Last time:
"How dare you call me for advice and then insult me! No wonder Bulma won't listen to you!" And the line went dead.
"Kuso!" he swore, slamming the phone down. He had just spilled the beans and now that person would go and blab it to everyone else, probably twist his words around. Why had he even done it? But he already knew the answer….
**********************************************************
Bulma bobbed Trunks on her knee, smiling as he giggled with happiness; she was waiting for Rikyu and Yamcha to get there. They're going to the mall; Bulma needed some new clothes for Trunks, and Yamcha and Rikyu were buying a joint present for their mother for her birthday, which neither could have afforded on their own. As she waited, her son having settled in her arms, satisfied with chewing on his toes, she looked over her script. She was halfway through her lines of her first meeting with Romeo, when the front door swung open.
"Took you two long enough," she sighed, setting the script on the side table and hefting Trunks on her hip as she stood. "Hi honey." She kissed Rikyu lovingly on the cheek, handing Trunks to him when his chubby little arms reached out. "Hey Yamcha."
"Hey," he said, looking around awkwardly, not that he and Bulma weren't comfortable together, but the information that he held was killing him. Should he tell her? Or should he talk to Rikyu about it first? Bulma was his friend, his first love, but Rikyu was his brother. To go to either first would be to go behind the others' back in a way. "Vegeta told me," he blurted, then instantly clamped his hand over his mouth.
Bulma looked at him half surprised, half confused; Rikyu simply starred.
"What are you talking about?" Bulma raised an eyebrow as she pulled her purse onto her shoulder. "Told you what?"
"Everything," he sighed. "I know what happened graduation day."
Rikyu's jaw dropped and he looked to Bulma, expected the same reaction; she looked the same.
"He told you?" Rikyu asked, emphasizing the fact that it was Yamcha, who, above all, Vegeta despised the most. "Why you?"
"He'd called to tell you."
"Me? Why me?"
"Didn't say."
"W-Bulma, where are you going?"
"To the mall," she said stiffly, brushing by them and out the front door. They followed after her, Rikyu finally pulling her to a stop just before they reached the driveway.
"Don't you want to hear-"
She took a deep breath, determined not to get angry; she was better than that.
"Rikyu, honey, if I wanted to hear the story I'd go to Vegeta. I don't need to hear his lies from an innocent messenger."
"Bulma," Yamcha cut in. "His story makes sense, I-I believed him."
"Well I'm sorry that you did, but I'm not buying into it. I refuse to let him hurt me again."
"But-"
"Why do you care or not, Rikyu?" she hissed, finally having lost her patience. "Why would you want me and Vegeta to be on good terms again? From what I've heard, your terms with him left him with a black eye."
"How do you-"
"Sorai." She turned to Yamcha. "Can we get going now?" He nodded. "And please, don't talk about it while I'm around, I do not want to hear it."
"Wait. What did he tell you?"
"That you and him went to his house, forced him into a conversation about me, then left him in pain on the porch."
"Bulma, he-"
"He what? No, I don't want to hear it. I'm sick and tired of talking about him. It's bad enough that I have to see him once a week, having to be away from my son for a week because of him, and not have to deal with talking about him. But, of course, everyone has to bring it up. Why? Why can't it just lay to rest? I've put it all behind me, I've moved on, and so should everyone else, including him. He needs to realize that no matter what he does or says that I will not take him back, as a friend, as a girlfriend, as a wife-nothing! I don't want him in my life, and I certainly don't need him. So please, will you just get it through your heads that he is not a topic of discussion around me-ever!"
"Sorry," they said together, both looking at the ground.
********************************************************************
17 paced back and forth in his room, likely wearing a path in the carpet, as he pondered something that was troubling him. He'd been alone for well over an hour, just pacing and thinking. 18 would be back soon, then he'd be able to get her advice on the matter.
"17," a voice drifted through the door; Tamotsu.
"Yeah?"
