Disclaimer: Trigun-not mine.
***…Hi….yes. I`m drawing it out….hehehehhehehehehhehehehe….I am truly evil but fear not. The answer will come…soon….who will the ultimate pairing be in the end? Oh the torment I may cause! Thax to reviewers for sticking it out this long. I will not disappoint you.
Chapter 7: Let the Games Begin
One night I decide to sit out in the living room. I convinced Knives that he could sleep alone without fear. I find it quite peaceful to sit out here. I start a fire and watch it. Everything is so peaceful…
"Why are you up so late, Meryl?"
`Vash?`
I turn my head to see Vash standing there leaning against the wall. I smile.
"I should ask you the same thing."
"I heard someone moving around in here. I decided to finally come and check it out."
I turn back to stare at the fire. He takes a seat beside me. I can`t help but notice how good that he smells. Yeah he took a shower but it never gets rid of his unique scent. I can`t really explain the smell. It`s just…it`s a Vash smell.
"Knives seems to be doing well." He says. I shrug. I`m not really in the mood to talk about him or anything at the moment.
"Yes. I suppose that he is."
"I still wish that he would remember who he was."
"Why?"
His face conveys surprise when I glance at him.
"He`s my brother and I want him to remember me!"
"But what about the other things that he would remember, Vash? Have you thought about that? What if he remembers that he hates all humans then decides to go after them again? What if he goes after Millie…or me?"
"Don`t talk about that!" he snaps. I feel surpise and slight fear from his outburst. Never have I heard him so angry sounding towards me. I hesitantly move a few inches away from him.
"…I`m sorry but he does pose a threat."
I`m almost off of the couch now. His eyes go back to the same innocence as usual. He reaches out and takes a hold of me. He draws me towards him then embraces me.
"No. I should be the one to apologize. He would pose a threat. I just…I just don`t like thinking about that. I only like to believe that he would be changed. I guess that I`m being kind of stupid about it. He shouldn`t…"
"No. He should remember. I don`t want him to be without knowing who he really is fully and not by what we tell him. I`ll try harder if you do."
"Of course."
He`s still holding me. I lean my head against his. I feel that weird feeling in my heart again.
`I gave up on Vash liking me awhile back…could he possibly…`
"I really don`t know what I would do without you, Meryl."
He lets go of me and we`re staring at each other. Suddenly we hear a scream from the other room. We both get up and run until we reach the source of the screams: Knives` bedroom. I open the door quickly. Knives is looking around the room wildly. He notices us. He gets up and dashes right at me. He grabs on to me.
"Tell them to go away!"
I look around. Nothing but a dark room.
"Who?"
"That guy with purple hair and those other people. They keep calling me Master!"
`Purple hair?...Legato?...Isn`t he dead?`
Knivs practically lifts me off the ground.
`Man, he`s really freaking out.`
I moves his arms off of me.
"It was a dream, Knives! A dream! You can`t take this stuff seriously!'
"I hear myself laughing. I wanted to do what I was telling them to do."
"And what was that?"
"To hurt him."
He points towards Vash.
"I wanted to hurt him and I don`t understand why."
I look up at Vash. He nods.
`He`s starting to see things from the past in his dreams. Will he remember?...Not yet…but I get a bad feeling from this.`
Vash and I talk a little with him. He calms down. Vash and I end up staying in there with him. I sit on the chair and Vash stays on the opposite side of the bed far away from Knives. Nothing else happens that night.
-------------------------------------------
He keeps having the same nightmares over and over again. He`s beginning to see things that vash and I do not remember. Obviously they are the memories in which Vash had not been around to see. We became a bit frightened when he told us about some. I never realized just how cold Knives had been.
`Which makes me all the less excited about him remembering.`
Well…he still doesn`t really know who he is. He only knows what he saw in the dreams. He says that sometimes he thinks that he remembers. I don`t think so. He would probably act differently. He stills acts really timid. Vash and I try and tell him that he isn`t that guy anymore. He doesn`t really respond to that. He disagrees and says that he still is just hidden away somewhere until he is unleashed again.
