Future Bulma glanced at Vados, who was slumped in Chiga's arms, her lips twitching helplessly.
Quietly, she leaned toward Trunks and whispered,
"Trunks, is this Ms. Vados really that legendary Angel?"
A bead of sweat rolled down Trunks's temple as he replied nervously,
"Mom, don't say that. She really is an Angel—just a bit more casual in front of Uchiha Chiga. Usually, she's so strict I wouldn't even dare to meet her eyes."
Bulma frowned slightly.
"Then what's her relationship with Chiga? And the past me... and that Lazuli?"
Trunks shook his head. "No idea. Things in this future are a mess. I've barely even talked to girls, so... yeah, I don't really understand much."
He sighed inwardly—if he'd known better, maybe he wouldn't have fallen for Mai, who was decades older than him.
Lazuli walked up to Chiga, her hands on her hips and her bright eyes glaring at Vados, who seemed to be dozing off.
Chiga wanted to push Vados away, but she clung to him like glue. Unless he used real strength, there was no separating her.
Helpless, Chiga turned to Future Bulma.
"Do you have any spare rooms? She's... probably drunk. Let her sleep it off first."
The moment he said that, Vados opened her eyes. She lifted her head, her face so close to Chiga's that he could feel her cool, sweet-scented breath.
"Who did you say is drunk? Angels don't get drunk!"
Straightening herself beside him, she crossed her arms and put on a serious face—but the act only made her look more suspicious. The others exchanged strange looks.
Future Bulma, flustered, said apologetically,
"I'm sorry... next time I'll prepare non-alcoholic drinks instead."
Vados immediately waved her hand.
"No way! I want the alcoholic ones—they're more fun!"
Smack!
Chiga flicked her forehead, frowning.
"That's enough! Do you even know your limit? You're almost as drunk as Nerona!"
"Ow... Huh? Who's Nerona?"
"A cute idiot."
"Wait—are you calling me cute? It's a strange way to describe an Angel, but... I'll accept it!"
"Did you not hear the 'idiot' part?"
Vados turned her head with a pout and said nothing more, finally quieting down.
Then Lazuli suddenly sat right on Chiga's lap, glaring at Vados.
Future Bulma took the only remaining seat beside him.
Three women, one man—it was more like a stage play now, with Chiga unwillingly cast as the center of attention.
Remaining calm, Chiga looked at Trunks.
"Should we deal with those two androids now?"
Trunks blinked, glancing outside at the darkening sky. He shook his head.
"Let's leave it for tomorrow. It's late, and they're never active at night anyway. We should all rest here."
With Chiga's sharp perception, locating Android 17 and Android 18 would have been effortless. But seeing Vados's condition, even he thought it best to rest for the night.
That evening, rooms were arranged.
Future Bulma stayed with her past self—the two had a lot to discuss.
Lazuli insisted on sharing a room with Vados. She didn't trust that Angel's behavior at all; "dangerous" didn't even begin to describe it.
That left the last room for Chiga and Trunks. But Trunks, respecting Chiga's status as a savior, insisted on sleeping on the sofa.
Chiga told him it wasn't necessary—he didn't even need to sleep—but Trunks wouldn't take no for an answer. So, in the end, Chiga had the room to himself.
---
Morning came quietly.
Chiga blinked his golden eyes open... and froze.
Vados was lying beside him, peacefully asleep.
He sighed, rubbing his temple. He hadn't sensed her at all—her divine energy completely concealed. She must have slipped in during the night.
Her silk nightgown shimmered in the sunlight, a strap sliding down to her elbow, nearly revealing more than she realized.
Chiga groaned softly and nudged her back.
Vados's long lashes fluttered before she slowly opened her eyes, meeting his gaze.
"Morning, Chiga," she murmured lazily. "You're up early."
Anyone walking in would've thought they'd been sleeping together all night.
Chiga looked around—it was the same room from last night. He turned to her.
"When exactly did you sneak into my room?"
She blinked, pretending to be confused.
"Huh? Oh, right... this is your room. How did I end up here?"
"You're asking me? Pull up your clothes first—what would people think if they saw you like that?"
Vados glanced down at her slipping strap and smiled. Instead of fixing it, she leaned in close, whispering teasingly,
"What's wrong? Is our Chiga-sama shy?"
Chiga raised an eyebrow, his gaze calmly sweeping from her head to her toes.
The sharp, golden glow in his eyes made Vados stiffen instantly. She had only meant to tease—but when he got serious, she couldn't handle it.
She quickly adjusted her clothes and cleared her throat, pretending composure. The blush on her face betrayed her.
"Ahem! Well... I haven't slept in ages. Maybe your Ki drew me in subconsciously. This is called... Perfect Ultra Instinct. You understand that, right?"
Chiga crossed his arms, giving her a smirk.
"Oh, so sleepwalking counts as 'Perfect Ultra Instinct' now? You've really broadened my horizons."
---
Vados tilted her head, letting a sly grin spread across her face.
"Hmm… so you don't find it impressive? Not even a little?"
Chiga's expression didn't change, but his tone carried a playful weight.
"Impressive? Maybe, if it weren't completely reckless. You could've startled anyone—or worse, yourself."
She giggled softly, sitting up slightly.
"Well, I wanted to see how you'd react. Consider it a test of your patience, Chiga-sama."
Chiga rubbed his chin thoughtfully, leaning back.
"Patience, huh? You'll need more than tests like this to shake me. I've handled far stranger things."
Vados let out a small huff, pretending to pout.
"Stranger things? Is that a challenge? I can do stranger, you know…"
Chiga's golden gaze narrowed just slightly, and Vados immediately froze, realizing he wasn't joking.
The room held a tense silence for a few heartbeats, broken only by the soft morning light spilling through the windows, catching on the edges of their complicated, playful duel.
_______
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