"Ghost" Trigun x reader

Smoke and Mirrors

'Leave!' he shouted at you angrily, the shock of hearing him utter the word with such force leaving you breathless.

You wanted to argue, reply to his non-sensical request, but your body and mind were struggling to still process the decimating blow he had just dealt you.

He wanted you to...leave? Was he done with you?

You didn't get more time to understand what he meant because Gazelle deep voice cut through from behind you and the crate you used as cover.

'I wanted a real fight, but it seems it's too much to ask nowadays! Goodbye girly and good riddance Stampede!'

There was a faint sound of a small metallic object hitting the ground and horror flashing behind Vash's sunglasses before everything became but a storming hellish cataclysm around you.

The crate behind you exploded in a scorching and deafening blast, your upper body folding over the blond's man torso from the shear unforgiving power of the shock wave.

Flames and debris washed over your back, the agony from feeling your skin melting and punctured by dozens of sharp flying pieces of wreckage forcing a hoarse wail out of your mouth. Your mind briefly considered letting it all phase through you, wanting to escape this pain, but you rapidly chased the thought away; you were the only thing keeping Vash's condition from getting worse in this moment.

Even if it was just this much, even if this was all you could do to save this man from yet more pain and scars, you would gladly suffer through it.

The initial detonation soon receded, leaving only the large blazing fire to heat your torn back. You couldn't tell how bad your wounds were just yet. All you knew was that while your uninjured skin felt as if the flames were threatening to melt it off, your back simply sensed a comfortable warmth.

'Luck! Luck!'

Vash frenzied calls through the ringing in your ears brought you back to the present, and opening your eyelids that had been tightly shut until then, you felt relief at seeing him mostly unarmed. His coat and some strands of his hair were burned, he was covered in debris and his wound was still bleeding, but he otherwise looked fine.

'Luck, shit! Luck please!'

You went to straightened yourself, but swallowed a cry at the stabbing pain coming from your back when you tried flexing it. So, using your arms instead, you pushed yourself up, avoiding looking around since everything was spinning in the corner of your visions.

Vash reached his hand to cup your face, although you could barely feel any sparks, while his other arm attempted to lift his upper body up. He had such a painful appalled and panicked expression on his dirty face that it made you worry he might have actually gotten hurt more somewhere you hadn't spotted.

'You're still alive, Stampede? Why, doesn't Lady Luck just favor you!' Gazelle cold laugh beamed from behind you.

Vash let go of your cheek, the pure rage and hatred he bore in his eyes as he glared at the Gun'ho Gun that was slowly advancing frightened you. He looked demented, almost evil with that look. But what scared you most was how he raised his gun with murderous intent towards the nearing adversary.

This wasn't your Vash. This wasn't the gentle criminal you knew and loved; this was something else you feared would swallow him if he crossed the line he had set for himself. Without thinking, or perhaps because your brain had made the realization, you grabbed the blond man's armed hand with what little strength you had.

'Don't,' you breathily managed to say.

Oh, how ironic was this. Was his expression of vexation followed by one of horror at his actions the same you had on your face that time he had been the one to stop you? Was he feeling the same shame you had felt back then?