The party is about to end, and a few people are already heading home. Seventeen goes over to the table Krillin is sitting at and sits next to him.
"Thanks again for letting me stay... " Seventeen says quietly.
Krillin looks up at him. "It's not a problem! Do you want to talk to Marron about it too? I'm sure she's excited to see you too!"
"Uh... Yeah, sure. But... I'm actually wondering if you've seen Yamcha around here anywhere... did he leave already?" Seventeen whispers. "I never got to thank him."
"Oh! I think I saw him helping with the tables. He's really happy he got to help you though!" Krillin answers happily.
"Thanks! I'll be right back to talk to Marron!" Seventeen says, running off in the right direction. I hope he doesn't think I'm crazy or something... I should ask him that too... no wait that'd be weird.
He makes it outside and sees Yamcha about to leave. "Yamcha!" He calls out loudly, making the human turn and stop mid-flight. "Oh, Seventeen!" He lands in front of him. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yeah, I'm great! At least... thanks to you." He pauses. "That's actually what I wanted to talk about. I forgot to thank you for helping me with that...episode. So... Thank you."
"Oh, you're very welcome! Trust me, it's okay to be embarrassed about it, so don't be worried. Eighteen was very confused when it happened, so I decided to step in." Yamcha reassures.
Seventeen walks up to him and smiles, pulling a leaf from his hair gently. "I was hoping you'd notice that." He laughs. "Maybe you'd like to hang out sometime. I'm definitely not busy."
Yamcha laughs as well. "Yeah sure! I'm never busy either. How about this Friday? I'll pick you up and we can go to the park or something."
Seventeen's smile widens. "Yeah. That sounds like fun! I'll be waiting for you. What time?"
"Noon?"
"Sounds perfect. See you then!"
"Yep! See ya!"
Seventeen walks off, back towards Krillin. Turning around, he waves, and Yamcha waves back.
"Man... " Yamcha mumbles. "I'm glad I was there to help. Right, Puar?... Puar?" He asks, seeing his cat friend staring at him with a smirk. "What?"
"Yamcha," He says with his squeaky voice. "I think he was into you...!"
"WHAT?! Puar, come on! You say that with every guy! I'm Bi!"
Puar hovers over and lands on Yamcha's shoulder. "That's because you never smile and blush like that with girls!"
"He just got a 'divorce' and he lost his kids! Even if I was..." He blushes. "Well,... He can't possibly be ready for a relationship, or especially not with a guy!"
Puar laughs. "Okay then."
Seventeen looks down at his shaky hands. Man, the only time I saw him was at Kame House...To think that he would even want to help me... He pauses. Did I just switch gears? Why am I blushing? I THINK I JUST WENT GAY!
Wait, what am I doing...? He looks up to see Krillin staring at him. "What are you doing on the ground...? Are you okay?"
He stands up quickly. "Oh, Krillin! Yeah, Sorry! I was... looking at the stars...!"
"Hm... okay. Let's head to my house. Eighteen took Marron already. You... do know where we live right?"
Seventeen finds himself feeling embarrassed. "I think so... You'll have to show me." He says.
"Alright, come on." Krillin takes to the air and Seventeen follows close behind.
"Hey Krillin?"
"What's up?"
"... How long have you been friends with Yamcha...?"
"Huh...? Oh.. I'd say... well, since I was 14. ... ish...why?"
"Okay... just curious. I'm hanging out with him on Friday."
"Really? That's great that you're getting out there! You can definitely take this better than anyone else I know."
"Heh... Yeah... "
Krillin suddenly lands, and Seventeen lands beside him. "Wow... This is a nice place... " Seventeen says in awe.
"Thanks! Eighteen and I moved here almost a year ago! You'll probably be in the living room for now... at least until we can get the other room set up. Sorry about that."
"No it's good! I'm completely fine with that. I don't need you guys pitying me too much. You've already done so much for me... "
"So... Eighteen told me you guys don't need much sleep, but... "
"Yeah, we prefer to. Usually at least 4 hours is plenty."
