So Sorry to everyone for the wait. I know you all missed it, and I'm sure you're probably a bit upset to have waited so long, but I'm back. I apologize for the wait, senior year took my life away for a while (I'm sure you'll all understand). To make up for it, I made sure this chapter is extra special, and you can bet I'll have the next up by this weekend.
Please enjoy! Lots more trouble to come shortly!
In the dark of the night, the covers on the bed rustled. Vash turned back and forth, Roderich's arms wrapped tight around his mid section, but it was no use, he couldn't sleep. Slowly, he sat up and leaned his back against the head board of the bed, the sheets strategically strewn across his lap. Beside him, Roderich slept in silence, his chest rising and falling lightly at every breath, his dark hair in tangled layers around his face. Vash's own yellow tufts of hair were messy and pointing off in every which direction like the main character in a video game. If he'd had a mirror then perhaps he would have bothered to brush his hair down, but as it was he really just wanted to go back to bed so he saw no point. He tried to shut his eyes and reach for another moments rest, but it seemed so useless. He knew when he woke up, there was no point in trying to go back to sleep.
Sighing softly, Vash wiggled his way out of Roderich's arms, careful not to wake him. The Austrian beside him moaned and groaned and groped to keep Vash at his side, but he didn't wake up. The Swiss man leaned over him with a gentle kiss on his forehead before he went for his clothes. Even when they'd gone to 'bed' he'd thrown all his clothes about in a strategic manner. His pants were the closest to him so he could get those on first without a worry. Looking out the window, he knew that the girls would still be asleep, and hopefully so would most of the house staff, so he might get away with wandering the house for a bit.
He dressed quietly, using the chair in the corner to lean against for support instead of the bed so that he wouldn't wake Roderich. He didn't bother with a full shirt for once, he was happy enough to just wear his button down un-tucked, and unlike usual he didn't bother with shoes to wander around the house. Roderich was a very clean person just as Vash was; there would be no excuse for any dirt to be rolling around that house, so he trusted it would be clean enough for his bare feet. Before, well, he hadn't trusted Roderich enough, but something had changed in him over those last few days, something he couldn't really explain in real words.
Barely dressed and shoeless, Vash slowly opened the door, careful not to make any noise that might wake his sleeping friend. He was just as cautious with shutting the door before he slowly made his way down the hall toward the stairs, glancing through open doors and occasionally stopping to look at the paintings on the wall. One of them in particular brought him to a halt. It was a memory, something he barely even bothered with remembering very often, but the sight of the painting made him stop and think. It was an old snow covered hill, foot prints stepped deep into its icy casing and frozen solid from the night before. There was a glow of sunlight painted across the glistening snow, though the sky was still painted black as night. They'd been marching home from Hungary's that night, Roderich dragging his injured feet along through the snow while Vash helped him along. It seemed so very long ago, those memories, but he struggled to remember the life they'd had together before.
Vash forced himself to turn away, reaching his hand up to his hair to brush it out of his face. He stroked his back through it then ran it down to the ends, his palm touching lightly against his cheek. He seemed shocked, confused. His cheek was damp; the way it was only when he cried, but why would he have begun to cry like that? They were wonderful memories, things he longed for more than once, but to cry? He couldn't possibly begin to understand what about it moved him to tears in such a way.
With a soft sigh on his lips, Vash headed down the hall once more; turning round a corner and down a new path he had not yet taken in his stay at the house. One, intriguing, very peculiar figure once again brought his steps to a halt. Before a door, a fair distance down the way was Japan. Vash stared at him. Of all the other countries to be in Roderich's home, Honda seemed the least likely. Germany would make sense, even Italy or Prussia, but Japan? That just seemed strange and completely out of the ordinary. The two stood and stared at each other from their fair distance down the hall, both short on words. Vash was too confused to make a clear sentence, not that he liked to talk anyways, and Honda seemed just as quiet. It took a long while before the Japanese man bowed politely and pulled a faint smile to his lips, finding the proper words of welcome.
"Oh, Swiss-san. You must be Austria-san's special guest. He offered me a room here next to Germany-san for the world conference." Honda explained in far fewer words than Vash thought possible. He was looking for a free thorough explanation, but that wasn't Honda in the least bit. He should have known that, they both were very much alike: always watching, wordlessly waiting for an opportunity. The biggest difference was Vash had a temper, and a bad one. Honda was never so hot headed.
"I suppose. I'd assume that means you'll be here for the next few days?" Honda nodded to his question, which was answer enough, before he bowed politely and headed off down the hall. If Honda was there, then it was only reasonable to assume that Ludwig was there, and if so then talking to one of his level headed relatives may have been a good way to clear his mind. Vash paused at the thought, Ludwig was there, which meant either the two were still living together or Roderich had invited him. How had he not noticed any of this before? What if Roderich was occupying his time while Vash was sick with Ludwig? His head spun, the thought made him sick.
