Day 1
Sabriena stretched and groaned, rolling over in the impossibly soft bed and stared up at the rafters. She heaved a sigh, thinking about all the work she had ahead of her that day. Man, she really didn't want to get out of bed. She shook her head and looked over at Tien who was already awake. "Hey," she yawned, rubbing her eyes. "How's your knee feeling?"
Tien gave her a look before he glanced back down at his knee; it was about the size of a grapefruit now. "Not good. I'll have to cut it later and let all that fluid inside drain out before I lose use of it permanently. At least my pain medicine worked, but I'm almost out, I'll have to..." he trailed off, about to say go get more, but he couldn't climb the mountain to get the herbs he needed. And he didn't have anything to show Sabriena what to look for. "Never mind." He sighed, "There has to be something I can do around here so you don't have to do all of the chores."
"Ah, you just rest," she said, trying to stifle another yawn and she sat up, throwing the blankets away as she stretched her arms high over her head. "I'd better get the chickens taken care of and stuff before I make breakfast." She blinked, looking around, trying to decide how to get out of bed. The suitcases were piled by the foot board; she'd break her neck trying to climb out that way. She decided to crawl over Tien instead. "Sorry," she said, even if she didn't sound like she meant it, and moved to crawl over him, but her hand slipped and she landed chest first on his chest. "OOF!" she cried, her eyes going wide as she felt his strong, warm muscles under her body.
Tien's eyes went wide as well as he suddenly had an armful of that woman, still in nothing more than the thin, lacy underwear she wore that left little to the imagination. He could feel himself blushing hotly and looked away from her, wondering why the gods had cursed him so.
Her face went pink, but instead of scrambling to get off of him, she just laid there and laughed. "I'm sorry!" she managed to choke out, laughing so hard she could barely move. "Oh my god." She slapped a hand to his chest and pushed herself up, hovering over him, looking into his eyes. "Well that's one way to make sure you're up," she grinned and finally got out of the bed, still laughing to herself.
She was so soft...where her skin had touched his, he had wanted to reach up, pull her back down to him, show her what he would have done had she come home with him that night of Beltane. He shivered as her warmth left him and the words were trapped on the tip of his tongue, wanting to call her back, but his mouth snapped shut. He moved to sit up, hoping the blankets would cover his growing hardness that he willed to go down. He reached down and pinched his wound, relishing the pain that made his erection subside.
Sabriena got dressed, then started fixing their breakfast. This was sort of weird, having all of her stuff here in Tien's house. She shrugged and grabbed her makeup case out of the suitcase and sat down at the table to fix her face as breakfast cooked. Might as well use it since she had it with her.
Tien blinked at her, his stomach was growling as the smell of breakfast filled the cabin. He looked at the makeup bag, he was certain she didn't have that yesterday and then his eyes drew to the end of the bed, "What...What is all of this? Are those suitcases? Your suitcases?"
Sabriena blinked over at him, pausing with the mascara still in her hand, "Well yeah," she answered and looked back to the little mirror she had with her as she applied the makeup to her other eye. "I told you I was moving in here to take care of you. I can't be running back and forth to Capsule Corp to change clothes every day. What did you expect? You saw them last night."
"I don't remember them being that big," he muttered, rubbing at his eyes. The reality of what happened yesterday was starting to sink in. Moving in with him? She was actually serious. He'd been so tired last night, he barely remembered their conversation. He was feeling dizzy, he didn't know if he could spend every night with her until he was well. She was going to find out his attraction to her. He was wasn't entirely happy about this. Having her there was nice, but having someone there to "help him" made him feel like he was an invalid. "But... you... The doctor said four to six weeks! And there are chores to be done. I can do... some... I have to be able to do something," he sighed, "Do you have to wear the makeup? It's still a training day for you."
She rolled her eyes and drew the lipstick across her lips, painting them red. "Just because I'm coming out here to live and work like a country bumpkin doesn't mean I have to look like one." She smacked her lips together and admired her reflection for a moment before she put the makeup back into the little case. She turned to look at him, "And just how am I supposed to train by myself?" She got up to check the food and started dishing it out onto plates for them.
Tien had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. He liked her, but he preferred her with out the makeup. It seemed to give her an attitude. "I've trained alone for years. You do the chores, you train against nature. You won't find a better opponent who won't talk back. Train against nature, test your stamina under the waterfall…"
"HA!" she cried, walking over and grabbing his arm, urging him to sit up a bit more. "I'll be lucky to get all the chores done in one day, much less all that extra crap." She grabbed his plate and set it in his lap. "And I just fixed my hair, I really don't think I'm going to be standing under the water fall any time soon." She gave a shudder as she sat in her chair at the table. "Too cold anyway." It felt weird to sit and eat at the table while Tien sat in bed.
Tien snorted, "You asked me. How much different would it be than training with me. You're going to have to make time for one of them. Just because I'm injured doesn't mean that you get to neglect your training." He closed his eyes as he ate, savoring the tastes, it was delicious as always. "We can start by finishing the chores. I'll help as much as I can. Then we will see how much time is left and we will adjust your training together."
Sabriena rolled her eyes. "Tien, you're supposed to be resting. The doctor said so," she huffed, quickly eating her breakfast. She gave another exaggerated sigh and set her empty plate in the little wash tub. "I'll do as much as I can," she promised. "I don't think I've let you down yet, have I?" She reached behind him to prop up his pillows and make him a bit more comfortable. "I have chickens and a garden to tend to. You holler if you need me. Okay?"
Tien frowned, "Let me get the chickens. That doesn't take much energy." He moved to stand, buckling as he got his cane, taking the first step and falling to the ground. He hissed in pain as he hit the ground. This was going to be harder than he originally thought. "I just... Ugh. Fine. I'll wash the dishes, you get the chickens and the garden. I'll pay you back for it. I promise," he said grudgingly.
"Goddammit, Tien," Sabriena scolded and went to him, throwing his arm over her shoulders to help him stand. He tried to take a step forward, but she pulled back on him, trying to get him to sit in the bed again. "The doctor said you're supposed to rest! You need to keep your leg up!" She tried to steer him back towards the bed again. "I can do the dishes tonight. Now quit being so stubborn!"
Tien shook his head, "Sabriena! I can do it myself!" He frowned sitting on the bed and scooted back to lean against the headboard. "I am not used to being taken care of." He sighed, "At least let me do the dishes. Five minutes on my feet later wont do any harm. I don't want a big city girl like you to get driven off when you break a nail." He knew he was being harsher than he should have been, but he was bitter about the situation.
Sabriena's jaw fell slightly open at the insult. "Break a nail?" she repeated back to him in a dangerous tone. "May I remind you, this 'big city girl' has held her own out here, thank you very much." She stepped back from the bed, pressing her lips to a thin line and narrowed her eyes at him. "Whatever. Do the dishes." She turned and headed for the door, adding, "Dick," under her breath, not particularly caring if he heard her or not. His words stung. To hell with doing chores - she'd do what she felt like doing and that was it.
Day 2
Sabriena and Tien had gone to bed a little sour with each other that first night, but by the next morning, their frustration seemed to have disappeared. Frankly, Sabriena was too tired from all the chores to argue.
Tien was sitting on the bed, looking at his knee once again. It had swelled up even more, if that were possible. "I gotta drain this soon. I can't stand it," he said, frowning at the horribly swelled, bruised limb.
"Oh... okay," Sabriena said as she went to her suitcases and started rummaging through them. She finally pulled on a shirt and jeans and threw her hair in a messy bun. What did it matter? It was just Tien out here after all and he had been right – putting on makeup to do chores and training was sort'a ridiculous. "I'm gonna have to wash up at some point today. I feel all icky." She was skirting the subject of draining his knee - she didn't know the first thing about something like that. But it sounded painful and nasty. She finally sighed when she saw him wincing in pain again. "All right, what do we need to do?"
