#flosalatus

It's been four hours and her arm's starting to get tired but Millie's pretty sure if she puts her hand down now, Vash is never going to take it. So she keeps holding it out, humming to herself and using her other hand to flip the pages in the book she's been reading this whole time.

"I wish I could believe that..."

Livio stared blankly at a black rosary that laid in his open palm. He clenched his jaw before gripping his fist tightly around the bleak tainted cross. "There are worst things than your brother on this planet, Vash. And so long as I and my brother live. We can NEVER be safe."

Instead of a reply, Livio lent in close, tugging the blond into a shy kiss to his cheek. He'd linger there before pulling away with sheepish smile.

Few and far between are the opportunities to take a break, take a breather, collect themselves. Sorely needed, one presents itself after days of driving in near-silence broken only by pressuring their Preacher into handing in the bounty on some raiders they'd left tied up and alive in the government's hands.

Courtesy of Roberto's encyclopedic knowledge of watering holes scattered throughout the wastes, this one is special in its own right, the dusty jewel of a lively settlement called Opryton.

The proprietors of Fiddle Me This Saloon probably didn't consider how suspicious the colloquial name of the business sounds. Or maybe they did, considering the clientele and the agreements necessary to keep a place like this safe and operational.

Either way, they have salvaged some lost technology, kept it operational since the Big Fall, and leverage it to create a sonic landscape that flows along with drinks and food, the benefits of being along a big city road. Speakers line the walls and strut supports, glossy stacks thoroughly at odds with the scrap nature of the building, old space-faring parts lovingly welded together against the punishing environment.

Someone had a sense of humor. The building is curvy like a violin. A small scratch of truth in advertising, maybe, making room for two above-ground stories of music and dancing.

Wolfwood retreats to find a seat along a wall - not like there are any corners to be had here, of course - and takes up a post to people-watch with a bottle of whisky and a fresh supply of good cigarettes. They'll be crumpled before long, probably.

Not that he cares as he lights up.

Vash drops to one knee so fast there's an audible thud. He has a ring donut in hand, offering it out to Wolfwood.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Wolfwood slowly blinks and then stares down at the donut ring. Is this a weird joke or something — well whatever he takes the donut ring and proceeds to take a bite out of it. Free food!

Ah-- not the reaction they were expecting. They tilt their head slightly, trying to puzzle together where they might have gone wrong. A small pout forms on their lips, their arms cross, and they sit in silence for a moment as they continually come up empty handed... So Zazie has done something wrong. Better to ask Vash, they supposed.

"Humans bite people they like. You act like a human. We thought we could try it too, to see if you would warm up to us. Did we do it wrong?"

The older licks his lips at the sight of him, the other was just so cute that he couldn't help but desire him just a little. Vash walks over coming up from behind the blonde, at first he pulls the smaller into a hug, he nuzzles into his neck and bites on the pulse of his neck, sucking on the area and then releasing him once he was satisfied with the mark.

Hands explore the other's body as be bites down again, one hand rises under his shirt as the other palms his waist.