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Disclaimer: I do not own Trigun, although I wish I owned Vash and Wolfwood. They are the property of Yasuhiro Nightow, Young King Ours, and Madhouse.
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Chapter 1: The Morning After
“I know I'm drinking myself to a
slow death, but then I'm in no hurry."
~Robert Benchley
*************
Vash woke up with a moan.
The last thing he remembered was playing cards with Wolfwood and Millie over a few, or maybe more than a few, drinks. His head was aching fiercely and he was afraid to open his eyes. His head was lying on something cool and he sighed in content at the feeling.
Ever so slowly the gunman cracked open one eye. That accomplished he opened the other. He had to squint against the bright glare of the twin suns filtering into the room. Not bothering to lift his head from the table Vash shifted it so he could see the rest of the room.
He was in his and Wolfwood’s room and he could see the priest sitting on his bed being propped up by the wall with a long burnt out cigarette hanging from his mouth. Millie was sprawled over Wolfwood’s legs with one hand hanging off the bed and her mouth slightly agape. Vash found himself still sitting at the room’s only table with his upper body lying heavily upon it. Why the table was pulled over next to the bed so the pair did not have to sit at it, he did not even want to know.
With a sigh of misery Vash closed his eyes again. Maybe if he waited long enough his headache would be gone by the time he opened them back up. He felt his head becoming heavy as sleep descended on him once again.
That was until a loud knock at the door startled him half out of his mind.
“Are you guys still in there?” a voice called loudly through the door.
Three groans were the voice’s only answer.
“Come on everyone, get up,” Meryl called through the door.
Three more groans resounded in the room.
“We’re up Meryl,” Millie said cheerfully rising to her feet.
The tall brunette walked over to the door and opened it to find Meryl in mid knock. Millie’s hair was a bit disheveled from her awkward sleeping position, but for all that she drank she was bright-eyed and awake. After lighting another cigarette Wolfwood reclined his head back against the wall and closed his eyes again. Vash never bothered to look up in the first place.
“Good morning Millie.”
“Good morning Ma’ am,” Millie smiled back.
“I wanted to see if anyone was hungry?”
“It’s breakfast time already? How wonderful,” Millie clapped her hands together.
Vash still on the table had to stifle a groan at the loud noise.
“I’ll be ready in just a few minutes,” Millie said pleasantly and headed out the door to her and Meryl’s room.
Meryl looked around the room at the empty liquor bottles and shook her head. It must have been a poker night and the fact that even Wolfwood seemed rooted to his spot testified how much the three had drank. She looked over to Vash who appeared a bit pale this morning. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea for him to drink last night after his little incident yesterday, but looking around the room again Meryl dismissed it.
“Well are you two going to move or not?” Meryl asked placing her hands on her hips.
“Not,” Wolfwood and Vash answered together.
Meryl huffed in frustration. She was right; it never stopped at just one.
Vash really did not feel like going anywhere because he felt horrible. Either this was the worst hang over he had ever experienced or something else was making him feel miserable. For some reason he knew it was a mixture of both dragging him down.
“Come on everyone,” Millie chirped reentering the room, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day and you don’t want to miss it.”
“All right girls,” Wolfwood yawned.
The dark-haired man stood and stretched trying to work out the kinks of having someone sleep on top of you. Deciding to leave the cross in the room he ran his fingers through his hair and yawned again.
“Where are we going?” he asked ready.
“Aren’t you coming Mr. Vash?” Millie asked.
Vash sighed. He knew they were never going to leave him in peace until he got up and went. Pushing his aching head from the table he propped it on one arm; looked up, and smiled at Millie.
“You bet,” he answered in a voice more cheerful than he felt inside.
Millie, satisfied, smiled warmly back and nodded her head before she went to stand next to Wolfwood. The two left the room leaving Meryl alone with Vash.
“Don’t worry, I’m coming Meryl,” Vash stated brightly.
