Earth, it's been a week. I really think I messed up.
It'll be okay.
If he was going to come back then he would be back already.
Calm down. Worrying won't make him come back faster.
"Doesn't stop me from worrying," I groaned, leaning back in my chair. I was trying to distract myself by working on my comic but that wasn't going anywhere. I tossed my stylus onto the desk and rubbed my eyes, groaning even more, frustrated. I got up. "Whatever, this is stupid anyways. I'm not make anything good right now anyways."
My ability to sense ki has gotten a lot better so I've been able to sense him for a few days. But I've been actively choosing to not track him for my own mental health. Not like that was helping all that much. Instead I decided to have tea time. I needed to have some to wind down.
I went to a specific nook of my tea cabinet, grabbing an exceptional blooming tea. I heated up water in a glass teapot so that I could watch it. I took it all to the outside table. I forgot to grab a cup while the water was heating so I went back to grab one.
"Can you grab me one," I heard Piccolo quietly ask behind me. I turned around in a flash, he was standing right next to the table. "If you will accept my company?"
I wanted to be mad that he just ghosted me for a week. But I really just wanted him back. I gave a small smile, "Of course."
I grabbed our cups and set them out for us, dropping a blooming tea ball into the pot. Then I sat in the chair across from Piccolo, setting my eyes on the tea, "Before we talk, let's just enjoy watching the tea for a bit."
He didn't argue or complain, looking at the pot as well. I subconsciously fiddled with the pot handle as I observed the tea hydrating. The flowers hidden inside the tea opened up, stacked perfectly on top of each other, like a spire of flowers. I sighed happily.
I knocked myself out of the trance by accidentally hitting his leg with my foot when shifting, "Oh, I'm sorry, Didn't mean to hit you." I composed myself and poured our cups of tea. He still hadn't spoke, taking a sip of his tea.
"This is the best tea yet," he mumbled. He seems somewhat anxious, lightly fidgeting with his cup, and staring at the tea.
"Piccolo," I started, nervous to bring up what had happened, "I wanted to say I'm sorry."
He looked at me in surprise.
"I obviously said something that upset you. I'm not sure what it was but I wanted to apologize."
"You did nothing wrong," he said firmly yet gently.
"Then why did you seem so upset and leave for a week?"
He shifted uncomfortably, "It was... Nail."
I sat in silence, waiting for him to continue. He fidgeted even more anxiously.
"He wouldn't stop bringing you up," he slowly said. I raised an eyebrow, incredibly curious because it didn't come off annoyed at me specifically. I never would have anticipated his next sentence, "What's the difference between love types?"
"Pardon? Types?"
"Yes."
"Great elaboration. What I'm assuming you're asking is what the difference between platonic and romantic love?"
"Platonic?"
"Okay, let's start there," I took a sip of my tea before continuing. "Platonic love is what you feel between family and friends. How you feel towards Gohan is the epitome of platonic love. You gave your life for him because you love him."
Piccolo's face was incredibly flushed when I brought up him giving his life. "W-what about the other one?"
I had a feeling he just wanted to change the subject. Little did he know. "Romantic love is what Goku and Chi-Chi have going on. Or what Bulma and Yamcha had going, until she broke up with him of course."
"I don't understand."
"It's okay, I don't understand the way most people express romantic love either. I'll tell you how romantic love feels to me and maybe that'll make it more clear. Or it'll just confuse you more. We'll see."
I drank another sip and stared into the teapot, letting the flowers distract me.
"For me, love for another makes me want to just be around them. Just living day by day with them by my side. They are there to encourage me when I feel there's nothing left. To me, love can make my happy highs even higher. But being that invested in someone can lead to heartbreak as well because people can grow apart, like Bulma and Yamcha."
I had to take another sip, "Love causes me to want to hold their hand, hold each other, or just be in contact with them. I don't like most physical touch. But love makes touch seem so natural." I paused and sighed, "Okay that's probably enough. Did that help?"
I finally looked at him. He stared at me incredibly intently. It felt as if he would stare a hole right through me. Oh god he could, he can do laser eyes. "I think I have romantic feelings for you."
I blinked at him a few times in shock. All I could manage to get out was a small, "Really?"
He hesitantly reached his hands across the table. I shook myself out of it and gently grabbed his hands. I couldn't stop myself from smiling and suddenly I found tears running down my face. It startled me, "I'm sorry, this probably seems ridiculous considering we haven't even known each other a year."
He hissed inward in awkwardness. "About that."
I could not handle this many twists, please help me.
"You remember when I looked into your memories?"
"Yeah?"
"I saw that you knew about us before coming here."
I was horrified, "I don't think I like where this is going."
"You have liked me for a long time."
"Oh god nooooooo. This was the worst caaaase. I've tried so hard to be normal about meeting you."
He warmly laughed as I slid down in my chair, covering my face with my hands. "It did make me suspicious of you but I also knew you were trying to keep things as they should. Thank you for giving me a place to live before I was supposed to."
I sat back up, "Yeah I assumed it was a small enough change it wouldn't matter. Me being here is a way bigger change. I'm assuming you are with me on trying to keep everything on track?"
"Of course. It is odd knowing that this is a story where you're from though."
"If I remember right, it's the most popular in the world. Or at least pretty close to it."
"That makes it worse."
I laughed. We just chatted away as we finished the tea. "Not to sound cheesy but I'm glad you came back and that I get to be here with you."
He looked a little nervous again. "It's obvious that I have never done something like this. So I don't really know what I'm doing or what's expected."
"I guess I already told you what I expected," I said, gathering up the tea stuff. "Every relationship expresses itself differently. Let's just go one step at a time and the most important thing is to communicate. So if something is wrong we should talk and not run away for a week."
He was about to defend himself when I interrupted him with a joyful tone, "I understand why you did, I'm just poking a little fun. I'm sure that won't be a regular thing."
He relaxed and helped me clean up. He seemed sorta tired from the day so he took a shower and went to his room. I just spent the evening doing my usual stuff. Then as I was going into my room, Piccolo popped his head out of his room.
"Good night," he called.
"Good night, sleep well," I smiled back. I went into my room and went to bed.
