#Poor Livio is having A Time of it

[portraitoftheoddity]

"Hang on, what's that?"

Vash's unexpected voice from the back seat prompts Meryl to swerve and slam the brakes, skidding the truck down the side of a dune and sending up a wave of sand that has Roberto cursing. 

"What's what?" he grumbles, bracing himself against the passenger side door and squinting into the glare of the desert.

"I don't see any-- oh!" Meryl stands up in her seat to lean over the steering wheel. "There's someone out there!"

"Could be a trap," Roberto mumbles, but Vash has already popped open the back door to climb out, and given it’s the most life he’s shown since Jeneora Rock, neither of the reporters up front are motivated to object.

As all three disembark, Roberto can now make out the small shape on the crest of the next dune that Vash had inexplicably spotted through the sand-pitted and dust-streaked windshield. At a distance, it’s hard to make out details beyond their pale attire and waving arms. 

Vash immediately starts off, and Roberto just barely manages to snag a handful of the kid’s red coat to pull him up short. “Could be a bandit,” he warns. “Lotta gangs use the ‘stranded traveler’ ruse as a lure.” 

“Ah, it could be,” Vash agrees with a small smile. “But it could also be someone who needs our help! I’ll just-- go investigate....”

“I’ll come with you,” Meryl announces firmly, and Roberto groans inwardly. The newbie's killing him, she really is.

The figure meanwhile is getting closer, moving not quite at a run, but about as fast as can be managed in the deep and shifting sands. As they approach, Roberto narrows his eyes, taking note of the smaller stature -- kid? A woman maybe? -- and more concerningly, the total silence. The waving and the running both come across as desperate, but he’d expect a stuck traveler to call out. Instead, there’s no sound but the soft hiss of sand in the breeze.

Vash pulls away, and Roberto lets him, following at a slower pace as the kid and the newbie close the distance to the newcomer, patting his coat pocket to make sure his derringer is in its place.  

The figure in the desert is a kid.

He’s wiry, with scraggly pale hair falling down to his chin in unkempt waves, so full of dust and dirt that its color is almost indeterminate between blond or ashy gray. His cheeks are red with exertion, and it’s about the only color on him, his clothes similarly colorless and dirty, threadbare and patched. Roberto would guess he’s about thirteen or so -- though it’s a bit hard to gauge. 

He stops short about five yarz from them, breathing heavily with hands on his scuffed knees. 

“Are you all right?” Meryl calls out, already reaching for her canteen to offer. 

The boy straightens and looks them all over, his expression shifting to wariness at the presence of strangers (which only points to him being smarter than the other two chuckleheads Roberto has somehow wound up shackled to for this escapade).

“Are you lost out here?” 

Vash takes a step forward as he speaks, and the boy takes a matching step back, pursing his lips and looking back over his shoulder at the trail of his own footprints in the sand. Another step back, then he looks at them all in turn, inhales, and makes a gesture as if for them to follow. 

Meryl and Vash, bleeding hearts that they are, both make to follow before Roberto throws an arm out. “Woah now, where exactly are we following you?” he demands, starting to get annoyed by this whole bizarre encounter. 

The boy’s face twists, looking pained, frustrated, and something else that Roberto can’t quite suss out, before he glances back to the dune he’d come over, and then back at them. His mouth moves, but no sound comes out.

Vash picks up on it the quickest. “Can you speak?”

The boy’s shoulders sag and he holds out a hand, wiggling it in mid air to indicate an intermediate answer. 

“Okay, so, yes or no answers,” Meryl offers. “Do you need help?”

The boy nods. Then points to the dune, and nods even more exaggeratedly, like he’s trying to give himself whiplash. 

“You need help with something over there?” Vash ventures, earning more nodding.

“What exactly is over there?” Roberto asks, pulling a cigarette from his pocket. 

“That’s not a yes or no question,” Meryl chides, but even as she does, the boy takes a deep breath and says a single word:

“Nico.”

His voice is soft and raspy, nearly cracking on the word-- no, the name, and if the kid is some bandit lure he’s at least a damn good actor. Roberto sighs, lighting the cigarette and taking a long drag to soothe his frayed nerves. “Okay,” he grumbles. “I guess we’re going to find this Nico.”

The kid takes off like a shot, and the rest of them follow up the treacherous slope of the dune at a slightly slower pace. When they finally reach the crest, Roberto has his derringer in hand, ready for an ambush, wishing they’d just taken the damn truck instead of following on foot--

There’s no ambush.

There is a body.

The kid scampers down the far side of the slope to the figure lying face down and motionless in the sand, dressed in faded dirty black. 

“Oh,” Meryl breathes in clear dismay. 

“Nico,” the boy says as he skids to the body’s side, shaking its shoulder and repeating the name with greater urgency. Roberto feels a clench in his gut at the sight, and bows his head as he exhales a breath of smoke. Poor kid. 

Vash, following down a bit more carefully, catches up to the kid and carefully rolls the body over. It’s a man, tanner and darker-haired than the kid but just as dusty from the desert. Vash’s fingers rest against the bare column of his throat for a moment, then he looks up wide-eyed at Roberto and Meryl.

“Get the truck!” he calls out. “He’s still alive!”

-*-*-*-

[From this AU, where the boys meet the rest of the gang]

[markcampbells]

Vash pulled in a harsh breath, unsure of the words, so unfit for everything he could say if he wanted to—the boy he'd been once, confronted for the first time with the knowledge he'd lose the woman who had been his lodestar. The times before this—fifty years passed on this planet, another fifty beyond that—he'd sought out the selfsame glow in the sky, alone each time, so alone he'd felt it was all he'd been suited for. Throughout a long life, Vash watches a comet pass through the too-brief existences of the people he loves most dearly. content warnings are in the fic notes

Hello, friends! I have a new TriMax-compliant fic I hope folks will enjoy if they give it a shot. For enjoyers(??) of:

reflections on Vash's attitude towards mortality and existential angst throughout his life

your post-Volume 10 angst, because Part II is all about widower Vash and how... complicated his feelings about Livio would be

people who have thought way too much about Vash outliving everyone he loves and the angst that would potentially cause in the far future [raises hand]

If you check it out, I would really deeply appreciate a comment! Gen fics are really hard to get eyes on and I put a lot of time and effort into writing character studies, so I really appreciate hearing what resonates for folks about my work. <3 (Thank you to @trigunfanfic for remaining up and giving us writers an outlet to promote our work!)

[orcelito]

oh,,,,

Brad referred to Wolfwood as Vash's "partner"

Oh.

[humanitysong]

SMASH or PASS: Livio

"pass. I don't really know him and the first and last time we met he did gave me quite the bruising"

"pass for the sake of him not haunting me in death and throwing that cross at me"

smash or pass ( accepting ) // anon .

[anyasathenaeum]

if requests are still open, maybe something for wolfwood where the reader gets injured pretty badly and he accidentally confesses? there’s been a lot of this kind of request lately LOL sorry- I’m rewatching badlands rumble and his little widow phase of destroying his hotel room then swapping his shades for vash’s is doing something to my brain… that and how brutally he internalized livio’s “death” in stampede.. like, maybe reader tried to hide the injury at first not wanting to hold whatever they were doing up, and he doesn’t really get any time to process so he doesn’t really realize what he’s saying until reader comes to in the hospital and gets to coyly tease their grumpy unhappy-but-very-happy but still somewhat stressed and upset over the “ok but what if you *had* died” wolfwood over how sappy and soggy he’d been lol (very “subtly” adding in the trope of sharing a hospital bed but if someone asked? totally wasn’t my idea)

A/N: HEY ANON, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS. WHAT A GOOD IDEA. Also not the widow phase omfg poor Wolfwood. Let's be real, Wolfwood really internalizes all his pain and grief and he needs a hug. Anyways, have this! Hope you like it, and sorry it took so long. Warnings: Mentions of violence, injuries, blood, death (almost), Wolfwood being bad at feelings (he's trying, okay?).

You weren't really sure how this had happened.

One of the downsides of travelling alongside Wolfwood was that he somehow managed to find himself trouble wherever he possibly could. This only worsened when he met Vash.

So, here you were, hiding behind an abandoned building in the middle of some crazy shootout between law enforcement, an undertaker, and a wanted fugitive with the biggest bounty on his head that No Man's Land had ever seen. Although, it seemed like law enforcement and the undertaker you called your best friend were the ones doing all the shooting.

At some point, a stray bullet ricocheted and lodged itself in your side, causing you to cry out in pain. Thankfully, neither Vash nor Wolfwood had been near you at the time, so they hadn't been there to witness you getting shot. Gritting your teeth and biting down on the collar of your coat, you quickly dug out the bullet, silencing your screams as white-hot pain coursed through your veins. Thankfully, the bullet came out cleanly with minimal digging, the small "plink!" as the metal casing hit the ground announcing your success in getting it out.

Sweat coursed down the side of your face and beaded your forehead, your chest heaving from the pain of your wound. With shaking hands, you fumbled through your coat pockets, digging out the piece of cloth you used as a handkerchief. It was clean enough, so biting down once again, letting out a groan of pain, you clumsily packed your bullet wound using your handkerchief. Once you were satisfied, you wriggled your coat off and tied it tightly around your waist, directly over your wound to apply pressure and stop the bleeding as best as you could.

"Move, (Y/N). You have to move," you gritted out, trying to get your body to listen to you.

You could still hear gunfire, and you heard Wolfwood's voice yelling various things at Vash between blasts and shots, so you knew both of them were still alive. In a moment of calm, you got to your feet, scrambling over to where the two of them had taken cover as best as you could, trying to ignore the pain radiating through your body with every step.

