A/N: Enjoyed and read all the reviews. Hope you like this new chapter, especially the extra shorter one-shots and the Goku/Chi-Chi.
In this segment, AU, lots of Goku, happy Juuhachigou and human Juuhachigou, and timely valentine's story and an attempt to sum up the beginning of Krillin/Juuhachigou's relationship on 'Unspoken Restraining Order.'
Also, Future Trunks is the worst wingman.
"I know back in the day I never would have done this. I guess I only have Goku and Gohan to blame. Those two guys really changed me for keeps. And one day, I'll get them for that."
Krillin, Dragonball Z Episode 191, 'Save The World.'
Don't do it but you do it
What you do to me
So lonely so pretty
Such a lack of diplomacy you can't get out
Do-don't you know
Don't do it what you do it
You should do to me
Far our so far out
Such a fall out of lonely
That you're lonely
Could you go and run into me
Lasso, Phoenix
226. Trying Out
"I dunno. She's still kinda mean…"
"No, no. She's great. Really. Deep down."
"I—well, if you willing to vouch for her."
"So she can join the group? Thanks!"
Seated on the plain wooden chair as the fighters analyzed her from across the room, Juuhachigou finally spoke out. "You all realize I can hear you, right? And that maybe I don't want to join your idiotic squad of vigilantes?"
227. Tasteless
But he was walking around, his face long and heavy with some pitiful sadness. Probably thinking about how much he missed her. The only thing bouncing around his empty round head. He was hopeless.
She couldn't just let him go on his merry-less way. Despite her vow earlier, a promise she'd shared with her still shell-shocked twin brother ('what do you mean Gohan's the strongest fighter, 'why the hell do you keep talking about that ugly monk?' 'what happened to Juurokugou?'), Juuhachigou couldn't keep herself hidden. Her first instinct, to throttle him, was held in check. Maybe she could slap and punch him a few times, but later. For now, there were some things she had to address.
"Why the hell are you dressed like that? You look ridiculous in a suit. All you need is a top hat and monocle to be Mister Peanut. Except yours is in black."
Krillin just stared at her. "I just got back from Goku's funeral service."
228. To have a friend...
"Aw, it's okay. I'm glad to be here for you."
"Are you?"
"That's what friends are for."
She snorted and turned to disregard his words, but felt stupidly relieved for talking to him.
229. When I tame my sex drive
Juunanagou finally dragged his twin sister away to Bulma's startled laughter, Yamcha's swallowed, Krillin's wide-eyed amazement. It wasn't so much seeing a terrifying android drunk that scared everyone, not even if she was the one to beat to Super Saiyan into the dirt.
Really, it was her smirking face aimed at their short little friend, saying mind-destroying things like, "I'd totally hit that."
230. Magnets
Juuhachigou had literally laughed in Bulma's determined, angry face over her latest invention. "I doubt it's that simple. The parts Gero used—"
The blue-haired woman held up the curved magnet, S and N painted in black along the grey iron metal. "This focuses only on the ones with the larger magnetic field."
"This is going to end up just like the blender," Krillin warned.
"This thing can't cause fires! And I swear if you don't let me inspect you-"
"Not even Krillin is this desperate," the blonde said, mouth twisted.
"Don't compare me to him. This is a quest for knowledge, not to get under your shirt."
"Can you guys just not see me, or do you just not care?" The ex-monk deadpanned.
Bulma ignored him, and twisted the knob hidden in the arch of the magnet. The rage went out of the dark blue eyes. "Huh. It's not…working."
"Told you," Juuhachigou smirked, and slid off the table.
"Fine." Bulma threw the thing at the ex-monk, ignoring his yell about his hair, his precious hair, and his face. Of course he caught it. "Forget it."
Then she was temporarily blinded by her own hair from the force of Juuhachigou flying through the air at Krillin. Into Krillin. And then into the nearby metal table that along with the heavy magnet, sandwiched. Their faces were nearly shoved together, and he was saying that he didn't have any idea what had happened, and oh god, he definitely hadn't meant for his hand to go there, sorry. So sorry. No matter how they squirmed and struggled, they couldn't entire break free. But then, those two probably weren't even truly trying to get away, regardless of Juuhachigou's hisses and screams for him to get off. Bulma mentally patted herself on the back.
Juuhachigou managed to twist an arm out from under Krillin's chest to point at the scientist. "This proves nothing. Your devices are still junk."
"My spine!"
231. He drove a little sports car
They all stared at each other through the glass, truly trying to understand what it was they were seeing. Eventually, Krillin waved and honked his horn, and her brother waved back.
Juuhachigou grabbed him before he could go over to the smaller man. "Just think this over."
"Hey, this is better than hitching rides from the back of pig trucks."
"Is it?"
"You're the one that said 'no more driving.'"
"But you're the one that wanted to hitchhike."
"Hasn't it been an adventure, so far?"
She paused. To say that being given hits off a giant, suspicious cigar from a speech therapist in a Porsche, getting offered places in a cult driving a school bus, truck drivers who enjoyed talking about the forced sterilization of red-heads, schoolteachers who kept trying to convince them to go back and take their education seriously, the dirty-nailed farmers who wouldn't say a word, salesmen with nervous glances and remarks like 'I bet you guys could use a few extra bucks' that made the cyborgs reach for their door handles, old woman who threatened to call the cops on them if they ever saw them hitchhiking again, and being picked up by the couples in RVs who were always, always swingers with suspiciously eager smiles who were quick to tell them to 'make themselves comfortable' was not an adventure would be a lie.
"But not a good one."
"So far." He gave a smirk. "C'mon. I don't want to walk. And really, it's just Krillin. What's the worse that happens?"
"What are you two doing here?" The fighter was aghast, and had a similar expression to the old ladies who hated seeing them on the side of the road.
Juunanagou threw his backpack into the front seat, claiming shotgun, as always. And as always, she was fine sitting in the backseat and avoiding wandering hands and eyes. "We're just kicking around."
"But, but you're hitchhiking! That's not safe!"
"And who exactly would hurt us?"
"Everyone! You see this stuff on the news all the time. People are always going missing!"
Her brother began messing with his hair while looking in the side mirror. "We already were/are missing."
"I...well. What?"
"Nevermind. Just keep driving."
"Say. Nice car."
"Much better than having to ride around in a van, anyway."
His eyes were bigger than usual, alarmed as he looked at her and Juunanagou. From the backseat, she couldn't make out his exact outfit, just the purple collar of his golf shirt. She shook her head, and finally shifted her own backpack to the seat next to her. At least he was probably wearing pants, and almost certainly wouldn't ask if they wanted to make fifty dollars.
Probably.
"Krillin?"
"Hmm?"
"Why is there porn under the car seats?"
"What, there is?" Her twin immediately began digging beneath his seat.
"Um. It's Master Roshi's. I swear. We share this car. He takes it into town to um, buy that stuff. I use it for groceries. They're in the trunk. I swear." Krillin seemed unable to fully look her in the eye.
"Sure. Whatever you say."
He glanced at Juunanagou, unhappily. "So, where are you guys going?"
"Dunno."
"You're really just wandering around?"
"What's wrong with that?"
"It's not really safe."
"Look, no one is going to hurt is. Okay, now, if Piccolo and Vegeta picked us up, maybe. But no humans going to do anything but make some creepy overtures. And then we just jump and roll onto the shoulder. Totally safe."
"Except for dirtying our clothes."
"Except for that."
He looked even more horrified. "You two have to stop this. I'll even give you this car, so long as you don't hitchhike again. Jeez. Do people really try stuff?"
