Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Forever Mine ❯ A Perceptive Big-girl ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: Hmmm... I own my kids (Because I made them) I own my husband, (Because the Marriage License says so) and I own a REALLY big mortgage. (Because I'm stupid and signed on the dotted line.) However I don't own Trigun. (Because if I did, I wouldn't have said mortgage.)

 

“blah blah” : talking

`blah blah' : thinking

“blah blah” : telepathic talking

blah blah : other misc. stuff.

 

*~*~*

 

 

 

Forever Mine

 

Chapter 5: A Perceptive Big-girl

 

 

 

 

 

Milly couldn't believe her luck. The well's construction team foreman said that, not only could she go ahead and leave early, but that she would still get paid for a full day's wages! And that was because she, single handedly, had kept them ahead of schedule. The team broke through to the water vein considerably within the ten-day window, thanks her impressive abilities with the fabulous stungun. Here it was, only two o'clock in the afternoon, the suns were shining brightly without a cloud in the sky to hinder their radiance, and the light breeze actually made it quite pleasant. Oh, and she couldn't forget that Mr. Vash had made it back A-okay! So, Milly thought that a little celebration was in order and, of course, you couldn't have a celebration without pudding! Therefore, the jubilant woman quickly made her way over to the tiny grocer a few stores down and stepped inside.

 

“Why… hello, Miss Milly! You're out of work a tad early today.”

 

“Good afternoon Mr. Stevenson,” Milly gaily chirped before adding, “Yep, sure am! Foreman Kyle said that I helped out so much with the well that I could leave early and even get paid for it! Isn't that wonderful?!”

 

“It sure is,” Mr. Stevenson replied as he watched a tall girl head over to the refrigerator that contained her favorite goodie.

 

“So, I just figured that a little celebration was in order,” she said a moment later as she set two containers of pudding on the counter.

 

“One vanilla and one chocolate, huh?” the older man questioned as a smile made his face wrinkle with amusement.

 

“You got it! I couldn't decide on what I wanted, so, I said `what the heck? Get both!' After all, you can't truly celebrate if you're not completely happy!”

 

“True… very true,” the grocer agreed, while placing the two cups in a bag. “What a great job you did on the well!” he then said before instantly advising the big-girl, “The whole town really appreciates it, too! As a matter of fact, these are on me, enjoy!”

 

“Well… gee… Mr. Stevenson… that's mighty nice of you!”

 

“Oh it's nothin' really… you just enjoy them, now!”

 

“I will and thank you very much!” Milly chirped gaily as she headed toward the door.

 

“You're quite welcome and I'll see ya' later, Miss Milly.”

 

“Yep, we'll see ya',” Milly replied, while waiving as she stepped back out into the sunshine.

 

The tiny town was busting with activity, even though, it was almost the hottest time of the day. Children were playing in the streets, while the older townsfolk were walking about the main square just to get a look at the newest addition in the community, the well that tapped into a water vein a few iles below the sandy surface.

 

`The town most certainly has changed drastically since we arrived,' Milly mused as she headed over to a bench that resided on the perimeter of the town square. As she sat on the well worn surface, she took off her hard hat, placed it next to her and shook out her long chestnut locks.

 

“Boy, that hat sure makes my head itch,” Milly voiced her thought as she began to search the pockets of her work overhauls for the spoon that she kept within its confines for `emergency' purposes. “Aaahh…there you are,” she exclaimed triumphantly as she pulled a tarnished spoon out from her deep left pocket. She immediately pulled the vanilla pudding from the rumpled bag, popped the lid off and took a big bite of the sinfully creamy goodness.

 

“Mmmmmm… this tastes soooo good that it should be outlawed,” she moaned dreamily before dipping her spoon in for more. After a few short bites the vanilla container had been scraped clean. Then before the group of kids who were playing just a few yarz away could decide on what to do next, the lid to the chocolate pudding had been opened and the delicious treat was eaten and with the same enthusiasm.

 

`That sure was good… maybe I should have gotten the strawberry, too,' the brunette thought as she licked her lips. `Of course, Sempai will probably have something for dessert, since Mr. Vash is back,' she realized as a bright smile made her sky-blue eyes twinkle. `She's so glad that he made it back and gosh… so am I!'

 

After lingering quietly on the bench for a few more minutes, while absently watching the kids play tag, the statuesque woman decided that it was time to return to their temporary home. She figured that she should help her partner tend to the troublesome twins. Picking up her hardhat, she held it in her left hand as she replaced her trusty spoon back in her pocket before picking up the remains of her snack. With a perfect shot, she tossed the crumpled bag into the trash receptacle next to the bench and cheered out `two.' Finally, everything was in order and Milly began the short walk to the tiny two-story home they rented.

 

Just as soon as she took the first step toward home, her ponderings instantly returned to the two wanna-be lovebirds. She thought for sure that her Sempai would have told Vash about her feelings just as soon as she reached him yesterday, but, alas, she didn't. “She had better not chicken out,” Milly grumbled over how obvious their feelings were for each other. `I just don't get it, why they won't admit it? I knew how I felt about… him… and once I figured it out I had to tell him,' she mumbled internally, reflecting on her feelings for a certain preacher…

 

“Oh Nicholas… how I miss you…” Milly whispered as she stopped to look up to the seemingly never-ending sky. Tears began to fall from her blue topaz-colored eyes as she reminisced about her lost love. `What am I gonna do without you? I know that I have to be strong for both their sakes, but how?'

