Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun and I never will.
Note: I updated as quickly as possible...that's all I have to say this time.
Thanks to reviewers:
Blu - Yeah I know how you feel about the pairing thing, there are some pairings I just can't stand. To be honest with you I'm finding the whole prospect of Millie and Knives hard to write. For one thing I can't imagine Knives ever being the fluffy type and I also can't imagine Millie being able to forgive him enough to love him...oh well...anyway I'm glad my last chapter wasn't too disappointing.
Silverado6000 - Thanks for pointing that out, especially the star things not being there, for some reason they aren't showing up anymore so I had to put in lines instead. Thanks for saying that I did a few mistakes, I'm slowly going through all my chapters and editing them, to get rid of any spelling mistakes and adding more detail so I'll keep an eye out for them in the last chapter.
I'm glad you weren't too disappointed with the last chapter, I wrote it over a long length of time and when I went back to check I had to do major editing because it was so muddled. I found the Millie/Knives scene a little hard to write, I just can't imagine Knives being the fluffy type and I'm still a little unsure whether to take their relationship any further since I don't know how to make them confess their feelings. I guess I'll have to give it some more thought. I'm glad you liked that part anyway, because that was the section I was the most worried about.
Yeah, I was getting so cooped up with the Vash and Meryl scene when I realised that I was supposed to be writing Mille and Knives stuff so I thought that I might as well cut it off there just to be annoying and to give them some ::ahem:: privacy. And the whole locking Meryl in her room thing was just something I could see Vash doing just to make sure she didn't go getting herself into trouble. It was also refreshing to be able to write something slightly more humorous than the angst I have been writing lately. And finally, I will be editing that chapter soon and I'll be sure to add more detail, I'll put notes up when I've edited the chapters anyway. Thanks for your review and I hope you enjoy this chapter too.
Magnet-Rose - Hey don't worry about it, I know how it is and as long as that means you get to write then its not so bad. And I'll stop apologizing...well I wont promise cos I do it quite a lot, I'm the kinda person who feels really guilty about everything. I hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks for all the smiles :)
Dustdragon - Aww thanks for your understanding review, and here is your next chapter hope you enjoy it.
Chibi Chibi - Yes Meryl will most likely hurt Vash...a lot...he is so silly, but never mind it just means more entertainment for us to see him get beaten up by a woman half his size. Hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks for your review.
Happyjack - Yeah, I don't think you're the only one who got a bit freaked by the whole thing, I found that part so hard to write so I don't think I will take their relationship much further than good friendship. Yes and Meryl will most likely get annoyed and stressy, but that's what makes it fun! So thanks for your review and I hope you like this chapter.
Ximchan - I'll keep your idea in mind and I may include it in this chapter, or if not the next one if things go a little strange in this one. Thanks for your review and enjoy this chapter.
Rainy-days13 - yeah uh sorry bout that, I promise I'll make that up to you this chapter, well if Vash getting slapped counts as fluff...well anyway thanks for your review and I hope you like this chapter.
Darkraven - Yes I'm looking forward to writing that part too, I'm still deciding on how to write it though...thanks for your review and enjoy!
Chapter 15 - Arguments
Knives' POV
I just don't understand that girl, she appears at first to be a child, and her innocent mind is so strong that not even I could taint it. Yet beneath that innocent appearance lays a mind that is filled with wisdom, she sees deep inside people, into their hearts, their souls. I don't think her friends appreciate how wonderfully intelligent she is. She speaks only from the heart and I know that if there were such a thing as a perfect human, she would be the closest.
Even though she may be close to perfect, I know she is not. No humans are perfect no matter how hard they try to be. They destroy this world with their greed and leeching off of my brethren. I just don't understand why Vash doesn't see that. Over one hundred years and I still have not succeeded in changing his mind about theses disgusting spiders.
I don't think I can stay here anymore; this place is making me sick. My mind feels like it belongs to someone else and inside I feel different, the burning hatred inside is disappearing and if I let it die completely there will be no point for me to live on this withering planet of dust.
I listen to the angered shouts from upstairs and watch with slight amusement as Vash's woman came charging down the stairs. Her face was a pure picture of fury and she didn't even seem to notice me as she glanced around the room, obviously looking for my brother who had fled like an idiot. She paused to glance sternly at me but made no attempt to speak with me partly because Millie chose that time to come down into the room. Her brilliant smile seemed to light the atmosphere considerably.
"Where is he!?" The short woman demanded, her eyes flaming with pent up anger.
"He went to get some fresh air." I snarled and she narrowed her eyes.
"Oh come on now Meryl, I'm sure he didn't mean to lock you in, it was probably just an accident, there's no need to get angry at him." Millie said, trying desperately to calm her friend down.
