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The humiliation never really faded from that day. When Vash the stampede had carried his passed out brother over his shoulder into their new home. When he had left his signature red duster coat, and his gun, things he had kept with him for over a hundred years. But Knives kept the red hot shame inside of him when he was brought into this new life. The plans for the future he held, now set back from his brother’s insistent meddling and love for humanity. It really did give him a headache, either that or the fact he’s currently healing from several bullet wounds.
He’s been staring at the wall for a few hours now. Trying to comprehend the previous battle that left him in this state. Plants heal a lot faster than humans, but that doesn’t mean they feel any less pain. His bandages are already damp with blood, and will probably have to be changed soon. He decides to lay under his blanket a little while longer, not wanting to interact with anyone for as long as possible.
He remembers using his angel arm numerous times. Vash was also using his, but there wasn’t any destruction to their surroundings. It took him a long time to craft those guns for the both of them. He assumes they’re still lying in the blades of grass under those trees. He quite likes sitting there. Knives would never admit it, but the familiar atmosphere reminds him of the rec room.
There are other people in this house besides him and Vash, that much he is sure of. The sound of unfamiliar voices and the smell of cooking tells him there must be some women here as well. He isn’t keen on being roommates with his brother, and now the prospect of having to share this house with more humans too already worsens his mood.
He’s glad that no one has come into his room yet, though. He has a lot to think about after everything that has happened. He could try to run away from this place. Go back and grab his guns before they’re lost in the endless sand from their surroundings. Or stolen by whoever happens to wander into his small paradise of trees. But that would also mean having to deal with Vash again. He himself is injured currently and he really isn’t looking for more bullet wounds.
The soft noise of shoes on the hardwood floor start to sound louder, so he braces himself for whoever is going to enter. He really hopes it isn’t the humans, but on the other hand he’s not really in the mood to see his brother either. Whoever is there knocks on his door and waits for some kind of response. Knives stays silent and waits for them to go away but they call his name out, revealing his identity.
“Go away Vash”
“I have to clean your wounds”
“I don’t want you in here”
He walks in anyways with some alcohol and new bandages in his hands. Knives doesn’t move as he comes closer to the bed. Despite all that’s gone down in the last day he’s wearing a smile on his face and doesn’t seem to mind his brother’s distaste for him at the moment. The platinum blond twin begrudgingly lets him clean his wounds and tie them up in non soaked bloody wrappings.
Although Vash’s facial expression seems calm, he has a faint look in his eyes that looks like he wants to say something. Already drained from this social interaction, Knives doesn’t comment on his brother’s hesitance to start a conversation, and goes to lie back down. Unfortunately the position he’s picked isn’t actually all that comfortable, but he doesn’t feel like readjusting and facing Vash again.
“We’ve got lunch in the kitchen if you want any”
It’s a useless statement to throw out. It falls upon deaf ears as Knives makes no attempt to go to the aforementioned food in the other room. Vash waits, as if there is some room for a change of mind, but after a couple minutes he leaves. Some of the other humans question him about the interaction there, but Knives is asleep before he can hear his brother talk behind his back.
He ends up sleeping a lot longer than anticipated. There is no more warm light shining from outside his window, and it’s instead replaced with the hazy moons gleaming down at him. A large crater placed on one of them, a reminder of the power he and his brother hold within themselves. Something that Knives sees as a gift and a sign to use it in the way he pleases. Something that Vash sees as a tool to be used for the good of people.
The time is somewhere past midnight. There isn’t a sound to be heard inside the house, so he turns his attention to outside. He hears something large hit the sand and assumes it’s just some worms going on hunts. One of his underlings used to control worms or was it flies? Knives can’t remember if he’s dead or not.
He presumes that he’s free to walk around now. He pushes his body up on his elbows and slips out of bed. The floorboards creak under him, but he carries on to the direction of the door. He twists the handle and is met with the dark halls of his new house. He looks around for a light switch, but is unlucky and just feels around the empty wall for a while. After giving up on that he makes his descent down the stairs.
The small dining room is fairly plain. The lack of decoration notions to a likely chance that they haven’t been living here for too long. He traces the side of the table, so he doesn’t trip when he notices a small plate of food sitting in front of him. He reaches towards it and notices that it’s still warm. The meat and other vegetables look bland, but he should probably end this hunger streak.
