Show me Love.
13 Love (pt 1.)
A/N: I Will not hold you from reading too much longer but do want to apologize for the long delay once more! Anyway enjoy the chapter and I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!
Onwards!
"You should really try these, they're excellent!" Krillin held up one of the frog legs he had piled up on his plate. Eighteen eyed it with mild disgust on her face. It reminded her of the sort of thing Chichi had cooked when they had visited for lunch a little while back.
"No thanks." She politely declined.
"Your loss then!" Krillin shrugged. He took a bite of the tender flesh, closing his eyes with a smile as he chewed. Eighteen just shook her head at him. She set her plate aside, not feeling like eating any more.
She looked around the small restaurant while waiting for Krillin to finish. He had taken her to his favourite Chinese buffet, the one he had talked about a few days ago when a major storm had hit Kame Island.
Though she didn't know for sure if she could call the food 'the best thing in the world', she didn't have anything else to compare it with after all, it did taste really good. She'd had Krillin tell her exactly what was in each dish on the buffet though, so she wouldn't be surprised.
Eighteen turned her attention to him, he was still happily munching on his frog legs. How he could eat such things, was beyond her. She rested her chin on her hand as she watched him.
Krillin blushed slightly when he noticed her looking at him.
"You're finished?" He asked.
Eighteen nodded.
"You sure you don't want dessert? They've got some really good ones here, though I prefer the fruits over anything else."
"I'll just take some of yours." Eighteen said.
Krillin wiped his mouth on a napkin and set his plate aside as well.
"Alright, I'll get us some then!"
He stood up and made his way to the dessert tables. Eighteen couldn't really tell what all he was piling on the plate but she didn't really care anyway. She shifted her gaze to the large window they were seated at, just observing the crowds of people walking by. Today had been fun, they had done some shopping and visited the small park this particular island possessed. Of course Krillin hadn't been able to resist buying breadcrumbs from a vendor to feed the ducks in the pond with.
Eighteen smiled slightly as she recalled a big swan coming up to them and pecking at the small fighter until he just gave up and dumped the remainder of the crumbs on the grass. It had been a good thing she had been holding his hand too, she'd managed to pull him away hastily when another bird swooped down on them.
Then the smile turned into a frown.
She had begun realize something. Whenever they went somewhere together lately, people started staring at them but she didn't know why. Krillin didn't seemed like he noticed and she didn't even know why it bothered her, but it did. It was uncomfortable and awkward. She couldn't really place the looks on their faces.
Was it pity? Confusion?
And not only that, she had also seen several people muttering behind their hands at each-other while looking at them. She frowned heavily, she had to really resist the urge to snap at those people whenever she noticed them doing so.
"Hey, are you alright?"
Eighteen looked up. She hadn't heard Krillin come back. He was giving her a worried glance, placing a plate in the middle of the table loaded with all kinds of fruits.
She grabbed a small piece of pineapple, absentmindedly chewing it, not really taking in the sweet flavour.
Krillin regarded her for a moment. He took a hold of her hand briefly
Eighteen leaned forward on the table, grabbing another piece of fruit. She grimaced when she took a bite.
"This is not good at all." She muttered, laying the remainder of the piece aside on their dirty plates.
"So you don't like mango then, dully noted!" Krillin joked.
His smile faded somewhat though when Eighteen adopted a very serious expression.
"Krillin, why does everyone keep staring at us? And whispering things behind our backs too when they think we don't notice. I don't like it." She said softly. She hovered a hand above the fruit, carefully selecting something new to try.
"Staring? Who's staring?" Krillin asked surprised. He looked around the restaurant but everyone was engrossed in his or her conversations and enjoying the food.
"Not here, out there." She pointed to the window. "For example today when we were shopping and again when you were feeding the ducks in the park."
Krillin raised his brows at that, then it dawned on him. He wiped his hands on a napkin before sitting back with a small sigh.
"Don't worry about that. It's me they're looking at probably. I am so used to people staring at me, that I don't even notice it anymore."
"But why?"
Krillin shrugged.
"Dunno, my appearance I guess? I told you before, me being nose-less is kind of unique. It fascinates people for reasons I'm not even sure of"
He leaned forward.
"It's either that, or they just cannot fathom how someone like me could be with someone like you!" He said with a chuckle.
"What do you mean by that?"
"You know, just look at me. I'm short, nose-less, not all around attractive." He held up his hands when Eighteen opened her mouth to protest his statements.
"I know you don't agree, but just for sake of explanation, let's say that's it. Anyway, it probably boggles them how a very attractive woman, like yourself, can be around someone like me. They're probably just jealous!"
Krillin grinned, taking the last piece of fruit from the plate and offering it to her. Eighteen shook her head, she'd had enough.
"Don't worry about it okay? Just ignore them, I do. If I would still let it bother me, I wouldn't have a life!" Krillin reached for his wallet and placed a few bills on the table.
"Are you ready to go?" He asked standing up. Eighteen nodded, following him to the front where he paid for their meal before they stepped out in the chilly crisp air.
Eighteen tried to do as Krillin told her, ignoring the double takes and stares people were throwing them. She focused her attention on the small fighter next to her.
Krillin really did seem to ignore what was going on around him. Somehow that kind of made her feel sad, wondering how long he had been dealing with this. She glared at a few people who hastily averted their gazes, stubbornly, almost protectively, curling an arm around Krillin's shoulders.
Krillin blushed slightly at the unexpected display of affection. He gave her a questioning glance but she just shook her head at him.
"Lets go home." She said.
"Alright." They walked off to a remote spot where they could take to sky and make their way back to Kame island. But before they could take off, Eighteen stopped, let go of him, and turned back towards the busy street. Krillin raised his brows but followed her nonetheless, thinking she might have spotted something in one of the shop windows she liked.
He wasn't even exactly sure how it happened, but suddenly he found himself off the ground, swept away in the moment, in her warmth, as Eighteen pulled him up by the collar of his jacket, roughly pressing her mouth to his in a searing kiss that made him feel weak in the knees and kind of relieved that she was having such a firm hold on him, because he was pretty sure his legs would've given out on him if he had been standing on the ground.
