Title: Alternative
Rating: R
Pairings/Characters: Vash/Wolfwood
Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun, its characters, etc. All belong to its respective owners - Nightow, etc.
Warnings: m/m, fluff
Summary: Following their disagreement after Zazie's death, Vash comes to check on Wolfwood and finds that he's taking it harder than he'd thought. The two become closer as a result, and Wolfwood learns that perhaps they can be the long-term fix for one another's pain.

A/N: This is my slashy take on what would've happened if Vash had been the one to go comfort Wolfwood after Zazie's death instead of Millie in episode "Alternative" of the anime. ;)

The nerve of him. How stupid could he be? How much more careless and irresponsible could he get?! Did he honestly really trust that traitor?!

Wolfwood angrily squashed his cigarette into the ashtray and lit another one. The events of earlier that day kept pestering him, infuriating him.

"What an idiot," he sighed exasperatedly.

At the sound of a knock on the door, he went to answer it, hoping it wasn't the person he was currently pissed off at, yet knowing it probably was. Sure enough, he opened the door and found Vash. The outlaw's hair was damp and limp from having taken a shower not long before, and he was dressed as if ready for bed in a pair of navy pajama pants and a loose fitting long-sleeved shirt. He gave a tiny, innocent smile, which the clergyman wanted to respond to by slamming the door in his face.

"Hey," the blonde greeted quietly.

Wolfwood merely stared at him, slightly irritated.

"Can I, um….Can I come in for a minute?"

After a pause Wolfwood stepped aside, serving as his answer to the question. He followed Vash to the couch, and the two of them sat in silence for several minutes. What the hell did Vash have to say for himself? Because there were a multitude of things the priest could think of to say – most of which were insults and rude names. What he really wanted to do was punch him in the face again, tell him he's a damn fool, and leave it at that.

"Have you eaten anything?" the gunman finally broke the stillness gently.

"No."

"Do you want me to make you something?"

"No."

A pause. "Wolfwood-"

The preacher clapped his hand over the blonde's mouth and regarded him sternly. "Don't. I'm not in the mood to hear any more of your ridiculous principles or irrational reasoning."

Vash stared at him calmly, and even after Wolfwood took his hand away, he waited a moment before speaking. "I'm sorry you feel that way-"

"You have no idea how I feel, Spikey."

"Then tell me."

Averting his gaze to stare at the table in front of them, Nicholas took several drags from his cigarette. Right now, he sincerely hated Vash the Stampede. The man always made things way more complicated than they should be, always stirred up emotions inside of him like no one else could, and always served as a friend whenever he needed one most.

"There's going to come a time when you'll have to make a choice, Vash," he began evenly. "Someone is either going to trick you like what happened today or present you with some other situation where you're going to have to choose someone's life over another's; I won't always be there to make the decision for you. Your gun is one of your greatest strengths, and yet it cripples you so much."

"Nick-"

"What benefit is there from you dying? If I hadn't been the bad guy that you seem to think I am, you'd be dead. Then what? You would've spared a life, but cost thousands in return because there'd be no one who could possibly square off against Knives and win. Do you ever think about the consequences your unrealistic principles cause? Do you ever think about how it affects people around you? I don't want to be the only one to turn into the Devil, but damn it, you give me no choice! Someone has to clean up your messes, has to understand that there will always be casualties – and one of these days, you'll have to be the one to make them!"

He turned to look at the other man directly, and Vash was stunned to see tears present in his eyes.

"I saved your life today," he went on, his voice wavering, "and instead of thanking me, you parade your bull shit of never killing in my face and how wrong I was to do it! I shouldn't care that you think I'm this terrible monster because I do what has to be done, but I do care. I care because I care about you." Placing his hand on the gunman's shoulder, he admitted softly, "If anything ever happened to you, Vash….if I couldn't protect you….I'd never be able to forgive myself."