He notices that there isn’t a knife to cut anything so he looks up to go grab one. When he moves however Unexpectedly, Vash emerges from the shadows of the kitchen to hand him one. His usually spiky hair is now messy and lays more naturally on his head. He’s wearing an oversized collared shirt, something left over from his time he spent with Lina and her grandmother. Knives is only slightly startled by his presence, but doesn’t want to display his short instance of fear.
“Sorry guess we assumed you wouldn’t need one”
The comment is meant to be comedic but there isn’t any laughter. Both men stand silently in the room, not really sure what to say. It’s been a long time since they’ve even sat down together. The only time Vash can remember actually enjoying a meal with his brother is when they were on the mothership. Even those memories have only recently been resurfaced in their minds. After the fall there wasn’t much bonding between the two of them.
Knives eventually sits down and eats the now slightly colder dinner. The warm vegetables feel strange inside his mouth. Getting produce is difficult in this environment, so they have to rely on the plants to help them use these resources. Of course there is a rare chance these are actually naturally grown, but Knives doesn’t bother to ask, already having a feeling he knows the answer.
Vash is now on the chair next to him, trying to debate what to say in this situation. He has confidence in Rem’s and Meryl’s words of the possibilities to be held in the future, that his brother has the chance to change for the better now. Just because Knives has killed in the past doesn’t mean he has to continue to kill in the future. It’s just going to take some time to convince Knives’ himself that.
“Remember when Rem used to cut up our meat so we wouldn’t choke?”
Knives slowly turns his gaze to his brother. The attempt to bring up a somewhat fond memory in the hopes of clearing the tension in the air, makes him a bit uncomfortable. Eating in silence would’ve been satisfactory for him.
“Yes I remember that. I was there”
“Oh yea! Same…same”
Well now the mood has gone from frustrating to awkward. You would think being brothers for over a century would allow them to talk easily to each other. Vash eventually gets up and goes to grab something else from the kitchen. He comes back with two donuts, and places one of them next to his twin on the table. There isn’t anything fancy about it, it has some sugar on top, but besides that it’s a pretty basic dessert.
“They’re not fresh by now, but they’re still really good!”
“Why did you put it on the table, it’s dirty now”
“What? No it's not!”
Vash grabs the donut and waves it in Knives face, trying to prove that it hasn’t been soiled by the germs on the table. They go back and forth for a while, one trying to convince the other to eat the hoop shaped dough, and the other one consistently refusing it.
“C’mon please, they’re really good! It's my favorite food! And I'm sharing it with you!”
“If I eat this thing, will you go back to bed?”
Vash agrees and quiets down awaiting his brother to eat the donut. Knives sighs, he’s been awake for less than an hour and he’s already tired of this. He takes a bite out of the donut, not really sure what to expect. He’s been too busy trying to destroy the cities of humans instead of trying the cuisine there.
Surprisingly he finds himself taking another bite. Being a plant, he doesn’t have to consume the amount of energy that humans do. He likes to drink certain commodities like wine and other foods for the taste, but he’s never had something like this. He eventually finishes the donut and the realization dawns on him that he wants another one.
“It's… good”
Vash’s expression lights up right away, pleased that he was able to get some positive emotions out of his brother. It’s a small step, but if he can get his mind off of destroying humanity and focus on eating donuts for even a few minutes, then maybe he really can help Knives. He runs to the kitchen to go get the bag, and brings it back to throw at knives. It lands in his lap and he doesn’t want to seem too eager, so he slowly grabs another one.
It becomes quiet again, but unlike before they’re both content with not talking to each other. Eating donuts together in peace seems to be enough bonding for now. Vash looks out the window into the night. Everyone is asleep, and there isn’t a single light on in town. All the thomases are in their pens resting too. He should probably get to sleep if he wants to get up early tomorrow with the girls.
He says goodnight to Knives who doesn’t reply but nods his head slightly. Vash accepts the acknowledgement and heads up the stairs, leaving Knives alone with his thoughts once again. He could go see if they have any alcohol stored in the house. He can only assume his brother drinks, he must have to. How else could that man keep his mood up after everything they’ve been through?
Knives stays put at that same old table until he can see some of the suns rising above the horizon. The chirping of birds can be heard and the hums of crickets die down. He takes this as a sign to head back to bed before anyone else gets up. He’s left a single donut for his brother, because even after all the manipulation and death he’s caused, he’s not a monster.
