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Pipes	By : chroniclyflaming Category: Dragon Ball Z > Het - Male/Female > Krillin/Android 18 Views: 1478 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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Chapter List
- 1-Pipes
- 1
Pipes: a series of connected parts and snippets that make up this 18/Krillin story.

'I want you here as naked as a Christmas tree

left up until, the second week of February.

It's like my hand in your hair was just meant to be,

You are my angel now come sit atop of me.'

'And when I kiss your chest in the morning

The simple things are the hardest to say.

How the most heartfelt declarations

can seem like century old cliche.

A piece of paper, said "write nice words

about me here"

well one hundred puppies

would not have nothing on you,

they got nothing on me,

they got nothing on you,'

Light Leaves, Dark Sees, Los Campesinos!

She corned him finally in a parking lot. His back was against a car, two other cars on both sides, and her blocking his way forward. Unless he wanted to go through the cars. Or above them, but she could fly faster than him, so the hunt would continue. Or duck under them, which admittedly he could do with some more ease than her.

"Juuhachigou." His hands were raised, not in defense exactly—it was more of a pleading, begging gesture. "Juuhachigou?"

"It's a good thing, shrimp, that you didn't stay with closer with your friends." It hadn't been easy to find him in such a vulnerable state. Sure, she could simply go to that ridiculous pink house in the middle of nowhere, knock down the door, and drag him out from under his bed. But that would cause a commotion. The pig might have been there, and although she didn't mind a good bacon cheeseburger, the other fighters might have noticed her incinerating him. Killing the perverted old man she had little issue with however.

Supermarkets were a decent shot, but he went in the middle of the day, and she didn't want any witnesses. It was finally after she'd sabotaged their water supply that she gained a clear shot at him.

The hardware store was no good, but when he would have to travel around to find enough water in accessible containers so they wouldn't die of dehydration, Juuhachigou found a weakness.

One store was too crowded, the next right besides a store full of dolls whose gazes were dead glass, judging dead glass. Juuhachigou, despite what others might think, was completely capable of experiencing emotions. And when she was those creepy dolls, she felt uncomfortable. And very creeped out.

But the next one could work. Would work. It was boring watching him go around and doing nothing more interesting than occasionally speeding. Which was unexpected and nearly made her laugh. If it was anyone else, it would have annoyed her and reminded her of her stupid little brother. But with Krillin she could overlook and forgive and indulge his quirks and oddities. Somehow, watching him speed up past the legal speed limit only caused her to like him more.

The next one would work. It could have been next door to a puppy factory with frolicking children, but she would have her way. Patience was all well and good for a hunter, but when you kept going hungry every night, you had to eventually just chase the damn animal down.

Krillin's face lost another shade of tan. "Let's talk this through."

"I've done enough talking."

"No, no we haven't! Let's talk more. A lot more. How's your day been? Did you find your brother? How have you two been?"

She took a step closer. Sweat was building on his upper lip and neck. The android could nearly smell it. For the first time in a long time, her blood began heating up and her vision heightening and she was danger and death again. It split her lips apart and revealed white sharp teeth.

"Are you guys living in an apartment? Roughing it outdoors? Say, that's a nice outfit? Where did you get it?"

The blonde woman paused. "Really? You think so? I'm not much of a fan of this shirt."

"What? No, it's nice."

"Hm, you don't think it's too bright?"

"No, yellow's totally your color."

"What about these pants?"

"They look good on you. I usually see you wear dark colored pants."

"Yeah, I prefer dark colors. But I don't know," Juuhachigou shrugged. "I guess I wanted to try something different."

"It works. Perfectly. Although, those socks…"

"What? What's wrong with them?"

"I dunno. Red?"

"What? You think they look bad?"

"Not bad. Just a little off."

The android glanced down at her feet. She was wearing Juunanagou's shoes, since to her brother's humiliation, they were the same size. The bright blue did look a little off with the red socks. "Maybe you're right-"

Krillin took off, throwing himself and scrambling under the car. She heard his head bashing into a bumper before she realized what had happened.

She slapped her own forehead and smiled. The diminutive fighter could often be clever, able to plot ways of defeating enemies stronger than him using brains over brawn. Snippets of short videos played through her mind as her system chastened her for not keeping a closer eye on him. Juuhachigou smiled and told herself to remember and savor this moment.

It was a quality to admire, respect and to keep note of. Underestimating Krillin was sometimes easy to do, and his ability to surprise was why she was here.

He ducked between cars, weaving his way through the hot metal swiftly. The short man ducked under vehicles, dodged rolling carts before tossing them behind him as a weapon, scrapped his knees on hoods of cars. Finally, when he seemed to think it was safe, Krillin took to the air.

Her hand wrapped around his ankle in a millisecond.

For some reason, when she grinned at him to show she was amused and impressed by his maneuver, he only paled more.

"Oh Kami. I'm sorry."

She cocked her head. "For what?"

"Is this one of those female things?"

"What?" What did being female have to do with being confused? Her hand tightened around his delicate bony ankle. "That better not have been a crack about women, Krillin."

"What?" Now he looked confused. Some of the color had gone back in his face though, so that was a good sign. "I meant, making me apologize for something that I have no clue about, but a general apology just won't cut it."

"There's no need to apologize to me."

His mouth moved silently.

"Let's move on." This was harder than she'd expected. If anything, shouldn't the part while they were still dressed be simple? It was what came after that would be harder to figure out.

"Alright," Krillin said slowly, neutrally.

"So, where were we?"

"Uh." He smiled nervously. "I was just complimenting your pleasant outfit."

Her hold on his ankle remained. "Right. Tell me more about how much you like how I dress."

His panic was pleasing. "Um, let's see. Uh, it's very…"

Juuhachigou would have crossed her arms across her chest if she could.

"Good? Fashionable? Current?" The short man shrugged helplessly. "I'm not very good with this stuff."

"Yes, I know. I've seen how you dress."

"Hey." Now he was pouting.

Juuhachigou smiled again, and let him back to earth by his ankle. She took him firmly by the collar of his shirt and led him to a grey van. It was anonymous and had taken forever to find. The outside was perfect, anyway, but inside it needed some work. Not that she was planning to keep hold of it for longer than tonight. When she took out the keys, the blood drained from his face again.

"Shouldn't you at least offer me candy before you take me to your windowless van?"

"Hm? You require sugar before stepping into a vehicle? One that exceeds more than a few tons?"

Krillin looked at her for a long time. "Never mind."

The cyborg would never understand him.

"Anyway, get inside."

"Ladies first?"

She smiled. "I'm not falling for that again." And again, he looked frightened without cause. Juuhachigou was nearly offended. All she was trying to do was be nice.

His steps were light, ginger, as though there were bombs planted beneath the thick carpet. When she closed the door, drew close the drapes that separated the driver from the back, thus blocking out most of the light, Krillin gulped. She listened to it echo through the van.

Juuhachigou moved towards him. He moved away. She scooted closer. Krillin scooted back. It was a very short chase around the back of the vehicle. Cornering him was much easier this time. The blonde woman preened internally; she was getting better.

Her hand cupped the back of his head. There was very short stubble growing on the normally smooth scalp. And again, she patted herself on the back. Breaking the water pump was the best thing she'd ever done for him. He would look so much better with hair. Of course, the rough prickly hair on his chin wasn't part of the plan. "I'm very sorry. About you know, thinking you like me."

Fingers traced his lips, and his face burned in the dim light.

"Uh.

"I never should have thought that. It was terrible of me, very presumptuous to ever think or expect you to care about me that way. Can we at least be friends?

"Friends can be nice. And um, they don't hurt each other, you should know that. Yeah, there's not a lot of physical contact between friends. Really, there's not."

His ears stuck at and somehow their jug likeness was fetching. Her system kept track of both their heartbeats, and she was pleased that his was faster than hers. Of course, her dry mouth and slightly shaking hands might have put her at a disadvantage.

The skin underneath his shirt was warm and the tiny hairs on his stomach that led upward to his chest felt soft against the pads of her fingers. His breathing was much quicker than hers. Especially when her fingers traced the hair downward.

"Oh." His voice was very soft. "Oh.

"Wait, we can't do this.

"Here?

"Really?

"I mean, in the back of a van?"

Why were his words expressing doubt, while he undressed himself, demonstrating that he wanted to continue? She shrugged and chalked it up to another prism of human behavior she didn't comprehend.

His underwear was lime green, with a black dragon emblazed on the front. She had to hide a smile against her shoulder. Krillin noticed and made a face. "Hey, are water pump is broken and we can't do laundry."

