"One pregnancy test please." Bulma asked the plump lady behind the counter. She threw a glance towards the door where her ride was waiting. She hated going through this. The blue haired vixen was surprised the receptionists' didn't know her name. Not that they would ask someone like her.
"Here you are." the woman behind the desk handed her the needed package.
"Honey, might I tell you about our councilors? They're-"
"No thanks." Bulma cut the woman off. She had heard that tripe too many times to count.
She tugged her black mini skirt down closer to her fish net stockings, turned on her spiked heel and left the clinic. Using her well manicured blood red nails, she threw open the passenger side door to the black Corvette and got in.
"Got it?" Goku asked her from behind the wheel.
Bulma flashed him a smile, her white teeth set off by her dark lipstick.
"Let's go." she told him and they sped off.
"Bulma...I don't want to make a big deal of this but do you really need that?" Goku asked after a few minutes of speeding across the busy streets.
"Goku, trust me on this. This is the fifth time I've had this happen. It's probably nothing." she added the last part as if to reassure herself.
They pulled into an alleyway and turned into the small garage hidden away. Goku yanked the keys out of the engine and turned to her uncharacteristically serious.
"Bulma, you really shouldn't be in this business."
"No shit." she answered her friend quietly.
"I could talk to Radditz about-"
"No! I've told you Goku, thanks for your concern but I can take care of myself." she snapped at him and got out of the car. Slamming the door, she stalked through the door leading into the large unmarked building. Goku just sighed and silently followed her.
"Where've you been!" Radditz shouted at her the second she entered the large basement. He was standing with his arms crossed and a few of his men guarding the elevator with M16's.
"The clinic." she spat at him as she strode past him towards the elevator. He grabbed her arm tightly and swung her around to face him.
"Again!" he laughed in her face. "I didn't realize you were in that high demand." he mocked her.
Bulma narrowed her eyes at her employer.
"You're the one in charge of the calls from all your 'clients'. I'd think you would remember, seeing as how you take all the money."
Radditz gave her a warning look.
"You're lucky I'm in a good mood bitch, I'll let that one slide." he hissed and threw her from him. Bulma caught herself on the wall, having practice being tossed around like some worthless toy. She carefully kept her face neutral as she jabbed the button for the elevator. The doors slide open and she stepped inside but not before Radditz called out once more.
"Yamcha called for you again by the way. Tonight."
The doors banged together cutting off her boss's cruel laughter.
Bulma let her head drop. She looked down at her halter top with self-disgust. She reached up and took her hair out of the pony tail it had been contained in and shook out her aqua locks. Letting her head fall back, she closed her eyes with a sigh.
"Looks like I won't be getting any sleep tonight either." she said to herself.
The doors clanged open and she winced at the screeching metal. Bulma quickly went to her room, which consisted of a bed, dresser, her own small bathroom and a lamp. She collapsed on her bed to unlace her tall boots and kicked them free. Bulma peeled off her fishnets on her way to the bathroom, package in hand. Shutting and locking the bathroom door she set the pregnancy test on the counter and bit her lip. Bulma ran a nervous hand through her silky hair once more and steeled herself.
Twenty minutes later a very relieved Bulma came out of the bathroom and fell onto her bed.
"Thank Kami."
Rolling on her side she glanced at her clock. 3:27 glared back her in harsh red digits. She closed her eyes. 'Maybe I can get a nap' the 20-year-old thought to herself. A loud knock on her door dashed any hope of that.
"Bulma." a cool voice called through the cheap plaster.
"Come in 18." she answered sitting up.
The door opened to reveal the blond in the smallest scrap of material that could pass for shorts and what could've been a sports bra.
"Where were you? I had to substitute for you for Trent." she asked closing the door and facing her friend with her arms crossed.
"Sorry 18, I had to go to the clinic."
"Again?" her response was with slight surprise, which was pretty good coming from the cold and aloof blond.
"Yes again! Kami you're the third person today to say that." the blue haired woman grumbled. 18 came and sat down next to her with quiet concern.
"It was negative." Bulma reassured her friend.
"What about next time?" came the reply.
"What do you want me to do about it! This is my job! I want to know why you and all the other girls have only been twice at the most!" Bulma ranted and strangled her pillow.
Juuhachi raised a fine eyebrow.
"I thought you could count Bulma."
Bulma just glared at her. 18 shook her head and explained it to her lost companion.
"You've been called out more than any three of us combined. That's why."
"Oh...I didn't realize..." the younger woman muttered.