"What're you doing? You've been in there forever. Yumako's gone out to get some pizzas, she'll be back any minute."
"Alright," he sighed, sulking onto his bed.
"17," Tamotsu said, resting his hand on his shoulder. 17 jumped a considerable number of inches off the bed, having not heard him come in. "Why're you so down all the time?"
"Isn't it obvious, Tam? What am I always upset about?"
"You need to move on," he sighed. "I know you love her, but you have to realize that she can't return those feelings for you just because you want her to. And I know she wants to too, but she can't force herself into something like that. It's unfair, to both of you." He took a seat beside 17, sitting on his hands. "I suggest you let me set you up on some blind dates next week."
"I don't need-"
"Yes you do. You need to get out and meet some new people. And stop moping around here all the time, the cats are starting to get depressed."
"Shut up," 17 said with a hint of laughter behind his voice.
"17."
He looked up to see his sister standing in the doorway, a forced smile on her face.
"Tamotsu, can I talk to him, alone?"
"I have to pee," Tamotsu said loudly, making a dramatic exit from the room, being awarded a huffed laugh from 17 and a suppressed giggle from 18.
"18, I need your advice on something." He looked at the floor, her shoes coming into view, then right out again as she took a seat beside him.
"Bulma?"
He shook his head.
"Who then?"
"Vegeta."
"What about him?"
"I'm sick of being mad at him, I want to talk to him."
18 gave him a questioning look, leaning back on her hands.
"Are you sure?" she all but whispered.
"Positive. I've been giving it a lot of thought, and he doesn't have anyone to turn to anymore, everyone had deserted him and it's all my fault."
"No, it's his own fault."
"Yeah, well I should have stuck by him the whole time. I know he's not a cheater, I know he loves Bulma, possibly more than I do, and I know that there is a logical explanation behind all of this. I was just too stubborn and jealous before to let myself realize it." He paused, taking a deep breath after having practically said all that at once. "Have you talked to him lately?"
"No," she sighed, feeling ashamed now after hearing what she knew was the truth from 17. "Kami damn it! Why does this shit always have to happen!?" she screamed, hopping from the bed, and beginning on the path that 17 had just been on, back and forth. "And it's always to those two! It's not fair! They deserve each other more than anything and I've only been helping to push them farther apart, AND I probably lost one of the best friends I've ever had all because I was too blind to see that he's not a lying, cheating bastard!"
"18, calm down." He grabbed her arms, pulling her to come back and sit next to him. It took her a few moments to get her breathing back to normal, and then he continued. "Is Krillin here?"
"I dropped him off at home."
"We're going to Vegeta's."
She looked at him blankly.
"I'm serious. Come on, get up."
"He's just going to kick us out. Did you hear what happened the last time Chi-Chi and Goku went over there?"
"Yes, and? What are we supposed to do? Just sit here and hope that things will magically just come back together? No, damn it! We need to do something about it, and if you're not coming with me then I'm just going to do it on my own!"
************************************************************
"What?" Vegeta snapped as he came face to face with 17 and 18 at his bedroom door.
"We came to talk," 17 said anxiously, as if there were a rabid dog outside the door and he needed to get in before he was bitten.
"I'm in no mood for another 'talk' with you people. There's still blood on the carpet from the last one." He went to shut the door, but someone else's arm blocked it. "Chi?" he nearly gasped, then quickly regained his composure, narrowing his brow at her. She took a step back, allowing his to see who was standing behind her. "Kakarot? Roxy? Shirosama? What the hell in Kami's name are you all doing in my house?" Before anyone could open their mouths, he added, "Who let you in?"
"You're mother," 18 said quickly before he could say anything else.
"Why are you he-bothering me?"
"Well," 18 said, nudging through everyone, then pushing Vegeta back into his room and onto his bed. He bounced once, then stood back up, in her face. "We are here-" She pushed him down again, holding his shoulder. "-to help you get Bulma back."
