Fate of Awakening Love
Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun. Life is that cruel.
A/N: Please enjoy!
-
As the night lingered on the Trigun crew all entered the sleeping stage full of comfortable dreams and shallow breathing. That is, all of them except Knives. With his high fever and pain, sleep was not nearly as comfortable as he would have liked. Finally he succumbed to the fever and decided it was better to just wake up instead of fighting it to let him sleep.
'Damn fever.' He thought to himself. 'Vash you peace loving idiot, you probably left those bullets in me on purpose. You'll pay for that.' As a sudden wave of nausea passed through him he couldn't help but moan.
The sudden noise from Knives instantly woke up Meryl. "Knives?" She asked a loud. "Did you need something?"
"No." He answered back rather abruptly.
He watched as Meryl stood up and walked towards him. 'She never listens to anybody.' He thought to himself. "I said I didn't need anything."
"I heard you." She responded as she felt his forehead, yet again. Upon feeling it she sighed with relief. "I think it's going down. Do you feel any better?"
"Not really, but I can at least see straight so that must be a good sign."
"It is." Meryl suddenly started to feel awkward. 'Why do I suddenly feel so nervous? It's just Knives.' She thought to herself. "Well I'll guess you'll want to get back to sleep then?"
Knives scoffed. "Hardly." He watched as she shifted.
"In that case I'll stay up with you and keep you company." Meryl glanced at Knives as his eyebrows furrowed together. "Or if you would rather not have the company, I can just go back to..." He shook his head to interrupt her.
"I do not care either way, but you so plainly do. Why is that all of a sudden? All you have been doing for the past weeks was worry yourself over me. Why? Especially considering the way I have treated you. You can't possibly like me all that much." He questioned her with a calm steady gaze. Enough of a one that she could not hold it with him.
She turned and looked up at the night sky. "I suppose because Vash asked me to, in his own way."
"Of course. My dear, dear brother."
"That's not the only reason Knives. I mean it was at first but... not so much anymore." She looked back down at him and found he was still looking directly at her. "What?" She asked feeling herself blush. 'What's wrong with me? Why am I blushing? It's JUST Knives.' She kept telling herself.
"I didn't say a word, though I was curious about your reasons to stay around me so often." Meryl didn't respond right away.
"Why don't you just invade my thoughts and find out like you used to?"
"I suppose I could." He said quietly. 'Then why don't you?' He asked himself.
"Knives, I do believe you are softening." Meryl couldn't help saying with a slight smirk.
He yawned in an immediate response. "I think you are a bit right. How irritating. At least it just seems to be around you, Vash and the other one. Granted I haven't been around anyone else."
Meryl tired of standing, carefully sat next to Knives at a comfortable distance away to ease the tension they both felt. "I'll ignore what you called Millie, but I have been wondering something ever since Vash brought you back. I never really took to the idea that you'd become like your brother." She heard Knives release a smirk before she continued on. "Yet, with Legato gone, as rest of the Gung-Ho Guns, what are you going to do once you're back in your normal fit condition?"
The darkness that had long left his face since, Meryl didn't even realize when, suddenly sprang back in his eyes, overpowering the recent dull and sick ones, and his voice returned to its coldness. "It's not any of your business, but I plan to do the exact thing I've been planning to do since I was only a year old. Destroy the worthless human race."
As if she just remembered the type of person Knives really was she couldn't help but shudder and flinch in fright. 'I'd forgotten that Knives is a mass murderer. One who hates my race with a deep fiery passion. How could I have ever forgotten?'
Seeing the slight fear in her eyes Knives relaxed himself. 'She still fears me. I still have the upper hand. I couldn't be softening. Not for her, not for anybody.' He thought. 'Yet, I don't want her to fear me. I couldn't be... no of course not. It's the fever. Once I'm better I'll go back to ending the human race.'
With the fear, and tension high between them it was a miracle Meryl didn't walk away from Knives, but she held her ground.
"You would kill us all?" She watched him nod. "Even Millie? Who has helped to take care of you?"
