Chapter Text
Usually, Meryl wasn’t this careless. It was rare for her to forget things or to leave stuff behind that she knew she would need. So when the gang arrived at a little town and went to a pub to unwind after being on the road for several days, and she finally decided to go rest up in the room that they had rented, she was surprised that she had forgotten her jacket in the truck. And that one was parked behind the motel they were staying at.
Even if the days are burning hot and the sun was practically grilling them all day, the nights were still freezingly cold and she could slap herself for being so stupid. She sighed in annoyance and thought about how far away the motel was. It was still cold with her jacket, but at least it would have been bearable. After thinking about the pros and cons for a little while she finally stood up and told the rest of the group that she would be leaving to rest up.
Wolfwood only let out a little grunt as he kept looking at the cards in his hands and even Roberto just gave her a nod as he was just as concentrated on the game. She pressed her lips together and shook her head. Those two nicotine addicts would be the death of her. Why were they playing for a box of cigarettes, if they would end up spending way too much money on them anyway?
Vash looked up to her and smiled softly, making her smile back at him in return. “I’ll come with you. I’m tired as well.”, he said and finished the rest of his drink quickly, placing some money next to his glass. Meryl noticed Wolfwood looking at them then, but he didn’t say anything as he focused his gaze back on his cards. He tended to do that a lot the last couple of days, watching them. It wouldn’t be anything profound, but it seemed like he was looking at every single interaction between her and Vash. Of course she had noticed, he wasn’t as slick as he thought he was, but she would wait until he would actually say what was bothering him.
Meryl hummed gently and waited for the other to finish up so they could walk together out of the pub and back to the inn. The moment they stepped out of the warm building the cold hit her immediately and she crossed her arms in front of her chest, almost hugging herself as they walked through the empty town.
Vash didn’t say anything, his gaze was focused at the sky as he looked at the different star constellations. It wasn’t anything new, Meryl picked up on that habit of his almost immediately and she was glad that he wasn’t focused on her right now. It was embarrassing how much she was shaking from the cold. And if she wasn’t focused on not freezing to death, she would definitely enjoy the comfortable silence that the two of them grew to appreciate.
But as lucky as she was, it didn’t stay that way and Vash opened his mouth to ask Meryl something and turned his head just to see her shaking like a leaf. “Meryl! Oh- why didn’t you say anything? Here- take this.”, he was starting to take off his jacket, rolling it off his shoulders, and she could do nothing but stare at him for a good second. It was rare to see him without his signature red coat and she suddenly felt a lot hotter seeing the black turtleneck hugging his torso tightly.
“I’m fine! It’s alright, Vash. The motel isn’t too far now.”, she tried to talk her way out of it, but in classic Vash style he didn’t listen to her and just wrapped the jacket around her shoulders, squeezing them to keep it in place. She froze at the contact and looked at him with a stunned expression. It was definitely not a surprise that he touched her so casually, he would do it a lot, it almost seemed like he was craving any sort of physical touch towards and from others. She had seen the case on multiple occasions of him clapping Wolfwood on the back, or on his shoulders. But she wasn’t used to that lingering feeling and his gentle gaze. She felt her face flush and she let the weight of the coat settle on her and she looked down to see that it just barely hovered over the ground. She couldn’t help but blush more as she once again realized how tall the other truly was and she looked up to see a fond smile on his lips.
He was so close to her and the warmth of the coat wasn’t helping her now as she stumbled back a bit, laughing nervously. “Aren’t you cold now?”, she carefully pulled the coat up, scared that it would drag against the ground as she walked. “I’ll be fine.”, he said and there was the soft tone in his voice again, which she could hear distinctively whenever he felt like he was truly doing something good. She blushed again and didn’t know what to say, so she just turned around and kept walking to the direction of the motel.
“It’s lighter than I expected.”, she said just so she could break the silence, it didn’t feel too comfortable anymore, not for her. She felt awkward and didn’t want Vash to notice. As clueless as he tried to act, she knew that he always notices things that others wouldn’t and she definitely did not want him to notice how she was blushing and playing with the edges of the sleeves of his jacket. The fabric was so soft on the inside and the warmth that was radiating from his body heat was still present within the jacket and now around her and it almost felt like he was around her. Yeah, she didn’t want him to notice all of that.
Vash laughed at that. “I know, right? It’s perfectly light and comfortable.”, he said and looked at her, tilting his head to the side. “It suits you. The colour I mean. But it’s a little big on you, isn’t it? It looks like you’re floating above ground.”, he added with a teasing tilt in his voice and she pouted, her expression grumpy now. She was glad it was night already, because she was sure she was blushing as bright as his coat.