 

“I'll always be here for you… honey,” a faint voice spoke, carried by the breeze as Milly felt a ghost-like caress on her damp cheek.

 

“Oh darling…” she breathed as she brought her hand up to touch where the caress touched her. “I know you will be,” she added right before she continued to walk the few remaining blocks back to their current residing place.

 

With her composure regained, Milly stepped up onto the tiny front porch and called out an `I'm home' as she entered their domicile. Placing her hard hat on the coat tree in the corner by the front door, she noticed that no one was around to answer her greeting. She thought that it was a bit strange, but figured that Mr. Vash was probably asleep and her partner still working on the new report for their `real' job. So, she decided to go into the kitchen to see how Mr. Knives was fairing and sneak a peek at what Meryl was planning for dinner.

 

Upon entering the kitchen, she immediately noticed something was amiss. Meryl didn't clean up the kitchen?! Milly thought it very strange for her tiny cohort to leave the room in such disarray. Left out on the counter were the makings for sandwiches, which included grilled salmon, a half of a loaf of bread, lettuce, and Vash's favorite dill sauce. Meryl didn't even wipe anything up, Milly noticed as a worried expression formed on her normally cheery face. She immediately looked over to the cot to make sure that the fairer blonde man was still sleeping soundly.

 

“At least you're still there Mr. Knives, but where's your brother and Sempai?” Milly asked to herself as she cleaned up the mess before her.

 

Once the task of making the kitchen presentable had been completed, Milly made her way back to the tiny living room and to the stairs that led to the second floor. She climbed the steps quickly while trying to listen for the faint clicking noise of Meryl's typing. Unfortunately, she heard nothing. A moment later, she stopped at the top step in order to look down the short hallway to the room where Vash had slept and Meryl kept her typewriter. The door was open, but not a peep was coming from that direction.

 

`I know Meryl said that she didn't have to work at the saloon today,' Milly thought as she turned toward the open doorway. With a resolute sigh, she walked up to the doorway and instantly froze…

 

There before her was something that she always hoped to see, Meryl and Vash were holding each other in a loving embrace. Vash was sitting on the edge of the bed with his right arm around wrapped around Meryl's waist with his left hand cupping her face, while her Sempai was standing in between the blonde man's thighs her arms slung around his neck. Suddenly, Vash brought Meryl's face very close to his and started to say something that Milly could barely hear.

 

“I really… I really… lo…” he slowly spoke, but the outlaw's declaration was cut off as Milly gasped. Vash and Meryl's heads instantaneously snapped toward the door with wide eyes right before they disentangled themselves from each other and blushed in embarrassment.

 

`Oh, darn it! What did I do! Sempai is gonna kill me,' Milly thought, cursing her horrible timing, as she turned bright red herself and sheepishly uttered, “Whooopsies, sorry about that!”

 

“Milly, you're home early,” Meryl rushed before adding, “Oh my goodness, I didn't clean up the kitchen and I still have to start dinner!” she exclaimed as she brushed past Milly and literally ran down the short hall, then down the steps.

 

“Mr. Vash, I'm really very sorry… I didn't mean to interrupt you,” Milly started as she turned her attention from the retreating woman to the outlaw who was still sitting on Meryl's bed, only he was slumped over with his forearms resting on his thighs and his head bowed toward the floor. “I was just worried when no one responded when I said I was home and… and… then I went into the kitchen and saw the mess…”

 

“It's alright, Milly. You didn't know…” Vash replied with a small smile as he lifted his head to look at the tall woman, who still stood in the doorway. “Anyway, I'll have another chance I suppose,” he added as he stood up and faced her.

 

“Yeah, you sure will!” Milly enthusiastically agreed.

 

“Hey… Milly?”

 

“Yes, Mr. Vash?”

 

“How late does the post office stay open?” he asked before elaborating, “I would like to send a wire out ASAP.”

 

Milly thought about the question for a moment, wondering why the man before her would need to send a wire and to whom before answering, “Gee… I suppose five o'clock and, since it's not quite three, you would have plenty time to get there. Why do you need to send a wire, anyway, Mr. Vash?”

 

“Well…” the blonde began as he lifted his left hand up to scratch the back of his head. “I can't really tell you yet… I…I mean I want to tell you and Meryl together, that's all,” he said sheepishly, while hoping the big-girl wouldn't press the issue. After all, he told Meryl that he would let them both know what he was planning at the same time and if he told Milly first then the shorter woman would probably kick his ass.

 

“Okie Dokie, Mr. Vash! I'll leave, so, you can get dressed,” the brunette replied as she turned to head back toward the stairs. However, before she left, she quickly glanced back to the man standing next to the bed and noticed the contemplative expression on his handsome face.

 

“Oh and Mr. Vash… don't worry too much, Meryl feels the same way you do!”

 

Upon hearing Milly's declaration, Vash immediately looked toward the figure walking back down the hall and sputtered, “Man… how does she do that?!”