"Hmmm."
"Yes, they do. No, Juunanagou, we're not taking this car."
"Have you two tried settling down? I have room at my house. Okay. It's not my house. But Master Roshi won't mind. There's a spare room you two can share."
The darker cyborg was messing with the radial dial. "Usually when our driver says stuff like that, they want to be in the room too. And with a video camera."
It seemed to only confirm his worst fears. "Oh. Oh god. Please don't get into cars with strangers."
"What, we don't say 'yes'."
"You're pretty much a stranger."
"No, he isn't," her brother interjected. He spoke to her in the rear view window. "We've got movies of the guy. Fighting, swimming, hanging around the house watching cartoons. Singing, dancing. And even weirder stuff."
Krillin nearly drove off the road. "What? What?"
"We know all his weird secrets."
Juuhachigou tried not to smile. "That's true."
"I'm surprised though, that you don't need a pillow to see over the steering wheel. Good for you."
Krillin made a face, but otherwise let the comment go. "So, where exactly are you two even going."
"Pretty much as far as you're willing to take us."
232. Unspoken Restraining Order
(A/N: Basically, Krillin should be glad the remote worked at thirty feet)
'Remember Krillin,' Bulma's words were still ringing in his head, wiping away any thoughts they passed, bouncing from one ear to the other and leaving him only able to stand there and swallow over and over again until he throat was as dry as the dessert. Just gaping at the two figures in front of him. 'You have to get within two feet of the android for the remote to work.'
He still had his own scream sounding in his head as well, following the scientist's words. 'Aaaaahhh.'
'You can't be serious Bulma!'
'Sorry, Krillin, but it was the best I could do. At least it's something, right? Right? Right?'
Right, Bulma. I'll make this work. I swear. I'll save everyone! How easy, how simple, how clean to just press one little button and wipe out such an evil, powerful
gorgeous?
enemy that was so hellbent on
surviving?
killing and wrecking havoc on the planet. Yeah. Now shut up, Krillin, and go press the damn button.
Oh, sure, that's easy for you to say…brain. But I have to get within two feet of her. That insanely close. She'll be right there. Standing there. Staring at me. With those eeeeyyyess. You expect too much from me, brain. I can't do this. You know that. That's your job.
She's just an android. A strong one though. You have to sneak up close to her. While she's distracted, you jump in front of her and press the button. As fast as you can. C'mon. What was all that training for, if not this moment?
…to jump Juuhachigou? Oh god. I have to be so close to her. Oh god.
Breathe. Inhale. Exhale. And don't think about your lack of nose at all.
Damn you. Two feet. How much is that exactly? Really, really close?
Yes.
Damnit. I can't do this. I'm not that fast.
In and out. Just a few second of being close to her. It'll be over before she knows it. It probably won't even hurt.
Oh, oh dear god. Don't make me think things like that. In that vein. You're just here to hurt me, aren't you?
No. I'll help get you out of this mess. Then you can bury me under a pile of bad TV and plots to get a girlfriend.
…why can't we plot to make Juuhachigou my girlfriend? You know how I feel about her. About how I can't stop thinking about her. Two feet.
Snap out of it! She's just a machine. You shut her down and save the universe. That's an order!
You don't get to order me around! Two feet. Two feet.
Sneak up. Slowly. Carefully. As close as you can. Right there, behind that rock. Do it nownownownownow
Oh god. She's right there. She looks so scared. Two feet. Two goddamn feet. Damnit, Bulma. I have to get so close to her. Close enough to look her in the eye. To take in everything. And she looked even nicer now, in those clothes.
You are shaking. Pull it together. Please. We have to shut her down.
I have to shut her down. Right, yes, the entire world on one hand, and Juuhachigou on the other, and the world, the universe, is-
Is…
Juuhachigou is not more important than the entire universe, don't be crazy! Just jump in front of her, and press the button.
Two feet.
In the end, it is only him, only him in his head without even Juuhachigou's light touch or the heavy pull of the Earth's fate or the loyalty of his friends, alone, but no longer lost. Two feet, two hundred feet, all seemed unimaginable, impenetrable. Only this to circle him. Separated from each other by all that they were, her inhumanity and his heroics, their pasts and histories. That only she had thoughtlessly broken through to mock him for their differences, and make him think that maybe, maybe they didn't have to be enemies. Then he is no longer so alone.
Krillin probably made it now closer than twenty feet before he stepped out before her to crush the remote.
233. Paying My Way
Juunanagou leaned against the chair, taking in the disheveled fighter just barely visible in the moonlit doorway with a knowing eye. "Tell you what, if you want to talk to my sister, it'll cost you ten bucks."
From there it escalated. Soon Krillin was agreeing to pay twenty dollars a minute just to talk to her over the phone, in the future. Juunanagou did not take personal checks, nor did he believe in tabs. To reduce his bill, the small monk had to sign an agreement that said he'd come in through the window.
When she came down the stairs, they were still haggling prices.
234. News
"Hey, uh, Goku?"
"Huh?" The larger man lifted his head from his arms, looking towards his best friend. Who handed him a chicken wing. A delicious chicken wing, that didn't explain why Krillin looked so nervous.
"What's wrong?"
"That guy. From the future. He told you about us, right?"
"Um. Yeah? About the androids, mostly."
"So, he didn't talk about any of us getting married? Having kids?"
Future Trunks' warning sounded in Goku's head. The tall brunette waved the remains of his snack in his face, trying to laugh the questions off. "Oh. Well, not really…"
"I knew it!" Krillin grinned. "Spill it, Goku."
He played with the greasy bone, trying to come up with something. "I really shouldn't…it might change stuff, the guy said…"
"Oh. I guess that makes sense. But still. Does that mean we're all going to meet someone before the androids come?"
"Maybe?" He did his utmost best not to look at Bulma. Who was currently screaming at a disturbed Vegeta, for eating all the chips and dip. Which was important, Goku understood, but not enough to threaten to 'literally disembowel' him to get 'them back.' Yamcha looked on, appalled, only able to shrug his shoulder at the prince's confused state.
"You have to tell me if I meet a girl." Krillin was pulling at his own fingers. "It's bad enough to know the androids are coming. It'd be nice to hear some good news about my romantic life."
Goku looked at the bone, playing with it and accidentally snapping it. They watched it crumble to pieces and make a mess on their shoes.
Krillin swallowed loudly, audible enough over the yells from Bulma and Vegeta, who continued to shriek. "That bad, dude?"
"Who even invited you here!" Bulma shrieked.
The Saiyan yelled right back. "You did!"
"Oh, I guess I just brought this all on myself, huh?"
"…yes?" Vegeta hurled right back, maybe a little more confusedly.
"Aw, it's okay." Goku patted his friend on the shoulder, hating to see him look so sad. "So what if you don't have a girlfriend. Look at Bulma and Vegeta."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Nothing." The taller man held a finger to his mouth. "We never discussed this."
235. Wing Man
"Krillin, really, I'm not sure about this."
"Dude." The fighter raised his hands, trying to look wise, maybe. "It's cool."
"…this uh, I don't know."
"I need a wingman. You said you'd come with me. What's wrong?"
"It's so loud. And everyone's drunk."
"That's what it's like at Capsule Corp on the holidays. You should get used to this." Sitting on a stool, in slacks and a bright green button-up shirt, Krillin make Trunks feel underdressed. And ungainly when he tried to follow his example by hopping up on his seat. There were rarely so many people in one building he was occupying, outside of crowded underground safehouses.
