Every afternoon for the next few days, Val met with Dr. Daiki to change her bandages, feeling slowly less and less shy about the man helping her with it. She guided him through the changing of the bandages, noticing how surprised he was by how quickly the wounds from the onikuma were healing. With how much they itched, she was grateful they healed so quickly. Val wished they had been healing faster since she missed having a chance to have a proper shower, to train, or even to fly at risk of damaging the wound or getting the bandages wet. At least she made a dent in all the research she had fallen behind in.
She fidgeted as Dr. Daiki unwrapped the bandages, wishing she could pull her phone out of her pocket, but needed to focus on Dr. Daiki's work just in case. Bulma had tried texting Tien to bring her her stuff the day he got back, but after two days of waiting and him not showing up, Bulma managed to find time in her busy schedule to go to the village and get Val's things. She came back grumpy, complaining about the how frigid it was up there, about how Tien should have come himself, and about how late she was going to stay up working that night to make up for the hours she lost.
Val snapped out of her reminiscence, looking down at her hip and thigh now that Dr. Daiki had them uncovered. There were a few scabbed over parts and the skin still had a pink tone to them, making her dark skin look oddly darker in those areas, but they were healed, at least enough to not need the bandages anymore. Dr. Daiki pointed it out before she could say anything. She was grateful at least that she had not used up all the bandages and could save some for the future.
Once she was finished with Dr. Daiki, she went back to her room, taking a long shower that did not involve hanging her head over the sink nor wet wipes over her body. It took a long time, but was worth it. Once done, she picked up her, phone, seeing yet again there were messages in her phone she left unanswered and did not want to face. Bulma had told her to answer them already in a short tone, but she lacked the words to say back or any idea of what she wanted to say back. She checked the time, thinking if she left now, she might, might, might either make it to the village and back to Capsule Corps in time for a late dinner. Her stomach dropped heavily as she looked from her phone to her window, still not sure what exactly she could or should say or do. Perhaps once she saw Tien, she would know what to say or do. She took a deep, steadying breath as she closed her phone without sending a warning text she was coming. She pocketed her phone, stepped over to the window doors, opened it, and few out into the late evening.
Val flew towards the village, noticing the sun was setting a bit faster than she anticipated so far up in the mountains. She got a bit lost, landing just after sunset by Tien's yurt. She shivered, wishing she had dressed warmer and was mad at herself for not thinking to do that. She checked the yurt, seeing he was not in, nor was anyone else in the nearby yurts for that matter. She figured with what time it was, they were all having a late dinner. She hummed to herself, debating about whether or not to go up to main hall of the village, knowing Tien would be there, but so would everyone else. Everyone who watched rather than helped her when she got attacked. Those who feared and misunderstood her.
She sighed, not wanting to wait in the cold outside nor inside the yurt to get the meeting over with. She crossed her arms over her chest and huffed up the slope and into the trees that lead to the main hall. Val reached the outskirts of the tree line, seeking to stay just out of sight, suppressing her chi so not to risk being caught if she changed her mind and did not want to be seen. She could hear and see, even from the distance she was at, the sounds of partying and celebrating coming from the main hall. She ticked through her mind, wondering if there some human holiday they were all celebrating that she had forgotten about in the midst of her injury. She shifted, debating what to do. She felt the weight of her phone in her pocket. She could either text him to tell him she was outside or just go up there and present herself.
Before she could even decide, she saw Tien stepped out of main hall, half stumbling down the stairs, and trudging a few steps into the snow. Val felt her ears rear back when she not only saw him, but also saw him scanning the tree line. She took a few steps back, drawing down her chi down to too low to be sensed. She heard him huff and clumsily kick at some snow on the ground.
Not long after, she saw Aiko stumble out of the main hall, haphazardly descend the stairs, and flop down in the snow, roaring with laughter. Her face was flushed red. Around her was pelt of the onikuma she had slain. She wrapped it tighter around her, not quite managing it. Tien saw her, and hesitantly stepped over to her to help haul her up. Aiko tugged on him and then held onto him so he would not drop his hold on her. "What are you doing out here? The party has hardly ended. There's still so much more to drink," Aiko slurred. "And you were knocking them back like you would die of thirst otherwise."
Tien held Aiko steady, holding her up in her drunken state. "I thought I sensed..." He shook his head. "Never mind..." He slurred his words as well, but not as noticeably as Aiko did.
