Grape Soda and Magnets

by ChronicallyinFlaming

A collection of over a hundred Krillin/18 prompts, ranging from AU to proposals to holidays to babysitting. V/B, G/CC featured.

16. 376 thru 400

A.N.: I'm not really sure how long all the chapter would be added up together, but this chapter alone is forty pages so...I'm not sure about making 199 into a one-shot, but maybe I'll have a follow up to that prompt. I can say later to readers that ask for more Zangya, she will make another appearance later on. And jealous Juuhachigou is always fun to write, as are AU stories. Plus, because it's such fertile ground, there will definitely be a couple more stories taking place in the Trunks' timeline.

In which things are cut off in the night, pictures are taken, and there is some teaching and too much drinking, and some jealous Krillin that also shows that he can be crazier than an android created to destroy the Earth.

My head, my hands, my shoes, my feet, my arms, my legs, my knees

They're sticking to the sheets

I see your face but not your name

Oh what's the difference it's all the same

My mind you start to see as they're looking through your lips they're sticking to my cheek

I see your face but not your limbs I kiss my mind decided to trim

You're not even real, you're not even real

Oh you're not even real, you're not even real

-Sticking To the Sheets, Hello Ocho

---

376. Look Back On All the Damage We Have Done To Each Other

"Oh, Vegeta did try to grow that tail off during those seven years. As an experiment. I suppose."

"So, what happened?"

"I chopped it off while he was sleeping." Her shrug was blasé, while both Krillin and Juuhachigou had to recoil. At the image, really, despite that their common sense agreed with such a move. So easy to picture someone asleep, while Bulma came up behind them with a butcher knife. The blood and screams. "What, c'mon! He would have destroyed the planet like that! And please, like Chi-Chi never tried to hit Goku with various things. And threatening him with shots to make sure he wore clothes in mixed company.

"Plus, you tried to kill Krillin. That makes you worse." Bulma leaned back in her chair.

Krillin glanced at Juuhachigou, who was still looking at the scientist with both fright and respect. "She never really tried. Not really. We mostly just talked, the first time we met. Sure, she scared me. And then I later almost tried to shut her down, but no one has been stabbed so far."

377. "Hey don't sweat it Krillin. I know you wouldn't have broken that controller unless you had a good reason."

With rising guilt, fear, and horror, Krillin decided to reclick the button. What more damage could it do, as he looked down into pale lifeless eyes. Juuhachigou sat up with a start, out of his lap, looking around. "What happened?"

His left hand pulled away from his mouth. Both parts of his body were trembling, and his stomach was a giant knot. "I used the remote for the TV. And you just fell over."

"The remote. For the TV?"

"Yes."

"Oh god. Oh god. Shit. It was that stupid Auxiliary button wasn't it. That stupid useless button."

Together, they both watched him crush the remote as her brother had done, and breathed a sigh of relief. You okay? I'm fine, you were the one shut off. Yes, but you looked more frightened of that fact. They were both glad to be fully alive, even if Cell wasn't here to chase them, even when Roshi and Oolong began asking them if they'd seen the TV remote anywhere.

378. You're Fucking Awesome

He found himself saved by her, this entire alien planet, when she came in like she'd taken a leaf from Goku's book. Had Gero installed something that made her timing so impeccable? Something that had told her how to show up here of all places, that had driven her to following them, that confirmed that yes, Krillin had indeed seen her out of the corner of his eye when he was at Kami House or in public or at Capsule Corp, as Bulma fretted and argued and eventually talked her friend back into space?

Juuachigou was all grace and fire, and Krillin remembered her beating up Vegeta in those easy strokes. Cutting him to pieces aggressively, controlled, in a way that showed she'd had the upper hand all along. Now that scary android, the machine-woman was here and decimating her enemy without a smile.

This person before Krillin that had been replaced with the young human woman, revealed to have fear and hopelessness and reluctant kindness. Vulnerability beneath the sarcasm and mocking laughter. He'd fallen in love with both, meshed and enmeshed together, and he'd been stupid enough to think that had been the sum of her.

Bulma, the entire other reason they were in this mess because she had to go looking for Vegeta—who was the other reason he was here—nudged him in the ribs, grinning despite her bruises. Krillin forgave whatever resentment he might have had, while they'd waited for the alien crimelord to murder them both. "You're totally drooling over your new little hero over there."

Oh, but she didn't know. And Krillin decided for not to tell her for a minute, and to simply savor that yes, his, their, hero had shown up in the nick of time. This whole new side to appreciate: Juuhachigou, the protector of the weak. How could she do this to him, make him forget his fear and injuries, and even his relief, under this smothering of love that was more painful than any punch?

Then the cyborg was turning on them, after having blown a hole large enough to fit several of her amazingly small fists into the almost-torturer, yelling at them for being idiots, stupid weak humans.

"Jeez. Thanks."

"Really, Juuhachigou. Thanks. You're a godsend. What are you doing here? I can't believe how easily you beat that guy. Wait, I can." Then he was laughing, and trying not to hug her.

"'Juuhachigou?' How do you two know each other?"

"Oh. You know. She helped us fight Gero. And Cell."

379. Moxibustion

Juuhachigou got her revenge. For what, neither Krillin nor Bulma could exactly explain, and Vegeta and the toddler Trunks could only laugh.

But she had pointed a laser at his head, and pulled the trigger, so clearly she had been pissed at him for something.

It was not much of a consolation, as he ran a hand down his forehead, across, and listened to Bulma freaking out because that device was new, Juuhachigou, and not to played with, what if you broke it—or hurt Krillin. Yeah. "How are you over there?"

"Alright. Think. No blood?"

The two women nodded.

"No blood. That's good."

"Krillin. Hey. Your dots…"

"-My Orin temple markings? Wait. What happened? Why are there no mirrors here, the one place in your house that isn't full of mirrors!"

Maybe it was seeing Vegeta laugh, and her hatred of him that kept Juuhachigou's face straight, and actually helping him find something shiny to see his reflection in. If only that gesture hadn't been enough alone to make him forgive whatever new scarring he now had. His face had never exactly been all that great, but-

"Where are my scars?"

"Guess that laser got rid of them." The android was keeping her voice steady and level. Reasonable.

While he gaped and hated the redness that had soaked up the marks he'd carried since he was a small child, lingering marks that he had liked about his face, and now left his round mug empty. The small marks left on his forehead after growing out his hair (a change that alone he was still dealing with), were gone, and Krillin couldn't say he much cared for their missing presence. His face now. Every day it seemed to get a little different, a little foreign, and all because of one person.

"Did you plan on that the entire time, Juu? Is that what that thing with the laser was?"

"…sure."

380. I'm Just A Boy With A New Haircut

All his dumbass friends went along with it. Oh, no, you look good, keep growing it out. Really…it's something. Better than being bald.

Morbid curiosity.

Juuhachigou had to put a stop to it. It was getting out of hand. Reminded her disturbingly of her own brother, as it finally reached the bottom of his ears. His was at least was moderately curled, and much thicker. You could tell, from when she and the boys would grab a handful and tug. Despite his whining, or because of it, it was a nice thing to experience. And it was shaggier than Juunanagou's. But she had to stop it before it reached his shoulders.

That was vital.

Just like his friends, she'd encouraged him to continue growing it out, months ago. When it had just qualified as fuzz. He'd been cutely nervous over it, and had wanted her opinion. Had taken her shrug as a sign to let it get out of control. To use her hairdryer on it, and steal her conditioner that she could smell red-handed on him.

Juuhachigou waited until he'd fallen asleep on the couch, late at night, moving from her place hidden beneath the window. Another five minutes passed, while she fingered the comb and scissors in her back pocket, and watched him fall into a deeper sleep. She crept up to him, silent as a ghoul, hand gently slipping into his hair.

Really, just a slight trim, how hard could it be, and it would grow back. He was used to shaving his head, if this attempt at evening it out failed, as it was currently doing since her hands were devoid of muscles when they held scissors. And Krillin would forgive her, no matter what she did. So long as she said she was sorry, and that she insisted that he looked good.

381. A Job that Slowly Kills You

Despite Bulma's claim that he could do this, that they would get drunk tonight, and she knew a psychiatrist he could see when he needed anti-depressants, Krillin had to get out of this office right now. He peeled open the window in the lowest men's room, one of the few in this building that opened to guard against someone jumping out like they did in the casinos, and crawled through. The bushes and dirt were sweeter than the stale air and fluorescent lights humming overhead. Sunlight.

He ran away from his office job like he'd used to run from his playground bullies. The tie and leather shoes were the only difference, truly.

Nimbly, Krillin through traffic, thinking that at least that would keep him from this place, coma, being killed, a broken leg or two. Leaves still hung inside his shirt from his dive out. Sun and street vendors and pretty girls in short skirts out here. It was all beautiful, and if he had to die, better here than with an ulcer in there. Even this bistro was too close, however, and he had to keep going, with a big dumb grin on his face. Could feel the wind pulling at his hair like never had when he'd raced around on his bike, not a thought in his bald head. Raced like he'd used to under Roshi's training. His hair longer now, but still trimmed to look like any other office worker. Could nearly feel it against the hair against his lower and upper lip and chin, a goatee thing he'd grown to the groans of his friends (and Vegeta's never explained extra horror), as a compromise to the beard that they all claimed made him look like dwarf heading for the mines.

Krillin ran through the streets and alleyways, with his tie trailing like a tongue.

I will get my bike again. I will race again, even not competitively. I will ask a pretty girl, maybe one of those girls in those spring shorts, out on a date. I will.

Then a pink delivery van coming from his right stopped hurdling itself at him, slowing, time slowed, slowling to only nudge his hip and sent him flying. Right next to a bunch of garbage can, he finally landed.

