The Gunslinger's Gambit (Vash X Reader)

10. One Gesture to Another

"Dawn? Dawn!"

You shot your head up and looked around, seeing everyone was still asleep. The bright, rising sun made your eyes water and squint. You put your hand up to block the sun from hitting your eyes as you looked out at the sand planet.

You felt something hit the top of your thigh, making you jump and move your leg away. Looking over to your left, you saw Vash fast asleep and his right hand that had fallen flat on the ground. It was only his hand.

You looked down at the blonde sleeping next to you, his body curled up slightly facing towards you. He's chest rising and falling slowly with each slow breath he took. The orange glow of the sunrise revealed his soft, unstrained features, making his cheeks seem flush with a rose color. He looks surprisingly handsome this way. 

Reaching into your jacket, you took out your pack of cigarettes and a small lighter. You shoved the small items into your pants and quietly sat up against the rock, bending your knees and sitting on top of your legs. Looking back down over at the blonde outlaw, you saw him bring his arm towards him, slightly shivering.

You sighed, swiftly talking off your emerald jacket and gently placed it over Vash's body, mostly covering his torso. You let yourself smile slightly as you noticed his shivering had stopped, and started to the rock that faced the sunset.

Taking quiet steps in front of the rock you watched the sun rise into the sky, taking in the many hues of orange and yellow that painted the sky. Reaching into your pocket, you opened up your pack of cigarette's and placed one between your lips. I really shouldn't be practicing this again, not after last night. Taking the lighter out, you flipped it around in your hand before lighting it, bringing the flame to the end of the cigarette. And if Knives ever saw you doing that without permission.

You shrugged at your own inner thought as you shoved the lighter back into your pocket, and leaned up against the giant boulder behind you. You took a long breath in, inhaling the smoke of the cigarette, letting it fill your mouth. You crossed one arm across your body, rested the other on top of it before pulling the cigarette out of your mouth.

"I thought you didn't have a lighter," mumbled a deep voice. You breathed out the smoke after realizing whom the voice belonged to. Leaning your head back against the cool rock, you turned your face into the direction of the gravely voice.

"I lied," you responded back to the priest. You slowly placed your cigarette back into your mouth and waved him over with a small head motion. He looked at the ground and sighed as he stepped towards you.

The both of you leaned up against the rock and slowly fell down onto the sand. Wolfwood left one knee bent and straightened the other, while you kept both your knees bent and close to your chest. You handed the man your lighter after grabbing it from your pocket.

"I think this is the first time I've seen you not hulling that giant cross around," you stated with a smirk, purposely poking at the man.

He scoffed before lighting his own cigarette with the small lighter you lent him. Placing the cigarette between two fingers, not pulling it from his mouth until he finished his deep breath in. Smoke coming out of his mouth as he spoke,"You look a damn lot like someone I used to know, Dawn".

You shifted your shoulders and wrapped your arms around your knees, taking another hit of the cigarette in your hand. It has been a long time, Punisher. You wiped your face on your knees before turning to look at the priest again. His gaze was focused on you, as he looked over the top of his sunglasses. His brows furrowed together forming wrinkles across his forehead. His jaw clenched shut, making him appear more rigid than usual.