Authoress' Note: This sniplet ended up coming to me at an unexpected time at night/morning shortly after I woke to a storm. My big dog was freaking out due to the rumbles of thunder and flashes of lightning that he would pace during this in his own manner. He was so flustered that he would not stay still even through my attempts of comforting him.

As the worst of the storm soon passed, I sat there awake making sure nothing else would bother him. Before I knew it, I had a notebook in my hand along with a pen and writing down an idea that came out of nowhere.

What made this unique was the fact that this is a bit different from my other writings since it explores a complicated relationship between Turles and Kauli. Before you hit the back button and deem this a poor pathetic attempt at pairing these two together, I am not hinting at any romance here.

Even though I ship it. Shamelessly. XD

Getting that confession off my chest, I now present something different.

A Woman's Silent Fear

One-Shot

The roar of thunder followed by a child-like whimper awoke Turles from his dreamless sleep Footfalls were heard outside his room; ones he recognized as Kauli's due to how she carried herself. And yet, these same footfalls were filled with trepidation for some odd reason.

At first, he tried to ignore them, to dismiss the restless pacing in favor of more sleep, but said footsteps continued their noisy traverse outside his quarters. With his patience reaching its absolute limit, Turles rose groggily to his feet and within a few strides, reached the door and opened it. Outside in the hallway, Kauli paused mid-pace and stared up at the man, fear flashing in the usually confident eyes.

The expression on Kauli's face was that of a child's at that moment—vulnerable and a sense of intimidation to whatever adversary that decided to emerge from the shadows. The tough attitude she normally exhibits was squelched by her fears made real in this moment. Fears that she did not wish to voice to the others and tried to keep all to herself, but the way the thunder rolled made it difficult to stay silent about all of this.

On stormy nights just like these, the ex-soldier that had once served loyally under Chille had used medication to help her sleep through them. After she had been betrayed by the very group that had taken her in and trained her in combat, she had silently suffered without these many a night and made due with pacing her own quarters. Tonight though, she felt suffocated being within that room by herself and decided to change her plan of action, not knowing that it would affect one of her comrades.

For a small stretch of time, they stared at one another, neither one saying a word or uttering a protest. When the next thundering roar echoed, a tiny whimper escaped Kauli's lips and Turles found arms wrapped around him as she shivered against him in absolute fear.

"Of all the things to be afraid of," Turles shook his head at the child-like action almost though finding this humorous.

"You're one to talk, boy," Kauli muttered, her usually buoyant jabs subdued by the storm crashing against their base.

Turles knew that despite her lackluster delivery, Kauli was referring to his fear of insects—Cell included. He decided to let her have that one, not wishing to remember how Nappa had used his pre-conditioned programming against him to drive him into a primal frenzy. When he finally snapped out of the state, he nearly went after the general to rip him a new one. Raditz and Future Trunks managed to restrain the angered warrior much to his distaste.

Another, louder crash made Kauli suddenly bury her face into the male's chest—the discomfort both an annoyance and humorous to Turles who wrapped his arms around the trembling woman. The mechanical arm touching her flesh seemed like a contradiction to its counterpart. While it allowed him to hold her gently against his powerful frame, the very action made her shiver for an entirely different reason. He was the last person she expected to hold her like this. Usually, their relationship was akin to water and oil—their personalities clashing.

"Come on," Turles beckoned with a more subdued voice than the one he usually gloated his desires with. In all frankness, he was falling asleep on his feet the longer they stood there in the doorway of his quarters. He did not like the idea of inviting her in, but he would tolerate her pacing no more outside and keeping him awake.

"Wha...?" Kauli was bemused as Turles dragged her into his quarters, his unique scent hung heavily in the air. She was in a daze that she just allowed him to move her wherever he desired, and before she knew it, she was lying on the bed next to him, the fragrance of the male warrior wrapped around her like a blanket.

"Don't get the wrong idea," Turles narrowed his eyes at the trembling figure against his muscular form. "I only want to get back to sleep and your pacing in the hallways isn't helping matters."

Kauli's cheeks had a deep rosy tint to them both out of embarrassment and due to the close proximity of being around one of the men she would verbally spar with relentlessly. Whatever means of retort were lost to her as she stared at him quietly, almost though she were drinking in his form for the first time to find any hint of weakness.

Still, what he said before about her wandering the hallways was a good point: had he not dragged her into his room, she would be wearing a hole in the cabin's floors. Tarble would have blown a fuse had she managed that, and the last thing she wanted was to deal with the younger royal's wrath.

"This is only 'til this storm passes," Kauli answered the unspoken agreement that they reached without words about this temporary sleeping arrangement.

A soft grunt was the only note of approval from Turles, his eyes so heavy that he finally allowed them to fall shut as he drifted back to sleep. Kauli laid there unmoving in this odd position, feeling more like a child than a woman at that moment. The way the other held her was comforting, almost though her body recalled being held like this long before her cognitive memories could form.

Before she knew it, Kauli felt the long-ignored exhaustion due to her previously heighted fears finally wash over her. Deciding to take advantage of Turles' limited offer, she snuggled closer to the man's form, her eyes drooping shut.

Despite the storms that raged on outside throughout the long night, Kauli found her semblance of peace within Turles' arms for the duration of nature's fury.

Fin

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Even though I was tempted to use Karot, I think he would be able to sleep through a storm without too much trouble. Plus, I doubt he'd be comfortable going to his father, considering Youzi could try to manipulate the boy.

In a comical manner, I could imagine the scenario would not be pleasant, and there would be doors slamming to mute the cursing of either party, thus waking everyone in the base. This could escalate with energy blasts, Cell, and other ridiculous things happening that will result in Tarble more than likely kicking everyone out before losing what's left of his patience.

The reason I thought of Kauli over all the others is because she may have a phobia no one else knows about as of yet. Keeping it all hush-hush might be in her best interests though since others could try to use it against her, even her sister.