I will never walk again. Oh, oh god.

"Oh my god." A girl hopped out. Rubbing her forehead, shoving gold hair out of her eyes. Muttering to herself. "Oh, god, I am a bad driver. Juunanagou was right. Fuck that stereotype. I'm just bad. Fuck. It's not even Juurokugou, I can't drive away. Are you still alive?"

"I think I will be. Could you help me up?"

"Can you stand up?"

"I think so." Krillin saw clean good looks, at odds with her fear, and cursing.

"I've never hit anyone with a car before."

Please don't sue me, the subtext to every bite to her lower lip.

Under different circumstances, Krillin might have just stumbled away, blushing, but that old Krillin was dead. He'd died in that men's bathroom, and whatever he was no had slipped through the window to leave that corpse behind. Maybe it was just the brain damage.

"I think I know you. From somewhere."

"What's your name?"

"Juuhachigou. And you're…K something. My step-father Gero tried to countersue your company. And then your friend, Goku."

It had to be some fate, right? For them to have some connection. Funny too, considering the threats Gero had thrown around. Now this girl who'd been raised by him had in fact nearly killed him. How nice her pale eyes were. Somewhere between gray and blue.

"Well. Juuhachigou. Pretty name. How about we go get something to eat, and we'll see how I feel about my damages."

A flicker of anger. Wide-mouthed. A full wide mouth that was meant for kissing. "Are you blackmailing me?"

"No. I just would like to better know you."

"Your facial hair is the stupidest thing I've ever seen."

"Yeah, but you're good-looking enough for the both of us," he reasoned.

"Even your tie's a mess."

Aside from her not wearing a skirt, the day was going exactly as he'd dreamed.

---

When Bulma called him, it was two days later, and he was the midst of falling in love with a girl that was reluctant to even call him a friend, even as he slept on her couch. It had been Juuhachigou, who was responsible for that call. She'd been the one to fix his phone by slamming it a few time into the old TV, and then when that didn't work, taking it apart and pushing little green bits back into place.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Better than fine, standing there in his under shirt and suit pants, watching and helping Juuhachigou make dinner. "More pepper?"

"What?"

"Nothing. Really, Bulma, I'm doing just fine."

"That better not be a euphemism," Juuhachigou muttered, stirring the sauce.

"You're name's not 'Just Fine' is it?"

She flicked tomatoes onto him.

Krillin stood there, grinning in his stained shirt. Face shaved bare for the first time in a few months. Better, she'd declared, leaning in too close but not close enough. "My phone's been a mess is all."

"And the job?"

"I'm out. That's all."

"You're 'out'? Sick?"

"Of it."

"Huh." She was looking at him. "I brought a bum into my home?"

"I can pay rent," he whispered. "I paid for the groceries."

"You didn't need to do that."

"I was sick of eating peanut butter and oyster crackers. It's fine. We were both hungry and needed food."

"Why don't you go home, then, and get food there?"

Krillin grinned, fluttering his eyelashes. "I don't like my home. It's nice here."

There was another minute where they were both sure the other was going to finally snap and they could kiss, and move on from there. To whatever the hell might happen. But it passed as Bulma screamed his name.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm done there. I need something else. Anywhere else. No more of that. 'Soul-sucking,' that doesn't begin to describe it. Anything good was just gone. It became a matter of helping terrible people get away with things. I couldn't stomach it."

"How about this?" She held up the wooden spoon for him to taste.

"Good. The sauce. Not that people think I went missing. Where am I? At a friend's house. No one you know. Yes, you don't know everything about my life."

"I'm not a friend. Just a girl you talked into letting you inside while to attained squatter's rights."

"I need some clothes. We should go shopping."

"Really?"

"Is that a woman?" Bulma asked, more perplexed than ever. He was not the type to keep his mouth shut when it came to possibly having a girlfriend, and especially not about a girl that would actually take him into her house.

"Yeah. I think she is. No, no she definitely is. Only a woman would glare like that. Ow. Stop it. Of course you're a woman. I'm not blind. Despite your best efforts."

"You got a girlfriend?"

"No. Just a friend. That likes to pinch me ow."

"Be a man about it." Her bright head came in contact with his own. Headbutting him, not nuzzling.

"I've got to go prove my manhood, Bulma. Talk to you later."

But Juuhachigou was impossible to make flinch, not matter how hard he pinched her.

And she was a student. Something he could have guessed without seeing her apartment, considering her age and clothes. The apartment itself a cool little place that she'd let him into over his pleading that he was harmless, she could hang onto his wallet to make sure he wouldn't take anything, even though that painting was great over there, and so were the photographs.

Juuhachigou had taken the wallet. And Krillin hadn't stolen anything from her.

Dinner take-out, and then breakfast peanut butter and oyster crackers and lunch the same until he was talking Juuhachigou out of the apartment and into sunlight. She needed to leave the house more, rather than hiding away, and not looking stunning in the light on her pale skin and hair. Just to the store, but even that had delighted him. He didn't know who she was exactly, but he wasn't so sure what he was either at this stage. It was easier to just go on intuition, and buy their favorite snacks.

"We should go to a museum."

"What?" She was messing the burners. Cooking was one of those things the super competent woman didn't care much for doing. Like driving safely. "A museum. Right now?"

"Or tomorrow. That would be good."

"Alright. I have a class at noon, though. Until two. You want to go after."

"Sure. They should still be open. Then we can get dinner or something after."

"That we can do. Anything museum in mind?"

"Nope. We'll just find one somewhere and go there. Maybe even a railroad museum. Oooh."

"I'll hit you with my van again if you take me to a railroad museum. Now don't check me out when I bend over to check on the potatoes in the oven."

"'Course not. Here's the pot holders."

---

It had been in the grocery store where she'd realized things were more serious than his joking implied. From her end. They'd gone past, him literally gliding as he jumped on the cart and sent it flying, what are you six?, the isle with condoms and lubrication, and she'd thought just briefly that maybe she should have gone down there. That would have ruined something, if she'd told him that. But she could have said she wanted some cookies or something, and gone down there.

He was living with her, now. Basically.

She'd finish with this class, and go home to find him there. Cooking something or reading or watching TV. A bum, she'd called him, and maybe he was. But he had a nice wallet for that, and good shoes and a tailored suit and money in the bank, and should have been the awkward college student, not here. The man who blushed when they stood too close. Krillin, who had yet to kiss her.

Who had supposedly raced bikes before retiring to a boring job he couldn't stand to discuss. He preferred to hear about her Calculus 2 class that she had at seven in the morning. Or where she'd gotten this couch or where she'd taken that picture. Tell me more about your twin brother.

She didn't know what he was. Juuhachigou didn't think he was lying, and had overheard enough from his friends on the phone to either make this a very elaborate scheme for some broke college student's ancient computer with a flickering screen, or that he was actually who he claimed to be by way of a startlingly pretty mouth or his wallet ID.

It was like being married, coming home to this pleasant stranger who always made sure she had something to eat and wanted to hear about her day so far. Her wide-eyed glance behind him, this short guy keep harassing me and trying to rub my shoulders, but he keeps missing this spot on my right side. So far, that and a tired kiss to the top of her head was as sexual as it go. Aside from just stealing glimpses at each other and praying for one of them to be thrown onto the counter in the kitchen, and ravaged. Neither had any pajamas in the increasingly warm weather. He would just wear his boxers or maybe those and a shirt, while she would do about the same. Then he would do crunches while she watched.

It would have been nice if he just grabbed her, even if would confirm her worst expectation of him. But Krillin hadn't even gone into her bedroom as far as Juuhachigou could tell, let alone sorted through her underwear. Hadn't even taken any money from her.

It was during some outing to the park with a picnic basket and a blanket, with him leaning into her, that Juuhachigou thought she might have understood some of his problems drifting beneath the obvious.

"Juuhachigou? Are we friends?"

"I suppose. What do you want?"

"A hug?" His smile easy.

"What for?"

"I feel like you saved my life."

"I hit you with my car."

"But if you hadn't, I might have gone back there."

"You decided not to go back. Don't blame or thank me. Your depression is your own thing, Krillin."

"Is that what I am? Depressed?"

"Yes. Maybe. And running away from it. I can't even imagine what your apartment looks like at this state."

"I know. I should go back to it." His hand crept up her back, massaging. Harmless as such a thing with a guy you didn't know well, but thought was cute could be. Safer, really, than that. Krillin had plenty of chances to rob or murder her or murder and then skin her to wear for a suit.

"You're going to leave?"

"Maybe. That might be for the best. Before you start to hate me."

"I'm not going to hate you. Not yet. We're not conjoined. You can leave. I can't hold you to even a lease."

At this stage, she wished she'd worn a bra as his hand moved up. "I can go there. To at least get things."

"Like pajamas."

"What, you don't like seeing me walk around in the mornings and evening in just my underwear?"

"Mm. Depends on my day."

"Oh. That's interesting."

"If I'm in the mood for a laugh, I don't mind," she explained.

"Good to know. Want the last piece of pie?"

So he left, and thankfully she had class then so she could at least distract herself a little from wanting to get drunk or something. He was gone, and she'd probably never see him again. Just some weird stage in his life. Lie to his friends, say he was banging some college student for a while but got bored, maybe take her toaster or something while she was gone. The closest thing to a date she'd had in some time, and the closest she'd had to a serious, living-together relationship ever. He had been better than any of the other men in her life, caring and forgiving, able to hold a conversation, look good in suits that he actually owned and with whom she could have stood to cuddle with. Sweet. A shame that he'd left her alone to brood. But Juuhachigou had opened the door, and found him there, ironing in swim trunks.

"Want to go swimming at that public pool down the street?"