He tries to make his way up the stairs as quietly as he can so he doesn't have to run into anyone, but he should know he isn’t that lucky. Meryl was waking up at the same time and ended up bumping into his chest on her way to the bathroom. Not realizing he isnt Vash she goes to happily greet him before she looks up and is met with an expression of discomfort.
“Oh my god! I’m so sorry! Um! Mr. Knives, or Millions? Whatever you prefer!”
This goes on for a little while longer until Knives gets irritated enough and pushes past her to his room. She watches him walk away, and then carries on to her previous destination. The walls are empty and there isn’t much furniture anywhere. The single bed sits in the back, despite being plain, the room feels used. At least they’re nice enough to allow him to lock the door, a feature that he’ll be taking advantage of regularly.
He lays down again and turns to the side so he can watch the night slip away. He draws the curtains open just a little bit, so there will still be light in the room, but not enough that he can’t go back to sleep. He can’t say he really misses the abandoned ships he usually sleeps in, but they held familiarity. Even if he was the cause of the SEEDS ships crashing, that doesn’t mean he holds them dear. It’s just the humans that ran them, that bothers him.
He starts to shut his eyes after a while of thinking to himself. He can feel the warmth of a new day wash over his body before his consciousness slips away into a dream that he ends up forgetting when he wakes up.
Days and eventually weeks pass by of Knives hiding away before Vash starts to become concerned. He knows he can’t just force his brother to coexist with humans, however on the other hand it’s better than him scheming to have control over the world. But on the other other hand he doesn’t want his brother turning into a recluse. Everyone in the village saw him bring in a new member in the town, but since that day he hasn’t gone out or talked to his new neighbors.
This morning Meryl is making breakfast with milly. The aroma of eggs and pancakes fills the air and everything would be perfect if his brother was out in the dining room as well. He tries talking to them about his problems, but they struggle to give him an answer he wants to hear.
“If he’s been like this for the past hundred years it’s going to take more than a couple weeks to turn his behavior around”
He knows Meryl is right, but he so desperately wants to believe that Knives himself wants to change for the better. He thinks about how can get him out of the house some way or another. He tried to get him to do some chores by chopping wood or doing dishes, but unfortunately he was only greeted with silence.
Milly starts flipping the pancakes while meryl gets the plates out. Such a contrast to their old routine to traveling to a different town every couple days and having to avoid bullets everywhere they went. Technically Vash and Knives are still criminals, but since their behavior has died down it’s easier to live in peace. People still talk about the human disaster that is Vash the Stampede, but it’s usually just brought up when discussing the massive hole in the moon.
Vash picks at his eggs, something that would usually eat right away. It’s hard for his roommates to see him so sad, even after the surprisingly positive outcome of his duel a while back. He decides to drown his sorrows in his favorite food, but when he reaches his hand in the donut bag he doesn’t feel anything. After shaking the bag upside down he’s come to the horrific realization that there isn’t any left.
“You’ll have to go down to the bakery to get some more. Oh! And pick up some pastries and bread for Milly and I as well!”
“Yes! I love the cinnamon ones but can you ask for the ones without raisins!”
“I don't know if you take out something that’s already been baked in the dough Milly”
The two women laugh at each other, and clean the dishes together. Vash picks up his plate, clearing it off and getting ready to go down to the bakery to buy an early afternoon snack when it suddenly hits him. He should bring Knives with him! After almost finishing his previous bag of donuts it’s only fair he should come with him to buy more. It’s also a lot more compelling than asking him to do more housework.
He runs upstairs, slightly shaking the house in the process, until he reaches the door. Without knocking he swings it open and greets his brother. Knives is sitting in bed with one leg swung off to the side, and the other one bent to his chest. He looks up to his brother, a bit annoyed that he didn’t warn him before bursting in. He runs his hand through his hair before asking him why he’s in here.
“I need you to go run to the bakery with me today!”
“I’d rather not”
“Don't have a chance! You ate almost everything in the bag I lent to you a month ago and now you’re obligated to come with me!”
“You gave me that bag, and I left you one”
“Let’s just go”
Vahs smiles at his brother, hoping there is some side of Knives that really does want to get out of the house. After a few seconds when it feels like all hope is lost, knives gets out of bed and agrees. His hand scratches the back of his neck as he tells his brother to shoo so he can get ready. Vash starts to walk away after that, but then the door swings open again.
