RAIN

It was raining tonight, cold heavy drops of rain accompanied with lighting streaking across the midnight sky. Sudden thunder rumblings sounded from time to time. I'm comfortable, comfortable in this callous weather. I have experienced many nights like this, nights which seem uncontrollably sad, and desolate, but in the end, the things I experience through out those nights have made me the man I have become today.

Despite, the evils I experienced, the days that follow always seem to be a little more bearable, because, those same evils groomed me to be stronger, stronger to face more evils I know I will experience the following night.

I have trained enough for today, it's time I took a shower, get some food and then -try- to sleep. I don't know why I have taken up this waste of time habit known as sleep, I never did before, besides the material is much too soft compared to what I am accustomed to. Who am I kidding, I know why the habit started, the woman. Once, she caught me sitting and staring up at the sky. Why was she up at that hour I will never know.

She asked if I was having trouble sleeping that night. I said 'I never sleep woman' and then and there my sleeping troubles began. Each morning she would nag, asking if I slept the night before. Sometimes she would watch, not knowing that I know she was watching, to make sure I was in the damn too comfortable bed and sleeping. Ofcourse I only closed my eyes, and after an hour of watching she would be satisfied and then leave.

Stupid human, female -tsk- Stepping out of the shower I hear the front door slam. The woman must be back from one of her -dates- with Yamchua, they have nothing in common, why are they mates? That is another question I will never figure out the answer to.

Quietly I stroll down the stairs, after two steps I stopped. There was a sound, one that was...out of place. Immediately my senses are on high alert. Something's...different...There it is again...a sniffing sound...cautiously, I made my way down the remaining steps. I saw the woman in the kitchen staring at the rain outside. I stood watching her, she needs to be more alert about her surroundings, she doesn't even realize that she is in my presence.

Her clothes hung on her like a wet rag. Her hair loose from the restraints I noticed earlier. She's dripping "Woman"

She turned around staring wildly as if I was about to attack her. I ignored her startled expression.

"Your dripping all over the damn kitchen."

I noticed her face, black paint was drawn from her eyes to the edge of her red cheeks. A couple wet locks of hair clung to her forehead.

"And you look like shit. Get cleaned up and get me something to eat."

I moved to the table, took a seat and awaited my meal. Nothing. She simply stood, and stared. Then something changed. She no longer looked pitiful, now she looked the way she always looked when we had our conversations.

"Get it yourself asshole!"

She bent and grabbed her discarded bag from the floor. Then with even more determination she turned and said with all the hate, no, disgust in her eyes.

"As a matter of fact never ask anything of me, for as long as I live I will never" - she pointed at me- "never lift a finger to do anything for anyone from the male species, you don't deserve it."

She walked towards the door I sat adjacent to. She was angry, at Yamchua, whatever he did this time really left an impression. I grabbed her arm, when she was close enough, pulling her down on her knees in front of me. How dare she compare me to that bug.

"Never, raise your voice in such a manner towards me" -her eyes widened as I pulled her ears closer to my lips- "Next time you do, I'll kill you"

she pulled away staring into my eyes "He may be strong but he is not fast enough to stop me." -I released her watching her fall on her ass.

She scrambled to her feet fleeing from the kitchen, running away from me. I guess I should find something to eat then.

I moved to the refrigerator picking out random items and pilling them on the table. I picked up a knife and started slicing up some sort of meat. I think the woman called it ham. I made a few sandwiches then sat down with a bottle of fruit juice and eat.

While chewing I couldn't stop my mind from wondering what in Dende's name caused the woman to be so upset about. Maybe she found him with one of his whores he always smelled like. I almost lost my appetite with that thought, almost. The kitchen was full of her aroma. Another distraction from my sustenance.

I moved to the living area and switched on the TV, looking, but not really looking I continued to eat. Minutes later she descended the stairs. She called out to me

"Vegeta"
I ignore her, I'm in no mood for her right now. She came towards the living room obviously thinking I'm here since the light from the TV was illuminating the room.

"You could at least answer." The words were whispered so softly, as if she was uncertain of my welcome. I'm not going to hurt her, I threaten yes, but that is only so that she is reminded of her place. The material creaked under her weight as she sat down. With knees pulled towards her chest she spoke

"I'm sorry for the outburst earlier."