“I…” Meryl began.
She wanted to ask if he felt well after yesterday and to express her concern.
“You guys shouldn’t drink so much.”
But she just couldn’t do it.
“Why don’t you go on down? I’ll be there in a minute,” Vash suggested.
Frustrated with herself, Meryl simply nodded and left the room.
************
“Where is Mr. Vash?” Millie asked as Meryl stepped down the last few steps of the staircase.
“He said he would be down in a minute.”
Millie looked thoughtful for a moment then nodded to Meryl and went to wait with Wolfwood outside.
************
Still sitting at the table Vash yawned and stretched from his seat. He still felt terrible. It was something akin to the brief nausea he had felt yesterday, just longer lasting. What could be causing it, he wondered? His head hurt too much right now to really think about it, so he decided to go to the bathroom and meet the others downstairs. Who knows, something to eat might make his stomach feel better.
Yawning again Vash stood up from the table. That was about as far as he got before the same anxious feeling washed over him again. The noise from the street below disappeared and the room dimmed and swayed. Vash grabbed a hold of the table as the vertigo threatened to overwhelm him. The reeling feeling made his already queasy stomach turn and he stumbled towards the bathroom, where he graciously prayed to the porcelain queen.
“Maybe drinking last night wasn’t such a good idea,” he weakly told himself, head still resting on his arms.
Vash closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm his racing heart. Feeling somewhat better after his prayer the blonde stood on shaky knees. He went about freshening himself up after the sickening ordeal and left the bathroom. He was sure that if he didn’t get downstairs soon Meryl would be up shortly to drag him down the stairs. Vash still felt a little unsteady on his feet and was distraught to find that his hands were shaking slightly.
“What is wrong with me?” he whispered staring at his hands.
With another sigh the gunman pulled out his yellow sunglasses and placed them on the bridge of his nose. He walked towards the door growing steadier all the time.
************
“What the hell is he doing up there?”
“Now, now, Mr. Priest. There’s no reason to be cranky,” the brunette chided.
“Yea, well, I’m getting really hungry standing here,” Wolfwood growled.
“Then let’s go.”
All three turned to find Vash standing in the doorway to the street.
“It’s about time noodle-noggin,” the priest said with a side-glance at Vash.
Millie ushered them down the street, but even through the glasses Wolfwood had not missed the slightly glazed look in the red clad man’s eyes or the fact that he looked a little more peaked than he had up in the room.
The small group walked in silence down the street for which Vash, more of his head, was grateful. The blonde glanced briefly over the rooftops to where the plant was barely noticeable and despite the blazing suns a slight shiver went down his spine. What in the world could that mean? Was there something wrong with the plant? Or just him?
Vash was torn from his reverie as he came to a rough halt as he smacked into something. He noticed that something was the back of Wolfwood and took a step back.
“Uh, sorry Wolfwood. I guess I wasn’t paying attention where I was walking.”
“You don’t say,” Wolfwood mumbled in irritation.
A gesture that did not reach the priest’s eyes, though, as he observed the blonde.
Vash looked around to see all three of his friends staring at him.
“What?” he asked innocently.
“Are you sure you’re all right Vash?” Meryl asked.
“Yeah, I was just thinking of something and not paying attention. So, where are we going to eat?”
Meryl sighed. The man was impossible.
“How about there?” Millie asked pointing to a small restaurant.
“As long as it’s not too expensive,” Meryl warned.
“Looks good to me,” Wolfwood said not paying attention to the small woman.
“Good, then you can buy,” Vash said cheerfully walking past the stunned dark-haired man.
***********
“Look ma’ am they have vanilla pudding on the menu!” Millie laughed in joy.
“That’s good Millie,” Meryl said politely.
Vash gave a cry that startled all three of his companions.
“What is it?” Meryl asked worriedly as her heart leapt into her throat.
Vash looked up from a menu with hurt eyes.
