Chapter 1: Coinsidence
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BOOM!
Long hard work crumbled in a matter of seconds; leaving a haze of dust in the room.
There was a dark figure hidden behind the debris. It moved forward omniously.
“What is that? Stay away, I won’t give in!” Harold cried, gripping the woman’s neck.
The woman was visiting the town; just arrived two days ago, but now…she was frightened; shaking, and strands of her messy hair were falling in her face. Her breath was rigid with intensity, and fear.
Harold held his arm in front of him; the gun twitch in his hand.
“Shut up!” He ordered the woman.
She shut her mouth, muffling her breathing.
Harold watched the outlined man grow larger in the dust; coming closer and closer.
Beads of sweat rolled down Harold's face.
Feeling someone tap him, he jumped, and whirled around.
“Boo!”
Harold tried to regain himself at the intake of the face, (not as to say it was horrid, but all was unexpected. His hair looked like he had hair-sprayed it while upside down, he had an earring in one ear, and a very large bright red coat) but despite his efforts, his palms were too slippery, and the gun clattered to the floor.
“Do me a favor,” the golden-locked man suggested. “Next time you can’t get a date, find another girl to ask before you take one for hostage. They’re just to pretty to be pushed into such circumstances.”
“What are you sayin’?” Harold glared with his bushy eyebrows.
The gunman just smiled.
“You sayin’ I’m wrong?”
“I’m saying you might want to duck.”
“What-?!”
“Ouch, right in the head. You didn’t have to be so cruel miss, he just likes you.” The gunman commented as Harold collapsed on the ground from a kick to the head. “He was asking for it the moment he grabbed my butt!” She continued by spiting on him.
“Well, so much for part two of ‘Rescuing a Damsel’, I don’t want to get hit in the head with those shoes.” He laughed nervously.
She looked at him, debating.
“Vash, don’t you know that contradicts the title 'Rescuing a Damsel?'” Another blond gunman appeared from the dust. Unlike the first, his hair wasn’t broom-like, but pretty much in an average place, he wasn’t wearing a large red coat, but a dark overcoat, and his ears were both earring-less.
“At least I don’t look for the title of ‘Walking Disaster’; there’s a door, did you really have to blast a hole in the wall to get in?” Vash asked agitated.
“It doesn’t bother me. You’re the conspicuous one, they’ll look past me and blame you, accident or not.”
Vash shut his mouth because he knew it was true.
“Okay, okay, I’m kidding” His twin reluctantly apologized.
“It’s not funny, my record is bad enough already.”
On a glance, the woman would prefer the less striking one, but as she watched them, regardless of their conversation, she felt more at ease with the upside down one. It made no sense to her, considering he apparently had a stained record.
“Yeah, with me around I’m surprised they haven’t sent anymore insurance girls after you.” He agreed. “And then you wouldn’t have to keep hitting on all these other girls- no offense Miss, but trust me, he’s not your guy.”
Vash frowned. “Don’t tell her that…”
“Oops, sorry, it slipped.”
“Again?”
“You know I’m joking.”
“Yes, but it still hurts.”
“Stop being so sentimental,” he said bluntly. “Anyway, they’re having a sale on donuts, and I’ll make it it up to you.”
“Really?” Vash’s eyes sparkled.
“Yeah, those sugar ones. I’ll treat you. Did you bring your wallet?”
A sweat-drop appeared on Vash. “Gee, thanks Knives, you’re so kind.” Vash said in a mono-tone voice.
“What are brothers for?” Knives gripped his twin’s shoulder.
*
*
“Knives, would you get the door?” Vash asked as he stirred the soup before adding in the carrots. He watched the broth bubble with orange chunks plummeting into it. “Knives? Please?” He repeated.
“I’m going, brother,” Knives replied and began walking to the door sluggishly.
He opened it, and looked down at the teenaged boy. Messy golden hair fell down onto his face which was hidden behind a pair of dark black sunglasses. He wore khaki pants, a white shirt, and a tie that was green and black striped. Knives noted it looked like some kind of expensive school uniform.
“What do you want?” Knives asked sounding intimidating.
“Is Vash home?” He asked emotionless.
“Vash who?” Knives tested, looking into the sunglasses.
“Vash…the Stampede…”
“Who are you?”
“Clint.”
“Clint who?” Knives asked suspiciously.
“Clint…” The teenager paused. “Strife.” He said the first name that came into his head, but quickly realized his mistake as color drained from Knives' face.
