#koinekid

[koinekid]

Chestnut Fest 2022 Prompt: Indulgence

Caramel and Crunchy Stuff

A Dragonball Z/Super Marron fanfiction

by Koinekid

***

It started with a dab of caramel on the rim of a bowl.

Dishes had been Marron’s responsibility since she turned seven and discovered the concept of an allowance. Instead of leaving the chore to the end of the day, she developed a habit of regularly checking the sink for dirty dishes, rinsing them, and loading them into the dishwasher for later. Today was no different. After returning from school and tossing her backpack onto the couch, she made a beeline for the kitchen, dreading the horrors that awaited her if uncle Goku had made the surprise visit Goten teased her about. But all she found were a pair of bowls and spoons, nearly spotless save for the telltale drop of golden goodness.

Marron grinned. Caramel meant one thing. She grabbed a clean bowl and spoon and practically skipped to the freezer, only to find it conspicuously devoid of ice cream. She checked the trash bin—empty with a fresh liner. Nor were there any sundae toppings in the fridge or pantry, unless you counted the lone, almost too ripe banana stashed between the cereal and rice. Her grin faded to a frown, which she just managed to conceal before registering her mother’s footfalls headed toward the kitchen. Swapping the bowl for the banana and juice box, she made a hasty exit, passing by her mother and mumbling an excuse about homework.

On impulse, Marron nearly voiced her suspicions, but the sight of Mama, brow raised, staring into the sink, made her think better of it. Besides, figuring things out herself would be so much more fun, right?

***

Homework drove the notions of secret ice cream and mystery solving out of her mind. Instead, she spent the hours after school second guessing her decision to enroll in pre-Algebra. The mundane, non-headache-inducing fifth grade math most of her friends were taking seemed much more appealing these days. She shouldn’t have let Trunks tease her into signing up. Her only consolation was that the purple-haired son of a genius was struggling with the subject as much as she was.

After dinner, she transferred her homework from the dining table to the desk in her room and alternated between quadratic equations and texting in the group chat she shared with Trunks, Goten, and a few other friends. After dogpiling on Goten for his cheerful proclamation that he finished his math homework hours ago (he was in general math), she and Trunks collaborated on one of the toughest problems. At 9:30 PM, she finally set down her pencil and flopped into bed. Five minutes later, she sat bolt upright.

“The dishes!”

She rushed downstairs and, as she neared the kitchen, noticed faint light coming from underneath the door and what sounded like silverware clanking against porcelain. If her parents were washing the dishes she neglected, she’d be so embarrassed.

Forcing herself to slow down—over the years, she’d smacked more than one person with a hastily thrown open door—she eased the door open and slid the dimmer switch upward to fully illuminate the kitchen. “Sorry, sorry,” she murmured. “I for...got.”

All thoughts of chores faded as she found her parents huddled, not over the sink, but over a plastic container with what appeared to be an even mix of caramel and ice cream. The words on the container were hard to see, half obscured by the plastic grocery bag in which it set. Marron could just about make out “gelato” and “indulgence.” Mama paused, spoon an inch away from her mouth. Papa dropped his spoon, and it clattered to the table, spilling caramel and melted ice cream onto the wood. Mama shot him an annoyed look and gestured for the roll of paper towels in the middle of the table.

Marron found her voice. “I-is that ice cream?”

Mama met her eyes. “No.”

Papa retrieved his spoon and wiped it with a paper towel. “It’s gelato.”

Mama continued. “You wouldn’t like it. It’s got caramel and...” She looked at the container as if searching for the proper word. “...Crunchy stuff.”

Marron blinked. “I like caramel.”

Mama said, “It’s for adults.”

Papa inserted his now clean spoon into the container and grinned. “I’m an adult.” Marron thought about arguing further, but the whole event was just too surreal. She decided to chalk it all up to a homework-induced stress dream and go back to bed. For once, she would leave the dishes to the morning, and if she found more ice cream covered bowls and spoons than yesterday, she would roundly ignore them.

***

One late night, six years and five advanced math courses later, Marron found herself on the other side of this bizarre happening. An unopened letter from Satan City Polytechnic Institute lay on the table before her. It contained the response to her early admissions application. Also on the table were three bowls--one for each of her parents, and one for her. Her first taste of gelato brought to mind three words: Worth. The. Wait.

“Are you ready to open it,” Papa asked.

Marron toyed with the flap of the envelope, well-worn from hours of peeling it back a little at a time.

