Kiibouma Enjoyer

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Between Two Liars

Ever since your talk with Goku, he hadn’t been quite the same.

He hadn’t gone back to the abrasive man you had originally been introduced to, but he was more shut off than before. Before, Goku was willing to at the very least try to hold a conversation with you. But now, you were lucky to get more than a few words out of him at all. 

You worried that you had pushed it, that your question about his family was way out of line. You didn’t know him, you couldn’t say you were friends, so why did you think you had the right to ask about something so personal? You made many attempts to bring it up, to apologize, but you hardly got three words in before he found some excuse to leave. And when it came time to treat your wound, he asked that you give him silence to allow him to focus. 

It had now been almost two days of this now, your fifth day with Goku slowly coming to a close. More and more with each day, you could feel the wound on your side improving, slowly but surely. Goku had worked his wonders on you, and it would only be a matter of time now before you were back to the hum drum day to day, and you would part ways with him. The thought almost made you sad to have to say goodbye to him. 

The book in your lap laid long forgotten, staring out the window, soaking in the warm summer breeze. As much as you enjoyed getting so much time off from work, you couldn’t deny that being stuck in your bed was beginning to drive you a bit stir crazy. With how quickly you were improving, you could now walk around your own apartment without too much fear of falling, but Goku didn’t like for you to push it. So, in bed you remained, trapped. It would have been a really good day to go out, too. 

But you couldn’t stand laying in bed all of the time like this, you could feel your muscles begin to ache from lack of usage. Against Goku’s wishes, you slowly pushed yourself out of bed, careful not to twist your body too much for fear of another accident. The floor beneath your feet was cold, creaking as you made your way into the living room. Passing by the sofa, you spared it a glance, wondering if Goku had slept alright. You hadn’t given it much thought till now, but it couldn’t possibly have been comfortable sleeping on a sofa so many nights in a row. And even though he had done a miraculous job cleaning it, you still couldn’t forget the blood that had soaked it. Perhaps it would be best to consider replacing it, even if he did remove any visible traces of blood. 

Faint noises in the kitchen caught your attention, turning away from the sofa as you looked for your caretaker. Even now, almost a week since the incident, it felt strange having someone else in your apartment. Aside from Aleina, you’d never had anyone over. Not even your parents came to visit, and certainly no partners. Maybe if you did have a partner, your parents would visit, if only to bug you about grandchildren, and moving into a proper house. As if you could afford that. 

Turning the corner to the kitchen, you finally spotted the elusive man living with you. He was such a strange person, with the strange clothes he wore, and his refined manner and way of speaking. He almost looked like an entirely different person when he was acting so... domestic. 

“Goku?” 

The sound of your voice pulled him from his focus, slowly stirring a pot of spaghetti sauce. He looked up to you with wide eyes, and you weren’t quite sure if that was a look of surprise over seeing you up, or if he felt like he had been caught red-handed. Setting the stirring spoon down and wiping his hands clean, he turned to you with furrowed brows, giving you a look of disappointment or even mild annoyance. “What are you doing up? Did I not tell you to stay in bed?” 

“You did, but...” You glanced around the kitchen as you walked in, taking it all in. It certainly wasn’t what you remembered. Within five days, he not only managed to clean your kitchen top to bottom, but you could’ve sworn some of your equipment and dishes had been moved around. It looked like he had made the kitchen his own domain, but you couldn’t really complain, you didn’t use it much anyway. And perhaps it was better like this. Looking around with furrowed brows, you made your way to the fridge, curious to see what he had restocked. Opening both doors, you were taken aback by the surplus amount of groceries, almost piling right out of the fridge. Staring in bewilderment, you looked up at him as he approached you by your side. “You know I can’t eat all of this, right?” 

“It’s not just for you. Despite what you may think, I require far more energy and nutrients than the average person,” Goku spoke, crossing his arms. It was left unsaid, but his reasoning for that was because of how much energy was required to heal you at a slow pace, a side effect of this body. If he healed you too fast, not only would it compromise his identity, but it would use up too much energy, something he couldn’t risk. Not while he was being hunted down. He had to conserve his energy, and lay low, which meant making sure this body’s health didn’t fall behind. But that wasn’t something for you to know, so he leaned further into your line of sight, closing the fridge. “You didn’t answer my question. Why are you up?” 

“I can only handle so much laying around. I can walk now, I’m doing better, and I’ll be careful. Plus...” your voice fell quiet, eyes drifting down to the floor. This was the most you had spoken since that day. You couldn’t let this opportunity slip away. “I wanted to talk to you about something.” 

“Is it important?” Goku asked, squinting his eyes at you. 

“It is.” You answered right away, trying to keep your resolve firm. He stared for a moment longer, before letting out a hum of agreement. 

“Fine. What is it?” He asked. A smile tugged at your lips, following him as he returned to the stove, turning off the flame. 

“Well, um...” you paused, your voice sitting hesitant on your tongue. Even though you had wanted to speak to him about it, to try and amend things, actually talking about it felt like a daunting task now. Though he had mellowed somewhat and dropped the off-putting attitude, he still felt unapproachable at times, downright intimidating. “I wanted to talk about the other day.” 

