Jackie: Chapter five… I don't believe there's any fluff in this one. Oh, come on, no pouting. You'll get some more fluff in other chapters, I promise.

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Knives woke up to the harsh glare of the morning sun peaking through the window. He grumbled and turned away from it. Would it kill them to invest in a curtain?

He opened his eyes slowly and looked across at the woman peacefully sleeping in the cot across from him. She was facing the sun, but that didn't seem to bother her. Her chest rose unevenly as the breathing machine pumped her lungs for her. The sun gave her pale skin a soft glow. He could tell by the paleness of her skin that she hadn't been active out in the sun for quite a while. He wondered just how long she had been there.

His eyes traced over the curve of her hip to her long legs. She had kicked the blanket off in the night again. Apparently she was a restless sleeper. He could see she had some muscle definition before she had been laid there, but much of her muscle had shriveled in her long stay in that bed. Even if she survived her extreme wounds, she would need massive amounts of physical therapy to walk again. Why, then, was she fighting so hard to stay alive? As much as humans talked about survival, most of them gave up at the first hitch of trouble.

Not her. His eyes narrowed to a scowl. But she's still a worthless spider. She wouldn't even have made it this far without the food, water, and energy they leached off my sisters. Knifes growled at the thought of it. Suffer, human. Suffer long and hard, for no matter how long you suffer you will never know the suffering of my sisters.

"Good morning," she whispered.

Knives blinked at looked up into her large gray eyes. He had been too busy thinking to notice her waking up. He wanted to say 'What's good about it?". He was in a hospital cot that had cradled god knows how many diseased humans and he was too full of bullet holes to do anything about it. He forced a smile. He had made a deal after all.

"Morning," He forced out.

She smiled slightly. Even in her unkempt state she was pretty. Especially when she smiled… For a human, that is.

Knives sat up as the nurse walked in a delivered their breakfasts. From the state of the last two meals he received here he wasn't looking forward to this one. He lifted the warming lid and sneered. Burnt eggs, a brunt sliver of bacon, and, of course, burnt stale toast.

"You know," The woman said, "I think it was dead when they pulled it from the fridge. I don't think it was necessary to kill it again."

Knives blinked and looked over at her. Mira was her name. He'd found that out yesterday. Mira was holding her piece of burnt bacon like something that was rotten she tapped it on her plate and it shattered. Knives laughed in spite of himself. Mira smiled and said, "I'd like to say you get used to it, but…"

Mira pushed the plate away from herself and replaced the lid. Knives smiled and did the same.

"Maybe I can get my brother to bring us some food," Knives offered.

"That would be great," Mira said, "Thanks."

Knives looked on her smiling face and was instantly uncomfortable at how chummy he was getting with her all of a sudden. He snorted and looked out the window. You are not going to fool ME, spider.

Mira frowned. Every time she thought she might actually enjoy some company from her new roommate he put up the brick wall again. She had known another man like that though. She knew she could break the barrier if she could just find out what he liked to talk about.

She looked him over now that she knew she wouldn't get caught. He was tall and incredibly handsome. She was free, and he hadn't had any female visitors. Right now though, she would settle for a little conversation. He didn't have to be interested. She didn't have any family, and most of her friends had stopped coming about a weak ago. She wasn't exactly getting better. She sighed and turn away from him.

Later…

"Hey bro!" Vash said as he entered, "I brought you something."

Vash placed a wrapped box on Knives lap along with a little metal lunch box. Knives immediately opened the lunch box. Four salmon sandwiches and two apples. Not gourmet by any means but far better than he was getting from the hospital kitchen.

"Two for you, and two from me," Vash smiled, "Open your gift."

Knives opened the box to find a brand new chess set. Vash smiled and said, "We used to play all the time when we were little. Do you remember how?"

"Of course I do," Knives growled, "Don't be stupid."

"Wow, sorry I asked," Vash said waving his hands in front of him.

It was at that moment Knives noticed Mira staring. She quickly looked away and rolled away from the two brothers, but her grumbling stomach gave her away. Knives sighed and tossed his apple and one of his sandwiches over on the bed beside her. Mira rolled back toward it and smiled. She would have said thank you, but Knives spoke first, "Now stop looking so pathetic."

"Knives," Vash scolded.

Vash turned to Mira and was amazed to see the food vanish down her throat in mere moments. Vash tossed her another sandwich and asked, "Don't they feed you guys here?"

"If you can call it food," Knives growled, "And that's one of YOUR sandwiches. This one is MINE."

Knives grabbed a sandwich and tore into it, daring Vash to protest. Vash laughed and said, "You can have it all bro. I'll get something to eat later. I had no idea they weren't giving you enough to eat. I'll make arrangements to have food delivered to you."

Mira was already done. She sighed and patted her belly. She smiled at Vash and said, "Wow, thanks. I haven't felt full in a long time."

"Don't mention it," Vash said with a smile.

Vash opened the chess game and set up the board. Knives always won, but Vash didn't care. Knives enjoyed it, and was usually pleasant while playing. Vash looked over at Mira who was staring at the board. Vash smirked and said, "Oh excuse me! Ladies first!"

Vash pulled out one of the food tables and set it between them. He put the board on it and Knives glared openly at Vash.

'She's a human, she won't be good sport.'

Mira moved.

Knives moved.

'Give her a chance.'

Mira moved, Knives moved.

'Yeah, right, I could beat her in my sleep.'

Mira moved, Knives moved. Vash looked at the board.

'Um… You better watch yourself bro.'

Mira moved, Knives moved.

'Why it's not like she's any match.'

Mira moved.

"Check mate," Mira said.

"WHAT?!" Knives said and looked down at the board.

It wasn't the four move checkmate Knives had learned when he first learned chess but it was a five move alteration that would have been hard for him to weasel out of even if he had been watching for it. Knives flung his legs over the side of the bed and feverishly set the pieces back in their places.

"Again!" Knives barked, "You won't be so lucky this time."

"Lucky?" She scoffed, "I beat you fair and square and I'll do it again."

Vash chuckled as the two squabbled. He gathered up the empty lunch box and left. Knives didn't even notice.

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Jackie: Good start on the Knives x OC romance? Bad start? REVIEW!