"(Y/N)! There you are!" Vash exclaimed, clearly glad to see you. Wolfwood, however, was otherwise occupied, using The Punisher to keep the law enforcement at bay and said nothing, merely glancing at you and nodding in acknowledgement of your arrival.

"Y-Yeah! Sorry, guess I got separated from you guys!" You shouted back over the sound of gunfire, glancing around and trying to figure out how to escape.

After a couple moments, Vash and Wolfwood managed to orchestrate an escape, and you followed as best as you could. However, the more you ran, the more you felt bile rising in your throat, the pain from your wound overwhelming you. Your vision began to fade in and out as you struggled to keep up with the two men, and just as you believed you would pass out, they stopped, giving you time to catch up.

Your chest heaved as you stumbled to a stop, your entire body in pure agony, sweat pouring down your face.

"Well, good job keeping up, sweetheart!"

You heard Wolfwood's teasing voice addressing you, and as you looked up at him, you could see him smiling at you with a crooked cigarette hanging from between his lips. His face was covered in ash and dust, but thankfully, he seemed unharmed. You felt a weight lift off your shoulders as you processed this, your heart all but singing in relief in your chest.

While you refused to acknowledge it openly, you knew, deep down, that your feelings for Nicholas D. Wolfwood had long since changed from simply friendship. Somewhere along the way, your heart had become his, and your feelings deepened. Somewhere along the way, you had fallen in love with the man who was your closest and best friend.

However, now, as you gazed at the man you loved, your vision began to blur. Your entire body suddenly felt light, and you felt dizzier than ever before. You could make out Wolfwood's face, his expression changing almost in slow motion, his teasing smirk falling away as he looked at you, his eyes widening in fear as he realized that something was desperately wrong.

"N-Nick..."

'I must've lost more blood than I thought.'

The thought vaguely crossed your mind, but you didn't pay it much attention as you felt yourself stumble and fall forward. Before you could land face-first into the sand, though, you felt strong yet gentle arms wrapping around you, supporting you and catching you before you could fully collapse.

"(Y/N)!"

You could make out a voice calling your name, their tone frantic and clearly frightened, and as you looked up, you could just barely recognize that it was Nicholas who was holding you. You could no longer make out his entire face, parts of vision fading in and out, but you caught glimpses of his expression, and you could see that his lips were moving.

"-tay awake! Ya hear me?! Stay awake! Goddamnit!"

His voice sounded far away, muffled as though submerged beneath water, but the panic in his words was evident. You could feel the pressure of his body against yours as he clutched you to him, but you could no longer feel the warmth that should've been radiating from him. The pain had disappeared, but so had just about everything else, too.

"(Y/N)! Look at me, just look at me, doll! That's it, just-"

You could no longer hear him, the only remainder of your consciousness the fragments of your vision and some ability to feel. You could see blood on Nicholas's hand, but somehow, you knew that it wasn't his - it was yours.

'Nicholas, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.'

You watched as Nicholas reached into his suit frantically, clearly searching for something. You could just barely make out what looked like one of his vials in his hands as he broke it open - would that stuff even work on you?

You felt your head being tilted back, strong but surprisingly gentle fingers on your jaw and your cheeks trying to open your mouth so he could tip the regenerative drug down your throat. It must've proven difficult because you could see a frustrated expression on Nicholas's face, sweat beading on his forehead as he struggled, unable to get the vial's contents in your mouth.

Before you could process what you were seeing, you suddenly felt something pressing firmly against your mouth - something soft and supple, and you could taste something strangely cold dripping down the back of your throat.

When your vision cleared slightly, you realized what you were feeling - Nicholas's lips were pressed against yours in a desperate kiss, a frantic attempt to get the drug that could potentially save your life into your system. While you had been guilty of imagining what your first kiss with Nicholas might've looked like, this certainly wasn't it.

'A kiss?... Nicholas...'

And then the darkness swallowed you, taking Nicholas and the world with it.

---

Darkness.

That's all you knew and all you could make out - the darkness that surrounded you completely. Somehow, though, you knew you weren't dead. Not yet.

Slowly, over time, you felt yourself beginning to regain bits of your consciousness - you hadn't yet opened your eyes, but you had become aware of the sounds and goings-on around you, wherever you were presently.

You could hear a steady beeping from whatever machine was beside you. You could hear the footsteps and voices of whichever healers had come in to check on you. You could feel the ache from your wound, no longer the sharp, agonizing pain from before but still painful and uncomfortable. You could feel pressure of something warm laying in your lap, and something rough yet soft and warm enveloping your hand.

The darkness seemed to ease bit by bit, slowly giving way to more and more of your senses and allowing you to piece together information about what happened and where you were - you were in a medical center a couple towns over from where you, Vash and Wolfwood had gotten caught up in the shootout with law enforcement.

By the bits of conversations you had caught from healers, you'd lost quite a lot of blood by the time you were brought in, and you were on the brink of death for a time before stabilizing. You had also caught snippets of conversations referring to "your visitor", a person who had apparently not once left your side and whose identity you weren't entirely certain of until you'd heard them speak.

"You idiot."

'Nicholas.'

His voice was low and gravelly, and to your surprise, his words were slightly shaky. You had only heard his voice do that when he was afraid or overwhelmed.

"Y-You... you got shot, and you didn't think to tell me? You idiot, we're supposed to trust each other. You're supposed to trust me! We always have each other's backs, don't we? Just like we always have. So why didn't you tell me, (Y/N)? Why didn't you say something? Instead... I watched you die."

'But I'm not dead! I'm right here, Nick!'

You wished you could speak and reassure him, explain why things happened the way they did, but you were still just waking up, not yet fully conscious.

"Do you have any idea just how afraid I felt, (Y/N)? Seeing you like that, bleeding in my arms, unable to get you to wake up or to stabilize you? I thought you HAD died, I was convinced that that was it - I'd lost the one person in the world who meant absolutely everything to me, the one person I loved."

Your heart all but stopped when you heard those words - he loved you? Nicholas D. Wolfwood loved you? Was this reality, or were you simply dreaming?

Before you could begin to process his confession, you heard Nicholas continuing to speak, his voice still low and even shakier than before.

"This world is crazy, a-and terrible, and you were the only person who ever made it make sense, (Y/N). W-When I thought you were dead... God, I wished I were dead, too. So you don't ever get to do that again, do you hear me?! You don't ever get to do this to me again. I'm not losing you again."

Nicholas's voice was so filled with a mix of emotions - anger, fear, sadness, grief, frustration, and so much pain. Had you been able to cry, you would've, guilt flooding through you as you realized just how much you had affected him.

You hadn't intended for this to happen. You just hadn't wanted to worry him in the middle of a gunfight, but afterwards, things had just moved so quickly that you hadn't had a chance to alert him or Vash to your injury.

'Wake up, (Y/N). Wake up now, you have to.'

You let out a soft groan as you struggled to open your eyes, wincing as the light stung after however long you had spent in darkness. As your eyes adjusted, you looked over to see a very unshaven, rugged-looking Nicholas sitting by your bedside, his eyes wide in surprise as he looked at you.

As soon as you made eye contact with him, you gave him a soft smile. Your throat and mouth were dry, and your voice was extremely hoarse and ragged.

"H-Hi."

Nicholas just stared at you, not saying anything as you slowly sat up in your bed with a groan, your wound aching as you shifted. You struggled to sit up, your muscles weak as you tried to move for the first time in a while, and you suddenly felt an arm around you, helping you sit up. When you glanced over, you saw that Nicholas was the one helping you up.

"Thank you," you whispered hoarsely, your face darkening slightly from embarrassment as you processed everything that you'd heard. You reached over to your bedside table for the glass of water, finally taking a sip to parch your throat.

"How are you feeling? Any pain?"

Wolfwood's voice was quiet, no longer shaky as it had been before. Instead, now it was concerned, his gaze looking you over from top to bottom. He was surprisingly good at keeping his emotions hidden when he needed to.

"I'm achy, but otherwise, I think I'm okay," you replied, smiling at him a bit, "H-How long have I been out?"

"A few days. Almost a week, now."

"That explains a lot," you sighed. "I'm sorry, Nick. For everything. I..." You looked down at your hands in your lap. "I got shot in the middle of the gunfight, and both you and Vash were busy. I just... I didn't want to distract either of you or worry you in the middle of it all. I figured I could tell you afterwards, but then... things went so fast. I'm so sorry..."

Wolfwood just sighed heavily, shaking his head as he spoke, "You scared the crap outta me, (Y/N). You know that?"

"I know..." You felt ashamed as you continued to look at your hands, unable to make eye contact with Nicholas just yet. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you like that. I hope that you forgive me, eventually."

Wolfwood just sighed again, standing up from his seat and walking over to your bedside once more. He gazed at you for a long moment before asking, "Well? Aren't ya gonna move over?"

You blinked.

"W-What?"

"Move over, idiot," Wolfwood scoffed, rolling his eyes at your lack of understanding.

You blinked again before feeling heat rising to your face and shifting over in the medical bed, making enough room for Wolfwood to climb in next to you. The undertaker got comfortable in the bed next to you, his arm wrapping around you and pulling you close to him, hugging you close to him. You immediately wrapped your arms around him in return, burying your face into his chest and taking comfort from his presence. Despite his rough exterior, the man was a huge softie who needed this just as much as you did.

"I missed you, Nick," you mumbled softly, letting your eyes fall closed and allowing a small smile to appear on your face as you continued, "And I love you too, by the way."

Now it was Nicholas's turn to blink, clearly stunned.

"What?"

You couldn't help but giggle softly, "I heard your words, Nick. Including your confession of love."

"What confession of love?"

Now you were properly laughing at the expression of confusion on Nicholas's face and the fact that his face had turned a shade of deep crimson.