“I uh, don’t have anything to wear”
After an hour of bickering and debating over outfits, Knives is properly dressed to be seen in public. He has a button down shirt, with some dress pants that they were able to find hidden in the back of Vash’s closet. It’s a lot looser than the clothes he’s used to wearing, but accepts it anyways. He pushes the sleeves up to the end of his forearms and waits by the door for his much more energetic counterpart.
“Bye Meryl! Bye Milly!”
Vash hopes out the door with Knives tailing behind, hand in front of his forehead to block out the harsh suns. He gets teased for not being able to adjust to the sun after sulking away so long, but he quickly gets used to the desert again. The walk isn’t too long since it’s a relatively smaller town. Some people wave to Vash, but little ask about knives. The expression on his face isn’t once people really want to know the cause for.
While on his stroll to the bakery Knives almost trips on a black cat and curses. He’s not used to being around so many active living things running around him. Vash picks up the cat and plays with him, trying to lighten his brother’s mood. He doesn’t find the cat as heart warming as Vash does, and pushes on. Eventually they reach the place and the feline goes back into some random alleyway.
Vash pushes through the doors and happily runs to the glass displaying all the baked goods. You’re behind the counter not paying attention to who just came in, but from the joyful aura radiating from whoever is behind the other side of the display case, you’re sure you already have a pretty good idea. When you pop back up again you see the same blonde who usually appears when his stock of donuts gets too low.
The bakery is a bit small, but it’s not like it needs to be as large as the local police station anyways. There are a few lights hanging around the place, and the curtains are drawn for the natural light. The photos on the wall reflect different ingredients on a chart with their scientific names. It reminds Knives of reading about species of animals when he was back with Rem learning about Earth.
You already have some dough bubbling in the oil, fresh and hot, just the way he likes them. You’re about to make some sort of remark about his usual order, when you notice someone new behind him. They’re the same height, but his hair and eyes are lighter shades of blond and blue respectfully. He seems a lot less thrilled to be here than the man in front of you, but it’s the first time you’ve seen him so you greet him.
After telling him your name and welcoming him to the bakery, he walks a bit closer, inspecting the food. Vash nudges him with his elbow and gives him an expecting look. He sighs and brings his hand to his head, as if he has a headache.
“He would like- Hey! Ow don’t do that! We would like two dozen donuts please”
You nod and go back to the kitchen to go grab their desserts. When you reappear Vash is tearing up at the guy next to him.
“I’m just” He pauses for dramatic effect and sniffling “so proud of how far you’ve come”
Mr. Grumpy looks positively repulsed by the scene he’s making and tries to set him straight as you come back. You slide their bag towards them on the counter and ring them up. Vash hands you the double dollars and you place them in the little compartment that slides out of the cash register.
“So you’re new in town?”
He looks a little taken aback at your attempt to make conversation. He even struggles for a bit to come up with an answer. You know somewhat about Vash’s backstory, so after a few minutes of his thinking you assume he’s probably a criminal as well.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to-”
“Knives”
“Hm?”
“My name is Knives”
“Oh! Okay! Nice to meet you Knives!”
His gaze lingers on you for a little while before taking the bag off the counter.
“I’ve known Vash for a while now, ever since his first walk into the front door he’s been coming back ever since. He’s like that stray cat always running around for food.
“Aww! That's not fair”
You laugh a little at his sad face, and slowly make your way from behind the counter. It’s a bit too early for other people to come in. You assume you have some time to kill before you have to get back to working.
“So how do you two know each other?”
“Oh we’re actually twin brothers!”
“Really? Wow, if I had a brother like Vash I don’t know how I’d handle him”
“I don’t handle him”
Your laugh echoes around the room, eyes squinting from your bright smile that radiates the kind of glee that’s not very common on Gunsmoke. But Your laugh isn’t the only thing that Knives has taken interest in. It’s the hand on his forearm that rests there for a moment before pulling away as quickly as it came. The spot of where the tips of your fingers landed tingles in a way that he doesn’t know how to describe.
Knives had never had the time or desire to interact with humans outside of his henchmen and murdering towns. The idea of intimacy with them was something that never even crossed his mind before. But the agonizing heat that he’s feeling is more than when he first stepped out of the house after being in the dark for so long. It’s a completely new experience for him entirely. So many emotions are flooding his senses at once. He actually feels quite happy for the first time in like forever, however there is something else there, tainting this high. The notion of embarrassment has subtly infiltrated him once more.
