Wolfwood sat at the bar stool, working on his fifth drink and sixteenth cigarette. Vash still wasn't there.
Nick was getting worried. He knew he should have asked for a more specific time then "tonight" but he had still been waiting there for around two hours.
Distantly, Nick could hear the sounds behind him. Two men arguing over a card game somewhere, a couple fighting, the sound of men laughing over things they had done in the past, a girl on stage crooning.
Nick rubbed his face drearily, as the bartender came over.
"Girl troubles, my friend?" the man asked, cleaning out a glass cup.
Wolfwood looked up, surprised.
"What?"
"You're acting as though you're waiting for somebody important. Girl stand you up? Sorry if I'm nosy, but maybe I can give you some advice," the bartender continued.
Nick leaned his face against his arm.
"Something like that. I'm waiting for somebody, but I don't know if they'll be able to make it. They're living with somebody right now who I think is beating on them, and I'm afraid is going to end up doing worse then that."
"Ah," the bartender nodded. "Shouldn't have left them if you visited them already. Probably piss the person they're leaving with off even more."
Nick felt shock hit his body hard.
Did Knives know that he had been there? The old man was right, Knives would be angry beyond belief if he knew Wolfwood had been there.
"Go get that special person of yours." The bartender said with a decisive nod. "And good luck my friend."
Nick turned towards the door, and then saw Knives walk in. He drew in his breath sharply, surprised.
Why was he here? Surely Vash didn't let Knives just wander around in the midst of humans without him?
Knives looked towards Nick and nodded.
The long trench coat that Knives's was wearing flapped open a bit as he walked towards Wolfwood, revealing his black gun.
Nick felt a wave of worry wash over him, but he ignored it.
*Where's Vash?* he projected the thought, so Knives would pick it up.
Knives caught the bartender's attention, and asked for a drink.
*He's not coming.* Knives implanted the thought into Wolfwood's mind.
*What have you done to him?* Wolfwood asked angrily.
"Nothing, he's at home." Knives muttered so that only Nick could hear him.
"Why are you here then instead of him?" Wolfwood asked.
"Maybe he didn't want to see you." Knives smirked, taking a swig of his drink.
Nick felt his heart chill for a moment, but then he shook his head. Knives was messing with his head.
"If you're hurt him, I swear to God I'll rip your heart you." Wolfwood whispered, standing and paying the bartender.
*Go into my house, and I swear I'll rip your spine out. Touch my brother in any way and I'll ram it down your throat.*
The last words raced angrily through Wolfwood's mind, making him stumble a bit.
*I'd like to see you try.* he retorted, as he opened the door.
*I'll hunt you down Priest. You take my brother away and you won't leave a week past it, I promise you that.*
Nick walked through the door and headed down the street.
*~~~~~~~*
Vash was wrapped in a blanket, still on Knives's bed. He was shaking, but his face was blank, his eyes wide and unseeing.
He suddenly heard the door creak open. His mind became active then.
"Knives-" he began, but then turned his head.
"Nick..." he whispered.
Nicholas D. Wolfwood stared at the form of Vash the Stampede, and he felt hatred course through his veins.
He hurried over to the side of the bed.
"Did he hurt you?"
Vash didn't answer, but stared blankly ahead once more, drawing the dingy blanket closer around his shoulders.
"Vash!" Nick practically shouted, grabbing his shoulders. "Did he rape you?"
Vash's eyes finally met Nick's, and he started to cry.
"I d-don't k-know."
Nick moved forward to hug Vash, but he jerked backwards quickly, surprising the priest.
"Don't touch me." he snapped, but then started crying once more. "I'm d-dirty."
He whispered the last part in an ashamed tone.
Nick felt the pain growing in his heart, and he moved forward again, and this time Vash didn't fight him. Wolfwood wrapped his arms around Vash's shoulders, and slowly Vash wrapped his arms around Nick's waist, crying into his shirt.
"Oh Vash... I wouldn't have left if I would have known he would..."
Vash's sobbing stopped then.
"I don't t-think he r-raped me..." Vash murmered.
Nick drew Vash away from his sharply, and he looked him dead in the eye.
"Don't you dare blame yourself. Don't you dare!" he said fiercely.
Nick saw Vash's lips tremble, and his expression softened.
"Did you say 'no' Vash?"
"Yes... B-bu-"
"No buts. It was rape. Nothing more, nothing less." Nick spoke in a quiet tone. "And I'm not leaving you here no matter what."
Vash didn't protest this time.
Gently, Nick lifted Vash off the bed, and walked across the hall to the humanoid typhoon's room. He laid Vash on his own bed, and went to the dressers to find some clean clothes. Quickly, he helped Vash dress.