"Maybe." Trunks leaned forward to rest against the bar with Krillin by his side, who looked up at him patiently. Respectfully. That meant a lot after spending the last week with his mother, who had 'boundary problems,' a Grandmother that was even worse, and Vegeta. Who was in some hollow-eyed state of mind since he'd given up fighting and instead dedicated his life to bothering Bulma and insulting Trunks' jackets and hairstyle. Oh, and The Baby That Would Not Stop Crying.
So, when Krillin had offered him a night on the town, he'd gladly accepted. He'd done his best to ignore the talk about meeting women and drinking, somehow. To just talk to someone understanding who wouldn't ask him how 'saggy' she'd gotten in the future, how stupid his shoes were, or screech in his ear until vomiting over his shirt.
Now he was here, out of house admittedly, but in a club of all things with the music loud enough to deafen him and drinks with condensation dampening his hands.
"So." Beating his hands against the heavy stained wood to some beat that only he could hear, Krillin began rocking back in forth on the barstool. "Wanna order something? What'll you have?"
"Oh, whatever you're having. I guess."
Never having had alcohol before, he awkwardly handled the drink the bartender passed over. Tried not to feel foolish, look as nonchalant as Krillin who seemingly was at ease in his body, and not stab himself with the little umbrella. Here he was, in the past he'd helped create and keep from being destroyed. Getting drunk with a friend that in his time had been murdered over ten years ago.
Krillin grinned at him. "Ease up a little. You're going to freak girls out. Oh, unless you're going for a brooding thing. Yeah, that works for you."
"Huh?"
The bad fighter craned his head around, looking for something. "Do you see any cute women?"
"Uuh." Trunks joined him in looking around. Still better to help his fellow warrior look for a girlfriend than his Father search for the TV remote.
They all did a double-take together.
She was wearing normal clothes that lacked the infamous Red Ribbon insignia, in a mockery of humanity. Blonde hair the same in both timelines. "Can't I even get drunk without you bothering me?"
"What are you doing here?" The short fighter sounded both terrified, and giddily excited.
The female cyborg just looked angry and miserable. Despite this being a single's bar where people made eye contact that worked like magnets, she was alone. Even those that didn't know what she was exactly could sense something was off about her. Unfortunately, there were plenty of people at the bar, people in-between the fighters and the humanoid machine. She might use them as shields.
Also unfortunate: Trunks seemed to be the only one to realize that.
"Can I buy you a drink?" Krillin yelled around the other patrons at the bar.
"No!" Her unnaturally pale blue eyes were wide with something close to fear.
"Please? Look, just as a polite courtesy. You're supposed to pay for girls' drinks."
"Knock it off. Did you follow me?"
"Of course not." Possibly playing, Krillin looked offended, then his face morphed into a big grin. "This is just a great coincidence."
"Ugh."
"Are you here with someone?"
Trunks was reminded of fighting Cell on that tiny island, and how the two of them had been so immersed in their discussion to even notice the scary monster floating overhead. "Hey, hey, I'll be your best—wing man. Let's just move on. Away from the scary android."
Still, still he seemed unable to look away from Juuhachigou. Almost muttering, almost wistfully, "She's not that frightening."
Juuhachigou was raising her hand, as though trying to cover her face. As though embarrassed to be seen with them. "Just leave me alone."
"Just one drink. Say, do you wanna dance? No?
"We can just drink then. A lot. What are you having?
"How's your twin brother?
She was trying to ignore them, now.
"Don't act like we don't exist," Trunks nearly screamed at her direction, making her jump on her barstool. Shoulders pulling inward, as though she were a normal human girl being yelled at.
"Who're you?"
He slammed an open hand onto the bar, chest welling with righteous indignity. His hated of Cell had been strong, but nothing could quite compare to the endless rage he felt towards the mechanical terrors that had so reigned his life and taken so much away. Alternative timeline or not. "I'm his wingman! And I won't let you insult him. You'd be lucky to have him date you. You're not even human! And he's nice!"
"Trunks, are you drunk? And, dude, the whole point of being a wingman is to help me not scare women away."
236. So I'm having a health issue that causes me not to be able to hear right now...
Krillin damned Bulma and Trunks and Vegeta, the whole Briefs family, a thousand slow fiery deaths.
All he could do was nod and hope she just ranted and didn't ask—
But then she was facing him, getting right close to his face, and obviously demanding to know something.
All he could do was nod. Even as she came closer, and closer and closer—and he could see his reflection in her pupils and the cold tip of her nose against his face, and the warm soft lisp against his own.
Apparently, the language of love was one that needed no words.
237. ...and it tasted like death.
The smells had been a clear indication that he shouldn't have let Juuhachigou cook. But she'd just had her head full of Chi-Chi's advice on a happy marriage and being a good wife. 'Try cooking for him! A man's heart is through his stomach!' And who better to ask than the only one of their friends that was actually legally married.
Thank god that wasn't true for Krillin. Or else he would have run screaming through the door and filed for divorce on the odors alone.
Yet, still, in turn he will be a good supportive husband to clear the wrinkle between the two furrowed eyebrows. The good man that will reach for the fork, and managed to extract it from the hardened…glob on the plate. Then lean forward to kiss the patch of flour on one cheek. "Thanks for making dinner, honey."
He will be that man, just as soon as he managed to pull his fork off the plate.
238. She Knows
Krillin was only given the briefest warning, and it came from all people, Vegeta. The Saiyan had called to pass on some word about a possible construction job Bulma had found for him, reconstruction work to repair the damage Cell had done, and Krillin had agreed to easily enough. What else was there to do? Besides moping around the house, which everyone insisted wasn't healthy for him.
Ironically, that's all Vegeta was doing now. Spending his time at Capsule Corp as an awkward secretary and babysitter for Trunks. No one had ever seen the fighter so broken.
"Oh, and the woman wanted me to tell you that the android," his voice grated on the word, like it was a block of cheese. "Was here."
"What?"
"Yes, she took off after the woman told her that you were looking for you. And that you were in love with her."
The phone fell from Krillin's lifeless fingers.
From far away, he could hear a tinny, angry voice. "Human?
"Baldy?"
He fell to his knees, yelling at the phone. "Why? Why would she do that?"
"Who knows why she does anything? But I guess she was trying to make the tin can feel better. Gods only know why, and how she expected that to help."
There was a curt knock at the door. Krillin spasmed, bashing his head on the couch, then the floor. Looking up with a blank expression, arms outstretched and no thought in his head, no escape, entombed between fear and relief to finally be found out, and to have her here.
239. …
"You know. It would be nice to get a reaction, from you. At some point.
"Okay. Cool. You're just taking it in. Trying to comprehend it. That's cool. Fine.
"Mondo cool. Heh.
"Oh god.
"…I'm so, so sorry. I never meant for any of this."
He also hadn't meant for his proclamation of love to end with him tears, and her still utterly, utterly silent.
240. If that van's a rockin'…
"I am only going to ask this once," her voice was cool to the point of iciness as he rolled down the window. "What the hell are you doing here?
"Living in a van, like a homeless person…On our front lawn?"
He gaped at her, breathe a mist in the air. "Juuhachigou?"
"Have you seen yourself, lately? You really look like you should be asking for spare change."
"Well." Krillin rubbed a cheek that admittedly needed a shave. "I am technically without a house."
All her files that had been flicked through told her that Krillin lived with Master Roshi, the ancient turtle hermit, and Oolong, the shape-shifting pig, on Kame Island in southern hemisphere. "And now you're living in a van."
"Temporarily. Or not." The fighter shrugged, his patchy sad beard looking like a deep bruise on his cheeks and chin. "I'm used to living in small places."
