A/N: Holy cow! Has it really been since 2015 since I last updated?! Wowza! This chapter has actually been sitting since January of last year and just remained unfinished for the longest time. A lot of personal troubles and struggles came up last year, and I just couldn't find the energy and inspiration to get this done. Every day is a struggle, but it felt really great to be back at this over the weekend. I hope it won't take me as long to do the next one. I'm grateful if you still give this a read and enjoy it. :) Many thanks to the views, reviews, and my beta ClanRedLady. Just a big thank you for reading and supporting. :)

There wasn't much stubble on his face, yet enough to warrant Knives shaving it all nonetheless. Once that was done, his twin handed him a toothbrush with toothpaste already on the bristles; during the time it took to clean his teeth, he kept his gaze downcast at the sink, refusing to catch even a tiny glimpse of his appearance in the mirror. He was afraid that if he saw his reflection, it'd just be another confirmation that he'd grown to be a total stranger to himself both inside and out.

When he finished rinsing his mouth, he turned to find his brother undressed and staring at him closely as if he'd been studying the newest wounds with gross fascination. The older plant seemed to still be in a trance despite the gaping injuries no longer in his sight, prompting Vash to quietly clear his throat and say timidly, "All done."

Knives shook his head slightly and his eyes focused to meet Vash's. Giving a small smile, he replied, "Of course. Let's get you clean, then."

It was as if Vash's mind was two steps behind the present, for he watched as Knives stepped to the tub and grasped the faucet handles, but he didn't comprehend what that action meant until the water began pouring into the basin. Instantly, panic and fear coursed through him, making him nearly bolt out of the bathroom. Before he could get through the doorway, however, a strong arm wrapped around his torso, preventing him from escaping no matter how much he tried to break free of his brother's hold. There were no distinguishable words that sounded from him – just a stream of tremulous, petrified whines that conveyed the fear he felt perfectly.

"Come on, Vash," Knives coaxed, pulling his twin backward. "You'll be fine. I'll be right here with you."

Vash shook his head, still unable to form any words amid his whimpers.

"Yes, you'll be fine. I promise. Let's go."

Whether it was because Knives had become so powerful or that Vash had grown so weak, the older plant kept his twin sedated in his grasp with no effort whatsoever while he switched the water to come out of the showerhead and then lifted him into the tub. He spun the blonde around to face him, and Vash hugged him tightly to the point of squeezing in order to get away from the dangerous substance.

"Kn-….Knives….Don't….Please…." he cried. He was hyperventilating, though his brother showed no indication that he cared.

Little by little he was moved closer to the flowing water until all at once, Knives pushed him backward to hold him in place at arm's length. It was excruciating, the heat and force of the raining water cascading against his maimed dorsal side. His mouth hung open as if he was going to scream, but the sound was lodged in his throat and nothing more than a soft, choked noise came out instead.

"They need to be cleaned, Vash," Knives stated matter-of-factly.

With frenzied eyes, the blonde looked to the other man for help and grabbed his arm in hopes of pulling himself closer to him again.

"You're fine. Just a little bit longer."

"Turn it off! Please!" he replied telepathically, his voice still trapped somewhere in his throat.

"Not yet. This is only the first part, you know." After a brief pause, he stepped toward the outlaw and gently embraced him. "I'm sorry I had to punish you, my dear brother," he said affectionately into his ear. "I don't like to. I love you."

Vash simply nodded.

"But I do have to say-" He viciously sunk his fingernails into the tender flesh, causing the younger plant to gasp in agony and his eyes to widen from the sudden pain. "-don't ever lie to me again, Vash. Do you understand me?"

It was several seconds before the blonde was able to acknowledge the statement by merely nodding his head again.

"Good."

Proceeding with the rest of the bathing, Knives shampooed his twin's hair, scrubbed his entire body with a soapy washcloth, and made sure he was rinsed clean completely before turning off the water. After drying himself off, he did the same for Vash and instructed him to go lie down while he fetched a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a few washcloths. He'd washed the lacerations fairly thoroughly in the shower, though as an extra precaution – and a way to see the younger plant suffer just a little more – he decided to give them some additional disinfecting.

Coming to sit beside his brother, who was lying face-down on the bed, he poured a decent amount of alcohol onto one of the cloths and placed it on top of the Humanoid Typhoon's back near his left shoulder. The instant it touched him, Vash nearly screamed. It might as well have been an open flame burning away at his flesh, making it almost as painful as when he'd first acquired the gashes.