"What a way to be told you're good at your job." Bulma hissed after the facts sunk in. The blond smiled wryly at her.
Downstairs Goku was on the phone.
"It pays really well." he insisted to the man on the other line. A harsh laugh was he response.
"I know you need the work. Besides, you'd be good at it. Just think about it okay, Vegeta?"
There was a moments silence.
"Hn." then the line went dead.
"Well?" Radditz prodded his brother.
"He'll think about it. I'm sure he will, it's not above his constitution or anything." Goku said as if reminding himself some people still possessed such a thing.
"Good. We really need a new driver." Radditz said and walked off to his 'office'.
Juu had luckily understood her need for sleep and left Bulma alone. She was therefore woken up hours later by someone shaking her.
"Bulma, wake up!" Goku said insistently and jogged her shoulder again. She blinked at him then glanced at her clock.
"Oh shit!" she said and bolted up. Goku handed her the fishnets and boots she had discarded earlier.
"Yamcha is expecting you in fifteen minutes." Goku told her as she hastily finished dressing.
"Nani! It takes twenty minutes to get to his house." she was going to miss out on a lot of money if she was late.
"It's okay Bulma, we got a new driver who can get you there in time." Goku answered as he followed her to the elevator.
"A new driver?" she asked and touched up her make-up in the compact she kept in her purse.
"Friend of mine. Just started today." Goku replied happily as the elevator reached ground floor.
The doors banged open noisily but for once the blue-haired beauty didn't notice the sound. She was staring at the man apparently waiting for her beyond the doors. He was striking with black hair that swept into a flame shape, sharp features and an air that demanded attention.
"Bulma this is Vegeta. Vegeta," Goku addressed the darkly handsome man. "This is Bulma, she's the one you're taking to Yamcha's."
Vegeta gave her a slight nod and a discreet once over. Bulma quailed at his intense stare, however briefly he had projected it to her. She fought not to blush as she looked him over as well, if this man drove her every time she might not even leave the car!
"You guys better get going." Goku's voice snapped Bulma out of her thoughts and she quickly followed Vegeta out of the garage. He strode over to a sleek black Mustang and revved it. She slid into the leather seats and swept her eyes over it appreciatively. They zoomed out of the garage and into the busy main streets.
"You do know where Yamcha lives right?" she asked her silent companion as the car weaved expertly through the traffic.
"Would they have let you in the car if I didn't." he said rhetorically.
Bulma just about melted into the soft seats. His voice was deep and a little rough with character. She ran her azure eyes over his profile. He had such chiseled features, as though someone had carved him from marble. She cast her mind around for something to say.
Suddenly, they came up fast behind a large truck and there was another car in the double lane. Bulma grasped her seat tensely, prepared for a sudden stop but Vegeta simply zipped around the truck even causing the outside tires to ride the sidewalk. The Mustang swerved back into the lane leaving behind the cursing truck driver.
"Are you crazy!" her voice raised when she released the breath she had been holding.
"Are you trying to get us killed?" she asked again after getting no response.
"Don't you lose 35 percent of your 'earnings' if you're late?" Vegeta responded coolly.
"If I'm not alive to be late there really isn't a point is there." she snapped back.
He smirked at her spunk. Most prostitutes had confidence in their looks, but not much else. Not that he needed to pay for a prostitute, but knowing Goku had introduced him to a lot of her type. Vegeta watched her out of the corner of his eye as she huffed at him and fell silent. No wonder Goku said she was the most in-demand of any of the girls who worked for Radditz. Her exotic blue hair and fiery temper were quite a turn on.
He zoomed past another car and heard her slight intake of breath. Vegeta smirked and decided to have a little fun on this job. He quickly made a point of passing every car on the crowded streets at dangerous speeds and angles. Bulma squeaked and shut her eyes, gripping her seat hard with painted nails.
"I swear, if you wreck this car you will regret it!" she hissed at him between clenched teeth as they finally came up at Yamcha's house. Whizzing up to the front door, Vegeta checked the clock and smirked to himself. Four minutes early. Bulma opened her eyes and released the death grip she had on the poor leather. Not wanting to witness his gloating face she opened her door and climbed out but paused before she shut the door.
"Will you be the one picking me up?" she asked guardedly.
The dark-haired man gave her a nod of affirmation. The beauty sighed and closed the door. She didn't know what was worse, a night of fake flattering and obedience for Yamcha or a death defying run through the gritty streets with Vegeta. Five minutes later she decided she would much rather be back in the car with Vegeta.
