He stood up hastily, limping three shaky steps before his vision was blurring. Oh no, I shouldn´t have gotten up so abruptly... Unable to stable himself, he felt himself falling, waiting for the impact as he closed his eyes. It didn´t come.
He felt warm arms catching him instead. His body was lowered carefully. An arm was supporting his back and shoulders, an unsteady hand touching his neck, looking for a pulse. All this, accompanied by muted swearing. Vash didn´t have to open his eyes to know it was Wolfwood.
"Shit, Spikey! What the hell were you trying to do? Feeling suicidal today or what?" The oh-so- familiar voice was growling. Though the words were rough, they were not able to hide the priest´s concern.
Vash forced his eyes to open. "Go away...don´t wanna... be a burden for you...Can make it... on my own..." The words were slurred, barely audible. Though his sight was still blurring at the edges, he saw the sad smile on the priest´s face.
"Oh yeah, it is totally obvious you are able to make it on your own right now." Vash didn´t get the sarcasm of this statement until he tried to move, but only managed to turn his head slightly.
"Moron", Wolfwood snapped. "You tore your wounds open again by moving so suddenly. Stop squirming right now or you´ll make it even worse."
The priest was sitting on the dusty ground, the humanoid typhoon lying in his lap. He cradled his friend in his arms, sighing. Trying to make himself more comfortable, Wolfwood carefully adjusted his position. Vash´s head was resting on his shoulder now.
"Wolfwood..." Vash´s choked voice barely hid the pain he was in.
"Hmmm?"
"I´m so sorry..."
Wolfwood furrowed his brow. "For what?"
"For being such a burden..."
"Stop talking bullshit, Spikey...you´re not a burden." The priest was frowning now, unaware that Vash couldn´t see it because his eyes were closed.
"But you said so...sooner.", his friend whispered faintly.
"I didn´t. I just said I don´t want to be accused of murder every time I save your red coated ass, Spikey."
"Oh.. that means.." Vash managed to open his eyes, trying to focus the priest.
"That means I don´t force you to change, to act against your believes, but stop lecturing me about it.
You may be an angel, Vash the Stampede, and you can keep your hands clean, can stay innocent as long as you want. Let me help you, let me do the dirty work for you. But please stop to look at me with those mourning eyes."
"Wolfwood, I don´t want you to kill for me...", Vash coughed, spitting up blood. Wolfwood carefully wiped the red liquid away with his sleeve. He cupped his friend´s cheek with his hand, trying to comfort him.
"Don´t mind, Spikey. I am not innocent. I have killed countless people before we met. One more or less is not that important."
"Every life is important..."
"Yeah, especially yours. That´s why you should care a little more about your own well being, Vash the Stampede."
Vash looked incredibly sad. "You know better than anyone I am not able to do so, Wolfwood..."
"What are you, Vash? A martyr sacrificing himself for the disaster called mankind? Or, regarding the form your power chooses when you use it..." -Wolfwood thought of the huge, wing-like object covered with feathers he had seen Vash use in Jeonora Rock and Dragon´s Nest Fortress.- "...are you really an angel?"
A faint smile showed on Vash´s tired face. "If I was an angel, I would be an angel with bloody hands..." He lifted his right hand a few inches. Wolfwood touched it, realizing with shock how cold it felt. He looked at the stains of dried blood and smiled back warily, very aware that he could do nothing but being here right now. "I would be happier if it was not your own blood, Spikey..."
"I´m pretty happy it is just my own..." His voice trailed off as Vash closed his eyes.
Just his own ... The priest mentally shook his head. Aloud he said, "You have a very strange way of staying innocent, mad angel," with more resignation than anger in his voice.