Welp, here's the next chappy. Sorry it took so long. I've been neglecting this story specifically because I didn't get too many reviews, but I really like the idea, so I'm just gonna keep trying!
Previously: Vegeta is longing for something he's never had and doesn't understand. Serena, a chipper girl doing her best to make it in school, hold up a job, and save the world, happens to come across this lonely solider.
Even If I Die
Vegeta bit down sharply on his tongue. How could he even think such pitiful things? He'd gone so long stuck in that ship with those barbaric and crazy men that he was beginning to take on some of their weakling traits!
"I'm sorry, never mind, I don't need anything." Serena furrowed her brow, and placed both hands on her hips.
"Well, you don't come into a diner and just don't want anything at all!" she exclaimed, "Now, you order something or-"
"Or you'll just throw me out right?" He bit, a drip of sarcasm in his voice, is if she could.
"No, I will if you go on taking to my waitresses like that." Vegeta looked up at the man that couldn't have been any older than him.
"It's alright Goku," Serena interrupted, "Actually," She snapped, "If you don't order something I'll be ordering it for you, and you'll like, buddy." She placed her hand on her hip smiling sweetly, "Okay?" she inquired. He huffed at her.
Serena smiled, "Okay! One Beef on Rye with Arangapus on the side, and ketchup!" She announced. Everyone in the restaurant began to giggle lightly. Vegeta didn't like the sound of that.
"Buddy, you have NO idea what you've gotten yourself into." A man said, turning in his seat to laugh. Vegeta snarled, but before he could response, Serena placed the questionable dish before him.
"This," she began, "Is a Serena Special." She said. "It's delicious!" She smiled brightly, and a few giggles sparkled up again. Vegeta looked down at the pile of muck she was calling food. It didn't really have a smell, so that was no help to him.
Cautiously, Vegeta picked up a fork. He felt as though everyone was watching him. Serena was still standing there, smiling, and waiting. With an annoyed grunt, Vegeta scooped some up and shoved it in his mouth. He chewed quietly, paused, and then swallowed.
"Not too bad." He said, and then shoved some more into his mouth.
"What?" one of the older waitresses shouted, "You actually like it?" Vegeta didn't answer, as the woman already knew and was throwing her own personal fit about it. As the woman blabbed on, Serena sat down across from him.
"So you really like it?" She asked. He nodded in response. She giggled, "Well this is a first, no one besides me and my little brother can eat that much arangapus." She said.
"What's Arangapus?" Vegeta asked. Serena only smiled, and walked away, filling other people's orders.
Not ten minutes had passed, and Vegeta had filled himself with three full meals of whatever it was the waitress was serving him. He wondered what they were going to do when they discovered he didn't have any money.
His thoughts trailed though, as a family of five walked in. One stood out to him, considering he was wearing a Japanese uniform as well. He seemed to be only 25 or so. He had a little girl at his side, and two parents who were sitting down with him, and an old man followed.
A Family.
Those thoughts made Vegeta sick. Why was this bothering him so? What was it exactly that made him feel this way? Vegeta gripped his glass in his hand as he tried, but failed, to ignore their sounds of happiness. Why in the name of God was he so damn jealous?
Vegeta gripped the glass until it broke in his hand. The glass cut though his fingers. The water made the trickles of blood run over the table. This only made the other waitresses fear him more. They backed away, as Vegeta had expected. He pulled out a hanky, ready to pull out the glass and wrap his hand up, but a small, soft hand snatched his, and the other firmly gripped his wrist.
"Well how'd you manage that?" Serena murmured staring at the glass as if it was the glass's fault, "Oh Well, we better clean it up!" She snapped, attempting to pull Vegeta to his feet.
He didn't budge. Serena frowned, "Well come on!" she said. Vegeta didn't say anything, just got up and followed her to the backroom.
There, over the sink, Serena carefully extracted each and every piece of glass, cleaned, medicated and wrapped the wound. Or at least she did the best she could. Throughout her little mission to make sure his hand would heal properly, Serena was blabbing about the food he ate, how it came about, and what not. Vegeta hadn't heard a word. He'd completely tuned her out as he listen to the people around. Goku blabbing on and on about his son, the waitresses talking about their grandbabies and their men at war.
