Fighting A Losing Battle

Disclaimer: Krillin, Vegeta and any related characters do NOT belong to me. I just use them for my own and other's sick enjoyment. I make no money from this, although I do sometimes upload at work. Enjoy!


-Fighting a Losing Battle-


Oh, Kami, no... Krillin thought as he struggled against his restraints. Why hadn't he just given up the Dragonball when he had the chance? The sight of Vegeta burying his fist into the guts of that Zarbon guy should have served as a fair warning that Krillin stood no chance against the Saiyan prince. But he had fought and he had lost without throwing a single punch.


Bulma had picked up the Dragonball where Krillin had laid it down, apparently in an attempt to protect it. Krillin had charged in towards Vegeta but the Saiyan had pulled what could only be described as a fake out. He dipped to one side and got around Krillin. From there, he darted to Bulma, wrapped one strong hand around her neck and squeezed. Tightly.

Krillin turned to attack properly, but Bulma's squawking cry stopped him in his tracks. Vegeta stepped behind Bulma and smiled maliciously at the bald human. Krillin lowered his arms in defeat, knowing Vegeta held all the chips now.

"Much better." he cooed. He fished around in the blue backpack Bulma wore. he pulled out a long sleeved shirt. He made a face that seemed to convey that it would work for his purposes, whatever they might be. He freed his hold on Bulma's neck and spat: "Drop it, you miserable woman."

Bulma did so without hesitation. The Dragonball bounced harmlessly onto the grass. A moment later, the knapsack was gone and Bulma's hands were being bound behind her with the shirt sleeves.

"Bulma!" Krillin cried "Don't you touch her, you bastard!"

Vegeta smiled again and tangled a hand into Bulma's hair. He pulled harshly, inhaling her scent as she lurched nearer, and simultaneously twisted Bulma's bound arm at an unnatural angle. Bulma screamed to Krillin.

From there, rage had clouded Krillin's sight, because he had rushed forward, meaning to make Vegeta regret ever coming near Bulma. A flash of white hot pain had come to him next and the world went black.


Krillin woke, the head wound, undoubtedly caused be Vegeta, dripping blood down into his left eye. He looked around at his surroundings. He noticed his belt had been untied and now bound his wrists in front of him. He feet were bound at the ankles with an old rope, most likely from Bulma's pack. He was laying on the grass in a small dip in the side of the cave they were hiding in previously. The one star Dragonball sat in one corner of this little rock surrounded clearing, but Vegeta was nowhere to be seen. Krillin looked over to his right and saw Bulma, unconscious as he was moments before.

Oh, Kami, no... He thought as he struggled against his restraints. Krillin crawled on his belly over to Bulma and tried to shake her with his shoulders.

"Bulma..." he hissed "Bulma, wake up."

She roused uncertainly and looked up to the man half - kneeling beside and half leaning on her.

"Krillin? Oh my God! Are you okay?" she asked, panicked.

"I'm fine. What about you?" he replied. If he could touch her face, he would have.

"Well, good afternoon." a voice from the opening of the tiny clearing chuckled. Both humans looked over to the cause of the voice. Vegeta swaggered up, fists planted firmly on his hips. When he reached them, he kicked Krillin away cruelly. Krillin skidded across the ground, kicking up dust. He looked up at his captor with cold eyes. Vegeta starred back unimpressed. He then turned and kneeled beside Bulma.

"Stay away from her!" Krillin snapped.

Vegeta chuckled deep in his throat, turning his head to give Krillin a crass smirk over his shoulder.

"Or you'll do what...?"

Krillin began to fumble to his knees.

"Move and she dies." Vegeta said in a tone as jovial as if he was having afternoon tea. Krillin was disgusted to see that he smiled just as jovially.

Krillin practically flopped over onto his side, his severe gaze never wavering.

Bulma shook in terror as Vegeta looked back to her. The ability to speak was a distant art to her now.

"You poor stupid little human." Vegeta snarled down at her "You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into." His hand traced her cheek ever so lightly for a moment before he slapped her open handedly. Bulma shrieked.

