Years had passed since the final confrontation with humanity's most formidable opponent, and the one who prevailed, Vash the Stampede, began a new chapter in his life with a family he hadn't even known he wanted. Sitting on the couch in the outlaw's home was Meryl Stryfe, expertly repairing a set of Vash's clothes. In the kitchen, Milly Thompson was washing the dishes from that day's dinner, while humming a song about pudding. Once the two women began to converse about a vexatious topic, the brooding Plant had the urge to close his novel and beat the humans' heads with it. Unfortunately for Millions Knives, his brother opposed his spontaneous acts of violence toward the insurance girls ever since he was brought to them with multiple bullet wounds.
A door slammed and the girls flinched, but Knives remained immersed in his book propped on his knees, absently twirling a fork in his spaghetti.
"This is a great day!" Vash flung the front door open, revealing his disheveled state. "How's everyone today?! How was work?" He rushed to Meryl and scooped her in his arms, plucking her from the lumpy couch cushions.
"V-Vash!"
"Meryl and I had a good day, Mr. Vash!" Milly stepped from the kitchen while drying her hands with a cloth. "Mr. Knives too, with that book of his."
"Vash put me down!" Meryl blushed, and the man released the petite woman. "You're acting more like an idiot than usual!"
"Yep, I'll tell ya why in a minute." When he faced his brother again with open arms, Knives lowered his novel and glared, challenging Vash to try his patience. "I'll tell ya, work can really wear me down," Vash continued, stretching his arms above his head. He then took a seat beside his brother at the table, and his stomach growled at the sight of the warm spaghetti. "Even a superior being like me gets tired out."
Knives paused for a moment in turning a page. "Tonight's meal was adequate for us, dear brother." With a shove, the he pushed the bowl of spaghetti toward Vash with the strands still entangled in the fork.
Meryl huffed, placing her hands on her hips. "Well your majesty, we can't afford the ingredients you want because someone sits and reads all day and doesn't help pay the bills."
Knives looked up from his book with an indifferent expression. "Working for the humans…" He grimaced. "Correct me if I'm mistaken, and I'm confident that I'm not, but haven't I offered a place to live in one of my ships? It has everything I need."
"Yes you did—you think we'd leave people just because the majesty is afraid of them?" asked Meryl.
"Afraid of your insignificant kind?"
Vash stiffened in his seat while fishing for an envelope in one of his pockets. Milly shook her head before returning to the dishes.
"Referring to me as majesty implies I wish to rule over vermin when I simply yearn to be their executioner."
"Knives…" Vash warned.
"Hmph, well, the vertically lacking woman should know her place. If I were allowed to, I would gladly—"
"Knives!" Vash snapped, even though he knew it was a bluff.
"Now you two should really get along. It's been a long time already," Milly said, leaving the kitchen again to sit at the dining room table. "Mr. Knives is right, Meryl. He did offer to let us stay in his ship, but since we didn't want to, we now just have to work a little harder for what we'd want. Besides, he does help by fixing our kitchen appliances and making things. He does it in his own way."
Knives smirked at Meryl's twitching brow.
"And Mr. Knives, you shouldn't insult Meryl like that. People are different, but that doesn't mean we're worthless just because you say so."
"Knives," Vash added, "to be fair, people are afraid of insects. Have ya ever been bitten by one of those desert mosquitoes?!"
The Plant sighed before returning to his book, still perched on his crossed legs. "Yes, I remember, you moron. We traveled the desert for fifteen years a century ago."
"So you haven't been bitten by one since?" Vash asked, surprised. "Guess your skin is too superior."
Knives rolled his eyes and pretended to ignore his brother.
Vash then gave a cheeky grin. To tease his sensitive twin, he lifted the fork to his mouth and slurped. The exasperated Plant rubbed his temple, then stood up with his book.
"Wait, wait, wait! Sorry, okay? I need to talk to all of you."
Knives scowled at his seated brother before stepping into the short hallway to his room. He halted when Vash pulled his arm toward the table.
"This includes you!"
"If you're about to ask me to accompany you to the local orphanage again, you're—"
"No, this'll actually interest you. I promise." Vash pinched the sleeve of his brother's tight jumpsuit before Knives yanked his arm away. "If you don't, then I won't let you sleep tonight. I'll whine and whine..."
Knives whirled around, snarling at Vash's smile. "Fine. Be quick with this."
"Okay," Vash stuffed a fork of spaghetti into his mouth before gathering his thoughts. "So, uh, you know… I sent a letter to the Doc a bit a—"
"Doc? Oh right," Meryl interrupted, attracting the attention of everyone besides Knives, with a chin in his hand over the table. "Wait a second… You never wrote to us when you disappeared! Do you write to everyone else?"
"N-No… not that often. I mean, for the two years I was gone, I didn't really know what building you worked in. I didn't want anyone to know who or where I was anyway. Also, I was hiding, too!"
"Not well," Knives said with a sudden superior look on his face.
"It fooled you for two years!"
"Right—Eriks, was it? Why did you choose that name?"
"Uhh, to be honest, Lina—"
"Mr. Vash, weren't you going to tell us something?" Milly asked.
"Right, big girl. Uhh, so, I got a letter back from the Doc. He says hello and can't wait to meet you two after reading so much about our, uh, adventures." Vash then turned to Knives. "I told him about you and said you'd stay away from the ship for now. No one knows that you're with me besides him and the girls. Safety reasons."
Knives snorted. "For whose safety? Theirs or mine?"
Vash shrugged. "Both, I guess…"
"A wise choice, brother."
Vash nodded. "Well, the Doc knows I'm working and everyone but Knives is, too. He offered me a place to stay on the ship and in exchange, I'd work for him, but since Knives should avoid the place, I was thinking we could visit first..."
