Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun, I'm just borrowing it for awhile. Trigun is property of Yasuhiro Nightow, Mad House, Pioneer, and whoever else was smart enough to get a piece of the action. I just know I wasn't. T_T
"..." is talking
'...' is thinking
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A Glimpse of Eden
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Chapter - 10
~
Meryl poured the last of the batter into one pan, being careful to keep an eye on the strips of bacon frying in the other. The smell of cooking bacon made her mouth water and she cast a glance over at Locke, who was busy setting the table for breakfast.
"Don't forget the glasses, Locke." She turned back to her cooking, spearing the bacon with a fork and then placing the strips on a plate.
"Okay." Locke finished laying down the silverware and went to a cupboard to the fetch the drinking glasses. Grabbing four, he headed back to the table and set them down carefully. "Hey, Meryl? Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, Locke." She flipped the pancake over. "What is it?"
"Why are you making pancakes? Usually you just make eggs and toast for breakfast."
She smiled. "I just felt like making pancakes today, that's all." She flipped the pancake out of the pan. Taking the plate of pancakes over to the table she leaned down and whispered to Locke. "Vash likes pancakes."
Locke smiled back at her and then eyed the stack of pancakes. "I do, too."
The door slid open and a yawning Vash appeared. "Good morning! I didn't miss breakfast, did I?"
Meryl laughed. "Nope, you're just on time."
Vash sat down at the table and hungrily eyed the food. "Pancakes! Meryl, you shouldn't have!" He quickly began piling the plate in front of him with cakes.
She shook her head in quiet amusement. She'd almost forgotten how much the man could eat. "Just be sure to save some for the rest of us, Vash." She placed two of the cakes on the plate in front of Locke and poured him and Vash some milk. She fixed her own plate and sat down at the table next to Locke and across from Vash.
After a few minutes she glanced around the room, frowning slightly. "Where's Knives? He's usually on time for breakfast."
"I dunno," Vash replied, his mouth full of food, "but I guess that means there's more for us, right?" He gave Locke a huge grin.
Locke nodded, "Right!"
Meryl sighed and shot Vash a look. "Don't talk with your mouth full." She frowned down at Locke. "And that goes for you, too."
"Aw, Meryl..." Vash began to whine. She abruptly stood up and Vash closed his mouth and swallowed in one huge gulp. "Empty! It's empty!"
She filled another plate with food and headed toward the door. Turning back, she gave both of them a warning glare. "I'm going to take Knives his breakfast. You two better behave while I'm gone." She narrowed her gaze. "Or else!"
She turned on her heel and left the room, leaving behind a slightly worried Locke and a highly amused Vash.
"What do you think she means, 'or else'?" Locke asked nervously.
Vash smiled across the table at the boy, seemingly unaffected by Meryl's parting words. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure Meryl didn't mean anything by it. But..." he lowered his voice until it was almost a whisper, "maybe we should behave ourselves until she gets back."
"Yeah..." Locke whispered back in complete agreement, then happily shoved another forkful of pancake in his mouth.
"Er... hey, Locke. Is it alright if I ask you something?" Vash asked after a few minutes of silence, trying his best to sound nonchalant. After the boy nodded, Vash continued. "Knives and Meryl. Do they get along okay?"
"Oh, yeah. They get along great." Locke answered, then after a moment's reflection added, "When they aren't fighting."
~
Meryl hesitantly tapped on the door to the computer room. Knives hadn't been in the room where he did his morning exercises, so she figured that he must have already begun his work. She tapped again, a little louder this time, but still there was no response. She pressed the button on the panel and the door slid open. Walking in, she found Knives in his usual chair, his legs propped up on the console, fast asleep.
She approached slowly and as silently as she could, not wishing to disturb his slumber. She quietly placed the plate she had brought on the console before turning to study Knives more closely. One of his arms was ackwardly hanging limp at his side, having apparently fallen off the armrest sometime during the night, and his other arm was carelessly laid across his waist, gently raising and falling with the rhythm of his breathing. His short blonde hair had been slightly mussed during sleep and Meryl resisted the urge to smooth it back into place. His face, which was usually so cold and uncaring when he was awake, appeared almost peaceful and innocent now. When he suddenly mumbled something in his sleep, Meryl's attention was drawn to his mouth, noticing how, when he wasn't using it to yell at her, it was actually very pretty.
Bending down, she rested a hand on his shoulder. "Knives?"
