Actually, Vash, Your House Is Really Perceptive

"Heidi, we need to talk."

Vash rather hoped he did not sound too strict. The subject was important, but he did not want to be forcing his thoughts on to her. Rather, he simply wanted Heidi to realize what sort of situation she had put herself in and the type of person she was choosing to spend time with now. Surely she had thought of this before, Heidi was not stupid. Which meant that Vash was missing something.

Vash knew he was not infallible, but it did not mean he liked proof of that.

"Yes?" Heidi asked, having put the last of the dirty dishes into the sink and turned to face him. She looked so happy. Which was strange, considering who had just been here. Vash was not the type to judge prematurely. Which was why he had compiled all of the records since the two of them had moved here to come up with his opinion.

"I am not... comfortable with the amount of time Natalia has been spending here," he finally said. Heidi looked confused.

"Why not?" she asked and as Vash had been prepared for this he pulled the paper copy of his file and dropped it on the table. It was filled with every single disturbance he had had to deal with which involved Natalia. It was a very thick file. Nearly as thick as Maddox's, but filled with more serious stuff. Maddox's file was filled with a lot of stuff Vash felt was a waste of his time.

And Maddox was doing it on purpose. Vash never knew whether to strangle the man or be glad for the breaks he was given during his twenty four hour job.

"I know all of that," Heidi shook her head, having taken a few small steps over and running her hand along the edge of the file. "But she needs a friend."

"Explain?" Vash asked, sitting down in one of the kitchen chairs.

"Friend." iMarcus' voice rang out in his usual definition tone. "One: A person attached to another by feelings of affection or–"

"Thank you, iMarcus, but I was not asking anything from you," Vash said strongly, cutting off the Internet definition before the house would make it all the way to the synonyms. Heidi sat down as well, on the other side, folding her hands together where they were propped on the table.

"Natalia needs someone who will not only listen, but of whom she can listen to as well," Heidi said thoughtfully. "Someone to treat her as if she hasn't done all of those things. If someone gives her that chance, I do not think she will do those things as often. And she is really very sweet, brother. If you put aside everything else, I think you would see it too."

"A person is the sum of their memories and actions," Vash said, though the saying was not as clipped as he had thought it would be. Heidi made a point, a good one. And despite his better judgment, he knew he was going to continue to listen to this and give in.

"I want to help her," Heidi insisted. "Please? Will you help me help her?"

Vash sighed. "Will you promise me you will not forget what you are getting yourself into?"

Heidi nodded, smiling. "Of course not!"

He only stayed quiet for a few more moments before he nodded. "Very well."

"Thank you!" She stood up and made her way around the table to hug him. He returned the embrace. When she let go, she looked over toward the kitchen clock. "I have to go and meet up with Maddox now! He said something about a bird's eye view... of which I really doubt even matters, but I might as well see what he came up with." With another smile and a hug, Heidi rushed off to gather her camera equipment.

Leaving Vash to think that Heidi was going off to do this with the same amount of enthusiasm she had for everything. "I have never had to worry about her liking Maddox like that, have I?"

"Of course not," iMarcus responded, sounding as if he were eating something. Vash was too relieved to stare up strangely at the ceiling. Heidi was not interested in a boy, at least yet. That was something to worry about later, not now.

"Why did I even think so?" he asked. Why was it out loud? More of his thoughts seemed to be escaping him lately. Probably so he could enjoy being annoyed at iMarcus more. Vash could not wait to be over the worry of loosing his house's computer. It was making him too emotional.

"I believe in psychology they call it 'projection'."

Vash heard it. He was not ignoring it. It still took him an entire minute to realize what exactly iMarcus was saying. Almost instantaneously he felt his face flush.

"That is stupid," he choked out and went back to work, making a point to ignore everything iMarcus said after that. It was stupid. Stupid house.


Notes:

To be fair, most of Natalia's violations involve Ivan. When it has nothing to do with him she is relatively okay. Then again, we all knew that. Except for Alfred. She is still afraid of him, if you recall that note from Comedy of Errors.