Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Guided Steps ❯ The Appointed Time ( Chapter 10 )

Sorry for the time it's taken to get this up. I can't seem to get this chapter to flow the way I want and it just killed my inspiration. But rest assured, I have it back now. So let's do this thing!

 

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Vash walked the busy hallway to the level's kitchen area, the largest one on the ship. The din of talking and yelling hit him early, reminding him that it was `Kid's Cooking Day' for the displaced children of the orphanage. The activity was one of Meryl's inventions to take some of the strain off Melanie and the other caretakers once a week. All of the younger children would be in the kitchen today working on lunch without any help or input from the adults unless there was an emergency. Normally it cheered Vash to help with the supervision, but today…

 

Today nothing could bring him happiness.

 

He scanned the room listlessly from the doorway looking for the two he needed. Livio was overseeing the chopping station with Milly. He smiled widely at the efforts of the small boy seated on his lap, working intently on a carrot.

 

Vash looked to the left and there behind two girls at the stove was Wolfwood, looking absolutely mortified as they dumped far too much salt into the stew. He buried his head in his hands and Vash almost smiled.

 

`In days… he could be dead.' A surge of energy welled up in response to his dark thought and Vash held it in with difficulty.

 

He felt Meryl coming up behind him but couldn't bring himself to look away from the chaotic, cheerful scene in front of him. She stopped beside him and slipped her hand into his, squeezing it and leaning against him for a moment and he was grateful for the offered support. She'd been in the meeting as well and felt the same weight that he did.

 

“I'm glad they're here,” she said softly after a while. “It's not that they don't know how dangerous things are. They do, it's just…” She paused for a moment and continued thoughtfully. “They have each other. With all the hardships they've survived every moment they spend together is a gift. They're a good example for us all.”

 

`Enjoy the moment.' A child's lesson, a lesson only sturdy enough to survive one lifetime, not three. For him it had been devoured by the passage of decades spent in pain. Now that he'd found joy in the person he'd been seeking for so, so long he lived in fear of losing what he had. He could only hope that things would change for him when Knives was no longer a threat. Provided Wolfwood survived, anyway.

 

When he finally managed to bring his gaze down to her, Meryl's dark eyes were somber but full of the inner strength and determination Vash so admired in her. “You have friends and family now and we all love you,” she said simply. “Most of the burden is still on you, but depend on us to do everything we can. We won't let you down.”

 

“I know,” he managed with a slight smile. “Thank you.”

 

Meryl took a deep breath to steady herself, turning her attention back to the needs of the present. “I'll take over for them here. Do you need a minute or are you ready to tell them now?”

 

“I'll never be ready. But I don't have a choice,” Vash said bitterly. Meryl's heart ached at hearing the pain in his voice, but knew there was nothing she could do or say right now that would give him any lasting comfort. Too much of what went on in his head remained a mystery to her.

 

After one last squeeze of his hand, she left his side and went to where Milly and Livio were seated, bending close to them in a quiet conversation. “Nick,” Vash murmured lowly. That enhanced hearing came in handy once more when Wolfwood looked right at him from across the room. He nodded his understanding and the two ex-assassins slipped out as Meryl took over with her usual style of authoritarian command. Without a word Vash turned and led them down the hallway and out onto one of the outdoor walkways. The walk was longer than necessary; he was just stalling for time. Vash wasn't ready to have this conversation and needed the extra moments to settle his restless thoughts.

 

The strong wind whipped around them as soon as they stepped outside and Wolfwood was glad of his thick turtleneck. A long minute ticked by as Vash tried to deliver the news and failed. Finally Livio broke the silence. “It's time, isn't it?”

 

Vash nodded slowly as if the admission hurt him. “Knives… has made his play. He goaded the military into attacking.”

 

“Fucking idiots,” Wolfwood snorted. They kept insisting on using their most powerful weapon against Knives: a massive energy cannon powered completely by captive plants. The Generals in charge were pompous and superior, so sure they could kill Knives and be heroes without the aid of the fleet. So when Luida tried to tell them precisely how illogical their plan was, they refused to take her seriously. They wouldn't recognize that the plants on whom they relied so heavily lacked the ability and the will to harm one of their own. “So they flipped the `on' switch and nothing happened. Knives must have wiped them out.”

 

“It was a massacre,” Vash confirmed. “After he was done with them he absorbed every plant in the cannon and the last few on the surface. Then he destroyed the relay satellite we were using to talk to the Earth ships. It was our last one. The only upshot of all this is that Knives doesn't know how long we've been in contact with them; he won't be expecting any resistance.”