"This is just sad. Even for you, shrimp."
"And I didn't know this was your house. I'm just parking here. Really. Just a bizarre coincidence, I swear. I'll move on."
"…what exactly do you have in there? Is that a velvet painting? Is that a blacklight?"
"Wanna see it?"
"Wanna see it?"
"Uh, alright. Just for a few minutes. And where are your pants? No, just nevermind, forget about it. Show me, umm, around a little."
241. Monkey's Paw
"Your wish is…granted."
"Yes. Alright!"
He nearly hugged Gohan and Yamcha and even the bemused Trunks in his joy, all in one giant hug. Everything felt at peace, no, better than content. Pure happiness. Human. Juuhachigou was human now.
Krillin gave in and hugged the recently healed heroic boy, who laughed and clapped his back. The dragon disappeared in a rush of light, and the dragonballs went flying across the Earth, dear grey. Sunlight seeped back into Earth. "This is awesome!"
"I'm glad you could help that girl you liked."
For a minute, they didn't think about Goku at all.
"I can't believe you were willing to go through so much to help those androids." Trunks was shaking his head, long hair sweeping before his eyes.
"Aw, c'mon. She's a good person. And the androids can't hurt anyone now."
"I guess…"
Yamcha and Tien were smiling in a distant, amused manner at their small friend. It was like he'd won the lottery. You had to shake their heads over it, and smile a little at his joy.
Krillin only grinned back.
Then he heard a shriek. Followed by a blue-white-yellow figure running at him. "What did you do!" A beautiful woman running at him, one with a ki level and everything. Trying to claw his eyes out until he harmlessly held her arms, and legs hitting him accurately, but without any power behind them. And stupidly, he was still smiling.
She was positively seething. Her eyes still that pale of frost over the ocean. Krillin held the struggling arms, trying to come to grips with the fact that they were touching, and that he was stronger than her now. "You little bastard!"
"Hey. Hey now." Yamcha was still coming to grips with her lack of strength, and trying not to inch away.
"Calm down, Juuhachigou."
"Where did you even come from?" Gohan looked around for a clue of some sort. "Were you hanging out and watching us?"
That pale perfect jaw was set and white teeth revealed as she looked at Krillin much like how Vegeta would stare down…well, mostly everyone. That voice that drove him up the wall a hiss. "What did you do?"
"Um. I asked the dragon." Krillin let go of her arms, and pointedly lamely up towards where the dragon had been. "And he made you and um, that other guy human."
Now there was the roach in the pudding that just killed him once he remembered. All that touching for naught. Oh, yeah, she already has a boyfriend. And a scary one too. A reasonably tall, handsome scary boyfriend who understood her on a level that Krillin never would, that no doubt loved and worshipped her every move, and who was able to connect to her like no one else could. He made her happy, not Krillin. Obviously, since she'd probably never seethed at Juunanagou the way she was now.
"You know. Your boyfriend?" He tried to keep his sickness out of his voice. Amazing how the thought of them together could make him so sick when he had been so used to Maron flirting with other guys. But, no, no, she deserved to be happy, to be adored and treated well, and if did all that then Krillin had no right whatsoever to intrude. Not that even if Juunanagou was a bastard to her did he have a right to say anything, though. And not that either of them cared a tiny, little bit about him or what he thought.
"My what?" Those eyes that made all the strength from his knees seep away were wide with confusion.
"That guy? The other guy? Juunanagou?" The name was poison in his mouth.
She stepped back before shoving herself closer. Dizzyingly closer. "What? Juunanagou's my twin brother."
Oh. Oh…oh god. That. That explained a few things. The resemblance he'd thought was kinda funny, in an odd way. Sister and brother. Not boyfriend and girlfriend. Twins, born from the same parents and grown up together and turned to androids together. Huh.
So. She was single.
It was definitely a good decision to not smile, and an even better one to polite let go of her hand. "Sorry about that."
"Jeez." Yamcha was laughing unsteadily. "Thought you were going to pull his head off."
"But she can't." Trunks smirked. "She doesn't have the power anymore."
Juuhachigou was starting to snarl, which made Krillin wave his hands around to distract her. Something that was more selfish than anything about sparing his friends—he wanted her to look at him more than anyone else. It was a unique torture to be beneath that stare, both paradise and hell. Oh, what did it even matter if she wasn't dating anyone? Why, why would she even like him? Short and ugly and just plain weird at times, and—so wrong of him, to think of her as some sort of girlfriend material when she was powerless and lost. Better for her not to look at him, to have her away from him at since, considering that he was hopelessly in love with her to a psychotic degree. Despairingly attracted. Depressed and over-the-heels-crazy about her enough to risk the entire world for her sake.
From the way the others reacted, and Juuhachigou herself, and even his own brain, it was Forbidden.
There was understanding in those eyes, as it dawned on her all the changes. He couldn't read exactly what was going on, but could see her swallowing, biting her lower lip. Looking at Krillin, as though he might have some answer. What now?
Five minutes before and hundreds of miles away: a shriek was loud enough to be heard by Master Roshi's, who sleepily sat up and rubbed at his eyes, as Juunanagou fell from the sky into the ocean.
Life was having a huge laugh at Krillin. No doubt any High Power(s) That Be were looking down and opening a bag of chips and a beer while watching the pitiful guy go through all this.
Everyone had gone their own way, back towards their homes. To collapse or tell the others what had happened before collapsing. Unbelievably, it was still only the afternoon. A warm day with the sun thick in the air, and back at the Son's the fish would be biting in the river that would never again have Goku run and swim through, laughing, the only sign of discomfort over the cold water was the droop in his damp hair-
"What's wrong?" Juuhachigou sounded utterly disinterested, and he nearly dropped her.
He'd nearly forgotten she was there, somehow. She didn't weight much, and he'd been so focused on poor Chi-Chi and Gohan and Goku that—her arms were crossed, and she had difficulty making eye contact. Obviously, this was hard for her to accept. His help. To go from being one of the strongest fighters to no longer knowing how to fly, that was rough.
Krillin couldn't help probing at her ki level, nearly giggling, fascinated that she had one now. That she was here, touching him, utterly alive and human. She was trying not to lean against him, but also not shoving him away to fall from his arms and into the blue-white sky.
"Master Roshi's island is around here."
"Hm."
"Just a little longer."
It was hard to act nonchalant with her so very, very close. Arms crossed but her elbow touching his chest, knees thrown over the top of his arms. Warm and skinny. And she was starting to sweat a little, the beads growing on her forehead and some running down her neck and disappearing into her white shirt.
"Really close."
Goku, right, Goku was dead. That was a shame. He had to try and shake his head without it being obvious. His best friend was dead. This was totally different from when he'd held her earlier, her unconscious and a little damp from Cell. She was shifting in his arms. Goku, totally dead and never returning, leaving a wife and child behind. Tucking her hair back behind her ears, biting that lip again in nervousness.
How disturbed she'd been over having to be carried by him, the smirks the others gave her, Krillin babbling on about how to go about taking her to find her brother, maybe she wanted to jump on his back or, or something. As Juuhachigou had just looked at him with nothing but disgust on her face.
"So, any idea where your twin brother is?"
"No."
"Ah." His entire views on the once-creepy man had done a one-eighty. He was a great guy, a little quirky, but good, really. A good brother. Who was older, if only by a few minutes? What had their parents been like to produce such different and similar looking kids? He needed to be friends with Juunanagou, right, that was the way to win Juuhachigou over.
Goku. Goku, dead, remember.