Meryl sighed. "Vash, we can't. We have responsibilities here."
"Now wait, hear me out, insurance girl! Okay?" The woman huffed, and then joined them at the table. "Well, I was informed that the whole place is packing now! Ever since the ship crashed, its caused such a buzz that sand steamers and caravans visit New Oregon more often just to trade and all that. Its made things easier for the people on the ship since they had to get accustomed to a new culture… But…" He paused.
Knives heaved a sigh. "Even as a child, you always paused for dramatic effect."
Vash released his breath in an exaggerated sigh and pouted. "You're no fun! ...The people from the ship shared their knowledge on Earth's customs and history. Apparently, the people of New Oregon enjoyed the concept of some of the holidays, and since they can afford to have fun now, why not?"
"Oh, I know a nice holiday!" Milly chirped. "Burgunham's Day! My family used to celebrate that every year!"
Knives scowled while Vash cringed.
"What?" both women asked.
"Well, you see girls, wha—"
"Approximately seventy years ago," Knives interrupted, "the Burgunham Family murdered one of our sisters in an effort to prevent another family from obtaining her. It was an instance of 'If I can't have it, no one will.' I was near her when it happened, but I was too late."
"I wasn't too far away, since I tried to see what I could do about it," Vash muttered. "That fight wasn't pretty."
"That Plant was spared from being consumed, at least," Knives finished with gritted teeth.
"Oh…" Milly's shoulders slumped. "But people said he—"
"The family didn't save the people from an exploding Plant. They murdered her. The dominant winners of history record their biased victories." Knives lowered his gaze
Meryl broke the tense silence. "Other than a few holidays, people here don't really celebrate much. I've heard a few stories of how our—my ancestors celebrated together. Christmas was one."
Vash forced himself out of his melancholy mood. "Yep! Although, Christmas is in December and next month is October… The people are gonna celebrate my second favorite holiday!"
Knives tensed, lifting his head from his hand. "No."
"Wha—Knives! I didn't finish!"
"Vash, no! If you're planning on celebrating that…"
"Celebrating what?" Milly asked, still sitting stiffly.
Meryl raised a brow. "I'm not going to like this, am I?" she whispered to herself, but the men caught it.
Vash took a bite of his food before continuing. "You might… Milly would! Uh, so, at the end of October a few cultures on Earth celebrated a holiday called Halloween. I'd go into the history behind it, but someone else might want to explain. Whaddya say, professor?" Vash flashed a smirk toward his brother, who rolled his eyes and opened his book again.
"What did they do for that holiday, Mr. Vash?" Milly asked as if she hadn't been affected by the truth of one of her family's favorite holidays.
"I'm glad you asked! Well… the short version of it is that people, usually kids, dressed up as different people or creatures or whatever and went up to houses shouting 'trick or treat,' and were given candy!"
"Oh, that sounds fun, Mr. Vash! Too bad I'm not young enough anymore…"
"Vash, that's a terrible idea!" Meryl yelled, standing for emphasis. Knives snorted at her attempt to appear superior. "Children could get hurt wandering near strange houses and people—especially here! Do you know how many children go missing on this planet?"
'Fewer parasites to leech off our brethren,' Knives sent so only Vash heard. 'Perhaps I judged the idea too abruptly.'
A light crease formed between Vash's brows. "You're right, Meryl. It isn't safe for just children to do that, so people have to also apparently dress up with their kids and celebrate it! They also hired a lot more security, which means trouble for me but I'd be in a disguise! Everyone's gonna trick or treat! We can do it too!"
Milly's eyes sparkled, as costume possibilities swirled in her head.
"No!" Meryl and Knives shouted, resolving the decision for themselves.
"C'mon guys! Hear me out, okay?"
The girls were willing, but a certain Plant wasn't backing down.
'I've ceased my endeavors in striving for an Eden for the time being; I haven't thought of murdering a single soul in a matter of da—hours; I haven't touched a single human; I haven't interacted with many, not since that one time before we moved here because someone had to play the hero. If you're expecting me to dress as anything for such a ridiculous occasion, you, my dearest brother, are even more of a fool than I ever imagined.' Knives turned a page. He had been staring at the same one for the past few minutes.
"Don't be such a stick in the sand! We celebrated Halloween with the crew, remember? C'mon, I know you do! We knocked on their doors and they gave us a lot of goodies. Even Rem offered cookies in little bags! If I remember right, a certain someone dressed as a cowboy!"
Knives scowled before raising his book ever so slightly. He shook his head, and then slammed the novel on the table. "Shut up, Vash!"
Meryl snorted, and when Knives sneered at her, she couldn't help but muffle her laughter with a hand cupping her mouth.
"Dressing as a cowgirl sounds like a fun idea! I even have a few other ideas for a costume too!" Milly said, her eyes twinkling.
Vash crossed his arms and pouted as Knives continued to glare at Meryl. "I'm not done! Now, we have at least a bit to decide and plan… I don't just wanna visit… I wanna move to New Oregon." He raised a swift hand that only Knives managed to follow it when Meryl began to protest. "Uh, I think it'll be better for us if we move. Doc even mentioned a little house he'll rent out for us until we get situated and it's away from most people. Whatever business we have here, we can deal with it and move there. Milly can share a drink with her coworkers, Meryl can return that revealing waitress outfit," he winked her way, and the insurance girl looked away with a faint blush, "and Knives can say his goodbyes to the wall he broods next to every night."
'One more snide comment and I swear, Vash…'
The gunman chuckled. When Knives' threatened to leave, Vash raised both hands in mock surrender. "There might be other insurance offices there, I can work with the Doc on some of his new projects, and Knives can work at home in some way. Working for humans, yeah yeah, I know, but think about it. We could use all the income we can get. You did say sometimes people work from home where you'd work, right, insurance girl?"