 

“Stop dancing and spit it out. What's the bottom line?”

 

“We only have two days before they're here, and Knives is already waiting for them. He's in the upper atmosphere. At that distance the pieces of the destroyed ships will be sucked into the planet's gravity and burn up. He said… he wanted everyone to enjoy the fireworks.”

 

Livio's thoughts immediately went to the people gathered miles below them on the surface. The last remnants of humanity on this world that had somehow managed to survive the destruction or stay ahead of it had come together beneath the fleet, hoping that it and the military could save them. The spectacular failure of the military would have crushed hopes down there beyond all imagining, and the theft of the last plants would have finished the job. With them gone, resources were limited to what they had on hand. When food and water ran out, there would be no more. Only now did he realize that Knives' plan had one final parting shot: he meant to drive them all mad with despair by making them witness the destruction of the rescue ships. Then he would simply sit back and watch them die.

 

“It's not enough for him to kill us, he has to drag it out and torture us first? He can't get away with this! When are we going to do something about it?”

 

Vash hesitated again. Livio's anger was understandable, as was his eagerness to leave and get on with things. But Vash was far from ready. The three of them would travel together for two days, three at the most. And then he would have to turn his back and walk away to leave his guide to Legato.

 

A slow death would be the best outcome Wolfwood could hope for if he lost.

 

NO!

 

This time the swell of energy came from deep inside him and was powerful enough to steal his breath for a moment. It cast about for the source of the danger, ready to tear apart anything it considered a threat. Finding none, it zeroed in on Wolfwood like a laser. Nothing like this had ever happened before and he was too frightened to test the theory that it would never hurt his guide. When it tried to surge outward Vash fought hard to deny it an outlet. After an intense struggle his will prevailed and he was back in control, at least for the moment.

 

He turned his attention outward again to find that only a few seconds had passed but he realized that Wolfwood was scrutinizing him with eyes that saw too much. Livio was still waiting on his answer. “We leave tomorrow morning.” Vash looked to Wolfwood but it hurt too badly, so he moved his gaze back to Livio. “We'll have to stay under Knives' radar, but as focused as he is on the incoming ships it shouldn't be too hard. I'll meet you at six.”

 

He left without another word, so jittery inside that he was sure he would vibrate right through the walkway and fall to the planet's faraway surface.

 

Wolfwood watched him go with a sigh. “This… is really fucked up.”

 

“Why is Knives doing this? What could have happened to make him hate us so much?”

 

“I don't know, and if Vash knows he hasn't said anything to me. But in the end does it really matter? He's gotta be stopped.”

 

“What about us. Are we ready?”

 

“Almost. That cute little red-headed technician has our gear ready for pick-up, and she said she has a surprise for me. What about you? It's not too late to change your mind if you want to stay and look out for Milly.”

 

Livio smiled. “She doesn't need me to look after her. She'll come out okay.”

 

“You seem pretty sure about that.”

 

“Milly and Meryl have been looking out for each other since long before I came along. It would be insulting to start treating her like a fragile doll now, don't you think?”

 

Wolfwood shuddered. “Gotta agree with you there.” Though Milly was kind, gentle and cute as a button, getting on her bad side was something to be avoided at all costs. She'd shown time and again that she was perfectly willing and able to swallow her fear and lay down the law when the situation warranted. It was no wonder Livio had fallen hard for her. “She's one hell of a woman. Well, maybe Vash'll have a change of heart and just rip Knives' head off. Then you won't have to worry about leaving her.”

 

“About that,” Livio said quietly. “I've been meaning to ask you something. Knives… is his brother. Can he really do this?”

 

Wolfwood was silent so long Livio started to fear that he'd overstepped his bounds. Then, “I'm trying to help him, aren't I? You should know by now that I don't help weak people.”

 

Livio chuckled bitterly. “You have a short memory. When I came to the orphanage I was an antisocial wreck who couldn't interact with anyone. You helped me, didn't you?”

 

“Yeah, and look at you now. You're tough, strong, and you can stand on your own no matter what. You aren't weak, you never were. You were just lost, like Tongari was. It's a big difference.”

 

A particular hitch in Livio's breathing warned Wolfwood of what was coming. It started with a lip tremble and sniffling, and advanced to a full-on bitten bottom lip. He looked into Livio's watery eyes with alarm and took a wary step back. “Don't you even think about it,” he warned.