Stirring, he slowly opened his eyes and stared blankly into hers. Rousing himself, he sat up straighter and dropped his feet to the floor. "What's the matter? What is it?" His voice was low and his eyes barely focused, he was still half asleep.
She leaned against the console and crossed her arms. "You didn't show up for breakfast so I thought I'd bring you a plate." She frowned slightly. "Are you okay, Knives? You didn't spend the night in here, did you?"
He leaned back in his chair and stretched, giving her a somewhat embarassed look. "I suppose I did." He pulled his chair closer to the console. "Is my brother awake yet?"
She nodded. "He and Locke are having breakfast in the kitchen."
After a long minute of careful study of his plate, he broke the silence. "So..." he began slowly, "what time will you and Vash be leaving?"
She glanced at him in surprise. "What do you mean?"
"You're going back to Spring with him, aren't you?"
Meryl blinked and looked confused. "Well... yeah, I guess so. I just didn't think we'd be leaving so soon."
He stared at her cooly. "Then what did you think?"
She blushed slightly under his gaze. "I thought we would stay around longer. I mean, he's only been here a day." She glanced away. "What's the rush?"
He took a bite of food and chewed carefully before replying. "He knows he isn't welcome on my ship." At her questioning look he continued. "I don't trust him around my equipment." After another moment of silence he frowned. "Don't you think you should talk to Locke before you go?"
Her head jerked up and she studied him a moment before nodding. He watched her leave before turning back to his food. Pushing the plate away he stared at the blank computer screen in front of him. For some reason, he wasn't very hungry anymore.
~
Vash watched Meryl hug Locke tightly as the boy clung to her, refusing to let her go. "Please don't go, Meryl! I don't want to be alone!"
She tried to hush him. "Shh... you won't be alone, you'll still have Knives."
He shook his head. "It's not the same." He wrapped his arms more fiercely around her waist. "I need you, Meryl!"
She was able to pull away slightly and she knelt down in front of him. "Don't cry, Locke. This is hard enough for me as it is." Her vision blurred with tears but she willed them away. "I have to go. Please understand, Locke." She hugged him close again, trying to ignore how much she was hurting. She had to put on a brave front for his sake. If she broke down and cried it would only make things harder for him.
"That's enough, Locke." Meryl glanced up as Knives approached. He had changed his clothes and had apparently also taken a shower as his hair looked damp. He gently pulled Locke from Meryl's arms and turned a cold stare on her. "If Meryl wants to leave then there's no use trying to stop her."
Her mouth dropped open and she stared at him in shock. He made it sound like she was abandoning them or something. She got to her feet, suddenly angry. "What exactly do you mean by 'if Meryl wants to leave'!? You're the one," she pointed a finger at his chest, "who said he'd gladly throw me out the moment he got the chance!"
He raised a bored eyebrow and looked at her as if she was an idiot. "I believe," he paused slightly, carefully choosing his next words, "that my exact words were that you could go when I decided you were no longer needed." She frowned and glared at him, trying to understand what he was getting at. He continued, pointedly ignoring her angry glare. "And when you asked me how long that would be, I replied that it would be a year." He smirked. "And the last time I checked, a year consisted of twelve months, not seven."
Her jaw dropped open in shock. Was this man serious!? She cleared her throat and forced herself to calm down. "I thought... that you'd be glad I was leaving."
He shook his head in mock disappointment. "Do you see, Locke?" he asked, ignoring her comment, "How quickly these humans forget their promises?" He took the boy's hand and started to walk away from Meryl and Vash.
"Wait!" Meryl yelled at his back, "What the hell do you mean by that!?" She watched Knives and Locke turn the corner and vanish from her sight. She crossed her arms angrily over her chest and glared in the direction Knives had left in.
Vash smiled slightly. He had watched the entire thing almost in a state of shock. At first, he had been as confused as Meryl was now, but then he had understood. Knives wasn't about to come out and ask her to stay there longer, that would be beneath him. Instead, he had voiced the belief that she was breaking some kind of agreement with him to stay a full year, knowing that Meryl's sense of honor would make her question her right to leave. And Vash, knowing Meryl the way he did, already knew what her decision would be.
"Vash..." She turned and looked at him sadly. "I can't... I don't think I should leave right now..."
He smiled and rested a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright, Meryl. I understand completely." He grinned, trying to cheer her up. "It's only five more months, right? It'll go by like that." He snapped his fingers. "I'll just go back to Spring and explain things to Milly." He rubbed the back of his head in thought. "I just hope she dosen't get violent when I show up alone."
