I don not own Trigun or any of its characters. I own all others.
Authors Note: Wow, it's been awhile since I posted. Any way, not to worry people, it's going to get better. Please R&R before I loose the will to keep posting this! : : : Sad face: : : Oh well. On with the show. ^_^
* * *
Well, that was fun.
Vash mused as he strolled down the sidewalk. The porter was dozing when he returned to the hotel.
No wonder. It's almost midnight.
The stairs squeaked faintly as he climbed to the second floor. The hall was silent and so was his room.
That's to be expected, I suppose.
The room was cool and dark. A small sliver of light came from the half curtained window and shone on the two twin beds. Vash stood for a moment and watched his twin and went to him.
"How are you feeling Knives?" he whispered. Putting his hand on Knives' forehead he didn't feel any abnormal temperature. Relief washed over him. Sighing, Vash walked into the bathroom and took a shower.
He didn't take long, knowing he had his twin to take care of. But it felt so good to get all the sand, sweat and dirt off of his person. Getting out, he folded up the white shirt and kaki pants he'd worn and put on his black and white pajamas. He fixed up some warm water in a chipped basin and went to give his brother a good cleaning.
Knives was quiet the throughout the whole process. Unconscious or asleep, Vash couldn't tell. He only showed signs of life when Vash was cleaning his wounds. He was being as careful as he could, but Knives stiffened and his eyes twitched faintly at his brother's gentle touch.
"I'm sorry Knives." I hate to see you like this. Vash's eyes were sad, as he looked at his other half. Sighing, he patted Knives dry and tucked him back under the covers. He stood for a moment looking at Knives, then draped his lanky frame into the chair in the corner.
"Well, this is a pretty safe place to stay for a while." The ex-gunman was silent for a moment, then smiled and continued. "When I went to the bar, there was a poker game going on. One of the players looked like a young man, but he turned out to be a girl! You should have seen her when she got drunk…."
He continued into the wee hours of the morning, telling his sleeping twin of all that had happened that evening. It was 3am before he fell asleep.
* * *
I staggered down the stairs the next morning with a hangover bigger than my ego. Jess looked up from the paper he was reading and cocked an eyebrow and gave me a half smile as I squinted in the bright sunlight streaming thru the windows.
"It lives."
I looked at him and grimaced. "What time is it?"
"Oh, about 10:30. I didn't think you'd be up this soon. Not with how stoned you were last night."
"Last night?" Then it hit me. I groaned. "Oh, Jess, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to …"
He cut me off with a wave of his hand. "Not to worry. No one has come in yet. Go get cleaned up and I'll fix you something for that hangover."
I nodded, which caused a huge throb in the forehead, and headed back up stairs. After I'd showered and brushed my teeth (I found a toothbrush and paste in a drawer in the bathroom.) I rubbed out my hair and shook out my clothes. I left my pistil and the dirk under my bed since I hardly ever carried them around except in fights, and went down the stairs.
Jess was straightening up the tables, so I went to fix up the counter and to restock the drinks. When I came back from the stock room, Jess was standing at the front of the counter watching me that half smile of his.
"What? Did I do something wrong?"
He shook his head. "No. Quite the opposite. You took the initiative to do what was needed without asking. I knew I was putting up with you for a reason."
I flushed slightly at the half complement and shoved my hands in my pockets. "Uh, hey, how about that hangover cure?"
He nodded and came back behind the counter and started to mix a few pills and water together. As I fiddled in my pockets, I felt something hoped and metal-like. Pulling it out, I found my one pair of earrings, small silver hoops. I put them on as Jess turned and handed me the concoction. He took in my knew adornments with interests. "They're very becoming. You can tell you a girl now."
I chuckled and took a swig of the drink. "Hmm…not bad."
He nodded and tilted his head, meaning me to drink it all. I did, happy that it was quickly taking my hangover away.
"You hungry?" He asked.
Before I could answer, my stomach gave a loud cry of discontent. I blushed and Jess nodded. "I'll take that as a 'yes'"
He pulled out some money from his pocket and handed me $$10. "Go down to the bakery and get something."
"Jess, I can't take your money."
He cocked an eyebrow. "After how much you won me lat night, this is nothing."
He led me out onto the sidewalk and pointed to the right, down the street. "Go up that way. It'll be on your left."
"But Jess…"
He pushed me onto the street gently. "No 'buts'. Get going. I want you back in 15 minutes, all right?"
I smiled and jogged slowly up the street.
* * *
Vash awoke with a sneeze at that morning. He looked around the room, unable to pinpoint the cause of his consciousness. He shrugged and went to the bathroom to clean up. When he came out, about 30 minutes later, he was dressed in his white shirt and kaki pants from yesterday, all clean and his hair looking like an upside-down broom.
He went striding over to the window and threw open the curtains, flooding small room with a fountain of golden light from the double suns. Turning to Knives, whose bed was closest to the window, he turned down the covers down and propped his brother into a more sitting position.
"That way, you'll have something nice to look at."
Although it could very well be lost on you.
He stood for a while longer looking out over the town. Suddenly, his stomach growled loudly, telling him it was time to eat.
sweet drop "Ok, time to get me something to eat. Do you want anything Knives?"
…..
"Ok. I'm going to the bakery to get some donuts. I'll be back soon."
* * *
The bakery was easy to find. It was small but brightly painted (or it would be if the sun and wind hadn't worked on it.) and everything had a faint layer of dust on it. The woman behind the counter was plump and happy to get a customer.
"Hello there, Miss. How may I help you this morning?"
Scanning the pastries and confections in the glass fronted countered, my eyes widened when I say them.
Yeah! They have donuts!
I looked back up to the woman and smiled back at her.