He let out a gasp when she released him, cheeks burning furiously red as he looked at her smirking face. Then she abruptly shot up in the air, eliciting gasps of surprise from the onlookers who had gathered around them. Krillin felt his blush intensify when he realized just how many people had witnessed that kiss. He too hastily shot up into the air, glad to feel the cool air on his heated face as he caught up with Eighteen who was waiting for him.
"W..what was that for?" He stammered.
She tugged at a strand of his hair.
"Do I have to have a reason to kiss you?"
"No, but this is kind of new to me, you never really do such a thing out in the open like that."
Eighteen shrugged. "Maybe I just felt like it, this time." She muttered.
"Maybe..." Krillin couldn't help but wonder if her sudden display of affection had something to do with what had transpired on the island. He voiced his thoughts to her.
"Who knows." She said with a smile.
"Hey, you don't hear me complaining, babe!" Krillin said happily.
Eighteen cocked her head.
"What did you just call me?"
Krillin scratched the back of his head awkwardly at her intense stare as he repeated himself. Eighteen felt her cheeks flush and something akin to a swooping tingle in her stomach though she wasn't exactly sure why that one little word was having such an effect on her*.
She frowned at him for a moment.
Krillin gulped slightly at the look she gave him.
"Ah, sorry, it just slipped out..."
But Eighteen shook her head at him. Then she abruptly sped up and flew off.
"Huh?" Krillin exclaimed surprised, he just floated in midair for a few seconds before he came to his senses and hastily took off after her. It wasn't long before Kame Island came into view. They landed carefully and stepped inside the small house.
Krillin closed the door behind him, catching his breath, then turned towards the blonde cyborg. But before he could utter a single word, she was upon him, planting her hands on either side of him, effectively trapping him between her and the wall. There was an odd look on her face, a look he couldn't read but which somehow made him feel on edge all of sudden yet he couldn't decide whether that was a good or a bad thing.
"Say it again."
Krillin blushed at the demanding tone of her voice as he repeated himself a second time.
Eighteen felt it again. That strange and unfamiliar swooping sensation, a tingly feeling that somehow felt just right. She realized it wasn't the small word in and of itself that made her feel this way.
It was because he had said it and that made the difference. She smiled slightly at that revelation as she looked down on the small blushing fighter in front of her who returned her stare with one of his own. She mentally scowled, how could anyone judge him by his appearance? If only they knew him like she did.
Then she shook her head, thinking back to when they had first met. She could not deny she had wondered about his strangeness too yet that curiosity hadn't lingered long since they'd had other things to take care of back then. It did make her wonder if she would have been the same as the people that gave them stares today, had she not met him under those circumstances.
That revelation actually made her a little uneasy but she shrugged it off, thinking to herself that it was not worth her time to ponder about such things right now.
Krillin was confused to say the least. He watched as Eighteen's facial expressions changed, she seemed to be debating something with herself. He gulped when she directed her focus on him again.
His eyes widened in surprise when he felt her swoop down and kiss him. He wasn't sure what had gotten into her, or why such a small word seemed to have such an impact on her but he wasn't about to complain about it either. Instead he eagerly returned her kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer. He let out a small gasp when she pressed herself against him, effectively pinning him completely against the wall. He had to gently push her away just a little so he could breath in between kisses.
Eighteen reached between them, hooking her finger into the loop of his jacket zipper and pulling it down, taking his jacket off which fell to the ground with small thud since Krillin had been carrying their purchases in a Capsule box.
The small sound startled the both of them. Krillin broke away first, slightly panting as he looked up at Eighteen's flushed face.
"Wanna stay over?" He asked, his voice was a little hoarse.
"What do you think?" Eighteen countered.
Krillin smiled against her mouth as he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around him as he stumbled towards the stairs. He wasn't even exactly sure how they managed to make it up to his bedroom in one piece but he didn't give it much thought once they entered. He had other things to occupy him now, after all.
He grinned as he kicked the door shut behind him.
"Home sweet home!"
Master Roshi stepped out of the air-car and too in a deep breath. Although he had enjoyed himself immensely on his and Oolong's trip, he had missed his little quiet island a lot.
"Not for long, for me that is!" Oolong said with a grin.
"I can't wait to pack up and go!"
Master Roshi raised his brows at that but shrugged it off, walking towards the small pink house followed by the pig..
"We're back!" He said as he opened the door.
"Welcome back!" Krillin said looking up at them. He was seated on the floor in front of the couch, there were small toys scattered around him. Master Roshi smiled when he realized Goten was on the floor in front of Krillin and Gohan was on the other side of them.
"Well this is unexpected!" The old man said happily.
"Hey Master Roshi! Oolong!" Gohan greeted them with a wave.
"Yeah, Chichi needed a little break from these two so I figured they could spend some time with us." Krillin said.
"Us?" Oolong asked confused.
Krillin nodded.
"Well, Eighteen just left actually, you didn't see her on your way here?"
Master Roshi shook his head, taking a seat on the couch. Oolong stuck his hands in his pockets as he regarded Krillin with a curious stare. Krillin sweat dropped, he felt uneasy, blushing slightly as the pig squinted his eyes at him. But he didn't say anything, instead he took a seat too when Master Roshi started to relay some highlights from their trip to the small fighter, making sure to keep it kid friendly after Krillin sent him a warning glare when he got a little too carried away.
"Anyway! I've got some news!" Oolong said after a little while. Krillin raised is brows in curiosity.
"What kind of news?" He asked.
"I'm moving out!" Oolong said with a smile.
Both Gohan and Krillin exchanged looks before turning their attention to the pig.
"Moving out?
"Where are you moving too, Oolong?" They said almost simultaneously.
Oolong proceeded to tell them about an offer he had received.
