Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Forever Mine ❯ Marshals, Outlaws, and Stryfe, Oh’ My ( Chapter 50 )

 

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 50: Marshals, Outlaws, and Stryfe, Oh My

 

 

 

Three long and arduous days have pasted since the group's hasty departure from the quaint city of Valdour. And in those three days, nerves became frazzled, emotions ran high and tempers flared. All because of an undeclared war amongst a certain blonde spiky haired Federal Marshal and a long russet haired outlaw. To say that the two men didn't get along would have been a severe understatement. At every chance, the two would be at each others throats either in a verbal sparring or when provoked enough, coming to blows, while refusing to lessen up on their animosity toward one another. One playing the constant troublemaker, while the other the played the faithful guardian, all because of their silent proclamations that involved one Meryl Stryfe.

 

Externally, Vash was living up to his declaration of not wanting to be stuck with only one type `doughnut.' At every stop, he would instantly take off looking for, as he would put it, `a lovely young miss to spend some time with' and would not be heard from until it was time to depart. Of course, he didn't really go out looking for another woman (unless Meryl was watching) and usually went someplace to be alone where he could reflect on what had transpired or to simply cry, proving internally he was a complete mess. Even though she was nearby and he could feel her presence within him, he still felt the gaping hole of loneliness eating away his insides. All because he couldn't tell her how much he missed her, needed her. At times he would catch himself with his hand extended, reaching out for her, just wishing that he could pull her into his arms and never let her go.

 

Unfortunately, he couldn't do that. With them traveling virtually non-stop, he never had the opportunity to be alone with her, especially when she always made sure to be in the cab when he was in the truck's bed or visa versa. And when they would stop, it would seem that her new `beau' was always close by, triggering him to play the lecherous scoundrel. Things definitely weren't exactly going as he had hoped. Actually, when he stopped and thought about it, which was all of the time, it was the worst possible scenario that he could have come into. He found her only for it to appear as though he had lost her. He just wished that he could enter her mind to confirm his heart wrenching suspicions…

 

That Meryl was over him.

 

Little did he know, Meryl was far from over him and had to constantly remind herself that she couldn't jump into his arms and tell him to never let her go, no matter what the circumstances were. Then she would watch him and his little escapades when they would stop to spend the night in a town along the way to Inepril City. Reminding her that there were reasons to keep her wits about her, she didn't want play the utter fool by telling him that she would always love him and that she wanted to spend the rest of her life proving it to him.

 

She was glad that Caden was there to offer support. Like a big brother she had never had, he was always right there to shield her from Vash's exploits, while at the same time defending her by antagonizing the womanizer at every chance he got. Though, he wasn't the only one who did the provoking. The ex-outlaw did his share of pushing, too. Only he had a tendency to go too far, which would always end up with the two of them coming to blows. It got to the point where she would have to step in before that happened and she usually did so by punching the initiator of the ruckus in the head. Of course in her eyes, all of it was Vash's fault. After all, he's the one who showed up and disturbed the peace.

 

Not surprisingly though, Knives didn't agree with Vash's actions. He just couldn't understand why Vash didn't re-stake his claim on Meryl, instead of trying to win her back with jealousy. And every time his brother would act up, he would show his disapproval by glaring at his retreating form and muttering something incoherent before storming off toward their hotel, with McKenna in tow. The platinum blonde even at one point grabbed Vash by the scruff of his coat and vehemently told him to cut the crap. But, his twin just smiled innocently and said that he didn't know what Knives was talking about.

 

Then there was Milly and McKenna. Both women were the only two who didn't directly feel the strain from traveling with the continual conflict. Sure they felt the lingering effects flowing off the other four and had to, at several points during the trip, play mediator or active listener. But all in all, they found watching the love triangle, plus an angry brother quite amusing. Especially since the lovely ladies knew that Vash and Meryl still loved each other deeply and the only reason they hid their feelings from one another was because of their foolish pride.

 

Actually, what made it even funnier was the fact that it was becoming quite obvious that Caden wasn't really interested in Meryl romantically. The only one oblivious to that actuality was the Humanoid Typhoon and that was because he didn't stick around long enough to notice how the Bringer of Chaos acted around a certain statuesque beauty with a sunny disposition and shining sky blue eyes. It was quite obvious that the outlaw was quite smitten with Milly. The look in his eyes said it all.

