Vash wakes up to every bone and muscle in his body aching.
It's been happening more often lately. Some days are worse than others, where his joints throb and all the scars and metal sear with pain and pull his skin taut. His body is not what it used to be. The aches and pains weighing him down remind him that he needs to be careful, needs to move a little slower. Maybe this is what getting old feels like.
Vash sits up after some effort before gazing at the empty space beside him. Wolfwood woke up hours earlier than him. Vash climbs out of bed and gets ready for the day, taking more time than he needs because of his sluggish body as he stumbles into the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face. Putting on his prosthetic takes a lot of effort when his nerves sting from strain. After five attempts, he finally gets it on, not without letting out a hiss when the connection causes his muscles to seize in pain.
He's greeted by the kids shouting good morning when he enters the kitchen half an hour later. Taking a seat at the table, Wolfwood greets him with a kiss on his temple before placing breakfast in front of him. After the meal, he puts on a sunhat and heads to the back of the orphanage where a garden he's been tending sits.
It started as a small flower garden shortly after he decided to stay at the orphanage on a long-term basis. What was first a small plot of land has now become rows of flora and vegetation. His task for the day is to replant some flowers that have overgrown their beds. Vash grabs his tools—hose, shovel, and rake—and gets to work.
The hot suns bear down on him as he digs up the flowers and hauls them. His muscles protest from the act, but he pushes through. The heat doesn't do him any favours for his poor aches and joints, though, which are struggling the more he moves around in his garden as the morning goes by. He reminds himself to drink water so he doesn't dry out like one of his vegetables.
It's past noon when he finishes the manual labour. Vash is exhausted from the heat and his muscles dragging him down. His back and left arm are sore, and he has a headache. He takes a sip of water before sitting on the bench near the wall, intentionally placed under the shade, and leans his head back. A quick nap might help.
Vash is awakened by someone running their hands through his hair. Opening his eyes, he finds Wolfwood gazing down at him. Vash greets him with a smile.
Wolfwood's eyes flicker across his face. "Are you in pain?" He always knew when Vash was hiding the aches he felt.
His headache before napping is gone, but the ache in his bones has sharpened into a nagging throb. "It's not that bad today." Vash doesn't want to worry him.
Wolfwood doesn't buy it as usual. "I'll run the water for you tonight." He helps Vash stand. "There's lunch waiting for you."
After lunch, Wolfwood brings him to the couch, sits behind him, and massages his muscles. He works through the knots in his back and neck with his thumbs, making Vash sigh in bliss. Wolfwood moves his hands to rub at the decades-old scar on his left arm where his prosthetic connects to his nerves, gently making circles to relieve the pain. The temporary relief does wonders after hours of pushing his body. Wolfwood drops a kiss to his nape when he finishes. Vash thanks him with a kiss on his cheek.
"I'm going to run some errands, do you want anything?" Wolfwood asks.
"No, but I wanna come with you."
Wolfwood frowns and tells him he should stay and rest. Vash insists on keeping him company. Wolfwood relents easily with a fond sigh.
The aching comes back not long after arriving in town. Wolfwood notices and offers to walk him back, but Vash refuses, not letting the pain stop him from enjoying his time with Wolfwood. Vash happily follows Wolfwood as he searches for a woodcarving tool he had his eye on for a while, only complaining when Wolfwood debates with himself on buying the tool he's eyeing for too long, before they stock up on groceries and toiletries. Wolfwood carries all the shopping bags, not letting Vash hold a single one. Vash pouts at feeling useless, frustrated at his body for being so battered. Wolfwood cheers him up with a kiss and lets him hold one of the bags with him as they walk on the path that leads to the orphanage.
When they enter the front door, there's a sweet aroma in the air that's coming from the kitchen. They find Livio baking sweets. Vash, of course, offers to help with kneading dough and whisking the ingredients together. He ignores the cramp in the joints of his fingers while working away.
It's dinner time when all the many flavours of cookies are finished baking. He and Livio help Melanie prepare fried rice with fresh vegetables and meat. The kitchen is lively with the kids talking over each other while everyone enjoys the meal. As everyone eats up their last bites, Vash helps clear the table of cutlery and utensils while Wolfwood is on dishwashing duty.