"So yeah, safe to say they were kind of impressed with my transformation techniques and offered me a place to stay. You won't believe the apartment they got for me, and best of all, it's completely free of charge since I will be working for them. Can you believe it? Gonna be working in one of the nicest most exclusive stripclubs in the region, free shows every night! And all I have to do is just help them out when needed. This is going to be the life!" Oolong said as he sat back with his hands behind his head.
"Wow." Krillin said genuinely impressed. It wasn't something he would like doing but he knew Oolong would have the time of his life.
"I know!"
"So when are you going to leave?" Gohan asked.
"Hm they said I could move in whenever I wanted, which will be as soon as possible of course. I'm going to start packing up my stuff tomorrow. We're kind of exhausted from all this traveling right now. But it will only take a few days tops to pack all my stuff up and go."
Master Roshi nodded in agreement.
"So I think within the week I'll be gone!"
"Well, congratulations! Gonna miss your presence here of course but I am happy for you." Krillin said. He stood up, lifting Goten who had started to doze off.
"Thanks Krillin." Oolong said with a yawn.
"I'm gonna go get some much needed rest!" He said disappearing upstairs. Master Roshi stretched out as well.
"Any chance there is some food in the house?" He asked.
Krillin smiled.
"As a matter of fact, there is. I've got left overs from lunch, did you want some?"
"Yes, that would be nice!"
Krillin put Goten in his small travel bed and tucked him in gently.
"Gohan, keep an eye on him while I go and get Master Roshi something to eat, alright?" He said. The half saiyan nodded while surfing through channels on the tv.
Master Roshi said at the kitchen table, observing Krillin who was taking a few containers from the fridge.
"How did things go here?"
Krillin placed a steaming plate of food in front of the old man and sat down at the table as well.
"Everything went well here, nothing to complain about. Though you were right about that storm."
"Storm?" Master Roshi pondered out loud with his mouth full. He swallowed before adapting a thoughtful expression.
"Right, the one I warned you about? Was it bad?"
Krillin shrugged.
"A little but not as bad as some we've had before, though the generator did malfunction. I got us a new one a few days later."
His cheeks warmed as he thought to himself he hadn't really experienced much of the actual storm anyway since he had been doing other much more interesting things that night. He shook his head slightly as his blush intensified.
"Just the clean up was a bit of a hassle, you know lots of sand and stuff." He trailed off.
Master Roshi shot him a curious glance, not missing the slight color in his ex-pupil's cheeks. He cleared his throat.
"Well that's good. It's too bad about the generator, but it was getting pretty old and out dated, I am not surprised it broke down."
"Yeah."
Master Roshi cleared his plate. He wiped his mouth on a napkin before resting his chin on his folded hands.
"How are things with Eighteen?"
Krillin unknowingly smiled at the mention of the blonde's name.
"Good, great actually." He said.
"Oh?" Master Roshi inquired with a grin. Krillin averted his eyes.
"She still lives with Seventeen but stays over a lot. Seventeen is not so bad either actually." Krillin said thoughtfully. He had visited them in the woods a few times now. His unease around the black haired cyborg was gradually disappearing.
"In fact, I'm going to hunt dinosaurs with him in a few days." Krillin said. Master Roshi almost choked on the sip of tea he had just taken.
"What?" He asked, thinking he hadn't heard right.
"Yeah, kind of unbelievable huh? But he really isn't a bad guy. Just like Eighteen was never really a bad person."
Master Roshi set his glass back down on the table before rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"Well I guess I'll take your word for it. After all, you were also right about Eighteen. Speaking of whom." Master Roshi grinned. "When you said she stays over, she spends the night right? Dare I hope you made some good use of my present?" He trailed off in a knowing and questioning tone, referring back to a little earlier in their conversation.
Krillin felt his cheeks heat up a second time and he hastily averted his gaze.
"That is none of your business."
"You don't need to tell me in words, your face speaks for you." Master Roshi said with a chuckle. He stood up with a chuckle.
"I'm merely looking out for you. It's about time you found some happiness." The old martial arts master said. He walked towards the archway that led into the living room. He paused his steps and looked back at Krillin over his shoulder.
"That being said, you might want to invest in some sort of sound proofing, the walls in this house are rather thin after all. I don't mind some free entertainment though! But I also do value my life and would rather live a little longer than die by the hands of your girlfriend!
Master Roshi cackled at the furious blush that colored the small fighter's face bright red before he stepped out of the kitchen with a little wave of his hand.
Krillin cleared his throat and busied himself with the left over dishes. He wouldn't dare step into the living-room now. He didn't feel like answering awkward questions from Gohan who no doubly would wonder why his friend's face was so flustered.
"Curse this blushing habit!" Krillin muttered to himself. Then he thought back to Master Roshi's words.
Soundproofing did not sound like such a bad idea after all.
"Argh stop!" He hissed when his face heated up some more as not so innocent images flooded his brain.
"I'm hopeless." He muttered, but there was smile on his face as he finished cleaning up the kitchen.
A few days later, Krillin found himself in the mountains, near the area Chichi lived, to hunt a dinosaur. Seventeen had been impatiently bugging him to take him, the idea of brandishing a dinosaur skull had spurred him on. At first things had been a little awkward since it was the first time they were not joined by Eighteen, but right now they were too engrossed in their concentration to worry about that.
He carefully stepped forward, crouching down behind the the thicket of leaves that kept him and his companion from view.
Seventeen followed the small man's example, making sure to keep an eye out for any movement around them.
"It's right there." Krillin whispered, pointing a little to his left.
"Hm, it's a small one though."
Seventeen raised his brows at that statement.
"Small?! You call that small?" He whispered astonished. From where they were crouching down, he could tell that the creature little ways in front of them was at least 15 to 20 feet tall, and he didn't even want to wonder just how broad it was.
"Yeah, that is a small one for standards up here." Krillin whispered back. "You haven't seen the real big ones just yet, compared to those, this one is like a baby!"
Seventeen shook his head, he just could not fathom that fact unless he saw it for himself.
"Are these others around too?" He asked eagerly.
"I don't think so, this one looks like it's on its own to me. Lets get a little closer."
