#get in the nest vash

[flosalatus]

"I made a nest for you. You can sleep in that, if you want."

It's quiet, and it's gruff, and it's almost halting, because while Nicholas D. Wolfwood can cardsharp with the best of them or bluff his way around whatever civilization they happen to pass through, right now he is having the most difficult time getting a handle on whatever the hell this is.

They're camping for the night, and he has taken the liberty of slinging a couple of tarps between their bags set horizontal on a less-sandy stretch of stone, all protected with an overhang. He thumbs in that direction and doesn't look directly at Vash, instead watching in his peripheral.

"Or don't. But you need some damn sleep, Needle-Noggin."

@full-of-mercy

-

His head snaps up, tilting at a rather uncanny angle as the words pique his interest, something inside him flickering with appeal at the choice of term.

Nest? Nest's were warm, comfy, safe-

Vash visibly shakes himself, giving a nervous little chuckle, glancing between Wolfwood at the little structure like he isn't sure what to do.

He isn't, actually. This is completely unexpected and weirdly flattering?

"Um, I appriciate it but I'm really not tired-"

[tradingjack]

trigun's still got a grip on my brain like you wouldn't believe lmao

[novasintheroom]

aw aw building little comfy nests with Vash.

You notice he has this odd behavior of piling up any blankets, towels, clothing, etc. on his bed whenever you're in a motel room. Actually, now that you think about it, he does it whenever he's about to rest somewhere. On top of the car with all the luggage piled up around him, in the desert with his traveling sack, sleeping bag, and any item of soft clothing he has on hand - the whole thing.

When you ask him about it, he gets shy and admits he thinks its a Plant thing. He's usually good about hiding his quirks, but the nesting (his ears go bright red at the word) is something of a comfort he allows himself, and he's just gotten comfortable enough around you to start it up again.

You might make fun of him for a bit. It's a friend thing, making fun of each other's quirks. But you still help him pile up the towels and take out your extra day wear to add to the mess of fabric on motel beds. You even make an event of it - wrapping the bed's questionably clean blankets round and around and gilding it with the smaller fabrics, then pulling out a rented tablet to watch movies together.

He's awkward the first few times you do this. He's just not used to other people being in his space, you know? But you better bet Vash takes advantage of being able to snuggle with you once the newness wears off. This is upped ten times once you two start dating. He looooovveess being the little spoon, resting his head on your chest and letting out little content birdie chirps he doesn't realize he's doing half the time. Please run your hand through his hair while watching movies. It'll make him melt even more.

Seeing you start to build a nest on the bed (or campsite, or inside the truck) really gets his gears going too. It satisfies some primal urge in him to have his mate lover in this big nest you've built together, safe in the confines of a shelter and enjoying the trash movies you rent. He'll get all soft and chirpy in the nest, pulling you close and just looking at you with adoration. He'll try to shake it off - he's still getting used to letting whatever the heck his Plantness is doing happen - but when that warm, fuzzy feeling and the urge to preen you comes over, it's hard to ignore. Just let him smooth out your hair and get the granules of sand from your scalp. It'll calm him down.

Now, he practically vibrates with excitement whenever you rent a motel room together. He knows a good nesting is coming, and he can't wait for the cuddling and good naps he and you will get in.

[syeniites]

I’ve seen a few people comment on the fandom’s overall tendency to understate Trimax!Wolfwood’s fear of Vash’s power/nature and perhaps exaggerate the quasi-religious devotion aspect of their dynamic, and I find it very interesting because from my perspective, all of that is heavily dependent on when in the manga timeline you’re looking at.

Because it doesn’t take Wolfwood that long to start believing in Vash’s good intentions (“A true gunman who only looks on the bright side of life?” - TM #3), but it takes far longer for him to trust that Vash can remain in control of his powers when faced with Knives (“You know what kind of guy he is, but he’s also the trigger to a power that could end the world” - TM #6).

The concern here is twofold: that Vash might ‘go off’ in a moment of extreme emotional distress, as he nearly did at Dragon’s Nest, and that he might be used as a weapon by Knives, like at July and Fifth Moon.

Despite acutely recalling the terror he felt on Ship 5 with the whole crying-blood thing (“That behemoth will splatter us like insects” - TM #2), Wolfwood seems primarily worried about the latter by the time they reach the Ark (“Is it that easy to eliminate half the threat?” - TM #6).

But then three things happen:

Knives tries to absorb Vash and is almost consumed himself instead, demonstrating that Vash’s power is the stronger of the two.

Wolfwood prays to God during the fight with Chapel (“Can murderers only be murderers?… Am I wrong?” - TM #8), and Vash is the one who answers while in full wingèd protector mode (“You are not wrong, Wolfwood!!”).

Vash deliberately activates his Angel Arm and then chooses not to set it off, thus reclaiming his bodily autonomy and freeing himself and Wolfwood from the Ark.

This is a huge turning point in their relationship! Wolfwood “bet his life on” Vash despite “fear[ing] death twice as much as others,” and Vash proved that he was right to do so. Which is why, in Wolfwood’s final confrontation with Chapel and LR, we get The speech of all time:

“Shall I tell you my hope? In this era, especially because of the era we live in, he will be able to do something. His unmatched earnestness… I believe in it. Are you scared? He has never forsaken anything” (TM #10).

Truly nothing in Trimax makes me more feral than those last two lines: the way Wolfwood invokes that fear again, but this time, he himself is exempt from it. Chapel is the one who should fear Vash, precisely because Vash would never forsake Wolfwood as Chapel suggests he did. Not when Wolfwood is one of Vash’s own.

Fear on the one side, faith on the other. Wolfwood has moved from the former to the latter.

TL;DR - In a Wolfwood Lives AU or really any scene set after they escape the Ark, it makes sense for Wolfwood not to show any particular fear of Vash’s inhuman nature and even to display signs of that sense of awe in the face of Vash’s goodness, whereas earlier in the story, it would be odd for Wolfwood to be entirely calm and accepting when Vash goes into Angel Mode™️.

