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the-and-sign-anon · 5 months ago

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The Third Independent: 3

Word count: 2,240

Series Masterlist

Thirteen Years Post-Fall

“Vash, come on!”

You ran across the dunes, your feet leaving the ground intermittently with the help of the Worms. Vash was close behind with a shining smile on his face as he chased you down.

“I can’t keep up when you do that!”

“That sounds like an excuse to me!”

Vash narrowed his eyes in determination and forced another burst of speed, picking up to match your pace and meet your eyes. You looked so happy in the evening sunlight, your green coat flapping in the wind around you. Too bad he’d have to stop you. Before you understood the change in his smile, he tackled you, sending you both tumbling sideways and rolling down a dune.

You finally stopped a few feet from the front doors of Home. Both your chests were heaving, wild laughter ringing through the air. Brad said Vash always laughed like a madman, but he just backed away when you joined him for the first time with a borderline sinister cackle to match. Your teeth flashed in the fading light, a little sharper than they should be but entirely normal to the two of you.

Vash sat up, his knees on either side of your hips as he caught his breath. You heaved a sigh to calm your heart, allowing yourself the time to admire Vash.

He’d just gotten his hands on a pair of orange tinted glasses, which Luida insisted he start wearing when he realized his eyes weren’t quite as strong as he wished they were. If he was supposed to go out adventuring, she wouldn’t let him do so with blurry vision.

The lenses turned his eyes from a mesmerizing light blue to a darker, deeper shade that drew you in every time you let yourself look for too long. His hair was shaggy now, a few weeks overdue for a trim. But he’d grown into his coat. It fit perfectly now, and was as vibrant as ever. You doubted you’d ever be able to see red without thinking of him again.

When his breathing evened out, the door slid open and a gruff voice called out. You felt a flash of irritation at having been forced to stop admiring Vash, but it had happened now. No going back.

“You two. Quit playing with the bugs and get in here.”

Vash hopped up and held out a hand to pull you to your feet. He flashed Brad a well meaning grin and rubbed at the back of his neck in embarrassment.

“Sorry, Brad. We’ll be right in.”

He rolled his eyes and disappeared, leaving the door open for you.

“Dad’s in a mood.”

You both broke into laughter again as Vash pushed your shoulder.

“You know he hates when you call him that.”

“No, he doesn’t.”

The hallways were quiet, with many of the crew of Home heading into cold sleep. Luida and Brad had been discussing it for months. Vash wanted to get moving, to find and protect as many Plants as he could. To track down and stop his brother somehow. You wanted to join him, but he insisted Home needed your protection too, at least for now. Especially to accomplish what Luida intended with the flora. It would take centuries most likely, so you needed to keep the whole place safe in the meantime.

Luida had put together a special evening for the four of you. She and Brad would be going into cold sleep as well soon, but Vash was about to leave and she wanted to enjoy one last meal together. You offered to set the table while Brad finished preparing the food. Vash slipped off his coat and set it on a hook by the door, helping you get yours off too before you grabbed the silverware.

The dinner was nice. Despite knowing the reason for it, none of you allowed it to be awkward or quiet. Vash laid out his plans, which towns he wanted to stop by first. You listened intently as you tried to commit his voice to memory. You weren’t sure how long it would be before he could come back, so you didn’t want to let anything fade in the time between.

You spent the whole evening like that, studying every little thing about the way he moved and spoke. How he cut up his food, how he never chewed with his mouth open. The way his eyes set on each person when they spoke, never letting anyone think he wasn’t listening closely. Your favorite thing was how he chuckled. The sound of it, the crinkle of his eyes and raise of his shoulders.

When dinner was finished and the table was cleared, you bid Brad and Luida goodnight and watched as he went to his room. You and Vash went down the hall to your rooms as well, your hands intertwined between you. He didn’t hesitate for even a breath to follow you into your room. Your nest had grown over the last few years as you gathered old blankets and worn clothing from wrecks and Plant facilities you visited. It took up as much space as the bed now, which still saw use only from Vash.

“It’ll be weird here without you, you know.”

“It’ll be weird with everyone else asleep, too.”

“Yeah. But you’re the biggest change.”

Vash pulled you into a loose hug, always allowing you the chance to pull away. You just tugged him closer, your arms tightening around him as your eyes slipped closed.

You’d never been apart from each other for long since he lost his arm. In the last eight years, you’d always accompanied him wherever he went. On missions, to meals despite your lack of appetite, even to simple walks outside in the cool night air.

After a minute, you stepped back and fiddled with your nest. It was big enough now, and he was leaving anyway, so you took a chance to ask something you’d been thinking about for a long time.

“Do you want to try my nest tonight?” Your voice was softer and less sure than Vash had ever heard it. “Just to try… since you’re leaving tomorrow.”

Vash didn’t say a word; he didn’t need to. He just unfolded his coat in his arms and tucked it into the nest on one side, then motioned for yours and did the same on the other.

He’d do anything to keep seeing the smile that crossed your face when he looked back at you. You turned off the lights while he slipped off his glasses and set them on the bedside table. Then you climbed in and showed him how to do the same. It took some shuffling and a bit of rearranging, but you found yourselves tangled together with your faces a breath apart.

