Archive of Our Own

If someone were to ask Foolish what his version of their love story was, it would go a little like this:

Foolish met Vegetta on a beautiful sunny day out in the village market. They both hit it off with each other, and Foolish was charmed by the way in which Vegetta spoke to him.

At this point, Vegetta would chime in with his version of their love story: the night was starry, and Vegetta was watching Foolish from atop his throne. In the candlelight of the ballroom, Foolish looked like a forest nymph made real. That, Vegetta would say, was the moment he fell in love with Foolish.

They would then go back and forth over their own love story, Roier would look off to the side with an aggrieved sigh and shake his head while Tina would giggle at their antics. Their love story was as confusing as it was beautiful.

The real story starts like this:

Foolish was a tired veteran and Vegetta was escaping the palace.

It starts when Foolish is sitting at his kitchen counter, taking a bite of his breakfast.

The day was warm and sunny, if Foolish was in a better mood he would even say the sunlight made his kitchen look artistic, like something they came from the hands of an acclaimed painter. As it was, all it did was worsen Foolish’s mood.

By coincidence, the bright day marked the anniversary in which Foolish escaped from the war. The day that he left when everyone else did not.

Really, the fact that he decided to get up at all was a win in his book, Foolish mused. If this had been any other year, Foolish would be closing up his curtains and raiding his house to find something to occupy his mind away from the whirlwind of thoughts that consumed him on this day.

Maybe the fact that the sunlight was streaming in meant he was healing?

Unwittingly, Foolish grimaced. His heart ached and his throat tightened in protest of that singular thought as the guilt settled in. To hope for healing when he was the only survivor may be too much.

(It’s a little like this:

Foolish was a soldier. A soldier who was a bit too bright for the world surrounding him.

If he asked Cellbit, he’d have shaken his head, protested something like how Foolish was simply cheerful and hopeful. If he asked Bad, he would have given him that infuriating look and said that Foolish was full of whimsy.

“Might mean you’re not the brightest out there,” He’d say with a giant smile, shrugging his shoulders as Cellbit sighed in resignation. “But why should you care about that?”

“Hey!” Foolish would snap back, and the two of them would devolve into a barrage of insults as Cellbit laughed.)

Foolish shakes himself out of his thoughts. No time to dwell on the past, he thought, the day was still bright and he had groceries to deal with.

Out in the market, life was bright and bustling. Children ran across the streets, adults chatted amongst each other as the sellers hollered their wares out to those who were interested.

As Foolish walks along, he let the sound of life wash over him and push the grey of the past away. It was a sunny day, people were alive and children were laughing, what use would there be to dwell on the past when the present was so bright and happy?

Spotting his first stop of the day, Foolish was quick to walk over.

“Ah, Foolish!” Fit smiled as Foolish came closer, “What brings you here today?”

“Same old, same old.” Foolish was quick to dismiss, shrugging as he looked at the selection for the day. “Got anything new for me?”

Fit was the village’s butcher, but Foolish knew that he also moonlighted as an informant when the need called for it. It wasn’t anything serious, Fit claimed, but he was a useful source to have if Foolish wanted to know information that ran the risk of being censored.

It helped that Fit was also like him, once.

“Ah, same old, same old.” Fit drawled. “No movements, no new anything really, the only interesting thing going on right now is the festival and the ball that’ll be happening soon.” He batted Foolish’s hand away from the pork he chose and guided him to another selection. “This one is better.”

Foolish hummed. “Tell me more about the party?” He asked as he picked up the meat Fit recommended. Good enough, he thought.

“Nothing major.” Fit remarked as he prepared everything Foolish bought. “Pretty sure the ball was organized cause our king has been widowed for too long, all I heard have been talk about how all the major kingdoms have been invited and he was planning on sending out invites to the people too.”

“Should I be aware of any of the kingdoms that will visit?” Foolish asked again as he packed everything up. When he spotted Fit’s slightly apprehensive look, something inside of him dropped. “What?”

“It might be nothing.” Fit was quick to say. “This is barely a rumor, I only caught a couple of drunks talking about it, but I wanted to let you know just in case. The Federation might make an appearance at this ball.”

That one sentence made the world fall out from under him.

