Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Hunting Two ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

Hi, readers! This is my very first fan fiction and I'm a little nervous. I've been dying to submit a story for quite a long time and I finally got the courage to do so. Anyway, please review and please be nice, again this is my first time. Any help or advice you can offer me is greatly appreciated and I hope you enjoy it!

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Wake

 

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Meryl Stryfe sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. She stood over a cutting board next to a hot pot of soup. Slowly slicing the fresh thomas meat, she prepared the meal for the day, however only half of her attention was on the task at hand. It had been almost a week since the return of Vash the Stampede. Meryl, of course was happy to see the outlaw, but she was less than thrilled about the surprise he had brought along with him. Knives. The same Knives that had tried to wipe out all humanity on the miserable little planet, the same Knives that caused Vash so much pain, the same Knives that had put her life in danger. The same Knives that was Vash's brother. Vash told her that he wanted to change Knives, to save him. He wanted him to realize that there was much more to humans, and that they deserved a chance. He wanted Knives to see humans the as people. Meryl snorted at the idea. It seemed very unlikely that a cold hearted maniac could ever change. Yet, she kept her opinion to herself.

A sharp sting brought the insurance agent out of her thoughts. A small drop of blood trickled down her index finger. Cursing sharply under her breath, she quickly sucked on the wound. Abandoning the finely chopped meat, she turned on the faucet, letting the cool water wash away the blood. She hissed as a sliver of pain shot up her arm. The cut was small, but deep. Shaking her hand of the excess water, Meryl went to the small cabinet that housed the small first-aid kid. Bringing out the white box, she opened it, looking fiercely for a band-aid.

“Sempai! I'm home!” a high honey coated voice rang out through the house.

“I'm in the kitchen, Milly!” Meryl yelled back, not looking up from her mission.

-

Milly Thompson walked into the small kitchen with a rather large smile. She could almost taste supper through the delicious aroma that drifted around the house. It had been quite a hard day at work, but hitting another much needed water source was well worth it.

“You won't believe the da…” she stopped noticing small droplets of red on the counter “Sempai! What happened?”

“Nothing, Milly, I just cut myself.” The petite woman replied wrapping a band-aid around her finger.

Meryl smiled up at her friend, assuring her as she fetched a towel.

“No, Sempai let me take care of that.” Milly said sweetly taking the cloth form Meryl's hands.

“Milly, it's okay, I'll…”

Meryl was cut short as the tall girl wet the cloth and began wiping the flat surface.

Smiling at the bright faced brunette she walked back to the stove. Slowly she lifted the cutting board and emptied the meat into the pot. Gently stirring the simmering contents, she let her mind wander back to her friend. Milly never ceased to amaze Meryl. She was innocent yet she had seen so much horror. She was clumsy yet perceptive. She was emotional yet stronger than Meryl could ever be.

Traveling with Vash the Stampede had been hard on both of the insurance agents, more so on Milly than Meryl. The sweet natured girl was torn apart when the priest, Nicolas D. Wolfwood, had died. Meryl could still hear her heart breaking cries. She felt so helpless not being able to do anything to ease her pain. However, Milly soon buried herself in work at the water site, an escape from her problems. Milly never told her what exactly had happened between her and the strange priest, but Meryl could a make safe enough guess. And now the cause of Milly's heart break was sleeping soundly upstairs. Just the thought of him burned Meryl inside.

Unlike Meryl, Milly didn't seem to hate or even dislike Knives. If she did hate Knives she was very good at hiding it. Although it was hard to believe Milly could feel anything foul toward anyone, even such a man as Knives. It had been her that took care of Knives when Vash first came back. The spiky haired blonde had passed out for the first two days, and she had taken it upon herself to see after Knives' wounds. Even though Meryl insisted she be the one, the big girl simply smiled brightly making the decision final. Meryl sighed again; Knives didn't deserve such kindness, especially from Milly.

“Sempai?” Milly said walking up next to Meryl.

“Hmm.”

“Where's Mr. Vash?”

Meryl thought for a moment, she had seen the goof only twice the entire day. He seemed a bit different today, though. The high spirited outlaw seemed to have dimmed quite a lot since yesterday. He had been in his and Knives' room only coming out for breakfast and lunch. He barely said anything to her at all and it occurred to Meryl that the true smiles that she was getting from Vash lately were again being tainted with sorrow and worry.