"You didn't even realize that you'd said it, eh, Punisher?"

You couldn't help but tease the man who was your best friend, stifling your laughter as best you could as you watched Nicholas trying to figure out exactly what he had said to you and the colour of his face only darkening.

"You said "I'd lost the one person in the world who meant absolutely everything to me, the one person I loved" when you were talking to me. You thought I was still unconscious, but I could hear you, Nick - I just couldn't answer you then," you explained softly, reaching up and tilting Nicholas's face so he was looking at you as you spoke, "I love you, too, Nicholas D. Wolfwood."

"Seriously?" Nicholas replied cautiously, studying your face as if to ensure you were telling the truth.

"Yes, you moron, seriously!" You laughed, tapping his cheek playfully. "I've loved you for a long time, I just never told you. And now, I'm glad I never told you. Otherwise, I never would've heard your dramatic love confession. I never knew you were such a hopeless romantic, Nick! Didn't think you had it in you."

"Oh, shut up," Nicholas muttered under his breath, his blush darkening as he looked away from you in embarrassment. "You're lucky I love you."

You couldn't help but grin teasingly, "Oh, I'm sure. By the way, I really wasn't expecting my first kiss with you to be when I was borderline unconscious and with you pouring whatever is in those vials into my mouth."

"I-wha-you-!"

Nicholas was spluttering, his face crimson as he tried to argue or contradict your statement, and it only made you laugh harder than you had been previously. You burrowed into his embrace, holding him as tightly as you could without worsening your injury.

"Splutter all you want, Undertaker, you're not escaping this. Although..." You trailed off with a mischievous grin before saying simply, "I'd be happy to do a retake of our first kiss."

After a moment of recovery from his embarrassment, Nicholas ran a hand through his hair before chuckling slightly, "Yeah? That so, doll? I think I could be persuaded to do that... for the right price."

"The right price? What price is that?" You asked, looking at him curiously.

"I dunno yet. I'll think of something later."

Without another moment of hesitation, Nicholas leaned down, his hand coming up to cup the back of your neck as he pressed his lips to yours in a surprisingly gentle kiss.

Unlike before, this kiss wasn't desperate and filled with fear of you dying. This kiss was tender and gentle and loving, chaste and almost unsure. You felt your heart fluttering in your chest as you happily returned the kiss, the rest of the world falling away for the moment.

When the two of you pulled away, you snuggled into Wolfwood's embrace, at last feeling content and safe.

"Hey, Nick?"

"Yeah, (Y/N)?"

"Where did Vash disappear to?"

Nicholas just chuckled.

"Blondie's been chillin' in the inn in town. I haven't seen him much since you ended up here."

"Well... maybe you outta go shower and take a nap and shave or something. Because as much as I love you, you look rough."

"Hey! That's a rude thing to say to your hero, sweetheart!"

You couldn't help but smile.

"My hero, indeed."

[batsplat]

I know need to know what the fuck was the honda three rider team about. Bc that sounds made up as fuck

historical silly season: 2010 edition!

in early 2010, casey had very much had enough of ducati

rumours are that he'd already been looking to break his contract for the 2010 season after how ducati had handled the whole mystery illness 2009 saga... releasing inaccurate statements about his condition to the press without his consent, implying his diet was to blame - as well as offering jorge a shit ton of money to come ride for them. crucially more than they were paying casey

this was from mid 2009 and the vibes were already BAD back then... it's hard to know how seriously to take retirement rumours from the time given casey just wasn't. really... talking to the press, so a lot of the times the media was relying on other sources from inside his camp or just wildly speculating

anyway, casey did see out the 2010 season with ducati, but at the start of the year he essentially gave them an ultimatum - he wanted them to rip up his proposed contract and have them show him how much he was worth to them. they did not do so

according to casey, he already signed a contract at the second round of the season in jerez, which gives you a sense of how done he was with all things ducati - but it was only announced after the seventh round in july. the move was made smoother by casey's existing close relationship with livio suppo, who had himself recently made the switch from ducati to honda

very much the right time to make the move for sure. at the time, there was speculation that casey's poor results in the first half of the season was due to decreased motivation, which of course he strongly denied. really, it was the fault of the bike and team - and casey would show as much the following year at honda

one little problem. honda already had two factory contracted riders for 2011: dani and dovi. now, dani had been honda's wunderkind since forever, and after their last world champ nicky hayden - who was not on particularly warm terms with dani's camp, it has to be said - departed the team, dovi had been the chosen replacement. dovi was a long time honda loyalist, even when he was riding their underpowered bikes to championship runner up positions against jorge in 250cc, and he'd also had a highly impressive rookie season

2009 had not been a particularly great year for either factory honda rider, partly due to bike performance partly due to injuries partly due to... rider performance. it was a rough year for dovi in particular, despite his win in tricky conditions at donington (all four aliens deliver quite funny performances at that race in different ways. not exactly the finest of hours for any of them)

when casey's signing was announced, honda initially went 'okay three factory blokes but maybe we'll have two in the real team and then one in a fake team'

the problem, right, is that it costs a lot of money to field a three man team - this is why honda was so keen on the red bull option, because then they could pay for the seat

honda confirmed its intention to have four factory honda riders in 2011, those three and sic, in mid-september. but they still needed to figure out where to put them. they didn't manage to get the funds to put casey in a separate team, and then they tried to put dovi on the satellite squad:

now, dovi was on a 2+1 contract, with 2009-10 guaranteed and an option to extend for another year. the contract included a performance clause - and dovi was having a more successful 2010 season, so hrc was having some trouble forcing dovi to accept the move:

so yeah, obviously not exactly great behaviour to sign a third rider when your team is already essentially full... and then immediately spend the next few months trying to get rid of one of your existing riders who is still entitled to that seat

some more details:

for a while, dovi looked like he might be leaning towards accepting it, and was certainly keen to stress that he wasn't rejecting gresini due to his interpersonal issues with some of the team's personnel. this from september:

eventually, repsol agreed to fund the whole thing so that honda could honour their commitments to all three riders:

so, one team for all of them, if still a wee bit of healthy internal separation

and by november the whole thing was sorted

honda did have some internal precedent for this! in 1997, they fielded three factory riders: doohan, criville and okada

also back in the day they did just create shell teams organised around one rider, which is of course where valentino spent his first two years in the premier class

and here's the updated version from 2011!

anyway, it was only something honda was willing to do for one year, and in the end dovi decided to jump ship to yamaha rather than accept internal demotion. the fight for p3 in the championship went right down to the final race in valencia - and it must have been incredibly satisfying for dovi to snatch it from dani there

after this... look, basically they changed the rules to make it two entries at most per team, then they changed it back for like? two years? so that four riders were technically allowed. and then they changed their mind again. now it's just two - obviously teams are allowed wildcards, but they couldn't do this three man team thing anymore nowadays

teams generally wouldn't even want to do this because it's a lot of hassle and, most importantly, money. so yeah, unlikely to make a comeback. very much a quirky curio that won't be replicated... could be funny though. if they want to change the rules again

[cripplingoptimism]

Distractions [3/3]

Gonna wrap this up in 3 parts. Previous here.

Yo, WHAT was happening on Twitter this week?? Every time I opened the app there was a new analysis of the Goddamn couch scene. I didn't think Trigun could hurt me any more and yet here I am in a new spiral over an internet stranger's hot take.

Anywaaaaay, I've had this brainworm way before whatever angst got a hold of Twitter. I've always interpreted Vash and Wolfwood’s relationship as 'right people, wrong time'. But honestly, I love every interpretation of them - platonic, soulmates, lovers, etc. So, through these comics I wanted to show moments during their journey that conveyed the gradual evolution of their relationship (as I head cannon it lmao). Canonically, Vash never gets to tell Wolfwood how he feels and my poor little heart has been in denial about that ever since. So this is my *slight* rewriting of the series of events leading up to Wolfwood's solo journey.

At this point in the manga (ch. 50) I wanted to show that, despite the 7 month time skip, it's like no time has passed between them. They're still comfortable and casual with each other, still seeking the comfort of distractions - Neither of them wanting to shatter the illusion of normalcy in this moment. And I feel Vash would be the first to ask for more when reality comes knocking (through Wolfwood's fist lol).

He knows, even in a best-case scenario, his time with Wolfwood is limited. And while Vash is just as shackled by duty and guilt as Wolfwood, he carries an optimism about him that Wolfwood lacks. He needs Woolfwood to know how he feels so he can live without regret, regardless of the outcome. As such, he takes the leap. Wolfwood, unfortunately, cannot bring himself to share in that optimism. He’s too absorbed in worry about the orphanage, the children and especially Livio. His heart is screaming at him, but he knows he can’t afford to be distracted by his “selfish” desires. So, he rejects Vash by being realistic and hopes he can see that he wants this too, but just can't bear the impending heartbreak due to their circumstances. Vash does see this. He swallows his disappointment and heartbreak, earnestly grateful for the relationship he still has with Wolfwood.

I know my characterization feels like it conflicts with the moment on the couch; Vash can't even look at Wolfwood for that entire scene despite Wolfwood being the one to try and connect with him ("You look better...when you smile."). However, I never saw that moment as Vash rejecting Wolfwood. Not in the traditional sense at least (maybe an inadvertent rejection). Vash wanted more between them (to share his tomorrows), but not like this - not as a deathbed confession. He's heartbroken and grieving and (somewhat selfishly) can't see that Wolfwood just wants to enjoy his last moments with the one person on this planet he can call an equal and a friend.

Speaking of the dreaded couch scene, I don't think I can add anything new to the discourse, but I will say the tragedy for me really lies in all the emotions Wolfwood goes through:

Being at peace with his death ("This is the way you want it?" "Yeah."). It's what he believed he deserved, with all the blood on his hands, and the mutation of his body, he assumed he could never return to his previous life with everyone at the orphanage.

