~Under the Sky so Blue: Aftermath~
Part Nineteen
"What is that?" Knives had asked her after he released her from his death grip.
Artemis felt her heart drop to her knees. She had to think of something to say, and quickly, or everything would be ruined. Solemnly she picked up the newspaper clipping, gazed at it for a moment, and then turned her eyes to Knives.
"Just keeping tabs of your work, Knives, that's all. I just wanted to see how your mind worked."
Silently she had hoped he would believe her. He had to, he couldn't ask her anymore questions because she wouldn't know how to answer them. Keeping her eyes steady and on his, Artemis waited for his response. Seconds felt hours long suddenly under the intense ice blue gaze. She found herself thinking he'd really be handsome if he weren't such a jerk. He reminded her of someone from home…someone who had disappeared…someone he had killed.
"You are strange," Knives finally said and then hadn't said anything else. He vanished into the bathroom to take a shower and left Artemis alone. She breathed out heavily and sat on her bed…in moments she had fallen into a restless sleep…
…When Knives emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his lithe body, his eyes fell on the sleeping Artemis, who hadn't bothered changing or getting under the covers. The fool even slept right beside her dangerous bullet tipped arrows- which exploded on hard contact. With a shake of his head, and not wanting to risk being blown to bits because of her absent mindedness, Knives briskly strode over and reached over her sleeping form, picking the quiver up cautiously.
There he'd paused- the strap was looped around one of her arms. With an annoyed sigh, he clenched his jaw and used the other hand to pick her arm up, slipping the strap free. He wasn't quick to let go- he set her arm back down rather than brashly drop it onto the bed again- then set the quiver against the wall. Knives' ice blue gaze kept on the young human woman's sleeping form, traveling along to study her when she wasn't speaking out insults to him. A harsh chuckle escaped his throat- he rather liked her like that: quiet. Though he had to admit that he was growing used to her outbursts to him- it seemed he managed to anger her as much as she angered him. It was not often someone would dare go up against Knives- except for Vash, nobody had tried.
Realizing where his thoughts may soon lead, Knives' gaze hardened and he averted his gaze from the shining red hair loosely tied back, ignoring the fact that he was somehow taken by the way it fell over the edge of the bed. He ignored many things, really, that hadn't been there to ignore before…
"Mr. Knives?" Milly's voice rang out, snapping the pale blond man from his thoughts.
"What?" he snapped a little too quickly, then noticed the surprised expression on the big girl's face. "What is it, Milly?" He'd grown accustomed to calling everyone but Artemis by name. He truly didn't feel bothered by it anymore. Sacrifices had to be made and soon it just became routine.
She beamed, getting over her initial shock. "Mr. Vash wanted me to let you know that he'll be waiting for you in the restaurant for lunch in a few minutes."
Knives nodded then arched an eyebrow. "Milly?"
"Yes, Mr. Knives?" she tilted her head, still smiling. It used to bother him that she was always smiling like that.
"Why do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Deliver messages for other people…call them formal names."
"Well," was the famous start to any –ism of whatever sibling it was of Milly's- it almost made Knives regret asking, but he was slightly curious. "It's like my middle big brother told me. He told me to always be courteous and kind to people, and maybe then one day they'll return the favor."
"I see…a favor." He repeated to himself then nodded, motioning her away. "That is all."
"Have a nice lunch Mr. Knives! Oh, and tell Mr. Vash I said the same to him," she chirped before bounding away to whatever she had planned with her beloved priest man.
Indeed…he didn't know why but Knives actually repeated what Milly had asked him to say to Vash when they met in the restaurant. The man didn't have to say a word- it wouldn't have gone against him in any way, it wouldn't have hurt his act one bit had he kept quiet, and yet…Knives still told Vash that Milly hoped he enjoyed his lunch…
…Some few days later Knives happened by the well where some workers were attempting to build some sort of aqueduct toward a water reserve at the edge of town. It was a clever idea to reserve their resources, and he made a point of saying it to some random worker who happened to be Vash.
Knives wondered why his brother was stooping so low as to work side by side with ordinary people and yet he was intrigued to find out what could be so enjoyable about it.