His face went blank. He hadn't heard her right.
"Get out of my house."
"Vegeta, just hear us out," Chi-Chi pleaded, saddling up next to him. He glared daggers at her, but was silent, prepared to hear what they had to say. "First of all, we're all sorry for abandoning you, and not believing you, and just plain not being there for you." He opened his mouth to speak, but quickly snapped it shut. They all looked at him with sympathetic eyes, showing him that they agreed with what she was saying. He looked over at Roxy, who was standing farthest from the group. Her hair had grown out since the last time he'd seen her, it was now to her shoulders, it's natural color. Her clothes, which was the biggest shock to him, were what he'd least expect her to wear; a mid-drift baby blue tee-shirt and a black knee-high skirt.
"Rox?"
"Yeah?"
"Mind explaining?" She arched an eyebrow at him, then looked down at her clothes.
"Change of wardrobe, and hair."
"Looks better than your mohawk." She smiled warmly at him, something she didn't do often, to anyone; she knew it was his way of saying he liked it.
"I'm s-sorry about you and Bulma," she squeezed out, it being terribly difficult for her to say, seeing as she and Bulma had had a rough past.
He nodded his acceptance of her apology.
"If we help you, will you tell us what happened?" Chi-Chi cut in, putting an arm around his shoulder; Goku flinched instinctively, but said nothing.
He looked at them, from one to the other, for a long time, as if trying to read their thoughts, figure out if they were in fact telling him the truth, or were even there at all; it could very well all be a weird dream. For when had all these people been in the same room together, all in his favor, trying to help him? He eyes finally landed on Shirosama, who jumped in surprise, not expecting his sudden gaze.
"Why are you here?"
"Bulma's miserable without you, I want her to be happy."
"Kakarot?"
"I need to hear your story before I can help you. I can't allow you to just hurt Bulma again, I need to be sure you're telling the truth."
"17? You're the last person I thought would come see me on his own free will." His voice was full of malice, though behind it, if one listened carefully enough, there was an even bigger amount of hurt.
"I realized that I was hating you for all the wrong reasons."
"Wrong reasons? So there are right ones?"
"No," he grunted, but held stead fast to his spot, determined to do what he'd come to do. "I realized that it was wrong to hate you for having Bulma when I couldn't."
"Well, I don't have her now. Your hate was for nothing."
"Vegeta, please," 18 nearly snapped. "We're all going against our better judgment to help you and you're throwing it back in our faces."
"Better judgment? And what would that be?"
"The fact that we know Bulma's story with you being the cheater, and you refuse to tell us yours, giving us no choice but to believe her."
"What the hell are you doing here then!? Leave!" He pushed Chi-Chi off him, as if just realizing she was there.
"No!" half of them yelled in unison.
"You're going to listen to us!" 18 snapped, jumping on top of him, pinning his hands to the bed. "And then, you're going to tell us what happened from your point of view on graduation day! And then we are all going to talk about how we are going to get you and her back together, and make everything better again, and you will cooperate, so help me Kami, or I will make you!"
Vegeta gave up struggling half way through her tirade, just starring up at her as she screamed. It was still all hard for him to believe, all these people in his room, and wanting to help him, not bash his face in. He looked around at them, all but one had successfully landed a push on him at one time or another. Shirosama was the only one that had been held back long enough for him to calm down.
"Ok," he finally said, propping himself up on his elbows as 18 climbed off him.
"Ok what?"
"Ok I'll tell you."
Nearly everyone's jaws dropped.
"What? I thought you were all going to beat it out of me eventually, so I'll save you the trouble."
A ripple of laughter went through them all, their faces lighting in the first smiles they had together in a long time.
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---Chapter 10!!! Weeeeeeeeeeee! Very short, I know, but informative! I got a lot out in those little words, and I hope everyone enjoyed it. :D
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Review=New chapters)
Next time: Vegeta's story, the plan, meeting with Bulma???
