Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was only an hour into her shift and Cheelai was already over it.

Not a single soul had come into the diner since she’d started at midnight - on one hand, it meant she could just chill, but on the other, it meant no tips. She sighed, tossed the fashion magazine she had been flipping through onto the counter and stood up to stretch. 1AM on a Tuesday night and the place was deserted - what was the point of even keeping the place open?

Frieza’s was a neighbourhood institution, an old fashioned diner that served all the staples, open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for the last 30 years. That was its calling card - no matter what time of day you could always come on down to Frieza’s for a hot meal and a cup of coffee served up with a smile. Well, maybe not the last part, at least not tonight. Cheelai was in no mood. She was late on the rent again. No surprise really, considering she’d been stuck on the weekday late night shift for the last 3 months. A punishment for mouthing off to a rude customer during the breakfast rush - instead of firing her, the boss had exiled her to the land of no tips. Cheelai wondered for what felt like the millionth time why she didn’t just quit. There had to be better gigs out there. At this rate, she’d never get back on the day shift.

She was looking under the counter for a copy of yesterday’s paper so she could peruse the help wanted ads when the bell over the door chimed. Finally, a customer! She stood up quickly and grabbed the coffee pot from the machine on the back counter. Normally, whenever a customer came into the diner, Cheelai would go through her standard routine: cheery greeting, pour them some coffee, hand them a menu, tell them the specials. It was a routine she’d done a hundred times before. This time, her routine went out the window because the man that had just walked in completely threw her off her game.

He was tall, and his shoulders were so broad that she wondered if he had had to turn sideways to get through the door. Despite the chilly fall weather, he was only wearing a long sleeved black crew neck t-shirt that hugged every muscle, cargo pants and work boots. He had long messy black hair and dark eyes, and as he got closer Cheelai noticed a long thin scar on his right cheek. He walked across the diner, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she was gaping at him, and sat in the end booth furthest away from the door. Cheelai took a deep breath, grabbed a menu and headed over.

“Welcome to Frieza’s!” she squeaked, wondering what was happening to her vocal cords. The tall dark stranger had been gazing out of the window lost in thought; at the sound of her voice he looked at her, and Cheelai felt her heart rate pick up.

“Here’s your menu, our special tonight is the Monte Cristo sandwich. Can I get you started with some coffee?” If her voice got any higher, only dogs would be able to hear it. Fortunately, her only customer didn’t seem to notice her awkwardness and simply nodded. Cheelai filled his cup and then quickly retreated behind the counter to regroup. What was wrong with her? Men came in the diner all the time! Well, on the day shift. The diner was situated in an industrial part of the city, and during the day and well into the evening they saw a steady stream of factory and construction workers. On the late night shift, hardly anyone came in, as her bank account knew all too well. This guy however? She’d definitely never seen anyone like him before.

“C’mon, pull yourself together,” she muttered to herself. She took a deep breath, smoothed her apron and headed back over to the booth.

“Are you ready to order?” she said brightly, sounding a little more like herself and a little less like Mickey Mouse. The tall dark stranger had been gazing out the window again, and the sound of her voice seemed to startle him.

“Sorry,” he said, “I haven’t even looked at the menu yet.” Cheelai was surprised at how soft spoken he was.

“No worries! I can come back.” she said, in a voice that was almost normal.

He quickly flipped through the menu. “No it’s okay, I’ll have the double stack of pancakes, six eggs scrambled, a double order of hash browns, sausage and bacon, and the cheeseburger deluxe.”

“Do you want fries with the cheeseburger?” she asked faintly.

“And onion rings please.”

“Coming right up!”

Cheelai topped up his coffee then scurried back to the counter wondering how he managed to eat like that. He looked like he was solid muscle, at least from what she could see. She put the order through and heard Lemo give a low whistle.

“Not often that we get a group at this hour,” he said.

“It’s not a group,” she replied. “That’s all for one guy.”

“You’re kidding!” he exclaimed, peering out the pass-through at her. He whistled again. “I don’t know where he’s going to put it all but I’ll get right on it.”

Soon the diner was filled with the scent of Lemo’s cooking. While Cheelai waited for the massive order to be finished, she tried to keep herself busy - wiping down the countertop, filling the salt and pepper shakers, anything to keep herself from staring at her only customer. She had just finished wiping off the napkin dispenser when she heard Lemo’s call.

“Order up! You need help carrying all that?”

“No I’m good, I can make a couple trips” she said quickly. She grabbed a couple of plates and headed over to the stranger’s booth.

“Here you go!” she said brightly, placing the heavy plates on the table in front of him. “I’ll be right back.” She returned in a moment with the rest of his order.

“Thank you Cheelai,” he said quietly.

It was a good thing she had already put down the plates she was carrying, because if she hadn’t she certainly would have dropped them in surprise.

“How do you know my name?” she exclaimed.

He looked at her as if slightly confused by her reaction. “Your name tag” he said simply. Cheelai cringed inwardly. Duh! She always wore a name tag. It was part of her uniform.

“Of course! I…forgot it was there!” She could feel her cheeks burning. At this point the only way she could make a bigger fool of herself was if she were to trip over her nonexistent shoelaces and fall headfirst into his plate of eggs. She quickly retreated behind the counter before she said or did anything else idiotic. To distract herself, she resumed her search for yesterday’s paper behind the counter. She found it behind a canister of coffee and after halfheartedly scanning the help wanted ads she started on the crossword puzzle.
She had just been mulling over a particularly tricky clue when she heard a small cough. She looked up to see the tall dark stranger standing across from her on the other side of the counter.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry—I should have been checking in to see if you needed anything!” she exclaimed, kicking herself. How could she have gotten wrapped up in a stupid crossword puzzle for so long? She looked at the clock and realized that only about 15 minutes had passed since she brought out his order. She looked over at the booth and saw that the plates were empty. How? There’s no way he could have finished all that food that quickly.

“It’s okay,” he said.

Not much of a talker, Cheelai thought. She wondered again how he could eat like that and look the way he did. Maybe he lived in the gym? She realized she was staring at him and snapped back to attention.

“Would you like anything else? More coffee? The dessert menu maybe?”

He seemed to be contemplating dessert for a moment but then shook his head. Cheelai felt a pang of disappointment for a moment but then pushed it away. That was it. When she got home she was finally going to bite the bullet and create a dating app profile. If tonight was any indication, she had definitely been alone for too long. Imagine getting flustered over a random guy like this! Well, she didn’t know if random was the best way to describe him—she couldn’t picture a random guy looking the way he did—but either way she was annoyed with herself.

“Okay well…I’ll get you your bill then.” Cheelai rang up his order and placed the bill on the counter. He paid—leaving a very generous tip, she noticed—and turned to leave.

“Thanks! Come again soon!” she said. He turned to her and nodded, then headed out into the night. She exhaled a long slow breath and slumped against the counter. Could she have been any more cringe? Ugh. She went over to his booth and started clearing the table, taking a mental inventory of which pictures of her would work best for her dating profile. She was stacking the last of the plates when she noticed a glint of metal on the leather banquette seat. It was a key ring with a cat-shaped charm and a couple of keys dangling from it—the tall dark stranger must have dropped them. She grabbed them and dashed for the exit, pausing for a second to let Lemo know that she’d be right back.

Once she was out on the street she looked around to see which way he’d gone, hoping that he hadn’t gone too far. Fortunately, he was hard to miss on a deserted street, and he was only a couple of blocks away. Cheelai started running after him, or rather, jogging—her work flats weren’t really suited for chasing people down the street. Once she got a bit closer she called after him.

“Hey! Excuse me!”

Thankfully, he heard her and stopped walking. He turned and looked at her in bewilderment as she jogged up to him.

“You forgot your keys!”

She held out the key ring to him and his eyes widened. His fingers brushed hers as he took the key ring, and Cheelai noticed—much to her surprise—that he was blushing slightly, which made him go from intimidating to adorable in the blink of an eye. They stood on the pavement together in awkward silence for a moment until Cheelai couldn’t take it any more.

“Well…I’d better get back to work,” she said hesitantly, turning to head back up the street to the diner.

“Wait!”

She turned back and looked at him inquiringly.

“Thank you Cheelai.” He was still blushing. It was still adorable. Cheelai could feel butterflies start dancing around in her chest.

“You’re welcome…what’s your name by the way? Since you know mine it’s only fair I know yours,” she said, wondering where her sudden bout of boldness was coming from.

“Broly.”