 

So there they were, preparing to spend their third night out in the in the wilds of Gunsmoke. Not only because Knives decided to travel until dusk so they could arrive in Inepril City before tomorrow evening, but to keep his brother from having the opportunity to dig himself into a deeper hole. He knew that Vash was going about winning the petite beauty the wrong way and decided that he had better intervene or else it could be months, even years, before he would be able create a utopia for his mate. He was too impatient to wait that long for Vash to get his head out of his ass.

 

“Vash, come with me,” Knives commanded, right after putting the truck in neutral, setting the emergency brake and turning the engine off. “We will need to pull out the thermal convector. It's going to get cold and we will require the heat. Woman, why don't you check on the others and retrieve our things,” he added, while exiting the cab and helping McKenna down as well.

 

“I can do that,” she said with a smile, while wrapping her arms around his neck once she realized he wasn't going to set her on the ground right away. Lowering his head, Knives kissed her slowly, before pulling back and setting her down. Unfortunately, they couldn't let it go too far. “So, where are we going to sleep?”

 

“We will take the cab tonight and the rest can fend for themselves,” he replied as Vash walked around the front of the truck to stand next to them.

 

“What was that?” Vash absently asked as he kept his eyes on the back of the truck, waiting for the three to come out.

 

“I said… McKenna and I will take the cab, while the rest of you can fight over sleeping in the truck's bed,” Knives repeated, just as the others emerged from the back. He watched as his brother's eyes instantly found who they sought and smirked inwardly. It was time to start meddling. “You know,” he started as he wrapped his arm around McKenna to prove a point. “If you would have just advised her that she was yours from the beginning then she would be climbing out of the cab with your assistance, instead of his. And you wouldn't have to worry about where or with whom she was going to sleep with tonight. She would be sleeping with you.”

 

“I don't want to hear it, Knives,” Vash said tiredly as brought his real hand up to rub his eyes. “I will do this my own way.”

 

“Well quite frankly brother, your way isn't very effective. You need to change your tactics.”

 

“Oh yeah Mr. Relationship guru, just what do you suggest I do?”

 

“Get her alone and talk to her, damn it!” Knives bit out, getting really tired of telling Vash to do just that.

 

“And just how am I supposed to do that? Her long haired freak of a shadow won't let her out of his sight long enough to let me get within five feel of her!” Vash cried in exasperation as he flung his hands in the air to show his frustration.

 

“Don't worry,” he replied as a devilish grin crossed his face. “I will make sure that you are able to be alone with her. However, what you do with that opportunity will be completely up to you. So, don't screw it up!”

 

 

 

*~*~*

 

 

 

Forty minutes later, the group sat casually around what looked like a fire ring from days gone by on Earth. But, instead of holding wood, it held three cylinders that when crossed, would generate enough heat to keep the immediate area comfortable through the ever dropping temperatures. The thermal convector, a gift the Doc gave the twins for their birthday, was perfect for sleeping out in the desert. The warm red glow of the canisters not only created an extra light source, but it also made the star and moon filled night quite pleasant, especially since the atmosphere for the most part remained light and merry.

 

Well, at least between Milly, Caden and McKenna. The two lovely ladies sat together and talked about everything as Caden sat there and listened, occasionally saying something witty to make them laugh. Even Meryl would catch herself chucking over their antics, until remembering who was sitting against the cliff about twenty feel away. Then she would return to her introspections about her current predicament. While Vash withdrew himself from the others by sitting on the far side of the camp with his only companion being a bottle of Wild Turkey and in a way his brother, who quietly leaned against the rock formation a few feel down from him.

 

With his golden shades on, he looked at the four from across the `fire' with jealously filling every pour. He should have been over there with them enjoying their camaraderie, but couldn't because at that moment in time he knew he wasn't welcome. The closest he could come to them was intently listening to every word, while inwardly loathing himself for having to stoop to eavesdropping. Then he heard Milly ask a question, he was hoping they could skirt around for awhile.

 

“Gosh Miss Mac, where have your glasses been anyway? I've been meaning to ask.”

 

`Shit,' Vash thought before looking over to his brother to see him perfectly calm. However, before he could ask Knives if he told red that she was not suppose to tell the truth, she started to reply.

 

“Well…” McKenna started slowly as a smile crossed her features. “It's kind of hard to explain, but I guess you could say that I was asked to be involved in some experiments and one of the side effects is my improved eye sight. So, I don't need them anymore.”

 

“Wow! That's neato!” Milly practically squealed as she clapped her hands together, while Vash realized that McKenna knew and answered perfectly. That is, until Milly asked her another question. “So… what kind of experiments?”

