Disclaimer: no

Reviews:

vbt22220: Aw, thank you! I like being different. Plus, this couple is absolutely adorable! I couldn't resist. The next chapter is here :)

StevenBodner: "To be young and in love." - Krillin, Dragonball. XD Yes! Tora is practically family to Bardock. They have like a brotherly relationship. Family always helps family, but sometimes, family can also get you in trouble ;)

The shortest one yet but...enjoy :D

He cleared his throat and stood awkwardly off to the side, not knowing how to deal with this. He'd seen many people cry before, but he was never alone to comfort them. Hell, he never comforted someone before. He was raised to be a warrior, not a sentimental excuse of a Saiyan. Usually, he (or anyone else that was there) would just yell at the crybaby, barking at them, yelling that they were Saiyans and they needed to toughen up. But Gine...

Gine was too soft. She was an excellent fighter, but her tactics could get her killed on the battlefield one day. Like today, when her face showed concern for her opponent. He noticed it, and probably was the only one who did. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her face wrapped in worry. A facial expression not fit for a fighter. It would put her in danger one day, he just knew it. There was something about her that drew him in, like a flower's pollen drawing a bee to it.

Bardock didn't know how to feel about this. Should he feel awkward... or content? Uncomfortable or tranquil? 'So many emotions that contradict with one another' he thought. The Saiyan did not know why he was feeling any type of sentimentality in the first place; there should be no feelings present.

"I've only cried once or twice in my life.." he began. His mouth didn't know what it was doing, it was just spewing out random words. This was a private story that he could get ridiculed for if it got out, by any chance. He knew that he shouldn't be telling it, to a stranger nonetheless. Unfortunately, his mouth continued to move unwillingly.

"I don't really remember why, but... my father told me to stop being weak and he walked away. My cries turned into silent sobs, and then my mother came over to me. She said "hush little one. What almost kills you makes you stronger." I don't really know why you're crying, and I really don't care. I'd rather you not cry and ruin my mood even more..."

Gine's sly smile quickly changed into a scowl. To think that this was Bardock's way of comforting her. She could feel the rage boiling in her veins. How dare he mock her! She'd show him what she was really made of!

Furiously, she wiped away the tear stains with the back of her palms, snarling at her crush with heavy distaste. "Nobody told you to come over here in the first place, Bardock!"

The said Saiyan was taken by surprise, though it quickly altered to smugness. Who would've thought that this quaint little girl could have a fiery side to her? He smirked tauntingly at her trembling form. "Listen here, girl," emphasizing the name of her gender. "I go anywhere I want, when I want. Even so, what's a little weakling like you going to do?"

Her face changed from a nice tan to a dangerous red within seconds.

She was shaking and trembling violently, more than before. Her fists were clenched tightly, until they were white.

Gine. Was. Infuriated.

She hated being called weak. In her own eyes, in her optimistic mind, she was quite strong. Pretty strong for a third class, anyways. Her father taught her well, and mostly everyone knew that his teaching weren't going to go to waste. So, what type of man would say such a thing? A discourteous, ill-mannered fool, that's who!

The girl, with all the strength she could muster, leaned her arm back, aiming for his handsome face and...

missed!

She completely missed his face. He dodged it at the last minute as he silently gasped at the speed of the 'almost-slap.' Gine's eyes widened in shock and embarrassment. As the sound of Bardock's jeering laugh reached her ears, which were red due to her humiliation, more tears threatened to spill from her puffy eyes.

'No,' she admonished herself mentally. 'No more tears.'

Sucking them back in before they could even fall, she turned around and took off.

But not without hitting the boy with a quick punch to the chest that sent him crashing into the pretty flowers behind them.

"What a jerk." she said, finally flying home.