Chapter One / Six
Knives groaned and rolled his head to the side. It hurt -his head that is- it felt like someone was pounding blunt nails into his temples with a sledgehammer. He groaned again and felt a cool damp cloth being placed on his forehead. He slowly opened his eyes to see what was going on but the light blinded him sending another lighting bolt of pain throughout his body.
“Don… just… sleep… feel better.” He heard a voice muffled and fuzzy, unfamiliar yet comforting at the same time. He was only too happy to obey the gentle words and fall back into the gauze trimmed world of his subconscious mind.
(~~~~~)
The second time Knives awoke wasn’t as bad as the first yet it wasn’t much better either. The sun was far too bright and every muscle in his body screamed at him in protest. The ache of fever ran through his body, making causing him to burn and freeze at the same time. The only slightly pleasurable sensation was the cool breeze of air that dried the sweat from his body.
“You feel better?” a soft yet firm voice rose from somewhere in the room. Knives turned his head -or at least tried to- yet another bolt of pain forced him to bare his teeth and content himself to turn only one eye in the direction of the sound. A woman stood in the doorway. Her soft dirty blonde hair hanging loosely across her shoulders, few of the silky strands where whisping in the gentle breeze that came in through a open window that someone had opened in an attempt to cool the room. She gave him one good look over before ambling up to the bed and placing a hand on his head. Knives was too sick to try to pull away.
“Well the fever is down but you still have to stay in bed. Your brother Vash just about killed himself; he was up all the time by your bed for about three days. He is asleep now…” She pulled back the blankets that covered his torso and checked the bandages. For the first time she looked into his eyes. Crystal Blue into dark pools of bluish-gray.
“Thirsty?” She asked.
Knives was. His throat felt like sandpaper and his tongue felt like it was comprised solely of dust. Bu he sure as hell wasn’t going to say such a thing to a human.
“No.” it sounded more like a raspy cirrus of air rather than a word.
“Of course you are.” The woman said with a soft smile. Pouring the water from a blue porcelain jug into a smaller more drinking efficient glass and sat down on the bed beside his head. “This might hurt a little…. But live with it okay?” She picked him up gently and cradled his head in her lap, she raised a glass to his lips. “Are you going to drink?” she asked politely.
‘I will kill this girl.’ Knives thought to him self as she tilted the glass for him to drink. He drank greedily, drowning the whole glass in a matter of seconds. She poured him another, and another until he had quenched his thirst. Then she laid his head down on the pillow once more. She sat back and pushed her hair behind her ear then repeated the question.
“You feel better Knives?” she asked. He snorted and said nothing. She smiled at him, but for some reason it made his heart ache. Her smile was so… sad and full of pain. The pain also reached her blue-gray eyes. It seemed as though she was carrying some amazing burden she couldn’t bring herself to share with the world. Had he caused her so much hurt?
‘Serves the human right.’ He thought to himself smugly, and almost immediately felt sick about it.
“I’m…. fine.” He whispered softly. After he spoke she smiled, genuinely, and something flickered behind her eyes that he couldn’t quite understand.
“Why yes you are!” she said-eyes sparkling- before she got up and left the room.
Knives was somewhat surprised by her sudden burst of energy. But what really disturbed him was him feeling sick when the thought of her as a stupid human. He snorted dismissing the idea as a side effect of the fever and the fact that he was sick.
But a feeling of regret kept nagging at him in the back of his mind, and despite the fact every part of his body wanted it, he had trouble falling asleep.
(~~~~~)
He didn’t see the strange woman for the rest of that day. Instead those two strange human females who kept following his brother took care of him. Changing bandages and feeding him despite his protests… and death threats.
He learned through listening to the two girls babble that the woman’s Name was Gabrielle and that she was an old friend of Vash. She had taken care of his brother more than a few times throughout his travels and that they had become close friends over the years.
He ate. Only because if he didn’t Millie would point her gun at his arm and threaten to shoot him in every non-vital spot including where the-sun-don’t-shine if he didn’t. During the precious few times he was alone he would think of the woman Gabrielle and get angry at himself for speaking to her. But then he remembered the pain in her eyes when he looked into hers and his anger would dwindle into a small spark and extinguish itself. He didn’t know why but somehow the pain reminded him of himself. Somewhat lost and alone in the world. After turning the thought over in his head countless times, he would eventually fall asleep.
(~~~~~)
He awoke the next morning when he felt a soft hand on his forehead. He opened his eyes to see Gabrielle leaning over him, checking his temperature. Her eyes where hidden by a fall of her dark chestnut colored hair.