"May I have some donuts please?"
She nodded. How many would you like dear?"
I pulled out the $$10 that Jess had given me and handed it to her. "However many this will get me."
She laughed, a high chime that rang thru the shop. "2 dozen. You sure you want that many?"
I nodded. "Yes mam. I haven't had donuts in a long while and I feel like splurging this morning."
She laughed again and went back to get them. As she left, a man came thru the door. He was tall, around 6 feet, with blond spiked hair, a white shirt and kaki pants.
Oh, my, GOD.
Only my training, and the fear of scarring the crap out of him, screaming and tackling him. He came over and stood to my right. He smiled down at me. (Not that he had far down to look. I'm 5-foot 9in.)
"Hi! You're that girl from the bar last night. You feeling better?"
I blushed and nodded, not trusting my voice.
Damn. He is a fox!
The woman came back and handed me the bag of donuts. "Here you go dear. 2 dozen donuts fresh from the oven."
I thanked her and stood back to let Vash order. "2 dozen donuts for me too, please."
The woman looked a little sad, but still smiled. "I'm sorry dear. Those were our last. It will take another 2 hours to bake more. Can I get you something else, muffins perhaps?"
Vash looked crestfallen as he shook his head. "No thank you."
I felt bad for him. So, I decided to do something about it. "You can half of mine."
He turned and looked at me, hopeful but slightly disbelieving. "Really? You don't mind?"
I smiled. "Not at all."
His face lit up. "Wow, thank you!"
I thanked the woman again and we left the bakery.
* * *
This girl is very nice to share her donuts with me. Vash thought happily as they walked back down the street. And she looks nice with the earrings. You can actually tell she's a girl now.
He turned to her and beamed. "I really appreciated this."
She nodded, smiled and handed him the bag of donuts.
His grinned widened and immediately shoved one in his mouth. "Mmm…mese are mrweawry gwood."
She laughed, a deep alto-soprano, and stopped. Vash turned to look at her. She was still smiling.
"Sorry. I just figured we should formally introduce ourselves. My name is Nicolae." She bowed slightly.
He faced her. "My name is …um…Vash." He tilted forward and blushed, afraid that telling her his name was a bad idea. But, her smile only grew.
"It's nice to finally meet you, Vash the Stampede." She said his full name quietly.
His blush grew. "I never said my name was…" He trailed off, as she had started laughing. He frowned. "What?"
She stopped. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions, but, honestly, how many 'Vash's can there be?" She raised her eyebrows. "Am I wrong?"
Vash looked sunburned. "No."
"Ok. That's what I thought." She started walking again. "We better get going. I have to be back at the bar soon." She grabbed 2 donuts out of the bag as she passed and shoved one in her mouth. "Crome hon!"
Vash just looked blankly after her for a moment, then trotted to catch up."
* * *
Once we reached the bar, I slid behind the counter and Vash sat on one the stools in front. The donuts were gone in about 5 minutes.
"How long have you been here?"
I jumped at the question. He'd been silent for a while.
"Uh, I got here yesterday. Coming here was a fluke really. I was out in the desert and saw this place on the horizon, and here I am. What town is this anyway."
"It's called Slater town. It's more like a large village though."
I nodded.
After a few moments, Jess came out from the stock room. "That was quick." He saw Vash and nodded to him. "Good to see you again." He said curtly.
That surprised me. His tone and that he knew Vash.
"You know him?" I pointed to Vash.
Jess nodded. "He helped me carry you up to your room last night."
"Ack! Not that." I put my head on the counter.
Vash looked surprised. "It wasn't a big deal you aren't heavy."
"That's not it. I…"
Jess put his big hand on my shoulder. "What is it, Nicky?"
"I didn't have pants on and I was drunk!" I jumped up and charged up the stairs.
* * *
Vash looked bewilderedly around. "What just happened?"
Jess sighed. "I don't think we should have told her that. It upset her. I doubt she would have acted that way if she were coherent. And she wouldn't have bet her clothes."
"So, you think us seeing her scars, that's what upset her?"
"Yeah. She may act and even look like a guy, but she's still a woman, and sensitive about her body."
"Why? A lot of people have scars. Why should she worry."
"I don't know. Maybe it's not so much that she has them, but how she got them."
"But, people can't tell how she got them."
Jess shook his head. "Doesn't matter. She's still ashamed. I think we should go apologize."
Vash nodded.
They headed up the stairs. Jess knocked softly on her door. "Nicky, will you hear us out?"
No answer.
He sighed. "Look, we're sorry. But, what else could we do? There was no way I was going to let him try and put your pants on, fondle you in some way…"
"HEY!!" Vash was scarlet with embarrassment and rage. "I was NOT…"
Jess smacked his head, quieting him. "And have you wake up and be mad!"
The bed squeaked faintly. "Who tried to put my pants on?"
The two men looked at each other.
"He did!" Jess said quickly.
"What!? I thought it would be a good idea! I'm sorry!" He was indignant.
The door cracked open and Nicolae poked her head out and squinted at Vash. "You tried to put my pants on…Eriks?"
Vash was a little surprised that she had picked a different name to call him. Especially THAT name. "Uh, yeah. But I was only trying to help! I…"
She reached out and put a hand over his mouth and smiled. "Thank you."
She walked out of the room and to the top of the stairs. Turning around she looked at the two men.
"Well, come on. I heard a customer come in."
She raced down the stairs. The men looked blankly at each other, shrugged and followed.
* * *
Yeah!!! It's done! Sorry it took so long. I've already written past chapter 5, so it's just a matter of getting them typed. Well, I hoped you liked this chapter. I'll go start the next one. GeminiStampede–Later Days! ^_^