"It's great and all that you're so concerned but I'm trying to sleep here."
"Oh, sorry Nico," Livio rubbed the back of his head, "we'll leave you be now. You just scared us real bad."
"Yeah yeah, I know. Hurry up and get out of that ridiculous outfit already too. I'm sure Auntie has something you can wear."
"Right," Livio's eyes began to get watery again, "night Nico."
"Night crybaby."
Ms. Melanie smiled, gently rubbing his head, "goodnight Nicholas."
"Night Auntie," they began walking out of the room, but as Vash stood up from the edge of the bed to join them he felt something pull on his coat. He looked back to see Wolfwood holding onto it, a look of concern on his face.
"You okay?"
Vash looked at him shocked, "me?"
"Yeah, you Blondie."
"I don't think I should be the one being asked that right now."
"I'm not the one who was being tortured for five months." There was a palpable silence as Wolfwood's eyes pierced through Vash, causing his heartbeat to get louder in his ears.
After a moment, he let out a breath, smiling at Wolfwood, "I'm fine I promise." Wolfwood frowned, Vash's smile growing nervous. He suddenly took his hand.
"Wolfwood?"
"Can't trust you bein outta my sight."
"But aren't you going to sleep?"
"Just..." he turned his head, avoiding Vash's eyes, his grip on his hand tightening slightly, "stay."
A warmth bloomed in Vash's chest, a soft smile spreading on his face as he sat back down on the bed, "alright."
Hello friends!! I come bearing another Vashwood drabble. This one was inspired by one of @ryanthel0ser's posts from earlier today!
This is based off of Stampede/Stargaze and takes place during Episode 9 of Stargaze.
Content: Slow realization of feelings, domesticity, fluff, indirect mentions of Vash's passive suicidal ideation and general tendency to self isolate, and of course Vashwood
Heaven is Here
"Now you all have a blank ticket."
Wolfwood couldn't get over the image of his brother being thrown off the bike. The helplessness of not being able to go in his stead curdled in his stomach. He was so used to doing absolutely everything himself, taking care of him or the orphans or Vash. Being cared for now just felt... uncomfortable. But he knew Livio could handle himself and if it came down to it Razlo was also able to get them out of a pickle. Those truths didn't make years of being an older brother disappear though.
It didn't help either that Vash seemed to hover. Contrary to what the gunman thought he was doing, he tended to be overly doting in his own avoidant way. He didn't scold Wolfwood like Ms. Melanie did whenever he was up and about and doing more stuff than his aching body was ready for. But the blond would seem to always manifest to grab something for him, to move this or that, to quietly take a task from the injured man's hands whenever Wolfwood tried to do it himself.
Vash pensively pressed his eyebrows together with a nervous smile at Wolfwoods glare, "Ah, sorry just wanted to be useful."
He was a dirty liar is what he was, coddling the undertaker.
"It's yours forever."
The second day was just as uneventful. Wolfwood spent his time playing with the kids for the most part since the overgrown cactus wouldn't let him take on any bigger tasks.
They clambered over him, using him as a jungle gym and challenging him to "feats of strength" all of which he won but just by a little bit to not hurt the kids feelings too bad.
In the evening Vash reappeared from helping Ms. Melanie with some long standing maintenance that's the orphanage needed. Might as well put him to work while they were waiting for Livios return.
He lingered at the door of the room that Wolfwood and the kids were rough housing in. The kids called through giggles for him to come play but there was hesitancy in his actions. He was afraid. Afraid of hurting them or Wolfwood. Afraid of his past lingering and rotting this very room.
"Don't just stand there needle noggin, don't tell me you're gonna let all these kids down?" The sly tone in the priest's voice pulled him from his spiraling thoughts.
Any easy smile found Vash's face and he approached the group, quickly being pulled down into strangle holds and rough play from the kids. Their giggles and shrieks filling the small room as they got lost in the imagination of their game.
For the first time in months Nicholas heard Vash's laughter and for the first time in years Vash saw Nicholas' full smile. For the first time for both of them, the moment wasn't survival; it was domestic.
"And with it you can go anywhere."
On the third night, Wolfwood and Vash sat outside the orphanage. The hum of worms filling the silence as their small bodies illuminated the night sky. Wolfwood smoked quietly, the smell of tobacco was comfortingly familiar and wrapped the two men in its biter embrace.
Vash opened and closed his cybernetic hand. A fidget of his Wolfwood had grown accustomed to. He was overthinking and judging by the flittering of his eyes he was starting to work himself up into a spiral.
Without much thought the undertaker reached out and rested his warm palm against the cool metal of Vash's prosthetic. The hum of the mechanical hand opening and closing ceased almost immediately.
Vash opened his mouth to say something but as Wolfwoods eyes caught his he stopped. He turned his head slightly and for a long moment they just watched each other. Wolfwoods cigarette fizzled out but the smell of nicotine seemed to linger as the faint traces of each man's breath warmed the others face.
Clarity dawned and hazy feelings left unspoken for years finally had a name for themselves.
They two men didn't say anything to each other.
"Be anything you want to."
On the fourth evening the two lingered in the room they were sharing. Two beds ment for smaller frames sat pushed against opposite walls, allowing the pair some privacy away from the ever energetic kids.
"What do you want to do when all this is over, Blondie?" Wolfwoods voice lazily asked from where he reclined in his bed.
Vash remained silent. The silence wasn't from a rufusal to answer but rather the inability to. What did he want? He hadn't really ever indulged the idea that there would be an after. It was selfish for a man like him to want an after, so he inflicted punishment against his psyche by never indulging in the idea.