[vashs-turtleneck]

Preen.

Rating: T

Pairing: Vash the Stampede x Reader Summary: Caring for Vash when his wings sprout. CW: angst, fluff, blood, mentions of self-harm, Trimax Vash coded. Word Count: 1.4k A/N: man oh man do I love bird men.

Vash normally stays huddled up in his room on days like this. There's times where he's had to spend nights on end locked inside until his feathers would painstakingly slowly go away. He'd sit on his bed (if he even had a bed at the time) and wait until he was back to normal. He wouldn't leave, he wouldn't eat, most of the time he wouldn't even sleep. He'd just sit there, alone, with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company. When it was all over, he'd be in a nest of dusty sheets, surrounded by smears of blood and ripped feathers, with crimson dripping from his back from where he had agonizingly plucked at himself.

A monster, huddled away from sight.

Inhuman.

He would never dare go outside like this.

But of course, when you came around, following closely at his heel at all times, you never allowed him to hide away from you like that. You once came looking for him after his prolonged silence, and you had found him in a pitiful state – eyes rimmed red, bloody nails clutching at his own flesh like it wasn't meant to be on his bones, and most notably, white feathers sprouting from his face and wings spread out from his shoulder blades. 

He was mortified, embarrassed, scared.

This is it. You're going to see what he really is, and you're going to leave.

He went through all the stages of grief when he saw your eyes widen and your steps come to a halt. He was ready to hear your screams of terror and then never see you again. As much as he wanted to hide, he didn't look away. If you were going to run, he wanted to get one last good look at your beautiful face.

But you didn't leave him that night. You stayed awake with him, talking to him, and you had no flicker of fear or disgust when you looked at him. You didn't get too close, you didn't try to touch him, you didn't stare at him too intently (though he's sure you wanted to), and in the morning when his feathers were gone, you took him out to breakfast like it was any other day. Like nothing changed.

It took a long time to build up into letting you see him like this. Apart from that first night when you refused to leave his side after you saw the scratches on his back and the blood under his nails, he only allowed your gaze for brief moments, like when you insisted on bringing him food, and when you'd come back to scold him for not eating it. 

Eventually, you started sitting with him. You wouldn't speak. You'd simply sit in the same space as him, often in a chair in the corner, sometimes on the floor by the bed as you read a book, doodled in a sketchbook, or took a nap. No touches, no words, but still offering him a presence he's never had before when he's felt the furthest from human.

He was the first one to break the silence when he saw you using one of his shedded feathers as a bookmark of all things. You simply responded, “I like it. It's pretty,” like it was the simplest thing in the world. 

It's safe to say that nowadays, if he isn't there to greet you when you come down for breakfast in the mornings, you'll be knocking on his door within the hour.

Tonight, you're sitting on his bed, his back facing you as he sits with his knees to his chest, hiding the cracks in his face from your gaze. Your fingers gently run through his sprouted wings, picking out bits of lint and grains of sand caught in his feathers with a tenderness you always grant him, even when he's like this, when he doesn't even have the heart to look you in the eyes.

“I'm sorry, mayfly.”

“Hush. Don't be silly.”

His wings shift, slowly unfurling from around himself the longer you touch them for, as if trying to nudge into your hands for more. A part of him feels bad for liking the attention, but he doesn't want you to stop, even though the feeling of anyone touching the plumage along his back still feels so foreign to him.

“So soft,” you hum, and he feels the heat rise to his face, his cheeks dusting pink under the cracks and feathers. Something about you saying that makes his chest feel warm, despite how much he hates the part of himself you're referring to.

“You know,” you start to say, pulling his attention back to you as your gentle fingers pluck the dirt from him. “I'd like it if you stopped hiding from me whenever this happens.”

Vash winces at your words. “I don't… like it when you see me like this.” 

Don't look at me.

Don't leave me.

These wings, these feathers, these marks along his face and body – they all feel like some curse. It's not something you should be seeing, but he can't help wanting you here. It almost feels like he has to keep his wings from reaching towards you, like they have a mind of their own.

“I know, and I'm sorry, but I'm not leaving you alone,” you say back, your hands carefully running along the lengths of his wings, your palms smoothing over the feathers, and the feeling sends an involuntary shiver up his spine. “Is it bad if I like seeing you like this?”

“Heh. I don't see why you would. It's… strange. I would never blame you if you wanted to run away.” And he wouldn't. He knows this, and he knows you know this. He's told you far too many times that you should leave, that you shouldn't be around a monster like him, and sometimes he was much meaner than he ever intended to be with you. It's something he'll regret regardless of how many times he's apologized and how many times you've forgiven him. 

He just… doesn't feel like himself when he's in this state. He wants you far away, but he wants you close. He wants to scream and cry and curl in on himself until he disappears, but he wants to wrap himself around you and keep you with him in a nest of feathers until he forgets the outside world exists. His skin crawls and prickles where his feathers sprout from, and sometimes his flesh feels like it's burning, but he aches for the feeling of your hands running through his plumage. It's gotten so, so much worse since you've been around, and he doesn't know why, but he'll keep that bit to himself. No point in making you feel bad for his alien biology when he himself doesn't understand it all.

“I would never run away from you. Hell, half the time I'm struggling to keep up with you,” and his breath hitches when he suddenly feels your arms wrap around his midsection, your head resting against the bed of feathers on his back.

“I think you're beautiful, Vash. With and without wings.”

‘Beautiful.’

What a strange way of describing him.

“You like them…” he mutters quietly, more to himself than to you, like he's trying to wrap his head around what that could possibly mean. He doesn't even notice the way his feathers fluff up and bury your face in his down.

“I do, but I'm more fond of who they're attached to.”

