A Wish Come True
18 was conflicted.
She sat on the couch, tapping her foot as she thought to herself. On the one hand, part of her knew Bulma had been right. Krillin was one of the least-selfish people out there and likely would have refused using a wish on himself. On the other hand, 18 still felt like she needed to get Krillin something. After all, he'd all but spoiled her for so long. She wanted to return the favor.
There was also the gnawing realization Bulma had played her out of a wish. She'd get that woman back for that somehow.
But for now, she had more important things to do. Like figure out what it was her husband really wanted. She groaned at the realization that she'd have to do the one thing she dreaded the most.
'I'm going to have to just ask him directly, aren't I?' She stood slowly, walking out to the kitchen. 'I'm no good at this sort of thing. It always ends awkwardly. Although...' she pulled out a frying pan. 'Maybe he won't notice if I make some of his favorite food?'
She hung her head. And blew away the stray locks that tickled her nose. "Well, it's worth a shot at least."
The sun was just beginning to set as Krillin sat in his car in front of his home. To say it had been an unusual day on patrol would be an understatement. First an unusually high amount of cats in trees, (which he also had to constantly remind owners was the job of the fire department, not the police), then an old woman nearly doubling the speed limit calling him a "killjoy pansy" as he wrote her ticket, multiple calls from a half panicked Gohan about what to do with a sick baby girl. ("No Gohan, I don't think she's in danger. Yes, it usually takes more than one day for medicine to fully take effect. I have to go now, someone's robbing the bank. Yes, again.") and finally the minor chaos that came with a sudden "eclipse" he was sure was the result of the Dragon Balls being used.
"Well at least I'm home now," Krillin said to no one in particular as he strode to the front door and let himself in.
"Hey ladies, I'm home!"
"Welcome back," 18 replied from the kitchen.
Krillin hung his jacket on the door and made his way out to the kitchen. "Hey ho-" he stopped when he noticed the conspicuous lack of an excited little blonde. "Say, where's Marron?"
"Chi-Chi and Videl have her tonight. Once she found out Pan was feeling better she insisted on being allowed to go play with the baby." 18 pulled the pan off the stove. "The way she acts sometimes, you'd think she practically adopted that little girl."
"Huh. I guess that explains the Dragon Ball thing then. That kid was so impatient today, kept insisting the medicine wasn't working. Kinda reminded me of when I was a new dad." 18 snorted and he grinned. "Well, I guess that means we get some free time tonight," he said, rather conspicuously trying to peek at the contents of the pan. "So... what's cookin' good-lookin'?" he asked, waggling his brows excitedly.
18 smiled slightly. "Go get changed and sit down and you'll see."
Krillin zipped off to their bedroom and appeared a short time later in his usual nondescript civvies. He plopped himself down in one of the chairs and waited eagerly as 18 set his plate before him.
"Ooh, chicken fried rice? My favo-wait," he looked up at her. "Is it my birthday and I forgot again?"
18 rolled her eyes and sat down with her own plate. "I can't make a nice meal for my husband unless it's a special occasion now? I mean, I could always just take it pack and microwave something."
Krillin feigned a hard expression as he defensively covered his plate. Without a word he grabbed his fork and stuffed a near-oversized mouthful in his mouth, never breaking eye contact. 18 chuckled and began eating her own as well.
Before long, Krillin found himself down to half a plate, and 18 felt this was as good a time as any.
"Say, Krillin..."
"Hmm?" he acknowledged her with a grunt as he kept chewing.
"If you could have any one wish, what would it be?"
Krillin stopped mid-chew and gazed over at his wife. She seemed to be avoiding looking at him, blonde hair covering half her face as she looked away, though he swore he saw a slight tinge of red on her cheeks. "I mean, hypothetically, if someone offered you what you want most in the world... what would it be?
Krillin swallowed and ran a hand through his dark hair in thought. "Kind of an oddly abrupt question... I'm guessing this has something to do with what went on at Bulma's today then?" 18 nodded. "Well shucks, I hadn't really thought about it. There's not a whole lot I want that I don't already have..."
