Ten - Eighth Conversation

It took a while for me to name the expression Vegeta had given me the night we kissed. Sorrow. I cried when I found out what it was, but after a good night’s sleep it was as if nothing had happened.

It seemed like sleep had put it in my head that I had kissed Vegeta. Of all the men I could kiss, could love, it had to be Vegeta. I was smarter than that. So, after a good bath I decided to behave as if nothing had happened. I didn’t see Vegeta the first day afterwards. But on the second day, at lunch, I sat at the table and a few minutes later, Vegeta entered and sat at his usual place in front of me.

“Good afternoon, Vegeta.” My mother said with a smile.

My father nodded at him.

“Hi.” I voiced as I got up to get the plates and the silverware.

He continued to sit there without uttering a word. After putting the dishes away, I sat again and waited for my mother to bring the food. It took only a few seconds for her to bring it to the table. We ate and talked like we always did but Vegeta didn’t utter a word. He still ate like there was no tomorrow though.

After finishing, I got up and left the table with an apple in hand. I had to finish the blueprints. My father needed them that week. I decided to get the table capsule and my blueprints and take them to the greenhouse. The light and silence would surely make me work faster.

The afternoon was more than enough to finish the blueprints and after rolling the blueprints and recapsuling the table, I headed to my father’s office to deliver them with a proud smile on my face.

“Thanks, Bulma.” My father said with an easy smile.

I left to the house again and headed straight to the living-room. I sat there until dinner, which Vegeta didn’t attend, and then headed to my pool. It had been a while since I’ve swam. After an hour, I exited the pool dressed in my robe and entered the house. Vegeta was in the kitchen eating fruit.

“Hey, Vegeta.” I said as I sat in front of him towelling my hair.

He looked at me and continued to eat his pile of fruit.

“You seem to eat a lot of fruit. I had you pegged for the ‘only-meat’ kind of guy.” I declared as I put my head on my hand.

“You pegged me wrong.” Vegeta said between bits of apple.

“So it seems. Didn’t you have fruit or something like it in space?”

Then he stopped eating altogether and kept looking at me. I raised my eyebrows. He didn’t stop looking at me. Up and down. I was starting to feel my nerves breaking.

“What?!” I snapped.

“Do you remember what happened?” he asked as he looked me in the eyes.

At my confused face he added...

“That night.” he murmured.

Oh! So that was his problem.

“Of course.” I said, waiting impatiently for his next words.

“Then why are you acting like usual?” he said as I took a peach from his pile.

I took a bite before answering.

“Did something change?” I asked, confused myself.

“It didn’t?” he seemed put-out by my answer.

Another bite.

What the hell was Vegeta thinking? Did something change? Did he want something to change?!

“Did you want something to change?” I said between bites.

I don’t know how I cloud speak so calmly when I was so nervous. I was sure he could hear my heart beating.

Vegeta just kept staring. I could see he was thinking. He always stared at something when he was thinking. He got up and walked over to me. Towering over me with his arms crossed while I was sitting.

I raised an eyebrow at him and he simply left the kitchen. I got up and followed him. He was sitting in the living room. He was going to answer the damn question, even if I had to spend the rest of the day following him.

“So?” I asked as I sat in the couch opposite from his.

He didn’t answer nor did he move. Bulma got impatient.

“You are going to answer me, Vegeta. You brought this up.”

And suddenly he was on me, holding my head and my arm with his hands. A gasp escaped my mouth as I noticed his proximity.

“Wha-What are you doing?” I asked breathless.

He didn’t answer with his voice but with his mouth.

He mimicked my kiss.

Had he been practicing or something?! He was getting good at this thing of kissing slowly. Too good.

When he made a move to push away, I moaned in protest and pulled him to me again. I licked his bottom lip to see if he got the hint. I wasn’t surprised when he opened his mouth and touched his tongue to mine. I opened my eyes to see him looking at me. I felt my face heat up. I swept my tongue through his and saw his eyes close slightly. My arms went around his neck as I closed my eyes again. As soon as I put my hands in his hair, he pulled away.

“You want something to change.” I said breathlessly.

“And you don’t?” he responded easily.

“I am not going to be waiting with my legs opened for you. I don’t want just sex. I already told you.” I whispered.

He frowned. He was confused again.

“So, the kiss you gave me just now was?” he asked with a smirk.

“I got carried away…” I had the grace to blush and look away as I said it.

“Lust.” He said to my ear.

He stepped back with a satisfied smile on his face; like he had achieved something. I got angry in an instant.

“I never said I didn’t feel lust. I said I loved you. I will not make the mistake of having sex with you when I know you’ll just fuck me and leave me!” I whispered angrily at him.

“Who said I would do that?”

“There is no need to say it. It’s written all over you. You have that I-have-sex-and-leave attitude. I mean it’s you we’re talking about, Vegeta. You don’t even like feelings. You barely know what they are.” I whispered, feeling sadder every second.

“I know commitment.” Vegeta said with a frown and an angry tone of voice.

Bulma’s eyes widened. Vegeta would stay with her just because he had sex with her? That was even worse than him leaving her.

“You would stay with me just because we had sex? That’s worse than you leaving me. I would have to see you, touch you, knowing you felt nothing… I’d die.”

She didn’t know if she should feel happy or sad. Vegeta said that he’d stay with her after they had sex not because he wanted to, but because he felt compelled to. His damn honor.

Vegeta grabbed her neck forcefully and spat.

“You irritate me, Bulma. I could kill you fucking.”

I tried to control my nerves. He released my neck and turned his back to leave.

“Isn’t that a little switched?” I asked as I touched my neck and tried to calm myself.

“No. No, it isn’t.”

Ten - Seventh Conversation

She had told him. She had actually told him. She had told him she loved him. Amazingly, he hadn’t said anything and simply laid there with his head in her lap, holding her waist, as she cried her eyes out. She fell asleep a few minutes later and when she woke up, she was alone on the couch, lying, covered with a blanket. Her mother had probably covered her with it.

She had slept quite a lot. It was 10:23 PM when she looked at the clock. Her night was going to be spent doing anything but sleeping. She had to get something to do, but first she was going to eat something. She was starving. She got up and threw the blanket to the back of the couch. Something fell to the ground with a thud. His gloves. Apparently, he had forgotten his gloves or simply didn’t want to wake her to get them from under her. She grabbed them and stuck them in her pocket, with half the gloves hanging out. She headed to the kitchen.

She found her mom in the kitchen washing the thousands of plates Vegeta had obviously used. She and her dad had tried to convince her to have a dishwasher. They only tried it once. She had started lecturing them that she was a capable woman and that they should not rely on machines so much.

“Hey, mom, what do we have to eat?” she said with a husky voice.

“Welcome back from the dead, honey. I made beef with oyster sauce and rice. It’s splendid if I may say so myself. Want some? I saved you a plate because otherwise, Vegeta would have eaten it all.” Her mother said with a warm smile.

“Yeah, I’m starving. I’ll get it. Continue with your path for clean dishes,” she said with a smile.

Her mother smiled back and turned to her task. Bulma grabbed her plate from the fridge and put it in the microwave for a few minutes. It smelled great already. The microwave beeped, she opened it, and took the plate. She put the plate on the table, grabbed the chopsticks and got a glass of peach juice. The smell wafted to her nose as Bulma sat down. She took a piece of meat and rice and put it in her mouth.

“Oh my God! Why haven’t you done this before?! It’s amazing.” Bulma said as she made her impression of a Saiyan eating.

“It’s a new recipe I found. It’s really good. Even my dear Vegeta said so,” the blonde woman said as she dried her hands.

Bulma chocked. Vegeta what?!

Mrs. Briefs slapped her daughters back.

“Are you okay?”

“Fine, mom.” She said as she had a sip of her juice.

Her mother turned and started walking to the sink. She grabbed a glass and filled it with water.

“Is Vegeta alright? Did something happen?” her mother asked.

“No. Why?” Bulma asked as she wiped her mouth with a napkin.

“He was awfully quiet, but then he commented my food. He has never done that before. When we’re having dinner he usually gives his opinions on what your father and I are talking about. Today he said nothing. After he finished eating, which wasn’t much for his standards, he said the food was great and he said thank you. Then he flew away.” She said with her constant smile.

“Flew away? To where?” she said with a tint of panic in her voice.

“I don’t know, honey. Well, I’m going to sleep. Goodnight.”

Did he leave? Was he coming back? He said thank you. He never does anything after dinner. He goes directly to his room. Maybe he’s there…

“Goodnight, mom.”