Grieving for his future (confetti). Wolfwood never believed he could be forgiven. The children celebrating his return showed their acceptance of him, welcoming him back regardless of his sins. He was worthy of forgiveness. His guilt prevented him from even entertaining the thought of forgiving himself. There must have been regret in those tears.

Seeking comfort from the one person he grew to truly trust and Vash not being strong enough to give it. I already mentioned this above, but Vash not even being able to look at Wolfwood throughout the entire couch scene tears me up.

From the narrative's perspective, Wolfwood needed to die. And even knowing that, it still absolutely destroyed me (and still does). Not just because he died, but because right before his death, he was given a glimmer of hope - that had he survived the fight with Livio, he would have had a chance at happiness.

Last side note here: I've seen discourse online explaining the entire scene is a metaphor for a wedding and I just wanna say, you'll be hearing from my therapist.

[linkdedruid]

HEY BABE, WHAT SIZE PUSSY YOU HAVE

(Headcanons)

The Trigun Folks and Buying Period Supplies for Their Partner for the First Time

I'd like you to know that I *cackled* when I saw this in my inbox. Sorry it took so longggggg! So, I'm basing this off a mix of TriStamp and Tri98 (only reason not TriMax is bc I haven't read it yet I'm sorryyyyy) Big thank you to @abject-indulgence for helping with Legato (go follow him; he's pretty rad) Dividers by @benkeibear

Livio

he's such a sweetheart he offers to go get more supplies because your cramps are really bad he gets to the store and is very overwhelmed by the range of options he'd just text you to ask which ones you preferred to make sure he gets the right ones he also picks up your favorite dinner while he's out because at least it'll be a nice surprise

Wolfwood

this man runs an orphanage, so he knows what's up you ask him to grab some more when he's running errands he checks with you before he leaves to make sure he gets the right brand, size, etc. he's gonna maybe give you a little funny remark but he's back later that day with the supplies and some of your favorite snacks and he'll give you a uterine massage if your cramps are particularly bad also, he's the world's best heating pad because he runs so warm

Vash

poor, sweet Vash is trying his best he's never really had a partner before and wants to make sure he does everything right so he's doing a store run and notices pads and tampons are on the list doesn't look at the list before he goes and just panics nearly has a breakdown in the aisle because he doesn't know which ones to get he's too nervous to ask you or the employees he ends up getting one of each that he can find because he can't get it wrong if he gets all of them, right

Knives

he's gonna complain like, he's gonna say some crap about how humans are such a pain and a nuisance and he'll make someone else do it he will, however, make sure there's someone keeping an eye on it in future so you never have to ask again but he won't ever admit to it

Roberto

look me in the eye and tell me this man doesn't have this on lock I dare you because you'll be dead wrong this man has been around the block no hesitation just asks which ones you want like it's no big deal to him it's just another part of life

Legato

he's just confused why you're asking him to do it he's not grossed out or upset, just confused like, anybody could go do that and he's got things to do that only he can do anyway, he makes sure it gets done though he just has one of the lower level grunts do it with the threat of an excruciating death if they mess it up

Milly

you never have to ask her to pick up supplies because she's already on top of it like, she knows when anything is running low at home what makes you think she'd be anything less growing up with a big family means making sure there's plenty of household supplies you're actually more likely to have the issue of there not being enough space she always accidentally ends up buying too much

Meryl

she's the one who's gonna forget to supplies honestly she's too busy focusing on everything else to check and so she's doing emergency runs to get something to tide y'all over until she can get to the store to actually get the ones y'all want spoiler: she forgets and the cycle repeats

[hikennosabo]

trimax vol 10 random thoughts (ch 5-8)

part 1 here.

okay, time for part 2. i don't want to do this, i have a pit in my stomach.

chapter 5:

destroying razlo's punishers... a good strategy!

getting leverage to jump by stepping on his leg, i love it

you could say he. he was. *wheeze*... i guess you could say he was... ...disarmed... [a comically large hook drags me off the stage]

wolfwood and razlo just met today (not technically but y'know), but he can read razlo so well already, taunting him like this.

THIS FIGHT...!!! it's reminding me of vash vs knives in the finale of the 98 anime! one black gun and one white gun, and them being on even ground, making the same moves...

they're an even match when they're just whaling on each other, but wolfwood has tactics that razlo doesn't. also this is an insanely cool move.

chapter 6:

^ how it feels to read trigun maximum (said again)

^ how it feels to read trigun maximum (said for a third time)

he knows wolfwood is dying. we know wolfwood is dying. he can't do anything to stop it. we can't do anything to stop it. (except for refusing to keep turning the pages, i guess)

THEY HAVE NAMES?

vash can't do anything to stop wolfwood from dying, but he can help wolfwood go out on his own terms...

PLEASE, HE'S ALREADY DYING, WE DON'T NEED YET ANOTHER DEATH FAKEOUT FOR THE BOOKS.

livio interfering... i'm not an expert but this is not how DID works. but sure. the drama carries it.

WHY AND HOW IS CHAPEL STILL ALIVE FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU

razlo realizes very fast that chapel never cared. despite his verbal denial, i think he was realizing way before this.

DESERVED!!! YES.... KILL!!!!!!

of course razlo can only attack. attack, like how he killed livio's parents. not that chapel doesn't deserve it, but this is the only thing razlo knows how to do.

ough. livio apologizing... "i'm okay now"...

so is razlo just gone now? like i said, i'm not a DID expert, i know re-integration(? not sure if that's the correct term sorry) is possible, but i don't know if this is how it works...

honestly, i feel bad for razlo. he only knew a life of violence, he was manipulated and indoctrinated by chapel, all he wanted was to be needed but his last experiences are finding out that chapel didn't care about him and then livio telling him he doesn't need him anymore. poor guy.

chapter 7:

oh, no, i don't want to read this chapter again. don't make me read this chapter again.

the difference between this and tristamp... stamp had the orphanage much more directly tied to EoM, and a bunch of guys in suits came to pick wolfwood up. this scene is a lot more "normal," a lot less obviously suspicious. idk if i'd go so far as to say stamp!melanie was in on the whole thing, but she doesn't look happy about wolfwood leaving... i do wonder how stampede will handle all this... ANYWAY!

"six years"... lmao. now i understand what people meant when they said the timeline is confusing. it's killing me and i hate it, actually?! nightow ALL you had to do was NOT specify a number!!!

the coins... i constantly forget about them and i find it funny whenever they're brought up... they were so clearly meant to set the ghg up as a shonen battle enemy-of-the-month type thing but then that got thrown off the rails when the magazine ceased publication and everything got turned upside down. yet the coins persist. what are they all for in the end.

also i'm sad. this is wolfwood's paltry attempt at pushing vash away. (also he's been carrying rai-dei's coin this whole time?! lol?! that's also sad... just waiting to give it to vash i guess...)

"this is the way you want it? are you sure?" i'm just fucking inconsolable at this point.

of course this attempt at sincere emotion is deflected. you boys are so, so, so, so, so stupid.

i can't do this man. i can't review the couch scene. i'm crying too much.

the prayer. this especially is getting to me. we've seen wolfwood pray a few times, but now it's vash's turn to pray. we've never seen him do that. and while vash was there to answer wolfwood's prayer... there is no one to answer vash.

what if i climbed into the microwave right fucking now.

ourgh. out of all the images in this chapter, this is the one that stuck with me the most. even more than the couch images. ugh, i can't even fucking write.

chapter 8:

i don't know where else to say this...? lol but livio's personality is different, he's cute now. is this because he broke out of the EoM brainwashing or because he integrated with(???) razlo? (once again: IS this how this works???) or is it both? either way he's a lot more expressive than he was before...

other people have already talked about how we didn't see the burial. i'm also thinking about everything else we didn't see. vash buried wolfwood, and he also cleaned up outside, brought livio in and laid him down, gathered ingredients and started cooking...

how long did he sit on that couch for before he moved. how much and how hard did he cry. we didn't see that either. we don't need to.

knives. he's smearing blood on his face again.

his laughter... i don't think he finds this funny like "haha funny" necessarily, i think he's just losing it.

vash defends the orphanage and knives doesn't even push it. he just moves on. hmm, i'm trying to articulate this... vash's display of power used up more of his life, which knives noticed obviously, and vash is willing to go that far to protect the orphanage... knives still doesn't want vash to die, and... he's laughing out of disbelief, or something like that. i don't know.

vash and livio sharing a meal together is... it's nice. but vash is still clearly very angry. with livio, with razlo, with himself too probably.

i don't know. i'm not angry with livio or razlo at all. they were both victims of chapel same as wolfwood. this is all chapel's fault in my mind, lol.

oh.

we're gonna see this in stampede too, aren't we. wolfwood will die for a third time and we're gonna see vash holding the punisher.

the fact that this volume doesn't even have the goofy author extra... we're just forced to sit with this. man. the book club wasn't kidding, it's so much worse the second time around. the first time i cried a little but i was mostly just taking it all in. the second time i was like actually heaving and sobbing. reading this volume twice within a few days was a BAD IDEA.

AND WE STILL HAVE FOUR VOLUMES LEFT. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GO ON AFTER THIS. four entire volumes without wolfwood...

[deludedfantasy]

Trimax Vol 10 Ch 5-8

All I can say is that it's somehow worse the second time around and I have lots of feelings about it.

Ch 5

It’s a final battle in more ways than one, if you think about it. Which I’m trying not to, but failing very hard at. 

Something about Wolfwood using the Punisher as a shield just gets me. Using a weapon meant to harm and kill to protect instead. It’s a metaphor for who he is. 