“You’re welcome Broly,” she said.

He smiled at her then, and she could feel the butterflies intensify. They exchanged good-byes, and Cheelai walked back to the diner in a daze. She entered, let Lemo know she was back, and then slumped against the counter with a sigh.

She knew had plenty of things to do—she needed to finish clearing the booth, help Lemo with the dishes, maybe give the help wanted ads a second look—but at that moment the only thing she could do was picture a pair of dark eyes, a long thin scar on a blushing cheek, and a smile that made her heart melt.

Maybe the late night shift wasn’t so bad after all.

Chapter Text

“Finally! I was supposed to be done twenty minutes ago!”

“Sorry, sorry, sorry!” Cheelai said breathlessly. “I completely lost track of time tonight.”

The truth was, she had been swiping through the options on the dating app she’d just signed up for, and getting more and more discouraged with each left swipe. Why were so many guys into fishing? And mirror selfies? And shirtless gym pics? Ugh. She took off her jacket, hung it up in the back along with her bag, and emerged tying her apron and adjusting her nametag.

Launch frowned but then shrugged. “Not like I had anything going on tonight anyway, but try not to be late again. I may not have plans but that doesn’t mean I want to be hanging around here when I’m supposed to be off the clock.”

“I promise, won’t happen again Launch. If it does, you can have all my tips from my next shift.”

Launch snorted. “As if you’re making any tips on a weekday late shift!” she said teasingly.

“Wowww way to rub it in!” Cheelai said, thinking of her chequing account ruefully.

“Sorry babe, facts are facts. But hey, at least you seem to have made a friend on the late shift,” she said, with a mischievous grin.

“Lemo?” Cheelai said. “He seems like an okay guy but I don’t know that we’re friends.”

Launch rolled her eyes. “As if I’m talking about Lemo! I’m talking about the guy who was in here earlier looking for you.”

Cheelai frowned. A guy? Asking for her? She couldn’t remember the last time she went on a date or even had a flirtation. Maybe it was one of her regulars from the good old days of the day shift wanting to say hi? Maybe Launch was just messing with her? A pair of dark eyes floated across her memory. Or maybe…? No, it couldn’t be him.

“What did he look like?” Cheelai asked, trying to sound nonchalant. She picked up a mug and went to pour herself some coffee.

“Hmmm let’s see,” Launch said—natural born gossip that she was, she was clearly enjoying having news to share. “Three words: big and gorgeous”

Cheelai almost dropped the coffee pot she was holding. Big and gorgeous. She knew only one man who fit that description.

“What!?” she yelped. “When did he come in? What did he say?”

“Let me see…I spent so long waiting for you to show it seems like a distant memory at this point…”

“Launch come on!” Cheelai pleaded.

“Okay okay fine. He came in around 10. I was at the counter and when he saw me, I swear, he looked almost disappointed!” Launch huffed at the thought, then continued. “He just stood there by the counter for a minute, and then he asked if you were here.”

“And? What did you say?” The butterflies from the other night had returned and were doing a full dance routine in Cheelai’s stomach. She thought of him standing there on the pavement looking at her, the way he smiled when she said his name…

“I told him you’d be in at midnight. He just nodded and left. So come on, what’s the deal? You’ve been holding out on me! Who is this guy? Are you dating him? If not, can I have him?”

Cheelai snapped out of her reverie. “What? No!”

“No what, you’re not dating, or no I can’t have him?”

“Both!” Cheelai yelped.

Launch gave Cheelai a knowing smile. “I see. Well, here’s hoping Big and Gorgeous comes back tonight, so you can seal the deal then.”

“It’s not even like that!” Cheelai protested.

“Suuuure it isn’t” Launch said, winking. “Anyway, I’m outta here. Good luck!”

Launch breezed out of the diner leaving Cheelai to process their conversation.

She was right, it wasn’t like that. There hadn’t been even a hint of flirtation between them the other night. Oh sure, she’d been thinking about him since then, but it was completely one sided. She needed to get a grip. There definitely was nothing there on his end. He was just embarrassed that she’d chased him for two blocks. That was all. But then again—Broly had come by earlier. Broly had come by earlier and asked for her. Cheelai tried to stop the huge grin that was spreading across her face, but to no avail. For once, she was glad the diner was empty so no-one could see her grinning like an idiot.

The rest of the night passed surprisingly quickly. It was closer to the weekend, and the diner got a decent amount of traffic from partygoers who liked to pass through after a night out in the nearby club district. Cheelai was relieved to finally have some tips coming in. Her landlord had given her a very dirty look when she’d passed him in the hallway yesterday, and now she could finally pay the rest of her rent. The downside was, every time the doorbell chimed her heart would leap, but then when she looked over and saw it wasn’t him it would sink back into place again.

It was around 3:30 when her last group of customers left and the diner was empty again. Cheelai had cleared the last booth and was in the back putting away dishes when she heard the doorbell chime. She’d had too many false alarms tonight, so this time she didn’t get her hopes up.

“Welcome to Frieza’s!” she called out. “I’ll be right with you.”

The doorbell chimed as Broly entered the diner. It was completely deserted, and he wondered if maybe Cheelai had already left for the night. He thought back to what the blonde woman he’d spoken to earlier had said, that Cheelai started her shift at midnight. She must still be here. As if on cue, he heard her voice come from the back.

“Welcome to Frieza’s! I’ll be right with you.”

She emerged, and when she saw him a smile spread across her face. Broly felt hope creeping up on him—hope that the smile was for him, that she was happy to see him—but he quickly pushed it back down. She was just doing her job, he reminded himself. She’s supposed to be nice to her customers. He hesitated for a moment—he was still standing in the doorway and wasn’t sure if he should go over to the counter and say hi to her, or if he should just seat himself first—but much to his relief Cheelai interrupted his internal debate.

“Hi!” she said. There was a pause. “Sit anywhere you like.”

Broly obediently went over to the booth in the far corner by the window, realizing as he sat down that he hadn’t said hi back to her. Not a good start. He wondered, not for the first time, if he should even say anything to Cheelai about the other night. It was just a key ring, would she think he was weird for bringing it up again? What if she didn’t even remember? What if she didn’t remember him? She probably had too many customers coming in and out of the diner to remember one random guy. Broly looked around the empty diner. Okay, maybe not. But still, it would be weird to thank her again. But he wanted to. It was such a kind thing to do, and Broly wasn’t used to people being kind.

Cheelai was coming back. He realized he was frowning and stopped quickly. He didn’t want to look any more intimidating that he already did, and a frown definitely wasn’t going to help in that department.

“Here you go Broly,” she said, handing him a menu and pouring him a cup of coffee.

So she did remember him. That was a good start, wasn’t it? Wait, he was staring at her. He should say something back. Anything.

“Thanks.” He groaned internally. Was that all he could come up with?

“I’ll be back in a minute to take your order,” Cheelai said, before he could say anything else, and she headed back to the counter.

Broly exhaled. Why was it so difficult to say something to her? Granted, he had never been much of a talker, but he still managed to have conversations.

Cheelai was back and he hadn’t even opened the menu yet. He ordered quickly, the same thing he’d had last time and she went off to put his order in, leaving Broly to his thoughts. Before he knew it, she had returned.

“Here you go,” she said, placing the heavy plates on the table. “I’ll be back with the rest.”

“Thanks,” he said, as she came back with the rest of his order.

Apparently it was the only thing he was going to say to her tonight, he thought, frustrated. He decided to use the food in front of him as a momentary distraction, and dug in. When he was finished, he took a deep breath and made his way over to the counter, determined to say more than one syllable this time. Cheelai looked up and saw him walking over and put the magazine she had been reading down. She smiled at him, and anything Broly had wanted to say flew out of his head. Before he could say anything, she spoke first.

“I heard you came by earlier?”

Broly snapped back to attention. He hadn’t even thought about whether the blonde woman would tell Cheelai he’d asked about her. What did he say? Did she think it was weird that he’d asked about her? Was it weird?

“Uh, yeah I did.” At least that was more than one syllable. Cheelai was looking at him as if waiting for more. Right, he probably should explain instead of just staring at her. But what to say? He should have thought this through more before he got here, but in his defense, things at the club had been hectic tonight and he hadn’t anticipated being tongue tied to this extent.

“Did you need something or…?” Cheelai prompted.

“No, I uh, I just wanted to thank you. For the other night…” he trailed off.

“The other night?”

“When you found my keys and made sure I got them. I just…you didn’t have to do that and I thought it was really nice of you that you did.”