"An accident?" The short woman snapped spitefully, "There'll be an accident when I find him!"
I grinned and laughed quietly, imagining my brother getting beaten up by that fiery little woman, which was something I definitely didn't want to miss.
"He's at the saloon." I said simply, knowing exactly where my brother was, he hadn't had to tell me I just knew. I probably should have warned him that his woman had discovered his whereabouts but that would have been unfair of me, wouldn't it?
"Figures, that man will NEVER change, thinking he can control me, stopping me from helping my friend and now he runs off and doesn't even let me out. He probably would have left me in there until he started getting hungry and wanted me to cook him something!" I had never seen that woman this angry and I suddenly felt a little guilty about setting the wheel in motion and not warning my brother.
She strode past me and out of the door ignoring Millie's protests the whole way and I found the house strangely quiet and uneasy without the two noisiest residents home. Millie was still standing at the door, her hand stretched out in a futile attempt to stop her friend.
"Oh dear." She exclaimed and shook her head.
"Leave them Millie, they need to sort things out." I grinned.
"Poor Mr. Vash." Millie turned to look at me, a small smile on her face. Once again the innocence in her eyes knocked me speechless. How could a woman who had seen so much pain and suffering still be so pure in her mind?
"Ahem..." We both turned to look at the child who had come down the stairs, a huge grin on her face. Millie stirred and coughed in slight embarrassment and I could feel my face tingling with the strange emotion I had felt only once or twice before.
"What's wrong Ashley?" Millie asked.
"Those two really do make a great couple." The girl beamed "Their first lovers tiff." Her eyes glittered with stars of happiness and I was surprised to see Millie reflecting this look.
"Ugh...humans." I murmured so that they wouldn't hear and left the house. I might as well go and taunt my brother.
Normal POV
Ashley sat down on the couch and propped her feet up onto the table, her eyes settling on Millie who sat down beside her.
"So...you never got a chance to explain what happened with Knives upstairs because of Meryl...what did happen?" Her inquisitive eyes never left Millie's face.
"I just drove out and picked him up, nothing happened. We did speak for a while and you're right Ashley, he is changing."
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"Yes I suppose it is..." She trailed off.
"Yes?" Ashley prodded for more information.
"Well, when it was me and Wolfwood, it never felt this awkward, everything was so natural and it just fell into place. It was perfect."
"But with Knives, it's different?"
"Yes, I don't feel relaxed around him." Millie sighed, "I don't think its love."
"Maybe you should talk to Meryl about this, I wouldn't really know." Ashley put on a face of deep thought.
Millie sighed and stood up, quickly putting the smile back onto her face and walking to the kitchen. "So are you hungry?" She tilted her head to look at the girl who nodded instantly and bounded over to have a look at what food they had in.
"Doesn't look like we have much in the house." Millie sighed as she searched the cupboards. "Guess we will need to go shopping later."
"Boring...I don't have to go do I?" Ashley pouted and sat on the table to watch Millie cutting up some thick slices of the bread, which was about the only thing they had in the house.
"Well we'll see what happens when the others get back, they might want to go." Millie spoke softly, her thoughts still lingering towards Knives.
'If it isn't love then what is it? Could it just be that we have a good friendship, or maybe a connection that leaves us thinking too much into it? I wonder how he feels.' Millie thought helplessly as she made the sandwiches. Ashley had fallen quiet to watch the woman in deep thought a frown creasing her delicate features and large eyes studying the woman's behaviour. She hoped she could help Millie just like she had helped Meryl and Vash, but for some reason this situation wasn't as clear-cut.
"Millie are you alright?" She asked but the tall insurance girl was too deep in thought to be disturbed and sighing Ashley got up and left the house. This was probably some kind of grown-up thing she wouldn't be able to understand she decided as she walked out into the sunshine.
A little black cat appeared from beside the house, its large eyes looking up at Ashley and meowed loudly making the girl jump in surprise. She looked down and noticed the cat as it brushed up against her leg purring timidly and glancing up at her.
"Hello." Ashley grinned and sat down stroking the cat behind its ears and gained a louder purr in return. Sitting outside Ashley glanced down into the town listening for any signs of the others and the cat sat beside her, seemingly looking for something as well.
Her wavy hair fluttered in the comfortable breeze as she sat quietly taking in the quiet town scene before her, it was strange to think of herself being free again. She had never thought that she would escape that awful prison but thanks to Meryl and Vash she was free to live her life.
Pulling her knees up against her she sighed happily, the sunshine felt good on her skin and the breeze was exceptionally refreshing, the cat too seemed to bask happily, the quiet purr continuing to hum like a small engine. A peaceful contentment rose inside her and she wondered if Meryl had succeeded in finding Vash.