"What? You thought you sensed that proud, prudish, space witch? She wouldn't even let you touch a drop of alcohol around her. That's not something I would do," Aiko griped.
"That's not how it was," he explained, shaking his head again. "She just doesn't drink. So I didn't want to around her."
Aiko tapped her finger on his chest pointed. "Well, she's not here. She doesn't like it here. Just like that last woman-women-two women in one- you brought up here." Aiko straightened herself up, but still held onto him like a life raft in the ocean. "Can't hack the cold. Can't hack a drink. Can't hack it against the onikuma like I can," she threw out proudly.
He sighed. "Let's just go back," he resigned, trying to walk her back towards the main hall.
Aiko kind of seem to fight against him, not quite wanting to go back, which brought the two of them closer together. Drunkenly, she rose up and pressed herself against him. Val watched as she kissed him clumsily. What was worse was he leaned into it like he wanted it, before pulling away and shoving her away.
He must not have been so drunk that he did manage to hold back when he shoved her away since she stayed standing at least. "No," he griped. "Just... no..." he panted out, now blushing himself. He looked her over desirously before bringing his hands over his face and stepping a few steps back and away. "Damn it all."
She pursued him, smacking him on his arm before tugging on it. She tried and failed to get him to look at her. "Look at me," she demanded.
He did not look at her, but rather was scanning the trees again, making Val freeze up and stay still when she wanted to fly off. His arms were crossed and he shook his head. He was so stiff, fighting for self control.
Aiko continued talking, pointing out, "you were interested in me back when we were younger, but your mother disapproved. You still seemed interested, even as you went to off to your training with Chiaotzu. And then, years later, when you come back, there's no mother, but another woman who half of her hated the cold and hated us up here like the space witch wholly does. She left, but then you disappear, you and Chiaotzu, vague explanation of a fight coming, yet no explanation as to why you were gone so long. Then you both come back, stronger than ever, but say you're not ready for anything. Then suddenly you can't because you have a space witch sniffing around. That you train with separately because of secret threat some stranger that Chiaotzu says reminds him vaguely of the space witch warned you of some danger in the near future." She was panting by the end of her release. "Is she yet another shield you want to hide behind rather than give me the chance you know I want? The chance you know I know you want."
Val froze, wishing she could leave rather than hear any of that, but he would catch her. She flicked her gaze over to him, standing stiffer. "So you aim to ruin it by kissing me?" he asked back. He shook his head. "You're too drunk to know what you're doing."
Val flicked her gaze over her. "Well you think she desires two of her friends, so what's the difference?" she argued, huffing with her fists clenched at her sides. "Perhaps she'll give into one of them someday. I wouldn't doubt that of her."
"She would never act on it though," he answered. "She wouldn't have given in like I just did, she's too goodly for that. Even her friend she lives with-"
"The one who hates you? The one who stole research for her from another planet? The one who is a bad influence on her?" she rattled off.
He rubbed a hand over his face. "He's awful, but she's anything but," he breathed out. "I can't betray her like this..."
"So you'll just go end up with her then, yah?" she grumbled. "Because your mother isn't here to disapprove of her, so she's fair game, even if you can't stand her friends who want her? Even though you want her to stay up here with you if she doesn't want to because she hates the cold and hates the separation of her stolen research and creature comforts."
"Aiko," he growled out in warning, tone sounded impatient.
"What?" she snapped. "I'm repeating the words you've said before. In better context." She approached him, putting a hand on his shoulder. He did not shrug it off right away. "Come back in. Have a few more drinks you've denied yourself around her."
He took a few steps away from her, shaking his head as if that would clear him out of his drunken state. "I just need to sleep this off. I can't... too much to drink already..."
She seemed annoyed by that answer, giving him a bitter punch to his shoulder. "Find then, more for me," she conceded. "I'll need it after dealing with the likes of you." She stumbled her way towards the main hall, cursing under her drunken breath.
Val watched him watched her go. He took a few steps towards her and the main hall, but halted himself in his tracks. He looked up at the stairs longingly. Then he shook his head, turning and stomping towards the tree line. Val froze, pressed against a tree, hoping she would not get caught. He stomped passed her towards where the yurts were. Val watched him go, tempted to follow after him, but too confused after what she had seen and heard to bring herself to do it.
She jumped, feeling a buzz in her pocket. She pulled her phone out of her pocket to read the newest message. 'I need to see you. Not tonight, but tomorrow. The village,' the text from him read.
She stared at it, debating in her mind how to respond. 'Okay,' she finally texted back.