Vash swallowed, unable to think of anything to respond with. This was absolutely unexpected. There was only one other time in which he'd seen such sadness and pain in the priest's eyes, and that was just earlier today when he'd confronted him after Zazie's death. Apparently, Nicholas D. Wolfwood was a little more broken than what he thought. The preacher who could take a life without flinching put on a very convincing mask to hide his true emotions, and Vash was utterly surprised by the reveal.

Knowing it was highly probable that Nicholas would shove him away and yell at him some more, the plant threw his arms around the man's shoulders and hugged him. Instead of retaliating, the priest returned the embrace and came completely undone. Freely, he wept in front of the only person he'd allowed to make such a resounding impact in his life and, more reluctantly, his heart.

Taking a fistful of the Humanoid Typhoon's shirt in his hand, he whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be….I'm the one who's sorry."

"I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you, Spikey."

"I can say the same about you."

"You have to understand. I had to do it. He would've killed you. I can't let that happen."

"Shhh….I know. I know….Thank you, Nicholas."

Ten minutes passed before Wolfwood was finally able to calm down. As he slackened his arms from around the outlaw's torso, he paused to breathe in his ear, "Stay with me tonight."

Vash's eyes widened, and he pulled back to look at him in order to judge his seriousness. "What?"

"Stay with me tonight. Please. I don't want to be alone."

"Oh, um….okay….Okay. I'll stay. I can sleep here on the couch-"

"No," Nicholas interrupted, and the hint of lust in his voice and eyes caused a shiver to run down Vash's spine. "I need you."

The gunman was speechless from the implications of that statement. His heart started to beat faster at the uneasiness, confusion, and undeniable excitement coursing through him now. Wolfwood obviously wasn't thinking right; he was in a very vulnerable and emotional state, wouldn't possibly be saying such a thing if it were any other time. And yet, something told Vash that it was much more than what it seemed, had been building for quite some time and tonight, the preacher had decided to confess it.

"You're hurting," Vash rationalized gently. "I don't think it's a good idea to-"

At the abrupt sensation of the other man's lips against his own, he relaxed and didn't try to put an end to it. Rather, he returned the action with a fervor that was equal to Wolfwood's. He sincerely wanted to help improve his friend's mood – if physical contact like this would suffice, he'd willingly allow his body to be used by the priest in whatever manner he chose. Truthfully, he was craving intimacy as well, had hungered for it for years, but the thought of how far Wolfwood desired to take this did make his nerves and apprehension skyrocket. It'd been decades since he'd let himself be with someone like this. To say he was out of practice was an understatement; he wasn't sure what to do at all.

Without realizing it, his thoughts caused him to become rigid, and Nicholas broke away to find out why the sudden change.

"What is it?"

"I…." Vash glanced away, a light blush coming to his cheeks, and fumbled for an explanation that wouldn't completely embarrass him. Realizing he had nothing, he jumped up from the couch with a nervous laugh and exclaimed hurriedly, "I'm sure you're starving! I know I would be if I didn't eat all day. The kids, Meryl, Millie – we all missed you at dinner." Heading for the kitchen, he continued, "Since you're okay now, I can fix you something to eat. I'm not a very good cook, but-"

He stopped just before bumping into Wolfwood, who now currently blocked his path. While he felt the priest's eyes boring into him, he kept his own downcast to the floor.

"You're hurting too," Nicholas commented. "It's painful to see. Let's help each other tonight."

"Nick-"

"Tomorrow we can go back to how we usually are, pissing one another off, but tonight….I really need someone….I need you, Vash."

There was a lengthy pause as he waited for an answer. When he didn't get one, he decided to take control of the situation. Affectionately, he grasped the blonde's hand and started toward the bedroom; Vash followed obediently, his heart pounding so violently that he feared it might burst.

Even though no one was around to potentially witness what they would be doing, Wolfwood still closed the door, which did help in lessening the anxiety Vash had.

"What n-"

The question was lost as the preacher commenced kissing him relentlessly. Hands eagerly found their way under his shirt, eliciting a surprised, yet pleased, noise from him. It was immensely thrilling, the sensation of fingers gliding against his chest and back; the sheer arousal as a result of it caused tingles throughout every fiber of his being, including the part of himself that only he had tended to for so long. The anticipation of Wolfwood's hands there made it harden even more.