"Especially that one. I would barely call her methods in the past 'taking care of me'." He said, recalling the mummification job Millie always did on him.
"You could kill me?" Meryl asked softly, purposely looking as far away from Knives as she could muster, with her jaw set and her fist clenched as she held back tears she couldn't believe were even forming. 'What has gotten into me? Meryl Stryfe does not cry. What did I honestly expect? He's a murderer. He wouldn't care who helped heal him, in the end we're all worthless to him, and therefore need to die.'
She stood, unable to bear his company any longer or wait for the inevitable answer. Walking back around to where Millie was she settled her self on the ground, ready to lay awake the rest of the night, knowing she could never fall asleep now.
"Meryl." She heard him quietly say her name as a statement and not as a question but she ignored it. 'I'm done helping him.' She thought to herself.
She listened for any other sounds of him but heard nothing. Thinking he went to sleep, she turned on her side, and was face to face with a pair of legs. Looking up at their owners, she saw Knives standing tall and confident but he was in pain, no doubt about that. Her jaw dropped.
Knives bent down beside her and with a surprisingly gentle hand, he closed her mouth shut. Before realizing what was happening Knives pulled her up to a sitting position. Looking at her with the dullness back in his eyes he softly rubbed her arms up and down and said something she never imagined would come out of this particular plants lips.
"I'd never kill you, because I want you and I'll make sure you want me back someday."
The words echoed in her head. '...because I want you.' Over and over again. 'Did I hear that right?' She thought to herself, but knew she was only kidding herself to think otherwise. She knew she heard exactly what Knives said.
-
Wondering if he had heard her, Vash gently shook Meryl again. "Meryl, wake up." He finally watched as the petite woman he had grown to love awake. Both Knives and Millie were also awake and were silently watching as Vash woke Meryl up.
"Hmm?" Meryl said softly, rising from her sleep. As she opened her eyes, her vision was blurry as she took in the blond man before her. "Knives?" She asked softly.
"Knives?!" Vash responded sharply. He looked over at his brother who looked back at him before turning away. Vash turned back to Meryl. "Uh, no it's Vash."
"Vash?" She said the name as if she didn't recognize it. Her vision suddenly cleared and she quickly shaded her eyes from the already high suns. Taking in Vash and Millie her eyes wandered over towards Knives who was sitting up right, looking into the desert. 'Did it really happen? Or was it just a dream?' She thought to herself, the images from the previous night flooding her thoughts.
"Are you feeling okay Meryl?" Millie asked concerned. "I do hope you're not getting as sick as Mr. Knives."
Meryl shook her head and wiped away the thoughts. 'It could only have been a dream. Knives despises humans.' She stood up and took in a deep gulp of air. "I'm fine, just a little disoriented is all."
She could tell her gentle companion did not believe her, but she figured Millie would either drop it or pry later. Which at that moment, Meryl preferred the former. She looked down at Vash who was still crouched down.
"Vash?" She asked curiously. Meryl held her gaze with him as he stood, towering over her.
"Millie made some breakfast. Yours is over by the Thomas's, once you eat we should get going before it gets too hot to travel far." He said this with a cheerful manner but Meryl could sense it was forced.
"Right. By the way, how is Knives feeling this morning?" She asked.
"His fevers down, and with the exception of the bullet wounds he's back to normal."
Nodding she walked by Vash and then Millie, but not before making note of Millie's facial expression. Her friend was confused. That, Meryl could understand, she was confused herself. Without moving her head she averted her eyes back in Knives direction, and at once saw he was staring back.
-
'How cute.' Knives thought to himself. 'She doesn't understand what's going...not that I do.' Knives shifted his gaze to his brother, whom he could already feel his eyes boring into his side. 'What Vash?'
'What's going on with Meryl?' He asked silently to his brother.
'How would I know? Humans, as worthless as they are can often be some of the most complex creatures. Especially the females.' He responded with as little interest as possible.
'Cut the crap Knives. What I'm asking is what you did to her?' He asked anger started to boil inside of him.
