Vejita sat back in the large recliner, ignoring the weather reports that blared throughout the house from the not too small TV. He checked his, then realized he didn't have any pockets. So, he checked his gloves and boots, knowing he often stuffed things into the hidden pockets of the often-bleached material. Finally, he thought he'd found what he was looking for in his left boot. By now he'd gained the attention of a few occupants of the room, and they were all surprised when he pulled out a joint rather than a cigarette.
Goku chose that moment to come down the stairs, wearing nothing more than a pair of light blue, cotton boxers and a somewhat snug-fitting white, cotton muscle shirt, "What you guys doin'? What's tha weather say?"
"Rain." Roshi said, slurping from his beer.
Goku chuckled, plopping down on the couch, the seat nearest to Vejita, the one left purposely open in attempt to avoid the strange new member to their group.
"Anyone got a light?" Vejita asked, hoping to lighten the mood, then reminding himself that he didn't care what they thought of him.
"Light?" Goku asked, looking from the ceiling's lone bulb to several of the surrounding lamps, quite sure they were all burning.
Vejita reached an arm out, catching the boy's attention and then holding up the joint, "A light." He said, wondering curiously if the fool would get it.
"Oh, no, no one smokes here," Goku said, shrugging, "Why dontcha use your ki?"
Vejita remained still for a moment, rolling the thought over and over in his head.
"Here." Goku said, leaning over the armrest, reaching forward and concentrating on the tiny flame within. It didn't take long for him to produce a light blue glowing energy around his index finger.
Vejita pressed the rolled paper end of his joint against the boy's finger, disappointed when nothing happened, "Guess it got a little damp from the rain."
Roshi slurped at his beer again as he changed channels, searching for aerobics, "Why don't you use the stove?" he said without looking away from the TV, having found what he was looking for.
"Ah, good idea." Goku exclaimed, taking the strange little cigarette from his friend, heading for the kitchen.
He returned quickly, having successfully fulfilled his mission, "Here ya go." He said, handing the joint back to Vejita.
Smirking, Vejita held the tightly rolled, somewhat large joint to his lips, inhaling, and holding the smoke in his lungs.
"You know that's bad for you, right?" Bulma said in a very annoyed tone. Perhaps Roshi didn't care, too involved in watching voluptuous women stretch, Maron oblivious, nearly asleep on the other end of the couch, Chi-Chi and Rio lost in a private conversation on the loveseat, but she cared, and it seemed Krillin and Yamcha did too. They were staring right along with her.
"Hn, but it doesn't affect me like it does you weak humans."
"Then why smoke it?" Yamcha asked, attitude in his voice as well as in his expression.
"I mean, it doesn't cause me illness. What is it called? Cancer. My lungs are stronger than that." Vejita explained, exhaling, blowing the smoke in their direction, knowing it wouldn't make it, but hoped they'd stop questioning.
"Why smoke it at all?" Goku asked, his head tilted slightly in curiosity.
"Well, it's calming," Vejita said, knowing the boy wasn't satisfied by the look on his face, "You know how good it feels to relax all your muscles after training? Well, your mind gets no rest after thinking out strategies and contemplating your opponents moves… This relaxes your mind. Know what I mean?"
Goku was completely amazed, "Yes! Takes me hours to calm down after trainin' or sparrin'." Vejita smirked, "Want to try it?"
Goku nodded furiously, reaching for the supposed miracle drug.
"Goku! Do you know what you're doing?" Krillin said, interrupting.
"Really! Do you even pay attention when we have anti-drug demonstrations at school?" Bulma screeched.
"Huh? But didn't you hear? Jita said it doesn't bother him, so, it won't bother me either." Goku said simply, turning his attention back to the task at hand. He took what seemed to be nothing more than a tissue rolled up, burning slowly and held it as he'd seen Vejita doing.
"Just inhale and hold." Vejita said, sitting back, letting his eyes slide shut as his mind slowed and it became so much easier to think.
Goku pressed his lips on the joint, sucking in, quickly realizing that he'd done so too strongly. He coughed lightly, clearing his throat before making a second attempt. This time he sucked in lighter, feeling the smoke slowly filling his lungs. He did as instructed, holding the joint out for Vejita to take back, but still held his breath.
"I can't believe this. Rain or no rain. I'm leaving. Krillin, give us a ride home?" Bulma said, highly upset, quickly making the decision for both her and Yamcha.
"Well, I don't want to make a bunch of trips. Is everyone ready to go?" Krillin asked, gaining everyone's attention.
"Yeah, I guess so." Chi-Chi said, looking questioningly to Rio, who quickly nodded.
"Okay, lets go then," Bulma said, "See ya in school, Goku."
"Kay." Goku answered, exhaling at the same time, unaware of the extent of her anger. A few of the others said their goodbyes before they all exited the large house, hurrying out the door and through the rain to the aircraft Krillin had just un-capsuled.
"When should we get back?" Vejita said once the room had emptied.
"Let's stay here, I feel too weird to fly. And I need ta go to school tomorrow " Goku said, speaking through groggy sleepiness.
"Hn, why not?" Vejita said through a shrug, more a statement than a question, pinching out the joint, stuffing the unused half back in his boot.
"S'go upstairs. Night, Roshi." Goku mumbled, rising to his feet and stumbling to the stairs, Vejita in tow.
"Night." Roshi called once they were half way up the stairs, too engrossed in the aerobics program to look away.
"This is your room?" Vejita asked, stepping into the large sparsely decorated bedroom, quickly noticing that there was a double size bed on one side and a futon mattress lying on the floor on the other side. He instantly knew that this room was shared, the side with the bed was littered with little trinkets and books and other odd possessions. The side with nothing more than a futon mattress, didn't even have a dresser, only a short-legged night table with navy wristbands and papers littering its surface. The small closet was filled with modern clothes, slacks, jeans, and T-shirts. It was obvious Kakarotto didn't use the closet, his clothing, mostly orange, all lying on the floor near the futon.
"Nn. Me and Krillin's." Goku said, plopping down on the gray mattress, barely three inches thick.
"I'm guessing this is your side of the room." Vejita muttered, making sure to keep out of the bald guy's space. Before he had a chance to ask for something to sleep in, the fool was asleep, limbs outstretched, snoring lightly. He stepped over to the clothes pile, digging through it to find that he was digging through filthy laundry. He quickly located the clean clothes and selected a pair of white boxers and a gray T-shirt that had Athletics Dept. printed across the front in black, blocky letters.
He managed to find space on the futon to lie down, but had to keep to the edge, curled up in a fetal position, careful not to make contact with the boy.
Minutes later, when the proud Saiyajin was on the verge of sleep, he felt Kakarotto turn and snuggle up against his back, whispering, "You smell Nn… Like a candle."
Vejita's eyes went wide. He knew well enough that Saiyajin had strong scents, each a little different, but never in his life would he have thought that he smelled like a… Like a damn candle! His thoughts clouded for a moment, sleep urging him to close his eyes, and as soon as he did, he was asleep.