“He's in his room Milly.” Meryl said finally.

“Afually,” a muffled voice said behind them “fe's fin he kickhen.”

Both the women turned around to find Vash the Stampede, The Humanoid Typhoon, The Sixty Billion Double Dollar Man, the most feared outlaw, stuffing his face viciously with pink and white sprinkled donuts. How the hell…?

“Vash!” Meryl scolded “You're going to ruin you're appetite!”

“Ohh, Mr. Vash, those look good! May I have one?”

“Milly!”

Meryl's bewilderment went to deaf ears as Milly walked up to Vash and graciously accepted the sweet pastry. The petite growled in frustration and turned back to the pot of soup muttering angrily only to miss the beaming smiles exchanged between Vash the Stampede and Stun Gun Milly.

-

The three temporary residents of the small house sat at the round table diminishing the meal in front of them. Meryl, however, was having a hard time enjoying her own creation. She stole glances at Vash constantly; she definitely knew something was wrong. He was acting like his old self, when he was hiding something. He was putting up his mask again; he was trying to protect them. Does it have to do with Knives? Meryl thought panicking slightly. The thought of him waking up truly frightened her. There was no grantee what he would do. He was injured yes, but would that actually stop him from his life long mission? What about when he's cured? Will he really listen to Vash just after one battle? Won't he just be angrier and crueler than he had been? And what would happen if he found out that humans have been taking care of him? Meryl winced at the thought… that would surely drive him over the edge.

“Meryl?”

Meryl snapped out her daze at the sound of her name. It seemed foreign coming from the owner, she was surprised he even remembered her name. Smiling she looked at the him,

“Yes?”

“Are you okay?” he asked.

Meryl blushed at his concern. Scolding herself for it, she glared at Vash,

“Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be, broomhead?”

Vash flinched and sunk into his chair at the tone of her voice, leaving only his spiked hair and two large pleading aqua orbs visible above the table.

“Sorry.”

Meryl rolled her eyes.

“Finish your soup, Vash.”

The Typhoon immediately shot back up and with a salute and a `Yes Ma'am!' he attacked his bowl.

 

After dinner, Vash disappeared into the living room. Milly had volunteered to do the dishes. Meryl pressed that it was her turn, but Milly wouldn't allow it.

“Besides,” Milly said clearing the table “you still have to tell Mr. Vash that thing, remember?”

Meryl's stomach fell to the floor, of course, how could she forget? Every time she looks at him that's all she can think about. She was in love with the infamous outlaw, she could deny that no more, but how could she tell that to someone like Vash?

Since the time Vash had left for his fight with Knives, Meryl had thought about how to approach him. She had thought of many outcomes which involved Vash's lips on top of hers and many more outcomes of heartbreak. And there were too many risks as well. Someone could use her to get to him, hell, it had already been done. But would she really be able to live with herself if she never told him? Could she really throw away a chance to be with the one man she loved for the rest of her life?

“I…I don't know about that anymore, Milly,” Meryl said softly.

The brunette placed her hands firmly on her hips and looked down at the raven haired woman. She could not believe she was hearing this from Meryl `Derringer' Stryfe. She just couldn't understand what was so hard about telling Mr. Vash that she loved him. It was so simple and once she did tell him she could be happy. And if Mr. Vash didn't feel that same way at least she would know instead of wondering about it forever. Why do people complicate such easy situations?

“If you don't tell him Sempai,” she huffed “I will.”

Meryl stared at her, knowing full well that she would follow through with her sweet-hearted threat. Breathing heavily she agreed and made her way to the living room.

-

Vash was lying on the worn sofa with an elbow across his forehead and a hand on his chest. He looked up at the ceiling, trying to look through the eroded slab of stone to see his brother above. Knives was definitely gaining consciousness, fast. It was only a matter of days before he woke. He had spent the whole day trying to reach his brother's mind but Knives had blocked him out and his barriers were almost unbreakable. Still he kept his connection open. He had only left the room twice. Meryl noticed something was troubling him, he knew that, but she hadn't said anything. Vash was beginning to wonder if it had been a good idea bringing Knives to the girls. But he had nowhere else to go, and he needed his and his brother's wounds treated.

