Wolfwood's new profession

Chapter Eighteen: Return


Vash sat on the edge of the bed, gloved hand listlessly dangling between his knees, the other supporting his chin as he stared out the window. It had been over three weeks since Wolfwood had left and he was running out of excuses for the Insurance girls. Meryl kept wanting to move on to the next town and Vash kept putting her off. She insisted that the priest would find them but both he and Milly knew she was only suggesting leaving to try and evade him before he returned. So far they’d only had to make minimal effort to stay but it was getting harder by the day.

A noise in the hallway caught his attention and he turned just as the door swung open. He shot to his feet as Wolfwood swayed into the room, covered in sand-scratches and smiling tiredly. He kicked the door closed behind him.

“Wolfwood!”

The priest raised a hand, setting the Cross Punisher by the door, as the gunman rushed over to him. He turned back and caught an armful of Vash. He grinned, chuckling lightly as the Stampede placed kisses all over his face in rapid succession, murmuring little endearments when he caught his breath, hands running over every inch of the priest the could find. Suddenly he stopped, his face taking on a serious cast.

“How did you get here so fast?”

“I just…wanted to see you…” He murmured, a hand coming up to caress the gunman’s face. Vash smiled, his joy lighting up Wolfwood’s world. The priest’s heart twisted just a little and he sighed happily.

‘Can’t believe I’ve gone almost a month without his smile…’

Vash was laughing quietly, eyes shining brightly with delight and amusement.

“I missed you too, Nick. But that’s no reason to run for a whole week through the desert.” The priest tried to speak and was shushed by Vash’s hand. “Hush you. I know how far away Knives ship is. You should have taken at least another four days…I know you wanted to see me…but surely your hand would have done just as well, ne?” The priest’s eyes dropped away as a mortified flush rose on his cheeks. He opened his mouth to speak, cut off when Vash laughed again and covered his mouth with his own. The priest responded his hands gliding down to cup Vash’s ass through the coat, pressing them together. Vash made a noise into the kiss and it shot straight to Wolfwood’s groin.

‘Too long…far too long. I’m never leaving him again, psychotic brother be damned…’

Without warning, the door crashed open and a girly squeal pierced their ears. Wolfwood ripped his mouth away from Vash’s, intending to step away from him as quickly as possible before they were caught. But his plan was foiled as two long arms wrapped around the both of them, crushing the air from their lungs as Milly squealed again.

“Mr Priest! Mr Priest! You’re back! Oh, Mr Vash will be so much happier now!” She twisted back and forth, making them stumble slightly in her joy. “He was so upset after you left! He wouldn’t even eat the donuts we brought him!”

She babbled on as Wolfwood arched an incredulous eyebrow at the Stampede over her shoulder, grinning as Vash looked away with a small embarrassed smile. Finally Milly let the two of them go.

“Well I’m glad to see you back and well, Mr Priest! I’m sure you two have a lot of catching up to do!” She grinned at Wolfwood, before giving him a sly wink. “You might want to have a bath though, Mr Priest…but I’m sure Mr Vash can help you with that, ne?”

Both gunmen stared in shock as she strolled over to the door, smiling and waving before letting herself out. They both raised a dazed hand in farewell, turning unbelieving gazes on each other before bursting out laughing.

After the laughter had died away, Vash caught him up in a hug and whispered in his ear, sending shivers racing through the priest.

“Now…how about that bath?”

Wolfwood closed his eyes in bliss.

Oh yeah. He was home.

And Knives could go fuck himself.

///////

Wolfwood flopped back on the bed, a serene, newly-bathed, smile of his face. Vash was downstairs, buying some welcome-home groceries before the store closed for the night, after making quizzical faces at some of the things Wolfwood had wanted.

“Cooking oil? What do you want that for? We don’t even have a stove to cook anything on!”

The priest had just laughed and pushed the gunman out the door.

“Just get it. You’ll see later…”

Vash had quirked an eyebrow at him, a strange look crossing his face before he shrugged and, whistling, made his way down the stairs.

The door banged open as the Stampede, arms laden with bags came in, kicking the door shut with his foot.

“I ‘ot ‘erehing ‘ou ‘aunted…” He tried to speak around the donut in his mouth, obviously failing miserably as Wolfwood gave him a puzzled look. Vash set the bags down on the table and finished off the donut, licking one of his gloved fingers to get the last of the sugar.

“I got everything you wanted…” He translated, reaching into the bag for another donut. Wolfwood grinned and jumped up from the bed, walking to the table and beginning to sort through the purchases. He soon came across what he was looking for and set it to one side as Vash gave him a repeat performance of the earlier look.

“What’s it for?” He whined, not liking the fact that he didn’t know.

Wolfwood smirked at him

“You’ll find out soon enough…”

The Stampede’s face twisted up and he pouted, grabbing another donut and stuffing it in his mouth sulkily. Wolfwood just smiled knowingly and finished unpacking, placing the cold items in their tiny motel fridge. He dusted his hands off and glanced at Vash who was pointedly not looking at him, arms crossed, face in the other direction as he sat by the table.

“Vash…come on…don’t be upset…”

Vash twisted away further from him, making a ‘hn’ sound and crossing his arms harder. Wolfwood shook his head and selected another donut from the bag, honestly surprised that they’d lasted this long. Normally the gunman would have decimated the town’s entire donut population by this hour and for a bag that he had actually purchased to have lasted to the top of the stairs…well it was a complete miracle.

“Vaaaaash…” He waved the bakery product just on the edge of Vash’s vision, smiling when the gunman’s head turned slightly. His eyes met Wolfwood’s and he remembered he was supposed to be sulking and he turned away again, sticking his nose in the air. Wolfwood rolled his eyes and grabbed the things he needed from the table. He walked over to the bed, setting the donut on a coaster on the bedside table, before draping his jacket over a chair and starting on his shirt. He shot a glance towards the gunman who was still at the table, back turned and facing away. His back was straighter than normal and he appeared tense, listening to every movement the priest made in an effort to divulge what he was doing.

Which was exactly what Wolfwood wanted.

He dropped his pants, quickly followed by his underwear and lay on the bed and grabbed the donut. He braced one hand behind his head, casually crossing his legs at the ankles and hung the donut from one finger.

“How about now…?” He whispered huskily, arching an eyebrow and smirking as the Stampede began to turn.


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Sorry again for cutting it at the good part…the chapters are just getting too long and those boys just won’t stop TOUCHING EACH OTHER!! *glares at Vash and Wolfwood and their non-stop groping* *slaps their hands* STOP IT!! I have to sleep! I have to study! Assignments are due!!

*Vash pouts and Wolfwood gives a plaintive sigh before turning and leaving*

Fine…I’ll write the next chapter…and it’ll be a long one too…
(I’m such a sucker for hot gunmen…)

Vash: *Reads summary of next chapter, grins wildly, claps his hands together in delight and runs off to tell Wolfwood about it*