You care, inhuman and all.

He was ready to never see you again after that first night, but you're still here, and you're preening him of all things. You've stitched his wounds, comforted him during his nightmares, held him when he's cried, but this? This is a level of intimacy he's not familiar with. It's vulnerable and selfless and loving and… so much more than he deserves, but you’re doing it for him. He has no way of repaying all the ways you've healed him. His wounds are still there, and they're far too deep to ever hope for the scars to completely fade, but your presence alone is a soothing balm he doesn't think he could ever live without again.

One day, maybe he'll look you in the eyes when you take care of him like this. Maybe he'll turn around and let you card your fingers through the feathers on his cheeks. Maybe after that, maybe when you're taking a nap, he'll hold you close in his arms like he wants to and envelop you in feathers, and he'll show you, despite how much he wishes they weren't there, how warm his wings can be.

divider source.

[shadowofroses]

Another idea...and extremely cute one. (Something I realize I've been doing as why I choose to sleep on a couch than a bed) Reader carries a large travel bag, completely full, round etc. Vash doesn't question what's in it till one day when he gets shoved and realizes how soft he bag is? He's confused. Reader always insists on getting a separate room etc.And they seem to get flustered when Vash asks what it is. Reader tells him not to worry about it. They don't want him thinking they are childish for whats inside the bag.

However one time they are stuck sharing a room, Vash of course offers the bed, but Reader shakes their head. The couch is better for them. Which Makes no sense to Vash. The bed is better than a couch. Right?

Then Reader sleeps with their back to the back of the couch, has a full on fluffy blanket a few pillows making more or less a nest around them, and a stuffed animal. Vash almost falls on the floor, but its cute. "Mayfly what are you doing?" Its the first time he's called you this, and he's just as stunned when it came out of his mouth, a light blush on his face as he tries not to chuckle but has a stupid grin.

Sleeping against back of the couch, with stuffed animals, pillows, tricks your mind into thinking you're being snuggled into, spooned whatever. You're lonely and didn't want to assume he'd be okay with doing that. So artificial snuggling.

Vash instead just scoops you up and everything else you have placing you on the bed to snuggle with you.

Only to learn he stole your stuffed animal...that bastard... /lh

[imustbenuts]

nuts reading in jp 13 - woowoo is not beating the marriage proposal allegations

im back after finishing metaphor refantazio. short one today

idk if this was fully reflected in EN, but wow there's uh, something going on here. so in trimax' re-introduction to vash and wolfwood, it essentially involves the latter crashing into a family's day and taking one of their member away.

granted there are a lot of reasons why vash has to leave his new family, and its completely understandable, but theres a good chance he's not returning without getting tossed around, stabbed, and shot a few times. and once VTS returns, vash isnt going to be able to lay low with Sheryl and Lina again. everyone is on the same page about this.

even then! there is. something about the scene between sheryl and wolfwood here. heres the OH's version. notice how she phrases vash leaving her and lina:

jp version:

/There are moments when, when one loses a member of their family... /The times don't always pass by easily... /I'd like -- /For you to never, ever forget that fact, Mr. Wolfwood. /.......... /Forgive me.

so, to re-contextualize this.

we have sheryl, the 'head' of the family unit here, who essentially is watching an adopted child fly the nest due to One shady man from outside town. said man is taking one of her family member away to live a new life after 1 meeting.

and while im sure there's a layer of dread knowing that vash might die in his quest after leaving this sanctuary, it also comes off as handing off one's daughter to their partner. usually for marriage, if you wanna bring in the asian pov? cause uh daughters marry into the husband's side? shrugs?

of course, i might be having shipping goggles on.

then again. in the next chapter a insurance agent hit man tries to kill vash, who gets shot trying to cover a bystander, and wolfwood comes in to stop that. hes pretty pissed about it too:

the EN here is pretty on point, but there's something about the phrase wolfwood is using for My Pal in jp. specifically, he uses the phrase, 人のつれ. which more accurately, would be roughly, "my traveling companion".

or, even MORE accurately, つれ Tsure is a person you drag along with you. which is to say, wolfwood phrases this as if hes the one initiating and leading the journey, not vash himself. (to see that monument with the KNIVES graffiti). theres possessiveness and protectiveness in that bubble overall too with a very accusatory tone thats clearer in JP than EN.

gotta also love this part here where he calls vash vash and not tongari yet. that starts in the chapter after this.

anyway that possessiveness and protectiveness even at this point isnt just bc he was hired by knives to do a job. this isn't the face of a man who is underpaid.

its the face of a man who thinks someone is a jackass

and needs extra tabasco pain on their open wounds for hurting one of his. (platonic? romantic? just a job? mystery!)

yay!

[mediocreanomaly]

NESTING? PLS 😭 like ARE WE CONNECTED SOMEHOW this is so good

i have drowsy knives purring himself to sleep stuck in my head now--THIS IS LITERAL GOLD 😭 it would take a v special s/o to pick up the slight nuances of his emotions too n he'd be head over heels 🥺

but nesting instincts 🥺 please for the love of everything knives elaborate i i i wanna know all there is to know ab this man 🥺👉👈

n maybe vashy seperately too?? 🥴

Authors Note: Turned this into a full post because I'm procrastinating my drabbles anyways lmao this is going to give away a teeny tiny bit of my uncanny Vash post I'm making but I love talking about the Twins and their less than human instincts

Savern Twins Nesting HC's

Knives

•Knives is surprisingly the less embarrassed of the twins about nesting instincts, this is solely based on the fact that he doesn't see his plant qualities to be anything to be ashamed about, it's just another thing that sets him apart from humans

•Although, no one (besides you) knows about Knives nest. You may wonder how the two points can co-exist but that's because a Plant's nest is supposed to be somewhere secure and safe. So while he's not embarrassed that he has a nest, he's not going to openly talk about it and risk giving away someone trying to get a peek of it (not that he really openly talks about anything)

•Knives nest is big, he had a bed custom-made that's larger than a king but circular and with plush raised walls so it feels not secure and less in the open. He's collected various blankets and pillows that fill the empty space so that he can bundle up under them, all of it is white because he refuses to let his nest look ugly or disorganized

•He's a perfectionist too so he spends a lot of time organizing and reorganizing his nest. Every time he gets a new blanket or pillow to add he has to redo the whole thing to make sure it's in the perfect spot or else he refuses to sleep in it

•Now Knives doesn't have to sleep much like he doesn't have to eat, but sleeping is something enjoys. He stresses about his plans a lot even if he doesn't show it outwardly. What better way to destress than napping in his nest?