I say nothing,

"I'm not angry at you, it was just...your timing." She sat staring at the screen before, looking but not really looking. She bit her lips in concentration, trying to figure out whether or not to tell me what's on her mind. If she would only spit it out so that we can get back to our normal comfortable companionship. Finally after waiting for her to make up her mind I pulled it out of her.

"For Dende's sake woman speak."

"huh?" Startled from her thoughts she continued

"How did you know I wanted to tell you something?"

Is this a joke, is she kidding me, of course she has something to say to me. She wouldn't come back down in the middle of the night to just come and sit beside me to watch TV. Something must be really bothering her, she is always straight to the point. What is it?

"Listen..."

"It's pouring outside isn't it? It wasn't raining when I left. The sky was so clear and cheerful. This change of atmosphere was so sudden, so...unexpected."

Somehow I got the feeling she wasn't just talking about the weather. She continued

"I didn't even take any protection with me, you know an umbrella or raincoat. I never thought I needed it. It was so clear, happy."

When she whispered the last sentence, I lost my patience.

"What happened between you and Yamchua now? Did he forget to buy you an anniversary present or something?"

She looked at me and smiled, then the smile turned into a giggle, then the giggle into a laugh, then surprisingly her laughter turned to tears and instantly I backed away. Call it instinct, call it whatever you want. I didn't know what to do, she just sat there and cried. Then through her tears she said

"I broke up with Yamchua. He was cheating on me. Ten years, ten years we were together. I thought that one day, we would have gotten married. You know like Goku and Chichi. Why, why did he do that to me?"

She looked at me pleadingly asking me to give her the right answer. What was the right answer. I thought they were like Kakarot and Chichi, just... not living together. I thought it was some sort of rule on the woman's part. After all, they did everything mates did, they just didn't live together. Maybe I should have taken that as my first sign that they were not really mates. But how was I to know, this planet was strange and full of strange customs, like sleeping. I simply assumed their relationship was a part of this planet's strangeness. Trying to understand her situation I said.

"Maybe he hasn't decided if he wanted to take you as his mate as yet."

"Ten years, ten fucking years, how long does it take for him to make up his damn mind!"

She hugged her feet tighter into her chest "How about you, if you like someone, how long would it take you for you to take someone as your, what did you call it, mate?"

"Sayajins are different, males are drawn to one female and the females are drawn to one male." She looked at me clinging to my every word "Sayajins' senses are ten times that of a human. We observe our females, their weaknesses, their strengths, making sure we can complement their weaknesses to make them appear stronger. A female's scent is also very important, it must be pleasing, to another male it would be distasteful.

Then, once a choice is made, they both come to a mutual agreement to be mates, performing a ritual to bond them for all time."

I stood and went to the kitchen taking out a beer from the freezer. I returned to the couch and found her stretched out in the couch starring at the ceiling. "What about their appearance?" She asked without looking in my direction.

"What?"

"What about how she looks, her beauty, the color of her hair, her eyes, you know her appearance?"

I sat at the edge of the couch, she curled her body to fit my sitting position.

"Her face must be...pleasing to look at. But that wasn't the most important thing. She had to be strong in order to bear a worthy offspring. Besides, our species didn't have much variety like what I see here. "

"Do you think I'm pretty?"

-sigh- "I will not deceive you. I am...drawn to you. Your mental strength and...scent. But I kept my distance in respect for the arrangement between you and Yamchua."

"Do you think I'm pretty?" She pulled my face towards her in order for her to look into my eyes.

"Your facial features are pleasing." I raised a finger to remove a strand of her hair from her eyes. "And you coloring is alluring." I moved closer to her, so close that I could feel her breath on my lips. "Your scent, intoxicating."

RIIIIIIIINNNNGGGGGG! RIIIIIINNNNNNGGG! RIIIIIINNNNNGGGGG!

We jumped apart as if stung by each others touch. the communication device was ringing. I got up from the couch and ascended the stairs. I heard the woman's voice behind me talking to someone on the other end.

TBC AN: So what do you think. I hope you'll enjoy this fic. Please review.