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Stellar As a little girl Bulma had always dreamed of having an adjoining balcony to her room. Because in the fairy tales her mother read her nightly the prince always met the princess by climbing up the strategically placed balcony. A budding genius, she had always wondered why the parents were stupid enough to put balconies in their daughters rooms or at least have something guarding the castle walls. She made a vow to herself to one day see if her parents were indeed as smart as they let on and ask for a balcony. They weren't, of course. So on Bulma Briefs's fourteenth birthday carpenters were called in to begin work on a balcony. Her room at the time wasn't big enough to accommodate a balcony of Bulma's specific proportions so the balcony was added on to one of the various, but larger, guestrooms, which in turn became her new room. As Bulma grew older the balcony lost all of the charm it held when she was younger and fell in disrepair. Until then. Her day had been unduly aggravating. One thing after another had gone wrong with her work and a certain saiyan had decided to take a break from his training to make her life a living hell. She needed something to do and repairing the balcony seemed to be something that wouldn't blow up in her face. She gingerly touched the scratch on her face from just that happening. A piece of metal had caught her in the cheek earlier. It wasn't bad but it still hurt like hell. Bulma paused in her work to look around to find Vegeta standing motionless on his respective balcony. She remembered when the workers had started the balcony on the wrong room. They were so far into their work on it that when Bulma's was completed the guestroom adjacent to her room also had a balcony. The balcony for the guestroom, however, had been well taken care of. That had been by her mother's doing. But that was unimportant. Vegeta appeared to be staring up at the stars rather intensely. Bulma wondered if he knew how attractive he looked just standing there like that, with that forlorn look on his face. She wished there were something she could do to help him out. Not only did he look attractive, he looked sad. Sadder than she had ever seen him look. Wait...she hadn't ever seen him show any type of emotion. And she wasn't supposed to find Vegeta attractive. Shaking her head of all thoughts of Vegeta, Bulma returned her attention to scrubbing the floor of her balcony. She was going to have to shower after she was finished. The bird shit on her knees and arms certainly wouldn't go well with her sheets. Brushing stray hairs out of her face, she moved backwards, promptly knocking over the bucket of warm, soapy water. "Shit!" She jumped up and kicked the bucket off of the balcony. As the traitorous bucket descended she cursed at its insubordination. Laughter interrupted her litany of curses and Bulma spun around to find the owner of the laughs. She found Vegeta laughing at her with an amused expression changing his features. He looked happy for once. But she was not about to stand around while that idiot laughed at her. No. She stomped inside, shaking her fist at him the entire way, only to return minutes later with a fresh bucket of water. She sent a withering glance in his direction and returned to the floor scrubbing. It was late by the time Bulma was finished with the floor and she had expected Vegeta to be gone. He was still there though, gazing up at the stars. She rested her elbows on the railing and propped her chin in her hands, staring directly at him. "What are you looking for?" Vegeta tore his attention away from the stars and was obviously startled. His eyes drifted down her body and back up to her face. "What makes you think I'm looking for anything? Maybe I just like looking at the stars." Bulma studied him silently for a moment. A big, strong warrior such as Vegeta certainly didn't look like the stargazer type. "I find that hard to believe." An unknown emotion darkened Vegeta's face for an instant before it became its usual stone mask. "Woman, there are things you'll never know about me." He turned on his heel and walked away. Something bothered Bulma about that scene. His stride had seemed dejected. Maybe she had hurt his feelings. "I'm sorry, Vegeta." Her apology came out soft, but little did she know that the saiyan's ears picked it up with ease. She tossed the dirty water from her bucket over the railing and went inside. Meet me in outer space.