Meryl widened her eyes and glanced at the platinum-headed twin, who looked one second away from ripping his brother to shreds.
"We don't have to decide now. If we do move, I promise we'll visit the Pequod to check on it, okay?" Vash told his brother.
Knives sighed. "We'll see."
"What about you girls?"
"At least you're letting us come this time..." Meryl mumbled.
"Yay!" Milly cheered. "Maybe we can visit my family too!"
"I haven't seen mine in forever…" Meryl looked down at her hands.
"If dwarfism is a common trait among them, I'd rather not."
Meryl jerked her head to snarl at the Plant. "Only one member of your family has any redeeming qualities, to begin with," she retorted.
He smirked. "Care to repeat that, you—"
"Okay, can I eat my spaghetti in peace now, please?!"
It took less than a week for everyone to weigh the pros and cons of moving to New Oregon, and after endless debates with the stubborn twin, they prepared their departure.
Before they traveled to New Oregon, they visited one of Knives' ships. Once, Knives would have outright refused to allow humans in his home. But after years of living with the girls, he instead showed off the ship's features and bragged that he alone had kept it maintained for decades. They remained for a few days until Knives was satisfied with his inspection and the condition of his sisters within.
A week after they left the ship, their sandsteamer arrived in New Oregon. It was perfect timing too since people began decorating their houses for Halloween alongside the populace of Gunsmoke.
Not too long after moving, Meryl and Milly managed to convince their chief to transfer them to the new Bernardelli office in New Oregon. Vash began working alongside Doc in the ship to help with the Plants, which was largely empty since most people left to start new lives among Gunsmoke's inhabitants. Knives remained indoors, occasionally strolling through the empty desert on the outskirts of town to absorb the suns' rays. Vash somewhat trusted his brother and didn't feel the need to babysit his twin to keep people safe. Knives had promised long ago that he wouldn't kill anyone unless it was absolutely necessary.
It was a start.
Despite Knives' boasts of being a superior being who should never have to fret about trivial matters, Meryl wasn't having any of his refusal to work. To cease her nagging—and because Vash whined for him to—Knives eventually agreed to earn a wage, on the condition that he should remain indoors at a distance from humans. So, although it distressed Meryl, the insurance woman managed to find and offer a position to the closeted anthropophobic Plant. The hardest part was getting him to participate in an interview after Meryl recommended him for the position. Knives immediately got the job, and Meryl was suspicious about that. The Plant often completed a week's worth of work in a matter of hours, and the length of time shortened when Vash brought home a monitor for him to type and print with.
Life was stable, pleasant even. There was the occasional trivial argument or bickering contest between the twins, but their copious quarrels were often sparked because they wanted to. Even after all of these years, the twins often avoided discussing their issues while mending their relationship. Vash knew he wasn't confident enough to deal with their past yet, so they didn't confront each other for now about their problems.
The day before Halloween, instead of brooding, Knives continued his project of engineering a radio since New Oregon's radio stations were varied compared to their previous residence. He sat in the living room, leaning forward with tools in hand and shifted wires and other components. He could've isolated himself in his room once the women of the house returned from work, but the Plant was so immersed in the task that he stayed to remain focused. Eventually, after a mutual greeting with Knives, the women began their late afternoon duties, with Meryl cooking dinner and Milly folding their laundry in her bedroom.
Without him asking, Milly brewed tea for the concentrating Plant, who finally acknowledged her generous offer with a slight nod before sipping from the warm cup. He then firmly held one of the wires and began connecting it to another section of the radio.
He was careful. He tried to be.
Knives winced, spilling the hot tea and burning his hand when he reached for it. He whirled his head toward his moronic brother that barged into their home, chirping and humming in delight over a box of donuts in hand and a huge bag in the other.
"Vash!" Knives shouted before the insurance girls could welcome the disruptive twin. "Care to enter without announcing your presence?!"
"Huh?" Vash set his donuts on the counter and the bag beside Knives on the couch. "You usually sense me before I even step foot in here!"
"Perhaps if you'd take the time to comprehend the diligent processes of repairing and engineering instead of drooling over women and stuffing yourself, you'd understand how immersed one could be in science."
"Give me a break, Knives. I help Doc with things like that all the time now."
The Plant crossed his arms. "Could've fooled me. As I recall, you often break what I create or repair."
"Oh yeah? What?" Vash asked, crossing his arms as well.
"The microwave…"
Vash's arms dangled at his sides. "... I thought you wouldn't notice…"
"I did. Imbecile."
"Hey! Who are you calling an imbecile? I'm not the only one who causes trouble! Who got you out of that mess when that guy in the restaurant started a fight after a certain someone insulted his existence?"
Knives glared. "I stated a fact. His brain hadn't evolved past the primate stage since he was captivated by that vixen of a woman." His eyes gestured toward Meryl.
"Excuse me? I didn't need your help with that!" She twisted the knobs on the stove and rushed to the living room. "I'm surprised you even went out with us anyway with all that pent up anxiety from over a hundred years of fearing people."
"Have you ever stumbled on a pesky rodent? An invasive parasite in your meat? Humans are simply that: a grotesque invasion. Avoidance is a natural response… There is eradication..."
"Then why did you go to that restaurant?" Meryl smirked, mocking him with her body language alone.
"Hmph, it wasn't for your company."
"Okay, okay, I just got home! I don't wanna deal with this… Geesh, why does it always happen when I come back?!" Vash whined as he jumped on the couch beside his brother, who instinctively held down his project as the floor shook.
"You are a magnet for trouble, dear brother. It must contaminate the very air around us."
"How was work, Mr. Vash?!" Milly asked as she left her room for a moment.
"Good! It was good..."