Bulma stood up and went upstairs. Looking at the end of the corridor, she could see Vegeta’s door. She went to her room. She dressed in one of Yamcha’s old t-shirts as her pyjamas. It was too hot a night to dress in anything else. She was thinking about dressing only in her underwear but if a long time ago she had no problem showing her body, now she was a little more reserved…the key word being little. She might run into some employees in the morning and being in only her underwear with guys looking like they wanted to eat her alive wasn’t a good beginning for a healthy day. It seemed stupid that she couldn’t walk as she wished in her own house, but her father insisted in having his office in his house instead of at the main CC building, which was two hundred meters away.

She looked at the clock. It read 11:02 PM. Bulma left her bedroom with the conviction that she would use this sleepless night to work on some blueprints she had started two months ago. She had become blocked and couldn’t finish them. It was absolutely frustrating.

As she closed her bedroom door, she glanced at Vegeta’s.

Was he home?

She headed to her study room to get the three blueprints and a capsule with a table big enough for the three sheets. Having big bedrooms and capsules made Bulma’s day. She propped the three rolled blueprints and put them under her left arm. Next, she grabbed the capsule and headed to her bedroom again.

When she reached the corridor, she glanced at Vegeta’s door again.

Oh, what the hell!

Bulma walked to his door and stopped when she reached it. She knocked twice. No answer. She opened the door and peeked inside. Dark and empty. No Vegeta in sight. She entered, pressed the capsule open, and set the blueprints on top of the table. She turned the ceiling light on and looked around the room.

There was a pair of pants on the back of a chair-- his pyjamas. The bed was made and the closet was slightly opened, showing only black, blue, grey, white, one pink and one beige pieces of clothing. Predictable.

She started to work on her blueprints when she heard a noise at the door. Her head turned as the door opened to reveal Vegeta in his usual attire, but with what she learned to call a troubled face.

“What are you doing here?” he uttered.

“Working on some blueprints.”

He entered, closed the door behind him, grabbed his pyjama pants and headed to his bathroom. He got out seconds later dressed only in his pyjama pants, walked to his bed, and fell on top of it. Bulma followed him with her eyes the whole time.

“Do it in your room.”

“I was waiting for you. I need to talk to you and give you something. I’ll go get it. Just wait a minute,” she said as she left his bedroom.

A minute later, she came back and jumped onto the bed next to him. She sat looking at him as he laid with his hands behind his head staring at her.

“Here, you forgot them.” She said with a smile.

He looked between the gloves at her. He took the gloves and shoved them in a drawer next to his bed.

“What’s wrong with you?” she asked as she got up from the bed and fixed her t-shirt.

“Nothing.”

She started to work on her blueprints.

“You’re strange. Mom says you didn’t eat too much, you complimented her food, and even thanked her.”

“I don’t understand you. If I don’t do those things, I’m an ungrateful bastard, but if I do them I’m strange. You say you love me, whatever that means, but you’re sorry. What the hell do you want?” he said with a frown.

Bulma stood paralyzed. Her lips moved but no sound would come out.

He was confused. Vegeta was actually confused-- trapped even. He didn’t know what to do.

“We-We’re used to you not saying anything. I only bitched at you the first few months and…”

She sat on the table and looked at him. He was sitting on the bed with his feet on the ground.

“And?” Vegeta said as he stared at her.

Bulma bit her bottom lip.

“I said I was sorry because you hate those kinds of feelings, because they disgust you, because you think they are weak and… I was saying sorry to myself too, because I know you’re going to make me suffer like no one ever will.” She said calmly.

He got up and moved to stand in between her legs. She flinched when his hands hit the table next to her hips and he pushed her legs open wider to accommodate him.

He stood there just looking her in the eyes even more confused than he was before.

“What, exactly, is love?” he murmured innocently.

Bulma blushed an angry shade of red. Vegeta with an innocent air was so sexy.

“Lo-love is when you want someone so much it hurts. It’s when you can’t think of anything else but that person. It’s when you can’t stand to see that person cry. It’s when you long to see that person laugh. It’s when you want to spend the rest of your life with that person.”

Vegeta seemed to process the information thoroughly.

“I want you.” He said as he grabbed her thighs.

Bulma pushed his hands away.

“You want sex. It’s different. I want you.” Bulma said as she touched his face with her hands.

Vegeta stepped back and sat on the bed again. She could see he was thinking.

Bulma re-capsuled the table and rolled the blueprints. She left his bedroom to put the things in hers. He followed her.

“Doesn’t love involve sex?”

She didn’t turn to face him.

“Yes.”

He frowned. He was starting to get tired of these charades.

“I don’t understand anything.”

She turned to him and took a few steps in his direction.

“Have you kissed before?” she asked with a tint of red to her cheeks.

Vegeta only nodded.

“Then kiss me.” She murmured as she closed the space between them.

Vegeta’s eyes widened as he took a step back.

The prince of Saiyans was fleeing from a human woman. Disgraceful.

He put his hand on the small of her back and pulled her to him in one second. Her breathing was already fast and he wasn’t doing anything yet.

He lowered his head to hers in a flash and captured her lips with such haste and force that she trembled in his arms. He was frantic. He needed more from her than this. His tongue was gentle but fast. She could feel his heartbeat going up.

His hands went to her back to pull her closer and descended to her butt.

She pulled away abruptly.

“Tha-that’s lust,” she said, trying to control her breathing.

He took a step towards her.

“No. It’s my turn.” She said firmly.

Vegeta stopped dead in his tracks.

She looked him in the eyes and advanced towards him. As soon as her arms could reach, her hands were in his face, caressing, discovering, passing over the cheeks, eyebrows, ears and finally his lips. He leaned forward, seeking for another kiss. She shook her head with a smile. Her arms went around his neck, slowly and gently.

“You’re playing with me.” He said with an angry face.

“I’m showing you, not playing.” Bulma uttered as she glanced at his lips.

“Then do it!” the Saiyan said anxiously.

Without breaking eye contact, Bulma leaned in and pressed a tentative kiss to his lips. He tried to continue the kiss but she bit his bottom lip. He growled.

“You have to be patient.” Bulma explained.

She leaned in again and, still looking into his eyes, kissed him, her lips moving slowly against his. His eyes widened when she started to use her tongue, slowly. So slow. So… lovingly. He adopted her rhythm. It was so much better this way. He didn’t know. His eyes closed first.

When she saw his eyes close and felt him slow down, her eyes filled with tears. She had dreamed of this kiss.

They pulled away, breathing heavily. He was looking at her in awe but his expression soon changed to something she hadn’t seen before and couldn’t name. It was a new expression.

He cleaned a tear that had fallen down her face, lowered his head, and left the room without a word.

He knew the difference now but he didn’t feel the same way as her. Maybe he couldn’t. He wanted her but not in that way. He would be with her only to satisfy his lust. When he got tired, he would throw her away. She knew it.

She headed to her bed and lied on her side facing the open window. It was going to be a long night.

Vegeta entered his bedroom, still breathing heavily and closed the door shut. It was different. It was as different as he and Frieza, but it was too much for him. He couldn’t make his heart slow down, no matter how hard he tried.

She was dangerous, at least for him. He knew that now.

Ten - Sixth Conversation

He woke up with the sun hitting his face. He could feel her breathing slowly and evenly on his neck. After last night’s events, he had forgotten to close the damn blinds. In the morning, the damn light would hit right in his face. It made him absolutely homicidal.

He tried to move but every time he did, Bulma moaned something and held him even tighter. Vegeta sighed and grabbed her arms to take them from around his neck and chest.

“No…” Bulma said as she tried to hold onto him.

“Let go of me.”

“It’s too early. Go back to sleep.” She said sleepily as she opened her eyes to look at him.

“I’ve slept enough. I have to train,” the Saiyan said as she let him go.

He got up as she got out of bed to close the blinds. He entered the bathroom and stared at the mirror. As he reached his hand to close the bathroom door, he heard her speak.

“This won’t do.” Bulma said as she rolled on the bed.

He got out of the bathroom to see what was wrong with her now. She looked at him with an angry and sleepy face.

“This was so much better with you here. It’s cold now. Come, I’ll even let you grab me.”

Vegeta felt his eyes widen and his face burn. It was too early to hear her saying such vulgar things. It had nothing to do with her dishevelled appearance, her pout, or her depressed expression. No, nothing of the sort.

He turned his back to her and closed the bathroom door. He took of his pants and entered the shower, when he heard his bedroom door open and close. He really needed a bath.

--Later that day--

When Vegeta entered the house at the end of the day, he could hear some kind of music coming from the living room.