Whoa! Wolfwood’s trick with the magazine is just so clever and out there. He’s such a smart and calculated fighter when he has a goal and isn’t just mindlessly fulfilling his mission. 

As we watch Wolfwood fight Razlo, we get a glimpse of Vash watching. We’re reminded that he’s been told to stand back and let Wolfwood handle this alone. And we also see how he’s raging at it. 

It honestly reminds me of how much earlier Zazie called Vash a bystander to humanity’s destruction. And here he is, doing that again, on a much more personal level. But it’s not because he refuses to interfere. It’s because he’s respecting his friend’s choice to do something important alone, and he’s raging at it. Vash doesn’t actually like being the bystander, being on the outside, he wants to be part of it and he wants to help. 

Wolfwood is pulling out all the stops for this fight. He’s sword fighting with the Punisher, using his ammo as a weapon, and apparently getting faster and faster. He’s decided he’s going to die, but if he is, he’s gonna do it in a blaze of glory. 

There is definitely some symbolism in Razlo’s mask being blown off. There’s no more hiding between one personality or another, because they’re the same.

Oh wow, that’s really gory. I’m actually wondering if that thing I saw go flying earlier wasn’t a mask but literally part of his face.

Ch 6

It’s telling that in the end, Wolfwood throws aside the Punisher. He finishes off Razlo with his own fists rather than with a weapon of punishment. Because he might be hurting him, but he’s not trying to destroy him. He’s trying to save his brother and he’ll do that with his own hands.

In between, we get these glimpses again of Vash watching and at first, he’s blank-faced, we can’t read his expression. 

But then we see him scream, tears running down his face. He’s suffering, watching Wolfwood do this alone and knowing he’s dying all the while. And there’s nothing he can do to stop it. He wants to save his friend, but he can’t, and it breaks something in him. It’s heart-wrenching.

Oh…right after Vash cries out Wolfwood starts coughing up a fountain of blood. Someone mentioned that with Vash’s superhuman abilities he could probably feel and hear as Wolfwood’s body shut down. He’s screaming because he can literally feel Wolfwood getting closer and closer to death.

The only time Vash interferes is to stop Razlo’s goons from attacking Wolfwood. That’s all he can do. Allow Wolfwood to save his brother himself and let nothing stop him from doing that. He takes to that mission whole-heartedly. And oh, is he angry while he does it. I can hear the gravel in his voice when he says, “Don’t interfere.” He’s got his guns pressed to their throats. Would he fire if they moved? We don’t know, but with the rage in his eyes, I say maybe. Vash has finally found what he’s willing to kill for. 

Livio comes back for a moment! He stops Razlo from killing Wolfwood because he still cares about his brother. This isn’t someone Razlo has to protect him from and he’s finally fighting back.

HOW. HOW IS CHAPEL NOT DEAD? 

Razlo finally sees Chapel for what he is. Not the caring mentor, but the obsessive, conniving old man he is. He would shoot one of his own disciples if they were getting the way of what he wanted. Poor Razlo, alone for so long and having given all of his twisted love and devotion to his man, suddenly realizes Chapel didn’t care about him as anything other than a tool and extension of himself. And as always, Razlo’s volatility and impulsivity come into play. That is finally what gets Chapel permanently killed. I think there’s something poetic about that. 

Livio is giving me a lot of feelings I can barely articulate right now. But I’m going to try anyway. 

He’s been trapped inside Razlo for this whole fight, watching him destroy his brother, the one person who had ever cared about him and showed him kindness. Livio watches how Wolfwood fights back against Chapel and everything he’s been taught to be a better man, a protector, the person he’s always wanted to be. We know Livio has been lost for a long time, and that once he wanted to be a protector, because he thought it was the only way he could be loved. Watching Wolfwood fight for him again reminds him of that, and when he sees that now he might kill that man, he finds the strength to stop Razlo. 

Not only that, he apologizes to Razlo! Livio used him to escape his abuse and put Razlo through living hell, to the point that he didn’t know anything else. He’s acknowledging that neither of them deserved that. But still, it’s time for Livio to take responsibility for his actions and find a new path forward. He wants to be like Wolfwood. He wants to try, he wants to change. 

How would it make Vash feel knowing that Wolfwood caused that kind of massive shift in someone else? I think, once he gets past the anger of what Livio did to Wolfwood, he’d be really proud of him. 

Wolfwood will take any opportunity to smoke, huh? He’s nearly dead, but he’s celebrating his success.

Ch 7

Oh my god, not little Wolfwood again. And on the day he leaves the orphanage. My heart can’t take this.

The orphanage was his home, the only place he ever knew happiness, and for all the years that Wolfwood was in the Eye, he kept it in his heart as the place where he was loved. They never managed to rip that away from him, even if he believed they’d destroyed his humanity. He was once part of something beautiful, and he would protect it with everything he had, even if he was no good anymore. Because he still wanted to be welcomed home.

Listen, Nightow, your timelines are so wonky because if it’d only been six years, Wolfwood is max nineteen. I get his body has been aged past his years but in no way is that man a teenager. In my head, I’m just pretending that says, “Its been many years since then.” 

Oh no, not the kids screaming when they see him. It just reaffirms his beliefs about himself, that all he is is a monster. And Vash tries to explain things, but Wolfwood won’t let him! 

He hates himself so much, but God, his face here. Many others have pointed it out but when Wolfwood tells Vash to leave it, he looks so soft, young, and vulnerable. For the first time since we’ve met him. He doesn’t want to be a monster, he just wants to be loved and recognized by his old family, but he hates himself too much to even take the risk of letting them know him as both Nico and the man he is now. 

Wolfwood has already made his decision. Vash might’ve once said that Wolfwood isn’t lost, but he’s decided that it’s going to end here. He tells Melanie to not tell the kids the truth about him and he tells Vash that he’s not getting on the shuttle. But worst of all, he pulls out those coins and tells him that’s who he really is. He’s Vash’s friend, he’s a killer, one of the Gung Ho Guns. He doesn’t deserve to go back to his family. He doesn’t deserve the chance, the hope, of living. 

Vash even says to him, “You’re running out of time.” He means it in more ways than one. The shuttle is leaving soon, but also, Wolfwood’s life is running out. Does Vash hope that if Wolfwood gets on the shuttle, they’ll be able to save him? There’s no way to know that, but there’s hope, and Vash has always had hope. 

And then they bicker like everything’s fine and it’s just like old times. Because what else can you do in the worst of times but fall back on what’s comfortable and familiar? 

There’s that drink Wolfwood promised him for surviving the fight…

Even in his last moments, Wolfwood is trying to soften the blow of his own death. Telling Vash to smile, that he looks good when he does, that he was wrong to ever tell him that he looks sad when he does it. He just wants to see his friend smile and know he’ll be okay.

Despite all the things Vash would do for him, this one thing he can’t. Because then that smile would be fake and he can’t do that to either of them. 

And Vash, who has never relied on anyone but himself, to whom a higher power is likely a bit of a joke because for so long, he was the highest power—he begs God to let his friend live. 

The grief here is so palpable, I’m crying as I write this. 

The confetti…they all still love him, even as he is. They are welcoming him home in his last moments. 

This page brings me to tears. We’ve never, not once, seen Wolfwood cry, not now, not until he’s dying. Is this scream a final defiant cry against the universe? Is it him realizing he doesn’t want to die because he’s finally realized that he’s loved, that he was always loved? I don’t know. We’ll never know. That’s why it hits so hard.

The past few pages have been so atmospheric that I can hear all of it in my head. The bell finally tolls, the one Wolfwood has been ignoring this whole time. The sound the bottle makes as it falls from his fingers. Each one distinct in the silence surrounding his death. 

Vash is left alone. The man he realized he wanted to live for is gone. We can’t see his eyes, just the reflection of his glasses and he’s clutching at the sleeve of his jacket.

Ch 8

These panels did something to me the first time I read them. Vash’s words have been echoing in my head for months. They’re so blunt. “He’s dead. I buried him.” Have we ever known him to be so harsh and direct? Is he angry at Livio for indirectly causing Wolfwood’s death? Because Wolfwood died saving him when he could have killed him? But he’s also deathly calm. His eyes are blank. He’s locked everything down rather than feel it. 

You know what else haunts me? We never see Vash bury him. Their final moments together. How he dug the hole, how he picked up Wolfwood and placed him in his grave, arranged his body, and filled it back in, dragging the tombstone over the top. Was he this calm when he did that? Was he raging? Was he screaming and crying? We don’t know and I don’t think Vash is ever going to tell. It’s possible he’s blocked it out entirely because it’s too much to handle. 

I personally think all of his feelings came out while he was burying him. Now, he’s pushed them away in favor of the mission he has to accomplish. Because he can’t let Wolfwood’s sacrifice go to waste. 

When Vash answers Livio’s question, he’s pretty harsh too. “You of all people should know why.” He’s definitely angry and as much as he has the rest of his feelings tightly under control, that isn’t. On some level, he does blame Livio and he can’t hold himself back from letting it be known. 

The moment when Vash uses his powers is so interesting. So far, we’ve seen him use the Angel Arm to protect himself and Wolfwood. But in this instance, we can argue that he used it to attack. Sure, Knives was going to destroy the orphanage while Vash and Livio were still in there and Vash protected against it. He did more than that though. He attacked. The way I read this is he blasted that power back with his own attached to it, and he cuts Knives. This is the first time we’ve seen him actually hurt him, despite how often Vash claims he’s out to kill him. This was a deliberate use of his power to hurt and destroy, and it’s the first time we see his philosophy shift, just a little. 