“It’s not my fault you’re so tall and lanky!”, she snapped back. “Lanky?! Does this look lanky to you?”, he said with an offended look on his face and raised his arms to flex them playfully in front of her. She knew he meant it as a joke, because there was that playful look in his eyes, but all she could do was stare at his arms. It was so rare to see Vash like this, especially so openly displaying his strong body. It left her a little breathless.
After a beat of silence she opened her mouth. “You look like an idiot.”, was all she could say and she saw the way he deflated a little, pouting. It was a fake pout, she knew he was trying to make her feel guilty, but it didn’t work the first day they met and it was definitely not working now.
“Goodnight, Vash.”, she said, her voice a little softer now, because after all she still liked him, being an idiot and everything. He immediately noticed the change of tone and smiled back at her. “Goodnight, Meryl! Sleep well.” She nodded at him, as if she was saying ‘you too’ and started to walk up the stairs, holding the coat high so it wouldn’t drag across the wooden floor.
She was happy that the inn wasn’t too expensive and for the first time in weeks she was able to have her own room. She didn’t mind sharing of course, everything was better than sleeping in the truck, but she was definitely grateful for this sort of luxury. She sighed happily at the warmth of the room and took Vash’s coat off, placing it on top of her bed as she walked into the bathroom for a quick shower. It felt great to get all the sand and sweat off of her body.
She dried her hair with a towel and walked towards the room to put on some underwear and her sleeping shirt, walking back to the bathroom to wash her clothes, which she had been wearing the last few days. They should be dry by the time they leave tomorrow so she would just hang them outside by the window. It felt nice having some sort of normality in her daily routine. It was nice not being chased across town and fleeing to the next one, sleeping under the stars and hoping you won’t get shot at.
She hummed some melody as she finished that up as well and she turned around to get ready for bed when she noticed Vash’s coat still laying on top of her bedding. She had forgotten to give it back to him. Her hands picked it up, ready to walk across the hall to hand it back, but she stopped in her tracks. It was probably too late now, wasn’t it? Vash was most likely already asleep. He hadn’t knocked and asked for it too, so he probably didn’t mind that Meryl had kept it? She didn’t know what to do with all of her thoughts, she just kept looking down at the red fabric in her hands.
The inside was a soft blue and she slowly moved it closer to her face, hiding it in the hood of the coat. She had noticed it before, but didn’t wanna do anything embarrassing in front of Vash. Now, in the privacy of her own room, she could finally do what she wanted to do from the moment she had worn his coat. She inhaled softly, sighing into the fabric. Vash had such a soft smell to him, she couldn’t figure out how he did it. It didn’t smell anything like the dry sand or sweat. It was almost sweet, but she couldn’t connect it to anything she knew.
She felt a bit pathetic sniffing at Vash’s coat like this and pretending it was him clouding her thoughts completely, but when would she ever have another chance? She knew having a crush on the person she was writing an article about was definitely not professional. Roberto had warned her more than once to not mix pleasure and work, and she had tried hard to keep them seperate. She wouldn’t have a chance with Vash anyway. So she kept her distance.
But she was only a woman after all and she could indulge in her needs, couldn’t she? She pressed her lips together as she carefully put the coat back on and hugged it tightly. There were moments, like today, where Vash would get a little touchy, come a little too close, and it was enough to make her breath hitch. Enough to make her heart beat a little faster and her cheeks blush. She cherished those moments, keeping them close to her heart and deep back in her mind.
She laid back on her bed, looking up to the ceiling before closing her eyes and turning her head. She hid the side of her face in the hood of his coat again and sighed softly. She was confused, most of the time. Vash confused her. No person had ever made her feel this way. This hot with just a glimpse of their body. She hadn’t even seen his body, but the silhouette was already enough for her.
His coat hides his form pretty well, but sometimes she would get a glimpse, or even a full look just like today, and she would feel hot all over. His wide shoulders, his broad chest and his small waist. They way his arms had flexed, the way they grew even bigger under the fabric of his black turtleneck. She wished to feel those arms around her, holding her tightly.
She indulged in her fantasies, it was everything that she had after all. One of her hands moved down to her thigh, tracing the soft skin with the tips of her fingers, slowly pulling her night shirt up until it rested right above her hips. The other hand was curled around the sleeve of the coat, pressing the hood closer to her face and she couldn’t help the shiver that washed over her body when her fingers grazed a sensitive spot.
She imagined Vash’s fingers on her body, the warm touch of his hand and the cold feeling of his mechanical fingers tracing over her thighs and over her sides. She should feel ashamed at how many times she had looked at his hands and imagined what he could do with them.
