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Vash has maybe twenty minutes of solitude in his room before the doors slide open.
He looks up from the photo he’s holding, a bit surprised when Wolfwood enters. The cheering and singing and all sorts of conversations from the kitchen down the hall at ship three echo louder for a moment just to return to the background muffle once the door closes.
“I knew you would be here.”
Vash blinks slowly, and returns his gaze to the photo in his hands.
“How did you find me?”
Wolfwood takes a few strides and then makes himself comfortable on the floor next to Vash, back against his bed.
He snorts at Vash’s words.
“Don’t be stupid I will always find you.”
That is indeed hard to deny.
“Hey.” Wolfwood shoves at his shoulder making him sway a little. “Don’t brood. It’s your birthday. Look what I got you.” He raises the bottle filled with brown liquid shaking it in Vash’s face.
“Where did you find- Is that Brad’s?”
Wolfwood shrugs.
“Who knows.” He raises another hand, presenting two glasses.
“Wolfwood,” Vash chides but he can’t help but find all these antics so…Wolfwood. He’s glad he didn’t change too much in the end all things considered.
“What?” He sets the glasses on the floor and uncorks the bottle.
“He’s gonna get mad.” Vash watches as Wolfwood fills the glasses, two fingers each.
“So?” Nick shrugs and sets the bottle to the side. “Sorry but I don’t care if your old man is pissed at me. When is he not pissed at me?”
Vash huffs and accepts one of the glasses.
“That’s not true. He’s just worried about me.”
“Don’t I know it.” Nick sticks out his own glass and waits until Vash taps his own against it, making them clink softly. “I guess we have that thing in common then, at least.”
Vash shakes his head and takes a tentative sip of Brad’s alcohol, hoping he won’t get mad too much at them for chipping away at his stash.
Vash goes back to fiddling with the photo while Nick drinks in silence, until he feels a slight shift next to him.
“Is that him?” Wolfwood points to the photo of him, Nai and Rem with his chin, eyes a little unreadable and guarded, but so obviously interested.
“Yeah.” Vash flips the photo in his fingers like a play card a few times.
“Can I?”
He looks at Wolfwood’s extended hand.
“Sure.” He shrugs and puts the old, worn Polaroid in Wolfwood’s palm. This is the last copy he has and he needs to start looking into ways of preserving it soon.
A sudden chuckle pulls him out of his thoughts.
“What?”
Wolfwood shakes his head.
“Nothing, nothing. You just look nothing alike.”
Vash snorts.
“Yeah, right.”
“I’m serious,” Nick presses. Vash gives him a sideways glance.
“We are…were identical twins. Everyone always said we looked like two peas in a pod.”
“Really?” Wolfwood squints at the photo and moves it sideways like he’s trying to decipher ancient hieroglyphics.
“What you didn’t know?”
“No, I did know but I never saw it.”
“What?” Vash blinks, truly taken a back. All his life he heard that he and Nai were like a mirror image of each other. Same face, same body, same coloring. The only thing different were their voices and the moles under their eyes.
People who had the misfortune of seeing Knives up close would sometimes lash out at Vash when they later encountered him too. Vash had more than one ‘souvenirs’ from such incidents under his clothes.
He supposed he deserved it in the end.
He could do a lot to make himself look less like his brother but he couldn’t exactly change his face.
“Like I said, you look nothing alike.” Wolfwood continues to fiddle with the polaroid, his thumb rubbing over his child image a few times. Vash zeroes on that for some reason and hopes his sudden red ears can be explained away by alcohol if needed and he takes another sip.
“I mean it. You don’t. To me.” Vash raises an eyebrow at Wolfwood’s almost desperate urge to drive the point home.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Dunno. Just. Never saw a pair of identical twins where one was ugly.”
“Wolfwood! That’s my brother!” Vash sputters but then it morphs into a snicker at the end. “And he was one here. We both were. It’s rude to call kids that young ugly.”
Wolfwood shrugs.
“It’s Knives, Blondie.”
Vash pauses, mulling the words over. Wolfwood gives him a side-glance like they were self-explanatory. Vash supposes they are.
I feel no sympathy for him and never will.
Vash can’t blame him for it. Never would, never could.
He sighs softly. “If you think he’s ugly what does that make me?”
“Well…the opposite?”
That catches Vash off guard and he feels his face redden.
“What?” Nick squints at him when his mouth moves but no words come out.
“Nothing.”
Nick shrugs and returns to examining the photo. “And that’s-?”
“Rem.” Vash coughs a little and wipes his mouth. “She raised us.”
“Aw. Lucky you. Two moms, meanwhile some of us don’t even get one,” Wolfwood says and holds the photo for Vash to take back.
“Sorry,” Vash grunts and retrieves his possession and then sets it on the bedside table.
“Nah, I’m sorry. That was fucking dumb.” He reaches for the bottle and refills Vash’s glass. “Here. Drink.”