Without his shirt, his shoulders looked larger and more muscular. Curious, she wondered why that should be. When she removed her shirt, Juuhachigou was sure she didn't appear any larger. From the waist up, they were roughly the same proportions, although of course ignoring the obvious differences as he was male and she was female and…

...it was hard to think sanely when he threw himself at her, kissing her franticly.

His mouth tastes of bread, grain, and something sweet under it. The warm skin under her fingers felt, smelled vulnerable. Krillin, you are too trusting. She almost laughed and wanted to whisper to him that she would make him better, stronger-if he would make her feel human. For just a little while. If he could just shut out the programming in her head for a brief while. The stubble on his cheeks was rougher against the more sensitive parts of her body. His mouth left red marks, and she damned herself for not making him shave beforehand. A speaker got pulled out, and she had no idea who had done it. One minute it was in the corner, next she was tossing it toward a window and cracking both. So, she guessed she was the one to pull it out-It was really hard to think right now. Her pants tugged down, and she watched as he tried to imitate her by throwing them out of the way.

She laughed when he had to stop to throw her socks and shoes somewhere, irritated. "Hey, were those Juunanagou's?"

"Shut up."

"Yes, ma'am." But now he was smiling at her, and it was good to see him without any nervousness or terror. Her hands were quicker than his eyes, and it took him a second to understand when she'd torn down his underwear.

"This is not much like those videos of people having sex."

"I know what you mean."

"Shouldn't you be the more forceful one?"

"Ah," he caressed the skin above her hip. "Would you prefer that?"

Juuhachigou shrugged while she reciprocated the gesture. He was very solid and warm beneath her hands. "No. I don't know. This is fine."

"I just thought that…No, this is stupid. I don't think I would like it if you were demanding." She laughed. "I can't even imagine you being demanding."

His lips twitched upward. "Well, you brought me into this van."

"So because I initiated this, I am the dominant one?"

"Maybe. I don't know. What's considered 'dominant'? Neither one of us is wearing leather or using a whip?"

"What? Whip? Why would you hit the person during sex? Isn't that distracting for them?"

"Yeah. But. You know. The whole dom and sub thing?"

"What?"

Krillin thought for a long time. "I need to get out of Master Roshi's house more."

"Yes. You do." Juuhachigou paused. "I do have a leather skirt. If that is required at some point."

His mouth moved silently again. She could nearly see his brains sliding down his ears. He settled for saying, "Well. Alright. So long as no one uses a whip."

The android flipped her hair behind her ear. "No whips. Fine. Although, I might want to see you in leather pants."

He nearly squeaked.

Climbed into his lap felt odd. Their stomachs touched and it nearly tickled. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt such a thing. "Juuhachigou?" Krillin sounded breathless.

Then the two explored each other rather than talking. Even though neither of them were very comfortable or sure of themselves, it was still better than the halting conversation.

She kissed his cheek, reminding her of a chilly morning on a freeway, and her memory was disrupted by a breathe caught in her throat when he slid a cold finger into her own underclothes. She was damp and understood in a vague way that this meant she was aroused, prepared for copulation…a small slim finger slipped into her and things went blurry. They kissed and he kept pulling away from her mouth, even as her moisture was spread onto his fingers and they were both groaning in enjoyment. More confusing gestures that spoke against his other actions.

Juuhachigou rested her hand on his stomach, tracing the small line of hair that was hardly noticeable in the dark. Krillin moans became stammers which turned into pleads, and evolved into hisses when she touched him further between the legs.

Her mouth pressed into his shoulder. "So, I guess fate can be kind sometimes." Krillin did not return her grin. In fact, he was pouting again, which made her giggle into his sweaty skin.

His penis was slick and hotter than the rest of him, from the infusion of blood Juuhachigou figured and she explored this part of him and ignored whatever words were slipping past his mouth. Juuhachigou had to guide his shaking fingers back into her and then she understood why humans did this act and spoke of it all the time. It all clicked into place, and if her mind was not full of tremors and quakes, she would have congratulated herself for another discover.

Her nails marked his skin, and the android had to be careful not to dig in too deep. A couple of broken bones could serve as a distraction to him. That would not do.

Juuhachigou traced the tip of him, paying attention to the slit that was secreting this warm slightly sticky moisture not completely unlike between her legs. In her hand, he was hotter, pulsing now. He kissed her cheek and said silly things that she didn't believe.

"Just." Her teeth sunk a little into his skin as his fingers moved upward just a tiny, tiny right bit. Her hand went over his, to show him where. "Just keep doing that."

She whimpered, hating herself, hating him, and wanting to hug Krillin very close.

"Oh. Okay. So that's where that is."

Her head bashed into his, like they were rams, and soon they would fall to their bloody deaths. They shouldn't have even been on the damn mountain in the first place.

"Okay. Okay. Oh dear god." She watched his back arch and wondered if he had the slightest clue how stupid he looked. "Juuhachigou." His eyes were fluttering.

Something was happening to the building in her stomach. "Oh. Fuck." It was not unlike flying with her eyes closed, that thrilling sense of freedom. Danger, her stomach full of electricity that rose to her throat, and was she about to crash into a tree? Now she really understood why people did this.

Juuhachigou hit him again. It was an accident, completely, she swore. Her neck had just gone limp was all. At least she was aware that she probably looked foolish. Her mouth touched his, kissing him and hoping that he'd felt even the slightest bit what she'd experienced.

She fell off him. It would have been nice to say she stood and walked away from him gracefully, or even climbed off him, but she tumbled off and fell on her side like a wounded animal. He was rolling away, gasping for air as though her were dying. Juuhachigou had forgotten somehow about the nose situation. He rubbed the side of his cheek and forehead where her head had hit. She coughed dryly.

It was filthy back here, she noticed now. The black velvet was absurd and the glow in the dark wizards and dragons looked like something out of a thirteen year olds bedroom. It needed a good vacuum and heavy wash. She would torch it the first chance she got. It was a travesty of a van, but oddly lovely. Charming in its own way. The android guessed she'd grown attached to such vehicles after traveling in one for so long. At least this one wasn't pink.

They looked at the ceiling, both on their backs, tracing the painting above them of a purple robed woman with her breasts exposed. It seemed to explain the situation perfectly, although Juuhachigou would be hard pressed to say why. Its crassness summed just about everything up. Pictures were louder than words, it was said, and she saw that it was true.

Her clothes were gathered and pulled on. They were slightly wrinkled, which made her wonder how long they'd been off her. It was comforting to wear them, although being the feeling of velvet and fur against her skin was pleasing. Her brother's shoes, however, had taken an air of judgment. She wanted to tell them, 'Well, you told me to get out more often.'

'Look what happened when I did.

'It's your fault.

'That, and telling me the act of human fornication was overrated.

'You made me curious.

'And, just so you know, it so isn't.

'Wrong. As usual.'

Krillin managed to pull on his underwear, before being reduced to a human slug again. There were tears on his pink face. "Juuhachigou, that was amazing.

"I had no idea anything could feel that wonderful.

"I've never felt so close to anyone at this moment."

The blonde woman smiled.

She threw him out of the van, sans pants and shirt. His expressionless blank face made the android smile as she closed the doors and went back to the driver's seat to make her way back home. Vaguely, the android wondered how he'd explain being his half naked state when he arrived home. That would be…difficult. As would his missing wallet and thus his lack of funds when procuring water for him and his roommates.

She watched him disappear in the rear view windows, and shrugged.

They were in the middle of a crowded group, the music destroying their ear drums, getting dizzy from the fumes off some long-haired men's cigarettes, being rudely shoved around, when she saw him again. The fates were kind. Finally, Juuhachigou knew why she'd come to this ridiculous event. Even the music sounded better.

It was easy to slip away from her brother.

She poked the back of his head, and watched him jump a foot into the air. Briefly, their eyes were at level with one another.

"Juuhachigou!"

"Hey! How are you! What are you doing here? Bulma invited me here, and well, I was curious. I've never been to a concert before. Have you? Do you like the band?"

She winked at him. Motioned for him to follow her.

His expression was torn between hope and excitement and distress. "Oh, okay. You wanna talk?"

"Let me tell Bulma!"

Her words were a low hiss that he couldn't miss. "I just need you for a few minutes."

She caught him by his shirt front and dragged him away. The word 'need' had set off fireworks in his head; the android could nearly smell the gunpowder.

There were abandoned buildings and alleys to either side, and it was easy to escape the drunken idiots wandering around. After determining that they were alone, the android shoved him against a brick wall.

She giggled at his expression. Juunanagou could keep his stupid cars, Juurokugou his disgusting animals. This was where the fun was at.

"Juuhachigou?"

