"So," Vash stood behind Meryl and watched as she picked through the fresh fruit in the stall's cart. Most of them weren't quite ripe yet, and would need a few days in the kitchen's windowsill. It had been the same in the other fruit carts; the bright reds and oranges still hinted at green. Oh well. At least they weren't rotten.
"So," Vash started again. "I didn't know you could cook. "
Since the doughnut fiasco, Vash had been playing nice. So far he had followed through on his promise to help carry the groceries. He had also kept his interactions with the stall venders to benign greetings and pleasantries. Meryl was still debating whether or not she was angry with him, but his stunted attempts at conversation were rather amusing.
Meryl shrugged and moved to pay the vendor. "I really haven't had the chance to lately, so it's no surprise that you didn't know. Considering the life you lead, it's amazing I've had a chance at all." She accepted her change with a smile and moved on to the next stall.
Vash shuffled along close behind her, bags swinging at his side. "Still, who'd of thought that there was a chef hidden behind all of that paper work?"
Meryl snorted as she considered a loaf of bread. Did she want the sour dough or the honey nut? Either one would be a nice change from the plain white bread they offered at the general store. Maybe she should get both. The way Vash and Millie ate, both loafs would certainly be gone before they went bad.
With a nod, Meryl paid for the bread and handed the bag to Vash. "Yes, well, who would have guessed that there was actually a brain under all of that spiky hair?"
"Now, now, there's no need to get mean!"
"Well, there is more to us than just paper work!" Seeing the coffee stall, Meryl began making her way over. She was half way across the street when she suddenly stopped. Turning around, she looked up at Vash. "Did you know that Millie has a degree in psychology?"
Vash chuckled. "You know, that actually explains a lot."
Meryl considered him a moment before she spun around on her heal and continued over to the coffee. "You know, you have some pretty amazing features hidden yourself. Which of those wonderful facets is visible depends entirely on the good fortune of the person meeting you." Meryl tossed this over her shoulder as she stepped up to the stall.
It was a moment before she felt Vash step up beside her. He spent a quiet moment studying the coffee beans, considering her words. "Aside from the obvious, ah, secrets you're now aware of, what do you mean?" When she didn't answer right away he shifted nervously beside her. "Or is that what you were referring to?"
Meryl sighed and looked up at the tall man beside her. Although he looked for all the world to be calm and composed, she could see he was holding himself back. What had him so nervous, she wasn't sure. And the market seemed a terrible place to be pointing out secrets. She shook her head at him. "Do you really want to have this conversation here?"
Vash shrugged. The bags at his sides crinkled against each other. "Why not?"
Meryl took a deep breath and let it out slowly. If he didn't care, then why should she? Although why a man needed his own secrets pointed out to him was beyond her.
"Vash," she said his name quietly, "You are one big secret. I'm nervous to say your name out loud lest we alarm the venders. Our truce with the town is a shaky one at best because they only know your reputation. But you know this. Just like you know your secret gun is an ace in the whole." She lightly touched his arm before letting her hand rest at her side again.
Then she snorted and gave him a rueful smile. "How many times did we run into you before I finally believed that you were actually the Vash? I never would have guessed you for an ace gunman. You're really good at the simpleton act."
He scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Yeah, well, it's been pretty useful."
"Exactly!" She said triumphantly. "What psycho killer walks around with that grin? But on the other hand, I've seen how you are when you need to be serious. No one would expect you to run off to play dodge ball and eat ice cream with the local kids." Thinking the topic thoroughly explained and the conversation over, Meryl turned back to the barrels of coffee.
Vash was quiet while she paid for the coffee. He was also quiet as they weaved between vender's stalls and shoppers. He was doing a lot better since the few days after he woke up, but Meryl still worried about him. They were almost to the butcher's stall before he spoke again. "Do I really get that scary?"
Boy, was he full of fun questions today!
Meryl shook her head. "No, not usually."
She hadn't taken two steps before Vash grabbed her arm and stopped them between two stalls. "Not usually?" She looked back at him, confused. He looked serious and uncertain, and when she didn't respond right away, he repeated himself. "You said not usually."
This day was really going downhill fast. What reason could he possibly have to talk about this right now? And what made him think she would admit to such things? Meryl was never scared. She was always in complete control of herself and her surroundings. This was such a ridiculous conversation.
"Once," she said softly. "Once I thought you were rather frightening." Meryl looked up from the button on his cotton shirt she had been studying to give him a weak smile. "But you had good reason for it. I really should have listened." She dropped her eyes back to his button.