“Clint Strife?” Knives repeated, feeling edgy.
He nodded.
“Who is it?” Vash asked entering the room.
Clint looked at the man.
“Vash…” Knives turned to him, teeth clenched. “Is there something you forgot to tell me?”
Vash stared at his brother blankly, trying to gain the faintest understanding of what was going on.
“This is Clint Strife.” Knives emphasized the last name.
A sweat drop clung to Clint and he prayed they wouldn’t see his anxiety.
“Strife? But that sounds like-“ Joy swelled in Vash as high hopes bloomed. Maybe, just maybe he was related to Meryl and he could tell him all about how she’s been doing; if she was still working at Bernardeli or where she was or just that he’d seen her! Finally he would hear about one of his best friends since years!
Vash was about to burst out questions, but Knives spoke, and busted his bubble instead. “Seems like you were a little friendlier with Ms. Insurance Girl than you let on.”
Sweat drops reappeared on Clint and Vash and they made eye contact only a half of a second before Vash cried “What?! No! He’s not- I never-!” He went red at the thought. “You don’t think-?!”
He couldn’t stand the convinced face on Knives’, and he suddenly felt anger towards his brother.
“You know I wasn’t ever like that with Meryl!”
“That’s what you told me, but how would I know? I was half dead!”
“No!” Vash cried back with authority, but still red. “I never did that!”
“Well, he looks just like you!” Knives gestured to Clint.
“Well, he’s not mine! He could just as well be yours!”
“Yeah? You’re right Vash, I was secretly with Meryl behind your back, although it was a little hard considering I had several bullet holes! But I managed!” Knives scoffed.
Clint watched the two wondering why he picked “Strife.”
“I would have told you!”
“Maybe you didn’t know!” Knives stepped toward Vash.
“I would have told you we-“
“Garbage! You would have not! Who would?”
“You think I would have just used her and then sent her back?” Vash asked bewildered.
“You don’t seem to have a problem with other girls, and that!"
“Fine, ask him yourself!” Vash pointed to Clint.
It went silent.
Knives glared at the teen as if it was his fault.
Clint stared through his sunglasses cautiously.
“Well?” Knives barked.Clint remained quiet, thinking as fast as he could of a conclusion. “Who are you parents?” Knives ordered.
Randomly, Vash laughed.
They looked at him.
“Listen. Clint, how old are you?” Vash asked.
“Er…”
“It’s not a test, just state your age.”
“I’m almost 15.” Clint answered.
“See, Knives? I haven’t even known Meryl that long!” Vash laughed. “You’re too high-strung!”
Knives, feeling completely humiliated as jumping to conclusions, shut his mouth.
Vash laughed again, “She would have been like what? 10, 11 years old?”
“At lease I can cook soup.” Knives said bitterly.
“Wha-?! Oh crud!” Vash dashed towards the kitchen, calling “want to stay for dinner, Clint?”
Clint remained silent.
“Don’t count on it, there’s no dinner anymore.” Knives said.
Once Vash had everyone sitting down with food (take out) on their plate, he plummeted into questions he felt he was dying for answers.
“So, you’re related to Meryl Strife?” He asked.
“Well…”Clint hesitated.
“Well?”
“She…”
Vash leaned closer.
“Meryl Strife is my fourth or fifth cousin.” Clint concluded.
“Fourth or fifth cousin?” Vash repeated. “Then you probably don’t know her very well, huh?”
“Er- actually, my family is pretty big on family reunions, and things, I don’t know if she really remembers me, but I know about her.”
“She’s a really good friend of mine, and I was hoping you would tell me what she’s been doing lately…”
Knives let out a small laugh at Vash’s suspenseful voice. “You’ve always been hypocritical. You sent them away and now it’s like your dying for those girls to come back.”
“They’re really good friends,” Vash defended.
“Than why did you ask them to leave?”
Vash didn’t say anything. Knives couldn’t yet understand how much they meant to him. It was because he loved them that he sent them away; it was because he loved Meryl he sent her away.
“So what did you want with Vash?” Knives asked Clint.
“I wanted to meet him.” Clint peered down through his sunglasses at his food.
“Meet Vash?” Knives asked. Clearly there was something wrong with this picture. “Why?”