Cheelai smiled again and Broly felt the same sensation in his chest that he’d felt the other night, like a warmth that spread all over him. She had a beautiful smile. One that he wouldn’t mind seeing over and over again.

“So anyway…thanks Cheelai. Again.” If he’d taken a shot every time he said thanks tonight, he would be well on his way to being drunk.

“You’re welcome.”

There was a long, awkward silence. Broly wasn’t sure how to proceed now that he’d said what he wanted to say. The obvious thing would be to ask for her number, ask her on a date, but there was no way she was interested. He thought of the smile on her face when she saw him come in, how cheerful she’d sounded when she said his name, and hope bubbled to the surface for a moment, only to die down. Cheelai was just a kind person. That’s all it was, all any of it was. She was just being nice, and it would be wrong of him to try and make this something it wasn’t. Broly firmly resolved not to say anything and leave it be. He asked for the bill and paid quickly. He didn’t want to linger any longer and make things any weirder.

“Bye Cheelai.”

“Bye Broly.”

Cheelai watched as Broly left feeling immeasurably disappointed, but also unbelievably annoyed with herself. She hardly knew this guy, and she was getting all bent out of shape for nothing. She sighed. The diner was empty again and she knew at this hour it would probably stay that way. She went to get her phone out of her bag so she could do a little mindless gaming, maybe swipe on the dating app some more (not that she needed any more disappointment tonight) and noticed that she had a text message from Launch.

I forgot to ask you earlier…you in for tomorrow nite? Lemme know!

Cheelai paused. Launch had asked her if she wanted to go clubbing a few days ago, and at the time Cheelai hadn’t been sure. She did like to dance, but night clubs weren’t really her thing. She looked around the empty diner feeling oddly deflated. What was her life like at the moment? It felt like all she did was work, eat and sleep, with the occasional interlude to pay bills and run errands—and get her hopes up over a complete stranger. She texted Launch back.

I’m in!

It was time to live a little.

Chapter Text

Cheelai hadn’t even gotten into the club yet, and she was already having second thoughts. The line to get into Ultra Instinct snaked down and around the block, and the crowd of clubgoers looked intimidatingly trendy. She studied her reflection in the window of an SUV that was parked on the curb. She had opted for her favourite dress, a purple short sleeved bodycon, with a pair of white heels. It had felt amazing to get all dolled up for a change, after months of just alternating between her diner uniform, sweats and pajamas. But now, as she stood across the street surveying the crowd of trendy, beautiful people waiting to get into this trendy, beautiful nightclub, she was feeling a little underdressed. She took her phone out of her clutch and just as she was typing out a message to Launch to see where she was, she heard her name being called.

“Cheelai! Sorry I’m late, my hair just would not cooperate tonight.” Launch said, fluffing her long blonde hair. “Oooh you look hot! How long have you been waiting?”

“Not too long…I wasn’t sure if I should get us a spot in the line or wait for you, but now I’m thinking getting in line would have been best. It looks like it’ll be a while…should we maybe find another place?”

“Pffft, another place? No way! Ultra Instinct is the hotspot tonight.”

“But are we even going to get in? At this rate we’ll spend the whole night in the line.”

Launch grabbed Cheelai by the wrist and crossed the street pulling her along.

“Don’t worry, I got this!”

With Cheelai in tow, Launch walked straight past the line towards the front, to a chorus of grumbles and complaints from the waiting clubgoers. She looked back at the restless crowd, wondering what Launch’s plan was to get them in. They were almost at the entrance, which was flanked by two muscular bouncers. Cheelai eyed them nervously. The shorter of the two looked like he wouldn’t take kindly to line cutters, if the scowl etched on his face and crossed arm stance was anything to go by. Fortunately, the taller bouncer spotted Launch first.

“Launch! Long time no see!”

“Hey Goku! I know right! How’ve you been?”

“Can’t complain, the club keeps me busy.”

“I can see that! Speaking of the club, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind letting an old friend in right? And my girl Cheelai too of course?”

Goku laughed. “Of course not, come on in ladies.”

He opened the velvet rope and ushered them in with a wink.

“Ahhh you’re the best Goku!” Launch gave him a quick hug and pulled Cheelai in after her before she had a chance to say anything. She hadn’t expected to get in that easily, but she should have known better—Launch always had a plan. Cheelai felt a frisson of excitement as she followed Launch into the club.

It was going to be a good night.

It was going to be a long night. Broly looked out across the packed club and sighed. He wished he was working the door—at least then he was outside in the fresh air. He knew why he always got stuck patrolling the interior of the club—his presence alone was usually enough to keep things in check. Even the drunkest frat boy knew better than to try and start something when he was around.

He supposed it was easy work, as far as work went, but it didn’t make him feel good. He didn’t want to be intimidating, or seen as a tough guy. He never had, but it seemed like he had been forced into that role for as long as he could remember—and it had made things lonely. For a while, a very long while, Ba had been his only friend. He felt the usual pang of sadness as he thought about Ba. He reached into his pocket and took out his keys, looking at the cat shaped charm on his key ring as he remembered his old friend fondly. But looking at the keys now brought back another memory, one that wasn’t tinged with sadness: Cheelai. Cheelai running down the street towards him, standing with him on the pavement, the light from the streetlight above them glinting off her hair. He sighed again and put the keys back in his pocket.

Broly watched over the club from his vantage point in the corner. Everything seemed normal so far, he noted with relief. Hopefully it would be a quiet night. Well, as quiet as it could get at Ultra Instinct on the busiest night of the week. He was just about to head over to the bar to make sure everything was in order there when a flash of white hair caught his eye: Cheelai. Broly froze. Cheelai was in the club, on the dancefloor, her body swaying in time to the pounding rhythm of the music, her face flushed and smiling as she danced with her friend. She looked…incredible. He completely forgot what he was supposed to be doing and just stood there watching her for a moment, mesmerized. The moment was over too soon, as in the corner of his eye he noticed a potential skirmish starting over in one of the VIP booths. He reluctantly turned away and headed over to investigate. By the time he got back, Cheelai was no longer on the dancefloor.

It was like a law of physics that in a room full of guys, the one Cheelai wanted to talk to the least would find her. She had left Launch on the dance floor to get a drink, and unfortunately caught the eye of a sleazy looking guy at the other end of the bar. She saw him spot her and start to make his way over, and she fervently hoped that he was going somewhere else. No such luck. He was heading straight for her. He was wearing a garish patterned shirt, with one too many buttons undone so that his chest hair was on full display. Cheelai sighed and braced herself for impact. She could already smell his cologne and he was still about six feet away.

“Hey there gorgeous. Mind if I join you?”

Now that he was up close, his cologne was overpowering. She hadn’t even had a chance to order a drink yet but all she could think about was getting away from this guy.  

“Actually I was just going to go find my friend.” Cheelai replied. She moved to step around him but he sidestepped and blocked her.

“I can be your friend. You know, you should consider yourself lucky, I don’t usually go for short hair on females, but for you I’ll make an exception.”

Ugh. Well, when he put it that way, how could she possibly resist?

“I really have to go,” Cheelai said firmly as she stepped around him, heading back towards the dance floor.

“Hey why are you being so stuck up huh?” Cologne Guy demanded, grabbing Cheelai’s arm as she went by. Before she could even react, he had already let go. Someone had grabbed him by the collar and hoisted him into the air. Someone much taller. And broader. With a long thin scar on his cheek.

“Are you okay?” Broly asked.

“I’m fine!” Cheelai squeaked. What was happening? Where had he come from? What was he doing here? The black T-shirt that said “SECURITY” across the front should have been her first clue. So he worked here. What were the odds?

“Are you sure?” he asked, the concern in his voice apparent. He was still holding Cologne Guy by the collar, who was flailing around helplessly while Broly ignored him.

“I’m sure,” Cheelai said, her voice a little closer to normal now.

Broly hesitated, not seeming fully convinced, but at that moment Cologne Guy decided it was a good time to start pleading his case. Broly turned and hauled him off as the crowd hastily parted to make way, leaving Cheelai staring after him, completely dumbfounded.

“Hey big man, this is all just a misunderstanding, I was just talking to that chick. You know how it is with females man, they can be so stuck up. Listen, I’m sure I can make it worth your while to forget all about this.”