Vash does so without protest and then Wolfwood refills his glass one more time.
“You know I don’t think I have ever seen you drink alcohol. You don’t like it?”
“Too bitter.” Vash coughs again. Brad’s taste really is something if this thing is making Vash struggle.
“Yeah, figures.” Vash rolls his eyes.
“And well I can’t get drunk.” He admits, casually swirling the alcohol in his glass.
Nick looks at him with surprise.
“What? You can’t?”
“Nope,” he admits, letting the ‘p’ pop at the end.
“Damn.” Nick shakes his head and Vash frowns a little.
“It just makes me sick if I drink too much.”
Without a word Nick reaches for his glass, trying to suddenly take it away.
“Wait, wait hold on! I can drink a little. If I’m careful I can deal with it. Don’t worry. I still want to keep you company.”
Nick lets go of Vash’s drink and leans back against the bed.
“I was supposed to keep you company,” he groans, rolling his head and looking at the ceiling.
“What about you?” Vash mumbles into his glass.
“Hm?”
“Can you get drunk?”
Wolfwood sighs long and suffering.
“Yeah, but I need a stupid amount and it lasts a short while. The buzz is nice though but the road to it is a pain. I don’t get hangovers though,” he admits with a grin.
“Wow, lucky you,” Vash throws Wolfwood’s words back at him and it makes Wolfwood laugh.
“I know right. Meanwhile you get all the hangovers with no buzz. Poor Spikey.”
“I don’t need your pity.”
Nick raises his head.
“Hey, it’s not pity. It’s…ya know,” he trails off.
“It’s what?”
Nick shrugs and turns away a little. Vash notices his red ears. “Friendly concern.”
“Uhum.”
“Okay, maybe there’s a bit of pity but it’s not all that,” He defends himself and Vash grins against his glass.
“Okay, okay,” He placates him and they fall into a nice lull of drinking and sharing some nonsense words.
Time passes and they’re almost at the bottom of the bottle when Vash feels something poke his cheek.
He bats at it and it turns out to be Wolfwood’s finger.
“Are you drunk now Wolfwood?” He asks, rolling his eyes as he keeps his wandering hand pinned under his for a moment.
Nick sighs.
“Yeahhhhh,” He pressed the heels of his palms to his eyes with a groan. “I’m pretty buzzed. This thing has a kick.” He pauses and looks at Vash, his gaze unfocused. “And you’re very fuzzy. Stop that.”
He bats at Vash’s hand mimicking Wolfwood from just a moment ago. Vash laughs at the absurdity of it but stops.
Nick lolls his head to the side, looking aimlessly at the wall before he sits up a little.
“Oh.”
“What is it?” Vash, alarmed, sits up as well.
“There's still fifteen minutes of your birthday left.” Nick points to the clock on the wall. Vash follows his hand and blinks.
“Oh. Yeah. Time flies when you’re having fun I guess.”
It was…definitely the best birthday he had in years. He just wishes he could be…more. Here, present. Less of a gloomy presence to his friends, reminding them with behavior like that - running and hiding in his room, that Knives still had his claws deep in his psyche even after he was gone.
He probably would never not feel that presence. No matter how many birthdays down the line.
“You need to think of a wish.” Wolfwood’s voice snaps Vash out of his meandering, gloomy thoughts.
“A wish?”
“Yeah.” Wolfwood shifts a bit next to him, trying to find a more comfortable spot. “A birthday wish.”
“I already did that. With the cake? Remember?”
Wolfwood shakes his head.
“No, that’s different.”
Vash gives him a look that’s a little lost.
“I don’t follow.”
Wolfwood sighs like he’s explaining something very, very obvious and basic to a small child.
“You need to make a wish before midnight on your birthday for next year.”
“What? This isn’t new year’s.” Vash laughs.
Nicholas frowns and he goes a little cross-eyed in the process which forces Vash to hide his amused grin behind his glass.
“What does that have to do with that?”
Vash shakes his head.
“I don’t think it works like that.”
“No, it does trust me. We did this all the time at Hopeland.”
“Wolfowood.” Vash gives him a sympathetic look that he knows his friend really doesn’t like.
“What?”
“I think some kids might have pranked you.”
Instead of getting mad Nick just shrugs.
“So? It was still fun.”
Vash’s smile falters for a moment.
“Did you also make wishes like that when you were at Hopeland?”
Nick shakes his head as he sets his glass on the floor.
“Hah. No.” Vash frowns.
“Why?”
Wolfwood refills his own glass.
“Simple. I don’t know when my birthday is.”
He sets the bottle back on the floor and the sound it makes is terribly loud in the silence that follows.
“Wolfwood…” Vash knows how he sounds right now and he knows Nick hates any expression of sympathy but he can’t help it.
“Oh, can it Blondie.” He rolls his eyes. “Make that damn wish already. Come on.”