Krillin took a few more steps then halted, holding up his hand to Seventeen. The dinosaur was looking up, taking in its surroundings as if it was looking for something.
"I think it heard us, lay low!"
Seventeen did as he was told, not doubting the small fighter's words one bit. Krillin had told him stories about hunting these beasts and he knew it was in his best interest to just let him lead the way even if he didn't really like it. He carefully took his gun from his back.
Krillin had told him the gun wouldn't be of any help against a dinosaur, their skin was too thick for a bullet to penetrate, it would just bounce off and anger them. But Seventeen was stubborn and wanted to take it with him just in case. He loved his gun, it had served him well already so many times plus there was just something about hunting the old fashioned way as opposed to using his own energy attacks to kill Game.
They proceeded forward again when the dinosaur seemed to have shrugged the noise off as nothing. They had reached the end of the leafy bushes they had used as a shield.
"Alright, we've got to be very careful now. We're going to be in the open so it's easier for it to see and attack us, which it surely will attempt to do!" Krillin paused his steps as he turned his attention to Seventeen.
"Lets take to the sky, we're less vulnerable there and we can have a better shot at killing it if we do it right."
He carefully ascended in the air, hoovering until Seventeen joined him. Krillin gestured with his hands to go around the back of the animal so it wouldn't notice them right away. Seventeen felt his heart skip a beat at the anticipation of the hunt. He flew to the opposite side of Krillin, that way they could surround it simultaneously. His eyes widened when he got closer to the animal. It really did not look small to him in any way. He observed it in awe, not really paying attention to anything else.
Meanwhile, Krillin had circled it from the other side. They were still hoovering a great deal above it so it hadn't detected them just yet but Krillin knew it was just a matter of time. As if on cue, the beast lifted his head up and looked back, right at where Seventeen had carefully lowered himself to get an even closer look at it.
The black haired cyborg froze when he came face to face with the majestic creature, its yellow eyes curiously taking in his form. Then it let out a deafening roar and charged
"Get out of the way!" Krillin yelled loudly. He raised a hand and charged a Kienzan. He carefully aimed it at the beast's neck but because it was running at an alarmingly fast speed it was hard to aim right. He released the razor sharp disc, it grazed the thick green skin, drawing blood, but it wasn't enough to stop it. Instead it roared even harder as it rounded on the small man.
"Crap!" Krillin hastily shot up higher in the air trying to get out of its way but he wasn't fast enough. He felt a sharp pain on the side of his head where the dinosaur struck him with its tail. He could feel blood gushing out of the wound but flew up higher to get away. He circled around the angry animal to where Seventeen was.
"We should get away and comeback later, there is no use in trying to fight it when it is this aggravated!"
But Seventeen shook his head.
"No way, this is a golden opportunity, I'm not letting it slip away." He said with a grin. Krillin raised his brows at that.
"Do you want to die?" He asked incredulous.
"No, but I do want its skull on my wall." Seventeen said matter of fact. He looked down on the animal. It was trying to reach them with its claws.
Krillin felt the side of his head, the bleeding had slowed down, it didn't seem the wound was too big.
"Fine, but make sure to keep away from its claws and tail! Stay above it!" Krillin said. He charged a second Kienzan. Seventeen spread his hands and charged an energy beam up as well.
"On three, 1, 2, 3!"
They both released their attacks, it hit the dinosaur dead on. It roared madly before sinking to the ground.
"Did we get it?!" Seventeen asked, hardly able to contain his excitement.
"I'm not sure." Krillin answered. He lowered himself a little, not trusting that had done it. These creatures were very resilient after all.
"No way! I think we did!" Seventeen said with a grin. He lowered himself to the ground and cautiously approached it, making sure to keep some distance.
Krillin frowned, something wasn't right. He knew for a fact it took a lot more than just two attacks to even subdue a dinosaur, even if it was a small one.
Seventeen took a few closer steps, ready to determine if it was dead when suddenly its tail twitched.
Krillin hastily shot down to the ground and pushed Seventeen out of the way.
"Get back, it's not dead!" Seventeen stumbled backwards before falling to the ground from the force of Krillin's push which had taken him out of harms way. Krillin however wasn't that lucky. He let out a yelp when the animal struck him with his tail a second time, then a third time before he fell to the rocky ground with a thud.
The dinosaur was rampaging, Krillin tried to get away so he wouldn't get trampled. The last thing he felt was a sharp pain to the side of his head where it had already wounded him once, then everything went black.
Meanwhile, Seventeen watched as Krillin kept being thrown around. From where he stood it looked almost comical, like in the cartoons he sometimes enjoyed to watch in the mornings, but then his eyes widened in realization when the small man didn't get up.
"Dammit!"
He hastily stood up and grabbed his fallen gun, Krillin had said it wouldn't do anything but maybe the noise would scare it away. He fired several shots in the air, it startled the dinosaur resulting in it standing completely still for a moment before it roared and took off, and for a moment he was tempted to go after it.
Seventeen shook his head as he watched it get away. He regretted not killing it but right now there were some more pressing matters he had to attend too. He didn't really care for Krillin much but knew his sister did and he did not want to endure her wrath. He hoped the small man was alright and didn't get trampled too much.
He carefully approached Krillin who was laying face down on the ground.
The black haired cyborg prodded the small fighter with his foot, there was no response. He winced at the fairly large gash on Krillin's cheek. There was also blood oozing from the wound on the side of his head.
"Ugh I can already hear Eighteen yell at me for this even if it is completely your own dumb fault you got hit in the first place. I can take care of myself, thank you very much!" Seventeen hissed with a frown.
He carefully lifted the small fighter up before gently flipping him over his shoulder. He made sure to keep a tight grip on the motionless body before ascending into the air. From the looks of it, Krillin would be out cold for a little while.
"This isn't going to be pleasant." Seventeen said as he set course for his cabin.