•Whenever he decides to officially make you his mate (yes he calls it that, what else is he supposed to call it? Everything else sounds too human) all his instincts will scream at him to burrow into his nest

•For a while, you'll actually be hard-pressed to even be allowed out of the nest because why would you want to leave? As your mate Knives needs to keep you safe, and where's the safest place in the world? His safest place in the world, so please stop trying to leave the nest- you're hungry? Fine he'll bring you food that you can eat in the nest

•I honestly don't think Independents hold body heat because their sisters live in water, which is one of many reasons they nest. It's also why Nai will drag you in with him when he wants to sleep so he can bum off your body heat. That's when you learn he can purr (yeah, that's right, Plants purr propaganda). Naps like this are the best. It's hard to stay awake when he's got you cuddled under blankets, gentle rumbles lulling you asleep

•After a while you'll be allowed out so long as you are by his side or being escorted by Legato, or at least unless you get pregnant

•If Knives manages to get you pregnant...you are banished to the nest again. It's not so bad though, besides he likes you like this. All round and full of his child, surrounded by plush comforters and pillows that cradle your form. At this point he won't leave your side unless he has to, if his instincts were bad before then they are haywire now, he stays curled up with you because there's no way you'd be able to defend yourself in a state like this, it's his job as your mate to keep you and his unborn child safe and sound, tucked away from the rest of the world

•When the baby is born it's where you'll spend most of your time too, I mean...c'mon think about it. Your little one all tucked against you and Nai curled protectively around both of you, gentle purrs from both him and your baby as both their plant markings glow ever so slightly? If there's such thing as heaven this is it

•Knives has purposely made his nest large enough to hold his growing family, so no matter how many children you have you'll all get to curl up in the nest to find comfort or just to sleep.

•I think unfortunately once the children hit a certain age they are kicked out of the nest lol, it's more reserved for a Plants mate and young ones, so starting at maybe teen age it's time for them to make their own nest

•This isn't to say they aren't ever allowed in at all though. If Knives children are in any sort of distress his instincts kick in telling him to make sure they are safe so in times like that they are still allowed in, the purpose of the nest is to provide him and his family with safety and comfort so no matter what it's there waiting for you

Vash

•Vash is admittedly a bit more embarrassed about the fact that he nests

•He tries his best to blend in with humans and thinks that people might find it weird that his instincts are constantly telling him to grab every soft thing he can find and hunker down

•Not that it really matters because he's always on the run anyways, he doesn't have time to stop and nest in the first place which makes it an easy an excuse to not nest at all, so Vash doesn't have a nest...right?

•Wrong. Like I said it's instinct and even Vash can't help but begin to nest in whatever shitty motel room he's in, especially if he's had a really rough day and just wants to sleep.

•Vash's nest is...admittedly a bit more pitiful than Knives. Knives has the advantage of staying in one spot, Vash does not, so he doesn't have a single nest but more so a hastily made one consisting of anything soft he can find. Old blankets, pillows, clothes, rags, and even his own coat all make up his haphazard resting place.

•When he meets you though oh boy does it make it harder to resist the urge to stay and make a nice big nest for the two of you to hide away in

•It takes a while for you to learn of Vash's little habit because he tries really hard to hide it away. He doesn't want you to think he's weird, so when he does show it to you and you don't react negatively, he's shyly asking, "Do you...want to get in it?"

•Please say yes, his heart can't take any other answer. After that, Vash is more keen on nesting even though the two of you travel. You even buy him a couple of blankets that you pack up and bring so that he has something more consistent to nest with. The two of you will arrive at the motel for the night and you sit on the bed watching as Vash sleepily mulls over the blankets, pillows, and clothes he's chosen and organized them in a satisfactory way before he weakly pulls you in with him, purring as he cuddles up to you

•If you run your hand through his hair you'll be rewarded with more purrs and him nuzzling into your hand, but don't comment on it or he'll get embarrassed and hide his face into the blankets while he pulls away

•Vash wouldn't try to get you pregnant unless it was after he dealt with his brother and at that point I think he'd have a more permanent nest. Whether that's on Ship 3 or your own little home he's finally got a spot that he knows is always there, perfect to keep you in while you grow your baby!

•Vash loves spending time in the nest, it's from a mixture of putting off his instincts so long when he was on the run and the fact he actually has a place of comfort for once that does it, so if you can't find your partner...he's most likely buried in the nest

•It's super cute though, you'll walk in the room and softly call "Vash?" and his head will peak out of the mountain of blankets eyes still half lidded with sleep and hair all messy as he says a soft "hmm?"

•This nest is still a bit more messy and it's one of those "it looks disorganized but Vash know exactly where everything is" situations, he doesn't really care aboutThey'rers or anything, infact it's proably mostly blankets that other people have gifted him over the years, he feels like it tells a story

•Unlike Knives, you'll have to be the one to eventually kick the kids out of the nest once they get older because

"what do you mean they can't stay in here with us? Their still our baby!"

"Vash they're 20"

"and?"