'I didn't do a damn thing. And if there is anyone to be pissed off here it ought to be me. Not only have you shot me over three times, you didn't even have the courtesy to take out the bullets!'
'Don't change the subject!' He barked in his furious mind.
Vash glared at his brother and Knives didn't even bother to hold back the smirk that escaped his lips. 'Honestly Vash, did you ever think Meryl would love you back? You're nothing but a job. Something in relevance to a child that she is forced to look after.' Knives watched as his brother's glare faded and wide eyes were replaced.
'That's right brother dearest.' Knives continued, with the emphasis on dearest. 'I heard those pathetic thoughts you had last night. How you must tell Meryl you love her. You thoroughly disgust me. Throwing yourself on a human, and one you hardly deserve. Have you forgotten that you destroyed an entire town!? Hundreds have died because of your carelessness!'
Knives angry thoughts were becoming too much for Vash to take. He held his hands to his ears and shook his head.
'Yes, Vash you know its true! And unlike them you can never shut me out! I can forever be in your head if I wished it!'
'Knives, please!' Vash yelled mentally to his brother.
'I'm not finished yet. Don't shut me out! All you have ever tried to do was shut me out! You favored Rem over me, and you have favored the humans over me, well that's fine Vash, I do not need you. Meryl is more than willing to care for me. The one you love thinks not the same for you. Who was the first one she called out to when she awoke? Me, Vash, it was me. Not you.'
'Why are you doing this Knives?' Vash wondered.
'Because. I hate you. And the pain you're feeling right now, is only the beginning in the pain I will be sure you feel for the rest of your existence. It will be the eternal pain I so long for you to endure. To think it would all start with her.' He looked towards Meryl who was slowly eating with Millie by herself, both oblivious to what was going on between the two plants.
Knives could hardly suppress the crazed look that was over coming himself, but without much warning Meryl turned to face him. A sudden jolt hit his heart, and his crazed look faded as soon as it had come. By the look on her face, Meryl had obviously seen the expression that had just been on his face.
The look on Meryl read that not only was she frightened but she was also concerned.
Knives swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat and calmed himself before facing his brother who looked more than dispirited. 'Damn it.' He thought to himself this time. Not allowing Vash's mind to read his own. He brought his hands to his face and rubbed his eyes forcefully while leaning back further on the rock that was supporting him.
-
Millie stood and looked at the people before her. Since when had things gotten so complicated? She wondered to herself for the nth time. It was evident to her that Mr. Vash was falling in love with Meryl, if he had not already. She always thought her raven haired friend, though in much denial that she was, would find some way to admit to Mr. Vash that she loved him too, once he returned back to them.
But it had already been well over a month and nothing. Meryl was not taking the signals that Mr. Vash was throwing out. No, instead she felt her friends eyes drifting over to a man she didn't think possible. Mr. Knives. How and when, she was still unsure of, in fact she wasn't even sure if what she thought she sensed was there. Was Meryl falling for a murderer?
And more so, was he falling for her? Millie couldn't remember when things had ever been this intricate in her life. If only Wolfwood were still alive. They could think this through together.
-
Meryl finally stood alongside Millie. "I guess we can get going." Everyone nodded their heads in agreement but said nothing. Without being asked Vash picked his brother up and placed him on the waiting Thomas. Instead of climbing a top with him he took the reins, a decision to walk rather than ride.
While both the girls climbed on the other bird, Millie couldn't hold the question in her head any longer. "Meryl?" She asked quietly so Vash and Knives would not hear. "What's happening?"
"Later Millie, once we can have some privacy." She responded back just as quietly. "Let's talk about something else."
"Like what?"
"Like how I left the typewriter in that last town."
"Meryl you didn't!?" Millie exclaimed, a little relieved to move on to less somber matters.
-
While the girls began a light, somewhat amusing topic the two brothers were feeling anything but a light and amusing mood between them. As the hours went on they didn't exchange a word or a thought, even as they stopped for lunch. Starting back up to continue their jaunt through the desert to get to February Vash finally couldn't stand the silence.
"Why can't you change?" Vash suddenly asked his brother.