“Why?” Foolish quickly hissed, instinctively looking around for any ears that may be listening. “We barely see them anymore since the war that nearly wiped out their soldiers, why would they  be making an appearance here, now, when their country should still be rebuilding?”

“That’s the thing.” Fit said back, his face so calm Foolish almost felt angry about it. “If they are coming here to the ball in order to claim king Vegetta's hand, that just means that this may be another way they are rebuilding. The North has one of the best militaries out of all the other kingdoms, if they can secure an alliance through marriage this just means that they are trying to rebuild in another way. “

Foolish hisses, the past dancing in front of his eyes.

(Cellbit, with his stomach ripped open from whatever it was that Cucurucho used on him.

Bad, screaming at Foolish even when he himself had been stuck under rubble, screaming at Foolish to go go go, Foolish! Run you muffin head, run!

Cellbit, with his last goodbye being a smile as- )

He promised them not to think about it, Foolish thought harshly as he shook himself, ignoring Fit's concerned look as he quietly gathered himself.

“Look man, I get it.” Fit sighed. “I was there when it all happened too, you know? The only consolation we have here is that they're still too weak to be causing trouble in other kingdoms right now, so the chances of them causing anything here is practically nil.”

“Y-yeah, you're right.” Foolish mumbled. What if they still do?

“And besides,” Fit's smile turned mocking, the kind of cruel twist that Foolish only ever saw on disillusioned soldiers angry with the war and the king. “Who in their right mind would choose Lord Cucurucho? Certainly not King Vegetta. He’s got better standards than that.”

Foolish bit back the words that almost left his tongue and shrugged his shoulders. He doesn’t know the king, what his tastes were didn’t matter as long as Lord Cucurucho was not chosen.

What if they were chosen? What then? A vile thought whispered. Foolish tried to ignore it as he bade Fit goodbye.

Even still, the poison remained, its whispers curling and curling around his brain until Foolish could no longer see the end nor the beginning of his train of thought and all he could hear were the what-ifs that grew more grand by the second. What if Cucurucho somehow sabotaged the ball? What if they somehow charmed the king? What if another war starts? What if-

“Ow!”

Foolish braced for impact, only to realize that someone kept him upright. Looking at the person he bumped into, he almost expressed his shock.

The other man, if only judged by the massive arm and hand alone, wore a long purple cloak that effectively hid his identity from prying eyes. Adorning the cloak were fine detailing that only keen-eyed people like Foolish would notice and if Foolish tried to look deeper, he thought he could see the shine of jewelry from under the cloak.

“Are you alright, my friend?” A calm, cheerful voice rang from under the cloak. Foolish blinked from his reverie and smiled sheepishly at the other man.

“Hehe, sorry ‘bout that! Got a little distracted.” 

The man hummed, nodding in agreement as if it was something he understood. “Si, si. Happens to all of us. Where are you going, my little friend?”

Foolish shook his basket around, suddenly reminded that he had barely completed his chores for the day. “Oh, I’m just buying some stuff, wanna come with me? I’ll get ya something as an apology.”

“Accompany? Yes. Buying? No.” The man huffed as he easily fell into step wiith Foolish, acting like he was always a shadow following him around. Must be pretty skilled, a soldier maybe?

And so they went, making casual small talk as Foolish finally finished his first task of the day. The man, Lobo, was just a traveler from somewhere far and was simply exploring the North Kingdom before he set off again on his grand adventure. When Foolish asked about his travels, Lobo did not hesitate to elaborate.

Foolish couldn’t help but smile as the man regaled him with tales of his adventures, so fantastical they were, it was like they were sweeping away his bad day, leaving only the present with him. Lobo was nice and easy to talk to, constantly offering to buy Foolish trinkets as they moved around the town despite his constant denials.

“Foolich.” Lobo spoke up as the day came to an end. Foolish hadn’t even realized he was out for so long; the last time he was out until sunset was back then, when everyone he knew was around. “Have you heard of the ball king Vegetta is hosting?”

“Uh, yeah. Why are you asking?”

In a movement that was slightly too casual, Lobo sidled closer. “Did you know townsfolk could apply?”

Oh god, he knows what Lobo will say next. “No way is the king going to be interested in me. I'm just a guy from his kingdom.”