Broly ignored Cologne Guy’s rambling as he strode to the club doors, trying to get his anger in check. How dare this asshole put his hands on Cheelai? As much as he disliked his job sometimes, he did get a sense of satisfaction out of throwing guys like this one out of the club. To harass any woman like that was inexcusable. To do it to Cheelai of all people? It was a miracle Broly hadn’t ripped his head clean off his shoulders. Once outside of the club he dumped him on the pavement like a bag of garbage.

“If I ever catch you in here again it’ll be a problem,” Broly growled. Cologne Guy struggled to his feet and scurried off down the block. Broly turned to find Goku and Vegeta staring at him. Goku took one look at his face and spoke quickly.

“Uh hey, Vegeta, why don’t you swap with Broly and cover the bar and dance floor. Broly can stay out here with me.” Vegeta raised an eyebrow but surprisingly didn’t protest—having seen the expression on Broly’s face he probably realized it was for the best. He shrugged and went inside.

It was about that time of night when the club was at capacity, so activity at the door was slow. Broly was relieved. He didn’t think he could deal with any more conflict tonight. He inhaled and exhaled slowly, feeling his anger dissipate bit by bit. Goku kept glancing over at him, but thankfully didn’t say anything. As his anger faded, it was replaced with worry. Was Cheelai really okay? How long had that guy been bothering her before he spotted them? He replayed the memory of the guy grabbing her and the alarm in her eyes, and a fresh wave of anger rolled over him. He hated bullies. Always had.

Then he remembered the shock on Cheelai’s face when she saw him and he felt his heart sink. He rubbed his temples, his thumb running over the scar along his cheek. So much for not being intimidating. She had seen him angry, seen him drag a guy out of the club. Of all the ways he had envisioned them meeting outside of the diner (and if he was being honest, in the quiet moments he had daydreamed about it quite a bit), he had never wanted her to see him here, see him acting as hired muscle, a paid thug. He had already had a feeling that he didn’t stand a chance with her but now? There was no doubt in his mind.

Cheelai spent the rest of the night in a daze. After Broly’s rescue, she had made her way back to the dance floor. Launch hadn’t seen what had happened, and Cheelai didn’t feel like telling her—she knew Launch would read way too much into it if she found out. They danced while she tried to process what had just happened.

Cheelai wished that she had been more surprised by Cologne Guy’s behaviour, but working in the service industry for as long as she had, she was used to assholes like that. Hell, that was how she had gotten stuck on the late night shift in the first place, firing back at a random customer’s lewd remarks. What was surprising, what had thrown her for a loop completely, was Broly appearing out of nowhere and hauling that loser off. She couldn’t remember the last time a man had protected her like that. Had one ever? She remembered the concern in his dark eyes as he’d asked if she was okay, and she felt the all too familiar butterflies start to flutter once again. She kept looking around to see if he’d come back, but the shorter bouncer from earlier had come in, seemingly taking his place. Had he left, or was he working the door now?

“Cheelai…Cheelai! Girl! Snap out of it!” Launch was waving a hand in front of her face.

“What? Sorry!” she replied. “What is it?”

“The DJ just announced last call for the bar. Let’s head out now before the line for coat check gets too crazy.”

Cheelai nodded and followed Launch to get their jackets and then head for the doors. They exited the club and she shivered slightly, the cold night air a stark contrast to the hazy warmth of the club. Launch’s friend Goku was standing off to the side, and Launch went over to chat with him. Broly was nowhere to be seen. Cheelai sighed in disappointment. She made her way over to Launch and Goku and caught the tail end of their conversation.

“I can’t just ask her out, I don’t even know if she likes me! Can you put in a good word for me?”

“You’re absolutely hopeless Goku,” Launch said, rolling her eyes.

“I know! That’s why I need all the help I can get.” Goku smiled sheepishly. “So, you guys ready to get going?”

“Going where?” Cheelai asked. She had been looking around, keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of Broly, and hadn’t been paying attention.

“Goku’s going to give us a ride home,” Launch replied.

Cheelai felt a wave of relief. She only lived ten blocks away, but the thought of walking home by herself after her run in earlier made her a little leery, and she hadn’t been looking forward to spending money on a cab—plus, her feet were killing her after spending the night dancing in heels.

“There you are!” Goku said. “Do you need a ride?”

Cheelai turned to see who Goku was talking to and froze—she had found Broly. Launch spotted him at the same time she did, and Cheelai could see the wheels turning in her head as she looked back and forth between them. Before she could say anything, Launch had jumped in.

“Wait a minute Goku, I think we’re going in opposite directions. Cheelai lives on the east side and we’re both going west right?”

“Yeah but I don’t mind—” Goku didn’t get to finish his sentence, as Launch elbowed him in the ribs and gave him a meaningful look.

“Why doesn’t Cheelai go with your friend here instead? I’m sure he’ll make sure she gets home safely.” Launch turned to Broly. “Won’t you big guy?”

“Uh, sure. No problem.” Broly replied.

Cheelai had been watching the conversation unfold not knowing if she wanted to hug Launch or strangle her. Launch caught her glaring and gave her a wink.

“Oh, no there’s no need—" Cheelai protested.

“Perfect!” Launch said, interrupting her. “C’mon Goku let’s get going! We can talk Chi-Chi strategy on the way.”

Goku barely managed to say goodbye before Launch had dragged him off towards the parking lot, leaving Cheelai and Broly standing on the pavement together in another awkward silence. Cheelai was the first to break it.

“Sorry about Launch, she can be a little pushy. You don’t have to walk me home, it’s only ten blocks.”

“No it’s okay,” he said quickly. “I don’t mind.”

“Oh…okay. Thanks…” Cheelai replied. There was another long pause. “So…should we get going?”

Broly nodded.

The night had already had way more excitement than she had bargained for, and now Broly was going to walk her home. Just the two of them. Her heart was racing. Her feet were killing her. Cheelai gulped.

It was going to be a long ten blocks.

Chapter Text

Cheelai was no stranger to long walks. She always walked to work and did her errands on foot, and having lived in big cities her whole life, she had never even bothered to get a driver’s license. In the very early morning after her shift ended, she would often take the long way home, enjoying the quiet city streets and the crisp chill in the air. It was almost meditative in a sense, peaceful, having that time for herself. The walk she was on right now though? Anything but peaceful. The combination of her aching feet and the man walking beside her was making for a very unsettling stroll.

They had been walking in silence for three blocks. The route to her home had taken them away from the nightlife district, and the street they were on was completely deserted. Cheelai glanced over at Broly, trying not to have her gaze linger too long. God, he was gorgeous. Big and gorgeous, as she remembered Launch calling him. It had been a very apt description. At this point, there was no use scolding herself or denying or pretending—she was definitely crushing on Broly. If there had been any doubt in her mind, his rescue back at the club had sealed it for her. Now that she’d admitted it to herself, she didn’t quite know what to do with the information. How did she proceed?

It hadn’t escaped her notice when Broly had shifted so he was walking on the outside of the pavement, closer to the street, and how he’d slowed his gait to match hers, but she chalked it up to him just being a good guy—and back at the club? He’d just been doing his job. She couldn’t use that as evidence of his interest, and without any evidence she had nothing to go on, apart from their scant interactions. Was she confident enough to take the plunge? No, definitely not. She’d been burned one too many times in the past, so she was going to need a pretty obvious signal before she even thought about putting herself out there. For all she knew, he might not even be single, or attracted to women for that matter.

She was trying and failing to push the jumble of thoughts out of her mind when the sound of Broly clearing his throat caught her attention.

“About earlier…” he said. He paused, as if trying to find the words. Cheelai waited patiently, curious to see where he was going. “I’m sorry I didn’t get there sooner, it never should have gotten to that point,” he finished, a frown etched on his handsome face.

“Broly, are you kidding? You saved me from a really dicey situation, I should be thanking you!”

Broly looked so surprised at her response that he stopped walking, and Cheelai stopped and turned to face him.

“Seriously, thanks for looking out for me,” she said, looking up at him. She worried she was sounding a little too fawning and hastily added, “I know you were just doing your job, but I really appreciate it.”

“Oh, well, yeah…but even if I hadn’t been working I still…” Broly faltered, then quickly finished, “You’re welcome.”

They started walking again, the silence now feeling a little more companionable and a little less awkward. The change made Cheelai smile to herself. This was progress, wasn’t it? She now had time to shift her attention to her feet. They were in complete agony, and they still had four more blocks to go. She wasn’t going to make it. Her gait had slowed right down and Broly had noticed. They were walking past a small courtyard, and he stopped and motioned to one of the benches that ringed it.

