Trigun Fanfic
Trigun © Yasuhiro Nightow * Shonen Gaho-sha * Tokuma Shoten * JVC * Pioneer Entertainment (USA) Inc.
The following fanfiction was written by me (Chiruken) and is intended for the sole purpose of shared entertainment and not intended for publication or sale.
--Ohayou, My Dear—
Trigun Fanfic Featuring Vash and Meryl. "Pervert!" "Wh-what are you doing in my bed?" "Put some clothes on for God's sake!"
By Chiruken
Chapter 24
**~**
Meryl felt decidedly uncomfortable as she shifted from one foot to the other where she stood at the front of the small church. She reached down and tugged on the short skirt of her pale blue dress wishing not for the first time that Millie hadn't chosen something sleeveless when she felt curious eyes lingering on the bruises on her arms. She sighed softly and closed her eyes for a moment, silently reminding herself that she didn't care what people thought. **So what if they're in the shape of a man's hand…it happens all the time! Well…maybe not, but still…they don't have to stare.** She glared at Knives where he stood across from her. **It's all his fault for shaking me like that…** Of course, it didn't help that the more recent bruises on her face hadn't even begun to fade yet. **They probably think I'm an abused woman or something.** Her eyes moved a little to Knives' left and fell on Vash. He was staring at her, too. She scowled and mouthed "What?!" not wanting to disrupt the ceremony taking place.
Vash winced and averted his gaze quickly. **Meryl's in a foul mood…** He thought sourly. **Of course, what's new?**
Knives scowled and jabbed his brother in the ribs with his elbow. **Stop that! Pay attention, Vash.** He was more than a little annoyed with his brother at the moment. **If you don't stop glowering you're going to make Millie cry, you idiot!**
Vash rubbed his sore ribs as unobtrusively as he could and sighed. **Sorry.** He rearranged his features into a more cheerful expression. **Millie sure looks happy…** He thought with an inner smile. He had to admit that he'd been more than a little concerned when she'd announced that she was going to marry his brother, but now that he was used to the idea he was genuinely happy for them. It seemed that Knives really had changed for the better. He glanced over at Meryl again and felt his cheerful expression slip a little. **I wonder what she was going to say before we were interrupted?**
**Damn it, Vash! You missed your cue, you blundering idiot!** Knives jabbed him again with his elbow and shot an apologetic look towards the minister. "The ring…" He hissed aloud.
"Huh?" He blinked and stared for a moment at the minister's scowling expression and Millie's embarrassed flush. "Oops." He laughed nervously and fished in his pocket for the tiny ring his brother had handed him just before the wedding ceremony started. "Sorry…"
Meryl rolled her eyes. "Idiot." She muttered under her breath. She had no idea how things had gotten so messed up between them again, but she was determined that once her friend's wedding ceremony was over she was going to confront him and…and…she sighed and shook her head slightly. She had no idea what she was going to do, but she did know that they couldn't go on the way they were. **I have to tell him…I can't keep putting it off.** She thought a little desperately and swallowed passed the lump in her throat. Seeing Millie so happy made her realize that if not for her silly fears she could be happy, too. **Or miserable…depending on how he really feels.**
Millie's smile slipped and she glanced down at her maid of honor nervously. "Um…Meryl?" She whispered, casting a quick look to the minister who was currently glaring at her. She swallowed and smiled nervously. "Meryl?" She hissed, nudging her shorter friend almost desperately. "I need the ring…" She reminded her friend, her tone filled with exasperation.
"What?" Meryl blinked and looked up at her taller friend in confusion for a moment. "Oh! Right. Sorry." She handed her the ring and flushed with embarrassment. **Stupid, stupid, stupid!** She silently berated herself. **I have to pay attention! This is Millie's big day and if I keep this up I'm going to ruin everything for her.**
The minister rolled his eyes. "This is one messed up family…" He muttered under his breath, ignoring the dark look cast in his direction by the groom. He cleared his throat and stepped back, raising his voice to be heard throughout the church. "On this glorious day that we've gathered together I'm proud to announce the joining in matrimony Mr. and Mrs. Earp!" He smiled at the couple and leaned forward. "This is your cue, son. You may kiss your bride."