Goku furrowed his brows at this, looking down at you with a mild scowl. “You’ll have to be more specific than that.” 

Scratch that; he still hadn’t quite mellowed out. Letting out a huff, you crossed your arms. “I mean that day we were... talking about our families. I wanted to apologize.” 

You weren’t quite sure what you were expecting. Maybe guarded, quick to anger, or completely shut down. Goku was impossible to predict, but you thought you might have had an understanding of his personality at this point. But you certainly weren’t expecting the look of surprise, his eyes going wide as he stared down at you. 

“Why?” He asked, his body stiff, fists squeezed tight. Avoiding his wide gaze that burned into your eyes, you looked down to the pot of abandoned spaghetti sauce. He did so much for you, the least you could do was apologize for overstepping your bounds. 

“I shouldn’t have asked such a personal question when we’re not that close. I wasn’t really thinking at the time and didn’t consider that it could be a sensitive topic,” you hesitated, looking to the floor beneath your feet, to his pristine white boots that somehow never got stained. Apologizing was never easy for you. “My point is that, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I was only trying to get to know you better, so you might feel more comfortable living with a stranger, but I only made it worse. I’m sorry.” 

“There’s... no need,” Goku spoke, and as you looked up, you realized that he too had turned his gaze away, staring at your cabinets with wide eyes. “I’m simply just... unused to this. There aren’t many who know so much about me. But it isn’t something to apologize for, it is natural to feel curious about the one caring for you.” 

“So, you’re... not uncomfortable, right?” You asked, Goku’s eyes finally moving back down to yours, making contact once again. Even eye contact with him felt difficult at times. It was almost overwhelming. 

“I am not, no. But...” Goku paused, and a long pause at that. He held your gaze, his brows furrowed, as if lost in thought, debating with some unseen entity. But finally, he let out a long sigh, closing his eyes. “Thank you for your concern.” 

That was a pleasant surprise, a grin pulling your lips up. “Of course. You’re my guest, I have to make sure you’re comfortable and happy here, even if I am incapacitated.” 

You laughed, but then you remembered a thought you had before, switching the subject. “Oh, I almost forgot, I wanted to talk to you about something else.” 

Goku hummed, and though you failed to notice it, his gaze lingered on you, on your eyes as they jumped all over the place with each thought that passed through your mind. He noticed each fidget of your body, each little nervous smile you made, still somewhat shy around him. 

“I can’t imagine sleeping on my couch every night is very comfortable, and since I’m able to move and walk around more, I thought it would be a good idea to help you find a better sleeping situation. If you’d like, you could get a hotel room, I can pay for it, it’s the least I can do for everything you’ve done. You’ve helped me so much, the least I can do is help you with this.” You spoke, giving him a smile. Though you couldn’t be on your feet for too long, you were at the very least able to walk to and from your bathroom at night if need be, and Goku would be here during the day, so you didn’t see any point to him putting himself in the uncomfortable position of crashing on your couch anymore. You were more than willing to pay for his hotel room, and he’d start getting proper rest, something you were sure he missed. 

“Excuse me?” Goku tilted his head in confusion, before furrowing his brows. “Are you suggesting I stay somewhere else?” 

“Yeah! You’ve been helping me so much, but you need rest too, I could help you find a nice hotel if you need help, I—” 

“No.” Goku crossed his arms, giving you a soft glare. “I am not going anywhere.” 

“Huh?” You looked up at him in confusion. “You really don’t need to worry about me, I’ll be okay by myself at night, it’s not like I’d be doing much walking anyway—” 

“No.” 

Once again, he had cut you off. Now you were getting a little annoyed. He wouldn’t even consider the idea. It wasn’t that you wanted him out of your apartment; you actually didn’t mind him staying. It was simply the fact that you wanted to pay him back, that you were technically still indebted to him, that you wanted to do something nice for him. 

“Goku, if it's the cost, I’m willing to cover it, just listen to me—” 

“You don’t seem to understand,” Goku stopped you, stepping closer, into your personal space. “My answer is no. I am not leaving.” 

“I’m trying to do something nice for you! Not to mention, you still haven’t told me how to pay you back yet, you said I’m indebted to you! Well, this is me trying to pay you back. I don’t understand why you’re being like this, I just—” 

Goku raised his voice suddenly, saying your name in a stern tone. “I do not want to leave you by yourself. I left you alone for five minutes before, and you completely reopened your wound. Who’s to say what would happen if I were gone overnight and you pushed yourself too hard, trying to do something you’re not ready to do? I wouldn’t find you for hours. If I am to care for you, I will do it until I am certain you do not need me anymore.” 

You stared up at Goku in shock. He was so much more caring than you had initially expected. Not to mention... 

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say my name.” 

Goku’s eyes went wide, before letting out a small huff, turning away. “Forget all that nonsense about me leaving. I was never uncomfortable, and you needn’t worry yourself. Return to your bed, I will have your dinner ready in a moment.” 

He shooed you away, making you smile. He was certainly... a character, alright. Goku was so much different from the man in your expectations, but it wasn’t bad at all. You actually were beginning to enjoy it. He was... fun, in his own way. 