He let go of her arm and let out one of his loud, awkward laughs. "I scared you? You? Derringer Meryl?" he laughed again. "I don't believe it!"
Meryl scowled at him and turned to leave. "Ok, now you're just mocking me."
"No, no, no, no! Wait! I'm sorry!" He grabbed her arm to stop her again. "I just don't like the idea that I scared you."
Meryl spun around with an angry glare. "And I don't like the idea that you didn't scare me more. If you had, then none of this would have happened!"
Vash looked down at her, confused. "Do you mean my reputation? Do you regret being assigned as my insurance girl?"
They held eyes for a moment before Meryl tore hers away. "No." She once again took up study of the incredibly interesting button on his shirt. She hadn't noticed before that it had four tiny holes for the thread to be pulled through. Interesting. "No. I mean, if anything, I agree with what Millie said the other day. Life has been really interesting since we met you."
"Then I call shenanigans!" He crowed triumphantly. "I've never really scared you."
Meryl let out a huff of exasperation. "Yes, you did. But only once, and it obviously didn't do much as I'm still here." Vash stared down at her like he didn't know what to think. Meryl didn't like it, so she took a deep breath and decided to clarify. "Listen, around you, I'm always afraid that someone is going to get hurt or some building is going to explode. Every day I worry that someone will finally succeed in blowing your head off." Vash made as if to speak, so Meryl held up her hand to stall him. "The one thing I don't worry about is you hurting me or anyone around us.
"But for a moment, when you were fighting Monev, I wasn't sure. I still didn't believe you'd hurt us, but I wasn't sure what you'd do." Vash's grip on her arm loosened and he nodded his head. It hurt to talk about this, but she had to say it. Gathering all of her courage, Meryl finally let out what had been eating at her for weeks.
An apology.
"I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry." She held his eyes with hers, wanting him to understand. "I should have listened. I just didn't like that you scared me, and I wanted to prove to myself that you didn't. I also thought that Millie was right; if we didn't follow you, then we might never find you again." She took a deep, shaky breath. "And because of this, you had to make a terrible decision. So I'd like to say both I'm sorry, and thank you."
Still keeping eye contact, Vash slowly set the bags of groceries on the ground. Then just as slowly, he pulled Meryl into a loose hug. "No, I'm sorry. You're right, you shouldn't have followed me, but I'm really glad you did."
She stiffened in his arms. This close to him, she could feel everything. And even though he was being careful, she could feel the plate across his chest and the metal of his fake arm. How could she forget all of the things he had been through? She'd only just been applauding his acting skills, and here she had fallen for them herself.
Vash laughed into her hair. He sounded tired. "I know it's very selfish of me. You get into so much trouble just from following me, and you're life is always in danger." She didn't know what to say. He sighed.
"Meryl, he's out to get me. Knives," Vash swallowed hard, and Meryl could feel him struggling. "Knives wants me dead. He knows all of me weaknesses, and I've known for a long time that he would catch me again. He's been trying for years." He took a deep breath. "So, this is me saying thank you for being there."
Meryl's thoughts were racing a mile a minute. She didn't' know what to say. Was he really serious? He was happy that they followed him? Tentatively, Meryl reached up to return the hug. "Oh, well, you're welcome." She hadn't realized how tense he was until she felt him relax beneath her fingers.
After a tight squeeze, Vash pulled back and smiled at her. "So, insurance girl, what do we have left on your list?" As he bent down to pick the groceries back up, Meryl quickly scanned over her list. It was a relief to have things back in a place where she understood them. It was important to know one's place.
Meryl folded her paper and continued down the street. "We're actually almost done. I think the butcher's shop is our last stop. Then we can drop everything off at the house and meet Millie for lunch." Maybe the day wouldn't be too bad after all. The shopping was almost done and she'd soon be relaxing with an ice cold drink.
The conversation was done, the case closed, and she never wanted to think about any of it again.
"Don't forget about the doughnuts!"
Meryl smiled and shook her head. "Ah yes, Heaven forbid I forget the doughnuts."
Well, that was the longest chapter yet, coming in at just under 2,000 words. I'm not sure if anything of this nature will happen again, so if this was more to your liking, I apologize. I tried to keep the drama and fluff to a minimum. If I took a ride on the Fail Boat during this endeavor, I apologize for this as well.
I hope everyone here with me is enjoying the story so far! See you next chapter : )