“Ah, but what if, Foolich?” Lobo wheedled needlessly. “You are a very good friend! We may have only known each other for a few hours, but I can feel it! Men like Vegetta? He would love someone like you.”

Foolish chuckled, flattered and embarrassed all at once. “Aw shucks! But still…” It would be a good chance to make sure the Federation doesn’t dig its claws here. Something in him whispered.

Lobo, with a slight hesitation that hadn't been there before, reached from under his cloak to give Foolish a paper. ‘Luna Estrellada Ball townsfolk application.’ It said at the top. 

“The king wants a lover to reign by his side with him. By replying to his application, you hereby agree to attend the Luna Estrellada Ball as a person who will compete for his hand in marriage. The royal family will cover travel costs to and from the castle during the date, no plus-ones allowed.” Foolish read aloud, becoming more and more incredulous as he did. “How did you even get your hands on this?”

“No es importante!” Lobo dismissed casually. “Think about it, si? I believe you will have a very good chance, my little friend.”

Sensing that the man would not budge, Foolish reluctantly put the paper in his basket.

Before long, the application form slipped from Foolish’s mind. Really, with everything that came with that day and the thoughts that haunted him, Foolish was unable to pay much heed to the paper Lobo gave him.

(That’s a lie, Foolish was thinking way too much about it.)

Foolish spent much of his time after that day meeting with Lobo. Lobo was a good man, though mysterious and oddly insistent on giving Foolish any gift he could get his hands on.

Foolish, having spent most of his days after the war on his own, rejoiced in the feeling of having companionship again. 

It didn’t help that Lobo was funny and matched Foolish’s personality. Their conversations always flowed easily, every joke got laughter, every debate was heated and passionate. Foolish never wanted the time he spent with Lobo to end.

And if his heart began to beat faster every time Lobo said Foolish, then that was no one’s business but his.

And then came the announcement.

“Come around, come around, we have an announcement!” Shouts the guard standing at the center ofthe  town square. “King Vegetta will be holding a ball in 14 days time, where he will be choosing who in his line of guests will be best suited to be reigning by his side and for eternity afterwards. Any townsfolk willing to take the chance of marrying Vegetta, come and take this form! The last day for submission is in 4 days!”

As the townspeople clambered to take the paper from the guard, Foolish simply shook his head and snuck off.

“Foolish!” Lobo called out, quickly catching up to him. “How are you, my friend?”

At the sight of him, Foolish couldn’t help but smile. “Hey Lobo. I’m good, where have you been?” It’s been lonely without you.

“Around, around.” Lobo dismissed. “Have you thought about what I said?”

Foolish smiled, sheepish and unwilling to admit that he forgot about it. “I just don’t know, Lobo…”

Lobo sighed in exasperation “Tienes mucha suerte de ser guapo, Foolish. I cannot believe you think of yourself so lowly! The king will love you!”

Foolish just couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, okay, fine! I’ll sign up, okay? If only so I can say I told you so when the king doesn’t pick me.”

Lobo shrugged enigmatically from under his cloak, Foolish almost wondered if the man knew something he didn't. Maybe if it were before, he wouldn't have cared, but now all Foolish could do was shake off his unease and let the day carry him away in the company of his new friend.

(As he promised, Foolish ended up applying.

His signature was ugly, he thought, shaky and completely different from his normal handwriting. But what did it matter?

Maybe this was just a sign from the gods he never believed in, telling him that it was time he faced the past, that maybe it was high time he got over what happened.

Cellbit would have been bedridden for a year because of that wound if you didn’t find potions for him, Bad would still be here if they didn’t start that damned war, Cellbit wouldn't have died if you were faster, both of them would still be here if-

He's never getting over it, he thinks. The Federation was why his life was gone in a blast of explosion.)

When the ball finally arrived, Foolish had mostly gotten over his personal anxieties.

So what if he was going to see Lord Cucurucho? So what if his life may just flash before his eyes? So what if he might ruin the ball? He'll try to have fun like he used to, forget his past and make tonight a memorable one.

That’s what they would want for him.

He took a deep breath as the carriage arrived and the people began to get in one by one, all dressed in outfits so beautiful Foolish had no doubt they were tailored specifically for this occasion whereas he was dressed in the best outfit he owned, faded colors and all.

