Finally throwing my hat into the post-anime canon ring with an old draft I had sitting around. I have a lot of post-anime headcanons, but if I were to write down all of them, it would be hundreds of chapters long... so just this one will suffice for now. I would also like to thank everyone who's been following and reviewing my stories. I very much appreciate it, so don't be shy to leave your feedback.
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Milly knocked on the wooden door of a rickety cabin. She looked down at the porcelain tray of cookies in her hands; each one, cut into a circle, was delicately iced and adorned with a generous amount of sprinkles. Her family had always made them for friends who weren't feeling well, and this time, she'd be paying the favor forward- despite the fact that she was a little hesitant to do so.
"I still can't believe you're actually going through with this," said Meryl, who stood beside her on the porch. "I did tell you about Knives, right?"
Milly nodded. "You did, but everyone deserves a little treat when they're not feeling well. Mr. Vash told me that his brother had to get over thirty stitches. If he was in a bad mood before, I can only imagine how he's doing now."
"Don't tell me you feel sorry for him," Meryl snapped. "Thirty is one stitch too few for a guy like Knives. He should be lucky that Vash is as forgiving as he is, or otherwise, he probably wouldn't be alive right now."
"I didn't say I felt sorry for him. I said that he should get the same treatment that everyone else does," Milly said. "I know that you're only trying to be cautious, but really, this is my own choice. Growing up, I was always taught that it's polite to bring someone a gift when they're not feeling well."
"I feel like you're not considering that the person you're bringing a gift to could turn you to dust in a matter of seconds," Meryl noted. She didn't know a lot about Knives, but from what Vash had told her, she knew that he was a threat- especially to someone who risked falling into the traps of naivety like Milly.
"You should be more sensitive, Meryl," Milly said in a hushed voice. "Mr. Vash cares for his brother an awful lot. We don't want to rub him the wrong way by not being accepting of his family, right?
"That's another thing," Meryl started. "I don't see why you, or Vash, for that matter, think that Knives isn't going to heal up and go right back to slaughtering people. If you keep coddling him, he's just going to see you as an easy target for when he extracts his revenge."
"Or, it could have the opposite effect," Milly suggested. "It could make him see that us humans aren't so bad."
"I'm not trying to be hard on you, Milly. I'm just surprised that you've forgiven Knives that quickly," she said, crossing her arms. "Especially after all he's done to hurt us."
"I haven't forgiven him yet," Milly replied. "I'm only going to do that when he changes his actions. But, if we don't give him a chance, how is he ever going to show us his progress if he does try and turn things around?"
Meryl sighed. She knew there was no changing Milly's mind when she had made a decision. "Fine. Just don't act like I'm the one who planned all this." Milly was a little irritated by her superior's bad attitude, but chose to ignore it. Whether Knives would accept the gift or not, she knew that she was in the right.
Out of the corner of her eye, Milly saw a face peeking out of the blinds. She heard the doorknob turn, and Vash stepped out onto the porch, smiling at the duo. "Hey, ladies," he greeted them. "Is there something you need?"
"Hi, Mr. Vash! Me and Meryl just got off work, and we- I mean, I- just wanted to stop by and drop off these cookies I made," Milly said, showing him the plate.
"Hey, thanks!" He said warmly. "What's the occasion? Is this a housewarming gift?"
"They're a get-well present for your brother," she explained. "I thought that he might not be feeling his best after that big procedure he went through, so I wanted to bring him a little something."
Vash looked surprised by her offering. "Well, he will certainly… acknowledge them," he said, taking the plate from Milly's hands. "Although, I have to warn you, he hasn't had much of an appetite. Every time I offer him something, he won't eat it."
"He doesn't have to eat them if he doesn't want to," she said. "It's just nice to have someone know they're thinking about you, right?"
"Right," Vash said, giving her a half-smile. "Thank you very much."
"You look beat," Meryl butted into the conversation. "We're getting drinks after this. Why don't you come with us? You could probably use one."
"I would, but I have to hold down the fort here," he said, motioning inside the little cabin. "I wouldn't want anything bad to happen if I went away, if you know what I'm saying."
"We understand," Milly said before Meryl could make another comment. "Just make sure you tell us if you need any help, ok?"
Vash nodded before retreating back inside the home. "Poor Mr. Vash looks so tired," Milly said empathetically as her and Meryl started to walk back to the saloon. "I don't know how he gets any rest at all, with everything he's been through."
"His brother certainly isn't helping," Meryl noted. "If he won't even accept a free gift, then treating someone with dignity is certainly out of the question."
"You don't know if he'll accept it or not," Milly said with a frown. "Why do you keep saying that?"
"I'm only trying to curb your expectations, Meryl retorted. "I know your feelings would get hurt if he won't accept your gift."
"It wouldn't hurt my feelings if he didn't accept the gift, but it does hurt my feelings that you don't think I can make my own decisions and face the consequences of them," Milly said with a pout. "I know you're my supervisor, but you don't have to look after me like I'm a kid."
"Milly, I didn't mean-" Meryl paused for a moment. Maybe she had been underestimating her, even if she wasn't conscious of it. "I'm sorry that I haven't trusted you. It's just that after all we've experienced, I can't help but feel a little responsible for your safety."
Milly nodded. "I understand what you're saying. But, you don't have to worry on account," she told her. "They don't call me stun-gun Milly for nothing. Say, how about we make a bet? If Knives doesn't accept the gift, then drinks tonight are on me. But, if he surprises us, you'll have to pay me back. Do we have a deal?"
"Deal," Meryl said, opening the saloon door for Milly. "Although, I'm afraid I might regret it. If Knives is anything like his brother, he may be pretty unpredictable."
Meanwhile, in a little cabin on the outskirts of town, a plate of cookies sat perfectly arranged, all except one, which had a single bite taken out of it.