He had suitcases, two, and also nicely made. Nothing weird in them either. Not even any porn. And if he had tried to use her computer for that, best of luck. The worse thing was him having flip-flops now. And an expensive bike he took very seriously. Put the thing out in her patio, with a heavy lock, and would regularly oil it and take it out when she was at school. Promised to buy her a bike too, despite her saying she wasn't interesting, no, she didn't care how supposedly magical it was. The trips meant he'd bring back flowers, and took more showers and now wanted to give her more back massages in some weird attempt at releasing both their sexual tension. And he'd put up a pull-up bar.

Maybe the exercise helped with whatever depression he had, and therefore effected things like that. But she damn well knew those back rubs weren't helping either of them when it came to controlling themselves. Sweet, and not too dumb, and who always gave her the remote, and didn't mind her sarcasm, and with the body of an athlete even while he had that round harmless face.

Her brother stopping by brought everything to its head. As usual, he came by with a bag of dirty clothes and dumb souvenirs. And wanted to know every tiny details about how her life had changed since the last time they'd actually talked face to face. Krillin had taken the dirty laundry with the promise of taking it down to the basement where the laundry rooms were located. "This is your boyfriend?"

Juuhachigou felt a moment of panic, just like when they were in public and someone saw them and thought so clearly that they were dating that you could hear it across the room. She couldn't say anything. Not to her twin, who knew her better than anyone. Thankfully, Krillin wasn't in his underwear, and looked moderately presentable.

"My name's Krillin." A curious glance at Juuhachigou.

"You two are living together? The last I heard from you, you were still single. Weren't you flirting with some dumb artist guy that didn't actually like you much and that you'd kinda admittedly hated at this point? Is this him?"

"No!"

Krillin's grin was brilliant. "Wow. Juu. You have to tell me about that later."

"He's my…I don't know."

"Well, I'm living here. On that couch."

"There. Like a roommate? But without the room."

Whatever he was, he was laughing at that. Fair enough.

"Juuhachigou. Really?"

"Oh, please, you are more messed up than I am when it comes to this. I'm still not sure if you're into mammals or not."

"I'd like to think I've evolved to the things that walked on land at some state, at this point."

Krillin was charmed by all this. He had never seen the eyebrow shaving fiasco of their teens or the dares or the pinching fights.

"What's this guy's deal?"

"He rides a bike around. I don't know."

"God. Wow. Juuhachigou. He has fewer tattoos than I expected for the guy you'd finally snap and shack up with."

"Shut up. He worked at some firm a while ago. And if he has any tattoos, they're discreet."

They both looked Krillin over. "Where?"

"I don't know. We're not dating."

"Hm?"

"I've never seen him naked, Juunanagou."

Maybe this wasn't the best conversation to have in front of Krillin.

"You have sex in the dark."

"We don't have sex at all. At all. Never have. Not once. Or anything similar."

"You're both straight?"

"Yes." She corrected herself, remembering his obsession with his best friend. "I think he is."

"Hey. I am too straight."

"Oh, this is just sad. Are you two just stumbling around each other, drooling?"

"You can leave now, Juunanagou. I'll see you at Christmas."

"I really do need my laundry done."

"Here." She took the bag from Krillin, and threw it into her twin. "The soap's under the sink. There are quarters in the drawer. Go."

He pulled the bag into his arms, trying for dignity. "Fine. I don't stay where I'm not wanted. I'll just do my laundry, and stay for dinner. But that's it!"

"Go then!"

Her new friend watched them, taking in every gesture as they threatened to pinch one another. Juunanagou went into the kitchen with a sneer to take all her quarters and make a sandwich with all the cheese in her fridge.

His hand, small, went to her back. Like what she really needed was a back rub right now. Moving in the usual circle, his voice was low and thoughtful, "I'd be lying if I said I hadn't checked you out when you mess with something in the oven."

She'd known it. "Let's wait until my brother's gone. To discuss this."

"Do we have something to discuss?"

"I said wait."

Krillin decided that was the moment to show off the strength in those muscles that she got a chance to admire when he would lift those weights he'd brought from his home. With a flourish, he pulled her into his arms, and dipped her. She felt like a moron, but was glad for his arm around her back to keep her steady, even if it was his fault she felt like this.

All smugness and a freshly shaven upper lip. "I told you I know how to dance."

"Damn you. This doesn't count."

"Hey. You guys, where's the mustard?"

It was strange to look up at Krillin. Stranger still to see him annoyed. "It's in the crisper."

"Why?"

"There was no room on the side drawers for it."

Juuhachigou rolled her eyes, crossing her arms the best she could at this angle. "Are you finally going to make a move or not?"

He smiled brilliantly at her, while her knees went fluttery again. "Are you saying I can kiss you? And our relationship will not be negatively affected?"

"Depends how bad you are at kissing."

"Oh. Oh."

"Just relax, and press your face into mine."

"That's how you describe kissing?"

"Is your lack of a nose going to be a problem?"

"Only if you find it distracting. I can hold my breath for a long time."

"Good to know."

About ten seconds into the kiss, they'd fallen onto a TV remote and her DVD player, and after another twenty, no longer even cared about that.

"Can you two not make out while I'm here? Eugh. You just ruined this sandwich. You're not doing it right, either. How are you even breathing?"

382. I'm Far Too Shy to Speak to You At School

He should have known better to have let his guard down. The other bullies he could handle, (meaning dodge) but Juuhachigou was like a ninja. Graceful, and without appearing to care in the least about Krillin. Would be in the middle of talking to her brother, walking along and not sparing him a glance as he died a little standing there, staring at her and praying for a smile as she'd bestowed on him only once.

The time Juuhachigou had so thoughtlessly taken the heart he wasn't sure had existed, and yanked it out to toss aside and wipe her hands on her jeans before walking away. Krillin's chest hadn't stopped hemorrhaging since that brief kiss that might have technically been a form of assault.

Then her hand mind slip out quick as anything in nature, and punch him in the head.

Or shove him, without a single glance back, into a locker.

Only with her did such violence occur to him, and only to him, and Krillin liked to tell his bruised reflection in the boy's bathroom mirror that it meant they had a connection.

383. I Don't Mean No Disrespect When I Start Staring, Knowing that It Makes You Angry

Krillin's face for once didn't go pale or flush red. He just stared back at her. "What?"

All her muscles seemed to locked up. Her stomach had a lump of a hot metal in it. The short fighter was impossible to focus away from. He even had a heaving chest, a line between his eyes while he stomped around. Any second, Krillin looked ready to start throwing things, or grab her and throw her out of the house. Muscles tensed and starkly outlined as those eyes blazed. And of course that moment when he'd forgive her afterwards. Juuhachigou had to resist the urge to lick her lips. "You look ridiculous when you're angry."

"I'm furious. Why are you staring at me? Am I not allowed to be upset?"

"Oh, know, go ahead. If you wouldn't mind undoing a few buttons on your shirt. As revenge against my transgressions."

"Why do you always try to get me naked when I'm upset?" His face went slack. "Why do you?"

"Uh. You know. To make you feel more comfortable, so you're more likely to forgive me. For whatever you think I've done wrong. Please tell me again why I did wrong. How are you going to punish me, Krillin?"

"You are sick."

She put her hand on his knee. "Is that what you think is wrong with me? How are you going to fix that?"

"This is not foreplay. You forgot to buy diapers."

Juuhachigou removed her hand. "That's your job! We agreed on that. And I told you, I thought we had more in the back of the closet."

"You didn't think to check? Now I have to go out shopping. And your daughter is swaddled in newspapers and old crossword magazines."

"Oh, oh, god. I am terrible. No wonder you were so angry."

"Now, now, it's okay." Krillin patted her knee, hand moving upward as he kept his eyes perfectly wide and guileless. "You can make it up to me when I get back."

384. Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs, and what's wrong with that

It hung in the air, sticky-sweet, the month after she'd flown away from him. Taunting him with its bliss, those saccharine lyrics, not quite pleading to everyone listening. Statements. He heard it endlessly. Even the things following it, as blind and catchy as this one, didn't annoy Krillin as much as this one did.

Love wasn't silly, no, with that he agreed with. Because it was nothing but misery!

"Why are you yelling at the radio?" The tone was one reserved for the mentally ill.

"Why? Because some people are trying to be bitter, that's why! Some people don't have a significant other to sing to! Some people had the woman they love take off without a backwards glance and may never see them again. That's why!"

"Krillin. Stop yelling at the radio, and just drive us to the magazine store. A new issue of Jugs is out. And you can get your usual crossword puzzle."

"Fine. Because that's all I'm good at. That's the woman I will ever know. Five letters down. The thing I will never get to be with. Eleven letters. Beautiful, unattainable, classy and intelligent, with the sweetest laugh, blonde with perfect blue eyes that could beat me up. Juuhachigou."

Juuhachigou, who should definitely not sleep with a guy who said things like that.

"You can tell she's smart, based on the fact that she ran away from you."

"Literally?"

"Yes. But she ran away from all of us. Technically. So she could fly away."

Love was definitely not coming. The song was right about that.

385. I'll Hide You From the Cops

He'd gone into the bank to deposit a check he'd gotten from Bulma for helping with some construction jobs, something he'd put off until he'd gotten back to West City for Goku's wake, and then he'd unarmed that gunman and taken the weapon because he couldn't just leave it there, there were children there! And of course he'd chased after the guy, holding that gun straight up so it would be harder to hurt anyone, and no, when he'd picked up that bag of money, it was only so he could later return it as he chased the real villain into a dark ally. When the cops had arrived, he'd only waved the gun as a sign of nervousness, not to threaten. Taking the guns from the cops had only been a precaution, because they looked so scared, and such people shouldn't be armed.

Of course, the SWAT team, that demanded that he give up his hostages, they wouldn't hear any of his excuses. Instead, they just pulled out dangerous sniper rifles and took aim.

