Silent Pretense- Side Story

Disclaimer: Do I own Trigun? What a foolish question, of course I don't.

AN: Chapter 11 is a bit of a side story of SP. Since Millie has such a small part in SP and will continue to have a small part in SP, I thought I'd write a short side story in which everything that has been happening is seen from her side. It veers off from the main track a little but it still deals with SP. I've never been good with writing what Millie would say, so this may be OOC.

Oh, and I might as well just tell you all sinceCrAzY-Fan-Fic-Addict has started thinking it. Vash and Millie wont be getting together. I've never liked that pairing and I never will. If I ever wanted Millie to get some lovin', I'd pair her with AC, like Dr. Neil (who...isnt even in this story) :shrugs: that's that.

His Broken Wings

It seemed the days carried enough tension to cut air.

Millie had never been one to stand on the side lines and watch, but there was something pulling inside her that said to stay back. This whole situation was a little heart wrenching to just watch but she kept her distance.

Her cheery smile was always on show for all her friends, they seem to need it. Vash had entered some sort of depressed state due to the ignoring that Knives was giving him, and Knives himself seemed to be twisted inside. He seemed to be fighting some sort of internal battle and he obviously didn't like her in the least. Anytime she came near him he'd snap at her in the most vicious of ways.

Meryl. She was the one trying to keep them all together. Millie couldn't even tell if her best friend was happy at the moment. Millie knew that when Vash had returned her glow of true happiness had shown brighter than it ever had. But as they both learned of Knives' strange condition, her glow faded, and was replaced with a curious and frustrated aura.

From the beginning, when Knives showed it was Meryl and not Vash who he didn't mind being around, Millie had taken to getting closer with Vash. If only for his sanity. The fact that his brother wanted nothing to do with him, and that half the time he didn't seem to recognize him, might have driven Vash up the wall otherwise.

He had never voiced it to Meryl, but Millie knew Vash felt entirely responsible for what had happened to Knives. Vash felt he had somehow broken his brother's psych and that it would never be repaired.

The times when Meryl was able to get some sleep and pry herself away from her patient, Vash always looked after Knives, as Millie had witnessed so many times. But the distance between the twins was too apparent and it was making Vash crumble internally. Luckily, Vash had been able to get that job at the donut shop. It kept his mind off of what he couldn't assist with.

As he began working again, he returned to the cheery and bubbly man Millie and Meryl had first encountered as Claim Investigators. He still tried to help with Knives if he could, and grew less depressed when Knives rejected him. But the wariness still lingered and Millie watched it develop as Knives got better progressed with his mannerisms.

When the fallen plant began to talk, Vash was the most excited; when he realized it was only to Meryl, he hung his head and said nothing about it.

Millie continued to be exuberant for Vash and he did his best to return it, even if it was only a facade. With Knives getting better and awakening from his catatonic sleep , Meryl paid even more attention to him, not really forgetting about her other friends, but being too excited at the idea that the true Knives may be returning.

Vash didn't respond to this well. On a day when he was supposed to be working, Millie had come across him standing in front a bucket of water, tossing coins into it.

"What are you doing Mr. Vash? I thought you were supposed to be at work?" she had asked him.

He had turned, slightly startled, obviously forgetting where he was.

"I was, but then I thought I would come out here for awhile. Why aren't you at work?" he had asked back.

Millie grinned and rubbed the back of her head. "I thought I'd increase my break a few hours!"

Vash gave off a light laugh as he continued to toss coins into the water filled bucket.

"What are you doing that for?" Millie asked, eyeing Vash as he tossed coin after coin.

"Making wishes I guess."

Millie cocked her head in confusion.

"I know you need a fountain but this town doesn't have one, and I figure if I wish at least twenty times a day my wish might come true, and when I'm done, I can reach in the bucket and get my money back without people giving me strange looks."

She finally understood; she smiled at the last bit. "Do your wishes concern Mr. Knives and Meryl?"

"...yeah." Having run out of coins Vash settled himself on one of the dusty benches that were against the side of the dirt road while Millie sat down beside him.

"I didn't think he would ever get better and now.. look at him! He's talking again...," Vash's excitement only held for a moment. "Meryl has been good for him..."

