Fate of Awakening Love
Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun. Life is that cruel.
A/N: Aww, ::bows down to reviewers:: Thanks so much for reading and being so nice! I haven't gotten a single 'this blows' sort of comment. Not responding to reviews in this chapter but I did want to respond to Meryl/Knives4ever - I agree that there are too few K/M stories. As for making this one a story of that sort-
Uh, I don't know. I don't know what I want to do with this yet. ::curses self for creating an obvious future love triangle:: Maybe I'll just kill off Meryl so no one gets her-
KIDDING!! And yet maybe I'm not, hmm.
Anyway, when I started writing a certain part of this chapter I was listening to Dearest by Ayumi Hamasaki, which is one of the ending theme songs for Inu Yasha, and if you've never heard it, its really soft and pretty, also kind of sad, but anyway it always makes me want to write fluffy/ heated moments as tribute to the mood of the song, and behold that's where the fluff/ heat from this fic started! Now on to the fic!
-
'And so it begins.' Knives thought to himself. He wasn't afraid of Vash overhearing his thoughts since Vash would never invade someone else's personal thoughts without permission.
"Brother." He said out loud, causing Meryl to turn around from bandaging him to look over at Vash who was leaning against the door frame.
"Vash, good, come back in here please." Meryl said.
Vash walked in carefully, eyeing his brother who made no eye contact with him.
"What is it Meryl?" He asked.
"I want you to watch how I fix Knives wounds so you'll be able to do it, and do it well, then you're going to have to show Millie."
Knives tensed. "I thought you were going to care for me. I don't trust this blonde haired buffoon."
Meryl sighed annoyed. "That may be Knives, but have you forgotten that I work in the mornings from 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.? I can't stay and take care of you all day, so Vash and Millie will have to."
Knives shuddered at the thought.
At this very moment there was a knock on the front door and Meryl went to go answer it.
-
"Mr. Mayor! Um, what do I owe you for this visit?" Meryl asked opening the door to reveal a short stocky man in a suit.
"I just came to discuss the terms of the library incident Miss Meryl."
"Yes, the Bernadelli Insurance Society will be paying for the full restoration of the library as you know."
"And that's wonderful news Miss Meryl; unfortunately, insurance matters are not what brought me here. You see, the town had a small meeting the other day and even with the dry days behind us people are still very frightened at the thought that Vash the Stampede is in our town."
"The fire was a complete accident Mr. Mayor! And absolutely no one got hurt, badly. And if it wasn't for Vash, half those people never would have gotten out of that burning building."
"I know Miss Meryl, but if it wasn't for Vash those people would not have been in danger. It's already been decided that the Humanoid Typhoon has no reason to be here and therefore must leave. He has two days to evacuate. Yourself, Miss Millie, and the poor young man the Typhoon no doubt shot, are welcomed to stay of course, we're not forcing you three out, just Vash."
"But where will he go?!"
"Frankly, we don't care, as long as it's anywhere but here. I'm sorry to do this, but you too will be safer with such a man gone. I must get back to the office, there's much to be done. Another water celebration is tonight, be sure to come and remember he only has two days to leave. Goodbye then." The mayor left closing the door behind him.
Meryl slumped down on one of the worn pieces of furniture in the living room and sighed.
-
"You hear that Vash? No matter what you do or how many spiders you save they will still reject you. They hate you and they fear you." Knives calmly relayed to his brother.
Vash didn't say anything regarding that comment.
"You understand what this means don't you? While you're getting kicked out of this dirt hole town, I'll be staying here."
Vash still said nothing.
'With Meryl.' He told him mentally. At this Vash turned and stared right in his brother's eyes.
"Why are you doing this Knives? You don't like humans, and you don't like Meryl. Admit it."
'I'll admit nothing. As for why I'm doing this, well, it's causing you pain right? And ever since you shot me, I've resorted to accepting help from humans. It's degrading Vash and you will not be forgiven. I'll take and destroy everything that's special to you and crush it until its no more and until I've caused you the eternal pain I so long for you to endure.' Knives told Vash mentally, not wanting Meryl to hear any of what he just said.
Vash stared at his brother in disbelief. 'He won't change.' He thought, not caring if Knives listened in or not. 'He won't even try to change.'
"I'm not going to give up on you Knives. I'll save you. Someday you'll see the song of truth and you'll realize what you're doing is not the correct way to live."
"Don't give me that Rem bullshit! She died in vain. Trying to save her race that I will one day destroy."