Tien chuckled. "Just help me outside to the river. I'll need a towel, a knife, and a basin. You should get cleaned up first. You look like you could use it. You did work hard yesterday." He shook his head at her. "Hopefully with the pressure off the joint I can get around here better and help you with the chores."
"Ah, it can wait until later," she said, grabbing up her basket to collect the eggs. "I'll take care of the chickens and make us some breakfast, then we'll get you down to the river." She headed out into the bright morning light, nearly hissing as it hit her eyes. She went to the chicken coop and opened it up, letting the chickens out into the yard. "Morning, ladies," she said to them, watching as they filed out, followed by the big red rooster who eyed her. "Back off," she warned him.
The rooster cocked his head at her before he jumped, feet first, and attacked her, catching her arm with his spurs. Sabriena screamed in surprise and pain, swinging her basket wildly, trying to knock the rooster away. "STUPID FUCKING BIRD!" she screamed and turned to run, stopping only when she was sure the rooster was far behind her. "Son of a bitch," she hissed, looking at the big scratches all over her arm. This wasn't the first time he'd come at her with his spurs. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Looks like Tien's getting fried chicken for lunch." She picked her basket back up and, giving the rooster a wide berth, she collected the eggs and went back into the cabin to make their breakfast.
Tien had managed to limp over to the fireplace with the aid of his cane and made a pot of coffee while Sabriena was outside tending the chickens. He looked at her when she entered the cabin as he sipped his coffee, relaxing into the hot liquid. He watched as she cooked the fresh eggs, the big scratches on her arm turning an angry red color. "Having trouble with that rooster again? Was he worth the two sets of push-ups?" he asked calmly. He didn't approve of her swearing, but he was somewhat amused by it. He wanted to see if he could get a rise out of her and lighten the mood at least.
"Two set of..." she trailed off realizing he must've heard her screaming curse words at the rooster. She gave an enormous eye-roll, knowing how much that irritated him, and dropped to the floor, doing her pushups. "Chicken lollipop," she muttered to herself again, trying not to snicker. He still hadn't figured that one out. Her arms were burning in protest - the pushups usually didn't bother her anymore, but after all the extra work yesterday, she was aching all over. She got to her feet and slapped some eggs onto a plate before she dropped the plate on the table in front of Tien. "Breakfast," she grumbled and sat at her end of the table.
Tien shook his head at her, he had meant to ask Jenny or Lindsey about that phrase, but he had just forgotten. And Sabriena looked so sour right now, he didn't think it was the best time to push her. He ate his breakfast, chewing slowly as he did, savoring the taste. Gods, her food could make him forget about the pain easily. He finished all too quickly and pushed his plate back. "I'll wash the dishes in a bit. Let's get this over with," he motioned to his leg, eager to just get the tight feeling out of his joint.
Sabriena drew a deep breath and nodded. She didn't know if she could stand to watch this. She grabbed up the towel and the knife and put them in a basin like he'd asked. She handed him his cane and walked beside him down to the river. She was going to offer to help him, but he had a serious expression on his face and she didn't know if it was because his knee was hurting or his pride, so she left him alone. She did help him sit down when they made it to the river and set the basin next to him. "I can't believe you're doing this," she stated, crossing her arms and staring down at him.
Tien shrugged. "It has to be done. Besides, once it gets the pressure off of the joint, I'll be feeling a lot better." He propped his knee up in a way he could hold it over the basin, wincing as he moved before taking the knife in his hand and feeling over his knee, going for the swollen part next to his knee cap and sucked in a breath as he pushed the tip of the knife inside, making an incision. There was blood, puss and a clear fluid that dribbled out. He swallowed harshly and moved over, carefully pressing on the wound, the pain making him cry out as he pushed the fluid out of his knee, the swelling going down considerably in the first few minutes.
Sabriena stared in horror, nearly gagging. "UGH! That's so gross! And yet... I... can't... look away..." She watched him pushing on it, forcing the fluid out of his leg. "Okay, I'm done," she said, finally wrenching her eyes from the sight and heading back up to the cabin to grab the big washtub for laundry. She returned a short while later and filled the tub, then sat down on the bank and started scrubbing away at the dirty clothes she'd packed down with her. "You should seriously consider getting so utilities out here," she complained. "Your life would be a lot easier."
Tien snorted as he filled the basin with water, washing it clean before he filled it again with the crystal clear water and held it above his leg, holding the hole open as he flushed out the wound again. He shivered as he did so, forcing out more of the he bad stuff. "If I wanted easy I would life in one of those cities you are so taken with. But I can't stand the crowds, the air. Everything tastes wrong out there. I prefer it here. Besides, you really think there's anywhere the plumbing could go out here?"
"It's called a lagoon, Tien," Sabriena huffed. "Whatever. Have fun mutilating your knee." She turned her back to him so she couldn't see it anymore and continued washing the laundry. They sat in silence, him occasionally hissing at the pain in his knee as he worked, until the washing was done and she carried the basket of clean clothes up to the clothesline. She narrowed her eyes at the rooster who wandered closer to her. "Shoo! Go away!" she shouted as she started hanging up clothes. The bird came closer, eyeing her and she screamed at him, "What did I ever do to you?!"
The rooster attacked for the second time that day, catching her shin with his spurs, tripping her up and knocking her flat on her back.
"AGH!" she screamed and kicked out, knocking the bird away. He ran back to the hens, ruffling his feathers. She sat up, blowing a piece of hair out of her eyes. "Bastard!" she yelled at it.
Tien thought for a moment, was that a curse word? He decided to let it slide, she was already frazzled as it was, doing all of the chores that he should have been able to do or at least help her with. He shook his head, moving his knee, wincing slightly, but the difference was night and day, the pressure was gone and the sharp ache remained. Satisfied he dried up with the towel, he'd have to go back to the cabin, get fresh bandages and pack the wound with the paste before he put that accursed brace back on.
Sabriena finished hanging up the clothes, formulating a plan in her mind. She finally helped Tien back into the cabin, insisting that he lay down again, before she went back outside and picked up the empty laundry basket. Holding it upside down, she stalked around the edge of the cabin, spying the rooster scratching happily in the dirt. She snuck up behind him and dove forward, slamming the basket over him as he jumped and scratched and squawked at his sudden imprisonment. "Gotcha!" she grinned, holding the basket down.
She waited until he'd settled down a bit before she carefully and quickly reached under the basket and grabbed him by the legs. "It's the frying pan for you, you useless bastard." She happily carried the rooster by his legs as he flapped his wings helplessly and tried to peck at her fingers. She unceremoniously flopped him on the tree stump, still holding him by the feet and grabbed the axe. With more pleasure than it should have given her, Sabriena swiftly chopped the rooster's head off and let the body drop to the ground. Her eyes went wide, "So that's where they get the phrase running around like a chicken with its head cut off."
She waited for the bird to stop moving, then started the process of plucking and butchering him, muttering the whole time to him about how much she was going to enjoy her lunch. She finally entered the cabin, grabbing up a frying pan, grinning proudly at Tien. "How's fried chicken sound for lunch?"
Tien blinked over at her, "Fried chicken?" He asked, suddenly worried she was about to kill one of the valuable egg laying hens, when it struck him. "Oh...you...you did, didn't you?" He suddenly laughed, in spite of himself, "Remind me not to get on your bad side." He nodded at her, "Chicken sounds great."
Sabriena beamed. "That's what he gets. Stupid rooster." It wasn't long before the cabin was filled with the smell of fried chicken. She threw together a couple side dishes and finally called Tien over to the table. She'd somewhat expected him to be mad about the rooster, but maybe the pain killers were keeping him calm. She shrugged and with great satisfaction, sat down and sank her teeth into her lunch.
