A Better Way
February 8, 2007

disclaimer: everything associated with Dragonball Z belongs to my Uncle Toriyama...the ending lyrics "A Better Way" belongs to Downhere. nuff said.

The last place he had ever expected to find her was on the rooftop, alone, in only a tank-top-nightie and shorts. Her bunny slippers were shoved off to the side, making the scene look all that more childlike as he approached her with steady steps. When he felt close enough to acknowledged, yet safe enough not to touch, he sat next to her, arms and legs crossed.

She did not turn around to look at the intruder of her serenity. There was really no need to. Since he had moved in, his presence had been overwhelming. It was almost like that freaky sixth sense…she could always feel him near her, no matter where they were. And as their relationship improved, the feeling became stronger and stronger, until it permeated all other senses. It may sound creepy, but her scientific mind found it fascinating.

A calm wind began to blow to the side, causing her teal-colored hair to slap her housemate in the face. Although funny, the scene was all the more awkward. The two adults had been avoiding each other like the plague recently. Too much touchy-feely had been going on. Not that it had been all bad, nor had it been in a non-platonic way. Their relationship had gone from loving-to-hate-you to non-deadly arguments in a matter of weeks. It was a few steps up on the scale, but still, events, hugs, almost kisses…all were enough to startle the two into different directions.

Taming her aqua tresses with a hair band, she stood up, hastily dusting off her legs and reaching for her slippers. Nearly home free, she felt a bit of hope creep up in the back of her mind as she started walking towards the ladder. A restraining hand around her wrist, however, stilled her movements. Her crystalline, blue eyes followed the hand, to the arm, to the shoulder, and finally to the face of the man that dared to hold her at bay. Shocked, and slightly miffed, she opened her mouth to shoot a million commands, but stopped short as his grip lessened to just a touch.

"You've been busy lately," he began. Bulma's eyes widened for the alien Prince was never one to start a conversation politely. His carefully articulated words merely showed that he had planned this.

The Earthling woman let out a soft sigh, coming back to sit to Vegeta's right, facing his profile as he continued to stare at the stars. "There's been a lot more contracts recently." True, there was more busy work…work that should have been handed to her father, but she took them up like a woman possessed.

"It's not like you to shove your pet projects aside."

Bulma shrugged, knowing that he wasn't watching her, but felt the comment rewarded the action. "I didn't shove anything aside," she remarked, picking at a fuzz ball that was hanging on her housemate's sweatpants. "This is merely a means for me setting my priorities straight."

Vegeta's steady grip on her wrist tightened, startling her. She had barely realized that he was still holding on to her. He finally turned his head towards her, leaning back heavily on his left arm. "That's bull and you know it."

She blinked. "Am I missing something?"

The slightly ticked man released her arm, robbing her of the warmth she felt being so near him. "After all that happened recently….can you honestly sit there and tell me you're such a flippin' idiot?" His darkened glare made her shrink back slightly, though it did not conceal the confusion—and hurt—that he was obviously battling.

With lowered eyelashes, she tried to make eye contact, well aware that he needed it to feel like he was at least being slightly respected. "I'm sorry—"

"Save your worthless apologies, fool," he growled, turning completely away from her. "I should've known better. Your race is far too fickle to ever stand up to anything…" His rant continued on in a melodic tone of garbles she couldn't understand. Her guess was that it was the long forgotten language of the Saiya-jins…a language that only had this sole, appreciative speaker.

Bulma felt a pang in her heart as her mind grasped at the thought that she, ever the one to please everyone, could have insulted or brought some sort of pain on a man who had literally had a life-long companion in those two realms. Hugging herself, she got on her knees, scooting over to be directly behind Vegeta's back. He stiffened, but did not pull away or push her away. "Vegeta?" Lifting her hand, she placed it on his shoulder, needing the physical contact to begin. Obviously annoyed, he shrugged her off, scooting away a few inches. "Vegeta, please!" For reasons unknown to her, tears began to prick the back of her eyes.

Apparently her use of the 'p-word' had some effect in her favor, as the Prince's shoulders dropped slightly. "You have five minutes," he stated, even allowing her to sit directly behind him again.

The scientist was almost ready to go on a long tangent about him thinking that he was so high and mighty…but she knew better. Not only would she be wasting the precious time he was allowing, but she could also run the risk of royally pissing him off. Oh well. Swallowing her pride, she crossed her arms over her chest, hoping to shield herself from the biting wind.

