Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Redemption ❯ Repercussions ( Chapter 1 )

I feel heavy. This is the first thing that I sense. The next thoughts are of the warmth surrounding me and the exhaustion that's inwardly begging me to stop sensing things and just slip back into the blank void. I suddenly register a pain around my midsection.

Snapping my eyes open, I suddenly regret it, hissing quietly and closing my eyes again. I try lifting a hand up to shield them from the bright light that's blinded me, but abruptly find that my arms are either so heavy I cannot lift them, or I'm being restrained. I'm not sure which. Slowly peeling my eyelids open and ignoring the silent protest they're giving me by watering, I squint at the ceiling.

So, I'm in a room. But how the heck did I get here? This isn't where I sleep…

And just as suddenly as the pain had hit me earlier, I remember what had happened before I fell asleep. Jerking in a panic, I groan when I realize that doing so may not have been a good idea. The pain in my abdomen increases ten fold and throbs at me angrily. Panting with the sheer force of the wave of pain, I collapse back into a boneless posture.

`Weak,' it hisses at me. I shiver and feel the beginning of tears form in my eyes. Squinting them shut again, I wonder what has happened. Before I have time to do so, a voice (from outside of my mind this time) rouses me and I blearily open my eyes again.

"Vegeta! You're awake!" he says joyfully. I stare at him dumbly, in shock.

I'm not dead. But… how?...

"I found you in the middle of nowhere…" he says mournfully. He looks away, and I know what he's thinking. He's pitying me. He knew full well what I had been doing. What I had been trying to do. Yet again, he had to swoop in and save my pathetic ass from dying just in time.

He probably brought me here and… what? Force fed me a senzu? Had the green midget use his powers to heal me? Or something else? How the hell did I get here? Where was here?

"Vegeta…" he whispers, turning to look me in the eyes. I can't look away, no matter how much I want to.

"Vegeta… why?"

I remain silent. I'm feeling nauseous and I think I'm getting dizzy.

"Why did you save me Kakarrot?" I ask, my throat dry and raspy. He notes this and grabs a glass of water from a small table. Putting a straw in it, he holds it by my mouth. I refuse, turning my head to the side and give him a sideways glare for not answering my question, and for not letting me die in the first place. If I had the energy to scream at him, I would.

I see him frown from the corner of my eye and finally am able to look away. I stare at the white wall to my side instead.

And jump when I'm met with an orange-clad body.

Letting my eyes travel upward, I stop at his face. He still has the glass held in one hand. His face is set, scowling at me. I blink once, confused. What did I do?

And abruptly I find the side of my head being pressed against the pillow and the straw in the glass of water poking my mouth.

"Drink," he commands. He's holding my head still so I won't turn away again. My stomach turns and I tightly shut my eyes, trying to block out everything. Why did the room have to be so bright? Why did the idea of drinking water appeal to me so, even when I wanted so desperately to die? Why didn't he just let me die?

"Vegeta, I'm not going to let you die on me!" he yells. Strange, how much emotion is in his voice. Even stranger is how he keeps echoing my thoughts out loud.

My mouth is pried open unwillingly and the straw inserted between my teeth. But he can't make me drink. I won't drink. If I don't drink or eat, I won't have to prolong my life. I can die. It will be more painful, but I've been through worse. I'll take the pain if it means that I can finally rest. I wonder if I can be more tired than I am now. I'm falling asleep again.

But he's just too stubborn. He won't let up, trying to make me live. Won't let me sleep until he's sure that I'll live to wake again. What's wrong with him? Why does he care if I live or die?

Abruptly my eyes snap open again in shock. He's… he's… my brain failed to comprehend what he's doing. Until I felt the water being forced into my mouth via his mouth. It wasn't enough that he was kissing me. No. He had to force me to drink while kissing me! I unwillingly swallow a mouthful of the sweet water (until he told me otherwise, I believed that it was purposely flavored that way before he had it in his mouth) but he's still lingering in my mouth. For a brief instant, the urge to bite his damn tongue off flickers through me and my teeth close over it, holding it still. I see his eyes flicker open in surprise and he blushes, apparently embarrassed that he had stayed a bit longer than necessary.

Just as soon as it had come, the urge fades away into nothing. I let go of his tongue and relax. Let him have me then. I don't care anymore.

"S-s-sorry…" he stutters out, after removing himself from me. He's blushing still, looking away. But, unlike last time, it's not out of pity for me. It's shame in himself.

"Don't be." I say shortly. My voice sounds less tortured now that the water has cooled my throat. I silently curse Kakarrotto and his insistence. But I do feel slightly better. Physically at least.

There's a long silence. He slowly brings the glass and its straw up to my lips and pleads with me through his eyes. He looks mournful.

So I decide the damage has already been done and it can't get any worse. I latch onto the end of the straw and drink with all the energy I have left. It quickly emptied, and my energy is spent. Exhausted, I let my eyes close and sigh as the straw is drawn out of my mouth. Maybe he'll let me get some sleep now…

As my consciousness slips away, I distantly hear a comforting rumbling sound and feel a warm, safe, protecting presence envelop my mind. The other thing in my mind growls its discontent, but I ignore it and concentrate as much as I can on the comforting hand petting my scalp and fingers brushing my hair. I cease to remember that there is a person there at all, much less who it is. Utterly spent, I fall back asleep.