“How can a place have something like pudding and not have donuts? It’s not possible! It’s not fair!” he wailed.
Meryl stared at Vash blankly for a few moments then it finally sunk in that the situation wasn’t an emergency. He had scared her had to death over donuts?
“Vash! Don’t you know it’s impolite to shout in a restaurant like this?! You are disturbing the other patrons!” she hissed.
Vash smiled nervously and sunk down in his seat and behind the menu. He gave a small nervous laugh.
“Oh yeah, but it’s really not fair,” he said quietly this time.
“Oh, I’m sorry Mr. Vash,” Millie began with round sad eyes, “don’t worry we will find a place later that has donuts.”
“Thanks Millie,” Vash smiled at the woman.
Wolfwood and Meryl merely rolled their eyes.
************
Sometime later everyone had ordered and the food was just now coming.
“Mmm, doesn’t it smell wonderful?” Millie asked happily.
“Yeah,” Meryl admitted.
It had been quite awhile since they had eaten in a real restaurant and even Meryl was enjoying herself.
Everyone dug in to the delicious food, everyone except Vash. He was hoping that if he ate something it would make him feel better, but right now the smell of the food was not even pleasing. Timidly he took a bit of his pancakes and swallowed. They smelled wonderful and tasted wonderful, but he just couldn’t stomach it. This really was still unfair, to have the chance to eat well-done food and not be able to. The blonde sighed in remorse and laid his chin on his right hand to watch the others enjoy their food.
His three companions ate heartily and finished everything before anyone even thought of talking again. Millie practically beamed as she licked the pudding off her spoon. As she opened her eyes again she finally glance at Vash’s plate to notice it hadn’t been touched.
“Is the food bad Mr. Vash?”
“No Millie, it’s fine.”
“Then how come you’re not eating?”
“I’m just not hungry anymore.”
“That’s nonsense. You haven’t eaten since yesterday and after all the three of you had to drink you have to be hungry,” Meryl stated.
“I kind of don’t feel well,” Vash admitted, “I’d like to eat, but I just can’t.”
“How sad,” Millie mumbled.
“I think I’m going to go get some air,” Vash said rising from the table.
He walked out of the restaurant without another word. The three left behind all exchanged looks. Vash was usually cheerful and loud. It wasn’t too hard for even Meryl to see that something was not right with the gunman.
“I wonder what is wrong with Mr. Vash?” Millie said more to herself.
“I don’t know Millie, but is it me or does he not look well?” Meryl asked.
“Your right Meryl, he has looked ill all morning.”
“It could just be the hangover,” Wolfwood said coolly.
“No,” Meryl said with conviction, “we have all seen Vash hung over and even then he is not so quiet. Something else is wrong.”
“Do you think Mr. Vash is sick?”
“Maybe,” Meryl shrugged.
“Someone should really go talk to him and find out,” Millie suggested.
Meryl, who was looking at the door, froze in fear as her heart skipped a beat. Someone? Was Millie suggesting her? Meryl dearly wanted to find out what was wrong with Vash, but she couldn’t even force herself to ask him in private this morning. How could she do it now in the middle of the street? The dark-haired woman held her breath and looked up at Millie. To her surprise and relief the large woman wasn’t looking at her, but at Wolfwood. She let out the breath she was holding at looked to Wolfwood also.
Wolfwood heard Millie say someone should go talk to Vash and immediately he knew who that someone was going to be. He looked over at Millie who smiled reassuringly at him and then over to Meryl who’s eyes were pleading with him to go talk to the blonde.
Wolfwood gave in with a sigh. These girls and that man would be the death of him yet.
The man in black stood and headed for the door. That noodle-noggin had better appreciate this effort.
*************
Vash felt a little better out in the open. Back in the building it had felt like the walls were crowding in around him. He breathed deep of the hot air. Looking around he noticed the people going about their daily business to and fro places. With no set destination Vash began walking.