Finally giving in and listening to him, you turned and left. When the kitchen fell silent, and he remained alone, Goku looked down to the palm of his hand, staring. A nauseous feeling twisted deep within him, like his body was revolting against him. His lips curved and moved to the sound of your name, mumbling it to himself, to hear the sound of it once more. 

Flexing his fingers, Goku let out a frustrated huff as he ran his fingers through his bangs, bringing himself back to reality. You were far too distracting for your own good. 

Two plates of food in hand, Goku made his way through the quiet little apartment, making his way toward your bedroom, where he expected you to be. But instead, he found you sitting comfortably on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, giving him a large grin. 

“I thought since I’m able to sit up properly now, I should start eating in my living room again,” you spoke, pretending not to notice the slight annoyance written across his face. Goku let out a sigh, handing you your plate, before sitting down on the other side of the couch, making sure to leave a lengthy amount of space between the two. 

Deciding that this was your apartment that you paid for and could use it however you pleased, you turned on the tv, setting it to some random hospital soap opera, keeping the volume low for Goku. You just couldn’t stand to sit in silence, even if it wasn’t that awkward. And besides, you haven’t gotten to just shut your brain off and watch tv in days; you deserved this. 

Staring at the tv though, you found it hard to focus on the screen, their voices muffled in your mind. Instead, your attention was drawn to the man on the other side of the couch, watching him from the corner of your eye as he took slow bites of his food, his brow twitching in irritation every so often as he watched the show. Maybe picking a hospital drama wasn’t the best idea when living with a doctor. 

Clearing your throat, you turned towards Goku, scooting closer to him ever so slightly. “I’d been meaning to tell you, you’re insanely good at cooking, I’ve never had food this good before.” 

“It’s nothing special,” Goku mumbled, looking down at his own plate. When he had acquired this form, it came with a few needs he hadn’t quite been familiar with before, the need for food being one of them. To keep it in peak shape, he had to meet his daily nutritional needs, which meant learning how to cook such food in a short time. It wasn’t hard for someone like him. 

“No, really. If you ever have to quit being a doctor, you could totally be a chef at some fancy restaurant,” you said, giving him a smile. “At least that way I could support your work without having to get hurt.” 

You chuckled at your own joke, but your breath nearly escaped you as Goku’s lips curled into the smallest smile of his own, his eyes meeting yours as he spoke. “I will take it into consideration then.” 

For a moment, you couldn’t seem to drag your gaze away, staring into his eyes, watching his lips move as he spoke. Something in your chest throbbed, squeezing tightly, as if it held your lungs in its tight grip, threatening to suffocate you. And once you had realized you were staring longer than was considered friendly, you averted your gaze, your hand moving to cover your lips, for reasons you couldn’t gather. 

“A-Anyway, I saw you weren’t too interested in this show, I didn’t really think too much about it when I put it on, but it makes sense you wouldn’t like it, it’s probably not too realistic,” you were rambling now, reaching for the remote, ignoring the heat spreading across your cheeks. And though you were right that he wasn’t a fan, it wasn’t for the reason you were thinking, simply that he didn’t care for the drama. “Why don’t you pick something? We can watch it together.” 

Goku hummed, before accepting. You scooted closer, sitting beside him and controlling the remote for him, as you had quickly discovered that he had no idea how to control it. You were starting to believe that maybe he really did come from somewhere out in the sticks, because who didn’t know how to use a tv remote? 

You weren’t sure what to expect in the beginning, but it certainly wasn’t a horror movie. You weren’t the biggest fan of the genre before, but it only worsened after your attack. The screams echoing through your living room were ear-grating, but Goku seemed much too absorbed into the movie for you to ask to change it. 

The woman in the movie, hunted by demons, had burst into flames, her body burning to nothing but a crisp, her deafening screams making you wince. Staring at her body, you were reminded of the other attack, the one you had seen on the news. Their body had been similarly burnt, as if they just went up in flames. There had been no other signs of a fire anywhere but on their body. 

“I wonder if they ever found who killed that person the night of my attack...” you wondered aloud, and once the words left your lips you realized how tense you were, your voice struggling to get out. Goku looked down at you, furrowing your brows. 

“You don’t need to worry about that, they won’t bother you ever again,” Goku said. The wording certainly sounded strange, as if he had taken care of them himself. But at the same time, it made something within you flutter to life. 

“We can’t be sure about that, wh-what if they come looking for me? What if they try to kill me, just to do th-that to my body too? Surely they noticed my body disappearing. Plus, if they had been caught, wouldn’t the authorities have found out about my attack by now? Nobody has come looking for me, something isn’t right, I—” 

The sound of your name cut you off, your eyes widening. You had been rambling, your eyes watering as your heart thumped wildly in your chest. Looking up to Goku, you weren’t sure anymore if the flutter in your heart was from anxiety, from the way he called your name and looked at you, or both. 

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” Goku spoke. He turned his body to face you, and it was then you began to notice how close you were, how his form towered over yours, how if you leaned any closer, you would be curled up to his side. The heat in your cheeks returned, your heart fluttering wildly in your chest. “I promise that so long as I am here, no one will ever bother you again. So don’t worry yourself.” 