Something's coming over me
Haven't been the same since that evening
That I put eyes on you
Fed me with life changing feelings
Now it's all a memory
Where you are is a mystery
I'd do almost anything to get back to that night
I miss you
Wish that you were here with me
It felt so true
But it only happened that night
Only that night
Only that night

What the hell was she listening to? He walked to the living room and stopped at the door.

The only thing he could see from the door was her leg in the air, signalling that she was lying on the couch. She was humming with the song and her foot was moving with the music. Suddenly the music stopped and she sat.

“Too depressing,” she said.

The music changed.

The sweet is

Never as sweet

Without the sour

The goods are

Never as good

Without the struggle

“No.”

She skipped the song again.

Looking for love

Looking for love

In all the wrong places

Looking for love

Looking for love

In all the wrong places

Looking for love

Looking for love

“Nope.”

Again a change of music.

She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene
I said don't mind, but what do you mean I am the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round
She said I am the one, who will dance on the floor in the round

She told me her name was Billie Jean, as she caused a scene
Then every head turned with eyes that dreamed of being the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round

People always told me be careful of what you do
And don't go around breaking young girls' hearts
And mother always told me be careful of who you love
And be careful of what you do 'cause the lie becomes the truth

“Great song… But no.” she sighed.

O sonho dos meus amigos

É ter um GTI

Não importa de que marca de que cor

O sonho dos meus amigos

É ter um GTI

Não importa s’é Inglês ou Japonês

Eu ando pensativo
Porque não tenho esse sonho
Eu ando a pensar qual o motivo
Porque não sonho com um GTI

O sonho dos meus amigos

É ter um GTI

Não importa de que marca de que cor

O sonho dos meus amigos é ter um GTI

Não importa s’é Inglês ou Japonês

Os meus amigos riem-se de mim por ser feliz assim

Ser sonhar

Com um GTI

Eles não sonham que me basta ter-te a ti

A sonhar comigo desde de que te conheci

“A Portuguese song on this CD? Strange… no,” she said after singing along.

Break me down,
you got a lovely face,
we're going to your place
now you got to freak me out
Scream so loud,
getting fucking laid,
you want me to stay
but I got to make my way

Hey! You’re crazy bitch,
but you fuck so good I'm on top of it.
When I dream I'm doing you all night,
Scratches all down my back to keep me right on.

“Finally!” she said excitedly.

Take it off, the paper is your game
You jump in bed with fame
Another one night paid in full
You're so fine, it won't be a loss
Cashing in the rocks, just to get you face to face

Hey
You're a crazy bitch
But you fuck so good, I'm on top of it
When I dream, I'm doing you all night
Scratches all down my back to keep me right on

Vegeta stood rooted to the door watching as Bulma stood up and started dancing to the music. She was all soft skin and sexy curves. With her back to him, her hips came to life. Her arms started caressing herself. The way she moved to the music, even if the song was so lewd, was hypnotizing. How could her fucking dumb ex-boyfriend leave her in a bar for another woman? The only answer he could think of was that she hadn’t been dancing at the time.

Hey
You're a crazy bitch
But you fuck so good, I'm on top of it
When I dream, I'm doing you all night
Scratches all down my back to keep me right on
You keep me right on

She turned around with a hip movement and stopped suddenly as she saw him.

You’re crazy

But I like the way you fuck me

A furious blush came to her face. Vegeta stared at her with his usual expression, noticing for the first time how fast her breathing was.

I like to party uh-uh

Everybody does

Make love and listen to the mus-

She jumped to the remote control and pressed stop. Her blush aggravated. She was sure that it was permanent by now.

Vegeta started walking towards her, looking her in the eyes. When he reached her he smirked. He had something to mock her about now. She blushed again.

“What?!” she asked irritated.

He passed her, sat on the couch and grabbed the remote she had used only moments before.

She stared wide eyed at him. He wouldn’t… He glanced at her with a smirk on his lips. Oh, he would.

He pressed play.

The music started and he leaned his back against the couch, his first moment of relaxation that day. She sat on the small couch in front of him with a smile on her face. She recognized the music.

I'm very sure, this never happened to me before
I met you and now I'm sure
This never happened before

Vegeta looked at her with a curious look.

Now I see, this is the way it's supposed to be
I met you and now I see
This is the way it should be

Bulma stood and sat next to him, imitating his relaxed position.

“Sorry.” She murmured.

Vegeta glanced at her with his head still leaning on the back of the couch.

“Hm.”

This is the way it should be, for lovers
They shouldn't go it alone
It's not so good when you’re on your own

So come to me, now we can be what we want to be
I love you and now I see
This is the way it should be
This is the way it should be

This is the way it should be, for lovers
They shouldn't go it alone
It's not so good when your on your own

I'm very sure, this never happened to me before
I met you and now I'm sure
This never happened before (This never happened before)
This never happened before (This never happened before)
This never happened before (This never happened before)
This never happened before

Bulma grabbed the remote from Vegeta’s hand, pressed stop, and tossed the remote to the other side of the couch. For long minutes both of them sat there, watching the orange from the setting sun disappear.

This was one of the things she liked about Vegeta. She actually had comfortable silences with him. She never had those with Yamcha. There was always that need to talk, to evade silence.

There was a loud knock at the door.

“It’s your boyfriend.” Vegeta uttered with a tired voice.

Bulma grunted and stood. It was time to get things straight with Yamcha.

She walked calmly to the door, leaving the Saiyan behind. She took a deep breath before opening the door. She was instantly pushed to the side as Yamcha simply walked furiously to the living-room.

“We need to talk.” He said angrily.

Bulma followed him to the living room without uttering a word, and with a frown on her face.

“Weakling…” Vegeta said acknowledging Yamcha’s presence in the room.

“Vegeta…” Yamcha answered.

Bulma entered the room and sat at the couch in front of Vegeta. Yamcha started to speak his mind.

“What the hell was that yesterday? You left me there, saying something about us being over and you just left. What’s wrong with you?!”

Bulma started to see red. How dare he!

“You’ve got to have some balls coming here to say that! You were flirting with everything with boobs in that damn bar. With me right beside you! You left me in a corner to be with them…”

Yamcha just smirked. That was very unusual for him.

“You know I have some balls.”

Bulma and Vegeta flinched at the rude remark. Vegeta stood, ready to leave the room and the vulgar conversation that was about to take place.

“You’re disgusting.” Vegeta said clearly.

“This has nothing to do with you. You shouldn’t even be here in the first place.”

“When she comes to my room in the middle of the night to seek what you do not give her, it has everything to do with me.”

Yamcha glanced at Bulma who had her bangs covering her eyes. Her perfect white teeth chewed on her bottom lip.

“She wouldn’t.”

“No? Ask her who she slept with last night!”

Bulma stood with angry tears in her eyes.

“Get out of my house!!!” she screamed.

Both men turned to look at her, surprise marring their faces. Yamcha’s surprised face turned into a smirk as he glanced at Vegeta’s wide eyes. The Saiyan turned to leave as Yamcha stood with his arms crossed.

“Not you!” Bulma yelled again.

“What…” Yamcha murmured.

Vegeta stopped walking and started breathing again. She walked to him and held his arm.

“Please, Yamcha. Get out. It’s over. There’s nothing you can do to make me change my mind. Don’t make us hate each other. I’m begging you.”

She held Vegeta’s arm tighter, nervously waiting his response. Vegeta looked between Bulma and Yamcha. He was about to leave. Vegeta could see the defeat in his eyes.

“Why him? Do I have to kill millions of people as well? Will that make you come back to me?”

Vegeta growled. His past was not something he liked to talk about. It seemed to bother her.

“Don’t be stupid. Vegeta’s different. He’s not that man anymore and he would never hurt or betray me. He’s not that kind of man.”

“He’ll make a mistake eventually. When he does, I’ll be there and you’ll regret choosing him.”

Bulma sighed. Yamcha didn’t seem to understand. She let go of Vegeta to stand between both men.

“He’s not human. He won’t make mistakes as often as you. He’s much more loyal and trusting. He’s brave, interesting, intelligent, strong and fresh. I have comfortable moments of silence with him. I love talking to him. He has so much to give. It was people like you that made him what he was: a cold, cruel bastard. He shows me parts of him that I know no one has ever seen before. If they have, they’re dead. I’m alive and I enjoy spending time with him. He still scares me half to death sometimes but I guess I’ll be fine. If I die of a heart attack, I’ll die happy.” She said, finishing with a smile.

“He killed me…” the human man said.

“I know. A part of me will always hate him for that. I’ve never felt anything like that. You died as I watched everything from the TV. I don’t think I’ll ever feel like that again.” Bulma offered.

