A.N: I know it's been a long time since I've updated, but I'm finally back on track and ready to start writing again. I wasn't going to post this chapter, because it was so short, but I think It's just what I needed to become inspired again. Hope it's enjoyed. Promise it won't be long before another chapter appears. No warnings in this chapter!
It rained harder than it had all season on the day in which Kakarott was to leave. He and Bulma stood on the porch, leaning against the wooden railings. Inside the house, almost everything was packed into boxes, none of which belonged to Kakarott. His things had fit into a single box which had been picked up the day before by a sharply dressed, non-saiyan man in an expensive looking car with tinted windows. He had explained that he would be back the next day to collect Kakarott himself rather officiously before climbing back into the dark Sedan and driving away down the street.
"Ready?" Bulma asked after a while, looking at him seriously as she extended her arm beyond the dripping gutter to catch drops of water in her palm.
Kakarott shrugged. How could one be ready for something so sudden, something so alien? He supposed that he was excited about the newness of the situation, but that was all.
He could hear Raditz whistling some unknown tune inside the house. His fingers gripped the railing until it splintered. He stared at the crushed part of the railing for a moment and stood up straight. He and his brother had not spoken since the kitchen two days ago. He wondered if they ever would again.
"Have you said goodbye to Rice?"
Kakarott looked up at Bulma sullenly. He had tried to tell him. He really had. He had stopped at his house three times, but Rice had not been there. He had called and called and called. He had even checked public records and found out that Rice wasn't scheduled for another mission for nearly 6 months. He had cried a little after that, but had told himself that he knew Rice was kind and good and that he was just busy with other things at the moment. Yes, that was it.
"I guess he's busy," Kakarott said in a far away voice.
"Oh." Kakarott knew what she was thinking and he told himself again that it wasn't true. He needed desperately to believe that this wasn't the end of the only good thing he had.
They were silent for a while, watching a pick-up truck stop in front of the house across the way. A few young saiyan soldiers came out of the house, speaking boisterously, punching each other playfully. Getting picked up for a mission, no doubt.
"Oh! I almost forgot to tell you! Guess what?" Bulma perked up, her face smiling suddenly.
"What?"
"I've got a job interview for the Empire's laboratory in the palace! Isn't that great?!"
She looked extremely thrilled, her blue eyes lighting up. Kakarott felt guilty. He knew that this was her dream, but he found it hard to care at the moment. He smiled big and nodded as she talked excitedly about it.
"I'm so excited! I know it's just an assistant job, but I've got a lot of ideas that've been going to waste working in that shitty little diner. If I could just get out of that diner--EVERYTHING could change!"
"I really hope you get it. It's-It's great."
Kakarott couldn't help but feel angry at Bulma. She knew what kind of life he was headed for and all she could do was stand here and tell him about how her life was taking flight. And how it still belonged to her. He smiled and knotted his hands around each other to stop himself from squeezing the railing till it splintered again.
Guilt and sadness consumed him. He didn't know how he could be angry with Bulma. It wasn't her fault that things seemed to be working out for her finally. She was his best friend...
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Sedan pull up silently in front of the house and he almost felt relieved. Without warning, Bulma threw her arms around him and he flinched away from the surprise contact. After a moment or two, he reciprocated, his eyes wandering toward the Sedan as he heard a door open.
Kakarott closed his eyes. He imagined Bulma in her pink work uniform and the warm, ambient little diner between the weapons shop and the veteran's bar and felt a knot rise in his throat. She smelled like clean lavender, which made him smile because clean scents meant good days.
When they seperated, Kakarott could see that the man was standing on the sidewalk a few inches from the open backseat door.
"Ready?" He asked in a bored tone, ignoring Bulma, his watery gray eyes focused on his target. His suit was getting wet in the rain.
Kakarott didn't say a word. He didn't look at Bulma again or the house. He didn't even notice when Raditz came out of the front door. He simply descended the stairs into the pouring rain like a man resigned to hell. He could hear Bulma shouting her love at him, her voice cracking, and in his heart he hoped she got the job. Only, for selfish reasons. He needed to hold on to something.