A part of Vash wondered how it had taken ten years to do this. Your nest was so warm and comfortable, far better than the beds had ever been. Despite the pitch darkness in the room, you could both still see some. It was mostly outlines, but that was enough for Vash.

He watched how your eyes seemed to trace the silhouette of his face. How your hair was pushed back from your face. How your hand came up to rest on his cheek. He could feel your breath across his face and if he moved forward even the tiniest bit, he could feel your noses touch.

“I’m going to miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too. But I’ll think of you all the time.”

“Yeah?”

He might have been imagining it, but he was sure there was a challenge in your soft tone.

“Absolutely. Every time I see a Worm. Whenever a toma tries to snap at me. I’ll see you in every sunset and hear you in the wind at night. I don’t think a single day could pass without you crossing my mind.”

It felt like a leap of faith to talk this way. Anything could happen out in Noman’s Land. Anything could happen here at Home. Everything could happen in the time between now and the day he came back to you. Feelings could change too.

“The towns are few and far between, you know. Lots of time without anyone to talk to. I’ll sing for you every night. The Worms will too, so you’re never alone.”

“I’d like that.”

You tucked your head down to nestle into Vash’s shoulder and he felt your arms wrap around him once more. It wouldn’t be like this again for a long time. He’d have to make the most of it. Once he gathered all the courage he could manage, he tilted his head down to rest his lips at your ear.

“I love you, Y/N.”

You let out a tiny little snore and Vash’s heart seized with affection. Your sounds of sleep lulled him into his own rest and neither of you moved for hours.

When morning came and the automatic lights slowly turned on, Vash blinked awake. You were still asleep, your face buried in his chest and legs tangled in his. You were as peaceful as he’d ever seen you and, considering he was about to leave, he gave himself a few extra minutes to admire you.

Eventually, you stirred lightly and Vash carefully nudged your shoulder.

“Hey. Y/N. We need to get up.”

“...mmhnngh…”

“Y/N.”

You rolled onto your back with your eyes still closed, but he could tell you were waking up.

“Mayfly, I really have to get up. Are you going to see me off, or stay hidden in your nest?”

You growled softly and flopped a hand onto his face.

“Noooo…..”

Your eyes slowly blinked open one at a time. Vash watched you sit up a bit, then stretch. Your limbs popped a few too many times before you settled into a proper sitting position.

“You called me Mayfly.”

Vash’s confidence immediately dissipated and he ran a hand over the back of his neck again.

“I, uh… I guess I did.”

You gave a lazy, too wide smile and stood up.

“I like it.” You patted his head and shook your coats free from the soft pile before walking towards the door. “Come on. I’m giving you a haircut before you leave. You look like a poorly groomed toma.”

Vash gave an indignant whine, but followed you to the bathroom regardless. He did his best to hold still as you cut, fighting back memories of the time Rem tried to give the twins haircuts. Nai hated it and Vash was too fidgety, so there was only ever one attempt. Once he was cleaned up, you caught up with Luida and Brad to say final goodbyes.

Luida straightened out Vash’s coat and gave him her best, most encouraging smile.

“I’m so proud of you, Vash. You’re going to do so much good for this planet.”

He gave her a tight hug, closing his eyes for a moment to reflect on all the care, support, and trust she’d given him over the last ten years. Brad stepped up next while you kept the toma relaxed, loaded up with enough supplies to last him a few weeks at least.

“Don’t get killed, kid. And don’t break that arm, it’s not easy to repair it yourself and I don’t want to get dragged out of cold sleep just ‘cause you did something stupid.”

Vash clapped a hand on his shoulder and grinned wide enough to show off his sharp teeth.

“I’ll miss you too, Brad.”

The man brushed off the gesture and pulled him into a quick half-hug, letting go before you or Luida could make a big deal of it. Your favorite humans stepped back to the door while you approached one last time.

Like Luida, you fussed over him a little, nudging his glasses back up his nose and fidgeting with his freshly cut hair.

“Mayfly, it’s okay.” He chuckled and brushed your hand away. “I’ll be fine out there. I’ll make lots of friends. And I’ll keep coming back to you.”

“You’d better. These humans are alright, but they’ve got nothing on you.”

Your lines glowed bright, more so than he’d seen before, and his soon did the same. His eyes closed once more as he pressed his forehead to yours, your song weighing on his chest as if physically settling into his heart.

“Stay safe, Scruffy.”

“Please don’t let that name stick.”

Your laugh was full, but laced with sadness as you stepped away to look at him one more time. If you put it off any longer, you weren’t sure you could actually let him go.

Vash seemed to understand and took a step toward the toma. You took turns stepping away until your hands were stretched across the space between you and your fingertips slipped apart. He finally turned around to mount the toma and you dug your feet into the sand to keep yourself from running after him.

You watched in the early morning light as he rode away into the distance. A handful of Worms followed him for a time, until he was out of your sight. Luida gently took your hand and ushered you back inside.

He wouldn’t be gone forever. Just a little while. Even if it took a year, or more, what was so little time in the face of a Plant? Of an Independent?

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