Vash was about to point out something when they heard Meryl's footsteps returning to the room.
"I imagine you heard all that?" She asked looking at Vash who nodded.
"I just don't know how were going to do it." She continued.
"Were?" Vash asked curiously.
"Well yes, obviously. It's Millie's and my job to keep an eye on you, so no matter what happens we have to go where you go. You know that. But the thing is I can't imagine carrying Knives around in his condition."
"Then the only thing to do is for you and the other human to split up. One will go with Vash the other will stay with me. That is until I get better." Knives suggested looking straight at Vash.
Meryl frowned. "I guess that's an idea. I'll ask Millie what she thinks of it."
"Who would go with who Meryl?" Vash asked quietly.
'Vash.' Meryl thought. 'But Knives won't except help from Millie, and I can't guarantee that she won't delay his healing progress like she's done before.'
"You should stay with Knives, Meryl. Millie would probably unintentionally kill him the way she gets distracted talking about her family." Vash interrupted her thoughts.
She looked up at him.
"Besides, it's my own fault, for accidentally setting fire to the library. Had I not done that the town probably wouldn't have taken any more notice in me."
"It's not at all your fault brother; you can hardly help the fact that you're a natural disaster. They gave you two days to leave, let's discuss this in the morning. I'd like to rest now, so the both of you can get out." Knives said calmly.
Together Vash and Meryl looked at Knives, each giving him their own interpretation of a perplexing stare.
"It's only about 5:30 or so Knives. You want to sleep now? I haven't even finished replacing your dressings."
"Do it in the morning. I want to sleep now, so leave immediately you retched human and take the idiot with you." Knives commanded forcefully.
Just as Meryl was going to respond in anger she felt herself being lifted from the ground. She looked over at Vash surprised, but he too was equally surprised for his feet were no longer on the ground either. Soon enough they both found themselves being flung out of Knives room and thrown against the hallway wall. Meryl more carefully than Vash, and they watched as his bedroom door slammed shut and listened as the locks bolted themselves.
"Vash." Meryl said in a quavering voice as she sat there against the wall looking at Knives door. "How, how did he, did Knives do that?" she asked in shocked disbelief.
Vash looked over at her and nodded.
"But he shouldn't have been able to. I don't understand how he was able to control his most difficult ability. He should not have been able to do that until long after his body was fully healed." Vash told her.
-
In all actuality Vash was right, Knives wasn't supposed to be able to do that. He had used every ounce of his strength to use his scientifically inexplicable power. And now that he was alone in his room he let the fatigue of using it over take him.
'Knives why did you do that? How did you do that?' Vash asked himself. This time he really did not expect his brother to answer.
'Are you that stupid? To ask how I did it? How do you THINK I did it Vash?! The same way I've been doing it for all these decades! As for why, I need time to think, so get lost. Knives finished that thought and fell asleep due to his own overexertion. -
Remembering Meryl, Vash stood from his position on the floor and offered Meryl his hand which she ignored and stood up herself and began banging on Knives door.
"Knives! You insolent little demon! Open this door!" She shouted in pure anger.
"Meryl don't." Vash grabbed her hand to stop her. "He's already asleep and he's too weak to wake up. Just let him be."
Meryl gave him a look that showed daggers in her eyes.
Vash shrank back but did not release her hand. "Please, Meryl, I realize you're mad because he literally threw us out without a reason, but this IS Knives."
"So that excuses his rude behavior?!" She spat out. From saying that she become conscious of Vash's hand tightly around her own and she couldn't help but blush.
When Vash saw what she was blushing at he too blushed and dropped her hand quickly before she got angry.
'His hand was so warm.' she thought to herself.
She cleared her throat and turned away from him, hoping to regain her normal color. "Millie should be back soon, she gets off early today, and I have to go out and get some things for dinner tonight, so I'll be back in a little while."
"Can I come?" Vash asked hopefully, but Meryl shook her head.
"You'd better stay and keep on eye on Knives, just in case, besides I don't think you'd be too welcomed anywhere in this town anymore." Vash nodded his head in agreement and watched as Meryl grabbed some money to stuff in her pockets and left the little house.
-
Dinner was unusually quiet that night. Normally conversation flowed easily between the three, but Meryl had just finished telling Millie about the town forcing Vash to leave. Like Knives, she thought it'd be better to discuss the issue in the morning.
