fourstrings | spent twenty years trying to get out of this place

spent twenty years trying to get out of this place

[ Taking Vash to the orphanage has gotta be one of his best ideas of all time.

He’d warned Vash on the way over that the kids can be wary of strangers. That it’s not like in old movies where every adult who comes in is a potential parent and everyone’s on their best behaviour, hoping to make themselves seem like a good choice. That they test people, they can be withdrawn or outright rude, that some of them probably won’t even look at him. Because more than they remember the kids who were there and got adopted, they remember the tiny handful who got adopted and came back, quieter now, feeling like there must be something wrong with them, something that makes them bad, and they learned too soon that sometimes it’s better never to have something than to have it and lose it. But they’d arrived and there’d been the usual cries of Nico! Nico’s here! and they’d clustered around, and the kids had known exactly what Nick had known: it didn’t take more than a minute to know Vash was good.

As predicted, they’d asked if Vash was his boyfriend. Well, they’d told him. Oooh, Nico’s got a boooyfrieeend, and he’d just looped his arm around Vash’s waist and said yep. A good one, and they’d gone nuts for approximately 30 seconds before dragging Vash off for a guided tour of the bedrooms, the rec room, the animals - a couple dogs who loved Vash just as much as the kids do, the chickens who are so used to little hands that they’ll wander right up for pets.

Best of all had been Theresa. Seven years old, still full of childlike innocence but old enough now to be wary of her differences, to know how cruel the world can be, used to new adults giving her a tight smile and saying hello, sweetheart before their eyes slid right off her, unwilling to look at the prominent scar on her face. She’d been quiet as usual for a good chunk of the morning, but when they’d all sat down for lunch and a small round of bickering broke out about who got to sit next to Vash, she’d skipped the queue with the determined and slightly stilted gait her prosthetic leg gave her and claimed her place at his side.

Nick’d had to excuse himself to go get an extra pitcher of water for the table just to avoid pissing her off with the gooey look on his face.

Later, there’d been games, the kids laughing delightedly as Vash and Nick followed along with little dancing animated characters and then absolutely destroying their scores. Reading, which Nick used as an excuse to show off a little. The Big Bad Wolf got a Clint Eastwood drawl, the three little pigs developed a tendency to call each other pardner, and in a new twist ending Little Red Riding Hood showed up armed with a six-shooter, scared the wolf away for good, and was made sheriff of New Pork. When it was time to leave and the kids tried to make Nick promise to bring Vash next time Nick said he would if he hadn’t scared him off by then, and Theresa deployed the savagery of a child with a good vocabulary and slightly lesser social skills by turning to Vash and saying you know where it is now. You can come without him.

Then as promised, Nick takes Vash to the chapel. It’s small; it doesn’t need to be big, because thankfully the orphanage is never quite full. It’s pretty, though, and built with children in mind. Low pews for little legs at the front, and the stained-glass window is a lamb slumbering peacefully in an emerald field, a lion’s face making the sun in the sky, framed in red roses that are the only visible reference to thorns - no crucifixes here, because Catholic as they may be someone apparently put their foot down about scaring the kids. There’s a little confessional but it’s seldom used; the kids aren’t required to go in there at all, and at least in Nick’s days it was primarily a place to hide and make out. Or other things – Nick’s at least 75% sure he’s the reason there’s a smoke detector in there now. And of course, the little shelves with their little candles, flickering in their jars. It’s probably not the done thing to have open flames anymore, but when your whole organization is dedicated to making a place of peace and healing for children who’ve lost everyone, sometimes tradition is important.

Nick slips his hand into Vash’s as they enter, and he can’t quite hide his affection for the place. He may be very, very lapsed, but good memories last. ]

Huh. I haven’t been in here for years, but it hasn’t changed. Feels like I’m a kid again.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Your wish is my command!

[ and he's doing as directed by... flopping backward, then grinning up at him, holding his arms up. ] C'mere.

[ There we go. He follows down, moves in close enough to wrap his arms around Vash's waist and twine their legs together. It's nice, warm, and it equalizes the difference in their heights enough that he can just look at Vash's gorgeous face without having to look up - something that could be an issue when looking at Vash's face is something he wants to do constantly. He's gonna get a crick in his neck. ]

I know I already said it, but thanks for coming with me today. That place means a lot to me, and the kids loved you. I don't normally take anyone out there so early 'cause it can get messy, but I had a feeling about you. And I was right.

Thanks for trusting me enough to take me there.

[ vash gets it! he does. he'd felt the same way when he'd invited wolfwood over to his place, knowing it'd mean putting him on nai's radar -- it's an important step for him, and not one he'd be taking with just anyone.

it means a lot that wolfwood feels the same way. ]

I always thought it'd be cool to have a really big family. Lots of nieces and nephews running around causing chaos! Kinda felt like an afternoon of wish fulfillment.