Meryl's face brightened and she smiled hopefully. "You mean, you don't mind waiting?"
Vash smiled at her gently and brushed her cheek affectionally with the back of his fingers. "You waited a year for me, I guess I can wait five months for you."
She blushed and lowered her head in embarassment. "Thanks, Vash."
He stepped back slightly and pressed the button to open the door to the exit. "Well, I guess I'd better get going. Spring's about a week away by foot." He picked up his bag and stepped outside. "I'm really proud of you, Meryl. You're doing such a great job with Locke and... whether it seems like it or not, Knives really listens to you." At her dubious look he added, "No really, he does." He gave her a gentle smile. "He's really changed alot since I last saw him and I think it's because of you."
She still looked doubtful. "You think so?"
He nodded. "Absolutely!" He slung his bag over his shoulder. "Well, I'm off! See you soon, Meryl!"
She raised her hand in farewell and watched him head off in the direction of Spring. After a few minutes he turned and gave her a cheerful wave before continuing on his way. Tears filled her eyes as she watched him grow steadily smaller on the horizon and only when she couldn't see him anymore did she press the button to close the door.
She leaned her back against the door, a small smile touching her lips. Vash was proud of her! Suddenly, five months didn't seem so long now that she knew Vash would be back in Spring waiting for her. She grinned and set off down the hall in search of Knives and Locke.
~
Meryl stood outside the door to the arboretum, listening to the muffed voices coming from inside. She had figured that they would be in there. She took a deep breath to steady herself before hitting the button to open the door. Stepping inside she quickly located Knives and Locke by the oak tree she usually sat under. Trying to appear as casual as she could, she headed toward them.
"Do you really think so, Knives?" She was close enough now to hear their conversation.
"Of course, just wait a little long--" He caught sight of her approach and abrupty cut off the rest of his sentence. His face was unreadable, but for one brief moment Meryl thought she saw relief in his eyes. Almost immediately the look was gone and she wondered if she had only imagined it.
Locke followed Knives' gaze and his eyes lit up with joy at the sight of her. "Meryl!!" He launched himself at her and almost knocked her down in his enthusiasm. He looked up at her, his blue eyes hopeful. "You're staying, right?"
She smiled and gave him a small nod. "For a little while longer."
He grinned and loosened his grip on her to twist around to face Knives. "Isn't that great, Knives? Meryl's not leaving us!"
He shrugged. "I suppose." He shot her an annoyed look. "But she'd better learn how to control that temper of hers."
Meryl clenched her fists but remained silent. She didn't want to start an argument and only wind up backing up his statement. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Looking somewhat disappointed by her lack of response, he walked over to where she and Locke were standing.
Stopping just behind Locke, he placed his hands on the boy's shoulders and spoke down to him. "Locke, why don't you go and wait in your room." Seeing the boy's hesitant expression he gently urged. "Go ahead, it's alright. I just need to speak to Meryl privately for a few minutes." The boy still looked uncertain, but he obeyed Knives and headed for the exit anyway. Meryl watched the door slide shut before she turned back to Knives. He was studying her in that unsettling way he had.
"Why didn't you leave with my brother? You obviously wanted to, so what made you stay?" His tone was quiet and he sounded genuinely curious.
"Huh?" she blinked, confused and surprised by his question. When he had sent Locke from the room she had assumed he wanted to yell at her about something and had been more than prepared to give it back to him in kind. His question had thrown her off slightly.
His gaze traveled from her eyes to her mouth. "What made you stay?"
She blushed under his scrutiny and focused her attention on a nearby flower, trying to ignore how his closeness affected her. "Locke needed me."
"Was that the only reason?" he asked, his voice almost a whisper.
She turned her attention back to him and gave him an irritated glare. "And because you made it sound like I was breaking some kind of promise." She crossed her arms. "And I don't break my word."
He tilted his head to one side and frowned in thought. "You stayed because of your sense of honor and duty? Of pride?"
She raised an eyebrow somewhat uncertainly. "I suppose so..."
He gave a short bitter laugh and turned away from her. "You humans and your foolish pride." He glanced back at her. "You know, allowing your pride to cloud your judgement can get you killed."
"You know, Knives," she glared at him, "pride isn't just limited to humans."