 

“I can't help it!” Livio wailed, throwing himself onto Wolfwood and locking him in a crushing bear hug, lifting him so his feet dangled off the ground. “That's the most wonderful thing you've ever said to me! I'm so happy!”

 

“Put me down right now you over-muscled crybaby or I'll throw you off this damned ship!” Wolfwood threatened as dangerously as he could through a constricted wheeze.

 

“Ah! Sorry!” Livio released him and he gasped for breath, a difficult task in the thin air.

 

“Damned brat,” Wolfwood muttered, walking back toward the entryway while massaging his sides.

 

“Hey, where are you going?”

 

“I might die pretty soon. Human life here is close to being nothing but a memory, and somebody I care about is walking into a fight I can't do a damned thing to help him win. I'm gonna do what any frustrated departing soldier would do right now. I'm gonna go find a pretty blond and talk them into bed with me.”

 

“Nick!” Livio blushed to the roots of his hair while Wolfwood chuckled and walked on. It was then that he noticed Milly. She'd come to find him and was standing close enough to have heard that last bit of the conversation. As Wolfwood passed her he turned back to Livio with a devious smile. “I suggest you do the same.” He winked at Milly and walked off whistling a jaunty tune.

 

Left face to face with her Livio spluttered madly until he realized… She didn't look at all offended. Actually she looked sort of…

 

Livio smiled.

 

Oh, hell yeah.

 

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Wolfwood walked the sterile hallways of the ship to his room with Vash, hoping that after tomorrow morning he'd never have to do it again. This was Vash's world and he was welcome to it.

 

But technology did have its perks, he decided. The technician he'd just been to see had used it to great effect, giving him and Livio an unanticipated boost in their odds of surviving this madness. The bag slung over his shoulder was surprisingly light for such an important package. Apparently his and Livio's lives didn't weigh very much. He gave an amused snort at the thought.

 

He reached the door and slapped the control pad to open it but nothing happened; it just made an annoying buzzing sound. His good mood vanished and he scowled. `So you locked me out. Subtle. Too bad I don't take hints.' He contemplated shooting it, but his gun was inside. So he drew his arm back to punch it, but an image of Luida's stern face crossed his mind and he stopped. He did not want to have to explain to her why he damaged her ship when no lives were at stake. For a woman with no children, she could glare out motherly disapproval like nobody's business.

 

He angrily stabbed in the lock code and the door swished open. Not nearly as satisfying as shooting it, but it worked nonetheless.

 

The living area was empty and Wolfwood carefully placed his bag on a small desk, stepping over Vash's boots to do so. In an abnormal show of slobbishness, Vash had apparently started shedding his clothes as soon as he walked in the door and just left them where they fell. Wolfwood grimaced; it was a bad sign. He stopped off at a cabinet and pulled out the bottle of whiskey he'd filched from one of the kitchens before crossing into the bedroom. Sure enough he found Vash lying on the bed, bare to the waist and in his favorite worn-down pair of sweatpants, arms behind his head staring blankly up at the ceiling.

 

“Here.” He thumped down with a sigh and jiggled the bottle in Vash's field of vision. “Figured you'd need a drink.”

 

For a few seconds Vash didn't move. Finally he took the bottle, pulled out the stopper with his teeth and spit it out. Wolfwood watched wide-eyed while he gulped down the whole thing. Sure, it wasn't enough to get him tipsy, but it was still a pretty impressive display. When Vash was done he simply tossed it over the side of the bed where the thick glass hit the floor with a metallic clang.

 

“If you put a dent in Luida's ship she'll throttle you,” Wolfwood remarked casually. “I hope that helped. We coulda shared it, you know.”

 

Vash just returned his hands to their place under his head. “Get a cup. I'll spit some back up for you.” His speech was short and clipped almost to the point of growling, his eyes hard: Vash in `go away' mode. When he used it on those who didn't know him, they usually fled. Those who did know him either took the hint or respected his wishes and left him to his thoughts.

 

Well, everyone except Wolfwood, anyway.

 

The priest couldn't help but smirk. “Thanks, but no thanks. So. I take it you just plan on sitting here brooding until we leave. Not really my idea of a fun evening.”

 

Vash just ignored the taunt. “Don't you have to go pack or something?”

 

“Nope. I got nothing better to do than sit here and bother you,” Wolfwood answered blithely. “So you wanna tell me what the hell happened to you earlier?”

 

“Not really. I think I hear Melanie calling you. You should go see what she wants.”