Sad. Very, very sad.
"So, when we get there, um, you can stay with us as long as you want. Really. I've been there for years. Aside from that brief period I wandered around the countryside. Oh and when I lived in this condo in the suburbs. And then there was that time when I was trying to do this hippy thing, and lived in this van…"
She looked disturbed. Really wishing she wasn't so close to him.
"But. Anyway."
"Right."
"You can stay with us. And train. With Master—no, never mind. I'll train you. And your brother, of course."
Juuhachigou did not look relieved. It was increasingly hard not to stare at the length of ankle and calf her jeans showed off. It ruined any attempts Krillin might have made about wanting to just be her friend, that this did not make him like her anymore, that he would not attempt anything as they shared a house. Instead, the bald fighter had to resist not putting his head against her shoulder as the events of the day caught up with him. As she scanned the area below.
They found Juunanagou lying on his Master's beach chair, wet, sunburned, and with a thousand-yard-stare adorning his face. He looked at the two, who gazed right back. Juuhachigou finally nearly jumped from the warrior's arms onto the sand, and looked torn between her usual apathy and running up to embrace her twin brother. It would have been a heartwarming sight, Krillin was sure.
"So. You human now too?"
She had her first breakdown of her new life over a juice bottle. It refused to open, which could be a pain, especially on the fingers, but not exactly worth throwing the bottle as far as she could and only narrowly missing both the TV screen, and Krillin's head. Krillin, who'd so carefully offered to help her and her brother train, had given them a spare bedroom and extra clothes and promised them a trip to a clothes store, and everything they wanted from the fridge.
"Goddamn bottle!"
Oolong sounded horrified, sure that she was going to murder them all right now. "I thought you said she didn't have her powers!"
Krillin pulled his hands away from his face, reminding himself that no, she doesn't have her old strength, she doesn't, that really wouldn't have hurt that much. "She doesn't."
Juuhachigou ignored them. "Who the hell makes a bottle of juice that you can't open."
"Next time, Juuhachi." Krillin was trying so hard to be helpful, even as she glared him like she could still yank his head off. Or maybe she could. "I'll open the bottle for you."
This time, she didn't miss throwing the pot of thankfully lukewarm coffee at him.
But he didn't hold it against her. She was obviously frustrated, angry, furious, at being so helpless now. In comparison. Krillin rubbed his bruise, and was grateful that this sullen, shivering girl was fully human and no longer blessed with terrifying power. Though, for her sake, he wished that she might have kept whatever helped her handle the temperature better, because she was practically huddling in the borrowed jacket. A blue one that just about matched her eyes, and one he could recall wearing to seeing Future Trunks off, and the informal funeral service for Goku…
She didn't know about the irony, and between the chattering teeth and murderous glare, Krillin decided to forgo that little piece of knowledge.
At least her brother was friendly. Though, maybe it was just because of his handkerchief drawn up to partially hide his mouth and muffle his words. The fighter's pants were just as baggy on him as they were on Juuhachigou. The orange of his scarf clashes terribly with the orange flowers on the button up shirt he'd borrowed from Master Roshi.
If Future Trunks could see them right, he'd either have a heart attack, or die laughing.
"So. Are you going to teach us to fly or not?"
Juunanagou's voice was dangerously soft. "Are you giggling?"
"I'm sorry. It's just…you two look so ridiculous. We thought you guys were going to kill all of us." More guffaws choked him up.
Even more so than the slim hands wrapped around his throat. "Stop laughing at us."
"I'm sorry!"
"This is all your fault anyway." Juunanagou kicked him. Proving that they did retain some of the knowledge Gero had programmed in, but none of the actual strength.
He squirmed beneath the blonde who was baring her teeth. "I know. Hey, c'mon, that tickles Juuhachigou. Get off."
Though Krillin had loved having her so close. Now was not the time for such things. He cleared his throat, recalling lessons from Tien and Chaotzu, from his own Master Roshi. He clapped, "Okay, now, let's talk about ki. Just relax, and reach out with your senses."
"What are you talking about?"
"Oh. Well, c'mere then." Krillin held out his hand, a ball of light glowing above his palm. "This is ki. Can you sense it at all?"
242. And you're not happy but you're funny and I'm tripping over my joy
It was probably the wrong thing, but when it came to Krillin, Juuhachigou rarely had a clear idea of what to do anyway. Still, from the looks she got, laughing during a man's funeral was probably the wrong thing. But something had just tickled her, until she had to bite the inside of her lip, especially at the sight of Vegeta drinking at the bar, the furious black glare from the pregnant widow, and Krillin's limp speech, oh, oh god, going on about rehabilitation, and in that suit that matched his hair color.
Impossible not to let the thought, at least my man isn't drunk or dead, even if she hated that miserable idea.
Too late, Juuhachigou cupped a hand to her mouth. Up there, where the coffin might have been in a real funeral, Krillin just stared her down. Until her shoulders were shaking, and dear god, it was too ridiculous, could she really be the only one that understood how foolish all this was, and of course there was the warm knowledge that the mourning man had certainly smile when she'd woken him up this morning in the bed they'd also shared last night. When she'd made him completely forget that a man named Goku had ever existed.
The smugness and hilarity to his speech about spending the days since Goku's death thinking about what a huge loss they'd also suffered, replaying him biting her earlobe and informing her how much he loved and worshiped her. It was too difficult not to laugh, over the fact that she was here, attending the funeral of the man she'd been programmed to kill, while her lover stood there and went on about sacrifices.
243. I thought it had ended
Looking at them now, Krillin realized that it was a good thing Gero hadn't put Juuhachigou in charge. Because Goku would have been dead within the hour of the androids being released. She was incredibly focused, unwilling to cut corners, and able to think well of her feet as she expertly cut the lights and power for the alarm.
Yet, still, for all her diligence, Krillin was disappointed in her. His vague plans of saving the day, of knocking guns out of gloved hands and easily dispersing the villians, and earning maybe the respect of a cute girl like when he'd helped that women and her little brother get away from Cell all slowly dissipated. Aside from not physically being able to beat them, he didn't have the heart to harm Juuhachigou.
But he'd expected more from her than something like this. He stood up, watching warily as the gun swiveled in his direction, only to lower as the blonde woman realized who he was. "I thought you two had stopped your crime spree."
She shoved a strand of errant hair from her widened eyes. "It was never a spree. What would you even know about it?"
"I don't know." Juunanagou added as he easily hefted a bag literally filled with heavy gold bars. "After the third bank, I think it counts."
244. I heard that you like the bad girls
Honey, is that true?
There was no escaping the androids, no escaping her, Krillin was beginning to realize. All that denial, the lies made to Future Trunks about his interest in the androids, trying to pretend that when his eyes went unfocused and gazed out the window, dreamy smile spreading across his face at the dim knowledge of that shade of blue, that no, Master, hey, yeah, Yamcha, I was paying attention, you know, was just thinking about how we're going to win this next fight.
But Trunks had bought it, handing over the blueprints and telling him to head to Bulma's. Leaving him to look at the white shape on the paper, thinking, thinking, this might be it, we might be able to win with that. Destroy the androids, then Cell wouldn't become complete. Simple, and taking out enemies. Maybe he could do that himself, actually help for once…
Then he'd seen someone in the corner of his eye, no ki,
Now all torn away at the sight of her, in new clothes, staring down at him. Every inch of her showing smug contempt for his startled form. Leaning against a rock taller than her, darker than her hair, arms crossed over a white t-shirt and black vest. Not the clothes he'd last seen her with.