"Vegeta! Stop!" Krillin cried. Vegeta whirled around, and fixed him with a harsh stare.

"And why should I?" He snorted. Krillin took a second or two to collect his thoughts. Any arguments Krillin could think of, he knew would fall on deaf ears.

"Vegeta, just...What has he done to you? What has she done to deserve this?" He asked, not knowing what else to say.

"She's kept me from that Dragonball..."Vegeta's hissed. His voice was dark and deep and cruel.

"That was me. All of that was me." Krillin shook his head frantically.

"Then...nothing." Vegeta's voice was strangely corporate. He anticipated a bargain in the near future. He was intrigued.

"Then don't hurt her." Krillin squeezed his eyes shut, painfully "Please."

Vegeta's eyes widened a little, as he was what he thought to be the ghost of tears clinging to Krillin's eyelashes. A moment later, his smile matched the wideness of his eyes, lips pulling back to show straight gleaming teeth.

"Oh...How heartwarming." his voice dripped in saccharine sweet sentiments. He took a handful of Bulma's jacket and hoisted her up into a sitting position so she could see where Krillin lay. "You should see this, woman. Look how at how the little man pleads for you. He begs so sweetly."

Vegeta threw his head back and had a good long cackle at that. He soon quieted and let his head lull to one side where it landed on Bulma's shoulder. He locked eyes with Krillin, painted with a wide grin, lips covering teeth, that made the monk hate him that much more. Bulma began to tremble. Vegeta reached up, taking Bulma's chin in his hand.

"Your concern for her is really quite touching. I wonder how much she really means to you. Yes, I wonder... Is she your lover? Or..." Vegeta looked down at Bulma's shaking body "...Do you only wish that to yourself at night?"

Krillin growled and blushed, but said nothing.

"Krillin...?" Bulma breathed. He eyes screamed for help, even though she knew Krillin could nothing for her.

Vegeta lifted his head from Bulma's shoulder and sighed tediously as he took a good long look at Bulma's face, turning it this way and that. Bulma looked anywhere but at Vegeta's face.

"She's beautiful. For a dirty human, that is. Beg for me some more and I might just contain myself from-" Vegeta began to reach beneath the thigh length hem of Bulma's jacket.

"Don't do it, Vegeta! Please, Just leave her alone!" Krillin yelled suddenly.

Vegeta nodded, muttering a thoughtful "Hmmm..."

"She has nothing to do with this," Krillin continued desperately "And she has nothing to do with you. If you've got any problems, take them up with me. Use me as you punching bag, if you want, but not Bulma. Never Bulma. Please...please don't. I beg you."

Vegeta, apparently pleased with this, unceremoniously dropped Bulma and slowly cracked the joints in his neck. Krillin lay there, anticipation of whether or not Vegeta would actually keep his word and if he did, what terrors he'd have in store for him pounding in Krillin's stomach like a glass marble in a vice. Like a Dragonball about to be cracked.

Vegeta didn't stand, as Krillin expected he might, but crawled the short distance on hands and knees. Krillin had a feeling if Vegeta still had a tail, it would be standing straight up and twitching rhythmically. Krillin didn't like that feeling. When Vegeta reached him, Krillin closed his eyes and braced himself, waiting for the pummeling to begin. The moment lingered as he heard Vegeta move, but felt no pain. Krillin smelled sweat, what he thought was blood (He didn't know if it was his own or that of Zarbon's, still staining Vegeta's glove) and a final unfamiliar odor. It was musky; warm; thick. That was undeniably Vegeta's scent. It reminded Krillin of the natural high of battle. Only Vegeta would have a scent like that.

Krillin dared to crack open one eye, to see why Vegeta hadn't yet crushed his skull like a watermelon. What he saw was Vegeta looming over him with his hands framing Krillin's face, flat on the ground at the level of his ears. Krillin rolled over onto his back, staring straight up at Vegeta in shock.