Yamcha seemed happy with her answer and walked up to her to hug her. He shot the other man a possessive glare, kissed her cheek and left.

He needed her more than she needed him.

She glanced at Vegeta. For the second time she saw thankfulness in his eyes. She smiled.

“You’re welcome.”

He seemed surprised at her words and the thankfulness in his eyes vanished immediately.

He walked to her and stared at her. She squirmed uncomfortably. He grabbed her arm suddenly, pulled her to the couch and sat her down on the edge of the couch. She was so surprised at the velocity he had moved her that she missed a few seconds of him as he laid on the couch with his head on her legs. He grabbed her hands and put them in his hair. For a moment she just stared at him, amazed by his actions. Then he took his gloves off and turned his face to her stomach as he circled his arms around her waist.

These un-Vegeta-like actions brought tears to her eyes. Soon they were spilling down her beautiful face and falling on to his.

“I love you. I’m sorry.”

Instead of leaving her there after she uttered those words, he held her even tighter as he breathed in her scent. Feeling hurt that she thought she had to feel sorry for feeling such a strong emotion for him. He would relish in her presence while he could. While she still ‘loved’ him. He knew it would end someday…

Ten - Fifth Conversation

“Isn’t it a wonderful night, honey?” the blonde asked.

“It truly is, sweetheart. Shall we take a walk?” Mr Briefs retorted.

“Sure. I’ll just go put my shoes on.”

Mr. Briefs stood leaning against his living-room window looking at the full moon. The air was so hot for September. There was a breeze from time to time but it didn’t seem to be enough to cool the hot night down.

He started to close the window when he saw Bulma completely avoid the main door and head to the back door in the kitchen. He closed the window and hollered to his wife.

“Honey, Bulma has arrived.”

“What? Already?! She just left.” Mrs. Briefs said as she entered the living-room again.

Mr. Briefs held his wife’s hand and headed to the kitchen with his wife by his side.

“Hello, Vegeta.” Mrs Briefs said happily.

Then they heard a key being slid into the door lock, making two heads turn to the door. A few seconds later Bulma opened the door. The younger woman stood with her head down, her bangs covering her eyes, her purse in her left hand and her shoes in her right.

“Bul-“

Mrs. Briefs tried to speak but as soon as the tiny blonde opened her mouth Bulma dropped her purse and raised her hand to stop her.

Vegeta took his eyes away from his enormous pile of various fruits and noticed the blue-haired woman for the first time that night.

“Honey, what’s wrong?” Mr. Briefs tried.

She raised her head and looked straight into her father’s eyes. Her parents gasped. Her eyes were red and full with a myriad of emotions.

“I see. Your father and I are going to take a walk.”

Bulma walked away from the kitchen and up the stairs to her room.

The three remaining people stared at where Bulma had been.

“Aren’t you going to go and talk to her like you usually do?” Vegeta asked, confused as he ate the fruit.

The couple just smiled and shook their heads.

“We know better than to try to talk to her right now. When she wants to talk about what’s bothering her, she’ll come to us. We shouldn’t bother her… It will only make things worse.” Mrs. Briefs said knowingly.

The couple left for their walk as Vegeta headed to his bedroom. He went up the stairs slowly and walked to the end of the corridor, passing Bulma’s room, and entered his own. He closed the door and headed to his personal bathroom. Vegeta undressed and dressed in a pair of loose, grey pyjama pants. He washed his face and, as usual, checked his numerous scars. It was a ritual by now, looking at the scars and trying to remember when, where and by whom they had been done. It was not easy to scar a Saiyan. They had to be struck continuously on the same place for quite some time, making it impossible, even for their fast metabolism, for the wound to heal.

He was closing the bathroom door when his bedroom door opened slowly. She peaked inside. He heard her call his name and headed to the door.

“What?” he asked as he opened the door all the way.

“Can I come in?” she asked with a trembling voice.

Vegeta raised an eyebrow and stepped out of the way. The words her parents had said earlier rang in his head. Was she going to talk to him about whatever happened? He didn’t really know what to do with a female with problems, or a male now that he thought about it.

Bulma entered the bedroom and went straight to a chair near the bed where Vegeta had some of his clothes. Vegeta closed his door and lied down on his bed with his hands behind his head and his feet crossed. She grabbed two sweaters and a pair of jeans that were on the chair, put them in his closet and sat down.

The Saiyan glanced at her, sitting there in that chair, with her feet in the chair and with her head on her knees, preventing him from seeing her face. Her pyjamas were baggy today. She usually wore tighter ones. Since she couldn’t see him he laid there watching her. The only thing she seemed to be doing was breathing. Why was she there anyway? She hadn’t said a thing yet. Was she there just to annoy him?

When fifteen minutes passed and she still hadn’t said anything, Vegeta got restless. He got up and went to the bathroom. To do what, he didn’t know. He just had to get out of there. What the hell was wrong with her?! He came back out and stood right in front of her.

“What are you doing here?” he asked as calmly as he could.

The silent woman just shook her head and whimpered. Vegeta headed to his bed again and lied down once more in the exact same position as he did before. He was almost asleep when she said a name.

“Yamcha.”

Finally she was talking but, unfortunately it started awfully wrong. At least for the flame-haired man.

“What about him?”

Bulma raised her head a little, making her eyes peek from behind her knees. Her mouth was still hiding.

“It’s over. I… broke up with him.”

Vegeta wanted to congratulate her for it. She looked like she would die crying if he did that though. She got rid of the weak mate at least. One thing at a time.

“I want to have kids. I should have never brought him here. I should have stayed with him in the desert. He would be the same if we stayed there. I would have a bunch of kids by now and I wouldn’t be alone.”

What the hell was she talking about?! Desert? Alone? She had gone mad.

“Don’t you ever feel lonely? Aren’t you afraid of dying alone? Don’t you want kids?” she asked as she fully raised her head.

She looked like hell.

“No.”

“No to what?”

“Everything. I don’t feel lonely, I’m not afraid of dying alone and I certainly don’t want any kids because they would be worthless half-breeds.” He said as he sat on the bed.

“I see…”

Bulma sat on the chair normally.

“What happened?”

Bulma turned wide eyes to the man. He had asked. Now she really wanted to cry.

She wiped her eyes with her hands and started to tell him all about their date to a new bar in town, all about their dancing, all about their drinking, all about when she turned her back to ask for a drink, all about the girls Yamcha had started to flirt with while she was right next to him, all about the dates he said he would go on with them and, more importantly, all about the way she pulled him away from the girls and with a laugh said that he had changed, that he was not the same, that it was over and that she really, really hoped they could still be friends. She also told him that he hadn’t even reacted to what she said, that she turned her back to him and left him there. He hadn’t followed.

The story was over and Vegeta was as he was before. That serious look and that tense sitting position.

“I’ll die with no one around me. Rich but alone.”

“I’m sure it will not be hard for you to find another man on this planet.”

“You don’t understand! There is no man that would stay with me because of me! They only want the fucking money!” Bulma screamed as she got up and kicked a nearby pillow.

Vegeta’s eyes actually got wide at her. Did she really say ‘fucking’? Vegeta composed himself and said what he thought.

“Being alone is not bad. You know who you can trust. You cannot betray yourself. That mate you had was worthless, weak in every way. Did you really think he would not betray you?”

Bulma grabbed the pillow she had kicked and put it on the chair she had been sitting on.

“Yes! I’m innocent enough to believe that normal people who like each other don’t betray one another.”

“Then you know what that means. He does not like you.” Vegeta said, fearing her reaction.

Bulma froze and her eyes filled with unshed tears, her fist clenching and unclenching in hopes of staying calm.

“You wouldn’t betray me, right? You don’t look like a man that would lie or pretend.” Bulma asked quietly.

Vegeta simply broke eye contact and got up.

“I already did.” Vegeta said.

Bulma laughed cruelly.

“You’re all the same. Either from Earth or from any other planet, you all lie.” Bulma said as she cleaned tears from her face.

Vegeta just stood there looking at a woman he didn’t seem to know. He had never seen her so… not herself?

“What was it?” Bulma asked.

Vegeta just stared at her, confused.

“What did you lie about?” she explained.

Vegeta, for the first time in his life, was having trouble answering a question that he knew the answer to.

“The rapes.” He murmured, as if he was a child waiting to be scolded.

He didn’t know why but it felt bad lying to this woman.

She didn’t react at first, but then without a warning she jumped on him, making them fall on the bed. She scratched his face and his chest with her fingernails. He quickly grabbed her hands.

“Stop it, woman! You will make me hurt you,” he said through gritted teeth.

“How many?!” she asked screaming.