Vash looked up at Clint and as much as he didn’t want to admit to it, the teen did resemble him a little too must to feel comfortable with. If Vash didn’t know for sure it wasn’t his son, he could have believed it in one glance and although he wasn't keen to point fingers, he was beginning to wonder if Knives wasn’t being completely honest...if not Meryl, any girl.
“Why?” Clint repeated.
“Are you sure he’s not yours Vash? Because I think he inherited his listening from you; needs everything repeated.”
“I wanted to meet him because I want to ask him if he’ll teach me how to shoot so well,” Clint explained and to make things sound more realistic, he decided to add “There’s a tournament and lots of money involved; Vash is a legendary gunman; where else would I go?”
“Target practice for a tournament?” Vash asked.
“If you would.” Clint said.
“Wont,” Knives answered.
“Hey, I can decide for myself! I'm not a child,” Vash insisted.
"Could have fooled me.”
Vash ignored his brother’s comment. “How does tomorrow afternoon sound?”
Knives crinkled his eyebrows. “You’re agreeing?”
“Sure, why not?” Vash asked.
Knives thought it slightly out of character for Vash to agree to this with so little information.
“You can just come over here,” Vash decided. “And then we’ll go find a place together.”
“I was kind of hoping…I could stay here, since I have no where else to stay…”
“No,” Knives answered, but was once again ignored.
”Where’s your family?” Vash asked.
Their in Damron, I came alone.”
“In that case, consider this your home for now; we’ll take care of you!” Vash said happily.
“Thanks a million, I was getting worried.” Clint admitted.
“No need to worry anymore!- okay maybe you should, I’m not just a legendary gunman, I’m a legendary disaster as well.”
*
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“Okay Vash, you’re getting on my nerve. Maybe he’s not Meryl’s, but he must be yours.” Knives confronted his brother that night.
They thought Clint was asleep; after all, he went to bed over an hour ago, but he was awake in his covers listening to them.
“You heard him, he’s Meryl’s fourth cousin, and I know he’s not my son,” Vash stumbled on the last word.
“That was a lie Mr. Gullible, everything he said was a lie.” Knives growled.
“Why do you have to be so accusing?”
“Why must you be so trusting? To everyone? You think you would learn with your title.”
“I have no reason not to believe him, he’s just a kid.”
“Zauzie was a kid, and he tried to kill you,” Knives stared motionless into Vash’s eyes as if testing him.
“Don’t talk to me about who’s tried to kill me, Knives. I know neither one of us want to talk about it. Zauzie didn’t know any better. Clint hasn’t done anything to break my trust.”
Knives was silent for along time before continuing. “I’m not angry with you, Vash, but please just be honest with yourself, and with me. He looks like you too much.”
“It must be coincidence.”
“I don’t believe in coincidences.” Knives confirmed. “I won’t be angry, just tell me the truth.”
“I have told you the truth. He’s not mine.”
Knives stared at Vash in disbelief, and Vash almost began to question his own knowledge.
“How do you know?” Knives asked.
“Because I’ve never-“ Vash began to go red again. “Listen, I love women, but never actually- I’ve never actually done something like that!”
“You expect me to believe that?” Knives cocked an eyebrow.
“Yes! I’m...” Vash went redder. “Oh for the life of me, I don’t have the guts!” He cried. He always had known it within himself, but never had he said it out loud.
“You don’t have the guts?” Knives repeated and before Vash knew it, he was on the ground laughing (something that rarely happened, and only for the cost of others).
“No!” Vash cried out loud, now that it was out.
His laugh faded. “But you’ve always…” Knives stared at his brother’s dramatic face seriously. “Vash, you’re over 130 years old.” He stood up.
“Well, maybe he’s yours! You’re not a ‘mama’s boys’”
“Mine?!”
“Considering we’re brothers and twins, we look a little similar, don’t we?”
“yuck, no! Never! Humans? No!” Knives said disgusted.
Vash’s color was going back to normal.
“Okay, so he’s neither of ours, it’s clarified.” He concluded.
“I suppose, but I still don’t trust him.”
Clint rolled over. He was glad they had clarified things; the last thing he wanted to do was break their trust. Now, he had to gain Knives’.
Taking a deep breath he closed his tired eyes.
*
*
“Breakfast!” Vash cried opening the door. “Rise and shine, no reason to sleep all day!”
Clint scrambled for his sunglasses as Vash neared his bed. Placing them securely on his face, he opened his eyes to see the gunman standing by his bed with an apron on.
“Hope you like waffles!” Vash smiled. “A boy your age should always want waffles!”