He landed on the front porch when he arrived. Eighteen wasn't anywhere to be seen on the grounds. Seventeen almost hoped she has decided to spend the day somewhere else but that hope diminished quickly when the door opened, revealing his sister who was holding a glass of iced tea and a small book, which she seemed to be engrossed in for she didn't notice her brother at first.
He cleared his throat rather loudly to make his presence known and to prevent her from walking into him.
Eighteen lifted her brows, looking up when she heard the noise.
"Back already? Did you actually ca..." But her voice went silent when she realized someone was slung over his shoulder. She visibly paled and promptly dropped what she was holding, glass shattering as she stepped forward.
"What happened to Krillin?" She asked, stepping around her brother to get a better look at the small fighter who was still unconscious.
"Seventeen, you idiot! He's bleeding and unconscious, let him down right now!" She hissed. Seventeen gulped at the glare she sent his way.
"Relax sis, it's not as bad as it looks...probably."
He walked inside and gently laid Krillin down on the couch. Eighteen had grabbed a small clean towel and a first aid kit from the kitchen and sat down on the edge of the couch, gently pressing the towel to the side of his face to stop the bleeding. Krillin looked sickeningly pale by now, she wondered just how much blood he had lost.
She gulped slightly as she tried to calm her nerves. She didn't know what was coming over her but seeing him lie there, motionless, it stirred something within her. It almost felt as if someone had taken a hold of her insides and was squeezing them slowly.
"Did you carry him like that all the way back here?" She turned to Seventeen who regarded the scene with crossed arms.
"Well yeah, what else was I supposed to do? Leave him there?"
"No, but you could have at least tried to stop the bleeding before you carried him back. What the hell happened anyway?" Eighteen wasn't looking at him when she spoke, instead she focused her attention on wrapping a bandage around Krillin's head and cleaning the wound on his cheek before putting a band-aid on that too.
She softly tapped his other cheek, hoping to get a reaction from him.
"Krillin, wake up." She said urgently. But there was no response and her worries intensified ten fold.
"Seventeen! What happened!" She asked rather harshly when she realized her brother hadn't answered her question.
"Well basically, the idiot got in the way of a huge dinosaur tail...and claws." Seventeen said with a shrug.
"He pushed me out of harms way but got caught in the crossfire himself. Anyway he kind of got slapped around, it actually looked quite funny fro..." But the rest of his sentence was lost for Eighteen had jumped up from the couch and grabbed a tight hold of his scarf, pulling him towards her roughly.
"Hnnngg, let go! You're choking me!" Seventeen said as he tried to pry her hands off his scarf.
But Eighteen just shot him an icy glare.
"And what exactly about this looks funny to you?" She hissed, gesturing towards the couch with her free hand. Seventeen gulped at the anger in her eyes. But before he could mutter a reply, Krillin stirred letting out a soft grunt. Eighteen shot him another glare before letting go of him.
Seventeen let out a relieved sigh and stepped around the couch to put some distance between him and his sister, cussing softly under his breath while rubbing his throat with a frown.
"Owww." Krillin slowly opened his eyes only to close them rapidly again when light flooded his vision, the pain in his head was almost unbearable. He felt someone gently tapping his cheek and a soft voice seemed to speak to him from above.
"Hm?" He croaked. He opened his eyes a second time, There was someone talking to him, he could see them lean over him. He squinted his eyes for a moment, trying to fight against the hazy fog of pain that was enveloping his vision and his brain.
"Come on, Krillin. Snap out of it!" Eighteen said more urgently as she watched him struggle to look up at her. She was still tapping his cheek lightly.
"E..Eighteen?" Krillin asked suddenly recognizing the worried face above him. His vision cleared as he carefully moved his face from side to side. He was back at Seventeen's cabin, the male cyborg was standing over him on the other side of the couch he was laying on.
"What happened?" Krillin said hoarsely, he cleared his throat before trying to sit up. A bout of dizziness overtook him and he had to lay back down.
"Oh no, bad idea." His head was throbbing.
"Apparently you tried to shield my idiot brother from a dinosaur?" Eighteen said.
"Oh right! Yeah." Krillin turned to Seventeen.
"Did you at least get it?"
Seventeen shook his head.
"Bummer."
"More importantly!" Eighteen started as she helped Krillin sit back up.
"I think we should go to a hospital. You probably have a concussion or worse." She finished.
Krillin bit his lip as flashes of nausea overtook him. He took a few calming breaths, gratefully leaning into Eighteen who had a steady grip on him.
"Nah, I'll be fine once I get home and pop a senzu bean. Master Roshi should still have some."
He touched the side of his bandaged head, the bleeding had stopped by now. He could feel his muscles start to ache too from falling hard to the rocky ground. He was certain he had more cuts and bruises in other places on his body.
"Ugh the sooner I get that bean the better!" He groaned.
"I'll go get it if you tell me where they're at." Eighteen said but Krillin shook his head.
"No need, I just need to sit down for a few more minutes and recover from the dizziness so I can fly home. Can I have some water?"
Eighteen turned to Seventeen who got the hint from her irritated expression.
"One water coming up!" He said, hastily making his way to the kitchen.
"I really don't think you should be flying." She turned her attention back to Krillin who was now sitting upright by himself though she still had her arm curled around his shoulders.
"Don't worry about me, I've had worse." Krillin remarked with a small smile.
"That may be but I'm coming with you, no buts about it." Eighteen warned when Krillin opened his mouth to protest.
Seventeen chose that moment to come back in the room and handed Krillin a glass of water which he sipped from gingerly.
"Thanks, that was refreshing!" He said putting the glass down on the table in front of him.
"Too bad you didn't get the dinosaur though, it was a nice one! How come?"
Seventeen eyed his sister for a moment, stepping backwards a step or two just in case, before turning his attention to Krillin. He could not help the smirk that adorned his face as he retold what happened to him.
"Ah well, maybe better luck next time?"
Krillin stood up, the nausea was still lingering but not bad enough to sweep him of his feet.
"I guess I'm good to go." He turned to Eighteen who stood up also.
"Good, lets go then." She turned to Seventeen.
"Be back later."
"By all means, do take your time."