“Do you want to sit? Rest your feet for a while?”

Cheelai felt a mix of embarrassment and relief as she sank down onto the bench.

“Thanks. I promise it’ll just be a minute.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

She wiggled her toes and flexed her feet in her heels, trying to ease the pain to no avail. She stretched her legs out in front of her for a moment then let them drop. She sighed. They were cute shoes, but definitely not made for a night of dancing followed by walking. How was she going to last another four blocks? She would feel ridiculous calling a cab to go such a short distance, and her bank account wouldn’t thank her for it. Broly was still standing, and he looked like he wanted to say something. He finally spoke hesitantly.

“If you like, I could…”he trailed off.

“Could…?” Cheelai asked.      

“I could carry you the rest of the way. Only if you want that is! I mean, because of your feet,” he finished hastily.

Cheelai’s heart did a somersault. Broly was offering to carry her, which meant physical contact. The butterflies were starting up again. She really wanted him to, if only for the sake of her feet. Oh please, her feet were the least of her concern. She wanted to get closer to him. God, she really needed to get out more if she was this hot and bothered about a piggyback ride. But wait, how was that going to work? Her dress was pretty short, if she got on his back it would be up around her waist in no time. She could feel her face heating up at the thought.

“Sorry, it’s a dumb idea, forget I said anything” he said, a crimson blush spreading over his cheeks.

“It’s not dumb!” Cheelai said quickly. “Actually I may have to take you up on that offer, I think my feet are done for the night.” She hesitated. How was she going to explain her concern? “I’m just not sure I can get on your back because…” she stood up and motioned at her dress.

Broly’s eyes widened. “Oh! Sorry, I should have thought of that…”

He was still blushing, and Cheelai knew that her face was matching his during this most awkward of conversations.

“You don’t have to get on my back, I could…” he made a lifting motion with his muscular arms.

Oh god, he was offering to carry her bridal style. Cheelai’s heartbeat quickened. This was definitely not how she had envisioned her night ending up.

“Um, sure, that works!” she said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Broly scooped her up in his arms with ease, like she was no heavier than a duffle bag of feathers, and started walking. She let out a small gasp as he picked her up, and he looked at her with concern.

“Sorry,” he said. “Was that too fast?”

“No, I just wasn’t expecting you to pick me up so easily.”

Broly looked mildly offended by her statement, and it was such an unexpected reaction that Cheelai burst out laughing. His expression quickly morphed from offended, to confused, to amused at her laughter.

“That’s not what I meant,” she said, still giggling a little. “I meant, I didn’t mean you’re not strong. I mean, obviously you’re, well, look at you, I mean, you obviously work out, that is, you’re very um, muscular.” Oh god did she just say that? She was babbling, and going down a route she didn’t want to go. “I just meant, I’m not used to being picked up is all,” she finished lamely.

Broly chuckled quietly in response and Cheelai immediately knew that it was worth making herself sound stupid if it meant seeing his normally serious face light up with laughter. She felt her heart squeeze. Being this close to Broly was intoxicating. There were so many new sensations—the feeling of his strong arms around her, the hard muscle of his chest through his shirt, the warmth of his body, a welcome guard against the chill night air. She tried to avoid looking up at him, as she didn’t want him to catch her staring, but it was hard not to. Big and gorgeous indeed.

Before she knew it, they were on her street. She sighed quietly at the familiar, but disappointing sight of the low red brick apartment block that she called home. She wasn’t ready for him to put her down yet, for their time together to be over. She could have spent another twenty, thirty blocks in his arms.

“This is me” she said reluctantly, gesturing to the building, and for a split second, Cheelai could have sworn that he looked as disappointed as she felt.

Broly went up the short flight of steps to the building’s front entrance and put her down gently. Cheelai felt an ache in her chest, immediately missing the feeling of his arms around her. They stood for a moment on the front step, and Cheelai felt like they were in a bubble, just the two of them, the night quiet around them. Her traitorous feet had to kill the moment, as she felt a sharp twinge of pain now that she was standing again. She needed to get these torture devices off her.

“Thanks for walking me home,” she said, “and, you know, carrying me.”

“Anytime,” he replied.

Anytime…did that mean he wanted to walk her home again? To see her again? That was a signal wasn’t it? Should she give him her number? Cheelai’s mind was racing, but she stopped herself. No. If he wanted her number, or to see her again, he’d ask.

They exchanged good-byes and she fumbled in her clutch for her keys, then unlocked the door to the small lobby. As the door swung shut she waved at Broly through the glass. He waved back, then turned and went down the steps. As soon as he was out of sight, Cheelai kicked off her shoes and let out a long sigh of relief. That was better, but her feet still ached. She was never wearing heels again. She limped up the three flights of stairs to her apartment, wishing, not for the first time, that she lived in a building with an elevator. She quickly let herself in and then ran to her bedroom window, which faced out onto the street, and looked out. She could see Broly walking away, and she sat on the windowsill and watched until he disappeared around the corner.

Broly liked to take long walks late at night. The city was different at that hour: quiet, peaceful. He could hear himself think, and with no one around he could just be, without anyone looking at him and judging. But now, having walked with Cheelai, there was a stark difference as he made his way home. Being with her, he had felt a warmth, and now as he walked home alone he felt like he was back in the cold. Cheelai…holding her in his arms had felt so right.

He got to his building and rode the elevator up to his apartment. He let himself in and went to his bedroom to change clothes. As he pulled off his shirt he realized he could still smell Cheelai’s perfume on it, her scent like wildflowers and honey. He inhaled deeply, then quickly put the shirt down. He was getting carried away. But he had definitely felt something as they stood in front of her building, like there was something between them. He should have asked for her number, but he didn’t want her to feel obligated—after walking her home she might feel like she had to, like she owed him, and the last thing he wanted to do was make her feel uncomfortable.

Broly replayed the walk to Cheelai’s in his mind. The way she kept looking at him, how she’d thanked him—even after he’d been so worried about the way things had gone down back at the club, she had been grateful. The way she smiled at him…when he put all those moments and signs together, did it add up to something? He fervently wished it did, because he was completely smitten. Just a few hours ago he’d thought he had no shot but now? He felt hope creeping up on him again, stronger than before, and this time he didn’t try to push it away or ignore it.

He went to put his shirt in the laundry hamper, hesitated, then hung it on the back of the chair in the corner of his bedroom instead. He’d wash it…eventually.

Chapter Text

“Cheelai, would you like to go out with me?”

Was that too forward?

“Cheelai, I was wondering if you’d maybe like to get together sometime?”

No, too vague.

“I’d love to take you out sometime…”

“Would you possibly want to…”

“Would you do me the honor of…”

Broly sighed as he looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He felt ridiculous, but he didn’t have much experience in this department, and he was sure he needed the practice—he couldn’t remember the last time he’d asked a woman out.

In the past he’d always tended to let women come to him, all too aware of how his size and appearance came across. He hated the thought of making anyone, especially a woman, feel intimidated—instead, he shrank back, waiting for them to approach, so that they could feel fully in control. Unfortunately, his intimidating presence made women approaching him a rarity, and when they did, they tended to be looking for a bad boy, and inevitably lost interest when they realized he wasn’t like that at all.

His eyes travelled to the scar that bisected his left cheek, and he traced it with his thumb out of habit. It definitely didn’t help soften his appearance. Over the years he had tried to get to the point where he was indifferent towards it, but he still wasn’t there yet. It was a visual reminder of a past he wanted to forget, a souvenir that he wished he could return.

He started to feel doubt creeping in. Maybe he shouldn’t—no, he was going to do this. He had made the decision, and he was going to stick with it. Cheelai had been on his mind constantly, and he was driving himself crazy replaying their walk together—the way she felt in his arms, the sound of her laughter, the way she smiled with her whole face, not just her mouth. He needed to do this, to ask. If she said no, she said no. It wouldn’t be the end of the world. At least he’d know, and then he could move on. Couldn’t he?

He checked the time on his phone—it was almost four. He wasn’t sure how long Cheelai’s shift was, but he knew from the last time he was there that she started at midnight. He was trying to catch her towards the end of her shift when he hopefully wouldn’t be disturbing her. He wished, not for the first time, that he had asked for her number the other night. He felt weird asking her out at her job, but he wasn’t sure what other option he had—it was awkward, but showing up at her apartment would be even worse. He took a deep breath and thought again about what he was going to say to her.