"Why can't you change?" Knives challenged him back and just as sudden.
"Despite what you said earlier I still hope you'll change. I refuse to give up on you Knives." Vash said, ignoring his brother's challenge.
"I know.... and uh, well."
Finding it odd that his normally outspoken brother could not find words he turned to look at him.
"What?"
"Turn around! I'm not going to say this to your face!" He barked at him.
With a slight curious tilt of the head, Vash did as his brother requested of him.
"Well, any way... I was just going to say that I um..." Knives let out a frustrated sigh and mumbled something.
"I didn't catch that Knives. What did you say?"
"I said..." and he mumbled off again.
"What?!" Vash asked again.
"I said I was sorry, okay! Jeez, your hearing bites Vash."
"You're sorry? What for?"
Knives grinded his teeth together. "You want me to explain?"
"Well if you are apologizing, I would like to know exactly what you're apologizing for." Vash said with a slight smile playing at his lips.
"For someone who was whining earlier, you sure do bounce back to your irritating self. I was apologizing for... TURN AROUND!" Knives seethed.
"Sorry!" Vash let out a laugh.
"I don't hate you... not a whole lot at least. I'm apologizing for that and for the, you know, other insults."
"The other insults, huh? That's the best you could do for an apology?"
"Fine! I wont do it again you bastard ingrate!"
At that comment Vash let out a laugh again. Both Meryl and Millie looked up at the sudden break through of laughter.
-
"I guess whatever was going on between the two of them, someone apologized." Millie said suddenly with a smile. "Now things can relax a bit more."
"Yeah." Meryl said with a nod.
-
"There's just one more thing Knives?" Vash said, stopping in mid- laugh.
"What was that?"
"You like Meryl don't you, perhaps you even love her?"
"Do you?" Knives asked back.
"Yes. In fact you're the first one I admit this to. I'm in love with her, so what about yourself?"
Knives didn't bother to lie this time, though he certainly didn't give his brother a straight answer. "Perhaps."
Vash didn't say anything for a moment before nodding. "Well you realize if you do, you're in love with a human right?"
"I think I'd be slightly aware of that little fact idiot."
"But you're okay with that? After all that junk about it being disgusting and what not?" Vash asked curiously.
"I never said I'd be okay with it."
"What ever happened to yes's and no's?"
"They're far overrated." Knives gave his brother a look and Vash gave him one back.
"We'd be competing for the same girl."
"We would."
They both spent awhile contemplating. 'Suppose he really does love Meryl too?' Vash asked himself. 'Do I dare tell him the truth?' Knives thought to himself. 'Nah.'
"Oh and Knives, since you were able to apologize, I think I ought to do the same."
This time Knives really wasn't clear on what apology was being addressed. "For what precisely?"
"The bullets..."
Knives frowned. "Well there is nothing you can do about it now. You're a broom head, and broom heads do stupid things like forgetting to take out bullets from their only family."
"Yes, you see that's just the thing... I kind of left them in on purpose so you wouldn't heal instantly and take off before we had a chance to talk."
"YOU WHAT!?"
"Hey look! I think that's February!" Vash pointed at the very distance town up a head of them before taking off at a sprint, leaving his brother on the bird, unable to run after him.
"Vash you get back here you...." Knives let out a number of curse words directed at his brother. "Just wait till I get my hands on you!" He yelled out, forcing his pain aside he made the Thomas start a gallop after his brother while the girls stayed behind laughing.
-
"I think things may be okay Meryl." Millie said with a laugh as she watched Knives gallop after a frantic Vash who was running for all he was worth.
"Yes, I think so too." Meryl agreed with a smile. 'Still... putting what is happening right now aside, how am I ever going to face Knives?' She thought to herself.
-
A/N: Not too bad a chapter. It was a bit intense at some parts wasn't it? Well to give you a head up on the next chapter they will finally be in this town of February and Knives will finally be mobile again!
Knives: It's about time!
Author: Knives it WAS your own fault. You shouldn't have walked so many times. To my readers please review!
