Millie woke up at her usual time. She sat quietly in bed. She didn't hear any screaming, crying, or pain-enduced whimpering. "Wonderful! Meryl and Mr. Vash must be getting along!" She walked into the bathroom to get ready for work.
Millie hummed as she went through her morning ritual. She had been keeping herself pretty busy. Her team was ahead of schedule on the well (they had already reached the vein) and now the crew was digging irrigation canals to make agriculture possible. This was very exciting, and she was happy that the town appreciated her work so much. In fact, after reaching the water vein, the whole crew got a big bonus and the store owner even gave them a bunch of food credits. It was a good thing, too, because after Vash left to fight Knives, Meryl had a...mishap... A group of men in the bar were badmouthing Vash and Meryl punched one of them in the face. If it hadn't been for Millie arriving at exactly that moment with her stungun, Meryl would have been in a lot of trouble. The two women decided maybe Meryl needed a little vacation from the saloon.
Millie shook her head at the memory and smiled. Those guys were completely taken aback by the tiny woman's behavior. Meryl was so defensive of Vash.
Millie went in to check on Vash's brother. He was still unconscious, but everything looked good.
When she was done getting ready for work, she went downstairs to make breakfast. Normally Meryl made breakfast, but Millie didn't want to bother her. She ate hers and packed a portion of bacon, eggs, and toast for her foreman, Mr. Jim. She had noticed that in his drive to move the project along, he often overlooked his own needs. He reminded Millie of her little big brother.
As she got to work, everybody greeted her. This was the first job she'd ever had where she was consistantly early. She saw Mr. Jim and waved. Even though he was surrounded by several engineers and was going over plans for the day, he still took the time to wave and return her greeting. She walked up and waited until everyone was back at work and handed him the container of food. "Good morning Mr. Jim, I hope you're doing well!"
He looked up at her, grateful for the breakfast. "Millie, you're too kind. Why do you take such good care of me?"
"Oh Mr. Jim! It's because I have to! What would we do without such a great foreman? And you know I never see you eat! You need to take better care!" She admonished him in an innocent voice and he smiled at her. "So what's the plan for today?"
He put the container down and looked back to the plans. He took in a big breath and let it out. "Well, today we're going to be digging canals through the Jones' fields. If we get done with that, we'll move on to the Millers'."
"Wow! That certainly is a lot to do in one day!"
"Yes, but with your help, we're making record time. I think we can do it!" He looked at her and saw her blush a little bit.
"Thank you, Mr. Jim." She looked away. "We'll, I've got to get my equipment ready, but you better eat that or you'll make me cry!" She ran off to find her pick axe as Jim watched her go.
"Such a considerate girl..."
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Meryl heard the front door open and close quietly. She must have dozed off. She looked at Vash, who was asleep, too. He was so close she couldn't believe it. And the things Vash had told her, a lot of that was hard to believe as well. She thought about how much there was to the man lying beside her: gunslinger, pacifist, tortured soul, pastry aficionado, goofball, friend, and now lover. He was a regular mystery.
The clock said it was 8:30, so the noise was probably Millie leaving for work. She carefully removed herself from his embrace and looked around. She never slept this late (even though she had stayed up for most of the night talking to Vash, she still couldn't justify staying in bed) and felt like starting the day. Days usually start with showers, so she grabbed her towel and some clothes and as quietly as possible, she made her way towards the bathroom.
After she was done, she walked back to her room, but not before staring at the closed door which led to Knives. Meryl shuddered at the thought of him living with them and actually being allowed to recuperate, but she had to trust Vash. She figured he knew what he was doing. After a moment, she quickened her pace and arrived at her room at the end of the hall.
As she opened the door, she was startled to see Vash sitting up in bed and giving her a look almost like the one he had after waking up from his coma when they first arrived at this town. Almost as soon as she saw it, however, this expression was replaced with relief. He rubbed his hand over his face and groaned a morning groan.
Meryl was concerned. "What's wrong?"
He chuckled a little and held out his hand for her. "Nothing...I was just assuming the worst."
She walked over to him and he put her head on her shoulder. "Oh Vash, I'm not going anywhere." She was suddenly hurt. "Don't you trust me?"
"Of course. It's just that I've never told anyone as much as I've told you, and I woke up and you were gone...and I just thought..."
