Here is another update for you guys! I hope you enjoy this chapter! ^^ Thank you everyone for all of the feedback! I also wanted to say that I've been looking through some of you guys' stories, and there all so good! It's an honor to have such amazing writers giving me feedback on my own fanfic. Wow!
Vegeta was well aware that Bulma was on her way home, so he waited for her outside. He sat in a tree, his arms crossed, patiently focusing his energy until the moment that his woman arrived. What struck him as odd was that she was traveling at a steady rate, but he could sense someone else's ki along with hers. It couldn't have been Mr. Briefs alongside her though, because both of her parents were currently inside their home. They'd been going in and out of the house, carrying items into one of their cars and fussing over trivial matters. He'd overheard them talking about making preparations for some trip, but the saiyan didn't care enough to really pay attention.
He hadn't exposed himself to much of human civilization aside from the Z-Fighters and Bulma's family, but he'd learned enough about Earth residents to know that they really cherished the ability to travel. Humans had even designated a word for such an event - "vacation". The saiyan found it all so underwhelming. He'd spent his entire life roaming the universe and encountering foreign civilizations - there was absolutely nothing exciting about the idea of driving for several hours! Furthermore, he didn't understand the point of going through the hassle of such a trip if one wasn't even going to leave the planet! Human beings were so easily amused!
All that Vegeta really cared for at that moment was to see Bulma, and to figure out who it was she was driving with. Even Trunks seemed to have a higher ki than this unknown individual, and he was still an infant! Though, as Vegeta pondered, it was fair that Trunks would have such high power as an infant. 'After all...' He thought with a smug chuckle, '... The boy is my son.'
It didn't take too much longer before a vehicle pulled up in front of the Briefs' residence. Vegeta, who was still perched in the tree, studied it with intrigue. He didn't recognize it as one that he'd ever seen before - it was rather shoddy looking, and it sported an ugly color that might have been teal at some point, but had since then faded to nearly grey. Out of the driver's side popped a young male who looked rather puny, his thick glasses hanging over his nose in a manner that made Vegeta think they were going to fall off. The male ran a hand through his blonde hair, which had already been slicked back, and he looked around. "Wow, what a great place!" He said. Vegeta's nose turned when he heard the male's words. As if his posture weren't enough, even this man's voice dripped with insecurity.
It was then that the passenger door swung open, and as Vegeta watched, a very fatigued looking Bulma emerged. She'd fallen asleep for a brief period during the drive, and she was feeling even worse now that she was awake again. There was no doubt in her mind that she was definitely sick, but the prospect of finally being home was at least a little bit comforting. Bulma, who was gulping back a subtle wave of nausea, couldn't help but feel that she was being watched. She looked around, her eyebrows wrinkling as she studied her surroundings. Was her mind playing tricks on her?
Vegeta, still tucked away in the branches of the tree, went unseen. He was still analyzing his woman as she moved. She did look incredibly pale, and she wasn't holding her head up as high as she typically did. Was it this unknown man who making her so frigid? Could it be that the man's weak aura was rubbing off on her? What was she doing being transported by him, anyway? The idea of her and this man sitting so close together as they flew through the sky made the saiyan's stomach tighten. Vegeta was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the man speak, and the words were enough to send him into a jealous fury.
"Would you like me to walk you inside?"
What rubbish was this? Who was this man?! Where did he come off thinking he was close enough to Vegeta's woman to be driving her around, speaking to her so casually, and to even be escorting her into her own home?! Without thinking, the saiyan let out a loud grunt.
Bulma looked up, her eyes fixing on the tree. 'Damnit!' She thought. She just knew she was being watched!Tadashi, who followed Bulma's gaze, looked up just in time to see a man shoot out from the tree. The man flew straight into the sky by what looked like 100 meters, and as Tadashi watched in horror, he came flying back down to land on his feet just a few meters away. Vegeta landed with his arms crossed. There was a dangerous scowl on his face, and his eyes were pinned on Tadashi. The intern let out a yowl and backed up, his eyes wide.