“You don’t have a temperature. But you still have to stay in bed.” She told him softly. “I don’t want the fever to come back. You nearly died twice from it.” She stated flatly, pushing her hair behind her ear. “Thirsty?” She asked him. Knives nodded slightly.
She gently pulled him up into a sitting position. Apparently the woman was much stronger than her slender figure made her out to be. But she didn’t pour him any of the water. “You aren’t to sick to say please.” She told him with a smile.
Knives was taken aback, the mere idea of him saying please to her? Who did this human think she was? He pinched his lips together defiantly, like a child who refused to take his medicine. She simply raised an eyebrow, leaning slightly to pour a glass of water into the cup that sat on the nightstand before placing the pitcher back down beside it.
“I know you have your pride but say it.” She ordered. Knives shook his head.
“Knives you are a stubborn hard-headed ass. Now go back to sleep.” She said with a smile. “When you decide to be polite then I’ll give you some water.” Without another word she walked out of the room.
Knives seethed where he sat. Not only did this human treat him like a baby she was ordering him around! He growled to himself. He wasn’t that thirsty. He would wait until Meryl or Millie came in. And to think he was actually feeling…. somewhat sorry for her being a pathetic little human.
But Meryl and Millie never came.
Gabrielle was the only person who came in and out of the room that whole day. But what really got on his nerves was the fact that she seemed so damned nonchalant! Every time she would come in and hum as she checked his bandages, or tidied up around the room.
By mid afternoon he had enough.
Gabrielle was sitting next to the bed reading when he finally gave in. His face was red and he had trouble choking out the words.
“May I pl…. Plee….. May I please have some water?” he growled. Gabrielle didn’t even look up as she reached over to the nightstand and picked up a glass of water and handed it to him.
“Want more?” she asked him. Eyes still glued to the book. Knives shook his head still seething. This sickness was making him soft.
There was a nock at the door.
“Gabrielle?” Meryl came into the room. “Vash is waking up.” she nodded and closed the book.
“Thanks Mer. Will you stay with Knives for a little bit?” Meryl nodded and took her place in the chair as the other woman exited.
“Your lucky to have her as your doctor.” Meryl said with a smile. “After her parents died she traveled to lots of different places studying medicine.” She tugged at a bandage that was in need of changing. “I guess she was six or seven then.” Knives looked her in the eye and she flinched a little.
Even at rest he reminded her of a monster. ‘At least some things never change.’ he thought to himself, as they sat in silence, the only noise was the clock on the wall idly counting the minutes.
Then after what seemed like an eternity they heard footsteps, and Gabrielle walked into the room with some bloody bandages. Meryl paled at the sight of Vash’s blood, Knives simply felt his stomach shift a few feet. Seeming to understand what they where thinking Gabrielle nodded looking tired.
“He’ll be fine but he was muttering something about donuts.” Meryl bolted out of the room Leaving Knives and Gabrielle alone in the. She threw the bandages in the trash and pulled a roll of fresh ones out from a dresser drawer before walking over to Knives.
“Is it okay? I know you don’t like people touching you but I need to change your bandages.” The words were barely more than a whisper. Knives snorted and nodded although he really didn’t care either way.
What is the deal with this human? Happy one minute and then all mopey the next? He vaguely remembered Rem saying something about PMS at one point in time. ‘I’ll never understand humans.’ he thought to himself.
Gabrielle untied and unwrapped the bandage that covered a bullet hole in his arm. Running a long slender finger around the perfect hole she sighed, pushing her long tresses behind her ear revealing the smooth curve of her neck.
The soft touch of her skin against his made the flesh of his arm feel warm and Knives couldn’t understand why. She was so gentle with him. But weren’t all humans supposed to be brash, harsh, pain inflicting things who cared for nothing but themselves? Who felt for nothing but themselves? But she seemed different. Didn’t she know that he had killed thousands of her kind? That he could easily kill her once he felt up to it?
“Why?” he asked.
“Hmmm?” she asked tying off the new bandage and turning her attention to the wounds on his torso. “Why are you helping me? Don’t you even have the slightest clue about the things that I’ve done to your kind? “She pulled her eyes away from her work for a few moments and looked at him. The only emotion that occupied her face was confusion.
“I had no idea you could speak more than one sentence at a time. But in response to your question: Yes I know what you did. I’m helping you because your Vash’s brother, and even if you weren’t related to him, you are still a living creature even if you are not human. Furthermore no matter what that person has done. Everyone deserves a second chance to turn their life around.” She let out a huff of air, and pushed her hair back behind her ear again before tapping him on the shoulder.