"You're very persuasive." he said. His voice was now silky and low, but still dangerous. Only now it seemed dangerous in a different way.

Vegeta lifted his right hand and Krillin cringed. Suprisingly, he brought his index and middle fingers down on Krillin's forehead and began to tap up and down it, using the six little marks as a guideline, in an almost distracted way. Krillin could even dare call it loving. Vegeta fingers trailed down the middle of Krillin's face. Krillin didn't know if it was it was nerves or if Vegeta had lingered on his lips for just a moment too long. He slipped those fingers under Krillin's chin, lifting his face just so, to align perfectly with his own.

"All of you lovely begging has convinced me." he hushed. He roughly brought his mouth against Krillin's. Krillin gasped into Vegeta's mouth. The Saiyan prince took this opportunity to plunge his tongue into the mouth of the man beneath him. Krillin weakly gripped at Vegeta's armor, trying to push him off, but his bound hands were hindering him greatly. Vegeta's tongue swept across Kirllin's teeth, the roof of his mouth and hollows of his cheeks; any surface he could taste and thus claim for himself. Gloved hands slid behind Kirllin's smooth head, locking his body against Vegeta's. Krillin's eyes darted about in a panic. He caught glimpses of the temporarily forgotten Dragonball; Bulma staring at him with utter disbelief painting her features; Vegeta's face, eyes closed, a study in sensual concentration. The knot of anger in Krillin chest flared higher. He caught Vegeta's tongue between his teeth and bit down hard. Vegeta yelped and pulled away, falling back on his ass. Krillin's head clunked against the ground and he turned his head to gasp for air. (He hadn't realized how badly he needed it until that moment.)

Vegeta sat a moment with his hands slapped over his mouth, growling venomously. Krillin smiled at Vegeta, enjoying his small victory. Suddenly Vegeta lunged for the small human, snarling. Krillin could actually see a bit little bit of blood sparkling on his teeth. Krillin's arms flew above his head, becoming painfully pinned to the dusty ground. Vegeta sat on Krillin's legs, hunched over him like a wild animal. And really that's what he was.

"You little worm! How dare you!" he barked. He swiftly cuffed Krillin in the head, causing his head wound to start bleeding again. When Vegeta spoke again, his voice was a smooth, almost conversational tone.

"You really shouldn't be so foolish, you know. I could kill you right now, but I'm choosing not to. I'm choosing to let you live and that makes you a very lucky human." He leaned in, his knees pressing uncomfortably against Krillin's hips His voice was much graver when he spoke again "Don't press your luck."

Krillin lay there, unsure of what to say or what to do next, aside from try and keep his fear under wraps. Vegeta released Krillin's arms from where he held them down and sat up straight. He crossed his arms expectantly and looked down at the monk expectantly.

"Remember." He smiled "It's either you," He favored Bulma with an icy glare "Or her."

Krillin looked over to Bulma himself. He prayed his expression looked reassuring, but he was almost positive he was doing a terrible job. Unable to look at Bulma any longer, he turned to Vegeta, sat up and slipped his bound arms around the Saiyan's neck.

"Very good." Vegeta purred. He patted Krillin on the bald head, like a favored pet.

Krillin refused to look up into Vegeta's face, so instead looked away to the side, trying to focus on the ground. Vegeta's arms folded around Krillin's back, pressing the side of Kirllin's face to Vegeta's chest. Krillin once again cursed his short stature because he could hear Vegeta's heartbeat through the cracked yet still useful armor. It upset him to know Vegeta had a heart, for some reason.

