DISCLAIMER: After the third chapter, you would think that everyone would
know that I don't own Trigun. Oh well. Insert standard disclaimer here.
Okay, this Chapter's a little better than the last one *shudder *. Though it might be boring (I know, I know, this whole story's pretty lame, ne?) this chapter's kinda important. Ok, on with the fic…
Chapter Three: Letter From Home
The next day dawned cloudy yet warm, a change from the usual sun- blazing days. But despite the dreary appearance of the weather, everyone in the small house was in a good mood, even Knives. Well, in as good a mood as someone who was completely miserable could be.
There was no work that day, which meant that everyone could relax.
But Meryl had forgotten the meaning of relaxation years ago, for even on her days off, she still worked herself to death. On that particular day, she busied herself with thoroughly cleaning the house. Meanwhile, Millie was fixing breakfast and the brothers were playing a match of chess, in which Knives was losing.
No one would've ever been able to tell from Knives' face or body language that he'd been up all night. Millie, on the other hand, looked like she'd been without sleep for months. She had bags under her eyes and was moving around as if half asleep, yet she still had a smile on her face.
Sometime around lunch, there was a knock on the door. Millie was washing the lunch dishes and the twins were on their fourth match of chess, so Meryl put down the mop and answered the door.
Standing outside, was a man in a postal uniform.
"Yes?"
"Are you Ms. Meryl Stryfe?"
"I am."
"Sign here please," the man said, shoving a clipboard at her. She signed on the line, received her letter, and closed the door.
Ripping open the envelope, the petite woman walked into the kitchen, where Millie had stopped washing the dishes and was watching Vash beat Knives yet again. Knives was clearly getting angry, but that was far from Meryl's mind as she began reading her mail.
By the time she was finished, three pairs of eyes were staring at her. She was unaware of the fact that she had gasped loudly and had one hand over her mouth.
"Meryl, are you okay?" Vash asked, concern creeping into his voice. She took her eyes away from the paper to sweep them over her three companions. Tears fell from her eyes and she made no move to intercept them.
"Senpai?" Millie put a hand on the smaller woman's shoulder. Meryl looked at her friend and broke down completely. Startled, Millie put her arms around her superior and hugged her close. Vash had gotten up and was standing by the two women, worry sketched on his face. Knives stayed in his chair, watching the humans with a blank expression.
"Meryl, what's wrong?" Vash asked, trying to keep his voice calm. Instead of answering, she handed him the letter. Situating himself so that Millie could see it as well, he began to read.
When they were finished, Vash was shocked into silence and Millie was sobbing as well.
The letter was from Meryl's mother. Her father had suffered a heart attack and was doing poorly. Her mother had requested her presence.
Sniffling, Meryl pushed gently away from her friend and headed to her room to pack. Vash followed her.
"I'm going with you," he said, leaning against the doorframe.
"No. You have to stay here with your brother," she said, pulling out her suitcase and throwing some clothes into it.
"Knives is as stable as he's going to get. I'm going with you."
"No. I want you to stay here and take care of Millie," the raven- haired woman said, still putting stuff in her suitcase.
"I will not let you leave here alone!" Vash said, starting to get annoyed with her. "You are in no condition to go by yourself. And who knows what could happen to you between here and there. Do you know how many murderers, rapists, and other insane people are out there? No, I'm not letting you go alone."
Meryl sighed and looked up. She saw the determination in the gunman's face and put the stuff in her arms, down. She walked to Vash and, leaning against him, felt the tears well up once more.
"I'm so scared," she admitted. "If I lose my dad, I-I-I don't know what I'll do. I've never been this scared in my life." Vash held her close and tried to comfort her.
"You can't think that way. You have to think positively. He'll get better," he gave her a tight squeeze, then leaned down to whisper in her hear. "I'm still going with you, no matter what you say or do." He felt her nod and allowed himself a small smile.
By the time that Meryl and Vash had finished packing, the chess game had been put away and Millie had already bathed and she and Knives were seated at the kitchen table, waiting for the others to arrive before them.
When they did, Vash took Knives to the side while Meryl talked to Millie.
"I'm going with Meryl. You're to stay here with Millie. Yes, brother, with a human. We won't be too long, I promise. Two weeks at the most. Millie will take good care of you. And please, Knives, behave. For me." After a few seconds of Knives staring at the floor, then at Vash, then again at the floor, he nodded. Vash put a hand on his shoulder and smiled.
The two walked over to the girls, who had finished talking.
