Visible Stranger
VII.
Truthfully, Bura didn't want anyone else thinking there was something going on between her and Yamucha. Deep down, she knew that they were all just joking around, trying to get her steamed and/or embarrassed, but she still didn't like the fact that they were trying.
So she decided to come up with a solution to this little problem of hers: Stay away from Yamucha for a couple of days. Hey, it was simple and it wasn't like she had to hang around the guy to live, right? Right.
That's when Pan came into the picture. If she couldn't hang out with her new guy best friend (though she would never openly admit that title for him), then she would hang out with her old girl best friend. It was back to the regular schedule again. Back to waking up, getting ready for the day, practically dragging Pan out of bed and pulling her to wherever she wanted to go that day. Pan didn't mind, as long as she got her fair share of the deal (an example being shopping at Hot Topic for shirts that read "I'm Not Mean! I Eat Beans!").
Fortunately, Bura's plan worked out quite well. The next four days of hanging out with Pan did make her and her brother forget all about the hallway incident, and it also calmed her father down a lot, too. He just had to find another good reason to want to kill Yamucha. Every time Bura thought about it, she had to giggle. It just seemed that much more humorous with Yamucha around Capsule Corporation.
"What's so funny?"
Bura got snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Pan's voice. The younger girl blinked a couple of times, making her mind come back down to reality. The two of them were sitting in her room looking at magazines. Bura held a fashion magazine that she wasn't even paying attention to because of her "funny" thoughts, and Pan skimmed through a guitar magazine, deciding on whether or not she wanted to spend her money on one. She knew Gohan and Videl would never buy her one and listen to her play it every night at midnight.
"Oh…nothing. Just thinking about something," Bura answered, giggling softly again. She put the magazine down on her lap, flipping the page…and then another…and then another.
Pan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, "Since when do you not analyze every single little thing on a page?"
"Hm?" Bura looked back up at her, shaking her head to get some of her hair out of the way, "I do, but…I already looked at this magazine tons of times."
"Ooooh…well, guess that explains it," Pan replied, nodding her head. She looked back down at the page she was on, her dark eyes widening when she saw a black electric guitar with red and gold stripes shooting across the instrument, "I just have to get this!"
"I'm sure you do," the blue haired beauty said before sighing loudly. She really did love Pan, but they were the kind of best friends that mostly couldn't be together for more than a week before they could get tired of each other. They were just too different. They also usually knew when their time limit was up, one of them leaving and telling the other they'd see them in about three days or so.
Again, Pan nodded and jumped up from her position on the floor, "I think I'm gonna go home and see how much money I have lying around my house. That okay?"
It was Bura's turn to nod as she closed her magazine, setting it down beside her, "It's fine. I wish you luck with the money hunting."
Pan snorted, rolling her eyes, "Yeah right, Bura. I know in that little mind of yours you're saying 'Oh please let her be broke! I don't think I can stand her with a guitar!' …Isn't that right?"
Bura laughed and stood up, straightening her ordinary (for once) tee shirt, "You just know me too well."
"Sure do," she agreed, walking over to Bura's window, opening the screen, and flying outside. She turned around to shut the screen again, waving from the other side, "See ya later."
Bura waved after her, watching as Pan shot off into the sky. Again, she sighed and fell back on her bed, her hair flying all over her head and her hands laying at her sides.
"Now what can I do?" she asked herself, staring up at her ceiling for a few moments. She soon got bored of that, getting back up and walking over to her dresser to brush her hair. She looked down at the dresser top, spotting the stack of pictures she got about five days ago. Smiling, she made up her mind.
"I'll go see what Yamucha's up to," she decided, setting her brush down and smiling at her reflection. She walked out of her room in her stylish tennis shoes that were heel-less and skipped down the stairs. She was kind of hungry and ice cream sounded real good right then.
She heard his voice talking from in the living room, so her legs followed to where the noise was.
"Hey, Yamucha, I was wondering if—," she cut herself off as soon as she entered the room. She saw her mom on the couch, her back towards Yamucha, who was giving her a shoulder massage.
Buruma's eyes were closed from the delight, her head making small, slow circles around her neck to help get all the kinks out. She opened her eyes when she heard her daughter, her smile growing even more.
"Hi, Honey. What are you up to? Did Pan leave?" she asked, letting out a sigh of content as Yamucha continued to move his hands around her neck and shoulders.
"Uhh…yeah. Yeah," Bura answered, trying to keep her voice from shaking. Why did she suddenly feel so…oh, she couldn't even think of a good word for what she felt. All she knew is that she didn't really like what she saw before her.