Vegeta cringed as her scream entered his ears.

“I lost count. It was normal to do such things as soldiers. I did not tell you the truth because I knew you would make a scene as you are making now. I have watched your television. I see people being arrested because of it, killed because of it. I came to the conclusion that here you do not approve of such a thing in any situation.”

Bulma didn’t know if she wanted to scratch his eyes out because he lied or cry because he lied to protect her well-being. She opted to slump against him and cry her eyes out. He just let her hands go as soon as she let herself fall on his chest crying. Her arms quickly grabbed his biceps. He could feel her tears on his naked chest. Her hands started to move down his arms and grabbed his hands. He seemed like a puppet, letting her do whatever she wanted. She put his hands on her back.

“Hug me.” she said between sobs.

Amazingly, he complied with a sigh.

After a few minutes, she calmed down. His steady heartbeat helping her relax. She took his right hand from her back and put it near her face. She put her left hand in his, measuring the difference in size. He closed his hand with hers in it. She looked up at him as he raised his head a bit from the bed to look at her. He put their hands in his chest and put his head back down. She prepared to say something.

“Don’t…” he said.

She pulled his hand to her chest and squirmed trying to find a more comfortable position on top of him. He moved and got up still holding her to him. He opened the bed and laid her down on it. He went around the bed to lay on the other side. There was no need for sheets; the night was hot as it was. They both turned on their sides to face each other. For five minutes there was silence and a staring contest. Bulma finally gave in and moved closer to him. She grabbed one of his hands and put it around her, pressing it to the small of her back.

“I’m sorry for the scratches.”

He nodded and pulled her to him.

Bulma’s last thoughts before she fell asleep were that Vegeta was really having a lot of firsts since he came to Earth.

Vegeta’s last thoughts before he fell asleep were that it felt nice having her pressed to him.

Ten - Fourth Conversation

Two days later Vegeta entered the kitchen to rummage the fridge after a day of training, as usual. Lo and behold, he came across a very quiet Bulma sitting by the kitchen table scribbling on a note pad. After hearing him she turned around to face him and smiled.

“Hi.” she said.

Vegeta grunted in response as he opened the fridge. He frowned when he couldn’t find what he wanted.

“What do you want?” Bulma asked while scribbling.

He closed the fridge, walked to the table, and sat in front of his housemate.

“What are you writing?” Vegeta asked while looking at her notes from upside down.

Bulma frowned and gave him the note pad.

“Can you read our language?” she asked.

“Yes. Your father gave the sheets you made to translate the scouter software.” he said tiredly.

She nodded and gave him the pen as well.

“And write?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“What were you looking for?” she asked as she got up.

Vegeta started reading her notes and grabbed the pen.

“Watermelon.” he said before starting to write on her notes.

Bulma left the kitchen and five minutes later entered the kitchen again with a watermelon in her hands. She noticed that Vegeta was still writing on her note pad. He was actually striking what she had written.

“What are you doing?” she asked as she put the fruit on the table near him.

“Answering the questions you were sooner or later going to ask me.” he said as he continued to scribble away.

Suddenly Bulma snatched the note pad from him.

“No.” she said firmly.

“What? You were going to ask them to me, weren’t you?” Vegeta said while looking at her angred face.

“Yeah but…well, I wanted to ask them. I gave you the notes and the pen for you to see if there was anything wrong with the text I wrote on the Saiyan body. Not to answer the questions.” she said with a serious look in face.

“What’s the damned difference, woman?” he asked irritably.

Vegeta reached for the fruit and used his ki to cut the watermelon in to perfectly made slices. Bulma pouted.

“If you answer them then there’s no point in me asking.” she said as she sat down.

“You call yourself a genius?” Vegeta asked sarcastically.

“I want to ask them to you. I want to see you open your mouth and hear you answer them. I actually like our conversations.” she said, stretching her arm to try and grab a piece of watermelon.

Pulling the pieces towards him, he fixed her with a look. “If they are answered, what’s the difference?!”

“Give me some!” she hollered.

“Don’t scream! It hurts my ears.” The Prince ground out as he slid her a piece of fruit.

Bulma abruptly grabbed her note pad and her pen, gawking at him with eyes that longed to learn more.

“Your ears are more sensitive too?” she asked excitedly.

“A-Are you normal?” Vegeta asked with a surprised face.

“Answer,” she demanded, glaring at him.

“Everything in us is more in-tune, more sensitive to our environment.” Vegeta said, still surprised at her change of mood. He picked up another piece, easily munching it down.

Bulma wrote a few words on her note pad before turning to him again. “But your tail was a weakness,” she declared.

Vegeta shook his head no. “Our tail is--was the third most important organ in our body.” Again, he stuffed another slice of watermelon into his waiting mouth.

Bulma wrote and ate at the same time, nodding as she continued to record this newly found information.

“It was heart, brain, then tail. It had the greatest influence on our body. But it seems that Saiyans can get stronger without it. It controlled our ability to turn Oozaru, our sexual life, our urges and, apparently, even our personality.”

Bulma was writing like a woman possessed and Vegeta seemed to want to reveal everything there was to know about Saiyan anatomy.

“So, you’re saying that even if by grabbing your tail you would render you helpless, the pros of the tail outweighed said weaknesses?” Bulma asked confused.

“No. I’m saying that we didn’t know that without it we could be stronger. If I had a tail now and I turned Oozaru I could’ve killed Frieza, maybe even Kakarot.” He replied, finishing the last watermelon slice.

“Ok. You said something about personality and urges. Is that why you seem more relaxed now? More open?” Bulma enquired while writing.

“I believe so. The choices I make are not the same ones I would make when I had my tail. It seems I only open up, as you call it, to you.”

Bulma dropped the pen and supported her head with her right hand. “Has it ever occurred to you that you may be changing because of what surrounds you and not because you lack of your tail?” she asked thoughtfully.

Vegeta thought on the question for a minute. Bulma could see that he was pondering if that could be true. A few moments passed and Vegeta seemed to continue to think about everything that had happened to him since he first arrived on Earth.

Since he seemed lost in thought, Bulma continued, “I mean, Goku never changed his personality after he lost his tail and neither did Gohan. Goku said he acted the same.”

“Hm. It is possible.” Vegeta admitted.

“You talked about your sex life. What did you mean?” Bulma asked while grabbing the pen and looking eagerly at him.

Vegeta got up and started to leave the kitchen.

“Wait. If you don’t want to answer just say so. I have other questions. You don’t have to leave.” Bulma said, feeling a bit upset at him ignoring her.

“I’m just going to the bathroom. If I didn’t want to answer something I would tell you,” he replied, leaving the kitchen.

Bulma’s angry visage softened and she giggled.

“I see the watermelon is starting to take effect. At least in that we’re the same.” Bulma said while trying to stop laughing. She got up to stretch and paused, feeling a bit of a craving for something sweet. Knowing what could remedy her thirst, she headed to the fridge to get some pineapple juice. She grabbed a glass and poured the cool, orange-colored liquid into it. When she turned around Vegeta was already sitting in the chair he had occupied before, staring at her.

“God! Can’t you be less stealthy?” she said after sitting down.

“Never been called God before. There’s no fun in being noisy while walking. I couldn’t scare anyone like that.” He merely flashed a smirk.

Bulma just stared at him dumbfounded.

“Did… Did you just make a joke? That’s a first too. I should start writing a book about your firsts.” She cracked a smile, starting to feel slightly at ease again.

“Continue with the questions. I want to go to sleep,” he said irritably.

“If you want to sleep go ahead. I’m not going to keep you up all night with my curiosity if you’re tired,” Bulma said as she closed the note pad and started to get up.

Vegeta looked at her with a bit of a shocked expression before his face settled into it’s usual scowl.

“Sit down. Listen, then ask me the damn questions.” He said with a tint of agitation in his voice.

Bulma stared at him blankly and sat down again. “Ok.”

“Sexually our tails play a big role in our adolescence. We have strong sexual urges due to the changes in our body. But our tail, since it connects us to our animalistic side, it makes us lose control. Normally a Saiyan starts his sex life at that time. I don’t know if a tailless Saiyan behaves differently through that age but I suspect he would behave like a human.” Vegeta explained.

Bulma stared at him for a moment, studying him. His crossed arms, slouched in his seat, closed eyes, and even his softer voice. He seemed calmer. No…he seemed tired.

“Why aren’t you writing?” Vegeta asked, opening his eyes.

“You look tired. Are you ok?” she replied, dropping her pen while trying to stifle a yawn.

“If you want to stop just say so. Don’t use me as a reason, human. I’m not doing this because I want to.” Vegeta said with a hint of disgust in his voice.