"What, did you not like the band?"

She kissed him until he had to pull away to breathe. When she pressed herself against him, Juuhachigou could fell his rapidly beating heart, and the other ways his body was reacting.

"You're so beautiful." The android smirked. Another reason she liked him so much. His obvious sincere compliments and adoration. The self-righteous confidence that mingled with his lack of self-respect. His humor and depression. He was a coward and had little care for his own safety. That trust he always showed, the way he made her trust him, even though she knew that they shouldn't. Or at least not so much. Krillin had qualities she could explain and put in precise words, but not why they affected her so much.

Her clothes were plain, a torn dark denim skirt, black tights, and a simple shirt, but his eyes gleamed like she wore an exquisite gown. Juuhachigou could get used to that.

"I missed you so much." He tried to kiss her.

She pushed him against the wall again. Krillin nearly protested, until he noticed the playful look on her face.

"Juuhachigou?" Then she pressed her mouth against his. When he would try to hold her, Juuhachigou would shove his hands away. She tried to find a comfortable way for this to work, one that wouldn't dirty her clothes, but her thoughts were growing as fuzzy as his hair. Thankfully, it only grew on his skull rather than his face. Finally, the blonde woman pushed him aside and rested her palms against the rough wall. It was a very good thing she'd come wearing a skirt.

Her voice was a growl. "Come here." Then she had to shove him into place. Krillin's chest pressed against her back, nuzzling her.

"Mm," she laughed at him, rolling her hips against him. "How much did you miss me, shrimp?"

Krillin's small fingers immediately began petting her through her leggings.

"I really missed you."

Fingers slipped into her clothes. She bit her lip. "Really. A whole lot."

"Without you, I'm just…I just get so frustrated and alone."

Somewhere, Krillin had learned to undo his pants with only one hand. Gero's files lacked the information explaining exactly when and how. Nowhere did it state how he could peel her tights down in a way that could drive her crazy in its gentleness. He didn't even rip them. And where exactly had he learned how to pull her skirt up just the right height. All in a matter of a few seconds.

"So very lonely without you near me."

Juuhachigou could feel him, hot and persistent, sliding between her thighs.

"I just. I just don't know what I'd do without you."

She tasted blood.

"oh god," slipped past her restraint. Her head lowered until her forehead nearly touched the dirty brick wall.

"You mean ever so much to me." Was he smirking?

She'd created a monster.

The arms resting below hers were tanned from the sun, and she noted that his skin was darker in summer. He smelled of sweat and something darker and…she'd always been annoyed by those overly sentimental descriptions of the sea. When she imagine someone smelling of the ocean, she imagine a dock crusted with sea gull dropping, rotting fish, and a crashed tanker that spilled out gallons of oil and killed everything within the twenty mile radius.

But now, with his chest pressed into her back, Juuhachigou could understand.

"You bastard," she wanted to say to him. The android wanted to break the brick in front of her eyes, against her smooth uncalloused palms.

She nearly swooned. Her knees went weak, and she couldn't believe she was opening herself up like this. Letting him do this to her, turning weak both physical and increasingly emotionally. To him.

I don't even like you that much. Really. This just feels nice and I trust you. To some extent.

But I do not like you.

His words were soft. "Ever so much."

It was Krillin who was the one to do this, the man who had been too cowardly to fight them, but brave enough to stick up for them and proclaim their innocent. He was half a foot shorter than her (at least), lacked a nose, was a hero and member of a group that hated her and her brother (it was mutual), in possession of the most annoying nasal voice, but she no longer cared.

He was Krillin and...well, that was a nice thing.

Okay, maybe I like you just a little.

Juuhachigou looked over her shoulder, seeing his eyes squeezed tight. Veins bulging blue in his temples. Sweat plastering short hairs to his forehead one two three and she wondered what it would feel like to lick the moisture off. One two three. Like he was in pain. She rolled her hips against his again. "Oh, Juuhachigou."

He kissed her neck, and the sickening sweetness of it made her roll her eyes. Like they were…making love. As though they were in a movie or book. Afterward they would proclaim romantic sentiments and nicknames and hold hands. She would hang herself before that happened.

She did, however, enjoy kissing him afterwards, holding his quivering form against her. No matter how he made her feel, she could do the same for him. Another nice thing. His face was wet again, and she didn't mind. It was oddly pleasant to hold him against her and admire how easily Krillin gave into her until he recovered.

He needed her in some way she'd never experienced. It was something more than lust. Maybe that was one of the reasons she was so drawn to him. Juuhachigou kissed his forehead, almost tender. Eventually, she pulled away.

The blonde android stretched, listening to her back creak, trying to pretend that what they'd done had been absolutely nothing important. He was smiling, watching her every movement. She brushed off her skirt, ignoring how she could still nearly feel him in her.

"You should leave now."

"But, Juuhachigou," he whined. The words clung to his quivering lips, don't you like me?

She shoved him into a pile of over spilled garbage.

"No. I do not like you."

It was easy to walk away, even as yelled at her retreating back. "You do like me though, deep down, right? I'll see you again, right?

"Right?

"...Did you like the band?"

"I dreamed about you last night."

"Oh god."

"No, no. This is nice. C'mon. It's nice. It was a nice dream. Please. Listen, it was a perfectly nice harmless dream. I don't even remember what we were doing.

"It wasn't sexual. I swear. I think you were just at my house, spending time with me. Fully dressed, I must add. It wasn't meaningful. Just kinda funny.

"Stay, hey. Just stay here. It's okay; I won't say anything more about it. Or about anything else.

"I'll just be-"

"…silent?"

"...I have a feeling that won't last."

He'd just found the most perfect oranges, and was whistling as he neatly put the groceries into the trunk of the car. Getting frozen goods back to the island was always a problem. It was too far out to sea to take a scenic route, but not enough to justify installing a cooling pack for groceries. Krillin shrugged. If Master Roshi complained about the ice cream being too soft, he could get the food next time. They were lucky to have this much, when they had to spend so much on water lately.

Something was up with the water pump, and it kept breaking down. Either it would be shattered, or melted, which was impossible. Bulma had no useful advice. "I don't know. Replace it." This from a genius scientist that helped develop capsules that people lived in, drove around in, depended on. Upon. Whatever.

He turned to go to the front of the aircar.

Juuhachigou was standing behind him.

He dropped his keys, and if it had been a horror movie, he would have been slaughtered as he tried to run for the car door that he couldn't open, right there. Instead of wielding a weapon though, her hands were empty.

Still though, that didn't mean she was harmless in the least. If anything, a weapon would slow her down.

"Do you have anywhere to be?"

He shook his head.

"Well, alright then."

Then she went around to the front passenger's seat.

He didn't waste his breathe asking if she wanted to drive her anywhere.

They managed to drive out onto a deserted road. It was the best he could do when she would lean into him and...Really, he was lucky they hadn't gotten into an accident. She could say the dirtiest things, ones that could give his master a run for his filthy money. And those slim fingers were anything but innocent and wholesome.

When she stretched to reveal the tiniest slice of white stomach, with those almond shaped eyes, she looked like a pleased cat. Krillin could imagine himself undressing her, kissing every inch of skin he discovered, while she groaned as his touch. Do exactly what she whispered to him. She smiled at him, as though she could read his every thought. This time, he wasn't afraid of such a thing occurring.

Juuhachigou didn't even bother to move to the back of the car. She simply reclined her seat.

Still though, the position was uncomfortable. Krillin had to hold himself up by resting a hand above her head and wishing he'd worn more deodorant that hot day. Their pants got stuck pulling them down and her necklace got caught on her hair and that stupid weird chain she wore around her waist tangled with his belt. It almost looked like that old-fashioned watch she'd worn when they'd met for the…second time? But he hadn't seen any other article of clothes from that time, and figured she'd just burned everything from that time-His foot kept hitting the radio dial, and only made things more awkward. He couldn't reach it in the first place, and was much too distracted to try very hard.

Still, it was distracting having his foot slam into the damn thing and listening to what was being played. Every few times she moved against him, the stations changed.

"Gooooaaaaalllll!"

"…the world was moving and there she was right there with it…"

"…Add compost to the fertilizer, and that should help your trees…"

"And Mister Satan, what do you have to say to those opposing the name change for the city?"

"...I heard your voice through a photograph…"

"GOOOOOAAAAALLLL!"

"…That should help reduce the damage those rabbits do…"

"..A book-and-record love, we sat and read our looks. Between those longing looks, compounded by my fear…"

"Buncha cowards, that's what they are.

"…every little thing she does is magic…"

"!"