Krillin's skin crawled as he felt Vegeta begin to draw lazy circles through the thin fabric of his orange fighting uniform. Vegeta clutched a little more possessively and Krillin got the idea that Vegeta wouldn't just let him sit there. He looked to the Saiyan prince and pulled him just close enough to lay a soft, tentative kiss on his neck. Vegeta chuckled deeply and a hand found its way to the back of Krillin's head, urging him to continue his work, which Krillin complied to, if somewhat begrudgingly. Krillin could feel the vibration of Vegeta's deep chortling on his lips. He really didn't care for it, though he didn't know if it was worse than kissing Vegeta's lips. He had a chance to test that theory, when Vegeta beckoned him to his mouth. He was wrong. In comparison, Vegeta's lips were not exactly bad. Then again, Vegeta was rolling his hips against him. That could be clouding his judgment. The amount of blood flowing straight to his crotch due to the Saiyan's gyrations was defiantly distracting to say the least.

Krillin hated to say it, but this...this was sexy. It was supposed to be horrible and wrong and in every way not what Krillin wanted, but it wasn't. With that, all of his resistance was shattered and Krillin returned the prince's kiss with fire and passion, giving himself over to the dangerous fantasy if only for a moment. He held onto the nape of Vegeta's neck and tangled his fingers into his dark strands of hair. Vegeta opened the kiss wider, making Krillin's breath one with his own. Vegeta roughly tore Krillin's sleeve, revealing the cream colored skin beneath. He bit down on the exposed shoulder, leaving Krillin's mouth vacant. Krillin almost preferred it the other way. Without Vegeta's lips on his own, he had to stifle a moan by clenching his jaw tight.

He felt Vegeta smile against his skin and heard more fabric rip. He cautiously opened his eyes. He turned his gaze to the Saiyan just in time to see Vegeta bite his left nipple. He gasped and threw his head back, hissing at the pain. That brought Krillin back to his senses. Pain wasn't his thing but that apparently wasn't the case with the Saiyan prince.

Vegeta's torture continued, and he attacked the monk's neck and chest with kisses that were more bites than anything else. Krillin tolerated it, trying not to show any reaction. A bite his collar bone began to bleed lightly and Vegeta ran his tongue over it, soothing the pain away. He swung Krillin's arms from around his neck and Krillin fell, his breath hitching to a faster pace, onto his back. He looked up at Vegeta, who stared right back, crawled to Krillin's feet and ripped Kirllin's ghi down the stomach, stopping right at his hip bone. Careful gloved hands traced the flat stomach, deliberately coming close but then straying away from Krillin's prominent erection. Krillin shivered.

God damn it. Fucking tease... Krillin growled then scolded himself for thinking it.

Vegeta's hands left Kirllin's body and the monk cursed his betraying lips for letting a needy whimper escape. Vegeta lifted his armor over his head. This was his only body suit; he wasn't going to rip it to shreds. The possibilities before him were endless and the daunting task of choosing to begin was tingling in his brain the way a lemon tingles in the sides of one's mouth. He toyed with these thoughts for a moment as he gazed down at his barely dressed captive.

A blush bloomed like a pair of pale pink roses high on the monk's cheeks. He was panting. Vegeta couldn't tell if it was from anticipation or unfulfilled desire. He decided on a little of both. Krillin's expression of fearful defiance remained solid. Vegeta loved it. It reminded him of the moment before a particularly good kill and Vegeta's permanent connection between battle and sex transported the images directly to his half erect cock, bringing it to full hardness. He seized his package and gave a soft squeeze, enticing a satisfied little hiss from parted lips. The feelings were all the more enjoyable as his eye caught the bound man before him quiver again. It was so minute, Vegeta almost missed it. Vegeta found the monk's will icing on the cake. He was glad he hadn't overlooked a will so strong. Krillin would protest to wake the very dead at one moment and the next the baldheaded little simpleton would automatically be begging for more.

So be it then.

Vegeta's gloves were the first thing to go. It would be an absolute crime to keep his gloves on any longer. The promise of skin dewy with sweat was just too inciting.

The navy body suit was next. Vegeta pulled it off slowly than he normally would when he saw Krillin's eyes follow him. Why not tease the little fucker a bit longer?