"Once I'm done with this, I'll be taking you to the Hole," Knives said as he began dabbing at the wounds.

"….Can I…." Vash spoke shakily and so quietly that Knives had to actually focus on him while he tried to force out the rest of his question. "Can I have something to eat?"

The older plant chuckled and laid another alcohol-soaked washcloth on the blonde's back. "I'm not entirely sure you deserve anything right now."

"What do I have to do?" It was evident tears were present in his eyes by the sound of his voice.

"You have nothing to offer but your body, and you should be ashamed of yourself for acting like a filthy whore by bargaining with it."

The insult succeeded in making Vash feel insignificant and foolish. His brother was right; with nothing else in his possession to negotiate with, he recognized the futility in arguing with the other man about it. And besides, Knives always took what he wanted even if it wasn't rightfully his to take, including his twin's body. Knowing that, the younger plant realized he had, and was, absolutely nothing and would forever be at the mercy of Knives.

I'm so hungry, he thought miserably. Everything hurts. Please make it stop...someone….

"Knives?"

"Yes?"

"How much longer will it be before it's just us?"

"Anxious to have me to yourself, hm? Well, after we deliver the one we just rescued, we'll set off for December in order to eradicate the humans once and for all. Even though there are still some places left that we need to travel to in order to get the last of our sisters, I've heard December has become the humans' place of refuge; I can't pass up such an opportunity now. It's perfect. No longer are they strewn across this planet; they've all congregated in one area. We'll be able to destroy them quite easily and efficiently. I'm sure there are probably a few who have stayed behind at their homes, but that will be a simple fix once we release our sisters. My men are prepared for their service to come to an end as well. I will give them the option of either doing it themselves or having the honor of me doing it for them. It won't be much longer at all."

Listening to his brother's plan deeply saddened Vash, yet at the same time, he felt relief. Still, there was a sense of obligation that pressured him to present an alternative. "Why can't we just go somewhere away from them all? They can live on one half of the planet and us on the other. We could just go now."

"There's a problem with that, other than the fact you're wanting to let them live. They depend on leeching off of our kind in order for them to thrive and prosper. Without the help of us plants, they will succumb to the elements and still die. While I enjoy the thought of them suffering for quite some time, wallowing in starvation and dehydration, I'm ready to just be done with them. They don't deserve to be here for another second."

"What if….What if I stayed with them?" Being unable to see the slightly infuriated expression on his twin's face as a result of the question, he continued his attempt at a compromise. "They'd have a plant to survive and you'd be able to free our sisters, just like you want. I think I'd have enough energy to give them at least another hundred years or so-"

The rest of his sentence was lost due to Knives slamming his hands down against his back and buttocks repeatedly, causing him to practically shriek in agony.

"How dare you offer yourself up to them!" Knives bellowed angrily. "Have you learned nothing?! Must I bring some of them in here to teach you another lesson in how appalling humans are?!"
The threat was enough to dull the current pain and replace it with tremendous fear. "No!"

"Then stop this nonsense now! I don't ever want you defending them or sacrificing yourself for them again! Do you understand me?!"

"Yes!" Vash was able to verbalize between his tormented squeals.

Knives stopped pounding his hands on the younger plant's wounds, grabbed a fistful of his hair, and yanked on it to force his head up. "I am not losing you again, Vash. Not to them, not to anyone. You are mine. I will never let you get away from me again."

Submerged in a sea of panic and anguish, the outlaw neglected to hear the subtle amount of anxiety laced within Knives' tone; he could only gather the rage and possessiveness from those words, not the underlying dread his twin felt at the thought of being without him. For all the times and ways Knives made him feel worthless and powerless, he was incapable of realizing just how much control he truly had over the older plant.

"Do you have anything else to say?" Knives inquired bitterly. "Any more idiotic suggestions?"

A couple of tears raced down Vash's cheek. "No," he answered weakly, defeated.

"Good." He released his hold on the golden locks, watched as his twin slowly laid his head down once more, and sighed. Letting a beat pass, he spoke gently, "Vash….Forgive me. I only want what's best for you, for us and our kind. Once they're gone, you'll have the world you've always dreamed of."

Whether he sincerely believed those words or not, the gunman simply nodded.

"Now, why don't you sit up and I'll clean the wax from your fingers and toes."