Not really knowing what else to do, after a few quick games of Chess, in which Millie won of course, they all decided to retire for the evening.
While Millie and Vash bade each other goodnight and Millie walked to her and Meryl's bedroom Vash went in the kitchen to watch Meryl clean up the kitchen from dinner. At one time he opened his mouth to say good night, but promptly closed it, when he decided he liked it better to just watch her.
'She has so much on her mind right now.' He thought to himself. 'And it's all pretty much my fault. I brought Knives here, I burnt down the library.just being me has caused her so much stress.' With the saddened thought well engraved in his mind he silently walked to his room.
Meryl turned around abruptly just as Vash left her view. 'Vash?' She questioned to herself.
-
Once the kitchen was cleaned she went into the room she now shared with Millie and found the gentle woman was already fast asleep. Meryl slowly changed into pajamas and was about ready to climb into bed and fall asleep herself, when she heard a loud thump coming from Vash's room.
Curious and a bit worried as to what it was she got back up and went to Vash's room. She knocked but didn't wait for a response as she opened his door. Peering in, she didn't see him.
"Vash?" She called out softly.
"Meryl?" she heard Vash's equally quiet voice respond and watched as he stood up from the side of his bed in nothing but sweatpants. All his scars uncovered.
She slowly approached him looking over his scars. "I heard a noise. I wanted to check and see if you were alright."
"I'm fine, I just slipped is all. You were worried?" He asked as he watched her advancement towards him. Her eyes locked on the one thing he wished they weren't.
"Of course." She said, barely hearing her own response. Meryl's eyes fell on some scars that looked fresh, ones she didn't recognize from the last time she saw him like this. Vash saw her looking at those particular ones.
"From the fight with Knives." He said quietly, embarrassed.
"Right." She nodded and reached out a hand but then stopped herself. "May I?"
"Why would you want to?" He asked.
She was surprised he asked, even though it was a reasonable question. The problem was she didn't know why she wanted to touch the scars. In a way they mesmerized her, and to touch them was nothing more than an urge. Vash could see she was at a loss for words.
"If you really want to."
Meryl gently placed her hand on his scarred but toned chest and swallowing a large lump in her throat she began to run her hand around his scars and all the metal that lay near it.
As she was doing this Vash felt his entire body tingle under her touch. The way she was caressing him, made him want to pick her up and bring her to his bed. The feeling was that strong.
But he couldn't do such a thing. Meryl did not know how he felt about her, even he wasn't one hundred percent sure on how he felt about her, and he for sure did not know how she felt about him. As a result he forced himself to suppress the desire to take her in as his, by tightly closing his eyes and take deep shallow breaths.
Like a sudden cold rush to his body he felt Meryl drop her curious, searching hand and reopened his eyes to focus back down on her.
"I don't understand you Vash." She said quietly.
"What do you mean?" He asked calming himself from the feelings Meryl's touch left him with.
"Why you care for humans and are willing to protect us. A race that hates you and would rather see you dead. A race that uses planets in a horrible way. Knives feelings of hate make more sense."
"So you think I should loathe humans too and attempt to destroy them all? No Meryl, even though a great many human beings hate me I can not hate them back. They're only acting out of fear."
"But these scars Vash." She touched the metal plate on his chest. "You receive things like this from trying to protect us."
"I know, but they're only scars." He told her barely above a whisper. "Why don't you run from them? Everyone else does."
"You've already asked me that and I told you a time ago I never would. As you said, they're only scars. At any rate, I'd better get back to bed. I only came to check on you and we all have a lot to talk about tomorrow, so I think I'll skip work in the morning."
Vash couldn't believe that. Meryl was going to skip a day of work, and for him.
"Where do you work anyway? The saloon?"
"No, well I used to, but I kept thrashing the customers and got fired, so now I work at the Fourth Moon Restaurant, down the street and to the left." Meryl yawned tiredly. "Good night then Vash."
"Good night Meryl." He responded quietly as she walked out of the room and closed the door behind her.
'Meryl, is it possible, that if I never loved you before, I do now?' He thought to himself. Vash touched the last scar Meryl had her hand on and sighed. He could still feel the affect she left him in.
-
In the other room next to Vash, Knives awoke due to Vash's highly emotional thought.
"That's right dear brother. Fall in love with the human; it'll only make things more painful for you and more pleasant for me in the end." Knives said out loud to himself in a hoarse voice. He then heard his door being picked and watched as it opened to see Meryl standing there looking triumph.