"A-Are you okay?!" The intern called, his voice shaking. He'd never seen anything like this! It was just not physically possible for someone to survive a fall like that! Vegeta cleared his throat, his eyes not blinking as he looked Tadashi up and down. The intern glanced to Bulma, who seemed to be completely unmoved by this man. 'Wait!' Tadashi thought, confusion welling up inside. Why wasn't she freaking out? Was this actually normal for her?!
Finally, after what felt like forever, Vegeta's stern expression fell. "So," He said, turning to Bulma and raising an eyebrow. "You send me away with every chance you get. I have tried to reason with you with no success, but you'll accept this? You would rather be in the company of this rather than me? This?!" Vegeta was speaking in a perplexed tone. He turned to size Tadashi up once more. "This... this... this beta male!?"
Because she was sick, Bulma had to take in a deep breath to reply. "First of all, how rude!" She panted. "Second, what business is it of yours?!"
Vegeta took note of how strained her voice came out. He didn't have a chance to respond, though, because it was then that Bulma's parents came running out of the house to greet their guests. The outraged saiyan looked up, irritated by his interruption, to see Mrs. Briefs. He backed away slightly and bit his lip.
"Oh, Bulma! My, you don't look so good!" Mrs. Briefs was calling.
"Well, if it isn't Tadashi? What brings you here, boy?" Mr. Briefs said when he reached the group, patting the intern on the shoulder. Tadashi stiffened. "Oh, I was just... driving Bulma home!"
"Tadashi?" Mrs. Briefs let out a squeal. "Oh, if it isn't you! I've heard so much about you! How are you doing, sweetie?! How's your uncle Haruto?!"
Vegeta watched as Mrs. Briefs gushed over the blonde intern. The saiyan couldn't help but feel a sting inside, and he looked to Bulma with his eyebrow still raised. Her parents even knew about this beta male? How close were these two?! How long had she been receiving rides from this man? Vegeta was the rightful mate of Bulma - he had spent the last 3 years with her, and together they'd even procreated! It just wasn't right for Mrs. Briefs to make such a scene over any other man! Sure, the Saiyan would have been repulsed, but she should have been gushing over him!
Bulma was too tired at this point to really engage much into the conversation. Her shoulders were slouched, and she took in another deep breath as she fought yet another urge to throw up. Mrs. Briefs looked up from Tadashi, her smile dropping. "Bulma, you really don't look so good!" She jumped to place a hand to her daughter's forehead. "My-you're burning up!" The Bluehead didn't respond - she simply gave her mother a look that said 'I know.'
"Come inside, dear, just come inside!" Mrs. Briefs took her daughter by the arm and began to quickly usher her into the house. Mr. Briefs, however, lingered outside. "Well, we were just on our way out the door, but my wife has always been good at throwing a meal together. Are you two hungry?"
Vegeta looked from Mr. Briefs, to the beta male, and back to Mr. Briefs. Who was this man, how did his woman's family become so familiar with him, and why did they seem to care so much?! The mere idea of them paying so much attention to someone else felt like a slap in the face. "Eat? At a table? With him!" Vegeta spat, crossing his arms. "Such a suggestion is an insult!"
"What?" Mr. Briefs asked, turning to Tadashi for an explanation. The blonde intern was shaken by Vegeta's blunt announcement, but he didn't do much to defend himself. 'Well.' Vegeta thought, crossing his arms. 'If she was looking to replace me with someone who was the complete opposite of me, she did a good job! This spineless creature can't even stand up for his own honor!'
"Hmm..." Mr. Briefs finally cleared his throat. "I guess I'll be checking up on Bulma now. Tadashi, see you soon. Vegeta... Have a good night." With that, the professor awkwardly turned and made his way into the house. When the door shut behind him, Vegeta turned back to Tadashi to speak once more. "Look, boy. What business do you have with her?"
Tadashi, who was still trying to wrap his head around Vegeta's stunt with the tree, blinked silently.
"Answer me!" Vegeta was livid. How dare this man - this beta swoop in on his kin?! It was disrespectful. It was just wrong. The Saiyan had noticed that he hadn't just blasted the puny creature away with one swift move. In a past life he would have done so without missing a beat. He would have done it, and he wouldn't have had a second thought about it. That was what lessor beings deserved for interfering with a prince's business! But Vegeta's instincts had changed since he'd started staying on Earth, and he felt compelled to handle the matter without exterminating the man.
