Vash "Cash Money" the Stampede (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bountyfull) wrote2023-04-07 12:15 pm
bountyfull) wrote2023-04-07 12:15 pm
IC INBOX - LABYRINTHUM
INBOX ✦ Text // Voice // Action
[ don't go? all right, not going. he's absolutely not going anywhere, because he's relaxing despite the fact that dune's practically pinning him down. he finds himself delighting in the way vash laughs, how bright and warm it is, the gentleness of his eyes, and how he seems so, so very genuine.
and so wolfwood leans into it, finally convinced that vash actually wants this, and he leans in again to kiss him, his other hand coming to cup vash's cheek in turn. there's something in his heart that loosens and eases up, and the softness of vash's lips is all he feels.
he's leaning on him, a thumb slipping between them to smooth over vash's lower lip when he's done, and wolfwood finally summons up every ounce of his courage and manages a husky, ]
I meant, a date. Just now.
and so wolfwood leans into it, finally convinced that vash actually wants this, and he leans in again to kiss him, his other hand coming to cup vash's cheek in turn. there's something in his heart that loosens and eases up, and the softness of vash's lips is all he feels.
he's leaning on him, a thumb slipping between them to smooth over vash's lower lip when he's done, and wolfwood finally summons up every ounce of his courage and manages a husky, ]
I meant, a date. Just now.
[ This is nice, he thinks to himself. Even if Dune is practically keeping them from going anywhere, it's nice. It's even better when he feels the tension in Wolfwood's posture practically melt away.
Wait. ]
A DATE?!
[ There's no denying it's a shout, a squawk. Vash sits up suddenly, and unfortunately for the both of them that means that they bonk foreheads again. Vash yelps again, one hand reaching up to clutch his forehead as the rest of his face turns a tomato red. A Date. Wolfwood had been trying to ask him on a date and he basically "sure buddy"'d him in response. The embarrassment creeps straight down his neck as his lips twist into a grimace.
At some point, wide blue eyes had looked away from Wolfwood, but now, after a moment they bashfully focus on him again, dark blonde brow pinched between them. A laugh escapes his throat, this one a little bit more shy, somehow apologetic with the way his grimace turns into something akin to a smile. ]
A date. Uh... yeah. We can— yeah. Yes.
Wait. ]
A DATE?!
[ There's no denying it's a shout, a squawk. Vash sits up suddenly, and unfortunately for the both of them that means that they bonk foreheads again. Vash yelps again, one hand reaching up to clutch his forehead as the rest of his face turns a tomato red. A Date. Wolfwood had been trying to ask him on a date and he basically "sure buddy"'d him in response. The embarrassment creeps straight down his neck as his lips twist into a grimace.
At some point, wide blue eyes had looked away from Wolfwood, but now, after a moment they bashfully focus on him again, dark blonde brow pinched between them. A laugh escapes his throat, this one a little bit more shy, somehow apologetic with the way his grimace turns into something akin to a smile. ]
A date. Uh... yeah. We can— yeah. Yes.
[ what the fuck -- that squawk flusters wolfwood, too, because maybe by some impossibility, maybe vash doesn't want a date? he doesn't? probably? but no, no, vash is smiling one of his prettier smiles, the one that makes wolfwood's heart race, and wolfwood hates and loves everything about this moment and how it makes him feel goddamn human in ways he doesn't deserve.
he's killed people who've wanted less.
um. so.
wolfwood's mouth is dry, his gaze fixed on that smile nonetheless. fuck. ]
Okay. Good. So... wanna go?
he's killed people who've wanted less.
um. so.
wolfwood's mouth is dry, his gaze fixed on that smile nonetheless. fuck. ]
Okay. Good. So... wanna go?
[ Vash shifts, lifting his hands up to settle on either side of Wolfwood's face. ]
Yeah, okay.
[ Not that he's literally ever been on a date. How do they even do that? What makes things a date? Is it getting breakfast? They do that a lot. Have they been going on dates all this time?
They're still on the ground, pinned by dune. Vash cranes his neck a little to bump his nose against Wolfwood's and then glances back at Dune. ]
Think we're ready to go, buddy. Mind releasing the safety locks?
[ They're done being stupid, right? Vash glances back towards wolfwood, eyebrows lifting with a tilt of his head. Reassure your son that you're also done being stupid. ]
Yeah, okay.
[ Not that he's literally ever been on a date. How do they even do that? What makes things a date? Is it getting breakfast? They do that a lot. Have they been going on dates all this time?
They're still on the ground, pinned by dune. Vash cranes his neck a little to bump his nose against Wolfwood's and then glances back at Dune. ]
Think we're ready to go, buddy. Mind releasing the safety locks?