And I'd like to take a better look at Theresa's leg, if she's cool with the idea. Pretty sure there are a few easy tweaks to help her walk a little easier.

[ It's too mean to say out loud, but maybe it's a good thing they can spend time at the orphanage. Nai... doesn't seem like the type to settle down and have a passel of kids. Nick tries to imagine it and his mind throws up the image of a thin and angular wife just as icy-blonde as he is, two children-of-the-corn lookin kids in the kind of outfits that just make them look like miniature adults, the whole family wearing neutral tones in natural fibres and the kind of disdainful expressions that make you wonder if they can all smell cat shit. He threads a hand up into Vash's hair. ]

If things don't work out with us - and I'm hopin' they do for a good long time, if that's not too intense to say so soon - I want you to know you can still go there. Those kids need people who just treat 'em like kids, and you're amazing with them.

Reesie especially. She can be a real cold one when she wants to. Not her fault, she's been too hurt to be trusting, but it's clear as day she trusts you. If anyone in the world could sit her down and get her to be honest about how much hassle that leg gives her instead of trying to be God's bravest soldier about it, it's you.

[ reesie… cute…!

but he butts his head up into that hand like a cat demanding pets. ]

Don’t say that. The thing about me being allowed to go there without you. [ because he will, if it comes down to it, but… ] Say I’ve gotta keep you around forever if I want access.

[ There's only one thing to do when anyone - cat, dog or human - presses into your hand like that, and it's deliver the pets. So he scritches through Vash's hair, grinning at those words. Because it sounds to him like permission to be as goofy and all-in on this as he likes, to drop the i-don't-wanna-scare-him-off routine and just go for it. ]

You're right, my mistake. You're not allowed back there without me, and the kids'll kill me if they never see you again. Guess we're just gonna have to go ahead and grow old together.

[ perfect! that makes him beam, instantly lighting up with a grin that’s practically ear-to-ear. ]

Damn, I guess if there’s really no other choice… [ but he ducks forward to steal a kiss off wolfwood’s mouth, and there’s not even a trace of reluctance there. ] Lucky you seem like one of those guys who just gets hotter when they’re older. Totally rocks the grey hair and wrinkles.

Heh. Guess we can't do the parent check to see if we're gonna age like wine or milk, huh? I can already tell what you're gonna be like, though.

[ Still cute. One of those old men who just beams out kind grandpa energy, all the wrinkles just embellishments to display a life well lived around a kind smile and twinkling eyes. It's a nice thought, and he twines a little closer with it. ]

I like the idea that I'm gonna get to find out.

[ wooooow! was that… an orphan joke? it’s kind of cool to be around someone who makes those (for once), instead of cringing back in silent horror whenever vash makes light of his own situation. ]

In the neighborhood where we lived with Rem, there was an old lady who lived by herself and was a little… uh, let’s say, unique! She had this big garden full of plastic flowers that she used to water, and she used to make these funny sculptures out of stuff other people threw away.

Every kid in the neighborhood was convinced she was an alien. [ ehehe. ] That’s the kind of old person I want to grow up to be.

[ He grins, because he can just see it. Vash'll have real plants instead of plastic, obviously (although Nick gets the feeling it's not out of the realm of possibility for Vash to keep the real plants inside and have plastic ones in the garden, just for the joke), but being the beloved neighbourhood spot of colour? That's an easy bet. ]

I have a feeling I'm gonna end up like Mrs Molina. You're gonna meet her at some point, it's inevitable. She's adopted me as one of her zillion grandkids. Likes to look after me, but she does it like I'm in trouble. Brings me a home-cooked dinner, but it's all [ and here he launches into an abuela accent that only his ~mystery ethnicity~ prevents from being at least a little racially charged ] Neecolas, you're too skeenny! Neecolas, hwen was the last time you were out in the sun?

[ oh my god. he isn't expecting the accent, and it's enough to get a bark of laughter out of him before he can help himself. ]

I can totally see it. If we ever have kids, they're gonna be texting me and begging me to hide your phone for awhile so you'll stop texting them to ask if they're eating vegetables and washing their sheets.

I'll be reminding them that potatoes don't count as part of their five plus a day when they're forty. You're their only hope.