On a different note Vash and I are getting along better than ever. We`ve never really been able to sit down and talk. Now we talk all the time. We share moments like that night in front of the fire. I`m starting to think that maybe…no. He wouldn`t….
Strange…it seems that everytime we`re alone Knives has something happen to him. I wonder if there is some kind of significance but that`s just silly of me.
`Imagine! Two good looking twins actually…what the hell am I thinking?! Man, I have a wild imagination! I need to get a grip…`
"Hey, Meryl!" Wolfwood yells from the kitchen "Come here! Take a look at this idea that I have for the orphanage!"
I run into the kitchen and look over the plans. Millie is making some tea. Knives is in the living room. I`m not really sure what he`s doing. I guess the best word would be that he`s thinking. He` looks like he`s thinking. Vash is in a chair to my right. He`s looking over the plans and telling Wolfwood how great that they are.
`Always one to make others feel good about themselves.`
"What`s that?"
I jump at the sound of Knives` voice from behind me. He points to a section of the paper.
"Oh! That`s a plan for rooms for them to sleep in!"
"That`s pretty good."
I look over my shoulder. He leaning over me. He actually appears to have an interest in what`s going on now. Before he seemed a little shaky to do anything.
"Really?" Wolfwood asks. He grins then slaps Knives on the back.
"Hey!"
"Now this is my kinda guy! We`re gonna get along great!" Wolfwood exclaims in reply. Knives just kind of stares at him. I can`t say that I blame him. Wolfwood just continues to grin. Knives raises an eyebrow towards me. I shrug. I look over towards Vash. He`s laughing. He can always laugh about everything.
---------------------------------
Well…nothing exciting is happening. We`ve been buliding the orphanage for weeks now. I think that a month or two went by. Heh…I lost a lot of days. It`s not that I`m upset about that. I`ve actually had more fun than I ever have before. I think that the real Knives would have killed me but…I actually consider this Knives as one of my best friends. Now I have four best friends and nothing can change that…at least…I hope not.
Well…back to reality…Wolfwood seems pleased with the work that`s being done. He made me his co-manager. I was and and still am terribly flattered by that. Knives is our assistant…though he still doesn`t do much, Millie is head building instructor and Vash is of course the co to this. The other people helping are just kind of there. Wolfwood calls this Wolfwood and Co. We didn`t ask qeustions.
All in all work is coming along very well…but my personal life is getting strange. Vash is acting stranger. He seems to give me extra attention. I would be ecstatic…I am! Don`t get me wrong! There`s just one little problem.
Knives is starting to become…attached to me. I only began to really notice this a few weeks ago. He won`t leave now unless I go. He won`t go back home until I`m going too. There are a couple more but I have work to do.
One other thing…Vash and Knives seem to have a little tension between them that`s starting to surface up. I don`t really know why. It`s not clear but I have a feeling that it will be.
----------------------------------
Knives is still having those nightmares again. I can hear him through the door everytime I walk near his room. I can`t stand it. It gets to me. I don`t like when one of my friends. I push the door open slightly to see him thrashing around. I can`t understand him this time. I know that he`s seeing things from his past. He always sees that. I creep softly towards the bed. Suddenly he sits up straight. He locks eyes with me.
"Will this ever end?" he asks. I shrug.
"I don`t know."
"I`m starting to see them clearer now. I never see me but I can hear someone that sounds like me."
"Is he alright?"
I glance over where Vash stands expectedly.
"It`s okay now. I`ll come join you in a moment after I help him calm down."
Vash nods then leaves. I turn my head back towards Knives. He has a weird look on his face. I can`t really describe it…well…you can call it confusion but it looks more like alarm at the same time.
"What?"
"You two sit up every night…together?"