"You know." That silky voice that squeezed his brain. "You've just been standing there, stupidly smiling at nothing for the past ten minutes?"
To kill her? Close the blue eyes that turned up in the corners when she smiled? "Juuhachigou?"
"Should I be flattered that you remembered my name?" White teeth flashed, and a hand raised to shove hair out of her eyes.
Stupidly, damningly, Krillin could feel himself heating up. Without reason. This was not flirting, whatever she was doing. Teasing. Mocking him, right. Gero had probably told her about his weakness for cute girls, and if there was something Juuhachigou definitely seemed to be, it was both practical, with great fighting techniques to beat her enemies into the dirt, and a very cute girl.
Then she was moving closer to him, smile sliding away, serious. "Why are you embarrassed?"
All he could do was try not to choke on his tongue, wrestle with the butterflies swarming in his stomach. Feeling fear, but not the kind that one should experience around a hated enemy. How pathetic was he to worry about being rejected by a robot?
Spent the last three years training for her. Them. "Where are the others?"
A casual shrug. Still moving closer. "Around."
"Ah." The blueprints were practically crinkled under his sweaty palms. Be hard to explain the marks on them to Bulma, who would be all 'what exactly were you doing with this?-'
Or to Juuhachigou, who was looking down at what was in his hands with interest. "What exactly do you have there?"
"Nothing!" He hid the papers behind his back, knowing immediately that it wouldn't work.
The blonde machine looked even prettier when she laughed. Crap. Way too pretty. And strong. He had a problem saying no to normal girls. Even women that were dating/married to his guy friends and had no interest in him.
Not that Juuhachigou did either, but, at least she had kissed him.
She cocked that pale head. "Let me see…what exactly are you hiding there?"
His entire body seemed to burn when she pressed herself against him, legs touching, hand sliding across his arm to snatch away the very important papers that might very well determine the fate of the entire world. Just given away, without a fight. Krillin could only look at his empty hands, feeling a welling of self-hatred rising up. Really, she flutters her eyes at you, and you lose your mind?
A perfect brow furrowed with thought, pale baby blue eyes narrowed as she analyzed what was before her. Those hands were going to tear him apart. Should never have separated from Future Trunks.
"What is this? Did you get these from Gero's lab? Oh. That's why you're here. Mm, thought you were reliving our memories together." A short sigh. Eyes briefly shutting.
Could he really say this morning, when waking up, a part of him hadn't expected to die up North? Hadn't carried that weight around, the knowledge that in the future, in a different timeline, he'd been killed by a pair of androids. Maybe he had pictured the evil robots to look different, and not to feel this sort of weakness around them, but there had still been that shadow over his life. Krillin wished that things had been different, that he could have been stronger, faster, hadn't stayed here, daydreaming about Juuhachigou and about saving the world, that maybe he should have married Maron and settled down, that at least he'd died trying to help, that he'd had a good life despite not completing everything he'd wanted to do. Good friends, survived many things, had been brought back to life twice, seen things that hardly anyone else had ever laid eyes on.
He took a deep breathe, feeling muscles tense, wanted to at least give the android a fight before she murdered him. He could do that much.
She shrugged, and rolling them back. "I guess this might make things fairer."
"Huh." Hands falling slack. Carefully, Krillin reached out shakily for the blueprint. "Really? You…don't care?"
"Not really. I doubt you'd even be able to figure out how this all worked." Again, all playful, she tapped him on his Orin Temple scars with the rolled up paper.
"Of course, now you owe me shrimp."
"I do?"
Juuhachigou handed him the papers, finally. Then moved in real closer, so he could see every individual eyelash. "Sure. Weren't you talking earlier about us not being enemies?"
"Su-uure." He didn't even notice he was backing up until he nearly tripped. Thoughtfully, she reached out to grab his shoulders and steady him. And pull him closer by his shirt. His eyes narrowed, expected a swinging fist into something soft and unprepared that would draw blood and spit up to his wobbly mouth.
"I think it might be good to establish some trust then."
The first blow would stun him, and the next would bring real pain. "Okay?"
Any strength in Krillin's limbs dissipated at the mouth pressed against his, warm enough to spread heat throughout his own body. Another soft press to where his nose should have been, delicate, as though afraid of hurting him, and enough to draw a pathetic whimper from his throat that she awarded with another delightful peck to his lips, all suffocating, the loveliest thing in this world. Hips brushing against his, brought only closer when his hands were sliding over the back of her denim clad thighs.
Oh god. This was Juuhachigou.
Pulling away with a moist noise that should have disgusted both of them, Krillin stepped sideways since there was no way to further back up. And finally removed his hands from her legs.
They looked at each other for a reaction.
Finally, Juuhachigou broke the silence by saying, "I guess I'll see you later."
"Okay?"
Cupping his numb chin. Smirking at his stunned face. "Hopefully soon."
Then letting go and having his chin fall to his collarbone. Not ripping his jaw off and watching him bleed out in slow crimson jets around her feet. This girl-machine he'd kissed and groped, who'd thoughtlessly beaten men many times his strength and had teased his patience and sanity since the first peck on the cheek.
"See you later." Sauntering away, hips swinging, knowing damn well that his eyes were focusing on every step and how great she looked in those jeans. Leaving him with a gleam of bright white-gold hair…
To go kill Goku and possibly his other friends.
All Krillin could do was cup his face in his cold hands, feeling the temperature raising goosebumps as he calmed down. Damn. God. Damn. If only she hadn't been so cute. Or so evil. One of the two would have been great.
How was he going to look his friends in the eye after this?
245. Permanent
"Put some flames on it." Goku just about commanded.
Krillin was handed over the red pen by Goten, who had been drawing the eyes in. And who was really good at working on the scales with black and green. "So, flames around the dragon? Or below? Where's the yellow?"
"Here's orange?" Goten offered. His small face was contorted in concentration. He hadn't moved from sitting on his knees on the floorboards in the Son's living room. So intense was his artistic burst of inspiration.
"At least we covered that scar you got from Vegeta."
Chi-Chi came into the room, carrying bags, and relating something that had happened at the supermarket. Piccolo followed her, face his usual blank, hands full of groceries.
"Goku? What are you two doing?" She asked Krillin and Goten behind him.
"Is that the Eternal Dragon?" Piccolo asked to the room at large.
"Wash that off!"
"But, Mom," the ten-year-old's hands were stained in ink. "It's in permanent marker."
"It was a compromise," Goku explained. "Goten wanted to draw. And Krillin and I were talking about getting matching tattoos."
"Yeah." Krillin turned to show his own back. The dragon was just as ferocious as Goku's, albeit flameless. Now he wished he'd thought of that. It was a really good idea. Oh, and maybe add some dragonball to the bottom of it, yeah, that might be pretty cool.
"Me too, Mom." Goten revealed his own back. "Mine's not a dragon though, I got a turtle. That's what Dad and Uncle Krillin got when they were kids too; I have to work my way up to a dragon."
Her dark eyes took in the nearby empty cans scattered underfoot that in retrospect made them look like they had a serious drinking problem. "Are you two drunk?"
"We had a few beers," the shorter man dismissed. A few in effect, since their metabolism burned so quickly through the stuff that it took gallons to make a dent.
…on the other hand, Goku stood up, and nearly reeled over. He pointed to his chest. "Hey, Chi, I got your name in a heart!"
"Oh, that's sweet." Her face did look less pissed. "No, Goku, you're still washing it off. And you too Goten. Krillin, you're not my responsibility, but Kami help you with Juuhachigou."