"How dare you call me for advice and then insult me! No wonder Bulma won't listen to you!" And the line went dead.
"Kuso!" he swore, slamming the phone down. He had just spilled the beans and now that person would go and blab it to everyone else, probably twist his words around. Why had he even done it? But he already knew the answer….
**********************************************************
Bulma bobbed Trunks on her knee, smiling as he giggled with happiness; she was waiting for Rikyu and Yamcha to get there. They're going to the mall; Bulma needed some new clothes for Trunks, and Yamcha and Rikyu were buying a joint present for their mother for her birthday, which neither could have afforded on their own. As she waited, her son having settled in her arms, satisfied with chewing on his toes, she looked over her script. She was halfway through her lines of her first meeting with Romeo, when the front door swung open.
"Took you two long enough," she sighed, setting the script on the side table and hefting Trunks on her hip as she stood. "Hi honey." She kissed Rikyu lovingly on the cheek, handing Trunks to him when his chubby little arms reached out. "Hey Yamcha."
"Hey," he said, looking around awkwardly, not that he and Bulma weren't comfortable together, but the information that he held was killing him. Should he tell her? Or should he talk to Rikyu about it first? Bulma was his friend, his first love, but Rikyu was his brother. To go to either first would be to go behind the others' back in a way. "Vegeta told me," he blurted, then instantly clamped his hand over his mouth.
Bulma looked at him half surprised, half confused; Rikyu simply starred.
"What are you talking about?" Bulma raised an eyebrow as she pulled her purse onto her shoulder. "Told you what?"
"Everything," he sighed. "I know what happened graduation day."
Rikyu's jaw dropped and he looked to Bulma, expected the same reaction; she looked the same.
"He told you?" Rikyu asked, emphasizing the fact that it was Yamcha, who, above all, Vegeta despised the most. "Why you?"
"He'd called to tell you."
"Me? Why me?"
"Didn't say."
"W-Bulma, where are you going?"
"To the mall," she said stiffly, brushing by them and out the front door. They followed after her, Rikyu finally pulling her to a stop just before they reached the driveway.
"Don't you want to hear-"
She took a deep breath, determined not to get angry; she was better than that.
"Rikyu, honey, if I wanted to hear the story I'd go to Vegeta. I don't need to hear his lies from an innocent messenger."
"Bulma," Yamcha cut in. "His story makes sense, I-I believed him."
"Well I'm sorry that you did, but I'm not buying into it. I refuse to let him hurt me again."
"But-"
"Why do you care or not, Rikyu?" she hissed, finally having lost her patience. "Why would you want me and Vegeta to be on good terms again? From what I've heard, your terms with him left him with a black eye."
"How do you-"
"Sorai." She turned to Yamcha. "Can we get going now?" He nodded. "And please, don't talk about it while I'm around, I do not want to hear it."
"Wait. What did he tell you?"
"That you and him went to his house, forced him into a conversation about me, then left him in pain on the porch."
"Bulma, he-"
"He what? No, I don't want to hear it. I'm sick and tired of talking about him. It's bad enough that I have to see him once a week, having to be away from my son for a week because of him, and not have to deal with talking about him. But, of course, everyone has to bring it up. Why? Why can't it just lay to rest? I've put it all behind me, I've moved on, and so should everyone else, including him. He needs to realize that no matter what he does or says that I will not take him back, as a friend, as a girlfriend, as a wife-nothing! I don't want him in my life, and I certainly don't need him. So please, will you just get it through your heads that he is not a topic of discussion around me-ever!"
"Sorry," they said together, both looking at the ground.
********************************************************************
17 paced back and forth in his room, likely wearing a path in the carpet, as he pondered something that was troubling him. He'd been alone for well over an hour, just pacing and thinking. 18 would be back soon, then he'd be able to get her advice on the matter.
"17," a voice drifted through the door; Tamotsu.
"Yeah?"