"Mm," Buruma nodded, closing her eyes again, "did Yamucha tell you he was a masseuse? And a really good one at that."
"Oh, heh," Bura's shoulders relaxed some and she let out a deep breath she didn't even know she was holding in. So Yamucha was a masseuse, huh? His job was to give massages, not just offer them.
The three of them got quiet for seconds, maybe minutes. It was hard to tell. Buruma looked like she was enjoying the rubdown completely, Yamucha looked in total concentration to make sure he did his job right, and Bura was just standing in the doorway, suddenly feeling very stupid.
She heard the gravity room on outside, telling her where her father was. She didn't know quite where her brother was, so…of course it would be her to walk in on the two. Wait…she made it sound like she was walking in on something "bad." It wasn't like they were doing anything wrong…
"So what did you want, Bura?" Buruma asked, her eyes once again open and staring at the young woman.
"Huh?" Bura asked, her thoughts once again getting disrupted, "Oh…I just came down to ask if Yamucha wanted to go get some ice cream with me, but if he's busy with—."
"Oh no, it's fine," Buruma said, standing up from the couch to make Yamucha's hands fall into his lap, "I need to get back to work anyway. I've been avoiding it for awhile…and apparently, so has that brother of yours," Bura's mother seemed to growl, the thought getting her agitated. However, she soon snapped out of it, throwing Bura a smile, "Well, have fun you two."
Bura watched her mother walk out of the room before turning back to Yamucha, highly noticing the look of sheer disappointment written in his eyes. Her own eyes lowered to the floor.
"Sorry, Yamucha…I didn't know—."
"Hey, it's okay," Yamucha stopped her, standing up and stretching, "it's just a good thing you walked in instead of Vejiita. Now that would have been hell!"
Bura laughed nervously, averting all her weight over to her right foot.
"Ice cream sounds real good, though. I'm game," he said, already heading towards the door. She followed, patting her baggy (for once) jeans to make sure she had money. Once that was affirmative, she walked out the door, him closing it behind himself.
"Do you want to just walk since it's only about three miles away?" Bura asked, walking down the sidewalk.
Yamucha nodded, stuffing his hands into his pants pockets, "Sure, sounds good to me. It's a nice evening."
Bura nodded in agreement, smiling just because. They walked in silence for awhile, listening to the sounds of the birds chirping, or people mowing the grass, or people swimming in their pools.
"So what have you been doing for the past four or five days?" Yamucha finally spoke, looking over at her from having been staring at the ground at a small rock he had been kicking.
"Nothing too much," Bura answered, suddenly putting her hair up into a low messy ponytail, "just hanging out with Pan."
Yamucha smirked at her, subconsciously running his index finger along the scar on his cheek, "So you haven't purposely been avoiding me?"
Bura blushed slightly, her hands clasping together in front of her, "Of course not. I didn't even know I was avoiding you…I mean, we've seen each other around, right?"
He laughed and shook his head, putting his arm closest to her around her shoulders, rubbing her right arm up and down quickly, "I was just kidding, Bura." Even though he dropped his arm back down to his side as soon as he got done talking, the gesture reminded Bura of what she seen not five minutes ago.
"Now it's my turn to ask a question," Bura said, nudging his side gently, "how come you never told me you were a masseuse?"
Yamucha shrugged, putting his hands back in his pockets, "The subject never came up, I guess."
"Well, I'm bringing it up now," she shot back, grinning as she tapped the side of her thighs, "how did you get into that profession?"
The man looked down at her, trying to keep a straight face, "It all started when I found out I liked to touch bodies, no matter what kind of body it was. Guys and girls of all ages would come to my house and ask me to touch them and then I finally decided to make it a profession."
Bura wrinkled her nose. As he said all that, she couldn't help but get this image of a gay, old, wrinkly, hairy man coming into Yamucha's house and laying down on his bed after striping off all his clothing. This gay, old, wrinkly, hairy man would lick his own lips and pat the bed, a little glint in his eyes saying, "Rub me down, Baby!"
"…Ew?" Bura finally said, staring up at him with semi-disgust.
Yamucha chuckled, shaking his head; "It was a joke. Actually, I don't know how I got started in it. It just…happened, I suppose," he admitted, rubbing the back of his head. He continued to stare down at her.
It was at this time that Bura noticed, making her eyes search his, "What? What is it?"
His smile never ceased, "Nothing, it's just…you look really good in those casual clothes."
Bura blinked before looking down at herself, clad in her baggy tee shirt and baggy khaki shorts, feeling her messy hair on top of her head. She looked back up at him, "Really?"