 

“They are very technical and difficult to understand, but I guess you could say…” she replied before stopping momentarily to reach, out of habit, for her nonexistent glasses. Realizing they weren't there, she rubbed her eyebrow with her left hand making the diamonds on her ring sparkle in the light from the artificial heat source. Fortunately, that instantly got Milly's attention and she gushed about the ring instead, which ultimately led Milly to talking about her big, big sister's wedding to Billy Hawthorne.

 

`That was close,' Vash thought in relief, until Knives invaded his thoughts.

 

“It wouldn't have to be, if you would tell her the truth.”

 

“I know,” Vash sighed internally as he took a deep swig from the whiskey bottle only to sputter a cough as some of the fiery liquid slipped down the wrong pipe. Once the fit ceased, he heard a biting comment coming from the Bringer of Chaos. Lifting his shaded eyes up to Caden, he ground out. “What was that Walker?”

 

“I said… `What, can't the Humanoid Typhoon hold his liquor?' Or are you too much of a wuss to drink a little whiskey, there Saverem?” Caden maliciously answered as he glared at the ex-outlaw.

 

Vash just laughed over the snide comments. He was in the mood for a little verbal sparring with the outlaw with the girly long brown hair…. “Hmmm… that's funny,” Vash retorted as his chuckles died down to nonexistent. Turning completely serious, he took another swig from the bottle to prove that he could handle biting amber colored liquor. “We all know that I'm not a wuss and have proved it several times over. And I do believe that ass kicking I gave you the other day proved that!”

 

“You didn't kick m…” Caden started only to be cut off as Vash continued his declaration.

 

“As a matter of fact, I would say that the only wuss around here is you!” Vash continued as a smirk crossed his features. “What's with the hair anyway? Are you getting in touch with your feminine side?”

 

“I could ask you the same thing pretty boy,” Chaos snapped back, narrowing his eyes at the spiky haired blonde. “I'm sure you use more hair products than all of the hopefuls vying to win the Miss Gunsmoke pageant combined!”

 

“I can't help it if such a stylish do requires the utmost care,” he replied, while running his hands up the sides of his hair. “At least mine is short and not the least bit girly. I mean look at yours. You even have it in a pony tail,” Vash added right before something on Caden's right ear briefly flashed from the `fire.' “Oh and is that an earring in your right ear? No… wait… you have them in both ears!”

 

“Don't mess with the earrings,” Caden bit out, while referring to the thick matching hoops of hematite. They were made from pendant that once belonged to his father. When he past away, Regan and he had matching earrings made so they could both keep a memento of their father always with them. “They are more precious than your measly life!”

 

“Gee… Mr. Vash,” Milly quickly interjected, as she cocked her head to the side. “Don't you have an earring, too?”

 

“Just one and it serves a purpose, remember?” He quickly defended before turning smug. “Besides, it looks sexy on me.”

 

“Oh… I… ummm… okay,” Milly replied with a scratch of her head. Lowering her right hand to her lips, she bit on the fingernail of her index finger while going on with her recollections. “And Mr. Vash didn't you have long hair, while we were on the ship?”

 

“So?”

 

“Well…” she started, while all eyes, except Meryl's, were on Vash to see how he would react to Milly defending Caden. While the short-girl had her arms crossed and her eyes closed since the very beginning of the exchange. “I guess I just don't see how you can say all those mean things about Mr. Caden's pretty hair and his earrings, when you looked just like him, is all. Besides, it isn't very nice to call him a feline.”

 

“But he is feminine!” Vash said, completely ignoring Milly's misuse of words. “I mean there he is sitting with the women, talking a about girly things. I bet he'd make the perfect girlfriend. You know chatting about boys, going shopping… blah, blah, blah…”

 

“Perhaps you're right. Ya' know… you are! And I guess I would be considered a lesbian, then,” Caden exclaimed wolfishly as he purposely slipped his hand down to Meryl's right thigh and started to slowly caress it. “Because I just love women and their…”

 

“Enough!” Meryl yelled as she roughly pushed Caden's hand off her thigh before standing. Taking a deep breath, she turned her head and glared at Vash, before turning to Caden and giving him the same look. “I am getting sick and tired of you two acting like prepubescent boys squabbling over who's the king of the playground! All you do is fight and I swear if you don't stop, you are going to force me to do something that will most likely place a bounty on my head!”

 

“But…” started Vash as he stood with the whiskey bottle in his hands. That is until Meryl turned back to him and pinned him with her blazing silver orbs.