Half a minute passed before Vash heeded the command. Slowly, he got onto his hand and knees first and then very cautiously, he rotated himself to sit straight up. The pressure on his sore, throbbing round backside made him wince and emit a few soft whimpers, and he suddenly felt utterly embarrassed for being so shamefully exposed and frail. As if reading his mind, Knives affectionately stroked his hair in an effort to relax him.

"There there, you'll be alright," the older plant said kindly. "Would you like something to wear once we're done?"

The outlaw nodded.

"Let's finish this and then we'll get you dressed."

"Knives?"

"Hm?"

The tears started leaking from his eyes before he could even get his question out. "Can I stay here with you?" He was sick to his stomach at the thought of his brother's probable answer.

"Vash-"

"I'll do anything. You can do anything to me. I just want to stay here with you. Please. Don't let them have me." He now lost it completely, covering his face with his hand as he wept.

It was deliciously ironic to Knives how Vash had wanted to live and mingle with humans for over a century, yet now, the younger plant was terrified to be anywhere near them. It amused him immensely.

Ignoring the desperate pleas, Knives merely kissed the top of his twin's head, gradually pulled the outlaw's hand toward him, and began aggressively picking and scrubbing away at the dried candle wax on the man's raw, sensitive fingertips.

The pressure from lying on his back was quite unbearable, yet as Vash stared vacantly passed the iron grate above him at the ceiling, he was able to practically ignore the immense discomfort by occupying his mind with something else. For hours he reminisced over past memories, replaying them in his head like a movie made only for him. Moments that would normally bring a smile to his face whenever he remembered them did nothing to lift his spirits now. Rather, they shattered his heart a piece at a time to leave him feeling empty and broken. He pictured the many people he'd come into contact with during his travels and wondered if they were lucky enough to be alive still, if they had been able to get to shelter before Knives tore through their cities.

He remembered it all. Defeating the Nebraska family, preventing the plant's explosion, and being showered with appreciation and kindness from the people of Inepril City. Settling his roll of the dice with Gasback and helping Amelia to cast her own. Being taken in, cared for, and treated as a member of the family with Lina and her grandmother. Meeting Wolfwood in the desert and taking him for no more than a stranded passerby at first. Squaring off against the Bad Lad's gang with the aid of a young boy who just needed someone to tell him it's okay to make mistakes and that you can always start over with a new ticket to a better future. Showing Frank Marlin there's still plenty of life worth living without the help of a liquor bottle and that sometimes, situations simply aren't equal.

And then there was Meryl and Millie, the insurance girls tasked with the unfortunate duty of following him around. They had a knack for getting involved in everything, though they'd proven they were capable of handling themselves pretty well for being simple insurance agents. Despite the inconvenience at times from them trailing after him like stalkers, he truly hadn't minded their company and considered them friends.

And Wolfwood….

There were decades upon decades worth of cheerful moments and interactions, but they were also littered with many instances of hostility, ruthless and cruel persecution, grief, and constant loneliness. Throughout them, he had maintained the belief that not all humans were bad and that all life mattered, regardless of who it belonged to. But while he had been busy giving meaning to, as well as revealing it in, other people's lives, they gladly took it away from his own. He usually wasn't the victim, but rather the one to rescue those who were, making it hard to see himself as one during the physical beatings or sexual acts he'd taken part in with his brother and the men aboard the Ark, was unable to view them as anything other than sins he'd never wash away. Even if he did realize it wasn't his fault, Rem's influence on him wouldn't let him do anything with malicious intent against them; instead, she'd expect him to excuse their actions and move on. Why did he always have to be the one to forgive? Why did he have to be the only one striving for a world of love and peace? Why did he always have to be the good guy while at the same time be the most hated person on the planet?

None of it matters anymore. Nothing matters anymore. The reason I'm alive at this moment is Knives. My purpose is him.

It was time to forget everything. Anything outside of his relationship with Knives and the welfare of his sisters was not worth holding onto. There was nothing he could do. His failure to get the upper hand against his twin cost the human race not only their lives, but his as well. Knives had taken it in a much more devious, malicious way, leaving his body intact and breathing, but destroying everything inside of his heart and masterfully warping his mind.

"It won't be long at all."

Soon, it'd be just them. The desire that had begun over a hundred years ago within Knives was now almost fully attained. Their differing views that'd turned them into enemies dated back nearly just as long, and finally, there was a victor. Knives had won, and Vash the Stampede was dead.

