#because the trigun brainrot is so strong it bleeds into other fandoms heeheehoohoo

[sailxrmxrs]

shoutout to my three friends who are equally unwell over trigun and infinite blue. this one's for u. it's so so incredibly niche but the ones who get it, get it. taking some inspiration from the current obsession and throwing some faves in to spice it up. tobias, rory and dear reader just out in some post apocalyptic western landscape fighting for their lives against a notorious gang of gunmen. very very loosely inspired by the vash, wolfwood, and meryl dynamic. insert blood and thunder from 98 trigun soundtrack here. anyway enjoy the result of my late night brainrot and screaming over tasty fanart. cw for guns and some mild violence !

The sun sat high over the rolling dunes of sand, bearing down heavily on the unfortunate souls traversing the uneven ground. This time of year made that unforgiving heat feel all the more powerful as it threatened to burn the exposed arms leaning atop the side of the oversized car. Tobias had one arm resting where the window had once been and the other lazily sitting on the steering wheel, barely moving it as the car sped across the dunes. The car wasn't all that old, but it had seen its fair share of gun fights and fast escapes. There had once been a time when all of humanity wasn't on the brink of extinction, not fighting tooth and nail just to keep its cities from falling to ruin. But those times were no longer. Now, bands of desperate individuals were wreaking havoc and robbing innocents for all they were worth. Wanted posters were plastered over tavern walls, countless bounties out for whoever could drag their bodies back—dead or alive. Tobias' face had long been drawn to perfect likeness over the browned parchment. The bounty he'd amassed for himself, however, was not for pillaging and stealing from the bar owners who housed him on long journeys nor did he use his gun for unjust means. Rather, Tobias had garnered himself somewhat of a Robin Hood-esque reputation; he stole what had already been stolen and gave it back to the people. But when those who had stolen not only money, but also power, found themselves reaping the benefits of their greed, their first course of action was to bring down the man responsible for their shortcomings in whatever way possible. For anyone else it might have damaged their spirit, but Tobias cared too much for his cause to let a bounty on his head sway him. Especially now that he no longer travelled alone.

Months ago he'd been a lone soul going from town to town with little but the clothes on his back for company. Until he'd met you. A city native confined by circumstance who saw his freedom as a symbol of hope. All it had taken was one quiet conversation under the moonlight, aided by Tobias' slight inebriation, for you to be taken under his wing and brought along for the ride. His way of living brought uncertainty and risk; danger and threat becoming a constant friend looming over your shoulder. But you wouldn't change anything for the world. Not when it took you to the most remote corners of the planet. Even if that meant driving across the desert in the middle of summer with a broken cooling system. Tobias had tried to fix it once, but somehow made it worse. Since then, you'd taken the executive decision to ban Tobias from any kind of technical repair work. It was for the best. So long as the car held up long enough to get to the next town over, that was all you cared about.

"It's too hot," Tobias whined, leaning his head to rest atop your shoulder. You could feel the car jolt with his movements, hitting a slight bump in the sand. If it weren't for the fact there was no one around for miles you might have panicked a little more. Tobias' driving was a little less than careful out in the middle of nowhere.

"Hey, eyes on the road. Sand. You know what I mean," you said with a playful push against his head. Tobias sluggishly dragged himself back up, a sulking pout on his face as he scowled at you.

"If you let me fix the fans maybe I wouldn't be almost collapsing in the car. I don't see you volunteering to drive in my stead." His tone was light and teasing, not really meaning the words he said. He just knew it'd spark a reaction.

A bemused laugh left your lips, watching Tobias reach for his sunglasses. "First off, collapsing? Sure thing, bud. Secondly, the last time I offered to drive you told me off and made me sit in the back seat. Only got yourself to blame there."

"Because you had just gotten shot! You were bleeding out and insisting on driving! What did you expect me to do?"

"You said no driving then so I'm just doing as I was told," you said, folding your arms across your chest and closing your eyes. Tobias sighed, admitting his defeat. He might like to push back sometimes, but he really he was rather soft at heart. He liked your company more than he cared to admit, even if that meant being the one to drive uneven terrain in the scorching heat.

An hour later and your destination was finally in sight. The town stood like an oasis under the afternoon sun, the promise of food and, hopefully, fresh water an irresistible temptation luring you in. By the time Tobias had parked up under a shaded canopy and got out to make a point of stretching his legs, you were eager to see exactly where he'd taken you to. The town was another new venture to add to your list, its buildings and architecture looking similar enough to everywhere else you'd travelled that it felt familiar. Though it certainly seemed livelier than the previous destination had been. It wasn't quite a thriving city, but there was still life here. Still the teeming buzz of humanity clinging on to its home. Curious eyes followed you walking side-by-side with Tobias, some going wide in recognition and others scrutinising you both for intruding on this peaceful little town. There was no telling how situations like this would go. Either you'd leave unscathed with no one looking to take Tobias' bounty for themselves, or there'd be guns shooting from all over as you made a run for the car and made your escape. The last few escapades had been mostly uneventful, but there was no room to let one's guard down. Especially not when there was a stranger shrouded in a cloud of smoke leaning against the wall of a busy sounding bar. Dark sunglasses rested atop his nose, and his hair was a bright shade of red despite being muted in the shade. You could feel his gaze even as you looked away, as if he perhaps knew something you didn't. It wasn't a nice feeling.