"Do you need anything else before we leave?" Nick asked, glancing around the room.
"Get my gun and jacket please." Vash replied. "They're in the closet."
Nick moved steadily, afraid that Knives would come back before they left. He covered Vash in a white cloak, and then hurried down the stairs, carrying the $$60 billion man.
"How did you get here?" Vash whispered.
"I came on my bike. But I'll rent a car to get us back. You can't ride that thing all the way back." Wolfwood answered.
"You're leaving your bike here for me?" Vash murmured.
Nick kissed Vash gently on the forehead, as he hurried down the street.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~*
An hour later Nick was driving as fast as the car would go, Vash asleep in the back seat. They had had no trouble getting out of the town, but Knives's last statement still haunted Wolfwood. If Knives came back for Vash, Nick would have no way to protect him.
He glanced nervously back as though trying to convince himself that Vash was there.
Vash suddenly yawned and stretched. He opened on eye and smiled at Nick.
"How much longer?"
"Soon." Nick whispered, resting a hand on Vash's head.
Vash smiled softly once more, and drifted back to sleep.
*~~~~~~~~~~~*
"About time you got here!" was his greeting from the shorter insurance girl as he entered the office.
Nick shifted nervously from one foot to the other. He had left Vash sleeping in the car while he went to go talk to Meryl and Millie.
"Mr. Priest!" Millie exclaimed as she walked into Meryl's office. "Is Mr. Vash okay?"
Nick lit another cigarette, took a deep breath.
"He's in the car."
They both stared at him.
"What do you mean 'he's in the car?'" Meryl questioned, her eyes wide.
"I had to get him out of there." was all Wolfwood said. "Where should I go?"
"Mr. Vash is here!" Millie cried happily. "Can they stay at me house, please Meryl? Please?"
"I guess we don't have a choice." Meryl answered, grabbing her cloak and hurrying after Millie and Wolfwood.
*~~~~~~~~*
Nick let out an audible sigh of relief when he found that Vash was still sound asleep in th car.
"I'll drive to Millie's house, it's just outside town." Meryl said, grabbing the keys from Wolfwood.
Millie slid into the passenger seat, leaving Nick to slip into the back with Vash.
Vash stirred a little as Nick sat down. He glanced at the priest.
"Are we there?" he whispered.
"Hiya Mr. Vash!" Millie called cheerfully seeing that her friend was awake.
"Hey big girl." Vash grinned at her. "Is that Meryl driving?"
"Yes it is." Meryl repled crisply. "Glad to see you're still alive."
Vash tried to sit up and grimaced a bit as he felt his sore muscles pull against each other.
"You okay?" Nick asked, he grabbed Vash's arm.
"Hungry..." Vash murmured, resting his head on Wolfwood's shoulder.
Millie smiled broadly as she watched Vash rest on Nick's shoulder. Vash took no notice, but Nick turned a bright shade of crimson.
"I do hope you plan on telling us the whole story." Meryl commented with a hint of amusement.
"Later..." Nick whispered, putting an arm around Vash's shoulders.
*~~~~~~~~~~*
It was late in the night when Vash woke again. He was in a dark room that he didn't recognize wrapped in the blankets of a huge bed.
He lay there for a few minutes, silent when he heard voices drifting up from downstairs.
"-ves threatened you?" he could hear Meryl saying. "Nick that's serious! What if he comes after you?"
"What would you have had me do?" Wolfwood was replying, a bit of bitterness in his tone. "Leave Vash there to be raped by the monster whenever he felt like it?"
"What did Mr. Vash say when you told him?" Millie asked quietly.
"I didn't tell him that I met Knives." Nick replied with a sigh. "He was already so upset over the fact that... You know how he is he blames everything on himself. Knives really did a number on his body though. I don't think he quit even after Vash passed out."
"Poor Mr. Vash...." Millie murmured.
"Now what?" Meryl asked.
"I just want to keep Vash safe for a little while... He sacrifices so much of himself for others, he deserves for someone to take care of him for a little while." Wolfwood replied. "And if Knives come for him, I'll fight him to the death if I have to."
Vash rolled over in the bed, feeling his stomach clench.
Why did the two people he love want to kill each other?
*~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Knives wasn't surprised that his brother was gone when he arrived back at the house. He sat down and tapped his fingers on the table as though thinking.
"Two weeks." he said finally. "I'll give him two weeks before I kill him."
*~~~~~~~~~~~~*
When Vash woke in the morning, he was shocked to find that his arms were wrapped tightly around somebody's waist. He blinked for a few moments, trying to figure out why and who it was he was holding.
