Ch. 4 – Hide and Seek
The next morning Vash awoke first and Loki awoke as he was moving around. Loki lay watching him, he looked concerned and deep in thought. Loki could tell something was up and knew they would be leaving sooner than they had planned. Loki sat up and he turned, giving her a warm smile.
"What's wrong?" She asked and he still smiled.
"Nothing. We're just leaving a few days early." He replied as he turned away to get some clothes out to wear that day.
"You're lying. Your voice can lie, but your eyes cant. Please tell me." Loki said.
He sighed and walked to sit on the bed next to her.
"I think someone is trying to find us." He said.
"Because of me. Because of what you said didn't happen?" She said.
"Yes." He replied.
"And those scares on my back?"
"Someone experimented on you, because you have wings. You're a plant with free will, like me. But you're very different. You're special somehow and I don't know why. That's all I know." Vash said to her.
"The answers are where I was born?" She said and he nodded.
"I want to know everything, but suddenly I'm so scared." She whispered as she held onto his left arm resting her head on his shoulder.
He placed his hand on her shoulder.
"I'll be with you, don't be afraid." He said softly.
"When are we leaving? Where will we go next?" She asked.
"We'll leave tomorrow morning and go to a small town about 300 isles from the closest town from here. We can lay low there for a while and live a quiet life for once." He said.
"That sounds nice." Loki replied and after a moment Vash got up so they could get something to eat to then enjoy the rest of their day.
For the rest of the day Vash and Loki played with the children in the GEO plant room. They started with a soccer like game, which evolved into a game of keep away from Vash, which evolved to Vash chasing everyone, which then evolved to the boys getting their toy guns to shoot at Vash to protect the girls. Loki was made the princess by all the girls, who were her ladies in waiting. Vash was then joined by a small group of boys to lead in his efforts to kidnap Princess Loki from the other group of boys. Vash was instructed by his "captain" to rush the fortress, dodge all the bullets in the process of distracting the other boys, Vash's team would rush them while Vash snatched Loki and then run back to their fortress.
"But Captain… why do I get the suicide job!" Vash whined and Captain smacked his head.
"Don't give me that lip! We know you can do it. Now do you want the princess or not!" He said and Vash saluted with a stern face.
"Yes Captain! I won't let you down!" Vash said.
"Good, now on my mark our plan will be in motion." Captain said and Vash got ready.
Captain counted off and Vash took off. The other boys weren't expecting a rush plan and Vash quickly got past them. But when he got into the fortress he wasn't expecting to be ambushed by the girls. Loud yelling could be heard from Vash who tried to get away from the girls who were armed and ready to dress him up in woman's clothes.
"Captain! I think there's a flaw in the plan!" Vash yelled.
"Nonsense! Are you afraid of a bunch of girls! Get back in there!" Captain yelled to Vash, who pouted.
"Underestimated us girls didn't you Vash?" Loki asked from atop the fortress.
"Is that a challenge for Vash the Stampede I hear?" Vash called back.
"Vash the Stampede? Does he look like Vash the Stampede to you girls?" Loki asked her followers, who all shouted "NO!" at the same time.
Vash made a disgruntled face but then grinned with a mischievously evil smile. He then disappeared out of sight which worried the girls and they decided to go back into the fortress. But that time it was them who got ambushed. Vash attacked by tickling, quickly over coming most of the girls as he worked his way to Loki. He laughed evilly in the dark and Loki went to the top of the fortress but before she could do anything Vash appeared startling her. She tripped, landing on her butt and Vash snickered as he got closer.
"Nowhere to run Princess Loki!" He said but Loki cocked an eye brow.
"Well, you've still got to get past everyone else." She said.
"Do I? I think you're forgetting that I'm Vash the Stampede." He said and he quickly picked her up and jumped off the rock fortress.
He hoisted Loki over his shoulder when he landed.
"I got her Captain! I got Princess Loki! We win!" Vash yelled but immediately the other boys started running for him.
"Wrong! You've still gotta make it back to your fortress." Loki told him.
"WHaaaaT!" Vash exclaimed as he started running with Loki in his arms.
Soon all the boys caught up with him and Vash fell on his back holding Loki with the jaws of life but all the boys began pulling his arms apart and holding him down. Soon Loki was free and she stepped back to watch the boys put strangle holds on Vash.
"Give up Vash!" The leader of the other boys said and Vash cried uncle.
"I give up! I give up!" He said and the boys let him go, cheering in victory.
Vash's Captain ran over and smacked him in the head several times.
"I'm sorry Captain! I tried! I really did! No please don't! Anything but that!" Vash cried as his team began climbing all over him. Loki sat on the grass watching with amusement.
The other boys had gotten tired of beating on Vash and started playing ball. Soon the rest of them joined in, leaving Vash slumped on the grass. Loki came over and sat by him to see his face.