Seventeen watched them walk out the door and ascend slowly into the air. In a way he had expected his sister's reaction to be somewhat angry , but he hadn't expected her to actually grab a hold of him in such a manner. He shook his head and closed the door behind him as he stepped back into the house.
Meanwhile, Eighteen was keeping a keen eye on Krillin who was flying next to her. He was unusually quiet and seemed to be having some trouble focusing on the way ahead even though they had only been flying for a few minutes. She could tell it was straining him to keep his KI leveled to stay up in the air. She frowned as she flew closer to him and took a hold of his hand. Krillin smiled at the small gesture.
"I'm fine, just a little tired." He said softly. His voice was cracking. Eighteen halted in midair, her hold on his hand stopping him too in the process.
"What is it?" Krillin asked confused when she send him a mild glare.
"Stop pretending you're fine, you're clearly not!"
"Uh.." Krillin stammered taken aback by her irritated outburst.
Eighteen let out a sigh before locking her eyes on his.
"You're injured, you shouldn't be flying. I should have insisted to get the beans myself. Do you need to take a little break? Because that's fine with me. Stop trying to be such a...such a..." Eighteen frowned as she searched for the right word but it wouldn't come to her at the moment.
"Never mind, come on let's go down to the ground." She let go of his hand and resolutely descended to the grassy fields below them, knowing Krillin would follow her despite his protests. He landed softly next to her, stumbling a little. He steadied himself and turned to face her.
" I wasn't pretending to be a-okay, it's just that.. I've had worse so to me this is not a big deal." Krillin said pointing to his bandaged head.
"Well to me it is!" Eighteen snapped harshly. "I don't like to see you in pain!" She shot him another glare before turning away from him.
Krillin took a sharp intake of breath at her confession. He didn't really know what to say or do. To him, the wounds he had were indeed minor, thinking back at the injuries he'd had in fights and all. He hadn't realized how it may have looked to Eighteen. If it were the other way around, he'd probably felt the same way.
Despite the seriousness of the situation at hand, he still felt a strange kind of happiness flow through him, warming him from the inside at the thought that she had been worried about him. He let out a sigh, carefully approaching her.
"Hey.."
But before he could finish his sentence, Eighteen had turned around and flung her arms around him. She was holding him tightly against her. Krillin winced, it actually hurt a little but he gritted his teeth and returned the embrace.
"I'm sorry." He started, but Eighteen shook her head at him when she let go of him.
"I'm not sure why, but the sight of you lying on that couch, bleeding, pale, and unconscious really scared me. For a moment I thought I was going to lose you, which sounds absolutely crazy I know, but I can't explain it. I don't know why it affected me this much." She said, there was a hint of confusion in her voice.
Krillin smiled as he took a hold of her hands and squeezed lightly.
"It's because you love me, it makes even the smallest of things look so much bigger or worse when they happen. Trust me when I say I'd be all panicked and scared too if anything like that was to happen to you."
"I wasn't panicking." Eighteen retorted softly.
Krillin chuckled at that before tugging at her hands.
"Come on lets go so I can get that senzu, this headache is killing me!" He joked softly. But Eighteen didn't budge to which he raised his brows. Instead she pulled away and stood in front of him. She looked back over her shoulder at him with a serious expression on her face.
"Get on my back!"
"What? No, I'm good, really!" Krillin said hastily.
"If you don't get on my back, there are other options, but none of them involve you straining yourself further by flying. Trust me, a piggy back ride won't hurt you!" Eighteen said but Krillin stood his ground.
"Fine, I guess you don't leave me any other choice then."
Before he could utter a word, she had advanced on him and picked him up bridal style.
" What the?! Hey no! No way! Wait! Let go of me Eighteen, this is embarrassing!" Krillin protested but Eighteen kept a firm grip on him.
"I gave you the less embarrassing option, now bear with it. You know I can carry you effortlessly and it's the least I can do."
"Okay, but let me switch to the piggy back ride?" Krillin asked weakly as he looked up in Eighteen's smirking face.
"Too late now, hold on tight!" Krillin grabbed a hold of her shirt out of reflex so he wouldn't fall. A fierce blush spread over his face when he heard her chuckle smugly.
"This is actually kind of fun." She teased.
"Just take me home." Krillin said defeated. He let out a sigh as he leaned into her, now that he was in this predicament, he might as well make the best of it plus the warmth radiating off her body made him realize how cold he had become suddenly. He let out a sigh as he wrapped an arm around her neck and rested his head against her shoulder.
"Don't say a word!" He warned when Eighteen looked down on him with raised brows.
She smiled, nodding in agreement before speeding up some more.
A few moments later, she landed on the soft sand of Kame Island's beach and let go of Krillin who quickly made his way into the house. He grabbed a small jar from one of the kitchen cupboards and let out a relieved sigh when he found three small beans inside. He took one, immediately feeling its effects on his body.
"So much better!" Krillin stretched out his arms and flexed his muscles before reaching for the bandage around his head, taking it off. He peeled the band-aid from his cheek as well. The pains and aches he had felt all over gradually disappeared until he felt a hundred percent refreshed.
"Little miracles, that's what these are!"
Eighteen walked up to him and grabbed a small bean from the jar. They didn't look different than an ordinary bean.
"How do these work?" She asked.
"I'm not even sure myself." Krillin said with a shrug. "Point is, they do and I am grateful for that."
"So am I." Eighteen muttered softly. She gave the bean back to Krillin who dropped it in the jar and put it back in its place in the cupboard. He cocked his head slightly as he regarded Eighteen with a small smile. She arched her brow when he pulled her towards him.
"I've got to admit, it feels really good to know you are looking out for me. I mean, of course I'll never doubt you but, you know, no one ever really cared for me the way you do. It's amazing to me and in a way I guess I'm still a bit in disbelieve someone could feel that way about me."
Eighteen stopped the blush that threatened to stain her cheeks, as per usual she didn't really know what to think of the blunt honestly in his statement.
"Hn, well don't get used to it." She said with a smirk but Krillin merely winked at her.