Wolfwood excited the building and squinted at the glare. He looked around and easily spotted the gunman’s crimson coat. Digging through his jacket the priest pulled out a bent cigarette and his sunglasses before he headed off down the street after Vash.
Wolfwood easily caught up to the blonde who was ambling really and not walking. He walked up beside Vash and matched his speed.
They walked in silence for a while not really going anywhere.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Wolfwood asked casually.
“About what?” Vash responded just as casual.
“If you’re sick or something it’s alright. It happens to everyone you know?” the priest said matter of fact.
“I suppose,” Vash shrugged, “but I’m not sick.”
Wolfwood saw the double meaning behind the phrase. All right, so the blonde wasn’t sick from a cold, but he wasn’t well either. Comforting and reassuring people weren’t exactly his areas of expertise, but he was trying.
“Maybe some sleep would help,” Wolfwood suggested.
“Look Wolfwood, thanks for trying, but I really am fine.”
“Uh uh.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Vash asked indignantly.
“Oh nothing. But you could be a little easier to deal with you know? Don’t be so stubborn,” Wolfwood practically yelled.
Vash huffed at Wolfwood and started walking again with Wolfwood catching up to him. They weren’t really angry at each other and they knew it. It was just their way.
They walked on in silence for a little while longer.
Just as Wolfwood opened his mouth to say something more Vash cut him off with another indignant I’m fine.
Unfortunately for Vash the words had just left his mouth when Lady Luck decided to show him just how fine he was.
A sickening disorientation slammed down on Vash like a brick. Pain flared in his head as the world went silent once again. His head began reeling and he nearly swooned as he watched everything whirl.
Wolfwood, who saw the protest coming, was taken off guard as the blonde suddenly went pale and clutched a hand to his head as his knees buckled. The dark-haired man stepped in and caught the gunman as he collapsed to the dirt.
“Fine huh?” Wolfwood muttered as he guided Vash to the ground.
Vash sat dazed on the ground for a few minutes as Wolfwood tried to talk to him before the blonde’s world finally began to calm down. Groaning in misery Vash closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing. He couldn’t remember ever feeling so completely miserable and helpless, physically anyway, in his life. His head stared to calm down and Vash finally opened his eyes to realize he was sitting in the middle of the alley and looked up at Wolfwood kneeling next to him.
“Damn it Vash can you even hear me?” Wolfwood called worriedly.
Vash swallowed hard and nodded to the priest.
“It’s alright Nick.”
“Like hell it is! Not sick, huh? What was that then?”
“I don’t know,” Vash answered truthfully, “but I think I would like to take your idea and go lay down.”
Wolfwood, finally getting a truthful answer, let it drop and nodded. He helped Vash stand and noticed the blonde was still a bit shaky on his feet. He kept close to Vash as they walked in case the blonde man should collapse again.
The pair exited the alley and turned down the street to their hotel. The insurance girls were just leaving the restaurant when Wolfwood and Vash entered the street. Meryl and Millie ran to catch up with the boys as they walked towards the hotel.
“What happened?” Meryl asked as soon as she took in how pale Vash was.
She also didn’t miss the fact that Wolfwood was sticking a little close to the gunman and looked as if he expected Vash to fall over any second.
“Could we talk about it later? I just want to get inside,” Vash asked quietly.
He really wasn’t in the mood to explain what had happened, especially since he didn’t even know why it was happening. The sun also seemed to be draining his strength and all he wanted to do was get in the room and lay down.
“Sure,” Meryl said just as quietly.
“Do you need any help Mr. Vash or Mr. Priest?” Millie asked.
“Na, I got it Big Girl.”
Millie gave Vash a get better look and moved to the side of the hotel door so the two could pass. After Wolfwood and Vash disappeared through the door Millie turned to Meryl.
“What do you think happened?”
“I don’t know Millie, I don’t know,” Meryl answered calmly.
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