Disclaimer: Trigun is sadly enough not mine, or there would have been way more episodes!
Chapter45: Milly's POV
After her blunder this morning she had returned to the common room downstairs. How had she forgotten that Meryl was with Mr. Vash? She was not normally so airheaded about relationships. Those two had danced around each other over a year, how could she forget that they were still new to their relationship? It was minutes after she had presented Meryl with her coffee that she came down to the common room, dressed and looking like her serious self.
"Morning Milly, thank you for the coffee, did I forget something?" she inquires as she takes her seat.
Smiling at her friend, she replies, "Good morning Meryl, I am sorry I disturbed you. I forgot for a moment that you were with Mr. Vash." She is blushing as she answers. "I can't believe I forgot."
Meryl chuckles, giving a small shake of her head as she gets a second coffee. "If it makes you feel better, right after you left, Knives knocked at the door."
"Oh," she mutters, how had she missed seeing him? He was as tall as Mr. Vash, taller than her. Since he had started moving about on his own, she was nearly always aware when he was near her. Even if she was not paying attention, her mind would point out that she had noticed him the next time that she would be unfocused on anything. It was frustrating because in many ways it reminded her of how things had developed between her and Nick in some ways. Yet in other ways it was completely different. Mentally growling at herself, she shakes her head.
"So let's go to the clerk's office, see about any properties that might meet our needs and then check them out." Meryl suggests as she smiles at Mr. Vash as he passes with his twin on the way out the door.
She smiles at her friend, happy to have a purpose again. After the two girls eat their breakfast, they head out to do their errands. Maybe the errands would keep her mind off of the enigma that was Mr. Knives.
Meryl's POV
Breakfast had went smoothly, though she was certain that Milly's mind had wandered to the quandary that she certain she was feeling in regards to Knives. Afterwards the two girls had looked around town, discovering that the clerk's information on properties was kept at the courthouse-sheriff's office. Thankfully the sheriff was a decent enough person, he had barely batted an eye when she requested the listing for properties within two hours that had either partial buildings on them or empty bedrock that could support a building. Once he had dug out the proper files she had shifted to the corner with Milly and proceeded to go through each one of them with the type of care she had used when deciding that this was the proper town to move to. Each file was sorted into one of two piles, that of the rejects and that of the possibilities.
Milly was watching quietly, her friends mind lost deep in thought. Sometimes though, she would touch her hand to her stomach a small smile playing across her lips. Other times she would look sad for just an instant before returning to smiling. She could have gone with the brothers, but had insisted on staying with Meryl so she would not be alone.
After a few hours, she had sorted through the files, carefully handing each of the rejects back and then going through the possibilities one more time. She wanted to make sure that the ones that she considered would be worth the time. The two advantages that she had was the fact Knives had promised there was more than enough funds to pay for anything that might need to be dealt with and the fact that Eza and Hassaar had sworn that fresh supplies would be brought to them, with a group of the memousi planning to settle nearby for an aqueduct. That meant even a property with little to no water would work because the memousi brought their own water.
Finally she got it down to three properties before she glanced at the sheriff who was watching her with interest. "Is it possible for me to take these three files to the hotel there? I would like to discuss the options with our companions before making a choice. I could have them back to you in the morning." She queries, watching his reaction.
Startled, the sheriff keeps glancing between her and Milly, a thoughtful look on his face. "I guess," he replies, scratching the side of his head, "it's just very odd indeed."
Milly stands up, responding, "Oh thank you, I am getting tired of travelling and want to get our project underway as quickly as possible."
"Project?" he questions, looking at her best friend questioningly.
Milly nods, a smile on her face. "Project," she repeats, "Meryl and Mr. Vash, along with Mr. Vash's brother Mr. Knives, have decide to help me set up a home for my little one since their father is dead." He looks at her funny to which she comments, "I am pregnant, the baby's father died before I knew and I don't want to wind up raising him in a big city."
Nodding, he inquires, "Can I look at your choice properties?"
She hands him the three files, watching his reaction. He seems startled by the second more than any of the others, which is unusual since that is the one with the water but no access to it. Nodding, he eventually hands them back.
"Have a good day ladies," he bids them as he holds the door for them to exit.
"Thank you sheriff," Milly tells him politely.
Smiling to herself, Meryl thinks, and that's why she comes with me, I forget to do that sort of thing.
Before she can focus on anything she spots Knives carrying Vash. Surprisingly, no one is getting in his way. Nudging Milly, the two girls watch him as he heads back to the hotel they are staying at. As she watches, she is mildly surprised when one of the waitresses opens the door. Glancing at her partner, the two have a quick conversation and decide to follow him. Quickly moving, the two girls follow, catching up quickly. After a quick chat with the waitress who opened the door for him, Meryl realizes that he must have been using his telepathy to make the people do what he wants. Frowning, they head upstairs, after checking his room, she head to their room.
Upon opening the door, both girls stop and stare, surprised to see Knives leaning his head against the edge of bed. What surprises her the most is the silent tears running down his face. Glancing at Milly, she can see that her friend is not sure what to do. Touching her hand to Milly's shoulder, she nods towards the brothers, knowing that her friend wants to comfort him. The silent communications they had developed previously is almost not enough to get her friend to listen.
"Mr. Knives, what's wrong?" Milly asks as she walks across the room.
Knives jerks upright, his composure instantly returning as he turns to face her. "Vash wore himself out helping our sister here. I brought him back here to rest at the suggest of our…" he trails off, a mildly annoyed look crossing his face.
Tilting her head to the side she watches are her tall friend smiles at him, stopping beside him and commenting, "Your mother? You could call her Sepheria if it would make it easier." Milly's voice is soft as she suggests it. Meryl recognizes it as the tone often used to calm her down when her temper is up.
His eyes seem to focus in on her for a brief moment before glancing away, standing he looks like he wants to bolt when she decides to comment, "Telepathy?"
The arrogance that she is used to seeing in him comes to the surface as he turns towards her, however there is something else within his posture as well. "Of course, spiders can be annoying and I was not taking any chances with them."
She nods once, before remarking, "I have three options for us to consider, I personally think the second is the best but I thought it would be polite for all of us to decide."
He nods once, glancing at Vash, before looking back at her, "If you will excuse me," he murmurs as he walks past her and out the door.
Milly watches him with wide eyes, not sure what to do but clearly wanting to do something. "Meryl," she says almost pleadingly.
Stepping next to her friend, she smiles up at her, "Go. Find the highest point in town or near town, that's where he will be perched, probably over thinking. We've discussed this before, your better at understanding a person than me, but I'd say that there is something there."
Milly nods, giving her quick hug before bolting and closing the door behind her.
Sitting down in the same seat that Knives had just vacated, she glances over at Vash and grins. "Alright you, even when exhausted you don't sleep much, so stop faking."
He slowly opens his turquoise eyes, smiling at her. "You realize you just sent Milly to comfort my brother right?"
She snorts, "I know, I also know that they are 'dancing', as Milly calls it, around each other. " She shrugs, shifting to the edge of the bed. "She's more like you than me, ironic since its been decided I am more like him than you. I hope you're feeling better?"
He sits up, his smile widening as he reaches up to brush her bangs away from her face. "I am," glancing around his smile turns mischievous as he comments, "we appear to be alone, in a room with a bed, and no interruptions, any ideas?"
Leaning forward, she kisses him slowly, "I don't know, this might require some thought."
He kisses her back, pulling her close. If she was going to say anything, she forgot about it in the following few hours, focused instead on the tall, golden blonde with a charming smile sharing her bed.