Jackie: WARNING Vash X Meryl fluff to follow. No flames since I warned you!

Disclaimer: Trigun… Um… I don't own it.

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Vash stopped at the flower shop on his way home. He had a real verbal battle with Meryl over taking Knives to the Hospital. He needed to smooth it over so he could get on to better things. Without Knives around he could finally get cooking with his insurance girl.

"What'll it be," The man behind the counter asked.

"I don't know," Vash answered as he looked over the selection, "They are so expensive!"

"It's not exactly easy to grow flowers on this planet you know," The man said absently.

"I know," Vash said regretfully, "Look, I have $$20. What will that get me?"

The man looked at Vash as if he were kidding. When he saw the desperate goofy look on Vash's face he shook his head. He turned around a selected some cheap baby's breath, a fern frond, a cluster of ivy, three small trumpet lilies and a single Star Gazer lily. He growled at himself and said, "Here, it's worth double that, but I can tell by the look on your face that you need it."

"Gee, thanks mister!" Vash cheered and handed over the money.

"Yeah, yeah," The man grumbled, taking the money and handing the arrangement to Vash, "I'm too much of a softy."

Vash smiled as he walked out the door and said, "There's no such thing."

The man blinked and watched the door close behind Vash. He smiled in spite of himself.

Vash nearly ran the rest of the way home. He couldn't wait to see Meryl's face when he presented the flowers to her. Just as his feet hit the porch he suddenly lost his nerve. He sat there for a while, staring at the door. He knew he didn't have anything to fear, Meryl probably wasn't even home from her waitressing job yet. He took a deep breath and walked in.

"Honey, I'm home!" Vash called out as he strutted through the door.

There was no answer. Vash saw a note on the table so he stopped to read it;

Vash,

I had to work a double so I won't be home until late. I came home to fix lunch, but you must have been with Knives at the hospital. I'm sorry for yelling at you about Knives. He's your brother, and you probably know what's best for him.

Meryl

Vash sighed and pulled out a pitcher since they didn't own a vase. He put the flowers in it and decided to settle in for a nice long nap.

Later that evening…

Millie came home first. She'd gotten a huge bonus that day and couldn't wait to tell the others. Then she saw the flowers. She smiled because she knew there was only one person who could have left them and only one person they could be for. It was about time one of them made a move. She stopped to smell the flowers and wondered if they would be enough to budge a stubborn Meryl. Millie wasn't gifted at manipulating people, but she figure she could help Vash out. Without a second thought Millie rushed into town to get the only alcohol she had ever seen Meryl drink, Kaluha and Irish Cream.

She returned with her purchases and a sad look on her face. Leave it to Meryl to like the most expensive liquor money can buy. If I hadn't gotten such a large bonus... Still she decided it was worth it and poured a drink on the rocks with half of each liquor. She started to stir it just in time for Meryl to come in.

"Hiya Meryl!" Millie cooed.

"Hi," Meryl started, and looked at the drink, "What's up?"

"I got a big bonus today and thought I share some of it with my best friend!" Millie answered.

"Thanks," Meryl said with a smile, "But you didn't have to buy me flowers."

"I didn't," Millie said and handed Meryl the drink, "Mr. Vash did."

Meryl looked down at the drink. She normally drank this drink from a rocks glass and only drank one a night on those occasions she drank at all. Millie had used one of the big 16oz glasses. Was she trying to kill her? She looked at the big girl who seemed blissfully ignorant of the sheer amount of alcohol she was offering. With a slight sigh at how simple Millie could be, she started to drink. I can indulge this once…

Millie smile brightly as Meryl took a large sip. Knowing how little Meryl drank, it wouldn't be half the glass before she was stone drunk. Millie smiled and said, "I'll cook dinner!"

"Thanks again, Millie," Meryl said, "I'm really tired."

Millie went to work on a dinner for two, and smiled. She had no intention of being around to get in the way of the 'mood'. She giggled at herself. This was so much fun!

Later still…

Meryl looked down at her half empty drink through blurring vision then back up at the flowers. Vash bought them… Why? She took another drink as Vash stumbled out of his room. Millie walked out of the kitchen and said, "Oh good! Mr. Vash, I was just about to come get you. Dinner is ready."

Millie faked a yawn when Vash and Meryl looked at her. She placed two plates of food on the table and said, "Oh my, I'm SO tired. I ate while I was cooking so I think I'll just go to bed now! Goodnight!"

Meryl and Vash both opened their mouths to speak but Millie was already in her room. Meryl looked up the stairs at Vash and he looked at her. Vash nearly stepped back with surprise. Was Meryl actually drunk?

"You okay, short girl?" Vash asked.