Now though, he’s eating his feelings. Which is interesting, because the last time Vash experienced a traumatic monumental event like this, he couldn’t eat. But as we see, both Livio’s and Vash’s best memories of Wolfwood are tied up with food. They’re eating to get their strength back, but also to honor his memory. He was always trying to take care of them and now they’re taking care of themselves. 

It sucks that the only things they have left of Wolfwood are his weapons. He was a protector, but what he has left behind are implements of death and destruction. Especially the Punisher. The only thing Vash has left of his friend is his burden. It’s bittersweet that he uses it as his gravemarker, specifically as a cross rather than a weapon. Wolfwood may have been made into a weapon, but he’ll be remembered for his mercy.

Also, I'm taking recommendations for fix-it fics where Wolfwood lives, is resurrected, reincarnated, etc. My heart could use some healing, pls and thank you.

[tetraharmonic]

Rating the TriStamp Designs based on Suitability for Desert Travel

So, to give this post some context, in my character design class from two semesters ago, it was a super big thing for our professor that characters were dressed to the environment, ie hot weather causing folks to wear short-sleeved clothes, or combat focused characters dressing based on their style of combat and mobility requirements. I was doing some sketches yesterday and realized, man, some of them are actually fucked when it comes to the environment itself. And...well, here's my hotcakes.

Zazzie the Beast: 9/10

Clothing is the loosest out of the group, with the lightest over all colors. The outfit has not just one but two possible ways to cover the face, such as the mask and that scarf thingie. The main reason I'm marking the fit is for the pants, which would give them one weird sunburn. They'd also need more warmth once the suns go down.

Meryl: 8/10

Loose fitting and light clothing is a huge plus. She also has layers, allowing her to adjust better as nightfall hits. However, she has almost no face and eye protection, which would leave her with a nasty case of windburn.

Knives: 7/10

Tight fitting clothes trap the sweat against your skin, increasing the odds of overheating. His feet are also bare, so you know good and well that they're going to get roasted and burnt by the hot sand, causing blisters at best. However, having the cloak could, in theory, keep him cool during the day, and its looseness should allow for more airflow. Would've been a 6, but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to his skintight suit. Who knows, it could be some real damn breathable fabric.

Roberto: 7/10

Light colors, layer potential. He's doing really well in terms of clothing. However, a suit coat would absolutely be too heavy for day wear. Also, he doesn't have any sort of face, eye or ear protection, so fighting the sand would be difficult.

Legato: 7/ 10

Same thought process here as Roberto. His clothing is light on the outer layers, which could help with heat management. However, his under layers are black, which would make him feel a whole lot hotter in the case that he had to remove his jacket, which he probably will need to, because it looks thick as hell. No facial protection.

Wolfwood: 6/10

Dark clothes, not good. But they're at least pretty loose and unbuttoned quite a bit. He has eye protection in the form of sunglasses, which would help with both sand and UV protection. Loafers might be an issue, though. If he can't keep the sand out of them, he could end up with some vile blisters.

Vash: 4/10

Has eye protection. It doesn't look like it would block much sunlight, but it would help for the sand, so that's a massive boost. However, tell me that jacket isn't going to be hot as hell out there. I dare you. He's also wearing very tight-fitting black clothing, which is not going to work out too well for him. He also runs the issue of his prosthetic. There isn't any way for him to keep sand out of the joints, which will, after some time, render his prosthetic unusable or extremely uncomfortable. His undercut gives him an extra point, though, because it'd help with the weight of hair and help keep his head cool.

Livio: 3/10

Dark clothes, not very lose. No eye protection. He'd be absolutely fucked. Keeping his hair out of his eyes will provide a slight advantage when it comes to seeing things, but it's completely irrelevant when compared to the horrible sun exhaustion this poor man is going to face. And he's got a turtle neck so he's just going to have more sweat trapped close to his body with nowhere for all of that to go. Dehydration and heat management would be a horrible issue for him, besides the fact that the metal thing on his face would heat up from the sunlight and begin to scorch his skin or even blind him. His outfit when he was young would've been fantastic, if his shorts were longer, but, yknow, three layers of black suits.... Poor dude. Someone get this man a kool-aid pouch.

Thats all for now folks. Enjoy!

[kindaoptimisticsquirrel]

Trigun Bookclub Trimax Vol10 Part 1

Vol01: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3  | Vol02: Part 1 | Part 2

Trimax: Vol01 Part 1Vol01 Part 2 | Vol02 Part 1Vol02 Part 2 | Vol 03 Part 1 | Vol03 Part2 | Vol04 Part1 | Vol04 Part2 | Vol05 | Vol06 | Vol07 | Vol08 Part1 | Vol08 Part2 | Vol09 Part1 | Vol09 Part2 | Vol10 Part1

I'm early for this one cause I won't have time the rest of the week. And as a bonus it's like doing the presentation first: after that I can lay back, watching all the others knowing that I've put it already behind me. This is only part1 but I trust you've read the whole volume when you read this commentary! I might make 3 parts with all the images I'm putting in this now, haha....

Chapter 1:

Sad music playing in the bg, all other noises canceled out, room relatively cool: let's go.

I can't get over the fact how Wolfwood's playing scnes with Vash out in his head. And this moment here! It was such an important discussion, their first clash of ideals....And now Wolfwood wants to prove him wrong. That he is NOT giving up hope so easily.

"Do not tell me you are betting on hopes" I thought you were some kind of religious cult?? Believing in the holy creatures? Well there really isn't much believe left in this dying old man. Such a poor soul. He doesn't believe in his own religion. He might once have believed in his god (aka Knives) but would want him dead now- only that he doesn't believe he can kill him so he doesn't believe in a future for anyone. He doesn't believe in his pupils and doesn't believe them when they say they might know a way of salvation. And now he's just trying to drag everybody down with him.

And Wolfwood IS believing....with his whole heart and without a doubt. Oh my god. (And he hasn't forsaken you either!!!)

Disapproving of this weapon head tilt which is reserved for gay battle couples only!

Can you stop shooting this man for one fucking second

FOR ONE SECOND

FOR FUCK'S SAKE

I wonder if we can read this hesitation by Razlo as a sentiment of Livio deep deep within who might NOT want to kill Wolfwood? It could also just be Razlo's shock at seeing how he misinterpreted his opponent though.

Go to hell old man.

Chapter 2:

I need to remind myself that Razlo is not just "kill kill kill!" or blindly following Chapel. He's also nuanced and got lots of respect for this worthy opponent (and ex colleague of his, ex friend/brother of Livio).

This title here is giving me emotions and I want that image as a patch to sew on my backpack please

I can't really distinguish...is he talking about a bad chill? As in making him uneasy? He looks like it, but I'm not sure..

I gotta say shooting yourself is a hardcore statement. Great, now he's a MAD angry old ass of a man. But to Razlo I say: Have your forgotten the girl Livio saved??? And you, yous saved Razlo countless times!! Did they not need you both? D:

Miss Melanie is such a lovable character!! Go and protect your kids...even if you know the enemy is far too powerful! I love this little comedic moment in between this whole mess (And sh reminds me a bit of my mother, too)

Why else? Because you're an arsehole maybe, or because he has learned that he can chose not to be a killer and be a decent person?

This is such such such an evil move of Chapel. "Here, look at this boy, once innocent and a part of your family...now he's changed into a disgusting creature! Look at him and judge him and laugh at him and his poor life."

And the worst part, exactly this has been one of Wolfwood's biggest fears. Because next to not being able to save his family at the orphanage...if one of them would see Wolfwood as he is now and decide that he is a despicable person, someone who doesn't deserve redemption, it would mean he is truly lost. Then he would be only a killer and nothing more.

Thank god Melanie is having none of it. And look how Wolfwood's eye that was just a moment ago wide with shock is closing, his whole feature relaxing. This is what he needed...her telling him that he could have come home anytime. That he is still and will always be! A part of their family.

Of course you moron you could have done this together!! If you didn't run off alone...trying to do things on your own. Somehow, now that I think about this...this really feels like act of a boy that didn't have time to grow up. Running off to the orphanage was not Wolfwood- it was Nicholas doing it. Not Wolfwood the Punisher but Nicholas the Boy. Why is this thought making me emotional?

Fuck we see him thinking, thinking fast of a way to still save the situation, seeing the vials, maybe wondering if he will be able to do it with them can he do it can he do it

You godforsaken idiot why did you have to bite them down and seal your fate

And in the moment when Nicholas needed him most, Vash came. But he came a second too late.

Look, there's just something about Vash coming to his rescue in this moment where Wolfwood is at his lowest. Completely ripped apart, laid bare before his loved ones...These two pages, and the sole sentence "I've made a friend" is something so poetic...they make me internally scream because YES you've made a friend, you both love and trust each other deeply...you really have made such a good friend. SOBBING

[pancake-breakfast]

I've been chomping at the bit to get through the last few chapters of this volume, and finally, it is time!

Stream-of-consciousness thoughts for TriMax Vol. 8, Chapter 5 + Wolfwood Spinoff below.

Chapter 5: Parting Ways

Noooooo, who's parting wayyyys?? Everyone's finally set up to reunite!

LOL, the Punisher looks like it's taken some... punishment... in its fall from the ship.

They're looking for them! That's right, keep looking, guys!

OMG THEM <3 <3 <3 Protect him, Vash! Gods, he's soooo worried.

TBH, I think Vash is right to be shocked. I'd probably be shocked if I didn't Know Things. Gods, I don't wanna Know Things.

Aaand there's the vials! Drink 'er up!

STAMPEDE SPOILERS: I do think Stampede made the right choice in introducing those sooner rather than later. It doesn't destroy the tension around Wolfwood, because he's still Wolfwood and... well... yeah. Hard to get life-saving meds when you're not on great terms with the people who gave you the meds (and tend to go through it like it's candy).