He paced back and forth, going from his bedroom to the living room to the kitchen and back again, trying to psych himself up. As he passed the full-length mirror in the hallway, he stopped and took a step back, looking over what he was wearing. He didn’t have much outside of his work uniform and gym clothes. Even his everyday wear was like a uniform—it was hard to find things that fit, so when he did, he tended to buy a lot of them. He frowned. He normally wasn’t one to care about the details, but tonight was different. He took another deep breath and exhaled slowly, picked up his keys and wallet, and headed out.

He decided to take the long way to the diner, so he had extra time to prepare what he was going to say. Although he had felt less nervous around Cheelai by the end of their walk, he didn’t want to risk getting completely tongue tied, especially when he was putting himself out there. He tried to remind himself that he’d be fine, life would go on if she said no, but as he got closer and closer to the diner, he was feeling less sure.

He was only a block away now, and he could feel his heart beating faster. Maybe she wasn’t even working tonight—after all, he didn’t know her schedule, he was just going off the previous times he’d been there. Maybe he should just—no, he was doing this tonight. As the entrance to the diner loomed closer, he felt a wave of nerves and turned around. He wasn’t chickening out, but he needed to take another lap around the block to get his thoughts together. He sighed—he really was ridiculous.

Cheelai looked around the empty diner in boredom, counting down the minutes until her shift was over. She stood up and stretched, stifling a yawn. She smiled as she heard Lemo puttering around in the kitchen. That was the silver lining to these dead hours—Lemo would take advantage of the downtime and experiment with new recipes, and she got to be the taste tester—the results were almost always delicious.

The thought of food was a welcome distraction from her previous thoughts, replaying her walk home with Broly over and over, trying to analyze every moment, and reliving the feeling of being in his arms. She had daydreamed about him too, envisioning all kinds of different scenarios where they’d run into each other, and he’d sweep her off her feet, literally and figuratively.

She was feeling frustrated. For all that she was crushing on him, and she thought he might feel the same, he hadn’t asked for her number the other night. She was worried she was getting completely carried away over a guy who didn’t even like her like that—it wouldn’t be the first time that had happened.

The sound of the bell at the service entrance stopped her from slipping back into her deep analysis. She looked at the clock—it was probably the bread delivery. Lemo usually dealt with the deliveries, but from the sounds emanating from the kitchen he seemed to have his hands full.

“Hey Lemo, I think the bread guy’s here,” she said, poking her head into the kitchen.

Lemo looked up, elbow deep in a dough he was kneading.

“Do you mind getting that? It won’t take long, and I doubt we’ll get any customers in at this hour.”

“No problem. Can you listen out for the front doorbell though, just in case?”

“Will do!”

Cheelai went to the service entrance that opened onto the side alley, and as she unlatched the door she was greeted by a low whistle from the bread guy. Great, just what she needed.

“Well hellooo there. You’re not Lemo.”

Wow, this guy was perceptive.

“Lemo’s got his hands full, so I’m helping out,” she said briskly.

“Lucky him to have a helper like you,” he said, winking at her.

Cheelai tried not to roll her eyes. Why were men so weird? Where was Broly when you needed him? The memory of him coming to her rescue at Ultra Instinct popped into her head and she had to hide a smile.

“Do you need me to sign for the delivery or…? she prompted.

“Sign right here,” he said, proffering a clipboard.

She signed quickly, then held the door open so he could unload the order into the storeroom. She could hear Lemo running the blender in the kitchen and wondered what he was making. Once the bread guy finished, he turned to her.

“So, what time do you get off? I’ve got a couple more stops to make, but I could swing by when I’m done.”

“Sorry, I have a boyfriend,” Cheelai said quickly. It was a lie she’d told often to get guys to back off, but it didn’t always work. Her mind went to Broly when she said it this time, and she felt a longing to be able to say it and for once have it be true.

Fortunately, the bread guy took her at face value and held his hands up.

“Hey, I had to try. Enjoy the rest of night, or should I say morning pretty lady.”

“Thanks!”

Cheelai gave him a quick wave, feeling relieved that he hadn’t pushed the issue further, and shut the door hastily. She went back into the diner and stopped in her tracks. Broly was standing by the door. She almost felt whiplash, going from dealing with a man she had no interest in, to seeing the only man who was on her mind so quickly.

“Broly! Hi!” she said, the now customary butterflies starting up. “Sorry about that, I was just dealing with a delivery. Were you waiting long?”

“Uh no, I just got here.”

“It’s good to see you,” she said, smiling brightly, “sit wherever you like, I’ll get you a menu.”

“No, that’s okay, I just came for coffee. To go,” he said quickly.

“Oh. Okay…no problem!” she said, with false cheer. He wasn’t staying?

She felt her heart sinking. He seemed different from the other night, distracted, closed off. She went behind the counter and filled a to go cup with coffee, then fumbled with the plastic lid, trying to ignore the feeling of disappointment that was overtaking her.

“Here you go.”

“Thanks Cheelai.”

He paid, they exchanged good-byes, and then he left without so much as a backwards glance.

Cheelai stood watching the swinging door, feeling crushed. Clearly, she had blown the other night completely out of proportion, because that was the behaviour of a man who had no interest in her whatsoever. She felt so foolish, and angry with herself too—she’d spent so much time daydreaming and seeing things when there had been nothing there, nothing at all. She shook her head furiously, as if doing so would somehow get rid of all the thoughts that were swirling around up there. No such luck. She stared at the door, then turned and went to the kitchen, hoping that Lemo had cooked up something she could distract herself with.

Broly heard the bell over the door chime as he left. He walked down the street, away from the diner quickly, tossing the full coffee cup into the nearest trash can.

He couldn’t believe he’d been so stupid. Of course she had a boyfriend. Why wouldn’t she? She was kind, and funny, and beautiful, and he had been an idiot to think that she would be single, and an even bigger idiot to think that she would be interested in him. His original instinct had been right. She was just being nice to him, and he had misinterpreted everything. Thank god he’d overheard her conversation or he would have made a fool of himself. It was little comfort. He couldn’t believe that he’d thought it was a good idea to ask her out, that he hadn’t known.

His heart sank. She had a boyfriend.

As he trudged home, he felt a jumble of feelings—embarrassed, disappointed, angry with himself—but most of all, incredibly envious of whoever the man was out there who was lucky enough to call Cheelai his girlfriend.

Chapter Text

The nights were starting to get colder as fall went on and winter grew closer, and Cheelai pulled her scarf tighter around her neck as she crunched through a pile of fallen leaves on the sidewalk on her way to work. She was approaching the courtyard where she had sat to rest her feet that night with Broly, and the sight of it made her heart ache.

She hadn’t seen him since their last awkward encounter at the diner when he’d been in a rush to leave and barely made eye contact with her. She’d told herself she wasn’t going to dwell on it, but in the nights that followed she alternated between wondering how she had misinterpreted things so badly, feeling like a fool for getting so caught up after a few brief encounters, and mostly, just missing him. She hurried past the courtyard and headed towards the diner.

“Finally!” Launch exclaimed as Cheelai entered.

“What do you mean ‘finally’, I’m early for once,” she replied, checking the clock on the wall for confirmation.

“I know but I’m starving! I’ve been dying to take advantage of my employee discount and you know we’re not supposed to eat while we’re on the clock. Lemo, number eight with extra cheese!” Launch called to the kitchen, as she made herself comfortable on one of the stools at the counter.

Cheelai went to the back to hang her coat and scarf and grab her apron, then made her way over to the coffee maker behind the counter to pour herself a cup. She was definitely going to need a serious hit of caffeine if she was going to make it through yet another boring shift.

“Why the long face?” Launch asked. “I’m guessing Big and Gorgeous hasn’t been around lately?”

Cheelai winced at the sound of Broly’s nickname. She really didn’t need a reminder of his physical attributes; he’d been on her mind enough without any help.

“No, he hasn’t.”

Launch frowned. “How long has it been since he was here last?”

Cheelai shrugged. “I dunno, a couple of weeks?”

Nineteen days to be exact, but it’s not like she’d been counting or anything.

“Ya know, I really don’t get it. I saw the way he was looking at you outside the club, there’s no way he isn’t into you.”

“Well, he’s not, I told you. He never asked for my number, he hasn’t been by in weeks, and last time he was here he couldn’t have been any less interested.”

“Hmm…I dunno, it’s just not adding up to me. If you want, I could talk to Goku, find out what—”

“No! Seriously Launch, just drop it!” Cheelai snapped.