His shirt wound up on the floor in no time, and having been witness to the outlaw's nakedness before, Nicholas didn't flinch at the sight of his bare torso; however, he did pause for a moment to gaze at the maimed flesh intently. Vash observed him inspecting him without a word; he was so accustomed to people regarding him with disgust that the absence of aversion in the priest's eyes sincerely touched his heart.

Trailing his fingertips along the various scars and metal pieces, Wolfwood murmured, "You've been hurt a lot. How do you have it in you to even smile after all of this?"

The question made the blonde do just that: smile. "Weren't you the one that said it's empty anyway whenever I do?"

"There've been some that are truly meaningful, few and far between as they may be…." He stepped around the gunman to stand behind him, studying and caressing the rest of his upper half.

"How about you? Do you have any scars?"

"Why don't you find out?"

Vash was taken aback at the forwardness in that question, but he wasn't going to shy away from the dare now. Closing his eyes briefly and inhaling a deep breath, he turned around and with slightly shaking hands, he began unbuttoning the priest's shirt. It was tossed aside by his own, and the clergyman watched with the hint of a grin playing at his lips as the outlaw searched for any marks.

"I don't see any," Vash said, somewhat surprised.

"You can give me some tonight."

While the Humanoid Typhoon was still processing those words, Nicholas pulled him by the arm, pushed him onto the bed, and straddled his thighs.

Propping himself up on his elbows, Vash inquired hesitantly, "Are you sure you want to do this?" He leaned into the hand that came to rest against his cheek and was nearly brought to tears at the longing, loneliness, vulnerability, and ardor shining through in the priest's dark eyes.

"Absolutely." Inching forward to allow his lips to brush along the plant's jawline up to his ear, he added in a whisper, "I've wanted you for so long, Spikey."

Vash wasn't sure just how serious his friend was being, though for the moment, it didn't seem to matter; he chose to believe the confession and tilted his head to the side in order to kiss him. This wasn't supposed to be happening. This couldn't be right. Why did Wolfwood always have to make him question everything he knew?

As gentle hands pushed against his shoulders to have him lie down and an eager tongue probed his mouth, he gave up trying to find a reason or explanation and surrendered.

It was more than a little embarrassing how much he was currently turned on and how he trembled under the preacher's skillful fingers gliding along his chest. His body was coming alive in a way he couldn't remember ever experiencing before; there was no suppressing it. When Wolfwood abruptly broke away in order to undress him entirely, he hesitated a moment before silently agreeing to raise his hips and make it easier for his clothing to be slid off. Again, Nicholas had seen him completely nude in the past, but this was different – for one, the other man hadn't viewed him from the front and two, they were in very close proximity now so the preacher could see every part of him in clear detail. He opened his mouth to say something, yet no words came out. What was there to say? An apology for looking the way he did or for being entirely aroused? Admit to stupidly being nervous of his comrade for the first time?

A stifling silence settled in the room as Wolfwood's eyes leisurely devoured him from head to toe multiple times. Vash blushed once they finally met one another's gaze, and his cheeks flushed even more while he watched the younger man move down his body to begin teasing his erection with his tongue and mouth.

"Oh," he gasped, ecstasy flooding through him. This was pleasure on a whole other level than what he was accustomed to with his own hands. "Ohhh….Mmmm….Wolfy."

Realizing the word that'd just come out of his mouth, Vash slapped his hand over it, terribly embarrassed. Wolfwood stopped and stared at him with an unreadable expression.

"I-I…." Vash stuttered. "I don't…."

"That your new nickname for me, Spikey?"

"Uh…." He giggled timidly, praying he didn't ruin the otherwise erotic moment.

"It's cute."

The blonde's eyes widened in shock. "Yeah?"

"Yes." Nicholas offered a kind smile, which instantly put the outlaw at ease.