Yours truly,
F. Goddyss
Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun. Life is that cruel.
A/N: Please enjoy!
-
As the night lingered on the Trigun crew all entered the sleeping stage full of comfortable dreams and shallow breathing. That is, all of them except Knives. With his high fever and pain, sleep was not nearly as comfortable as he would have liked. Finally he succumbed to the fever and decided it was better to just wake up instead of fighting it to let him sleep.
'Damn fever.' He thought to himself. 'Vash you peace loving idiot, you probably left those bullets in me on purpose. You'll pay for that.' As a sudden wave of nausea passed through him he couldn't help but moan.
The sudden noise from Knives instantly woke up Meryl. "Knives?" She asked a loud. "Did you need something?"
"No." He answered back rather abruptly.
He watched as Meryl stood up and walked towards him. 'She never listens to anybody.' He thought to himself. "I said I didn't need anything."
"I heard you." She responded as she felt his forehead, yet again. Upon feeling it she sighed with relief. "I think it's going down. Do you feel any better?"
"Not really, but I can at least see straight so that must be a good sign."
"It is." Meryl suddenly started to feel awkward. 'Why do I suddenly feel so nervous? It's just Knives.' She thought to herself. "Well I'll guess you'll want to get back to sleep then?"
Knives scoffed. "Hardly." He watched as she shifted.
"In that case I'll stay up with you and keep you company." Meryl glanced at Knives as his eyebrows furrowed together. "Or if you would rather not have the company, I can just go back to..." He shook his head to interrupt her.
"I do not care either way, but you so plainly do. Why is that all of a sudden? All you have been doing for the past weeks was worry yourself over me. Why? Especially considering the way I have treated you. You can't possibly like me all that much." He questioned her with a calm steady gaze. Enough of a one that she could not hold it with him.
She turned and looked up at the night sky. "I suppose because Vash asked me to, in his own way."
"Of course. My dear, dear brother."
"That's not the only reason Knives. I mean it was at first but... not so much anymore." She looked back down at him and found he was still looking directly at her. "What?" She asked feeling herself blush. 'What's wrong with me? Why am I blushing? It's JUST Knives.' She kept telling herself.
"I didn't say a word, though I was curious about your reasons to stay around me so often." Meryl didn't respond right away.
"Why don't you just invade my thoughts and find out like you used to?"
"I suppose I could." He said quietly. 'Then why don't you?' He asked himself.
"Knives, I do believe you are softening." Meryl couldn't help saying with a slight smirk.
He yawned in an immediate response. "I think you are a bit right. How irritating. At least it just seems to be around you, Vash and the other one. Granted I haven't been around anyone else."
Meryl tired of standing, carefully sat next to Knives at a comfortable distance away to ease the tension they both felt. "I'll ignore what you called Millie, but I have been wondering something ever since Vash brought you back. I never really took to the idea that you'd become like your brother." She heard Knives release a smirk before she continued on. "Yet, with Legato gone, as rest of the Gung-Ho Guns, what are you going to do once you're back in your normal fit condition?"
The darkness that had long left his face since, Meryl didn't even realize when, suddenly sprang back in his eyes, overpowering the recent dull and sick ones, and his voice returned to its coldness. "It's not any of your business, but I plan to do the exact thing I've been planning to do since I was only a year old. Destroy the worthless human race."
As if she just remembered the type of person Knives really was she couldn't help but shudder and flinch in fright. 'I'd forgotten that Knives is a mass murderer. One who hates my race with a deep fiery passion. How could I have ever forgotten?'
Seeing the slight fear in her eyes Knives relaxed himself. 'She still fears me. I still have the upper hand. I couldn't be softening. Not for her, not for anybody.' He thought. 'Yet, I don't want her to fear me. I couldn't be... no of course not. It's the fever. Once I'm better I'll go back to ending the human race.'
With the fear, and tension high between them it was a miracle Meryl didn't walk away from Knives, but she held her ground.
"You would kill us all?" She watched him nod. "Even Millie? Who has helped to take care of you?"