"She is, but of course that doesn't mean she's forgotten about you Mr. Vash. I know she's wrapped up with Mr. Knives now, but she still knows you're here for her," Millie smiled.

Vash couldn't hide the sadness in his face, with a slight blush creeping in his cheeks. "You think so?"

"I do, and you should tell her you love her. It'll make things better for you."

Vash froze, and Millie released a cheerful laugh. "Don't worry Mr. Vash, she's so occupied with Mr. Knives that she hasn't noticed in the least."

"Oh... that's good. I think. Do you want to know when I figured out how I felt about her?"

Millie nodded.

"When Knives started to consume all her time. Can you believe it?" Vash let a short laugh escape his lips. "I realized I love her when some other guy, my brother at that, takes her away from me." Vash frowned. "That sounds kinda selfish, doesn't it? After all, Knives needs her devoted attention."

Millie didn't say anything, thinking that statement over. It was true Knives did need Meryl's devotion, as it finally seemed to be paying off, but she couldn't say that to Vash.

"It's not selfish Mr. Vash. You can't help how you feel. And if you ever need to talk about Meryl, just remember that I'm always here and am willing to listen!"

Vash turned and smiled at Millie, his first genuine one towards her in awhile. They sat and talked a little more together before they both decided they had spent too much time away from their jobs. They parted ways, agreeing to meet up after work to walk home together.

With the continued passing of the days and Knives constant improvement, Vash and Millie often spent time talking together when Meryl was busy attending to Knives' needs. Vash hadn't told Millie, but she could feel her attention to him was keeping him optimistic. Because of both their natural cheery natures, anytime either of them started to feel low on the future outcome of Knives, they would joke around until the other was laughing.

In the time that Meryl and Knives developed a relationship and got closer-as close as Knives allowed-Millie and Vash did the same. Their friendship evolved into a stronger one as they became each other's confidant.

When Knives returned to who he truly was, Millie could see that Vash was frightened and ecstatic all at the same time. He expected Knives to remember the warmness that Meryl had showed him, but he hadn't remembered anything. He only remembered the fight which he had lost. Where Vash had caused him more pain, physically and emotionally. Again, he withdrew from his brother and again Millie watched Vash valiantly try to keep his smile on while holding in his inner pain.

"She's getting closer to him," Vash confided in Millie the night Meryl and Knives had gone off for a walk together.

Millie didn't say anything for a moment as she leaned against the side porch railing. Vash was right, even she could tell. Millie hadn't been spending as much time with her best friend as she used too, and therefore hadn't gotten the opportunity to ask Meryl the question that had been bugging her for awhile. 'Is Meryl really falling for Mr. Knives?'

She never thought it possible, Millie was a firm supporter in her friends' hidden feelings for each other. But every extra moment Meryl spent with the distant plant was another moment Millie felt Meryl was possibly slipping away from Vash.

"Maybe you should wait out for them? I can fix dinner and you can wait till they come home."

"You think they'll come home tonight?" Vash asked wistfully.

Millie glanced at Vash, somewhat appalled at what Vash was implying.

"Of course they will, you'll see."

"Even so..." Vash intertwined his fingers and looked at the dark sand, painted black by the night. "When they do, I'll bet that they'll be that much closer, that much further from me. Both of them."

Millie so badly wanted to comfort Vash from the words he had just given her. But for once in her life she didn't know how to make the situation better, because this time, she thought, maybe, just maybe, Vash was probably right.

They had all had some interesting times when it had just been the three of them and the deceased Priest, now Knives was a new presence in this tight knit group. Millie didn't want to think it, but she couldn't help it. Knives alone, could possibly be the being that could tear apart this group. Despite his harsh words to her and his dominating personality, she had always wished him good health. Unfortunately the only one he emitted even an orb of softness for was the woman he was with right now.

Millie looked at the starlight blanket that hovered above her and her blonde haired companion.

"Mr. Vash, I know you're hurting because of both Meryl and Mr. Knives, but... have you ever considered of just... letting it go? Not them, but the pain it's causing you? I know it'd be hard but who you are now... it isn't you. It isn't how Meryl knew you either. This new personality you've taken on is getting lost in the shadows." Millie laughed. "How can Meryl pay you any attention if you're not annoying her in some way?"

