[ Oh. Vash blinks once, then again as he fights off the rising sensation of panic in his chest. Knives went to see Dolph. Where? When? Vash sits up, puts his device aside and makes room for Dolph to sit.
Please sit. ]
What happened? Did he say something to you?
[ He's already looking Dolph over. Did he hurt Dolph? Vash knows Dolph can take care of himself but the concern is still there. ]
[ Vash starts to chew on the inside of his lower lip, watching Dolph where he's standing, his gaze fixed on him with a carefully crafted neutral expression. The tightness in his chest pulls tighter.
They'd fought. Knives had said things. They'd hurt each other. Vash finally looks away from Dolph as his brow knits together. There's only one reason Knives would hurt Dolph when he doesn't have his Gate, and the solution—the way to keep Dolph safe is...
Vash's fingers curl over the edge of the couch cushion as he presses his lips tightly together. ]
[ The "no" gets Vash to look at Dolph again, briefly, before he jerks his head away again, hiding as much of his face behind the sunglasses ever present on his face as he can manage.
He could make excuses for his brother, but he won't. There's nothing excusable about his brother's actions when it comes to humans or others. There's a lot that Vash can ignore, that he can step around in an effort to reach his brother, to cling on to what he might still have with the twin he knows is dead back home.
But it doesn't make what he's done okay. Knowing Dolph actually injured Knives settles something cold in his stomach, but in the same breath, if Dolph is apologizing, he means it. Vash knows this.
But it's selfish. It's not okay for Vash to put Dolph in danger just by association. ]
[ but vash isn't looking at him. dolph wonders how much can he truly fight this. how can he fight the fate people have. the places they belong in. the stories they need to finish. the lives they need to have. it feels like an upward current every time.
but. he's here. so. he'll fight anyway. gently, dolph reaches out to place his fingers around vash's chin. ]
We. Of course. Vash exhales a sad little laugh. This is why he's always held people at arms length, why he tries so hard to keep distance between himself and others despite how it makes him feel.
But what is the right thing to do? Dolph isn't telling him to leave. He doesn't want to leave, not after he's had the chance to feel happy here with Dolph. He's so caught up in his thoughts that he doesn't realize Dolph's reached out until he feels his hand at his chin, and he looks over, eyes startled for a moment before he fixes his expression into something stubborn. ]
Is that what you want to do? He'll make you feel guilty.
[ even though this isn't vash's fault at all. but dolph saw how knives gets under the skin. his comment about dolph's life hit after all. it reminds him a little of alex and that — that makes the whole situation rankle. ]
[ He doesn't want to fight with his brother. He's tried so hard since he arrived to try and mend their strained relationship. Nothing seems to work, regardless of quieter moments or working together when things have been dire.
As he sits here, his gut twisting, he comes to a realization. ]
I don't want to run away from this. If I do nothing, he could hurt you again, or someone else. He could get himself hurt, he doesn't get what people are capable of here.
[ Vash shuts his eyes the moment their foreheads touch, the tension in his shoulders easing a little with each passing moment. He breathes in, letting his thoughts swim with the scent that lingers in the air around Dolph.
Say what? Vash's brow pinches, not entirely sure what Dolph is searching for, for what he clearly needs. He opens his eyes a moment later and searches what he can see of Dolph in front of him, his free hand coming to rest at the side of his face. ]
[ dolph moves to wrap his arms around vash, pressing a kiss to his lips. his heart aches for the situation vash finds himself in. his heart aches distantly for livio, who left, who chose not to stay, who left and vanished forevermore.
but even so, his heart feels full just with the thought of this, of vash choosing him. ]
[ He hadn't been expecting the kiss, nor the embrace, but it's something he accepts, reciprocating by looping his arms around Dolph in return. The kiss is soft but brief, if only because Vash wants to talk again. ]
Just... let me talk to him.
[ Before anything else happens. He somehow doubts he'll talk any sense into his brother, but maybe it's time he sets some boundaries. It can only go well. ]
[ He's fine with Dolph being anywhere he is... but. He's not sure if Dolph's presence wouldn't make thing worse on Nai's end. He frowns, butting his forehead gently against Dolph's. ]
I'll keep in touch. If I don't answer you, then you'll know there's trouble. Fair?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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but. dolph never really knows. ]
Knives came to see me.