 

“And you, Mr. High and Mighty Federal Marshal,” she seethed, while striding up to the man who was standing less than twenty feel away from her. “This is all your fault!” she then screamed up to his face, as she angrily clenched her fists at her sides. “You said you are a new man and that you came here for the bounty on Caden, but all you have done is chase women, eat doughnuts, and drink booze! Absolutely nothing has changed about you! You are still the same deplorable womanizing scoundrel that has no shame or regard for the others around you! So instead of making my… errr… our lives miserable, why don't you go back to the ship and continue with your skirt-chasing ways there!”

 

“Gee… short-girl,” the ex-outlaw started, nonplussed, as a feral grin crossed his face. “If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous.”

 

“Oooh… I hate you!” she screamed before slapping him across the face, making his sunglasses fly off. Her eyes instantly widened upon the realization of what she said. She just told the only man that she had ever loved that she hated him and if the look in his eyes had any bearing, her scathing words hurt him immensely. The need to flee the scene quickly took over and before she could exhale, she ran.

 

“Damn it,” Vash muttered sadly as he looked down as his booted feet to keep the tears forming in his eyes a secret. He couldn't do anything right.

 

“Mr. Vash, Meryl really doesn't hate you,” Milly told him after a moment of silence.

 

“Thank you Milly for your encouraging words,” he quietly replied before taking a shuddering breath. It was no use, he couldn't hide them. So with a trail of tears falling down his face, he looked up to the big-girl and added, “But unfortunately you're wrong. She does hate me.” And with that, he dropped the bottle in his hands, before slowing walking in the opposite direction where Meryl ran.

 

 

 

*~*~*

 

 

 

“Would it be so bad if you apologized to him, Sempai?” Milly mumbled out in between every stroke of her tooth brush. “I mean you hurt Mr. Vash's feelings really bad last night. And he was even crying.”

 

“Milly, he cries when he drops a doughnut on the ground,” Meryl replied tersely, right after rinsing the toothpaste in her mouth and spitting out the water to the sandy ground below. Once satisfied that her mouth was minty fresh and clean, she efficiently placed her traveling supplies back in her bag and zipped it up. Finally looking up to her partner, who had also started to put her own gear away, she added another reason for not talking to the man in red. “Besides, it's not like I really care that I hurt his feelings.”

 

“Now Meryl,” she started to scold as she turned to look down at the smaller woman with her hands on her hips. “You can't fool me! I know that you do care about his feelings.”

 

“No…”

 

“Yes you do, Meryl,” the brunette quickly interrupted. “I saw the look on your face after what you said and I know you were crying about it yourself last night! I heard you!”

 

“You heard me?” she asked, with wide eyes, while watching her partner nod in affirmation. Of course Milly heard her. She was always observing things. “I don't even know why I said it,” Meryl then added as she sighed deeply.

 

And it was true.

 

She was so tired of listening to them rip on one another, to the point that she was seeing red. And when she started to flay Vash in order to ease some of the tension, he just stood there just as calm as can be only to exclaim that she was jealous, while smiling victoriously at her. That did it, the blinding rage set in making her lash out. The next thing she knew, she was looking into his eyes and seeing the deep penetrating pain within their depths. She realized the three words that were screamed out in anger had hurt him far worse than any of his scars had.

 

Now, she didn't know what to do. They were already barely talking to one another and up until that moment, it didn't even seem like he had any interest in her at all. And now she was supposed to just walk up to him, strike up a conversation and somehow fit in an apology, easier said than done, especially for her. She was never good at apologies to begin with and having to say it to a man who probably hated her now, would be nearly impossible. Maybe she could write him a letter.

 

“You may not know why, but that doesn't mean you can't say you're sorry,” Milly said, bringing Meryl out of her thoughts.

 

“I will try,” the petite woman sighed again as she looked up to her partner and gave her a small smile.

 

“That's all I ask for!” she happily exclaimed before chirping that they had better get back to the truck before Mr. Knives grew too impatient.

 

Picking up their toiletries, the ladies proceeded to make the short trip around the small out cropping and eventually making it to the back of the truck. Once there, Milly hopped into the back to store their bags, while Meryl stood at the opening with her hands resting on the bumper. That's when she felt the presence right behind her.

 

“Meryl…”

 

It was Vash.

 

“It's Miss Stryfe, to you,” she replied coldly, only to be on the receiving end of an actual glare from one Milly Thompson. Meryl stared at her partner as she walked up to the lip of the truck and efficiently hopped down before whispering that she needed to be nice. And with that, the big-girl walked around the truck to join the others.

