Tempest Wind (Vash x F!Reader)

A Heavy Heart

You reach the tiny town before sunset, like Vash had predicted. Still riding the happy tomas as you arrive, your back now fully against the man, hands more relaxed as you hold onto the saddle. He had gotten you to talk more about where you had been and what you had seen. More about the towns you visited and the people you met. He listened to everything with excitement, and when he heard the doubt in your voice, he encouraged you to keep going. There was almost an unspoken understanding between the two of you. He added his own stories to the mix too, sharing his experiences about some of the towns you both had visited. It felt like you had known him for a lifetime, not just a day or so. And he felt the same.

As Vash leads the tomas towards the little guesthouse, some people shoot the two of you some glances, and you feel like you need to hide, a deep instinct of wanting to run away seeping into your mind.

"It's okay. You're fine; I'm not going to let anything happen to you." Vash whispers a promise into your ear, almost like he could read your mind. You push yourself further into him, hoping his big coat will obscure you even just a little bit. The tomas stops by the bird pens, and Vash unmounts swiftly, reaching his hand out to you, and you take it as you get down yourself. A man approaches the two of you, and before you find your legs again to hide somewhere, Vash has already stepped between the man and you, hiding you completely. He interacts kindly with the older gentleman, who takes the bird to get her settled in.

"Alright, let's get ourselves some rooms." He smiles at you, almost ushering you up the little stairs.

"I don't really need a room. I can't pay for it." You try to protest, feeling bad.

"Well, you are welcome to stay in my bed too; I just thought you would like to have a space where you can hide, even from me. And I don't mind paying for it; we will settle that debt tomorrow... or the day after, or the day after that, doesn't really matter."

Once both of you make it into the small reception area, Vash takes over all the interactions with the innkeeper. As you try to hide yourself from the gazes of the number of people in the small area, you find that you have nowhere to go. Vash currently negotiates a discount on two dingy rooms and probes around to see if there are any odd jobs to do around here. Your discomfort doesn't go unnoticed by him, and without breaking his train of thought, he pulls you closer. His metal arm holds you so tight against his side; his big coat comes partially over you, and you find yourself inching even closer, one arm around him, under his coat on his back, the other grasping his shirt from the front. You hide your own gaze in his chest. Your racing thoughts of needing to hide calm down as you feel warm in his embrace, the eyes of others bothering you just a little bit less. A voice in the back of your head screams louder than during the whole trip here.

As soon as Vash gets everything he needs from the innkeeper, he looks down at you like him embracing you like that is the most natural thing in the world, and holds out a key to you.

"Here you go, second floor, and lucky me is right next door!" he declares, amused.

You find yourself mumbling a thanks as the hand grabbing his shirt releases and takes the key almost automatically. Your other arm is still around him as you feel his grip loosen, but staying around you.

"Let's go, Sweet Pea." He guides you to the staircase leading up and waves the innkeeper goodnight. All you can feel is your cheeks burning up as the two of you head away, arms around each other. You only remove your arm from under his coat as you reach the stairs, both hands gripping the key as you go up, with him following right behind. You don't even remember the other people around at this point, not caring if they are measuring you with their looks; you are too occupied with the different thoughts resonating in your brain.