Disclaimer: Dragonball Z and its character belong to Akira Toriyama. I do not own them nor do I claim to.
A/N: Takes place after Birthday Girl. This will be the last part of the Birthday theme. Hopefully the three work well together.
"Wow, you weren't kidding, Bulma. Your Mom really went all out with the decorations."
"Yamcha, please don't feel like you have to pretend to like the stuff Mom put up. You're not going to hurt her feelings."
"I'm not pretending, I really think it's great," Yamcha finally turned away from the decorations on the wall to smile at her. A few seconds of silence passed between his polite smile and her look of disbelief before he finally broke it. "Okay, it's a little silly." He chuckled a bit and Bulma couldn't help but join in relieved that he was just joking.
"I told you not to tease me like that, Yamcha. For a second I thought that you were serious about it being nice. I mean, it's embarrassing for Mom to do this though I've grown to expect it from her but you're sane enough to know that this kind of stuff isn't fit for anyone above the age of 10."
Yamcha frowned at that and scratched the back of his head. "Really? That's weird. I recall bringing you a lot of balloons and party stuff for your 17th birthday and you seemed to love it."
Bulma blushed and looked at Vegeta out of the corner of her eye. "Th-that doesn't count," she blurted out, purposely ignoring his confused look as the memory rushed back.
Bulma had met with Goku during her summer vacation as she went searching for the dragonballs and by the end of their trip she had met and got together with Yamcha. He gave up his life as a desert bandit and came to live with her in the city. There he quickly became the number one heartthrob for all the girls and despite her telling them that he was in a relationship with her they wouldn't back off. She told him to make them stop but he didn't want to offend anyone. She hated the idea that he was willing to have those bimbos hang all over him while he was with her but she tried her best to ignore it. Day after day, week after week, month after month, the girls continued to vie for his attention.
However one day she found that she couldn't get a hold of him. She tried to contact the house all day while she was at school but he never picked up. All she could think of was that he was off cheating on her with some girl. But to her surprise when she had gotten home and opened the door to her room she was met with a wall of bright colors and odd shapes.
Now it was obvious that a 17 year old girl, a teenager that was quickly becoming an adult at that, wouldn't want to come home to the overly childish decorations and swarm of colorful balloons filling her room, but Yamcha was right. She had loved it, but not for the reason he seemed to believe. She had been so worried about the relationship with her first boyfriend that she had completely forgotten her own birthday. And while she had been so convinced that he was busy with another woman, he had actually been busy decorating her room. It had been so wonderful, celebrating her birthday for the first time with her boyfriend that she felt that she could look beyond the embarrassing décor just that once. It had been a wonderful gift and it made her realize how much she loved him despite his bad points.
'Yes, I remember it so clearly now,' Bulma thought with a small smile. 'I was so naïve, but what teenager wasn't when their first love was involved.' This was another prime example of why she and Yamcha broke apart. He lost part of his maturity when he gave up his life in the desert while she had gotten more mature, becoming more worried about how to run her Father's company and less about running around the world wishing for childish things.
"Hmph," Bulma stiffened as she heard Vegeta scoff from his seat on the couch behind her, "some taste you had back then, Woman, to enjoy such a garish show," the distaste and harsh words affecting her twice as much since she hadn't received them. The words 'Don't expect anything as foolish from me' didn't have to be said aloud.
Bulma turned to look at him, to try and see how he was feeling, but he was looking away from her, his head resting on his hand with his elbow propped up against the couch. She wanted to defend herself but Yamcha, unfortunately, beat her to it, the insult clearly making him lose his joyful attitude.
"As if you have any right to comment, Vegeta, you'd never be able to get a steady girl as good as Bulma to want to celebrate being together."
That comment got Vegeta's attention and he snapped his eyes to Yamcha's, a sneer already on his face, "Are you implying that I'd never be able to keep a woman, clown?"
Yamcha shrugged but kept the eye contact. "I've certainly never seen you do anything besides training like a maniac. Either you're not getting any action at all or you only settle for one night stands with cheap women," he finished, bracing himself for the inevitable attack.
However to Yamcha's surprise the attack never did come. Instead Vegeta let out a cruel, mocking laugh confusing Yamcha further.