Krillin was mesmerized. His gaze drifted over Vegeta's body, well-toned and muscled from a life of battle. Strong shoulders and arms came free from the body suit, making Krillin's mouth go dry. Tight blue material peeled away from delicious skin and Krillin watched in agonized delight. The suit slipped lower, revealing a pair of jutting hipbones, the very beginning of thighs and then Vegeta was exposed. Krillin's mouth was no longer dry. In fact, it was practically watering. He felt disgusting for it, but couldn't help it.

A final rip of orange fabric assaulted Krillin's ears. He shivered at the rush of air that made his cock twitch. He lay frozen, not exactly afraid. At least not afraid of Vegeta killing him just yet.

A warm hand wrapped around his length. Vegeta pumped once, slowly. The jolt of pleasure shuddered throughout Krillin's body. Vegeta chortled at the sound of Kirllin's fulfilled moan and continued to pump his hand over the sensitive member. Krillin closed his eyes and tried to think of something else. Anything else. To Vegeta, Krillin knew, this wasn't about sex. Oh no, this was about control. He wanted to control Krillin by humiliation and his own want. Krillin knew he had to fight it but it felt so good!

Suddenly inspiration struck. Krillin began to focus on his breathing, eyes still shut. He went into a mediation state. In his mind's eye, Krillin no longer saw Vegeta. He completely shut out his images, even though he couldn't stop the pleasurable sensations. In Vegeta's place, Krillin imagined Bulma.

Krillin had always wanted Bulma. Even, perhaps, loved her. He could count a hundred instances where he had tried to confess his feelings to her, but always failed, tripping over his words or his own feet. Bulma was beautiful and confident and Krillin could never find the right words, so he was confined to his quiet late night fantasies of her. She was such a tempting subject to place Krillin's thoughts on.

She would be so beautiful, blue hair falling over bare shoulders as she leaned in to kiss him. Krillin moaned at the thought. He could imagine her splendid body pressed against him, long legs leading to full hips, the expanse of a smooth stomach and round breasts. Her hands would slip around his neck and as they made love, she would whisper his name over and over, mantra-like: "Krillin, Krillin, Oh Krillin..."

Krillin squirmed under the touch. He was close.

He could see Bulma reaching orgasm. Her face was flush and she held the back of one hand near her mouth as she panted hotly beneath Krillin. Her thighs quaked. She locked them against Krillin's hips, quick moans issuing from her with every thrust. Krillin cupped one of her breasts, caressing a candy pink nipple with his thumb, making her moan louder.

Krillin shook, trying to hold back. His nails bit into his clenched palms.

Krillin heard Bulma crying out to him, begging him to make her come. Her back arched and she clawed at his back, completion taking over. A final escalating cry tore itself from the woman's throat and Krillin imagined hot glowing skin pressed tightly to him as Bulma's body was racked with the remains of absolute pleasure. Krillin couldn't hold back any longer.

"Ah! Bulma!!" Krillin shouted, thin ropes of cum shooting all over his own stomach and Vegeta's hand.

The moment he shouted that, he regretted it. He looked, eyes wide with terror, breath heavy and quivering, at the Saiyan. He didn't see anger as he thought he might. Only momentary surprise and then venomous amusement. Vegeta chuckled, still lazily sliding his fingers over the quickly diminishing member. He made sure to collect and spread as much of Krillin's seed over his finger as he could. Krillin's face filled with blood, shame heavy within him for letting something like that slip.

Krillin felt one hand untying the bindings on his feet and Vegeta reached past his the ripped fabric around Krillin's legs to lightly rub a cum soaked finger against Krillin's opening. Krillin gasped and squirmed, weary of the curious stimulus. Vegeta leaned in, pressing his middle finger in slowly. Krillin hissed with the pain of the intrusion and stared up at Vegeta's face that cruelly grinned about two inches away from his own.

A second finger entered and scissored against the first. He crooked them and slid them out. He put them back in, removed them, slid them back, removed them a second time, plunged them in deep. Krillin tried to shut his eyes, meditate, detach himself again, but a smart slap in the face brought him quickly back to reality. Vegeta held his face still in one hand.