Krillin shrugged, imitating his best friend by pointing to the matching pink heart on his own chest. "It's cool; I got her name in a heart too."
"I can't leave you guys alone again. From now on, either Piccolo and I have to be here."
The green-skinned alien was annoyed. "Isn't it bad enough to have to watch out for Gohan and Goten without adding Goku? And I'm not looking after Krillin."
"Well, someone has to."
"Hey!" Krillin yelled in response. "I do too have someone to look after me. I have a wife."
246. A Certain Promise
It was still not easy to talk to her. Even though she was no longer a murderous machine that wanted to kill everyone, and was married to his best friend and even had a kid with Krillin, she still had a nasty glare that reminded him of his own wife when he'd done something stupid. "Um…basically, I promised Old Kai that I'd get him a girl. To kiss him."
"So…?" Juuhachigou was staring at him, horrified and disgusted as Chi-Chi, Bulma, Videl, Lunch. "Are you asking me to kiss some disgusting old man?"
"Someone has to!"
"Get off my property!" she screamed, turning around in a flash of bright hair.
Goku nearly tugged at his own hair, frustrated from an afternoon away from fishing with his sons to travel around, trying to talk all the women he knew into doing this. Chi-Chi had been making a pot roast, for his stomach's sake. "…you're just like everyone else! How come no one will do me this favor? I saved the world, and no one can just kiss this old guy? It's just two seconds. He keeps talking to me, reminding me of this. I can't make him stop!"
"…you really think I'm like the rest of your human friends?"
"Yes! You're just like the rest of them."
Juuhachigou stared at him, blue eyes not so furious. "Just tell him you never signed anything, so he can't hold you to it. Or, better yet, start thinking thoughts that he wouldn't want to see. To scare him off."
His face perked up. "I can try that. Thanks! Tell Krillin I said hi. And the baby too!"
247. Trick or Treat
Krillin realized much too late who those rude teenagers who'd egged Capsule Corp had been exactly. For some reason, he'd thought he'd just been thinking way too much about Juuhachigou. That's why the masked teens' identity had gone unnoticed.
But when she hit him straight in the face with a well-aimed egg, yelling, "That's what you get for being a pathetic creep!" he knew that voice.
Of course, considering what she'd said, maybe running after her hadn't been the best decision. "Juuhachigou! Juuhachigou! Wait." And nearly tripping over his cape.
The two, twins and bless Dende for that, did a double-take, before running off. Occasionally lobbing eggs towards his head.
In the distance, back towards the yellow domed buildings, he could hear the monkey-suited Trunks and his fellow fake-superhero-dressed Yamcha cheering him on, Vegeta hungover from the pumpkin brandy loudly asking 'what the hell,' and Bulma stood in the doorway, yelling, "I thought you were going to help me pass out candy!"
248. Totally blast something you dislike
She was tugging the headphones off, expression full of rage and eyes nearly flashing red. Cheeks turning a pinkish hue. Krillin's grin only widened.
"You did not just see that."
Had he not been totally overblown with her little show, brain fried by the cuteness, he would have gone along with it. Circuitry, if you will, was demolished. "Awwww."
"Stop it."
She had even been using his own headphones. The ones that had gone around his sweaty head when his Master was getting especially obnoxious with his television programs, the one that Goku had worn during his stay here to be caught by Krillin, who'd whipped them away from him.
"Dude. Are you listening to the news?"
Clueless eyes blinking. "I like knowing what the weather will be on the weekend."
But none of that talk radio nonsense for Juuhachigou. She looked so cute, precious, that Krillin wanted to pinch her cheek as Mrs. Briefs did for toddler Trunks and little Goten, and then desperately pull her into his arms to kiss and hug close. Straighten the flaxen strands mussed from the headphones. Feeling her fluttering heart beating against his own, their skin brushing, the perfect petal soft lips touching his mouth—
"Krillin? What are you doing here?"
"How could I just keep walking by after seeing this?" He understood that too much of his affection and longing and admiration were leaking out after trying so hard to keep under wraps. Or at least not outright expressing his attraction and neediness; no one wanted that. She had no interest in fending off his interests, and he really didn't want her to for many reasons. Just two friends listening to music. Nothing weird about that.
Juuhachigou scooted away when he hopped besides her onto the bed. Eyes wide and taking in every movement.
"What are you listening to, anyway?"
249. you'll be my valentine
what a perfect valentine
Juuhachigou shoved him away, a sneer on her flushed face, back to her angry self, back to that woman who'd told him that she wanted nothing to do with him, that no, she wouldn't dance with him and didn't want to hear any pathetic limp compliments, back to the woman that rolled her eyes over this holidays, leaving him behind as she turned back to the woman that had stomped out, no longer the woman that had ran back inside to grab either side of his skull and yank him out of his chair for a loud painful kiss.
She left with a huff of disgust, again, ignoring the applause from his flabbergasted but impressed friends while Krillin found a new joy in the paper pink and red hearts taped and hanging from the walls.
250. Kissing Booth
As soon as Bulma brought up the idea for a kissing booth stand to raise money, his fingers crossed in mad joy, sick hope, and terror of who might agree to take part. He would have to pawn and sell everything in his room for as many tickets as he could buy, then stand early in line with a huge bag of those tickets for the chance to be once again close to…friend, crush, sometimes enemy, lab partner, and amazingly pretty girl who literally and figuratively knocked him out in gym while wearing her workout clothes, the cutest girl in school.
For better or worse, Juuhachigou immediately sneered and shook her head when Bulma turned her greedy blue gaze on her. She analyzed anyone in sight, squeezing muscles and pinching cheeks, "Yes, you're definitely going to earn some money tomorrow night, Yamcha."
"Knock it off."
"You're creeping everyone out, woman." Vegeta could barely look at her over his Trig book, out of whatever fear he would allow to show. She seized him up. Krillin had to admire the angry teenager not trying to hide behind his gym bag.
Bulma snorted, turning away. "You're lucky no one in their right mind would pay to kiss you, Vegeta."
Goku was pulled away from the blue-haired girl by Chi-Chi. She answered for him. "No way."
"Alright, never said I was going to have him run a booth." But her eyes still took in the width of his shoulders, speculating. "Anyway. If you're not going to even give it a shot, Juuhachi, what about Juunanagou?"
"What about him?"
Even her voice made his knees quiver. He had to fight the urge to rub his eyes. Lately, her presence exhausted him. It was becoming increasingly hard not to say anything about how he felt, again. Though, this time would probably be to her face, if he ever worked up the courage. Rather than having her overhear him tell the guys that he liked her and yes, that song he'd written that Vegeta had so mocked him for was about her. That she'd struck him down was a heavy weight he still carried throughout the day.
Or maybe he would just slip her a note in her locker. Maybe some of the poetry he'd been toying with, desperate, sick with longing, unable to find more words that rhymed with 'golden.' A mixtape.
Of course, Juuhachigou would know who gave her it. He wasn't the only guy in the school to have a crush on her, but his was the most pathetic, most puppydoggish, more conspicuous. She would accuse him, and he would crumble immediately. Then he would have to be rejected again, like after that mess where he'd asked lamely revealed his feelings only to be threatened and pushed away. Something that she'd never talked about again.
He escaped, weak knees and all, before Bulma managed to wrangle him in. Tien resorted to ducking her in a male locker room (though it was for naught when Launch came in and dragged him out), and Yamcha knew Bulma too well, and had already given in. The attempts at getting Chi-Chi pissed off enough at Goku to make them break up went ignored. Juuhachigou continued to refuse, in that stubborn way that made his hands sweat.