I've grown tired of that place
----- The next night, Bulma once again needed some release for her agitation. Vegeta had avoided her all day, leaving just before she entered or entering a room just after she had left it. She knew it had something to do with what she had said the night before. She hadn't ever honestly thought of Vegeta as someone who liked stars. In fact, Vegeta's free time activities eluded her. Vegeta was always such a secretive person. He always kept to himself and, save his arguments with Bulma, never really spoke to anyone. Part of her wanted to do something to make him open up more. Only that part knew what that would take. The other part was not ready for something like that. She scoured away at the caked dirt and flaking paint on the railings of the balcony, every so often releasing a small growl in disgust with herself. How she had honestly let the balcony get so bad was beyond her. Not only was it dirty but it was in serious need of a paint job. And the dilapidated lawn chair that adorned it had to go. She had her work cut out for her. A sudden noise brought her attention from her task to the other balcony. Vegeta watched her with an unreadable expression. He leaned forward, closing the distance between them as much as he could. "You'd better be careful, woman. Work like the work you're doing now could mar a woman's hands. You are rather vain about that body of yours." "There's nothing wrong with wanting to look good, Vegeta." Bulma placed such venom in his name. "You should try to place a little more emphasis on your appearance. Then you wouldn't have to spend those lonely nights in your bed. Besides," She took a step back and outstretched her arms, turning around as if putting her body on showcase, "Are you telling me that you don't like what you see?" The night was warm and it called for an outfit that left little to the eye. Even then Bulma was still sweating. It was apparent that Vegeta liked what he saw and even more apparent that it pleased Bulma to know that. Vegeta's head reeled. He didn't know whether to blast her into oblivion for commenting on his lonely nights or do something else. A silence fell over the two. It was almost as if the whole night knew it had to be quiet so even the cicadas fell silent. Bulma scrutinized the sky while Vegeta's eyes stayed on her. And she felt his eyes on her, making her veins surge with something she'd only felt for one person and for them it wasn't as strong as it was now. She stopped her perusal of the sky and glanced over at Vegeta. "The stars are brighter tonight." Vegeta looked upwards and nodded. "Yes. I suppose they are." Bulma felt the emotion surge through her veins even more. Shit, she was falling in love with the jerk that had tried to do away with her and her planet numerous times! No, no. Maybe she just felt akin to him because she felt lonely too. She knew that Vegeta felt lonely. Around him loneliness crashed off of him like waves, at least to her anyway. "Have you ever seen the stars up close?" Vegeta's question startled Bulma out of her thoughts. So startled that she didn't reply right away. He'd never asked her a question of such caliber and she wasn't exactly prepared to answer. Instead she stared at him in a sort of bewildered state and shook her head. Vegeta, too, didn't reply immediately. He was searching for words to use. "Hmm, well, they're nice." Had Vegeta just used the word nice? "I wouldn't have any way of seeing them up close. I'm a landlubber." There was that feeling surging again. She wondered if it ever took a break. Then again, she wasn't sure if she wanted it to take a break. Vegeta's eyes burned holes through her soul. "I'll take you some time." Then, almost as if he hadn't meant to say it, his eyes widened and he looked away from her. "That would be nice." Bulma's hands dropped the scouring pad in her hands and the spell woven around them was broken. "It's late. I'm going to bed." With that, Vegeta turned and left. Bulma watched him leave. "Good night." How do you do it?
----- "Father, I fear that I am in need of a small vacation." The Briefs family and Vegeta were sitting down for breakfast. Bulma smiled wearily at her father. Mr. Briefs chewed thoughtfully on his food as he regarded his daughter. "Are you sure about this?" Bulma nodded. "My latest projects haven't really gone that well." "How long exactly will you need?" "Only a week, father. Then when I begin work again I will be better than ever." "Where will you go?" Bulma gazed across the table at Vegeta. Her eyes trained on his face to gauge his reaction to her answer. "To the stars..." ----- Bulma hummed softly. She was almost done painting the railings and would soon move on to finishing the wood floors. This balcony was going to look better than ever by the time she was finished. Pausing to wipe her brow, she noted that the stars had come out. Vegeta would be out soon. He always seemed to appear with the stars. Vegeta's reaction to her vacation spot of choice had been unexpected. He had become thoughtful, like he too was planning on taking a visit to the stars. The stars looked so inviting at that moment. So bright and close that one could just reach out to grab one. Bulma smiled wryly at the thought of Vegeta taking a vacation to those stars with her. At the breakfast table she hadn't been serious about her celestial vacation but suddenly she felt the urge to be there right then. And then she was there, wrapped in the arms of another. Bulma started, twisting around to discover the identity of the arms. Vegeta stared back at her. The question she most wanted to ask was apparent on her face. He tightened his grip around her waist. "I told you that I'd take you to see the stars up close. Remember? Last night..." Bulma relaxed against Vegeta. "Yes, I remember. Thank you." She tried turning around to face him but found she couldn't due to the nagging fear that she might fall. Vegeta turned her around to face him. "I won't drop you." He tightened his grip around her waist again, bringing her body closer to his. "I feel like I could just reach out and touch them. Vegeta. This is amazing." In her awe, Bulma shifted against his body, not knowing exactly what she was doing to him. "Why are you doing this?" "Because I told you I would. I may be a monster, but I'm an honest one." Bulma blushed at Vegeta's use of the word she had used once to describe him. Chewing on her lip, she reached up and touched his cheek. "You're not a monster now." Vegeta's eyes clouded over and he leaned his face in towards Bulma's. She took his hint and leaned in too, their lips meeting halfway. Bulma's arms snaked around Vegeta's neck. Vegeta broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers. "I wish I could touch you right now." "Land somewhere." Bulma's hands traced lazy circles on the back of Vegeta's neck. His kiss was addictive. She needed more. The masculine scent that was Vegeta's intoxicated her and she needed relief from him right then. She had to show him what he did to her; what he had done to her for so long. Meet me in outer space.