"Aw poor Vash got beat up by kids." Loki said and Vash sat up quickly, fully recovered and acting studly.
"I let them win." He said.
"You don't say. I never would have guessed." Loki said and Vash pouted.
"So mean…" He said with a pout and Loki laughed.
After a moment they got up to get some dinner, but as they were leaving Vash noticed another single wild violet where Loki had been sitting, but he quickly forgot about it and followed Loki.
That night everyone was sad to hear Vash and Loki were leaving so soon but they knew it was in Vash's nature. And so another drinking party was held but Vash made sure he went to bed when Loki did so that he wouldn't get carried away again.
Early the next morning Vash and Loki left for their next destination which took them another day to get to. Vash was able to find them a nice place to stay once they got to the town Vash said they would lay low in. They were in for many lazy days to come stuck together in a small one room and bath place. Vash now feared sharing the same room and bed was a bad idea but he knew he could control himself.
Two months passed, Vash and Loki had fallen into a routine in the town. They both had gotten small jobs to pay for things they needed and had gotten to know the people in their town. They were enjoying their quiet life together but knew it couldn't last forever. Vash wasn't even sure if Knives was up to anything and so their hiding could be for nothing. It was like the calm before the storm, which hit two days later.
A sand storm had rolled in, not a terrible one but one strong enough to keep people inside. And so Vash and Loki were confined to their room which worried Vash. He came back that day covered in sand and in need of a shower. He had been helping the elderly of the town board up their windows from the storm. Loki had been stuck inside all day and Vash could tell she was bored and antsy. As he took a shower Loki snuck into the bathroom looking for something to do but found nothing. Though she saw Vash's yellow sunglasses and decided to look them over. She always liked when he wore them, she thought they were cool. She put them on and was checking herself out in the mirror. They were too big for her and kept falling down her nose but she liked how they looked on her. She was so involved in what she was doing she didn't even hear Vash get out of the shower.
"They look better on you than they do on me." He said, which startled her.
She turned around grinning as the glasses fell down her nose again. She blushed upon seeing Vash in nothing but a towel. She took the glasses off as he passed her and she looked at the ground trying not to stare at him.
"No leave them on. Let's complete the outfit."
Vash said as he walked over with his red coat. Loki turned around so that he could place the coat over her shoulders. Subconsciously Loki took a deep breath, smelling Vash's coat. It smelled like him, and she wished he would kiss her. She had wished he would kiss her for a long time, but she knew he had loved and lost before… she could see it in his eyes. His kind eyes that had seen so much. Vash smiled and looked in the mirror at her.
"Now you could be the legendary gunman." Vash said and Loki laughed.
Vash went to get another towel to dry his hair while Loki sat herself on the counter by the sink.
"How long will the storm last, do ya think?" She asked.
"They say it should clear up in a day or so." Vash replied.
"Aw stuck inside again… What will we do to pass time?" She asked.
"We could sleep all day." Vash suggested and Loki pouted which made him smile.
"You lazy bum. If you sleep all day I'll jump on you till you wake up. I'm sure we can think of something right?" Loki said and Vash smiled nervously as his mind traveled to the gutter.
The more he tried to not think about it the more he thought about how attracted to Loki he was.
"I'm sure we'll think of something. The storm might even pass by morning if we're lucky."
Vash told her as he gently took his glasses off her face. Vash couldn't stop himself as he gently caressed her cheek getting a bit closer to her. He pushed her hair behind her ear as he examined her blushing face. He wanted to kiss her and he would have but something stopped him. He wasn't sure she felt the same for him was the story he came up with in his head to get himself to stop, but he knew her feelings for him. He just couldn't figure out what was stopping him. He sighed and then walked to the far wall where he sat on the floor. Loki looked sadly at him, he seemed so concerned and distracted about something. She hopped off the counter and walked over to him, his red coat flowing behind her. She kneeled by him but he wouldn't look at her. So she sat in his lap resting her head and right hand on his chest.
"What's wrong Vash? You seem so concerned lately." Loki said softly.
"I never had a good reason for us to hide out. I just ran away, because I was afraid of losing you." He told her softly as his left hand moved.
She looked up at him and he caressed her cheek. He finally didn't care if she was his sister as he kissed her after long last. Calling her his sister was just a term for calling those of their kind brethren; all of the plants were female it was chance coincidence he and Knives were born. Deep down he knew she was very different from him and that they belonged together, his perfect match.
Loki was surprised at first, she hadn't expected him to really kiss her, but she was glad and melted against him. His kisses were warm and gentle. His right hand held her head as his left slowly pushed his coat off her shoulders and he moved his hand along her back feeling the slight curves of her body. Vash slowly stuck his tong in her mouth and she laughed a little at how he tickled her tong but continued to let him do it. After another moment Loki stopped kissing him and continued by kissing his neck close to his jaw bone as her fingers played gently over his chest. He was aroused even more by this and held her closer to him.