•Vash's plant marks always appear when he's in the nest, he can't help it! It's so comforting, besides he has you here warming him up and your kids cuddled in the covers- oop he's crying, don't worry they're happy tears

After note: I hope you liked it!!! I wanted to add more stuff about you being able to read Knives but it didn't really fit so that might have to be saved for another list I'm a firm "the boys do weird but cute animal things" believer and it's my job to infect people with that propaganda

[having-a-hyperfixate]

Don’t mind me sprinting to try and get this thought in order before the Anime Expo panel. I need it to be out in the wild Just In Case.

So, a few of the Gung Ho Guns have gotten reworked for Stampede, yes? To varying degrees.

Ninelives is apparently not a horrific flesh mech, Dark Souls boss thing, according to the end credits of episode 3.

E.G. the Mine just got a HUGE upgrade and didn’t get owned 3 seconds after he showed up.

Monev was an actual character with a fubar backstory and emotional impact instead of just Some Guy who trained in a basement for years specifically to kill Vash. (and Orange is SO EVIL for this)

Elendira is. *gestures futilely* There is so much going on there but yeah. She’s going to be terrifying once she achieves adult body and loses (drops?) the childish attitude. Also because of the whole Plant hybrid thing her nails truly are literally infinite sooooo.

So I have some thoughts about Hoppered the Gauntlet.

In Trimax, Gauntlet’s narrative weight comes from the fact that he makes Vash remember, which by extension makes US, the reader, understand what July really meant. Before that we had heard mention of it a few times as ‘a city destroyed in a single night’ and talk of there being ‘no survivors’ but we had no actual connection to it, and also no real idea if that was even true. But in Stampede, we saw July happen. We were there. So even if Vash’s memory is still shot afterwards, and he doesn’t remember Lost July, we the audience DO. So having the Dragon’s nest play out exactly the same isn’t going to have the same narrative punch in the gut that it did in Trimax. It can’t.

There’s also the fact that, given how we’ve met most of the major players in the story, or had them mentioned at least (hi Milly), it feels kind of Odd™ that we haven’t seen someone has emotionally impactful as Gauntlet yet.

Unless we have.

We saw with Rollo/Monev that Orange is willing to have the person’s regular name be one thing and then have a second Eye of Michael code name. I suspect that is going to happen with Gauntlet; either because EoM or because he has decided on his own to lie about who he was.

And yes, I do in fact have someone in mind.

I checked myself the translation there is accurate; the only change I would make is calling the gun ‘gaudy’ instead of ‘shiny’ but that’s not a huge deal. Also for the record, the original tweet is from Jan. 11, well before he makes his reappearance for the season finale. So when it talks about a ‘reappearance’, it is talking about seeing him again in July. Original tweet here, tweet containing the translation here.

I think Chuck Lee is going to be our Gauntlet. That he made it just far enough out of the city to survive, but that he was badly maimed in the process, and that his family didn’t make it. He’s the ONLY member of the military police with a unique design. He has an actual name, and the director himself tweeted about his backstory. His gun is so unusual that we would recognize it anywhere. Hell, I referred to him as ‘the gold gun guy from episode one’ when one of my friends didn’t recognize him immediately. His gun is so incredibly recognizable. Almost like we need to be able to recognize him by that alone, when everything else about him has changed.

THIS could be how narrative weight for Gauntlet is established in the Stampede universe when it can’t be done the same way as in Trimax. Taking a character who has, in a way, also been with the audience ALL ALONG, who was there with us for two pivitol moments, the beginning and the awakening, but who comes at it from such a horrifically different angle and bringing him back in such an agonizing way. Because he was very much in the wrong with his stunt at Jeneora Rock, but his rage over the loss of his family in July would be justified, even if we know it wasn’t Vash’s fault.

(Also, the IRONY of him ending up as one of Knives’s lackeys when Knives is the one that caused all of this? Damn.)

Footnote: I have Thoughts on why they can get away with adding Milly to The Squad late. That is a whole other Thought but tldr; (and also I haven’t actually written it out) Milly is the most perceptive of all of them she doesn’t NEED an extended intro to Vash to Know.

[millionsknives]

tristamp liveblog: the finale [part 1/part 2]

episode 10:

love that cryosleep and interstellar travel and fully bulletproof functional prosthetics exist in this world but vash still uses wired earphones

the july design RIPPPPSSSSS the way the spaceship is cracked in half and the center is suspended above the desert. the sino-cyberpunk design choice is interesting though. does that mean orange will reuse similar elements for dragon's nest? or would they scrap the chinese elements of dragon's nest to avoid reusing an aesthetic?

even though i KNOW it's coming the sneeze always makes me laugh so hard. there's no build-up, vash doesn't even inhale it's just 'CHEUAH' 'YOU DIPSHIT'

wolfwood grabs vash's waist after he gets shot. my live slug reaction.. i'm not gonna say it's ooc, but it is highly unusual

'hanging around you is gonna get me killed' WOLFWOOD. CEASE.

i do NOT remember conrad's experiment babies looking like that. what in the legend of zelda they're so ugly

huge world tree/tree of life symbol on nai's piano room floor that i did not notice before

elendira i'm so sorry they did all that to you girl... everything about her is the worst adaptational decision orange made. the heterochromia and fangs are fun though

there's these ugly vine-themed lamps on conrad's desk. who is doing y'all's interior design i think you should fire them

wolfwood's signature is so uneven with unnecessary flourishes, that is clearly the signature of a child who barely knows cursive

the eye in nai's hand. did he just grab tessla's eye out of the tank and absorb it

knives is constantly telling vash what vash's own motives are. you don't love humans, you just want to atone for the crash. you don't save humans because you love them, you do it because you're lonely and you want their admiration. it's so gaslighty, i love it. he refuses to believe vash could actually love humans. and if he sows enough seeds of doubt in vash's mind, maybe vash will stop these disordered affections and go back to loving him and their sisters only. it's such a fun writing choice that's a step beyond what he does in the manga - usually in trimax he's telling vash that his beliefs and methods are stupid, but he doesn't cross that line into gaslighting vash about vash's own intentions. because that wouldn't work on trimax vash! he's a lot more sure in who he is and he would call knives a dumbass for presuming his intentions. tristamp vash lacks that internal strength at this point in his arc, so it's a little more effective on him. he still seems so deferent to knives and isn't really ready to take a hard stand against him until episode 12.

this episode feels weak and i cannot figure out why. it's not unnecessary or irrelevant, major important plot things are happening in it, roberto effing dies. but it feels like easily the weakest episode after 1 & 2 (maybe it's just the colossal elendira L)

[supernova351]

Vash strikes me as the kind of autistic who would really love soft fabrics. Just running his hands over them to get that good texture ™️. And he’d love those really good blankets that have the perfect weight to them. Something he could envelop himself in like a bird in a nest. You can pry bird tendency Vash from my cold dead hands

Knives however hates any fabric that isn’t stretchy. Look at him. Look at what he’s wearing. I’m also so certain this man sleeps with no blankets or a really light one. If it’s too heavy he’ll kill himself about it. Also the whole “humans suck and I will not be partaking in stupid things Vash come on.”

[orcelito]

i guess i could also do my endeavor of trying to take screenshots of every face vash and wolfwood make. but that seems like a lot to try to do at once :P

[novasintheroom]

Thinking about getting sick around Vash, who has seen how humans get sick and how quickly they can just die without the proper medicine. Vash, who now has a companion to look after rather than just himself, stocks up on medicine and herbal teas and cup-o-noodle-soups when he notices the first sniffles coming out of you.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve gone through a hundred colds before – Vash won’t rest until you rest. This means renting the next motel room at the closest town, stocking up on blankets, food, and tissues, and hunkering down with you ‘til it passes. Screw money or time, you’re sick, and he isn’t going to let his one companion keel over.

He’ll find a way to rent this beat-up old tablet that has cracks on one side of the screen to play old movies on while you two lay low in the pillow and blanket nest he’s built. They’re trashy or self-made, and you spend more time laughing at Vash’s jokes about them than the actual movies. He’ll let you lay your head on his bicep, which slowly inches to his armpit, then his chest as you get more comfortable and less coherent. Please lay there as long as possible. It’s soft, and warm, and makes Vash grin like the cat who got the cream.

You go in and out of sleep, snoring yourself awake often and grunting at his laughs when you do. You swear you feel him press his lips or forehead to yours a few times, but that could be the cold talking. Vash might not get much sleep at night due to your coughing, but he’ll still curl around you and rub your back to sooth the aches any way he can. It helps. It really helps.

After a few days of this, you’ll be on the up and up and feeling better in no time. Vash will feel better seeing you better. If you ask him if he worked his Plant magic on you, he'll just laugh it off. (He totally did). You’ve survived another cold. Now, on to the next adventure.

[greetingfromthedead]

Welcome to a new world of lust and desire!

This is a series of smut oneshots taking place in an Alternate Universe where our beloved Trigun characters are dragon shifters. There is a loose sub-plot connecting the chapters to one another, but there is really no need to read any of this for the plot.

Attention: This is a Trigun x succubus!Reader collection with different partners, both male and female!

Introduction

The Trigun characters here are all dragon shifters unless said otherwise. Generally they are much larger than regular humans, hovering at around the 8ft mark, unless they are Meryl, who is still small compared to the others, now more like a regular tall woman. The dragons have their own affiliations (Vash = Sun Dragon, Knives = Moon Dragon, Wolfwood = Storm Dragon etc) and that comes with its own quirks. They can also shift at will (partially or completely), but they do always keep their horns. You are a succubus (human sized), feeding off their lust and growing more powerful as you get fucked by those delicious creatures. Your presence alone drives them crazy and you are well aware of it, taking advantage of it at every turn. Your goal is to make this nest of lust even more potent as that's what gives you life.

My version of the characters and their dynamics is a bit of a mix of all the different iterations, but their descriptions are generally kept vague enough so you can imagine whatever version you want and add your own HC to it as you please. Occasionally I am self-indulgent, like physically describing Wolfwood as a softer, untoned, tanned, hairy man. And Vash has a skeletal prosthesis cause I like the look and have plans for it.

Premise

All the dragons of the world have been pushed into living in one small area, focused around a mansion built into a mountain. Faced with their dwindling existence, the last remaining shifters indulge in each other, seeking passion and relief from each other's bodies in a messy polygamous dynamic. This lustfulness sends ripples through the fabric of the worlds, accidentally summoning you, a succubus from a hellish plane, into their midst to sow even more desire and mischief.

DISCLAIMER!!! VERY VERY VERY IMPORTANT TO READ BEFORE YOU CONTINUE:

This is a work of fiction. Duh. Don't take it too seriously. For all intents and purposes, all the sexual acts are consensual!!! Any dub con is fictional and play pretend. If it makes you feel better, they had the talk behind the scenes and the safe-word is "hullaballoo". Obviously I do not condone any non con or dub con irl, leave that shit in fiction and if anyone disagrees, they can fuck off to Hell. Do read the tags and TWs of the fics, but be aware that my tagging skills are "meh" and I occasionally forget things.

Oneshots (in order of events)

The oneshots are connected, but there is no need to look for a plot, feel free to read what you want in whatever order you want.

Drop of Lust (M/M/F ft Vashwood, 5k) - as Vash and Wolfwood have their way with each other, they accidentally end up summoning you into their world, but you don't get to watch them for long as they are drawn to you and include you in their fun. You make sure they both understand just who you are by bringing them unmatched pleasure and allowing them to fuck you into heavenly bliss.

Ignorance Brings Bliss (Vash, 2.6k) - Vash wants to take care of you by giving you the option to use the large Roman style bath and bringing you food, but due to some misunderstandings, you both end up wet and wild, finding alternate uses for some of the food items he brought with him.