"Knives, you're awake." She said looking over at his tired blue eyes.
He grunted a response and looked at the instrument she used to open his door. A bobby pin, he turned his head to the ceiling.
"I wanted to check on you before I turned in for the night."
Knives knew his brother was pushing his ear against the wall they shared in order to hear what was going on.
"That's nice of you, but I'm fine so you may leave." Instead, Meryl stood there eyes wide in surprise.
"Did you just tell me to do something politely?" He looked over at her carefully. He had, but he didn't mean to.
"I guess I did, take note that it was unintentional and I won't do such a thing again anytime soon."
Meryl approached Knives slowly.
"What are you doing? I told you to leave!" He barked, returning to his normal self. Meryl tensed at the sharpness of his voice but paid no attention to it and sat next to him on his bed. Where he cringed. 'What is she doing?' He thought to himself. 'I'm supposed to be the one in control.'
"Knives do you honestly hate me?"
"When did I ever say I hated you in particular? I said I hated humans in general."
"So you don't hate me as an individual?"
"Why do you care whether I hate you or not?"
Meryl didn't say anything as she stood gazing at Knives. She gently put her hand on his arm, in which to the surprise at both of them, he neither tensed nor flinched.
"I guess I was just curious to know. Good night Knives, I'll see you in the morning." Meryl walked out of the room, and as she was about to close the door she turned and gave him a small smile.
-
A/N: Done! YES! Chapter 3- Song of Truth is sobre, sopra, par-dessus, in English, over! I almost kind of rushed to get this one up and in writing this fan fic I've kind of fallen behind in school! (Oops) I just can't concentrate in school when my mind keeps thinking of ideas for this story!
Knives: when exactly am I going to be healed?
Author: Never! I like the pathetic-take-care-of-me Knives! Muhahahaha ::coughs twice:: Alright then! You all know the drill read and review!
Oh and BTW- if any of you have noticed I kind of constantly change the summary, because I don't think anything is really fitting. So based on what you have read and what you think could happen, feel free to try and think of a good summary for me! It'd be much appreciated! I'll dedicate a chapter to the person I choose. Hmm, dedications, not a good way to bribe people to making a summary for you. Oh well. Let's see what happens.
Yours truly,
Faery G.
Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun. Life is that cruel.
A/N: Aww, ::bows down to reviewers:: Thanks so much for reading and being so nice! I haven't gotten a single 'this blows' sort of comment. Not responding to reviews in this chapter but I did want to respond to Meryl/Knives4ever - I agree that there are too few K/M stories. As for making this one a story of that sort-
Uh, I don't know. I don't know what I want to do with this yet. ::curses self for creating an obvious future love triangle:: Maybe I'll just kill off Meryl so no one gets her-
KIDDING!! And yet maybe I'm not, hmm.
Anyway, when I started writing a certain part of this chapter I was listening to Dearest by Ayumi Hamasaki, which is one of the ending theme songs for Inu Yasha, and if you've never heard it, its really soft and pretty, also kind of sad, but anyway it always makes me want to write fluffy/ heated moments as tribute to the mood of the song, and behold that's where the fluff/ heat from this fic started! Now on to the fic!
-
'And so it begins.' Knives thought to himself. He wasn't afraid of Vash overhearing his thoughts since Vash would never invade someone else's personal thoughts without permission.
"Brother." He said out loud, causing Meryl to turn around from bandaging him to look over at Vash who was leaning against the door frame.
"Vash, good, come back in here please." Meryl said.
Vash walked in carefully, eyeing his brother who made no eye contact with him.
"What is it Meryl?" He asked.
"I want you to watch how I fix Knives wounds so you'll be able to do it, and do it well, then you're going to have to show Millie."
Knives tensed. "I thought you were going to care for me. I don't trust this blonde haired buffoon."
Meryl sighed annoyed. "That may be Knives, but have you forgotten that I work in the mornings from 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.? I can't stay and take care of you all day, so Vash and Millie will have to."
Knives shuddered at the thought.
At this very moment there was a knock on the front door and Meryl went to go answer it.
-
"Mr. Mayor! Um, what do I owe you for this visit?" Meryl asked opening the door to reveal a short stocky man in a suit.
"I just came to discuss the terms of the library incident Miss Meryl."
"Yes, the Bernadelli Insurance Society will be paying for the full restoration of the library as you know."
