Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Life Thereafter ❯ Fake Smiles ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: How I wish I owned Trigun. Sadly, I own it not.

 

A/N: Hurray! I'm posting again! Plus, this chapter is a little longer than the last! Slowly but surely, they are lengthening!

 

 

Fake Smiles

 

Meryl stomped into the kitchen where Millie was eating her bowl of soup. As she sat down in a huff, Millie glanced up from her bowl of soup, not looking the least bit perturbed at Meryl's sudden and somewhat violent appearance.

Meryl glowered at the table. It wasn't so much that she was mad at Vash (although he DID sometimes deserve a smacking). It was more that she was mad at herself. Whenever she was around him, her emotions came rushing to the surface, and she couldn't control them.

It was so irritating! She was always able to keep her cool in difficult situations! The nature of her job often required it. Yet, here she was, Meryl Stryfe, representative of the Bernardelli Insurance Society, also known as Derringer Meryl, getting all flustered over some idealist, idiotic, pacifistic, upside-down-haired, woman-chasing, broomheaded lunatic who was nuts for donuts and gorged them like a starved hog in heat!

What the hell is wrong with me?

“Sempai?”

Meryl jerked her head up, plastering a stiff smile of her face. “Yes, Millie?”

“Did something happen?”

“Oh no!” Meryl replied, her teeth grinding. “Everything's just fine!”

Millie smiled. “Ok, then!” And she went back to eating her soup.

Meryl blinked. Why did it sound like Millie had expected that answer? And why did Meryl have the feeling that Millie knew she wasn't being completely honest about the situation?

Millie's perceptiveness is unnerving. She would be a very formidable woman if she knew that, Meryl mused.

“Sempai, shouldn't you eat something?”

“Oh! Well, I suppose.”

Meryl stood up and poured some soup into her own bowl. As she sat down, she breathed in the heavenly aroma. Only one scent was better than this: coffee.

Perhaps I should make some later...

As Meryl sipped at her soup absent-mindedly, she thought about what had just occurred between her and Vash. What had ever possessed her to brush her fingers against his hair like that? She hadn't even contemplated doing it in her mind. She had just done it, without thinking.

His hair was so soft...

Meryl blinked and smacked herself mentally. Stop thinking thoughts like that! He's your ASSIGNMENT!

Tcch, another part of her muttered. If that were true, you would have stopped following him a long time ago.

I couldn't stop following him! It was-

Your JOB! Yes, keep telling yourself that.

I'm not TELLING myself anything. It's the truth.

Whatever...

Meryl sighed. Yet another argument with herself. If this kept up, someone would have to put her in a straight jacket and cart her off to the loony bin. Of course, it wasn't like she didn't already need it. After all, since travelling with Vash the Stampede, she has been shot at, held hostage, watched a town blow up, seen a bunch of psychotic and super-powered villains, had a good friend die, and taken care of the two most dangerous individuals alive: Vash and Knives, immortal, autonomous plant angels.

Yeah, sign me up for the loony bin right now, Meryl thought wryly. If they ever came for me, I do believe I'd go willingly. Who could blame them?

“Sempai, you've barely touched your soup. Is something wrong?”

Meryl blinked. “No, no, no!” Meryl said in her best fake, cheerful voice. “Everything's fine!”

“Hey, if you don't want it, I'll eat it,” a familiar voice said.

Meryl squawked and hit the offending individual. “VASH! I told you not to startle me like that!”

“Ow!” Vash whined. “I didn't do it on purpose!”

Meryl rolled her eyes. “Sure you didn't.”

“Mr. Vash! You're awake!” Millie said happily, giving him a bear hug.

“Yes...I...am...” Vash managed.

“We were worried about you, weren't we, Sempai?”

“Hmph.”

“Uh...big...girl...”

“Yes, Mr. Vash?”

“Can't...breathe...”

“Oh, I'm sorry!” Millie exclaimed, abashed, as she released him.

“S'ok,” Vash panted.

“Mr. Vash, would you like some soup?” Meryl asked, her voice dangerously kind and spoken through her teeth.

“S-sure,” Vash stuttered, seeming to realize he was in trouble.

Meryl got up and fetched the soup, nearly slamming it down in front of Vash, who had sat down at the table.

“Th-thanks...”

“Oh,” Meryl gave him a toothy grin, “don't mention it.”

Vash timidly began to eat as Meryl watched him like a hawk. The silence at the table was deafening.

“Sempai, I think I'll go check on Mr. Knives.”

Meryl was momentarily destracted from glaring at Vash. “Oh, are you sure you want to? I could go with you, if you want.”