But when the day came, he found the goodness that the evening had promised had been a trap. He was only able to stuff himself with friend food and cotton candy along with Goku. And Chi-Chi, who kept trying to turn things romantic with her boyfriend only to be met with a confused stare. "Why can't Krillin come into the 'Tunnel of Love' with us?"
Though, he didn't even get a chance to try out the friend chocolate bars that had brought a determine, loving gleam to his friends eyes as they had stood in line, watching the fryers. And he hardly got to go on any rides, and play any carnival games in hopes of winning a stuffed animal or one of the flimsy ukuleles before Bulma was grabbing him and dragging him through the narrow dusty paths.
Goku waved goodbye to him, as his girlfriend smiled up at the tall boy with an almost evil smile. "See you later, Krillin." The black-haired girl was jumping on him hard enough to make then fall against a bouncy castle and make several of the children inside scream as they believed they were being attacked. Poor Goku's muffled yells didn't deter Chi-Chi in the least.
Bulma took him away from the possibly explosion to the wooden booths, when Tien stood there, blank-faced with his dignity barely intact, as Launch hoisted a gigantic burlap sack that spilled out tickets. Then warned the other women walking around behind her to back off. Yamcha was a champ, being all polite and gentlemanly, flirting gently, easy smiles. And a decent sized line.
Bulma was wearing one of those green-see-thru caps that he only saw bookies wear in the movies. There was a smear of ink of her face, and she literally smelled like coins. "Take off your shirt."
"What?"
"You gotta do something to get women over here. Or men. Don't care. Just do it." She started to wrestle him out of his clothes. "Damnit, I hope you haven't eaten too much crap."
"Stop it!"
After she'd wrenched the t-shirt away from him, Bulma kicked him towards the booth. "Launch is taking up Tien's profits. Since I'm sure she stole those, and was probably reported. Now I won't even get paid for that."
The previously warm air now gave him goosebumps. He'd had fantasies of kissing girls, lots of them, but not like this. Not in front of people. And…this was just humiliating. At least Tien got only one girl, and one he maybe, maybe liked. There was a good chance he wouldn't get that. No girls at all. At all.
At all.
But then Bulma was running off into the carnival, ignoring his yells. He leaned against the rough wooden stand; one that she hadn't even ordered sanded or painted by her helper monkey Goku, who was spending the rest of the evening with Band-Aids on his bruised fingers. When the blue-haired girl came back, Krillin was digging a splinter from his elbow and she was dragging someone in tow.
"Women!" Vegeta's face was frightening in the yellow and orange lights strung overhead. "Unhand me."
"Goddamn." She whirled around. "Just accept your fate. And put down that hotdog, god, now your breath is going to taste like onions. How the hell do you put a hamburger patty on a hotdog? Is that chocolate?"
What happened that truly sealed his fate was the usual nonsense they both pulled when they were together. Everything seemed to pass in slow motion, especially since Launch pulled out her phone to record and then post the entire thing on the internet in the morning so everyone could watch the disaster at varying speeds.
The shortish man tried to run for it. Holding his indeed ridiculously full snack close to his body, like he was back on the football field and trying so hard to make a touchdown all by himself. For once though, Krillin couldn't blame his selfishness, but only shake his head, knowing what was going to happen. Tissues went flying and parts of the hotdog started to slide all over Vegeta's normally clean hands, and his cussing echoed like a foretelling curse.
Unlike in a typical sports game, it wasn't Goku to tackle him; it was Bulma who leapt low for his legs, trying to hamstring him, possibly, with her sharp plastic hat. She must have learned something from spending so much time with the school athletes-and Krillin had thought she'd mostly been there just to moon over the sweaty guys. Since, well, he did something similar when watching Juuhachigou play lacrosse or tennis, and completely destroy anyone faced on that field. It was easy to forgive her shocked face turning white with rage as she saw him on the bleachers, cheering her on. Able to continue admiring her aim and power. A new memory of her to play while he mooned later, (albeit a little more dazed and still bearing the imprint of the tennis ball on his face) about how incredible she was from the muddy field, until he was tackled and left to wonder why he'd chose football and soccer over other things, like…tennis and lacrosse.
On instinct, Vegeta turned his cheese-and salsa-smeared hand behind him, reaching for the face. Everyone watching grimaced and tried to close their own eyes in sympathy. Vegeta had always been a dirty player. Even in this. Bulma's scream was even louder than his curses. In retrospect, when he tripped over their economics teacher Mister Frieza's stuffed animal that was shaped like an old Pokemon cartoon character, it seemed like an art film and the entire thing was a comment on commercialism. He felt to his knees. The spicy condiments dripping from his food looked like blood, especially as he clutched the hotdog desperately to his stomach. Like he'd been gutshot. Then Bulma, still blind and appearing to have been through a battle with the red smeared over her forehead and eyes, jumped on his back in an attempt at strangling him. By the time the nurses on stand-by arrived, Vegeta's hotdog was left in the dirt and both were bruised and bloody for real.
For her sake, Krillin took her swatting hand as she was loaded onto the back of the emergency van and taken away, and promised to look after the booths. "I swear, I won't let anyone burn them down."
"Damnit, Vegeta!" She groped out for him, trying to scratch him face. As though she hadn't already dislocated a retina. The short teenager waved goodbye to the two being wheeled away, regardless of the fact that they couldn't see him. Then he stood there dressed in his usual orange baggy pants and blue shirt, very conscious of the smoothness of his scalp.
He'd settled down, trying to feel managerial and responsible. Here to kiss girls, oh no, he was just the accountant. Right. Watching the place for Bulma. Go on ahead to Yamcha over there. He wished he'd brought some homework or a book. Krillin leaned against the rough wood that was not unlike his desk at home, after having found an upside down bucket to sit on.
Someone stepped up to his booth.
He didn't even look at them, borrowing Bulma's haughty look of disinterest. "No refunds."
Pales hands flattened to either side of his own. "Oh, I'm not here for a refund."
Krillin nearly fell off the bucket.
The blonde girl took one look at him, and began laughing. "Aw. Poor Krillin. Waiting for girls to start lining up."
Krillin sighed, excuse ready. "Bulma got hot sauce in her eye. I'm just watching this for her."
She pulled away from the booth, all chummy, and making him immediately suspicious. That had lured him close before, but now Krillin was a wiser man, and wouldn't fall for such trickery so easily. "That's the worse excuse I've ever heard."
"It's true. Why else would I be here?"
"I dunno. Maybe you need some extra money? So, what, five bucks to see, ten to—"
"What?"
Juuhachigou was digging into her jeans for something. Those little red tickets had never looked so intimidating. "Okay, come here."
"What-what for? What are you expecting from me?"
"Stop glaring at me. All I want is what the booths advertise."
Krillin leaned away, feeling the muscles in his leg tense. There would be a second chase through the fair, even shorter than the first considering how fast Juuhachigou could run in track and on the lacrosse team. "Uh, this feels like a trap."
"I thought you liked me?" Blinking those incredibly blue eyes.
He gave her a wary glance, looking to make sure she didn't have a hammer tucked in the back of her pants or something. "Well, alright."
It last about five seconds, was on the cheek, and Juuhachigou still looked pissed even while he tried not to pass out into the dirt. Why was she teasing him again? Why did she have to be so cruel, and why was he so weak to let her hold so much power over him? "That's it? Now I'm demanding a refund."
The short boy could only stare at her. "What more could you want?"
"Well." An innocent, wide-eyed stare that filled his view as she moved in. A mouth curved into that smile. Everything in the world now the muffled sound of her answer, "This?"