He was feeling sick again.
"Hey, ya in there?" Serena's voice snapped him to attention. He only grunted in response. Serena paid no heed.
"So, where are you headed?" She asked innocently,
"Vietnam." He said, not bothering to put any care in the sentence. Serena's gasp intensified the shock he knew she was feeling.
"But you're so young!" She exclaimed. Vegeta shrugged mindlessly.
He wanted to kill these people for putting him through such torment. All of them, each and every one. They were all so happy; so carefree. They didn't care about the people without all the things they indulge in; people like him. Oh how they took it for granted.
His blood began to boil, and he instinctively began to flex his muscles and fist his hands into a deadly grip.
"Stop it!" the loud squeal reached his ears, and he snapped out of his thoughts. Serena was on her knees next to his chair, squirming and cowering. Her eyes stared up at him pleadingly. Vegeta was puzzled. He looked down at the hand she had been tending too. Blood was dripping through the cloth from all the pressure he put on it, but that wasn't what surprised him.
He stared at his hand as if it weren't his as he took note that it was gripping Serena's soft little hand so tightly, it could easily break. He didn't release. His grip eased though, to a bare touch. What surprised him though was that she didn't jerk away. She stood again, and re-bandaged him, tears in her eyes. He began to wonder how long she had been screaming at him.
These emotions had him very worked up, and very distraught. There was no one that could ever give him that attention, that affection. That love.
"Now what about that favor?" Serena asked, again bringing Vegeta out of his thoughts.
"What?" He murmured. Serena smiled, standing up straight, and staring down at him.
"That favor. You wanted a favor of me?" she asked. Vegeta looked away. This girl was so willing, so eager to help him. By her unsteady sigh; he knew she was displeased with the fact that he wouldn't look at her.
Again, Serena squatted down to his level. "White." She said. Vegeta pause for a moment, hesitant to look up at her. He cast a nervous glance, and then whispered.
"What?" Serena giggled, propping her elbows on his knees, and cupped her face in her palms.
"White. It's my favorite color. What's yours?" she asked. Vegeta queered an eyebrow. What kind of stupid question was that? Did humans normally fixate their lives on such meaningless things?
"I don't have one." He stated. Serena frowned, bringing one arm down to rest over his legs, and leaned the weight of her head on the other hand.
"Well." She began, "How about music? What kind of music do you like?" she asked. Vegeta didn't answer. He didn't listen to music. He never had the time to indulge in any kind. "Okay." She said, "So, who do you have back home? Any brothers and sisters?" she asked.
Vegeta could have swung around and smacked her. That was one thing he defiantly didn't want to talk about.
"I have a little brother back home. He's a real pain in the butt. All he can ever seem to do is nag me and irritate me." She mused. No reaction.
Deep in Vegeta's thoughts, he wondered how she could say such things. A brother. He didn't have anything like that. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a younger being looking up to you, and wanting to be like you? Someone you could teach things to, because you've already learned it all in their minds?
"How about you're parents?" Serena inquired. "What about them?"
"There's no one! Alright?!" Vegeta snapped, springing to his feet, and glaring angrily down at the girl. She'd fallen backward, and was almost cowered on the floor. She wasn't scared though, but disappointed. He ran a hand through his ebony hair, and growled to himself.
This just wasn't fair. His disposition was getting him upset and out of character. He began to leave, but as his hand reached for the door, Serena's tiny one roughly snatched his wrist.
"What do you think you're doing?!" He snapped, trying to pull away. He brought his arm above his head, but her grip was so tight it only pulled her with it. She tripped, easily loosing her balance as she fell against Vegeta.
He tried to pull away, but lost his footing. They fell over onto the floor behind the door. Vegeta was sprawled out, with one hand keeping him propped up, and Serena had caught one hand on the ground, and other had slipped over his shoulder. She quickly propped herself up with both hands, as did he.
