agora | HOMOPHONIC PSL ✦ JUST ONE YESTERDAY

[ WHY WOULDN'T BOTH OF THEM HAVE GUNS, LOWE? TELL ME WHY. Vash gives Wolfwood an incredulous look. Yes, the topic of the fight isn't a big deal, but then they hear a gunshot which has Vash swiveling back to the altercation.

Going to approach with little jaunty skip, when the last thing he's feeling is jaunty. ]

Hey...! [ Intervenes and gets both of their attention. ] Sorry if I'm interrupting, but it is a little rude to insult a guy. I'm sure he's a good guy—

[ They ask what does he know? Why is he here?! It has distracted them both from shooting some more. Also both of them "you don't know what you're talking about!" Life... Life is rough. ]

[ NOT EVERYONE CAN AFFORD GUN... it's usually specific types of people. However they're common enough that Wolfwood doesn't find an imminent gunfight alarming. This is the same guy that literally sat around trying to peacefully have some ramen while there was chaos going on, he's not worried. It also takes serious guts to actually fire a gun at a person, the typical civilian isn't actually prepared nor likely to go through with it. ]

Ooh, bad start. [ Why would you start with trying to defend the guy. He sighs and wanders in after, annoyed. ] Why're you fightin' each other over a guy that's apparently been cheatin' on you both?

[ GO FIGHT THE GUY? AND NOT EACH OTHER? Rob him of his wallet or something though, don't kill him. ]

He's not here to defend himself?

[ Considering his own girlfriend already condemned him and started issuing blame. No one has his back and Vash thinks that's a little pathetic.

The girl saying she didn't sleep with him shoots Wolfwood a fierce glare, full of disgust. "Didn't you hear me earlier? I want nothin' to do with that man!" But the girlfriend says she saw them talk and that's why she shoots again. Don't LIE.

Vash... Wonders why life is like this, but he takes out his gun and shoots. Bullet hits bullet, it's veered off course which catches both women in shock. ]

Wait, wait, wait. Let's not start shooting again. Maybe we can talk this out...? Let's reach an understanding! And we can walk away, no one will need to go to the hospital?

[ Wolfwood please back him up more. ]

Yeah, I'm tellin' them to quit tryin' to fight each other and go to the actual root of the problem. Or I dunno, talk, but you know how most people just don't wanna do that.

[ He sighs, leaning against his cross. Why do you expect him to be a good defuser? He can only do that if he treats both of these women like children, which he's pretty sure is only going to get them even more angry. ]

Hospital bills are expensive these days. So is bailout for shootin' a civilian.

[ That's his two cents. If emotional logic can't convince both of these women, maybe the threat of both a hospital bill and being behind bars will. ]

[ you. know what. Vash doesn't point his gun at them, just holding aimed at the sky, then emphasizes with a pointer finger THAT THIS IS A GREAT DETERRENT. ]

You'll be broke!

[ This gets the second girl gritting her teeth because making a living in this dust bowl has been easier as of late but it isn't easy, but the first one laughs because! Her boyfriend has money! He would bail her out because of LOVE.

But then the second girl barks about how he doesn't love her? He treats her like garbage and that she could treat her better. ]

Huh?

[ Talking is happening and there are lesbians. ]

[ Oh this is great. Wolfwood's glad he stepped out after all because there is literally never a time when a development like this ISN'T funny. ]

No extra costs and someone who'd treat you right. Two birds with one stone.

[ Go for it ladies, anything to get this done and dusted. ]

You shouldn't be encouraging people to break it off so fast?!

[ They know nothing about these people's lives!! And while Vash is also fine with supporting a better life, this is just such a funny turn of events where he's at a loss for words to the girls.

"Leave him."

Help. He turns back to the scene as a silence falls... Just going to put his gun back into its holster since it doesn't seem like he needs it anymore as these women have a standoff of love. ]

I guess this is handled.

I'm not gonna encourage people to stay together in a relationship that has problems either.