When silence lingered for longer than necessary, Knives analyzed his brother's suspicious glances toward Milly, who returned the expressions. Vash nodded before turning to fish for something in his bag, and Milly retreated into her room with a certain mischievous glint in her eyes.
Knives opened his mouth, but the shortest resident of their household beat him to it.
"What are you two planning?" Meryl asked, approaching the couch with a raised brow.
Vash lifted his head and gave the insurance girl one of the fakest smiles she had ever seen. "I'm not doing anything. Not for you, that is."
"You mean you're not spending our emergency funds on donuts for yourself again?"
"H-Hey! It was an emergency!"
Meryl shook her head. "I bet."
Before Knives could gather further information, a flash of something jet black blocked his view. Once the object settled on Vash's lap, the golden blond pinched onto something else, and Knives remained stationary when a pair of teeth snapped together in front of him. Upon further inspection, the fake dentures had sharp canines. Before Knives could demand an explanation for Vash's failed attempt at frightening him, his brother propelled the black apparel in the air and wrapped it around Knives' shoulders.
"Tada! Tomorrow's Halloween!"
Knives blinked in stunned silence before he clenched onto the cloak and flung it at Vash, smacking his face with it. "You honestly thought I'd agree to this? Being among vermin in such close proximity for hours on end?"
Vash lowered his eyes. "Maybe."
"Meryl!"
Everyone but Knives turned to witness Milly present herself in her costume with arms raised over her head. Vash blushed at the sight. Meryl widened her eyes in horror. When Knives tore his gaze from Vash's turned head, he grimaced at Milly.
Milly's outfit seemed to parody the wardrobe of the classic western movies Knives and Vash had watched as children. It was revealing, and Vash and Meryl knew their expressive friend wasn't shy when it came to nudity—at least when drunk. Her blond hair curled in arcs underneath the brim of a sharp, white cowboy hat. A red bandana wrapped around her neck and fell over her exposed chest. Her shorts displayed her muscular physique she often hid under layers of her uniform.
Vash managed to free himself from Milly's unintentional trance to see Knives staring as well. His brother—being the pure being that Vash knew he was—was too innocent for this, and he promptly raised a hand over Knives' eyes, protecting him from the effect of Milly's costume.
Knives slapped his hand away and turned his body from the huge woman, avoiding awkward glances toward his direction.
"Mr. Vash, I tried to make mine, but Meryl was near me too often for me to try in secret. I had to buy this costume."
"W-What?" Meryl managed to question. "Milly, why are—"
"Meryl! It's Halloween tomorrow!" she cheered. "Mr. Vash and I had planned for it when you and Mr. Knives went to turn in his paperwork to the chief for the first time."
"Consider your plan foiled." Knives continued his work despite his brother's distracting, pleading look.
"But Knives! See? A vampire Plant would be cool! I even designed the cloak with a hood to hide most of your face!" Vash slipped and tucked the fabric over his own shoulders and inserted the teeth. In one graceless motion, he stood and brought the cloak up to his face to mimic a stereotypical interpretation of Dracula. "You can wear it over your jumpsuit!"
"Meryl, look!"
Everyone turned to Milly again, and this time Knives remained uninterested, but Vash noticed his dull flushed face.
"Mi—" Meryl jolted at the flash of white before it rested over her petite form. She felt Milly's hands adjust whatever she had thrown on her and before Meryl knew it, she could see again, only with white fabric blocking her peripheral vision.
"I'll offer credit where it's due—that's a preferable sight," Knives mocked.
"Ma'am," Milly began, "this costume will shield you from the prying eyes of men without manners." She glanced at the Plants.
"M-Milly! What's the point of this if you're dressing like that?!" Meryl clawed at the sheet and freed herself, disheveling her hair in the process.
"Well, that's why! I knew people would stare, so I made this for you!"
"Yeah, you too, Knives! I know how much people scare you," Vash stated matter-of-factly.
Before Vash could lean away, Knives grasped the hood that couldn't quite contain Vash's golden spikes and Knives pulled it down over his brother's face. "Unlike you, brother, I have responsibilities now." He shoved Vash, shooting a leer before returning to his work.
"What? You mean the reports and things."
"Perhaps extermination."
"That's not funny."
"Hmm."
"Don't you usually take a few hours to finish the week's work?"
"Yes."
"Then what responsibilities?" Vash began shedding the cloak.
Knives didn't answer as he continued to adjust wires and other pieces of their future radio.
Vash flashed the girls a smile. "I get it. Crowds do scare you. Wouldn't want you to faint or something."
"I know what you're trying to do, brother," Knives said bluntly.
"You'll probably be uncomfortable with my costume."
When Knives lifted his head, Vash disappeared into his room. He glanced at the women watching him, unfazed by Milly's costume at this point, and returned to his task.
"For once, I agree with the majesty," Meryl said while folding the sheet. "We have responsibilities, Milly. We can't drop them at the last minute."
"But ma'am, remember what the chief said? People get a day off after Halloween to rest after a long night. It's the first Halloween ever!"
"It's in our best interest to avoid venturing outside tomorrow," Knives spoke, not surprising the others. "We might lose track of Stryfe among the toddlers."
Meryl prepared to retort, but a certain gunman stole the spotlight. Knives almost couldn't recognize his brother under the woolly beard that shed its cotton fibers onto his new red costume.
"Ho ho ho! Merry Halloween!" Vash raised his arms triumphantly as everyone gawked at him, Knives included.
"You're wearing Chris Kringle's uniform. Dare I ask why?"
"Mr. Vash is going as Santa!" Milly shouted.
"How observant of you," Knives murmured.
"Well, Christmas is my favorite holiday, so I just couldn't wait."