"In that case, um, Wolfy?"

"Hm?"

"I'm….I'm ready if you just want to go for it."

There was a pause as Wolfwood simply regarded him for a short while, sensing the whirlwind of emotions raging inside of the Humanoid Typhoon, and he almost thought that perhaps he was pressuring Vash unfairly. But then the blonde smiled sweetly, washing away any doubtfulness and re-igniting the yearning he'd had for the one he now swore to protect.

"Wait here," he instructed quietly and got up from the bed to rummage in his belongings. In little time he had what he needed; he didn't have a reason to use it very often – there weren't many occasions in which women showed interest in him – but it was always a good thing to have whenever those instances did happen.

"Have you," he began hesitantly as he got on top of Vash once more, "ever been with another man before?"

Vash gave a nervous laugh. "Actually, yeah I have." At the shocked expression on the preacher's face, he quickly added, "But it's been a really, really long time."

"Do you want me to just…."

The outlaw sat up, kissed him passionately several times, and then turned over to situate himself on his hands and knees. Catching on that this position would probably be best to start with, Nicholas slicked his erection with the lube, gripped the plant's hip with one hand and used the other to begin guiding his cock inside of Vash's body. At first, it was only careful prodding while he waited to see how much the gunman could handle at once. There were numerous murmurs of "Wait" and "Stop," to which he politely obeyed and didn't move again until he heard an "Okay." He'd never had to wait so long to have sex with someone in the past, but because it was Vash and because of how grateful he was to have his friend here with him after everything that'd happened earlier, it made the anticipation much more tolerable. To keep himself hard during all of this, he slid his hands along the scarred flesh, exploring everywhere that he could; touching the plant's body like this was highly arousing, in addition to the pleasurable whimpers he received in return.

"Wolfy?"

He'd eventually lost track of time, had been taking it agonizingly slowly, that he didn't realize when he was finally wholly inside of the Humanoid Typhoon until the sound of his name twenty minutes later got his attention.

"I'll try and be gentle," he said to assure him.

"Okay. I'm ready."

Making a conscious effort to stay true to his word, he leisurely commenced thrusting within Vash, who responded with a loud moan. Between the quivering noises coming out of the blonde's open mouth and the tightness around his cock, Nicholas was blinded by the intense rapture assaulting his senses.

"Spikey….You feel amazing…."

Vash's fingers grasped fistfuls of the sheets as he braced himself against the priest's propulsions. He kept his head lowered, hoping the few tears streaking down his face wouldn't be seen by the other man. It was more painful than anything, yet he didn't want to deny what Wolfwood so desperately needed; he couldn't bring himself to ask him to stop now that they were actually doing it. A sudden, powerful thrust caused him to cry out before biting his hand as he attempted to keep the new wave of tears at bay.

"Vash?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you alright?"

He nodded. "Yeah." The shakiness in his voice gave him away.

"Turn over."

Wolfwood pulled out and waited patiently for the plant to lie on his back. When he spotted the glistening tracks on his friend's cheeks, he caressed his face to wipe them away and whispered lovingly, "Vash….If you want to stop, I'll understand."

Vash inhaled deeply and forced a smile. "No, I'm fine. Keep going."

Sensing that the blonde's pride wouldn't let him say otherwise because he didn't want to seem weak, Wolfwood sighed and once again pushed his cock inside of Vash while the gunman pulled him down to hug. The preacher took the opportunity of being so close to place tender kisses along the Humanoid Typhoon's neck and chest. He grimaced at the nails that dug into his back with every thrust he did, as well as the teeth that occasionally bit his shoulder.

"Can I come inside you?" he breathed into the outlaw's ear, blissful shivers running through him at the sound of Vash's panting and uncontrollable moaning.

"Nnnnhh….mmmm….yes…."

Running a hand up and down the plant's thigh, he huffed, "Vash….please don't leave me. I need you."

"I won't….I promise."