Tien was already wondering how many more roosters they would go through, "This going to happen again if I buy another rooster?" he asked before he bit into a drumstick. It made his jaw ache and his mouth water even more. Maybe he'd have to get a few more roosters if this was the reward. It was so delicious, crispy and greasy in just the right way. Gods it had been forever since he had fried chicken and that was sub par compared to this decadence.
"Only if they attack me," she answered as she chewed.
He shook his head and continued to eat. Maybe having her out here full time wasn't going to be such a bad thing after all.
Day 5
One night after supper, Sabriena finally dug into her smallest suitcase and pulled out a paperback novel to read. She was sore from chores, but since she wasn't waking up as early to leave Capsule Corp and she wasn't making the flight home at night, she discovered she had a few more hours to kill in the evening after it was dark. She'd bathed in the river and was wearing Tien's white shirt as she crawled onto the bed. Tien was still sitting at the table, quietly staring into the small fire in the fireplace. "You coming to bed?" she asked as she laid down on her chest and opened her book.
Tien blinked as if coming out of a trance. He'd been lost in thought, trying to figure out why his knee wasn't getting any better yet. He was also secretly trying to figure out why his relationship, if you could call it that, with Sabriena was becoming so strained. They were both being rather short with each other ever since she moved in. He supposed it was because they were literally spending every second of the day together and it was an adjustment for them both. Not to mention they were both resentful of the situation. He suspected she didn't like caring for him about as much as he disliked being cared for. It was driving him nuts.
He looked over at the bed, seeing her engrossed in her book, and he let his eyes wander over her form in his white shirt. Damn she looked good in that. He sighed, he was becoming more and more frustrated; days of doing not much, hurting constantly, and then nights spent laying next to her, sometimes getting to hold her supple form in his arms, smelling her hair and not having the guts to speak up about what he wanted. It was tearing him apart. "Yeah," he said, grabbing his cane and limping over to the bed, sighing as he sat down and swung his legs up onto the mattress. He chucked off his own shirt and unlaced the brace before he laid down. He stared at the ceiling a moment before he looked at her, "What are you reading?"
"The Hobbit," she answered. "I've always wanted to read it, but I never really got around to it. I really, REALLY want to read Lord of the Rings, but I figured I'd probably better start at the beginning and read The Hobbit first." She paused and smiled, "The movies got me hooked. Orlando Bloom with that long blonde hair... Mmmmmm." She giggled and looked over at him, "Sorry. Not like you needed to know that. Have you read them or seen the movies?"
Tien gave her a look. "Never cared for movies and the last book I read was a long time ago. I don't care for long drawn out stories that go nowhere. What's it about?"
"It's about a hobbit called Bilbo Baggins. He goes on an adventure with a wizard and a bunch of dwarfs to help them reclaim their gold from a dragon. It's a fantasy. It's supposed to be really good," she answered. "If you don't like long stories, you wouldn't like any of the stories I like. I still gotta read Harry Potter again, too. I think I've only read that whole series about six or seven times..."
Tien laughed, "I said I don't like long pointless stories." He leaned back, propping his knee up on the bundle of pillows he put together, sighing in relief. "You know, don't take this the wrong way, but you didn't strike me as the person who would like to quietly read a book. Then again, I'm learning to be surprised by you." He shouldn't have been surprised by anything with her anymore. Just when he thought he understood her, that he had her figured out, she threw him another curveball. "Why don't you read me a few pages? Hobbits...whatever that is and dwarfs going to steal treasure from a dragon...if it's anything like our dragon, they are in trouble."
"Yeah, yeah," Sabriena muttered. "Stupid Sabriena... how could she be interested in a book? What? She has tits AND a brain?" She sighed. "Sorry... I didn't mean you... It's just... my ex used to give me crap about reading."
She chewed her lip. He really wanted her to read to him? "Well... okay..." She flipped back to the first page, she was only two pages into it anyway. She flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder and lifted her feet up in the air, crossing her ankles, and began to read aloud.
Tien was going to say something about her, not that he meant that a woman like her couldn't read and look beautiful, but he lost his thoughts as he got lost in her voice. When she read aloud, her voice lost its attitude, the snarky personality she put up as her protective cover. It was just her, simple and pure. It was wonderful, like milk and honey flowing over the words. He then found himself getting lost in the story, the plot. He crossed his arms behind his head and forgot all about the pain in his knee, getting lost in a world of fantasy, of hobbits and wizards and dwarfs on a quest.
Day 9
Sabriena awoke early that morning, starting the fire and taking care of the chickens while Tien slept. The fire still wasn't quite ready for fixing breakfast, so Sabriena sat down on the steps and pulled out her cell phone. She made a mental note to thank Bulma for the solar charger for her phone. Simply lay it out in the sun for a couple hours around the edge of the cabin where Tien wouldn't notice it, then connect it to her phone and shove it in her purse. Voila! And if she got up before Tien did, she was able to call Tumbler every morning just like she had been ever since she'd left the states.
But this morning was a bit different. She'd been working so hard around the cabin that she had been exhausted and hadn't called for a few days. She was a bit nervous to call - he'd probably be raging mad. "Hey baby," she purred when Tumbler answered the phone. "You doing okay? Sorry I haven't called. I was crazy busy..."
Tien woke with a start, hearing Sabriena's low purr off in the distance. There was a hint of nervousness in her voice; maybe that's what woke him. But then he realized she was on that blasted phone again. He could feel the irritation building up in him. How did that thing still have a charge?
Tumbler snorted in the phone, "You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were stalling. What the hell are you still in Japan for?"
"I'm still training," Sabriena answered. She sighed. She knew he was going to be like this. "Well, I was training. My teacher got hurt. I'm going to try to keep training on my own until he gets better. But it's going to make me have to stay a little longer." She cringed, waiting for his response. This could turn real ugly real quick. "I'll be home before you know it."
"You said that ages ago, you bitch. Stop lying to me! And if that 'teacher' of yours is so weak he is getting hurt, then I don't think he has any business teaching you in the first place."
Sabriena groaned. She couldn't explain to him about the magick that had injured Tien. "He got jumped in a bar. They had a weapon, Tumbler. You wouldn't have stood a chance either. I want to come home, baby! I do! But I have stay and take care of him first. He needs my help."
There was a snort. "He took you to a bar!? I fucking knew you were sleeping around on me. Why the hell else would he..."
Tien had heard enough and he pushed himself up, wincing at he pain in his knee. He grabbed his cane and got out of the bed, going for the door and pulling it open before he barked, "Sabriena! What did I say about that phone?"
Sabriena jumped and dropped the phone, scrambling to pick it back up. "Shh!" she scolded Tien and put the phone back to her ear. "No, he didn't take me to a bar. We went to town to get coffee and the bar across the street was having some problems with these guys, so Tien went over there to take care of it for them." Sabriena pushed past Tien and went back into the cabin to start fixing breakfast. No sense in hiding it now, he'd already seen the phone.
"Whatever, you say he is some great teacher but this fucker can't even win a bar fight? You'd better get your shit together and come home. I ain't waiting around for you forever. Look, I'll even buy that expensive diamond necklace you've been drooling over in the mall," Tumbler offered
Sabriena huffed. "He is a good teacher," she insisted. "And you're going to buy me those diamonds anyway. You already promised. So don't throw that in my face! You can't make me come home, Tumbler. Just calm the fuck down until I'm done over here." She cringed as soon as the word slipped from her lips.
Tien rolled his eyes and snatched the phone from her hands, speaking into the device, "Don't call her again." He hung up and tossed the phone onto the table, "And don't call him again! Look at what that...that thing does to you. Five minutes on the phone and you've already forgotten. Push-ups. Now."