Vash strolled to his brother, and Knives braced for whatever was to come. The outlaw pulled his hat off and waved his hand over its opening, like some inexperienced magician. He tapped the brim of it and reached inside, pinching a donut-hole that Knives was surprised to see hadn't been impaled on one of Vash's spiked locks.
"It has a fruit filling, your favorite."
Knives groaned before massaging his temple. Without a word, he reached for the donut and set it beside the radio.
"That's very nice of you, Mr. Vash," Milly commented as she sat in the rocking chair across from the couches.
"I even bought some candy we can leave outside in a bowl or something." Vash reached in his bag for bags of candy that crinkled in his grasp and tossed them beside the radio. Knives paused to protect the technology from the candy carelessly thrown around. Out of irritation, he shoved the bags off the table, sending them flopping onto the floor.
"Hey—"
"I've been attending to my own affairs. Do you want to have a radio to overcome the short woman's degrading comments or not?" Knives glared.
Vash sighed. "Knives, be nice. Please?"
"I am and have been. They're alive, are they not?"
"Yes—thank you. But…"
"What, Vash?" Knives crossed his arms, leaning back into the couch.
"Come with us tomorrow. You'd probably like it! You'll scare people and it'll be appropriate!"
Knives groaned at the thought before rubbing his eyes. "Enlighten me, what are the pros and cons besides the one you just stated?"
Vash raised an eager hand to his fake beard, stroking it as if it were his own. Meryl rolled her eyes before returning to the kitchen.
"Well, we can celebrate our first Halloween together in over a hundred years!"
"Hmm."
"We caaaan… Huh. We can get free candy!"
"You bought bags already." Feeling like Vash would remain unconvincing, Knives began packing the tools to continue his project elsewhere.
"Those are for our neighbors... Oh, we can pretend to be different things!"
"I'm not inclined to pretend as if I'm something that I'm not; I hadn't for my entire life while you have." Knives didn't attempt to mask his ancient bitterness as he gathered his things. He stood with the radio carefully wedged into his arms.
Vash couldn't help but clench his fists on his lap. "Knives, you need to stop doing that. Please." He stood to block his brother from avoiding him. "It's not about being one, it's about living with them. We're still people—a family—like a lot of others here."
Knives jeered. "Our current relationship is a temporary truce..." He averted his glare, avoiding Vash's hurt expression. "These humans are a necessary evil to return you to my side," he stepped around the table, "but once I have of another solution for Eden, you'll no longer have to compare yourself to them."
The sound of stirring in the kitchen ceased while Milly gave Knives a disappointed frown. He began retreating to his room.
"No!" Vash shouted, standing beside the couch. "Knives, you can't possibly still believe in that sti—" Overwhelmed by emotions, Vash yanked his brother's arm. There was a sudden crash as metallic and plastic pieces scattered on the floor.
"Mr. Vash!" Milly yelled as she watched square parts of the radio slide across the floor.
Vash looked down at the shattered radio beside his brother's feet. It was one thing to break the microwave, it was another to destroy a passion project Knives had begun from scratch.
"What was that?" Meryl demanded as she stepped from the kitchen. "Oh…"
"Mr. Knives," Milly spoke, almost in a whisper to the Plant facing away from them, "I can help fix it. I'm just not that good with this kind of thing."
Knives clenched his fists at his sides. "Even a human is more considerate than my own brother." He shook his head, releasing a scoffing laugh before telepathically saying to Vash, 'Not only do you enforce your beliefs like a tyrant, but you're also inconsiderate... I suppose I have been as well…' His arms were trembling.
Vash reached for his brother's shoulder. Knives stiffened at the touch, as if he were disgusted with his own brother. "Knives, I didn't mean to. I'll help. I'm sor—"
Vash gasped in the middle of his apology. The world spun and blurred around him. His head slammed into the wall, denting the surface. The girls yelled at Knives. An incredible force lifted Vash off his feet to pin him to the wall. When his vision focused, a pair of chilling blue eyes met with his. He opened his mouth, stunned that this was happening again. Knives had a firm grip on his neck, and whenever Vash attempted to do anything, his brother squeezed as a warning.
Knives leaned closer to Vash, nearly nose to nose. Soon, Vash could breathe again. He raised a hand to his neck, and before he could speak, Knives slammed the door to his room, disregarding the radio entirely.
"Mr. Vash, are you alright?" Milly asked as she placed a tender hand on his shoulder.
"I'm about to give that man a piece of my mind!" Meryl yelled, knowing Knives could hurt her for simply being born differently than him.
Before Meryl could barge into Knives' room, Vash pulled her back with a firm grip on her forearm.
"You can't just let him hurt you like that!"
'Meryl…' Vash spoke softly through telepathy. 'Can I speak to you like this for a second?'
'Y-Yeah. At least you ask, unlike a certain someone!'
'Please don't. He just needs a while to calm down. I know him, and this is just how he's used to dealing with things. He hasn't done anything like this for a while. He's going to mess up.' He dropped his hand from her shoulder. "I'll be okay." He beamed. Then his grin turned mischievous as an idea struck him. "I'd be even better if I had some good food!"
Meryl, wide-eyed, panicked that her stew and other foods were left unguarded.
They ate together with the exception of Knives, who remained in his room for the hour spent preparing the meal. Vash wanted to bring a bowl and plate to his brother but knew better. After cleaning the radio and gathering the pieces, Vash set everything on the coffee table. Eventually, the trio comfortably began discussing the events of their day. When Vash prepared to describe the new technology the Doc developed to potentially assist Plants, there was a sudden slam of a door. They jolted. Tension filled the air.
Knives revealed himself, his back faced them as he rushed to the living room. When his face was visible, his eyes were fixed on the floor. Then he turned a corner into the short hallway and slammed his door. They didn't understand what happened until Vash entered the living room and couldn't find the vampire costume.