"…casting devious looks in my direction…"

"…now, to make sure those tomatoes…"

"I most certainly didn't see them taking on Cell! I was the only one there who could take on Cell. This whole world owes me! If I hadn't been there, well, now we'd all be dead.

"The entire world owes me! Try and prove otherwise!

"No one else was there, no one!"

She cleared her throat, lips against his neck. "I still don't like you."

"Except for those weirdoes who lost and thanked me afterward for beating Cell."

She held him afterwards. Petting his short hair and not saying a word. But this time, he did not cry, and now Krillin felt like a man. It was as though he'd grown a whole foot and tripled in power. If Cell had been there, Krillin could have crushed him like a bug.

He kissed her firmly, his fingers touched her fine hair. Briefly, Juuhachigou allowed this before she shoved him onto the parking brake. For once, afterward, she did not flee and leave him behind half-convinced that what had just happened was a hallucination brought on by either a brain tumor or perhaps his sanity finally breaking down under the relentless assault of his everyday life.

Krillin kissed her knuckles before moving onto the driver's seat. Gentlemanly. Then he pulled his pants back up while she did the same.

He tapped his key steering wheel.

The moment suddenly became awkward, horrible so and they both knew it.

I have no idea what to say to her. I have never cared for anyone half as much as her, never loved anyone a quarter as much as this woman. And I can't think of a thing to say. Except, possibly, 'how are you able to keep finding me?'

And 'why me?'

'Do you really not like me?'

And 'you were joking when you mentioned those leather pants, right?'

The ex-monk wanted to clear his throat and knew that he never could. Next to him, Juuhachigou shifted and moved the seat halfway back towards its previous position. As though he were expecting the car to become a blazing heap of fire as it the bomb went off beneath him, Krillin slid the key into the ignition.

Because he could think of nothing else, he began heading home.

Halfway there, mouth dry, he turned his head to look at her.

She was asleep, hair hanging in her face where it wasn't being played with by the wind blowing through the windows. Her eyes that tore him apart and put him back again without even trying were closed, and the contrast between her dark eyelashes and fair skin was hypnotizing. Krillin nearly drove off the road a few times.

Somehow, she was summer with those clean girlish looks, and winter in her attitude that even now kept him from reaching out to touch her.

Juuhachigou had this gorgeous face that was somehow familiar and unexplainably exotic.

Dusk threw shadows into the car. With the breeze pulling through his short hair like fingers, Krillin felt himself fighting tears. Things could be so shitty, with Goku's death, Juuhachigou being used as an experiment to that terrible doctor then being absorbed by Cell and nearly dying after her brief life of freedom, his fear and shame over his conflicting feelings for her and what his friends would say. But Krillin had never felt so alive and so grateful to be so.

Thank you Dende, Kami. Thank you Fate, thank you.

If he'd had any doubts, all he had to do was glance at his passenger.

He wanted to touch her, to wake her and watch her amazingly blue, blue eyes look at him. To tell and show her how much he loved her. I wonder what you're dreaming about.

The short man settled for pulling the car over, blowing a kiss at her unconscious form, and falling into a dreamless sleep. Her very presence besides him smothered his form like a blanket. When he awoke to a beautiful sunrise that stretched out before his groggy eyes, Juuhachigou was gone.

The ice cream had melted and spilt a sticky whiteness that made his ears go pink. He ignored his warm face and did his best to clean up before taking the groceries inside. Here were squashed tomatoes and dented cans of corn. The crackers that his Master had specifically requested were a mess. Eventually, Krillin started to grin.

Oolong dropped a magazine. For the first time, the short man felt a tinge of smugness.

You have magazines, but I have a real girlfriend.

Maybe I should grab one of those magazines for ideas...haha, no, I would never do that.

She would murder me.

There would not be enough to bury.

"Where were you?"

Krillin hefted a bag to his shoulder. "Uh. Shopping. Obviously."

"You were gone an entire day."

Master Roshi stepped from the shadows, where apparently he'd been hovering in wait. With the speed of a man who'd once been the strongest being on the planet and a currently well-seasoned voyeur, the wizened man scooped up the fallen periodical. "You took an entire day to shop?" He raised an eyebrow, and the slimmest bead of sweat slid down Krillin's spine.

He tapped a sneakered foot on the wooden floors that he himself had cleaned. He did not lie, not exactly. "Yes."

"Like this?"

"To the left more."

"Ooooh. Ta-dah!"

"Congrats. You managed to take my bra off."

"You act as though that were not an incredible feat."

It was not all sex. They talked sometimes. Really talked. About very little of importance. After not having seen each other for nearly a month, it seemed alright to exchange a few words—personal or otherwise. To learn of the new things in the other's life.

And this time, he fell off of her.

"Uh." They watched a plane flying overhead. Hopefully, it did not see their nudity. Juuhachigou could imagine Krillin's friends all onboard it, flying somewhere for a vacation, and looking down to see them. Their wide eyes, mouths stretched to a tendon ripping degree in disbelief. The cornfield could hide a lot, but not everything.

"I think we made crop circles." He sounded exalted.

"Hm." She looked around, knowing she had corn silk in her hair. A part of her didn't mind though. There was something about being here, under the blue sky that stretched on seemingly forever, with the stalks that reached above their heads rustling in a comforting way. Even when the wind wasn't blowing. As though the sound was of it actually growing.

Krillin seemed unnerved by it, though. Afterwards, anyway. And after the afterglow that seemed to suffuse him with a soft look to his face and a dulling flush to his face. He kept glancing around, as though expecting someone to be there when he looked behind his shoulders.

Paranoid or not, he was right about them messing up quite a few stalks. Krillin hadn't been able to sense her and chasing him had been too fun to resist. As stupid and childish as it was, jumping out and making every muscle of his clench before he realized who was chasing him was very entertaining. Then him throwing her over her shoulder, laughing while she kicked him in chest with her knees. He retaliated by wrestling her into the dirt. Still, dusty clothes or not, it was probably one of the best things she could remember doing for a long time.

"So," Juuhachigou asked that dry day, "What are you afraid of?" She turned on her side to look at him. Krillin was sitting up, a leg pulled to his chest, an arm wrapped around underneath knee. He had dirt on his back, and she had to resist the urge to dust him off. She could still feel his hands cupping the back of her thighs, pulling her closer, yanking the pants off her and struggling to balance her and remove his own pants at the same time.

"Torture."

She raised an eyebrow. It was logical, and not like Krillin at all. "And?"

"My friends all dying until I'm left alone. And creepy children who live in corn fields."

"I see."

His thoughtful eyes looked at her sideways. They focused on her, until she became uncomfortable. It was not his usual adoring gaze; this one was analyzing her, taking all of her in. She wanted to dress and leave before this turned into something she didn't want.

"What?"

He took a deep breath. "Juuhachigou, do you remember your life before you met Gero?"

She shifted away from him.

"It's okay. You don't have to answer. I just-"

The android looked at her fingers. "No. I...I remember a few things."

His wide mouth is open a little bit, and she closed her eyes. "Like what?"

"I remember being with Juunanagou, when we were little."

There was a smile in his voice. "You do?"

"Yes, when we were a few years older than Trunks. I can remember someone yelling at him for doing something stupid, as usual."

Juuhachigou could hear him leaning forward. Krillin's fingers caressed the skin above her nose. "I bet you two were the cutest then."

She smirked, keeping her eyes closed, trying to pretend this was just a game. "Are you saying we aren't cute now?"

He plucked corn silk strands from her hair, straightening it. "Of course not. You're the cutest thing I've ever laid eyes on. Puppies and koala bears can't even compare."

"I remember a field like this."

"Hah, I wouldn't be surprised if you used to go around stuffing corn husks into organs and used to go around terrorizing people with farm tools." He toyed with the bits of yellow in his fingers.

She cracked open an eye. "What?"

Krillin wiped his cheek. "Nothing." He looked around nervously again. "If you see any barbed wire, run."

"Sure, Krillin. Whatever you say."

He went back to massaging her face. The pads of his fingers are calloused and rougher than hers. She can remember a blonde man, a kind faced dark-haired woman that was not their mother and never would be, both of them with blue eyes. Her brother with shorter hair swimming in a pond, in a pair of red swimming trunks that are slightly too big for him (another siblings? Relative's? Their father's?), and him teasing her about not wanting to get wet until she threw rocks at him. A tire swing. Snow in a barn. A white dress that she didn't want to wear.

Hoping to go to some dance and that this one boy would ask her. Otherwise, there was no point in going on living.

Worrying about a history test.

Moving to a city with her and her brother's things in the back of a rusted truck and she'd been so scare of something falling out as her brother speeded up.

