The harsh iridescent light stung between Bulma's eyelids the next morning. Bulma burrowed her head under her pillow with a groan.

"Still sleeping B? How's your head?" 18's high voice seemed to reverberate in her skull.

"Mmhn."

"Articulate."

18 arched a blond eyebrow as she took in Bulma's clothes scattered carelessly around the bed and how rumpled the sheets were.

"Drunk does not suit you apparently." When that still did not earn a response from her friend 18 walked over and ripped the comforter off Bulma.

"Hey!" came the screeching reaction.

Bulma sat up and brought a hand to her face to shield her eyes. She hunched over her lap and took a deep breath as a wave of dizziness hit her. She rubbed the last of the sleep from her bright blue eyes and glared up at her friend.

"A little early for a wake up call don't you think?" she asked her voice scratchy.

"Hardly, it's nearly 11 in the morning. Radditz has been asking for you, I told him you would be hung over." Juuhachi held a slight amount of sympathy in her aloof voice.

"That's for sure." Bulma said quietly, for even the usually quiet radiator hum seemed pounding in her head.

"Since when do you sleep half dressed?" 18 puzzled giving her a once over.

Bulma glanced down at the matching bra and underwear she had had the sense to shrug on after Vegeta left the night before. She didn't want 18 to find out about what happened between them.

"Since I drink too many shots of vodka evidently." Was her sarcastic reply. 'Drinking too much has its good excuses I guess' she thought to herself.

"Well I brought you some Tylenol to take because Radditz has already booked you for a client today." 18 said setting down a glass of water and the pills on her nightstand. She flicked her hair back over her shoulder and stared down at her companion. With a sigh she went over to Bulma's closet and pulled out an outfit for her.

"Get your ass in the shower and sober up some will you? I don't want to have to take care of Yamcha for you."

Bulma's head snapped up so fast her neck popped. Rubbing at it in irritation she spat

"Yamcha again! He can't just buy himself a real girlfriend no! He always has to book me! Dammit!" she slapped her hand on the mattress and got up on unsteady legs. All good thoughts of the previous night fluttering out of her head she stalked to her bathroom and slammed the door shut.

18 pinched the bridge of her nose and hung Bulma's outfit on the door handle on her way out.

In her bathroom Bulma stepped out of her lingerie in a huff and turned on the facets. She cursed when bending over made the world seem to tip with her and wrenched the door back open. She went over to the nightstand and downed the Tylenol with a quick swig of water.

"What did I do to deserve Yamcha today?" she moaned to herself as she went back to her shower and slid under the hot water. She lathered shampoo into her aqua locks thoughtfully. It wasn't as if sleeping with Vegeta had provoked fate against her. That was more right than sleeping with any john, at least he didn't pay her and make her feel cheap. She paused with her head under the facet and watched the swirling bubbles go down the drain. How will Vegeta act around me now that we've slept together though? Bulma wondered silently.

The thought of him being an asshole about the whole situation wasn't very appealing. It was possible he'd act like it never happened at all, and ignore her existence entirely. Or he might think that since she slept with him once she would any time he wanted some. Not that her job gave her high self-esteem as it was, but she wasn't about to be at a man's beck and call for nothing, she was better than that. Could they even hide a relationship from Radditz if Vegeta wanted one? Did she want one?

Again Bulma paused, her loofa resting in the crook of her arm, the thought of having a real relationship with someone had never seemed possible before. Before she had become a prostitute she had go on dates with some guys but they were always too artificial. Males only seemed interested in her body and not her mind. This helped crush her self-esteem to the point where she was now, selling her gorgeous body for money. Radditz would not allow her any kind of boyfriend, it would bring no profit and distract her in his eyes. 'Besides' she thought to herself 'who wants to date a prostitute?' Utterly disgusted with her own line of thought Bulma shook herself and finished up her shower quickly.

She grabbed a thin blue towel off the rack and hurriedly dried herself off. Her mind returned to the thought of Vegeta, he had been excellent bed partner. Bulma smiled, yes definitely the best she had experienced. More than that she felt a deep connection with him. Unable to put it into words the 20-year-old thought back to her first conversation with him. He hadn't been dismissive or hurtful like she had expected, especially when asking why she had become a prostitute. That was a complicated question and she hadn't been entirely truthful with him when answering.

It was true that she had been living with Goku unemployed and she had figured out what his job was. When she said that Goku offered her a job was a downright lie however. He was not the type of guy to suggest or encourage a woman she should become a prostitute, especially a friend. The truth was men had made her feel like a toy to be desired and bought her entire life. Her mother was purely a trophy wife for her father. Her father was the head of a software company and cared more for his work than his own daughter. Any time she had tried to be independent he would yell at her and tear her down. Her mother was a brainless beauty who wouldn't dare to go against her husband, so she never had any support in her ideas.

Bulma remembered being a child with so many hopes and ideas for inventions and things she wanted to do. Her father refused to pay for college for her saying that a good wife didn't need to be smart but rather obedient. He saw his only daughter not as a person, but as a girl to be used by the richest man who was interested in her looks. Bulma went against him for so long he had finally kicked her out and disinherited her of any money his business made.

The job she had had was a secretary at his office building, so when he washed his hands of her she lost her job. 'Tax cuts' she had told Vegeta, okay so that was a stretch as well. Bulma had known Goku since childhood and he took her in instantly. After weeks of finding no work, thanks in large part to her father for telling her perspective bosses what an awful employee she was. With no other job experience and no education past high school that she could prove, for she taught herself quite a bit, jobs were hard to come by. Desperate and feeling indebted to Goku for so much she asked him one day to take her to see Radditz.