“What?! I’m fine. You are the one that looks like you’re about to keel over. Actually, this is the first time I’ve seen you look like that.” Bulma said as she got up from her chair and headed over to him.

“Like what?” He shot back, eyes following her movement.

“Tired.”

Bulma stood behind his chair and put her hands on his shoulders. Vegeta got up quickly, knocking the chair to the ground with a “thump”. The blue-haired woman jumped back, a bit of shock flashing across her face.

“Don’t’ touch me. I already told you that I am not tired. If you don’t want to continue it’s fine with me. Or maybe you don’t want to explain to me how humans behave when their bodies reach the beginning of adolescence and their sexual lives? Any bad memories?” He finished with a hint of a smirk.

Bulma continued to gape at him shock before finally succumbing to her anger.

“Fine! Sit down, idiot. I’ll tell you all about it.” Bulma spat as she headed angrily to her chair.

She sat down grabbed the pen, opened her notepad and stared at Vegeta, who stood glaring at her. Vegeta picked his chair up and sat down, still glaring. Bulma smiled and started drawing nonsensical things on her notepad.

“We also have those sexual urges. There are days, or should I say nights, that we don’t think straight. Most of the times we can control ourselves, even if our minds are still unable to stop those sexual urges we rarely lose control. There are lots of adolescents that reach their twenties as virgins. I did.” Bulma explained as she finished drawing a flower.

The Prince continued to stare at her, silent.

“For a Saiyan to do that he would have to be alone. We usually get twitchy and out of control when we don’t have sex at that age.” Vegeta muttered.

Bulma wrote a few words on her notepad.

“Our awakening to sexuality depends on lots of influential factors: culture, family, religion and so on. They are numerous now that I think about it. In my case, we always had open talks about sex in this house, our culture is very open to sexuality, in case you didn’t notice, and religiously we never really were believers.” Bulma explained while she stared Vegeta in the eyes.

Vegeta nodded.

“Your planet fascinates me.” he declared.

Then pen she was holding fell to the ground and her eyes almost jumped out of their sockets.

“W-What?” Bulma asked as she bent over to pick up the pen.

“I have encountered things here that I never found anywhere else. You, Humans, are weak physically, trust in your emotions too much but you have something I’ve never seen in any other planet.” Vegeta explained as he stood up.

“Oh? And what is that?” Bulma inquired as she followed his movements with her eyes.

Vegeta headed for the sink and filled a glass with water. He drank the water in one giant swallow and moved towards Bulma.

“You have many different people in the same planet.” Vegeta murmured as he sat in a chair next to her.

Bulma raised an eyebrow.

“In not speaking physically. As you said, religion, culture and even your family have influence over who and what you become.” he said.

Bulma did the only thing she thought she could do after hearing Vegeta make a compliment to the Humans. She laughed.

“Ve-Vegeta, I never thought I’d hear you say something like that. I mean, you… you hate us!” Bulma said to the now pissed of Sayan.

Vegeta gritted his teeth in anger.

“Yes, I do, but that does not mean that some of your characteristics cannot fascinate me.” the Sayan spat.

“Of course. Well, I should go to sleep. I have a date with Yamcha.” Bulma said while giggling.

“That is another one of your flaws. You insist in taking the mates that you say you have feelings for not the strongest ones. But here on Earth there are not very strong humans to choose from anyway.” Vegeta said as he got up.

“You don’t understand. You’ve never felt that way so you really can’t speak about it.” Bulma said feeling insulted.

She grabbed her notepad, her pen and got up.

“Goodnight, Vegeta.”

Bulma turned to leave and for the first time since he came to Earth he felt like talking.

“Goodnight.”

Bulma stopped and looked back at him still sitting on the chair.

Vegeta was having a lot of firsts these days.

Ten - Third Conversation

One week later Bulma was still avoiding him. Not that she had to try hard to do that. Vegeta never tried to start a conversation.

Vegeta never looked for her when the GR was broken or when the bots needed to be reconstructed, he searched for her father, the man he admired. She was the one that actually made the bots’ blueprints. She was actually working in the tenth version of said bots. Working at 2 AM for a guy that had everything given to him, gave nothing in return and played with her. How dumb can one genius be?

“Bulma, honey, come to bed. You need your sleep.”

“Mom! You scared me half to death. What are you doing up?” Bulma said while clutching her chest to try to calm herself.

“Sorry. But I just couldn’t sleep. The heat is too much.” Mrs. Briefs said with her usual smile.

“Knock next time. Ten years of my life just flew out of the window. God… Anyway, I was finishing the wiring. Then I was going to bed, I feel like a zombie.” Bulma said turning to the blueprints to continue her work.

“You look like one too, honey.” Mrs. Briefs said laughing.

“Thanks, mom. Drink some fresh water, walk a little and then try to sleep. It works for me.” Bulma said while scratching her head.

“Thank you. I’ll leave you to your work. Goodnight.” Bulma’s mother said and left the room.

“Goodnoght, mom!” Bulma hollered.

Bulma looked at the clock. It marked 2:23 AM. What was she doing up at this hour? Working for an ungrateful bastard, that’s what. So she got up turned off the lights and left the lab. When she headed to the stairs she heard a noise and stopped. Another noise was heard and cursing followed after. As Bulma looked around she saw a floor lamp and unplugged it as silently as she could. She started walking to the noise. It seemed to come from her living-room. It couldn’t be anyone from the house: her mother didn’t curse, neither did her father and Vegeta would simply grunt or blast whatever it was that was irritating him. But suddenly a hand covered her mouth and grabbed the lamp. She screamed but her scream was muffled by the hand. Then she started elbowing and kicking her attacker with all her might. She knew the strongest fighters in the universe and she couldn’t hit a thief properly. All those years of seeing Goku fight had to useful right? So next she decided to bite the hand and bring the back of her head against her attacker’s nose. Good thing the guy was short.

“Stop it, woman!” He hissed.

Immediately Bulma relaxed and the hand covering her mouth disappeared.

“You scared me to death!” she whispered angrily.

“Yeah, well, you hit me to boredom.” he said with a smirk.

“Shhh… There’s someone in the house.” she spat.

“So? They can’t hurt me.” Vegeta said with a shrug.

“Who cares a about you?! My mom’s still up. What if the thief did something to her?” she whispered.

Vegeta’s lips twitched and his smirk disappeared. He turned to the living-room and started walking.

“Your mother is in her bathroom taking a bath.” he said before he entered the living-room.

Bulma sighted in relief and followed him.

When Vegeta stopped a few seconds later Bulma stopped abruptly and looked over his shoulder.

“Hey asshole, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Bulma said as she stepped in front of Vegeta.

The thief turned to them rapidly, shakily grabbed his gun and aimed at them.

“I thought you’d be capable of recognizing a robbery when you saw one. Look lady, I don’t want to kill you or your husband but if I have to I will. Although I have the feeling that if I do all Capsule Corporation’s money will be used to find me. No matter.” the thief said boldly.

“My husband?! This jerk? Ah… He just lives here. Go ahead and shoot me ‘cause you’re not taking anything.” she said with her hands in her hips.

“He is going to shoot and I’m not your bodyguard.” Vegeta said calmly.

“You’d let me die?!” Bulma asked dumbfounded.

“Yes. I’ve thought about doing it myself but everyone would know it was me. But if one of your weapons was used no one would suspect it was me. In a way it’s right. I just didn’t do anything but watch.” Vegeta said looking at her.

Bulma lowered her head and her shoulders started shaking.

“I’m still here. That’s a nice man you have there Miss Briefs.” the thief said laughing and trying to keep the gun still.

Bulma raised her head to look at the thief. Her face was a mixture of anger and hurt. She took a step to the thief.

“Don’t come near. I’ll definitely shoot you.” the thief said with a panicked voice.

“Go ahead. As you can see no one would stop you.” Bulma said as she neared a table.

“Woman…” Vegeta cautioned.

“Shut the hell up! Shut up. I’ve done nothing wrong to you and you treat me like garbage! I’ve been helping you and… you…” Bulma said with her back to Vegeta.

“Dude, you’re an ass. God. If I had someone like her near me I’d treat her very good.” the thief said lecherously.

Vegeta growled to the thief and started walking towards Bulma.

“Thank you.” Bulma said with teary eyes.

“What’s wrong with you humans? You are supposed to be robbing her and she is supposed to be stopping you. Why are you seducing her?” Vegeta asked exasperated.

“You can take the TV if you want.” Bulma said looking at Vegeta.

“No! The TV stays.” Vegeta said looming over her.