Vash smiled at his brother's unspoken apology.
The others managed to convince Meryl to go with them by whining and begging. Once she accepted the sheet, they called it a night—except for Vash. For hours, he examined which pieces for the radio needed replacing and recorded them. When he returned to the room he shared with his snoring brother, he smirked. Vash found the cloak and dentures on the desk where Knives wrote his reports.
The next day was uneventful since Knives maintained his aloofness. After a quick breakfast, Knives carried the radio to his room and remained inside. Vash knew Knives wouldn't give up on the radio, but he managed to convince Knives to wait until he retrieved new parts for it. When Vash returned that day, he brought the components for Knives while describing the interesting decorations and costumes people wore.
"Mr. Vash, are you ready?" Milly asked while lightly knocking on the twins' door.
"Yep! Just give me a second. This beard is itchy!"
The whining vexed the other twin. "You could've simply grown one," Knives commented.
"Well, I don't like beards."
"You've been preparing this whole scheme for a month, and you hadn't considered growing one and, perhaps, bleaching it?"
"What, and have the same color hair like you? We're twins, but I don't wanna be you!"
"Touché, dear br—"
Meryl slammed her fist on the door. "Let's get a move on, gentlemen."
"We'll be right there, insurance girls. Could you fill the bowl with candy and set the stand I bought for it?"
Milly was preparing the bowl when the brothers stepped out. One was stomping while the other's costume swayed gracefully with his movements. When they stood in front of the hallway, Vash raised his hands to his hips while Knives crossed his arms over his chest. Knives seemed tenser than usual, but his face gave nothing away. His SEEDS suit was hidden underneath the black cloak, but whenever he noticed it peeking out, he pulled up the edges of the cloak to reveal his uniform. Knives had mentioned he had assembled it himself, so it was no surprise that he subtly displayed the craftsmanship.
"Meryyyyyyl, you don't even have yours on!" Vash whined, and Knives winced, instinctively raising a hand to cup his ear.
Meryl rolled her eyes before blanketing herself with the sheet.
"It's about that time of day. You girls ready?" Vash asked as he adjusted his large Santa bag. He reached into it and grabbed other sacks for them to hold their candy in. The girls took theirs, thanking the outlaw. When Knives grabbed his own, he crossed his arms with it tucked between them. Vash was delighted that Knives was accompanying them, and wondered if he could convince his brother to approach any houses.
Vash was just as persistent as Knives was.
"They only have six varieties of sweets," Knives said, peering into the bowl Milly was carrying outside.
"Yep, they didn't make too many of them. Maybe next year?" She reached into the bowl and offered Knives a purple piece of taffy. "Mr. Vash said your favorite flavor is grape, so I asked him to buy more of those bags than the others in case there's extra left when we get back. Try it, you might like it."
She pinched the wrapped piece and raised it to his face. Knives disregarded it at first, then dubiously accepted it and walked toward the sidewalk. Unwrapping the treat, he examined it while waiting for everyone to follow him. Milly was the first to approach as he chewed on the candy, brows arched. When she neared, he promptly altered his expression into a reserved one.
"It's… acceptable." He crumpled the wrapper and tucked it into his bag.
"You like it! I don't really like them, but I like bubblegum. Maybe we can trade pieces."
"I'm not participating in this."
She giggled. "We'll see."
Knives noticed other humans staring at Milly, obviously attracted to her costume. Instinctively, he encircled the cloak around his form and lowered the hoodie over his eyes.
"Okie dokie, we're ready," Vash said as he looked over his shoulder at Meryl. "The ghost of Christmas future is haunting me already."
"What?" Meryl asked. "What does that mean, Vash?"
"It means you're just the cutest thing, Meryl."
The insurance girl paused and regained control when the initial shock of Vash calling her cute wore off.
Vash arched a brow at his jaded brother, but he also noticed that Milly appeared even more energetic than when she first left the house. He sniffed the air. "Is that grape?"
Knives grimaced, turning away to stuff the vampire teeth in his mouth. He began walking in long strides with Milly not far behind.
"Guys, this way people have more decorations! I checked the whole neighborhood and know where the best spots are!"
"No wonder he was late again," Knives mumbled as he turned toward his brother. "He doesn't use the watch I made for him. What's the point of creating anything if he'll destroy or ignore it?" The rhetorical question was supposed to be for himself, but someone listened.
"Well, Mr. Vash usually brings nothing but trouble. He does try his hardest to fix things. Look at your radio!"
Knives scoffed.
"He's your brother. You know him more than anyone does, even me and Meryl. Do you think he really meant to destroy the things you've put your heart into?"
"With the exception of my plans for Eden, no."
"Well, I'm sure Mr. Vash appreciates the work you do now. My big, big brother always said that brothers sometimes have a hard time showing how much they love each other."
Knives raised a skeptical brow. "Yours probably harm each other. Humans."
"Oh yeah. They do what you two do sometimes, but you're just strong enough to lift Mr. Vash. I don't agree with it, but brothers are sometimes different from sisters like that. What matters is if they learn from it."
"Hmm."
"You already said sorry after grabbing the costume. I'm sure he understands. Mistakes happen… Wolfwood made them often."
"If you're expecting another apology…"
"... I know. I… you've been getting better, well, changing ever since. You and Mr. Vash… I just hope you don't hurt anyone else I care about, Mr. Knives."
"You and my brother have too much faith. Who's to say I won't exterminate the vermin from this area once I decide to act?"
Milly stopped and watched her friends talk with each other in the distance. "Wolfwood did a lot of terrible things… I'm sure he'd want others to be given a chance to repent too… Mr. Vash and Meryl have faith in you." Milly turned with glistening eyes. "I do too." She continued on, leaving Knives behind to ponder on her reasoning.