[ Vash is gonna be the parent who gets asked whether they can have leftover birthday cake for breakfast. Hell, they'll probably be asking if they can have leftover birthday cake for breakfast too after they bust Vash going at it -

and it's only as he has that image in his head - Vash licking frosting off a fork with a guilty expression as the kids catch him- that he just took Vash's if and turned it into a when, and he flushes a little. ]

[ it's pretty obvious that vash doesn't mind. in fact, what's the opposite of minding? because -- ]

Yessss! I was born to be the fun parent. [ leaning forward enough to press a kiss to the tip of wolfwood's nose, grinning at him. ] See? We're the perfect match-up.

We really are, huh?

[ Still grinning. It's nice to... have it out of the way sounds wrong, like it's a hassle. And usually figuring out what someone wants and whether you're on the same page does feel like a hassle, but with Vash? It comes so naturally. Everything does.

He's gonna have to pretend, for Livio's sake. Can't burst his bubble by being immune to the teasing about being smitten, that wouldn't be fair. But that little kiss gets his attention, and he chases after Vash to kiss him on the mouth, warm and lingering. ]

[ there's a little laugh as wolfwood chases after him for a kiss, but he's prey that's happy to be caught. wriggling himself a little closer with a pleased sound, scraping his teeth teasingly over the other man's lower lip. ]

[ Vash scrapes teeth over his lip, and it happens again. That little mm, a sound he'd previously thought himself above making, but which keeps cropping up with Vash. It makes sense - if he's abandoned his caution for Vash, why not send his dignity off with it? He slips a hand up the back of Vash's shirt just to rest in the small of his back, draws the kiss out a little. He'd like to think it's just having a hot guy on his bed that's got him all fired up, but there's no denying at least a little of it is down to the conversation. Wanting all of this is new to him - not kids, he's always known he'd like to be a dad, but including someone else in that plan is brand-new in a way that feels exciting.

Gross. Not that it stops him from dragging the tip on his tongue over Vash's lip, licking into his mouth. ]

[ for what it's worth, vash is a big fan of wolfwood making the little mm sound. he even makes a little sound of his own in return when wolfwood licks into his mouth, reaching up to tangle a hand in his hair as he opens himself up to him.

it really is crazy that it's only been... seriously, three days? kissing wolfwood already feels natural, like something he's been doing forever. ]

Edited 2023-04-11 03:48 (UTC)

[ Okay, yup, he can see the appeal now, because when it's Vash making a little sound into the kiss it makes a little flare of heat shoot right along his spine. He hitches a little closer, slides his leg a little further between Vash's, but he does break the kiss just to laugh a little. ]

How are you so hot? You take classes on this, or what?

[ there's a little sound of protest as wolfwood breaks the kiss, but then... that. and vash has to choke on the laugh to keep from doing it right in wolfwood's face, because wow. what a line! with a charmer like this, it's no wonder he's already imagining what their kids would look like three days in. ]

Nah. I teach the hot classes. [ ehehe. ] You can call me Professor.

Professor, huh? I never did go to college.

[ He slides the hand on Vash's back down, gives him a cheeky little grin as he cups an asscheek instead. ]

How about it? Willing to take me on for private tuition? I'll be a willing and eager student.

[ the hand on his ass just makes his grin that much wider, and he shifts until he can rock his thigh up between wolfwood’s legs. ]

But you’re already hot. Natural talent. Don’t know if I’ve got anything left to teach you.

Sweet talker.

[ It comes out a little strained, because the feeling of Vash's thigh between his legs is enticing, and he can't help rocking against it. ]

Take me as a research partner, then. What was it you said? Sex science?

Let's make some discoveries together.

Oooh, my favorite kind!

[ and he leans back in to kiss him, hungry and eager, even as he rewards the way wolfwood rocks down against his thigh with another firm press. ]

[ Oh, that's good. He rocks against Vash's thigh again, halfway to just riding it - a thought definitely inspired by what's waiting for them in the bag - bites at Vash's lip, lets his hand ruck Vash's shirt up as it travels higher up Vash's back -

and then he pulls back, sits up enough to catch up that fluffy blanket and pitch it onto the floor. He's aware enough that it's a fussy, slightly goofy thing to do, so he tries to make a joke of it and puts on his best tough-guy face and drawl when he turns back to Vash. ]

Don't wanna get come on my blankie.

[ his... blankie...!

and okay, that's probably the weirdest thing vash has ever found hot in his life, but maybe he can just blame it on the wolfwood effect. but yeah, something about a tough, cool guy who wants to keep his fuzzy blankie safe and clean? it makes vash want to eat him up, like wolfwood is a fresh glazed donut right out of the oven.

which is why he flips them all at once so that wolfwood is the one sprawled underneath him, leaning down to kiss him, heated and eager. presses his thigh right back where wolfwood seemed to like it, rocking it up against him with a little purr at the way he can feel wolfwood already getting hard against him. ]

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