“Waffles? I haven’t had good waffles for year, and I’ve heard yours are the best!”
“Really? Now you get to try them!” Vash said and they went down to breakfast.
“Do you have any powdered sugar?” Clint asked.
“You like powdered sugar on them?” Vash asked.
“Yeah, don’t you?”
“Yeah, but I’ve never met anyone else who likes them that way.”
They walked into the kitchen where fluffy waffles were on the table, and Knives was already eating them.
“Knives, guess what? Clint likes them like I do!”
“With powdered sugar?”
“Yup!”
Vash pulled out the white fluff.
“Clint, I’m sorry about what I said yesterday,” Vash apologized once they were sitting down and dishing up. “I’m sure you’d be a great son, but you’re not mine, I didn’t mean to sound upset.”
“It’s fine, I understand, and you’re not my father.”
“It sounded very inconsiderate.”
“Who is your father?” Knives asked.
“He passed away several years ago…” Clint poured syrup on his waffles. “He used to make me waffles too.” He smiled remembering. “But his tasted a little different.”
“I’m sorry,” Vash said concerned.
“Don’t worry about it,” Clint answered finding it hard to look at anything but his waffles.
“I’m okay now,” he lied. “Anyway, my mom tells me that he lives on through me.”
“You have a smart mom,” Vash complimented.
“Very.” Clint agreed.
“Do you have any siblings?” Vash asked.
“No.”
Knives had been staring at him before asking “is there a reason you wear those sunglasses in the house?”
“No, I just like them a lot.”
“Why?”
“Er, my dad gave them to me.”
“I’ll let you guys get ready for the day while I pick up a few things at the market,” Vash stood up. “Then we can go shooting.”
“Sure,” Clint agreed.
“You can use some of my supplies,” Vash invited.
*
*
‘What am I doing?’ Vash wondered on his way to the market. ‘I hardly know him, and I’m going to teach him to use a gun for some tournament that contains who knows what! It’s not like me. I wish there weren’t any guns, and then everything would be safer. He’s just a teen; he needs somewhere to stay; what else can I do? He came all the way to see me anyway. Maybe I helped his parents once…’
Vash gathered his items, and waited in line to pay.
‘There’s nothing to worry about, Clint is a good kid, and he likes my waffles with powdered sugar.’
He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn’t even notice the woman in front of him until he caught her face as she turned to leave, and that’s when it happened.
It was like his whole body and mind had completely forgotten everything but the face, and as a result, his items clattered to the floor.
The woman turned to look, and their eyes locked.
Vash had been praying for this moment to happen for years, but because he had Clint on his mind, he had ruined everything he had planned for by staring into those big beautiful lavender eyes.
She was even more beautiful than before. Her hair was several inches long, just above her shoulders and flipped out at the ends, but still the same lavender color. Her clothes still consisted of the business-like look, but it was a black knee-lengthed skirt, white blouse, and a black business jacket. Her earrings were hoops, and her make-up was much more enhancing. With all this, Vash hadn’t picked her out; he could have been on his way without even noticing her…but those eyes and her height was enough to sum it all up.
Meryl had recognized the gunman instantly, unlike her, he looked exactly the same; he always looked the same.
She wasn’t sure what to say or do or even think. Their good-bye had left her confused, and emotionally weary, but she did exactly what Vash had told her.
“…move on…” She hadn’t heard the words cross her mind in ages, but yet she could remember days where those were the only words that crossed her mind.
It was so awkward; how was she supposed to act?
“Meryl?” Vash asked in a small voice, not even taking a glance at his fallen items scattered around his feet.
Meryl still stared at him. ‘What should I say?’ She wondered. ‘How about ‘Hi?’’
“Hey…Vash…” Meryl replied.
‘Vash, you idiot! You’ve been waiting for this so long, and now all you can do is stare at her!’ Vash shook himself out of his trance. “My supplies were so excited; they jumped out of my arms!”
‘Wow, that was corny,’ they both thought.
"Heh-heh…” Vash put his arm behind his head.
Meryl stared at him, still feeling unsure how to act. ‘He’s laughing like it’s nothing, and yet I’m so uncomfortable…’
“Here, let me help…it’s my fault, I guess.”
Meryl started gathering Vash’s things, feeling the sooner they were picked up, the sooner she could be on her way.
‘That’s fast,’ Vash thought as she handed them to him before he could even object.