Two hours later Bulma marched back out of Yamcha's front door straightening her skirt on the way. As expected the black Mustang was waiting for her and she wrenched open the door and practically threw herself into the seat. If Vegeta noticed her stressed behavior he didn't show it.
"Do you have a cigarette?" she nearly demanded as they pulled out of the driveway. A session with Yamcha always put her in a bad mood. She didn't like any of her clients particularly, but Yamcha knew what buttons pissed her off. Prick.
Vegeta smirked at her amusedly and pulled a pack out of his pocket and tossed it to her. Bulma caught it deftly and quickly selected her poison. Tugging the car lighter out of its place she lifted the cigarette to her lips and lit it. She took the first drag with apparent relish and replaced the car lighter.
"Thanks." she offered and cracked her window to let the smoke escape.
"Rough night?" though he said it as more of a statement.
Bulma laughed mirthlessly.
"Have you met Yamcha?" she replied.
He didn't answer but reached over and snatched the cigarette pack off her lap and pulled one out with his lips. The cerulean eyes watched him as he repeated her actions and drew out a long drag once the nicotine was lit. She couldn't help but focus on his very kissable lips as they seemed to caress the white stick intimately. Strange sounding, but Bulma couldn't think of any word to fit it better. She reluctantly turned her eyes away and watched the flashing scenery out of her window.
A few moments passed silence and she had sense of deja vu. Without bothering to ask her escort she turned on the radio and a blaring rock band cut through the silence quite effectively. She flinched at the volume and quickly flipped it back off.
"Too heavy for you?" Vegeta mockingly asked.
She glared at him. What was with his ability to piss her off in two seconds flat when a minute before he had been tolerable, if not quiet.
"Not my taste is all." she replied coolly.
"Why are you a hooker?" he asked suddenly serious without a trace of condemnation. Well that was unexpected. Normally she would have bristled and been offended no matter that she was disgusted with herself for her job. He however had asked it as an honest question without insulting her so she figured he deserved an honest answer.
"I didn't choose it if that's what you're asking. I've been friends with Goku for a while now-"
"He never mentioned you." Vegeta cut in.
"That's because what his job is, not exactly legal is it? It would be stupid to go around spouting off about your prostitute friends!" she snapped at him angry at his interruption.
"That hardly matters to me. Obviously."
"He never mentioned you either." she responded.
Touché.
"As I was saying, he never told me what he actually did for a living. He alluded to some kind of errand runner and never specified past that. Then I got laid off my job because of tax cuts. I wasn't making that much money and I couldn't get another job so I got kicked out of my apartment and was broke. He offered to let me stay at his place and I agreed. Of course you can't hide something that huge from someone you live with and I found out that he works for Radditz as a hustler. He offered me a job and at first I refused to sink so low. I couldn't just live off of him forever though and no one would hire me. I thought I'd just do it for a month or something till I made enough money to get my own place and get a real job. That was two years ago."
"Why wouldn't anyone hire you?"
"Probably because they realized how desperate I was..." she trailed off.
Vegeta normally would have ridiculed her for being so weak to not get away from her unwanted situation but he knew the kind of life they lived. Once you were in it was damned near impossible to get out.
They sat in silence for a while both in their own thoughts, smoking Vegeta's cigarettes. Bulma sunk into the soft leather and thought about her situation. Would she ever get out of this business?
"Why are you working for Radditz?" Bulma suddenly asked him. He had interrogated her, she decided to return the favor.
"I needed a job." was the cryptic answer.
"There are lots of jobs." she responded.
"Hn." he conceded.
"So? Why work for Goku's brother? He's a prick to be employed to." Bulma stressed the last part.
"You work for him also." Vegeta reminded her.
"Yes but you weren't desperate."
Like that man would ever be desperate for anything, Bulma thought.
"It's good money, I get to drive fast and it's not working for my father." he finally answered her question.
"What does your father do?" she asked curiously.
She was used to people hating their parents, it was expected in her line of work, but there was something about the way he said it that eluded to more.
"None of your business." he snapped at her, angry at the intrusion.
"Fine, but at least you don't have to fuck anyone for a living." the blue-haired woman retorted with utter loathing.
Vegeta glanced over at her but said nothing. If Vegeta could feel sympathy for anyone, he would have for her.
This is my first shot at a DBZ fic so be gentle. I've wanted to for so long but was anxious about getting Vegeta's character right but then I realized every author for DBZ makes him their own, each is a little different so I figured why not? Please let me know if you like it so far and wish me to continue. Review!
elvenangel