"I'm afraid of rejection," she whispered. Vegeta only stiffened, but said nothing. "I always have been. A lot of people think I'm just this carefree, intelligent, well-bred, sexy woman, but I suppose I'm just too proud to let anyone really know what I'm like. Rejection and I have been friends from the beginning, you know. My grade-school friends only liked me for my money and smarts, and the popular kids hated me for those very reasons.

Then I went on the hunt for the dragonballs, and I knew, I just knew that I would be able to wish for anything that I wanted. It didn't matter anyway. I thought I had met the perfect boyfriend, so why would I need to use the dragonballs anyway? But….but he wasn't the perfect boyfriend. Oh sure, we had awesome times; times that made me forget who I was for just those precious moments. I'm a romantic fool, as you know," she added with a smirk.

Vegeta let out a small snort.

"Yamcha soon turned out to be just another one of those kids I grew up with. And I wanted more than a childhood romance." A sigh escaped her lips. Her aggrevation was slowly growing as she was still talking to the back of the Prince's head. Yet, she kept her ire at bay. Wanting to work with the little freedom she had, the woman could only place her hands atop his shoulders. There needed to be some connection between them, or she would never find the words to say! "So, when you and I started….well, getting closer, I was afraid that I was setting myself up for failure. For rejection. I don't deal with either very well. It's bad enough that I'm only good for technology, and not strength, in this group of fighters, but still. At least I'm needed."

Still staring straight ahead, the Prince struggled to find the words to say. It seemed as though the woman was waiting for him to say something, but it simply wasn't in his nature to make a fuss over such emotions. Or any for that matter. He could understand her fear, though. This whole matter had been a factor in his insomnia over the few days since their incident, and no matter how hard he tried, how much he willed it, he could not get her out of his mind. The only way, he figured, was to confront her about it all. And now, he realized, she had only run off like a scared animal because she did not want to be hurt again. "Foolish woman," he chided, then wincing at his own words. He pressed on however, still taking more interest in the stars above them. "Why would you need to feel any sort of acceptance from them?"

Bulma blinked as she continued to stare at his flame-shaped mane. "It's human nature, Vegeta. Everybody wants to feel needed."

"I thought you were stronger than that."

At his backhanded praise, she paused. Yes, she had always felt that no matter what, she had always had a strong sense of who she was in a moment of turmoil. Even when others had tried to shove her back or shoot down her ideas, she still moved on.

Why should she be afraid here?

"Was that a compliment, Prince Vegeta?"

"Don't let it get to your head. You're still a weakling in nearly every area of life, no matter what you think."

Bulma grinned from behind him. Typical Vegeta. He couldn't let one nice comment slide without blasting it away with something snide. No worries, she knew better.

"What about you? There is no way you could tell me that the great Prince of the Saiya-jins is willing to get attached to a weak, little, human woman." She heard him let out a soft chuckle before he suddenly leaned back into her embrace.

"Hardly. But you can't expect any man to stay sane without some sort of distraction. I find this to be another form of training. So don't get any romantic ideas, or any foolishness like that. I am a warrior first." His hands hesitantly clasped her own small, fragile hands as she wrapped her arms around him in an awkward hug. Thinking better of it, he swung her around, making her plop into his lap. She let out a squeak that brought a small smirk to his lips, but nothing more. How long they stared at each other, he wasn't sure, but the longer the moment, the more attached he became.

And Bulma stared intently back, finding that his eyes weren't the endless, black pools of death she had always thought them to be. They were almost blue in color, but so blue they looked black. Whirls of emotions flashed through them, and for that moment, she could've sworn he looked like a lost little boy. She placed her palm against his cheek, cupping it in the most loving fashion she could manage. Still amazed was she, as he leaned in to her touch, absorbing every bit of kindness he could until he returned to his metallic torture chambers.

Vegeta's eyes suddenly opened again as he took in her form. "Don't expect me to change," he reminded her, tightening his grip ever so softly. Bulma could only manage a few nods as they leaned in, closer and closer…and even as they shared that simple, little kiss, caught underneath the stars in a lover's embrace, Bulma knew that perhaps, just this once, she had no need to fear the future.

The unknown was always the best companion for an adventure.

'I love you could not be said…a better way.'

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CHA! Another mini-work by me. I haven't had time to court the muses for my other fics, as philosophy and history and all that jazz have sucked the creative juices from me. However, in honor of Valentine's Day, I thought I would work out this lil ficclet, in an effort to get you ready for the end of "Finishing the Race", and the beginnings of my next epic fic. This lil bit will actually go along with it, so if you're slightly confused, you shall see soon enough! So, review this lil Mirai Timeline love-starter, whilst I finish up the rest of "FtR"!!!

Ja Ne!

Pearl