"You... you big jerk!" she spat at him, wishing she could call him something much worse, but not wanting additional pushups. She did them quickly, muttering to herself the entire time, before she stood and grabbed the heavy cast iron pan and banged it onto the rack over the fire. "And you said I couldn't talk on it while we were training. In case you hadn't notice, WE'RE NOT TRAINING RIGHT NOW!" She snatched her phone off the table and put it back in her pocket. "If I'm staying out here, then I'll use my phone as I see fit."
Tien frowned at her, feeling his temper rising, "You think this isn't part of training?! What is the most important thing you need in every single battle you find yourself in? FOCUS! When you are concerned about that phone and the jerk on the other end of it, where do you think your focus is? You're a good fighter Sabriena and you have all of this amazing potential in you, but then you just throw it away at a moments notice!"
"Not everything has to be about work! Don't you ever just relax for a minute?!" She angrily tossed the sausage into the pan and stirred it, smashing it with more force than was necessary. "I will talk to whoever I want whenever I want. I don't think you get a whole lot of say in the matter."
"Sabriena," he sighed, really not wanting to argue, his leg was throbbing again and he moved to sit down. He needed to put his brace back on, but it was over by the bed and he really needed to just sit for a moment. "I don't mind you talking to people; however I don't hear you talking like that when you are talking with Lindsey or Jenny. Only him. He shouldn't talk to you like that, call you names, say that you are wasting your time, because you aren't. And I don't like to hear it because when I do, it makes me thinks you are playing around with my time as well."
"Playing around with your time?" she asked in a dangerous voice, turning and narrowing her eyes at him. "Playing... with your TIME?" She slammed her spoon into the pan and wiped her hands on her shorts. "May I remind you, I have given up ALL of my time to come out here and take care of you! Cleaning your house, weeding your garden, fixing your meals! So don't you DARE accuse me of playing around with your time! DON'T YOU DARE!"
Tien chewed on the inside of his cheek, "And I suppose you would have something just as equally time consuming to do if you weren't here? I imagine putting up with his bullshit is a twenty-four-hour job .You think that he cares about what is coming up!? The war? He will do anything to distract you. What I am talking about is all the hours that I have spent trying to help you reach that goal you have in your mind, so that you can protect yourself in battle! So you don't DIE again! "
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Who told you about that?" she hissed. She walked closer to him, her blood boiling. "Who told you?" She paused and gasped. "You were talking to my friends about me?! You had no right to do that! What else did they tell you? Huh? Come on, let's hear it! I wanna know what they think about me now."
"I didn't ask them about you! They asked me about you! They like what you've become. They told me without even thinking, why didn't you tell me that Sabriena?" His face softened a little bit, "It's not an easy thing to do. Dying is the worst feeling in the world...you should have told me!" He shook his head, "That's not the point..."
"I don't have to tell you shit," she spat, slapping the sausage onto his plate with some hashbrowns. "I don't have to tell you anything about my past. I don't have to open up to you. If you want to know something about me, then you ask ME! Not my friends!" She angrily set the plate in front of him and slammed a cup of coffee down with it, sopping some of the hot liquid onto her hand. "Dammit!" she hissed, sucking at the back of her hand.
Tien huffed, letting the curse slide. He was bringing out a bad side in her now and he felt like it was his fault. He sighed. "I'm sorry. I should have...it just happened." He was speaking softer, "Would you even tell me if I asked now? How you died...why..." He caught her wrist and turned her hand over, looking at the now pink skin, soothing his thumb over the angry flesh.
"No," she spat, looking cross. She pulled on her wrist, not wanting to be touched. She didn't understand his soft gesture, the way he backed off from the argument. She wasn't used to that from anyone. It didn't make sense to her.
He shook his head, letting her go, "I just don't want to see you lose all that you've accomplished. Especially not now, now that you have to take care of my sorry hide."
"Yeah, you just remember that," she growled. She frowned at the back of her hand. She wasn't even hungry now. She was still screaming mad, and her hand hurt something awful. "Eat your breakfast," she said as she sat down to tie her shoe. "I have work to do. And NOW I have to make a phone call and try to smooth over what was already a bad situation. Thanks for that, by the way."
He sighed and pushed the food away, his appetite gone as well. "Get out. Just go. Just get your things and go. You don't want to be here and I don't want you around here."
"What?!" she cried, sitting up straight. She felt her heart sinking, her eyes beginning to sting. "You are so typical!" she spat, leaning over the table towards him. "I came out here to help you because I wanted to! Because you agreed to train me without expecting anything in return and I thought I could somewhat pay you back for that by helping you out! I cook for you, I opened up to you about what happened during the storm... I've never told ANYONE about that but you! And here you go and just push me away..." her voice trailed off. "And everyone wonders why I don't let people in. Everyone wonders why I don't trust anyone. That's fine, Tien. Just push me out. I thought you were different. But I was wrong. You're just like everyone else." And with that, she got to her feet and stormed out the door, slamming it behind her.
Tien cursed at himself, getting up the moment the door slammed behind her, forgetting about his cane or his brace. The pain in his knee was teeth grindingly mad, it made his vision go white and he pushed open the door, stumbling to the ground outside. "Sabriena! Wait! Please..." Gods, why did his face feel hot? His eyes hurt as if he wanted to cry. He could feel blood running down his leg; he must have reopened the drainage wound. He blinked up from the ground, looking after her, "I...I'm sorry! I didn't mean that. I shouldn't have said what I did. It's just... I've never done this. I've never been in a position where I've had to rely on some one else. I've never had to deal much with technology. I'm stupid and in pain and a grumpy old man," he finished lamely. He got on his knees, shaking it hurt him so, bowing his head, " I was scared he was going to convince you to leave. To lie to you to make you want to go home instead of wasting your time here."
Sabriena paused and turned to face him. "You idiot," she hissed. "If he was going to convince me to go home, don't you think I would have gone already?! I've been coming out here, what... four almost five months?! Jesus, Tien! Yeah, Tumbler's trying to manipulate me. You helped me see that. But I can play his game, too. He's eventually going to give up. But until I'm sure he's not going to... you know... blow his brains out, I can't stop talking to him. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if that happened." She sighed and went to him, offering her hand. "Now come on. I made you breakfast. Please eat it."
Tien blinked up at her. She was playing...turning Tumblers game back on him. He shook his head, taking her hand. "I really am an idiot," he muttered, leaning on her as she helped him back into the cabin. "I am sorry...I just...everything...I haven't had much experience or good experience in dealing with all this," he waved a hand in the air between them, "I don't know if that makes any sense." He sat down and reached over the table to drag his plate back to him, "would you believe me if I told you I was in a relationship once with a manipulative woman? That ex of yours reminds me of her."
"Oh really?" Sabriena asked, cocking an eyebrow at him. She was still rather sour, why did Tien care about this so much? About who she talked to? The fact that she had died... She walked across the cabin to make the bed. "So what happened with this chick?"
"She had a split personality. Raven haired, sweet girl or a blonde haired maniac with a thirst for violence, blood, money and theft." He quietly at his meal as he told his story, "She wanted me to run away with her, cause the biggest crime spree the world had ever seen and nothing could stop us. It's funny; there was a time in my life when I would have said yes without hesitation. But, no, not then. I'd turned my life around by then. I tried to get her to put down her guns, give up the life of crime and come out here to live with me, but she kept giving me empty promises that she would change, that she would move out here when she collected just a bit more. Eventually I saw the lies she was telling, the lives she hurt, including mine. I broke it off with her. She was furious, no one breaks up with her, but I had to. She didn't give me much choice." He looked over at Sabriena, "I don't know what I am trying to say. It's not easy for me being hurt and unable to help myself, it's uneasy for me to see what I went through happening to someone else." His heart was hammering in his chest. He remembered Grandma's words to him. But he couldn't tell Sabriena, not now. She'd call him a pervert for sure and leave, never to return, but still... "It's like you said, Sabriena, we've seen each other almost non stop over the past five months. I would be lying if I said I didn't care about you-rrr. Well being...you know? It's just hard for me to...you know...show it."