When he was finally in the carriage, he couldn’t help but fiddle with the piece of accessory he had with him. It was an old emerald pin, it’s once-golden setting now a dull copper with a chain that connected the larger octagonal stone to a small one.

 Back before, Cellbit had found the thing in a market stall and bought it for him, said something about how it matched his eyes and usual outfit. He had given a similar one to Bad, only his had been a tear-drop gem with silver setting while Cellbit had some kind of multicolored pin both he and Bad chipped in to get.

(“Now all of us match!” Bad declared. Foolish pretended to puke to hide his smile.

Cellbit was touched, his eyes almost shimmering with tears as he held the pin like it was the most precious thing he had. Served him right for never spending on himself, Foolish thought, he wouldn’t have been awed by it if he did.

“Thank you, guys.” He said, his voice warbling.

Foolish laughed. “Now we’ll be the best lookin’ guys at every party!”)

Foolish smiled stupidly, and clasped the gem on his outfit.

The party was boring.

Foolish hid his internal sigh as the next person came up to fawn over the king, another person in a line of suitors so long Foolish imagined them as a giant snake that could wind itself around the entire ballroom.

He couldn’t blame them much, he supposed. The king was beautiful, obvious power aside. His purple cape was furred at the top and fell down into a trail behind him, his crown was a shiny gold that shined every time the light reflected off of it.

Golden jewelry hung off of him as a show of power, from where Foolish stood at the corner of the room, he could make out colors of red, black and cyan, all colors that displayed his achievements to the world and declared his absolute power as the king.

Suddenly, the king seemed to sense that Foolish was watching him, as his eyes suddenly flicked over to him.

Foolish jumped, not knowing what to do before he settled on an awkward smile and a wave.

Surprisingly, the king seemed to smile back before his gaze went back to whoever it was in front of him. For that singular moment, Foolish could really understand why people fell over backwards for the king’s hand.

Trying to make his blush go down, Foolish tried to find something else to occupy him. His attempt proved unsuccessful when he saw a blinding flash of white and a familiar voice ring out.

“Hello, King Vegetta.” Lord Cucurucho spoke, their hand reaching out to hold the kings’. For a moment, all Foolish could remember was the bright flash of light and the shockwave that crumbled homes and the screams as he ran-

He didn't hear what king Vegetta said in return because he was already in the garden before he knew it.

For a long while, Foolish simply sat out there, breathing in the air and reminding himself that he was in the castle gardens and not back there, where the smog was so thick they joked about gas masks not being enough, where the world was drenched in red and all Foolish could do was keep going.

“Are you okay?” A voice called next to him. 

Foolish yelped and jumped in his seat, rapidly turning his head to look at the man who snuck up on him only to come face to face with the princess, Tina.

“I'm fine.” Foolish replied, pushing the hair that fell in front of his face back. He thinks he should go home, why did he ever decide to come here when he can barely face Cucurucho?

“okay, mind if I sit with you?” The princess eventually asked, sitting down on the dirt the moment Foolish nodded his head. When he protested about her dress, she grinned and waved him off.

They sat in silence for a long time, long enough that Foolish calmed down and entertained the thought of leaving again, long enough that he wondered if the party had ended already.

“Should you go back in? Dad will announce who he’ll choose soon.” Tina remarked.

“Hm, maybe.” He sighed. “I’ll take anyone as long as it’s not the damn bear.”

“The bear?…” Tina suddenly brightened up. “Oh, you mean mister Cucurucho? I thought they were really nice.”

“Them? Nice?” Foolish wondered, looking at her incredulously before he shook it off. Maybe the royals interacted differently with each other, but he should still give them a warning. "They’re the fucking worst, the kind of ruler that leaves you to rot.”

“Really?” Tina looked confused. “They’ve been nice the few times we’ve interacted, though. It kinda sucks that their kingdom got blown to bits.”

Foolish just laughed, a tinge of mania threading through it. “That muffin head did it on their own!”

Tina seemed confused. “What do you mean?”

“God, where do I even begin with them?” Foolish muttered sarcastically, his eyes wandering around the garden in an attempt to ignore the eyes of Princess Tina. At least the garden was pretty, all marble statues and colorful flowers that no doubt looked mesmerising in the daylight. 