"We ready?" Vash asked. Meryl nodded and after giving Millie a hug, the two were out the door.
Okay, this Chapter's a little better than the last one *shudder *. Though it might be boring (I know, I know, this whole story's pretty lame, ne?) this chapter's kinda important. Ok, on with the fic…
Chapter Three: Letter From Home
The next day dawned cloudy yet warm, a change from the usual sun- blazing days. But despite the dreary appearance of the weather, everyone in the small house was in a good mood, even Knives. Well, in as good a mood as someone who was completely miserable could be.
There was no work that day, which meant that everyone could relax.
But Meryl had forgotten the meaning of relaxation years ago, for even on her days off, she still worked herself to death. On that particular day, she busied herself with thoroughly cleaning the house. Meanwhile, Millie was fixing breakfast and the brothers were playing a match of chess, in which Knives was losing.
No one would've ever been able to tell from Knives' face or body language that he'd been up all night. Millie, on the other hand, looked like she'd been without sleep for months. She had bags under her eyes and was moving around as if half asleep, yet she still had a smile on her face.
Sometime around lunch, there was a knock on the door. Millie was washing the lunch dishes and the twins were on their fourth match of chess, so Meryl put down the mop and answered the door.
Standing outside, was a man in a postal uniform.
"Yes?"
"Are you Ms. Meryl Stryfe?"
"I am."
"Sign here please," the man said, shoving a clipboard at her. She signed on the line, received her letter, and closed the door.
Ripping open the envelope, the petite woman walked into the kitchen, where Millie had stopped washing the dishes and was watching Vash beat Knives yet again. Knives was clearly getting angry, but that was far from Meryl's mind as she began reading her mail.
By the time she was finished, three pairs of eyes were staring at her. She was unaware of the fact that she had gasped loudly and had one hand over her mouth.
"Meryl, are you okay?" Vash asked, concern creeping into his voice. She took her eyes away from the paper to sweep them over her three companions. Tears fell from her eyes and she made no move to intercept them.
"Senpai?" Millie put a hand on the smaller woman's shoulder. Meryl looked at her friend and broke down completely. Startled, Millie put her arms around her superior and hugged her close. Vash had gotten up and was standing by the two women, worry sketched on his face. Knives stayed in his chair, watching the humans with a blank expression.
"Meryl, what's wrong?" Vash asked, trying to keep his voice calm. Instead of answering, she handed him the letter. Situating himself so that Millie could see it as well, he began to read.
When they were finished, Vash was shocked into silence and Millie was sobbing as well.
The letter was from Meryl's mother. Her father had suffered a heart attack and was doing poorly. Her mother had requested her presence.
Sniffling, Meryl pushed gently away from her friend and headed to her room to pack. Vash followed her.
"I'm going with you," he said, leaning against the doorframe.
"No. You have to stay here with your brother," she said, pulling out her suitcase and throwing some clothes into it.
"Knives is as stable as he's going to get. I'm going with you."
"No. I want you to stay here and take care of Millie," the raven- haired woman said, still putting stuff in her suitcase.
"I will not let you leave here alone!" Vash said, starting to get annoyed with her. "You are in no condition to go by yourself. And who knows what could happen to you between here and there. Do you know how many murderers, rapists, and other insane people are out there? No, I'm not letting you go alone."
Meryl sighed and looked up. She saw the determination in the gunman's face and put the stuff in her arms, down. She walked to Vash and, leaning against him, felt the tears well up once more.
"I'm so scared," she admitted. "If I lose my dad, I-I-I don't know what I'll do. I've never been this scared in my life." Vash held her close and tried to comfort her.
"You can't think that way. You have to think positively. He'll get better," he gave her a tight squeeze, then leaned down to whisper in her hear. "I'm still going with you, no matter what you say or do." He felt her nod and allowed himself a small smile.
By the time that Meryl and Vash had finished packing, the chess game had been put away and Millie had already bathed and she and Knives were seated at the kitchen table, waiting for the others to arrive before them.
When they did, Vash took Knives to the side while Meryl talked to Millie.
"I'm going with Meryl. You're to stay here with Millie. Yes, brother, with a human. We won't be too long, I promise. Two weeks at the most. Millie will take good care of you. And please, Knives, behave. For me." After a few seconds of Knives staring at the floor, then at Vash, then again at the floor, he nodded. Vash put a hand on his shoulder and smiled.
The two walked over to the girls, who had finished talking.
"We ready?" Vash asked. Meryl nodded and after giving Millie a hug, the two were out the door.