"What're you doing? You've been in there forever. Yumako's gone out to get some pizzas, she'll be back any minute."
"Alright," he sighed, sulking onto his bed.
"17," Tamotsu said, resting his hand on his shoulder. 17 jumped a considerable number of inches off the bed, having not heard him come in. "Why're you so down all the time?"
"Isn't it obvious, Tam? What am I always upset about?"
"You need to move on," he sighed. "I know you love her, but you have to realize that she can't return those feelings for you just because you want her to. And I know she wants to too, but she can't force herself into something like that. It's unfair, to both of you." He took a seat beside 17, sitting on his hands. "I suggest you let me set you up on some blind dates next week."
"I don't need-"
"Yes you do. You need to get out and meet some new people. And stop moping around here all the time, the cats are starting to get depressed."
"Shut up," 17 said with a hint of laughter behind his voice.
"17."
He looked up to see his sister standing in the doorway, a forced smile on her face.
"Tamotsu, can I talk to him, alone?"
"I have to pee," Tamotsu said loudly, making a dramatic exit from the room, being awarded a huffed laugh from 17 and a suppressed giggle from 18.
"18, I need your advice on something." He looked at the floor, her shoes coming into view, then right out again as she took a seat beside him.
"Bulma?"
He shook his head.
"Who then?"
"Vegeta."
"What about him?"
"I'm sick of being mad at him, I want to talk to him."
18 gave him a questioning look, leaning back on her hands.
"Are you sure?" she all but whispered.
"Positive. I've been giving it a lot of thought, and he doesn't have anyone to turn to anymore, everyone had deserted him and it's all my fault."
"No, it's his own fault."
"Yeah, well I should have stuck by him the whole time. I know he's not a cheater, I know he loves Bulma, possibly more than I do, and I know that there is a logical explanation behind all of this. I was just too stubborn and jealous before to let myself realize it." He paused, taking a deep breath after having practically said all that at once. "Have you talked to him lately?"
"No," she sighed, feeling ashamed now after hearing what she knew was the truth from 17. "Kami damn it! Why does this shit always have to happen!?" she screamed, hopping from the bed, and beginning on the path that 17 had just been on, back and forth. "And it's always to those two! It's not fair! They deserve each other more than anything and I've only been helping to push them farther apart, AND I probably lost one of the best friends I've ever had all because I was too blind to see that he's not a lying, cheating bastard!"
"18, calm down." He grabbed her arms, pulling her to come back and sit next to him. It took her a few moments to get her breathing back to normal, and then he continued. "Is Krillin here?"
"I dropped him off at home."
"We're going to Vegeta's."
She looked at him blankly.
"I'm serious. Come on, get up."
"He's just going to kick us out. Did you hear what happened the last time Chi-Chi and Goku went over there?"
"Yes, and? What are we supposed to do? Just sit here and hope that things will magically just come back together? No, damn it! We need to do something about it, and if you're not coming with me then I'm just going to do it on my own!"
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"What?" Vegeta snapped as he came face to face with 17 and 18 at his bedroom door.
"We came to talk," 17 said anxiously, as if there were a rabid dog outside the door and he needed to get in before he was bitten.
"I'm in no mood for another 'talk' with you people. There's still blood on the carpet from the last one." He went to shut the door, but someone else's arm blocked it. "Chi?" he nearly gasped, then quickly regained his composure, narrowing his brow at her. She took a step back, allowing his to see who was standing behind her. "Kakarot? Roxy? Shirosama? What the hell in Kami's name are you all doing in my house?" Before anyone could open their mouths, he added, "Who let you in?"
"You're mother," 18 said quickly before he could say anything else.
"Why are you he-bothering me?"
"Well," 18 said, nudging through everyone, then pushing Vegeta back into his room and onto his bed. He bounced once, then stood back up, in her face. "We are here-" She pushed him down again, holding his shoulder. "-to help you get Bulma back."