“When the king told us about lord Cucurucho’s plan, our forces were barely worth anything. I guess they saw the kingdom’s desperation, cause then the king said lord Cucurucho had this foolproof plan to completely end the war in one fell swoop. We didn’t really question it, you know? We were all a bunch of soldiers who never studied much a day in our lives; the only one who did was Cellbit, and everyone knew what he thought about Cucurucho by then to pay attention to any of his protests. Wasn’t like the king was wrong, you know? The war had been going on for so long, I think most of us forgot who our enemy even was.”

By that point, Foolish knew that most of his comrades were on the brink of it. The nights were filled with their anger and nightmares, the days were silent and cold during the precious moments the soldiers were in close quarters with each other. Food stores were low by then, too, with the number of civilian casualties and refugees that left the kingdom, leaving the remaining soldiers to combat their hunger in any way they could.

Close to the end of it, Foolish, Bad and Cellbit were the only sane people remaining among the troops.

“So, I guess that was why we accepted the proposal so easily, you know? All of us were desperate to leave the war behind us, to end it so we could rebuild or come to find where the hell our families even went.” God, that was one of the few days where the whole camp was hopeful. “And then the next day, they announced that they were gonna drop a whole ass nuke on us.”

Tina gasped, her eyes so wide with shock they might as well jump out. “A nuke? You mean the bomb that was rumored to be so powerful it could wipe out a whole nation? That nuke? What the fuck! Was anyone able to leave?"

Foolish chuckled, too exhausted to be anguished. “God, almost no one. By that point, anyone worth their weight in salt left a long time ago. Nah, at the end it was just a bunch of us stragglers too in love with their kingdom to know any better. Cellbit was the smart one, you know? Wasn’t blinded by the madness or the hope the king gave us, I don’t think he even liked the kingdom to be honest.”

He was always that kind of guy, Foolish thought. Cellbit hated the Federation, was the first person to cuss them out in a bar if he had the chance, would question every announcement they made and had connections everywhere just to verify what he heard was the truth.

Thinking of it now, maybe Cellbit just stayed because he and Bad stayed.

“He forced us to put some stuff in our bag just in case. When the morning came, the three of us were practically running away when the bomb went off.”

“Then that means the three of you lived, right?” Tina said hopefully, relief shining in her eyes despite the sympathy.

Foolish didn’t have it in him to say anything other than a nod.

“Do you feel better now?” Tina finally asked. “It's probably another 15 minutes before the declaration starts. If you haven't talked to my dad yet, you still have a chance.”

“Nah, not interested.” Foolish dismissed, “I only went cause someone I know wanted me to come, so here I am. Didn't promise him that I was gonna make an effort and talk to king Vegetta.”

Tina pouted. “But if you don't, how can you tell your friend you tried? Your friend probably told you to come here cause they really think you have a chance. Are you really gonna disappoint them by not even bothering?”

Foolish thought about it, then sighed. He could imagine what Lobo would think if he said he didn’t even bother. 

Might as well try, if only to say I told you so.

“Fine.” He sighed and stood up, helping Tina up before he opened the doors. “Thanks for that, by the way.”

“No problem!” Tina smiled kindly. “I’ll see ya around!”

Foolish said nothing.

Inside, the party was swinging as always.  The food was still full but the alcohol seemed to be depleting, judging by the carefree laughter that rang through the halls and the way some people seemed to have clustered together.

The most surprising thing was how little people were waiting for an audience with the king, now. There were only 2 people left, and the king seemed to be more agitated than he had been at the beginning, his eyes grim and his mouth twisted in a frown.

Foolish wondered if he really should go, it didn't seem like the king wanted more of an audience. But then he thinks of what Lobo would think if he hadn't even tried, how disappointed his  eyes friend would be if he found out and before he knew it, he was standing in front of King Vegetta.

Up close, the king was even more beautiful than Foolish thought, his face made up of sharp edges and his eyes as bright and magnetic as the gems he saw in jewelry stores. Foolish could feel his breath leave him when the king cast his eyes on him.

The moment his eyes landed on Foolish, his eyes suddenly seemed to brighten in happiness. “Ah, hello! What can I do for you?” 

Foolish blinked. That voice sounds familiar. “Um, hi. Hello, my king.”

Vegetta smiled widely, his hand reaching out to hold Foolish’s. “Hello, my little friend. What is your name?”