"Why don't you try Knives?" Vash asked, hoisting a hollowed out slab of curved wood to a man on top of the well. "Just roll up your sleeves and start picking these things up."
The pale blond curled his nose a bit at the thought of getting his hands calloused by doing physical work, but thought this in fact would be bad to decline from. He had to make Vash think he was changing. With a slight grunt, Knives pushed his sleeves back to show his strong forearms and easily lift up another half tube. In any case, the water reserve would be helpful for when they rebuilt this wasteland into a lush planet. The strangest feeling came, however, at the end of the day. Everyone was exhausted, sweaty, and slightly burnt from the hot suns, and yet Knives had felt a certain measure of accomplishment…
…The month mark had come and passed by nearly another week from the time that Artemis, Lily, and Wolfwood arrived in Demetri all at once. They were all still neatly gathered there, and on a particularly nice day everyone seemed to be out and about in the streets. Knives sat a little less rigidly than usually on a bench in front of the saloon, simply watching the people interact with each other. They laughed, joked, yelled, and told stories while children darted to and fro playing with a blue bouncing ball.
Milly and Wolfwood were joined in the game, clapping and praising the smaller children who managed to throw or catch a ball successfully. The children often beamed at the reactions. Vash and Meryl sat near Knives- the spiky haired man enjoying a bag of freshly baked doughnuts and the petite insurance woman biting his head off about something. It struck Knives as amusing that his brother would allow someone to keep on him like that, but he supposed it really was out of his hands. Knives couldn't get through to Vash anymore, and somehow…for some reason…Knives himself was beginning to feel rather indifferent about the whole situation.
"Do you think you could ever live with them in peace?"
Knives could hear the question in his mind again. He didn't beat it away this time- it lingered there for a long while, resonating in the depths of his thoughts. He lift his eyes to the sky. It was clear, sapphire blue…he could almost smell the freshness of the air, hear every bird singing. It was very much like the rec. room on board the S.E.E.D.S. ship that he, Vash, and Rem used to visit daily. He remembered suddenly the small conversation that took place one day there when they spoke of creating the Eden on their new planet…they would create it together.
"A place where there's no stealing…and no killing…"
The pale blond man blinked suddenly. His eyes had felt moist and hot and it startled him. Shaking his head, he looked down to his feet to see the blue ball bouncing toward him and a dark haired child no more than five years old bounding after it. Without thinking, Knives leaned down, took the ball in his hands and held it out to the little girl. She beamed at him.
"Thank you mister!" she exclaimed excitedly and blushed when, for some reason, he brushed a strand of her dark hair from her eyes…
…'Why did I do all those things?' Knives now silently wondered as he tugged a shirt over his torso smoothly. His eyes stared into the mirror before him inside the bathroom as he got ready.
A month and a half had gone by so quickly and so much had gotten accomplished. More than Knives ever thought would get done…and some things that he hadn't expected to get done at all. In fact, he had never seen them coming. He had hardly noticed that he and Artemis had slacked severely from working on his plans every night for the past week and a half. He had hardly noticed that she stayed out much later than eight o'clock at night, though he did notice that he wondered why she did it. Knives wondered many things and it aggravated him that he didn't know the answers.
Demetri was throwing a celebration party for the repairs made to the town, and for the additions made to better their resources. It had been Vash and Knives' idea to do some of the things that were built or refinished, though Knives always justified his actions as it being work going toward his Eden. He wasn't so sure about that anymore…an Eden would be nice, yes, but he wasn't sure if it was the reason why he did this stuff. It was strangely gratifying.
"Knives are you ready yet?" Vash called out, stepping into the room.
The annoyed shriek that followed the spiky blond man's voice made Knives' lips tug into a faint grin. Apparently Artemis wasn't ready yet and Vash was finding it out the hard way.
"Ouch! Agh! SCARY!!" Vash cried, running out of the room as Artemis threw one of her shoes at him.
Knives stepped out from the bathroom- he had just spent an hour in there…superior beings had to look perfect…though he was just a perfectionist anyhow- and turned his gaze nonchalantly to Artemis. He never thought he'd see it, but she was wearing a dress, and that long, long hair had been pulled up easily at the back of her neck.
He didn't say a word and she only glared at him for staring before walking out.