"Hey, Tobias. Don't be obvious about it, but there's a guy over there looking our way. You think he's trouble?"

Tobias spared a glance, the concern in his face turning to a grimace. "Yes. But not the kind of trouble you're thinking of. Come on." Tobias reached for your wrist, pulling you in the direction of the mysterious stranger. Your attempts to ask for any semblance of clarity were ignored, Tobias' grasp warm and unmoving.

Up close, the stranger looked even more displeased. Someone had clearly pissed in his cereal this morning—if the deadpan look of repugnance was anything to go by. "Brave of you to show your face here," he drawled, the toothpick between his teeth moving with each word he spoke.

"Why? You looking to try and break it?" Tobias asked, an easy grin stretching his face as he leaned against an old and rusting motorbike.

"Not at all. Looks like you want to break my bike though. Move your ass." Whatever relationship Tobias held with this man it was certainly not friendship.

"You sure it's worth caring that much about this thing? Looks one wrong move away from falling apart."

The stranger looked almost bored as he uttered, voice completely toneless, "You're right. And I'm looking right at the wrong move in question."

You watched as Tobias' face dropped its lazy smile and jumped to hold an arm over his chest. "Settle down, boys. I'd prefer to not have to coddle Tobias for getting his ass kicked five minutes after arriving."

The stranger scoffed, raising an eyebrow as his eyes fell to yours. "Good luck with that. You know what kind of bounty your friend has over his head, right? And that the man who's hellbent on having him killed lives in this very town?"

Your eyes went wide, head snapping to see Tobias looking meek. He'd kept that one quiet. Before you could get any kind of explanation, the stranger looked elsewhere, tutting as he gestured for the two of you to follow him. Wariness stayed your steps until you felt a reassuring hand at your shoulder. Tobias might not have a gleaming friendship with this stranger but he clearly trusted him. And that was enough for you. For now, at least.

He'd sat the three of you in the corner of the bar, tucked away to preserve whatever privacy you could garner. There was enough bustle and energy to hide your voices under, with no obvious lingering looks from particular patrons. It seemed you and Tobias were going to have to play it safer here than you'd first thought. From what the stranger, whose name you now knew to be Rory, had said, Tobias' reputation here was notorious. The common people of the town knew him for his true intentions, having been first aided by him long ago. But equally there were many out for the bounty—not to mention the personal vendetta a local leader had for him after Tobias had not only stolen a good portion of his fortune from him, but also played a hand in making a public scene mocking him. Needless to say, those who disliked Tobias, really despised him. And would do almost anything to see his head in their hands. Such an outcome wouldn't exactly be ideal, so you could only hope it wouldn't come down to that. Stealing glances around the bar didn't offer much insight as to whether the wrong individuals had recognised Tobias. The revelry all seemed normal enough. But there was no telling how the day might turn. It was, after all, still bright and busy enough outside that he would be easily recognisable in the daylight—even if the crowds might help conceal him.

"Look, if I were you I'd get yourself out of here as soon as possible. Before you draw any more attention to yourself. News travels fast here," Rory warned, fingers playing with the glass at his hand. He hadn't taken a sip of the misty water. It was probably for the best.

"You worry too much, Rory. That's all in the past, I'm sure no one remembers or cares for something so trivial." Tobias laughed, waving off Rory's apparent concern. Rory scoffed, readying to quip back at Tobias' easiness when a piercing shout brought all chatter in the bar to a close. If it weren't for the remnants of Tobias' laugh, you could've heard a pin drop with the stunned silence that fell. Another shout sounded—a command to fight. The peace had well and truly shattered as your eyes landed on the group of men weaving through the bar tables.

"Tobias," you uttered, moving to rise from your seat. "Time to move."

He raised a brow, nonchalance smoothing his features. "Don't act guilty and they won't come for you." As soon as the words left his lips, a call of his name set Tobias' eyes wide. "On second thought, I think I've had enough to drink here."

Rory scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Look at that, I was right."

"I don't care who was right or wrong, I care about not getting my head blown off," you grumbled, eyeing up the best possible escape route as your pursuers came ever closer. Gaze landing on the window, you saw Tobias already running to jump through the small gap, his legs getting caught on the window frame and sending him tumbling onto the dusty sand below. For a wanted man, he wasn't exactly the dastardly delinquent that the rumours might have painted him out to be. He wasn't quite so talented on his feet as he was with a gun and it didn't exactly help with making a swift escape. In a split second, you and Rory shared a look of exasperation with your companion before following suit and climbing through the open window, landing on your feet in a manner much more becoming than Tobias had. It was then, as Tobias finished dusting off his shirt that the first gunshot sounded, glass shattering along with it. You needed to find cover, and fast.