“Uh, Foolish, Foolish Gamirez.” He smiled awkwardly. I fucking know you. You’ve been Lobo this whole time?

“Ah, Foolish!” Vegetta smiled even wider, he thinks the guards in the back seem surprised. Foolish couldn’t help an incredulous giggle from slipping out.

Despite the shock that slowly began to settle in, Foolish and Vegetta had a lovely and enlightening conversation. Vegetta seemed intent on asking Foolish just about anything under the sun. What's your favorite food? Favorite color? What side of the bed would you sleep on? Did you have any pets? Where did you come from?

It almost felt like an interrogation, Foolish mused as he tried his best to answer the king’s questions. The only ones he avoided were ones that tried to pry into his life before. 

“I see you have a very pretty stone here.” Vegetta remarked, pointing at the pin attached to Foolish’s lapels. “Very loved.”

“Oh! Uh…” Foolish smiled, only now did he realize the melancholy left. “Yeah, it is. It was a gift from my friends.”

Vegetta hummed, looking at him curiously. “Tell me.”

And Foolish was swept away with telling stories to the king. Only when the guards alerted the king did he realize he may have taken up too much of Vegetta’s time.

“It was lovely talking to you.” Vegetta spoke easily as he stood up from his chair to leave. “Espero volver a verte. Please excuse me.”

Foolish nodded, feeling like that toy Bad had that bobbled back and forth, and spoke without much thought. “Yeah, see you later!”

When he finally went down to the people, the panic truly settled in.

What the hell was that? Was that who Lobo was this entire time? Is that why he was so reluctant to show his face out in public and was so deeply insistent on getting Foolish to sign up for this damn ball? Was this a joke to Lobo then? A way to reveal to him and ignore all the implications it had?

Foolish wants to give Lobo, king Vegetta, the benefit of the doubt, the sane parts of him wants it even more.

But he’s tired himself out convincing himself that it was a good idea to go this morning, but his slightly good mood only plummeted when he saw lord Cucurucho, and the talk with princess Tina only made him feel even worse. He wants to leave.

After King Vegetta announces? A part of him meekly protests. 

He groans. That voice sounds more sane than he wants to hear.

A few more minutes. The sane, emotionally stable part of his brain spoke. Just until he announces who he wants. Then you can leave and maybe take something with you.

That sounded much more appealing, Foolish eventually conceded either himself, and walked his way to the back of the party to wait.

As the wait for king Vegetta grew longer, more people began to speculate on who would be chosen. One claimed that her conversation with him was long, another claimed his kiss on king Vegetta’s hand charmed him, another said the king smile the most with her.

Foolish slowly sank to the floor, getting more tired by the minute and praying that the king came out before his will to stay left him.

He didn’t know when his eyes seemed to close, but he found himself jolting awake when a hush fell on the room. Standing up and shaking out his exhaustion, he finally noticed king Vegetta standing at the top of the podium.

“Attention, the king has come to his decision!” The guard spoke monotonously. “Please grant him your silence.”

“I thank you all for being here today.” King Vegetta spoke, “I’m glad you all have had an enjoyable time and I am very glad to have met all of you. However, there is only one for my heart.”

The room held its breath.

“I hereby announce my choice in esposo is… Foolish Gamirez.”

So the room erupted in whispers, rapidly looking around to see who it was that the king chose to be his spouse.

“Foolish Gamirez, please come to the king’s throne and accept his majesty’s token.”

Foolish, deep in the back and tired out of his mind, thinks he should be more scared than this. As it is, he wants to go home.

With slow steps, Foolish stood up and mentally prepared himself for the chaos. The closer he walked to the podium, the more people began to notice his existence, moving out of his way with wide eyes and quiet words of shock. In a way, it reminded him of where he was.

That thought was a bit hard to grasp when king Vegetta was looking at him so lovingly. Had he always looked at me that way?

“To you, mi esposo.” The king said kindly, holding Foolish’s hand and putting something in. “Keep this on you, and I will come for you in 3 days.”

Foolish, still exhausted, found himself smiling back at the king as the tiredness slid away for a moment. “Yeah, okay.”

The king seemed worried for a minute, his hand reaching up to touch Foolish’s cheek. “Estas bien? You seem tired, Foolish.”