He nodded and then she narrowed her eyes down playfully, "So you're saying that I don't look good in my usual attire?"
"No, no, no!" Yamucha came to his own defense immediately, holding up his hands, "That's not it at all, I'm just not used to seeing you in…well, Pan's type of clothing. It's good to know you do have a little variety."
Hearing all this, Bura showed a large smile, "Thanks, Yamucha. No one's ever said that before…all my boyfriend's always said that girl's look their best when they're wearing tons of make-up and flashy clothes."
A chuckle escaped his lips, "Well, I have to admit that when I was younger I thought the same thing. Then as I became more mature, I realized that it's the natural beauty that matters the most."
Almost unconsciously, Bura walked closer to him as he spoke. He seemed to really know what he was talking about it and she loved it…
"It's probably the main point of why every man who has a woman they truly love gets up every morning. Nothing can beat how that girl looks when she climbs out of bed…her eyes still sleepy, her hair a mess, clad in only her nightclothes," he continued, looking up at the blue sky turning pink from the evening, "watching as she clumsily makes her way around the bed and to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face…and then still semi-clumsily makes her way back in the bedroom."
Yamucha averted his attention to the girl beside him, a small smile present on his face as he went on, "It's the same concept at night. That girl taking off all the blush and eye shadow and lipstick…it's an amazing sight to watch how she can transform. From the girl that everyone can see to that girl that only you can see.
"And then she climbs in bed with you…" Yamucha and Bura continued to stare at each other, but it was like their eyes and minds were in a totally different zone, "Then she turns out the lights and the room is pitch black, but she snuggles up…and it's like you can still see into her dazzling…natural eyes. Your life is complete, everything's perfect. All because of the morning and the night…"
As Yamucha finished his speech, Bura's eyes became misty, her hand shyly reaching out for his, "That was beautiful, Yamucha…"
"Heh…that's what happens when that's the thing you think about everyday for nearly thirty years," he replied, giving her hand a friendly, gentle squeeze.
Her eyes then saddened, "Yamucha…"
"Hey, Sis! Didn't expect to see you here."
Bura whipped her head forward, spotting Trunks waving to her with his arm high in the air. He was at the ice cream place where her and Yamucha were supposed to go, sitting at an outside table with two other people…
Her face faulted. Goten and Paresu. She sighed in defeat, figuring she might as well sit with them since she was sure Trunks would tell her to. Yamucha followed her over to the table, sitting down beside her after they pulled up two extra chairs.
"Hey, guys. How you doing?" Bura asked, resting her hands on the tabletop.
"Fine," Goten and Trunks both answered, taking a lick from their dozen scoop ice cream cones.
Paresu ran her index finger through the ice cream resting in a little round bowl, dipping her finger in her mouth to lick all the cold food off. She stared at Bura for awhile afterwards before finally glaring at the younger girl, "Well aren't you going to ask how I'm doing, too?"
"What?" Bura questioned, her eyes looking at the love of Goten's life, "I did—."
"It's kind of rude to leave someone out just because you don't know them," Paresu commented, doing another "ice cream ritual".
"But I—," Bura tried to explain.
"You only said 'hey, guys,' and I don't consider myself a guy, to tell you the truth," she looked over Bura, shaking her head, "but apparently you do."
Bura quickly looked down at herself when she realized it was the kind of clothes she was wearing. Just great, of course she would pick this day to wear something casual in front of Goten's snotty girlfriend, "No, this isn't—."
"No need to come up with excuses. All little girls go through the tomboy faze, I'm sure when you grow up you'll find someone like my Goten here," Paresu said, wrapping her arms around Goten's free arm that wasn't holding the cone, laying her head on his shoulder. Goten almost seemed like he didn't even notice the talking and the gestures.
That hit the spot. Bura's eyes flashed dangerously as she stood up, pounding her palms onto the table to make the already wobbly stand collapse. Because Paresu's bowl was right in front of her, when the table fell, so did the ice cream…all over her stupid favorite outfit. She screamed and stood up, looking down at the ice cream that plopped onto the ground after falling off her skirt, the melting milky liquid dripping down from the trim.
All three guys stared in wonderment and shock at what Bura did and what was now happening to Paresu. Goten stood up also, still eating his ice cream cone as he rushed over to get some napkins. He came back over and handed them to Paresu.
Paresu stared at the napkins in his hands, half expecting him to maybe help her out. When she realized that he wasn't, she glared at him and snatched the towels from him. She rubbed them over her dress hard, but her attire was obviously stained for the moment.