And now he's providing some insight on Eye of Michael for Vash. And us. Good good good.

AND FOR ONCE NIGHTOW ACTUALLY USED THE BLACK BACKGROUND FOR FLASHBACKS. Gods, I wish he did this more often.

Awww, baby Wolfwood!

Also young Chapel, I guess, but I don't care about him NEARLY as much.

I mean, that's one way to train someone, I guess....

Ugh, poor kid. No one should have to go through this. He looks terrified, and probably rightly so.

Ah, there's the bit about his age not being what it appears to be.

He looks... I don't want to say "mournful" over what he's lost. More like he's already mourned it and accepted it as gone forever, and now there's just kind of a gaping hole in his heart where it used to be.

But there were more kids that ended up like him, most notably Livio, who Chapel seems to have recruited specifically as a "fuck you" to Wolfwood.

LOL, this is so them.

Vash in a blanket. Vash in a blanket!!! SOMEONE MADE HIM COZY!!! A:LGJA:OSDJ:FAJS:LDJ He needs to be cozy more often. He even has cozy slippers!

That's RIGHT, Knives! Stop trying to merge your being with your sisters! They'll win in the long run, 'cause they're used to being a hive mind.

Awww, Wolfwood's got a blanket, too. <3 Blankets for everyone.

The migration makes sense. Even in a world where communication isn't instantaneous, news spreads.

Yeah, Knives going after the envoy ships might not be so great.

Eyyy, it's our friend the gunsmith!

"Tumbleweed." That's a very apt name for Vash, all things considered.

Vash is sooooo happy to see him.

This guy. He's like, "My death got ruined by some jerk giving me a reason to live."

Ever-hopeful, ever-determined Meryl. <3

Marlon probably doesn't know it, but he's providing Vash with more than just a weapon here. Given how poorly their last meeting went, Vash probably expects Meryl to hate and fear him, but by telling him this story, Marlon lets Vash know Meryl still has hope in him. Enough hope to want him to be protected.

OMG, he's gonna repair the Punisher. He calls repairing the Punisher child's play. Who is this man?!

Vash, still looking tired and wan, but also looking hopeful again.

(Also, I love his floofy hair throughout this whole chapter. You can really see where Stampede took their inspiration.)

Geez, is Knives even absorbing dead Plants? This is not good. For him, I mean. It might actually work out ok for other people.

Is... is Knives trying to kill himself? Or just part of himself? The part of himself that feels sympathy for Vash despite the destruction of all the Plants? Does he even realize how many of these Plants would probably still be alive if it weren't for him "rescuing" them??

Epic Wolfwood spread! Looks like Marlon got the Punisher back in tip-top shape. (Hats off to @trigun-manga-overhaul for all their work stitching together pages like this.)

Noooooo, don't leave, Wolfwood! Vash needs you around! Have you learned nothing?? *SIGH* This means they're not gonna be getting the band back together, doesn't it.

Wolfwood Spinoff: Freed Bird

I'm glad he's free... but... I don't want him off on his own.

Ahhhh! I'd heard he whittled things but wasn't sure if it was true!

For reference, the ガタ ガタ (gata gata) sound on the right-hand panels is the sound of Wolfwood's knife, and the キ キ イイイ (ki ki-iii) sounds on the left-hand panel are bird cries.

Yeah, flying does a number on one's metabolism. There's a reason birds are poop machines. As anyone who's ever owned a bird knows.

LOL, this driver's like, "I'm glad you're an artist, but I need to get paid in cash."

I wonder where Angelina is....

Wolfwood's already making friends, I see.

Is Wolfwood blushing as he watches her?

Ah, trading women as products is common enough that she doesn't even flinch at the suggestion.

This is a shitty situation, since chances are he gets the Plant in the marriage anyway. Either way, she loses.

I'm beginning to think Wolfwood's not the "freed bird" referred to in the title.

*cue MAPPA flying bird reflected in a close-up of an eyeball scene*

Oh, no. Wolfwood has a soft spot for orphans.

Ah, seems like she's made her choice. Not because it's the choice she particularly wants to make, but because it's the only choice she knows how to make.

Haaaahahahahahaha, she thinks he got to choose his own path. He carved his road to his own path in literal bodies and blood.

I dunno, man. Different strokes for different folks. Something something "give me the freedom of the starving wolves." We all make sacrifices, and we have different opinions on what we're willing to sacrifice. I'm sure Wolfwood would prefer a life of not wandering around, wondering where his next bed and meal will come from, but he should know he chafes under collars and leashes.

You can't believe she doesn't remember you? When did she last see you??

Hahahahaha, he's so determined. He looks angry, but apparently the baby enjoys mad-dogging him back.

Yeah, she's not exactly walking here. She's not gonna remember you from that, Wolfwood!

LOL, eat the bird.

Oh, so this orphanage also adopts their kids out to actual families? Who knew? I thought they were all just Eye of Michael fodder.

Aww, toddler version of Maylene doesn't want to leave big brother Nico.

Now I'm thinking he was blushing at her not because of any attraction, but more out of pride at how much she's grown.

Oh, great. Who's this clown??

Ugh, it's the loan shark. He looks skeevy.

Uhhhh, what happened to Wolfwood? Who's this chick?

Oh, it's Maylene. She looks ready for a fight. Why was she chillin' in a dark room like that?

This panel, tho.

Why'd they beat him up?

Oh, they think he convinced her to refuse the offer? Man, this loan shark guy is dumb. I got the distinct impression she's never liked him. But of course it couldn't be because of anything he's done. It MUST be someone else's fault she's rejecting him.

Duuuuude. This guy assumes Wolfwood somehow seduced her, and he's ready and willing to kill both Wolfwood and Maylene if he did. Seems like GREAT husband material.

LOL, Wolfwood doesn't even justify his dumb-ass question with a reasonable response. You can just tell Wolfwood's head is full of murder-thoughts here.

Ah, now she's blaming him for the situation, too. Vash really has rubbed off on Wolfwood.

It's hard to tell, but I think Wolfwood is protecting her from the gunfire by keeping them both behind the Punisher.

This guy. He's got himself a tank to take out someone he thinks might be getting laid more than he is?

Wolfwood. Buddy. How dare you tell her she should have just married this guy.

Look, she'd rather die than go into a gilded cage! That's how it is sometimes! A cage is still a cage! And her purported husband-to-be is absolute filth!

Oh, good. Wolfy's coming around. At the very least, he wants to defend Maylene, and he recognizes this guy is trash. Just take a few more steps in the right direction, friend.

I get he was trying to keep her from the kind of hard life he's lived, but he's just the bird envying the person on the ground. He doesn't get that there are difficulties on both sides and you kinda have to pick your poison... if you're lucky enough to even have the choice.

He is still proud of her, despite his harsh words and narrow vision.

She may or may not recognize him, but she is aware of the impact he had on her young life.

Author Bonus Chapter

I wanna... just soak in water for a bit....

LOL, always a good plan to run away for a bit of one gets stuck being at home.

What's 1/F?

Wolfwood sure does spend a lot of time covered in blood. WHO'S FAULT IS THAT, NIGHTOW?!?!

"Silly manga" my foot... Tell that to my therapist. (Just kidding; Trigun Book Club is my therapist for this stuff. Sorry, folks!)

Archive

Trigun Vol. 1: Covers + 1-3, 4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10 || Vol. 2: Covers + Extras, 1, 2-4, 5-6, 7-8

TriMax Vol. 1: Covers + 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 || Vol. 2: Covers + 1, 2-4, 5, 6-7 || Vol. 3: Covers + 1-3, 4-5, 6-7 || Vol. 4: Covers + 1-2, 3-5, 6-7 || Vol. 5: Covers + 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 || Vol. 6: Covers + 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 || Vol. 7: Covers + 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 || Vol. 8: Covers + 1-2, 3-4

Extra Credit: Trigun Vol. 1: Nebraska vs. Vash's Motivations, Vash's Loneliness, Vash's Depression (pt 2 of post), Soupy Brains || Vol. 2: Coin Factoids || TriMax Vol. 1: Lina, Vash, and a Haircut || Meryl, Vash, and the Pursuit of Happiness || Vol. 5: Knives, Vash, and Hatred for Humanity || Vol. 6: Coping Series: Wolfwood, Meryl, Vash || Vol. 8: The Uncoordinated Counterattack

[the-puniisher]

grgrgehrgrg okay so like

college au shit... like. majors and roomies and shenanigans...

❝COLLEGE AU❞

I am CRAZY for college AU's.. LETS GOOO!!! After writing this all up I might make some drabbles based off of it...

❝VASH❞

Majors in Conservation/Research, studies Anthropology, the history of humans and their development.

Top of his class, the nice kid that's always offering tutoring to his classmates.

Dating Nick, always talking him up at any point in time. When people see Nick for the first time they're like "wtf.. this is your guy??" looking up and down a greaseball of a man. Vash is like omg.. yes.. isn't he wonderful.. as he permeates cigarette smoke.

THE definition of broke college student. He has $5 to his name after nessesities.

Absolute soft spot for anything living, has taken in a few strays into his dorm room. Nick is absolutely against taking in animals because Vash doesn't even have enough money to feed himself, and animals can be given to shelters. Nick always lectures him but doesn't have the heart to take the cats away from him... and he started to like them, too.

Obligatory plants around the room, loves to take care of things.

Absolute party pooper, prefers to study in the library alone than go to parties.

Hides behind bookshelves in the library to avoid Knives, how the hell is he supposed to study when his brother won't shut the fuck up about how proud he is of him for studying, anyways?

❝WOLFWOOD❞

Majors in Philosophy/Religious Studies.