Foolish couldn’t help but lean in a little. “Just been a hard day.” He confessed softly. “More tiring than I expected.”

“You could stay here, in mi casa.” Vegetta was quick to offer. “For one night, then go home tomorrow.”

His heart seemed to flutter out of his chest, but Foolish brushed it off and smiled back. “Thanks, but I think I need to get home, yeah? I’ll see you soon. Tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow.”

Vegetta still seemed worried, but he smiled back and nodded. “Tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow, Foolish.” He said and - with his hand still in Foolishs’ - led him down the steps and through the doors of the castle. Charming fella. Foolish mused, giddy and wide awake.

“Hahahaha.” Lord Cucurucho laughed in the silence. With easy steps, they brushed past the crowd and stood just close enough to catch Foolish’s eye. When they were close enough, they spoke in that same cadence that haunted Foolish’s dreams. “Congratulations on your engagement, sir Foolish.”

The comfort Vegetta provided him seemed to slip away the longer he looked back at Cucurucho, leaving behind the cold and the memories of the smoke that choked his lungs. 

(Bad had been trapped under rubble after the bomb went off.

When they woke up after the blast, the air was thicker than it had ever been during the war, and every building in sight was gone with the blast.

They were stupid, back then, they hadn’t realized that the bomb lord Cucurucho spoke of had the capacity to level every building in the kingdom. If they had known, they wouldn’t have taken shelter anywhere near buildings.

Now Bad was stuck under the rubble.

“Go, go!” Bad screamed. “I’ll catch up! Just go before another one detonates!”

“But-” Cellbit protested, his arm was limp, Foolish thinks it must have broken when parts of the wall fell on him. He was lucky Foolish got out just in time to get him up.

“But nothing!” Bad was resolute. Something inside Foolish was cracking apart. He’s too far under to get out in time. “Run! Run before anything else can happen! Don’t worry about me!”

It looked like Cellbit was ready to argue even more, so Foolish ended up being the one to pull him away.

The further from the blast they went, the more Foolish realized the power of the bomb. Even after running for a good 20 minutes, the surrounding area was still nothing more than rubble and whatever was still standing was on the verge of collapsing.

And when he and Cellbit had to traverse under a precariously hanging building that was being held up by its own splints and wooden support beams, the creaks of the wood told Foolish that it would.

“Come on, come on!” Cellbit hissed, his hands prying Foolish as if it could get him to get though faster. 

“I can’t fucking get through! It’s too tight!” Foolish hissed, heart beating faster with every creak of the house above. “Just go first!”

“No!” Cellbit’s cat lineage peaked out to hiss at him for the suggestion. “Just past this and we’ll be out!”

“Just go first!” Foolish continued to protest. “I can maneuver around, just go ahead.”

Cellbit growled at him, silenced when the beam creaked even worse. With a grim, determined face, he continued to help Foolish pass, getting more reckless with each warning groan.

Foolish almost let out a relieved sigh she he realized that he was just past the obstacle, only to suddenly hear a snap much too close behind him.

And faster than he could blink, Foolish was pushed out of the danger zone and Cellbit was crushed.)

With a shaky breath, Foolish pushed those hellish memories away and managed a shaky smile towards lord Cucurucho.

“Thank you, lord Cucurucho.” He echoed. It’s your fault Bad and Cellbit are dead.

“I hope you enjoy your marriage.” They spoke before disappearing back into the crowd.

“Foolish?” Vegetta spoke softly, eyes upturned in concern. He gently pulled Foolish out of the ballroom and into the grand hallway, far away from lord Cucurucho’s eyes. “Did you know him?”

Foolish sighed, grasping onto Vegetta even tighter. “You could say that.” 

His eyes saddened, a frown marring his attractive features as his hands slowly massaged Foolish’s. “Tell me, mi amor?”

“I-I mean…” He chuckled. “It seems like you got a really good relationship with the guy, I don’t really wanna ruin it.”

Vegetta frowned, then with a resolute voice, spoke: “Whatever happens, happens. You are not responsible for my relationship with la Federación.” 

God, when was the last time someone said something so sweet to him?

“I’ll explain it while we walk to the front of the castle, okay?” Foolish eventually conceded. Vegetta smiled, his hand steady and warm in his as they walked out.

