[ in trying to be the best shotgun buddy. she's not looking for him to go overboard trying to be the Best, she just wants Peace...
she'll arrive after he does, checking to make sure he's in the passenger seat and sighing in relief when he is, taking her spot in the driver's seat next to him. ]
Hey, [ she smiles, satisfied with this situation. ] the other two are still getting supplies, so we have a bit to brace ourselves for how they'll feel about this switch up.
[ she's not sure if roberto will be happy to be in the back now... and whether wolfwood will enjoy his company. at least they can smoke up a storm? ]
[ Admittedly, Vash's curiosity has gotten the better of him while sitting out in the truck waiting for Meryl, so he's exploring the collection of knickknacks on the dash that includes Roberto's extra flask and more cigarette butts in a tin mug than he's seen in one place in his life—and he's seen how many cigs Wolfwood can go through when he's chainsmoking after a fight.
He's found Meryl's bio sheet tucked up in the visors by the time she arrives, and when the door opens, he yelps. ]
Meryl!!
[ Is he supposed to be looking at this? He's probably not supposed to be looking at this. But here's the incriminating evidence right in hand. Vash panics. He sits on it and hopes the crunch of paper underneath him isn't too obvious. ]
H-hey! You think Roberto will want his, uh, cigarette butts back?
she notices something's up when she looks at him, expression dropping into one of suspicion. she doesn't need to be a journalist to be able to tell he's got that same look a child has when they know they're doing something wrong. ]
Proooobably not. [ nice attempt at a cover up but she's not getting distracted by your dumb question.
she leans in slightly, eyes narrowed. ]
Are you going to tell me what you have under you, or are you going to make me take it?
[ she's treating him like a kid, yes, on purpose. she'll open the car door and pull him out to get to what's under him if she has to. don't underestimate her. ]
[ Vash goes stiff, looking distinctly like the family puppy that just got caught digging in the trash. Welp, he's busted. Nothing for it now. He ducks his head sheepishly and produces the offending document, slightly crumpled, sliding it across the front seat. ]
I was just, um, [ he stammers, twiddling his fingers and staring hard at his lap, ] curious! That's all.
[ He's realized he doesn't really know much about Meryl except that she's a reporter from Bernardelli, and, well, shoot. He just... ]
You look a lot... [ He starts to say younger, but quickly backs up from that thought, ] different without your hat and stuff.
[ boy is he lucky he decided against saying 'younger'. she squints at him, and then at the paper he was looking at, and then back at him, as she snatches the paper up and sits back against the seat, still eyeing him. ]
Of course I do. You'd look different if you wore it, too. [ gosh. obviously.
mmm, she sighs. ] I'm not mad at you, so you can stop acting like a deer in headlights. [ whatever a deer is. leftover phrases from a time before, it seems.
waving the paper in between them. ] You should probably learn a little more restraint, though. I'd have told you anything you could find on this paper if you just asked. But what if it was top secret or something?
[ journalists can often be privy to all sorts of information. what if they had that in the car? granted, it'd be a huge oversight to leave it in an easily reachable place, but it'd also likely be roberto's fault were that to happen.
jokingly, she smiles like it's no big deal: ] We might have to lock you up and throw away the key! Or worse!
[ To her credit, she has him totally convinced for about... oh, two and a half seconds. Vash has been arrested enough times that telling him he might be arrested again isn't really that far-fetched. He's ready to believe it. ]
Journalists can do that?
[ He stares at her, eyes the size of dinner plates behind his glasses. It takes him a solid three heartbeats to realize she's grinning at him because she's pulling his leg. ]
Hey, wait a second! [ He huffs, indignant, reaching across the cab to grab her hat and rub it into her hair until it's a mess. ] That's not nice! You know I have, like, a whole thing about getting locked up—
[ she can't help the pfft that escapes her lips at his moment of realization, thinking it took all of too long for him to recognize that she was joking. she's fully ready to continue messing with him when he reaches over to mess up her hair, ] H-Hey! [ and she reaches in turn to grab at his arm to stop him from doing that.
but then she freezes. ]
... Huh? [ he has a what now?
vvvvvvvash? wait, hold on, maybe he means he has a thing as in it freaks him out from all the times he's gotten it done to him? does it scare him? but this could also be taken in an entirely different direction that she can't discount either.