Vash was hiding, and although it wasn't the best of hiding places he was certain that it would work. There was no way Meryl would cause a scene in front of all these people which meant as long as he stayed here she wouldn't be able to yell and hit him. Confident that his plan would work he leaned over the bar signalling for the waitress who approached him almost instantly, a flirtatious smile on her face.
He ordered his usual and gratefully accepted the drink hoping it would calm his nerves, suddenly his plan didn't sound very good anymore. He slumped over the bar grasping the glass in both hands and stared into it hopelessly, why oh why had he locked Meryl in her room? It had seemed like the perfect solution at the time, except that he had forgotten how she would react to it. Sighing he downed the drink as quickly as he could and ordered another from the keen waitress who had been eyeing him up ever since he had stepped through the door.
"Is something wrong?" She asked as she handed him his second drink.
"Wha? Oh...no...nothing." He stammered only half aware of his surroundings, most of his mind still buried with thoughts of the insurance girl.
"It doesn't look like nothing to me." She continued and leaned against the bar fluttering her eyelashes slightly.
"I've not seen you in here before." Vash said.
"It's my first day working here I'm quite new to the town." She stated.
"Ahh, well I'm sure you'll like it here."
"Hmm, I don't know...I'm a born and bred city girl, these quiet little towns don't hold much for me. I expect you're the same." She smiled and Vash shrugged.
"I don't really mind. Things like that don't bother me much."
For a moment the waitress looked a little lost at what to say next, she had given him her best smiles but this guy was either blind or too stupid to notice. Desperately trying to think of a new plan she decided on a different approach.
"Maybe you could show me around after my shift?"
"I don't know..." Vash murmured.
"Oh come on, surely you don't have anything better to do." She urged.
"Well...I-"
"-Please." She begged and reached over to lay her hand on his.
"H-hey what are you..."
He never got to finish his sentence as Meryl Stryfe chose that time to enter the saloon, a look of death written over her face. Her eyes settled on the scene in front of her, which just happened to be Vash holding hands with a pretty woman at the bar.
Her anger flared...
Vash's eyes widened as he spotted Meryl standing at the door and snatched his hand away from the waitress' grip before swivelling around in his chair to face her. A cold fear gripped him as he saw the pure rage building in Meryl's eyes and he raised a hand to her.
"Hey Meryl." He put on a nervous grin, which quickly disappeared as Meryl strode forwards, her fists clenched at her sides.
"Don't you hey me!" She said through gritted teeth.
"Meryl this isn't what it looks like." He continued desperately.
"Sure it isn't, I can't believe you! If it wasn't enough to lock me in my room you leave and go flirting with other women." Meryl controlled herself well, keeping her tone deliberately firm and slow.
"But...no...I...you don't understand, I didn't do anything!" Vash stuttered helplessly and looked over to the waitress for help. She simply smiled at him and moved closer.
"Oh honey, surely you wouldn't lie to this girl? You were about to show me around town, remember?" She smirked at Meryl's confused and slightly hurt expression, which was almost instantly covered up with more anger.
"Is this true?" Meryl demanded, keeping the hurt in check so it wouldn't be revealed in her voice.
"N-no, you have to believe me." Vash was on his feet now looking from one woman to the other desperately.
"I know what you're like, I've seen you flirting with tarts like her before." Meryl continued, the comment drawing a scowl onto the waitress' face.
"Excuse me!" She started.
"Look." Meryl yelled, "I don't know who you think you are but you are welcome to have him, I couldn't care less." With that the insurance girl headed for the door. Vash stumbled after her and reached out to grab her arm, she wrenched free and slapped him across the face leaving him completely stunned. His eyes fixed on the door, which was swinging from where she had passed through it.
Meryl's POV
Okay so I know it was a little too much to think that Vash could change completely but I at least thought he would stop chasing skirts once he had told me he loved me. Could it be that he didn't have feelings for me after all? I strode out of the door my hand stinging slightly from where I had struck him and almost bumped into Knives who had been standing in the street.
"So you found him?" He grinned and I narrowed my eyes at him, there was something about him that I just didn't like. Maybe it's because his words always dripped with sarcasm or some deeper, darker meaning.
"Leave me alone!" I yelled and brushed past him, he made me so angry sometimes, but then again everybody seemed to make me angry.
I glanced down the road where our house was and quickly decided that I wouldn't go there yet, if I did Ashley and Millie would be asking questions and I would most likely burst into tears. What could I tell them, that Vash had dumped me for some tart in the saloon? That wasn't exactly an ego boost for me, especially to have to admit it openly to my friends. I also knew that if I went back Knives was certain to return with Vash and I wasn't sure whether I was ready to see him yet. Hell, I wasn't sure if I'd ever be ready to see him again after what had happened. My heart had taken enough beatings from that man to last me a lifetime and I was afraid if its tender core were abused just once more I would die.