An older boy with hair as yellow as hers that smiled sweetly even as he did anything but, and the thrill of beating a police officer with his own baton.

The smell of a rubber mask that covered her face completely. The kickback of a gun. The way newly minted money smelled and the way her brother laughed and it echoed in a bank vault. Their mingled chuckles as they drove away, scot-free. The sound and feel of a motorcycle between her legs.

"I remember stupid things."

"Did you have any other siblings?"

"Not that I can remember."

"Do you remember your name? I mean, the one you were born with?" His eyes darted from hers, uncomfortable.

"I know what you mean." Juuhachigou paused. "No, I don't. Gero was careful to make sure my brother and I don't remember our identities. Before."

Krillin kissed her stomach. His hair tickled her. The short man's voice was hushed, almost reverent. "Your parents?"

"No. Not at all."

His lips trail downward so slow. "Neither do I."

She touched his hair. It was as dark as the feathers of the crows perched on a telephone wire nearby that looked on.

"I missed you too, Krillin."

"How much?"

"Oh, so very much."

If he'd wanted to be realistic, he'd expected it to be awkward, terrible, like fish on a rope being swung by their tails. Goldfish, cold and slimy, the eyes glassy, naked and flopping around in a travesty. Halting and quick and afterward they wouldn't be able to look each other in the eye ever again. They would dress quickly, appalled at each other, and themselves. Then she would murder him.

Or painful, ribbing out bones and limps and screaming for help, although of course no would come to his rescue. At best, maybe her brother would notice and join in on the torture. The sheets would be soaked with tears and blood. Or the pavement. Or the walls. Then she would murder him.

But it was neither. Something he thought he was going to die, but in a good way. A nice way. Instead of dying guppies being flushed, they were tuna, they were majestic salmon, ones about to being swallowed up by a hungry bear, or Goku. They were that good.

And she didn't murder him.

He couldn't open his eyes, even as she left the bed. His legs were still weak. Forget salmon; they were dolphins. We were magnificent.

Krillin managed to scoot up a tiny bit and crack his eyes open.

An actual hotel. For them, this was practically a honeymoon. He wondered how she managed to get the money for this. And the van. And tickets to that concert. Hopefully, it didn't involve actually hurting anyone. Maybe she was doing what Piccolo and Chi-Chi did to pay for the boys, and blackmailing Satan?

Their first bed and it took on a magical aura. Even this anonymous room that people had been using to either passes out in after a long day on the road, or to do exactly what they had just finished doing since the place had been built. It was their room, and therefore was the best room he'd ever been in. He could even shut the paranoid voice screaming about the germs, about what would happen if they turned on a black light.

Although…there was something about the room that spoke of judgment. The walls frowned at them. The bland paintings wagged a finger. It was too, somehow…too domesticated. 'What are you doing' the room asked, 'with her?' 'Isn't she the enemy?' 'Didn't she try to kill your friends?'

Under the open sky, there was no disapproval.

On the other hand, at least they weren't in the back of a van this time. Or a car. Or an alleyway.

She was smoking a cigarette. He watched the cloud of nicotine and tried not to cough. He swore, although knowing otherwise, that even the ashes from her cigarette didn't drop. The burning orange tip was the brightest thing in the room. She blew a perfect smoke ring towards the ceiling. Wasn't this room a nonsmoker?

"So."

Juuhachigou raised her eyebrows and glanced at him. Krillin wished she was dressed. Even a shirt would be less distracting. Since when did she smoke?

He looked at the walls. Boring watercolors dotted them, made up of forests or seas.

"This place isn't so bad."

"I guess." She shrugged, delightfully. Things...moved when she did so. He understood now perfectly with a sudden clarity why Master Roshi and Oolong could watch girl's work out all day.

"Maybe next time, we could go to your place?" Dangerous, assuming there would be a next time.

Her face turned scornful. "What? Do you expect me to take you to my home and introduce you to my brother?"

"I already know your brother."

"Alright then."

Juuhachigou looked irked. Even after he'd apparently let the subject drop. She was glaring at him through the smoke. Krillin tried to not twiddle his thumbs while he waited for her to speak.

"Why wouldn't we go to your place?"

Mentally, he broke into a song and dance. Complete with a suit with tails and a top hat. Oh, and a cane. He'd always wanted to learn to dance using one of those. "Well, you know, Master Roshi's there. And Oolong. And Umigame."

"I see."

She lit another cigarette. He watched patiently.

"Maybe you should go now."

No one could say he did not learn from the past. This time, he was quick enough to pull on his underwear and his shoes before she threw him down a fire exit and into a dumpster.

"You like?"

"I expected much, much worse."

"Why thank you."

"Nice racing car."

"At least my bed's not shaped like one."

"Why would it be—and why don't you have a mattress, Krillin?"

"Would you prefer one?"

"No. Let's get this over with. Before the perverts find us."

"Okay, just let me light a few candles. Just for the mood. Just one."

"For god's sake. Huh. I guess this futon isn't so bad."

"I swear, I did not mean to initiate sex this time."

"You sure about that?"

"…yes?"

Krillin always was fascinated by her. It was unlike any interest she'd received before. He did not care how strong she was, how she functioned. And while he was obviously attracted to her, he wanted more than a physical relationship, as was evidenced from the way he would try and talk to her afterward. And the cuddling. The nuzzling that was more intimate than the previous act of fornication.

It made her uncomfortable.

She had no idea what exactly to say. In this empty, vast desert that they'd somehow met up in. The sun shining overhead gave no answers and Krillin babbled on. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to tell him to shut up, not after they were finished anyway. Before she got his ridiculous purple pants or his stupid green short off, she was willing to nod along with whatever nonsense he would go on about.

The only time she'd been able to sidestep that was finding him meditating in the woods. He pretended to not notice her, even as she crawled into his lap. His eyes didn't flutter open as she undressed, pressed against him, touching herself and unzipping his pants enough for her to pull him out. Krillin only whimpered and brought his hips towards her face. Juuhachigou had to applaud his acting. Not a word, not even when she slid fingers damp from her own wetness into his mouth.

Only afterward had she been able to pry a word from his mouth. Lying on his chest, his fingers in her hair, she heard him say, "Wow."

There was some sort of appropriate behavior for what should go on in this moment, she felt. It must exist, somewhere. Juuhachigou unfortunately had no idea what this might be.

She'd taken up smoking afterward, something she'd seen in a movie or TV, to make her seem less nervous. Her hands were too busy lighting or holding or tapping ashes to turn into nervous fists. The smell masked whatever odor Krillin might have left on her skin. It worked, maybe, but her clothes stank of smoke and when she came home it only made her brother more suspicious about what she'd been doing.

His eyes would narrow. "You were out torturing a puppy, and it bit your shoulder?"

"You're walking funny because you slipping and fell on some ice? In summer?"

"You accidentally bought male clothes and left them in my van?"

"Sure, sis."

"Sure."

Reminded of that, Juuhachigou's mood turned sour. The questions, gentle and relatively innocent, became probing and subtle accusations of nothing in particular. It turned into an interrogation. Even as Juuhachigou frowned, afraid of what he might say.

"Why were you stupid enough to destroy that controller?"

Krillin jumped. His response was hurried. "Oh, it wasn't fair to hurt you. You hadn't done much. You deserved a chance at a normal life. Happiness."

"To die by Cell's hands." She corrected. "I'm not even going to ask why you charged Cell and thought you could hold him off. How long were you hiding behind that rock anyway?"

His voice rose. "Why do you have a thing against squirrels?"

Which was an answer that told her that he'd been there for awhile. "They're filthy-" She brought out the big guns. "Why are you so short?"

"I don't know. I just am. What's wrong with your brother?"

"Don't talk about him like that. He's an idiot is all. Why do you dress like that?"

"I could ask the same of you."

Juuhachigou nearly hit him. "Why do you live with that pervert?"

"He's not that bad. And I get lonely. It's not like you spend a lot of time with me."

"Where's your nose?"

There was a terrible silence. Juuhachigou felt ashamed and it was a terrible emotion. No wonder why people gave into that harpy Chi-Chi's commands so easily; Krillin's puppy dog looks was an awful thing to behold.

"I don't think anyone's ever asked me that before."

"Never mind."

Krillin raised his hand. "No, it's okay. I don't have a nose. I know this. I just don't have one. Sometimes I think I can smell though. Like an auditory hallucination."

"…A nasal hallucination?"

"Why didn't you kill all of us?"

"You were so weak, we would have felt bad. Like squashing a ladybug. Especially you." She reached out and flicked his forehead. "You even have the dots."

