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

    //Determination and Courage.// Wolfwood watched Vash closely. Someone had told him once that red ment those things. Vash had those attributes in spades.  Unfortunately he also had a huge heart.  //No, not unfortunately. That kindness is part of what makes him Vash. I only wish it didn't hurt him so badly.//

    Only a few short days after he'd taken the Huminoid Typhoon from the small town he had esconed himself in, and already he'd not only watched as one of the few creatures anywhere near what he was, was blown away, and then Brad's sacrifice. . . it didn't seem fair that after all he'd been through already he would go through more. //He must have one Hell of a lot of karma built up.//

    "Vash?"

    The blond man looked up at Wolfwood, eyes puffy and red, but his lips broke into a huge smile. One of those rare and real smiles the priest loved so very much.

    Wolfwood took the breaking man into his arms and Vash held on tight to him.

    "Nic! Oh Gods I thought you were dead!"

    "Hey. Hey now, I'm ok. I'm here aren't I?"

    "You left after the Pupeteer and the trolley crashed out in the desert and you didn't come back."

    "I had a lot to think about."

    Vash shook his head and trembled. His whole body shaking.

    "Vash?"

    "Don't leave me. Everyone leaves me."

    He should have seen this coming. Vash's friends had died the day before. People he'd known since they were children. His guardian was gone, his brother was insane, of course he'd be afraid for his lover. "Have I ever dissapointed you?"

    "N. . . no."

    "I don't plan on starting now."

    "Wolfwood."

    "Hm?"

    "Touch me. Kiss me. Please."

    "As if you had to ask." He chuckled and obliged happily. "I will never leave you Vash."

    "When you find some one else you will."

    "Who says I'm looking?"

    "Doesn't matter, you'll fall in love and that'll be it."

    Gunmetal grey eyes softened and Wolfwood leaned closer, "Who says I'm not now?"

    "Don't tease me. Not now."

    "Vash. I've been thinking about it since I first saw you smile. More since our kiss. I've thought about it a lot and came to a simple conclusion as to why you are always in my thoughts."

    Vash held his breath, afraid to break the moment.

    "I love you."

    "Nicholas."

    "You don't have to say anything back, I just wanted you to know I won't go away."

    "I love you too."

    The priest froze.

    "Forgive me father." Vash whispered with a soft smile, "For I have sinned."

    Wolfwood enveloped him in a huge hug and laughed until he cried, "That makes two of us. Think we'll go ta Hell?"

    "You're the priest."

    "Maybe we can just say a shit load of  'Hail Mary's and 'Our Father's."

    "That'll work." Vash trailed kisses over his stubble covered jaw.

    "Mmm, yeah."

    "Nicholas. I can't stop seeing their faces."

    He held his love against him and nodded, "I know. Believe me I know."

    "I'm going to get a drink."

    Wolfwood reluctantly let go of him and Vash turned on the small came stove fire beneith the coffee pot for light and pulled out a large brown bottle. He sat and watched the flames as he held it and took a large swig that had him coughing and gasping for breath. But as the fire raced through him Wolfwood saw him relax a slight bit. He stood and took the bottle from the shaking hands. He couldn't stand to see Vash turn to a bottle instead of him. "Don't drink that stuff. You have no tolerance for it." He swirled the amber liquid around, "It's disrespectful of the boose to drink it like that."

    Vash didn't even glance up at him.

    //Come on Vash. Call me stupid. Laugh at me!//  "AHHHHH! I'm impressed!" He said loudly after taking a drink, "Hooch's brand name!" He glanced down at the other man to see if he was amused.

    No change.

    "Hm." He sat down beside the gunman and sighed, "Look. We did all that we could. Stop beating yourself up. If you've got to call it something, call it destany."

    That got a reaction, but a mediocre one at best. A monotoned reply of, "Don't try to justify it by labling it with a simple word." The fire light on his glasses hid his eyes, but Wolfwood could see the tears on his cheeks, "So many died. They aren't coming back." He breathed harshly, "I can't stand it."

    //If only destany 'was' a simple word. You're my destany and it is anything but simple. Come on Vash. Don't go away from me. Your thoughts are so far away."

    "I killed Brad."

    //Vash. . .//

    "Everyone who touches me ends up dying."

    "That very well may be but there's nothing you can do about it at this point. You still have somewhere else to go. Don't you?"

    Vash blinked and finally nodded, "I agree, I'm not done yet. Whatever it takes, I have to face it."

    Wolfwood was silent a long time before he reached out and took Vash's hand in his. Holding it like a life line. "You know whatever you're going to face, it won't be alone. Never again. I'm gonna be there. We'll be fine."

    "I wish I could believe that."

    "Well for now do you think you can forget for a while?"

    "Forget? Why?"

    The priest kissed him so hard he fell back to the ground. Vash's eyes went wide and then closed as he reached up to press the dark haired man closer towards him. He gasped as one slim, pale hand slid up under his coat and shirt to tease the bare flesh there. When they brushed over a grate he yelped and pulled away.

    "No!"

    "Vash. I've seen them. Maybe not  so close up, but when we finally decide to make love they'll still be there.  I don't care. They're part of you."

    "They're awful. They're gross and unnatural. Just like me."

    "Never say that!" He grabbed his collar and lifted his face up to his, "You are NOT anything but beautiful. Not ANYTHING but kind and courageous and wonderful."

    "But . . ."

    "Shut up." He growled and began to unbutton the duster and the buckles beneith.

    "Nic. . ."

    "Shh." He parted the cloth and ran a hand over the scarred skin and scraps of metal. "You're beautiful Vash."

    "No I. . ."

    Soft lips traced every scar and patch and Vash moaned in pleasure and fear alike. "You're you. And that's who I love."

    "N. . . nic!"

    "I know you aren't ready for 'that' yet. But I wanted to touch you so bad. Can I just touch you?"

    "I'm so broken." He lowered his eyes.

    Wolfwood raised his head gently, "You aren't broken. You're one half of a whole. I'm the other."

    "Knives. . ."

    "He shared a womb with you. We share a soul. I won't leave you like he did. Won't betray you. Trust me Vash. Love me."

    "I love you."

    The priest ran his hands over Vash's naked flesh and the gunman shived in pleasure. "My soul."

    "Nic. . ."

    "Love you."

    "Love you. Can't lose you Nic, It'll kill me."

    "You wont lose me."

    "Hold me."

    "'k." He burried his face in Vash's hair and sighed. This was where he belonged. Who he belonged to. He'd help Vash get through this. Through all of the loss. They'd be ok. "You're an angel."

    "That's what Rem called me." He said sleepily.

    "Smart lady."

    "Mmm."
 
 

~Owari~