She sighed, her expression softening a little bit. "Yeah, I understand that," she answered. She wasn't the best at expressing her own emotions, either. She'd taught herself to press those emotions down, to hide behind a fake smile and a snarky attitude. She licked her lip and cast a nervous glance at the bed where she'd hidden her guns. A blonde who liked guns too much - that sounded scarily like herself. But she wouldn't give up her firearms - she didn't intend to use them out here. "So that's why you don't like guns, huh?" She didn't know what else to say. Talking about emotions and all that was so awkward to her.
Tien finished his plate and pushed back, looking over at her, "Part of it. I never liked guns much to begin with. I first learned to use by body as a weapon, so as corny as that sounds, that's my weapon of choice. I like weapons that test my strength and stamina. Like the axe or my bow. Any one can pick up a gun and think that they are stronger, but they are just hiding. It's fake." He decided not to mention Launch begging him to literally fuck her with one of her guns. He shuddered at the memory and had firmly said no.
"It's not fake," Sabriena answered. "Sure, anyone can pick up a gun and think they're a gangbanger. But a marksman - a sniper - someone who knows what they're doing and can do it with perfect precision... That's not fake. That takes work. Talent. Skill." She wagged a finger at him. "Dislike guns all you want, but don't lump me in with a bunch of gangster wannabes who go around flashing their guns like idiots. And don't call it fake."
He held up his hands, "No offense meant to you. True it does take some precision, but you can learn those well with a bow just as well. A bow is silent, takes strength and mind to master. You have to be aware of yourself." He shook his head. "You're right, there is a difference, and you are not a gun slinging idiot." He sighed, looking up at the ceiling, "And thanks for respecting that out here. You brought a bow instead of a gun when we went hunting and that means a lot to me. I just, I don't know, wish that I knew what was going on in that head of yours so we don't have to be at each other's throats all the time."
Sabriena felt a pang of guilt at his words. How was she supposed to tell him now about the guns she had stashed away under his bed now? She hadn't meant to betray his trust, not really; all she meant to do was to keep them with her when she moved out here with him. She didn't want to leave them behind at Capsule Corp. Everyone knew she had them. Everyone in Anarchy 99 was required to have a gun. And now she was so used to them, she valued them so much, she couldn't fathom not having them with her. But now here he was praising her for agreeing to his wishes, for respecting his rules, and she had a small armory hidden under his bed. Well, obviously he hadn't found them yet. Maybe he wouldn't end up finding them at all. She prayed she didn't find herself in a situation where she had to use them. He wished he knew what was going on in her head? She snorted at that. "You don't want to know what's in my head," she muttered. "It's awfully messy in here. It'd scare you."
Tien laughed, deep and rich, "There is no way your mind is the messiest one I've tried to understand. You should try me sometime." He sat up, getting his dishes and scooted his chair over to the washbasin, "make you a deal, bring me the water and ill clean up and do dishes today."
"Okay," she agreed, grabbing up a bucket to go get some fresh water. She hesitated for a minute. She hated doing this. "Sorry," she mumbled, "you know, for everything. For the argument." And before he could respond, she was out the door, heading for the river.
Day 17
Sabriena grabbed up the dirty clothes scattered across the cabin floor. She'd let the laundry go for nearly a week and now she needed to make up for it. Tien was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking as sour as Sabriena felt. This wasn't working quite the way she'd expected. But she wasn't giving up now. She had to help him until he was back on his feet again. She held the basket against her hip and walked over to him. "You need to change your clothes," she stated, plucking at his shirt. "You're filthy. And I'm going to have to wash the sheets, too."
Tien felt his nerves being rubbed away again, making him sigh a little more loudly than necessary as he peeled off his shirt and tossed it into her basket. He reached for his pants and paused, giving her a scathing look, "I don't need you here, I can undress myself." He felt a heat creeping across his cheeks as he sat there.
Sabriena narrowed her eyes. "Oh, look who's Mr. Modesty all of the sudden," she replied. She grabbed him a fresh change of clothes from the dresser and popped them on the bed next to him. "I'll be back in a minute. Try to manage at least getting dressed and over to the table before I get back inside." And with that, she turned and stomped out the door.
Tien scowled at her as she shut the door behind herself. He struggled with getting his pants off of his brace well enough, but getting them back on was a whole new challenge. His face was burning with embarrassment as he couldn't get the pants leg over the brace. He bit his lip so hard he could taste copper and then he heard a snap as his pants ripped. He cursed under his breath and threw the ruined clothes on the ground, "This is ridiculous!" he cried in frustration.
Sabriena took her time filling the big wash basin, carrying buckets of water from the river one at a time at a leisurely stroll. She'd only been living full-time with Tien for a little over two weeks and they were already at each other's throats. She couldn't imagine another four weeks of this. He just had to play the hero and get in a bar fight with those Atlanteans. Idiot. She poured the last bucket of water into the washtub and carelessly tossed the bucket aside. Tien had had more than enough time to change his clothes. She felt gross herself - bathing in the river didn't leave her feeling nearly as clean as a hot shower did and shaving her legs in the cold water was nearly impossible. It made goosebumps erupt over her skin and then all she did was nick herself with her razor. It was infuriating. She'd thought about staying up one night and heating some water and trying to shave in the cabin, but she was so exhausted every night, she hadn't gotten around to it yet. She rolled her eyes, thinking Tien could probably use a good scrub-down in the river himself instead of just doing a quick clean-up in the cabin. She thought of the fire-heated hot tub at Goku and Chichi's house and suddenly found herself longing for one here at Tien's. Without knocking, she kicked the cabin door open and marched inside. "I came to get your... clothes..." she froze when she saw him still sitting in the exact same spot she'd left him and realized he still hadn't gotten dressed.
Tien didn't look up at her, his face burning. He hated asking for help; it made him feel weak, invalid, like he wasn't even man enough to take care of himself. It was horrible. And now she was standing there, gawking at him, ready to let loose a fury of words and there he was just sitting there, naked and holding the ripped pants over his crotch.
Sabriena sighed and crossed her arms, staring at him. "Tien, what are you doing?" She narrowed her eyes when he still didn't look up at her. Was that a blush on his face? She didn't know what to think. She heaved another sigh. "Here, let me help you," she said, holding her hand out for the pants. "Don't act so shy. You don't have anything I haven't seen before. Now hurry up, I have work to do."
Her words didn't help lessen the blush on his cheeks, but he could appreciate her professional attitude about it. Sucking up his pride, he handed over his last scrap of modesty, "They ripped. The pants leg wouldn't fit over the brace," he said, looking anywhere but her.
She looked at the ripped fabric in her hands and rolled her eyes. She tossed them aside and grabbed a new pair from the wardrobe. "This is the last clean pair you have, try not to rip these," she snipped. She walked back over to him and knelt down on the floor, keeping her eyes down, trying not to embarrass him further as she helped him into his pants. Gods, she was so tempted to look at his naked body. She'd wanted to see him that day in the waterfall, but she was afraid her expression would betray her now if she looked. Still, a man Tien's size had to be packing. It took all of her willpower not to sneak a peek at his body as she tugged the pants up over his legs.