Something flickered in his eyes, like he's going to say something awful that they'll both regret. Then it disappears. Still, she almost hopes he would say it. A vengeful, furious Krillin would be such a rare occurrence that Juuhachigou wants to see it. Would he be flushed, hair hanging into his face? How angry can she make him? How far can she push him? "Why are you so mean to me?"

"Because it's so easy. You're so easy. Why did you shave your head? You weren't a monk anymore."

"You like me better with hair, don't you?"

"Avoiding the question."

"I thought it was safer that way, without hair to grab me by and swing me around."

"I'll have to try that out now."

He grabbed at his hair. "What, you'd make me bald again? Could you stand me without hair? Look at me without being sick?"

"You make me sick either way."

"Oh, so that noise you were making a few minutes ago? That was you being sick."

"You're so weak. So sad and pathetic."

"And that's what you're into. No nosed, spotted and weak monks."

Their weird fight is going smashingly unpleasant, until, "Why were you raised in a monastery?"

"I'm not sure. I don't remember my parents. I think I was an orphan. I know that I was left at the temple when I was young." All the fun was sucked out as his anger was replaced with sadness. Leaving her grasping for something to say. Rage she can deal with, but him being genuinely upset is new ground.

"What's it like having a brother?"

"A constant, genetic reminder that will inform you of all your flaws and never let you live a moment down."

Krillin's mouth opened and closed. "I...really?"

She shrugged. If they'd been in a hotel room again, it would have upset the sheet around her shoulders. "I suppose. For me anyway. He still brings up when I kissed you."

He laughed, delighted. "Why did you do that anyway?" The slim man rolled to his side, looking into her face with a wide, adoring smile. Underneath him, his blue shirt resembled an oasis in this blistering yellow desert. Even in the shade, it was still hot.

"Oh, who knows why anyone does anything."

"That's not a very good answer." Krillin looked ridiculously enticing when he pouted. He needed to be kissed until he turned blue, which had actually happened once when they were too caught up in the moment to notice such trivial things as breathing.

"I suppose I thought it was funny. Or maybe I wanted to congratulate you for not being stupid enough to attack us? Or..."

He leaned in. "Hmm?"

"Or," Juuhachigou tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I, maybe, just maybe, thought you were a little cute." She pulled her knee to her chest and looked away.

"Knew it."

"I'm sure."

"So, where exactly did you get money for stuff like this? Motel rooms and all?"

"Oh." Juuhachigou raised an eyebrow, looking at him while resting on his side. "Did I forget to bill you?"

His face was so comically shocked that she nearly giggled. "I can't believe...you." He started to laugh which made her smile grow and somehow they ended up scooting closer to each other and they weren't quite finished after all.

"You know, I would still—well, I would gather the money, if you were-"

"Let's not finish that sentence."

"Mmm, still." Krillin's breathe was warm on her neck. "You.

She rolled her eyes. "You."

Now he would be stuck, lost in some fantasy about her being some high-class callgirl type that he would rescue and marry and turn respectable. After some vigorous and forbidden sex in a lurid house of ill repute, the type of place with silk sheets and half-melted candles and corsets. He would be some officer with a gold braid on his shoulder. Dark lacquered furniture in their room. The clink of gold as he paid his way to see her, paid for her to be his only customer. Ugh. I don't think this is Krillin's fantasy anymore.

Her jaw tightened…at least this fantasy doesn't involve pirates, like the last one. Or the schoolteacher one, where I made him 'stay after class.'

His mouth paused and rested on her collarbone. "…Say, Juuhachigou?"

"What? For Kami's sake, Krillin." At this moment, she became aware solely from the flutter of his lips against her skin that he had too much control.

"It's just…I need some new clothes (since you keep ruining or stealing mine) and wanted to know if you would be willing to go shopping with me? I'll buy some stuff for you, if you want."

She understood that her smile was half evil, half affectionate.

Juuhachigou stroked his face, turning his cheeks pink with instinctive embarrassment.

"Oh, you."

Once they even managed to have a picnic of sorts. She'd found him waiting for her on a tiny island not far from his home, sitting on a blanket with a basket in front of him. A bottle of wine held in one hand. His clothes a white button down and a pair of khaki pants that for some reason made her smile. Krillin had even allowed the comb's teeth to still show in his hair.

Normally, he did his best to look like he'd just rolled out of bed, although she knew that he was paranoid about his hair being perfect. His clothes were an afterthought, but if she so much as muss his hair he'd complain.

He grinned at her, pleased. "I thought this be a nice change of pace?"

They got all the way through the salad and the sandwiches and a few glasses of wine before he pinned her down onto the blankets. It was nice, when he took charge. You couldn't believe for a second he was actually the stronger one, but still.

Another new thing: he actually undressed her for once. Completely and all on his own. And he didn't even fold them neatly, just ripped her vest and shirt and jeans right off into a crumbling pile. After she was naked and left waiting on the blanket, impatient, he just looked at her for a long time. Like a lion surveying its prey, only more disorienting.

Thankfully, he didn't say anything. His fingers traced patterns she couldn't quite make out and when he kissed her, Krillin's face was frowning in concentration. Like he was looking at something and couldn't figure it out. Briefly, Juuhachigou was reminded of his quizzical expression when he looked at the water pump, over and over again.

He wasn't wearing underwear and that made her laugh despite herself. Krillin didn't seem to mind. His mouth trailed further down, hair a shadow on her stomach, and when he licked between her legs he did so teasingly slow. When he kissed up the inside of her thighs first, his tongue, she was sure, was tracing the numeral '18' over and over again. Until she was cursing him and the very universe itself over and over again. And then they was only him, the smell and warmth and soft weight, and the scratchiness of the blanket against her skin.

Her nails left new marks on his back.

"You look like a puppy." It's her only defense left and her voice is too out of breath for it to be truly insulting.

Krillin laughed and pressed his face into her shoulder. "You know, I know a song..."

"Don't."

"I thought…here, I thought I was some pathetic monk you felt sorry for."

"Bastard."

His eyes won't leave hers and there's not a single bit of anger or amusement in them.

Her back arched. No matter how she fought it. "I thought you were an innocent little monk. That I felt sorry. Sorry for."

For once, she was the one left leaning against him.

"You know Juuhachigou, I'm starting to think you like me after all." His kiss on her cheek, if it hadn't been so sweet, would have been mocking.

She was still reeling. It took a second to pull away and there was a softness to his eyes when he looked at her. "Maybe a little," she allowed. "Now, get dressed." Her voice didn't sound as commanding as she would have liked it to be.

"Mm, 'kay, babe." He reached for his pants.

She turned, eyes wide. Words rested on her lips, but she couldn't bring herself to say them. More than anything, she wanted to grab him by his sunburned shoulders and shake him. 'What did you call me?' The android felt anger and something worse.

A part of her, small and tiny compared to the outrage, was pleased.

It was worrying. In fact, this all was when she stopped and let herself reflect. When she would actively sit and purposely think of him, rather than letting her thoughts stray in spare moments. The woman would find herself thinking about him at odd moments, wondering what he would say or do if he had to watch her brother hanging Christmas light and getting shocked bad enough to fall off the roof, or about this terrible cop show on the television. He would either joke about either situation, or treat it very sincerely. His reactions always seemed to be a flip of the coin.

What exactly he expected from her was never fully expressed aloud. Juuhachigou was not deaf to his dream of one day getting married, the hopes of starting a family. There seemed to be a constant offering, silent, to so much of what he did.

Him, sleeping next to her on the bed, seemingly dead to the world, cheek against the pillow, arm outstretched and welcome to her to crawl under. There were hardly words of affection and fidelity exchanged (at least on her end), nothing promised to be permanent or even momentarily stable. She could never see him again, he would have no way of finding her. What compunction would she have to find him exactly, should she decide she'd gotten sick of his chuckles and the soft black eyes? In the end, Juuhachigou would shove his sleepy form out of the bed, and then miss him for the next following hours.

In stores, Juuhachigou would catch herself checking out short men, even more so when they had hair sheared so close they were nearly bald. Normally not in as good a shape as Krillin, but still she admired the strangers' shoulders, the length of leg sometimes visible beneath the shorts in the summer months. Something new to ponder: had she somehow developed a type? Was that why she had kissed him? Not out of amusement, as she'd thought, but genuine attraction? Like her subconscious went, 'oh yeah, totally into that.' Might as well have just grabbed his ass and pulled him in for a huge sloppy kiss right there. As opposed to waiting a year later and doing it then.

Maybe Krillin just tainted all previously held views on attractiveness?

And I'm still having that pirate fantasy.

"I'll die without you!"

"Eech."

"Without you, my life has no meaning. How can I be happy and not be with you? Without you, there is no sunshine."

