Title: Time Can't Heal Everything
Author: theRegalBeagle
Rating: Mature
Disclaimer: I don't own the series. Or the characters. Or anything for that matter.
Characters (Pairings): Vegeta/Bulma near the end, and mention of Frieza.
Summary: Even a strong prince can have nightmares.
A/N: My first DBZ pairing story, although it isn't a huge part of this fic. But it's still there.
Time Can't Heal Everything
Vegeta awoke to sweat pouring down his body and a shake in his bones. His heart thumped desperately at his ribs, trying hard to force him into the perfect example of fearful. He sat up with a startle as the wind cracked itself like a whip against the window by their bed. The prince shut his eyes and tried to steady his breathing. He knew it was hopeless. This happened every night, and every night nothing stopped his body from twitching and his mind from being frightened by the past.
He held his head in his tan hands, holding back his rage. Why was this happening now? "So many years…" Vegeta knew that too much time had passed by for him to still think about what he had gone through. He remembered someone saying how time healed all wounds.
Then why was he still haunted by those fucked up experiences he had as a child? Why was Frieza still the one invading his sleep? Vegeta reached for the clock on the night stand beside him. He raised his arm, ready to throw the object, but a sigh came from the other side of the bed.
Blue hair fell over a perfect face, eyes closed and a smile illustrating her joyous dreams. The Saiyan paused and watched her breath peacefully. He placed the clock back down.
Vegeta hugged his knees, feeling like the lost and broken child he used to be. He shut his eyes tight as he envisioned his younger self, not nearly old enough to understand life, sitting in a corner with his scraped knees embraced in his small arms. Tears fell from his pathetic eyes as he begged for mercy, pleaded for it all to stop.
The short prince knew he deserved a better childhood – an actual childhood. Not what he received. No child deserves days of painful labor, and nights at the hands of some abusive bastard. Vegeta squeezed his legs closer.
He remembered that first night. Is entire family, his entire planet, was destroyed and he was just expected to obey that crazy freak who did the killings? Did they honestly think he was that much of a sheep? His little fists had fought back at every turn – refusing to bow, knocking down his supposed bedroom's door.
Then…he came in. He was bigger than Vegeta, smarter, stronger. His grinning face made young Vegeta freeze up inside.
Vegeta held back his rage and tears as he thought back to the blood that dripped from his face, to the large hands that held him still as he lost his innocence that night. It was a nightmare that followed him from planet to planet.
"Those sick fucks!" Vegeta held his head tightly as his lover's eyes opened. She looked at him with confusion in her face.
"Vegeta…?" Her voice was covered with sleep, gentle and near silent. "Is something wrong?" Vegeta shook his head and held back the tears that wanted to spill out again. He turned and lay beside her.
"No." Bulma watched Vegeta shut his eyes tightly. She sighed at her distant husband and shifted to lay closer to him, wrapping her arms around his body. She kissed him softly on his forehead. He slowly leaned into her embrace.
Bulma didn't know how much longer she could take of waking up to him fighting his inner conflicts alone. She knew he was to prideful to tell her what was wrong, but she would at least let him know she was there.
And Vegeta knew she was. Their limbs became tangled into each other as the wind outside pushed against the glass of the window again, and the blue-haired beauty stroked her lover's cheek affectionately until his breathing slowed and his eyes were shut at their own will.
A/N: Yes, it is pretty out of character for the Prince of all Saiyans. But the experience he was remembering could make any man upset if it happened to them as a kid, if you ask me. Hope you enjoyed it!