Milly greeted them both with open arms, and had even taken care of Knives for a few days. Vash smiled at the bone crushing hug he received upon his arrival. The girl in fact had a big heart. Vash had been a little hesitant about coming back, especially because of Milly. He wondered if she could cope with the man who had killed the man she cared about the most. Of course being who she was she had no objection with Knives retuning to health.

Meryl however hadn't been so welcoming. Vash could still remember her brightly lit eyes turn to stone at the first glance of Knives. The ember of hope flickered out in his chest. He feared deeply that she would ask him to leave. Surprisingly, she had yelled at him for making her worry for so long, and clonked him despite his injuries. He snickered at the memory, he should've expected that. She relentlessly scolded him as she helped him back to the house. Her voice had been the last thing he heard before he passed out. And when he woke, again his ears were filled with her high but concerned tone.

She was no different than Vash himself. The Typhoon knew the uptight, no nonsense, my-work-is-my-life act, was just a cover for a gentle hearted girl. They both disguised themselves from the people around them.

Nevertheless, there had only been one occasion were she had come out of her shell, only to save his life, when Vash himself cared not about it. Meryl had pleaded with the pained man who revenged on taking the legendary gunman's life. No one has the right of take the life of another, she said. Those words brought the outlaw out of his lost trance. He looked up at her, hearing the exact words of the woman who shaped the person he was today. Rem, he saw Rem Saverem in Meryl Stryfe, and he saw the answer he was searching for. She saved his life that day giving him a chance to save his brother.

His feelings toward the petite woman changed since then. He already saw her as a friend but now things were different, things he couldn't understand. Every time she smiled, his heart fluttered ever so lightly. Every time she was angry or frustrated or irritated with him, she would glare at him or hit him on the head and, strange as it may be, the Typhoon found it very endearing. Vash repeatedly caught himself smiling at her when ever she was concentrating on something. The frown that tugged her lips was so… so…cute. Vash shook his head. No, no, he couldn't be in… but was it really such a far fetched idea? Hadn't he been searching for the elusive mayfly known as love? And they knew each other for quite some time already. Still, he wasn't sure if he could afford to fall in love. Until he was positive that Knives was saved and no longer dangerous, his feelings would have to wait.

Sighing, gunman brought his thoughts back to his brother again. Will you finally listen to me Knives? he thought Will you do as I ask? Vash closed his eyes, breathing deeply when he felt someone's presence enter the room.

-

Meryl entered the ill furnished room, her thoughts racing frantically. Vash opened his just closed eyes and looked at her. He was spread out on the leafy green sofa, which Meryl found very fascinating at the moment. Who matched a green sofa with grey carpet anyway? No Meryl, focus, she told herself firmly.

“Hey, Short girl.” Vash said sitting up.

She smiled inwardly at the nickname, her heart beat viciously in her throat. She walked up to the arm chair placed next to the sofa and sat down; it proved to be a very hard task to accomplish, when her mind disagreed with her heart. She took a deep breath and forced herself to look at the man before her.

“Vash, I have something to tell you.” she said shakily.

The gunman looked at the for a second before saying,

“Ironic, because I have something to tell you.”

Meryl looked at him quizzically; he had something to tell her?

“Oh, what is it?”

“No, you go first.” Vash said.

“Really, Vash, tell me wha…”

“No, Meryl, I insist.”

This is getting us nowhere.

“Just go you spiky haired idiot!” she snapped.

With amazing speed Vash sat up straight and pointed his chin firmly to the ceiling.

“Yes Ma'am!”

Meryl rolled her eyes and muttered `broomhead' under her breath.

Vash relaxed hearing the soft murmur and smiled. A pale blush graced Meryl's cheeks, but it disappeared as soon as it appeared. He wondered if he imagined it.

“Meryl,” he began looking directly into her eyes. Meryl's heart beat sped up, threatening to explode. “I wanted to tell you that I…” Vash froze.

There was a small tug in the back of his mind, almost like something was opening. Slowly he traced the pull behind him, dreading the thought of where it was going, up the stairs, across the hall and into his room…

A dark shadow crossed the Stampede's eyes, enveloping his features. Meryl knew that look all too well.

“What is it Vash?” she asked, afraid of the answer.

“Knives”.

The Insurance agent's lodged heart turned cold.