Krillin took the guy's mask, to hide his identity and not show up on the news to scare his friends, and went running further into the city. He had enough sense not to fly, and further frighten everyone, but instead stuck to scaling buildings and ducking through windows, easily ducking away from those people just trying to do their job.

It had been subconscious, maybe, or fate, to follow what looked like an orange bandana hanging on a laundry line. To leap onto that balcony, spinning, falling, dusting himself off and hiding behind the wall, turning and seeing a blonde startled face peeking through the blinds. Why did she always have to look so scared when he showed up?

There was no one more harmless than Krillin. The only things that had to beware of him were fish around Kame House near lunch time, and the really weak bad guys that threatened innocents.

Politely, he knocked on the door while she made a move as though to close the drapes. "Please. I need to hide for a few minutes."

"From who?" Her voice, muffled by the glass or not, was still perfection in velvet.

"From the cops."

Juuhachigou opened the latch, every movement slow. "Why are you wearing a ski mask? And in all black?"

"It's complicated."

She must have seen his desperation, and felt empathetic. Hadn't their own situations been reversed, with her running and him…trying and failing to save her?

"Fine. You can stay here. Only until the police stop searching."

There was a homey rug in the living room, a nice neutral couch, magazines fanned out on the coffee table. A maple table where her twin brother sat at, judging his sister and their guest. He was wearing a sweater and faded jeans, like a college student. Krillin had to shield his eyes. Juuhachigou looked normal in regular clothes, even gorgeously cute in that way of hers, but this was like that time Bulma had gotten Vegeta into jeans.

"Is this what we're doing now?" As strange as it was to see the androids in a normal apartment, there was something horrifyingly wrong about Juunanagou when he was missing that scarf. "Just taking in people on the run from the cops?"

386. You Will Look For The Comfort Of My Golf Shirt

"I know a girl like you probably wants a more exciting guy." And someone taller. With more, and better hair. "I'm pretty normal and boring. Why like someone so tame?"

She looked at him from the table she'd been resting her forehead on, in vain hope of Krillin seeing and moving on to another subject. At the least. If she rolled her eyes with such strength again over one of his usual attempts at self-pity, Juuhachigou might strain an eye. "What are you talking about? You're one of the most insane people I know. We met when I was trying to kill you and your friends. You picked me up out of pool of monster's spit. You risked the world rather than shut me down. You're absolutely crazy."

387. It's A Blacked Out Blur, But I'm Pretty Sure It Ruled

Bulma woke up headfirst in the keyboard of a computer. Within sight of a picture of her baby smiling up at her. This was not a strange occurrence, her new family or not. If Vegeta didn't drag her (sometimes literally), to bed, she would spend probably five nights out of the week like this. But this time…this time her head was pounding in a way that was pure hangover.

And when she was drunk and armed with a computer…nothing good could come of that. If not some ruined attempt at programming she would have to sort her way through, it was sending pictures she'd taken during that party that had rendered her in such a state and then posted online and sent to her friends. Considering she'd sent computers to all of them, in hopes of keeping up some type of communication, and all had e-mail, this could be something very unfortunate. It was a good thing she was her own boss, since her parents were in no shape to fire her.

Gradually, she was able to lift her head, and hear snoring. Vegeta's.

Wearing only his leotard and one boot. Adorable. Head thrown back as he dreamed and whispered of his love, his secret desire…of…eating chicken popsicles. Hopefully she'd gotten pictures of him like this. Because now she couldn't even hold a straight camera in this state. When she gradually craned her head down, this thirty-something-year-old, she saw she was wearing her old prom dress that she'd worn to a high school she hadn't attended, just wanting to pass that milestone as any normal seventeen/eighteen-year-old, and with Yamcha in a rented suit at her side. Awesome, though, that she still fit in it. Basically. Except for the boob area, so she still won, hell yeah.

Thankfully, the computer was already on. And her soon-to-be-deleted history told her what to search for.

…was that her Mother pinching Vegeta? She'd finally gotten that, in the Saiyan's drunken state.

And her and Yamcha laughing, crying, yelling, flirting, crying, in their old cycle, with Vegeta in some of the pictures looking at them disturbed rather than jealous. Especially when she'd talked Yamcha into some mascara that made his eyes pop.

Even Tien was there, laughing with Piccolo as they sipped girly appletinies, and Krillin sat there just about falling out of his seat at this all. They were all wearing obnoxious shirts, practically matching in their tackiness. Vegeta had also been wearing one, somehow, as the night continued.

And who was this, the dark-haired guy with creepy eyes? Standing there, looking out of sorts at the sight of them all. Another innocent bystander, hurt by them. One that was amused by Yamcha's mascara. Taking a beer with Tien, and then joined by an exasperated, then confused, then horrified blonde girl with the same pale eyes.

Children of the corn joining them at that bar.

But Yamcha and Krillin seemed to like them, if the next few pictures seemed to indicate, giving them booze even if they didn't look old enough to drink. Bulma closed the window, unable to look anymore, unable to even search her e-mail to see if she'd sent links to all her friends. She sat there, shivering bare-foot in this cold lab, knowing that this day would be as solemn as any monk during a time of meditation, knowing that the pool in the backyard would be unspeakable, knowing to disconnect the telephones.

It was an old story anyway, of broken strobe lights being used as weapons, getting kicked out of bars, ruining livers and peoples' lives as they would all dance without any self-consciousness, clothes lost and nudity covered with sparkles or edible body paint, running from the cops so they wouldn't get charged with indecent exposure, some if not all ending up at her house to vomit everywhere and curl up beneath her thoughtful mother's blankets she'd hand out like the Red Cross as they tried to follow her advice and not sleep on her backs at their man-made disaster came to a close.

---

Juuhachigou woke up in her bed, its frame missing, and her naked except for someone's boxer shorts and a handful of glitter.

She stared down at herself for a little while, thinking yes, this is reality, this is now my life.

For appearance of dignity, Juuhachigou crawled off the bed and looked for the rest of her clothes.

There had been no drinking in her future that evening. No drinking planned. No idea as well that a meeting between her and her brother and those ridiculous fighters in a bar would occur. No plans for a certain fighter to turn and look at her with what Juuhachigou swore had a predatory-ness when spotting her. The first time ever, Krillin had ever looked like that perhaps, unless he got drunk often and attempted to pick up women.

In which case…she'd underestimated him.

In time, the cyborg got up, and found a shirt, and later on, managed to open her door.

There were people in her apartment hallway. Lying there, unmoving. Not strangers.

She knew those scars, even if they were covered by runny mascara—was that Piccolo over there? Could he even drink?

These assholes. There had been a drinking contest, she remembered, and a keg stand that only her brother had agreed to. 'Chug, chug!' Oh, these bastard. Only sheer will kept her from kicking any of them in the face.

Krillin was…not here. Miraculously enough. Possibly left in a ditch. Not in her kitchen, or in the bathroom. Not in the living room, like her brother was, curled up on the couch, also bearing signs of runny mascara.

But there was a brand new laptop computer sitting there, still on, and with a new e-mail account loaded. It was like something for a horror movie. She pushed sweaty, glitter-ridden hair out of her eyes, and opened the only e-mail there, it's heading only a smilie face. The attachments were impossible not to also open.

It would have been decent blackmail, seeing them like this, if she wasn't gradually introduced into things. First in the background, then gradually coming closer and joining in alongside her brother. Taking shots like a pro, and then slowing sliding into Krillin. Laughing at his no doubt dumb jokes, him probably trying to dance with her, and then settling for her request to make out while Vegeta pointed at them and gagged like a child.

From there, things continued downhill.

A park with streaking involved and oh, god, there had been some things that even Gero hadn't wanted them to know, and with the androids of course joining in somewhat, which explained somehow how she was wearing unfamiliar underwear. But then...where was the underwear she'd started the night with? Karaoke, gods help them all as Krillin went up to serenade her in front of everyone. A glitter fight that had blinded her brother, and then her making out with Krillin against a pine while Vegeta pointed and gagged. A pool that unfortunately they hadn't all drowned in. Signs that the party was grinding to a halt as Bulma, with a doctorate at thirteen and currently helping run the largest firm in the world, bent over to blow chunks in the pool. But then she was back up like an Olympian gymnast getting the gold, as everyone cheered and Vegeta handed her another beer, and she and Krillin were in the corner of the picture, lying on a pool chair, immersed in each other's faces.

She eventually woke them all up with her dramatic scream, wordless in its panic and disgust.

---

Krillin woke up on his side, covered with a blanket, and shivering. Eventually, he came to understand that there was a pool nearby, and that he was wearing way too small underwear that hadn't been his or probably for any guy, and a shirt that had started off earlier on Vegeta, and was sleeping on a bra that wasn't even Bulma's.

Good morning world. I am so dehydrated, it hurts to swallow. And to blink.

The blanket at least hid his basically-nude-nudity, as he stumbled to find the hose and undress fully. He put the blanket gently to the side, hanging it off a rose bush, while he held the hose over his head to drink and to understand that he was alive. Those goosebumps did not sprout on the dead. Eventually, one of the dinosaurs became unspooked enough to go over and nudge him, and Krillin knew it was time to move on. He gathered the blanket, and the shirt, and the bra, and moved on.

There would be complaints about last night. He had no nose, but could taste the gunpowder in the air, from firecrackers or real rifles. Between this stuff, the general chaos of Capsule Corp and their experiments, the Eternal Dragon being summoned back here, the aliens living here, Bulma and the entire Briefs family were just terrible neighbors.

The short, now retired fighter found his way into a bathroom, analyzing the underwear that he laid next to the bra (they were matching he saw) and then reintroduced himself to the shower and therefore humanity. Soap and shampoo and conditioner that claimed to smell like cherry blossoms and almonds. No razor, but that was the least of his problem.