“Now if you can could you lie on your side? This bandage is at a award angle.” Obediently Knives rolled over, thankful that he could no longer see her face.
Everyone deserves another chance? Gee that sounded familiar. But for some reason it didn’t sound so dull witted coming from her.
He forced back a smile, her fingers where tickling his back.
Chapter Two / Six
The next two weeks passed by in a haze of bandages, meals, and short conversation. Knives could walk now but Gabrielle would not let him leave his room. Vash was up and running around, acting stupid. Seeing as how Meryl had been clucking over him the entire time he was sick it was no surprise that he was in such a hurry to get up and moving again.
Knives also wanted to get the hell out of this mad house. At least that was the feeling he was trying so desperately to project to those around him. In truth he was confused. He had nowhere to go now. Vash kept telling him that they could travel together again and babbled constantly about all the places they would see. However Knives didn’t have any desire to travel, at least not at the moment. He needed time, he needed to think.
It seemed to him that when he went to sleep he was in one world and when he woke up he had somehow managed to materialize into a different world entirely. Everything he had known or thought he knew had somehow changed and shifted. Humans where supposed to be evil and a threat to his kind. It was true; however, his people were still used his like slaves but Gabrielle, Meryl and Millie didn’t seem evil. Even Meryl had stopped flinching when she looked at him.
He was sure that Vash hated him and the humans where trying to break them apart. But Vash constantly visited him and talked till he gave Knives a headache until he was actually relieved when one of the women came in and informed Vash as politely as they could that Knives was still healing and needed to rest.
And at one point he had known humans wanted nothing to do with his kind. But every night Gabrielle would come into his room and talk with him, the conversation was always about something different and usually pointless. The birds, how a woman came in for a checkup because she was pregnant, How the price of water might go up, and other mundane things.
Once time they talked about the Plants. But for some reason did not surprise him when she said that humans should find a way to take care of themselves without the plants. Which led to another topic about how she and some other people where trying to find a way for humans to power the plants themselves and make it optional for those who inhabited the plants to stay or leave them. If she and the engineering teams were correct in their research it would open up new jobs for humans and give plants the chance to live there own lives.
In some ways… in many ways Gabrielle reminded him of Rem but there were also drastic differences between the two. Unlike Rem Gabrielle had a volatile temper that when let loose could cause mass destruction. He had seen her rave about the price of water skyrocketing until Vash had finally managed to calm her down. She had a firm stance against violent acts but also admitted that she would be more than willing to pick up a gun in self defense. Only when absolutely necessary of course, one night she had spoken to him about her having to shoot a man in order to save a woman and her child, but when she said it she couldn’t look him in the eye.
A tear had trickled down one soft cheek and Knives put his hand on hers, surprising the both of them with his action. This was the first time he had ever voluntarily touched her. The idea of touching her didn’t bother him. He felt as though he could trust Gabrielle. They where…. friends. He didn’t want her to be upset.
Knives sighed and leaned back on his pillow. He didn’t feel like himself anymore. He felt as though a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He felt some what… free?
He still hated humans in general. But even he had to admit that there where some good ones. Maybe the sickness had made him soft. But if he hadn’t then he would never have listened to a word that Gabrielle had said to him. He might have even killed her once he had gotten the strength to do so. That thought made him shiver. He would never hurt Gabrielle, or Meryl or Millie. He could still kill other humans but not them. They had taken the time to understand him. He would never do anything to hurt them.
Never.
(~~~~~)
Knives stood in the town of July and watched the flames illuminate the bodies that filled the streets, limbs crisscrossing and tangled. The entire city was ablaze with fire, and the humans that had filled it were nothing more than carrion. With a twisted laugh he raised his angel arm at the only people who still stood–couple with a baby. As The energy began to build he laughed even louder, the couple disappeared in a blaze of flame. They had shielded the baby sacrificing themselves to save the small child.
*tech* Knives leveled the gun at the child and felt the energy reach its peak.
Suddenly the baby wasn’t a baby anymore. Gabrielle stared at him with her calm blue-gray eyes. They held nothing but contempt.
Realizing what he was about to do he screamed at his body to stop, but it wouldn’t respond. He screamed at her to run. She stood her ground, fists clenched and eyes unblinking, as if daring him to strike her down.
“YOU IDIOT!” he screamed. “RUN! I CANT STOP IT! RUN DAMMIT GABRIELLE!!!!”