You knew his intention was only to calm you down, but you couldn’t focus on anything but the sound of his voice, the way it made your body feel like fireworks. You couldn’t see anything but the shape of his lips, wishing they would give you more attention. You wished he would pay you more mind, so that you might hear his sweet voice all the time, relishing in the way it made your stomach burst with butterflies. More than anything, you wished he’d cup your cheeks in his large hands, leaning in as his eyes flutter closed, pressing his sweet lips into— 

The sound of your name snapped you out of your stupor, looking up to Goku with wide eyes. “Are you feeling unwell? Your face is quite red.” 

“Uh—” You inhaled too sharply, almost choking on your own spit. “N-No! I’m okay, I was just surprised, haha! I’m glad you care that much! But y-y'know, I should head to bed, it’s getting late.” 

You flew out of the blanket so fast it was still falling when you jumped to your feet. Giving Goku one last large, nervous grin, you quickly turned and made your way to your bedroom. “G’night, Goku, see you tomorrow!” 

The door to your bedroom slammed shut, hiding within the safety of your room. Leaning against the door, you drank in heavy gulps of air, like your lungs had been starved for oxygen. Your face burned, hot to the touch, running your hands down your cheeks. What was wrong with you? Was this Stockholm Syndrome? It couldn’t be, you weren’t being held captive, you could leave at any time. Then what was the syndrome for falling for your hero? Sure, Goku did save your life, but did it really qualify to make him your hero? And even worse, why on Earth would you fall for— 

Oh. You had already admitted to falling for him to yourself without even realizing. Great. You were completely and thoroughly fucked. 

Sitting alone in the dark, the movie having ended and rolling credits, Goku stared at your now closed door, where you had retreated for night. Perhaps he had said something wrong, with the way you had been acting. His chest ached, as if something important had been taken, and he was left empty, hollow. He already missed your presence, your smile, your laugh. You were so... pleasant to be around, he didn’t want to be around anyone else. But the shifting of the moonlight beyond the balcony door beckoned him, forcing him to stand. 

“It took her long enough,” the man outside grumbled, crossing his arms as Goku Black crossed the threshold onto the balcony. “I can’t take this anymore.” 

“What do you mean?” Black asked, already growing irritated by his partner. 

“These things drive me mad. There’s never any peace and quiet to be found. They’re all violent selfish pigs with no capability of deeper thoughts,” Zamasu shivered in disgust, holding himself tightly. “Please tell me your pet is almost healed, my patience wears thinner with each day. I don’t know how much more I can tolerate of these things.” 

Black sneered, fists balling up tightly. But he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. He should have agreed with him, that these humans were thoughtless heathens, that you were nothing more than a pet to him, an experiment. But instead, his first instinct had been to teach Zamasu not to speak that way about you. You weren’t a pet, a pet didn’t have the capability to challenge his opinions with nothing more than being yourself. You were anything but thoughtless. 

“Have patience, Zamasu. It couldn’t kill you to just lie low for a while and relax. It’s not as though I’m forcing you to watch over the humans at all times, you’re doing that of your own accord.” Black spoke, turning to look up at the moon. He hadn’t realized how accustomed to this world he had grown until Zamasu had begun to complain. Not once had those thoughts passed his mind within the last few days. 

“You quite literally are forcing me! We wouldn’t be here conducting this nonsensical experiment if it weren’t for you! The original plan was for you to test that body out on this version of the Earth, and tie up our loose ends here. But you decided you wanted to linger on this planet longer, putting us at risk of being caught! You do understand that we are actively being hunted by a God of Destruction, right?” Zamasu turned his irritation onto Black, glaring at him, before a thought, a realization hit him. “Wait. Don’t tell me. You haven’t become soft for that thing, have you?” 

“Excuse me?” Black glared at him, though the thought didn’t anger him nearly as much as it should have. He stepped closer into Zamasu’s space, grabbing him by his coat, Zamasu’s eyes widening. “You would do well to remember your place and stay in your lane. You’ve only made it this far thanks to me. You were a coward who could never take a single step towards our goals. You will follow me, and do as I say. You don’t have any room to criticize me.” 

“Have you completely forgotten that we are the same person?” Zamasu hissed, meeting Black’s glare with one of his own. “If you did it, so could I.” 

“And that’s exactly what separates us,” Black spoke, finally shoving Zamasu back, the Kai stumbling. “I started this. I will finish it.” 

But whether or not that would be with his counterpart had yet to be seen. And something within his chest tugged tightly, feeling as though he were trying to lie to himself. But if he couldn’t be honest with himself, who could he be honest with?

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The People We Leave

The phone in your hands suddenly vibrated, ringing loudly, eyes going wide with a start as the phone slipped from your hand, accidentally accepting the call.

A loud voice suddenly boomed from the loud box, words flying at you faster than you could process them. Hands scrambling to scoop the phone back up, you lowered the volume, praying Goku hadn’t heard it as you lifted the phone to your ear. 

“It’s been so long, I haven’t heard from you in forever, how have you been, what have you been up to, have you—” 

“Slow down!” You exclaimed, just loud enough to cut her off before she could ramble her voice dry, but quiet enough that your guest couldn’t hear. “Why’d you call? Did something happen?” 

“That’s what I wanted to ask you!” The voice on the other end spoke, her voice firm, as if reprimanding you. “You haven’t messaged or called in forever, I was starting to get worried. You’re not overworking yourself, are you?” 