Krillin never felt less like a full grown man than when he stumbled out of the bathroom to go into the kitchen and ask Missus Briefs if she had any clothes he could possibly wear. While he was stubbly, bleary-eyed, and wearing only a blanket. This was practically how he'd been born, excepting the ability to talk and the need to shave. But with less crying, for once in his life.

Rebirth in the odor of pancakes and the mother of his friend giggling over him and saying, sure, dearie, just wait there. Vegeta was there, technically. As was Tien. Neither was able to focus their gaze, and the Saiyan was face-down in his waffles, for once not even eating. If his head hadn't felt like it would come off from the act, Krillin would have laughed. He drank water instead, and ate the burnt toast Bunny only made for hangovers.

Bulma stepped out, in this somewhat older dress and slippers, only to fall in the chair next to the father of her child. For once, there was no proclamation of never again, she was an adult now, damnit, and a classy one, fuck, where was that bucket, she needed to puke again, ah, it's in my hair.

"I think," she said, slowly, enunciated every syllable. "That I was trying to make Vegeta take me to some high school prom. I think we were finishing getting dressed for it when we passed out."

"What high school?"

"I don't know."

Again a child, Krillin held up the clothes he'd been found with. "Whose bra is this?"

"Dunno. Too small to be mine. Hah. Go me."

"And the underwear?"

"Again, too small. In a good way. But this was Vegeta's." Carefully, she took the shirt from Krillin's hands and slid it around her husband's shoulders.

Both their voices were calm and soft. "He didn't drown in the syrup, did he?"

She held a finger to his mouth, over a waffle. "No. He's still breathing."

"So, whose is this?" Unfortunately, or not, Krillin couldn't recall much of anything beyond the first Jaeger shot. It was a skill he'd honed over the years spent not touching alcohol except during these parties where a lack of memory was a blessing. Finding a girl's underwear was a brand new event in his life, unless it had come from Oolong. Please, Dende, let it not be from Oolong.

Bulma was eating toast, grimacing with each bite. "You got lucky? You want a clinic or a doctor's number, in case you notice something terrible down there?"

"For Dende's sake."

"No, really?"

"No. That stuff doesn't happen to me. I mean, girls sleeping with me. These must be someone's that I grabbed for some reason. Maybe they're Oolong's. Of course they are."

"Wait. Wait." Bulma held up her hands. "There was a skinny girl at the bar. Yeah. Blonde. A little mean."

"Really? Like, with us? Near me?"

"Yeah. Creepy eyes."

Krillin looked at her closely.

"And…hmm, what was it? Someone else with creepy eyes. A twin brunette sister?"

Krillin jumped from the chair, hands raised like Bulma's after she'd pulled herself upward and discovered another wind so their party could continue. Half-pleading the gods. "Juuhachigou!?"

"Ew. Move that blanket. Bad enough to see it when we go streaking."

"But was that her name!?"

"Maybe. I dunno. You were making out with her. That's all I know. I just want to sit here, and drink coffee, and recover."

"Where's everyone else?"

"I have no idea. You and Tien and Vegeta and me were the only ones to make it back."

"They could be anywhere then." A brief second was spared to be concerned for them.

"With…'Juuhachigou'?"

"…one of the androids." He explained, voice dropping.

She slammed a hand on the table, making everyone including herself cry out in pain. Only Vegeta's moan had been muffled by the waffles. "Damn you."

"She's nice. With nice taste. In both underwear, and men." Had it not been the utterly creepiest thing in the world, Krillin might have stroked the underwear. Juuhachigou's. Bless the world.

"You think she'll show up again?"

"No. Maybe. Pass the toast."

"We can't keep doing this, you know. We're getting almost too old for it. Some of us have kids. Goku didn't even attend this time, because he's dead and all…and Chi-Chi didn't because she's busy taking care of Goten. Wow. Now I feel like a shitty mother. But, I know I'm not. Trunks is perfect, and already learning the alphabet. So this can't continue. The circle of majestic drunkenness has to be broken."

"I know. It does. I want to find Juuhachigou again.

"I didn't really think she'd come back. But I know she's out there, and likes me. I just need to find her again. Maybe so that I can have someone waiting for me, when I come home drunk. Or to get drunk with, just the two of us. Or stay sober with."

"Yeah. That sounds more responsible. You want the address to that clinic now?"

388. "You want someone who's sensitive to your needs, but still decisive enough for an occasional grope in the closet."

He did the worst thing in the world: gave into his feeling.

It was a spastic, dumb thing of hormones and her lying there on his lap, trusting, and Krillin was the worst person in the world. According to his own shrieking consciousness coming back, and the alarm in pale eyes inches away from his own. Scrambling, both of them, to get away from each other.

"I thought—I thought."

Don't kill me. Oh, who am I kidding, please kill me.

"You thought what?"

Unbelievable, to think he'd pressed his mouth against those lips set in a furious line. Unfair how gorgeous she looked when homicidally enrage. Unmistakable, his own death would be, after Juuhachigou got done with him.

"I thought it would all right. I'm sorry. I'm an idiot-"

"It was alright, until you decided to slobber on me."

389. We Should Have Run, I Would Have Gone With You Anywhere

It only took a brief blaring of sirens for Krillin's face to change from that glow of amazement and delight. Juuhachigou was briefly relieved, until the expression was changed to own that was far too solemn. Better to see him angry or upset at seeing the two androids again.

Her brother was giving her a look, one that said they would talk about the short fighter later, and that she would never live this down.

Krillin was grief and solemnity. "Don't worry. I'll wait for you in prison."

"Oh god. We didn't do anything. And shut up."

"Those sirens are coming closer, sis. Just so you know. I'm not admitting to anything, mind you, but…just saying."

Leaving of course Juuhachigou to defend herself in front of an increasingly saddened fighter and "We didn't do anything!"

390. Take Me Home, I Don't Want To Be Alone Tonight

Juuhachigou fled the home she shared with her brother once she realized what the yelling was about, what it was and what it meant, and who else was there. She ran, ran through the living room, not even closing the front door as she took off without a jacket, feeling as sick as when Cell had been chasing her. But more disgusted, in fact. She went to the only other person she knew well enough to show up at three in the morning, and expect someone to actually answer the door and let her in.

The cyborg nearly hugged him. His shocked, goobery face that was so platonic was a balm for her ragged soul. The lack of appropriate clothing, such as pants, was just another uncomfortable fact of her life Juuhachigou was forced to deal with. Her brother was apparently sleeping with someone, and she knew what Krillin looked like in his underwear.

"What's wrong? Are you okay? You look like you're about to cry."

"I think I heard my brother having sex with someone."

"Oh. Oh god." It seemed to sear his eyes, from the way he turned his head, wincing. Even if the image was only in his imagination. Never before had she appreciated a shudder.

"Can I stay here tonight?"

"Yeah. Yeah, of course. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Who was he-"

She grabbed him by the shoulder, shaking him hard enough to possibly loosen some teeth. "I don't want to talk about it!"

"Was it even a person? Did you see anything?" What else would he be sleeping with—why would he even ask that—no, no, she didn't need to think about anything like that. Krillin looked ready to hug her, and that was when she knew they needed not to touch, and for him to put on pants. Yet still, she had been through worse this night alone.

"Shut up. And now, of course I didn't see anything. I didn't go into his room. I will never go into his room. Never again." Her words were speeding by, too fast.

And somehow, again, Krillin was there to help with a jaw-clenched sincerity. "You can stay here, as long as you need."

391. Hot For Teacher

As though their relationship couldn't take on another disturbing angle, now there were literally laws prohibiting it. Juuhachigou understood that if there was fate, it was slapping her in the face and telling her something. Something she didn't want to hear, and maybe would not even follow when it came down to it.

A little too late to even attempt putting up those defenses again, she might have told whatever could consciously have made this decision. The hopelessness at the heart of her feelings for the awkward, stunted man. How stubborn could she be, anyway?

She watched Krillin joking around, looking ridiculous in that jacket with its patches on the elbows and the dumb fluorescent t-shirt underneath. Fate and sense telling her, not hers, never will be. No matter how hard she sat there, staring at him, and enjoying her once enemy's smile and look of surprised when he saw her with a pair of clenched fists hidden beneath her desk as she cursed their bad luck.

392. I'm In A Building That Has Two Thousand Floors and When They All Fall Down I Think You Know It's You They're Fallin' For

It was something they'd never told anyone else before, and something that they'd take to the grave. Roshi, Oolong and Turtle all took their explanation at face value, because how else could their home have been destroyed, if not through sparring and sending too many energy blasts into both the roof and into the sea to cause a tidal wave, and that's why there were so many holes in the floors and ceilings and walls. The winter often brought cold, out of control waves by itself after all.

The simple truth was that they'd broken the house during their first time together, unaware of how much damage they could both do. Then knowing, and not caring. And then rolling around on top of the damage, once they realized they could hurt it no more.

Krillin gathered up his clothes, and boards to patch up what he could. "We killed the house."

She found her bra. "Yes. Yes we did."

"…is it wrong that I'm a little proud of that fact?"

Juuhachigou had been hiding her own smile, while looking for a hammer and nails. "Yes. Yes it is."

He was smiling back, the same evil grin she realized was now wearing. "We're going to do this again, aren't we?"

"Yes." She snapped the elastic band on his underwear. "But next time, let's try not to ruin our own bedroom so much."

"You really do enjoy saying yes to me, don't you?"

"Not now. Oh, what the hell?"

393. Now I Can't Get You Out of My Head

This was a whole new track to run a rut into. Insanity, rank sheer insanity.

But still.

Three years spent training, and preparing himself except in the most important way right now, having foregone any attempts at dating what with None of his friends would support or understand this, at the least. She would have laughed at him, had she known her effect on him.