"And that's wonderful news Miss Meryl; unfortunately, insurance matters are not what brought me here. You see, the town had a small meeting the other day and even with the dry days behind us people are still very frightened at the thought that Vash the Stampede is in our town."
"The fire was a complete accident Mr. Mayor! And absolutely no one got hurt, badly. And if it wasn't for Vash, half those people never would have gotten out of that burning building."
"I know Miss Meryl, but if it wasn't for Vash those people would not have been in danger. It's already been decided that the Humanoid Typhoon has no reason to be here and therefore must leave. He has two days to evacuate. Yourself, Miss Millie, and the poor young man the Typhoon no doubt shot, are welcomed to stay of course, we're not forcing you three out, just Vash."
"But where will he go?!"
"Frankly, we don't care, as long as it's anywhere but here. I'm sorry to do this, but you too will be safer with such a man gone. I must get back to the office, there's much to be done. Another water celebration is tonight, be sure to come and remember he only has two days to leave. Goodbye then." The mayor left closing the door behind him.
Meryl slumped down on one of the worn pieces of furniture in the living room and sighed.
-
"You hear that Vash? No matter what you do or how many spiders you save they will still reject you. They hate you and they fear you." Knives calmly relayed to his brother.
Vash didn't say anything regarding that comment.
"You understand what this means don't you? While you're getting kicked out of this dirt hole town, I'll be staying here."
Vash still said nothing.
'With Meryl.' He told him mentally. At this Vash turned and stared right in his brother's eyes.
"Why are you doing this Knives? You don't like humans, and you don't like Meryl. Admit it."
'I'll admit nothing. As for why I'm doing this, well, it's causing you pain right? And ever since you shot me, I've resorted to accepting help from humans. It's degrading Vash and you will not be forgiven. I'll take and destroy everything that's special to you and crush it until its no more and until I've caused you the eternal pain I so long for you to endure.' Knives told Vash mentally, not wanting Meryl to hear any of what he just said.
Vash stared at his brother in disbelief. 'He won't change.' He thought, not caring if Knives listened in or not. 'He won't even try to change.'
"I'm not going to give up on you Knives. I'll save you. Someday you'll see the song of truth and you'll realize what you're doing is not the correct way to live."
"Don't give me that Rem bullshit! She died in vain. Trying to save her race that I will one day destroy."
Vash was about to point out something when they heard Meryl's footsteps returning to the room.
"I imagine you heard all that?" She asked looking at Vash who nodded.
"I just don't know how were going to do it." She continued.
"Were?" Vash asked curiously.
"Well yes, obviously. It's Millie's and my job to keep an eye on you, so no matter what happens we have to go where you go. You know that. But the thing is I can't imagine carrying Knives around in his condition."
"Then the only thing to do is for you and the other human to split up. One will go with Vash the other will stay with me. That is until I get better." Knives suggested looking straight at Vash.
Meryl frowned. "I guess that's an idea. I'll ask Millie what she thinks of it."
"Who would go with who Meryl?" Vash asked quietly.
'Vash.' Meryl thought. 'But Knives won't except help from Millie, and I can't guarantee that she won't delay his healing progress like she's done before.'
"You should stay with Knives, Meryl. Millie would probably unintentionally kill him the way she gets distracted talking about her family." Vash interrupted her thoughts.
She looked up at him.
"Besides, it's my own fault, for accidentally setting fire to the library. Had I not done that the town probably wouldn't have taken any more notice in me."
"It's not at all your fault brother; you can hardly help the fact that you're a natural disaster. They gave you two days to leave, let's discuss this in the morning. I'd like to rest now, so the both of you can get out." Knives said calmly.
Together Vash and Meryl looked at Knives, each giving him their own interpretation of a perplexing stare.
"It's only about 5:30 or so Knives. You want to sleep now? I haven't even finished replacing your dressings."
"Do it in the morning. I want to sleep now, so leave immediately you retched human and take the idiot with you." Knives commanded forcefully.
Just as Meryl was going to respond in anger she felt herself being lifted from the ground. She looked over at Vash surprised, but he too was equally surprised for his feet were no longer on the ground either. Soon enough they both found themselves being flung out of Knives room and thrown against the hallway wall. Meryl more carefully than Vash, and they watched as his bedroom door slammed shut and listened as the locks bolted themselves.
"Vash." Meryl said in a quavering voice as she sat there against the wall looking at Knives door. "How, how did he, did Knives do that?" she asked in shocked disbelief.
Vash looked over at her and nodded.