"You look at me!" he commanded, severely. He pushed hard on Krillin's face for emphasis, digging the back of the monk's head against the hard ground, before taking his hand away.

A third finger plunged in, unmercifully. A few tense seconds passed and then the digits retreated, leaving Krillin feeling strangely empty. He knew what came next. Vegeta would be satisfied and Krillin judged by the size of the Saiyan, it wouldn't be pretty. Fresh humiliation rose in the human.

There were no warnings; no apologies. Just a swift, maddening pain that not even Krillin's partially prepared entrance could ease. He howled a testament to his own agony. Vegeta settled within the monk, taking a moment to enjoy the hot tightness surrounding his member. He took Kirllin's face in one hand. Krillin quivered at the sticky feeling of his own cum on his cheek.

Vegeta began to pump relentlessly, not playing about anymore. No more teasing; no more games. He moaned out loud, long awaited pleasure finding him. He pressed against Krillin's shoulder with both hands and changed the angle at which he was hitting the human.

Krillin whimpered helplessly, pain slowly giving way to strange...nice feelings. Vegeta's scent came to him heavier. His head began to swim. That heady, battle high scent was somehow soothing and exciting at the same time. Krillin felt some wretched connection to the Saiyan through this smell, perhaps warrior's spirit or, more likely, the need to satisfy animalistic cravings like battle...and sex.

Krillin cried out, staring up into Vegeta's eyes. He wanted to prove his strength to the prince, and if strength of pride and defiance during this forced union was the only way, so be it. This was his battle and even though he had shown a moment of weakness when he thought to use Bulma as-

Oh no! Bulma!

Krillin tried to look to Bulma. He had forgotten about her this whole time. To think, the poor woman had to witness Krillin being violated. Not only that, but the Krillin's little slip up in calling out for her must have been all the more humiliating for Bulma. Krillin found his chance to look as Vegeta shut his eyes with a growling moan through his teeth. Bulma has rolled over onto her side, facing away from the horrible sight. She had curled herself into a ball and Krillin could see she was shaking, quietly crying most likely. Vegeta barked another satisfied sound and Bulma jumped at it. Krillin's heart went out to her.

A hard tug on his newly firmed member shook a shout of surprise and pain from Krillin's lips. He saw Bulma jump once more before obeying Vegeta's "request" and turning back to the prince. He was rewarded with a rough kiss. Why Vegeta believed he had to try so hard to establish dominance at this point was lost on Krillin.

Hot hands clamped on the back of Kirllin's scratched head, bringing his body flush against Vegeta's. As he thrust, Vegeta's body rubbed against Krillin's length. The monk panted as sweat glistened and slicked his skin. This was just too much. Krillin's long moan was muted by Vegeta's mouth. Vegeta's responded to this with a few deliberate slow pushes. Krillin's moans intensified. So much for strength of pride.

Vegeta bit down on Krillin's tongue; revenge for earlier. He didn't bite down hard enough to brake the skin. The taste of blood would have ruined Krillin's own unique flavor. Burning dusty days of training, dormant power. If those things has a true existing taste, it clung thickly to Krillin. Vegeta was happily surprised to feel Krillin bucking against him now. All that fight in him and still the little runt couldn't resist what Vegeta had to offer. The Saiyan decided to give him what he wanted so badly. After all, he had put up such a valiant fight and had been one delicious challenge

Vegeta pumped with reckless abandon now. Krillin arched his back and Vegeta held him, of all things, delicately just below his ribs. The prince took a gamble and untied Krillin's wrists. If there was going to be anymore trouble.

Hands free, the thought of escape barely flashed through Krillin's head. Just jumbled bits of MoreFasterDeeperOhPleaseNow!! played on loop like a scratched record. Vegeta brought his mouth down on Krillin's flesh, greedily lapping at the monk's heaving chest. No more biting, Krillin was pleased to find, just maddening passes of soft wet sensation on his skin.