“Don’t rush her,” Mama said.

Marron pushed the envelope to Papa. “I’m still too nervous. You—”

“Is that ice cream?” a voice interrupted.

Marron turned her head to see a shrimp with an unruly mop of black hair rubbing sleep from his eyes. Jacin. And where one of her twin brothers was, the other...

Jaden, his blonde hair as messy as his brothers, was far more awake. He grinned and started for the table. “All right!”

Marron rolled her eyes, but then an idea formed. “No.”

“Aww,” Jaden whined. “Dad, we can have some, right?”

“No,” Marron repeated. “It isn’t ice cream.

That stopped the boys in their tracks.

Marron continued, “It’s gelato, and it’s for adults. Right, Papa?”

Papa chuckled. “Sorry, boys. Your sister is right.”

“It’s got caramel and crunchy bits,” Mama added. “You wouldn’t like it.”

“We like caramel,” Jacin squeaked.

Mama rose, smiling to herself. “Come on, I think we have some mint chocolate chip in the freezer.”

The boys perked up but deflated when Mama added, “But only half a cup each. It’s past your bedtime.”

“You can have gelato when you’re older, “Marron called out. “When you’re both adults.” She turned back to the table to avoid any rude gestures the boys might send her way. That’s right. She looked down at the acceptance letter. I am an adult, and I should act like it.

Pushing her bowl aside, she picked up the letter and tore open the envelope. Mama paused at the freezer, and she and Papa shared a glance. Marron took a deep breath and pulled out and unfolded the single sheet of paper within. The shriek of delight that followed shook the house.

Okay, so maybe she wasn’t fully an adult, but what would be the fun in that?

The End

***

The inspiration: https://youtu.be/R1Q-T_raX8Y

[k18flashfics]

How the Ex-Monk Gained A Brother Part 5

I posted a link to this story a couple of weeks ago on @koinekid. Now, here’s the old fashioned preview version for those who prefer reading directly on Tumblr.

Of you can read on FFN.

<><><>

Rights to Dragonball and related properties are held by their respective owners. No infringement is implied or intended.

How the Ex-Monk Gained a Brother

A Sequel to By Any Other

By Koinekid

Part Five

Lapis awoke to the aroma of brewing coffee and a weight pressing into his shoulder and pinning him to the couch. The weight soon roused herself and ran a hand through her messy blonde hair. "Krill?" she murmured sleepily.

"No such luck."

Lazuli straightened, and a blush colored her cheeks. "Oh, Lapis. What happened?"

"I guess we fell asleep in front of the TV." He nodded toward the set, where a show featuring children in brightly colored costumes had replaced whatever they were watching last night.

"Like old times?" she said.

He recalled the events of the previous night with a grin. He hadn't watched television in ages, but when his sister appeared at the living room door in her robe and PJs, pressing the power button on the remote seemed the most natural thing in the world.

When she flopped onto the couch beside him, he asked, "Do you think we did this as kids—vegging out in front of the TV?"

"Watching anime and game show? Probably."

"I feel like there should be snacks."

Her expression darkened. "Was dinner not good enough for you?"

He held his tongue, supposing he deserved the jab. Besides, he'd get her back later. "I'm not begging for food. I meant we probably snacked in front of the TV as kids."

"As if Papa would allow that. 'Lazuli, no snacks before dinner.'" She grinned evilly. "'Lazuli let your brother out of that headlock. He's crying.'"

He flicked her on the arm, and she flipped him off.

They stayed silent for a while as the TV droned on. Eventually, they would address the real reason for his visit, but for now, inane chatter was more comfortable—so comfortable that he panicked when she started to change the subject.

"So, Krillin and I—"

"Does the little hubby know you're dressing like a housewife already?"

"Is that supposed to be an insult?"

"I intended it as one, yes."

She huffed. "Jerk. The robe and pajamas were a gift. From my boyfriend. Besides, I refuse to wander around a house full of guys in my regular sleep clothes."

"Why, what do you normally—? Hold on, forget I asked."

She leaned in close. "Slinky. Black. Lace."

"Shut up!"

"From Victoria's Secret."

"Laz!" Inspiration struck. "If you say one more word, you don't get your gift."

That stopped her. "A gift?"

He nodded. "I read in one of your magazines that a houseguest is supposed to bring a gift."

"You read my magazines?"

He couldn't tell what pleased her more—the prospect of a gift or her brother admitting he had read CanCam. "An article or two might have caught my eye while I was ripping out pages for kindling."