So Foolish, with his heavy heart and exhaustion tugging at his feet, spoke.

Vegetta listened attentively. Foolish could feel his eyes boring into the side of his face as he told the story of what happened, his hands warm and steady even through the worst of it all.

“That’s about it, really.” Foolish shrugged as the doors opened. His carriage was waiting for him. “After he was crushed, I don’t know how long it took me to leave. All I know was that I was suddenly here.”

“What happened was simply horrible, Foolish.” Vegetta whispered. “We felt the shockwaves, veras, all the way over here. No one knew what happened until the messengers arrived. They told us la Federación suddenly exploded, that only rubble remained. Told us all lord Cucurucho was the only survivor.”

Foolish shrugged. “That’s Cucurucho.”

Vegetta, probably sensing his reluctance, smiled softly and led him inside the carriage. Once he was sure Foolish had settled, he pulled Foolish in for a kiss on the cheek. “Get home safe, mi amor.”

Foolish couldn’t help a happy giggle from escaping. “Thanks, Vegetta.”

As the carriage drove off, Foolish couldn’t help a furtive look back to where Vegetta stood.

The next day, Foolish was screaming.

What the hell was he thinking, saying all that to the goddamn king?! Why did he even accept the goddamn proposal? Foolish was a giant mess who couldn’t even forget the past, why would king Vegetta even choose him?

At the same time, Lobo? Why did Foolish never realize just how stupidly fake that name was, he never realized he had so much faith to not even question the name.

I’m a fucking idiot. He screamed internally. But what did it matter now? It wasn’t like Foolish could backtrack on the marriage proposal.

(Not like he wanted to either.)

Still, he took another few minutes to scream before taking in a deep breath to face the day.

King Vegetta, Lobo, would be welcoming him into his home in a few days. He needed to prepare.

“Foolish, are you ready?” The king said at the front door of his home. It was weird, Foolish mused, to see him in purple and gold regalia at the front door of his house instead of his cloak.

“Uhh, yeah!” Foolish said after a moment of pause. His spouse(!) looked at him with amusement in his eyes before chuckling. 

“Nerviosa, si?” Vegetta spoke calmly, his hand reaching up to pull Foolish into a kiss. “It’s okay, mi amor. I will show you that our future is worth it.”

Was Foolish so obvious? “You promising that?” Foolish smiled. “I don’t even get why you picked me of all people, Lobo.”

Vegetta grinned sheepishly. “You found out. Come in, come in, the servants will take your things for you.”

The carriage, if it could be called that, was grand. Large enough that it could comfortably seat 6 people at once if the king felt like it. The carriage itself was also painted in Vegetta’s signature purple, accented with white so bright Foolish wondered if they used enchantments on it.

“So, that explanation.” Foolish looked back at Vegetta.

“I did not come to the town just to find an esposo and chose the first one I liked.” Vegetta was quick to say, something nervous and appeasing in his tone. “I did not want an esposo at all, at first.”

“When I came to the town, that first time, I wanted to see how people were, you see. I am up in that castle all day, there is no way for me to get my boots on the ground and find out what the people needed by myself unless I sneak out!” It was kind of theatrical, the way Vegetta told the story. “So, I took my sneakiest cloak, I came down and I bumped into you!”

Sweetly, kindly, Vegetta reached out to take Foolish’s hand. “When I saw your face, I thought you were very beautiful, muy guapo.” Smiling at the way Foolish’s face heated up, he went on. “And the more I talked to you, the more I liked you! A beautiful, smart boy like you? How could I ever resist?”

“That’s why you wanted me at the ball? So you could have a way to marry me?” Foolish giggled.

“Si, si.” Vegetta chuckled. “Not very smart, I know. But it was convenient! And I wanted to marry you immediately. I know we have not known each other for long, but I love you Foolish! I want to marry you and show my devotion to you for the rest of our days together. I will even cut my ties with the Federation for you, I will fight them for you. Just say the word.”

What a romantic. When had Foolish ever felt so giddy?

“You don’t need to go to war for me. Just prove you love me, yeah?”

Vegetta smiled, kissing Foolish’s knuckles like it was the most precious thing he ever held. “For as long as we both live, you will never feel neglected.”