"Especially that one. I would barely call her methods in the past 'taking care of me'." He said, recalling the mummification job Millie always did on him.
"You could kill me?" Meryl asked softly, purposely looking as far away from Knives as she could muster, with her jaw set and her fist clenched as she held back tears she couldn't believe were even forming. 'What has gotten into me? Meryl Stryfe does not cry. What did I honestly expect? He's a murderer. He wouldn't care who helped heal him, in the end we're all worthless to him, and therefore need to die.'
She stood, unable to bear his company any longer or wait for the inevitable answer. Walking back around to where Millie was she settled her self on the ground, ready to lay awake the rest of the night, knowing she could never fall asleep now.
"Meryl." She heard him quietly say her name as a statement and not as a question but she ignored it. 'I'm done helping him.' She thought to herself.
She listened for any other sounds of him but heard nothing. Thinking he went to sleep, she turned on her side, and was face to face with a pair of legs. Looking up at their owners, she saw Knives standing tall and confident but he was in pain, no doubt about that. Her jaw dropped.
Knives bent down beside her and with a surprisingly gentle hand, he closed her mouth shut. Before realizing what was happening Knives pulled her up to a sitting position. Looking at her with the dullness back in his eyes he softly rubbed her arms up and down and said something she never imagined would come out of this particular plants lips.
"I'd never kill you, because I want you and I'll make sure you want me back someday."
The words echoed in her head. '...because I want you.' Over and over again. 'Did I hear that right?' She thought to herself, but knew she was only kidding herself to think otherwise. She knew she heard exactly what Knives said.
-
Wondering if he had heard her, Vash gently shook Meryl again. "Meryl, wake up." He finally watched as the petite woman he had grown to love awake. Both Knives and Millie were also awake and were silently watching as Vash woke Meryl up.
"Hmm?" Meryl said softly, rising from her sleep. As she opened her eyes, her vision was blurry as she took in the blond man before her. "Knives?" She asked softly.
"Knives?!" Vash responded sharply. He looked over at his brother who looked back at him before turning away. Vash turned back to Meryl. "Uh, no it's Vash."
"Vash?" She said the name as if she didn't recognize it. Her vision suddenly cleared and she quickly shaded her eyes from the already high suns. Taking in Vash and Millie her eyes wandered over towards Knives who was sitting up right, looking into the desert. 'Did it really happen? Or was it just a dream?' She thought to herself, the images from the previous night flooding her thoughts.
"Are you feeling okay Meryl?" Millie asked concerned. "I do hope you're not getting as sick as Mr. Knives."
Meryl shook her head and wiped away the thoughts. 'It could only have been a dream. Knives despises humans.' She stood up and took in a deep gulp of air. "I'm fine, just a little disoriented is all."
She could tell her gentle companion did not believe her, but she figured Millie would either drop it or pry later. Which at that moment, Meryl preferred the former. She looked down at Vash who was still crouched down.
"Vash?" She asked curiously. Meryl held her gaze with him as he stood, towering over her.
"Millie made some breakfast. Yours is over by the Thomas's, once you eat we should get going before it gets too hot to travel far." He said this with a cheerful manner but Meryl could sense it was forced.
"Right. By the way, how is Knives feeling this morning?" She asked.
"His fevers down, and with the exception of the bullet wounds he's back to normal."
Nodding she walked by Vash and then Millie, but not before making note of Millie's facial expression. Her friend was confused. That, Meryl could understand, she was confused herself. Without moving her head she averted her eyes back in Knives direction, and at once saw he was staring back.
-
'How cute.' Knives thought to himself. 'She doesn't understand what's going...not that I do.' Knives shifted his gaze to his brother, whom he could already feel his eyes boring into his side. 'What Vash?'
'What's going on with Meryl?' He asked silently to his brother.
'How would I know? Humans, as worthless as they are can often be some of the most complex creatures. Especially the females.' He responded with as little interest as possible.
'Cut the crap Knives. What I'm asking is what you did to her?' He asked anger started to boil inside of him.