He turned back to her, a surprised look on his face at her quick retort. After a few long seconds, a smile slowly spread across his face and he started laughing. Not the mocking, arrogant sound she was used to hearing from him, but genuine laughter. She smiled in amazement. He actually had a very pleasant laugh. He shook his head and gave her an amused glance. "I supose you may be right about that."
The smile faded from his face and he frowned again. "What are you to my brother?"
The question came out of nowhere and again caught Meryl by surprise. "What do you mean?"
"What are you to my brother?" he repeated. "Are you..." he paused, as if trying to think of the appropriate term, "his woman?"
Meryl choked and began to cough. "What!? No, no... nothing like that!" She waved her hands in front of her, barely managing to control a blush. "We're just friends." She blinked. "What made you ask that?"
He shrugged. "I was merely curious." He turned and started for the exit. "The way you act around my brother gave me cause to wonder, that's all."
"Wait!" He stopped a little distance away and turned to face her. She frowned and started toward him. "What do you mean, the way I-- ack!" She let out a small yelp as her foot caught on a root and she tripped. Knives' face paled and he tried to step back, out of the way of her fall, but he wasn't fast enough and she smacked into him, knocking them both to the ground in a tangled heap.
Opening her eyes, she saw to her horror that she was now on top of Knives, her face only inches above his own. Knives' eyes were wide with shock and Meryl wondered what was going through his mind. Time seemed to stand still and she couldn't help but notice how blue his eyes were, how soft and golden his hair looked in the light, how strong his body was...
Blushing in embarassment at her own thoughts, she pushed herself up on her hands and rolled off of him, into the grass. She watched Knives sit up and run a shaky hand through his hair, his face red. He closed his eyes and appeared to be trying to compose himself. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes and turned to her, still looking pale and shaken by what had happened.
Meryl leaned forward slightly and clasped her hands in front of her. "I'm so sorry, Knives. It was an accident."
His gaze left hers and dropped to his lap. "You can go now. Locke's waiting for you."
Alarmed by his quiet tone, she hesitantly got to her feet, still concerned. "Are you alright? You aren't hurt, are you?"
He nodded and looked up at her, his expression guarded. "I'm fine. Don't worry about it." His voice was calm and controlled, his emotions once again held carefully in check. "We... we won't speak of this again."
Biting her lip in frustration, she turned and headed for the exit. As the door slid open she cast a glance back to Knives. He was still sitting there, knees drawn up to his chest, staring off into the distance, apparently lost in thought. Stepped through the door she sighed, hoping that the delicate link she had with Knives hadn't just been severed.
~
At the sound of the door closing, Knives released the breath he hadn't even realized he had been holding and forced himself to relax. He leaned back onto the grass and frowned. What was wrong with him? He should be angry that a human had dared to touch him, accident or not... but for some reason he wasn't. He had been surprised, and a little bit shaken by the unexpected contact, but he felt no anger toward the girl. Maybe that was why he felt so confused right now. Had it been any other human he would have killed them on the spot and not have given it a second thought, but Meryl wasn't just any other human, she was...
Knives abruptly sat up, his body growing hot as he remembered how close she had been, how soft and warm her body had felt pressed against his. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of such thoughts. He ran an aggitated hand through his hair, confused by emotions he didn't understand and wasn't sure he wanted to.
He stood up and carefully brushed the grass from his clothes before heading for the exit. He decided to ignore the strange emotions she had caused within him, at least until he had the time to properly sort them out.
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End chapter 10
~
Arika*.D: You're quite welcome, and thanks for continuing to review mine.
Yma: Heh, thank you! And yes, it's ALOT of fun... *evil grin*
Beckira: Thanks, I try my best. ^_^v
angelarms: Thanks! Locke may be sweet, but he's bound to pick up a couple of Knives and Meryl's less positive traits sooner or later...
Xiao Feng: Another V/M fan. Where are all the K/M fans? *lol* I dunno... isn't having two different endings kinda a cop-out? I'm sure I can write an ending that'll please both sides... maybe.
Ana: Woot! Knives is still in character! I sure hope he stays that way. *lol*
WW: Thank you! And I guess your question was answered in this chapter. Like Vash said, Knives kinda wants Meryl around a little longer and he wasn't going to ask her to stay, so he manipulated her somewhat to get that outcome. Geez, what a poor example to set for Locke...