Vash looked up at Millie curiously. "I annoyed her?"

Millie laughed again. "Constantly! Don't tell me you really didn't realize that? It's time you got out of this depressed state. Go back to being the cheerful guy I know you are." Millie's voice softened as she looked down, and met Vash's curious blue eyes. "Go back to being you. That's the guy Meryl and I both love more than anything."

Vash let a soft smile emerge from his lips. "Thanks Millie."

They heard voices in the distance. "I think that's them." Millie smiled softly. "I told you they'd be back tonight. You know, if you talk to her, Meryl will listen, no matter how tied up she is with Mr. Knives."

Vash nodded, but he had no intention of talking to the short insurance girl. Not with Knives looming close by, the way he did. He listened to Millie's footsteps starting up the porch stairs, the sound of the door opening and closing, all while keeping his eyes on the two distant figures.

End

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AN: The next chapter will get back on track! (And its already written, but its complete crap) Please read and review! I wasn't going to do responses in this chapter but I got suckered in by all your wonderful reviews. Oh! And everyone say hi to my new editor Triste1! If you catch any grammar, spelling, etc., problems, blame her:) (Except on the authors notes that's still just my unedited babblings.)

Yours Truly,

F.G.

Shiko- Well as you can see its Vash who gets jealous of Knives and Meryl, but who knows, I could turn the tables and I probably will.

Sephiroth1Ripley8- Don't worry, I'll be careful, and hopefully I'll be sly with the future V/M. And I'll let Knives answer your question about why he'll continue to kill all humans regardless of it not helping plants in later chapters!

vashluver1- Sorry but you're not invited to the wedding. :( Haha, I'm so happy I lured you into the K/M pairing as I know you're a big time V/M fan! I'm definitely working on the more triangle thing. I haven't read The Edge of the Sea, but I'll take a gander out it someday soon. :)

inkydoo- You asked "when knives has a gun to her head and she says "he really isn't the man I loved," is she talking about vash or knives?" I'm responding with muahahaha, I'll never tell! No, I'm just kidding, she's talking about Knives. That will be addressed in future chapters.

GabbyFang- You didn't ask a question, but you somehow managed to post your review three times. I just wanted to point that out as I was intrigued.

Magnet-Rose- You'd better keep reading! I know where you hang out!

Pen Against Sword- Calm yourself:) I PROMISE I will not just stop suddenly and never finish this story. I know I sometimes say I will because I'm frustrated but I would never do that in a million years. And I have to put SOME V/M in here! Its KMV, you K/M fanatic:)

hope-is-4ever- Not really getting tired of writing Trigun, so much as I'm running my imagination dry. And I have not forgotten about Kuro, but he's off doing whatever he does when he isnt around Knives. He'll be back, I promise!

phoenixwolf- Its good to know that there are people out there who will sit and never move until they finish reading my story! Haha. :)

CrAzY-Fan-Fic-Addict- I addressed the Vash/Millie thing, sorry. But I'm more than pleased that you've been swayed to the side of Meryl/Knives. Now I NEVER said this was going to be a K/M fic, keep in mind that it's a KMV and even though it looks like Vash isnt in the running strange things can happen, and stuff can change...

foxmagic- You chose my story out of all the other Trigun fics to be your first fanfic read ever:sobs with appreciation: Thanks so much! I love V/M too, but I'm such a major fan of Knives I cant ever count him out in anything. Please enjoy the rest of this story!Besides my thought process usually is if you want Vash/Meryl go check out one of the other hundred other stories with that pairing.

smiling cat- You want action huh? Ehhh... I'm not good at writing it, but... we shall see.

Just call me Blue- I was wondering when and if I'd ever get a review from you. I've converted another to the K/M side! Whoo hoo! They'll be plenty more Knives Meryl goodness in the future.

Much thanks to everyone else as well!
kk, Triste1, Lunis, HazelEyed Freak, sataness-ov-desire, nidaba, gothmiko, Party-Pooper101, DarkGoddess29, and some anonymous people as well! Thanks again everyone! See you all soon!