"Well, we have a few rules you need to follow okay?"
"Alrighty. I'm listening... "
"Number one: No cursing when Marrons around. Number two: Always be back in the house by 10. Three: Electronics are off by 11. Four: Just don't do anything too reckless or dumb. Got all that?"
"Yeah. Hey wait. Does that mean I have to be asleep by 11?" Seventeen jokes.
Krillin laughs. "You know what I meant. Eighteen made the same joke ya know."
"Yeah. 'Cept I did it better."
"Yeah sure. " Krillin says, still laughing. "Hey Eighteen! Honey, we're here!"
Eighteen walks out with Marron in her arms. "Oh, good. It's almost 10. Did you discuss the rules yet?"
"Yeah we did. Marron-"
"UNCLE!" Marron yells, running to Seventeen. "I didn't get to talk to you at the party! Are you staying forever?!"
Seventeen chuckles. "Squirt, I don't know about 'forever'. Maybe a while would be better."
"YAY! Uncle, will you play with me?"
Eighteen suddenly taps her daughters head lightly. "Marron. It's time for bed. You can play tomorrow. After breakfast of course."
"Awwww... Mommy...!" Marron whines, but listens. "Okay... I'll play tomorrow Uncle! Momma says it's unhealthy to stay up late."
"... And she's right. Momma knows best. Goodnight Squirt." Seventeen says, smiling at his niece.
"Goodnight Uncle!" Marron says cheerfully, making Eighteen laugh, then she takes Marron to her room.
"Anyway," Krillin starts, "let's get you a pillow and blanket. Then we can finally get to bed. Sound good?"
"Yeah. It's okay though. I don't need a pillow or blanket. Trust me."
"Uh... Are you sure...?"
"Yeah. I actually prefer it without."
"Okay... If that's what you want... Goodnight then, Seventeen." He says, retreating to his room as well.
"... 'Night.. "
A few hours pass and Eighteen's footsteps can be heard through the hallway. "Seventeen... ?" She whispers. "Are you awake...?" She tiptoes to the couch and sits next to her brother. He's asleep. She sighs, absently going through his hair.
After a while, she gets up and goes into the laundry room. She comes back with a pillow and blanket. He was being stubborn again, but she decided that she'd do this anyway.
She drapes the blanket over Seventeen's sleeping form. Then she lifts his head up gently to place the pillow.
"I knew you'd do that." Krillin whispers affectionately from the hallway. "I decided it was no use arguing about it."
Eighteen laughs. "Yeah. There really isn't." She looks down at Seventeen again. "Goodnight... " She whispers, getting up.
"Let's go to bed, Hun." Krillin says.
"Alright... "
At around 3-o-clock in the morning, Seventeen wakes up from a horrific nightmare about his kids again. He sighs as his head plops back down on the pillow. Wait where'd that come from? He looks down at the blanket. They must've done that while I was asleep. He looks around more. "Where are my shoes...?" He whispers out loud, then he sees them in front of the door. Huh. I forgot I wore the old blue ones.Suddenly, he hears screaming and, immediately, he thinks, the kids...! He pauses. Oh... right... WAIT WHAT WAS THAT?He recognizes it as Marron's scream. Marron! He runs to her room to see her screaming and crying in her sleep. She's having a nightmare too...! He runs up to her and she immediately wakes up and clings onto him. "Uncle... It was so scary...! There was this creepy old man and he kept calling me by my Mommy's name! Then there was this big bug!! It tried to kill me...!"
"Hey... its alright Squirt... it was just a dream. That didn't happen... it was only a nightmare."
She looks up at him. "You were there too...! I think I had a dream about when Mommy was younger! Did that stuff happen to you, Uncle...? It was so scary...!"
"No, Marron, it's okay... What happened in the past doesn't matter now okay?" Dr. Gero and Cell huh? That's just great. Now she has nightmares of them too."Marron, just try to go back sleep, okay...?" Seventeen soothes.
"Can you stay here with me Uncle...?"