"Jeez, have a little faith," she chided him as he smiled. He really felt foolish now. "Come on, I think Millie made breakfast."
Millie hummed as she went through her morning ritual. She had been keeping herself pretty busy. Her team was ahead of schedule on the well (they had already reached the vein) and now the crew was digging irrigation canals to make agriculture possible. This was very exciting, and she was happy that the town appreciated her work so much. In fact, after reaching the water vein, the whole crew got a big bonus and the store owner even gave them a bunch of food credits. It was a good thing, too, because after Vash left to fight Knives, Meryl had a...mishap... A group of men in the bar were badmouthing Vash and Meryl punched one of them in the face. If it hadn't been for Millie arriving at exactly that moment with her stungun, Meryl would have been in a lot of trouble. The two women decided maybe Meryl needed a little vacation from the saloon.
Millie shook her head at the memory and smiled. Those guys were completely taken aback by the tiny woman's behavior. Meryl was so defensive of Vash.
Millie went in to check on Vash's brother. He was still unconscious, but everything looked good.
When she was done getting ready for work, she went downstairs to make breakfast. Normally Meryl made breakfast, but Millie didn't want to bother her. She ate hers and packed a portion of bacon, eggs, and toast for her foreman, Mr. Jim. She had noticed that in his drive to move the project along, he often overlooked his own needs. He reminded Millie of her little big brother.
As she got to work, everybody greeted her. This was the first job she'd ever had where she was consistantly early. She saw Mr. Jim and waved. Even though he was surrounded by several engineers and was going over plans for the day, he still took the time to wave and return her greeting. She walked up and waited until everyone was back at work and handed him the container of food. "Good morning Mr. Jim, I hope you're doing well!"
He looked up at her, grateful for the breakfast. "Millie, you're too kind. Why do you take such good care of me?"
"Oh Mr. Jim! It's because I have to! What would we do without such a great foreman? And you know I never see you eat! You need to take better care!" She admonished him in an innocent voice and he smiled at her. "So what's the plan for today?"
He put the container down and looked back to the plans. He took in a big breath and let it out. "Well, today we're going to be digging canals through the Jones' fields. If we get done with that, we'll move on to the Millers'."
"Wow! That certainly is a lot to do in one day!"
"Yes, but with your help, we're making record time. I think we can do it!" He looked at her and saw her blush a little bit.
"Thank you, Mr. Jim." She looked away. "We'll, I've got to get my equipment ready, but you better eat that or you'll make me cry!" She ran off to find her pick axe as Jim watched her go.
"Such a considerate girl..."
-------------------------------
Meryl heard the front door open and close quietly. She must have dozed off. She looked at Vash, who was asleep, too. He was so close she couldn't believe it. And the things Vash had told her, a lot of that was hard to believe as well. She thought about how much there was to the man lying beside her: gunslinger, pacifist, tortured soul, pastry aficionado, goofball, friend, and now lover. He was a regular mystery.
The clock said it was 8:30, so the noise was probably Millie leaving for work. She carefully removed herself from his embrace and looked around. She never slept this late (even though she had stayed up for most of the night talking to Vash, she still couldn't justify staying in bed) and felt like starting the day. Days usually start with showers, so she grabbed her towel and some clothes and as quietly as possible, she made her way towards the bathroom.
After she was done, she walked back to her room, but not before staring at the closed door which led to Knives. Meryl shuddered at the thought of him living with them and actually being allowed to recuperate, but she had to trust Vash. She figured he knew what he was doing. After a moment, she quickened her pace and arrived at her room at the end of the hall.
As she opened the door, she was startled to see Vash sitting up in bed and giving her a look almost like the one he had after waking up from his coma when they first arrived at this town. Almost as soon as she saw it, however, this expression was replaced with relief. He rubbed his hand over his face and groaned a morning groan.
Meryl was concerned. "What's wrong?"
He chuckled a little and held out his hand for her. "Nothing...I was just assuming the worst."
She walked over to him and he put her head on her shoulder. "Oh Vash, I'm not going anywhere." She was suddenly hurt. "Don't you trust me?"
"Of course. It's just that I've never told anyone as much as I've told you, and I woke up and you were gone...and I just thought..."
"Jeez, have a little faith," she chided him as he smiled. He really felt foolish now. "Come on, I think Millie made breakfast."