Meryl looked away and found herself staring into Vash's steady green gaze. She offered him a soft smile and was rewarded by one in return. She shifted closer to him as Millie and Knives moved over to the table to sign the registry. "Vash…" She whispered softly as she looked up at him.
"Hmm?" He tried not to wince at the sight of her black eyes. He felt terribly guilty over the whole thing, though he did wonder when she'd gotten the bruises on her arms. He felt that it was probably better if he didn't ask.
"They really look happy, don't they?" She whispered as she nodded towards her friend and his brother.
"Yeah, they sure do." He followed her gaze and sighed. "It's kind of ironic, though."
"Oh? Why do you say that?"
"Well…Millie is the innocent type and Knives…well…he isn't." He shrugged and grinned down at her. "They make a very good couple, don't you think?"
She returned the smile and nodded. "I think so. They balance each other out perfectly." Her smile faded to be replaced by a puzzled frown. "But I don't understand the name…"
"Wyatt Earp was an outlaw turned lawman from ancient Earth history, Meryl." He explained softly.
She covered her mouth to hold in a giggle. "Well…I guess it fits."
"Yeah…" He grinned when his brother glared at him and held out the pen. "It's our turn to sign, Meryl."
Standing outside on the steps under the twin suns, Meryl hugged her best friend tightly. "I'm so happy for you, Millie!" She could feel the sting of tears in her eyes and quickly blinked them back. **I will NOT become a blubbering idiot!**
Millie returned the hug enthusiastically. "Meryl…thank you so much for standing up with me!" She pulled back to hold her smaller friend at arm's length. "Meryl…you really have to talk to Mr. Vash, all right? Tell him how you feel. I feel kind of guilty being so happy when your problems haven't been resolved yet."
"I'm going to talk to him later, Millie. Promise."
Knives stepped closer and looked down at Meryl wincing in sympathy at the bruises marring her features. "You know…there's no time like the present, Meryl."
"Oh, but this is **your** big day! I wouldn't dream of…"
"Coward." He jerked his head off to the side where Vash was standing talking to the sheriff. "Go talk to him, woman." Suddenly he smirked. "Or do I have to send you to his room again?"
Meryl blinked once, twice and finally gasped. "What?!" She shrieked, drawing the attention of every person assembled outside the church.
"You heard me." He retorted mildly, frowning when her face turned an alarming shade of red.
Meryl's hands clenched and unclenched at her sides as she breathed deeply in an attempt to refrain from grabbing his gun and shooting him. "You…" She choked and took a menacing step closer to him. "You…bastard!" She jumped him and tried her level best to wrap her small hands around his neck. "I'm…" She panted as she tightened her grip. "Going…" Her eyes narrowed to enraged grey slits reminding Knives uncomfortably of a picture he'd once seen of a rapid raccoon. "Kill…" Her voice rose to a furious shriek again. "You!"
"Vash!" Knives shouted as he tried to dislodge the enraged woman from where she was clinging to him. "Help!" He choked and fought to hold in his laughter, knowing instinctively that if he wanted to enjoy his wedding night he had best not let his amusement show at this crucial moment.
Vash stared at the scene unfolding before him with wide-eyed amazement feeling his jaw drop. Visibly shaking himself from his shocked paralysis, he hurried to his brother's aid. "Meryl!" He wrapped an arm around her waist and tried to pull her off his brother. "Meryl! What are you doing?" He tugged on her being as careful as he could to not hurt her any more than she already was and frowned in confusion into his twin's blue eyes. "What did you say to her, Knives?" He asked quietly as he managed to dislodge the small woman from the groom's throat.
Taking a quick step back to put a little bit of distance between himself and the snarling woman, Knives cleared his throat. "I just told her that she should get off her ass and tell you how she really feels."
"Eh?" Vash blinked and looked down at the squirming woman in his arms. "Meryl?" He asked softly, hope in his expression. **Maybe…maybe she DOES feel the same…**
"He did it!" She shouted as she tried in vain to kick the smirking groom. "He's responsible for me ending up in your room naked, Vash!" She shouted furiously. Meryl froze as she suddenly realized that they had an audience. She blinked and looked around feeling her face heat with mortification. "Oh crap…" She muttered and went limp. The only sound in the church yard was the creaking of the church's gate in the slight breeze as everyone stared at her in mute shock.
~*~