"Done yet?"

"I'd kill myself if something happened to you. And I wouldn't care. Life without you isn't worth getting up for."

"Yes. Please lie back down and stop with your crazy ranting."

"Or you'll suffocate me with a pillow again?"

"Maybe. It would probably be real easy, what with your nose problem."

"Fine. I'll lie down. But only if you sit on me. On my-"

"I get it…dear god, I've ruined you."

His best friend was dead, leaving behind a widow and two children.

Laundry had to be done using sea water, which did not work well.

He had to shave, only his face for the first time he could remember in his entire life, using chicken soup.

The only thing to eat in the house was ramen made with tonic water, or dry ramen.

His life had never been better.

There was not one moment that Krillin could recall ever being happier. Except possibly as the gang had gone to Kami tower, to revive everyone after defeating Cell, Juuhachigou in his arms.

But even that had turned painful after Goku had decided not to return to Earth, his friend blurted out how he felt straight to her face, scaring her off, and when he proposed burying the hatchet, (what exactly had she been wrong about, anyway?) Juuhachigou told him effectively to fuck off. Twice, although the second time had been a little nicer, insults and confusion about her brother excluded.

If he had thought he'd loved her before, it was nothing compared to what he felt now. The feel of her pulse beneath his mouth as he kissed her neck and felt her heart rate increase beneath his lips was something holy. He felt blessed to be in her company, let alone able to have the chance to touch her, and have her respond back.

His dreams, already normally filled with her, were now a torrid slurry of memories and fantasies. Rather than imagining them out in the beach, or in some mysterious cave or peaceful forest, Krillin saw them in his bed, or on the couch before the TV. Once in the kitchen, where he'd pulled her out of a pair of his shorts and undershirt, clothes she seemed to enjoy wearing, to make love to her right on the linoleum with the fridge open and exuding a chilly light onto both their bare backs.

It was not all completely sunshine, but even the dark moments were wonderful. Sure, he had to sneak out his own window, but it was to see Juuhachigou. He had to go malls more, as she had a tendency to either steal or rip his clothes, or just insult them until he agreed to go shopping with her. And even that was delightful because of course then she would model for him.

Sometimes she'd even drag him into the changing room and Krillin now prayed that there weren't cameras in those places. It was bad enough when shoppers and clerks would realize what was up and would pound on the door, demanding they open the door right away. Of course, they never did.

He had to find excuses to avoid his friends. Because Juuhachigou could turn up at his window at any time. Or dial his number and talk to him over the phone, telling him where to go and driving him crazy with her voice alone. Krillin didn't have his own phone line, but she always knew when he would be the one to pick it up. If he'd been a more suspicious man, he might have thought she'd bugged the place, but maybe the fact that he would run to the phone every time it rang had something to do with it.

"Sorry, but I have a doctor's appointment."

"Oh, that sounds great. But I have to see my dentist this evening. Yeah. New dentist. Takes patients at all times."

"Really, that would be awesome. But I'm waiting for these important test results to come back from my doctor's lab. What for?" He caught himself looked at Master Roshi's feet. "Uh, fungus. Really bad stuff. Disgusting," and then Krillin couldn't look away from his master's feet. "Horrifying."

"Sick. Super sick. Contagious too. What about Roshi and Oolong? Um. What about them?" His roommate gave him angry glares. He wrapped the blanket around his shoulders more protectively. Then as soon as they passed out, he was slipping out the door.

His friends must have thought he was hypochondriac, or on death's door. And that he needed to brush his teeth far more.

Then it was difficult to explain to his housemates why he would come home missing clothes, or bruises marking the visible skin, or worse, bites and scratches. Or all of the above. His lame stories about going to the Son's home and helping them hunt for food and being attacked by the wildlife didn't convince anyone. They only narrowed their eyes and nodded slowly, going "Sure. Sure."

"A tiger stole your pants. Okay."

"Alright. You were fishing and the hook caught repeatedly on your back and ass."

"Sure."

"Sure."

He'd feel terrible for lying. If anything, he would have killed to have told his friends that he and Juuhachigou were together, were seeing each other. But they weren't exactly going out, or seeing each other. They did see each other, of course, but usually it was while they were naked and afterwards she didn't seem to care much about him. Once, afterward, she'd flipped on the television while he tried to remember where his limbs were, and as soon as he found them, was told him to leave.

At least they seemed to be moving inside. Outside had lost some of its initial thrill, especially after his attempt to show her a quiet river beach, abandoned by people. It was a gorgeous view, after a driftwood fire was made, with a bottle of wine and the ocean wind tugging at your hair. She'd simply bided her time until she'd stripped him, then had him on the cooling sand. Then abandoned him when the tide had come on, the freezing, chilling, ten-year-stealing-off-your-life tide, laughing darkly, and making off with his clothes as she kicked sand to put out the fire.

Krillin couldn't exactly put a title on their relationship. He would lie in bed, going over their time together and trying to decide if they were dating or friends or lovers. He would even make up his mind to talk to her about them, to get her to pin down exactly what they were. Then he would be near her, holding her against him, and there were no needs for names.

But still, even rock could be worn away by rain.

"No, I don't want your friends to know about this."

Krillin couldn't keep his face from falling until it nearly touched his lap. They were on an anonymous tiny island and the wind would blow a layer of dust over them every few minutes. That's what that made his eyes watery. "Why not?"

Of course Juuhachigou never explained. "Just make up a story to tell them."

Then he felt bad not for lying, but for doing it so badly. She would attempt to teach him as they lolled about in bed. "It's not a lie if you believe it."

"I don't know."

"Repeat after me: My name is not Krillin."

"My name is not Krillin." He could hear the quiver in his words as soon as it left his mouth.

"You are terrible at this."

Krillin grinned and scooted closer to her. "But I have other nice qualities, right?"

"Right." Reluctantly, she would smile. "Right."

"I thought chocolate covered fruit was better for after-sex snack?"

"Well, this has chocolate in it."

"I had no idea you liked M&Ms. That's unexpectedly adorable."

"I like my candy how I like my men: small, and easily disposable."

"…"

"Don't act like you're not amused. I can see that smile. Aw, it's okay; you're not that small."

She took the apple he handed her, trying not to sigh. Was she becoming so predictable that he could somehow sense her coming near? Could he sniff her out—in his own strange way? Like how animals could sense a coming earthquake? Did he roll around or begin growling at nothing, howl up at the moon, days before she finally showed herself? The answer couldn't be read on his content face as he swung his legs, and chewed.

"You know, this is where Goku took me and Gohan, before the Cell Games. We fished by the river. He'd promised Gohan he'd do that, after fighting Vegeta." There seemed to be something more that he was holding back.

"Oh," was all she could say. Did he see his best friend here, was he replaying their time together, was that what made his face so solemn? Do you miss him Krillin? Do you wish you had used the remote to shut me down, and then destroyed me?

Juuhachigou thought on that, even as she ate her apple before handing the core to him, after he'd requested it. The only other thing he'd said. "Krillin Appleseed."

"Hey. I'm just trying to help the environment. What's wrong with planting trees?"

"You can get started on that." She leaned back against the branch. Trying not to smile at the way he looked, dappled in yellow from the sunlight peering through the leaves overhead. "After you've helped me."

"Oohhh." Krillin was wearing that ridiculous grin, leaning in closer. "And how can I help you, Miss Juuhachigou?"

It reminded her a little of that time in the car, only more uncomfortable. Having the find the right angle while sitting on his lap, the short fighter shoved against the trunk of the tree. Both of them wincing at the creaking beneath them, sure that any second it would break and send them both tumbling towards the ground. And with any luck, it would draw the attention of any nearby people. He's said something about the Son family living nearby, and she could just imagine them stumbling on this. Little of what Gero's information provided about Goku's widow mentioned anything about being understanding.

With hands sliding down the back of her pants, she could push back angry dark eyes that no doubt wanted to see her dead. To say nothing of his other friends. And her brother wouldn't be pleased to see them here, together like this. It was easier to just press her forehead against his shoulders and smile into the fabric, and then the pale skin as soon as she pulled his shirt off. Then the distraction of have to shove her jeans down and lean back and try not to scratch her ass against the bark. A marked contrast to her latest sexual dream about him that had involved the pair of them rolling around on a bean bag chair.

"Oh, god, the tree is chafing my back."

"Shut up. For once. Just be quieeet—fuu-uck."