Hastily, Vash turned away from Honda and headed back toward his room, not bothering to disguise his rather obnoxious foot stomping as he headed back beyond the door to find Roderich sitting up, rubbing eyes in a sleepy manner. Without thinking what he was doing, without caring that he'd left the door wide open, Vash threw himself onto Roderich and locked lips with him. He was forceful, somewhat angry in his movements. The Austrian stared back in confusion and surprise, but he didn't try to stop it or ask. When Vash kissed you, you shut up and treasured the moment, no matter the reason. It took a long moment for Vash to finally control himself and pull away, staring at the Austrian beneath him with a mix of anger and sorrow. It was hard to tell just how he was reacting, but to Roderich he mostly looked sad, which only made the dark haired boy worried and confused. It wasn't like Vash to intentionally start a lover's quarrel, but then again, it wasn't like Vash to have lovers.
"You don't taste like a German…" Vash muttered softly, hardly loud enough for Roderich to hear. He slowly backed off and crawled back to the other end of the bed, leaning his back against the bed post while he pulled his feet under him. The most Roderich could do was stare at him, dumbstruck. Had Vash really just said that? Where could he possibly have gotten that idea?
And then it hit him and he understood exactly why Vash must have been so angry and confused. He sighed softly and crawled over to Vash, reaching in to kiss him gently, only to have the Swiss man push him away roughly, enough that he fell out of the bed and onto the floor, pulling half the blankets down with him. With a rough bang he smacked his head on the carpeted floor and stared up to the blonde, whom looked both concerned and even more angered than before. Roderich sighed, slowly moving to sit up on his elbow while his other hand wandered to the back of his head, rubbing at the bump cautiously with the occasional stuttered complaint. It took a long moment before he gave up and looked back to Vash, still leaning over the edge of the bed, but far less concerned than when Roderich first fell, especially now that he knew the Austrian was alright.
"Who did you run into?" Roderich asked hesitantly, his expression laden with guilt. However he found out, that's not what was intended in the least bit. The plan was that they all have a nice breakfast together, that way Vash wouldn't be angry and jump to conclusions; then they could have a respectable conversation instead of kiss fights and pushing each other off the bed. That certainly was not what Roderich had wanted.
"Honda," Was Vash's only response. His words were cold, like a hard slap to the face from an ex; something Roderich did all he could not to take it personally in their situation. The blonde folded his arms over his chest roughly and proceeded to pout while is friend on the floor struggled for a response.
"Vash, I didn't want you to find out like thi-"
"Were you planning on telling me at all?" his green eyes darted to Roderich, frustrated and a bit hurt. His tone said injured, his face still said angered.
"Of course, I just hadn't had the opportunity. They showed up the other day while you were sick in bed, and they were out all day yesterday with the girls and…"
"You sent Lilli out shopping with him?" His tone sounded enraged suddenly at the idea. If there was one thing Roderich should have known, it was how much Vash cared about little Liechtenstein. Therefore, he should have known better than to mention that the smaller blonde had been out with Ludwig; that certainly wasn't something that would ever cheer up Vash.
"Vash, please, hang on. I didn't know about it until late last night. The girls were together, and they just happened to run into Ludwig and Honda in town, it wasn't intended at all." Roderich paused, cowering back slightly until Vash's expression began to soften, even the smallest bit. He ever so slowly moved to stand, raising his hand to the back of his head once more where he felt the knot beginning to develop; he'd certainly be feeling that the rest of the day. "Look, Vash, I know you're not happy about it but please listen. They're my guests for the time being. I'm just trying to play the good host; I didn't mean to upset you with their being here, honest."
"Why are they here? Ludwig doesn't live far away, and I'm supposed to be your guest, so why are they here and not there?" Vash questioned, turning his gaze away sharply so he could continue to uphold his angered appearance.
"What's gotten into you all of a sudden? Why does it matter? Do you think I did something stupid like cheat on you?" Roderich asked, a new round of confusion and uncertainty furrowing his brow, though the idea made him frustrated to consider. The long moment of silence that followed was all the answer that he needed. Suddenly he was infuriated, staring at Vash with a great deal of contempt. "I can't believe you; I thought you knew me better than that! Why on god's green earth would you so much as think that?"
Vash paused, his anger subsiding when he heard Roderich's response. It had been a very, very long time since the calm Austrian had ever been angry about anything, so Vash knew from the look on his face that he'd royally screwed up. The Austrian was right, he should have known better. Biting his lower lip, Vash slowly moved away from the bed post and slid his feet over the edge, dangling while he considered what he had done. He had to at least try to set things straight, after all, he didn't mean to evoke that kind of a reaction; he'd only been looking for answers. He slowly moved off the bed and reached for Roderich, but just as his hand graced Roderich's arm, the Austrian pulled back, staring at him.
"I need some time alone." With that Roderich grabbed up his clothes, pulled on one of the bathrobes sitting on the chair in the corner, and left the room, not bothering to say another word to Vash, who stood staring at the open door in silence.
Things certainly were not going as he expected.