Waiting at Capsule Corp.
Dr. Briefs was most interested in android 16, while the others were getting comfortable. It was late and Chi Chi, Oolong and master Roshi were eating all the delicious cakes that Bulma´s mother was placing on the table. Vegeta had already eaten as much as he wanted in solitude in the kitchen, in his usual spot. The woman looked like a stupid doll but had remembered to leave his food there, just as he liked in the past. Trunks grabbed some stuff from the table, he knew it was better not to push his luck with his dad and that he was better off with the others for a while.
Krillin sat on the floor with Chaouzou and turned the TV on; Cell had told them to watch the broadcast for the information about the tournament. Trunks put a big cushion on the floor, close to the TV set as he used to do when he was a child and lived in the upper part of the house instead of the basement. All this was like living his childhood again, the smell of his grandmother´s cakes, the warm living room, but the main difference was that Krillin was sitting behind him, Yamcha was reading a magazine close to him on the sofa and his father was leaning against the window frame not to far away. He was nervous for the fight that was looming over everyone´s head but at the same time he couldn´t remember a time when he had felt happier.
Vegeta, on the other hand was worried and tired of waiting. This was getting irksome, he wanted to fight that android, finish this endless torment and return to his training and his life. Because, for once, he was planning on having a life. Once this was over he would be free, he needed to prove his strength and safe the future and then he would be free of his past fears, no more Freeza, no more androids, no more feeling inferior to Kakarot, he would have a clean slate to start a new life. He wished the crazy people at the table would stop their screaming, he felt tempted to end it himself, but refrained, his son would not like it.
-"Cell, where are you hiding? Show yourself"- he thought watching the TV screen.
Krillin asked Trunks if they have to watch the TV, if that what Cell had told him, and the boy replied that those were his exact words. Vegeta wondered why his son was so close to the TV, that couldn´t be good for his sight, he had to be careful, a saiyan with glasses was not an option, not in his family at least.
Yamcha left the magazine on the sofa, he could not tolerate this situation any longer. He was been treated as a guest by Bulma´s parents, just like Krillin, while Vegeta was treated as family, he knew Cell was too powerful and that he would not have a chance in the fight but if he could at least try, if he proved to be strong enough maybe Bulma would realise that she really loved him and not that killer. Bulma could not be in love with such a monster, it had to be his power, she was attracted to that. He had to prove the Briefs that he could be their champion, so he would recover his place of honour in the household. He got up and walked out of the room.
-"Yamcha! Come back!"- Puar was worried sick
-"Puar, call me if Cell shows up in the telly, I have got some training to do"- he told Puar.
-"Please do not go"- Puar was still worried
-"I have got to, time is running out for all of us"- Yamcha said, wondering if even Puar thought he was not strong enough-"I have to be ready to fight Cell"
-"I will go too"- Krillin decided that it was not a bad idea to do some extra training.-"we need to stay in shape"
-"Yeah, let´s go"- Yamcha said to his friend
-"Well, at least cell has to stick by the rules"- Krillin smiled-"this tournament could be fun".
Trunks knew what his father was thinking, mostly because he was thinking the same but was surprised nevertheless by his father´s harsh words.
-"Go out and play if you want"- Vegeta snarled-"but leave Cell to me, because I do not want anyone getting in my way. Do you understand?"
Vegeta was getting angrier by the minute.
-"That is a lot of talk for someone who was pounded to a pulp by Cell, don´t you think?"- This was the confrontation Yamcha was looking for.
-"What??"- Vegeta got closer to Yamcha, ready to strike-"he tricked me, I am stronger than him, Cell cannot defeat me. I, alone, have the power to beat Cell"
-"And Goku?"- Yamcha knew that this was going to sting
-"Kakarot?"- Vegeta smirked amused-"he doesn´t have a chance"
-"Father"- pleaded Trunks tired of the all-macho competition that was taking place in the living room. It was getting embarrassing-"we cannot think like that, we have to work together this time, Goku and Gohan are important members of the team"
The door of the living room opened to revealed a scared Bulma with her baby on her arms
-"Trunks? Where is Trunks?"- she shouted, she looked around and then headed for the stairs, where Yamcha, Krillin and Vegeta feared what was going to happen, she ran like crazy, running all over them, ignoring their cries of pain and hurt pride.
Trunks understood then what it was to be really embarrassed by one of his parents. His mother was studying him all over with tears on her eyes, while she clutched her baby close to her. He could barely utter a word, he could only stutter.
-"You are ok, Piccolo said you might be injured after your fight with Cell. You are feeling okay, aren´t you?"- Bulma was relieved to see him. The baby started to call Future Trunks attention, waving his little arms at him
-"You look great"- Bulma had just realised how handsome her son was and smiled pleased.
-"I am fine"- Trunks was too shocked by the fact that his mother was so young and that he was looking at himself as a baby.
-"Good, I was really worried about you"- Bulma added
-"I am sorry about that"- Trunks really meant that, he leaned closer to the baby curious to look at this other version of himself. He couldn´t believe that was him. The baby took the chance to grab Trunks´ hair, which was a funny thing but also painful.
-"Hey!, let go!"- Future Trunks shouted at himself.
-"Look at that, Trunks is pulling at Trunks´hair"- Oolong said while the others stared in astonishment.
-"That young man is named Trunks too, that is odd, what a coincidence!"- Bulma´s mother smiled.
Vegeta could not stand the circus any more and walked to his family, with a firm, although tender, hand he grabbed the baby´s hand and freed his future son from himself.
-"Thanks, father"- Trunks said blushing
-"You love doing that"- Bulma explained to future Trunks-"of course you cannot remember that now, but you have pulled my hair thousands of times"
-"Sorry, mom"- Trunks looked angrily at the baby.
-"Well, we are going to train"- Yamcha announces, hoping Bulma would notice him, but she was too interested in her sons to even hear him.
-"Are you okay, Vegeta?" Bulma asked while Yamcha left the room
"of course"- Vegeta was smirking, he had noticed the longing in scarface´s eyes when Bulma had arrived and also how she had looked at him not even once. Good riddance, pest, he thought.
-"It is almost time for my program"- Master Roshi grabbed the remote control. Chi Chi ate some more cake.
-"You could have protected Trunks"- Bulma told Vegeta-"He is your son, you know"
-"He is a warrior"- Vegeta returned to the window frame, he wished he could be alone with the woman, but she was too nervous to listen to him right now.
-"Father was impressive"- Trunks tried to be on his father side-"He almost defeated Cell"
-"Really?"- Bulma had heard all that had happened thanks to Piccolo but decided not to attack the prince right then, she was so happy to see him.
-"Your baby is growing up so fast"- Chi Chi walked towards them-"well, I mean the real baby not the young man from the future. At least now you know that he will end up a nice guy"
Trunks blushed again and Vegeta chuckled, the harpy could be funny now and then.
While Yamcha and Krillin trained in the garden, Cell prepared his broadcast interrupting Master Roshi favourite aerobic program.
-"Cell!"- Vegeta shouted moving closer to the TV set, finally the waiting was over.
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More is on its way, this morning I am home with the flu, so I have time to write, sorry if there many typos or mistakes, I can blame them on the fact that I type while searching for a tissue...that is harder that fighting androids...thanks for the reviews...as you can see this scene is not yet over...there is a new haircut coming soon...just bear with me while I search for more tissues and some candies for my sore throat...