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[ Nai has been here at least a day or two, and one way or another Vash has convinced both Wolfwood and his brother that it's a good idea to have him stay in the little mushroom house Wolfwood and he call home with their little dragon. Vash has made it a point to bug his brother about eating and drinking as much as he can, to no real effect thusfar.

Why he thinks the two bags full of snacks and drinks is going to make any difference is a mystery to likely anyone who knows the situation. It doesn't stop him though, because like Nai, Vash is just as stubborn and unwilling to deviate from his chosen path. Said path just happens to be to keep his brother alive by feeding him.

He steps inside, ducking through the door to settle his gaze on a sight that's still strange but not unwelcome. ]

...Nai, I brought some things for you to try. [ He holds up the bags, full of convenient snacks, sweet and salty. ] There's got to be something here you'll like.

[ It's gentle prodding but there's something very steely and stubborn in Vash's voice as he holds out one bag for Nai to investigate. ]

( continued from here. )

( surely neither of them had thought such an innocent game with an equally innocent premise would have seen them ending up like this; the argument is, perhaps, a little less surprising given that their first real spat since nai's arrival had been over a honey bun, but even he is a bit taken aback by how things had escalated. and so quickly.

maybe he shouldn't have pushed this far, maybe he should have held himself back from putting them into this very precarious situation — but that's the whole of it. it feels like he's been holding himself back from this for years, decades, a century and some change and it still hadn't ended well for them back then, had it? had it? with his own greed and loathing of humanity bringing his own demise down around his head like the proverbial ton of bricks.

vash pulls away — not far, just enough to take in a breath and he should do that, too, maybe — and it might not be far but it's still too much so for his liking, arms tightening around him fractionally of their own volition but then he makes himself loosen them. just a bit, just a little, because this is so tentative and he doesn't want to see his brother skittering to put some distance between them.

his face is buried against his neck, and nai's hands start to smooth over the notches of his spine in what he hopes is some kind of soothing way, something he might have done when they were both much, much younger.

the tip of his nose brushes almost absently against the soft patch of skin just beneath vash's ear, another kiss pressed to the beat of his pulse. ) Why? ( thump, thump, thump, steady and sure beneath the pressure of his lips. ) What do you have to be sorry for?

[ It's late. It's so late, as far as their birthday was concerned but it took Vash a while to find what he was looking for. It also took a while for him to work up the nerve to approach his brother with the idea, so really it's been a couple of months in the making.

So when he finds his brother in the kitchen of their tiny little mushroom house (they REALLY need to look into getting something bigger, and soon) he approaches carefully, one hand lifting to skim over the edge of the counter with his fingertips. ]

Hey, Nai...?

[ He tips his head to one side, just a little, just a smidge. It's a telltale sign to anyone who really looks close enough. He smiles an easy sort of expression, his other hand tucked quietly behind his back. ]

[ when knives gets back to his room sometime in early december, there's a cute little potted plant waiting at the door. the included note is written in neat print, and includes instructions for care, as well as a personal note from cain: ]

I was thinking of you when I chose this. It's called a String of Hearts, and it's best to hang it. I hope you like it, dear.
- Cain

[ this one took him a little longer, but he does eventually complete it: a set of a wooden fork and spoon, because he is committing to the bit and doesn't do things halfway.

it's wrapped up in brown paper and tied with some twine, left outside castle vash for him to find. there's no note included aside from a doodle of a knife on the paper, but he should be able to figure out who it's from. ]

[Do you live in Castle Vash? Do you like to eat? Yes to both, obviously! Shut up and be grateful, Knives!

Enjoy a couple of boxes full of bread and pastries, warm and fresh from the Stone Dragon. Surely there's something in here to everyone's taste.

The note atop the boxes says simply,]

Merry Christmas.
Livio

[Unlike the rest of the gifts in the house, Knives present is not left outside his door on the floor. Rather, it can be found in the kitchen. It’s carefully wrapped, with a note on the top. Written on it in large, bold letters is the world “Fragile.” Meryl knows half of the house can’t be trusted.

Should he choose to open the gift, Knives will find a Kintsugi Tea Set. Great care has been taken to procure this gift, the same amount of care that’s been put into ever crack and break in the set itself. Perhaps one could think of it as symbolic — mended bridges could be even more beautiful than what was there in the first place.

Included with the package is a small note.

-Meryl 💙 ]

[ On his brother's bed are several things. A folded blanket tied with a light blue ribbon, dipping pens paired with oddly shimmery black ink, and a sheath of blank sheet music. It's a promise, maybe, but there's also a note. ]

[ Vash goes looking for his brother in the middle of the night. It's already past midnight so maybe it's normal that he's climbing the stairs up to his brother's part of their little wing, bare feet padding against the hardwood of the curved steps. He stops once he gets to the edge of his brother's bed, when he sees his brother's sleeping(?) form.