Bulma let out a sigh. 'Oh Yamcha, if only you knew that not only was Vegeta in a steady relationship, it's with the very person you said he'd never have an equal to.' Sure she was flattered by Yamcha's defense that a steady relationship with her was better than several one night with no responsibility but it was very hypocritical considering their past.
"What are you laughing at?"
Vegeta's chuckles died down and he gave Yamcha a smug look. "I don't need to hear that kind of speech from the very fool that left this Woman," he said cruelly as he noticed Yamcha flinch. "Besides, you've been gone for quite a while. Who knows what has happened while you weren't here to keep watch."
Yamcha's confused face started to pale as he was unable to figure out exactly what Vegeta was suggesting. "What do you mean? What have you done?"
Vegeta tilted his head slighty, his smirk never leaving his face before he closed his eyes and returned Yamcha's earlier shrug, "I don't have to explain anything to the likes of you."
That response didn't sit well with Yamcha but before he could demand an answer, Bulma cut in. "Enough. I don't want you two taunting each other today. If you can't keep your testosterone out of your conversation, then leave. I'm not dealing with it today."
Yamcha let out a tense breath, "You're right, Bulma, I'm sorry." Vegeta just scoffed again and return to his bored observation of the other side of the room.
"Yamcha, why don't you go say hi to Mom. I'm sure she'd love to see you." Glad when Yamcha agreed and left for the kitchen, Bulma let out a tired sigh before moving to sit on the couch next to Vegeta. "What was that about?" When she didn't get any answer, she pushed on. "I thought that you didn't want anyone to know about us."
"I don't," he simply answered without looking at her.
"Then why," he cut her off by looking at her.
"I was just messing with him, Woman. Anyway it doesn't matter. What's between us is between us and no one else and it will stay that way until I say otherwise, understand?"
Bulma hated the look in Vegeta's eyes. Even when alone it seemed that Vegeta was determined not to show his true feelings towards her. 'I understand that Vegeta has had a hard life and that he's not used to how things work here but this is getting ridiculous. If he thinks he can control me like this he's got another thing coming.' She knew that their relationship was fragile and that the slightest thing might push Vegeta away but she was Bulma Briefs and she wasn't about to be told what to do without a better reason than 'because I say so'.
"You want to keep it a secret? Fine. But that also means that you don't have the right to complain about Yamcha hanging out with me today," she said while getting up and moving to the other couch while ignoring his narrowed eyes.
"What are you going on about?"
"You like to hear the reasons behind Earth's Customs but it seems that you need to learn about how relationships work as well. For example: Unless someone is sitting by their significant other or their family they would rather sit with friends than with strangers. And since I've known Yamcha for pretty much half my life and you've only been living here" she gave him her own smug smirk even as he growled at her.
"He doesn't have to sit next to you. Tell him to sit elsewhere," Vegeta's angry black eyes locked onto her mischievous blue ones.
"For what reason? I don't have any problem with him sitting here. After all, we've been broken up for awhile and there are no lingering feelings between us."
He rolled his eyes at that, "Yes that's why he came all the way here from halfway across the world to celebrate the day of your birth. That's why he held you so close when he came in calling you by your old 'pet' name."
'Ah so that's what set him off so quickly when Yamcha got here.' Bulma had noticed it before when Vegeta had gone from making fun of Yamcha to his cold 'I hate everyone' attitude. "Vegeta, that's just the way we are on Earth. We go out of our way to visit friends, we greet each other by hugging, and we have special names that we call each other. It'd be the same if it was Krillen or Chichi or Goku."
The sound of the armrest frame cracking beneath his tightly clenched fingers was almost inaudible compared to his low growl. "Don't say his name!" he snapped barely keeping his rage low enough that Yamcha and her Mom couldn't hear it. "He of all people shouldn't be touching you like that. I'll rip his throat out if he does."
'Probably not the best idea to use Goku as a part of that example, but it does help make my point,' Bulma thought calmly. "But why? He doesn't know that we're together so attacking him would be odd, wouldn't it?"
"As if I need a reason to attack Kakarot."
Shrugging, Bulma leant back against the couch. "Perhaps, you do go on about how much you hate him after all. However, it does bring up the question of' why then?' Why after being around Goku for so long would you suddenly attack him just because he hugged me?"