The group didn't stick out like a sore thumb among the adults, but when the adolescents ran across the streets and cheered, Vash lowered his hat over his forehead. The others spotted what bothered the outlaw. It was no surprise that people would dress as Vash the Stampede—Knives had even commented on the possibility ages ago. Most of the costumes were inaccurate since children relied on rumors describing the outlaw. Others were scary. Some even drew the beauty mark on the proper place. Out of everyone in the group, it was Knives who placed a firm hand on his brother's tense shoulder.
'You abandoned the red coat, remember?' Knives sent to him.
'I know… It's just… I tried so hard to be a good example for kids, and they see me as something scary...'
'Hmm, humans dress as people or characters they admired.'
'Admiration for character or reputation?' Vash's voice was bitter, and he immediately regretted it when Knives' arm dropped from his shoulder. 'I'm sorry. I—I am grateful that you're giving all of this a chance… It's hard to forget, but I said I forgave you a long time ago.' It was Vash's turn to offer comfort, but Knives roughly pulled away and walked ahead of them.
For a while, the twins forgot about candy, and even though the girls tried to pry, Vash reassured them that nothing happened. While the girls went to one of the houses, the twins stood on the sidewalk, still sulking after their conversation.
"Well, I won't let that ruin my night." Vash gave a sharp nod before storming to the front door, leaving Knives alone until the girls returned.
"Wow, Meryl," Milly exclaimed while looking into her bag, "that nice man gave me a handful."
The shorter of the two huffed. "I got a jawbreaker. Vash likes those, doesn't he?"
"Yep. Mr. Knives, I think I got the taffy you like." She fished for it in her bag and felt the familiar wrapper and presented it to him. "You gotta say trick or treat and open your bag."
Knives closed his eyes and remained silent. After a moment, he freed one hand from his crossed arms for Milly to toss it in his bag.
"Hey!" Vash shouted. "How come you get a handf—" The outlaw spotted Milly's exposed cleavage and shut his mouth. "He only gave me chocolate."
"The man gave me a jawbreaker. You want to trade, right?" Meryl asked while presenting the candy.
"Yes, ma'am."
They continued for a few more houses with Vash accompanying the girls while Knives watched from a distance. The Plant was sure that none would have watched or cared for his presence among the crowds that wandered the area. He uncrossed his arms to retrieve the piece of taffy Milly had given him. In haste, he unwrapped the sweet, feeling anxious once again. At first, he was unsure of what happened. Screams erupted from behind, then a pair of hands shoved him forward while he was distracted. He wasn't frightened by the human's attempt to intimidate him, but he was enraged. The candy fell to the floor, sand coating its side.
It was meaningless, it was. There ought to have been plenty more to come from the others, but that one was given to him through the kindness of another—a kindness he had assumed all of humanity lacked or only his brother would demonstrate.
The teenager panicked at the ominous glare directed toward him. He raised his hands, dropping his bag, and before he could apologize, he trembled at the sight of Knives' glowing eyes. The Plant knew Vash would've disapproved, but it was a perfect time for this. Taking it a step further, Knives influenced the teenager's psyche, ensuring that he would experience dreadful nightmares beyond anything he had or ever would experience. The teenager screamed bloody murder, abandoning his dropped bag full of treats before running into the neighborhood.
"This guy gave me a few more pieces," Vash commented as they neared Knives.
Milly felt through her bag. "They gave me two handfuls this time!"
"Geez, I wonder why," Meryl fumed bitterly. Milly's brows furrowed as she pulled a slip of paper with an address on it. Meryl snatched it. "That creep gave you his address," she said disdainfully. She ripped it to pieces and stuffed them in her pocket.
Vash was occupied with searching for Meryl's eyes through the torn slots of the sheets. "Well, I thought he was kind of cut—" He paused to watch his brother pick up a stranded bag. "Knives, where did you get that?"
"I grabbed it from the floor… A human child dropped it." He peered into it and found his favorite candy among the other sweets.
"Grabbed it? Knives…"
"The child pushed me and I frightened him in return." He shrugged.
"Knives, is that all?"
'... I may have acted on an… excessive method,' he reluctantly admitted.
Vash narrowed his eyes. "You used telepathy, didn't you?"
Knives grumbled. "Maybe."
"Knives! You can't ju—"
"Vash, I didn't harm them. That's what humans do, correct? They scare each other. So what if I utilize my abilities to have an advantage?"
"It doesn't matter! You're invading people's privacy!" Vash marched in front of his brother, snatching the smaller candy bag. "You're not getting anything from me or the girls. No candy for you."
Knives scowled. "I am not some pet, Vash!"
"Well then, stop attacking people like some ravenous dog!"
"Mr. Vash," Milly spoke, "Mr. Knives is scaring people and a lot of other children do it to each other around here."
"Yeah, but when are they forced to experience nightmares?"
'Well, who's to say that people don't scare others enough for them to have nightmares later?"
Vash stammered before closing his mouth altogether. Before he knew it, Knives grabbed the bag from Vash. "You can't scare children, though. You can only use it to scare adults!"
Knives rolled his eyes. "I plan to simply purchase what I crave the following day, so exhausting energy on these trivial games is a waste."
Vash prepared to retort, but he, once again, paused to reconsider his choice of words. Suddenly, his eyes widened and a mischievous grin spread across his face underneath the beard. "When I bought the candy, they sold out, and apparently they won't make more until waaaay later on. Also, the candy we have and whatever's left at home isn't for you. You have to earn it."
Knives rubbed his eyes as a headache began to sting him. "I'll live without it."
"What? B-But I'll give you all of my grape taffy pieces! I'll even go with you to the door."
The Plant slowly blinked at him.