His face went blank. He hadn't heard her right.
"Get out of my house."
"Vegeta, just hear us out," Chi-Chi pleaded, saddling up next to him. He glared daggers at her, but was silent, prepared to hear what they had to say. "First of all, we're all sorry for abandoning you, and not believing you, and just plain not being there for you." He opened his mouth to speak, but quickly snapped it shut. They all looked at him with sympathetic eyes, showing him that they agreed with what she was saying. He looked over at Roxy, who was standing farthest from the group. Her hair had grown out since the last time he'd seen her, it was now to her shoulders, it's natural color. Her clothes, which was the biggest shock to him, were what he'd least expect her to wear; a mid-drift baby blue tee-shirt and a black knee-high skirt.
"Rox?"
"Yeah?"
"Mind explaining?" She arched an eyebrow at him, then looked down at her clothes.
"Change of wardrobe, and hair."
"Looks better than your mohawk." She smiled warmly at him, something she didn't do often, to anyone; she knew it was his way of saying he liked it.
"I'm s-sorry about you and Bulma," she squeezed out, it being terribly difficult for her to say, seeing as she and Bulma had had a rough past.
He nodded his acceptance of her apology.
"If we help you, will you tell us what happened?" Chi-Chi cut in, putting an arm around his shoulder; Goku flinched instinctively, but said nothing.
He looked at them, from one to the other, for a long time, as if trying to read their thoughts, figure out if they were in fact telling him the truth, or were even there at all; it could very well all be a weird dream. For when had all these people been in the same room together, all in his favor, trying to help him? He eyes finally landed on Shirosama, who jumped in surprise, not expecting his sudden gaze.
"Why are you here?"
"Bulma's miserable without you, I want her to be happy."
"Kakarot?"
"I need to hear your story before I can help you. I can't allow you to just hurt Bulma again, I need to be sure you're telling the truth."
"17? You're the last person I thought would come see me on his own free will." His voice was full of malice, though behind it, if one listened carefully enough, there was an even bigger amount of hurt.
"I realized that I was hating you for all the wrong reasons."
"Wrong reasons? So there are right ones?"
"No," he grunted, but held stead fast to his spot, determined to do what he'd come to do. "I realized that it was wrong to hate you for having Bulma when I couldn't."
"Well, I don't have her now. Your hate was for nothing."
"Vegeta, please," 18 nearly snapped. "We're all going against our better judgment to help you and you're throwing it back in our faces."
"Better judgment? And what would that be?"
"The fact that we know Bulma's story with you being the cheater, and you refuse to tell us yours, giving us no choice but to believe her."
"What the hell are you doing here then!? Leave!" He pushed Chi-Chi off him, as if just realizing she was there.
"No!" half of them yelled in unison.
"You're going to listen to us!" 18 snapped, jumping on top of him, pinning his hands to the bed. "And then, you're going to tell us what happened from your point of view on graduation day! And then we are all going to talk about how we are going to get you and her back together, and make everything better again, and you will cooperate, so help me Kami, or I will make you!"
Vegeta gave up struggling half way through her tirade, just starring up at her as she screamed. It was still all hard for him to believe, all these people in his room, and wanting to help him, not bash his face in. He looked around at them, all but one had successfully landed a push on him at one time or another. Shirosama was the only one that had been held back long enough for him to calm down.
"Ok," he finally said, propping himself up on his elbows as 18 climbed off him.
"Ok what?"
"Ok I'll tell you."
Nearly everyone's jaws dropped.
"What? I thought you were all going to beat it out of me eventually, so I'll save you the trouble."
A ripple of laughter went through them all, their faces lighting in the first smiles they had together in a long time.
*************************************************************
---Chapter 10!!! Weeeeeeeeeeee! Very short, I know, but informative! I got a lot out in those little words, and I hope everyone enjoyed it. :D
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Review=New chapters)
Next time: Vegeta's story, the plan, meeting with Bulma???