Tadashi was in shock. Nobody had even introduced Vegeta to him - he knew nothing about the guy! All he knew was that he was being yelled at by a very buff, very angry looking man, who could withstand falls that would normally crush a human. It wouldn't be wise to anger him - but then again, for some reason Bulma wasn't afraid of him! Perhaps he was more harmless than he seemed. But who could he have been to Bulma? Why was he so defensive over her? Was he an ex? The intern, who was taller than Vegeta and had to look slightly down at him, decided to stand more firm.
Vegeta grabbed at Tadashi's shirt and leaned closer, growling through his teeth. "I want to know what business you have with her."
Tadashi gulped, waiting for Vegeta to let go. "Why do you need to know?" He asked, his voice shaking slightly.
Vegeta almost laughed. This frail man was bad at bluffing. "Listen, I don't know what she sees in you. But I'm no fool. Don't think for a minute that you stand any chance against me."
With that the saiyan let go of Tadashi's and swiftly turned for the house. The intern backed away towards his car, his eyes glaring at the saiyan from under his glasses. Clearly Bulma and her ex still had some unsettled business...
Vegeta stood in the entry room of the house and listened, his arms crossed over his chest, as Mr. and Mrs. Briefs went back and forth about Bulma. It sounded as if they were in a heated discussion with the woman, arguing over whether or not they should proceed with their trip because of her ailment. Predictably, Bulma was insisting that she would be fine. It was just like her to put on a strong front. Of course, Vgeta knew there was a soft side to her. He'd seen it many times before. It took quite awhile, but eventually she won in her debate. It was only a few moments later that Mr. and Mrs. Briefs, who was toting Trunks under her arm, went out the door and filed into their vehicle. They didn't even give the saiyan a glance as they went, noticeably in a hurry after the time they'd wasted on their discussion.
The house fell silent as soon as the door slammed behind them. Vegeta, who was still standing in the home's entryway, began to wonder if his woman had forgotten about him. She didn't go looking for him, and instead he listened as she pulled herself upstairs. Her feet sounded heavy, her movements slow and forced. The sun was starting to set outside, and with that the house was growing darker. The saiyan pulled himself out from the corner he'd been lurking in, marching into the living room and having a look around. There was usually such a commotion going on within the Briefs household that it felt strange for it to be so quiet. Vegeta was still upset about the scene that had just taken place outside, but he couldn't help but think of how nice it was going to be to finally get some alone time with his woman. Upstairs he could hear water running, and it must have been coming from the bathroom. Vegeta had calmed down slightly after his interaction with the beta male, but he still wanted answers. And he wanted them now. He was going to have to have a talk with her! So, without much thought, he followed the sound upstairs and down the hall.
Bulma was in the bathroom, rinsing off her toothbrush as she let out an exhale. She'd just succumbed to her nausea, and her stomach was still churning as it settled down from its violent heaving. She could feel sweat on the back of her neck, and she let out a pained moan as she lamented her circumstance. It was when she shut the tap off that she could hear footsteps making their way down the hall. She didn't pay much attention to them, thinking that her mother had probably forgotten something and was running inside to fetch it at the last minute. It was then that Bulma opened the door and stepped out. She turned to see a familiar man making his way towards her, and she shot him a glare.
"To what do I owe such a face?" Vegeta scoffed as he continued his strut. He'd been trying to get back to her good side for weeks, but he still wasn't afraid of having an argument at that moment. Whatever business she had with that blonde man, it was his right to know! He was readying himself to demand the information from her when Bulma spoke.
"You bastard!" She crowed, taking the saiyan by surprise and causing him to stop in his tracks. He was the one who was supposed to be bitter in that moment - what did she have to be angry about?! She'd been giving him the cold shoulder lately, but this seemed to be completely out of left field. Great. His eyes widened, wondering what on Earth he'd done now. Bulma took a deep breath before choking out once more."I told you it was cold the other night! Vegeta - you bastard! Thanks to you, I'm pretty sure I've caught the flu!"