18 looked at him out of the corner of her eye, the red in her cheeks slightly deepening. Suddenly, her small husband sat upright, finger pointed high in the air.
"AHA! I've got it!." He grinned at his wife. "A truckload of zeni!"
18′s expression slowly went blank, the color fading from her cheeks. She hung her head and sighed. "Zeni?" she asked, slightly incredulously.
"Well yeah," he replied, eyebrow arching in confusion. "I mean, we'd be able to get most anything we need that way." he stroked his chin slightly. "Especially a new shaving kit. Mine's kinda gone dull, and you do not wanna see this face with a moustache. Not pretty. We could also finally get some new tools and fix the place up a bit, new curtains, paint over Marron's scribbles on her bedroom wall..."
18 struggled to control her emotions as she sat, pretending to listen as her husband kept listing off things to buy. She couldn't be mad, really. If nothing else, he was being responsible. She had always found that admirable about him. 'Still...,' she thought, 'the one time I really want him to be a tad selfish..'
"-and I'd also finally be able to get you and Marron all the things you've wanted too."
18 glanced up at her husband, who now seemed to be studying something very interesting on the tablecloth. "Huh?"
"Well... yeah." He began poking at his rice with his fork. "I mean, I've seen you looking through toy catalogs with her and wishing you could afford the stuff she asks for in there. And when we're out shopping... the dresses, the necklaces." He set his fork down. "Heck, the last one I was able to buy you was the one you have for our anniversary, and even that's not anything fancy." She subconsciously reached up to fondle the little lightning bolt necklace she always wore as he raised his eyes level with hers. "I know we've been able to do more since I joined the force and all, but... you deserve the whole world. I just wish I could give it to you."
18 was visibly trembling, tears welling up in her eyes."You idiot..."
"Did I say something wrong?"
18 stood suddenly, nearly knocking her chair over in the process. "You always do this!" She was half-shouting, voice trembling as Krillin looked on in shock. "You keep doing things for us! You buy me and Marron things we want over the things you need! I ask you explicitly what you want and you still make it about us!" The tears streamed freely down her face As she felt her husband's arms wrap around her. "Why? I just want to give you something you want for a change..."
Krillin rubbed her back gently as he held her. "I'm sorry, 18. I had no idea that was bothering you so much."
"Yeah, well-" she sniffled. "It is. It is a lot."
He stood on his tiptoes and kissed her gently. "I'm really sorry, babe. But you know... you've already given me the one thing I wanted more than anything else in the world." He squeezed her gently. "You loved me. You loved me when I thought no one else could. You gave me the family I'd always wanted." He looked deep into her eyes. "You and our little Marron are the best things that ever happened to me. I couldn't possibly think of anything else I'd rather have, hon. I love you more than anything."
"I love you too..." 18 could feel her cheeks fully flush as she bent down to meet his lips with hers. 'Guess Bulma was right after all. And for once, I don't want to slap her for it.' Suddenly, she could feel her feet leave the floor and yelped as her small husband shifted her in his arms, holding her bridal style. 18 swore she could feel her face get even redder, if it were possible. "W-what're you doing?"
Krillin chuckled as he carried her down the hall toward their room. "Oh nothing. I just thought I could spend the next couple hours, you know, staring into those beautiful blue eyes of yours..." He could feel his own cheeks beginning to warm as well.
18 smiled. that warm, genuine smile he'd come to love so much, and he felt his heart skip a beat. "That sounds great," she replied, linking her fingers behind his neck. "And who knows..." she flashed him a sultry look before leaning up to whisper. "Maybe we can work on making you another 'gift'."
"Oh, the shaving kit?"
18 smacked him lightly in the shoulder and giggled. "You goon."
He flashed her a cheesy grin as he pushed open the door. "But I'm your goon."
"Mmm, yes." She kissed him, deeply as his foot pushed the door shut behind them.
'I'll have to ask him what he wants more often.'