“Wow, thanks! You’re speedy.”
Meryl didn’t say anything.
“Hey! You should come over for a while!” Vash suggested as the employee priced his items.
“Well…” Meryl started.
“We obviously have some catching up to do! It would be fun, wouldn’t it?”
“Fun?” Meryl repeated.
“Yeah, well… then again you used to say I gave you heck, and I’m still a walking disaster…but at least I get the name on accident; Knives on- Knives! You can see him too… as long as he doesn’t embarrass me again, he tends to do that.”
Vash grabbed his bags after paying.
“Knives?” Meryl asked, and felt slightly embarrassed she hadn’t even thought of the man who gave Vash the ingredients to “make life heck” in the first place.
“Yeah, but I’m warning you ahead of time, and asking you an apology for his rash behavior, but he’s not all that bad.”
Even with his bags of item, he held the door open for Meryl, feeling like his feet were walking on air.
“It’s not too far from here…” He told her. “Anyway, what are you doing here? On business? What kind? Is Millie here? How is she? How long-“
“One question at a time!” Meryl hollered, distressed, and then added “please” to mellow Vash’s surprise, and then to her surprise, he smiled.
“I’m sorry, I guess I’m overly excited…” Vash looked away. “Haven’t seen you for a long time.”
“I’m passing through here on business to investigate the damages behind the plant in December. I should have suspected to see you. I’m supposed to meet Millie there; it will be her first assignment for nearly a year, so I haven’t seen her for a very long time.”
“Why hasn’t she been working?” Vash asked.
“She got really ill, they didn’t know what was wrong with her so she had to be taken to December for better medical help and technology. She’s doing better now, and will be release when I’m there.”
“I had no idea. That’s awful.” Vash said in dismay. “Poor girl, I’ll have to buy her some pudding.”
Meryl smiled weakly.
“How is she about Wolfwood?”
“Wolfwood?” Meryl asked. It had been years since she had heard the name, she never dared mention him to Millie, but she seemed over it. “She hasn’t talked about him much.”
“That’s good, I suppose. He wouldn’t want her to be sad.”
“No,” Meryl agreed. “He wouldn’t…”
As Meryl listened to Vash, she realized her life was split in two, once included the outlaw, and the other had never known or had nearly forgotten him; almost like she, herself, was split in two as well. It made her sick in a strange way. With every word he said a pit in her stomach was dug deeper.
Didn’t he understand things were different now? Nearly half a decade had passed. She wasn’t surrounded by outlaws anymore, she wasn’t emotionally stressed anymore…she didn’t even know who Vash the Stampede was anymore, nor the violet-haired insurance girl that followed him entranced by his soul. Too much had happened since then, and it wasn’t that she didn’t want to be friends with Vash anymore, but was she even friends with him? Well, yes, she must be, she’s walking with him, but…unable to tell him anything of what was her everything.
“This is it!” Vash announced the ting house that could easily be passed or ignored if you weren’t too careful.
“You’re living here?” Asked Meryl, who had always known Vash to constantly travel.
“I’m renting it, but we’ll be out by the end of the month. Knives doesn’t like hotel or motels.”
They walked inside, and Meryl carefully sat down across form him.
"There must be a lot to tell me, I want to know everything about how life has been treating you." Vash said.
“Well...um...”
“What’s with the new style? I like it.”
“Thought I would try something new, you know, start over?”
“Wow, how’s Bernardeli these days?”
“Busy…” Meryl looked anywhere but him.
“So where are you going again?”
“To the plant disruption.”
“Oh yeah… it was really bad, wasn’t it?” Vash asked sadly. “Lots of people died and no one knows what happened. They say the plant was fine, and the next moment it was completely out of control. I knew something was wrong, I could sense it from clear out here, so could Knives, we both woke up. I’d be there now if we weren’t staying in a house.”
Meryl didn’t know what to say, but yet was angry at Vash for putting her in such an awkward position.
“Did they ever find out what was wrong with Millie?”
“I suppose, if she is going to be released.”
Vash wasn’t satisfied with Meryl’s lack of knowledge.
“I hope she’s all right,” Vash thought out loud.
“Yeah…” Meryl glanced at the clock.
“Er- you know, Knives and I were planning to go to December, once our rent is off- in a few days. If you wanted to…”
How could he say such things? After he just blew her off, and now he’s asking to travel with her? How could anyone be so spontaneous?