After just a few more minutes, Wolfwood stopped and went stiff as he climaxed. Vash clung to him tightly, clenching his muscles as the priest emptied himself. He kept his eyes closed in part due to feeling foolish for having the urge to cry; there was an intense, passionate connection he felt blooming between himself and his dearest friend like never before. Both were slightly sweaty, trembling, and breathing heavily. For a time, neither seemed interested in letting go of the other. They held each other in a loving embrace with Nicholas resting his head against the outlaw's chest, neither saying a word. It was only when the preacher felt something soft and unexplainable against his skin that he pulled away to gaze at the person under him. Wisps of tiny feathers adorned the plant's cheeks and forearms, as well as a handful strewn around them that had fallen off of his thighs and arms.

With a chuckle, Wolfwood commented, "I sometimes find myself forgetting that you're not human."

Vash blushed and giggled timidly. "Sorry. I don't understand it. It's like they just sprout randomly. I'm sure Knives knows everything about us, and I have yet to learn anything…."

"Is it something you'll ask before killing him?" The unamused, borderline angered look he got prompted him to hurriedly apologize. "I'm sorry."

Moving to sit on the edge of the bed, Nicholas fetched a cigarette and lit it. They sat in silence for awhile, the mood now stale and awkward, until he finished smoking and laid down beside his friend.

"You're right, Nick," the outlaw abruptly stated quietly, causing the priest to shift onto his side to stare at him directly. "You're right that I'll have to decide one of these days. I can't expect that you'll always be there to be the bad guy for me, to make the choice for me…." He turned to lay on his side too and met the man's patient gaze. "It terrifies me," he admitted in a whisper, a tear escaping down to the pillow.

Without a word, Wolfwood slid closer in order to hold him as he wept.

"I don't know if I can do it," he continued. "Even Knives…."

"You can leave him to me, then. That one, I'll gladly take."

"Nick-"

"Shh. Rest. Get some sleep. We'll worry about it another time. It's been a rough day. We deserve some good sleep."

A nod of acknowledgment was the response.

Wolfwood could tell Vash was still troubled by it without him even having to say a word; however, the blonde finally did go into a calm, deep sleep thirty minutes later. Being careful not to wake him, Nicholas got up, grabbed the half-empty pack of cigarettes from the nightstand, and strolled over to the window to look up at the bright moons and vacant street. He felt much more at ease now than how he'd been when the bubbling broom-head first showed up at his door. It's not as if he enjoyed killing or had some desire to, yet for Vash, he'd do anything.

Exhaling a cloud of smoke, he turned around to lean against the wall and stare at his company, who was currently lying on his stomach and hugging the pillow under his head. The sheets were down to his waist, and his disheveled hair was shrouding his tranquil face. The priest smirked. The two of them were both broken and needing fixed; it'd never occurred to him that they'd be the solution for one another. Thinking about his pleas to Vash to stay with him tonight, the outlaw could've easily told him "no" and left. But he didn't. He stayed. He gave to Wolfwood what so many others craved to mutilate and cash in on: himself.

Closing his eyes, Nicholas sighed and rubbed his temples as if he had a headache. Tonight was just one conflicting emotion after another.

He put out his cigarette by squishing it on the floor, removed his slacks and boxers in order to feel Vash's nakedness against his own, and laid beside the blonde. Sleepily, Vash opened his eyes and sat up slightly.

"What's going on?" he mumbled. "Time to get up already? What's wrong?"

The preacher chuckled. "Calm down. Just had to go to the bathroom."

"Ohhkay."

Without hesitation, Vash snuggled against the preacher, rubbed his leg along Wolfwood's, and nuzzled his face on the man's chest.

"Mmm….so warm," he whispered, already dozing off again.

Wrapping his arm around the blonde's shoulders, Wolfwood smiled. "You too."

It was incredibly comforting to be with another person like this, especially because he couldn't remember the last time he got to hold and fall asleep with someone in his arms the way that Vash currently was.

"Spikey," he murmured, stroking his friend's cheek and messy hair. When he didn't get a response, he said almost inaudibly, "I love you."

