Rock Your World
Chapter 11 – A Little Honesty Among Friends
The next morning I found myself sitting outside in a clearing in the woods behind my house. I sat semi-cross-legged on a tree stump, strumming Ongaku idly, not even thinking about what my fingers were making the strings play. The sun was at my back, but it gave little warmth; winter was finally setting in.
"This is what you do with your free time?" a voice asked. I turned to see Piccolo hovering in the lotus position in midair, watching me with nonchalant distance in his gaze. I didn't have to respond, but it had been a long time since I'd seen the Namek, and I replied without thinking.
"Says the guy who spends his free time meditating above streams and spying on people," there was no barb to the comment and he returned my smirk, ceasing his hovering and standing up straight.
"Where was Prince Ego headed this morning?" Piccolo continued, crossing his arms casually.
"Vegeta went to go talk to Bulma about stuff,"
"'Stuff'?" there was a hint of amusement behind the echoed word when he said it.
"Yeah, he wouldn't say what," I shrugged, "Whatever, it's not important."
There was an almost unfathomable amount of knowledge in the Namek's coal-black eyes, and they did hold the information I searched for with my gaze.
"You know about us; Vegeta and me," it wasn't a question.
Piccolo nodded mutely, antennae bobbing in time with his domed head's movement.
"And you're okay with it?" I turned back to my music, fingerpicking with a distracted air of uncertainty.
I didn't need to see the second nod, his energy pulsed with approval.
"Why?" A clean, high chord responded to my gentle strumming and I smiled, secretly proud of the chance to show off in front of the Namek.
"It's about time someone made the arrogant bastard this happy," he said simply.
"Then he is happy?" I didn't know if I'd ever seen the prince quote-unquote "happy", but he certainly seemed more relaxed around me. And he'd seemed pretty content last night…
"I don't think I've ever seen Vegeta smile in my life, Goku. He passed me on my way here and shot me an honest-to-the-gods grin. I swear; he's got it bad."
I blinked, "Got what?" I paused in my strumming to look up perplexedly. Did he mean what I thought he did?
Piccolo's smirk widened a bit, showing some fang.
"He's completely infatuated; you've turned the arrogant prince into a lovesick sap. Congratulations, Goku."
My heart skipped a beat. I knew Vegeta cared, even had feelings for me; but I never would have put it like that. I couldn't help beaming like an idiot, attempting to hide the grin by turning back to the guitar; playing what I recognized as part of the melody from a song I'd written in a dream.
When I'd gotten my traitorous expression under control, I glanced at Piccolo. He had his eyes closed and was standing still with a rather wistful smile on his face.
He blinked and opened his eyes as I stopped playing.
"What was that?" he asked.
"Just something I wrote a while back, I've never played it before," I muttered sheepishly.
"You wrote that?"
"Yeah,"
He paused awkwardly.
"I like it," he said eventually, blushing embarrassedly.
"R-really?" I wasn't sure how to take the compliment; Piccolo didn't dish out praise lightly.
"I heard what Gohan did; I'm surprised you're this cheerful after what he said," the Namek continued.
I sighed. I'd hoped the conversation wouldn't turn to my eldest son.
"I'm not, Piccolo. Really, I'm not. But I guess music is a way for me to cover up what I really feel," I realized that I really only spoke this honestly around a few people. Bulma, Vegeta and Piccolo seemed to be the only ones who could take me seriously.
"Hmm, I would think the opposite would be true." Piccolo mused.
"What?"
"I would think music would be a way to express emotion, not hide it."
"Yeah, well I've hurt one too many people that way," I muttered, averting my gaze and thinking of how much of a mess I'd made with "Save Me".
Piccolo laughed suddenly; not mocking, just amused.
I glared at him, "Did I say something funny? If so, please tell, 'cause I don't think I did."
"I'm sorry, I just wish you were like this around other people," he said simply, still smiling.
"What do you mean?" Wish I was like what?
"I wish you were this honest all the time, it's really refreshing."
"'Refreshing'? Hmph, depressing, more like." I grumbled.
Piccolo shook his head slowly, sighing.
"You've got so many more emotions than you let on, I just wish you'd let other people see the real you."
I melted under his compassion. This was the same person who'd sworn on his life to kill me multiple times; and now he was one of my closest friends. Actually, come to think of it; just about all my friends started out as enemies.
"I bet I'd lose half my friends if I did," I smirked grimly, "I scare them enough now as it is."
Piccolo's eyes narrowed thoughtfully and he actually took the remark seriously; considering what I'd said.
"Yeah, but you shouldn't worry about what other people think," he said eventually, "They're not worth that. You're worth much more than the lot of them together."
I stared. Piccolo was giving me genuine advice and compliments, without scorn or sarcasm. He didn't usually open up to people this much; I was amazed that the usually secretive Namek was being this up-front.
We were silent for a while, just being, without being anything for anyone.
"What about you, Goku?" Piccolo asked after a few minutes. It took me a second to realize he was changing the subject.
"What about me what?"
"Are you happy… with Vegeta? Does he make you as happy as you make him?"
I chuckled shortly, more an exhalation than an actual laugh.
"Yeah, he's great." There was a lot more to that statement than I actually voiced, and I think Piccolo understood, because he nodded knowingly.
"You love him," he stated simply.
"Yeah," I repeated, glad I could finally admit it out loud.
"That's good," Piccolo smiled, "For both of you."
He turned to leave slowly.
"Thanks, Piccolo," I said to his back, "thanks for talking. It was nice of you."
He shrugged.
"A little honesty among friends is good for everyone."
TBC