That night at dinner, Diego made a point to be beside Nicole as they sat down. Nicole showed no sign that anything had happened earlier between them, although inside the butterflies were fluttering every which way. Chiaki sat on the other side of Nicole, eating his pizza in solitude, not socializing with anybody, except if Nicole said anything to him.
“Oh my gosh, Diego!” exclaimed Nicole as Diego put another slice of pizza on her plate, “I’m full! What are you trying to do? Fatten me up? I’m not like you, you know, Mr. Eat-Fifteen-Slices!”
Diego and Gohan laughed.
“What can I say, girls need to have more of an appetite!” said Diego, “It’s great to be a saiyan! I can eat all I want!”
Gohan almost fell out of his chair from laughing so hard.
“You guys are acting like a bunch of kids like you used to be years ago!” laughed Bulma, “It’s just like old times!”
“Kids? Ha!” said Diego. Then he had a thought subconsciously and glanced at Nicole. I would love to one day have a family with her, was the thought in his mind.
Nicole looked at Diego and noticed Diego looking at her thoughtfully. She smiled at him and then looked back at her plate.
“It does feel like old times!” Gohan finally managed to say between bouts of laughter.
After dinner, Diego, Gohan, and Nicole walked out on the patio, followed slowly by Chiaki.
“Us as kids again!” exclaimed Nicole, “Can you imagine, guys? Haha!”
“Technically you are still a ‘kid’,” teased Diego.
Nicole playfully punched Diego and said telepathically to him, Then you shouldn’t kiss me again since you consider me a kid!
Diego looked at Nicole in shock. He said to her telepathically, When did you learn how to-.
I was taught in one of my queen lessons.
“Wow, Diego,” said Gohan, laughing, “You look like that punch really hurt!”
Diego recomposed himself, grinned, and said, “Just playing along.”
“Well, guys, it looks like I have to be going,” said Gohan, “Nicole, it was good seeing you again. Don’t be a stranger; you know my mom will want you to visit too.”
“Okay, Gohan,” said Nicole, smiling, “I’ll be sure to definitely stop by before going back home. Take care!”
Gohan then flew off toward his home.
Diego looked at Nicole and then found he couldn’t stop staring at her.
“Chiaki, why don’t you go ahead and go to bed,” said Nicole, “I’ll be up soon.”
Chiaki did a little bow and said, “Yes, princess.” He then left Nicole alone with Diego reluctantly.
As the door closed, Diego said, “You are so beautiful at night more than any other time it seems.”
Nicole blushed and found it difficult to look up at Diego.
Diego reached his hand out and tilted Nicole’s face up to look at him by lifting her chin. “Don’t look away from me like that, please,” he said, “I of all people will respect every wish you so desire. I could never hurt you or do something that you wouldn’t want me to do.”
A single tear slid down Nicole’s face. “I know,” she said, “It’s one of the many reasons that I love you.”
Diego kissed Nicole’s forehead and said, “You should go rest.”
Nicole hugged Diego and said, “I’m sorry about earlier.”
Diego wrapped his arms around Nicole and said, “There’s no need to apologize. It was my mistake of losing control. Don’t worry about it.”
“I don’t want us to drift apart like time I was here. That hurt so much. I have an even shorter time this time for a visit.”
“How long this time?”
“I leave in five days.”
Diego’s heart dropped. “How long will you be gone this time?”
“Until after my queen examination. This whole process has me so stressed out. The lessons the counsel has me going through, all the studying and knowing what is expected of me…I’m under so much pressure. I don’t want this, but I have no choice.”
Diego hugged Nicole tighter. “I’m so sorry to hear this,” he said, running his fingers through her hair to comfort her. He then thought about earlier, how he had brought up about her not wanting him as her future king. He regretted his words.
(I do not own any of the Dragonball Z characters or any of the story line directly linked to the series. All said content rights go to Akira Toriyama, the creator of DBZ)
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