Meryl didn't want Millie to have to deal with Knives. After all, it was Knives who had ordered the death of Wolfwood. When Vash had brought him here, he had tried to explain, but Millie had merely smiled, saying that Wolfwood had already shared his past with her and that she knew about Knives. However, she had said, family was more important than anything so she would help Vash with his brother. Vash had been so touched that he got all choked up and tears leaked out of his eyes while he solemnly thanked her for her understanding and kindness.

Still, she shouldn't have to deal with him after everything he's done.

“Yeah, big girl, you don't have to,” Vash agreed solemnly.

Millie smiled. “No, I'll be fine. You two finish your soup!”

As she trotted up the stairs to Knives's room, Meryl stared after her. Millie was so caring, so giving. She had always been that way, and she continued to be that way, even after having lost the man who meant more to her than anything. Millie had insisted upon following Vash after Wolfwood's death. Without her, Meryl probably never would have seen Vash again, since she had not be at all inclined to follow him after he had confided in her.

I'm lucky to have a friend like her...

“Uh, Meryl?”

Meryl blinked. “Yes, Mr. Vash?”

“Thank you...for everything.”

Meryl stared. “What do you mean?”

Vash looked at her, his eyes solemn. “I mean, thank you for letting us stay. I know you don't like Knives around, but-”

“You're right. I don't.”

“BUT, Vash continued, “you let him, and me, stay here anyway. You haven't thrown us out, and for that,” he took a deep breathe, “I'm grateful.”

Meryl looked down at her hands, clasped together tightly on the table. “It's no trouble,” she muttered.

Vash smiled sadly. “Yes, it is. I'm a burden on you, Meryl. I have been since the moment you met me, no matter how much I try not to be.”

Meryl shook her head. How could he possibly think that?

“I seriously considered not coming back you know.”

Meryl stared, almost unable to believe what she was hearing.

“But, I told you I'd come back. And, I knew you'd wait for me. So,” his face broke into a true smile, “how could I NOT come back?”

Meryl felt her cheeks beginning to grow warm and a burning in her eyes.

You see! the other part of her said triumphantly. He wanted to come back to see you!

No, no... He came back for both of us. Me AND Millie...

You're so stupid. Didn't you just hear him? He said YOU. He didn't even mention Millie!

It's not possible...

Sure it's possible! You care about him, even after you called him an “idealist, idiotic, pacifistic, upside-down-haired, woman-chasing, broomheaded lunatic who was nuts for donuts and gorged them like a starved hog in heat.”

“Meryl?”

Meryl blinked, suddenly aware that she was blushing furiously and looking angry at the same time.

“OH! Nevermind me! I'm just really off today!” Meryl laughed nervously.

Vash grinned. “You're off everyday.”

A vein pulsed in Meryl's temple. “WHAT did you say?”

“Nothing, nothing!” Vash said innocently.

God! He is so exasperating!

Ah, her other side said slyly, but that's something endearing about him, no?

Shut up, you...

“Hey! Mr. Vash! Sempai!” Millie's voice echoed down the stairs. “I think Mr. Knives is waking up!”

“WHAT?” they both shouted.

Meryl knocked her chair over as she got up, and Vash fell flat on his face as he tried to do so. Vash got to his feet slowly, sputtering.

“Vash! You tripped over Kuroneko!” Meryl reprimanded him.

“I'm sorry! It's just that I was so shocked to hear about Knives that...who's Kuroneko?”

“He's-”

Vash gasped. “You have a BOYFRIEND?”

Vash cut Meryl off before she could say anything. “That's it, isn't it? You don't like me anymore so you got a boyfriend!”

To Meryl's shock, Vash looked murderous. “Where is he? Show him to me!”

Vash was ranting now. Meryl grabbed his face and directed it towards the floor. “THAT, Vash, is Kuroneko,” Meryl said pointedly.

“Nyah!” a black cat with wide yellow eyes said, scratching its head with its foot.

“WHA?” Vash screeched.

“As you can see, Vash, he's NOT my boyfriend. He wandered into this house not long before you returned. He hasn't left, and I must admit I'm growing rather attached to the fellow.”

Vash blinked. “Awww! He's so cute!”

Meryl sighed exasperatedly and shook her head.

“Mr. Vash! Sempai!” Millie called.

Both Meryl and Vash looked at each other before racing up the stairs together.

 

 

Knives is waking up! Everyone, take cover!

Knives: That's right! Cower before me, pathetic humans!

Oh, hush!

Knives: Don't hush me, filthy spider!

O.O How DARE you! That's it, I'm sicking Kuroneko on you.

Kuroneko: -latches onto Knives's face with sharp claws- NYAH!

Knives: GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!

-gleeful grin- Never! Muahahahaha!