It was a deep, royal blue, and it clung to her curves and swayed around her hips and whispered against her skin. It kissed her shoulders, slid around her waist, and pressed smoothly against her chest. It murmured her name as if it had been made solely for her, like it existed because she existed.
And it was worlds out of her price range.
The idles of shopping! What had once seemed such a tawdry affair was a complete luxury now, and she relished it. She had picked out several cheap blouses and skirts – there had been a sale – and some new stockings. And it was simply unfair for this dress to beg like this to go home with her.
She hung back on the rack.
And picked it up again.
And gazed at it longingly.
A saleslady walked by and glanced at her, smiling knowingly. "We do offer payment in installments."
Meryl's bag was full as she walked home.
There was no one in the house when she arrived, no one to whom to show her dress, to whirl around and display the flare of the skirt, the daring cut of the neck, the smoothly cropped sleeves. This disappointed her, but also relieved her. What they would think if they knew she had spent so much!
Carefully she went to her room and hung the new clothes up, the clean new fabric pleasant to the touch. Her uniform was practical, but overrated.
She turned and exited her room, intent on doing at least a little housework today, when a small pink package on the counter caught her eye. It was small and clumsily wrapped, held closed with a coarse piece of twine. Curious, she moved over to it and picked it up. Who…?
It was from Vash. It must be. She held it close to her heart for a moment. He had said he had picked something up for her in town, hadn't he? Milly would have left it in her room, and Knives would have wrapped it seamlessly… so…
With shy fingers, she plucked at the string until it came untied. The paper slid open easily to reveal a small dark box. A jewelry box.
Her heart was leaping, but also nervous. Vash did not seem the type to have the greatest taste. Could she wear something hideous just to please him?
It wouldn't do to just worry, she scolded herself, and pulled open the lid.
Inside on a bed of soft white paper curled a necklace, a small silver chain with a pearl pendant. It was simple, lovely, and presumably hideously expensive. Pearls came from things that lived in water, she knew, and that was rare enough. Being able to cultivate them in these conditions must be nothing short of a miracle.
"Oh, Vash," she breathed, bringing it closer to her face. She was a fool, he was a fool, they were both such fools, but oh, how she loved him.
She would not wear it now. She would save it for special occasions. It would be a crime to lose such a necklace.
Meryl carefully placed it in its box in the envelope that held their accumulated earnings, mulling over the thought that she could wear it with her new dress. She would feel so beautiful. Maybe she could get Vash to dress up too.
She returned to the kitchen to take care of the paper and string, when a note fell out of the paper. She picked it up, surprised that she hadn't seen it before. The message was simple: "Meryl, please go on a date with me. –Vash".
She could not stop the smile that spread over her lips. Trembling, she seized a piece of paper and pencil from her room and wrote a single shaky word on it: "Yes."
She left the note on his bed where he would be sure to find it and ran do to her chores.