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Please sit. ]
What happened? Did he say something to you?
[ He's already looking Dolph over. Did he hurt Dolph? Vash knows Dolph can take care of himself but the concern is still there. ]
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He said some things. And tried to attack me. I didn't let him get very far and I tried . . . not to hurt him much.
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They'd fought. Knives had said things. They'd hurt each other. Vash finally looks away from Dolph as his brow knits together. There's only one reason Knives would hurt Dolph when he doesn't have his Gate, and the solution—the way to keep Dolph safe is...
Vash's fingers curl over the edge of the couch cushion as he presses his lips tightly together. ]
I'm sorry.
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[ the firmness of his own voice surprises him. dolph bends down, resting a hand on vash's knee, trying to look him in the eye. ]
I'm sorry I hurt him. I'm sorry it came to this. But I'm not sorry for you. Not ever.
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He could make excuses for his brother, but he won't. There's nothing excusable about his brother's actions when it comes to humans or others. There's a lot that Vash can ignore, that he can step around in an effort to reach his brother, to cling on to what he might still have with the twin he knows is dead back home.
But it doesn't make what he's done okay. Knowing Dolph actually injured Knives settles something cold in his stomach, but in the same breath, if Dolph is apologizing, he means it. Vash knows this.
But it's selfish. It's not okay for Vash to put Dolph in danger just by association. ]
If he gets his Gate back it's going to be worse.
[ So much worse. ]
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[ but vash isn't looking at him. dolph wonders how much can he truly fight this. how can he fight the fate people have. the places they belong in. the stories they need to finish. the lives they need to have. it feels like an upward current every time.
but. he's here. so. he'll fight anyway. gently, dolph reaches out to place his fingers around vash's chin. ]
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We. Of course. Vash exhales a sad little laugh. This is why he's always held people at arms length, why he tries so hard to keep distance between himself and others despite how it makes him feel.
But what is the right thing to do? Dolph isn't telling him to leave. He doesn't want to leave, not after he's had the chance to feel happy here with Dolph. He's so caught up in his thoughts that he doesn't realize Dolph's reached out until he feels his hand at his chin, and he looks over, eyes startled for a moment before he fixes his expression into something stubborn. ]
I'll talk to him.
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Is that what you want to do? He'll make you feel guilty.
[ even though this isn't vash's fault at all. but dolph saw how knives gets under the skin. his comment about dolph's life hit after all. it reminds him a little of alex and that — that makes the whole situation rankle. ]
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[ He doesn't want to fight with his brother. He's tried so hard since he arrived to try and mend their strained relationship. Nothing seems to work, regardless of quieter moments or working together when things have been dire.
As he sits here, his gut twisting, he comes to a realization. ]
I don't want to run away from this. If I do nothing, he could hurt you again, or someone else. He could get himself hurt, he doesn't get what people are capable of here.
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Stay.
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Despite everything, despite how selfish it feels to carve out this little space for himself, Vash doesn't want to fill it in just yet. ]
I'm not going anywhere, remember?
[ He doesn't have anything to go home to. Just a planet full of kin and a shattered heart. ]
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Won't you say it?
[ say I want to stay. ]
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Say what? Vash's brow pinches, not entirely sure what Dolph is searching for, for what he clearly needs. He opens his eyes a moment later and searches what he can see of Dolph in front of him, his free hand coming to rest at the side of his face. ]
I'll stay. I want to stay with you.
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but even so, his heart feels full just with the thought of this, of vash choosing him. ]
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Just... let me talk to him.
[ Before anything else happens. He somehow doubts he'll talk any sense into his brother, but maybe it's time he sets some boundaries. It can only go well. ]
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Let me be close by. If you don't want me there, that's fine.
But . . . keep me informed. Or let me bring you there.
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[ He's fine with Dolph being anywhere he is... but. He's not sure if Dolph's presence wouldn't make thing worse on Nai's end. He frowns, butting his forehead gently against Dolph's. ]
I'll keep in touch. If I don't answer you, then you'll know there's trouble. Fair?
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Yeah. That's fair.