`What the…he sounds so…so jealous…`
"It`s not what you think. I was sitting around one night and he walked down to see what I was doing. Now we just do that every night. All we do is…"
"I`m going to stay up too. Come on. Let`s go."
He stands up and I jump back a bit. This is so unlike him to act like this…the way that I know him anyways. I follow him as he leaves the room. We come to the living room. Vash immediately takes notice of Knives.
"Why is he here?"
Before I can respond Knives jumps in first.
"I invited myself. Is that a problem?"
His voice sounds hostile. Vash makes a small growling sound.
"…Fine."
Now I`m confused here. It`s almost like…
"Come on, Meryl. Sit back and relax…like we usually do." Vash says with a slight edge. Knives grumbles but tries to keep on his currently genuine looking smile, I sit down as usual. I get the feeling that I was just now realizing something that`s been going on when I didn`t notice. They`re staring at each other. They don`t look happy.
`I feel so uncomfortable.`
Over the past few weeks as I said I`ve noticed that they are acting strange. Boy does this make it clear…not! I force a smile at both of them then pick up a magazine and proceed to bury my face in it`s pages. I can feel the tension in the room.
`What is going on here?`
I can just see them now through my magazine. They`re staring at each other. I don`t understand.
`Wasn`t Knives afraid of Vash….I mean..he is doing a lot better than before but now he`s acting as if Vash threatened something that he can`t forgive.`
Vash puts his hand on my should.
"I`m tired. I think that I`ll go to bed. Early to bed and early to rise. I`ll get up early for work."
"Good for you." I say quickly.
"Me too." Knives says. I nod. They both leave after saying goodnight to me at least a thousand times. I blink and shake my head from side to side.
`I just don`t understand. It`s almost like…like they`re fighting over me…no. That can`t be it…can it?`
***Let the games begin! The duel for Meryl`s heart! Yes…there will be angsty moemnts coming up for both pairs so there won`t be any clarity on who gets Meryl….or if Knives will remember anything which could overcomplicate things. Oh…..no I will not tell yet. LOL!!!!!
***…Hi….yes. I`m drawing it out….hehehehhehehehehhehehehe….I am truly evil but fear not. The answer will come…soon….who will the ultimate pairing be in the end? Oh the torment I may cause! Thax to reviewers for sticking it out this long. I will not disappoint you.
Chapter 7: Let the Games Begin
One night I decide to sit out in the living room. I convinced Knives that he could sleep alone without fear. I find it quite peaceful to sit out here. I start a fire and watch it. Everything is so peaceful…
"Why are you up so late, Meryl?"
`Vash?`
I turn my head to see Vash standing there leaning against the wall. I smile.
"I should ask you the same thing."
"I heard someone moving around in here. I decided to finally come and check it out."
I turn back to stare at the fire. He takes a seat beside me. I can`t help but notice how good that he smells. Yeah he took a shower but it never gets rid of his unique scent. I can`t really explain the smell. It`s just…it`s a Vash smell.
"Knives seems to be doing well." He says. I shrug. I`m not really in the mood to talk about him or anything at the moment.
"Yes. I suppose that he is."
"I still wish that he would remember who he was."
"Why?"
His face conveys surprise when I glance at him.
"He`s my brother and I want him to remember me!"
"But what about the other things that he would remember, Vash? Have you thought about that? What if he remembers that he hates all humans then decides to go after them again? What if he goes after Millie…or me?"
"Don`t talk about that!" he snaps. I feel surpise and slight fear from his outburst. Never have I heard him so angry sounding towards me. I hesitantly move a few inches away from him.
"…I`m sorry but he does pose a threat."
I`m almost off of the couch now. His eyes go back to the same innocence as usual. He reaches out and takes a hold of me. He draws me towards him then embraces me.
"No. I should be the one to apologize. He would pose a threat. I just…I just don`t like thinking about that. I only like to believe that he would be changed. I guess that I`m being kind of stupid about it. He shouldn`t…"
"No. He should remember. I don`t want him to be without knowing who he really is fully and not by what we tell him. I`ll try harder if you do."