Yes this might seem like I'm overreacting, and I probably am...but it doesn't help to know that, it just makes things worse. I'd never be able to look at Vash again and see a friend, all I would see now was one man that was no different from any other: a pervert, an idiot...someone who had broken my heart. I wonder if he will ever know how much he means to me? Knowing him he's probably clueless, he doesn't seem to understand me or my feelings at all, but that isn't just his fault. I've been hiding my emotions behind this shield of anger for as long as I can remember, ever since I was a child. Being openly emotional just wasn't me!
I sat down alone on a bench that looked out across the desert and watched a light wind stir the sand into little golden clouds. The endless desert looked somewhat comforting and I found myself tempted to just walk out into its open arms and let it keep me hidden forever.
It was only when I noticed the shadows lengthening into afternoon and the twin suns growing lower in the reddening sky that I realised just how long I had been sitting in the same spot. I was even more surprised when someone came to sit beside me. I swivelled my head up to see who it was interrupting my private thinking space and almost died when I saw Vash.
He refused to look at me his eyes hidden behind the lenses of his sunglasses and I tried to pretend that I hadn't noticed him.
"I'm always doing this aren't I?" He spoke up, his voice guarded against emotion. My heart clenched with pain, even after we had told each other of our undying love nothing had changed. We were back to square one, arguing and fighting constantly.
Vash took my silence to mean I was still annoyed with him and continued to speak, 'Always hurting people...it doesn't matter whether they are friend or enemy, I hurt them physically or mentally."
"That's not true." I murmured.
"Isn't it? I hurt strangers, enemies, my friends, my twin brother and even the girl I love."
"You can't expect to go through life without hurting someone Vash, you can never please everyone all the time, it's a part of living." I pointed out, he sighed and I risked a glance up into his face.
"I'm sorry for locking you in your room Meryl." He whispered and I couldn't help but smile a little.
"I'm sorry for hitting you earlier." I reached over and grasped his hand, as if I would fade away to nothing if I weren't holding onto him. He squeezed my hand gently and drew in a deep breath.
"Well, I can't help it if women keep trying to flirt with me. I am the best looking guy in this town." He grinned and removed the sunglasses revealing his aqua eyes to me.
"I think that slap must have loosened your brain." I smirked and he made a great show of looking hurt.
Normal POV
Vash leaned towards her and pulled her gently into his arms and nuzzled up against her neck his breath tickling her sensitive skin. Meryl giggled slightly and wrapped her arms firmly around him feeling his heartbeat pounding over hers and she traced the scars that she could feel beneath the shirt with loving care and moved to rest her head on his shoulder.
"So am I forgiven?" Vash's voice was soft and seductive. Meryl pulled back from him slightly and grinned, shaking her head, a playful twinkle in her violet eyes. Vash looked at her, his own eyes shining with a deep affection for the woman sitting in front of him and slid closer to her in the seat. He reached up a hand and gently stroked her cheek with such tenderness Meryl was knocked senseless. It was all she could do to stop herself from drowning in his gaze, she was so warm and comfortable when he was with her, and she felt complete and happy.
She leaned back on the bench pulling Vash with her so that he was leaning over her, one hand lingering on her cheek before rising up slightly to stroke through her dark hair. She closed her eyes and sighed in contentment her head spinning with the wonderful sensations of being close to him. Vash took this chance to lean forwards and claimed her mouth in a raw and passionate kiss when Meryl suddenly remembered where they were and flattened her hands against his chest to push him away.
"What's wrong?" He asked, confusion evident in his face.
"I don't think kissing like that in public is very appropriate...do you?" She raised an eyebrow sceptically and frowned at the grin, which spread across his face.
Shrugging he stood up and glanced around the nearly empty street, helping Meryl up as he did so and linking arms with her cheerfully. It had been easier then he had imagined getting back into her good books and he glanced down at her.
"Have you had time to mention to the others about leaving this place?" She asked gently.
"Not really, but I'm sure they will agree it's for the best. You have any idea where you want to go?" Vash enquired.
"Isn't that usually your decision?" Meryl looked up at him with a suspicious look in her eyes.
"Well I can't be selfish now can I?"
"I guess we could ask the others, they might have somewhere they would like to go." Meryl replied and Vash agreed before leading her towards the house.
Hmm...I liked the beginning but not so much the last part, I really wasn't in a very fluffy mood when I wrote that...please review and tell me what you think and I'll update as soon as possible.
'Love and Peace'