(~~~~~)
Knives awoke with a muffled scream. Cold sweat bathed his naked back and his breathing came out in terrified rasps. He hadn’t been this terrified sense he was a child. Soft footsteps came from across the room and before he was completely aware of the world around him Vash was sitting on the bed beside him.
“Knives are you okay?” he asked in a hushed voice. Knives nodded shakily, a silent lie. That dream had scared the shit out of him.
It had seemed so real.
“Bad dream.”
“Oh.” Vash gave him a worried look. “You look kind of pale… are you sure you’re alright?” He asked again.
“Vash what happened to Gabrielle’s parents?” Vash seemed somewhat taken aback by the question.
“Uh.. well… I never thought to ask. It’s something of a soft spot for her, and I never really thought about it.” He looked at his brother and finally patted him on the knee. “Don’t worry about it though, whatever happened is in the past now. Just go back to sleep. We have work tomorrow.” Knives raised an eyebrow.
“Work?”
“Yeah Katherine said you are in good shape now so I told her we would patch the roof.” Vash said with a sleepy smile.
“Now go to sleep.” Vash walked back to his side of the room and flopped onto the bed. He was asleep in a matter of seconds.
Knives looked over at his twin. He seemed so content with life and a part of him that he had thought dead and buried rose up inside of him. It was reason. He had always known that he had been jealous of Vash because he was always so happy and content with everything around him, and because he could get put in the worst possible position and make do with it. He had always been Rem’s favorite. Maybe that’s one of the reasons he was always so bitter. Out of the only people who were supposed to care about him when he was a child he had always second, or nothing at all.
After awhile he began to resent Rem for it. And in time hate her. Because Vash would spend more time with her than him and once that happened he would be all alone. That was what Knives had always feared. Being alone. Now that he had friends that he felt he could reach out to and care for he was… happy?
“Is that what that feeling is?” He asked himself. He liked the feeling. He hadn’t felt it in a long time. Smiling at the simple idea of being happy Knives closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.
(~~~~~)
The sun beat down on the twins from all directions. Knives didn’t mind though. The sun was life. They had woken up early to patch the roof, which was in a horrid state of disrepair. The old shingles where rotting, the majority of them had been blown off in sandstorms. In truth the entire thing could stand to be redone completely. But Gabrielle had said that a doctors office wasn’t supposed to be made to be pretty.
Knives reached for the shirt that he had long sense taken off and wiped the sweat from his face. Vash; however left his shirt on. Knives felt a pang of regret because he knew exactly why his brother had no desire to remove his shirt in public. Despite Gabrielle removing the metal braces from his chest and back, there apparently was a reasonable limit to the amount of scars a man could carry on his body before human women found them disturbing.
Eventually Meryl came out with two large glasses of lemonade and the boys descended carefully down the Ladder, which eventually crashed because the two had forgotten that someone was supposed to hold the ladder in place while the other climbed down.
“VASH YOU IDOT!”
“KNIVES YOU BLOCKHEAD!!” The two young men jumped on top of one another and wrestled each other into the dirt.
“Say uncle!” Knives snarled with fake malice as he got Vash into a headlock.
“Never!” Vash twisted out of Knives headlock and pinned Knives and tickled him Knives swatted halfheartedly at Vash’s arms and laughed for him to quit.
Gabrielle and Millie returned from the store just in time to see Vash sit down on his brother’s back, effectively pinning him.
“Now you say uncle!” Vash said laughing. Knives could have easily bucked Vash off but he felt like playing along. He hadn’t felt like this in over a century.
“Don’t make me get the hose you to!” Gabrielle said with a grin as she walked into the house. “Lunch will be ready soon so why don’t ya’ll go wash up.” Smiled at one another and changed the argument over who got to use the shower first.
(~~~~~)
Meryl looked up from the large pot of stew she had been cooking and grinned at the other two women. Millie was making some kind of casserole whereas Gabrielle was in charge of the large bird that was on a large cooking spit in the fire place.
“Gabrielle what do you think of Knives?” she asked suddenly. Millie simply giggled and stirred the continue in her large bowl faster. Gabrielle looked thoughtful for a moment before turning the bird slowly.
“I think he is a nice guy. He might have been misguided before, but… I don’t know. He seems perfectly nice to me. I find it hard to believe that he did the things he did. It’s just….” she looked down at the bird for a moment her eyes seemed to be staring at something far away.
“What?” Meryl asked concerned.