She chuckled. "Of course."

"Careful. I can still return the gift."

She smiled sweetly. "Not if you want to leave this house alive."

"I give, I give." He reached into his pocket. "Hold out your arm."

Fastening the gold chain to her wrist brought back more memories. On almost every job they pulled, Lapis would pocket an extra bracelet when Lazuli wasn't looking. He started with cheap bangles before progressing to silver and gold adornments encrusted with diamonds. After the job, while their hearts still pounded and they were giddy with endorphins, he would cover her wrist with one hand, affix the bracelet with the other, and then came the big reveal.

No diamonds decorated this newest bracelet, but the delight in her eyes when he drew back his hand was the same. Knowing he could still elicit that expression made the whole trip worthwhile.

Lazuli's mouth twitched as she fought a grin. Once she regained control, she gave a queenly nod of approval. It was as close as the two of them ever got to a thank you.

The next morning, tugging gently on the bracelet as it hung on her wrist, he admired his good taste. "Not bad, eh?"

He hoped for a trace of the approval from the night before—an early morning hit to go with the coffee percolating in the kitchen. But Lazuli was frowning. Had the gold lost its luster in daylight?

"Lapis?"

"Yeah, sis?"

"The bracelet's great, but..." She let the word hang.

"But?"

"Is it stolen?"

Ah. "What if I said yes?"

"Then you have to return it." She fiddled with the clasp. "I appreciate the gesture, but I'm not—"

He covered her hand with his. "Relax, Laz. I know you're on the straight and narrow now, and—believe it or not—I respect that." They shared a smile before Lapis added, "At least enough not to make you an accessory."

Lazuli rolled her eyes. "Gee, thanks."

"Hey, you actually thanked me for something!"

"That was sarcasm."

"Not just now. Before, when you said you appreciated the gesture."

She shrugged. "A figure of speech, nothing more."

"You can't fool me, sis. The shrimp managed to drill some manners into your thick skull. Remind me to congratulate him."

"Screw you."

Lapis barked a laugh. "Guess you need a few more lessons, huh?"

She was still fuming on the couch, trying to devise a comeback, when they heard a knock on the door. "Come in," she snapped.

The door eased open, and the monk entered, carrying a serving tray. "Breakfast is nearly ready, and I thought you two might like some coffee while you wait."

Lazuli's irritated brow smoothed, and she rose to meet him. "Who's cooking?"

"Oolong. He tasted your leftover casserole and vowed to one-up you."

"He's welcome to try." She took the tray and set it on the coffee table. Then she held out her arm. "Do you like my bracelet? My brother bought it for me."

The monk examined the chain. "It's great. You have an eye for jewelry, Seventeen."

Lapis smirked. "Wonder where I could've picked that up."

The monk rubbed the back of his head and chuckled nervously. "Oh, yeah."

Lazuli glared at her brother before turning back to her boyfriend. "Where's your cup?" There were only two on the tray, alongside the coffee decanter and cream and sugar bowls. "Aren't you joining us?"

"I didn't want to interrupt your talk."

"We're finished. Grab your cup and come back."

"If you're sure." He glanced at Lapis, who answered with a shrug.

The monk departed, and Lazuli returned to the couch and motioned for her brother to slide over. Sitting in his place, she prepared coffees for both of them, then took the monk's cup and did the same—despite his protests—when he returned to sit beside her.

A sip of coffee, and she sighed in satisfaction. "There, now wait until you see what I have planned for us today."

Her eye gleamed, and on either side of her, Lapis and the monk shared uneasy glances.

To be continued

Thanks for reading; reviews are appreciated.

[chestnutisland]

In your headcanon: Who said “I love you” first, Krillin or Eighteen? And who suggested naming their daughter Marron?

Krillin, most definitely. I mean I think he’s the first to crack and just can’t hold back anymore, he does wear his heart on his sleeves at times, you know!

As for naming Marron. I actually planned on writing a chapter on that for Nursery Rhymes but since I never finished that story, here is the gist. 

I think Eighteen would come up with wanting to name their little girl that way with involuntary help from Gohan. Since Gohan is a scholar, I thought it would be cool if he was learning different languages as well, French being one of them and he would come across the meaning of the French spelling of Marron and mention it to Krillin which Eighteen hears. And she likes it and rolls with it. I do have the draft, I might have to write it out to make more sense perhaps! But yea that was so cute to me at the time.