Clumsy hands, now free to roam, became tangled in wild black hair. Krillin cried out unintelligible sounds of pleasure, grasping for dear life, wrapping his ankles around the backs of Vegeta's thighs, pleading for relief that stood just so agonizingly out of reach.

It came to him harder than he could have hoped. Vegeta laughed, low and labored as he bore down with his head resting against Krillin's left shoulder. Krillin just laid there, half-lidded and dazed. he stared blankly, focused on the dark circular scar at the base of Vegeta's spine that marked where his tail used to be.

Vegeta exploded inside his captive. Krillin felt one more agonizing jolt of shame pierce his brain. There were a few more intentional thrusts from the Saiyan before he pulled out. He reared up on his knees and pulled up his jumpsuit, adjusting his recently released member to a more comfortableposition. He took a moment to look down at his captive. Krillin gazed off into the distance, his eyes dark and glazed. Vegeta came down quickly on his shoulder, marking his territory with his teeth. He laved at the angry red mark before pulling away for the last time. Krillin never felt it.

The Saiyan slipped his armor and gloves on and strode over to Bulma to untie her. Bulma dared not move. Vegeta scooped up the Dragonball, caressing it lightly before tucking it under his arm. He turned to leave, stopped, glanced back and then left, his business done. Bulma watched until the vapor trail faded away.

There was a long silence. Krillin rolled away from her onto his side, his arms wrapped around his mid section. Bulma crawled to him. She wasn't sure if she had the strength to stand at this moment. She reached Krillin, apparently unnoticed, and lifted her hand to touch him. She hesitated, not sure what physical contact would do to him. She acted against he first instincts and gently touched his arm. Krillin jumped and turned to look at Bulma with wide eyes. He calmed after realizing who it was. He actually tried to smile. It broke Bulma's heart.

He was trying so hard. This faux reassuring token smeared into a flat painful grimace, as again (at least in his own eyes) Krillin failed at something in Bulma's presence. They stared like strangers for an eternal moment. Not knowing what else to do, Krillin crawled into Bulma's embrace, fisting handfuls of her coat, like a child. Bulma received him, unquestioningly. She held him in his tattered clothes, letting him hide his face in her bosom. Their was nothing perverted or undesirable in this. Not now.

She surveyed the damage. She wondered what they could possibly tell Gohan when he returned. This were no ordinary battle damage. Each injury was suspicious to something foul in there own ways. Although Krillin was covered in scraps (some actually quite deep) and bruises, the cuts on his head and the backs of his shoulders were the worst. That first head wound had stopped bleeding, and was mostly dried blood snarled in Krillin's left eyebrow. His wrists were burned something awful from his bindings and Bulma could swear that bite mark Vegeta had sealed the act with was laughing at her. She wouldn't look, but was sure Krillin had been ripped up especially bad at his entrance. And all she had gotten away with was a slap on the cheek. She hated herself for it.

She was startled from her observations when she noticed Krillin was shaking in her arms. He shook harder, pitiful whimpers coming out muffled in the folds of Bulma's jacket. He looked up to her, eyes brimming with tears.

"I'm sorry." He sobbed, reaching to touch the red mark on Bulma's face that was already beginning to swell. He pulled his hand back before he could contact.

The tears flowed undaunted. Krillin wailed to her and she just held him tighter, resting her cheek against his head.

"I'm sorry." he said again.

"No...no," Bulma stroked Krillin's head gingerly "Krillin...you saved me. You saved me from him! You're...you're my hero."

Krillin turned his head to the side. He could hear her heart beating. It reminded him of Vegeta's heartbeat.

"But you had to...He made you lay there while he-" Krillin could finish that thought.

"That wasn't your fault. You don't need to apologize for that."

"No. You heard me...yell. For you." Krillin continued aside; more to himself "And I know you'll never want me that way."

Bulma caught that much and it was then that neglected tears sprung up in her eyes.

"Oh Krillin..." She sighed unhappily and all too knowingly. The former monk felt her tear roll from her cheek and down his own temple. And like two children lost in the dark woods of a fairy tale, they held each other and just stayed that way.