Wolfwood shoves him again and Vash sways with a little panicked yell when his drink almost spills.
“Oh, before I forget. No, you cannot wish for world peace.”
Vash pouts.
“I’m serious. Think of something for yourself. Got it?”
“Okay, alright,” he placates, takes the last sip and sets the glass on the floor. He folds his arms over his knees and hums, considering his options.
After a minute he speaks up.
“There.” He turns to Wolfwood. “I thought of a wish. Happy?”
“I will be once you tell me.” Nick stares at him.
“What? No way.”
“Spikey.”
“If I tell you, it won’t come true.”
“Bullshit. Come on, tell me. I want to know.”
Vash shakes his head, laughing a little and an irritated Nicholas shoves at Vash again.
“Stop that. Tell me,” he grumbles and Vash looks at him and not for the first time remembers how young Wolfwood is. He knows he is of course, it’s always in the back of his head, and for the most part Wolfwood just acts like a jaded adult. But he still has these childish habits and mannerisms and when they come out that realization hits him hard.
Vash should probably unpack what it means that he finds them kind of cute though but he doesn’t want to touch on something he shouldn’t, so he just lets it exist and make him grin at Wolfwood and innocently say ‘nothing’ when he demands what he’s laughing at.
“Okay fine. But I’m blaming you if it doesn’t come true.” He lets that childishness affect him a little and he playfully sticks his tongue at Nick.
Wolfwood snorts.
“Whatever.”
Vash sighs through his nose and drops his gaze to the now empty glass he’s clutching in his hands.
“I wished…to be at peace next year. Like truly at peace, you know. Just have all of...this behind me….” He pauses, chewing on his bottom lip for a second. He knows that it is futile, he will never forget all the pain and horrors and even if he tried, even if he wanted to, Nai will always be a part of him in some way.
So, there is no true ‘peace’ for Vash the Stampede but maybe…there is at least something that resembles that. Maybe a year is too short for that but things do seem to look better now with the Earth Fleet landing on No Man’s Land and Nai helping it…well live.
Next to him Nick says nothing. Vash exhales. and continues. “And I also wished that I could spend my next birthday with you as well…”
Okay, maybe he is touching on something he shouldn’t but it’s his birthday so he can be a little selfish now, can he?
Nick stirs next to him and Vash panics.
“I mean you all!” He clarifies hastily and lifts the glass to his mouth and then feels stupid when he realizes it’s empty and he knows it since he has been staring at it for the last two or so minutes.
Wolfwood stirs again and yawns. Vash snaps his head up.
“Oh, I’m sorry, am I boring you?” He comments snidely.
Wolfwood stretches his arms over his head.
“No, but I think I drank too much.” He rubs his face and when he drops his hands he looks at Vash.
“Anyway. Good wish. Um wishes.”
“Huh?” Vash blinks when the conversation suddenly changes.
“Yeah.” Nick nods. “Ah, and you don’t have to worry about the other thing.”
“The other thing?”
“Yeah. I’m not going anywhere so you’re not getting rid of me that easily.” Vash opens his mouth and feels a slight panic bubble in his throat. He touched a little too much what he shouldn’t have.
“Oh, a minute.” Nicholas suddenly interrupts him and Vash’s mouth snaps closed with a click of his teeth.
“Huh?” He’s saying this a lot today, isn’t he? He’s probably coming off as really dense.
“Till your birthday is over.” Nick says, pointing at the clock. Vash follows that direction again.
Ah.
The panic settles for now. Wolfwood is just drunk and saying whatever. Hopefully he won’t remember most of this or won’t care.
“Hey, Spikey?” Vash’s mouth stretches into a small smile as he turns to his friend.
“Yeah-?”
Of all the things Wolfwood could have done in this moment - moving into Vash’s face, so close he could actually see the little, amber flecks in his eyes - was not what he expected.
Neither he expected the gentle touch against his parted, a little wet from the alcohol, mouth.
It’s probably the briefest of kisses (speaking to Wolfwood’s general inexperience probably as much as his drunken state) he has ever received from anyone but it feels like a lifetime until Wolfwood pulls away.
Vash’s eyes are wide open in shock.
Wolfwood just kissed him!
“Happy birthday.” Nick slurs, blinking a few dozen times and then leans in again.
Vash panics for real but instead of getting a repeat (not that he wanted that absolutely not!) Wolfwood’s head drops on his shoulder, his nose digging hard into his neck.
“Wh- “Vash stops himself when feels Wolfwood’s body rise and fall rhythmically, still nested against his side.
He blinks, realization dawning on him.
Wolfwood got drunk, drunk kissed him and then fell asleep still drunk on him.
“What?” Vash whispered harshly to himself. He didn’t need to try and be quiet though, because Nick was out cold.
And then he started snoring.
Oh god.
Vash already knew that one of the wishes wouldn’t be able to come true anymore.
Because how was he supposed to get any peace of mind like this?