A/N: Hello everyone. After listening to The Script for the billionth yesterday, I decided what a brilliant song 'Before the Worst' is in reference to Bulma and Yamcha. So here is a little songfic I wrote from Yamcha's point of view about their break-up and Bulma and Vegeta's relationship. I hope you all like it, please go easy, I've never written a songfic before! I'd recommend you listen to the song if you haven't before, and not just because it's awesome!
Disclaimer: Okay...DBZ belongs to Akira Toriyama (did I spell that right?) and the lyrics to this amazing song belong to The Script.
Before the Worst
It's been a while since the two of us talked
About a week since the day you walked
Knowing things would never be the same
With your empty heart and mine full of pain
I remember it clearly. The break-up. I couldn't believe it. How could she accuse me of that?! I mean, sure, it was true, but it was her fault for pushing me away! Whatever. I don't need her; her and her spoilt attitude. Match that with her incredible mind and she's almost too much to handle sometimes. Of course, it didn't help that she was swooning for certain Saiyan Prince either.
So explain to me, how it came to this
Take it back to the night we kissed
It was Dublin city on a Friday night
You were vodkas and coke, I was Guinness all night
How did it happen? We were so happy together! Sure, I've had a few loyalty issues in the past but I've changed since then! I honestly thought I was going to marry her, that she'd be mine forever. I loved her so much but it wasn't the right kind of love. She wanted the mysterious love of an aloof bad-boy. She didn't want me, little ol' me who she accused of being too affectionate sometimes. Please. Most girls would sell their soul for a guy like me. So why wasn't I good enough?
We were sitting with our backs against the world
Saying things that we thought but never heard
Who would have thought it would end up like this?
I suppose I should've noticed sooner. The way she didn't seem to respond to my touch as she usually did. The way she became distanced. The way we argued. We argued so much. Yet, we persevered with it, trying to move our relationship on to a new level. At least I did.
But, pretty soon, it became too much to bear, you know? Why should I put up with someone who acted like they didn't want me? Especially when I had a whole queue of girls lining up for me. That's when I started cheating again.
If I'm honest, I didn't really like it. I thought I'd matured since my days as a desert bandit, thought I could now act with a bit of responsibility. I slept with one girl while I was still with Bulma, but I broke it off with her straight after. Said I loved my girlfriend too much. Said it was time for me to man up and work for something for once in my life.
Where everything we talked about is gone
And the only chance we have of moving on
Is try to take it back
Before it all went wrong
So, I decided it was time to take things to a new level. It was time to erase the past couple of weeks and go back to before all the arguing. I decided to marry her. I went to a good jeweller in town and bought a beautiful white gold ring. Cost me a fortune but I didn't complain. I was glowing as I walked out of the store, the congratulations of the old man behind the counter still ringing in my ears.
Before the worst, before we mend
Before our hearts decide
It's time to love again
Before too late, before too long
Let's try to take it back
Before it all went wrong
I hid the ring in the glove compartment in the car and found a payphone. I rung that familiar number and she answered.
"Hello?"
"Hey, babe!" I greeted her. "It's me, Yamcha."
"Oh. Hey, Yamcha," her voice sounded lazy when I mentioned my name. I ignored it though. Nothing could bring me down.
"Hey, so I was wondering…would you like to go out for dinner tonight?" I asked, praying she'd agree. The last two dates we'd arranged she'd cancelled because she said something had come up. I held my breath while I waited for her to answer.
"Sure, that sounds great," she said. To be honest, she sounded a little unenthusiastic but I didn't mind. She was coming! I could finally make her mine. Till death do us part. I liked the sound of that.
There was a time, that we'd stay up all night
Best friends talking till the daylight
Took the joys alongside the pain
With not much to lose, but so much to gain
As I waited in the restaurant, I recalled all the time we had spent together as teenagers. How many people could say they married their childhood sweetheart? Not many, I bet! But I was one of them. We'd found each other early and our relationship would be better for it. At least I'd thought so.
I'll admit, I was a little worried about her reaction. She wouldn't turn me down though, surely? We'd had a rough couple of weeks, but we wouldn't sacrifice all the good times just like that, would we? I was sure we wouldn't.
Are hearing me? Cause I don't wanna miss,
Set you adrift on memory bliss
It was Grafton Street on a rainy night
I was down on one knee and you were mine for life
After the meal, we strolled in the park for a while. The stars were out watching us. Waiting for the happily ever after. So I did it. I got down on one knee on the gravelly little path and pulled out the ring. She looked so beautiful that night. She wore a scarlet dress which rippled down her body, the moonlight illuminating her beautiful blue hair, making it look white. My tux was getting a bit dirty but I didn't mind.