"I'm fiiiinne," Meryl cooed and slurred, "Millie got a bonus and she bought me a present!"

Vash tried to keep from laughing as he walked down and poured himself some Wild Turkey. He sat down across the table and said, "Well, I'm glad to see you cutting loose for a change."

Meryl sputtered as she laughed and drank down the rest of the glass in one gulp. Vash blinked and said, "Hey, don't overdo it, okay?"

"I knoOOOooow what I am doing!" Meryl said, "I'm a BIG girl remember."

This time Vash did laugh and he swallowed down his glass and poured another. Meryl Greedily ate up her meal and belched loudly. Vash's eyes snapped up to her as she covered her mouth and blushed bright red.

"Oh!" Meryl started, "Excuse me."

Vash started laughing again and forced up a belch of his own as he said, "URP, don't mention it!"

They both laughed and Meryl bounded up toward the radio. Vash looked at her curiously and she said, "I want some music. I wanna dance!"

Vash nearly fell out of his chair over that one. Meryl wanted to dance? Vash scarfed down his food and poured himself another while trying to keep his eyes on her. This he had to see.

Vash slammed it down as soon as she started moving. Oh, god! He thought. The little girl could MOVE. As the beat went on she swayed her hips and rocked her shoulders in just the right way to make her little body seem OH so enticing. The rosy flush of her cheeks accented the seductive look in her lavender eyes. Though she never looked at him, he pretended she was. He also pretended she wasn't dancing because she felt like it. She was dancing just for him. He poured another down his throat.

Two dances and nearly a full bottle of Wild Turkey later Vash was up dancing with her. He wasn't much for this kind of high beat and gyrating but he was enjoying himself. Then a slow song came on and Meryl stopped.

"AWWW!" She whined, "A slow song. I can't dance to this!"

She was about to sit down when Vash caught her hand and said, "I can."

Meryl blushed brightly and looked up into his aqua eyes as he pulled her tightly against him. He would have given her a more proper distance normally but he had the confidence of Wild Turkey on his side! He smile down at her and began gently gliding her around the floor.

Meryl couldn't stop blushing. He danced like some sort of prince from a fairy tale. He was holding her so close to him that she could feel his heart beating against hers. She looked away, afraid he might see through her, afraid he might know how deeply she was falling in love with him.

"Th-Thanks," She said softly.

"For what?" He asked.

"For the flowers," She answered.

"You deserved them," Vash said.

"No I--" Meryl started.

Vash cupped her tiny chin with his good hand and titled her face up toward his. He stopped dancing and ran his free hand back through her hair as he said, "Yes, you did."

Meryl froze. He looked like he was about to kiss her. This couldn't really be happening. Then it occurred to her. What if he didn't kiss her? What if he never kissed her? She couldn't stand it! She thrust herself up on her toes and kissed him.

Vash was obviously surprised but he kissed back. She broke the kiss suddenly and shivered as she said, "I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm drunk and--"

Vash wouldn't hear another word of it. He grabbed her, dipped her back and started kissing her again. With her in this position, she couldn't get away.

Meryl's heart skipped a beat and she moaned softly into his mouth. Vash the Stampede was kissing her, and she wanted more. Feverishly she tugged at his shirt and that was all the encouragement he needed.

He scooped her up into his arms and carried her up the stairs to his room. He shut the door behind him with his foot. He set her down with one hand behind her head and one massaging the small of her back. He broke the kiss only slightly and said, "Oh god, Meryl. I've loved you for so long. I've wanted you for so long."

"And I love you too," Meryl answered.

Vash stopped and stood back from her, looking down into her lavender eyes. A thought suddenly hit him. He was drunk, and she was drunk. He knew he felt this way about her sober, but did she feel that way about him without a quart of alcohol in her system. He frowned slightly and pulled her against him for a hug.

"What's wrong?" Meryl whined slightly.

"I love you, I love you so much," Vash said, "But I can't do this. I need for you to be sober. I need to know you feel this way without the alcohol to coerce you."

Meryl was suddenly sobered by disappointment, but there was truth to what he was saying. Now that she thought of it, she needed that too. She started to walk towards the door as she said, "I understand."

"Wait," Vash whined at her.

"What?" She asked without looking back.

Vash climbed into bed and held open the covers. He blushed and said, "We can still cuddle… Can't we?"

Meryl turned around and smiled softly at the pathetic face he was giving her. She took off her cloak and said, "I suppose."

Meryl crawled into bed with him and curled up against him. As she fell asleep in his arms he thought he had never been so happy.

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Jackie: TA-DA. Meryl and Vash fluff, as promised! Stay tuned for chapter 5 folks! By the way, that's two chapters in one update. How much do you love me?