...
maybe she should ask. ]
W-Wait, do you maybe want to expand on that for me?
[ Oh. Oh, she's taken it badly. Vash winces. To be fair, she's seen him go through a hundred and one kinds of shit out here in the desert, and he hasn't exactly been the greatest at keeping his heart off his sleeve, so it's a fair assumption. But. ]
No, no, not in like a... it's not a... it's just that it happens a lot, yeah? It's kinda, [ He waves his hands vaguely, fingers splayed out, trying very hard to bring this down to a more casual level. ] a trend. With me. You know.
[ He chuckles nervously, settling back in his seat, which isn't at all the appropriate reaction to this kind of conversation, but what else is he supposed to do? ]
Plus, every time I get booked my brother tends to find out, and you do not want him to show up.
[ Funny thing about Millions Knives having access to the police records—he's pretty sure there's some kind of tag on his name that alerts his brother every time Vash the Stampede comes up in the system, because that's a comforting thought. ]
[ he stammers so much at first that she's not keen on believing him, watching as he tries to fish for the words to use and — is he trying to cover something up? she can't tell.
but he makes a good point after that — that it's a trend, and that his brother knows about when he gets booked. that she can understand the fear of, considering what she's seen knives try to do to get to vash thus far. the idea of someone innocently booking vash only to have their town leveled by a psychopath is... something she'd rather not think about. it's frightening.
so, she pulls back on the conversation for him. ]
Yeah, okay, I get it. Sorry, I didn't mean to actually scare you there.
[ she didn't think he'd have that sort of reaction — just a silly spook or the recognition that she's not being serious. ]
Don't worry, I don't have any reason to call the authorities on you. You're safe here.
[ it's said mostly casually, as she leans back against her own seat. ]
[ Vash turns his head, watching her curiously. No reason to call the authorities, huh? He can think of a few, like not getting in trouble with the July City Police Force. But she's stubborn like that. ]
Yeah? I've heard the radio reports, you know.
[ Vash doesn't sleep as much as he'd like to pretend, and he sometimes catches things before Roberto manages to change the channel. Things he doesn't like to hear, like July's broadcasting system trying to implicate a couple of innocent reporters in the destruction of Jeneora Rock.
He knows she's here by choice, but still. She's been sticking her neck out for him in more ways than one. ]
They seem to think you're my accomplices. How's your job feel about that?
[ she sighs upon hearing him bring that up. not something she'd like to talk about, but. ]
Well, they don't actually know it's us yet, so I'd like to keep it that way.
[ groaning softly, eyes closing in frustration at the situation. ]
And if they do find out? [ she's about to say they'll fire them on the spot, but she can't stand to say it. ] Actually, I'd rather not think about that. You can probably guess how they'd feel anyway.
[ she doesn't want to see her dream job go up in smoke. but, even more than that, she doesn't want to leave vash's side, or refuse to help people along the way. she's between a rock and a hard place, but her heart's already made up on what she'll do with it. ]
[ Well, that's a sobering thought. Vash focuses his eyes on the dashboard in front of him, pursing his lips tightly. If he read that biography of hers right, this is the start of her career fresh out of school, and he'd hate to be the reason it ended prematurely. There's a reason he tries not to hang around the same people for too long.
At least with the state of communications on this planet, it'll take a lot longer for anyone with the ability to do anything about it to connect the dots. ]
Right, so... [ he folds his hands on his lap, twiddling his thumbs awkwardly. ] do I call you Harold Stripes in public from now on?