~
Next time: Meryl's near exhaustion caring for a sick Locke and now she has to check on an equally ill Knives. Poor Meryl, it's just not her day. And when Knives' thoughts shift dramatically, it just might be her last...
"..." is talking
'...' is thinking
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A Glimpse of Eden
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Chapter - 10
~
Meryl poured the last of the batter into one pan, being careful to keep an eye on the strips of bacon frying in the other. The smell of cooking bacon made her mouth water and she cast a glance over at Locke, who was busy setting the table for breakfast.
"Don't forget the glasses, Locke." She turned back to her cooking, spearing the bacon with a fork and then placing the strips on a plate.
"Okay." Locke finished laying down the silverware and went to a cupboard to the fetch the drinking glasses. Grabbing four, he headed back to the table and set them down carefully. "Hey, Meryl? Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, Locke." She flipped the pancake over. "What is it?"
"Why are you making pancakes? Usually you just make eggs and toast for breakfast."
She smiled. "I just felt like making pancakes today, that's all." She flipped the pancake out of the pan. Taking the plate of pancakes over to the table she leaned down and whispered to Locke. "Vash likes pancakes."
Locke smiled back at her and then eyed the stack of pancakes. "I do, too."
The door slid open and a yawning Vash appeared. "Good morning! I didn't miss breakfast, did I?"
Meryl laughed. "Nope, you're just on time."
Vash sat down at the table and hungrily eyed the food. "Pancakes! Meryl, you shouldn't have!" He quickly began piling the plate in front of him with cakes.
She shook her head in quiet amusement. She'd almost forgotten how much the man could eat. "Just be sure to save some for the rest of us, Vash." She placed two of the cakes on the plate in front of Locke and poured him and Vash some milk. She fixed her own plate and sat down at the table next to Locke and across from Vash.
After a few minutes she glanced around the room, frowning slightly. "Where's Knives? He's usually on time for breakfast."
"I dunno," Vash replied, his mouth full of food, "but I guess that means there's more for us, right?" He gave Locke a huge grin.
Locke nodded, "Right!"
Meryl sighed and shot Vash a look. "Don't talk with your mouth full." She frowned down at Locke. "And that goes for you, too."
"Aw, Meryl..." Vash began to whine. She abruptly stood up and Vash closed his mouth and swallowed in one huge gulp. "Empty! It's empty!"
She filled another plate with food and headed toward the door. Turning back, she gave both of them a warning glare. "I'm going to take Knives his breakfast. You two better behave while I'm gone." She narrowed her gaze. "Or else!"
She turned on her heel and left the room, leaving behind a slightly worried Locke and a highly amused Vash.
"What do you think she means, 'or else'?" Locke asked nervously.
Vash smiled across the table at the boy, seemingly unaffected by Meryl's parting words. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure Meryl didn't mean anything by it. But..." he lowered his voice until it was almost a whisper, "maybe we should behave ourselves until she gets back."
"Yeah..." Locke whispered back in complete agreement, then happily shoved another forkful of pancake in his mouth.
"Er... hey, Locke. Is it alright if I ask you something?" Vash asked after a few minutes of silence, trying his best to sound nonchalant. After the boy nodded, Vash continued. "Knives and Meryl. Do they get along okay?"
"Oh, yeah. They get along great." Locke answered, then after a moment's reflection added, "When they aren't fighting."
~
Meryl hesitantly tapped on the door to the computer room. Knives hadn't been in the room where he did his morning exercises, so she figured that he must have already begun his work. She tapped again, a little louder this time, but still there was no response. She pressed the button on the panel and the door slid open. Walking in, she found Knives in his usual chair, his legs propped up on the console, fast asleep.
She approached slowly and as silently as she could, not wishing to disturb his slumber. She quietly placed the plate she had brought on the console before turning to study Knives more closely. One of his arms was ackwardly hanging limp at his side, having apparently fallen off the armrest sometime during the night, and his other arm was carelessly laid across his waist, gently raising and falling with the rhythm of his breathing. His short blonde hair had been slightly mussed during sleep and Meryl resisted the urge to smooth it back into place. His face, which was usually so cold and uncaring when he was awake, appeared almost peaceful and innocent now. When he suddenly mumbled something in his sleep, Meryl's attention was drawn to his mouth, noticing how, when he wasn't using it to yell at her, it was actually very pretty.
Bending down, she rested a hand on his shoulder. "Knives?"
Stirring, he slowly opened his eyes and stared blankly into hers. Rousing himself, he sat up straighter and dropped his feet to the floor. "What's the matter? What is it?" His voice was low and his eyes barely focused, he was still half asleep.
She leaned against the console and crossed her arms. "You didn't show up for breakfast so I thought I'd bring you a plate." She frowned slightly. "Are you okay, Knives? You didn't spend the night in here, did you?"
He leaned back in his chair and stretched, giving her a somewhat embarassed look. "I suppose I did." He pulled his chair closer to the console. "Is my brother awake yet?"
She nodded. "He and Locke are having breakfast in the kitchen."
After a long minute of careful study of his plate, he broke the silence. "So..." he began slowly, "what time will you and Vash be leaving?"
She glanced at him in surprise. "What do you mean?"
"You're going back to Spring with him, aren't you?"
Meryl blinked and looked confused. "Well... yeah, I guess so. I just didn't think we'd be leaving so soon."
He stared at her cooly. "Then what did you think?"
She blushed slightly under his gaze. "I thought we would stay around longer. I mean, he's only been here a day." She glanced away. "What's the rush?"
He took a bite of food and chewed carefully before replying. "He knows he isn't welcome on my ship." At her questioning look he continued. "I don't trust him around my equipment." After another moment of silence he frowned. "Don't you think you should talk to Locke before you go?"
Her head jerked up and she studied him a moment before nodding. He watched her leave before turning back to his food. Pushing the plate away he stared at the blank computer screen in front of him. For some reason, he wasn't very hungry anymore.
~
Vash watched Meryl hug Locke tightly as the boy clung to her, refusing to let her go. "Please don't go, Meryl! I don't want to be alone!"
She tried to hush him. "Shh... you won't be alone, you'll still have Knives."
He shook his head. "It's not the same." He wrapped his arms more fiercely around her waist. "I need you, Meryl!"
She was able to pull away slightly and she knelt down in front of him. "Don't cry, Locke. This is hard enough for me as it is." Her vision blurred with tears but she willed them away. "I have to go. Please understand, Locke." She hugged him close again, trying to ignore how much she was hurting. She had to put on a brave front for his sake. If she broke down and cried it would only make things harder for him.
"That's enough, Locke." Meryl glanced up as Knives approached. He had changed his clothes and had apparently also taken a shower as his hair looked damp. He gently pulled Locke from Meryl's arms and turned a cold stare on her. "If Meryl wants to leave then there's no use trying to stop her."
Her mouth dropped open and she stared at him in shock. He made it sound like she was abandoning them or something. She got to her feet, suddenly angry. "What exactly do you mean by 'if Meryl wants to leave'!? You're the one," she pointed a finger at his chest, "who said he'd gladly throw me out the moment he got the chance!"
He raised a bored eyebrow and looked at her as if she was an idiot. "I believe," he paused slightly, carefully choosing his next words, "that my exact words were that you could go when I decided you were no longer needed." She frowned and glared at him, trying to understand what he was getting at. He continued, pointedly ignoring her angry glare. "And when you asked me how long that would be, I replied that it would be a year." He smirked. "And the last time I checked, a year consisted of twelve months, not seven."
Her jaw dropped open in shock. Was this man serious!? She cleared her throat and forced herself to calm down. "I thought... that you'd be glad I was leaving."
He shook his head in mock disappointment. "Do you see, Locke?" he asked, ignoring her comment, "How quickly these humans forget their promises?" He took the boy's hand and started to walk away from Meryl and Vash.
"Wait!" Meryl yelled at his back, "What the hell do you mean by that!?" She watched Knives and Locke turn the corner and vanish from her sight. She crossed her arms angrily over her chest and glared in the direction Knives had left in.
Vash smiled slightly. He had watched the entire thing almost in a state of shock. At first, he had been as confused as Meryl was now, but then he had understood. Knives wasn't about to come out and ask her to stay there longer, that would be beneath him. Instead, he had voiced the belief that she was breaking some kind of agreement with him to stay a full year, knowing that Meryl's sense of honor would make her question her right to leave. And Vash, knowing Meryl the way he did, already knew what her decision would be.
"Vash..." She turned and looked at him sadly. "I can't... I don't think I should leave right now..."
He smiled and rested a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright, Meryl. I understand completely." He grinned, trying to cheer her up. "It's only five more months, right? It'll go by like that." He snapped his fingers. "I'll just go back to Spring and explain things to Milly." He rubbed the back of his head in thought. "I just hope she dosen't get violent when I show up alone."