[ They're done being stupid, right? Vash glances back towards wolfwood, eyebrows lifting with a tilt of his head. Reassure your son that you're also done being stupid. ]
( it's like. Midnight and Vash is getting random coordinates sent to him that correspond to some spot in the woods and nothing else.)
[ if you don't think he will actually go there... ]
???
???
am I supposed to go there? It's the forest, right?
Yeah that's why I sent it to you. You wanted to party, right?
[ hwhat ]
Party? I haven't ever...
Who is this?
Party? I haven't ever...
Who is this?
[ you messaged him!!! ]
Vash?
I think you might have gotten the wrong number.
Vash?
I think you might have gotten the wrong number.
( oh. Awkward.
Or it would be if Night Sky gave a shit. )
Oh.
Wanna get high in the woods with me?
Or it would be if Night Sky gave a shit. )
Oh.
Wanna get high in the woods with me?
( it had already taken him a good, long while to relent when it came to saying he didn't need to sleep in the first place; not too long after the honeybun ( and subsequent biting ) incident, he'd held on as long as he'd been physically able to keep from succumbing to something as human as sleep, but now … and we'll not be accepting any opinions from the peanut gallery —
he kind of likes it. likes the comfort and warmth of being wrapped up in something cozy, like he's being hugged from all directions as he drifts off into a dreamless sleep. dreamless, at least, until he'd played the faun's game and ended up with a little note that said nothing more than sweet dreams. he hadn't known what it would mean then, wouldn't know until the first time he closed his eyes after he'd reached into that satchel, and then.
he'd known what a nightmare was, in theory. he's read about them. experiencing them for himself is something that he'll come out of thinking that he would never wish on anyone; deaths, dozens and hundreds and thousands of them and they're all vash. every single one of them. some are quiet, some are almost merciful, but the ones that get him the most are when he's falling. falling, for so long from a sky that burns above him, and it never matters how many times he tries to get to him before he reaches the ground. he never does.
the first time he wakes drenched in a cold sweat, tears in his eyes and teeth chattering around the same syllable ( no, no, no, no! ) over and over and over again. he knows it's foolish, but in the darkness of their shared space he goes to check on his sleeping brother anyway, no worse for the wear and gently snoring. none the wiser, as it should be.
he goes back to bed.
the nightmares come back to him.
and it only takes another time or two for him to decide that, once again, sleep is not for him, and he'll play it off just as he had the first time, there's nothing wrong, except he'll add i'm sleeping just fine, thank you onto the end of every explanation of why there seem to be dark patches spreading beneath the blue of his eyes, and why his cheeks seem to be sinking in bit by bit.
are you eating?
yes.
are you sure?
positive.
and it goes on to the point that he has to stay active, has to stay moving because if he sits still for too long he's going to drift off, and he thinks that those dreams could come to him even in a doze. not a risk he's willing to take, even for his own sanity. )
he kind of likes it. likes the comfort and warmth of being wrapped up in something cozy, like he's being hugged from all directions as he drifts off into a dreamless sleep. dreamless, at least, until he'd played the faun's game and ended up with a little note that said nothing more than sweet dreams. he hadn't known what it would mean then, wouldn't know until the first time he closed his eyes after he'd reached into that satchel, and then.
he'd known what a nightmare was, in theory. he's read about them. experiencing them for himself is something that he'll come out of thinking that he would never wish on anyone; deaths, dozens and hundreds and thousands of them and they're all vash. every single one of them. some are quiet, some are almost merciful, but the ones that get him the most are when he's falling. falling, for so long from a sky that burns above him, and it never matters how many times he tries to get to him before he reaches the ground. he never does.
the first time he wakes drenched in a cold sweat, tears in his eyes and teeth chattering around the same syllable ( no, no, no, no! ) over and over and over again. he knows it's foolish, but in the darkness of their shared space he goes to check on his sleeping brother anyway, no worse for the wear and gently snoring. none the wiser, as it should be.
he goes back to bed.
the nightmares come back to him.
and it only takes another time or two for him to decide that, once again, sleep is not for him, and he'll play it off just as he had the first time, there's nothing wrong, except he'll add i'm sleeping just fine, thank you onto the end of every explanation of why there seem to be dark patches spreading beneath the blue of his eyes, and why his cheeks seem to be sinking in bit by bit.
are you eating?
yes.
are you sure?
positive.
and it goes on to the point that he has to stay active, has to stay moving because if he sits still for too long he's going to drift off, and he thinks that those dreams could come to him even in a doze. not a risk he's willing to take, even for his own sanity. )
Drugs.