 

“Nice try. These rooms are soundproof, or at least that's what you told me. You're wound up tighter than piano wire. I'm not leaving you here to brood until tomorrow. Look, there's nothing you can do about Knives right now, so leave it alone for now. I can think of a lot better things we could be doing.” He reached out to brush his fingers across Vash's forehead, and his calm demeanor vanished.

 

“No!”

 

Wolfwood watched him shoot off the bed as if he'd been shocked. The air in the room became so alive with restless energy that it prickled at his skin. He looked to Vash for answers but in his eyes found only a turbulent mix of emotions, chief among them were fear and confusion.

 

He frowned. This wasn't as simple as he'd thought. “What am I missing here? You haven't been this tied up about Knives since I… well, since then. Did something else happen?”

 

“No. I'm still afraid of what will happen but I know I can stop him.”

 

“So what's-”

 

“It's you,” Vash whispered. “It's about you.” He stopped and Wolfwood was too surprised to do anything but wait quietly for him to finish the thought. “I wasn't there. You needed me and I wasn't there and what if it happens all over again?”

 

Wolfwood opened his mouth to tell him yet again that it wasn't his fault but Vash stopped him. “Just let me have my guilt. I knew something was wrong when you came back and I should have at least put it together then.” He tried not to think about it, his error of not protecting Wolfwood from his brother made worse by the sin of obliviousness. In those early days the signs had been so fucking obvious if he'd only been able to pull his head out of his own problems long enough to add them all up.

 

Vash took a deep, shaky breath to steady himself. “I know I can stop my brother. I know it, thanks to you. But I look at you and all I see are `what-ifs.' So many paths that end in nothing but pain and death and I… can't… take it! Please go, just for now, okay? I can't be around you until I can get this back under control!”

 

Vash turned his back to Wolfwood, facing the wall and trying to regain some control over the energy banging away inside him. Containing it with Wolfwood so close took all the concentration he had, but he had to do it because he had no idea what it would do if it got out.

 

Wolfwood looked over the tightened shoulders and clenched fists and understood that Vash was right on the edge of… something, even if he didn't really understand why. Leaving was the smart move. Keep his distance, let Vash cool off and focus on what he had to do. Smart.

 

But he couldn't do it, couldn't bring himself to take that step back. Everything in him was screaming that he could fix this, make it easier to bear. He wrestled with it for a moment, and remembered that his instincts where Vash was concerned were more often right than wrong. Remembered that Vash called him his guide for a reason.

 

`Fuck,' he thought. `If I'm wrong this could go really bad but… no. I know I'm right.'

 

Vash waited for the sound of the door, but it didn't come. Instead he heard fabric swishing, then a muffled thump. He spun around just in time to see Wolfwood peeling his dark green turtleneck off slowly. He let it drop and it landed right on top of his pants in a neat pile.

 

“I know you're in a bad mood and I don't really care. I'm horny as hell and since smokes don't do it for me anymore - and by the way, thank you so very much for ruining that for me - all I'm interested in right now is you fucking me. So let's get on with it before I really get annoyed with you.”

 

Vash locked eyes with him in a silent warning but it Wolfwood simply ignored him. Wolfwood very deliberately hooked his fingers into the waistline of his boxers and slid them over his hips, hissing as his erection bobbed free. As soon as his body was fully bared to Vash's sight another burst of that electric energy shot off him and wrapped around Wolfwood, and he shivered in its wake. He could see Vash trying to rein it in and his eyes widened. `Huh. That's new.'

 

“Are you starting to get it now?” he pleaded. “I kept my power locked away for a long, long time. When I finally let it out, I did it to save you and because of that it's tied to you in a way I don't understand. I can't turn it off, and that makes it dangerous. Don't you see? Nothing bad has happened so far, but right now I am terrified of losing you… and I haven't been in control around you since this morning. I don't know what I'll do to you, Nick.”

 

Wolfwood sighed deeply. “You're giving me a headache, Tongari.”

 

In Vash's estimation, his guide typically held himself one of two ways. The first was a deceptive, lazy slouch that fooled all but the most trained eyes into thinking he was just a traveling priest, and nothing else. The second was a smooth, predatory stance that was as thrilling as it was deadly.

 

But sometimes, on very rare occasions he would just… kind of…

 

Slink. There was no other word for it. It was this fluid, cat-like movement and it sent a jolt to his cock every single time he saw it, and this time was no exception. Wolfwood moved toward him and- fuck. He'd never seen anyone outside of a high-class brothel move like that, and they had to learn it. With Wolfwood it was just natural.

