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Foolish didn't mean to spy on Vegetta and Quackity's conversation as he snuck closer to where the two were talking in a secluded corner of the latter's replicated El Chavo del Ocho set.
He had originally walked over wanting to talk to Vegetta about their apparently newly adopted son, but then he realized that his love was in an intense conversation with Quackity.
Hasn't the fifth father of Richarlyson been missing for a while now? Foolish wondered. What could he possibly want with Vegetta?
If Foolish just happened to parse some of the whisper-shouted Spanish while crouching outside the door, it was purely a coincidence. An accident. Definitely not his chisme-loving curiosity.
"-te parece." Quackity's voice faded in.
"Y vale a tu Black Market," Vegetta answered.
" Y ahí podemos hacer transacciones de toda índole."
"Venga a-"
That's it, he couldn't keep quiet anymore.
"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"
"Foolish!" His partner called out to him. Getting addressed directly startled the totem-shark despite Vegetta's pleasant tone. "Come here, my love." The other man could never hide how pleased he was to see Foolish, and the builder felt something in him settle. He trusted Vegetta. He made that very clear in the past.
Quackity continued to speak to Vegetta in low-pitched Spanish as if Foolish hadn't just eavesdropped and barged in.
"Erm, Quackity quieres-" Vegetta began.
Then Quackity called out, interrupting with repeated "No le digas" but for all his talk Foolish only had his attention on Vegetta.
"Quackity quiere tener una cita with me," Vegetta explained in a mixture of English and Spanish.
"Oh?" Foolish exclaimed as he looked between the two trying to process what he's just heard. Quackity wanted to go on a date with Vegetta?
He felt his stomach drop. Suddenly, the future he thought he could have was gone in an instant and the loss staggered him.
"And what do you want, Vegetta?" He asked oh so carefully. Because that's what really mattered.
With how everyone around him seemed dead set on ruining his relationship and with the dangerous nature of Quesadilla Island itself, some part of Foolish knew that what he had with Vegetta had an expiration date. They could try to claim each other's forevers all they wanted, but all it took was the wrong rumor at the right time, or for the Federation to scoop one of them up and take them god knows where.
Maybe that's what made it so easy to control his voice, to remain steady even as his heart felt like it would beat out of his chest.
Vegetta had given Foolish so much already.
The last thing he wanted to do was pressure Vegetta. More than anything, he wanted his boyfriend to be happy. Would Quackity make him happy?
Maybe.
All Foolish ever had to offer his partner was the work of his hands and his sincerity. Surely, that was enough? And if not…fair enough. He would respect Vegetta's decision, even as the mere thought of letting him go ripped through him like broken glass.
So Foolish zeroed in on Vegetta. The whole of his attention focused on one man. Foolish committed his face to memory, cherished the memories they had with their small family, and waited with a quirk of his lips and bitter understanding in his heart.
What does Vegetta want?
—
Cuídate, tiburóncito. Vegetta thought. His little builder looked at him after that question, and he knew he was in trouble, not because his love was angry at him. On the contrary, his golden features and bright emerald eyes captured him with such a look of consideration and care, an acceptance that made Vegetta's heart full.
Foolish was ready to accept any answer he would give. Ready to let him go. Trusted him.
Cuídate.
Vegetta felt a knot in his belly loosen. His cheeks heated up, and he was sure the expression on his face was borderline silly with how fond it was.
Then, Quackity answered for him.
"He said, 'Yes, very much, thank you.'"
And he saw Foolish deflate, and he wasn't ready for how much the change affected him.
"Oh- okay," Foolish acknowledged backing away slightly. "No, I mean, if that would make you happy." It was the smallest he'd ever heard the usually bubbly man.
Unacceptable.
"No! No! Foolish, yo estaba diciendo, 'Cita, no. Walk with friend? Yes."
The other man lit up in a wide smile that Vegetta just wanted to eat.
"Walk with friend?" Foolish repeated, his relief apparent in his giggles that Vegetta couldn't help but join in on. "Haha, idiot!" He taunted at Quackity as if to say, 'He chose me,' bursting with pride. 'He loves me, not you.'
How could Vegetta possibly let his little builder go? His attention was too addicting. His adoration too sweet to share. He couldn't possibly let anyone else bask in that intense focus, something the totem-shark usually saved for one of his beautiful creations.
He knew what he wanted.
That smile was his. That laughter was his. Foolish's handsome features cut from gold? It all belonged to Vegetta.
He knew what he wanted.