[ They're literally fighting over this guy, clearly one lady doesn't want the guy and the other lady doesn't have enough faith in him to not go potentially cheating OR is clearly insecure enough in the relationship that she thinks any woman just talking to her boyfriend means flirting. It's time to move on to something better. He glances back at the establishment. ]

Bar's still open if you two wanna talk it out.

[ See? Helping. ]

[ There's some silence as they think about it with a smile on the proposer's face, but the first girl looks at Wolfwood with something of a pout.

She was here to confront someone for playing with her man, but now she's pondering upon a different future. To show she's interested, but also nervous, "are you going to pay?"

To Wolfwood. Just uses him as a prop. The second girl doesn't seem against it. Drinks taste better on someone else's coin, after all.

This has Vash audibly laugh, help. ]

[ He almost says no immediately but he stops and squints for a minute. Just hard squint at this woman. Terminator vision like, really assessing her on whether she's trying to hit on this girl and needs an extra kick to get there.

He is absolutely not staying to become the next target of their boytoy struggles so this is very pertinent, the most important display of sincerity this woman can show in any situation second-only to accepting a marriage proposal. ]

[ Expectant look from the first girl, then the second looks over to him with a smile and raised brow.

Where's the no?! No matter the struggles of love, Vash doesn't think either of them are in a spot to throw away money (if he had a bounty's worth he would pay for their drinks).

Quickly, he raises a hand and waves it frantically. ]

Sorry, ladies. He has no money, but I'm sure you two can work it out!

[ With that, Vash tries to haul Wolfwood away, or at most he gently tugs his wrist so they can bounce because the girls try to milk them dry for the lesbian romance.

If they were to turn back, maybe from expressions and demeanor it seems like it's all sincere... The women leave together as a bundle of nerves and confidence, emotions coming from different sources.

Not their problem now, but... ]

Since we're out here...

[ HE WOULD'VE GIVEN HER A BILL TO BUY ONE (1) DRINK AND THEN LEFT, HE'S NOT THAT MEAN. YOU REALLY HAD TO MAKE HIM SOUND LIKE HE WAS FLAT-OUT BROKE TO TWO STRANGERS. If he could discern that she was sincere, anyway. He isn't kind enough or het enough to have actually gotten roped into paying for multiple drinks unlike Vash who he's sure would if his wallet allowed. ]

Really?

[ All for helping and then suddenly not?? He raises a brow with a hand on his hip... the other is still occupied by cross. Wolfwood isn't really sure if they solved a problem at all. ]

Since we're out here what?

[ Listen... Does Wolfwood care how other people think of his pockets? Isn't it better to seem poor to people so they don't try to mug you? And that's really nice of you. The pause is what scared Vash since he had assumed Wolfwood would outright say no. ]

I think we helped them figure it out a little? And there are some effective threats of lighter pockets. [ Hospital bill. ] The point is! They figured it out.

[ Which makes Vash wonder if they should have just rubbernecked from their room, but... Guns were involved, so. A bullet was also shot. ]

A romantic walk [ Confidence, waning, voice tapering. ] under the moonlight...?

[ Awkwardly rubs his neck. ]

[ Not majorly but don't go around telling people he's flat-out broke, damn, that's his job. Most people don't mug him due to money, they don't mug him because he's got a 6-foot tall cross and that usually deters people between it being possibly religious and/or just plain weird.

He raises a brow maybe a little bit incredulously if only due to these rapid turn of events... but looks up... clear night since NML rarely ever has clouds, that's the neat thing about living in a desert. ]

I dunno how romantic it's gonna be right after that, but we'll work on it.

[ That and again he has his cross so that's funny. It's thirdwheeling. ]

[ Vash knows that the spiral of events is weird, granted they've suffered weirder. They can bounce back to their own rhythm pretty easily.

Flashing a little smile, maybe this is what could have been in the Underground if we ever did a post-nightmare thread. ]

It's definitely not going to be romantic with that attitude.

[ Offers hand and his fingers flex. Grabby grabby. You have two hands? One for the Punisher and one for him! ]

I'll have whatever attitude I like, I've been so nice the whole day.