When Vash picks up and brings one of the plates to Wolfwood, the nerves in his left arm connecting to his prosthetic don't work right, causing the plate to slip from his grasp. The plate drops to the floor with a dramatic crash. The room goes silent as Vash stares down at the broken ceramic pieces scattered beneath him.
Melanie touches his elbow. "Vash, come here, dear." She guides him out of the disaster zone to avoid stepping on sharp pieces.
"Sorry," Vash mumbles, bowing his head. His face burns with shame.
Melanie squeezes his hand. "Don't worry, hun. I have many more."
The kids' chatter fills up the silence once again, the accident already long forgotten in their minds. Livio quickly sweeps the ceramic pieces into a dustpan.
Vash chooses to retire early for the evening.
He's feeling more than a little bit down when he enters his room, tears prickling his eyes from annoyance. He curls up in bed, throws the blanket over his head, and stews in his misery. The curled position worsens the aches, but he doesn't care enough to move. It's punishment that he can handle. He deserves it.
Wolfwood enters the room a bit after. The bed dips under his weight as he sits next to Vash and peels off the bedsheet, seeing his red eyes. "Oh, darling." Wolfwood runs his fingers through Vash's black hair and kisses the top of his head. "Don't stress over a silly plate."
It's not just about a silly plate. His body is slowly crumbling, and it's becoming obvious to everyone.
Wolfwood runs his thumbs over Vash's eyes when the tears fall. "I don't want you pushing yourself and running yourself dry. If you're tired, it's okay to be lazy and do nothing until you feel better."
Vash sniffles. He has never been known to sit still. He always wants to help and feel useful.
Wolfwood kisses his head again. "I'll go start the bath."
Vash mopes for a few minutes longer before scrubbing his eyes. He gets out of bed with a wince and meets Wolfwood in the bathroom with the tub half full. Wolfwood carefully removes his prosthetic arm, gently twisting the appendage out of its socket. Vash hisses when his frayed nerves disconnect.
Wolfwood shuts the faucet when the tub is full of soapy, warm water. He waits patiently as Vash takes his time removing his clothes, and helps him step into the tub with a hand on his right arm. Vash slides down into the bath, sighing when the hot water loosens his tense muscles and comforts his stressed mind. He leans his head back against the wall and closes his eyes.
Wolfwood sits on the edge of the tub and pets his hair. "Is the water good?"
Vash hums. When Wolfwood pulls his hand away, Vash opens his eyes to gaze at him. "Join me?"
Wolfwood smiles before removing his clothes. Vash sits up, giving Wolfwood room to sit behind him. Wolfwood wraps his arms around his middle, body melting into the embrace as he leans back against the other's chest. He's so warm and relaxed. He never wants to move.
Wolfwood brushes his temple with his nose. "Is the pain gone?"
Vash knocks his head against Wolfwood's. "Yeah." Most of the aches are gone, washed away by the water and Wolfwood's steady care.
They sit in the bath in silence, soaking up the warmth of the water and their bodies. Wolfwood brushes his fingers over his stomach, leaving goosebumps behind. Vash fits his face into Wolfwood's neck and purrs.
Wolfwood moves when the water starts to cool, massaging Vash's head with shampoo before doing the same to his own hair, and then unplugs the tub drain. Vash lets Wolfwood lift him to stand and leans all of his weight on the body next to him. He clings to Wolfwood as the other rinses their bodies to get rid of all the soap. Wolfwood drags Vash out of the tub so they can get dried. Vash makes it harder by not letting go, but Wolfwood doesn't complain as he pats their bodies with a towel and blow-dries their hair. Wolfwood scratches Vash's nape when it's time to put clothes on. Vash reluctantly lets go and meets Wolfwood's open gaze.
Wolfwood cups his face. "How're you feeling?"
Vash feels less like a mess. He's still sour about the plate and his ever-present fatigue, but his mind is clear now that most of his aches are gone. "Better."
Wolfwood looks at him for a few seconds as he searches for any tension. He looks pleased when he doesn't find any, brushing a thumb over Vash's cheek. "Okay."
Wolfwood helps dress him into loose clothes before putting on his own. Freshly cleaned and dressed, they climb into bed. Vash latches onto Wolfwood and buries his face into the other's neck. Wolfwood holds him around the waist.
Vash kisses the exposed skin in front of him, saying thank you, and falls asleep to Wolfwood's fingers gliding across his back.
Days later, Wolfwood shows Vash the same plate he dropped, put back together and repaired in gold.