I need you to see this place,
----- Vegeta landed somewhere at Bulma's suggestion, on the very balcony he had scooped her from. She dragged him inside, over to her bed. She pulled him down atop her, dominating him with a strength she had never wielded before. His hands touched her all over through the thin materials that covered her. Bulma's lips ached for Vegeta's, and needing that relief she pulled his head down to her. She kissed him. The kiss was unlike any kiss either of them had ever experienced. That only drove them ahead. The touches became more lingering and the kiss became all the more smoldering, fanning the fire that had been built. Clothes became obsolete. As did words and really anything else. Soon the world became just the two of them and their caresses and kisses and God knows what else. So they made love. To the outsider it would look strangely sadomasochistic and it probably was. But to them it was one of the most breathtaking experiences either of them had ever been through. When they finally drifted off to sleep in each other's arms, they had scratches on their bodies but they were smiling. Both of them were smiling, something neither of them had done in a long time. ----- Breakfast was silent. Bulma and Vegeta were embarrassed by the fact that they had woken up in each other's arms, a sensation neither of them were used to. In all honesty it was just something they had never imagined. What was more disturbing was that they both enjoyed waking up to stare into the eyes of the other. They wouldn't mind waking up every morning only to get lost in the other's eyes. Mr. and Mrs. Briefs were silent for an entirely different reason. They knew something had happened last night. Noises that could only mean one thing were heard. And just the way their daughter was acting was an obvious sign. So they kept their silence. And that breakfast was indeed the most silent one in the record of the Briefs family. After everyone at the breakfast table left Bulma stuck around, it being her turn for dishwashing duty. For some unknown reason to her, Vegeta stayed in his chair. Vegeta, though, knew exactly why. He wanted to watch that delicious posterior that he knew lay just beneath the flimsy nightgown she had thrown on that morning. He was highly amused by watching her tug at the nightgown to cover various bite marks and scratches on her pale skin all through breakfast. It was a wonder that her parents didn't see them. Bulma faced him, leaning up against the full dishwasher. "I love you, Vegeta." Vegeta looked up at her with a pained look on his face. The words were there. He felt them. He just couldn't say them. So he did the only thing he knew how to do. He fled, leaving a sorrowful Bulma behind. He'd tell her one of these days./p> How do you do it?
----- That night Bulma was putting the finishing touches on a chair she
had built the other day with her own hands. It looked like it needed a nice long sanding.
Or maybe it was just her that needed the therapy that sanding seemed to give her. "I love you, too." The words were whispered and Bulma almost didn't hear them over her thoughts. She glanced up at Vegeta, who stood over her and the viciously sanded chair. "You do?" Her question was hopeful. Vegeta nodded vaguely. Bulma smiled up at him. A smile that she saved for the luckiest people. It was a smile that was grateful to have him around. "Good." She stood up, brushing the wood dust off of her clothes. Before Bulma could react, Vegeta hooked an arm around her knees and one around her shoulders. He scooped her up and flew towards the stars, smiling down at the beauty he held in his arms the whole way. You are stellar. -fin- |