[ Hmm. Yeah he puts his hand in Vash's. ]

You looking for a reward for good behavior?

[ Vash takes Wolfwood's hand into his, holding it a little loosely as the just walk the streets of this district. It's cold, near freezing, because desert only knows extremes...

And while Vash is usually cozy in his coat, he isn't wearing it right now, so he sidles close to Wolfwood to leech warmth. ]

Being nice should be the standard.

Why even ask if you ain't offerin'? I don't answer rhetoricals.

[ Rude... maybe reward really is a great incentive and more people should offer them eh. Wolfwood doesn't care for the cold, he stifles a slight sneeze as the temperature drops rapidly. At least there isn't a breeze.

He'll move the hand from handhold to around Vash if he'll allow the emancipation of his fingers. ]

[ Vash doesn't put up a fight when he feels those fingers slip away, though a thought to reach out for them crosses his mind. There's a small sign, hand hovering and fingers curling slightly, but he lets it fall and relax, only for his whole body to stiffen from surprise.

This is fine, though he can feel butterflies fluttering throughout his torso and he's feeling self-conscious because this is public (the underground had a circus tent). It's warm, though, and he walks as close as he can without getting in the way. ]

Okay. [ Annoyed... Until he yields a third time, just a little. This is posed not rhetorical, but playful with a stupid grin. ] You want a reward?

[ Fortunately or unfortunately, Wolfwood isn't too concerned about PDA. How much might be mood-dependent, but he isn't so invested in keeping it completely separate. Not anymore. ]

Depends on what kind. I put in good work for good return.

[ He says, lobbying back effortlessly. It's not so nonchalant though, it's real. ]

[ Vash is deciding if this sincerity is meant to be a general statement—Wolfwood will work hard for equal quality reward—or for their topic right now...

Without anything to cling onto aside from Wolfwood's person, which would make it uncomfortable to walk, Vash's arms cross and fold, trying to keep warm. ]

What do you think you deserve, then? I can be gracious, so don't be too shy with your proposal.

[ He would say modest, but Wolfwood is modest at the worst times. ]

Remember I'm one man!

[ Just in case. ]

What exactly did you think I was gonna ask for?

[ Not bully. Kind of. Genuinely an amused retort. Wolfwood has not relented on the light hold around Vash. It was loose and distant enough to make walking not awkward, but he draws the other in a little closer for a brief moment to tease. ]

A kiss? A little affection? Grab us dinner next time while I sleep in?

Sometimes you're the devil, Wolfwood.

[ How would he know! Maybe it's something hard or embarrassing!! But teasing.

His fingertips dig into his forearms when he's pulled closer, shoulders drawn up with a smile gating a laugh like those words are ticklish themselves. Wolfwood is so cute and he isn't sure if he's ready for this to be a recurring event. How is he going to survive? ]

You know you don't need to ask for those.

[ He'd give him those as many times as he needs, wants, and more. ]

Seems a little tall order for me. I like to stay humble.

[ He says, lighthearted and nonchalant. He's heard the spiel before, from his fellow Gung-ho Guns, in Michael's prayers, in his own haunts. Sometimes he leans into it, sometimes he rejects it. Other times he knows it means nothing. ]

Then I guess you're just gonna have to come up with somethin' extra nice, nicer than any of those as a reward.

[ Don't spoil him too much Vash... he will be incorrigible. ]

Uh-huh.

[ Despite being men with shoulders weighed heavy by sin and guilt, they know how to stay silly and take things lightly. Anxiety week isn't going to get their asses today.

As they walk Vash reaches over to place a hand over the closest shoulder to him, steadying himself so he can give Wolfwood a peck under the cheek... Maybe even absorb some of his warmth in the pall of cold desert air. ]

What about... If we ever get access to a kitchen, I'll cook something just for you?

[ A little special meal, meant for Wolfwood. He doesn't know if that's any nicer, but he thinks that food is always a good reward. ]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject