COME DANCING    Part 3/3

By Rubious

 

Rating: PG

Pairing: Vash + Meryl

Warning: AU, Romance, Humor, and WAFF.

SPOILERS: for the episode “Out of Time”

DISCLAIMER: Trigun © Yasahiro Nightow. This story is a work of fan fiction and is for entertainment purposes.

 

//thoughts//

 

Previously: Milly and Wolfwood conspired to arrange an evening out for Vash and Meryl. Vash has asked Meryl to join him on the dance floor.

 

Chapter 3: The Dance

 

            The gunman and the insurance investigator found a space on the dance floor among the growing number of dancers who found the rhythmic beats pouring from the amplifiers irresistible. The musicians played intensely, particularly the drummer who pounded away on the drum kit like an out-of-control jackhammer; a thin sheen of sweat covered his bare torso.

            “Dancing in the dark to the radio of love…” sang the blonde siren in a lust-filled voice. Acting as if her voice was an aphrodisiac, couples moved in a sexy dance of desire, hips gyrating seductively.

Meryl felt a little intimidated being on the dance floor since it had been a long time since she had gone dancing. She reminded herself the risk of embarrassment didn’t matter; tonight she was going to enjoy spending the evening with the man who was preoccupying her thoughts. //Watch out, Vash. You’re gonna trip on your coat if you keep flailing around like that. Please don’t cause any trouble tonight.//

“Come on and dance,” Vash gently urged as he mimicked the steps to the latest

dance craze.

            She smiled politely and slowly emulated his movements. Vash grinned. After a few steps, Meryl danced with more confidence. But the song ended just as she was getting into the music.

            “Time to slow it down,” the vocalist whispered and began another ballad.

            Vash and Meryl started slow-dancing together, Blue-gray eyes met turquoise in a

caring gaze, each of them deep in thought. Her hands touching the shoulders of his red jacket, the petite woman leaned against the gunman’s chest. Nestled in his embrace, she felt the firmness of his muscular form, which reminded her of Vash’s many strengths. //Vash, you have the capability to level cities yet you’re a gentle giant when you’re playing with little children. A walking contradiction, plain and simple. That’s what makes you so damn intriguing. I just…//

 

            Vash glanced down at the diminutive dance partner he held in his arms. Her light and flowery perfume brought back memories of Rem. His mentor explained that life was to be embraced and experienced. Everything must be treasured. Over his lifetime, the great lengths he had gone to protect innocents had taken a considerable toll on his body and psyche, particularly the most recent confrontation with the Gung Ho Guns.

            He gazed fondly at the woman he was dancing with. //Could I find happiness with her? // The thought crossed his mind for a fleeting moment.

**** *

            “Make him suffer” was the telepathic message Legato sent to Midvalley as he finished the sax solo. The musician was to interrupt the dancing couple and steal away

his date, causing Vash embarrassment and wounding his ego. The suave saxophonist thought himself as a ladies’ man and took great pleasure in wooing the women.

 

            “Can you see anything?” Milly Thompson asked Wolfwood.

            “There they are on the far side,” replied the preacher. In the dim light of the club, Wolfwood glimpsed Meryl’s white cloak and Vash’s notorious red duster in the dancing throng before them.  “We might have a problem though.”

            “What’s that?” asked Milly, worry creeping into her voice.

            “Him,” Wolfwood answered, pointing to the handsome black-haired man walking towards the couple

            “Isn’t that…?”

            “Yeah. He’s the sax player,” Wolfwood said as his eyes followed the man’s path.

* * * *

            Darkness filled the stage as the singer stepped into the spotlight that shined down from above to perform her next ballad, the band playing softly behind her. The petite woman snuggled in the embrace of the Humanoid Typhoon felt as if the song was being sung just for her. She smiled at the thought of a private serenade and inwardly giggled at the notion of Vash’s off-key warbling a tender love song.

            The singer continued her song, “In my dreams I’ll always see your soul above the sky. In my heart there always will be a place for you for all my life. I’ll keep a part of you with me. And everywhere I am there you’ll be.”

            The song described the emotional dilemma Meryl struggled with lately, a love-hate relationship with Vash the Stampede. //Vash, you’re always there for everyone, a beacon of strength that’s so loving and caring. Then you pull some foolish stunt that irritates the hell out of me. But the most important thing is I feel safe with you.//

            Meryl sighed dreamily as she nestled in the gunman’s arms, her blue-gray eyes filled with contentment. //It’s time to act. I’m gonna admit my feelings for him tonight.//

            Looking up into his turquoise eyes, the insurance investigator whispered softly, “Vash…”

            “Yes” was his response as he gradually changed his stance.