Tien quickly secured his pants around his waist, face still burning hot. "Yes, well if you let me do something, I could do the laundry, but I'll just lay in the bed like an invalid and do nothing. I'm not the one who let the laundry go for a week. You didn't listen when I told you to do it earlier instead of letting it pile up." He leaned over, grabbing the ruined pants off the floor. At least he could mend them.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," she replied sarcastically. "I thought the garden and chopping the wood and fixing your meals was more important!" She snatched up the dirty pants he'd taken off. "And I fail to see how you could do the laundry, seeing as you can barely walk, even with that cane. How are you going to carry the buckets of water to fill the washtub or how are you going to stand long enough to hang it on the line?" She snorted. "Gimme those, I'll throw them out," she said, reaching for the ripped pants.
Tien jerked the pants out of her grasp, glaring at her. "Unlike some people, I don't throw something out just because it's broken or ripped or even if it's just dirty and someone didn't feel like doing the dishes. Things have value even if they're broken and can be repaired. I can fix these. They are ripped; a little thread and they will be good as new." He dared her, challenged her, to take this from him. Her friends had talked at the party, teasing her about something she'd done in the past, and he had listened about the spoiled little girl who didn't want to use her dishwasher to clean up and just bought an entire new set of dishes, throwing the dirty ones away. Ridiculous.
Sabriena stuck her nose in the air. "Those dishes were ugly and old anyway," she answered. "Why waste time on something when it's so much easier just to buy a new one?" She shook her head in frustration. "Tien, you're being silly. Just let me throw those out. They're worthless now. It's just a pair of pants. I can buy you new ones if you're that worried about it. Now come on, give them here. I don't have time to stand around and argue with you!"
Tien firmly folded them up, her words stinging more than he thought they would. "So, is that how it's going to be with me? Your old busted teacher is no good any more so anything he says or does is just not good enough? I'll mend the pants, I don't want you to buy new things, I'm happy with the way things were. Are. You better stop wasting time then, if you are so busy. Why don't you just save yourself some time and throw the dirty clothes away and go buy out a department store?"
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't tempt me," she answered. "You know, I would LOVE to go on a shopping spree right now. Unfortunately, I made a commitment and I never break a promise." She was actually a little hurt that he would talk about himself like that. She never saw him as being old or thought of his word as invaluable. "Fine. Keep your torn up pants. I don't give a shit anymore. Now if you'll excuse me, someone has to do some work around here."
He frowned deeply at her. "Language. Just because I am injured doesn't mean you get to revert back to your old ways. It's a bad habit and it will eventually undo everything we've been working towards, everything you've been working for. You want Vegeta to laugh in your face and tell you I told you so? Do you want Tumbler to say you should have just sat on the sidelines this whole time, still saying you wasted your time?!"
Sabriena was nearly shaking with fury at his words. She viciously threw the dirty pants at him and dropped to the cabin floor, easily doing her pushups. She got back to her feet, anger blazing in her eyes. "You ever throw Vegeta or Tumbler in my face again and I'll make that injury to your knee look like a scratch," she threatened. She straightened her posture, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "I'll humor you and watch my mouth, but if you think you're actually changing the way I think or the way I speak when you're not around, you're sadly mistaken. NO ONE gets to tell me how to live my life. And the ONLY reason I put up with it from you is because I need the training."
Tien snorted, "Then why bother training? You train because you are changing something about you, you are bettering yourself. If you are putting up a front on even one aspect of it, you might as well not be training at all. It's not just being able to throw a punch or even about powering up. The battle is first fought and won in your mind. So go on, act tough, curse when I'm not around. You are only hurting yourself and when the war comes around and you are pushed into the ground and laughed at, you will only have yourself to blame."
"Yeah, okay," she said sarcastically and rolled her eyes. "You'd better hope that doesn't happen. Because if it does, I'm not the only one who's going to be laughed at. I'm pretty sure Vegeta would love to rub that in your face as well." She once again picked up the dirty pants and smirked at him. "Maybe I'll just do that. Lose on purpose just to make you look like a fool. What was that Vegeta called you? A waste of space?" She gave him a sweeping look. "Whaddya know? Looks like Vegeta and I actually agree on something for once." And with that, she promptly turned on her heel and marched out the door, slamming it behind her, hoping her words stung as badly as his had hurt her.
Tien was harshly reminded why he preferred to live alone. She left so quickly he didn't have a chance to snap back. If they failed... He growled, grabbing his cane and hobbled over to the door, throwing it open and leaning on it heavily. "You're wrong. If we lose this battle, this war, no one is going to be laughing except our enemies. They are going to be laughing as they rip us apart, torture us and ultimately kill us, if we are lucky. So if you want to joke abut this then just get out of here."
"Oh my god," Sabriena huffed as she sat down by the washtub and grabbed the bar of soap to start scrubbing their dirty laundry. "Stop it. You're not throwing me out. You need me and you know it." She knew she didn't mean half of the angry things she'd said to him, but she didn't care in that moment. She was so angry, all she wanted to do was hurt him. And why? Because of a stupid pair of pants? She rolled her eyes, still keeping her back to him. "Go rest, Tien. You need to keep your strength up. Doctor's orders, you know." She deliberately ignored his words about what the enemy would do to her and their friends. She didn't want to think about that right now.
Day 20
Tien winced as he leaned on his cane over the hot fireplace. Dinner was finally cooking and at a place where he could sit down. He had made some bread, it was baking down near the coals, there were fresh vegetables he was cooking them down with some herbs. And the deer steaks were nearly ready; they were making his mouth water. He hoped Sabriena would like what he fixed, she was so busy doing all of this work for him. He wanted her to know that the words he said in anger he didn't mean.
He sighed and sat back in his chair, frowning. He seemed to be doing a lot of that. He and Sabriena had barely spoken a word to each other since their last argument. He missed listening to her reading to him at night. She hadn't touched the book in days – they'd finished The Hobbit and had moved on to The Lord of the Rings. He felt disappointed, not only because he wanted to know what happened next, but because her anger at him was preventing her from reading a book she'd wanted to read for a long time. He'd thought about grabbing the book and reading it himself, but it wasn't the same. He wanted to smooth things over, to get past this awkward silence that just seemed to grow and fester between them. And fixing her dinner was the best way he knew how to try to do just that.
Sabriena sat by the river, leaning back against the trunk of a huge willow tree that grew there. She didn't know what she was doing exactly as she carefully worked the needle through the fabric in her hands. The idea was silly to her - wasting time sewing these pants back together when she could've easily just gone to the store and bought a new pair. But that wasn't what Tien wanted. He refused to throw anything out, refused to just give up. She knew she'd been too harsh that day when they argued about it. There was something strangely meditative about the repetitive motion of stitching the seam back together. She tied it off when it was done and sat back, exhaling slowly. She hoped it was a good enough peace offering. She was exhausted and this silence between them was wearing on her. She still wasn't used to the quiet. She got to her feet, folding the pants up, and headed up to the cabin. The most delicious smell hit her nose as she walked through the door. "Wow," she said. "Something smells good."
Tien looked over at her from his chair, still stirring the vegetables and turning the meat over to the other side. He grabbed his cane, moving to stand and face her. "Well, I thought... I wanted to say I was sorry for giving you a hard time the other day. I'm just so... frustrated... anyway... I thought I would make dinner and give you the night off."
She felt her anger and her own frustration ebbing at his words. "That's... really nice of you, Tien. Thank you," she said. She stood there awkwardly for a moment before she remembered the pants she'd fixed. "Oh! Here," she said, handing them to him. "I fixed those for you. Kind'a like my peace offering for being a bi... for being me," she corrected herself, stopping herself from cussing again. "I don't know how good of a job I did. I've never sewed anything before, but... well, I tried..."
Tien was shocked. Honestly and truly shocked at the pants she present him. Perfect patch work, the stitches, while uneven still were close knit and wouldn't break easily. "This is good, really good work. Who taught you to sew?" He didn't know why, but he felt his heart easing as she corrected herself. She was listening after all. "I'm sorry too. I just... I spoke out of anger. I'm lucky to have you here looking after me, making sure I stay out of trouble."