A small sigh escaped your lips, closing your eyes as you furrowed your brows. Some days, it paid to have a best friend who worried as much as she did. She had always been there for you, for as long as you could remember now. Your best friend for the last decade, or even more, Aleina. But right now, you couldn’t let her find out about the situation you were in. As supportive as she was, you really didn’t want anyone else involved, for fear of how much the situation could escalate. You weren’t sure how Goku would react if he knew someone else was involved. While he hadn’t given any reason for you to be so worried about it, he also hadn’t given any reason for you to be sure it would be okay. 

“No, I’m not. You know I just like to keep busy,” you spoke, twisting your body the slightest to relax further into the bed. But just as you did so, a sharp pain radiated from your side, eyes blowing wide as you sucked in a sharp, pained breath. And then, when the line went silent, and all you could hear was her slow breaths, you realized your mistake. 

“What was that?” 

“Nothing, I just- I just have a headache,” you were quick to lie, biting your lip nervously. Another beat of silence passed, before you heard a huff of annoyance. 

“See, you are overworking yourself, you need to take a break! Why don’t we go out today? I’m free, we could go get something to eat, and—” 

“I can’t,” you cut her off once again, running a hand over the bandaged wound, glaring down at your own body. “I’m busy, and I don’t feel the best, it’s just not a good day for me. Maybe next week.” 

The line suddenly burst with noise from her end as she rambled into the phone, saying something about how it had already been weeks since they last met up, if not over a month, you weren’t quite sure of everything she said as you pulled the phone back from your ear, wincing. It was already something you felt bad about, and had you known you would be bedridden like this before, you would’ve made more time to visit her. But you hadn’t known, and this was the way things turned out, and it was not something you could help. You tried to cut into her rambling, to apologize, but before you could, the door to your bedroom suddenly creaked open, another voice filling the room. 

“I’m going out to restock on food, I—” Goku paused, staring wide eyed as he spotted the phone in your hand, your friend’s voice audible even across the room. “Oh, you’re occupied, I see. I’ll return later.” 

Before you could so much as call out to him, the door had closed once more. And as he disappeared, so too did your friend’s voice. So much for keeping his presence a secret. 

“Who was that?” Aleina spoke, her voice low, suspicious. Your jaw hung agape, at a loss for words. “Was that a man’s voice?” 

You were screwed. Thoroughly and completely screwed. “I-I’m at work, yeah, it was just my coworker.” 

“Then why was he talking about ‘restocking food’? You don’t keep food there! Not to mention, I called your work phone first! You’re lying!” She exclaimed, though you could almost hear the grin spreading across her cheeks. “So that’s what you were ‘so busy’ with! And let me guess, that pained noise you made wasn’t from a headache, it was from what he must’ve done to your poor sensitive—” 

“That’s enough!” You shouted, heat blooming across your cheeks and ears. “No, that is not what happened, you couldn’t be further from the truth!” 

“If you say so...” Aleina said with a teasing voice, your face falling into a grimace with a huff. “So then, who is it? You must be at home since you didn’t answer your work cell, so... Why do you have some guy in your house, getting you groceries? Because it really does sound like a secret boyfriend type of situation.” 

“But he’s not a secret boyfriend,” you said, furrowing your brows as you held a hand to your throbbing temple. “He’s helping me with something. I had... an accident.” 

There was no way for you to keep things under wraps at this point, knowing your friend. If you didn’t explain the mystery man and why he was in your home, she’d come and investigate herself. Knowing her, she’ll still come by, but hopefully faster than Goku can return home. That way, you can get her in and out without any confrontation. If, on the off chance, they meet though, maybe he would understand. You didn’t see why he wouldn’t, but at the same time, something about him still felt off to you. There was something about him that he kept hidden from the public view, perhaps something not so innocent. And you didn’t want you or your friend to get too wrapped up in it. 

“An accident? Did something happen?” Aleina asked, her voice losing its teasing tone. A small noise of contemplation rumbled within you, the words on the tip of your tongue as you thought of a way to ease her into the details. If you just explained everything right off the bat, it would freak her out. It would freak anyone with a functioning brain out; it freaked you out. 

“Yeah, I... got hurt,” you spoke slowly, choosing your words carefully. “It was pretty bad. But I was found and brought home by someone who offered to take care of me, he’s a doctor. He’s been doing a really good job by the way, so there’s really no need to worry, I’ll—” 

“Woah, woah, woah,” Aleina interrupted you, your heart thumping hard in your chest as she spoke. “You just let some random guy into your home? Just because he’s acting nice now doesn’t make it any less dangerous!” 

“It’s not any different from when you bring guys home from the bar, I just don’t intend to fuck him,” you said as you rolled your eyes. “And I’m well aware of the danger, but I was kind of in a tight spot at the time, and he was offering immediate treatment.” 

Aleina let out groan, sighing. “I don’t know... You said he’s a doctor? What’s his name?” 

“Goku, Son Goku.” You gave it right away without thinking, but then your eyes went wide as you realized what you had done. It was just a name, right? Surely, he wouldn’t mind. Besides, he was a doctor, he had to give his name all the time, it should be fine now. 

“Wait,” Aleina interrupted your train of thoughts, catching your attention. “I think I know that name.” 