"I know how we could pass time." She whispered hotly in his ear in between kisses.
"Are you sure?" He asked softly and she stopped kissing him to look into his eyes.
"Yes." She replied and then placed a passionate kiss upon his lips as she moved to wrap her arms around his neck. When she stopped kissing him he picked her up into his arms and stood. His coat slipped off his lap as he stood and walked over it to go into the bedroom. He shut the door behind him and walked over to the bed, setting Loki down as he sat next to her. He leaned over and started kissing her as his left hand rested on her leg close to her hip. He was slowly lifting up her shirt, and soon it was off and tossed to the floor. As he was kissing her he urged her to move to the head of the bed and she followed his lead. She lay down and Vash leaned over her. He stopped kissing her for a moment to look at her. She could see his towel was on the verge of falling off due to his arousal, and her heart began to pound but she wanted to go on. She wanted to become one with Vash. She urged him to lean down and kiss her. He obeyed and attached his lips to hers; his left hand traveled her body as her arms wrapped around his neck. Soon his hand found the elastic of the tight shorts she wore under her skirt. He slipped his and under them and they began to fall off. Loki lifted her legs to help him get them off and soon they joined her shirt. Vash playfully touched her between her legs to turn her on further and to see her reaction, which he was pleased about. Her eyes were shut and her breath labored. Vash started kissing her again as he pulled off his towel and positioned himself over her. As if by instinct Loki moved her legs to straddle his waist. Vash caressed her cheek as he looked lovingly into her eyes before he continued. And after a moment they were lost in the heated passion of their ecstasy.
When they were finished Vash could tell Loki was exhausted as he lay next to her caressing her cheek.
"Am I supposed to be this tired Vash?" She asked in a whisper and Vash kissed her.
"Yes, it means you had very good sex." Vash told her.
Vash was tired too, but he knew he should check things over before going to sleep so he got out of bed. When he started to move Loki opened her eyes and touched his arm.
"Where are you going?" She asked in concern.
"I'll be right back." He told her softly as he kissed her forehead. He got off the bed and went into the next room for a moment. He found his boxers and put them back on. After he was satisfied he went back to sleep with Loki. He pulled the sheet over them and held her after he hid his gun under the pillow on Loki's side of the bed. Soon he too was fast asleep.
Things were peaceful during the night but early in the morning Vash heard someone trying very hard to silently break in. His movements caused Loki to awaken. When she realized what was going on she panicked but Vash placed his hand over her mouth, whispering to her to stay silent and pretend to be asleep. Vash slid his hand under the pillow to his gun and he laid his head by Loki pretending to sleep as well. When the intruder entered the room Vash snapped into action aiming his gun toward the door but he stopped further action when he realized who it was. He lowered his gun and relaxed. Loki sat up next to Vash, holding the sheet over her chest.
"Nicolas, what are you doing here? How did you even find us?" Vash asked.
"I'm here because I heard Knives was on the move again. He hasn't done anything, but I figured you could use my help in whatever you've been up to, to make him so interested." The tall dark haired man said indicating Loki with interest.
She hid herself behind Vash, embarrassed that the man was looking at her. Vash snapped back and introduced them to each other. The man was Nicolas D. Wolfwood, a name passed down three times in his family. Vash had known the first very well and this man, his would be grandson took up his mantle of priest/ excellent gunfighter of peace. After the introductions Vash got out of bed, leading the man into the other room to talk. He told Loki he'd be right back. Vash knew the day would come when they'd have to continue their journey to unlock Loki's secret past.
Once Vash was gone Loki dressed and patiently waited for Vash to finish talking to the man. Soon he returned fully dressed in his red coat and Loki knew they would be leaving their quiet life that Loki now wished they could live forever.
As Vash packed their things into his bag Loki sat on the dresser watching him and blushed as she replayed the events of the night in her mind. But the memory of the first time she had seen Vash came to her mind and she wondered if it was weird for Vash to have been so close to her knowing how old she was.
"Vash?" She asked softly as she looked at the floor.
He stopped what he was doing for a moment to listen to her.
"Do you remember me when I was young?" She asked and he smiled as he took her hand, leading her to sit in his lap on the bed.
He was much taller than her and he was able to cradle her in his arms.
"Of course I remember. Who could forget these eyes." He said as he caressed her cheek, brushing some hair out of her face.
"Was last night odd for you because I'm so much younger than you?" She asked and he was shocked.
"No it wasn't, because we are the ones that live outside of time. Your age has no meaning to me. We are the same age technically. Last night was amazing and I hope to give you millions more like it." Vash whispered hotly in her ear causing her to blush. He kissed her passionately for several minutes before letting her go so that they could finish packing.