“Okay, okay, fine,” Launch said, her hands up in surrender. “Jeez…I’m just trying to help. You’ve been so down lately.”

“I know, I’m sorry, I just…don’t want to talk about him anymore. It was just a dumb crush, that went nowhere. It’s not a big deal.” Cheelai heard the words coming out of her mouth and felt like she was trying to convince herself as much as Launch. “I just want to move on.”

“Order up!” Lemo called at the pass-through window.

Cheelai picked up the platter and placed it in front of Launch.

“I know what you need,” Launch said matter-of-factly, as she dug into the heaping plate of chili fries. “My friend Yamcha’s having a party this weekend, come with me!”

“Yamcha…wait, the baseball player? The one on all the billboards?”

“Yup, that’s him.”

“Wow! How do you know him?”

“Oh, we go way back,” she replied, gesturing carelessly with her fork. “But anyway, back to the party. It’s this weekend, at his house, and it’s going to be awesome, he never spares any expense. Plus, he has a ton of cute friends,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Cheelai thought about it. She really needed to get over this whole Broly thing. She was moping around over a guy she barely knew and had spent a total of less than two hours cumulatively with. A house party full of cute guys sounded like the perfect distraction.

“Okay, I’m in,” she said.

“Really? Yesssss!” Launch exclaimed, pumping her fist in the air. “I promise you’ll have a good time, trust me!”

“I always do,” Cheelai replied fondly.

“Good. Now that that’s settled, do you think I could talk Lemo into deep frying a slice of cheesecake for me?”

It was a slow night at Ultra Instinct, and Broly was relieved to be out in the fresh air working the door instead of cooped up inside. He did wish it was busier though— for once he was hoping for some kind of skirmish to break out, something, anything to distract him from his thoughts. He’d been torturing himself, alternating between thinking longingly about Cheelai and grudgingly speculating about her boyfriend.

“Broly…”

He wondered yet again what kind of guy had managed to win her heart. He was probably a smooth talker, someone who never got tongue tied or nervous, a real people person; he probably had a college degree and a respectable day job, the kind where you had to wear a tie every day; he probably came from a good family, one that spent all the holidays together; he’d probably never been in a fight before, never had to learn to defend himself, never had to stitch his own cheek back together…

“Broly!”

It was better this way, wasn’t it? Cheelai deserved to be with someone like that. Even if she had been single and she’d said yes to him, he probably would have ended up blowing it somehow. Either that or once she got to know him, and peeled back the layers, she would realize that she could do better…

“BROLY!!!”

Startled, Broly looked over at Goku, who was waving at him.

“Uh sorry, what were you saying?”

“Wow you’re really out of it! What’s with you lately? You seem kinda down.”

Broly shrugged. He hadn’t said anything to Goku about Cheelai and he really didn’t want to get into it. Talking about the whole thing just made him look like a loser, and even though he knew his friend wouldn’t judge him, he was still embarrassed.

“I’m fine, just…tired I guess.”

Goku tilted his head as he looked at him, obviously not fully buying his explanation, but thankfully didn’t press further.

“Well, listen, the club’s gonna be closed Saturday night for some private event, and Whis said they’re providing their own security, so we’re free! Yamcha’s having a big party at his house, you should come!”

Broly frowned. A party? The last thing he felt like doing on a night off was being around more crowds with loud music—he got enough of that at work.

As if reading his mind, Goku continued, “I know you’re not a big party guy, but Yamcha’s parties are usually pretty chill, plus there’s always a ton of food!”

Broly considered it. Goku looked so eager, and they hadn’t hung out outside of work in a while. He’d been feeling pretty lonely lately, even more so than usual, and as much as he disliked parties, maybe it would be good to get out and be around people more. He could stop by, just for an hour or so, and if he wasn’t feeling it, he could just leave.

“Did I mention Yamcha has a cat?”

He should have started with that.

“Okay, I’ll go.”

“Sweet! I’ll text you the deets,” Goku said cheerfully.

“Sounds good,” Broly replied, giving him a quick thumbs up.

It didn’t get any busier at the door for the rest of the night but talking with Goku had been the distraction Broly needed. As he walked home after his shift, he was surprised to find he was actually looking forward to Yamcha’s party.

It was exactly what he needed—something to take his mind off Cheelai.

Chapter Text

As Cheelai weaved through the crowded room, she had to admit that Launch had been right—this party was every bit as awesome as she’d said it would be.

The house was amazing (although calling it a house was a little like calling a hurricane a drizzle), the music was great, there was a ton of food and an open bar, and there were cute guys everywhere, including the host himself, who Launch had introduced her to earlier. Normally Cheelai would have been smitten, but all she could think of when she met Yamcha was that he kind of reminded her of Broly.

She’d left Launch flirting with one of Yamcha’s teammates and was enjoying just wandering around the massive home people watching, when she heard someone call her name.

“Hey Cheelai!”

She turned to see Launch’s friend Goku, carrying a plate piled high with chicken wings.

“Hey Goku! How’s it going?’

“Great! Yamcha’s really outdone himself with the food this time, the sauce on these wings is outrageous,” he replied, licking his fingers. “If you see Broly, tell him he’s missing out!”

Cheelai started at the sound of his name.

“Broly’s here!?”

Ugh, she sounded way too eager. Thankfully, Goku didn’t seem to notice.

“Yup, not sure where he’s hiding though, probably cuddled up with Puar somewhere.”

Puar? Who was that? His girlfriend? That would explain why she hadn’t seen him in a while. Her heart sank as she pictured Broly in a secluded corner, his arms around some tall, leggy model type.

“Who’s Puar?” she asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Yamcha’s cat,” he replied through a mouthful of chicken. His eyes widened. “Oooh, is that fried shrimp they’re putting out? I gotta get some of that, see ya later!”

Cheelai felt a wave of relief as she watched Goku rush off in the direction of the buffet. Broly was here, and he wasn’t with someone else. The long dormant butterflies in her stomach were starting up again, and she tried to suppress them immediately.

What was she getting excited for? He wasn’t into her, remember?

She knew this, reminded herself firmly of this fact, but as she wandered around the party, she couldn’t help but keep an eye out for dark eyes, messy long hair, and a frame that would tower over the rest of the guests.

Broly leaned against the terrace railing and looked up at the night sky. The city was very different from where he had grown up, and there was a lot about it that was better than that tiny, dusty town he once called home, but one thing he did miss was being able to see the stars.

He looked through the floor to ceiling windows that lined the terrace. Inside, people were laughing, some dancing, couples were paired up here and there, cuddling on loveseats, and everyone looked like they were having a great time.

He sighed. He knew he should try to join in and be more social, but he felt so out of place and awkward. It was always like this. He’d spent so much of his life in relative isolation, that even though things were different now, he still tended to be a loner out of habit—it was hard to grow out of what he’d known. At least it was warm out on the terrace, thanks to the strategically placed heaters. It would be even more pathetic if he was literally standing outside in the cold.

He watched the party going on inside for a while longer, contemplating whether he should go in, or maybe just leave, when he spotted a familiar face—one he hadn’t seen in a while.

Cheelai.

His heart flipped in his chest.

What was she doing here?

He hadn’t seen her since that awkward night at the diner, even though he’d considered dropping in to see her at least a dozen times since then. Just as he had that night at the club, he admired her from afar. She looked amazing—there was just something about her that captivated him. For what felt like the millionth time he kicked himself for thinking someone like her would go for someone like him.

In his dreams.

As if on cue, she turned then and looked out the window to the terrace, straight at him. Their eyes locked, and he froze for a moment. His heart was pounding.

What should he do? Should he go talk to her?

Before he could make up his mind, he found himself waving awkwardly at her. She waved back, then they stood for a moment, watching each other.

Cheelai wandered through what she supposed was the living room, although in a house this big it was hard to tell—rich people seemed to have need for more types of rooms than the average person. It opened out onto a large terrace, and as she looked out the panoramic windows, she saw a lone figure leaned against the railing, looking right at her.

She’d found Broly.

For a brief moment, Cheelai thought he was just going to pretend he didn’t see her—after all, he’d seemed less than interested the last time they met—but then he waved, and that shy smile that she’d grown so fond of appeared. She waved back, then hesitated, at a crossroads of sorts.

Should she go over and talk to him? Or just leave it at a wave?