Oh, but hadn't she, and that was why she had kissed him and smiled and looked so very human, amused and relaxed. Juuhachigou had known what she was doing, and it had only been another game. Did she think of it, ever, as they headed for Goku's home? Think of him, if only to make her laugh?

Selfish, if only in his own head, but it's there, planted and too late to remove. Not a conscious or smart decision. The temple had come to him, and there was nothing he could do but surrender and have faith. And Krillin had always considering himself so reasonable too. The reason he'd even gone to them, afraid and sweating, with his logic the only weapon left available.

Plenty of facts that he could come up with, just sitting here on this island and watching TV in hopes of spotting any clue of where the androids were. Malicious, if not downright evil, a sense of humor and the ability to break Super Saiyans in half. Juuhachigou may very well end up destroying the entire human race, or at least take part in its downfall. Come on, at the very least, she had a boyfriend. A scary boyfriend that could literally kill him.

I know. I know.

They knew each other, in their own confused ways. She had files and data on him, after all. On all their lives to better put the group of fighters in their crosshairs. The three of them all programmed to decimate the entire human population. Especially, probably, that creepy dark-haired one.

And: Juuhachigou also is in possession of a wonderful, if frightening, smile and laugh. She has pale blue eyes. A side part to her pin-straight hair, and so much awareness in that pale face. No machine, not her, her never it, this strange woman. Knowing whatever went through other's heads, and rejecting their own demands of her, and would she be appalled at his curiosity of what she might be like if she were not an android? Would she still have smiled at him with such smugness, and bent with easy grace to kiss his cheek?

There is reason, sanity and his friends and Trunks' warnings and the Earth itself and Krillin's morality and fear, but then there is her.

394. Here's To the Mayhem Trailing Behind Us

It couldn't be blamed on sparring or anything like that. This had them simply been them acting like childish idiots, happy to have a spare moment, and Krillin trying to get her mind off Marron being watched by Chi-Chi for a play-date with Goten. She'd always been a little uneasy with Goku's wife, and slightly guilty. Not just for the murder attempts against her husband, but because in a particularly vindictive moment, Juuhachigou had flushed Chi-Chi's birth control pills after not being able to find Goku in that house. She never not wondered if somehow Goten's existence had been caused by her-as Bulma and Vegeta were responsible for Marron being conceived. The blue-haired woman for giving Krillin that remote and further damning them together, and for Vegeta's presence driving them to drink during that Capsule Corp party and to seek a private place away from his taunting.

For the hundredth time, he'd tried tickling her, and it just about worked to relieve her stress as he found that worst spot on her back to make her squirm and burst into laughter that she hated coming from her.

It was giggles, and Juuhachigou had prided herself on being the type of person to never do that.

Then she was dodging Krillin as he chased her around the living room. Then up the stairs and through their room and then around the island as she jumped out of the window.

Using his old master as a shield was done without a second thought, and what was finally what ended the entire moment as Krillin stopped to make sure nothing was broken. On Roshi anyway, since the house was a disorderly mess from the force of their running through it.

The turtle hermit was probably glaring at them, as Krillin grinned at her in a way that showed they were not done with their chase at all.

"Maybe you and Juuhachigou should go on vacation? Or find your own place?"

395. If I Seem to Act Unkind, It's Only Me Not My Mind That Is Confusing Things

People would crowd around when they would go in public. And in relative privacy, given that Juuhachigou avoided being completely alone with Krillin, his friends and her sibling would sit there and watch like spectators at a sport's match. Sometimes, they would even take sides and make bets in the argument that would sudden combust between them.

Krillin always trying to position himself as the reasonable one, and somehow, perhaps he had become so, because she definitely couldn't keep rational as she would find herself yes, alone with him and with him…looking at her. For someone that had always considered themselves as rational, Juuhachigou could never fully articulate her unsettled feelings of having him at her side, behind rants that consisted of the words 'creepy' and 'no, you were following me' and 'don't act condescending; you're the stalker here.'

Not two minutes would go by before one of them was finally speaking, and then there would be eyes pointed in their direction and witnesses, for both their sakes.

396. I Am Not Good Boyfriend Material

The android had thought, okay, so she has a crush. But I can deal with that.

Until he was dragged on what could only in be a date (that he realized in retrospect), complete with a romantic date that had candlelight and good wine, the nicer way she'd dressed up, the way she'd looked at Juuhachigou. Leaning forward. "Thanks for tonight."

"You're the one that dragged me out," he'd muttered. Then saw the dark eyes moving downward. What he'd thought was sadness, but (again, in retrospect) might have just been a move she'd learned from her master, and maybe had just been checking him out. He had been forced into a lower cut shirt than what he normally wore. Because it had been hard to deny that yeah, if we're going out, he'd need to dress nicer, and hard to not accept the nice clothes that Krillin had then handed her.

"It wasn't bad, though, for all that."

A smile. Looking downright adorable in that stupid dress with stockings that he hadn't even known the fighter owned. Flat heels that really added no height to her short frame. "Thank you for coming."

Breathless, blinking, leaning in. He'd been distracted by the pink lip gloss. And the mouth it had been applied to. The delight not hidden in those eyes.

"Your Master probably wouldn't want me making time with you out here."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that at all. She probably would cheer us on."

It was simple to lift his arm up, and rest his palm against the wall, effectively trapping Krillin. "You know. That waiter was looking down the front of your dress."

He demonstrated while the short girl squirmed. It was so easy to get under her skin. Probably as easy as getting under that dress, if he wanted. "He was not!"

"Yes he was. It's hard to blame him. Are you even wearing a bra?"

"It's the strapless kind. Juuhachigou, stop staring."

397. I've Met You Once and Fallen For Your Notions. I Don't Know Why.

It must have been that oddly shaped potato she'd seen that brought him to the forefront of her mind. All it needed was six dots on its skin to remind complete the picture. And a dumb mystified expression. Or one of determination as he tried to talk to her twin brother, something she could have told him herself was a doomed effort.

So maybe the toy inside the child's meal they'd gotten for Juurokugou reminded her of him, since he was the size of a child after all. That wasn't so bad. He was such an absurd figure after all. Even amongst that group. Weak, if at least smart enough to not start a fight with them. Cringing and pulling back from her, sweating, and not quite disgusted as she once again gained the upper hand over another pathetic attempt at controlling her and her twin.

When she thought of him, it was that confused expression, his anger morphing to one of surprise, maybe terror. Not a new emotion she'd seen when someone faced her and her brother. But it had always come after they'd beaten the human. None of them had laid a hand on the short fighter. It had been his braggart and foolish friends that had gotten beaten into the dirt. He had tried to reason with them, as though they could bother to care.

Krillin, who if he saw them now…would probably laugh rather than start a fight with them as her brother bought pounds of potato chips with a credit card easily slipped out of a wallet. He was not cruel, if Gero's information was correct. The most heinous thing he'd ever done was attempt to stab Vegeta as the Saiyan tried to leave after having harmed so many. The one to make jokes.

Wherever he was now, was he helping plot their demise? Somewhere with the others, and arguing on how to destroy them. Jaw squired and face screwed up with effort. He was so easy to read, and between that and his strength…no wonder the others made fun of him. Even Krillin would crack self-depreciating jokes about himself. Now he would be fine with driving and being seen in this van. Had he told them what she had done to him? The man who always bemoaned his bachelorhood. Had they laughed and teased him over her?

When they saw each other again, should she mock him for that? Or would he say something? Ask why?

Because…it was funny. You of all people should appreciate that.

Was she looking forward to that confrontation? Black eyes and bright grin that he wouldn't share with her. If she met him again, alone, would he actually attempt fighting her? Or beg her to stop and consider what she was doing, and if she might want to make another path that wouldn't result in Goku's death. What would force him to finally attack her?

Or would he just spent the next fight on the sidelines again?

Do you hate me yet?

At least he wasn't here to see her in that ridiculous cowgirl getup.

398. Following is Different; I Was Spying

For a brief moment, Juuhachigou could see outside her own body, and take in the scene as objectively as possible: her in the driver's seat, leaning over the passenger seat to crank down the window and trying to convince a short figure into her van. It was a stinging, unsettled feeling of shame, and she hated that she only felt such things around Krillin of all people.

…Where was he even going? All covered up with that jacket from the rain, not flying and looking at helpless as anyone else on this street. It wasn't as thought Krillin had a job to rush from at this late hour, not like he lived here, on this block full of apartment buildings and single bars, or anything—as far as she knew. And Juuhachigou knew quite a bit about his life. Too much.

Why not wave around candy to lure him inside?

No, no, she demanded if only to herself a strict call to sanity that perhaps there was a good reason Krillin was so wary.

And that grabbing and dragging him in would not help either of them.

Juuhachigou would have to appeal to his basic humanity that had led them both down the start of this road. To look him straight in the dark eyes with a soft voice summoned with an iron will that kept her face solemn. "Krillin. I'm not going to hurt you."

399. All The Real Ones That I Destroyed

Neither he nor Juunanagou blinked as the man went tumbling down the stairs. The wood muffled his cries, and soaked up some of the blood from that headwound on his forehead. A scramble of limbs and pleading.

He would be the third one this week.

Krillin could only wince at the stranger's state of undress. At least this one had his pants on. Though not his shirt, allowing the marks she'd left to seen by anyone. His wide dark eyes saw nothing ahead of him, only what was behind, what he was fleeing from.

Sometimes, Krillin was almost glad that they weren't lovers. A matter how sweaty his palms grew as she'd stumble down the stairs to collapse at the breakfast table, the noon sun putting gold in her hair.