"I can sense the despair radiating from you even from here," a smooth voice stated from somewhere in the room.

Vash didn't respond, nor did he shift his gaze away from the ceiling once Legato appeared at the side of the Hole. The emotionless expression on the outlaw's face brought an amused grin to Legato's.

Kneeling down to unlock the grate, the servant stated, "You've at last learned your place. You should feel liberated that you no longer have to struggle with her absurd principles. You've learned that there is nothing greater than my Master, and you should be honored for him choosing you to be by his side through all of this."

He stood and forced the other man to do the same. Vash grimaced and hissed from the agitation of his wounds, though he didn't bother fighting the invisible power taking control of his limbs. As he stepped out and away from the containment cell, he met the servant's eyes with his own, unable to discern anything from them such as a reason for why he was here. He remained immobile while Legato leisurely circled around him like a vulture honing in on its prey. So far, there was no threat of danger, but the outlaw knew there was something the servant wanted from him; it was simply a question of what.

"Has he revealed to you what his upcoming plans are?" Legato asked curiously. "It would please him if you joined him and took part in this last round." He paused as if waiting for a response, though none came. "My time is nearing an end. While it is quite the disappointment that I am unable to serve him in the same manner as you, I can take some solace in the fact that you are his twin…." He glided his fingers along the blonde's neck as he continued circling him and licked his lips at the hint of Vash losing his indifferent composure. "Even though he's beautiful, flawless, perfect, and you are repulsively disfigured, your body is built just like his. If I'm ever to know the pleasure of satisfying him, I will have to achieve it with you."

Vash's stomach churned at the sensation of cold lips assaulting his own. As Legato kissed him madly, hands impatiently roamed over his torso and shoulders; one of them paused on his chest to play with his nipple, and although he tried to step back to get away from the stimulation, he was rooted to the spot by Legato's ability. It was evident the other man didn't intend to intentionally cause him harm since he no doubt wouldn't do such a thing to Knives; however, it didn't reduce the humiliation he felt.

A snake-like tongue slithered along his cheek and ear before Legato knelt in front of him, untied the drawstring of his pants, and pulled the garment down far enough to expose his cock. He closed his eyes tightly and let out a soft moan from the fingers stroking and rubbing him; he felt extremely dirty for becoming aroused and being able to do nothing to keep his body from responding like this.

"Stop," he protested quietly. Instead of respecting the plant's wishes, Legato swirled his tongue around Vash's hard member before taking it into his mouth to suck. After imagining it numerous times in his mind, it was easy for Legato to picture Knives standing above him instead of the one he loathed. To believe it was his Master's cock that he was tasting made him wild with lust. He'd waited so long….

There was no denying the pleasure Vash was feeling from the servant's actions, and while it was a nice change from the rough intercourse he usually had to endure, shame and helplessness still raged within him. It wasn't even meant for him, this current bliss; it was for Knives. Everything was for Knives, re-enforcing the notion that he was nothing and would always be inferior to his brother.

He kept his eyes shut and let out a final moan as he reached orgasm. Legato willingly swallowed every drop of his semen, licked around the tip several times to make sure none was missed, and got to his feet once again. Affectionately, he cupped the other man's face in his hands and caressed his slightly flushed cheeks with his thumbs. It was strange to Vash, serving as a stand-in for his twin and receiving the loving, devoted adoration that Legato had only for Knives. It almost seemed wrong, like he was intruding upon something he shouldn't be. For Legato, Vash wasn't even in the room anymore; it was his feared and beloved Master.

The outlaw didn't bother objecting when his body was forced to lie down on the floor. He whimpered at the stress on his gashes, but was soon quieted by Legato's ravenous mouth on his own. He could feel the anxiety already building at the likely outcome due to this new position, and he started shaking and sweating. Slowly, the servant began traveling down his body with his tongue and hands. They caressed him ceaselessly, rubbing and licking along his stomach and chest as if memorizing every last bit of him before moving to give his legs the same treatment. Attempting to remove himself mentally from the situation, Vash stared at the ceiling and commenced counting by three's in his head. It didn't take long to realize this technique was of no use.

The instant he felt something hard prodding him, tears came to his eyes. The bruises and slices made it exceptionally painful as Legato pushed his cock into him. He cried out and desperately wanted to beg him to stop, but knew it was pointless. Legato was in another world at this point.

"Master," he sighed and started moving in and out of the plant's body mildly. "I do not deserve to have you like this."

