Open Door

 “These are delicious!” I watched Vash bite into yet another donut.

“Wow, Mr. Vash, that’s twice as many as you normally buy!” Millie indicated.

“It’s a celebration!” He bit into another one. It was a wonder how he could eat so many.

“Oh is it your birthday?” Millie questioned.

Vash looked at her with bulging cheeks, something I found rather disgusting, but he never seemed to care.

‘And this man is the outlaw with 60 billion double dollars on his head?’ That face and attitude is enough to make most anyone sick. I could barely stand him myself.

He tried to answer, but a loud muffling sound was all that was heard. ‘Disgusting,’ I thought annoyed. He was anything but a gentleman! Well....there have been a few times when he’s tried to act like (what he thinks) a gentleman, like when he’s on one of his short skirt-chasing shopping sprees.

“No, but from the looks of it, I think it might rain.”

“That’s amazing!” Millie rejoiced.

Vash seemed to realize something. “Do you even know what rain is?”

“No, but it sounds terrific!” Millie answered happily.

Vash looked at her slightly confused.

“So what is it?” Millie asked.

“It’s when water falls from the clouds,” he explained, pointing up at the grey clouds.

I had never seen them this grey before, but imagining water fall from them didn’t seem realistic.

“Millie, don’t listen to him, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about... like usual...” I advised.

“Really?” She asked, clearly not listening to me.

He nodded happily. “Although I’ve only seen it once, it happens.”

“And you think it will happen again?”

“Possibly.”

I was surrounded by idiots. Vash’s imagination and Millie’s gullibility took their tow as their talk continued. ‘Rain....please....’ I rolled my eyes, listening to them. “Come on, Millie, we have more important things to do.”

“But Meryl...”

“You can’t possibly believe that nonsense,” I said, walking ahead of them.

Splat!

I stopped in my tracks. A cool wetness slide down my nose. ‘It couldn’t be’ I thought. I brushed my hand over it and beheld a glossy moist streak spread across my palm. It was water. Only a small drop of it had hit me.

Splat!

Another one hit my head. ‘There’s no way that nutcase was right,’ I told myself, looking at the dark clouds. Their color was the color of smoke from a fire, They looked strangely thick and reminded me of a stretched out, grey, cotton ball.

I saw a drop fall to the dry land. The wet dirt crumbled as it devoured the rain- ‘no, it was just a drop of water,’ I reminded myself. ‘That came from the clouds!’

More fell to the ground.

‘Please don’t tell me that broom head was right!’ I pleaded within myself, but there was no denying it, it was raining.

“It’s raining!” Millie announce excited.

I watched Vash tilt his head back, and open his big mouth as one fell into it.

“Wow, Mr. Vash,” Millie said in envy.

“This is the purest water anyone can get.” Vash said, moving around with his mouth open, trying to catch another one. Millie followed his idea.

I felt a sweat drop cling to me, they looked like freshly hatched birds groveling for food.

“You should try this Meryl!” Millie invited.

“Over my dead body,” I mumbled under my breath, catching some of the stares they were receiving from townsfolk, although some youngsters copied their idea. ‘You two are pathetic’ I thought as they started bumping into children.

“Whoops, sorry.” Vash said over a dozen times until he decided they needed to move their party elsewhere. “I know the perfect spot!” He declared, gripping his bag of donuts.

Millie and I found ourselves following the outlaw away from the town and onto a tall hill. This trip only took a few minutes as each of us were sprinkled with the tears of the sky.

The air was strangely moist, more moist than it’s ever been and a sweet essence from the rain welcomed us. Yet even as the rain soaked my clothes, I could hardly believe it was raining.

I couldn’t help feeling lucky as it gently touched my skin. Seeing rain could be a once in a lifetime event. Vash has only seen it one other time in his whole life and he’s been around six times longer than I have.

I sat down on a rock and looked out over the town. The buildings were shadowed and wet. I fell into a reverie as I listened to Vash and Millie come up with new ideas on how to catch the rain.

“Meryl, come have some rain.” The words sounded funny as I came back to reality. “It tastes pretty good!” Vash tempted.

I didn’t say anything.

After a few moments he slumped down next to me. Splotches of mud had gathered on his redcoat from the many times he had slipped in it. His sun painted hair was shining with rain, it was slightly messy and water streamed off pieces of it and continued down his forehead. His clean skin glistened from being wet and his mint green eyes were windows to his soul. I had learned if you really looked at them, they could show his feelings... more so than any other eyes I had ever seen.

“Where’s Millie?” I asked, realizing she was gone.

“She went to buy some pudding to celebrate.” He answered happily.

“Oh...” I turned away from him as my buried feelings started to dig out. I didn’t want to look at his face which made me have to admit the truth.