Meryl's face brightened and she smiled hopefully. "You mean, you don't mind waiting?"
Vash smiled at her gently and brushed her cheek affectionally with the back of his fingers. "You waited a year for me, I guess I can wait five months for you."
She blushed and lowered her head in embarassment. "Thanks, Vash."
He stepped back slightly and pressed the button to open the door to the exit. "Well, I guess I'd better get going. Spring's about a week away by foot." He picked up his bag and stepped outside. "I'm really proud of you, Meryl. You're doing such a great job with Locke and... whether it seems like it or not, Knives really listens to you." At her dubious look he added, "No really, he does." He gave her a gentle smile. "He's really changed alot since I last saw him and I think it's because of you."
She still looked doubtful. "You think so?"
He nodded. "Absolutely!" He slung his bag over his shoulder. "Well, I'm off! See you soon, Meryl!"
She raised her hand in farewell and watched him head off in the direction of Spring. After a few minutes he turned and gave her a cheerful wave before continuing on his way. Tears filled her eyes as she watched him grow steadily smaller on the horizon and only when she couldn't see him anymore did she press the button to close the door.
She leaned her back against the door, a small smile touching her lips. Vash was proud of her! Suddenly, five months didn't seem so long now that she knew Vash would be back in Spring waiting for her. She grinned and set off down the hall in search of Knives and Locke.
~
Meryl stood outside the door to the arboretum, listening to the muffed voices coming from inside. She had figured that they would be in there. She took a deep breath to steady herself before hitting the button to open the door. Stepping inside she quickly located Knives and Locke by the oak tree she usually sat under. Trying to appear as casual as she could, she headed toward them.
"Do you really think so, Knives?" She was close enough now to hear their conversation.
"Of course, just wait a little long--" He caught sight of her approach and abrupty cut off the rest of his sentence. His face was unreadable, but for one brief moment Meryl thought she saw relief in his eyes. Almost immediately the look was gone and she wondered if she had only imagined it.
Locke followed Knives' gaze and his eyes lit up with joy at the sight of her. "Meryl!!" He launched himself at her and almost knocked her down in his enthusiasm. He looked up at her, his blue eyes hopeful. "You're staying, right?"
She smiled and gave him a small nod. "For a little while longer."
He grinned and loosened his grip on her to twist around to face Knives. "Isn't that great, Knives? Meryl's not leaving us!"
He shrugged. "I suppose." He shot her an annoyed look. "But she'd better learn how to control that temper of hers."
Meryl clenched her fists but remained silent. She didn't want to start an argument and only wind up backing up his statement. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Looking somewhat disappointed by her lack of response, he walked over to where she and Locke were standing.
Stopping just behind Locke, he placed his hands on the boy's shoulders and spoke down to him. "Locke, why don't you go and wait in your room." Seeing the boy's hesitant expression he gently urged. "Go ahead, it's alright. I just need to speak to Meryl privately for a few minutes." The boy still looked uncertain, but he obeyed Knives and headed for the exit anyway. Meryl watched the door slide shut before she turned back to Knives. He was studying her in that unsettling way he had.
"Why didn't you leave with my brother? You obviously wanted to, so what made you stay?" His tone was quiet and he sounded genuinely curious.
"Huh?" she blinked, confused and surprised by his question. When he had sent Locke from the room she had assumed he wanted to yell at her about something and had been more than prepared to give it back to him in kind. His question had thrown her off slightly.
His gaze traveled from her eyes to her mouth. "What made you stay?"
She blushed under his scrutiny and focused her attention on a nearby flower, trying to ignore how his closeness affected her. "Locke needed me."
"Was that the only reason?" he asked, his voice almost a whisper.
She turned her attention back to him and gave him an irritated glare. "And because you made it sound like I was breaking some kind of promise." She crossed her arms. "And I don't break my word."
He tilted his head to one side and frowned in thought. "You stayed because of your sense of honor and duty? Of pride?"
She raised an eyebrow somewhat uncertainly. "I suppose so..."
He gave a short bitter laugh and turned away from her. "You humans and your foolish pride." He glanced back at her. "You know, allowing your pride to cloud your judgement can get you killed."
"You know, Knives," she glared at him, "pride isn't just limited to humans."