“I take what I want. I have the gun here.” the thief said pointing the gun at Bulma.

Bulma started to inch herself closer to Vegeta.

“Vege-“

The gun was fired and the only thing Bulma saw was Vegeta’s hand in front of her chest. She was still alive so he must have grabbed the bullet. Suddenly Vegeta disappeared from her side and reappeared in front of the thief. Vegeta punched his stomach and he fell to the ground passed out. Vegeta turned to her. Bulma was sitting on the couch with her hand in her chest and breathing erratically.

Vegeta sensed her ki and frowned. He walked to her grabbed her shoulders and shook her.

“Why?” she said looking him in the eyes.

Vegeta had a feeling that he would regret asking her what she meant. But she seemed too nervous to do anything else but talk.

“Why what?” he asked calmly.

“Why did you do that to me last week?” she asked as she got up and away from him.

He knew he would regret asking.

“I already told you. You make me uncomfortable.” Vegeta said as he sat on the couch.

Bulma ran the few steps between them and jumped on top of him, sitting on his lap. Vegeta’s eyes opened wide and his mouth started to form words that Bulma quickly stopped.

“It’s my turn to talk.” she said angrily.

She grabbed his hair and turned his face to hers. Vegeta growled at her.

“Have you ever been touched by something other than a closed fist before?” Bulma asked as she laid her head on his shoulder.

“Yes.”

“By a woman?”

“Of course.”

“Then why do you push me away? Do you hate me?”

Bulma let go of his hair only to wrap her arms around his neck.

“I already answered that twice. Sometimes.”

She was surprised that he was actually answering everything she asked. He usually avoided the questions he didn’t feel like answering.

“I don’t want to have sex with you. I just want us to be friends.” she whispered in his ear.

“I don’t… I don’t know what a friend is.”

Bulma suddenly moved her head and looked at him.

“But Nappa and Raditz…”

“They we’re colleagues. Dispensable. I killed Nappa myself, as you know.”

“But I found a recording chip in the scouter Raditz brought with him…”

Vegeta got up quickly and grabbed her arm.

“Where is it?!” he asked surprised.

“It was destroyed. The scouter didn’t work without it and since it was destroyed…” she said quickly to try to calm him down.

Vegeta grunted and sat down again.

“I saw it. The video I mean. At the time I didn’t pay attention to it. It seemed normal enough. Three guys laughing while eating, talking about sex, about women, about ‘work’. It had no vital info on the two warriors to come so kept it to myself. You know what a friend is. What you may not know is what a girl friend is.”

He looked at her and sighed.

“For me women are to have sex and offspring with. They seem to have no further use. Raditz thought that we, as warriors, needed women more than any other man. He said that Frieza should have one woman for each warrior. But Frieza did nothing but torture us. He would never allow women to enter the ship.”

Bulma got up and sat in front of him on a table.

“Tell me you didn’t… ra… rape the women from the planets you purged.”

“I didn’t. There are places in space when you can have sex consensually.”

Bulma sighed in relief and got up.

“So, not the TV?” she asked smiling.

Vegeta got up too and headed to the kitchen.

“It’s faster to learn your culture by watching TV instead of reading.” Vegeta said with a tint of red on his cheeks.

“Of course. It’s the first time I see you without gloves. I thought you had something in your hands.”

“Sayan royalty wears gloves.” Vegeta answered.

Bulma followed him in the kitchen and grabbed one of his hands.

“Wow. They’re almost as soft as mine. Can I see you ki?” Bulma said excitedly.

Vegeta pulled his hand from her and frowned at her.

“No. Next you want to run some tests. Am I correct?”

“No. But I do want to ask you some questions about your body.” she said eagerly.

“What do you want to know?”

“How come you never break any bones?”

“As soon as my body assumes a battle stance my bones turn more flexible. They protect the organs and don’t break easily.”

“Can you show me?” she asked seriously.

Vegeta grabbed one of his fingers and bended a finger in a way that it should not.

“That’s useful but disturbing.” Bulma said disgusted.

Vegeta smirked and went to rummage the fridge.

Bulma pushed him away.

“What do you want to eat?” Bulma asked.

“Who said I wanted to eat?”

Bulma crossed her arms and glared at him.

“Pancakes.” Vegeta pouted.

Bulma laughed and started making the pancakes.

“I didn’t know you could pout. It’s so cute.” Bulma said while cleaning tears of mirth from her eyes.

“Do no laugh at me!” Vegeta spat and left the kitchen.

Bulma continued laughing and making the pancakes. A few seconds later she heard the front door open and a grunt. She supposed he had kicked the thief out.

“Thanks, Vegeta. Five more minutes and the pancakes will be ready. What do you want to drink?” she hollered as she flipped a pancake.

Vegeta entered in the kitchen again and sat at the table.

“Juice.” he said staring at her.

“Orange or apple?” she asked with her head in the fridge.

“Orange. And that tomato thing, the sweet thing, jelly or something, to put on the pancakes. ”

“Is it good? I never tried it.” she said as she took the two things from the fridge and set them on the table near him.

“How can you live on Earth and have never tried that combination of food?”

Ten - Second Conversation

Ten days later, Bulma saw Vegeta alone in the living room. She had noticed that he had become quite fascinated with television. She believed that it was not the device itself that fascinated him but what the Earthlings decided to show on it. When he was watching television, she could always sit next to him and he would never try to avoid her. So, again, she decided to try and speak to him.

“How was your training today?” she said, as she moved around the couch and sat next to him.

He momentarily moved his eyes to her and looked her over.

“The same as usual. I want you to put food in the GR so that I don’t have to come out to eat so often,” he said with his usual cocky tone.

Bulma had been waiting for this to happen. She didn’t know why, but Vegeta felt rather uncomfortable near her family. She understood why he would feel like that with her mother but her father was different. He avoided her mother but he seemed to fear her father, at least to some degree. He would always respond to her mother no matter what she asked but he would practically flee from the room before her father entered the room. So this wish of his was no surprise to her.

“No,” she said firmly.

She had never said no to anything Vegeta had asked. What would his reaction be?

Vegeta turned the television off and looked at her.

“What did you say?” he said calmly.

“I said no. I will never put food in the GR. If I do, I’ll rarely see you,” she said while stretching on the couch.

“We already see each other rarely. There would be no difference,” he said, moving away from her on the couch.

“Yes, there would be a difference. I wouldn’t see you.”

Bulma lied on the couch and yawned.

“What would it matter to you, or anyone woman?” he said, while gazing blankly at the turned off television.

“Vegeta, I don’t think you ever noticed but, we like you and I’d like to think you like us too. At least a little,” she murmured and closed her eyes.

She felt him lean against the back of the couch and heard him sigh.

“You annoy me. All of you. You mother annoys me the most,” he grumbled.

At this she had to laugh. She already knew, but to hear him say it was priceless.

“It’s true. Yesterday, she tried to take me to the pool. Stop laughing, woman, I don’t know how I could keep myself from killing her,” he said annoyed.

“I’m sorry Vegeta. She does that to everyone that comes here. She even did that to Goku,” she said while cleaning tears from her face.

“I’m not Kakkarot.” he spat.

“I’m glad,” she murmured while smiling.

He looked at her. Flushed face from laughing, her disheveled hair from rolling in the couch, her smile for him and her tight dark blue pajamas. She was a beautiful woman.

“Why do you avoid my father?” she asked suddenly.

Vegeta tensed.

“I don’t fear you father. I respect him.”

Bulma sputtered and looked at him.

“From what I have observed, your father must be one of the richest men on Earth. All the scientific awards in this house are his and yours. So I have to deduce that your father has built all that he has alone. I have to respect him for that. He has let me stay here…”

“No, I-“

“Let me finish. I know you invited me, but if your father had said no, I would not be here. I would never have a man in my dwelling that could kill me and my kin without any effort. I suppose you told him of my past and he still let me stay. I have a debt. I’ll pay it by defeating the androids.”

Vegeta looked at her. Bulma had an expression of utter amazement and he had to grin at that. He had never seen that expression on her.

Bulma suddenly launched herself into his arms and hugged him. Since she could not harm him, his instincts did not act to make him move to defend himself.

“What are you doing?” he said, tensed.

“I’m hugging you. Thanks.” She murmured in his ear.

She kissed his cheek (he tensed even more at this) and lied back down on the couch.

“Don’t do that ever again.” He grumbled as he got up.

“I’m sorry. I got carried away.” She said blushing.

She had just hugged and kissed Vegeta. Was she okay? Maybe it was because she was sleepy.

“I never thought you thought that of my dad. I was thinking that dad had said something that had made you uncomfortable.”

