Disclaimer: Chapter one.

I started on this chapter immediately, and got it out immediately. Woohoo!


.-T-.

I tried not to think about what the psychiatrist said, but it kept coming through my mind anyway until I found something to replace it. And its replacement wasn't any better. Kushami told me the next day about her idea to leave if things got adverse. She said it like it wouldn't permanent, like a vacation or something, but something seemed very terminal about it.

While I was training, the thought kept sneaking through. Is she starting to feel uncomfortable here? Maybe pushing her to see those doctors upset her… I continued my exercises, trying to delude these thoughts. It didn't work. Kushami came here following me, but she seems to be getting more and more distant, pushing me away when I try to help her. Before, I thought that she was just trying to keep me from worrying about her, but now, I'm not so sure…

I had completely stopped my training without realizing it until Chouzu tugged my pant leg and asked what was wrong.

"Nothing, I—" Then I saw Kushami, leaning on the front of the house with her legs crossed and her arms by her sides, watching me.

"You don't mind if I watch, right?" She said.

My face must have been growing red. "Not at all. You can do whatever you want…" I tried to continue training, but I kept having the urge to look again, which I ignored as much as possible. As if I didn't feel odd enough with her watching, I always felt bad when she retreated into the house when I did glance at her. As per her habit, she would smile before she did so, but I always felt that I was forcing her away so that I might train.

Kushami must have looked at her watch or something for she made a slight exclamation and said, "Damn, I'm late." She opened the door and went into the house. "I have to take a pill right now…"

I fully stopped again and almost fell on my face in shock. "P-pill?!"

.-K-.

Just when I opened the box and taken out the square of foil and plastic that contained several of the pills, I heard someone run into the house and I turned to the open door of my room just in time to see Tenshinhan skid to a stop by it and sprint into my room with a surprised, maybe even terrified look on his face. "K-Kushami…!"

"Err…yes?"

His eyes switched between the box that I was holding and my face, but he didn't say anything.

"What is it Tenshinhan?"

"Nothing… I mean… what are those pills for?" He seemed embarrassed about asking this question.

"Just some over the counter medicine. I'm not sick or anything. Is that all you wanted to know?"

"Well… yes…" He looked away. "And… it's not prescription?"

"That's what 'over the counter' means."

He nodded and looked at me again. "So what are they for if you're not sick? Are they just vitamins?"

"Well, to skip all the mediocre things, it keeps me from sneezing. I've taken it before, so I know how to handle it and everything."

"They keep you from sneezing? …Isn't that a little…unhealthy?"

"That's why I don't always take them. Even though they're over the counter, there are a few complications and side effects. I only take them if I was going on a really long trip to do some delicate pilfering."

He was silent for a while. "So… does that mean you're leaving soon?"

I blinked. "Not at all."

"Huh? Then why are you taking it?"

"To show you that I can handle myself." I poked him in the ribs. "If you're so worried about the transformations, then I'll take control of them."

He looked uncertain. "Well, at least they're not birt—" He stopped himself and his whole face seemed to get red again.

"At least they're not what?"

He coughed and went back outside to train with barely another word. I grinned a little bit. It's taking a while, but we're getting a little more comfortable with each other around. I wonder how long it'll be before I can do anything more than follow him and try to help him out?

.-T-.

I didn't like the idea of Kushami taking those pills, despite the health risk, just to keep me from worrying about her. Still, I said nothing against it. She wouldn't stop taking them until she was certain that my worry wasn't a factor anymore, and I knew that.

Chouzu once again had to make the meals for the three of us. Come dinnertime, he had finished training early to fix it and do some of the other chores. He still had to watch the stove, so I was left with the laundry.

Lunch almost always did the laundry for all of us, but I didn't really mind having to do it myself… until I realized that I had to pick up her clothes and wash them as well. I entered into the guestroom a little more timidly than usual, looking around to make sure that she wasn't there, and basically acting like I was there to steal something or whatever other reasons someone should act that way. I didn't see anything left on the floor or bed, and I looked around until I saw the suitcase that she entered with. She probably leaves her clothes to wash in there…

I flipped the latches and opened it. "Strange," I muttered to myself, "The only thing in here is really elaborate-looking handkerchief…" I picked it up to look at it and froze. Oh my God… This isn't a handkerchief…!

At the worst of times, I heard Kushami come in and walk towards the room. I strained to move, but it didn't work. Don't tell me that my body decided to lock down now

"Tenshinhan?" She called, almost to the room.

Damnit, body! Move! Respond! Haven't I gone through enough humiliation as it is?!

.-K-.

I found Tenshinhan in my room. "Hey, what are you doing in here?"

If I didn't know any better, I'd swear he's scared to move. I came closer to him. "Yo, is everything alright? Hey, what are you holding there?" I leaned over and looked to see what was in his hands, then all of the blood must have run out of my face so fast that I had to have turned blue. He was holding that slinky, green and orange lace teddy that I had bought before coming here. "…Eep."

We must have stood there in shock for 10 minutes before he managed to drop it and step back, his eyes still wide. "Accident," was all he could choke out.

This managed to break my trance and I tried a grin. "I guess you can say that I only wear that for special occasions…"

"'Special occasions'…?"

"Well, none have happened yet, but…" I tried to scoot away the smallest amount as to not seem to be retreating. "I got it just incase any do."

He looked at me after I said this, and it made me jump back. Without another option, his eyes went to the floor. "I'm sure that you'd look wonderful in it…"

All the blood came back to my face at once, and with a vengeance. "Do you really think so?"

His face went furiously red. "That is to say…"

"Dinner's finished!" Chouzu came in with his usual cheery look. What incredible timing that kid has.

It's really all about food with these guys since they're always so hungry after training. In the middle of eating, I looked up at Tenshinhan. "Why were you in my room, anyway?"

"I was looking for your laundry…"

"Huh? Why? I did my own laundry this morning."

"…You did?"

"Yeah."

He winced. "Do you mind if I drown myself in my soup for being an idiot?"

I giggled. "Don't you want to see what I look like in that thing first?"

"I thought that they were only for 'special occasions'."

"What do you think that I meant by special occasions?" As long as I had the bait, I was perfectly able to tease a little bit without being too flustered.

He laughed a bit and started acting more normally, despite the flush on his cheeks. Then, something completely unexpected, he answered my bluff. "Then perhaps you can come by my room with it on tonight."

I nearly dropped my fork. I actually got Tenshinhan to flirt. Amazing what some lace and ribbons could do to a relationship.

Chouzu didn't seem to understand what was going on. A lot of things about what has been happening to us have gone over his head. But, I think that he had a basic idea of what was going on. "Are you and Ten-san together now?"

We both looked at him a little oddly. "What do you mean?" Tenshinhan asked.

"Like what happened at the tournament with Goku and that girl Chi-chi."

My eyes got a little wide. "That's a little different…"

"How so?"

Tenshinhan fidgeted in his chair a bit. "They got married, Chouzu."

"Oh… but that's what I thought you two would do."

I shouldn't have thought that it was a safe time to try to swallow food. It went down the wrong tube and went into a coughing fit, then drank some water to soothe my throat afterwards.

"It's a bit… early to even be…" Tenshinhan began, but stopped. "Never mind, Chouzu. Non-arranged marriages take time to even consider. Let's just leave at that."

I sighed heavily. "Mind if I turn down your offer tonight?"

"Really, I was about to ask you the same thing."


Quick chaptering up is good, especially since I might not be able to do that anymore pretty soon. College is beckoning.