"Morning sunshine." a voice suddenly said, with a hint of laughter.
Vash blushed as he saw the priest's grinning face. He peeled his arms away from Wolfwood's slim hips.
"Sorry...." he muttered.
"No, it's okay. Millie only has one bed in this house... I didn't mean to intrude." Wolfwood said softly.
Vash nodded, blushing a little.
"It's okay."
"Good then," Wolfwood said sitting up. "But you and I need to talk..."
Vash propped himself up on his elbows, and then realized that he was completely naked down to the waist. He looked away, shame burning onto his features, and he looked away, and pulled the blankets back up.
"Don't..." Wolfwood grabbed the blanket and pulled it back down.
Vash stared at him, but Nick was already looking towards the window, cigarette in hand.
"What are we going to do now?" Nick asked.
Vash looked at him.
"What?"
Nick laughed a little.
"This is my fault. I didn't think past running away with you. What do we do now?" he turned to stare Vash in the eyes. "Are we going to buy a house and live together? Separate, never see each other again? Visit every now and then like we do with Millie and Meryl? Wander around the world with no purpose or destiny?"
Vash felt his breath came a little shallow as he stared into Nick's dark eyes.
"I don't know what we'll do Nick, but I want to be with you when we do it." Vash whispered, taking Wolfwood's hand, and laying his head into Nick's lap.
Wolfwood looking down at him.
"But... how far are you going to run?" Vash whispered in a small voice. "Knives will never let you be free as long as I'm with you. I don't want you to die for me."
Nick felt tears press into his eyes, as he knew Vash had heard the conversation last night.
"Vash... I love you."
Vash looked sharply up at Nick, and saw the tears pouring down his face.
"I love you too Nick..." Vash murmured.
*~~~~~~~~~*
After a few moments of sitting there, the two parted at the same time.
"Well today is ours, right?" Vash asked, as he got out of bed. "What can we go do?
"Xesyeknomdliw." Nick blurted out. ((AN: Read backwards!~))
Vash blinked.
"What?"
Nick blushed.
"I...er... dunno. We could just hang out around the house. Explore and all that good stuff."
Vash stood by the door for a moment looking thoughtful.
"Or have wild monkey sex?" he joked, before rushing downstairs.
Nick stared. He wasn't sure what he had gotten himself into.
*~~~~~~~~~*
Vash sat in the kitchen downstairs, munching happily away at a doughnut. He was glad he was here with Nick. He did love Nick. He had realized it once he had said it.
...But he couldn't allow Nick to die for him. He wouldn't let Knives kill Nick.
A sudden noise made his head shoot up in alarm.
"Sorry Mr. Vash," Millie giggled from the front door "Meryl and I have the day off, so I thought I would come down here to see if you two needed anything."
Vash smiled at the friendly girl. She had to be one of the nicest people in the entire world. Her head may have been a little empty, but the size of her heart more then made up for it.
"I think we're good, but you'll probably want to talk to Nick about that." Vash answered.
As if on cue, Nick came down the stairs.
"Hey Millie!" he spoke happily, as he sat down next to Vash, picking up a doughnut.
"Hiya Mr. Priest!"
"Millie was just wondering if we needed anything." Vash said, turning to face Wolfwood.
"Well, actually yes," Nick replied, looking thoughtful.
"The traders are in town today," Millie answered, bright-eyed. "There will be lots of people there! And lots of cool things to buy. It's fun even if you don't need to buy anything!"
"Sounds good," Vash nodded. "Wanna go, Nick?"
Nick gently kissed Vash's hand.
"Yes."
*~~~~~~~~~~*
"You should see them together!" Millie squealed happily as she and Merly drove towards the area where the traders where set up. "They're adorable."
"Millie," Meryl said, sounding a little sad. "What are they going to do when Knives comes?"
"I don't know Meryl..." Millie whispered, her voice laced with bitternes. "It's not fair. Why can't he leave Mr. Vash and Mr. Priest alone?"
Meryl felt a wave of sadness wash over her as she turned to see Millie, fighting back tears with her hands clenched tightly together.
"I won't let him hurt them, I won't." Millie said firmly.
Meryl was about to protest, but she was cut off as a voice called to them.
"Hey there!"
The insurance girls turned to see Wolfwood and Vash standing together at their meeting spot. It appeared that Nick had given Vash a haircut before leaving; the gunman's hair was neat and shining again.
Even Meryl had to admit, Vash and Nick looked perfect together, standing there in the bright sunlight.
To Be Continued…
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