Worst decision I ever made Bulma told herself angrily as she yanked on mini skirt. The outfit 18 had picked out was a soft blue mini skirt with a black top that was sliced down the middle showing off her stomach. Thigh high black boots and dark make up completed the ensemble. Just as her mind had resettled on better thoughts full of Vegeta her door banged open.

"Where have you been?" Radditz hissed as he crossed into her room and slammed the door behind him.

"I thought 18 told you I was sleeping in." Bulma replied snarky.

"Did she also tell you that Yamcha called for you? For the entire afternoon in fact." Her boss said mockingly.

Blue eyes narrowed under black eyeliner.

"I asked you not to sell me out to him for that long." She said through gritted teeth.

Radditz crossed the room with two long strides and grabbed her wrist.

"Do I need to remind you who you work for? It's not up to you whores who you go to and for how long. It depends on how much money I get out of it." He snarled into her face and tightened his grip painfully.

"How could I forget?" Bulma spat sarcastically.

Radditz placed his free hand around her throat tight enough to sharpen her breathing. He brought her nose to nose with him and she forced herself not to quail under his anger. Sometimes her mouth got the best of her especially when she was already pissed off.

"You'd best not." He breathed dangerously.

Bulma placed her hands against his chest and tried to push herself away from him but he pulled her closer instead, trapping her hands between them. He moved his hand around to the small of her back and trailed his lips over her neck almost as a lover would. She turned her head away from him disgusted by his continuing advances. Undeterred he moved to capture her mouth in a hungry and demanding kiss. Bulma strained against his grasp as his hand went to fondle her breast through her revealing top.

Her door being opened and the clearing of a male throat made Radditz release her. She stumbled away from him in anger and humiliation. Flicking her gaze to the door she felt her emotions increase tenfold to see Vegeta standing with his arms crossed staring at her.

"I didn't mean for you to interrupt my discussion with her Vegeta." Radditz said in a would-be polite tone.

"I was under the impression you wished the onna to leave immediately." Vegeta replied curtly still keeping his eyes on Bulma.

Bulma looked back and forth between the two in a panic. There was no way she wanted to stay with Radditz and be further molested but the accusing glare in Vegeta's eyes was more than she was prepared to take.

"Fine. Bulma we'll finish this later." Radditz said. His eyes were still dark with lust. Shaking herself Bulma moved out of her room and followed Vegeta to the elevator. Radditz kept his feral eyes on her until the squealing metal doors closed them off. Bulma glanced at Vegeta's profile but he wouldn't even throw her a glance. Miserable she followed him off the elevator and into his car. She kept her eyes down as they pulled out of the drive and didn't see the concern on Goku's face as they passed him.

Time always has a way of slowing down when something unpleasant is happening and the listless way it ticked by on Bulma's watch was nothing short of torture. The thought had by now occurred to Bulma that Vegeta knew nothing about the way Radditz hungered for her. To try to explain her situation would be terribly difficult indeed. She looked for any sign from him of sympathy, concern or even jealousy but all she could see was cold distrust.

"Vegeta . . ." she began but fell silent at the look he sent her.

"It's obvious that you have no problem with sleeping with pretty much anybody," here he gave her a look of disgust. "I did not expect however, after last night for you to throw yourself at yet another man much less your employer so quickly." Vegeta's tone with dripping with loathing and the way he spoke made tears prick behind her eyes.

"It's not like that Vegeta! I despise Radditz! He was-"

"You dare think you can toss me aside like one of your foolish clients!" Vegeta spat at her.

Bulma winced.

"I didn't toss you aside!" she said earnestly begging him with her eyes. "I want to have a relationship with you-"

Vegeta cut her off again.

"How could I trust you after what I saw earlier! Radditz was all over you!" were she not so upset Bulma would have noticed the slightly possessive way he said this.

"Are you blind?! I was trying to get away from him! He wouldn't let me go!" she launched back furious that he couldn't sense that.

"You seemed to be enjoying it just the same!" he sneered at her racing the along the highway.

"Ask Goku! He'll tell you his brother won't leave me alone! He's always trying to grab me and I hate him for it!" she cried banging her fist on the dashboard. Vegeta seemed to consider this and pulled the car off to the side of the road out of the way of traffic.

"What are you-?" she started to ask when he leaned over and took her face in his hands. They were gentle but firm and kept her head still as he looked her in the eye.

"Do you want Radditz?" he asked her gruffly.

"No. Never." She said fervently and shook her head in his hold.

His eyes bored into hers and she searched his face uncertainly, scared she had run him off through no fault of her own. He brought her face to his so suddenly her whole body jerked forward. Vegeta pressed her lips to his hard and with such passion she was dizzy when he released her abruptly.

"Do you want me still then?" she asked shakily.

"I don't like the idea of sharing you." He told her brusquely.

"I'm not a toy." Bulma answered resentfully.

"I'm aware of that onna. I meant I don't want Radditz pawing at you anymore and I don't like that you sell yourself for money. You should be above that." Here his eyes softened a little and his mouth quirked with sincerity.

Bulma smiled at him shyly.

"Even though I am a prostitute with that bastard for a pimp you would, um, try to be with me?" Bulma found herself blown away by the concept.

"There is something about you onna. Last night was enjoyable. I

wouldn't mind repeating it."

"How romantic." She said with joking sarcasm.

"Hn." Vegeta snorted then kissed her again.

Okay bear in mind again this is au because I know her dad would never be that horrible in the show okay? What do you guys think? Was the background any good? Let me know!

elvenangel