"Oh, no…" she moaned, her eyes shooting up to Bura who was still standing her ground, "You little—."
"You say anything bad about my sister and I swear you'll regret it," Trunks stepped in, now standing up from his chair.
Paresu glared at him, then sneered back at Bura, before giving Goten the evil eye, "You know what? This is all your fault!"
"Wh-what?" Goten asked, his voice full of innocence.
"If you didn't have such stupid friends, we would never have these problems! And you know what else?" Paresu asked but answered her own question before he had a chance to answer, "You can totally forget about that date on Friday! I would never dream of going on a double date with Trunks and some little girl he picked up from the street!"
Trunks stepped forward again, "Would you stop calling every other girl a little girl? You make it sound like you're the only mature woman in the world! FYI, the situations are reversed."
Bura smirked, finally deciding to throw in her two cents, "Exactly! And by the way you act, I don't think you deserve Goten at all. He's too good for you, so why don't you run home to your daddy? You do still live with your parents, right Miss Mature?"
Paresu opened her mouth, shut it, opened it again, and shut it again. Finally, she just screamed and turned around sharply. Her fists were clenched at her sides as she yelled from over her shoulder, "It's over for good this time, Goten!"
"W-wait! Paresu, come back!" Goten called, taking a few steps forward. From the almost nonchalant nature in his voice, Bura could tell that Goten was used to this routine. He didn't go after her and she didn't turn around.
"There goes our double date for Friday, Trunks," Goten said, sighing with his shoulders slumping.
Trunks' face turned to that of pure horror, "B-but Goten! You know I can't handle this chick alone! You gotta come with me!"
Goten stared at his best friend for a moment before shaking his head, "Sorry, Trunks. I don't want to go there without a date when you have one."
"You can get one by Friday! Goten, admit it, you're a chick magnet! You can go up to any girl and ask them to go out with you and they will!" Trunks urged him on, running up right in front of him.
Bura had to raise an eyebrow on that one. So…Trunks finally admitted it, eh?
Goten grinned his infamous grin, "Seriously?"
"Yes!" Trunks yelled, suddenly pointing over to Bura, "Shoot, there's a girl that would say yes right there! What are you waiting for?!"
Bura blushed deeply, taking a step back, "Umm, Trunks? Keep me out of this!"
Goten's eyes looked over at Bura and she nearly melted. She never saw him look at her like that. With total hope and admiration. She watched stiffly as he made his way over to her, taking her hands in his once he was in front of her. His grin never left his face as he asked, "Wanna go on a date with me Friday?"
There went her heart. Oh, her stomach left also. She suddenly felt as though he and her were alone, without Trunks or Yamucha or anyone else around. They weren't standing beside a broken table in front of an ice cream parlor with her dressed in casual clothes…
"Bura?"
His voice saying her name brought her back down, causing her to shake her head. She smiled, rising on her tiptoes and then down to her flat feet again, "Yeah, of course! I—I mean, yes…I would love to."
Goten laughed and went over to Trunks to give him a high five, "All right, the date's still on," he turned back to Bura, giving her a short wave, "well, we gotta get going for now. See ya later!"
"Heh, heh…bye!" she called, waving high in the air. She watched them walk off for awhile before she felt someone nudge her in her side. She turned to see who it was, only to find Yamucha handing her a double scoop vanilla cone.
"Man, you sure did make a scene," Yamucha told her, licking his double chocolate cone, "I had to wait the whole time because the employee called the manager."
"She called the manager?!" Bura exclaimed, giggling a bit as she licked the top scoop and flying into the sky, "Maybe that's our cue to leave."
Yamucha chuckled also, flying up with her. They flew so high up until they could just float around in the clouds.
"How did you know vanilla was my favorite flavor?" Bura asked, taking a few more licks.
"I didn't," Yamucha admitted, "I just know it's your mother's favorite, so I assumed it was yours, too."
Bura only nodded to this, doing a few side flips, "Wanna go to the park or something? I'm not ready to go home yet."
This time, Yamucha nodded, "Sure."
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So…how was this chapter? ^^ I know not too much Y/Br-ness happened in this one, but believe me…the NEXT chapter will be very sweet and will get things moving along a lot quicker. OH! And if you're a Paresu fan…I'm terribly sorry for flaming her. . I just had to do something to fit Bura in for the date.
Also, hi lynnxlady! ^^ You seem to be getting pretty interested in Y/Br eh? Heheh…that's when you write one of your own! YAY!! Write one, write one, write one!