[grizzlegreertrash]

Top 5 OTPs

So I get tagged in things like these like once or twice every few months, and I usually never do them because I don’t have time or the motivation, but this is something I can get behind because, well? I’m a sappy romantic at heart (though I don’t like showing it)

I was tagged by @koinekid, so here we are :

(gonna add a read more because I rant)

1. Krillin/No. 18 (K18) from Dragon Ball Z

This was actually my first ride or die ship. Like I’ve been in love with this pairing for nearly 3 years running, and since then I’ve met great friends because of this pairing. This pairing is also particularly special because it was my main driving force through my first viewing of Dragon Ball Z back in 2016. 

2. Sanji Vinsmoke/Nami (SaNa) from One Piece

Okay, so I feel I need to explain, because there is a lot to unpack with this one. 

1. I do not speak about One Piece pairings publicly because it isn’t a series that has any major romantic themes. Like every pairing is speculation at this point, and Oda usually doesn’t pander towards particular pairings like people want to believe. I have my reasons for shipping, but I think it’s more based on references to One Piece’s inspiration (*cough cough* Dragon Ball)

2. Like any anime, yaoi is the most prevalent form of shipping in the One Piece community, so it’s a kind of a given that this pairing isn’t that rampant on tumblr (but I’ve found my fair share of Japanese artwork on pixiv and twitter)

3. I normally ship what is canon, and this is one of the exceptions because to me, it is plausible. Why you may ask? Well, I think it’s already established that One Piece is heavily inspired by Dragon Ball. The protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy is heavily inspired by the iconic Son Goku. In a similar fashion, Nami seems to have been inspired by Bulma in some ways. Vain, materialistic, intelligent. I could go on about Nami’s importance to the series, like Bulma was in Dragon Ball. So in a similar fashion, she is too good to be downgraded to s/o of the protagonist if Oda decided to pair her with Luffy. Also, Luffy has gone on record saying that he has no intention to commit to anyone, so that takes him out of shipping entirely for me. Meanwhile, Oda has been writing Sanji busting a fat nut over her for 21 years. Like I’ve been getting this suspicion that though Sanji loves every woman, Nami is his one and only. I also think that the marriage/wedding symbolism between them is too obvious. 

4. This is actually not a pairing that influenced my viewing/reading of One Piece. This came after the recent Whole Cake Island arc, in which it honestly seemed to me like Nami is startin to feel some type of way about her personal love-slave (as Sanji calls himself). 

Okay, enough of my ranting...

3. Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell (Edwin) from Fullmetal Alchemist

Love the childhood friends to lovers trope, but this is extra great because both are strong and well written characters (at least I think so).  Like we can’t ignore that Winry literally gave Ed a leg to stand on, which is just wonderful.

4. Aang/Katara (Kataang) from Avatar: The Last Airbender

They were meant to be together from the start, and it’s canon that they fucked, so that’s all I need to say. 

(This is another ride or die pairing right here because I think some are too unfair to the creators over this one)

5.  Izuku Midoriya/Ochako Uraraka (Izuocha) from My Hero Academia

This is another plausible one, and I want to be honest about this list. I chose this based off of how much fanfiction/fanart I have enjoyed. And while I am currently caught up with MHA and enjoy it, I don’t think it’s the godly series that everyone makes it out to be. Regardless, I like the pairing and I just want these two cinnamon rolls to be happy and live their best lives.

So this took me nearly an hour, but that’s fine, since this is something I care about immensely.

Gonna tag @toomcflyforawhiteguy @shounenchild @jay-sherman @rinokumuraegin and  @elby-the-megnet (I feel bad for never responding to the stuff you tag me in(

[ao3feed-vegebul]

by koinekid

Bulma intends to give Eighteen a few pointers on the finer points of fun in the bedroom.

Words: , Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 10 of K18 Flash Fiction

Fandoms: Dragon Ball

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M

Characters: Bulma Briefs, Android 18 (Dragon Ball), Krillin (Dragon Ball)

Relationships: Android 18/Krillin (Dragon Ball), Bulma Briefs/Vegeta

Additional Tags: Sex Talk, girl talk

[koinekid]

Decided to revisit a concept for a novel I had a while ago and wrote several hundred words of a possible synopsis this afternoon. Felt good to stretch the writing muscles again.