“Huh?” Your mind blanked at that. She knew him? It hadn’t even crossed your mind that someone else could possibly know him. It made sense that it never had; he said he wasn’t from here. But at the same time, he was a doctor, so it also made sense that plenty of other people could have known him. But somehow, it still caught you off guard. “How?” 

“I think he might be related to my professor, he has a really similar name, Son Gohan. Wow, what a coincidence,” Aleina laughed, feeling more at ease now. “I’ll have to ask him about it next time I see him. But at the very least, knowing he’s probably close to Professor Gohan, I feel a little better now about it.” 

“Yeah...” You were a little stunned. It really was a coincidence that he was related to Aleina’s professor. Son was the furthest from a common name, so you really couldn’t see it being anything but the truth, they had to be related, very closely. A family of prodigies, that certainly was interesting. 

After a few more minutes of conversation, Aleina finally left you to your rest, wishing for you to heal quickly. Staring up at the clouds that drifted idly through the sky, sunlight peeking through and into your room, you let out a deep sigh, your body finally relaxing. You hadn’t realized just how much you missed your friend’s voice. You had let yourself get too distracted, your head too deep in your own work to notice how long it had been since you last spoke to her. And most certainly it had been even longer since you last spoke to your family. All of it had nearly been lost too. It was only thanks to Goku that you could hear their voices again, it was thanks to him that you could chat with Aleina like that again. Guilt racked at your heart, having taken for granted such things. When Goku returned, you’d make sure to thank him once again for everything he had done for you. 

That was the last coherent thought to pass through your mind, exhaustion taking hold of you once more as your eyes fluttered, giving in to slumber’s sweet hold. 

Dreams only came to you occasionally, most nights spent in the arms of darkness. But now, you were greeted with whisps of color, soft and warm, a vague image. Bright and sunny, a typical summer day, a refreshing breeze brushing past. Sitting beneath the shade of an umbrella, on the table before you sat a pop of colors, bright and vivid. You recognized the scene well, it was your favorite ice cream shop, you came here frequently either alone or with Aleina. What you did not recognize, however, was the splotches of dark colors beside you. 

It didn’t hit you until you heard his voice, distant and surrounding your being, as if wrapping a warm blanket around you. He called out your name, a hand reaching out to you, fingers brushing against your cheek. It felt electric, it felt real, it felt like your body was a magnet reaching for his warmth. It felt like your body was splitting at the seams, threatening to burst into a sea of butterflies. So much so that your eyes snapped open. 

Sucking in a sharp breath, the memories of your dream hit you like a wave, crashing into you and pulling at your heart strings. Both guilt and disgust roiled within your stomach, anxiety racking at your mind. You dreamed of Goku. It felt wrong, the way it had made you feel, the way you enjoyed it, making you wish you were still asleep. You couldn’t believe yourself, what was wrong with you? 

“Oh, you’re awake.” 

Eyes wide, you froze like a deer in headlights. Why did it feel like you had been the one caught red-handed, when he was the one in your bedroom while you were asleep? Immediately sweeping the embarrassment of your dream into the back of your mind, you furrowed your brows with a huff, pushing yourself up slightly. 

“Why are you in here? Do you want something?” You asked, trying to will away the warmth that still lingered in your cheeks, chest aflutter. Goku let out a hum of contemplation, and you swore you saw his eyebrow twitch in slight irritation. 

“Your dinner is ready,” he spoke with a slight hint of annoyance in his tone. That snapped you out of your projecting irritation, remembering that he was the one taking care of you and was allowed to wake you when necessary. That dream had certainly thrown you off quite a bit. 

But then, as his words settled in, you realized what that meant, casting your gaze over to the window, where the moonlight streamed in. You had slept all day without even realizing. And so went the third day that Goku had been staying with you. Flickers of memory flashed through your mind as you recalled your conversation earlier that day with Aleina. Knowing that Goku could’ve possibly, perhaps very likely, been related to Aleina’s professor brought you more comfort than you had initially realized. But at the same time, it wasn’t a guarantee. Even if the surname Son was rare, that didn’t automatically mean they were related. And you had given out Goku’s full name without permission. Even if it was just a name, you had a feeling Goku was one of those people who didn’t like their name getting out without them knowing. So, with that in mind, you weren’t too keen on telling him what you had done, not quite yet anyway. You would wait until you spoke with Aleina again to mention any of this to him. It wouldn’t look good if you said something now and he had no idea who this Gohan was. 

You were brought back to reality as Goku set a plate down on your lap, a steak made to perfection practically glimmering in the light. You almost wanted to mourn for when the day came that you wouldn’t get to regularly eat delicacies like this anymore, going back to your cup ramen and takeout. 

“Thank you,” you mumbled out as you lifted the fork, fidgeting with it for a moment. Goku let out a noise that you assumed meant you were welcome, before turning to leave. Staring down at your food, a thought that you almost missed passed your mind, wondering if he had eaten too, or if he was trying to eat alone. “W-Wait, um...” 