Seduction (Knives, 3.2k) - You seek a warm embrace to spend the night, following the music through the mansion. You find a grumpy Knives playing the organ in his room and use your arts of seduction to completely wrap him around your finger, making him desire you more than anything else in the world.

More coming soon...

Didn't get your fill or not quite what you're looking for? Check out my MASTERLIST for more PG and Explicit Trigun content!

[rcrisdraws]

Vash the Stampede and Livio for the character ask meme, please and thank you!

GIVE ME A CHARACTER; and I’ll break their ass down:

I'm gonna start with Livio bc the list is shorter.

How I feel about this character: First of all probably the most Lesbian design in Trimax when he's still with Chapel. 100% Cowboy, he's such an interesting blend of killing machine and big ass softie towards the end of the manga it's genuinely so compelling. His protectiveness over Milly&Meryl is so genuinely heartwarming. And that's not even mentioning him sharing his headspace with Razlo bc my thoughts are even less well organized on that front than a big AUGH. I feel for him extremely

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Milly and Vash! Tasting a lil bit of that with manga Elendira

My non-romantic OTP for this character: With Wolfwood. They are brothers and each other's ghosts are following them around throughout the entire narrative 🥺🥺

My unpopular opinion about this character: I don't think I'm well versed enough here to have very strong opinions, let alone unpopular ones- except that he's one hell of a butch lesbian

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: Depending on how Trigaze goes I just really really wanna see short hair, beef-cake Livio following WW's death. But also yeah, beef him up, he's too skinny in Stampede, but it's a prequel so I'll let them cook for a bit.

Now VASH!

How I feel about this character: Everything! I feel EVERYTHING! This character crawled up into my ribcage, wrapped himself around my heart and now refuses to let go. I think about him for longer than 5 seconds and I feel the need to curl up and scream. He's such an incredibly complex and compelling character no matter the adaptation you get him from (except BLR). The suffering he goes through and the way he relates to it is so human, so easy to relate to for me. And that's such a comfort. It's horrible and bleak sometimes and you're so so hurt, but there's love and there's peace and there's people loving you and there's love still waiting, and there's a better future up ahead that's yet to be written. Maybe we don't make sense, maybe we don't coalesce, maybe we're all a bit hypocrites, but does that matter when you're still trying in the end? trying to be kind and do as little damage as possible. His personality will always get me, his avoidance will always get me. His sadness, his mask will always always make me just bent over. I am gutted over this man in a way I haven't felt for a character in a long while.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Wolfwood & Meryl in any combination, Polygun, and a sprinkle of TriMax Livio in it.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: MillyVash. They're my queer platonic GOALS

My unpopular opinion about this character: With feeling so strongly about a character also comes feelings of overprotectiveness over the characterization, though I guess if there's one thing that really grinds my gears is people insisting his Stampede characterization is off-key or flat, whereass to me it feels pretty darn close to the manga just condensed. Idk. I know a lot of people latch onto Vash's sillyness and highjinx, but to me the sadness is just so pervasive that it'd be doing him a disservice to not have it permeate all his actions. The sillyness is mostly a mask, there's always a degree of deception, of avoidance, of trying to sidestep and minimize himself; be as little of an inconvenience as possible to everyone else. And that's Tristamp. Also idk how unpopular this is, but you will have to pry intersex Vash out of my cold dead hands. That man is not cis.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: Aside from Dragon Nest arc, which we're likely to get adapted in Trigaze, I'm hoping for Hospiral Yuri: Vash in civilian clothes. and higher on my list of 'most likely won't get adapted' but I wish they were bc those panels haunt me: arc rescue mission, but specifically this panel, bc the way Vash looks here just GUTS ME in such a particular and personal way.

ALSO I NEED THE PREGNANT PLANTS ACKNOWLEDGED AND ADRESSED IN TRIGAZE BC WHAT HAPPENED THERE WAS 100% SA AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN DAD VASH IS A CANONICAL POSSIBILITY!?

[the-and-sign-anon]

The Third Independent: 5

Word count: 1,697

Series Masterlist

Forty-Seven Years Post-Fall

Brad sat at the work table trying to focus as you paced around him. Your steps were light and silent as always, but he was still getting tense the longer it went on. 

“Y/N, do you need to go somewhere else?”

You stopped abruptly and tilted your head.

“No, I’m okay here.”

“I think you should go somewhere else.”

“Why?”

He set down his tools and gave you a tired look. 

“Because you’re pacing and while I can’t hear you, I can feel your eyes. You’re doing that weird predator thing again.”

You shrunk in on yourself a little bit. It really wasn’t something you did on purpose. Usually. This time. 

“Sorry, Brad.”

“This is delicate work, I can’t rush it if you want it to function properly. And even then, you need to keep your expectations reasonable. There’s no guarantee it’ll be as reliable as you hope.”

You nodded and mouthed along with his words. He’d told you a hundred times since you asked for this favor. As much as he tried to deny it, he did have a soft spot for you and he didn’t like seeing you upset. It was both why he’d agreed to do this and why he honestly really hoped it would work. He couldn’t take you moping around missing Vash anymore.

Since Brad had been nice enough to help, you decided to cut him some slack and left the room to go outside. You slipped your coat off and folded it nicely before setting it on the ground just beside the door. Your feet dug into the hot sand, burying your toes as the buzzing of more Worms grew louder. 

You braced yourself for a moment, then took off across the dunes. You were as sure-footed as ever, running through the swarms of bugs and making wide, sweeping turns around the ship. When you felt ready, you leapt up in the air and felt your feathers and wings sprout as your limbs elongated. You hit the ground with a hard thud and ran even faster, leaving dust clouds in your wake. 