He purses his lips like the stubborn little brat he is and lifts a knee to crawl up into bed, burrowing under the covers and shoving himself up against his brother, his face buried in the back of his neck. Well, if he's asleep, this is fine. Maybe it's a sign that he needs to keep his thoughts to himself for a little while longer. ]

[The last week has been something of a clusterfuck for her, a mess of realizing and admitting feelings that have bubbled up. Some of them were easier, others ended in (admittedly swiftly resolved) disasters. Each of them, however, has ended in Meryl becoming more and more confident in how she feels. And so, she's come to four conclusions.

One: Knives is no longer the man she was so afraid of.
Two: She's enjoyed Knives' company around the castle. The fact that he's given her gifts means that he likely has too.
Three: The kiss they had shared had been mutually enjoyable. The fact that she survived probably proved this.
Four: As a result of the above, Meryl was, most likely, developing feelings for Millions Knives.

The last one isn't a conclusion she comes to lightly. There is a lot of grappling to be done, namely with her relationship with the man prior to arriving here. There's a mental war in the back of her mind over whether or not she's done right by her mentor. She wonders if his penance here has any bearing on the world they've left behind. And of course, she can't help but fear that

It's Vash, in the end, that convinces her to place her doubts aside. Not literally, but rather his contagious optimism and hope for every soul around them. His belief that everyone, everyone could be forgiven is what pushes her to finally reach out and do her due diligence.

Her friends and partners have been consulted. She's gone over and over her thoughts in her head. And now there's only one thing left to do: actually speaking with the man.

It turns out, this is easier said than done. Meryl has passed by Knives' part of the castle at least three times now, all without taking a step further into the wing. The fact that the bottom of her jacket hasn't been worn clean off with how her hands wring into it is a miracle in and of itself. Never mind the fact that she somehow hasn't worn a rut into the floor.

On the fourth pass, she finally manages to summon her courage. With a heavy breath, she squares her shoulders and steps over the proverbial threshold that had been holding her back. Her head swivels as she begins to look for the man, unsure where to begin given the fact that she's never actively crossed this boundary.]

Knives? Are you in here?

[[Continued from here]]

[Ah. She probably should have mentioned the alcohol sooner. Almost guiltily, she reaches up to toy with a strand of hair, all but tugging it free of the pins it's been put up with. It's getting on in the night, no one would fault her for looking the slightest bit unkempt. At least this keeps her from completely panicking, right?]

Under normal circumstances, no, you wouldn't. [Despite the faint layer of guilt forming at having given him the drink without a word, she manages to find a playful smile.] But, with all due respect, you don't look like the type of guy who's ever had a drink in his life.

[Translation: You're a lightweight, and she knows it. Granted, she only knows it because she recognizes her own kind. Lord knows she can't handle more than one mug of badland grog herself. She doubts she'll be able to get away with more than one glass, and that might have been pushing it if she didn't take it slow.]

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be bothered, having to take care of you - [She winces at her own phrasing — just coming right out with that, huh?] but I don't want you to feel... uncomfortable.

[There's a level of vulnerability that comes from being drunk. It's not the kind of thing she thinks Millions Knives wants to experience in a crowded room full of potentially unruly people.]

So just... take it easy. Enjoy the flavor. [She cranes her neck, looking for any appetizers going around.] And make sure you eat something too, just in case!

[Being that she only heard of Valentine's Day a handful of days ago, Meryl has had next to zero time to properly prepare for how to celebrate with Nai. The others were easy, by virtue of them coming to her first. She doubts her dear Plant is particularly familiar with this holiday, though, which means this all falls to her.

(The question of whether or not it's too early to share in this holiday has crossed her mind repeatedly. She'd like to hope Nai won't blame her for indulging in a human holiday. They'd exchanged gifts, after all. And besides... she'd like the excuse to spend time with him anyway.)

She'd like to think she's found a suitable gift, albeit one she has to struggle to keep hold of as she meanders the castle, searching for him. She might even have an idea of how to spend the day, if they follow direction said gift would imply. But it's all a bunch of maybes and hypotheticals for now.

First things first? Actually finding the damn man. She looks rather flustered and exasperated by the time she does, as if it's his fault she's carrying around an unruly looking tray. It has a towel haphazardly thrown over it, probably to conceal someone's view.]

You - [She says, very accusatory. Again, she's blaming him for her own decisions. It's a great start.] I have something for you.

a fight to the DEATH

they don't see you like i see you;

Puts this Here Also.

delivery

delivery.

mailmouse delivery

12/25ish | Castle Vash

Probably some ungodly hour late at night on Xmas

95% of this inbox is me

good lord this ended up long i'm sorry

Meanwhile, back at the Masquerade