"But he shouldn't have been able to. I don't understand how he was able to control his most difficult ability. He should not have been able to do that until long after his body was fully healed." Vash told her.
-
In all actuality Vash was right, Knives wasn't supposed to be able to do that. He had used every ounce of his strength to use his scientifically inexplicable power. And now that he was alone in his room he let the fatigue of using it over take him.
'Knives why did you do that? How did you do that?' Vash asked himself. This time he really did not expect his brother to answer.
'Are you that stupid? To ask how I did it? How do you THINK I did it Vash?! The same way I've been doing it for all these decades! As for why, I need time to think, so get lost. Knives finished that thought and fell asleep due to his own overexertion. -
Remembering Meryl, Vash stood from his position on the floor and offered Meryl his hand which she ignored and stood up herself and began banging on Knives door.
"Knives! You insolent little demon! Open this door!" She shouted in pure anger.
"Meryl don't." Vash grabbed her hand to stop her. "He's already asleep and he's too weak to wake up. Just let him be."
Meryl gave him a look that showed daggers in her eyes.
Vash shrank back but did not release her hand. "Please, Meryl, I realize you're mad because he literally threw us out without a reason, but this IS Knives."
"So that excuses his rude behavior?!" She spat out. From saying that she become conscious of Vash's hand tightly around her own and she couldn't help but blush.
When Vash saw what she was blushing at he too blushed and dropped her hand quickly before she got angry.
'His hand was so warm.' she thought to herself.
She cleared her throat and turned away from him, hoping to regain her normal color. "Millie should be back soon, she gets off early today, and I have to go out and get some things for dinner tonight, so I'll be back in a little while."
"Can I come?" Vash asked hopefully, but Meryl shook her head.
"You'd better stay and keep on eye on Knives, just in case, besides I don't think you'd be too welcomed anywhere in this town anymore." Vash nodded his head in agreement and watched as Meryl grabbed some money to stuff in her pockets and left the little house.
-
Dinner was unusually quiet that night. Normally conversation flowed easily between the three, but Meryl had just finished telling Millie about the town forcing Vash to leave. Like Knives, she thought it'd be better to discuss the issue in the morning.
Not really knowing what else to do, after a few quick games of Chess, in which Millie won of course, they all decided to retire for the evening.
While Millie and Vash bade each other goodnight and Millie walked to her and Meryl's bedroom Vash went in the kitchen to watch Meryl clean up the kitchen from dinner. At one time he opened his mouth to say good night, but promptly closed it, when he decided he liked it better to just watch her.
'She has so much on her mind right now.' He thought to himself. 'And it's all pretty much my fault. I brought Knives here, I burnt down the library.just being me has caused her so much stress.' With the saddened thought well engraved in his mind he silently walked to his room.
Meryl turned around abruptly just as Vash left her view. 'Vash?' She questioned to herself.
-
Once the kitchen was cleaned she went into the room she now shared with Millie and found the gentle woman was already fast asleep. Meryl slowly changed into pajamas and was about ready to climb into bed and fall asleep herself, when she heard a loud thump coming from Vash's room.
Curious and a bit worried as to what it was she got back up and went to Vash's room. She knocked but didn't wait for a response as she opened his door. Peering in, she didn't see him.
"Vash?" She called out softly.
"Meryl?" she heard Vash's equally quiet voice respond and watched as he stood up from the side of his bed in nothing but sweatpants. All his scars uncovered.
She slowly approached him looking over his scars. "I heard a noise. I wanted to check and see if you were alright."
"I'm fine, I just slipped is all. You were worried?" He asked as he watched her advancement towards him. Her eyes locked on the one thing he wished they weren't.
"Of course." She said, barely hearing her own response. Meryl's eyes fell on some scars that looked fresh, ones she didn't recognize from the last time she saw him like this. Vash saw her looking at those particular ones.
"From the fight with Knives." He said quietly, embarrassed.
"Right." She nodded and reached out a hand but then stopped herself. "May I?"
"Why would you want to?" He asked.
She was surprised he asked, even though it was a reasonable question. The problem was she didn't know why she wanted to touch the scars. In a way they mesmerized her, and to touch them was nothing more than an urge. Vash could see she was at a loss for words.
"If you really want to."
Meryl gently placed her hand on his scarred but toned chest and swallowing a large lump in her throat she began to run her hand around his scars and all the metal that lay near it.
