C&C,   R&R,   and all those other two letter combo type things are greatly appreciated.

Love With Life Lost
 

    Vash watched Wolfwood walk away from him. Over and over in his mind he saw the priest's bullet pierce the body of the possessed child he'd killed. //'Only a monster' He said. And that he'd 'had enough' of my 'idealistic crap.'//

    The gunman ignored the pain eating away at his heart. //You said you'd never leave.//
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    Wolfwood hoisted his cross onto his back and forced himself not to turn and go running back to Vash. //I saved his life! He doesn't understand. I couldn't watch him throw away his life for some fantasy world that only exists in his head. I love him too much to do that!//

    He swallowed hard and lit a cigarette, inhaling deeply until he felt the smoke inside him. Fogging over his pain. //Once my bike is fixed I'll. . . I'll go back to the orphins. I . . .// He hung his head as he heard the footsteps. "I can't."
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    A face off. Between to lovers. That's what it had come to. //And we never even got to make love. Vash. . . I've been so stupid. So ignorant.//

    "Nicholas."

    "It's been coming to this a long time Vash. We're too different you and I."

    Vash stared calmly though his heart was breaking. //That isn't what you told me when you touched my scars. You said you wouldn't leave. That I was an angel. Beautiful. I never even suspected. . . I guess I loved you too much to see.//

    "So just do me a favor and die!"

    //Alright.// Vash bit the inside of his cheek and fought back tears. This wasn't the time. "I will. But you have to promise me something."

    "Oh? What's that?"

    "After I'm dead, you will never shoot another human being again."

    "You expect me to be a living target like you?!" //Oh Vash. Always thinking of others first. Stop that!// "You're going after Knives, what'll you do when you find him?"

    "I don't know."

    Wolfwood kept up the conversation as his mind wandered, but the flash of a shot far off sent him into action. He couldn't let Vash die. Not by his hand or anyone else's. That's why he'd shot the kid, that's why he'd cried when he first saw the scars. "He's out there snipping. You take him, the other one's mine." //Goodbye Vash. I love you.//

    Those blue eyes looked at him in pain and he wanted so baddly to take it from them.

    //Don't look at me like that Vash. Please don't look at me like that.//
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    "Nic how did you know about kniv. . ." Vash froze in the doorway of the old church and starred at the hunched figure before the alter. Even so far away he knew. There was no motion at all. No breath. "No."

    He ran to his lover and shoved aside the cross punisher, taking him up into his arms, "NO! Wolfwood damn you! You said you wouldn't leave!"

    The priest's lips were cold as Vash tried to breath life into them, and the blood was almost gone it had flowed so much. //I knew I would loose him. That he would die before I did, but not so soon, not like this!// "Nic!" He gasped and clentched the cold body hard to him. "You said you would never leave me!"

    "Vash?" Meryll stepped inside and sobbed, "Oh no."

    "Nic." He groaned, "Nic please. God no. God you can't take him! Not yet!"

    "Vash." the insurance girl wiped away her own tears, "Let go. He's gone."

    "NO! He promised!"

    "He couldn't keep that promise."

    "He said I was his angel. He said he'd never leave! He was the only person who ever touched my scars without flinching away. The only one I've ever . . . We didn't even . . . all I have left are a few kisses in my memory. He can't go!"

    Meryll hugged Vash quietly, "He's already gone."

    "N. . . no."

    "I. . . Vash . . ."

    "Leave me alone."

    "But. . ."

    "GO AWAY!"

    He didn't even listen to the fast retreating footsteps. Just lifted the priest and lay him inside the long alter box. "I knew you would leave me. but not like this."

    One last time he pressed his lips to the mouth of the one he loved. His tears made the kiss salty and sad, and he pulled back slowly. "I loved you, I love you, I will always love you. That's a promise I 'can' keep. I will love you for the rest of my life. And maybe I'll find you again someday." He smiled softly and brushed away his tears, "Yeah. This is just goodnight." He caressed the cold cheak and made a vow, "I'll search for you when you're reincarnated. I have forever to wait. Sleep sweet Nic. I swear, we'll meet again, and I won't waste our time together again."

    He covered his lover's body and smiled saddly, more tears coming reguardless of his willing them to stop.  "I love you."

    With heavy arms, Vash lifted the cross punisher and wrapped it up once more, then carried it from the church. He'd keep it safe for Nic until they met again. He'd probably want it back.
 
 

~Owari~