Vegeta turned around and looked at her.

“Don’t be foolish. There are few things that make me uncomfortable. You are one of them.”

Bulma gasped. She had done nothing that could make him feel like that, except maybe the hug and the kiss.

“But I didn’t do anything to you. I treat you like everyone else,” she said defensively.

Suddenly he was on her, a few centimeters separating them, his arms on each side of her shoulders and his nose touching her nose.

“I’m not everyone else. Am I?” he whispered.

As soon as he pounced on her, her heart had started beating frantically. Her breathing was hard to control. She pushed him off and jumped to her feet.

“What the hell are you doing?!” she screamed.

“I was merely making a point. I am not everyone else. At least not to you,” he said, advancing to her.

“Stop! Don’t come near me. Don’t play with me. I’ve done nothing to you.” She said with a shaking voice.

“Come on. It’s not like you’ve never done this before. I bet you’ve done this with your weak boyfriend.”

With only a few steps separating them, panic was starting to well in her stomach. What was he going to do to her? Kiss her? Have sex with her?

With courage that only came to her spontaneously, she closed the remaining distance and slapped him with the back of her hand.

“Never do that to me again,” she spat as she ran from the living room.

Vegeta returned to the couch and touched his cheek.

It was starting to get uncomfortable for him. He didn’t know how to react to a woman who did not fear him and that actually cared for him. So he did the only thing he knew. He acted like a jerk and pushed her away. Now he was comfortable, but comfortable meant alone and for the last months he had forgotten what that was. They did not have to speak. She just had to be there, not mad at him. Now he had the feeling it would be a while, if ever, before she would talk to him again. Comfortable, but alone.

Always comfortable…

Ten - First Conversation

It was the tenth month of Bulma’s mad invitation when she was finally able to have a decent conversation with Vegeta.

He was in her greenhouse lying on his back, apparently asleep, with his hands behind his head. She approached him, her bare feet making the soft squashing sounds they usually made when walking on damp grass. She stood towering above his relaxed form, noticing for the first time that his face did not have that angry frown on permanently. He seemed relaxed for the first time since she had known him.

His eyes opened and locked with hers. He ran her body with his stare only to, again, stare into her blue eyes.

“Can I sit?” she said with a calmness that she did not feel.

“It’s your house, woman.” he said, his voice husky probably from lack of use.

She knew she did not need to, but she said thank you anyway. She sat, her legs stretched, feet bouncing from one side to the other and hands behind her, supporting her weight.

Her eyes gave the greenhouse a once-over. Her mother’s roses, Scarlet Carsons, her cherry blossoms... She loved how it seemed to rain flowers under that tree in spring. The lilies, the white plums, the jasmines, the hibiscus, the morning glories and the various animals that her father seemed to keep in there. He once told her that having animal life in the greenhouse would improve the flower’s life and make them more beautiful. He had a very balanced fauna in there.

There were ten minutes of silence before she spoke again.

“It’s so quiet here.” she said, smelling the air.

“It was quiet.” he said with a hint of irritation in his voice.

She decided to ignore him and add a “and it smells great too.” She laid back and moaned as she stretched her complaining body. The day had been too long.

He started to sit up when her hand grabbed his and her pleading eyes asked him to stay. He looked at their hands and then looked at her, still lying on the ground and looking at him. His frown returned as he lied back again. For a moment she was shocked to see him attending to one of her wishes. She lied on her left side to face him as he put his hands behind his head, once again, and bent his legs.

“Vegeta?” she murmured.

“Hm?” he replied.

“Can I ask you something?” she said, feeling a bit reluctant.

He opened his eyes and looked at her, staring into her eyes.

“You can ask, but that doesn’t mean that I’ll answer.” he replied easily.

“If… If you could ask one wish with the Dragon Balls now, what would it be?”

For a moment his dark eyes widened, but as soon as it started, it ended. She liked how his eyes lit when he actually felt. She always thought his eyes were beautiful… for a dead man. But when he felt, his eyes would glow and the dead man’s eyes she saw before simply disappeared.

“You’ve never thought about it?” she asked, calmly gazing into his eyes.

“You already know what I would ask, woman. Why ask?” he said as he closed his eyes and sighed.

For a moment she thought about leaving, but she was curious about him. She always was. That’s why he was living with her.

“Why waste a wish to become a Super Saiyan?” she asked as she got up.

Vegeta tensed and in a second was standing next to her, his face full of unimaginable anger.

“It would not be wasted! You couldn’t possibly understand you weak Earth woman.” he spat at her and turned to leave the greenhouse.

“Vegeta, you have much to learn about humans. What I meant was why waste a wish when you will become a Super Saiyan sooner or later?” she spoke calmly.

Her calm was starting to put her nerves on edge. She was a walking contradiction. If at first she was afraid of him now she did not fear an inch of him. She was calm and on edge around him. She felt disgust and companionship around him. Always around him.

He stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face her. As soon as Bulma saw his eyes she had to turn her back to him. Her heart felt as if it could be seen hammering from the outside. His eyes held an emotion that she could never, for the life of her, imagine in Vegeta’s eyes. They held thankfulness.

Minutes passed without a word. Bulma decided to turn around to see if Vegeta had left, only to gasp at his proximity. The ten centimeters that separated them didn’t make Bulma very comfortable, but at the same time she wanted to make those ten centimeters disappear. She took a step back.

“Ve-Vegeta?” she said breathlessly.

“I thought you hated me, woman.” He said with a blank expression.

“I…”

It was no time to choke on her own words. She was finally having the conversation she wanted with Vegeta.

“I thought I did too. I used to hate you, I used to fear you… but now you’re just one of us.”

Vegeta snarled.

“I will never be one of you. You should still fear me, you should still… hate me, because after I destroy the androids I will leave, never to come back again.”

Bulma nodded and looked at the ground, blocking his view of her eyes. He took a step back.

“You still haven’t told me your wish.” She said with a watery voice.

“Don’t show weakness in front of me, woman. I would wish my planet back.”

She raised her head and wiped a tear that had the courage to fall from her eye.

“You feel lonely?” she asked with a determined voice.

“Lonely?” Vegeta asked confused.

“Yes. Or were you going to ask the dragon for your planet but not your race?” she asked surprised.

“Of course. I’ve always lived alone. What I need is a place where I belong, not comrades, and I do not belong here.” He said, crossing his arms and putting his weight on his right leg.

“Oh… I thought you liked it here. You seem happy, or as happy as you can be most of the time. You have food, you have training equipment, you have…”

Vegeta waited a few seconds but she didn’t speak again.

“I have what?”

“Nothing. You’re right. You don’t belong here.”

Bulma started walking around him to leave when he grabbed her elbow. She looked at his eyes and then at his hand holding her elbow.

“Finish it, Bulma.”

Amazement crossed her face. He had never called her Bulma and now she understood why. The way he said it, the tone of his voice and the tiniest flick of emotion that she heard in it made her shiver.

“Vegeta, you have me. If you need me I’ll be here.”

“Why? I can’t give you anything in return. I have nothing.”

Bulma turned to face him and touched his face with her hand. Vegeta flinched as if burned and frowned.

“Why do you run from me? I can’t hurt you.”

She reached with her hand again and for the first time, she was able to actually touch Vegeta.

“Of course you cannot hurt me.”

“Vegeta, I don’t need you to give me anything. This is not the other places where you used to live. I’m perfectly happy giving you what I can,” she said with a smile.

“You humans are a stupid race. If I did not have an ounce of honor I would take what I could and leave you here to die in the hands of the androids,” he said, stepping away from her and making her hand leave his face.

“But I wouldn’t give what I’m giving you if I knew you would betray us…betray me.”

A flick of annoyance passed his handsome face.

“I hate your stupid emotional talk.”

“I know. That’s why I use it so much with you. I think someday you’ll learn to like it. I’d like to think you’ll even need it.”

“I seriously doubt it.” Vegeta turned his back to her and for a few minutes, the conversation disappeared. Vegeta still felt her behind him, boring holes into his back with her eyes, listening to her breathing. But when he thought the conversation was really over…

“Can you please stay after the androids are defeated?” she said to his back.

Vegeta couldn’t understand why she wanted him near her. They knew nothing about each other. They rarely talked. They even rarely saw each other. Was it just curiosity? He was not a lab rat to be studied.

“No.”

Then he turned and left. He didn’t even give her time to say anything to him. Bulma laughed and looked at the sky.

“He’ll never understand. He doesn’t feel the same things we do.”

Outside of the greenhouse, Vegeta listened.

“Why do humans speak out loud when alone? More importantly, why did I speak out loud alone?!”