Goku looked back at you, meeting your eyes, and for a moment you were brought back to your dream. Though, in the dream, he was nothing more than a few splashes of color, as if simply a concept. Now, when you had the real deal in front of you, gazing down at you with eyes that were reminiscent of a vast dark sea, you felt the words in your throat begin to die out. When you had first met Goku, you thought his eyes were empty, dead, lacking any kind of light. But now that you had spent time with him, lived with him and shared what could be considered intimate moments, they were anything but that. You were beginning to understand the saying that eyes were a gateway to the soul. But what Goku’s soul was truly like, you couldn’t quite say yet. But it was far more than just vast emptiness. 

“What is it?” Goku spoke up, pulling you out of your thoughts. Warmth spread across your cheeks, hoping you hadn’t stared too hard. 

“Have you eaten already?” You asked. When he shook his head no, you cleared your throat, as if having to prepare yourself to ask your next question. “Then, would you mind eating with me? I don’t think I’ve seen you eat at all since we’ve met.” 

Goku’s eyes seemed to widen at that, as if the mere idea of sharing a meal with you had never once crossed his mind, seemed preposterous even. His gaze fell to the floor, and a single second of silence passed before he looked up to the door before him. “Very well. I will be back in a moment.” 

And with that, he left, leaving you alone with your thoughts, and the very tempting aroma rising from the plate in your lap. Why was it so hard for you two to just act like normal acquaintances? It wasn’t strange to ask the one living with you and caring for you to eat meals together. Yet with him, it felt like you were asking for something deeply personal. You supposed that was simply just because of how tightly under wraps he kept himself. He kept himself so drawn away from everything that a simple dinner together felt like a daunting thing to ask of him. It felt invading on his personal space. 

True to his word, Goku returned just a moment later, his own plate in hand. Pushing yourself to sit up more straight, as much as your injured side would allow, you patted the bed space beside you. He stared at it for just a moment, before sitting on the very edge of the mattress, barely on the bed. Even when they were eating together now, sitting in the same bed, he still felt reserved, distant. If this man had any friends, they had to have either spent years digging at his personal space inch by inch, or simply grew up with him and knew him better than anyone could nowadays. 

It almost felt nerve-racking, each second that went by in silence, watching as he took slow bites of his food. Even something as mundane as eating looked strange with him. It made you anxious, like any second now he could do a 180, like he was on the verge of snapping, even though he gave you no reason to think such a thing. 

Unable to take the silence much longer, you cleared your throat, shifting to give him your full attention, making his gaze turn up to you. “Um... I know you don’t like to talk about yourself, or even talk in general...” 

You winced at your own bluntness, not meaning for it to come across so rude, but it was the truth. Goku didn’t seem to notice though, or he otherwise kept it well hidden. “But seeing as how we have to spend so much time together and well, do things that are way outside of the bounds of being acquaintances together, I wanted to get to know you better. I see you and talk to you so much now, but it still feels like you’re just a stranger to me.” 

He really was. Outside of his name, you knew nothing about Goku. He claimed to be a doctor, and with how well he was treating you, you had no reason not to believe it. It wasn’t like any normal guy could bring you back from the brink of death, so he had to know his way around these kinds of things. At first, you had been suspicious that he might’ve been some kind of serial killer who just knew the ins and outs of the body and for some reason helped you, but it didn’t make sense for a serial killer to keep someone alive. That didn’t rule the possibility off the table, but the chances of him being a doctor truly were higher than a serial killer. Especially since finding out he might be related to someone Aleina knows, if he truly was related to this Gohan person, it could clear Goku of suspicion. But the fact that you were having to learn who this man was from other people didn’t sit right with you. You would wait for Aleina’s call to find out more, but that also didn’t mean you couldn’t try to get the truth from the man himself. And if he didn’t open up, at least you would have a backup solution. 

“There isn’t much to know about me,” Goku spoke, his gaze falling away to the floor. “I can tell you whatever it is you’d like to know, but it won’t be anything of interest.” 

“Even if you don’t think it’s interesting, I would. I’m very interested in getting to know the person who saved my life,” you spoke, the corners of your lips perking up into a small smile. His eyes glanced back up to yours, to the smile on your face, a twinge of something unfamiliar tugging deep within him. But it went ignored, as you continued on. “Let’s start with something simple. Tell me where you’re from.” 

Goku seemed to go quiet at this, if only for a moment, his hesitation slipping under your radar. “I’m from the country. This is my first time in the city in quite a while.” 

That caught you by surprise. You had noticed that there was a slight southern lilt to his voice, but he spoke with such eloquence that you would’ve thought he was from some high upper-class city, where only the rich royalty lived. He didn’t seem like the type to come from the country at all, but it wasn’t unwelcome, rather a pleasant surprise. 

“That’s funny, I am too. But I’ve lived here in West City for so long that you wouldn’t know,” you chuckled at the thought, back when you had first moved to the city and didn’t know up from down. Your parents weren’t the type to frequent the city, keeping themselves tucked away in the quiet little villages out in the fields. They hadn’t been too keen on their only child moving so far away, and to such a large city at that. But you felt as though you were wasting your life away out there, knowing there was more to see, more to know about the world. And while you had been right, living in the city wasn’t the dream you had quite hoped for it to be, as you had lost yourself in your work. “The city is certainly... different, from what I grew up with. It’s not quite everything I hoped it would be. But I think that’s because I’m always so busy with work, I don’t have time for anything else. I’ll be lucky to even have my job still after this.” 