His mouth closing over hers ended their discussion. Tasted acrid bitter sweet apples, and his toothpaste and the stupid cherry lipgloss she'd bought him after his badgering to know if he was a good kisser, were his lips soft enough, was he 'too drooly'? Eventually, Juuhachigou ended up balancing by resting her weight more on his shoulders that were still hard despite his retirement from fighter. Such a move drew him closer to her chest, and resulting in Krillin sloppily pulling his lips away to move his attentions lower. The air nearly steamed in her lungs. Her hands on his side, feeling the ridges of his ribs, the abdominal muscles pulled taut.

Apples could have fallen onto their heads, in fact a few even tumbled from the branches the blonde woman realized later, and they probably wouldn't have stopped. By the end, the entire Son family could have been below, throwing rocks and fruit at them, and she wouldn't have given a damn. Sticky where they were joined, sweaty, marked pink from his applied tongue and lips, all were easy to ignore.

It would have been easy, and amusing, to shove him from their perch, but for once she let him have this peaceful moment.

Krillin's mouth was against her chin, moving towards her ears. Voice soft, "So, you ever gonna tell me why you even started liking me in the first place?"

"…who said I like you?"

"Well, in that case." The short man shrugged, and pushed her away to fall to the ground with her shirt pulled up, bra gone, pants and underwear around her knees. All she could do was gape towards him, replaying the scene to understand that it had actually happened. Then stumbled to her feet, and yank her clothes into place.

"You bastard!"

"Aw, c'mon, I know that didn't hurt you. Aren't you some badass android fighter?"

"Weakling coward!" Her hand went towards the ground, searching for a rock or apple. Still more shocked than angry. "I'll show you badass."

He was reaching upward, to grab at the remaining apples hanging in the tree. "At least you're not left, freezing, naked in the water!"

"You're still angry about that? And that's nothing compared to what I'm going to do to you now, shrimp!"

Krillin had the high ground, but she had a better aim, and thanks to both of them, more arsenal.

"…nice eyepatch."

"That's all you have to say?"

"…Are you going to make me walk off the plank?"

"That's more like it. Now help me move the boat."

"Aye-aye, captain. Nice scarf; at least it isn't orange, I guess."

"Though, you know, I wasn't serious about this being one of my fantasies. That was just a joke."

"Whatever makes you feel better. Ooow, don't do that. Should never be around you when I'm wearing anything elastic. Well, at least I'm not wearing that eyepatch on my face."

After another month passed, Juuhachigou appeared before him to firmly take him by the hand, and finally bring him to the home she shared with her brother. She looked awkward, shifting outside the door. The cabin looked joyless and Krillin wanted to run to a nursery to grab some flowers to plant under the window. Add something that made this place look like people lived in it.

He could see himself planting the flowers, taking in the healing marks on his skin she'd planted on him. At least this time, by the time they were done, she apologized in her own way by licking the apple juice off his bruises. Nor did he just have a half-empty bottle of wine as the only thing to hide his shame as he flew home, pry open the kitchen window since he didn't have the key, and be discovered covered in sand, naked, wet, and cold by his other roommates.

"He might be in, I don't know."

Her voice hardened. "So don't plan to stick around. I'm not going to hold you until you fall asleep and then watch the sunrise together."

"You've never done that."

"And don't start expecting me to ever do so."

With that, they went inside.

Juunanagou was asleep on the couch, and for a second Krillin could almost find it endearing. He and his sister slept in that same thoughtless easy way. They looked like angels, with their clear skin, straight hair, and perfectly regular features. He squeezed her hand and mouthed 'aw' in regards to the motionless figure on the plaid couch. "You two are so cute," he whispered. "You sleep exactly the same way."

She rolled her eyes. Then looked unnerved when she looked at her brother.

"I do not."

"You do. It's adorable."

"Shut up." She shoved him towards the dining room table. Guns fell from the hunk of un-sanded wood, and he flinched as much from them as he did his new splinters.

"Watch out."

He could hear the smirk in her voice, and retaliated by throwing a shotgun at her. She knocked it aside, and they both winced when it narrowly missed Juunanagou.

"Knock it off; you're going to wake him up!"

"Make me." Krillin stuck his tongue out, then ran for the kitchen. She'd done this to him, made pushing the envelope and playing with death something fun.

Knives gleamed from every surface, and he knew he should have made for the bedrooms instead. Which one was Juuhachigou's? He nearly shivered at the thought. Perhaps in time, he would learn exactly which floorboards squeaked and the exact color of her sheets. If the intoxicatingly enticing woman chasing him didn't murder him in another minute.

A tiny window beckoned to him.

Her grin was brighter than the very sharp utensils. She stalked closer.

"Oh, Krillin..."

He slipped somehow on the wooden floors, and she was there to push him down farther. Splinters puncture his spine. Then she was pulling him up and his hand went bravely up her shirt. And then they were falling into each other, kissing, and she started…moving against him until he couldn't think straight.

"In the kitchen?"

"He'll hear."

Her teeth nibbled on his ear.

"Oh, fuck it then."

Juuhachigou laughed, until it caught in her throat as he kissed her chin, moving upward. It still amazed him that he could make her react like this. How could she allow him to even touch her?

Her fingers entangled in his hair. "Be careful, it took me forever to grow it out."

And she laughed again, a record, grinding against him.

His pants fell to his ankles. Juuhachigou's skirt did the same. Underwear quickly followed. Her fingers pressed into the soft skin of his neck.

Krillin kissed her knees, loving how even they were perfect, before moving his mouth up her thigh. The skin was incredibly warm, and she tasted as incredible as he'd imagined. And he'd imagined a lot. About twenty-five percent of his waking hours this past year were spent fantasizing about her. He pressed his mouth firmer into her silky, smooth groove where her legs met. Juuhachigou twitched against him.

"Krillin."

"Hm, whatzat? Huh? 'Krillin'? Juuhachigou?"

Krillin turned his head, very slowly. Juuhachigou did the same above him.

Juunanagou's dark head popped up and the world stopped.

Not only did he and his sister sleep the same, but they had the same look of bewilderment, slow gradual understanding, and unearthly, demonic rage. His eyes flashed red in the darkness. Krillin pulled up his pants. Juuhachigou politely closed her legs, then slid off the counter. He listened closely as she slid her clothes back on.

There was something courageous about the look of confidence on her face.

Then they were running out the door, past him, Juunanagou's screams nearly a tangible thing against their backs.

The woods had never been darker. He heard wolves howling nearby. An owl hooted. A wild animal, possibly a mountain lion or his lover's angry brother, shrieked. Krillin didn't dare turn to look behind him.

Juuhachigou grabbed his arm, dragging him into a ditch. Her arm went around him, as his did the same, forced to become children again as they waited for death to arrive.

"Oh Kami, oh Kami."

Spots darted out and disappeared before his eyes. His life flashed before his eyes, and he was grateful for the time he'd had. He had been part of amazing things, had helped save the world a couple of times, and Juuhachigou had slept with him. On a list of things he wanted to do, but never thought he'd never accomplish, he could cross off a few things. When he arrived in the otherworld, he would have a few stories to tell Goku.

Five minutes passed.

She nudged against him, her legs rubbing against his. Their hips touched. His eyes widened.

"Juuhachigou? You can't be serious."

"Coward."

Her smile was the same smile that had won his heart in the first place. That daredevil, I'm-going-to-hell-but-I'm-taking-you-with-me smile that narrowed her gleeful eyes.

"What if he finds us?"

"Well, then, we should hurry up then before he does so."

"You are the oddest woman."

She held his hand. In the darkness, her pale skin glowed. They'd never done it in full darkness, and he wondered why. They went slow. They were still fish, but very delicious fish, ones that could be served in high quality restaurants. Her hair hung down her shoulders, nearly touching his face. People would pay a lot for a pound of them. Her eyes were closed. Invincible fish that couldn't be held back by anything or anyone.

Juuhachigou said something he never would have believed possible when they're first met, or even for a long time after that.

Krillin was able to completely forget the maniac coming after them.

They looked up into the stars overhead.

Her shame was nearly a tangible thing. She was nearly cringing. He slipped his arm around her shoulder. "It's okay, s'okay, I love you too."

"Yeah, yeah, let's just get this over with before those perverts wake up."

"The price of having roommates."

"The price of living in a place that doesn't charge rent."

"Hey, that's not the only reason we live here. Just arguably the main one. Okay, okay. With this remote, evil temptress android—"

"What? Stop that. You're supposed to be threatening. Stop giggling."

"Sure. Now, if you don't listen to me, I'll shut you down."

"You know, this is losing its thrill. Let's just stop. It's getting weird."

"Hey. You can't go anywhere. You're clearly a dangerous threat to Earth. Seriously. I'm going to have to shut you down. Unless, well, if you'd like to prevent that…"
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