Rory called for you and Tobias to follow him, leading you both through the backroads of town. Gunshots and shouting could be heard coming from the bar, but there was telling where others might by lying in wait. Your hand was resting at the hilt of your gun, ready to pull it out at a moment's notice. It had taken some getting used to, wielding a gun and shooting to defend yourself, but with Tobias at your side it became less and less scary each time. He never shot to kill. Only to deter pursuers or injure them at most, but only as a last minute resort. A gunshot fired, deflecting off a broken lamp post. One quick glance was enough to see that you had company. You readied your gun to aim, delayed only by the sight of Tobias already sending a bullet in their direction, knocking your pursuer's gun out of his hand.

"Got a plan, Rory?" He shouted, the three of you picking up the pace.

"I don't know, get out of here alive, maybe?!" An excellent plan, really. One you hoped to follow. Even if it was easier said than done. Rory slowed his pace, crouching behind the wall of a worn-down house. He'd avoided the busy clearing and managed to buy a few moments to plan the best route of escape.

"On the count of three, I want you to charge out there and shoot. Keep their focus on you. But don't die. Or get injured. I don't want any of you bleeding out on my bike."

"I'm sorry, did I hear that right? Your bike? You really think all three of us will fight on that thing?" You asked, incredulous. Rory's motorbike had looked like it'd seen better days. It barely looked like it could support one person let alone three.

"It's all just a means to an end. I start up the bike, we find whatever rundown motor you drove to town on and we get out of here."

Tobias shrugged. "Works for me. Do first, think later." He reached a hand out for your wrist and bolted with no hesitation. The gunmen shouted Tobias' name, calling for reinforcements as they aimed. The crowds had since dissipated and the townsfolk all seemed to have hidden away in their homes or in the shadows out of harm's way. The last thing you wanted was for anyone to get caught up in this unnecessarily. Your back was at Tobias', taking aim to disarm anyone in Tobias' blind spots as he did the same for you. You were a force of nature, an unstoppable duo completely honed in on the task at hand. Soon, the revving of a motorbike echoed from across the way, Rory's bright red hair gleaming under the sun as he tried to get it started.

"Don't tell me it's given up on you now!" Tobias called out, laughing under his breath as he leaned closer to you. "Hey, you got this. We can take these guys easy." Before you could eke out a response, Rory's motorbike surged forward and he soon reached you and Tobias. Bullets reflected off the rusting metal, Rory only stopping for a quick moment to reach an arm around you and haul you up onto the back of his bike. Instinctively, your arms wrapped around his shoulders as he pulled away.

"Uh, I think you're forgetting someone."

Rory shook his head, flinching as a bullet scraped by his cheek. "Shit. That hurt. But he'll be fine. The man never misses. And he's not about to get himself killed today. I'm just getting you to the car so we can all get out of here safe and sound."

"You'll be pleased to know our car isn't rusting and falling apart. Unlike this bike of yours."

"Don't complain, it's gotten us this far," Rory quipped. Although, as if on cue, a bullet struck the rear tyre and created a nasty puncture that had Rory swerving to try and regain control. The pair of you skidded across the ground, quick to draw out your weapons and recover from the mild throbbing of pain. The car was so painfully close. There was just a few feet between you and the promise of freedom. Tobias shouted for you to run, his feet moving so fast yet so gracefully it was almost like a choreographed dance. Heeding his command, you made for the car, leaping into the driver's seat and pulling forward as fast as it would let you.

"Get ready to fish for a Tobias," you instructed, eyebrows knitted with focus. It was almost cartoonish the way you slowed the car for Rory to open the door and reach out to grab Tobias, yanking him backwards and with a force you hadn't expected from his appearance. Tobias let out a yelp as he tried, and failed, to regain his footing, landing atop Rory's lap in the passenger seat. Rory closed the door and yelled for you to hit the accelerator. If it weren't for Tobias' near maniacal laughter, you'd be teeming with stress as more bullets came flying at the back of the car, the rear windscreen cracking as you escaped.

"That was the most ridiculous thing I've ever witnessed," Rory announced, voice as expressionless as his outward appearance until the realisation set in that Tobias was still sprawled over his lap, one leg hanging out of the broken window. "Get off of me. Now."

"Would love to. But unless you want me to kick them in the head trying to climb onto the backseat, we're stuck like this," Tobias sang, leaning his head to rest on Rory who looked like he was half tempted to throw Tobias back out of the car.

"Get used to it, Rory," you called out. "He's like this 24/7."

"Can't wait." Tobias only smiled brighter up at Rory while your eyes flickered between them and the sand dunes ahead. All danger was long gone in the distance, already becoming a fading memory. With how content Tobias seemed to be, it looked like whatever business he'd had in town was either not important enough to risk being caught again or had already been seen to. A small part of you suspected he'd only wanted to return in the first place to find Rory. You didn't know exactly what kind of past they shared, but the two were clearly important to each other in some way—even if Rory looked like he might eat a fistful of sand before he admitted it. Still, the new addition felt right. Even if it'd come with no small degree of danger, this all just felt like the perfect beginning to another new adventure.