Once the words left your lips and a moment of silence passed, you realized you may have dropped a little too much personal information, heat warming your cheeks as you let out a nervous chuckle. “B-But anyway, what made you move to the city? To get your degree?” 

Goku’s brows furrowed, eyes darting around the room as he processed an answer. He wasn’t quite sure what a degree was, but he couldn’t come up with any other answer, so he was forced to go along with your assumption. “That’s right. But I’m curious, what do you mean you’re always so busy?” 

“You know, I’m constantly working. This apartment doesn’t pay for itself,” you joked with a smile, although you didn’t find it quite so funny. Part of you wondered why he’d even ask such a question, because everyone knew what it was like to work yourself away to keep a roof over your head, aside from the people with generational wealth. Seeing as how he was from the country, you were inclined to believe he was not a part of the filthy rich, but then again, he spoke in such a fancy way sometimes that maybe he was rich, and his family just liked living away from the city. Guilt suddenly nipped at you as you realized how many assumptions you made about the man. It couldn’t hurt to just ask him instead of making assumptions and making an ass out of yourself. 

“So, if you’re not from here, and you’re a doctor, does that mean you’re a traveling doctor?” You asked. “Or... are you a doctor seeking work? Did you just graduate? Doesn’t it take like, eleven years to become a doctor? How old are you?” 

Once you’d started asking questions, they just kept coming, your curiosity for the man greater than you’d realized. Goku’s eyes widened as he was leveled with questions, each one followed by you leaning closer, looking up into his eyes. And with the final question of his age, he cleared his throat, making you cease in your questioning. 

“I am... seeking work,” Goku begun, his voice hesitant as he rushed to come up with answers. The issue was, Goku wasn’t entirely sure how old he was. “I am... 40.” 

“Damn,” it escaped you before you could have second thoughts, taken by surprise. The man was almost double your age, but he didn’t look a day over 29, which irked you because you were 29. But the second the word escaped your lips, you slapped a hand over your mouth, eyes agape at your own rudeness. “I-I am so sorry, it just surprised me because, well, you look like you could be my age, you look so young, I-I didn’t mean anything by it, I—” 

“Don’t fret over it, it’s nothing to apologize for. I understand it could be surprising.” Goku held up a hand, stopping you in your stumbling tracks. With the reveal that he was 40, you could absolutely see him being a doctor, he was in peak condition even with his age. While you hadn’t paid it much mind, you had absolutely noticed how well built he was under those clothes. He could’ve fooled you, he did fool you. You couldn’t wrap your head around how someone so attractive could be single even into his 40s. 

You put an immediate halt to that train of thought right there, as it reminded you of your dream, of the way he called out your name, of how his hand brushed against your cheek. This man was too attractive for his own good. And instead of actually acknowledging the fact that you found him attractive, you instead moved on to an entirely different thought and topic. 

“I know I’ve already asked a lot of personal questions, but there was something else I wanted to ask you...” And this one was one that could potentially overstep your boundaries. But when you had thought of your family, of how long it had been since you spoke to them, it piqued your curiosity for his. He gave you the go to ask with a small hum, your voice hesitant in your throat. “I wanted to ask about your family. Were they... okay with you leaving?” 

Goku froze. The fork laid abandoned on his plate, his gaze boring into you, as if he weren’t even looking at you, but the wall behind you, like you weren’t there at all. His family. What could qualify as his family? His wife and two sons? No, that wasn’t his family. That was Son Goku’s family. No, the man he truly was, his family... 

“I... don’t have a family,” Goku spoke slowly, as if only his body were present, but his mind was somewhere else. Your eyes widened at this, chest suddenly constricting, squeezing tight. Guilt racked at your heart, your voice dying in your throat. There was nothing you could say to him. His voice rumbled in his chest, a far cry from the confident voice you had grown to associate with him. “There was once... someone who had taken me in under his wing. Taught me everything I know, gave me everything I have. But... he didn’t agree with my aspirations. He didn’t think the path I had chosen for myself was correct. He wasn’t... long for this world. And I didn’t back down. I continued on, and he... is no longer here.” 

Goku had chosen his words carefully, making certain to not reveal his caretaker’s true fate. The man that he truly was, the man possessing this body, had killed him in cold blood. Or rather, he had killed the alternate timeline’s version, recruiting Zamasu there. It shouldn’t bother him so much. That man stood against his values, against his true justice. So then, why did it linger within him, wondering if it was the right thing to do? Part of him wished he could ask you. But he knew you would disagree, call him evil. You were weak, you couldn’t carry out true justice. But at the same time, why was it that you would disagree? You were above these other filthy mortals, you weren’t an unthinking monster with only your own desires in mind. You didn’t kill for the thrill of it, like the man who attacked you did, like... like him. 

Goku suddenly shot up from where he sat, his gaze entirely avoidant of you. He took your empty plate without another word, ignoring as you called out for him, as you called out for Goku. That’s all he was to you. He was Goku. You didn’t care about him... you cared about Goku. 

None of it made sense to him. You didn’t make sense, this grief that wrapped tightly around his heart didn’t make sense. Nothing made sense to Goku Black anymore.