"Uh, no one taught me to sew," she answered. "I just kind'a went for it. Seemed fairly self-explanatory." She chewed her lip for a minute, a small smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. "Keep you out of trouble? I don't think that possible. But yes, you are lucky to have me." She took on an air of mock vanity. "You have no idea how many men would die to be in your position - having me wait on them hand and foot." She caught his eye and snickered, unable to keep her serious expression. She turned towards the fire, looking over the food he was preparing. "So what are we having? I'm starving."
Tien chuckled. "Well, I managed to stave off the pain long enough to cook us up some bread, vegetables from the garden. Thanks for that by the way, and some deer steaks, thanks again." He carefully moved around the fireplace, placing the crispy loaf of bread on the table, scooped the vegetables onto two plates and placed a generous steak on each one. "So I know it's not as delicious as your cooking but it should be good enough. Gives you a break at least. I appreciate what you are doing for me. I wish I could pay you back, but this is the best I can do at the moment."
She sat in her chair across the table from him and gave him a genuine, appreciative look. "Thanks, Tien. This looks great," she said and cut into the steak, popping the bite into her mouth. Her eyes fluttered shut as she chewed. She was starving from all the work she'd done that day and the hot meal was just what she needed. She barely paused her chewing long enough to say, "It's delicious," before she hungrily took another bite.
Tien felt his chest pound as she praised the meal. He sighed happily, feeling the tension between them lessen. He smiled at her, "I suppose we both have a lot to learn from each other." He ate his own portion, it wasn't as nearly good as Sabriena's cooking, but this was still good. It was more important for him to please Sabriena, to make sure that she knew he appreciated what she did for him.
She nodded her agreement, looking down at her plate as she chewed and swallowed. "Yeah, I was thinking about that," she said quietly. "About how you never throw anything out if it can be fixed. That's what you did with me, isn't it? No one else would train with me, but you did. You didn't just toss me aside because I was behind the other girls..." She looked up at Tien, speaking in a very small voice, "Thank you for believing in me and for seeing something that no one else saw."
Tien didn't know what to say. It startled him to hear her say that. She knew him better than he realized. He'd tried to convince himself that he had taken her on just to spite Vegeta, but in truth, it was much more than that. It was exactly what she had just said. It had irritated him beyond all belief to see Vegeta discount her simply because she wasn't up to speed with the other fighters. But what had started out as a personal challenge to make something of this spoiled woman had turned into something much more. He cared for her, more than she would ever know. It was amazing how far she had come already, even if she did tend to revert to the cursing, spoiled brat she had been when he first met her. But when she wasn't having a tantrum, when she was sweet and considerate and working hard, he saw the real Sabriena underneath. And he was crazy about her.
"They'll all see it when this is over," Tien said. "They are going to see you."
Her gaze held his eyes as she thought about it for a minute. "I don't care if they never see it," she answered. "You did. That's all that matters." She paused to smirk, "Although, it would be REALLY satisfying to see the look on Vegeta's face." She finished her dinner, then carried both of their plates to the counter. She stretched her arms over her head, looking at the suitcase that held her books. She hadn't read any more of her book since they'd had that argument. "Hey... you ready to lay down? I can help you get your brace off and then I could read to you... If you want..."
Tien smiled at her. "Yeah, I'd like that," he said, grabbing his cane and forcing himself to stand, still favoring his injured leg. "I'd like that a lot."
Day 26
Sabriena wasn't sure at first what had waked her in the middle of the night. She'd been staying with Tien for, what, three weeks? Or was it closer to four now? She couldn't remember - but never in all the times she'd slept over had she heard a sound like that. It was a high-pitched yelping sound, almost like laughter. There was a scraping sound with it and the sound of agitated hens clucking. Sabriena's eyes flew wide. Something was messing with her chickens! She jumped out of bed and ran out the door, rounding the side of the cabin. She froze when she saw them: huge pack of coyotes, trying to get to her chickens.
"HEY!" she shouted at them, but the mangy animals paid her no attention. She was scared to get too close to them. Thinking quickly, she did the only thing she knew to do. Sabriena ran back into the cabin and literally dove under the bed, sliding on her stomach to grab her rifle and a magazine for it, snapping it into place. She wiggled back out from under the bed and ran outside, slamming a round into the chamber as she went. The moon was full tonight, illuminating the yard, allowing her to see easily in the darkness. She shouldered the rifle... the coyotes had gotten into the coop and were chasing the chickens around the yard now. A couple of the hens were already dead. She set her sights on the biggest coyote and squeezed the trigger. The gun slammed against her shoulder with an ear-splitting recoil and she chambered a second round, aiming for another coyote as they began to scatter. She hit her mark, dropping the animal where it stood, and took aim for a third...
Tien was stirred from his sleep the moment Sabriena burst back into the cabin and dove under the bed. He sat up, muttering a "what's wrong?" but then heard nothing in response until the first gun shot. His eyes shot open and he stumbled out of the bed, tripping and landing on his bad knee, crying out in pain. He looked down at his leg, but the wound wasn't what caught his eye, but the open gun case barely sticking out from under the bed and the other unopened ones behind it. He growled and slapped the floor when he heard the second shot and pushed himself up, hobbling out the door and heading for Sabriena. He saw the coyotes and hurried forward, grabbing the end of Sabriena's rifle and yanked it down, the blast firing into the ground. He went after the coyotes, moving to block their attack on the chickens.
The coyotes ran, a couple of them carrying dead chickens in their mouths. They quickly disappeared into the trees, the remaining chickens hurried back into their coop, looking frightened. Feathers covered the yard, the grass streaked with blood from the dead chickens and coyotes. Sabriena should've been more upset about the chickens, but in that moment, all she felt was fear. Tien had his back to her, his shoulders rising and falling as he breathed. It was as if a chill had suddenly overtaken the air around them. She was in for it now, she knew it. She quickly slung the sling of the rifle over her shoulder and stared at his back. She wondered if she should say something. What could she say? She'd broken his rules, plain and simple. Her face felt hot and it was suddenly hard to breathe. She decided to let him make the first move. Goddamn it all.
Tien didnt know what to think. Five chickens dead and gone, two coyotes dead. One looked to be the alpha male. The other was one of the females. He cursed under his breath; a few of the pups would be motherless tonight. All would be fatherless. He was shaking, his knee was in agony, but all he could think of were the guns...the guns and the lies... He turned and looked at the woman... no... the little girl standing before him, "Pleased with yourself?"
She blinked at him. "Pleased with myself?" she asked. "Yes. I'm pleased that I saved my chickens! They were going to kill all of my hens! What was I supposed to do?!" She shifted her weight back and forth from one leg to the other. She didn't like the way he was looking down at her. Her hand went to the stock of her rifle hanging on her back, curling her fingers protectively around it. She didn't know how to throw energy waves yet and taking the coyotes on with her hands would've only gotten her ripped to shreds. "I was protecting our livestock."
Tien scowled at her, "They were mothers and a father looking for food for their young. And you bloody shot them dead, with GUNS I didn't even know you stashed under MY bed. Who the hell do you think you are?! There is a balance out here, and you just threw it out of whack. You are strong enough to handle these animals on your own without all that crap. I want it out of my cabin in the next five minutes, or you can take them and get out, and I mean it this time. You want your chickens, you can take them too!"
"How was I supposed to handle them on my own?!" she shouted. "I don't know how to throw energy waves! I was hoping the noise would scare them off so I didn't have to kill all of them! So a couple coyotes are dead, so what?! Who cares?! They're a threat to livestock - they're vermin." She came to a stop beside him. "You want me to leave? Is that what you want? I've had about enough, Tien. If you want me to leave, say so right now and I'll leave! And you can take care of yourself out here, gimping around trying to take care of your garden and everything else! You'll be dead by winter without my help and you know it. That garden will die and you along with it! But it's your call. Do you want me to leave!?" Her shoulders were shaking as she screamed at him.