[ Surely no one will catch on to this clever ruse! ]
[ first of all, that's not even remotely clever. second of all, gross!
she looks at him with such disbelief. ]
What? No! You don't have to call me by some weird name!
[ also, that sounds like a man's name, only adding a layer to ridiculousness rather than protection. ]
And besides, you never even use my last name. Just keep calling me Meryl like usual.
[ maybe her job security is in peril with all this, but strangely enough, she doesn't regret it. and that's... surprising, to her. that she doesn't regret it. she would've thought she would, considering her job is her world. but her feelings toward vash and what he stands for are so much deeper and more complicated than she'd like to admit.
... ] You're not going to end up feeling guilty over this, are you?
[ she's seen enough from him to know it's a possibility. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2023-06-04 07:58 pm (UTC)[ Hey wanna see how fast he can run ]
I'll be the best shotgun buddy ever... see you in a minute!
no subject
Date: 2023-06-06 12:50 am (UTC)[ in trying to be the best shotgun buddy. she's not looking for him to go overboard trying to be the Best, she just wants Peace...
she'll arrive after he does, checking to make sure he's in the passenger seat and sighing in relief when he is, taking her spot in the driver's seat next to him. ]
Hey, [ she smiles, satisfied with this situation. ] the other two are still getting supplies, so we have a bit to brace ourselves for how they'll feel about this switch up.
[ she's not sure if roberto will be happy to be in the back now... and whether wolfwood will enjoy his company. at least they can smoke up a storm? ]
no subject
Date: 2023-06-09 12:01 am (UTC)He's found Meryl's bio sheet tucked up in the visors by the time she arrives, and when the door opens, he yelps. ]
Meryl!!
[ Is he supposed to be looking at this? He's probably not supposed to be looking at this. But here's the incriminating evidence right in hand. Vash panics. He sits on it and hopes the crunch of paper underneath him isn't too obvious. ]
H-hey! You think Roberto will want his, uh, cigarette butts back?
no subject
Date: 2023-06-09 03:55 am (UTC)she notices something's up when she looks at him, expression dropping into one of suspicion. she doesn't need to be a journalist to be able to tell he's got that same look a child has when they know they're doing something wrong. ]
Proooobably not. [ nice attempt at a cover up but she's not getting distracted by your dumb question.
she leans in slightly, eyes narrowed. ]
Are you going to tell me what you have under you, or are you going to make me take it?
[ she's treating him like a kid, yes, on purpose. she'll open the car door and pull him out to get to what's under him if she has to. don't underestimate her. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-06-12 06:06 pm (UTC)I was just, um, [ he stammers, twiddling his fingers and staring hard at his lap, ] curious! That's all.
[ He's realized he doesn't really know much about Meryl except that she's a reporter from Bernardelli, and, well, shoot. He just... ]
You look a lot... [ He starts to say younger, but quickly backs up from that thought, ] different without your hat and stuff.
no subject
Date: 2023-06-13 05:04 am (UTC)Of course I do. You'd look different if you wore it, too. [ gosh. obviously.
mmm, she sighs. ] I'm not mad at you, so you can stop acting like a deer in headlights. [ whatever a deer is. leftover phrases from a time before, it seems.
waving the paper in between them. ] You should probably learn a little more restraint, though. I'd have told you anything you could find on this paper if you just asked. But what if it was top secret or something?
[ journalists can often be privy to all sorts of information. what if they had that in the car? granted, it'd be a huge oversight to leave it in an easily reachable place, but it'd also likely be roberto's fault were that to happen.
jokingly, she smiles like it's no big deal: ] We might have to lock you up and throw away the key! Or worse!
[ can't have their top secret info leaking! ]
no subject
Date: 2023-06-19 11:38 pm (UTC)Journalists can do that?