The heat from the sunlight shining through the window woke Nicholas up the next morning. Slowly opening his eyes so he wouldn't be blinded, he was surprised and somewhat hurt from discovering he was alone. He sat up and looked around, saw that Vash's clothes were absent from the floor, and then spotted a piece of paper on the nightstand by his cigarettes. The note had his name written on it in elegant handwriting, and his heart was already beginning to sink just from the implication of what the note contained. Letting out a deep breath as if to prepare himself, he picked it up and read it.

Wolfy,

I didn't want to leave you to wake up alone, but I knew if I didn't go now, it'd be much harder to make you stay behind and let me do this on my own later on. I can't risk your safety in a battle that's always been mine alone to fight. You've done so much for me; it's my turn to repay you by letting you finally live a peaceful life that you've always deserved. I'm hoping I won't have to pull the trigger. Who knows? Maybe I can convince him to let go of his hate. But if that's not the case, I'll have to make the decision I've selfishly had you do for me time after time. If I fail, I'm truly sorry that I must ask you to try and succeed at what I couldn't do. Honestly though, I anticipate both of us dying together rather than one of us surviving.

Last night with you meant so much to me, Nick. Please know that. I wouldn't want to have spent it with anyone else, and I'd be so happy if we could share more like it. If I make it out of this alive and if you feel the same, meet me in Macca City. Meet me at the City Lights Inn a month from today. If you change your mind and don't want to see me, I'll understand and wish you nothing but happiness.

Until we meet again,

Vash

He was tempted to crumple the paper in his hands, yet the sentimental value of it caused him to set it back down on the nightstand instead as tears sprang to his eyes. A mixture of anger, worry, and unbelievable sadness washed over him all at once. The fear of knowing there was a possibility that Vash wouldn't be coming back tore his heart.

"Damn it, Spikey," he whispered.

There was only one thing to do now, and he wondered if he'd be able to do it without making himself go insane.

Wait.

Five weeks later

The town was just as he remembered it. People were out and about everywhere, happy as ever. There was a new mayor, no bounty hunters, and the economy was thriving better than before. He waved and smiled to the many that initiated the gesture first as he strolled by; his content demeanor hid the fact that he was actually tremendously anxious and excited to the point where he was practically shaking and his heart was pounding violently.

Recovering had taken longer than he thought it would; he could only pray that the priest hadn't given up on him.

After arriving at the City Lights Inn, he glanced around the lobby on the off chance Wolfwood happened to be there. His hope remained intact, despite the area being rather empty.

"Hello!" he greeted the clerk behind the front desk. "Room for one, please."

"Okay sir, and your name?"

"Vash." At the look of mild panic in her eyes, he added hurriedly, "No relation."

"Oh thank goodness. We don't need another fiasco like Gasback on our hands!"

"I can imagine!" he chuckled.

"How many nights will you be staying?"

"Just one."

"Alright then. Your room number is 110. Payment will be due at check out, here's your key, and just let me know if you need anything else!"

"Thank you very much! And actually, there is something you could help me with."

"What is it?"

"Could you tell me if there is a Nicholas D. Wolfwood currently staying here?"

"Umm….yes, it looks like we have someone by that name in room 207."

Vash did his best to conceal the ridiculous amount of joy, relief, and giddiness he felt from hearing those words. "Great. Thank you!"

"You're very welcome!"

His legs felt like they were going to give out on him as he climbed the flight of stairs to the first floor. He dropped his bag off in his room, took a quick shower, put on jeans and a pastel blue dress shirt, and headed to the second floor. This was it. This was what he'd been thinking and fantasizing about for the past month.

Inhaling deeply, he raised his hand and knocked on the door.

"No housekeeping today, thank you," was the reply.

The outlaw grinned and knocked again.

"Really, I'm good. Thanks."

Another knock.

This time, instead of getting another answer, there was a pause before the door opened. The instant change of expression on the preacher's face was priceless.