He turned back to her, a surprised look on his face at her quick retort. After a few long seconds, a smile slowly spread across his face and he started laughing. Not the mocking, arrogant sound she was used to hearing from him, but genuine laughter. She smiled in amazement. He actually had a very pleasant laugh. He shook his head and gave her an amused glance. "I supose you may be right about that."
The smile faded from his face and he frowned again. "What are you to my brother?"
The question came out of nowhere and again caught Meryl by surprise. "What do you mean?"
"What are you to my brother?" he repeated. "Are you..." he paused, as if trying to think of the appropriate term, "his woman?"
Meryl choked and began to cough. "What!? No, no... nothing like that!" She waved her hands in front of her, barely managing to control a blush. "We're just friends." She blinked. "What made you ask that?"
He shrugged. "I was merely curious." He turned and started for the exit. "The way you act around my brother gave me cause to wonder, that's all."
"Wait!" He stopped a little distance away and turned to face her. She frowned and started toward him. "What do you mean, the way I-- ack!" She let out a small yelp as her foot caught on a root and she tripped. Knives' face paled and he tried to step back, out of the way of her fall, but he wasn't fast enough and she smacked into him, knocking them both to the ground in a tangled heap.
Opening her eyes, she saw to her horror that she was now on top of Knives, her face only inches above his own. Knives' eyes were wide with shock and Meryl wondered what was going through his mind. Time seemed to stand still and she couldn't help but notice how blue his eyes were, how soft and golden his hair looked in the light, how strong his body was...
Blushing in embarassment at her own thoughts, she pushed herself up on her hands and rolled off of him, into the grass. She watched Knives sit up and run a shaky hand through his hair, his face red. He closed his eyes and appeared to be trying to compose himself. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes and turned to her, still looking pale and shaken by what had happened.
Meryl leaned forward slightly and clasped her hands in front of her. "I'm so sorry, Knives. It was an accident."
His gaze left hers and dropped to his lap. "You can go now. Locke's waiting for you."
Alarmed by his quiet tone, she hesitantly got to her feet, still concerned. "Are you alright? You aren't hurt, are you?"
He nodded and looked up at her, his expression guarded. "I'm fine. Don't worry about it." His voice was calm and controlled, his emotions once again held carefully in check. "We... we won't speak of this again."
Biting her lip in frustration, she turned and headed for the exit. As the door slid open she cast a glance back to Knives. He was still sitting there, knees drawn up to his chest, staring off into the distance, apparently lost in thought. Stepped through the door she sighed, hoping that the delicate link she had with Knives hadn't just been severed.
~
At the sound of the door closing, Knives released the breath he hadn't even realized he had been holding and forced himself to relax. He leaned back onto the grass and frowned. What was wrong with him? He should be angry that a human had dared to touch him, accident or not... but for some reason he wasn't. He had been surprised, and a little bit shaken by the unexpected contact, but he felt no anger toward the girl. Maybe that was why he felt so confused right now. Had it been any other human he would have killed them on the spot and not have given it a second thought, but Meryl wasn't just any other human, she was...
Knives abruptly sat up, his body growing hot as he remembered how close she had been, how soft and warm her body had felt pressed against his. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of such thoughts. He ran an aggitated hand through his hair, confused by emotions he didn't understand and wasn't sure he wanted to.
He stood up and carefully brushed the grass from his clothes before heading for the exit. He decided to ignore the strange emotions she had caused within him, at least until he had the time to properly sort them out.
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End chapter 10
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Arika*.D: You're quite welcome, and thanks for continuing to review mine.
Yma: Heh, thank you! And yes, it's ALOT of fun... *evil grin*
Beckira: Thanks, I try my best. ^_^v
angelarms: Thanks! Locke may be sweet, but he's bound to pick up a couple of Knives and Meryl's less positive traits sooner or later...
Xiao Feng: Another V/M fan. Where are all the K/M fans? *lol* I dunno... isn't having two different endings kinda a cop-out? I'm sure I can write an ending that'll please both sides... maybe.
Ana: Woot! Knives is still in character! I sure hope he stays that way. *lol*
WW: Thank you! And I guess your question was answered in this chapter. Like Vash said, Knives kinda wants Meryl around a little longer and he wasn't going to ask her to stay, so he manipulated her somewhat to get that outcome. Geez, what a poor example to set for Locke...
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Next time: Meryl's near exhaustion caring for a sick Locke and now she has to check on an equally ill Knives. Poor Meryl, it's just not her day. And when Knives' thoughts shift dramatically, it just might be her last...