 

Vash just stood there staring at her. Now that he had mustered up the courage to approach her, he didn't know if he could go through with what he had to say. Sure he could face down the most dangerous of adversaries without pause, but when it came to confronting the petite woman about the night before, he was quite frankly quaking in his boots. At first he didn't even want to talk to her, at least not yet. But Knives pushed him into doing it and even promised to keep Walker out of the way, essentially getting rid of a major excuse to avoid her. Quite simply, he was too afraid find out if she meant what she said last night, instead of saying it out of anger.

 

God, how he hoped it was out of anger and if it wasn't, well then maybe she would shoot him with a derringer and end his suffering. Then he realized that she wasn't wearing her cape. `Oh god… just where did she get those pants,' he groaned internally as he admired her lovely backside that was beautifully displayed right before him. It took everything he had to keep from slipping up behind her and turning her around, just so he could cup her perfect rear in his hands, before crushing her mouth with his and...

 

“What do you want Marshal Saverem?” Meryl asked sharply and without turning around to look at him. She knew that if she did, the tears would start falling again and she just couldn't show that kind of weakness in front of him.

 

Her words slowly brought him out of the beginning of a very erotic fantasy, while trying to recall why exactly he was standing behind her. Blinking as few times to remove the image of Meryl's shapely legs wrapped around his waist, he finally remembered as the stirrings of lust instantly evaporated into anxiety. “I… ahhh… just wanted to say that I'm really… sorry.”

 

“Oh yeah, for what?” she then asked cautiously, once hearing the pain in his voice.

 

“I am truly sorry that I made you hate me. That was never my intent,” Vash replied sadly.

 

She just stood there for a moment, while trying to digest his admission. Vash was actually apologizing to her for something that she didn't really mean and said out of anger. She knew that if anyone should be apologizing, it should be her, especially since Milly just reprimanded her about it no more than five minutes ago. Then the images of his pain filled eyes after spitting out those caustic words flashed through her mind. Sighing deeply, she closed her eyes before finally saying something. “No… I should be the one… aaa… ummm… apologizing. I guess you could say I let my… ahhh… anger get the best of me.”

 

“You mean you don't hate me?” he asked hopefully as he took step closer.

 

“NNN…No…” she breathed shakily, while her stomach starting doing flip flops and her resolve began to slip away.

 

“Then,” Vash started slowly, taking another step closer. She was almost within reach. “How do you feel about me?”

 

“NNN…Nothing,” she replied nervously, her heartbeat quickening. Even though her back was still facing him, she knew he was just a step behind her, the closest he had been (not including every time she hit him) since landing on her after their hurried departure out of Valdour. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm down enough to sound convincing so she could reiterate her declaration. “I feel nothing at all.”

 

“Are you sure about that, Miss Stryfe?” he then asked as he took the last step. He was now so close that he could feel her warmth, hear her rapid heartbeat and smell her scent of vanilla and brown sugar, which had changed from the tranquil scent of lavender. Vash could also sense that she was having a very difficult time keeping her emotions in check, which made him extremely happy. She was within his grasp. “You know, your entire body is telling me otherwise.”

 

However, before she could respond, Vash shyly placed his hands on her upper arms and began to rub his thumbs slowly over her shoulders. He just couldn't resist the temptation any longer. And when he felt her stiffen, at first he thought he made a grave mistake. Until she sighed out his name and relaxed, leaning back into his broad chest. The simple gesture of acceptance made a shiver of awareness run down his spine as his heart skipped a beat. He was so ecstatic that she wasn't repulsed by his touch that he was tempted the cry out in joy, while dancing around the truck and taking her with him. Though, he knew that wouldn't be a good idea and decided to abstain, so instead he took the embrace a step further. Very slowly, the ex-outlaw slid his hands down and wrapped his arms around Meryl's chest, while leaning in to completely envelope her petite frame.

 

In response to his hug, Meryl let out a shaky breath before lifting her hands from the truck to grab on to his forearms. She felt like she was in the middle of one of her dreams and at any moment she would wake up. Yet, she knew she was awake and it was really happening. It almost seemed impossible, but Vash the Stampede was actually holding her in his arms. McKenna and Milly both had proclaimed that he came after her because he loved her, though the way he had been acting over the past few days made her doubt their word. `Perhaps they were right, after all,' she thought as the gunman lowered his head and whispered something in her left ear.