As she was doing this Vash felt his entire body tingle under her touch. The way she was caressing him, made him want to pick her up and bring her to his bed. The feeling was that strong.
But he couldn't do such a thing. Meryl did not know how he felt about her, even he wasn't one hundred percent sure on how he felt about her, and he for sure did not know how she felt about him. As a result he forced himself to suppress the desire to take her in as his, by tightly closing his eyes and take deep shallow breaths.
Like a sudden cold rush to his body he felt Meryl drop her curious, searching hand and reopened his eyes to focus back down on her.
"I don't understand you Vash." She said quietly.
"What do you mean?" He asked calming himself from the feelings Meryl's touch left him with.
"Why you care for humans and are willing to protect us. A race that hates you and would rather see you dead. A race that uses planets in a horrible way. Knives feelings of hate make more sense."
"So you think I should loathe humans too and attempt to destroy them all? No Meryl, even though a great many human beings hate me I can not hate them back. They're only acting out of fear."
"But these scars Vash." She touched the metal plate on his chest. "You receive things like this from trying to protect us."
"I know, but they're only scars." He told her barely above a whisper. "Why don't you run from them? Everyone else does."
"You've already asked me that and I told you a time ago I never would. As you said, they're only scars. At any rate, I'd better get back to bed. I only came to check on you and we all have a lot to talk about tomorrow, so I think I'll skip work in the morning."
Vash couldn't believe that. Meryl was going to skip a day of work, and for him.
"Where do you work anyway? The saloon?"
"No, well I used to, but I kept thrashing the customers and got fired, so now I work at the Fourth Moon Restaurant, down the street and to the left." Meryl yawned tiredly. "Good night then Vash."
"Good night Meryl." He responded quietly as she walked out of the room and closed the door behind her.
'Meryl, is it possible, that if I never loved you before, I do now?' He thought to himself. Vash touched the last scar Meryl had her hand on and sighed. He could still feel the affect she left him in.
-
In the other room next to Vash, Knives awoke due to Vash's highly emotional thought.
"That's right dear brother. Fall in love with the human; it'll only make things more painful for you and more pleasant for me in the end." Knives said out loud to himself in a hoarse voice. He then heard his door being picked and watched as it opened to see Meryl standing there looking triumph.
"Knives, you're awake." She said looking over at his tired blue eyes.
He grunted a response and looked at the instrument she used to open his door. A bobby pin, he turned his head to the ceiling.
"I wanted to check on you before I turned in for the night."
Knives knew his brother was pushing his ear against the wall they shared in order to hear what was going on.
"That's nice of you, but I'm fine so you may leave." Instead, Meryl stood there eyes wide in surprise.
"Did you just tell me to do something politely?" He looked over at her carefully. He had, but he didn't mean to.
"I guess I did, take note that it was unintentional and I won't do such a thing again anytime soon."
Meryl approached Knives slowly.
"What are you doing? I told you to leave!" He barked, returning to his normal self. Meryl tensed at the sharpness of his voice but paid no attention to it and sat next to him on his bed. Where he cringed. 'What is she doing?' He thought to himself. 'I'm supposed to be the one in control.'
"Knives do you honestly hate me?"
"When did I ever say I hated you in particular? I said I hated humans in general."
"So you don't hate me as an individual?"
"Why do you care whether I hate you or not?"
Meryl didn't say anything as she stood gazing at Knives. She gently put her hand on his arm, in which to the surprise at both of them, he neither tensed nor flinched.
"I guess I was just curious to know. Good night Knives, I'll see you in the morning." Meryl walked out of the room, and as she was about to close the door she turned and gave him a small smile.
-
A/N: Done! YES! Chapter 3- Song of Truth is sobre, sopra, par-dessus, in English, over! I almost kind of rushed to get this one up and in writing this fan fic I've kind of fallen behind in school! (Oops) I just can't concentrate in school when my mind keeps thinking of ideas for this story!
Knives: when exactly am I going to be healed?
Author: Never! I like the pathetic-take-care-of-me Knives! Muhahahaha ::coughs twice:: Alright then! You all know the drill read and review!
Oh and BTW- if any of you have noticed I kind of constantly change the summary, because I don't think anything is really fitting. So based on what you have read and what you think could happen, feel free to try and think of a good summary for me! It'd be much appreciated! I'll dedicate a chapter to the person I choose. Hmm, dedications, not a good way to bribe people to making a summary for you. Oh well. Let's see what happens.
Yours truly,
Faery G.