Juunanagou didn't even bother trying to offer this one cereal, turning his attention back to his own bowl. There would have been no attempts at comforting someone so panicked. If only to a mild degree. Sometimes though, the frightened men would wander in and sit there, maybe attempting to form words and ask questions, want answers, would beg the others to call the cops, the national guard, please, oh god her smile why did she smile like that.

While in return Krillin and Juunanagou would shrug. "The black widow strikes again."

"Just be glad we didn't have to call an ambulance." The short fighter would do his best to keep the bitterness out of his voice, and mostly succeed.

That in particular would always irk Juuhachigou, to see her attempted suitors having to be carted away. "I barely touched him." As though not understanding that breaking ribs was something you typically weren't supposed to do to your date. Even Krillin got that.

He understood a lot of things, actually. Terrible things. Knowledge that had only grown as he became friends with the two scary androids that weren't anything like Trunks had described. Except...

Yes, there was one scant reminder that yes, these were the androids that Trunks had warned them of: Juuhachigou's love life.

…and she had a certain Type.

One that she shared with her brother, if his little comments to the disbelieving, traumatized gentlemen were any indication. A topic that also had to be repressed and ignored, as Krillin focused on cleaning the dishes, sweeping, running outside to have a panic attack in peace without anyone poking him and asking what exactly was wrong with him.

And Juuhachigou would never seem to acknowledge the certain build of the men she would bring into this place, as blind to their resemblances as she was to their strength and endurance and the third person that practically lived her and mooned over her with a passion thus far unnoticed. For better or worse.

There was about a thirty percent chance that Juuhachigou would stomp down here, to vent. As Krillin tried not to make eye contact and let everything spill out. So many things he wanted to say, if only simple questions like 'what did you do to that man who was weeping uncontrollably for an hour and a half?' and worse, horrible things along the lines of, 'why not me?'

But no, no, the wise thing was to sit here calmly and grow numb to it all. Until he would no longer feel so helpless and sick and stop wanting her and loving her and just hope that she never found out about the extent of his feelings. Because then she would treat him as she did those would-be-suitors, and their appearances would match further, as Juuhachigou beat him within an inch of his life.

400. When You're With Me, You Won't be So Lonely

Goku hadn't been able to find Juuhachigou, but he was able to find Bulma, and from there, found Krillin on that island. Thankfully, no one spotted him besides the three waiting for the moment to run. It was to the tall man's credit that he took both androids out of Cell's reach, while Future Trunks fought Cell.

It had been Mister Popo's idea to hide Juuhachigou in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.

It had been Goku's idea for Krillin to go in with her. 'Just for a few months. Then me and Gohan will go on.'

Krillin could fill in the rest: So long as Cell can't get her, I think he can be handled. If for some reason Trunks lets him get away…

Just for a few months. With an android that had tried to kill everyone just a few days ago, and was looking at him, afraid, confused. With an android that was exquisitely pretty, alive and basically human, and that he was pretty sure he'd fallen in love with so easily. Trapped in a place without exit in who knew what conditions, and with a woman he had crazed feelings for that couldn't be expressed for so many reasons, such as her having no interest in him, and being strong enough to break his neck like a walnut. Oh, just a few months.

"Here. Take these, they're some training outfits from Bulma."

It was so strange to see Goku encouraging the android to hide and protect herself. Oh, and here's some new clothes. She took the capsule, bemused, lost. Had gone from being the strongest fighter, to hiding on an island, to being told to grab the man she'd been created to kill's sleeve, and hang on tight.

Krillin took his numbly, remembering the last time he'd worn such a thing. Had been blown up wearing a similar outfit to this, he bet.

A skin-tight outfit.

A new wave of horror tightened his throat. "Goku, are you sure about this?"

A hand on his shoulder, "Go in now, Krillin, the faster you go in, the sooner me and Gohan can."

And whom else could she enter with? Gohan? Goku? For once, words had been emptied from Krillin's head. It was better for two people to use it, to train together, and oh, it was just a few months.

---

"So."

"So?"

Already, she was annoyed with him.

How long until she pulled his strange doomed crush from him? Until she out-right began to despite him as she discovered why he'd crushed that remote. Krillin had never even told Bulma of his crush on her, so many years back and during bouts of singleness when she and Yamcha faught—and the blue-haired woman had never been strong enough to actually murder him. Juuhachigou, just standing there with feet of distance between them, arms crossed and eyes missing nothing.

The gaps in the conversation were as large as the white space behind them, a thing they'd seen together, silently. He'd nearly taken her hand; that nothingness was one of the scariest things he'd seen. So easy to get lost and never return, slowly die of thirst and exhaustion as one might in a desert or trapped on a tiny island without hope of rescue. "I bet Juurokugou will be taken to Bulma's. To Capsule Corp. They'll fix him up."

Again, more silence.

It begged to be filled with blather.

Here he was with a unsteady ally, with those unsettling eyes and refusal to say anything until he had. Even as they'd both taken inventory of their supplies and walked all around the oasis that was their living quarters for the new few months. The twin beams of the hourglasses filled with eerie green sand. All the buildings tipped with gold, except for where the beds (two of them, thank Popo and Kami, and they were even covered by curtains), and the bathroom was located.

A real chance to think about what it all meant, while you stayed here. No cable, just quiet meditations on what Juuhachigou would look like in that Saiyan armor.

And of course, other safer things like what were the others doing? Were they alright? Had Cell gotten away, or had Future Trunks defeated him?

"You want the left or right bed?"

"I don't care." She threw the capsule, without holding the trigger on top, onto the left bed. The bed away from him. And then she collapsed on it. The way she sat only made her look younger, a woman worried about something. Gloved hands on her face. Smaller.

"Juuhachigou." Anything he said would be found lacking; he'd never been good with talking to women. A fact that was no bouncing in his manic, panicked head.

"What do you want now?"

"We won't have to stay here long. I bet Trunks beats Cell in an hour."

Her voice was listless. No doubt reflecting on the recent changes of her life such as…the loss of Juunanagou. If his own significant other had been killed, Krillin guessed he wouldn't be in the mood to chat. Obviously. Kami, he was a moron. Why did he have to say things like that, and act this way around her of all people, this woman he'd chosen over everything and everything. How could he have done that and what right did he have to feel so blessed and broken over her glances to his face?

Why did she have to make Krillin's entire body ache when she bit her lip. "I don't know who that is."

"Who?"

"Trunks. Or for that matter, Cell. Gero never mentioned that thing." She spat the last word out. No ki to sense, but if it had been there, it would have spiked.

"Trunks is the purple-haired guy. He's a half-Saiyan." Oh well, might as well tell her all about Trunks. It might get her talking, and it wasn't like everything wasn't completely different already. "He's from the future."

At her astonished look, Krillin nearly laughed. "Yeah, I know right. But he is. He had a time machine, from his mom, Bulma."

"The CEO of Capsule Corp?"

"Yep. Her and Vegeta…"

"Wow."

"Yeah, we were all shocked." It was nice to speak to her, he realized, unsettled. No real introduction or detailed explanation was necessary. Juuhachigou knew everyone's names and details about their personal lives. She was new to them, but already knew so much.

Nothing like well, Maron, who'd never fully seemed to understand his job as one of Earth's protectors or know the names of his friends…besides Yamcha's.

She is not Maron. No way. Everything about her is different and new and strange. Even the way I feel about her isn't anyhting like how I felt for Maron.

Juuhachigou would have killed him right there if she knew he was comparing her to his ex. And finding her, this strange person Krillin had prepared for three years to meet and still found overwhelming, all the more...everything.

"But, so, in the future…um. I don't know how to say this. But you and Juunanagou killed just about everyone."

She looked up, biting her lip again in this thoughtless brief gesture. That gaze that nearly had him falling over, and stupidly blushing. The bluest, intensest thing in this place. "In some future? And so this kid knew all about us. Came to warn you about us."

He couldn't read her expression beyond the alarm in those eyes. "Right. And told us exactly where these two androids were supposed to show up. Only it turned out to be Gero and that big android. Oh, and he told us about Goku getting this heart virus, and gave us the medicine for that. But he was fighting that big android, and had the virus get him right then. So he was down, already. But then Vegeta showed up out of nowhere, just waiting for the right moment to show off being a Super Saiyan."

"That sounds like him."

"Uh-huh. And he was able to being that Android Nineteen. But Gero got away, and made it to his lab to wake you and Juunanagou up."

"No wonder you attacked us so quickly."

"Sorry about that."

"It's understandable, I suppose." Her hands were on the cover of the bed now, which seemed to be a good sign.

Maybe she needed a moment to cry. He was such an idiot. She'd lost her boyfriend just hours before. Of course she was upset. "I wonder if there are any razors in the bathroom."

"You need to shave?"

"Depends how long we're in here, you know. And." Krillin sighed. "I was thinking you might need to be alone. To think things through. You just lost Juunanagou. That's gotta hurt."

Juuhachigou nearly bared fangs. Even that had Krillin flushed and very conscious of the space between them. Not enough. Too much. "What makes you say that? I thought we were just some murderous machines to you guys?"

"Of course not. Not anymore. We spent three years training for you two, you know. It was sort of overwhelming to finally meet you. And no matter who you are, it has to be horrible to lose your partner."

"I never really thought of him entirely like a partner. Like an equal. He's stronger than me, but…" Juuhachigou sighed herself. "He was always my little brother, in some way, no matter what Gero did."

"'Little brother?'"

"He's my twin. Slightly younger." Those blue eyes were annoyed. "What else did you mean by 'partner'?"

He waved his hand around. "Um. Never mind. I get it now."

Going for the door was unfortunately not an option. No matter how she glared. "You thought we were dating?"

"I—not exactly that word." Krillin set his gaze upward.

"That's disgusting."

"I know. I know that now."