[ A statement and also a question. ]
I'm not really sure I've ever...
I drink sometimes?
[ A statement and also a question. ]
I'm not really sure I've ever...
I drink sometimes?
Yes. I can make them. They're awesome.
Can you get drunk? Because it can be like that. Sort of.
Can you get drunk? Because it can be like that. Sort of.
[ Vash, if anything, is observant. He hadn't woken the night Nai visited him after his nightmares, but he certainly stirred if there was a second. He'd expected a conversation that never came, that night. As time goes on, as he watches his brother look more and more run down despite the concern he throws his way, it makes Vash antsy. It worries him. It's worse somehow, than when he'd first arrived and wouldn't eat or sleep. That had been obstinant refusal. This? Seems so much different, almost like there's an edge of fear around it, making it worse, wearing Nai down faster somehow.
So when it's well past nightfall and Vash can't find himself feeling okay with just falling asleep, he gets up and wanders out of his room towards the door that leads to his brother's. He pauses in front of it, listening carefully for a while before he determines he's not in there. It helps that, even from down the hallway he can see a shock of white-blonde hair peeking over the sofa in the living room. Vash's expression shifts from sleepy to pursed lipped. He knows now, firsthand, that Nai will deny anything. He's needled him for days, almost a week and he's gotten nowhere.
So this time, he chooses to attract flies with honey. No honeybun required. He approaches the sofa from behind, bare feet padding on the hardwood floor as he exhales a worried sigh. ]
Nai... [ It's whispered into blonde hair as his hands slip from his brother's shoulders and down over his chest, the blanket wrapped around his shoulders draping over the edge of the couch to half obscure Nai as well. ]
Come with me?
So when it's well past nightfall and Vash can't find himself feeling okay with just falling asleep, he gets up and wanders out of his room towards the door that leads to his brother's. He pauses in front of it, listening carefully for a while before he determines he's not in there. It helps that, even from down the hallway he can see a shock of white-blonde hair peeking over the sofa in the living room. Vash's expression shifts from sleepy to pursed lipped. He knows now, firsthand, that Nai will deny anything. He's needled him for days, almost a week and he's gotten nowhere.
So this time, he chooses to attract flies with honey. No honeybun required. He approaches the sofa from behind, bare feet padding on the hardwood floor as he exhales a worried sigh. ]
Nai... [ It's whispered into blonde hair as his hands slip from his brother's shoulders and down over his chest, the blanket wrapped around his shoulders draping over the edge of the couch to half obscure Nai as well. ]
Come with me?
( maybe he should have said something sooner — maybe he should have said something at all but he doesn't want to burden vash with things that he doesn't need to. things that are in his head, and his head alone, and if he were to stop and think about it, he might start putting two and two together with regard to the scrap of paper he'd pulled out of the stranger's satchel.
sweet dreams. hmph.
he's half-curled up on the couch when vash finds him, knees pulled up toward his chest with his arms wrapped around them, and it's all he can do to keep from dozing off sitting up. he should get up and pace about some more; at least keeping moving staves off the fatigue for a little while, until his body starts complaining that he's been mobile for entirely too long.
he starts a bit when he feels the weight of familiar hands on his shoulders, settles immediately when they smooth down over his chest and his head tips back just enough to try to nuzzle into the warmth of his brother's mouth as he speaks against his hair. )
If your way of worrying over how little I've slept lately is to try to seduce me to bed, you don't have to. ( he means it, but there's nothing wrong with teasing just a little first. )
sweet dreams. hmph.
he's half-curled up on the couch when vash finds him, knees pulled up toward his chest with his arms wrapped around them, and it's all he can do to keep from dozing off sitting up. he should get up and pace about some more; at least keeping moving staves off the fatigue for a little while, until his body starts complaining that he's been mobile for entirely too long.
he starts a bit when he feels the weight of familiar hands on his shoulders, settles immediately when they smooth down over his chest and his head tips back just enough to try to nuzzle into the warmth of his brother's mouth as he speaks against his hair. )
If your way of worrying over how little I've slept lately is to try to seduce me to bed, you don't have to. ( he means it, but there's nothing wrong with teasing just a little first. )
[ He's thankful that his face being in his brother's hair is enough to hide the pout that is so clearly on his face. Listen. You don't have to call him out like this? He's just trying to help. At least, as far as he can tell, his brother is just pushing his buttons because he can, not because he's actually bothered by the attempt. Nor, Vash hopes, is he going to reject it. ]
Maybe it is, if it's working. [ There's a pause as he shifts the way he's looming over his brother to press a very light, brief kiss to the curve between his eyebrows. ]
Is it working?
