodes!

In the weeks to follow my thoughts about both brothers in bed, I make it a point to spend time with both of them, not just Vash. However, despite that, I have not been able to bring myself to wonder any more past what I already have. Particularly since Knives seems to be cold towards me, accepting my existence only because I am with his brother.

That all changes the night that I wake up after hearing something I cannot recognize.

Like every night we had eaten dinner, visited for a while, and then Knives would vanish for a couple of hours. Most likely to sleep in the area with Maara's bulb in it. When he returned, Vash and I retired to the tent as was our habit. Knives kept night watch, while I would get to sleep, cuddle, and be with Vash. That night however something had awoken me. I couldn't tell you what it was, I just knew that it was coming from outside the tent. Even though I probably should have waked Vash up to check since I knew he would be mad at me otherwise, I still made my way silently out of the tent to look around for the noise.

What I found was Knives sitting on the completed foundation of the house, his left leg pulled up to his chest, his arms wrapped around it as he stared at the starry sky above. This alone would not have been odd, what was odd was the slight sheen to his face and the tremble to his body.

Coming up beside him, I perch on the edge of the foundation next to him, startled to see that he had not realized that I was there.

"Knives?" I murmur, laying a hand against his arm.

His reaction is violent, shoving me back away from him like I was a viper or something poisonous. His vibrant blue eyes are full of something that I have not seen before. His breathing is harsh, almost labored.

"Knives," I plead, not sure what I am asking for. Since the time we had kissed in the house I had avoid almost all contact with him. Particularly physical contact. Yet here I was, one hand reaching for him even though I do not know what I want of him. What I want is for that pain I can see in his eyes to fade.

"Go away Meryl," he commands me in a low harsh voice as he uses my name for the first time in my memory.

Confused and sad, I ignore that order and sit down next to him. "No, what's wrong Knives? I can't understand or try to fix whatever it is unless you talk to me."

He turns only his head to look at me, a rage burning in those arctic colored eyes.

Scooting closer to him, my leg presses against him as I stare at his face. In the cold of the late night I can feel the extreme heat pouring off of him, and shiver in contrast to the air around us. This time when I reach out, I lay my hand against the leg I am touching. He goes to shove me away but I grab his arm. I am well aware of the differences in our physical strength, but I am also certain that he is not going to hurt me. He has had plenty of chances over the years to harm me, and with the exception of throwing me into a wall to kiss me senseless, he had never physically harmed me.

"Please," I whisper, knowing he would hear me clearly. "Please."

"Damn you," he mutters spinning towards me, his large hands grabbing the side of my face in a surprisingly gentle grip despite the strength of the hold. The next thing I know, he's kissing me like it's the only thing in the world that matters.

Startled I don't know how to respond at first. This was not what I had thought of when I consider him in bed. In spite of that fact, I allow my senses to sink into the kiss. Like his brother he is an excellent kisser, possibly even better. His long fingers sink into my hair as the kiss continues, his tongue running along the edge of my lip until I open up for him. Like that kiss so long ago, there is fire in him. The passion that he controls so tightly that when it does surface it is almost impossible to contain. My arms wrap around him as I shift closer to his body. The next thing I know is I am lying on my back as he continues to kiss me like the world is ending. One of his hands has slipped from my hair to brushing down my body slowly.

In that instant between the earth and the sky, the only thing my mind can comprehend is that this beautiful, dangerous man desires so much more than I ever realized.

With no reason why not to, I give myself over to the flame, enjoying the feel of ever single instant. He still has not stopped kissing me, though he has moved from my lips to my throat. His hands still touching me like I am going to vanish. Almost as suddenly as it began, it ends as he throws himself backwards and away. His ragged breathing is the only thing I can hear as I stare at him.

"I'll not play second fiddle," he growls as he gets to his feet.

Before I can say anything else, a slender arm wraps around him from behind, jerking him backwards as Vash appears behind him. Knives grunts at the impact as his twin pulls him into his body. Tilting his head just the slightest bit, Vash gently blows on his ear as he murmurs, "Good thing you always were the better kisser than me."

A chuckle escapes my throat as I watch. That Vash had just said what I was thinking doesn't surprise me in the least. Particularly not with the knowledge that these two had been lovers previously. As I watch, I can just about feel the conversation going on between them as Vash holds Knives where he is against his body. Vash might not be in physically perfect shape like his twin, but he is still in better shape than one would expect when looking at the scars. Finally, his turquoise eyes catch mine, a slight smile on his lip as he raises an eyebrow in question.

Now or never, I think to myself, as I stand up. Vash has Knives pinned, sort of anyways. Distracted if nothing else. Moving so I am directly in front of the brothers, I smile as I reach up and sink my fingers in his hair, the back of which brush Vash's cheek.

"You're a fool sometimes Knives, particular when I have been trying to forge something other than annoyance with you for the last several weeks," I inform him just before I lean forward and reach up to kiss him again. His eyes go wide as my lips brush against his. Edging closer to him, I change the kiss from nothing but a brush to a little bit more, enjoying the small gasp that escapes him. "Vash is right though, you are definitely the better kisser." I mutter, surprising him more, and getting a chuckle out of his brother.

I can feel his arms twitching in his brother's grasp, but pay no attention as I balance on the balls of my feet to continue to kiss him. Sometimes I think that they are just too tall.

A moment later those same arms are lifting me up, as the two brothers apparently have a second conversation in their heads. With the type of grace I expect out of them, Vash releases Knives as the three of us end up back in the tent. This time though instead of ending up on the floor, I end up as a sandwich between the two brothers, with Vash cradling my body against his behind me, and Knives pressed up against my front. The kissing, touching, exploring, and otherwise being that follows sends my brain into overload.

It's a beautiful feeling, particularly since I know it is not fake. However exhaustion seems to be frustrating to me because even as the both of them spark fire to my blood, I can't seem to stay awake. Nothing more happens then a serious mind blowing make-out, and maybe just maybe, I can convince Knives to open up just a little.

As I finally drift off to sleep, I hold on to both like the world is ending, I'm content with them and don't want either to be gone when I awake.