"Go look for a razor, Krillin." It was wonderful to hear his name on her lips, even as she ordered him away. So she could mourn her twin brother in peace. Still, he gave her an obedient confusing salute and headed for a distant part of this small oasis.

---

After some debate, they decided to wait another hour before trying the door. Already, they must have been in here for a while. Long enough for Krillin to have gone in numerous circles, avoiding Juuhachigou. Pacing and repeating 'twin brother' over and over and dealing with how much relief and sadness those two words brought. She had lost a brother and could be considered single, Kami, and, and Krillin had to go around the room again.

He couldn't stand the thought of seeing her upset, even as a part of him rejoiced in her having such feelings. Her humanity that proved he'd made the right decision.

Yet, a single tear sliding down that perfect face would undue him.

Not that Juuhachigou looked ready to sob on his shoulder anytime soon. Or ever. She was as strong as ever. Fierce even. Angrier than even fighting Vegeta, and defensive.

And scared. Safe and afraid and waiting.

"Surely we won't be here for a few months."

There was only blankness before them, this hell of an eternity presented in a physical way. It was so easy to look out onto it, and mutter words to pretend this was normal. "No way. Someone will take care of Cell."

Or someone, probably Vegeta, will try to come in here and get Juuhachigou.

"Do you want to train?"

"I guess it won't hurt. Me." Glancing at him, looking like he was something stuck to her shoe.

Not exactly a new look for Krillin to deal with. It wasn't so hard to grin back at her and laugh it off. Not hard at all to smile at her. "I can maybe take a punch or two. So long as you go easy on me."

Eyes still so angry. Could she even weep, after what Gero had done to her? Even over losing her brother? "I'm not even sure if I can improve my strength or speed."

"You can learn new techniques, though."

"Oh. What are you planning on teaching me, Krillin?"

"I'm not sure what you know about me."

"You like messing around with ki." A pause. "And moping. Usually about women."

"Gero was very thorough, wasn't he?" A dumb, dumb thing to say, though at least Juuhachigou only shrugged rather than break a limb. Was she really all that violent after all? He just had to learn from Vegeta's mistake, and not call her a can opener or anything like that. Being polite wouldn't be so hard. Right. Just keep his hands to himself, and watch his words, and Krillin might survive this latest disaster.

Juuhachigou was just like the other woman in his life: completely uninterested in him as a romantic partner and therefore he should just treat her like those other girls. Just quietly crush and admire and never express his affections.

…Because if he did, she might murder him. That was new.

"To some extent."

"Well, I can teach you about some moves with ki."

"But when it comes to being depressed about women, I'm on my own?"

A sense of humor that didn't involve the threat of physical violence? Krillin grinned, pulling at his ear. "Yeah, alright. I got it. I'm going to change into that Saiyan outfit, just to be careful."

"Have fun with looking like Vegeta."

It felt so strange to talk to her. Without a hugely consuming fear of her breaking his neck at any second. Would she really murder him, considering Goku was waiting right outside the doors? Possibly not. Krillin had spent three years preparing for scary faceless androids, and had to readjust on those snowy mountains his own interior picture of the monsters. And now he once again had to change his own mental view of the androids. Juuhachigou, Number Eighteen, who didn't want to kill him right now it seemed, and could be funny.

Made it a little easier to deal with the fact that he might be in love with her.

…which wasn't necessarily a good thing.

He scooped up the capsule, heading for the bathroom that thankfully had a door. "Not enough hair. And it'll be like Halloween. Do you want to change too?"

"I don't think it's necessary."

"Hm, you'll regret that," he warned with a smile as he closed the door behind him.

"What, are you going to aim for my clothes?" Juuhachigou yelled. Disgusted. As though Krillin ever would have done such a thing and hadn't already known exactly how little he was to her.

His dumb mouth. "No! But still."

"I'd prefer not to dress like that ape, thank you."

"I guess we'll both go easy." Krillin still remember how to tug at the armor at the right angles to pull it on. The mirror in there showed a short man, dressed like Vegeta, but definitely minus that spiky hair. Similar to that outfit he'd worn on Namek, but blue and without the shoulder and thigh guards. And it didn't stop at his knees. He could remember that younger man, scared at the time on that alien planet, wanting to leave, wanting to save his friends enough to stay, smaller than this man now but just as confused.

Especially about women. That crack he hadn't much appreciated being reminded of. Not that he'd considered himself smooth before she'd said that, but still. She knew all about his friends, but she also knew about him whining about getting a girlfriend. Hours of footage of him complaining and moping about being single and—did she know about Maron, about the breakup and his depression that had followed. Did she know about, oh, Kami, what did she know about his personal life and private habits that no one else should ever know about?

Surely knowing even a little bit about things like that would put up some guards between them. And maybe that was for the best.

His little passing thought of playing the forever-joker, and stepping out with a pose, some arrogant line that Vegeta would have said, was given into. Anything but worrying about what she might know what he did to himself when alone. "Prepare yourself, human, because your doom has finally arrived."

Juuhachigou didn't seem to find it very funny.

Nor did she appreciate his attempts at conversation.

Or his talents on the battlefield, appalled by his stance and laughing while she easily kicked him to his knees and would wait bored, while he struggled to stand again. Again and again, Juuhachigou only becoming frustrated, then seperating herself further from him, almost acting like he had used that remote. While he tried not to appreciate the angle that he was forced to look at her from. Krillin was barely spared a look before she decided she'd had enough and wanted to return to the one area that wasn't a white oblivion.

Though at least him falling over at that first step onto this white hell had made her laugh.

She didn't seem to care or even look at him too long as Krillin struggled to stand, blathering on about the shifting temperatures here and joking about whether or not his outfit was getting ruined. Even his talent at cooking, offering to make something, hardly made her blink or focus on the short man. Those eyes were far away as he boiled rice and set out the table.

Lifeless and hardly blinking, she seemed less like that laughing scary figure that had left Kame Island to help meet Piccolo's challenge. Now she might have been whatever Gero had wanted, had created her for with this silence. She hardly seemed to breathe, and that gaze was more painful than when he slammed a knife onto his thumb when attempting to debone a chicken. Krillin could feel it sometimes sliding between his shoulder blades, while trying not to think about anything more than how much salt to add to the rice. Especially not let his mind wander and worry about what he looked like in these too tight clothes, bruised and aching and tasting blood still from a blow to the mouth. Easier to watch the water boiling than see any leftover disgust over him being unable to keep up with her.

That sneer she'd had, 'you're even weaker than that boy was.'

It was a disorienting vision, of Juuhachigou sitting at a table and looking at him. Angry? Was she back, fully here and wanting to talk? Did she want to talk to him, was she dissapointed she was stuck with him for conversation, what could they even discuss, what did Juuhachigou want to discuss. With him. "You keep trying to make this normal, and that's not going to happen."

"Huh?"

"I'm not even human. You should know that, considering you nearly shut me down with a remote controller."

"I don't know." Carefully, he placed the heavy plates down. "You seem human." Enough.

"You don't know a single thing about me."

"I know you're not as bad as you pretend to be. You can be caring. Albeit deep down. And you have a sense of humor. You can feel fear, and confusion." Krillin shrugged, knowing he was smiling, knowing..."I don't see what else there is to being human."

She was unimpressed, still angry. But here. "A name. There is that."

"Ah." Juuhachigou had him there. "But you do have one. Even if it is a number. I guess there's no rule that it can't also be a name."

"Gero is not my parent."

There was practically ice forming on the food. Krillin could feel his bruises and split lip and exhaustion and used adrenaline that made him feel sick. All of it coming back looking at her blank perfect face. "What would you like to be called then?"

"What?"

"Your name. There's nothing wrong with naming yourself. And even if you don't have parents, you're still human."

"It doesn't matter much. Not anymore." Voice soft was crushed velvet and he nearly leaned in to hear every dip and rise of it. "You would have been better off using the remote."

"Of course I wouldn't have been. Stop…its okay. So what if you have some metal parts and a number? That doesn't really have to change you."

"Of course it changed me." Her irises were a perfect unchanging blue without any lines radiating from the pupil. These perfect too. Inhuman. Too close. "You have no idea what you're even talking about, little man."

I know I don't care about anything wrong with you.

I know that I couldn't hurt you. And I know that we're sitting here hoping the world doesn't end outside and we're...exchanging personal information, discussing families and life situations?—Over a meal? Maybe a little like a date?

Then he wanted to jam his chopsticks into his eyes. No, please. Not her. Not here.

What's your favorite color? I guess I know that you have a brother. You two get along alright? Do you miss Juurokugou? Why are you holding that knife that way? Do you remember kissing me? You realize, I would never have used that remote on you, right?

"I know I want to know more about you."

She almost flinched. Surprised and staring and definitely here, just feet away. Trying to figure him out. "I could kill you easily. Or let you suffer for hours. How long do you think you'll be here?"

Ducking his head seemed the safest thing, before Juuhachigou read too much. Figure out the answer to the question she'd asked as he confronted her with that remote. "It's okay. I'm not afraid of you."

Krillin could taste too much salt in the rice and wondered why she hadn't touched her food yet. At least he hadn't undercooked the chicken. When the mysterious young man had shown up with that promise of their destruction in three years' time, Krillin could never have foreseen a brief confrontation over a meal that left them both confused.

Dear diary: today, I technically had a dinner with an attractive young woman.

Also, she is a cyborg programmed to kill me and my best friends.

On the other hand, I don't think she entirely hates me and probably won't carry out her threats to torture me.

And now we will have who knows how much time together. Stuck together in this place.

"I suppose if we're stuck here, we should train. Maybe I should put on that dumb armor. Just in case."

Trapped in here with a woman he was infatuated, in love with, and already had nearly expressed those feelings and there would be no escape for too long, in thise white place full of echoes.