Work Text:
The sun's warm rays danced on the calm sea, illuminating the glistening waters as a colossal dragon, sculpted from stone, emerged majestically. Its body coiled through the air with a sense of grandeur, commanding attention. At the apex of the dragon's unfinished head, its skilled builder worked tirelessly, carefully crafting every intricate detail, pouring heart and soul into the creation.
Though the dragon's sheer height and monumental scale made it impossible to spot Foolish with the naked eye from the ground, Vegetta had come prepared with a spyglass. Peering through the lens, he meticulously scanned every inch of the dragon, starting from the base and working his way up, searching for Foolish. Vegetta had taken care of Leonarda all morning, then put her down for a well deserved nap. But as the day progressed without any word from Foolish, Vegetta's determination to see him grew stronger.
“¿Donde estás?" Vegetta muttered under his breath, his voice carrying a hint of urgency. As his gaze ascended towards the dragon's unfinished head, he began to notice scattered blocks, evidence of Foolish's presence. It was clear that Foolish had started working on certain areas but had been sidetracked by something else.
Vegetta's eyes narrowed as he scanned the scene through the spyglass and spotted Foolish. The man had fashioned a makeshift platform for himself on the side of the dragon’s head, diligently breaking and reshaping portions of the massive jaws. Vegetta carefully flattened his spyglass and stowed it in his backpack as he approached the dragon.
Meanwhile, Foolish was in a state of frustration. He was struggling to sculpt the dragon's jaw to his desired perfection, but it seemed like every attempt fell short. His mind was racing with doubt, and he couldn't seem to find the right approach. In a burst of exasperation, he let out a frustrated cry, the weight of his artistic struggles weighing heavily on him. He forcefully removed another portion of the jaw, his emotions running high as he grappled with the daunting task at hand.
Foolish was deeply engrossed in his work, so much so that he didn't even notice when Vegetta had ascended to a position just above him on the snout of the dragon. His mind was consumed by the creative process, and the outside world seemed to fade into the background as he meticulously chiseled away at the stone. Vegetta called Foolish's name repeatedly, but his voice seemed to go unheard amidst the artist's intense focus.
“Foolish!” It was only when the voice was directly above him that he finally snapped out of his creative reverie, startled by Vegetta’s sudden presence. Foolish's initial bewilderment gave way to a sheepish grin as he greeted his husband.
"Vegetta! Hola! What are you doing here?" He asked, taking a small step back to see him better. He didn’t seem to notice how unsteady he was on his feet, how he swayed with even the slightest movement.
"I have been looking for you! How long have you been building?" Vegetta's expression turned to one of concern as he peered down at Foolish, noticing the subtle hints that he wasn't in his best shape. A glistening layer of sweat on his face, a slight tremble in his arms and legs, and even his smile appeared strained. Foolish looked to his watch and grimaced as if suddenly realizing how long its been himself.
“Uh, six… seis horas? I just need to finish this part it’s- it’s all wrong! All I have to do is reshape this and maybe make it a little bigger then I can move onto the tongue and the horns and-”
“Foolish! You are done, we will go home now. You can see Leonarda and rest.” Vegetta insisted, noting Foolish's initial inclination to protest. However, at the mention of his daughter's name, Foolish visibly deflated, suddenly realizing that he hadn't seen her all day. The adrenaline that had fueled his building efforts drained away, leaving him feeling the full effects of working tirelessly for hours on end.
“Yeah, yeah you’re right.” He agreed, setting down his tools and officially calling it a day. He looked up at Vegetta with a genuine smile.
"Vamos, mi amor," Vegetta beamed, dropping to one knee and extending a hand to help Foolish up. He accepted the hand, but as Vegetta pulled him up to the top of the dragon, a sudden white flash blinded him, causing his legs to turn to jelly. He would have collapsed if not for Vegetta's quick reflexes in catching him.
Vegetta instinctively pulled Foolish into his chest, cradling him in a comforting embrace as he looked down at him with concern. The exhausted man let out an uneven sigh, his body feeling weighed down, his knees aching from the strain of the day's work. Vegetta gently brushed his hair back with a tender touch, Foolish felt better in his arms, so much so that he didn’t want to pull away but he knew they had to go home.
Foolish pried himself off his husband and stood up to his full height allowing Vegetta to move and reach into his bag. He pulled out a bottle of water, offering it to Foolish, who accepted it gratefully, taking a few refreshing sips. He also retrieved a signpost from his backpack, which they could use to teleport back home. Foolish finished the water, feeling a renewed sense of energy, and once again took Vegettas hand. They approached the signpost and in a brilliant flash of light, they found themselves standing in the familiar surroundings of their home, the teleportation successfully completed.
"Go sit down," Vegetta instructed, gesturing to a cozy purple armchair in front of the crackling fireplace. "I will get you some food." Foolish nodded wearily, mumbling a tired thank you, and sank into the chair with a satisfied groan. He threw his head back and closed his eyes, feeling the exhaustion creeping in. Even with his senses overwhelmed by his fatigue he could hear the quick patter of footsteps and he knew Leonarda was on her way.
As she jumped into his lap, stealing the air from his lungs, Foolish mustered up the last bit of energy he had to put on a bright smile. "There's my girl!" he exclaimed, wrapping his arms around her in a giant hug. "I missed you! Did you have fun today?" Leonarda nodded eagerly and began shuffling through her bag, pulling out a handful of photos to show him. But when she turned back to him, she noticed Foolish's eyes were closed and he was struggling to hold up his head, trying his best to fight off exhaustion.
Unnoticed by him, she hopped off his lap. And when Vegetta returned he would see Leonarda laying a blanket on her father, who had fallen fast asleep in the armchair. She would stand on her tip-toes to give him a kiss on the forehead as they have done every time they tuck her in.