He turned around, looming over her, "VERMIN, who have lived in these hills for a hell of a lot longer than you have. The reason they come down here is because there are chickens, easy, fat chickens. You've had about enough? I've had just about enough. I trusted you, Sabriena! How could you bring those things here? You know how I feel about guns! I don't know what the hell I was thinking, thinking that you could change and be a better person. I don't care if you think you are a master marksman or whatever with that thing. You could have used your bow, you could have used your fists, your feet. What the hell do you think I've been training you to do? Fight cardboard cutouts?!"
"I NEVER GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT MY GUNS!" she screamed. "After all the shit we've all been through over the past couple of years?! You're outside of your goddamn mind if you think I'm going to go anywhere without defending myself! Yes, okay, you've taught me to fight. And to fly. But I don't know how to throw energy waves and I was not about to take those things on barehanded! And I can't make myself transform! As much as I want to, I can't! So I'm sorry, Tien, but my guns are a part of me. It's ingrained in me to have them. It's my job..." she stopped and turned away from him, biting her lips shut. She'd nearly slipped. "My bow wouldn't have scared the others off. At least most of the pack is okay. Your precious coyotes will be just fine."
Tien narrowed eyes at her. "Its like you hear me but then you completely avoid the current conversation. You brought guns into my house without telling me Sabriena. After you knew how much I am against them. And then you use one, firing in the dark at a pack of coyotes looking only to feed their young and you had the power to fight them off. You are just too damn scared to use it! Do they have to look like people before you want to fight them off? If those chickens meant so much, why couldn't you transform for them? YOU DONT NEED THAT. You don't need any of those stupid things. So, I guess you'd better pick your guns or this training. If you pick your guns, you might as well shoot me now because it's just like you said; I'll be dead by winter." He turned and went down to the river, sitting down, easing his throbbing leg into the cool water. Gods he was so mad he couldn't see straight. He was even cursing in his anger.
She scowled at him, following him down to the water. "I'm NOT getting rid of my guns and you are NOT making me leave!" she shouted. "At least I protected our animals! They rely on us! I wasn't about to grab those things with my bare hands! Are you NUTS?!" She was reaching her snapping point. Couldn't he see that guns were a necessity? "Maybe if you were a better teacher, I could transform at will or throw energy attacks! But noooooo. No, we have to wash laundry by hand and chop wood and carry buckets of water to the garden because GOD FORBID TIEN HAVE ANY MODERN CONVENIENCES!"
Tien felt his nerves burning, his energy crackling weakly at his fingertips and he scowled, shoving himself out of the water. He couldn't even get a moment to calm down and try to ease the pain in his leg. He turned and headed back to the cabin, "Heaven forbid I cherish a little peace and quiet unlike a civilized person." He went inside and grabbed his cane, his knee was throbbing terribly. He turned around, frowning at her as she tried to come in, "Oh no. You are the one with the modern conveniences. Better stay out there and protect me from the big bad wolves, missy."
"Well it's not like you can protect yourself!" she snapped. "If I remember correctly, little missy here had to save your sorry ass from getting your head bashed in! I saved your life and this is the thanks I get?! Sabriena wash the laundry. Sabriena tend the garden. Sabriena catch the fish. Sabriena cook dinner. And all the time I'm doing all this shit, you're laying in bed because your lazy ass can't do shit! Now let me in the house! I want to go back to bed!"
Tien leaned heavily on his cane to block her path. "Hey! I'm grateful, I am, but when you lie to my face, insult my home, and me, it is null and void! I told you I could help out, but then you say, no no. Go lay down, go rest Tien, you're not good for anything, you're just getting in the way Tien." He growled at her, "Sabriena defend the house."
"I already did and it's not good enough for you," she snapped. "So YOU defend the house. Oh, that's right! You CAN'T, can you? You can't even fly right now." She tried once more to enter the house. "GET OUT OF THE WAY!" She was so angry that she kicked his cane, knocking it half-way across the cabin, and Tien fell, chest first in the doorway. Sabriena's eyes went wide for just a moment before she stuck her nose in the air. "That's what you get," she said and stepped over him to enter the cabin.
Tien was so livid, he barely felt the pain blooming in his knee. He growled and forced himself up to slam the door before he limped over to the fire pit. He slumped down in front of the log he had put there a while back, leaning against it. He massaged his knee, it was swelling again. He sighed. 'Women. Stupid, bitchy, ungrateful women,' he thought to himself.
Sabriena shoved the guncase back where it belonged. 'Men. Ignorant, pigheaded, stubborn old men.' She paced the cabin, absolutely furious. She'd done the only thing she knew to do to protect her chickens. What was the big deal? It was just a gun! "OW! SHIT!" she cried as she stubbed her toe on Tien's cane. She sighed and picked it up. She went to the door and wrenched it open, hurling the cane at Tien. "You can just sleep outside, asshole!"
Tien ducked as the cane went sailing over his head, already settling down onto his back. If a coyote came back and chewed on him it would be a blessing compared to listening to her ungrateful whining. Gods, she was going to be a mess to deal with tomorrow. He ran a hand over his eyes, he needed his medicine, the throbbing pain getting worse, but he'd be damned if he went in there again. Since when did she get off on kicking him out of his own home!?
Sabriena smirked and stretched her arms way over her head, yawning exaggeratedly. "FINALLY. I get that BIG... COMFY... bed alllllll to myself. Shit, I can even sleep naked if I want!" She tipped her head, looking at Tien, "I think I will!" and she peeled his white shirt off as she reentered the cabin, tossing it over her shoulder to land on the steps. And just to drive the point home that he was NOT welcome to come back inside, she tossed her bra and panties out the door too, and then slammed the door shut once more.
Tien was starting to wonder what he had ever seen in her in the first place, because it was not there at all. He tried to remember what Arthusia had said about her, that she needed someone not what she was used to. To give her a life she wasn't used to. He shook his head, he was better alone. He didn't have to put up with this crap. Didn't have to get kicked out of his own home for trying to enforce his rules. Some other poor sap could be that man, because Tien sure as hell didn't want the job. As soon as his knee was better he was going to have to come up with some torturous way to up her training. He was halfway tempted to throw her things in the fire pit, but decided against it. He'd never hear the end of it.
He pressed his lips to a hard line, looking up at the sky, trying to ignore the aching in his knee and his heart. He'd trusted her and she deliberately broke his rules. This was unacceptable. Did she ever think of anything besides her own wants? Maybe it had been nothing more than his own loneliness that had made him believe there was something special about her. His weakness for wanting to make things better, to salvage something from the ashes, to bring out the good that was still there was what had driven him to train her in the first place. And now he was regretting it. Even more so, he was regretting letting himself fall for her. Maybe she really was nothing but the spoiled little girl everyone thought she was.
Tien wiped angrily at his eyes, staring at the cabin again. He was tempted to let her go back to the city. Let Vegeta or Goku or, hell, even Piccolo deal with her insufferable ass. No wonder she'd died before… He stopped right there and mentally smacked himself. That was too harsh. He shook his head and sighed heavily. He didn't want to think he was wasting his time, but now he wasn't sure.
He settled back, trying to find a comfortable position on the ground so that he could sleep. There was no way he was going to be able to process all of his thoughts right now and he was far too angry to even attempt meditation. He just needed to force himself to go to sleep. He'd have to figure out in the morning whether or not it was worth wasting any more time on her.
But the very thought of giving up on her broke his heart and he knew in that moment that he couldn't do it.