[ He stares at her, eyes the size of dinner plates behind his glasses. It takes him a solid three heartbeats to realize she's grinning at him because she's pulling his leg. ]
Hey, wait a second! [ He huffs, indignant, reaching across the cab to grab her hat and rub it into her hair until it's a mess. ] That's not nice! You know I have, like, a whole thing about getting locked up—
no subject
Date: 2023-06-20 12:12 am (UTC)but then she freezes. ]
... Huh? [ he has a what now?
vvvvvvvash? wait, hold on, maybe he means he has a thing as in it freaks him out from all the times he's gotten it done to him? does it scare him? but this could also be taken in an entirely different direction that she can't discount either.
...
maybe she should ask. ]
W-Wait, do you maybe want to expand on that for me?
no subject
Date: 2023-06-26 12:30 am (UTC)No, no, not in like a... it's not a... it's just that it happens a lot, yeah? It's kinda, [ He waves his hands vaguely, fingers splayed out, trying very hard to bring this down to a more casual level. ] a trend. With me. You know.
[ He chuckles nervously, settling back in his seat, which isn't at all the appropriate reaction to this kind of conversation, but what else is he supposed to do? ]
Plus, every time I get booked my brother tends to find out, and you do not want him to show up.
[ Funny thing about Millions Knives having access to the police records—he's pretty sure there's some kind of tag on his name that alerts his brother every time Vash the Stampede comes up in the system, because that's a comforting thought. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-06-26 03:57 am (UTC)but he makes a good point after that — that it's a trend, and that his brother knows about when he gets booked. that she can understand the fear of, considering what she's seen knives try to do to get to vash thus far. the idea of someone innocently booking vash only to have their town leveled by a psychopath is... something she'd rather not think about. it's frightening.
so, she pulls back on the conversation for him. ]
Yeah, okay, I get it. Sorry, I didn't mean to actually scare you there.
[ she didn't think he'd have that sort of reaction — just a silly spook or the recognition that she's not being serious. ]
Don't worry, I don't have any reason to call the authorities on you. You're safe here.
[ it's said mostly casually, as she leans back against her own seat. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-07-04 01:27 am (UTC)Yeah? I've heard the radio reports, you know.
[ Vash doesn't sleep as much as he'd like to pretend, and he sometimes catches things before Roberto manages to change the channel. Things he doesn't like to hear, like July's broadcasting system trying to implicate a couple of innocent reporters in the destruction of Jeneora Rock.
He knows she's here by choice, but still. She's been sticking her neck out for him in more ways than one. ]
They seem to think you're my accomplices. How's your job feel about that?
no subject
Date: 2023-07-07 04:16 am (UTC)Well, they don't actually know it's us yet, so I'd like to keep it that way.
[ groaning softly, eyes closing in frustration at the situation. ]
And if they do find out? [ she's about to say they'll fire them on the spot, but she can't stand to say it. ] Actually, I'd rather not think about that. You can probably guess how they'd feel anyway.
[ she doesn't want to see her dream job go up in smoke. but, even more than that, she doesn't want to leave vash's side, or refuse to help people along the way. she's between a rock and a hard place, but her heart's already made up on what she'll do with it. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-07-12 02:10 am (UTC)At least with the state of communications on this planet, it'll take a lot longer for anyone with the ability to do anything about it to connect the dots. ]
Right, so... [ he folds his hands on his lap, twiddling his thumbs awkwardly. ] do I call you Harold Stripes in public from now on?
[ Surely no one will catch on to this clever ruse! ]
no subject
Date: 2023-07-12 06:08 am (UTC)she looks at him with such disbelief. ]
What? No! You don't have to call me by some weird name!
[ also, that sounds like a man's name, only adding a layer to ridiculousness rather than protection. ]
And besides, you never even use my last name. Just keep calling me Meryl like usual.
[ maybe her job security is in peril with all this, but strangely enough, she doesn't regret it. and that's... surprising, to her. that she doesn't regret it. she would've thought she would, considering her job is her world. but her feelings toward vash and what he stands for are so much deeper and more complicated than she'd like to admit.
... ] You're not going to end up feeling guilty over this, are you?
[ she's seen enough from him to know it's a possibility. ]