 

Vash's cock swelled and he couldn't get any harder; Wolfwood wasn't fighting fair. He tried to take a step back but he hit the wall. It was just as well; the need to be inside him now wouldn't have allowed him to leave the room anyway.

 

“You might wanna breathe,” Wolfwood said with a smirk. Vash hadn't even realized he was holding his breath.

 

The self-satisfied expression on Wolfwood's face just made him all the more irresistible and Vash moaned as another burst of energy surged off him. It was bigger than the ones before and he waited in horror for feathers or guns or for Wolfwood to double over in pain or explode or something equally nasty. Instead Wolfwood hissed and shivered hard when it touched him, little drops of sweat breaking out on his brow as his breath came a little faster. But it didn't look like pain. It looked like… Vash blinked.

 

Oh.

 

“In case you haven't noticed, you're not exactly hurting me here.” Wolfwood's voice sounded of sex and need and Vash could only shake his head mutely. “You haven't hurt me yet and you're not going to, so stop being stupid. You want me. Here I am naked, practically begging for it and oh, look. There's a bed. Since I'm not being fucked into it yet I gotta think there's something more I have to do to get you interested.”

 

“No,” Vash breathed. “You never have to do anything. I always want you.”

 

Even though he'd made the admission, Vash was still frozen with fear. And so Wolfwood decided to take advantage of his stationary target. “Okay, fine,” he sighed mournfully. “I guess I have to do everything myself.” Wolfwood came closer and Vash was convinced he had cast some kind of spell as he did so because he couldn't look away from those smoky eyes. He felt Wolfwood's hand touch the inside of his thigh only to slide slowly upward. He hissed as it moved over his trapped cock.

 

His hands eventually came to the waistband and easily slipped the loose sweats down to the floor. Wolfwood followed, sliding down his body and Vash was trapped right in the middle between anticipation and fear. Wolfwood's hands rested on his thighs and still managed to keep him captive with that gaze. He could only watch while Wolfwood swallowed the head of his cock, moaning at the feel of his tongue swirling around him.

 

Wolfwood slid further down his length and Vash's body was certain this was right even if his brain wasn't. He gave in to the inevitable, sliding his fingers through the dark strands of his lover's hair. At that sign of surrender Wolfwood finally released him. His eyelashes fluttered closed and Vash was free to let his head fall back against the wall.

 

Wolfwood moved, working him expertly. Every slide, every lick along the slit of his cock, every swirl of his tongue took him higher and before very long his fingers tightened in the dark strands. Wolfwood took him in deep just then, swallowing around him and humming low in his throat. Vash's hips jerked and he came with a sharp cry. Wolfwood rode him out, swallowing quickly while Vash trembled against him. He slid his mouth free slowly and with another swipe of his tongue that forced another moan from Vash.

 

Warmth tingled along his nerves in a muted version of what happened when Vash fucked him and he shivered as it rushed through him. Vash noticed and it only caused another surge in his energies. “Are you sure…?” he managed.

 

Wolfwood didn't answer in words; he didn't have to. It was there in the dark eyes. Implicit, absolute trust. With a whimper he stopped resisting. As they both tumbled roughly to the bed he prayed very hard that he would not betray that trust now.

 

Vash's weight descended on him and they sailed backward as Vash gave up the fight. His back hit the bed before he knew what had happened, but he didn't have time to be smug about it. His back hit the bed and it was then he realized he'd just agreed - demanded, actually - to be the sexual focal point for one hell of a lot of desperate, frustrated energy. `Maybe I shoulda thought this out more…'

 

Whatever Vash was radiating at him increased tenfold as soon as he touched him. `Screw it,' he decided. `Safe is for people whose bed partners don't generate their own light when they come. And people who play it safe never get to feel this fucking good.'

 

Vash pressed full against him and it was more than enough to make him come right then and there, but his climax stayed stubbornly at bay and he cursed knowing Vash was the cause. He shoved the priest's legs apart and all he could do was groan, happy to let Vash do whatever he was going to do - just so long as he did it quickly.

 

Vash had the barely enough presence of mind to reach into the nightstand, his hand unerringly finding the lube he kept stashed there. He managed to squeeze some out and slick himself before Wolfwood decided he was taking too long. He reached down and wrapped his fingers around his length, moaning at the touch and stroking himself. He knew it probably wouldn't bring him any relief but he had to try something or he'd explode.

 

He watched Wolfwood for a moment - how could he not? - before something very close to anger but not quite flashed through him. He grabbed Wolfwood's hand and pulled it away and those dark eyes locked onto him in disbelief. As twisted up as Vash was, it wasn't beyond possibility that he'd just keep him like this.