“His… his memory… I never said anything before because I wasn’t sure… I… I don’t think that it was Knives who was doing those things. I mean it was Knives but something else was making him do it. Something deep within his memory. When Vash shot him and brought him back. A part of his mind blocked itself out. Kind of like a self defense reflex. It’s like giving yourself amnesia, crippling one part to save the whole with the hope you’ll heal.
He remembers what he did, but the part of him that did it is… ‘asleep’. But the thing is it might come back and consume him again… But again I’m not so sure… it is possible that he has made a full mental turn around but I’ve never heard of anyone doing so in such a short amount of time. I… I just hope… I hope that I’m wrong…” Gabrielle was shaking shedding her calm happy composure. She cared deeply about Knives, and even if she didn’t know it or notice the two women who occupied the room with her did.
Gabrielle took a deep breath and straitened her composure just as the front door slammed.
“Dinners almost ready!” Millie yelled. Looking worriedly at Gabrielle who begin to walk toward the bathroom.
“Gabi!” Millie called. Gabrielle slowly turned and faced Millie. “Don’t worry it will all work out. The goddess of Love looks after those who smile! So don’t let her catch you frowning!” Gabrielle looked confused for a moment before turning a bright red and hurrying out of the room.
(~~~~~)
It was late and the others had retired to there rooms for the night. Gabrielle however lay on the not quite finished roof and looked at the stars. The moon was in view tonight and shining down on Gunsmoke with its silver rays that turned the desert sand something of a light blue.
She breathed in the cool night air and held it greedily in her lungs for a few moment before letting it out in a soft white cloud of steam. She shivered. It was cold. It was also ironic how a place that was so hot in the day could be so cold at night.
“Gabrielle?” A masculine voice called from the other side of the roof. She looked over.
Knives.
In the silver moonlight he looked like some kind of god. The light created a aura around his entire body and some of the light bounced off his hair and gave him a kind of halo. His aqua blue eyes shone in the silver light and were filled with dry amusement. He looked beautiful.
Gabrielle blushed at the thoughts that crossed her mind. She knew she… liked him a little more than as a friend. It was hard not to. He was so open and polite to her. Well he was now anyway. And he was helpful, and he listened to her talk, even when she rambled on and on about things that couldn’t be interesting to him in the least…. but she knew that she couldn’t hope for the same feelings from him. She knew he thought of her as a friend at the moment she was content to be nothing more than that.
“Mind if I sit with you?” He asked softly. She scooted over. and he sat down beside her, His thigh brushing against her own. She forced herself not to stare at him.
Normally he probably wouldn’t sit so close to her but seeing as how they were squashed between two bundles of shingles there wasn’t much choice. Gabrielle had to admit though, was glad she had chosen this spot, she didn’t know when she would have the opportunity to be that close to him again.
They sat in a pleasant quietness for a few moments before Knives began speaking.
“Gabi…..” Knives begin. “I want to….thank you.” Gabrielle looked at him and cocked her head to the side.
“Gee I didn’t think dinner was that good.” she said with a smile. Knives simply blushed and coughed.
“No I mean… for everything. Taking care of me. I know I was an ass. But also for helping me learn that humans aren’t all bad. I know that there are still bad people in the world but… When I met you…” he paused for a moment, thinking. “It did more than Rem telling me over and over about life and Vash pleading with me for the sake of humans. You took the reins and pulled. You didn’t tell me or spout idealism you showed me that people can be good and caring. You listened to me all the way through before telling me I was wrong, and for that I wanted to thank you thank you. Even if… you where right about the amnesia thing. I couldn’t forget what you did for me.”
Then Knives did an amazing thing. He picked up her hand and kissed it like a prince does to a princess in the movies.
Gabrielle shook as tears begin to brim in her eyes. He knew? He had over heard them talking in the kitchen? She let out a sob and buried her face in her hands. She had never been one to cry, not sense her parents…
Knives wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly as her thin body shook as she sobbed.
“I’m sorry Knives! I tried to help you but I couldn’t! Sooner or later its going to resurface and I cant do anything about it! My god Knives I’m so sorry!” She cried into his chest helplessly as he rand his hand up and down her back.
Knives lost track of time as he held her in his arms, shushing her and rocking her like a child until she had calmed. Once she had let everything out, he took her to her room and pulled the covers around her as she fell asleep. For a long time after that, he watched the steady rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, his hand still holding hers. His heart felt like someone was squeezing it as he looked at her tear stained cheeks.
He stroked her cheek gently with a slender finger. Then kissed it softly. “As long as I live you will never cry again.” he promised. “Never.”