She knew what she wanted to do, but her head and her heart were in direct conflict. She was aching to go talk to him, to get closer to him, but their last meeting was still fresh in her mind. He wasn’t into her, she knew that, and yet…

In the midst of her head and heart’s furious debate, her feet made an executive decision and took her out the glass doors onto the terrace. As she got closer the butterflies intensified until she was only a few feet away from where Broly stood, and to her relief, he looked glad to see her. Maybe she was wrong about his feelings after all?

“Hey Broly,” she said, wiggling her fingers in another awkward wave.

“Hey Cheelai.”

There was a customary pause. They locked eyes for a moment, and she felt a thrill. She really had missed him. She knew she should be trying to think of what to say next, but in the moment, she was just enjoying his presence.

“Long time no see!” she said eventually.

“Yea…it’s been a while.”

“So, um, how have you been?”

“Good, good.”

There was another long pause.

“And you?” he asked.

“Oh I’m good too.”

“Good.”

Cheelai was started to wonder whether coming out to talk to him had been the right move. She’d thought he looked happy to see her at first, but judging by the way the conversation was going, maybe she’d been wrong.

It wouldn’t be the first time.

“This is some party huh? I don’t know that I’ve ever been in a house this big,” she said, grasping at straws. At least she hadn’t mentioned the weather—yet. “Are you having a good time?”

“Uh, sure. Well…I’m not much of a party person, but the house is really nice.

“It really is,” she agreed. “So…you’re not a party person? Well, I guess working at a nightclub you’d get kinda tired of the crowds and the noise huh?”

“Well…yeah, that’s exactly it,” he said, nodding. “Not to sound boring or anything, but it does get kind of tiring.” He smiled shyly and she felt her heart squeeze.

“No I get it, I couldn’t imagine going to a diner on my day off. So, if you’re not a party person, how come you came out tonight?”

Cheelai cringed at the question. She felt like she was interrogating him, but she was just so curious about him. Fortunately, he didn’t seem phased.

“Well…I don’t get out much and I thought it would be a change of pace…plus Goku wanted me to come.”

“Same for me, Launch convinced me to come.”

“I’m glad she did. It’s…it’s good to see you Cheelai,” he said softly. “Really.”

He looked like he meant it too. Cheelai held his gaze, and she could feel the nagging doubt dissipate, and fearlessness take its place. She’d already taken a leap by coming out to talk to him, what was one more?

Just do it.

“You know, if you asked me out, you could see a lot more of me,” she said, realizing as soon as the words were out of her mouth how they could be interpreted.

That went very differently in her mind. Maybe she should have thought a little more about what she was going to say—leaps had their limits.

“Wait, that’s not what I meant! Well, I mean sort of, but not in that way! I meant, we should hang out sometime,” she clarified.

It was a good thing she’d only had one drink—she couldn’t imagine what this conversation would have been like if she’d been tipsy. Her face was on fire, and she’d been avoiding eye contact while she said her piece, and now she looked up at Broly—and saw that instead of smiling he looked completely taken aback.

He wasn’t saying anything, just staring at her, his eyes wide with a surprised, confused expression.

Oh.

Oh no.

Oh no no no no no!

Why did she just say that? What was she thinking? What was wrong with her? She looked down, hoping that the ground would open up and swallow her, but no such luck.

“Never mind, just forget I said anything,” she said, slowly backing away. “Sorry! I shouldn’t have…I gotta go.”

“Cheelai wait, I—”

“No, it’s okay! Don’t worry about it, it’s all good, totally fine!” she squeaked, waving her arms in front of her. “I should go find Launch anyway, enjoy the rest of the party!”

She turned and power walked away, through the glass doors into the house, watching her step, as tripping on the threshold and faceplanting in front of the other guests would be the only thing more embarrassing than her little performance on the terrace. Her face was burning and her heart racing, but she kept her head held high, trying to avoid looking as mortified as she felt.

So much for taking a leap.

Completely dumbfounded, Broly watched as Cheelai disappeared into the crowd of people inside while he tried to process what had just happened.

Had he heard correctly? Had…had Cheelai just asked him out?

His head was spinning. She’d said they should hang out sometime, did she mean like on a date? But what happened to her boyfriend? Had they broken up? Did that mean she was looking for a rebound? He didn’t want to be just a rebound, but if he was being honest with himself, he knew he’d take any chance with her that he could get.

Maybe she was still with her boyfriend, and she did just mean hang out as friends. Could he just be friends with Cheelai? He honestly didn’t know if he could, and he felt like a jerk for feeling that way, but he liked her so much that seeing her on a regular basis knowing she was with someone else might be too painful. He didn’t know how to say that to her though. She hadn’t actually told him about her boyfriend, and it would be weird if he told her he’d overheard her conversation, like he was eavesdropping.

The one thing he did know was that he had to go find her. He'd clearly embarrassed her with his lack of response, and the last thing he’d ever want to do is hurt her feelings. He’d just been so surprised and confused and tongue-tied that he’d completely frozen.

As he entered the house he looked around, hoping that she would be easy to spot—no such luck. The place was even more crowded now, and there was no sign of her anywhere.

“There you are,” Goku said, his mouth full. “Look at the size of these crab legs!”

“Have you seen Cheelai?” Broly asked desperately. He didn’t know how she’d managed to disappear so quickly, but he needed to find her.

“Not since earlier…why?”

“I just…need to talk to her about something.”

“Maybe Launch knows. Hey Launch!”

Broly looked over to where Goku was motioning and saw Cheelai’s blonde friend coming towards them. As she got closer, he saw that she didn’t look too happy.

“Have you seen Cheelai? Broly’s looking for her.”

Launch turned to Broly and glared at him. He felt like he was in trouble for something, and wondered what Cheelai had said to her, if anything, about their interaction.

“Okay buddy, what’s your deal?” she demanded.

“My deal? Sorry what—”

“I saw the way you were looking at Cheelai out on the terrace, like you were dying of thirst, and she was a bottle of spring water, but then you totally blow her off! What’s the deal, are you into her or what?”

Broly felt a mixture of embarrassment, bewilderment, and confusion. Had he been that obvious that Launch had noticed? But even so, Cheelai was taken so why did it matter? Before he could respond, Launch continued.

“You’re giving serious mixed signals here… and if you are into her, why haven’t you made a move? You should be so lucky to have a woman like Cheelai ya know!”

“I know that,” Broly replied earnestly.

Launch paused, the wind taken out of her sails. It was her turn to look confused.

“Wait, what? Then why haven’t you asked her out?”

“Because she has a boyfriend!”

“What!?” she screeched. “No she doesn’t!”

Broly’s head was starting to spin again. He’d heard Cheelai say it herself, he knew he hadn’t misheard. What was Launch talking about? Had they broken up in the last few weeks?

Goku, who up to that point had been watching their back and forth like a tennis match while he gnawed on a crab leg, interrupted. “Wait a minute! Broly, you’re into Cheelai?” he asked, his eyes wide.

Launch sighed, squeezing the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger. “Hey Goku, I think I saw them putting out kebabs over there.”

“No way! I gotta get me some of those!” he exclaimed.

Launch shook her head as she watched him dart towards the buffet, then turned back to Broly.

“Okay, now tell me what you’re talking about. What’s all this about a boyfriend?”

Broly explained what happened the night he’d been by the diner to ask Cheelai out. When he finished, Launch slapped her forehead and laughed.

“Uh, what’s so funny?” he asked nervously.

“Ohhh boy, no wonder you and Goku are friends” she said, still giggling. “Cheelai doesn’t have a boyfriend, she just said that to get that guy to leave her alone. It’s a pretty common tactic, don’t you know anything about women at all?”

“Er, well, now that you mention it…I guess, not really,” Broly replied, his face red with embarrassment.

Realization was dawning on him. Of course—now that Launch explained it, it all made perfect sense. A part of him felt terrible that Cheelai would have to do that just to get a guy to leave her alone, but it was overridden by the larger realization that she was single, and not only had he been standoffish at the diner, but he’d also left her hanging back there on the terrace.

“Where is she? I need to talk to her,” he asked, hoping fervently that she was nearby.

“Then you’d better hurry, she just left.”

“Thanks Launch!” he replied, going straight for the front door.

“Good luck big guy!” she called after him.

As he headed out, Broly sent a quick text to Goku to let him know he was leaving. Once he got to the street he paused, looking around. Cheelai’s place was across town, but it was too late for the subway. Which way had she gone? He took a chance and picked the scenic route, hoping that he was right, and that she hadn’t just taken a cab home.

He had to fix things—he’d been waiting way too long, and he had to make his move—now if only he could find her.