 

He saw Wolfwood's uncertainty and wanted to explain, to tell him that he needed to be the cause of the pleasure he felt, that when he came it would be because of him. But he didn't have enough rational thought left for speech, and even if he did the mere thought of stopping things to talk was intolerable.

 

“Dammit,” Wolfwood gasped. “Why won't you-”

 

Vash pressed inside him before he could finish the question, hoping he'd understand. He received a growl and a half-hearted dirty look for not stretching him first, but they both knew he couldn't help it. He at least had the courtesy to fill his lover slowly but the push was unyielding and Wolfwood had no choice but to convince his muscles to accept the invasion.

 

Finally Vash buried himself as deep as the position would allow and he shuddered, sweat falling from his brow onto Wolfwood's shoulder. He wanted to wait, to torture himself by staying like this as long as they could because he knew that once he moved there would be no stopping until the storm inside him spent itself. But Wolfwood was shivering hard under him, his inner muscles squeezing so wonderfully around his cock and Vash knew he wouldn't accept his hesitance much longer.

 

Finally Wolfwood couldn't take it anymore. “Fuck Vash,” he gasped. “Move!”

 

His words snapped the last bit of restraint Vash possessed. Wolfwood's hands closed over his arms and held on tight as Vash pounded into him feverishly. There was no room for conscious thought after that, only room to feel. Vash watched him, unable to look away from the sight of Wolfwood straining against him, trying to reach that long overdue climax that stayed just out of reach.

 

Wolfwood's eyes fluttered open and pinned him again from under lowered lids and the look in them was enough to drive Vash over the edge. His climax hit him fast and hard, jolting loose a sharp cry. The knot that had been growing in his gut since the morning started to uncoil and his hold on Wolfwood's body fell apart. As soon as Vash released him his orgasm crashed through him and he shouted, fingers digging into Vash's arms with the pleasure of it. His muscles trembled violently, but even through such a veil of pleasure Wolfwood should have been at least a little concerned because for a fleeting moment he heard - well, not so much heard as felt - Vash's voice.

 

I need you.

 

It was sudden and the intensity of it shook him and left him gasping but it was gone so fast he doubted it had even happened… But Vash gave him no time to think about it, or even recover. Vash was moving again, shifting his legs higher, gripping his hips tightly and he forgot everything as Vash drove into him even deeper than before. There was only pleasure after that, for both of them.

 

He had pushed Wolfwood past his usual silence and greedily drank in every cry that was torn from his lips. Vash was in the moment then, nothing in him but the need to make this last, to drown them both in the pleasure of the moment and he pursued it with all the force of the energy within him. Gone were the terrible possibilities his mind had conjured all day; right now Wolfwood was alive, moving with him, holding him so tightly, crying out for him, for him and it was all that mattered… and too beautiful to last.

 

The rhythm of Vash's hips slamming into Wolfwood became disjointed and he came hard, his lover's name on his lips. Energy flowed out of him, releasing the last of that tension that had been torturing him all day. It set off that incredible chain reaction Wolfwood had become addicted to and one of them cried out - or was that both of them? He wasn't sure… - and it happened again, no less intense but much, much softer, like a whisper that ran through him.

 

I love you.

 

Vash let him go and dropped to gather him close. He was breathing too hard to hear the small whimper Wolfwood had accidentally allowed to escape him. His imagination was a cruel thing to tease him with what he wanted most, especially now. He would have cried from the pain of it if the pleasure singing through him hadn't fought back the sorrow.

 

Vash rolled them over and they clung to each other in the aftermath, both wanting to speak for different reasons but both too exhausted to even make the effort. Wolfwood tried to hang on to consciousness as their breathing slowed back to something more normal, tried to burn the feeling he'd had into his soul, to hold on to even though it hurt him badly to know it couldn't possibly be real.

 

But Vash was so warm and he was so tired, he lost it as he slid into sleep. By the time he awoke in the morning the feeling was gone from him, leaving behind the empty space in his heart that it had filled for far too brief a time.

 

The realist in him wouldn't allow him to cry over something so stupid as a conjured-up fantasy.

 

But as he watched Vash's sleeping face in the low light of the room, he wanted to. He really did.

 

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::sigh:: Poor Wolfwood. This is gonna take a while to sort out. Not the best chapter, I know, but stick with me, it gets better! ^_^;;

To Zadon: Thank you! I'll do my best to get some good stuff up soon! :)