Eventually thought, he answered.
"Hm, I suppose meet the earth fleet" it wasn't much of anything really, a basic answer ment to satiate his companions curiosity and nothing more.
"I mean after that? What are you gonna do when you don't have to run anymore or think about a psycho brother to stop?"
"I-" he trailed off and let out a deep sigh instead of an answer. When the silence grew long enough he returned the question.
"What are your plans then when this is all over."
Wolfwood didn't push, he knew the man's self destructive tendencies well enough by now to know not to prod in that direction. So, he settled on giving Vash the motivation to live by answering the question, and doing so honestly.
"To help with the orphanage. Im not sure what life with the Earth fleet will be like but I think I'll take on odd jobs around the ship, maybe even be a mechanic," he chuckled at that last bit as if the idea of working a normal job was completely ludicrous, "I'll spend the time rekindling my relationship with my brother and hang out with my best... friend."
The word "friend" felt awkward on his lips as if it wasn't quite right but he didn't have time to stew on that. Instead he found himself utterly smitten by the smile he saw on Vash's face. It made his head and stomach feel nauseous but he couldn't help smiling back at the plant.
Vash turned to him, bright as the suns and replied, "I think... thats what I want too. To be with my best friend."
The tears welling up in the corners of Vash's eyes didn't go unnoticed but they did go unremarked.
"And when youre down it can help you get through whatever life is throwing at you."
The morning of the fifth day started off normal but something Ms. Melanie said to Wolfwood in passing made something restless and wild occupy his soul.
"Now boy, remember that life is short. I don't want to see you spending the rest of it sacrificing, not you or Livio or Vash. Find what you want and take it when you can, Nico. You boys deserve to be selfish after all of this."
That comment rattled around in his mind and before he knew it his feet had taken him to the play room. He stood before a small scribbled on chest overflowing with fabric and plastic accessories for dress up.
He tipped it over and began to frantically search for something.
"No matter how impossible it seems."
The conversation with some of the kids made the restless beast in Nicholas writhe. A ticket. He had a ticket. He could go wherever he wanted. Be whoever he wanted. Stay with whoever he wanted.
Free. They were free. They would be free.
What did he want to be? Where did he want to go? What did he want to do with that freedom?
He looked from Vash to the kids and he knew then exactly what he wanted.
"Now remember, it's your ticket so you've gotta take care of it."
Nicholas walked into the little bedroom as Vash got ready for bed. Hopefully soon Home would arrive and the kids would be safe.
But right now, there was something else that occupied his mind. Two long years of feeling sick at the thought of Vash being long gone. Two long years searching for any trace of him. Many months staying by his side until he was able to save him. Many nights with a brand new realization. Many hours with a selfish beast driving his body and mind to this very minute.
"Hey Vash, I have a question for you."
"No nickname tonight? You're awfully serious, what's up..." Vash trailer off as he turned around.
There, Wolfwood kneeled before him with one knee propped up. Tightly clutched between a trembling pointer finger and thumb was a plastic play ring. The ring was red with three blue fake gems embedded into the thin plastic.
"Will you marry me?"
"Yea."
The question and answer were spoken so quietly yet so quickly. A moment of selfishness from both of the martyrs, yet neither of them doubled back on their words.
Vash moved and grabbed the plastic ring from the other man's hand and, with a small hiss and a pop, disconnected the ring finger of his prosthetic. He removed a small plate over the base of the finger that usually covered the joint then slid the ring to where the plate had previously sat. It didn't fit right and would hinder some of that fingers mobility but he didn't really care. He then reattached the finger.
Once he heard it snap back into place he reached out and grabbed Wolfwoods trembling left hand. He slid the plate onto his ring finger. The metal sat just below the middle knuckle of his finger but Wolfwood didn't care that it didn't fit perfectly, not one bit.
Vash's touch lingered and his thumbs smoothed over Nicholas' hands, soothing away the tremors.
If you could give any three characters an item from a pool of a bouquet of hemlock, fake gold earrings, and a very nice river rock, who would get what and why? (OCs included)
Oooh ok ok
Luida, Rem, Ms. Melanie (trimax versions)
Luida would get the river rock. She’s constantly putting out fires, she’s in a leadership position, her predecessor died violently and she’s had to step into his position quickly and under tremendous stress. She’s also part of a group of people who are very disconnected from the rest of the world, and from nature, but who still have deep ties to the Earth. A river rock would be something calming to hold, something solid so roll in her fingers or squeeze in her hand when things get overwhelming.
Rem: the hemlock bouquet. She loves flowers and is actually from Earth, so she’d know that some of them are dangerous. She could look at them and admire their white, starry blossoms without hurting herself. It would also serve as a reminder that some things are not meant for human consumption, that they’ll poison you. There’s something at least a little poetic in holding your own death as a decoration. Aristotle drank hemlock rather than go back on his convictions. There’s something here.
Ms Melanie: the fake gold earrings. She seems like a very practical person who doesn’t wear jewelry, and certainly can’t afford anything fancy. The fake gold would be pretty, sure, but it discolors your skin. It’s all flash and no substance. Scratch too deeply and you’ll find a cheap, potentially harmful metal. I wonder how much she knew about the Eye coming for the orphanage children. The most generous reading paints her as powerless or blind to the circumstances. Hopeland was only the image of safety, never truly a home.
I think we should talk more about these characters