'I didn't do a damn thing. And if there is anyone to be pissed off here it ought to be me. Not only have you shot me over three times, you didn't even have the courtesy to take out the bullets!'
'Don't change the subject!' He barked in his furious mind.
Vash glared at his brother and Knives didn't even bother to hold back the smirk that escaped his lips. 'Honestly Vash, did you ever think Meryl would love you back? You're nothing but a job. Something in relevance to a child that she is forced to look after.' Knives watched as his brother's glare faded and wide eyes were replaced.
'That's right brother dearest.' Knives continued, with the emphasis on dearest. 'I heard those pathetic thoughts you had last night. How you must tell Meryl you love her. You thoroughly disgust me. Throwing yourself on a human, and one you hardly deserve. Have you forgotten that you destroyed an entire town!? Hundreds have died because of your carelessness!'
Knives angry thoughts were becoming too much for Vash to take. He held his hands to his ears and shook his head.
'Yes, Vash you know its true! And unlike them you can never shut me out! I can forever be in your head if I wished it!'
'Knives, please!' Vash yelled mentally to his brother.
'I'm not finished yet. Don't shut me out! All you have ever tried to do was shut me out! You favored Rem over me, and you have favored the humans over me, well that's fine Vash, I do not need you. Meryl is more than willing to care for me. The one you love thinks not the same for you. Who was the first one she called out to when she awoke? Me, Vash, it was me. Not you.'
'Why are you doing this Knives?' Vash wondered.
'Because. I hate you. And the pain you're feeling right now, is only the beginning in the pain I will be sure you feel for the rest of your existence. It will be the eternal pain I so long for you to endure. To think it would all start with her.' He looked towards Meryl who was slowly eating with Millie by herself, both oblivious to what was going on between the two plants.
Knives could hardly suppress the crazed look that was over coming himself, but without much warning Meryl turned to face him. A sudden jolt hit his heart, and his crazed look faded as soon as it had come. By the look on her face, Meryl had obviously seen the expression that had just been on his face.
The look on Meryl read that not only was she frightened but she was also concerned.
Knives swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat and calmed himself before facing his brother who looked more than dispirited. 'Damn it.' He thought to himself this time. Not allowing Vash's mind to read his own. He brought his hands to his face and rubbed his eyes forcefully while leaning back further on the rock that was supporting him.
-
Millie stood and looked at the people before her. Since when had things gotten so complicated? She wondered to herself for the nth time. It was evident to her that Mr. Vash was falling in love with Meryl, if he had not already. She always thought her raven haired friend, though in much denial that she was, would find some way to admit to Mr. Vash that she loved him too, once he returned back to them.
But it had already been well over a month and nothing. Meryl was not taking the signals that Mr. Vash was throwing out. No, instead she felt her friends eyes drifting over to a man she didn't think possible. Mr. Knives. How and when, she was still unsure of, in fact she wasn't even sure if what she thought she sensed was there. Was Meryl falling for a murderer?
And more so, was he falling for her? Millie couldn't remember when things had ever been this intricate in her life. If only Wolfwood were still alive. They could think this through together.
-
Meryl finally stood alongside Millie. "I guess we can get going." Everyone nodded their heads in agreement but said nothing. Without being asked Vash picked his brother up and placed him on the waiting Thomas. Instead of climbing a top with him he took the reins, a decision to walk rather than ride.
While both the girls climbed on the other bird, Millie couldn't hold the question in her head any longer. "Meryl?" She asked quietly so Vash and Knives would not hear. "What's happening?"
"Later Millie, once we can have some privacy." She responded back just as quietly. "Let's talk about something else."
"Like what?"
"Like how I left the typewriter in that last town."
"Meryl you didn't!?" Millie exclaimed, a little relieved to move on to less somber matters.
-
While the girls began a light, somewhat amusing topic the two brothers were feeling anything but a light and amusing mood between them. As the hours went on they didn't exchange a word or a thought, even as they stopped for lunch. Starting back up to continue their jaunt through the desert to get to February Vash finally couldn't stand the silence.
"Why can't you change?" Vash suddenly asked his brother.