Chapter Three / Six
It was July again, blazing with flames. As always Gabrielle stood in front of Knives as his angel arm continued to gather strength and power, intent only on destroying everything around him and not responding to his body’s desperate attempts to stop the inevitable from happening.
++ Go on Kill her. ++ a voice inside of his head commanded. ++ Its what you want. She’s made you weak. Kill her and free yourself Knives. Give into your true nature. KILL HER! ++
The only reply he was able to muster was a scream of rage and anguish just as the energy surged forth from the angel arm and destroyed the city around him. All the while, the voice inside of his head simply laughed in a low, mocking tone.
(~~~~~)
Knives awoke with a strangled gasp.
“That dream…..” He choked out. It was occurring more and more often now and the persistence of his subconscious was starting to scare the shit out of him.
That thought forced out a short nervous laugh. Him. Scared.
But he couldn’t deny the plain and simple fact that he was in fact terrified. At first the dream came once every few days. Then in dabs hear and there, but now it haunted him every night and Knives couldn’t help but wonder if it was some kind of message of things to come.
He had known Gabrielle was right. A part of his brain had shut down. He knew he wasn’t in his right mind when he had blown up July, or when he had fought Vash two months ago. But he couldn’t tell that to Gabrielle who already felt responsible because that part of him still existed somewhere deep inside of him.
He kicked off the covers and walked to the window, throwing open the shutters so that the first rays of morning sunlight shone into the room. Vash and Meryl had moved into the small home next to Gabrielle’s a few month’s ago. The need to move in with one another had come around when Meryl had cornered Vash with the news that she was pregnant, and that she damn well wasn’t going to be unmarried when it came time for her to give birth. Vash who was both ecstatic and terrified at the news finally got down on one knee and asked Meryl to marry him. Apparently he had been planning on doing so for quite awhile now, but the baby was the final push that he apparently needed to get things into gear.
He smiled and looked over the expanse of the dessert. Only a occasional town marred its perfection. But without the towns and people this world would still be a wasteland.
++ Like it isn’t one already. ++ Knives eyes widened and he muffled a cry of surprise as the thought blossomed inside of his mind. He clutched his head between his hands. It had felt like a firecracker had shot up his spine and exploded inside of his brain. He slumped to the floor and stared at the opposite wall wide eyed.
“That…. Voice…” He gasped and groped around for something to pull himself up by, he found the dresser, and slowly pulled himself up and looked into the mirror, checking to make sure that it was still in fact his reflection that looked back at him. Content to see his bedraggled self in the mirror, he slumped into the chair beside the window.
“How much longer I can live in this Eden?” Knives whispered softly, to nobody in particular. He remembered Rem speaking to him about God at one point and saying that the almighty forgave everyone of all their past transgressions if they only asked for forgiveness.
He whispered the words again, hoping that Rem’s God would hear him and answer his question.
He didn’t receive a reply.
(~~~~~)
“Millie does this match?” Gabrielle ran out of her closet, wearing a crimson dress that clung to her torso and swelled at the silver embroidered hipline, a modest silver necklace hung delicately around her neck that sported a small teardrop shaped diamond. In her hand was a pair of pearl earrings.
Millie looked up from her makeup for a moment smiling.
“Yes it matches. Um Gabi could you zip me up? I can’t reach the darned thing.” Gabrielle smiled and tugged at the offending zipper and giggled.
“You should have seen Vash earlier. He was so nervous Knives had to stop him from jumping out the window. I told Knives about that old tradition where if the groom bails the best man had to marry the bride so he is keeping an extra close eye on Vashie pooh.” both girls burst out laughing.
“Are you ladies ready?” Came a feminine voice from outside the door.
“Yeah mom just a minute!” Millie called, she piled her hair atop of her head and secured it with two clips before the two young women rushed to help the blushing bride get ready for her big day.
(~~~~~)
“For the last time dear you don’t need all those derringers under your dress!” pleaded Meryl’s mother.
“Mom if you had any idea about the kind of things I’ve had to go through when Vash and multiple people are involved you would agree with me. The last thing I need is for somebody to try to catch ‘Vash the Stampede’ in the middle of my wedding.” Meryl grumbled, strapping more derringers under her dress. “I just want to be prepared… I’m adding another 50.”
“God help the poor bastard whoever he is.” Meryl’s said exasperatedly as she walked into the room. “Dad just went to give him ‘the talk’.” Meryl rolled her eyes and groaned just as Gabrielle and Millie walked into the room.