Maybe it is, if it's working. [ There's a pause as he shifts the way he's looming over his brother to press a very light, brief kiss to the curve between his eyebrows. ]
Is it working?
( don't have to call you out like that? he's your big brother, of course he has to call you out like that! and even if he can't feel it, he would be delighted to know of the pout's presence. better that he doesn't know, though, because he might have to kiss it right off of your face if he did.
he isn't going to reject the efforts, though. not by a long shot; if anything, his heart swells just a little at the thought of vash being so concerned for him and his recent lack of sleep. it warms him from the inside out — like the first sip of hot coffee, or hot chocolate, or tea in his case, you know that feeling — and sure, it's a little embarrassing, but does he give even a sliver of a flip?
nope.
the press of a kiss between his brows is made even easier with the way nai leans a bit further back, and while his brows scrunch up just a little for the show of it, vash's looming leaves him open for a tiny return smooch to the tip of his nose. )
Maybe. ( he echoes, grin turning just a little bit sly. ) Keep trying, and I'll let you know how you're doing.
he isn't going to reject the efforts, though. not by a long shot; if anything, his heart swells just a little at the thought of vash being so concerned for him and his recent lack of sleep. it warms him from the inside out — like the first sip of hot coffee, or hot chocolate, or tea in his case, you know that feeling — and sure, it's a little embarrassing, but does he give even a sliver of a flip?
nope.
the press of a kiss between his brows is made even easier with the way nai leans a bit further back, and while his brows scrunch up just a little for the show of it, vash's looming leaves him open for a tiny return smooch to the tip of his nose. )
Maybe. ( he echoes, grin turning just a little bit sly. ) Keep trying, and I'll let you know how you're doing.
( of course he was never going to look the proverbial gift-thoma in the mouth when it came to acquiring certain things that they didn't really need, but it goes a little bit without saying that he's impressed with what vash had managed to find for them once they were able to move into a larger space.
( he was right; there was no way they would have had room for a piano in the mushroom house, and as giddy as he had been to get his fingers back on the keys and have vash beside him to pick up where they'd left off as children, the patience that he sometimes doesn't have has paid off in the interim. )
it doesn't look like what they had had when they were younger, but all the same, there's a certain level of beauty to it; it's really like nothing he's ever seen before, the grain of the wood looking warm to the touch even though it isn't when he lays a hand over its surface. the keys are worn, but not yellowed, and he thinks that might mean that wherever this piece had come from, whomever had owned it for so long must have loved it.
he likes the thought of that, for some reason.
nai had been the one to make sure they had a bench long enough for both of them to sit on, and once he's gotten vash sat smack dab in the middle he bends to loom over him almost as he had done when the nightmares had kept him up for days, chin resting amid unruly golden tufts as he peers down at the keys, and where his brother is about to lay his hands. )
All right. ( he practically purrs. ) Let's see what you remember.
( he was right; there was no way they would have had room for a piano in the mushroom house, and as giddy as he had been to get his fingers back on the keys and have vash beside him to pick up where they'd left off as children, the patience that he sometimes doesn't have has paid off in the interim. )
it doesn't look like what they had had when they were younger, but all the same, there's a certain level of beauty to it; it's really like nothing he's ever seen before, the grain of the wood looking warm to the touch even though it isn't when he lays a hand over its surface. the keys are worn, but not yellowed, and he thinks that might mean that wherever this piece had come from, whomever had owned it for so long must have loved it.
he likes the thought of that, for some reason.
nai had been the one to make sure they had a bench long enough for both of them to sit on, and once he's gotten vash sat smack dab in the middle he bends to loom over him almost as he had done when the nightmares had kept him up for days, chin resting amid unruly golden tufts as he peers down at the keys, and where his brother is about to lay his hands. )
All right. ( he practically purrs. ) Let's see what you remember.
It takes a lot. Doesn't really last long unless I'm trying.
But I don't mind keeping you company if that's what you're looking for.
But I don't mind keeping you company if that's what you're looking for.
[ Vash laughs, the sound light and a little throaty in that way he does, his hands smoothing back up over his brother to slide over the muscles in his neck and higher still to cradle his jaw. He scrunches his nose a little at the affection, careful in particular to keep his prosthetic hand's touch extra light. ]
It'll be a lot more comfortable if you come lie down with me. We can use my room. You look exhausted, Nai.
[ He can just tell if only by the tense way his brother seems to be holding himself even now. ]
It'll be a lot more comfortable if you come lie down with me. We can use my room. You look exhausted, Nai.
[ He can just tell if only by the tense way his brother seems to be holding himself even now. ]
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