 

“I've missed you, Meryl,” the golden blonde breathed, before lightly running his lips over her earlobe. “God, how I wish you had never left me.”

 

`What did he just say?' she thought, immediately opening her eyes and going rigid in his arms. Replaying the sentence in her mind, she instantly re-solidified her resolve. She was actually letting him, the womanizing buffoon, back into her heart. Not that he was ever out of it, but that was beside the point. She couldn't let him have his way now, especially since he had the gall to blame her for their breakup. It was his fault, after all. He's the one who got engaged! “How dare you!” Meryl hissed, pulling free from his arms and turning around to glare at him.

 

“What'd I do?” he asked as his confused aqua eyes met her molten silver ones.

 

“What did you do?” the short-girl screeched as she clenched her fists at her sides. “I can't believe you! You come up to me and say you're sorry, while trying to break me down. Only to blame me for leaving! You are a bastard!”

 

“Blame you for leaving,” Vash said mostly to himself, while trying to figure out what exactly she was talking about. Then the imaginary light bulb went off over his head as he recalled what he whispered in her ear. Yes, he wished that she had never left, but he was hardly saying that the fiasco was entirely her fault! He never meant it like that and she had taken it completely out of context. “Meryl, I didn't mean it like that!” he said in his defense, while becoming increasingly irritated over the whole situation. Why couldn't anything ever be simple? “Though, I guess technically, you did walk away from me!” he bit out, in retaliation.

 

“I never walked away!” she quickly stammered out, only to realize he was right. But, in a sense, she wasn't the only one, he did too. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes again for a moment, while trying to think things through. “At least I didn't walk alone,” she finally conceded after opening her eyes to look at him again. “Remember you are the one who got engaged!”

 

“You're absolutely right, I did. I got tricked into an engagement that I never wanted!” The Federal Marshal roared, getting sick and tired of always being the `bad guy.' “And when I tried to explain it to my girlfriend, she refused to listen to me! Damn it Meryl, you instantly thought the worst of me!”

 

“I did no…”

 

“Bullshit!” he yelled in a rage, cutting her off before realizing she was staring, wide-eyed at him. “Shit,” he then muttered as he turned and walked a few feel away from her, fully knowing that he needed to calm down. Striding up to the cliff behind him, he pulled his left fist back before letting it fly to punch the wall to blow off some pent up anger. With shards of limestone falling free, he pulled his hand back before taking a few deep breaths and turning to head back to where she was still standing. “I'm sorry; this is just so frustrating.”

 

“I know,” she sighed as she ran a hand through her almost shoulder length hair. Meryl knew he was right and she hadn't given him a chance to tell his side of the story. But really, what difference would it have made? No matter how he explained it, he still let himself get caught in a compromising position and how long would it be before it happened again? Or before he tore her heart out again? She couldn't let there be an `again.' “I mean every time we end up near each other, we end up fighting and I'm getting tired of it.”

 

“Me too,” he replied quietly, while noticing that she was having a hard time looking directly at him. Something was making her very uncomfortable and he had a feeling it wasn't a good sign. “What do you propose we do?” Vash asked after a moment of awkward silence passed between them.

 

“Well… I… ahhh… think it would be best if we… ahhh… stay out of each other's… lives,” Meryl whispered as she looked down at her feet.

 

“Are you sure about that Meryl?” Vash questioned, staring intently at her. He knew, simply by her body language that she really didn't want that to happen and when he took into account everything else flowing from her, he became damn certain.

 

“Of course I am,” she answered flippantly as a forced laugh escaped her lips. She was hiding behind her façade again. “I mean it's not like I care anything about what you do, Marshal.”

 

“Oh really,” he started as he stepped up to her again. “So you mean the next time I pick up a total babe and bring her back to my room for a little action, you won't care in the least bit?”

 

“No. Go right ahead.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Really,” the insurance girl confirmed, finally looking him in the eyes to prove that she could handle it. Then with a muttering that they needed to get going, she instantly turned on her heel, heading to find Milly.

 

“Well then, Miss Stryfe,” Vash began after watching her turn to walk towards the truck's cab. He knew he was close and all he had to do was wear her down just a little more before she came running into his arms. Hell, he almost had her already, but at the last minute she pulled away. She laid down the challenge of him not affecting her and he was fully prepared to accept it. “We will just have to see if you really don't care, now won't we,” he added as a devilish smile crept along his face.

 

Fully knowing the next couple of days should prove to be quite interesting, indeed.