Cell stood on a mountain top, frowning as he tapped his finger on his armored bicep. He opened his eyes, frown morphing into a scowl.
"We are fighting more… Aren't we?" he mused out loud to himself.
He held his chin as he thought it over. He and Poppy were still happy, but their fights were getting bigger and bigger. They had never been massive and more 'entertaining' than aggravating to him honestly, but there was a definite change in their relationship.
Not a lack of intimacy. They still had a healthy sex life, they kissed, cuddled, and held hands. He took her to places she wanted to go, though he was often left to hide in the shadows and not enjoy the experience with her.
Despite his new 'career' in Mr. Satan's gigs, Cell still preferred to not reveal he was actually alive. More for Poppy's sake then any desire for privacy. Humans were cruel and he did not doubt they would reject her harshly.
Perhaps she did not like that. Maybe she disliked them not being a 'normal' couple.
No, Poppy liked the macabre and unusual. That was not it.
Cell closed his eyes again. "Perhaps it's time I finally do what Goku keeps blathering about all the time." he turned west and flew off to a coal mine. It would take a while to do what he was thinking of, but the sentimentality of the gesture would without a doubt move his dear Poppy.
18 drove Poppy home, Poppy already having plans for the next visit. She was going to pull her grandma's sewing machine out and sew all the juniors their own little scarves. Color coded so she could tell who was who, and their new names stitched into the fabric..
She repeated the new names they would have out loud to herself. "Junior, Thistle, Mitosis, Hema, Codon… Uh…"
"Genome and Cobalt." 18 finished, You've said them over fifty times. I'm going to be dreaming about their names for days now."
"Thanks. I don't wanna have to fly back all 'hey, I forgot what you wanted your name to be'. Kind of jerkish, don't you think?" Poppy looked out the window, at the stars in the sky, "Thanks 18. That meant a lot to me."
"They need a mom. And you are one of the best, coolest moms there are. Almost as cool as me." 18 cast her a grin, her eyes narrowing.
"I say we are both pretty cool."
"I dunno… You can't fly."
Both women laughed, Poppy's house finally visible in the distance. Poppy turned around in the seat, reaching out and taking Mita's foot into her hand. "Hey lil guy. We are home. Wake up."
Mita whined, rubbing his eyes a little. "Is dad home?"
Poppy looked back to the house, and sure enough, Cell was standing outside, still as a statue. He always picked the same place to stand. She swore he was leaving indents in the dirt.. "Yeah he's home."
"Are you still mad at him?"
Poppy smiled and sighed. "We will see." She got out of the car when 18 pulled up, Poppy trying to be as quiet as possible as to not wake up Marron, "See ya 18."
"See ya. And remember, the jerk loves you. So don't worry." 18 reached over and pulled the door closed, driving off and leaving Poppy to stand in the cool night air.
Poppy walked past Cell, who opened one of his eyes to look at her. "Let me put him to bed, okay? Then we can talk. He had dinner at the island."
Cell nodded, closing the eye and going back to standing still. Poppy went inside and went up to Mita's room. She wondered if one day he would no longer need his bed. Cell didn't sleep, but Mita did because he was growing. She had Mita brush his teeth, even though he too probably didn't need to do that, then had him get under the covers.
"Did you have fun with your brothers?"
Mita smiled, nodding as he yawned. "Yeah. I never knew I had so many of them."
She didn't either. She leaned down and kissed the black part of his head. "Sweet dreams my perfect boy." Poppy tucked her hair behind her ear and got up, closing the door behind her and going back outside.
Cell had moved to the porch, he moved to kiss Poppy but she lifted her hand up to stop him.
"We really need to talk, Cell."
"I am sorry. You are right, I was too uncaring for my Juniors." Cell said, "They are my children and I should be parenting them."
Poppy sighed. "Do you mean that or are you just saying what I want to hear?"
Cell looked surprised. "Of course I mean it. I don't admit mistakes easily, Poppy."
He was right. He didn't admit mistakes easily, but despite 18's encouraging words, doubt was running rampant in her head. She had to know. "Cell-"
Cell took one of her hands in his, taking her hand to his face and nuzzling it before placing a few kisses on it, smiling down at her. "Did you have fun meeting them? How do they look? Have they grown at all?"
He was certainly acting like he cared, so he was trying at least. "17 said they have not grown an inch in ten years." Poppy said, frowning, "Will they ever grow up?"
"... I honestly don't know. Bulma said they are the foot soldiers. Dispensable. Perhaps they won't."
Poppy frowned. "We don't know that. No one knows that. Only Dr. Gero would know and he's dead. His computer is gone… There is no way to know."
Cell kept smiling, moving her hand over his chest. "Poppy, I love you."
"I love you too." She smiled, watching as he lifted his other hand, opening it. In his palm was a crystal the size of a walnut. Poppy arched a brow and looked up at him. "It's a rock."
"It is a rough diamond. I made it in my own hands."
He could do that? … Of course he could. He could fly, breath in space. Of course he could compact carbon enough to make a diamond. "So why are you-?"
"Marry me."
Poppy's heart rate went up, pulling her hand away from his chest to cover her mouth. She looked up at him, that smug smirk on his face. "I…"
He tilted his head, chuckling. "Speechless, hm?"
She looked up at him. She had to do it. She could not let this eat at her any longer. "Cell, tell me you won't hurt Goku and Gohan."
Cell pulled his hand away from her a little, his tone scolding. "Poppy-"
"No Cell. Tell me, promise me you will never hurt them. Any of them."
"I can't promise you that. It's what I'm supposed to do."
Oh god to hell with her no cursing rule!
"Fuck Dr. Gero and his wanting to kill Goku. Gero is dead." Poppy snapped, "Your purpose is what you make of it, Cell. What do you want?"
"What I want is to destroy Gohan and his father, and crush anyone who gets in my way. You won't even be alive when I kill them. You don't have to worry. Saiyans live long lives."
Poppy clenched her hands into fists, glaring at him. She won't be alive? The hell did that mean? Was he going to wait until she keeled over from old age or something? "Our son won't be dead though. Are you really going to kill people he's known as friends for his entire life? No. You will not kill them. Not even after I die."
Cell's calm face contorted into a frown. "I'm not giving up my destiny."
"Fuck your bull shit destiny. Fuck what Dr. Gero wants you to be. I can't be with someone who will kill people I care about. So either you give that up, or you won't have me any more."
Cell looked shocked. "You can't do that."
"I can and I will. So tell me, is it me you want, or is it more important to kill people that are starting to trust you?"
Cell paused. He was actually thinking it over. Poppy's eyes hurt, signalling she was going to cry. "Get out."
"I didn't even answer you!" Cell snarled, taking his hand back and glaring at her.
"It's been four damned years. Piccolo says he still feels evil in you. You still want to do evil. The fact you actually need to think over what you want is-"
"My whole existence has been about fighting them! I don't care what Dr. Gero wanted either. This is what I want! I want to defeat Goku and his son. I want to prove to myself that I am the strongest there is!"
"You don't have to kill them to prove that!"
"I want to kill them!"
Poppy started crying then. "Then I don't want to marry you. Get off my porch. I don't care where you go. But I don't want you here."
She blinked and Cell was gone. Poppy sat in the rocking chair on the porch, burying her face in her hands as she cried.