"Sorry, too late for that!" He gave her a cheeky grin as he hopped onto the kitchen counter.
"Now I do believe proper thanks are in order since you did, after all, took very good care of me." He joked. Eighteen raised her brows, now that he was seated on the counter-top, he was almost at the same height as her.
"I told you before to stop cheating, it's n..." But the remainder of her sentence was lost when Krillin pulled her closer and slanted his mouth over hers. She wrapped her arms around his middle, losing herself in the tender moment.
Sadly it was over faster than she wanted when they heard the familiar rumble of the Air-car in the distance, approaching the island fast.
"Talk about bad timing." Krillin said with a chuckle. He stole a few more quick kisses before hopping off the counter. Eighteen just shook her head at him as she followed him.
Master Roshi and Oolong were getting out of the vehicle when they stepped outside.
"How's the bachelor pad coming?" Krillin asked with genuine interest.
"It's amazing so far! We're just here to pack up the last of my stuff. You're free to come back with us and check it out later." Oolong said with a grin.
"I promise, you won't be disappointed!" He winked before making his way into the house.
Master Roshi rubbed his beard.
"Got to give it to him, he has everything arranged pretty nicely. You should see the place, it's huge! I think it's bigger than this whole house! Anyway, what's for dinner? I'm starving!" The old man said with a grin. He made his way towards the house.
"Hurry up! We've got more stuff to haul tonight!"
Krillin watched his old Master disappear inside before turning to Eighteen.
"Do you want to eat with us?" He stretched his hand out in invitation which Eighteen took.
"Alright."
Krillin shot her a smile before leading her into the house, closing the door behind them.
"Man it's been way too long since we hung out together! Today's been great!" Yamcha said thumping Krillin on the back in his enthusiasm.
"I guess so." Krillin said with a grin. They were seated in a small and cozy pub enjoying some drinks and finger-food. Earlier in the day, they had spend some time at the baseball field where Yamcha had introduced him to his new team.
"You're always holed up on that island, don't you ever get bored?"
Krillin smiled slightly as he took a sip from his drink, grimacing when the taste hit his tongue. It had been quite a while since he had something alcoholic.
"Not really, I'm not alone you know. Master Roshi is there and Eighteen too, most of the time."
Yamcha frowned slightly at the mention of the blonde haired cyborg.
"So eh, how are things going between you two? Still great?" He asked.
"More than great, she's amazing." Krillin promptly said.
"Really?"
Krillin raised his brows at his questionable tone. He cocked his head slightly as he regarded the taller man.
"Yes, why?" He asked.
Yamcha was quiet for a moment. He really wanted to be happy for his friend, but somehow just couldn't see them work out in the long run. Eighteen wasn't exactly a 'warm' type of person, from what he had observed so far in their limited interactions. In fact, to him, she was the complete opposite of Krillin. The small man was such a cheerful, happy-go-lucky guy who sometimes wore his emotions on his sleeves. He couldn't really fathom what he saw in someone as distant and reserved as Eighteen.
He voiced his thoughts.
"I mean, don't take this the wrong way, I am happy for you but I just can't see it last for a long time. She is so different from you, all of us really. I don't think I could live or be with someone who rarely expresses affection or emotion."
Krillin turned his attention to his glass. He could see where Yamcha was coming from though, but only because he and the others didn't see Eighteen the way he did.
He knew that to them, she seemed aloof and indifferent, but that was only because she didn't feel the need to display affection in public, aside from sometimes holding his hand or wrapping an arm around his shoulders briefly when they were out and about, and he was okay with that.
Because he knew better.
Eighteen could actually be very loving and doting if she wanted too. Krillin sighed softly, remembering all the times she would just sneak up on him with a hug or a soft kiss. How she would laugh at his silly antics or his misery whenever he lost against her in one of the many boardgames they liked to play, or how she would snuggle up to him on the couch while watching TV, shooting Master Roshi a fierce glare if he dared to say anything about it.
Krillin chuckled at that.
His friends might not know it, but he knew she loved him. She didn't tell him often, after all she wasn't one to throw those three little words around carelessly, but when she did, it was the best feeling in the world. Her words meant everything to him and he loved her dearly in return, adored every little thing about her. It was amazing how he still learned something new about her each day.
She was such an enigma to him. Sometimes he just couldn't help it but pinch himself to see if everything that was happening between them was real. That he wasn't dreaming when she stayed over at the island and he woke up in those early morning hours with her next to him, tangled up in the sheets of his bed and wrapped all around him, sleeping peacefully or talking softly. Sometimes he would wake up and find her gone, but she almost always left a little note for him if she did.
Krillin smiled to himself, he loved those little notes she wrote. He had saved each one she had written so far.
Yamcha observed the faintly blushing man next to him.
"Forget I said anything, you seem to be in good hands after all."
Krillin didn't miss the teasing tone in his voice, resulting in his blush intensifying. He shook his head, focusing his attention on Yamcha who regarded him curiously.
"Look, I didn't mean to.." But Krillin held up his hands.
"Don't worry about it, I appreciate your honesty. But trust me when I say that Eighteen is not as indifferent as you guys might perceive her as. Besides, she's also not entirely used to all of you either, I'm pretty sure she'll loosen up a little once she interacts more with you guys."
Yamcha nodded.
Krillin drank the last of his drink. It was getting late, he could see it was already dark out.
"I think we should go, won't be long before the rowdy crowd will take over the streets here. Night clubs are opening soon." Yamcha said. He refused to let Krillin pay for their drinks.
"No it's on me this time!"
Krillin shrugged, pulling his jacket on and zipping it up. It was a lot colder in this region than it was on the island.
He waited for Yamcha to pay.
"Let's go."
They stepped outside, there were already quite a few people gathered at the different entrances to the clubs that lined the street they were in.
"Feel like going?"
But Krillin shook his head.
"Nah, not really my thing. Besides, it's getting late, I think I'm going to head home."