You followed the Worms into the sky next, stretching your wings and feeling your body leave the ground. It wasn’t easy at first, but you’d been practicing for the last three years to grow your strength. It was almost second nature now, soaring through the sky with your oldest friends as the suns warmed you through and through. 

When the suns were setting and the Worms began to glow, you lowered yourself to the ground carefully. You picked up your coat and waved goodbye to your friends before ducking down to get inside. Your room was your first stop, where you let your feathers shed before tucking them into your ever-changing nest. The snowy white feathers were one of your favorite additions, especially knowing they came from you. Vash always seemed to like them too. 

The walk back to Brad’s work room was short and you spent it trying to keep your nerves managed. You honestly didn’t want to disrupt his efforts to help. The door slid open quietly and you stepped in slowly. Your hands were tucked into your coat as you came closer, then settled on a bench at the end of the table. 

“Have a good flight?”

You hummed pleasantly and rested your head in your hand. You certainly weren’t as good at this kind of stuff as Brad, but you were pretty good. You could help maintain Vash’s arm whenever he came to visit at least. This project was beyond you though.

Brad was enjoying the quiet as you watched him work. You weren’t watching as intensely now, so his body wasn’t in fight or flight mode anymore. That made the work easier. He didn’t think anything of your silence until your head slipped out from your hand and landed on the tabletop with a dull thud.

His eyes flickered over to check on you, but you didn’t even flinch. 

“Dead to the world. Finally.”

Brad set down his tools and stood up to stretch. Then he carefully slung one of your arms over his shoulder and pulled you to your feet. He would never have even attempted to approach you in your sleep in the early years, but once he watched Luida help you to your room a few times and how you weren’t the least bit concerned, he was willing to try. This was the third time it had happened during the last few weeks he’d been awake. 

You leaned heavily into Brad’s side as he maneuvered you down the halls to your room. Your head rolled around a bit when he opened your door and shuffled sideways through it. Then he tried to gingerly set you on your nest, but your knees gave out and you flopped right into the middle. He watched for a moment as you curled up around your blankets, tucking your face into the pillow that once belonged to Vash. 

Brad sighed softly. You looked so sweet and peaceful like this. All the things that reminded him you weren’t human disappeared when you fell asleep. Your age, your pain, your abilities; it was all swept away by your even breathing and the serene expression on your face. 

He turned away and left the room. He had more to do before your little project would be ready, but he needed some rest too for now. 

A week later, it was ready. It was a feat of engineering in Brad’s opinion. You were so happy when he showed you, practically bouncing on your feet. 

“It’s perfect Brad. Thank you so so much!”

You hugged him, short but tight, almost giving him a flash of the feeling of suffocating before you let go. 

“Yeah, alright, kid. You can let go.”

You smiled excitedly as you stepped aside. 

“Vash said he’d come back soon. I can’t wait to show him.”

You carefully took hold of your surprise and left to put it in your room. You’d show it to Vash as soon as he came home next. He promised you last time he’d only be gone for four years. You were a matter of weeks from the four year mark, although you knew it wasn’t likely he’d make it right on time. 

You looked over your gift every single day for another five weeks waiting for him to come home. Brad was more than ready to head back into cold sleep, if only to escape your constant wandering and clear anxiety for Vash’s return. On the day he swore to himself he’d just go to sleep and leave you to your own devices no matter how guilty he felt, a loud screech echoed through the halls at an inhuman volume. 

Brad flinched and closed his eyes, trying to ignore the sound until it stopped. He sighed heavily and got to his feet before slowly heading to the dome to check on things. You and Vash were there, wrapped in a tight embrace as Vash laughed. It still unsettled Brad, but you were clearly happy to hear it.

“Mayfly, you’ve gotta get a handle on that, you might shatter the dome one of these days.”

“Oh please, the humans would have built it plenty strong enough. Besides, maybe if you came by more often, I wouldn’t be quite as overwhelmed when I see you.”

You pouted a little at him, which just made him smile more. Brad stood by the door, leaning against the wall. Neither of you acknowledged him, but he knew you were aware of his presence. It freaked him out, but he could never get by you unnoticed. 

He waited for a minute or two, but when neither of you moved to talk to him, he left for his room. Vash would come check in with him eventually. For now, he had some proper peace and quiet. 

“Dove, I have something I want to show you.” 

You grabbed Vash’s hand and pulled him towards your room. He followed without the slightest hesitation. He’d follow you anywhere these days. 

“Care to give me a hint, Mayfly?”

“Nope.”

You sat him down on the bed and made him close his eyes. Then you carefully picked up your gift and placed it in his hands. 

“Okay… you can open your eyes.”

“...Mayfly? Not that I’m not touched that you would want to show me something… but what am I looking at exactly?”

You pulled up the lone chair in your room to sit with your knees pressed into each other. 

“It’s a communication device. Brad helped me build it. Well,” You chuckled a little and rubbed at your neck, “technically he built it. But I asked him to.”

“Tell me more.”

Vash watched with complete adoration as you explained it. There were two small gold earrings, one for each of you. They acted as earpieces and microphones, hopefully over long enough distances to last when Vash left Home. 

“So we can always keep in touch.”

“And this?”

Vash lifted the matching set of pens. 

“Consider that a ‘just in case’ plan. If either of us need to get in touch with anyone else over shorter distances, those function the same way. I’ll have one to keep in touch with whoever is awake around here at any given time. The other one is for you.”

“I don’t have many people I’d be willing to give something this precious to.”

You smiled proudly at the look on his face when he said it. He always promised you no one he met in the towns he went to were as good as you, but it was more comforting to hear it now that you had this. 

“So… did you happen to learn how to pierce ears while I’ve been gone?”

“Of course I did. What do you take me for?”

“An angel.”

You snickered at him and pushed him back, snatching the earrings and pens from his lap. It was a bit tough, especially with how twitchy Vash could be, but you both wore your new earrings by the time you settled into your nest together at the end of the night.