"Of course."
He`s still holding me. I lean my head against his. I feel that weird feeling in my heart again.
`I gave up on Vash liking me awhile back…could he possibly…`
"I really don`t know what I would do without you, Meryl."
He lets go of me and we`re staring at each other. Suddenly we hear a scream from the other room. We both get up and run until we reach the source of the screams: Knives` bedroom. I open the door quickly. Knives is looking around the room wildly. He notices us. He gets up and dashes right at me. He grabs on to me.
"Tell them to go away!"
I look around. Nothing but a dark room.
"Who?"
"That guy with purple hair and those other people. They keep calling me Master!"
`Purple hair?...Legato?...Isn`t he dead?`
Knivs practically lifts me off the ground.
`Man, he`s really freaking out.`
I moves his arms off of me.
"It was a dream, Knives! A dream! You can`t take this stuff seriously!'
"I hear myself laughing. I wanted to do what I was telling them to do."
"And what was that?"
"To hurt him."
He points towards Vash.
"I wanted to hurt him and I don`t understand why."
I look up at Vash. He nods.
`He`s starting to see things from the past in his dreams. Will he remember?...Not yet…but I get a bad feeling from this.`
Vash and I talk a little with him. He calms down. Vash and I end up staying in there with him. I sit on the chair and Vash stays on the opposite side of the bed far away from Knives. Nothing else happens that night.
-------------------------------------------
He keeps having the same nightmares over and over again. He`s beginning to see things that vash and I do not remember. Obviously they are the memories in which Vash had not been around to see. We became a bit frightened when he told us about some. I never realized just how cold Knives had been.
`Which makes me all the less excited about him remembering.`
Well…he still doesn`t really know who he is. He only knows what he saw in the dreams. He says that sometimes he thinks that he remembers. I don`t think so. He would probably act differently. He stills acts really timid. Vash and I try and tell him that he isn`t that guy anymore. He doesn`t really respond to that. He disagrees and says that he still is just hidden away somewhere until he is unleashed again.
On a different note Vash and I are getting along better than ever. We`ve never really been able to sit down and talk. Now we talk all the time. We share moments like that night in front of the fire. I`m starting to think that maybe…no. He wouldn`t….
Strange…it seems that everytime we`re alone Knives has something happen to him. I wonder if there is some kind of significance but that`s just silly of me.
`Imagine! Two good looking twins actually…what the hell am I thinking?! Man, I have a wild imagination! I need to get a grip…`
"Hey, Meryl!" Wolfwood yells from the kitchen "Come here! Take a look at this idea that I have for the orphanage!"
I run into the kitchen and look over the plans. Millie is making some tea. Knives is in the living room. I`m not really sure what he`s doing. I guess the best word would be that he`s thinking. He` looks like he`s thinking. Vash is in a chair to my right. He`s looking over the plans and telling Wolfwood how great that they are.
`Always one to make others feel good about themselves.`
"What`s that?"
I jump at the sound of Knives` voice from behind me. He points to a section of the paper.
"Oh! That`s a plan for rooms for them to sleep in!"
"That`s pretty good."
I look over my shoulder. He leaning over me. He actually appears to have an interest in what`s going on now. Before he seemed a little shaky to do anything.
"Really?" Wolfwood asks. He grins then slaps Knives on the back.
"Hey!"
"Now this is my kinda guy! We`re gonna get along great!" Wolfwood exclaims in reply. Knives just kind of stares at him. I can`t say that I blame him. Wolfwood just continues to grin. Knives raises an eyebrow towards me. I shrug. I look over towards Vash. He`s laughing. He can always laugh about everything.
---------------------------------
Well…nothing exciting is happening. We`ve been buliding the orphanage for weeks now. I think that a month or two went by. Heh…I lost a lot of days. It`s not that I`m upset about that. I`ve actually had more fun than I ever have before. I think that the real Knives would have killed me but…I actually consider this Knives as one of my best friends. Now I have four best friends and nothing can change that…at least…I hope not.