            “I…” Her words were cut short when Meryl was sent sprawling to the floor. Vash’s shift in position made the normally graceful gunman to step on his dance partner’s foot, causing the fall.  Some witnesses chortled at the miscue and resumed dancing.

            Fury raged in Meryl’s eyes. She had fallen on her behind. “Vash! You clumsy idiot! Help me up,” Meryl snapped at the remorseful man.

            Extending his hand towards the fallen Meryl, Vash apologized profusely, “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to step on your foot.”

“Damn you, Vash,” Meryl said, the anger slowly subsiding in her voice. “I know you didn’t mean it.”

 

As he advanced towards the couple, Midvalley, saxophonist extraordinaire and a member of the Gung Ho Guns, watched the exchange with keen interest. //Ah, this is the perfect opportunity to put Legato’s plan into action. It’ll be easy to steal her affections. No woman can resist Midvalley the Hornfreak.// His effusive arrogance was evident in his stride and manner.

The roguishly handsome musician reached the spot where the pair was having a discussion. The embarrassed man was still trying to make amends with the annoyed woman. //This is gonna be a piece of cake. That guy is such a buffoon.//

Stepping with an arms-length of the dark-haired woman, Midvalley interrupted the conversation. “Excuse me, but I saw what happened out there. You took quite a spill. Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” Meryl replied curtly. She regarded the newcomer, who was clad in a white sports coat, white slacks, and an open-necked green shirt, with contempt.

“Would you like to dance with a REAL man and not some clumsy oaf?” he asked, aiming the barbed remark at Vash.

“No thanks. I’ve had enough dancing for tonight,” Meryl replied coldly.

** **

            The two disappointed friends watched the scene anxiously; their matchmaking scheme might be falling apart faster than a runaway sand steamer going over a cliff “Come on, Vash. Don’t stand by and let this guy move in on her. Do something,” Wolfwood encouraged from the distant sidelines

            “Meryl, kick him in the balls” exhorted Milly.

            “Milly?” said the preacher, amused by his co-plotter’s comment.

            “Oh,” said the young woman, seeing his raised eyebrow, “that’s what my older sisters did when creepy guys started hitting on them for dates.”

** * *

            “Could I buy you a drink then, honey?” Hearing no reply, Midvalley switched tactics. “I’m Midvalley. They call me the Hornfreak. You probably saw me playing sax with the band.”

“Pornfreak is more like it,” retorted Meryl, feeling uncomfortable under his lascivious stare.

Running a hand through his neatly styled black hair, Midvalley was nonplussed at her rebuff. ‘You’re just playing hard to get,” he said, wryly. He turned around when he felt a gloved hand tapping him on the shoulder.

“Pardon me, Sax Boy. You’re hitting on my date. Get lost!” Vash stated forcefully.

Meryl’s heart soared when she heard Vash mention her as his date. Her face brightened at Vash’s interference.

“No. I’ll leave if the lady wants me to go,” the musician persisted. He turned to Meryl for her reaction.

“Get out of my sight, you lowlife.”

Midvalley departed, aware that Legato would be unhappy with his failure and perplexed that a woman would resist his charm.

 

            “Hurray!” Wolfwood and Milly high-fived each other while they watched the defeated Midvalley skulk back to the stage. Wolfwood glanced over to the table and saw that the server was bringing their entrees. “We better get back before they think we’ve disappeared,” he said, a big grin on his face

            “And I’m getting hungry too. Do you think we can have pudding for dessert? Milly asked on their way back to the table.

            “Sure thing.”

* ***

            Vash and Meryl stood by the railing overlooking the empty Noir dance floor. The band was taking intermission. “Midvalley is probably mourning his wounded ego. He met a woman who didn’t fall for his pick-up lines,” Vash observed.

            “Thanks for stepping in back there and dealing with that loser,” Meryl said

            “No problem. I don’t like anything spoiling special nights.”

            “What’s so special about tonight?”

            “This,” said Vash, leaning forward and kissing Meryl tenderly on the forehead.

 

END

 

AUTHOR’S NOTES

[1.] This story is dedicated to Sevarem, who brainstormed the fic idea with me over lime daiquiris at Anime North last year.

[2.The lyric excerpts are from “Lights Out”: by Peter Wolf and “There You’ll Be” by Faith Hill.

[3.] Feedback can be e-mailed to robertrubious@aol.com

[4.] This story is archived at Odango and Donuts, www.geocities.com/odangodonut and at www.fanfiction.net under “Rubious”.