Vash covered his mouth with the back of his hand in order to contain the choked wails that threatened to erupt from him. He arched upward in response to a powerful thrust, and lips kissed along his exposed neck hungrily. When he relaxed against the ground again, he turned his head and spotted someone watching them from the doorway. Sheer mortification washed over him, and he felt as if he was going to vomit. He wanted to apologize for being found this way, wanted to make an excuse for himself and what was happening, yet all he could manage was a noise of embarrassment and glanced away to hide his face.

"Nicholas, are you there?"

Wolfwood welcomed the distraction of Luida's voice in his ear and swiftly turned around to begin the trek back to his quarters. He wasn't sure why he had bothered stopping to watch in the first place since it wasn't like he'd be able to help anyway and seeing Vash lately did nothing but stir up feelings of rage, guilt, and sadness. He greatly missed the days when he could look at the other man and smile.

"I'm here," he replied quietly.

"Any updates to provide?"

"No, not really. And you?"

There was a heavy pause, causing him to worry slightly.

"Luida?"

"Yes, I'm here. Well….Things have been tense. People are losing hope. They're frightened, anxious, unsure of what the next day will bring and if it's their last. They've started turning on each other instead of coming together. We've even lost some of our recruits because they believe there is no hope and don't understand the point in resisting. Crime has risen as a result of people not caring. The mood of defeat has become so strong and has permeated throughout the population that it's going to be very difficult to put up some sort of line of last defense."

"Hm….I see."

She sighed. "I don't suppose there is any chance of Vash being of help at this point, is there?"

Wolfwood smirked. All Vash had to do was annihilate his twin with the Angel Arm, ease the hostility that Knives had no doubt stirred up within the other plants, and everything would be fine. It'd be so easy, winning the world back – if only Vash wasn't so far gone already. At this point, the priest truly believed there was no winning that one back at all.

"No, I think we're on our own with this one," he said after a moment.

"How is he?"

Nothing more than a toy for them at this point, he thought both bitterly and regretfully. "He's still alive, unfortunately." He couldn't help himself from adding the last word.

Surprisingly, Luida didn't ask him to explain himself or disagree with him. Rather, she posed a legitimate question that had never crossed his mind. "If Knives has succeeded as much as you've said he has in brainwashing him….should we be concerned that Vash is a threat now too and will turn on us?"

It was hard to stomach, the thought of the Humanoid Typhoon being on the same level as Knives in regards to the danger he could pose. In the past, Nicholas would've deemed it absurd to ever consider the Humanoid Typhoon as anything other than a friendly ally. Presently, it was a real possibility to throw him into the same category as his brother: the enemy.

After a minute or so, the priest explained, "It is worth considering. If he's gotten closer to Knives in terms of emotional bonds, and considering the fact that he's being tortured on a daily basis with the only relief coming from his brother every now and then, it wouldn't be a stretch to believe that with his fucked up mental state he would step in to protect him by any means necessary. I don't know if he still holds onto the 'never take a life' motto as much as he did – that would at least give us an opportunity to keep our men alive, but the moment we go for Knives, he might lose it entirely."

"I see….It breaks my heart to say it, but do we need to have Livio plan on executing him?"

Wolfwood removed a cigarette from his pocket and lit it, taking care not to look at the lighter. "Might not be a bad idea." He did his best to hold back the tears that suddenly overwhelmed his eyes.

"We'll only do it if it's absolutely necessary, Nicholas. Otherwise, we want to bring him home and help him recover."

"Right." Exhaling a long stream of smoke, he stated, "We'll probably lose, but at least we can make Knives work for it instead of handing this planet over to him on a silver platter."

Luida smiled. "I agree.

"How many do you have to fight?"

"Between fifteen and twenty. We lost a good chunk with the surge of negativity within the last week or so."

"So we'll be outnumbered too, wonderful."

"You and Livio are the most skilled. Your priority will be keeping Knives distracted and ultimately, take him out in the end. If need be, find a way to separate him from Vash if they're together. Their separation is just as important now."

"Works for me."

"We'll talk more as it gets closer."

"Sounds good."

"Stay safe, Nicholas."

"You too."

No matter the outcome, win or lose, Wolfwood was ready for it to be over. He was ready for some sort of peace, and Vash deserved to have that as well. If the planet couldn't be kept from Knives, then the preacher could at least make him suffer by taking the next best thing from him: his own brother.