“We could go togeth-“
“Maw- Meryl?”
They turned to see Clint standing in the room.
'Isn’t that just like Vash?' Meryl thought, 'to have a son, and not even tell her? He was right when he said he was a waste of her time. Now he has to worry about a teen. Well, he deserves it! What if I had stayed with him, then what?'
Despite her conflicting thoughts, she was acting completely different.
“You have a kid?” She asked.
“Oh, no, no!” They both said.
“Clint didn’t have a place to stay, so he’s here for now.”
“Oh…” ‘Like I’m going to believe that garbage. He’s full of it! They’re nearly identical.’
Then just as spontaneous as Vash, Clint gasped, “you’re married?!” and suddenly appeared at her side with her hand in his. He stared at the diamond, and then whirled around to Vash.
“Don’t look at me!” Vash cried, bewildered.
“To who?!” Clint asked.
Meryl took her hand away, now it was beginning to make sense, they had it planned…‘but Vash never felt that way about me… He doesn’t want to take care of Clint. That Butthole!’
“Engaged,” Meryl corrected, bitterly.
It sunk into Vash, and there was suddenly a hole in his stomach as he recalled all of Meryl’s actions he had been too excited to notice.
“That’s wonderful,” Vash said, “he must be a great guy.”
Meryl looked up at Vash, and if she was the Meryl she used to be, she would have noticed the sadness in the voice.
“When is it? I sure hope I’m invited.”
Meryl, feeling confused, stumbled out the words. “Five months from yesterday…”, and then she hesitated, she hadn’t planned to invite Vash, and now she was caught between two forces. She could just see the chaos; refreshments scattered on the floor, punch on her aunt’s new dress, her bouquet in ruins, and Vash still trying to pursue her cousin with a big red mark across his face, while her husband stared at her with those unsure, but entertained eyes. She hadn’t told him anything about Vash…at least not much…
“Yes, of course you’re invited,” Meryl said.
“Great! Where is it?”
“It’s at the church in Taylor valley…”
“What’s his name?”
“Charles Glenning.”
“Charles and Meryl Glenning. It has a nice ring.”
“Charles Glenning?” Clint repeated.
“I’ll be there,” Vash promised. “I’m sure I’ll hear all about him when we- well, if you want to go to December together.”
‘Why is he torturing me?’ Meryl wondered. Of course she could say “no”, but even when he was so excited, and interested in her life (and yet she didn’t want to care about his)?
“Yes, we’ll do that.”
“Really? It will be wonderful! I can see Millie too!”
Meryl numbly nodded.
“Vash, are you wearing my blue underwear again?” Knives’ voice rang.
“What?!” Vash bellowed, going red as he felt Meryl’s eyes on him.
“Are you?”
Vash went redder and fell to the floor. ‘Oh, he’s so cruel,’ he thought. ‘He’s only making this up to embarrass me.’ “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“Don’t play games!” Knives entered the room in a black robe.
Meryl stared at him, a sick feeling growing in her. He was the one who put them through heck, and he was standing in the same room as her…although she hadn’t ever thought she’d see him in a black robe yelling at Vash about blue underwear, but somehow it was almost more horrifying.*
“You’re the one playing games,” Vash frowned.
Knives ignored him, and moved on. “When I told you to get another insurance girl, I was only joking.”
“You’re joking so much, more than half the time I can’t believe you,” Vash grumbled.
“I’m impressed; she’s a lot prettier than the last two insurance girls.”
Meryl didn’t know if she could take it as a compliment coming from him.*
“And that one was really bossy.” Knives remarked.
A sweatdrop appeared on Vash.
And this line would be where Millie would ask “you had other insurance girls?”, but considering she wasn’t with Meryl, it was skipped.
“Knives, this is Meryl Stryfe”
“Oh, my mistake,” he smirked. “I thought you didn’t want her around.” He added.
“Of course I want her around! She’s my friend!”
“Oh yeah, she’s the one you got mixed up with when you ran into any other violet-headed women…or men.”
“It was only a man once!” Vash argued, and the words were out before he could stop himself. “How often do you run into violet-headed men anyway?”
“If you hadn’t been the one to send her away, I’d have thought you like her.”
Meryl waited for Vash’s answer, even though a part of her already knew he hadn't felt that way about her as she had for him…but that moment never came…
“Now I remember, my underwear is in the dryer,” Knives said thoughtfully, and left the room.
Vash subconsciously groaned.