"Yeah... It's okay... I'm here... "
Marron cuddles up to her Uncle. "I love you, Uncle Seventeen." She says sleepily.
"... I love you too Squirt... "
Little did they know, Krillin and Eighteen were standing in the doorway the entire time."Looks like he handled it... " Krillin whispers. "Yep... "
"Uncle! UNCLE! Wake up it's time for breakfast! Momma made bacon!" Marron yells.
"Huh?" Seventeen asks drowsily, realizing he must've fallen asleep in her room. "Oh, right. Uh.. yeah. Sorry, Squirt." He let's her drag him out to the kitchen. "C'mon! C'mon! Uncle, you're so slow...!"
"I know! I'm coming!"
Flashback...
"Dad, come on! You're walking so slow! Hurry up! It's Christmas!!!" Adrian... he looks about five..."Daddy!" 3 year old Jewel yells. "Open my present first!"
Jasper waddles in quickly. "No! Open mine first Daddy!"
"I'm oldest...! He should open mine first!" Adrian whines.
"How about you open your presents from me...?" Seventeen asks warmly. He already decided that he didn't want to pretend this "Santa Claus" guy was real. They don't need all those lies. Sophia was off on a business trip and she got stuck inside apparently. Seventeen was a little disappointed, since he's only off on the 24th and 25th, but she promised that she would be there next year. (A/N: the next year was when they divorced, so she broke that promise. Go figure).
The kids tear their presents open to reveal a lot of toys. "YAY! Thanks Daddy!"
Seventeen smiles. "You're welcome, Loves. Let's wait for Mommy to get back to open her presents, hm?"
"Okay, Daddy!" They say in unison, already playing with their new toys.
"Open your presents Daddy!" Jasper giggles.
"Hm... how about you open them for me and hand them to me?"
"Okay!" They all yell.
"And this one is from all of us!!!" Adrian says, handing him a present. "You have to open this one yourself!"
Seventeen smiles. "Okay, okay... " He unwraps it slowly to tease them. When he sees it, his heart melts. It's a drawing of their family, but it looks like Sophia isn't on there. Meh. In big bold letters, it says "Best Daddy Award" written in blue crayon. Then it has arrows pointing to him in all different colors.
He finds himself tearing up. "This is beautiful kiddos..."
"I wrote the words! Isn't it good?!" Adrian says proudly.
"Yay! He likes it!" Jewel yells happily. "Will you put it on the fridge..?" Jasper asks.
Seventeen smiles at them. "Even better. I think this goes in the wallet of fame."
All of the kids cheer as he slides the little paper into his wallet. "Ta-da! Now I can keep it forever!"
They cheer again and jump on top of him, talking about the cookies they made.
"When will Mama be back, Dad?" Adrian suddenly asks. "Uh... She said next week Love."
"But who will stay with us?! You have to work!"
"I'll call in. It's okay. We have plenty of money to spare. Anything for my little Munchkins!" He says, pulling them in a hug, then starting a tickle fight.
The kids start squealing with joy and laughter. "Daddy!!"
After a while, they just lay on the floor, giggling. "I love Christmas... " Jewel suddenly says. ".. Why is that Love?"
She looks at her siblings and they all say in unison, "It's our favorite day because Daddy comes home!"
They all start laughing, but their laughter fades out slowly, and soon it's all gone.
End flashback
"Uncle...? Are you okay...?"
Seventeen snaps out of it. "H-huh? W-what? Oh, sorry Je- M-Marron! I was...uh... daydreaming."
Marron giggles. "Uncle, you're funny!"
"Yeah... funny... " He sighs, walking out to the kitchen with his niece. She seems to notice the sudden change in mood. "...Uncle?"
"Yes?"
"I love you... "
"...I love you too, Marron... "
They make it to the kitchen to be greeted by Krillin and Eighteen. "Daddy!" Marron yells, jumping into her father's arms.
Seventeen smiles. " 'Morning."
Eighteen returns the smile. "Good Morning, Dear brother."
Chapter 3 coming soon!