"Why can't you change?" Knives challenged him back and just as sudden.
"Despite what you said earlier I still hope you'll change. I refuse to give up on you Knives." Vash said, ignoring his brother's challenge.
"I know.... and uh, well."
Finding it odd that his normally outspoken brother could not find words he turned to look at him.
"What?"
"Turn around! I'm not going to say this to your face!" He barked at him.
With a slight curious tilt of the head, Vash did as his brother requested of him.
"Well, any way... I was just going to say that I um..." Knives let out a frustrated sigh and mumbled something.
"I didn't catch that Knives. What did you say?"
"I said..." and he mumbled off again.
"What?!" Vash asked again.
"I said I was sorry, okay! Jeez, your hearing bites Vash."
"You're sorry? What for?"
Knives grinded his teeth together. "You want me to explain?"
"Well if you are apologizing, I would like to know exactly what you're apologizing for." Vash said with a slight smile playing at his lips.
"For someone who was whining earlier, you sure do bounce back to your irritating self. I was apologizing for... TURN AROUND!" Knives seethed.
"Sorry!" Vash let out a laugh.
"I don't hate you... not a whole lot at least. I'm apologizing for that and for the, you know, other insults."
"The other insults, huh? That's the best you could do for an apology?"
"Fine! I wont do it again you bastard ingrate!"
At that comment Vash let out a laugh again. Both Meryl and Millie looked up at the sudden break through of laughter.
-
"I guess whatever was going on between the two of them, someone apologized." Millie said suddenly with a smile. "Now things can relax a bit more."
"Yeah." Meryl said with a nod.
-
"There's just one more thing Knives?" Vash said, stopping in mid- laugh.
"What was that?"
"You like Meryl don't you, perhaps you even love her?"
"Do you?" Knives asked back.
"Yes. In fact you're the first one I admit this to. I'm in love with her, so what about yourself?"
Knives didn't bother to lie this time, though he certainly didn't give his brother a straight answer. "Perhaps."
Vash didn't say anything for a moment before nodding. "Well you realize if you do, you're in love with a human right?"
"I think I'd be slightly aware of that little fact idiot."
"But you're okay with that? After all that junk about it being disgusting and what not?" Vash asked curiously.
"I never said I'd be okay with it."
"What ever happened to yes's and no's?"
"They're far overrated." Knives gave his brother a look and Vash gave him one back.
"We'd be competing for the same girl."
"We would."
They both spent awhile contemplating. 'Suppose he really does love Meryl too?' Vash asked himself. 'Do I dare tell him the truth?' Knives thought to himself. 'Nah.'
"Oh and Knives, since you were able to apologize, I think I ought to do the same."
This time Knives really wasn't clear on what apology was being addressed. "For what precisely?"
"The bullets..."
Knives frowned. "Well there is nothing you can do about it now. You're a broom head, and broom heads do stupid things like forgetting to take out bullets from their only family."
"Yes, you see that's just the thing... I kind of left them in on purpose so you wouldn't heal instantly and take off before we had a chance to talk."
"YOU WHAT!?"
"Hey look! I think that's February!" Vash pointed at the very distance town up a head of them before taking off at a sprint, leaving his brother on the bird, unable to run after him.
"Vash you get back here you...." Knives let out a number of curse words directed at his brother. "Just wait till I get my hands on you!" He yelled out, forcing his pain aside he made the Thomas start a gallop after his brother while the girls stayed behind laughing.
-
"I think things may be okay Meryl." Millie said with a laugh as she watched Knives gallop after a frantic Vash who was running for all he was worth.
"Yes, I think so too." Meryl agreed with a smile. 'Still... putting what is happening right now aside, how am I ever going to face Knives?' She thought to herself.
-
A/N: Not too bad a chapter. It was a bit intense at some parts wasn't it? Well to give you a head up on the next chapter they will finally be in this town of February and Knives will finally be mobile again!
Knives: It's about time!
Author: Knives it WAS your own fault. You shouldn't have walked so many times. To my readers please review!
Yours truly,
F. Goddyss