Giving a little wave, Vash spoke quietly, "Hey there, Wolfy."

Wolfwood opened his mouth, but nothing came out for a few seconds. "Vash….You're alive."

"Yeah, I made it."

There were no words to express the priest's total shock and elation, so he did the only thing he could think to do at this moment: he stepped forward, threw his arms around the Humanoid Typhoon's neck, and hugged him like he was never going to let go. Vash returned the gesture wholeheartedly, feeling as if he was about to burst into tears.

"I can't believe it," Nicholas whispered. "I thought you were dead….You're alive….Thank god you're alive."

"I was scared you wouldn't be here."

"I almost gave up on you," he said with a light laugh. "I missed you, Spikey."

"Missed you too, Wolfy."

It was indescribable, the sheer happiness Vash had from being in Wolfwood's arms again. He was tempted to confess what he'd been holding onto since that night they'd shared together, yet he decided to reveal it later during their reunion due to believing things were going to ultimately lead to the same conclusion.

"Come on," Nicholas said as he at last pulled away. "Let's have a drink."

Vash took the invitation and sat down at the small table in the room near the window.

"Beer, vodka, or whiskey?" the priest asked.

"Isn't it a little early to be drinking?"

"Now that's a silly question. Did you get hit in the head and forget who you're talking to?"

The outlaw grinned and chuckled. "You're right. What was I thinking? I'll take a beer then."

After handing the blonde a chilled bottle and sitting down with his own across from him, Nicholas prompted, "So, what happened to your brother?" There was a flicker of grief that passed over the other man's expression, but it was swiftly replaced with a tiny, forced smile.

"I'm not sure, to be honest. We uh….we really did a number on each other. I thought we were going to die. There was blood everywhere and….I don't remember getting back to the nearest town with him or even how we got there or what happened after….When I woke up in the hospital, they told me it'd been six days." He took a swig from his bottle, paused for a moment as he seemed to be grappling with his emotions, and finally said with a hint of sadness, "And he was gone."

"Gone?"

Vash nodded. "I don't know where he went. I don't know where he is or if he's even still alive. All he left me was this."

Reaching into his pocket, he removed a folded up piece of paper and slid it across the table. Nicholas glanced from it to the gunman, who was now staring at the floor with a somber expression, before picking it up and reading it silently to himself.

You won't have to worry about me anymore, Vash. I'll give you what you want. I love you, my dear, sweet brother. I only wanted what was best for us.

He re-read it multiple times, trying to make sense of the note and determine its sincerity, and then gave it back to Vash.

"If he didn't go off to die somewhere else, do you think he's being truthful?" The attempt was made not to sound so harsh, though Wolfwood couldn't help the traces of insensitivity in his tone.

The blonde shrugged. "It's hard to tell. I hope he is. I hope he's alright…." His eyes locked with Wolfwood's, and the priest could see they were brimming with tears. "There were a couple of times where I could've taken him out. I had the shot and….I couldn't do it, Nick. I'm sorry."

At the sight of his friend breaking down in front of him, Wolfwood commented gently, "It's okay, Spikey. If we have to deal with him later, we will. Don't worry about him. And I'm sure he'll be fine."

Vash nodded before he abruptly stood up to walk around the table to be near the preacher. The two stared at one another in silence for a long while, each searching for the right words to say, yet realizing nothing was really needed. Reaching this unspoken agreement, the plant straddled the man's waist, sat in his lap, cupped his face in his hands, and kissed him tenderly. Despite the strong desire to untuck the outlaw's shirt to slide his hands under and touch him, Wolfwood behaved himself for now and placed them instead on Vash's waist.

"I'm sorry I left alone," the blonde whispered, nuzzling his face against Wolfwood's neck. "Can you forgive me?"

"Yes, I can. But promise me the next time you go and do something stupid like that, don't leave me worrying for over a month about you."

"I promise."