(~~~~~)
“Still nervous?” Knives asked, moving behind his brother who stood in front of the full length mirror. They both looked equally uncomfortable. Vash took a deep breath and said nothing. Knives answered the sigh by slapping his brother good naturedly on the back. “Don’t worry! In less than an hour you’ll be committed to one woman for the rest of your life!” Vash paled and walked into the bathroom, he had been feeling a little sick that morning.
There was a knock at the door.
“Hold on a minute.” Knives sighed as he walked to the bedroom door and turned the knob. He was greeted by a very large man who stood on the other side of the threshold. The man regarded him with a questioning look.
“So your the guy who’s going to marry my little darling baby?” He asked, raising one eyebrow as he shrugged into the room, his massive frame barely fitting through the doorway. Before Knives had a chance to protest the assumption the man narrowed his eyes and continued in a low growl.
“Well let me tell you. If I ever hear of you making my little princess the least bit unhappy, I’ll break every bone in your body, right before I send you through a wood chipper.” Knives’s eyes widened and he forced back a howl of laughter that threatened to burst from his chest.
“Hold on a minute.” he replied to the man as he walked over to the bathroom door and tapped gently.
“Vash it’s for you!”
(~~~~~)
The girls arrived in time to see Meryl’s father exit the room. Vash was huddled in the corner looking sheet white while Knives was fighting back the urge to collapse into laughter. Gabrielle sighed and walked over to Vash who kept mumbling over and over again that yes, he would make Meryl happy, and to please not kill him.
“Do you really think he is ready for this?” Millie asked frowning at the babbling man.
“Hell no,” Knives said with a lopsided grin. “But He doesn’t have much choice in the matter, her father already said that if he left his darling princess at the alter that the punishment would be most severe.
(~~~~~)
Surprisingly, the wedding went more than smoothly. For the first few moments Vash appeared much like a cornered rabbit who was prepared to bolt from the chapel, at least until Meryl walked down the aisle. Through the work of miracles Meryl’s mother somehow talked her out of wearing 100 derringers under her dress… she settled for 75 instead.
Vash had calmed down after whole ceremony. He now seemed quite relaxed and content; perhaps it was because Meryl’s father had slapped him on the back and quit teasing him about breaking every bone in his body, or the fact that Meryl once she discovered what her father had said to her now husband, had brought a level of temper down on him that even Vash had not known existed.
At the banquet table Gabrielle and Millie sat on the side nearest Meryl while Knives and people that Vash had met along his journey where on the side nearest him.
Gabrielle kept sneaking glimpses of Knives out of the corner of her eye. He looked so… tasty in his tuxedo. However this apparently wasn’t just a thought in her mind, as a large group of young women had surrounded him, begging him to dance. She did catch his eye at one point and blushing she immediately turned and started talking to Millie. What did she care if he chose to flirt with those girls?
Gabrielle sighed and sat back into her chair as Millie was led away by a handsome young man, obviously agitated. She jumped when a strong hand came down on her shoulder.
“Such a lovely lady shouldn’t be alone during a dance.” a male voice whispered in her ear. She turned around and suppressed a frown when she saw it wasn’t who she had hoped.
The man was tall and broad shouldered. He looked handsome but could not compare to the young man who she actually desired to have whispering in her ear. She smiled as he extended his hand to her.
“Care to dance?” he asked. She took his hand with a soft smile. Did Knives see her accept this other man’s invitation? Or was he still occupying himself with that group of giggling bratty girls? She turned her head to look and frowned when she saw he was being led away by an attractive young woman in a very low cut black dress.
Inwardly growling she followed her new ‘friend’ out onto the dance floor just in time for the music to begin. This was a local dance where you changed your partner three times. She spotted Knives not to far away.
‘Maybe I’ll make him look.’ she thought to herself as she moved closer to her dance partner who smiled and slipped his arm around her waist possessively.
The music started out slow beat, so she moved her body even closer to the young man hoping that her friend wouldn’t get any naughty ideas. Apparently she wasn’t so lucky as his hand slipped down and rubbed her bottom. She resisted her initial urge to slap him. She was mostly successful because shortly afterwards they had to change partners. To her surprise Meryl’s brother was her next dancing companion.
“Who’s the guy?” Robert asked.
“Just an old friend,” She said with a sigh as he spun her.
“Some friend.” He shot a glare to the young man who seemed to be pulling the same stunt with his next partner. “If he gets to cuddly just tell me.” He returned his attention to her and winked warmly. Gabrielle was touched by his concern and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before they once again switched partners, and abruptly bumped into Knives.
“Gee with as close you where with that other guy I didn’t think you would be so happy to see me.” Knives said rather stuffily.