She bit down on her lower lip as her hand moved between her thighs, her fingers teasing the space between her entrance and up to her clit through her underwear. Her imagination was running wild with images of Vash hovering over her, teasing her just like this, looking down at her with a soft but teasing smile on his lips, looking out for the way her body reacted to every single touch of his.
She spread her legs as a wave of pleasure washed over her at just the right touch. She let out a soft sigh, inhaling his scent again and rubbing her fingers against her lips over the fabric of her underwear, and just barely grazing her clit, creating just the right amount of friction. She didn’t want to finish too quickly. God knows she wouldn’t get a moment for herself like this anytime soon.
Her fingers gripped the sleeve a little harder, digging into the fabric and her stomach clenched when she touched her clit with just the right amount of pressure. She could feel her body growing hotter and herself getting wetter the further she continued.
Vash would probably tease her for getting so worked up already, but she couldn’t help herself. It has been too long since she had some time for herself, and with the addition of Vash in her mind, clouding her senses, she knew it wouldn’t take much time until she came undone.
She moved her hand up to her stomach, tracing her fingers along the seam of her underwear until she moved them under the elastic and down between her thighs again. She exhaled shakily when her fingers graced against her clit but she moved even lower, teasing her entrance. She bit down on her lower lip as she pressed two fingers against herself, feeling how wet she already was and how she was squeezing around nothing. Vash would fill her up so nicely with just his fingers already, she was sure of it.
She would watch him whenever he took his time cleaning his gun. The way his fingers moved so gracefully and knowingly along the edges and over the metal. She knew he would watch her intensively, looking out for the way her body reacted to his touch, reaching and touching all the right spots to make her twitch and squirm under his touch. Taking note every time her breath hitched or a needy sound would escape her lips. She would want him to talk to her, tell her how she looks in front of him, how she feels around his fingers. She would get off of the attention, bask in it.
Meryl gasped against the hood when she finally pushed one finger inside of her, slowly moving it deeper and starting a slow tempo. It wasn’t enough to satisfy her, but just enough to make pleasant shivers run down her spine. She bit down on her lower lip hard and inhaled deeply when she pressed her palm down, thrusting her hips up to grind her clit against it. She moved her other hand from her head to her chest, letting the fabric of the sleeve run over her sensitive nipples. She whined at the sensation, arching her back off the bed at it.
She was slowly growing impatient, but she wanted to replicate the scenario in her mind so badly. She wanted Vash to take his time with her, work her up until she was a mess, until she was begging him to let her cum. She wanted his undivided attention on her. And as much as she wanted him to pleasure her, she wanted him just as much to take pleasure from her, take and take until it consumed them both. She wouldn’t mind giving him full control of her body, used her like he wanted to, if it meant he would be selfish for once and make himself feel good.
A breathy moan escaped her lips as she pressed a second finger against the first one and fastened her pace, grinding the palm of her hand against her clit and making her body ache at the combination of touches. She could feel heat pool low in her gut, her body squirming as she could feel herself get closer to that sweet feeling of relief. Screw it. She was way too horny to stretch this out any longer.
She pressed her lips together when another moan fought its way past her mouth. She didn’t know how thin the walls were and she wasn’t keen on finding out.
Fucking herself on her own fingers wasn’t enough. Her hands just weren’t big enough and she squeezed around them at the thought of Vash’s fingers replacing her own. She wanted that so badly. She wanted his body to hover over her own, his fingers fucking her nice and fast just how she liked it as his lips would leave a trail of kisses over her throat and over her chest. She mewled at the thought of his lips on her chest, rolling her fingers over her nipples and thrusting her hips up.
“Fuck.”, she gasped out loud when she barely grazed the right spot inside of her. She exhaled shakily as she pulled out her fingers, tracing them over her lips and up to her swollen clit. Her body twitched at the touch and she licked her lips as she began to rub her fingers in slow circles, slowly building up her pleasure again. She didn’t care about taking her time anymore, all she wanted was to come now.
She fastened her pace, body twitching and squirming as the feeling deep in her gut only grew stronger. She pressed her face flush against the fabric of the hood, moaning quietly as Vash’s scent took over all of her senses.
It only took a few more swipes of her fingers on her clit until she felt the pressure inside of her snap and she came with a loud gasp. She continued to rub her fingers against herself through her orgasm, body twitching with every wave of pleasure that washed through her body and she whined at the feeling of sensitivity the more she continued to touch herself. It just had been so long since she felt like this, she wanted to stretch the feeling out as much as she could.