They made their way down the street, intending to slip into an alleyway at the end of the long lane where they could safely ascend into the air without being seen, but they were stopped by yelling and screaming just ahead of them. They could hear the circle of people start to chant.
"Fight! Fight! Fight!"
"Uh oh." Yamcha said with a grimace. They witnessed two people pushing and pulling at each other all the while yelling profanities. Krillin shook his head.
"Come on, lets just try and walk around it."
They were half way around the circle when one of the brawlers pushed the other. The crowd stepped aside quickly as the taller of the two stumbled backwards and reached out to steady himself but failed, arms flailing wildly before he could grab a hold of the nearest thing or person in reach.
Krillin let out a surprised yelp when he was yanked downwards and landed rather hard on the ground.
"Who're you?" The man said, all his attention was focused on Krillin now, he didn't see the other brawler sneak away.
"It doesn't matter who I am, please let go of me." Krillin said. He shook his head at Yamcha who stepped forwards.
"I can handle it."
"Handle it? Handle what shorty? Me?! Hahaha don't make me laugh!" The man stood up, tightening his hold on the front of Krillin's jacket and hoisting him up off his feet.
Krillin held up his hands.
"Please don't do this, just let me go. I have nothing to do with this."
"Or else?!"
Krillin let out a frustrated sigh.
"Or else I'm afraid I have to hurt you. I don't want to do that so I ask again, please let go of me."
The man snorted heartily as he addressed the crowd. Krillin could tell by his speech that he was drunk.
"You hear that? This twerp thinks he can hurt me! Now isn't that funny?"
The crowd laughed. Krillin let out a sigh, grabbing a hold of the man's forearms.
"For the last time, let go of me." He hissed. Yamcha gulped at the look on his friend's face. He dearly hoped the drunkard was wise enough to heed Krillin's warning.
"Nah, I think I'll hold on to you a little longer."
Krillin bit his lip, his patience was running thin. He tightened his grip on the man's arms.
"Fine, suit yourself."
He quickly bent his leg and kneed him in the stomach.
"Ooof!" The man's hold slacked and Krillin quickly twisted himself away and out of his grip before turning around and lightly chopping him in the neck. With a small grunt, the brawler fell to the pavement, unconscious. There was a collective gasp from the people around them.
"I warned him." Krillin said in disgust.
"Let's get out of here." He motioned for Yamcha to follow him. They had taken but a few steps when someone stopped them.
"Hey! Hey you! The short guy!"
Krillin let out sigh and ignored the person calling out to him.
"Please wait?! I have something to ask you!"
Krillin turned towards the man who panted slightly from running after them.
"What is it?"
"I saw what you did to that guy back there." He started. "Staying so calm and taking him out with just two blows!"
"So? If he was one of your friends, make sure he gets some medical attention." Krillin turned away again but the man grabbed his shoulder.
"No, he's not a friend. I was merely going to say how impressed I was. I want to offer you a job, if you are interested?"
"Huh?" Krillin said confused. He shared a look with Yamcha who merely shrugged his shoulders.
"Yeah, see I just recently opened a small establishment on the other side of town. I still need more security. You'd be perfect for it! Your calmness plus short stature, no offense, will catch people off guard. Where did you learn to fight like that? Mr Satan's dojo? Cuz if ya did, you're gonna like working for me!"
Krillin couldn't believe is ears, was this guy for real? Then an idea struck him. It actually wouldn't hurt to earn some cash, especially since he had been toying with something in his head and extra money would help out greatly with that.
"Never mind where I trained. What does this job entail?"
Yamcha raised his brows. It seemed like his friend was considering taking this man's offer.
"Just security, making sure everyone is behaving themselves and having a good time! You would only have to work on Wednesday and Thursday evening. I'm covered on the other days we're open. Here is my card, please do give me a call if you're interested."
Krillin took the bright colored card from his hands.
"I might just do that." He said.
"Great! I'll be looking forward to it then. Have a good evening." He nodded to Yamcha before disappearing back into the ever growing crowd. Yamcha read the card over Krillin's shoulder.
"Club Hercule...oh I've heard about that! It's supposed to be a real exclusive establishment. You have to be a member to get in, I heard they built it to honor Satan, that fraud. You're not considering to really call that guy right?"
But Krillin didn't answer, he was observing the small card with a slight frown.
"I might. I can use some extra zenni right now since..." But he trailed off.
Yamcha cocked his head.
"Since...what?"
Krillin stuck the card in his pocket. They had reached the alley where they could fly off. He slowly ascended in the air, followed by Yamcha who really didn't know what to make of Krillin's strange behavior at the moment.
"I'm gonna do it you know, this will just make it a little easier! Lucky me!"
"Do what?!"
Krillin grinned, turning towards his friend in flight.
"Ask Eighteen to marry me."
The END ...of part 1. Yes that is right, another split up chapter! I just have too much to cover to put in one chappie. Next part will however probably be significantly shorter!
*You guys all are familiar with that nice little scene in the anime where Krillin calls Eighteen 'Babe' and she starts to blush, calling him an idot for it..right? Well I liked that scene a lot so I tried to somehow incorporate it in this story. In my headcanon, she enjoys it when he calls her these little petnames but doesn't really want anyone to know about that.
Again, I apologize for the delay. Here is a little preview for the REAL last chapter of Show me Love!
Eighteen eyed the two objects in Bulma's hands warily, she had no idea what the blue haired woman was getting at.
"Well? Which one? You're lucky, I always carry both in my purse! Of course I know when it will happen to me but it does not hurt to have these on hand when needed!"
The blonde bit her lip, not really knowing what to do.
"I have never used any of these things, what are they for?"
Bulma's eyes widened at that statement, not really believing her ears.
"Wait, what? Then how did you manage all this time?" She asked incredulous.
"Manage what? This has never happened to me before."
"Now you're just pulling my leg...you have got to be joking." But Eighteen shook her head.
"Why would I want to do that, will you please just tell me what is going on?!" She said with a frown.
Show me Love, Chapter 13 Love (pt 2)
Thanks for reading.