"I guess I can't force you if you don't wanna. C'mon girls, let's keep going. He's too scared to interact with people anyway."
Milly shook her head. "You shouldn't hurt his feelings for being scared. Everyone has something they're afraid of."
"Yeah," Meryl chipped in, "especially a certain outlaw who has a phobia for responsibility."
Vash patted his sides, striking a heroic pose. "Ho ho ho! When am I not responsible?!" Vash stumbled forward as a force beyond humanly possible shoved him aside.
The three of them watched as the determined vampire approached the house in wide strides that ate up the distance between him and the front door. Vash feared for the man who gave Milly his address, and when the screams attracted bystanders' attention, he wished he had accompanied his brother. Wish a smug expression and impeccable posture, Knives crossed his arms before them.
"I simply terrified them, brother." His eyes flashed a blue light, and the girls staggered at the sight of his glowing eyes.
"Oh, you can do that too, Mr. Knives?" Milly asked.
"I'm assuming my brother had been enraged enough to arouse this ability. That was how I discovered it." A light crease formed between his brows when he noticed Vash drop his gaze. Knives speculated a Gung-Ho Gun member was involved and decided to avoid the story. "It's simply an ability that heightens our vision in the dark."
"How much did you get, Mr. Knives?"
The Plant reluctantly opened his sack and allowed her to peer inside. "The whole container."
"Knives…" Vash pulled down his beard.
"Save it, Vash. I am celebrating a holiday and acting for the occasion." He walked away from the others, and Milly followed him to the next house.
Surprising everyone, Knives allowed Milly to accompany him to the doors, and because of his intimidating physique and glowing eyes, they received fist fulls of candy. At times, if the one on the opposite side of the door was rude, they'd pour their entire containers in their bags. Vash was suspicious but swallowed his words when he noticed how happy Milly was. He even spotted fleeting grins on his twin that he attempted to conceal under a reserved demeanor. When they finally returned home, they discovered that the bowl of candy and the stand Vash bought had been stolen. After a snide remark about humanity's greed from Knives, they simply shrugged at their losses.
It was near midnight when they tossed their bags on the counter, and Milly and Knives received the most to no ones surprise.
"How many people are going to have nightmares tonight, Knives?" Vash asked as he reached into his bag and began sucking on his sixth jawbreaker that night.
Knives stood while the others emptied their bags to examine what treats or toys they received. "Only that child from the beginning. I simply frightened others and demanded some to drop more into my bag, since I am their superior."
He failed to mention he had also demanded through telepathy for numerous humans to offer Milly the same amount. It was for his benefit since Milly offered to trade her taffy pieces for his gum ones. It was as simple as that.
"I think it's about time I call it a night," Meryl yawned as her chair scraped against the floor. "Even though we have the day off, I still have work to do. I don't want to spend hours counting this." She took the ripped costume with her.
"I'll be right there, ma'am. Goodnight you two." Milly waved before joining her best friend.
The silence between the brothers lingered for a few moments. The noise of Vash's jawbreaker clinking against his teeth disturbed the silence.
"So… how was it?"
Knives gave an indifferent shrug then reached into his bag propped against the table. He took off his vampire teeth before flicking a taffy piece into his mouth.
"Wonder what we'll do for Thanksgiving."
Knives paused, then popped another sweet into his mouth. "Thanksgiving?"
"Yep! We're gonna do a lot of holidays now. Christmas too!"
"Will you be dressing as the headless horseman for Christmas?"
Vash rubbed his neck sheepishly. "N-No! I was gonna save this outfit till then. Oh," he took his beard off, "I forgot. I was thinking of dressing up for the children in the orphanage nearby."
"Hmm."
The silence remained once again as Knives unwrapped a dozen pieces of candy.
'I know you're not gonna like it, but I'm gonna say it anyway…' Vash began. 'I'm proud of you today, Knives. Well, not for that one kid, but... this is all I've ever wanted…'
'I must admit that the delectables are—'
'No! I mean being together. We were apart for so long, and now we can try to be a family again.'
Knives focused his gaze on the wrappers littering the table in front of him. 'I wanted nothing more than for you to be by my side, but now I've been by yours...'
'I'll always be here too! I want you to know that there's always a spot here for you.'
Knives curled his fingers between a wrapper. 'I don't know what to do.' He snarled because of himself.
Vash nodded. 'Well, many people don't know what they'll do with their lives, either. We're just lucky we have a long time to find it…' Vash hesitated but decided to act. 'It doesn't just have to be us, Knives. Do you see how much fun we can have with people? What if it were just us?'
'It would be similar to when we'd travel the desert in our first fifteen years.'
'We fought so often then. Well, we do now too, but we're not often fighting over our ideals or whatever. At least not right now. We're actually living! Unless... this isn't what you want.'
Knives' shoulders slightly slumped.
"Hey," Vash whispered, seizing Knives' forearms, "I'll always be here if you wanna talk about it, and even when you don't want to. I'll help you, but I won't support Eden or you if it means hurting people. I won't."
Knives lifted his eyes and stared at Vash's prosthetic hand. His brows furrowed at the touch of the manufactured limb, so different compared to the organic arm from their youth.
Vash decided to turn in for the night and asked when Knives would as well. He stated that he had other tasks to complete before retiring for the night.
When the girls and Vash awakened in the morning, they heard the sound of sizzling bacon and eggs. They were stupefied to discover that someone had meticulously sorted and organized all of their candies into containers with their favorites stacked together on the table. In the kitchen, Knives prepared his own plate and returned to his room without a word, leaving enough food for more than one person to enjoy.
Hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to favorite and comment.
I also posted the story on Ao3: /users/Marley_Millions/works
Trigun Fanfic Discord Link: https/discord.gg/GJqAnU8PA6