But she also listened to her body and when she felt like the aftermath of her orgasm had died down she finally pulled her hand out of her underwear and placed it on top of her stomach. Her chest was rising and falling fast and she could feel her heartbeat under the tips of her fingers. She licked her lips and slowly opened her eyes to look up at the ceiling. Her breathing calmed down but her face flushed at the realization of what she just did.
She groaned in embarrassment and curled in on herself, pulling the hood over her head and hugging the coat around her body with her clean hand. She felt so good just now, but how was she supposed to face Vash tomorrow? She could probably never look him in the eyes again without dying on the spot. Horniness could really cloud your brain.
She took the coat off and placed it on top of the bed after she calmed down and washed up before going to bed again. She couldn’t help but hug the jacket tight, hiding her face in the fabric of the hood. She wished she could actually hug and cuddle Vash, lay in his arms as she fell asleep. But she couldn’t and this would probably be the closest thing she had to that. She had never slept better before than that night, surrounded by Vash’s scent.
The next morning she was glad to find her clothes were already dry. She got dressed and packed the rest of her stuff and then had a short crisis on how she was gonna hand the coat back to Vash. He still hadn’t asked for it back, so he was probably waiting for her to give it back to him. She should just get it over with.
She hung her bag over her shoulder and held the coat in her arms as she walked out of the room and towards the one that Vash was staying in. She took a deep breath, thinking over the words she was gonna say once more and knocked. She didn’t have to wait long. Vash opened the door. He was wearing everything except for his coat and his signature glasses. His hair also looked messier than usual, she wouldn’t have thought he spent time styling it, but apparently he did. She was lost in her thoughts that she didn’t realize she hadn’t said anything yet.
“Meryl? Are you alright?”, he asked and his expression was a mix between his soft smile and worry. She pressed her lips together and nodded quickly. She gave him a reassuring smile and then handed him his coat.
“Thank you for lending me your jacket last night! It really kept me warm. I guess I was more tired than I thought and just forgot to give it back to you, but you didn’t knock or anything so I guess you forgot about it too? But that's stupid, the jacket clearly means a lot to you, you wouldn’t just forget it. So that would mean you just didn’t mind, but that’s good! Your jacket, I mean, it’s good. All’s well!”, she stopped her rambling and took a deep breath, pressing her lips back together as she and Vash stared at each other for a good minute.
His hands slowly reached forward to take back his jacket from her hands. “Thank you, Meryl.”, he said with an awkward chuckle and she gave him a little nervous smile. She is doing better than she thought. “I knew nothing would happen to it. I lend it to you after all.”, he said softly and she felt her heart skip a beat as she watched him unfold the jacket in his hands. “Y-Yeah…”, she was so screwed. “Thanks again! I try to not be too careless in the future.”, she added and tried to stand a little straighter. God, her cheeks felt hot, was she blushing? That was so embarrassing. Were her hands sweating the whole time already or did it just start? Was she too obvious?
She gulped as she watched him put on his jacket, the soft smile staying on his lips as he fixed it around his shoulders. His hands moved up to fix his collar and his hood and she watched how he turned his head and then stopped in his tracks. Nothing really happend for a few seconds and she didn’t know what to do as she stood there in the middle of the hallway, watching Vash as he pressed the hood closer to his face.
“Vash? Are you…”, she stopped her sentence when she saw a blush decorating his cheeks. He closed his eyes and the smile on his lips turned sheepish. She looked around awkwardly, as if to make sure that she wasn’t imagining what she was seeing at the moment. The blush moved all the way to the tips of his ears and he grabbed the fabric in his hand tighter. She didn’t know how long she stood there, at least a few minutes, but in those minutes none of them said a single word and she didn’t know what to do. It almost seemed like Vash was in a trance. Did he miss his jacket that much? She had assumed it meant a lot to him, but seeing such a reaction from the other was something else entirely.
“I’ll go ahead and get some coffee for us… you can come downstairs when you’re… ready.”, she said and Vash didn’t even react to that. She wanted to reach forward, shake his shoulder to wake him up from whatever thought he was daydreaming about, but she let it be and turned towards the staircase, making her way downstairs swiftly, so she wouldn’t accidentally do anything stupid in front of Vash.
Roberto and Wolfwood were already up and ready to go, sipping on their own cups of coffee and having a cigarette in each of their hands. She walked past them quickly and prepared a cup of coffee for herself. Whatever just happened was weird and she couldn’t explain it if anyone would ask her. She could feel a pair of eyes on her but she fought hard to ignore them, she did not feel like being perceived first thing in the morning. And yet she couldn’t help herself and turn her head slightly, looking at Wolfwood from the corner of her eye. She wished he wouldn’t wear his glasses all the time, she could never see and decipher what he was thinking about.