Well…back to reality…Wolfwood seems pleased with the work that`s being done. He made me his co-manager. I was and and still am terribly flattered by that. Knives is our assistant…though he still doesn`t do much, Millie is head building instructor and Vash is of course the co to this. The other people helping are just kind of there. Wolfwood calls this Wolfwood and Co. We didn`t ask qeustions.
All in all work is coming along very well…but my personal life is getting strange. Vash is acting stranger. He seems to give me extra attention. I would be ecstatic…I am! Don`t get me wrong! There`s just one little problem.
Knives is starting to become…attached to me. I only began to really notice this a few weeks ago. He won`t leave now unless I go. He won`t go back home until I`m going too. There are a couple more but I have work to do.
One other thing…Vash and Knives seem to have a little tension between them that`s starting to surface up. I don`t really know why. It`s not clear but I have a feeling that it will be.
----------------------------------
Knives is still having those nightmares again. I can hear him through the door everytime I walk near his room. I can`t stand it. It gets to me. I don`t like when one of my friends. I push the door open slightly to see him thrashing around. I can`t understand him this time. I know that he`s seeing things from his past. He always sees that. I creep softly towards the bed. Suddenly he sits up straight. He locks eyes with me.
"Will this ever end?" he asks. I shrug.
"I don`t know."
"I`m starting to see them clearer now. I never see me but I can hear someone that sounds like me."
"Is he alright?"
I glance over where Vash stands expectedly.
"It`s okay now. I`ll come join you in a moment after I help him calm down."
Vash nods then leaves. I turn my head back towards Knives. He has a weird look on his face. I can`t really describe it…well…you can call it confusion but it looks more like alarm at the same time.
"What?"
"You two sit up every night…together?"
`What the…he sounds so…so jealous…`
"It`s not what you think. I was sitting around one night and he walked down to see what I was doing. Now we just do that every night. All we do is…"
"I`m going to stay up too. Come on. Let`s go."
He stands up and I jump back a bit. This is so unlike him to act like this…the way that I know him anyways. I follow him as he leaves the room. We come to the living room. Vash immediately takes notice of Knives.
"Why is he here?"
Before I can respond Knives jumps in first.
"I invited myself. Is that a problem?"
His voice sounds hostile. Vash makes a small growling sound.
"…Fine."
Now I`m confused here. It`s almost like…
"Come on, Meryl. Sit back and relax…like we usually do." Vash says with a slight edge. Knives grumbles but tries to keep on his currently genuine looking smile, I sit down as usual. I get the feeling that I was just now realizing something that`s been going on when I didn`t notice. They`re staring at each other. They don`t look happy.
`I feel so uncomfortable.`
Over the past few weeks as I said I`ve noticed that they are acting strange. Boy does this make it clear…not! I force a smile at both of them then pick up a magazine and proceed to bury my face in it`s pages. I can feel the tension in the room.
`What is going on here?`
I can just see them now through my magazine. They`re staring at each other. I don`t understand.
`Wasn`t Knives afraid of Vash….I mean..he is doing a lot better than before but now he`s acting as if Vash threatened something that he can`t forgive.`
Vash puts his hand on my should.
"I`m tired. I think that I`ll go to bed. Early to bed and early to rise. I`ll get up early for work."
"Good for you." I say quickly.
"Me too." Knives says. I nod. They both leave after saying goodnight to me at least a thousand times. I blink and shake my head from side to side.
`I just don`t understand. It`s almost like…like they`re fighting over me…no. That can`t be it…can it?`
***Let the games begin! The duel for Meryl`s heart! Yes…there will be angsty moemnts coming up for both pairs so there won`t be any clarity on who gets Meryl….or if Knives will remember anything which could overcomplicate things. Oh…..no I will not tell yet. LOL!!!!!