“Something bothering you?” He asked from my reactions.

‘Yeah you’ I wanted to say, but couldn’t to that face of his.

“Want my last donut?” He asked. “It’s a little soggy, but it’s still good.”

“No thanks.” I subconsciously looked at him.

“Okay, but they’re pretty tasty!” He put down the wet paper bag.

I hated him. His often happy personality, his gentle voice that talked sweetly, his blond spiky hair, his read coat, the smell of rain stained on him and even his mint green eyes I hated. I knew this hate I directed to him should be directed to the real source that bother me: myself. My feelings for him. How could he awaken these feeling inside me no one else could? I’ve hated him for it. I couldn’t see how this “broom head” could unburry the feelings I’ve tried to dig a grave for. I’ve tried everything, and when I think they’re gone, he decides to prove me wrong by unlocking them. How could he be so mean to me? And why am I the only one to fall victim to...him?

I’ve come to only like the smell of gunpowder because it reminds me of him...and maybe occasionally tomato juice or even his hair gel. Maybe it’s lame of me to say I could probably go in a store and find the right brand just by me smelling them.

His kind innocent voice draws you in like a thick shake through a straw, slowly, but sweet. The sound of it when you’re in danger, is a beacon in the dark.

And his image....his image is one that I can’t ever forget, like how a child can’t forget candy. It’s an image that stands for something, a symbol for endurance and determination, for dedication and courage, a deep meaningful image. But....but under that black suit he’s covered with rough skin, brutally scarred and plated-all over- indents and metal, dips like craters, but it doesn’t frighten me...because underneath it, he’s not hard, dry or rough, maybe cracked-what am I saying ‘maybe?’ Heck, he’s shattered! But yet... his soul feels smooth and soft, but still needs mending...

His eyes met mine and showed a different meaning then I had seen before. His gaze into my eyes felt slightly overwhelming. Not the type of look he normally gave me, this went deeper. Although it wasn’t expected, I didn’t take it offensive since he looked so innocent there...it seemed...more of a question or an open door for me.

A wanting grew within me. My feelings of affection seemed to increase as his eyes gave me a cool clean crisp feeling, that I didn’t know was there. The yearning to be with him was stronger than ever in my soul but my mind seemed to think differently. I don’t know what’s hidden away in him that I find attractive. What is it that makes me drawn to him? As I asked myself this question, my soul seemed to know the answer: I love him.

‘Why was it him? Out of all people, why did it have to be this donut-loving, skirt-chasing outlaw that I found myself criticizing?’ I thought, ‘why was it the man I was so mean to...? Why is he looking at me like this? I’m not the kind of girl he chases...I’m just the insurance girl...and if he’s trying to make me into something else–! I’m not going to let him use he like some tool to fulfill his desires!’ Anger brewed in me at the idea. ‘He can’t get the girl he wants so he’s trying to dazzle me and bit by bit he’ll lead me into his trap...how could he treat me this way? So...so...’ but I knew that he wasn’t thinking that. His face is too innocent. ‘Is it possible he... he..’

I couldn’t finish the thought as he leaned towards me, his soft eyes peacefully closing as my soul fell into his trap. I wasn’t fully aware of what I was doing, I was lost in the desire to express my love to him as I closed my eyes.

I felt his cool wet bangs brush against my forehead, drops of water trickled off them onto my face. The smell of gunpowder and rain was radiant and I felt the drops hit me on my head, shoulder and back. His skin was slightly cold and felt like silk as he kissed me.

As crazy as it sounds, it felt so right. It seemed so orderly, like the next page in a book, the next episode in a series. How could I deny it? It was the way it needed to be....

I felt myself blush at the same he did and we both sheepishly turned away. It was just a simple kiss on the lips, but I still went red, maybe because to me it meant more than that.

He didn’t try to press this moment any further, he didn’t come back for anything more, instead I heard him mutter “sorry...it slipped...”

I found myself unable to end this awkward moment, I couldn’t bring myself to slap him. The words “sorry is slipped” seemed to be embedded into me. Did it slip because he feels the same way I do? Does he like me? Or did it slip because of how lonely he must be?

“I’m going to go look for Millie, she’s taking a long time.” I said, finding another way to end this.

I got up and took a few steps.

I stopped and turned around. Vash had his elbows on his knees and was resting his forehead in his palms. He seemed to be in deep thought and a look of self-criticism was on him.

“Vash, I...”

He looked at me and I couldn’t finish. Instead I made a fool of myself by staring at him and subconsciously giving him a half smile, which he returned with his own. That’s when I realized my actions and turned around before he could see me blush again.

I continued walking as the rain continued falling.