I used Campfire Pro to write the synopsis. Sometimes, it's good to try a new software without a steep learning curve to approach a project from a different angle. If you try it, make sure to save the project before you type too much into it. The software allows you to add title, author info, a synopsis, and notes before saving. I had a mishap during the save process (my own fault) and thought I lost an hour's work. I didn't, but any writer will tell you how frightening a prospect that is.

On an unrelated note, a former grad school teacher emailed to ask about using a paper I wrote on Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five as an example for her students. That was gratifying.

[koinekid]

Following a tension-fueled dinner last chapter, Lazuli takes Krillin’s advice and talks to her brother. Told from Lapis’s perspective.

[k18flashfics]

I Wanna Touch It, a K18 Flash Fiction

Note: I freely admit this is an unusual one.

For the Chestnut Fest 2019 Birthday Prompt. Thanks to @chestnutisland​ on for organizing the event once again.

View the story on FFN or AO3 or read below.

Rights to Dragonball and related properties are held by their respective owners. No infringement is implied or intended.

I Wanna Touch It

By Koinekid

Eighteen widened her eyes. “You want to touch what?” When she told Krillin she would grant him one birthday wish, she meant treating him to dinner or a movie. She could see where he might get the impression she was offering more. They were sitting on her bed, after all, but where else were they supposed to spend time together in this small crowded house?

Krillin’s eyes did some widening of their own. “I didn’t mean that!”

“What did you mean? Hell, Krillin, we haven’t even kissed yet.”

“I meant—did you say yet?”

“D-don’t get sidetracked.”

“Sorry. I meant…well, it’s kind of embarrassing.”

“More embarrassing than what I thought you meant?”

“Good point.” To avoid losing his nerve, he averted his gaze. “Iwannatouchyournose.”

“Did you say my nose?”

He nodded, blushing furiously.

“Why? It’s just a—oh.”

“You don’t have to let me. It’s just I’ve never touched one, and it’s my birthday, and you did ask, and—“

Eighteen pressed a finger to his lips to silence him. “Okay.”

“Really?”

“Mm-hmm.” She scooted closer to him and leaned in.

“Could you close your eyes?”

“Why? So you can try some funny stuff?”

“Of course not. It’s weird with you looking at me.”

She huffed but complied. Teasing Krillin could be such fun. The first sensation made her gasp. His hand jerked away, and he apologized.

“It’s fine,” she said. “You startled me. Go on. Just tell me when you’re about to touch.”

“Now,” he whispered, and his forefinger traced the line of her nose from bridge to tip. Her eyelids grew heavy, and she couldn’t have opened them if she wanted to. Then two fingers caressed the side, grazing the delicate flesh beneath her left eye. She shuddered as his finger moved to where her nose met her upper lip. Keep going, she silently urged, imagining that finger teasing her bottom lip.

But he stopped, his hand returning to her nostrils, squeezing gently and almost making her sneeze. She pulled away and opened her eyes.

“Sorry, did I—?”

Her smile stopped him. “Do you want to kiss it?” She almost expected him to ask, Kiss what? But he merely nodded and leaned forward to place a delicate kiss on the tip of her nose.

They both grinned. “This is getting weird, isn’t it?” Krillin asked.

“Little bit. One more kiss?”

“All right.”

When he leaned in, she raised her head slightly so that his lips missed their intended target and found a better one.

“Happy Birthday, Krillin.”

Word Count: 420

The End.

Thanks for reading; reviews are appreciated.

[koinekid]

What do we have here? Found the newest Funko Pop Krillin waiting in the mail today. Great pose on the figure. A lot more dynamic than the original with better coloring. The moxibustion burns are more distinct, as well.

[koinekid]

Of Love Letters and Loose Leaf Paper, a K18 fan fiction

In this story created for the Chestnut Fest 2019 Confession Prompt, a frustrated Eighteen finds something interesting while searching Krillin’s room while he’s gone.

Read on FFN or AO3. 

On FFN, you’ll find it as part of the Kame Island Romance Anthology.

[koinekid]

With these out of boxes, my new place is starting to feel more like home.

[koinekid]

Photos of me with legendary Scrooge McDuck artist Don Rosa, the writer of the seminal Amazing Spider-Man 400 and Kraven’s Last Hunt, J. M. DeMatteis, and prolific Captain Marvel and Superman writer and artist, the creator of Bibbo Bibbowski, Jerry Ordway.

[k18flashfics]

Only on Special Occasions, a K18 flash fiction

Rights to Dragonball and related properties are held by their respective owners. No infringement is implied or intended.