Loves Philosophy/Religious Studies OUTSIDE of school, but the second he has to read the bible for class he wants to commit several sins.

Absolutely sick of studying, always hosting room parties.

Undefeated keg stand pro.

SHOTS, SHOTS, SHOTS. Drinks the hardest ass liquor.

Dorm room is a fucking man cave. Curtains always drawn, lights always off. Dude hisses when you open his door. Clothes all over the floor, bed unmade.

Last to his classes, bedhead and pajamas. Who the hell gives a damn about keeping up appearances, anyways?

Walks with Livio to shared classes, always late and always together. They scheme shit like "Okay you walk in first and I'll walk in a few minutes later so it's not noticable." (Everyone always knew, they're inseparable.)

Shares a room with Livio.

❝MERYL❞

Majors in Journalism.

Absolute teachers pet. Knows all of the hard shit that she realistically won't use in her future career.

Girlfriends with Milly... She is the book smart to Milly's street smart. The brains to her brawn, if you will.

Always hounding everyone to study, but is the first to get wasted at parties.

Known for being a vommitter at parties.

Minimalistic and very clean dorm room. Whenever the gang hangs out or has sleepovers, it's usually there because it's the cleanest and has the most room.

She's always taking polaroid pictures of the group, hanging them up on her walls.

❝MILLY❞

Majors in Mechanics.

Criticized for being in "a man's field" but can do more than the men in her classes can.

Girlfriends with Meryl.

If anyone in the friend group needs to figure out how to do an oil change or jumpstart a car, she's your gal.

The sober friend, takes care of Meryl at parties.

Dorm room is a stuffie paradise, she has tens of plushes that each have names and backstories. She can tell you the year she got them and why. Silly names like shmoopkins..

❝KNIVES❞

Majors in Psychology with Botany on the side.

"Ugh.. I don't do parties." Goes to the library to study because he's above everyone, spots Vash and gives him a proud lecture about how he's being responsible and studying.. And not wasting his time with those losers..

The mom friend. Not in the sense that he cares, but is the one who sits back while everyone goofs off like "What the fuck are you doing."

Very punctual with top marks. Always early to class, fully prepared, reads in his free time. Probably never uses his phone.

Poor eyesight, takes the fucking grandpa glasses out to read or use his phone. "Hey Nai, look at this!" He slowly pulls his glasses out and squints at your phone.

Phone kept in one of those wallet phone cases for convenience.

Dorm room adorned with plants everywhere.

Also prefers to stay sober. Absolutely hates that he and Vash are the same because he can't excuse his brothers behavior with "He's drunk, he's not thinking right."

His room smells and looks like bleach... But he also uses citrus scents. He is a complete germaphobe and refuses to let ANYONE enter his room because they would tarnish it.

Has a roomba named "Vacuum" to keep his company because at least he knows it cleans and doesn't get everything dirty. Paces and rants to it like it's sentient, but gets sad when he remembers it can't speak to him and soon enough he needs to talk to real people.

Absolutely hates the friend group but has no one else, dropping them all would leave him with no one.

❝LIVIO❞

Majors in Childcare/Social Services.

Has been at Nick's hip his entire life, wanting to follow in his footsteps. Nick has to very sternly remind him to "be his own man" and "walk his own path" hence why he isn't also majoring in Philosophy.

At parties Livio tries to drink the same alcohol as Nick, but one shot makes him pass out.

Also a lover of stuffies, he and Milly often make them have playdates.

Lowest marks of the friend group, but way too stubborn to ask for help.

Best cook of the group, loves to cook and take care of everyone.

People often confide in him because of his gentle nature, he has a big soft spot for people.

Shares a dorm room with Nick, they cuddled to fall asleep growing up together, so they can't sleep away from each other.

Room reeks of cigarettes and axe.

[beanibon]

Can we get a drabble where reader is kissing band au Livio? He’s got piercings and tattoos and eyeliner and my heart teehee

I'M GONNA DO YOU ONE SO MUCH BETTER CHRIS, I WILL MAKE IT THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MASTERPIECE FOR MY FAVOURITE BEAN!

Sweat dripped off Livio's forehead, lips pressed close to mic as his voice carried into the silver, metallic mesh. It was like an god had blessed him with the voice an angel, those golden irises searching the crowd of fans for one inparticular.

Ever since Punisher's Church started their tour, Livio had been a distracted, nervous wreck. Perhaps it was homesickness, or as his brother taunted, love sickness.

Most tours you were diligently in the front row, singing along with band as you screamed your support for your shy boyfriend, even embarrassing him with cheesy signs you'd slap on the front railing. So it became habit to seek you out in the front, smiling down at you with love and adoration.

Only this time you weren't there, unable to make it for the first half of the tour due to work. You'd apologised profusely the moment your boss called, and Livio knew how seriously you took your job, he wasn't going to drag you away from it either.

The band had to deal with his moping, Vash their drummer tried his hardest to cheer his brother in-law, dragging him about to stores and even taking him out to cute cafes. The only issue with that, was Livio would always comment shyly how you'd like such places, and they were back where they started.

Nai their infamously irritable manager grew increasingly aware of how much it affected Livio's performance, the poor guy was about to pop a vein if Livio didn't stop his ridiculous display of separation anxiety. It was infuriating to witness, taking matters into his own hand.

Now his eyes found a pair of familiar ones staring back at him, heart soaring with unreserved joy at you in the crowd, leant over the railing as you screamed those words he grew to adore.

"I love you, you goofball!"

Livio smiled, arms outstretched to pull you on-stage before him. Fans already knowing who you were, never far from the silver-haired lead singer, so they cheered in support of your appearance.

The distance was closed between you two, lips crashed together in a needy, desperate kiss of passion. Your hands held his face, his own neglected the microphone in favour of your hips, tongue slipping inside your welcoming mouth.

Wolfwood made some sly joke, Vash throwing one of his drumsticks of his husband. Nai watched on the sidelines, a coy smirk graced his features, happy to have Livio himself again. Though he'd never admit it.

Your teeth chattered against the tongue piercing Livio had since the moment he legally could, trapping his tongue as you pulled away, smile cheeky and mischievous as the crowd cried out at the scene.

With a small suck, you released his tongue, Livio instantly hiding behind his hands. He was flustered, embarrassed and oh so happy you were back in his arms, even if he was hiding behind them currently. You laughed, prying those hands away.

"I love you, my sweet angel." You cooed, his mic picking up every word.

He swallowed, voice stuttering from those lovesick lips. "I-I love yo-you too."

[eomma-jpeg]

WEREWOLF MILLY YOU SAY?? 👀👀👀

Lolol i could provide a silly lil au here for you guys. It's not super well thought out but I um watched twilight and had vampires on my brain.

So Knives and Vash are obviously vampires thats a given, but Knives is the recluse who lures people into their castle or whatever has no qualms about feeding on humans and Vash is so enamored with humans. He thinks they're so cute and only watches them from afar for years and years until he finally builds up the courage to go and hang and he realizes they're not these lil pets they're like Sentient Beings

Whatever whatever MILLY is a werewolf, has been from birth but grew up around humans. Her family is so integrated and intermixed with humans that their scent is often masked by the human pop, so Knives doesn't realize for a long time that there's a werewolf clan like Next Door

Blah blah blah something happens like Vash is persuaded into bringing humans to Knives bc they like Vash and don't know he's a vampire and Knives is a manipulator obviously sooooo Vash (whos powers are dulled bc of poor feeding habits) lures sweet "innocent" Milly to the castle. She's nice and she doesn't say no to things and Vash knows that unfortunately

Cue Knives rolling up and being like "ehehe this big woman will make a lovely meal" and then chomps down.

Milly: "wow your bite is nothing like my brother's"

Knives: My Ego... Owie

And obviously Milly knew she was being led into a trap but she's wanted to come to the castle for ages !!! But she never had the chance to go in bc 1. She's a werewolf and 2. Meryl would never let her go on her own (meryl was indisposed this time lol... out of town)

So Milly's just happy to find out she has vampire neighbors lol. She's not particularly happy that the first thing they did was bite her but Millys also not going to admit that she Kind of Liked It

I have.... yet to decide if werewolf blood is good or not to vampires

I could see Knives avoiding drinking it just out of pride and I could also integrate the idea that werewolf blood sucks but I don't wannnaaaa

I want Knives to obsess about Milly bc that's the only way he knows how to like... love? He met her once and now he can't stop thinking about her !!! And so he's gonna do some dumb things to get her back to the castle lol

Like venture into town for the first time in a century and maybe get himself into trouble and Milly and Vash have to come to his rescue lol

And I want the classic scene where she offers her blood to him and its sexy and cool !!!

Romanticize vampires ??? Who, me ?

Uh and this is the classic werewolf in that they lose themselves on the full moon every month and Milly normally locks herself up with her family and they just chill for the night

But what ifff the town figures out Milly is a wolf and they capture her and are mean and Oh No! Knives goes into a blind rage bc he can sense she's in trouble and he may or may not take down some townsfolk

(Much to Vash's dismay)

But yeah I just like the idea of Knives having gone unchallenged in his power for a long time only to have this podunk small town girl who is So Powerful just fight back against him ONE TIME and now he can't stop thinking about her.

Wolfwood and Livio are in this au but I haven't decided where I want them. I think just they'd be townsfolk that help protect the family secret.

(Oh and ofc there's a tragic "Immortal Monster Vash falls for a Human and they live their lives together but Meryl ofc is a mortal and can't live forever....." lil side aspect)

But mostly I wanted the silly scene of Knives biting an innocent town woman only to find out she's a supernatural being who tastes really good and why can't he stop thinking about her ????

Thank you for letting me indulge in this nonny lolol