After wandering this place for so long he wonders how he got here. He wants to run away, to scream, to do anything to get this new sensation out of him. Maybe someone else would enjoy this feeling of lightheadedness paired with the rising temperature, but not Knives. No, he wants to be back home where he can sulk and not think about pretty girls handing him donuts and laughing at his jokes. He absolutely doesn’t want that.
Now not only do his cheeks feel strangely hot, the tips of his ears feel like they’re burning as well. Something in his chest is swelling and looping around as well. He wishes this feeling could twist up into knots and wither already, but the longer he stays like this, the more it feels like it’s never going to end. Only a few seconds have passed by, however millions of thoughts have been swarming in his mind like sandworms during hunting season.
He thinks he’s going to pass out, until your expectant eyes land on him. Oh shit, did you ask him a question? After a while of him staring at you instead of answering Vash pitches in to give some response that he doesn’t have half the mind to hear. He can only focus on the movement in your face that tells him you’re impressed by whatever his brother just said. But your praise isn't directed at him, it’s directed at Knives, and he’s awarded another beaming grin from you that might just end his life.
When he’s finally able to leave his own mind he realizes that you’ve already turned your back to the boys and are going back to your previous spot on the other side of the glass case. Something inside him is saying to follow you, but that's quickly shoved aside for the more reasonable retort of ‘why the hell would I do that’. He also notices Vash staring at him with a face that, against all odds, looks even more excited than before. He tries to exit this situation immediately, feeling threatened by your presence somehow and wants to back away.
He goes to sprint out the door, when his brother’s hand grabs his shoulder forcing him to stay put. Vash bids you goodbye and thanks for the food and then turns to Knives to say farewell too. Knives somehow coughs out a ‘thanks’ and ‘bye’ with the later word being distorted by an awful voice crack that makes him want to disintegrate. The ringing of suppressed laughter doesn’t even phase him, he just wants to hide under his covers. When he’s able to make it outside the bakery Vash immediately interrogates him about that scene.
“There is no way that my brother just became flustered by a human!”
Knives tries to hide his face by crossing his arms over the front of his head and walking faster along the way home. Both guys know what just happened, it’s just going to take one of them some time to process and understand it.
“Don’t, just don’t worry about it alright”
“Don’t worry about it? DUDE you totally have to ask her out now!”
The green eyed twin is jumping up and down now. Some of the donuts fall on to the ground from shaking the bag so much, but that’s the last thing in Vash’s brain right now. Everything he just witnessed in that small local bakery is proof that Rem was right. That Knives really did have it inside of him to change for the better. All it's going to take is some carefully said and timed nudges from himself and of course you!
By the time they’ve made it to the house there is a trail of donuts littered around in the sand. When this is finally pointed out Vash groans, but also secretly applauds his inner genius for giving him a good excuse to go send Knives back to the bakery soon. Meryl and Milly also give him a hard time for forgetting to get those pastries they asked for. This would be all a very entertaining watch, but Knives’ goal of getting back to laying under the linen sheets is more important to him.
When he gets through the door, he remembers to lock it, a fatal mistake that he made this morning. He touches his face and is relieved to know that he’s done overheating. He wonders what you were saying to Vash when he had been in a state of absolute agony. Yes, that is how he would describe the events of his early day. Nothing but pure torture that was brought upon him by his brother.
But then he touches his forearm again, and is reminded of the utterly all consuming feeling of giddiness that overtook him when he was least expecting it. The gust of wind that filled his lungs and suffocated him at the same time. He wants to feel that again so bad. He has to be assured that this isn’t going to be a one time thing for him. It’s a trip that not even the strongest alcohol or any other vice could offer.
No amount of killing or conquering could ever give him the rush he felt in that bakery he didn’t even want to go to in the first place. He wonders if this is a universal experience. Even if it is thought, he decides that he would rather blow himself up than ask the girls or, god forbid, his brother about it. Although he guesses Vash already knows about his situation. He had to take all that teasing on the way home from him as proof.
Knives eventually decides that he should be hopeful that this isn’t going to ever happen again. And that the part of him that really does want him to feel that way on repeat has been swayed by the exposure of humans for too long. Luckily his twin brother has his back, and is here to make sure that this isn’t going to be the last time Millions Knives' heart races for another person. At least as long as you’re here, that is.