Only on Special Occasions

By Koinekid

Thursday Afternoon

Courtyard of Capsule Corp

 “What the hell is birthday sex?”

Bulma gave her friend an indulgent smile. Sometimes, she forgot that Eighteen’s experience prior to Krillin had been wiped out. “You know, the stuff he wants to do in bed that you don’t.”

Eighteen blinked. “Like what?”

Bulma cracked her knuckles. Time to give this girl an education. In vague terms—so as not to shock the poor dear—she described a couple of acts that Vegeta found highly pleasurable but that Krillin would be too embarrassed to ask for.

“What’s wrong with that?”

Hmm. “There’s nothing wrong with it per se—if you’re into that sort of thing—but you’ve got to hold something back.”

“Why?”

“To reward him.” Bulma leaned forward conspiratorially. “Or to get something you want.”

Eighteen shook her head. “But what I want is that stuff.”

“Well, okay, that stuff, but do you…?”

“Yes.”

“And does he…?”

“Of course.”

“And how about…?

Eighteen grinned. “That’s the best part.”

“And…?”

“We have to stretch first, but sure.”

For several moments, Bulma said nothing. Then she triggered a capsule, releasing a notebook and pen. “Go on.”

Twenty minutes later, she had filled several pages and would have continued taking notes had Eighteen’s phone not chirped. The cyborg’s eyes lit up, and she answered.

“Hey, honey…No, we’re chatting…Girl talk…Sure, come on over…See you soon.” Hanging up, she turned back to Bulma. “Krillin’s shift just ended. He’s picking me up for an early dinner before we get Marron from the babysitter.”

When Bulma spotted Krillin flying in, she slammed the notebook shut and fumbled for its capsule. She could feel his curious gaze upon her as he landed, which only deepened the blush staining her cheeks. The couple embraced in a way that seemed more sensual than the typical reserved kisses they shared in front of friends. Then again, perhaps Bulma’s perception had changed. Either way, she excused herself and hurried inside for a cool drink. Or better yet, a hot husband who might be interested in practicing some new...techniques.

Krillin and Eighteen strolled hand-in-hand down the sidewalk. The restaurant was a block away, and they had time before the dinner rush.

“So, Bulma seemed pretty red-faced,” Krillin said. “What did you two talk about?”

“Sex.”

“Oh?” Time was, he would have blushed at the topic.

“Yeah, but I only told her about the tame stuff. I don’t want to embarrass the poor woman.”

Krillin nodded soberly. “You’re a good friend.”

“I know, right?”

Hand-holding transitioned to arms around waist and shoulders, and since the streets were clear, they engaged in a few stolen kisses that were anything but tame.

Word Count: 453

[koinekid]

An old story is resurrected. The fourth chapter of the sequel to my first DBZ story is now posted. It contains three scenes. Is that enough numbers? ;)

[koinekid]

Featuring playtime with Marron, Eighteen on a covert mission, and Krillin in protector mode, with a few quasi cameos by DBZ characters I haven’t written before. Posted on the birthday of my friend @xfadedmemoriezx

Enjoy my longest K18 one-shot to date.

[k18flashfics]

Sobriquet, a K18 flash fiction

Rights to Dragonball and related properties are held by their respective owners. No infringement is implied or intended.

Sobriquet

By Koinekid

“Good night, honey,” muttered a sleepy Krillin.

Eighteen sat up in bed. “What did you call me?”

Krillin blinked away his exhaustion. What had he called her? “I don’t know.”

“You called me honey.”

“Yeah? We are getting married next month, and pet names go with the territory.”

Her arms crossed over her chest. “I’m not honey.”

“Well, not literally, but you can be sweet sometimes.” He grinned, reaching out to squeeze her bicep.

She raised a brow. Not amused.

“I’m not sure what we’re talking about, Eighteen.”

She sighed, exasperated. “Krillin, I’m babe. You’re honey.”

“Oh? Oh, does it matter? Those sorts of pet names are interchangeable. You can be honey one day and darling the next. It’s all the same.”

“I’m babe,” she insisted.

Krillin had no clue why his fiancée considered this so important, but he knew better than to fight her about it. He sat up and kissed her cheek, grateful when she accepted it without turning away. “Sorry, babe. You’re right.”

She kissed his mouth. “Thank you, honey.”

“My pleasure.” He settled into bed and, as sleep was claiming him, sighed and murmured without thinking, “Pleasant dreams, sweetheart.”

His eyes opened wide. Uh-oh.

Word Count: 198