Sudden curiosity made the priest begin to unbutton the Humanoid Typhoon's shirt from the collar down. Vash remained silent and immobile, merely watching as the man went about his task slowly; the light touch of Nicholas' fingers against his chest and abdomen caused him to quiver every now and then as the desire to be continually caressed took over him. When the clergyman at last opened the shirt completely, he was inexplicably overcome with rage, sadness, and possessiveness. His eyes traveled from one fresh wound borne from Knives' blades and pistol to the next; without even seeing the rest of the plant's body, he realized just how lucky Vash was to not have been entirely butchered by his undeniably more powerful twin. Whether or not he would've even stood a chance defending the outlaw didn't matter; if he had been there with Vash, it would've at least saved the blonde from a handful of the agonizing attacks.

Idiot! Wolfwood thought to himself. Doesn't he understand that he doesn't have to sacrifice himself alone anymore?! I could've taken some of the hits for him!

"Nick?" the gunman asked quietly upon witnessing a tear race down his friend's cheek.

"You nearly died," was the whispered response. "I was so afraid that you'd died. I prayed that you'd be okay, that you'd come back. Don't ever fucking scare me like that again." He wrapped his arms around Vash's waist and hugged him tightly.

Vash winced from the pressure on his still relatively new injuries, though he didn't push him away and returned the embrace as well. "I won't."

"Selfish of you to leave your partner behind and take on the planet's true number one enemy all by yourself, you know," Nicholas chastised in a shaky voice.

The blonde smiled. "Yeah, I know."

"Always taking the spotlight. Typical Vash the Stampede."

"Can I make it up to you?"

"That depends. What did you have in mind?"

The movement of Vash taking his shirt off completely caused Wolfwood to pull back and stare at him directly. The dazzling green eyes were kind, yet a trace of lust lingered within his gaze, and Wolfwood was pleased to see that they were on the same page.

"I figured we'd move over to the bed and you could either take out your anger on me or show me just how much you missed me," the Humanoid Typhoon teased seductively and stood up. As he walked away, he started stripping the rest of his clothes off.

Nicholas got to his feet, removed his garments as well, and concluded, "Maybe a little bit of both."

It wasn't apparent to the preacher just how tired his partner was until their fifth round of love making. Vash was struggling to stay awake; he tried assuring Nicholas that he was fine despite the fact that he was becoming more and more incapable of keeping his eyes open for longer than a few seconds at a time.

"Sorry, Wolfy," he murmured regretfully. "I was traveling non-stop for the last two days in order to get here. I guess it's finally catching up to me."

The priest smiled, pulled out of his friend's body, and laid down beside him. "It's alright, Spikey," he said while petting the outlaw's damp hair. "Get some rest."

There was a pause while Vash seemed to be drifting to sleep and then he suddenly asked, "Nicholas?"

"What is it?"

"What do we do now? Do we do this for a few days and then go our separate ways?"
"We'll talk about it tomorrow."

"I don't want to go anywhere without you." Opening his eyes just enough to see Wolfwood's, he raised his hand to touch the man's face and whispered, "I love you, Nick."

The words made Wolfwood's heart swell with fevered passion. "I love you too, Vash." He took the blonde's hand in his own, and after placing a kiss on the plant's cheek, he spoke gently, "Don't worry. I'll be here when you wake up."

There was no intention of breaking that promise. As he watched Vash sleep peacefully, he pondered the gunman's questions, realizing he hadn't really thought about what would happen once Knives was no longer a threat. The insurance girls, whom he had to promise he'd come to visit every now and then, had gone back to their regular jobs and lives; was he supposed to do the same? And what kind of life was that? He'd been a mercenary for hire for so long, he wasn't sure if he'd ever feel right about going back to help out at the orphanage. With his feelings for the sixty billion double-dollar man, there was no way he could just abandon that either. Even if there were no more wild adventures, he couldn't fathom a life without him at this point.

Putting his arm around Vash, he pressed himself snugly against his nude body and kissed his shoulder several times. Tomorrow they could decide how they wanted to begin the next chapter of their seemingly new lives and hopefully, they'd choose a path to follow together under the sky so blue.