“Oh please that jerk? I was just trying to get back at you for flirting with those girls!” She said with a slight giggle. Knives cocked his head to the side in confusion but smiled all the same. The music stopped and she latched herself onto Knives’ arm before the rude young man could get back to her.
“You look nice… not that you don’t always look nice. But um…” Knives’s eyebrows knitted in confusion trying to sort out his words. Gabrielle punched him lightly on his shoulder.
“Knives are you hitting on me?” He looked at her worriedly.
“No I would never hurt you Gabrielle! Don’t you know that?” he clearly looked upset that she would even consider such a thing. Gabrielle just laughed.
“No silly it means flirting. Are you flirting with me?” She tried to suppress her urge to laugh, if only for his sake.
“Well I guess you could say that.” He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “You don’t mind do you?”
“Of course not!” She clutched his arm tighter and laid her head on his shoulder. ‘Now if the idiot would only ask me out on a date! I don’t know if he is just playing around or if he is serious!‘ she sighed. Then something slapped her in the face.
“Ach!” She grabbed for the object and stared at it in shock for a few moments. It was a… bouquet? She and Knives had been talking so much she had missed Meryl throwing the bouquet. A several of the younger girls where glaring at her in jealousy. She let out a nervous giggle.
“Who are you gonna marry?” Vash yelled over the crowd. Gabrielle simply blushed, Knives wrapped an arm around her waist and smiled widely.
”I got first dibs bro.” He called. Vash simply laughed and went back to kissing Meryl shamelessly over and over. Gabrielle dislodged herself from Knives’ grip and stormed out of the room. He watched her go, flabbergasted. What had he done wrong? Once he regained his wits and tried to follow her another group of girls who had been waiting for this opportunity jumped the gun.
(~~~~~)
Gabrielle closed the door behind her and dropped her coat on the chair closest to the entrance before she sat down on the couch, silently cursing herself for being such a bumbling coward for rushing out of the party after Knives had spoken. She looked down at the bouquet of white roses and traced the velvet petals with her fingertip.
Knives had been so close to her. The heat of him burned through her clothing and scorched her skin. She held her arms close to her body and tried to revive that feeling of warmth and safety that he had caused. He smelled of sweat, and gunpowder, and there was a hint of something sweet that she couldn’t place her finger on.
The door creaked open and Knives gave her a meek smile as her face burned with embarrassment.
“Why did you leave?” He asked quietly walking over to her.
“I was feeling…. somewhat tired.” She whispered. He sat down next to her and she could feel his gaze resting on her.
“Did I do something wrong?” He asked, when she shook her head he let out a small growl. “Yes I did. That’s why you left. You can tell me what’s wrong after all I’m your… friend.” He placed his warm strong hand on her shoulder.
‘That’s the problem‘ she thought. ‘We’re ‘friends’ and its always going to stay that way because even if you did want me I couldn’t be with you because I’m not good enough.‘
“Why aren’t you good enough?” He whispered softly in her ear causing her to visibly jump, her blue-grey eyes scared.
‘How did he…?‘
Knives slowly reached a hand up and pushed a fall of hair away from her face, then ran his finger down her cheek. She still looked slightly unnerved and a hint of pink crept up to her cheeks.
“Knives…” She whispered.
Then he kissed her. It was soft and delicate like butterfly wings. His lips where warm and moist, soft and velvet, and she could have sworn she tasted a hint of vanilla.
She was the one who broke away. She had never let anyone kiss her before. Much less allow someone to come this close to her. She had sworn off bonds of anything other than friendship in fear of the pain and loss that always followed.
But he was persistent. He kissed her again his fingers coiled around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him, she could do nothing but return his affections. When their lips finally parted from one another’s he wrapped his arms around her, almost in silent refusal to allow her to move away from him.
“Why? Why do you… like me so much?” She finally managed to gasp. She was on the verge of tears again. Damn he had made her so weak!
“Because you cared.” he whispered softly, huskily. He released her slightly, but only so he could tilt her chin upwards so he would be able to look her in the eyes. ”Because even after the things I did you gave me another chance. And because you laugh at everything, you walk like a queen, yet don’t look down on those less fortunate than you. Because of the way you look when your angry, and because of the curve of you neck-” She brushed her lips against his suddenly, and he was all to eager to accept the invitation.
“What time is Millie getting back?” he asked hungrily eyes lingering on her lips.
“She’s staying with her parents.” A predatory smile blossomed over his lips as he nuzzled her neck gently, and slowly pulled her to the bedroom.