Tales felt himself drawn to the counter, towards
the strange figure sitting there, drinking a-He gulped. The figure
was drinking a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster. Her drink. A wave
of feelings washed over him and he knew. It was her. He sighed,
giving in to temptation and sat next to her.
“The black cloak is really discrete,” he said
sarcastically. “Unless, of course, I have the wrong chick and you’re
just some Goth who likes Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters.”
“You know, Tales,” said the woman, stirring
her drink. “You’re one to talk when you’re wearing the same cloak.”
“Yeah, well, you know me.” He wasn’t
making a joke. “I just get out of bed and put on whatever I pick
up.” He waved his hand. “Hey, barkeep! Gargle Blaster
on the rocks.”
A few minutes later, he had his drink and
he heard the woman’s sensuous purr again. “Why don’t you come over
to my place? I can make you a fresh one.”
Tales looked at her. She lowered the
hood of her cloak and the first thing he thought was Kami, she’s just a
beautiful as before. He couldn’t help himself. He placed a
bill on the counter to pay for both their drinks and followed her out.
Both of them knew they had no intention of
making Gargle Blasters and sitting around talking all evening. If
Naoko had intended anything that harmless, she would never have asked.
Besides, Naoko never intended anything that harmless. It was only
a matter of moments. They walked into Naoko’s apartment and she flipped
on the lights. Instead of going through the lengthy process of making
a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, she stepped into the kitchen and pulled
a bottle of wine out of the fridge. She opened it, pouring two glasses
full. She took them back into the living and they sat talking for
a few minutes. In less than a quarter of an hour, the drinks sat
forgotten on the coffee table and the two were busy in the bedroom, ripping
each other’s clothes off.
Tales heard the metallic beep of the alarm clock
next to his head and sat up, hitting it on the headboard. He
cursed it and looked over. Naoko was next to him, asleep. Funny,
he thought. She looks like an angel. My angel. Now that
he thought about it and looked even more intently at her, he noticed she
looked even more like what she really was. A child. He groaned
inwardly and rested his hand in his hands. How could he have done
this? She was only fifteen!
Naoko stirred as he stood to leave, but he
didn’t notice. He felt a hand on his wrist and turned around.
Naoko stood there, wrapped in a sheet, looking up at him. Something
was missing in her eyes.
“Don’t go,” she whispered. Her eyes
pleaded with him to replace the missing piece. To stay there with her forever.
He couldn’t say no to her. Tales sighed
and put his arms around her waist, drawing her in. He kissed her,
a soft, sweet kiss, telling her his answer. He would stay by her
side always.
“Tales?” Naoko said shyly. He looked up from
his magazine.
“What?”
“I-I have some big news.” Her voice
was quavery, as if she were dreading this moment.
“Well, go on, spit it out,” he said offhandedly,
half listening, half looking at his paper.
“You always said you wanted to start a family,
right?” She sat down nervously across from him at the kitchen table
and he put down the magazine, hoping to reassure her with his undivided
attention.
“Yeah…”
“Well, it’s going to start sooner than you
think.”
“What do you mean?” Naoko stared at her questioningly.
He had begun to suspect what she was going to tell him.
“I-I-I’m-“ Naoko stuttered again. “I’m
pregnant.”
He was right. He stood up. “Naoko,
you have to take a contraceptive or get an abortion, or something!
We’re not ready for this!” he exclaimed.
The tears finally spilled over and he knew
he’d done the exact thing he shouldn’t have. What Naoko needed now
was support, but he simply couldn’t deal with this. He was scared,
he knew, even more than she could possibly be. He had no idea how
to be a father! He couldn’t even remember his own! He sighed
and crouched next to her chair. He whispered soothing words and stroked
her head.
“I’m sorry, baby, I’m so sorry,” he said.
He wiped her tears and carried her to the bedroom, where he lay her down,
tucked her in and sat with her until she fell asleep, looking like the
child still was, even then.
Then, he left.
“Tales?” He could just hear her calling his
name when she woke, like the mewing of a little kitten, but there would
be no answer. “Tales? Tales!” Her voice echoed through
his head as he flew off, where, he knew not. “Tales!…
“Tales!”
He felt a pair
of strong hands shaking him and he regained consciousness. He reluctantly
opened his eyes to see Naoko with her hands on his
shoulders. So close, he thought.
“You big, fat, doofus!”
Naoko exclaimed angrily. Vegeta recoiled from her harsh voice and
words, even though they weren’t directed at him. “You fell asleep
and almost fell into the fire! Baka!”
“Sorry,” he said, annoyed.
He stood up and stalked away from her, much to her surprise. He could
feel her accusing eyes on his retreating back as he walked to a nearby
tree. In one smooth leap, he was up in the branches and far from
her gaze. Tales sighed. He had to stop doing this!