Vegeta was the first to regain his composer, and was forced to wait as Serena adjusted. He watched her as she fumbled between the wall and the counter to move and untwine their legs. Eventually, she was rested comfortable on all fours, her knees bent between his legs, and arms propping her up next to his. She looked up at him, laughter in her eyes.
"Sorry about that." She mumbled. Vegeta must have been the only one to notice how close not only their bodies were, but how easy it would be for him to claim her lips right there. "You okay?" She asked, looking up at him. Vegeta didn't answer. He gulped, very visibly. "Sir?" she inquired again.
"Vegeta…" he managed to blurt.
"What?" She cringed her nose, blinking a few times in confusion. He cleared his throat, looking down again.
"My name's Vegeta." He repeated. He didn't have to look to feel the warmth of Serena's smile. But he wanted to. Her little face looked up at him with shimmering eyes and a wide smile. Her bangs framed and tickled her creamy skin. His breath caught.
"Serena?" Vegeta's head abruptly shot up, and his eyes clashing with a pair of stunned ebony eyes. Serena looked behind her shoulder, and giggled.
"Goku!" She squealed. "I had another clumsy moment!" She laughed. Goku's brows raised, and he nodded his head, briefly licking his lips.
"Well, as much as I, and I'm sure many of male cooks back there, enjoy the view," he began, lightly tapping her rear end with his toe, "I think it'd be wise to fix that before we get condemned for using young women to attract costumers." He said with a wink. Serena smiled, sitting on her knees and straightening her skirt.
"Right…" she mused. Vegeta sat up as far as he could, Serena still having him pretty much pinned.
Serena blushed brightly. Vegeta looked down, utterly embarrassed at the ridiculous situation.
As Serena got up, Vegeta watched her carefully. No one in the entire universe had ever brought him to this train of thought. It excited Vegeta, but scared him to death.
As he stood again, he waited for Serena to turn back around.
"You okay?" Serena asked again. Vegeta nodded solemnly. Serena smiled, "I'm sorry for upsetting you…and for tripping you…." She added, obviously feeling pretty embarrassed. She then held out her hand to shake,
"I'm Serena Tsukino." She said. Vegeta paused for a moment, and then accepted the gesture.
"Are you still up for the favor?" he asked, quite hesitantly. Serena was taken aback for a moment, but then smiled with glee, and nodded.
"I'm kind of…down, today." He managed, "Umm." He didn't know how to put this. How could he ask this kind of question? He asked in the only way he could, "Listen to me…" He paused, "For awhile. Like, talk, I mean. I-"
"I'm off soon." Serena stopped him. "I'll order you another 'Serena special' while you wait." He sighed with relief once she was out of view, and then returned to his seat to wait patiently.
Ø He's a little shy so she gave him a smile
Ø So he said would you mind sittin' down for a while
Ø And talkin' to me I'm feelin' a little low
Ø She said I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go
Next Time: Vegeta confides in Serena, and is again, asking favors of her. How will the things Vegeta says affect Serena, and possible, change her entire life?
To Be With You Tomorrow Fate shows no mercy for those in love
Senshi Games:
Number One!:
Deep in Vegeta's thoughts, he wondered how she could say such things. A brother. He didn't have anything like that. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a younger being looking up to you, and wanting to be like you? Someone you could teach things to, because you've already learned it all in their minds?
"How about you're parents?" Serena inquired. "What about them?"
"There's no one! Alr-ah-ah-ACHOU!" Vegeta began to rub his nose and stifle, tears forming in his eyes, "damn it, this stress is making me vulnerable to colds…." L
Number Two!:
"How about you're parents?" Serena inquired. "What about them?"
"There's no one! Alright?!" Vegeta looked away, then pain obvious in his eyes.
"Hey," Serena began, "I Understand. It's hard sometimes…coarse I wouldn't have to worry about that! I've always had a great family and tons of people that love me! That's right! My mom, dad, brother, the Senshi, Darien. I've got them all!" Vegeta wouldn't look at her,
"Would you please leave?" Serena sighed,
"Hey, I'm sorry…but you don't' have to take it out on me…"
Vegeta's Lesson: Life isn't measured by the amounts breath you take, but the moments that take you're breath away