I remember the confused expression she'd had on her innocent face.
"Bulma," I said. "Will you marry me?"
She looked shocked and even a little guilty. I wish I'd known why at the time. Then I could've thrown that damn ring to the wind. A smile slowly spread across her mouth.
"Of course I will, Yamcha!" she squealed.
We we're thinking we would never be apart
With your name tattooed across my heart
Who would have thought it would end up like this?
Wedding plans were made but it wasn't without stress. I wanted a huge service, she wanted a small one. We argued on colours, designs, food…everything. Pretty soon, the stress got to both of us. I stopped sleeping round hers and she became ill. That's the only way I can describe it. She got tired so quickly and I'd heard from her mother that she was struggling to keep food down.
Still, I thought nothing of it. Just a bug that she'd get over. Nothing important.
How wrong I was…
Where everything we talked about is gone
And the only chance we have of moving on
Is try to take it back
Before it all went wrong
Pretty soon, I was cheating again. It was a night out with the boys and I just saw her in the bar. Again, it meant nothing to me. Until I woke up next to her in the morning and realised it was Krillin's girlfriend, Maron. That hit home. It felt like a punch to the gut. I got up and left before she woke up.
Before the worst, before we mend
Before our hearts decide
It's time to love again
Before too late, before too long
Let's try to take it back
Before it all went wrong
We were around two months into our engagement when I got that message on my answering machine.
"Yamcha, it's Bulma," she sounded like she'd been crying. "Listen, babe, I need to talk to you. It's urgent. Can you come round?"
Almost instantly, I was at Capsule Corp. We sat down on the sofa, hot drinks steaming from their place on the coffee table.
"So where's the mighty Prince?" I'd joked, noticing that the Gravity Room was nowhere in sight.
Bulma just bit her lip and her eyes started watering again. I put my arm round her, frowning.
"What's wrong?" I'd asked.
"He's in space, Yamcha! Goddamn outer space!" Bulma had shot up fuming, knocking the coffee table over. Then, she burst into tears, sinking to the floor with mascara running down her cheeks. She looked so vulnerable. I crouched beside her and held her hands away from her face. We sat in silence for a few moments before she spoke again.
"I'm sorry, Yamcha," she whispered. "I can't marry you. I'm…" she took a deep breath in, steadying herself for the inevitable impact this would have.
"I'm having Vegeta's baby."
If the clouds don't clear
Then we'll rise above it, we'll rise above it
Heaven's gate is so near
Come walk with me through
Just like we used to, just like we used to
I'm not going into detail about the argument. All I can say is it was loud, violent and childish. I argued that I'd wished she'd told me before I went and spent all that money on the ring and the ceremony. She fought back with that she wished she'd known I was sleeping with other girls before she said yes. That in turn led me to calling her a hypocrite because she was sleeping with Vegeta. I think that struck a chord.
Once again, we both sunk to the floor, her crying, me pissed off. Nevertheless, that didn't stop my arm wrapping around her and letting her cry into my shoulder.
"What am I gonna do, Yamcha?" she wept. "I love him so much and I don't even think he cares. I told him I was having his child and all he said was "like I care." I hate him, but I love him too…" Bulma's voice trailed off as she starting sobbing again.
I wished I was strong enough to kill Vegeta for doing this to Bulma. I wished it was my child she was carrying. But it wasn't. And I couldn't change anything.
Let's take it back
Before it all went wrong
We've worked it out now, me and Bulma. We're best friends more than anything. She gets bigger by the day and I can already sense the kid's ki. He's going to be a strong little tyke! I don't know if Vegeta's coming back. Bulma's assured me he will, but I'm not going to trust that arrogant prick like she did.
Sometimes, if I go round hers, we'll put a movie on and she often falls asleep with her head in my lap. Then, I pretend she's my wife and this is our house and the child she is carrying is mine and everything is happy families.
But it's not. They are Vegeta's now, not that he wants them. Bulma's given him her heart entirely but I don't know if Vegeta gave his in return. Learning too much about their little relationship turns my stomach because all I can think of is how…
It should have been me.
Before the worst, before we mend
Before our hearts decide
It's time to love again
Before too late, before too long
Let's try to take it back
Before it all went wrong
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