Vegeta crossed his arms defensively and Bulma knew it was because he realized she was right. "It absolutely amazes me that your race is perfectly fine with everyone interacting so casually with their women," he said while looking away.
"Bull crap, Vegeta." Bulma noticed that Vegeta's body stiffened at her words. "This has nothing to do with our planet's customs. It has to do with the fact that you're being completely impractical. I may not have met anyone from another planet that wasn't asexual but surely relationships everywhere have some similar traits. You can't just expect people to stay away from someone without having a reason why. If I go to a bar with friends men are going to come up and try to get to know me since I'm not wearing any symbol that says I'm taken. Sure I can tell them that I'm not interested but since I can't tell them that I'm in a relationship there's little reason for them to not try and change my mind. Either I'm in a relationship and I'm off limits or I'm not and people are free to get close. It's one or the other, Vegeta, you can't have it both ways."
Her speech done she waited to see his reaction. Perhaps he would throw a fit; perhaps he would storm out of the room. After a few painfully quiet seconds as Vegeta seemed to be contemplating her words, they were interrupted by her Mother's humming as she entered the room with a large pastel pink cake.
"Here we are, Princess, I ordered it from your favorite bakery. Isn't it just lovely?"
Now that the cake was being seen from above she saw that it wasn't as bad as she had first thought. It was decorated with perfectly piped flowers of various varieties with lit '2' and '3' candles placed in the middle. 'It really was a nice cake. Well, it was from my favorite shop after all so even if Mom had ordered something completely embarrassing they would have known what I would prefer,' she smiled, pleased with the level of work. "Thanks Mom, it's gorgeous."
"It's a wonderful cake, Mrs. Briefs," Yamcha said as he plopped down on the couch next to Bulma. Bulma looked over at Vegeta quickly to see his reaction. He was still looking off to the side but his eyes were focused intently on her, or rather Yamcha's proximity to her. "Now blow out the candles and make a wish," he said with a smile, completely oblivious to Vegeta's glare.
"Oh my, what a look," Bulma and Yamcha both looked over at Bunny at her comment. "Is something wrong, Vegeta?" Bulma resisted the urge to look at Vegeta, knowing that he'd be uncomfortable enough being caught by her Mother and now having Yamcha's attention.
"I was just thinking about how odd it is to put lights on something you're going to eat."
"Huh? You've never heard of birthday candles, Vegeta?" Yamcha asked, clearly not thinking about how different things are for someone that has only been on Earth for a year.
"Yamcha, Vegeta's not from Earth. He'd never even heard of celebrating birthdays before today."
Bunny put a hand over her mouth. "Wow, we'll have to make sure that we throw a big party on your birthday, sweetie." Bulma held in a giggle at Vegeta's flinch before deciding to explain.
"It's really a custom that we follow without much reason behind it, Vegeta. We make a silent wish and blow out the candles. It's another one of those fun things that we do just because we want to."
"So it's as bizarre and inane as everything else your race does."
Yamcha, tired of Vegeta's attitude, nudged Bulma's leg. "Don't listen to him, Bulma, just have fun and make a wish." Unlike Yamcha, Bulma noticed that Vegeta's eyes instantly went to where the back of Yamcha's hand was touching her leg a second longer than he deemed necessary.
Bulma kept her eyes on Vegeta for a second longer before turning to the cake. While in the past she had easily made her wishes usually for something that she could either buy or make herself, but this year she couldn't get past her earlier conversation with Vegeta. 'I know what I really want but I don't think the dragonballs would be able to help me with that.' Sadly, she closed her eyes. She couldn't think of anything else so she went ahead and made her wish before pursing her lips and blowing out the candles.
"I hope your wish comes true, sweetie. Well you three talk for a bit while I go cut the cake," and with that, Mrs. Briefs picked up the cake and went back into the kitchen.
"Thanks, Mom," Bulma said, while forcing a smile on her face. 'I'm not going to linger on something so silly. I'm not even in love with Vegeta and Kami only knows how long until he'll get bored of me.'
"So, what'd you wish for, B?"
She blushed realizing that she'd drifted off. "It's a secret. You know that if you tell what the wish is that it won't come true."
"Oh, come on. How can I not ask when you're blushing so much," Yamcha pointed out. "Does it have to do with your 'mystery boyfriend'? Your Mom said that you're pretty crazy over him but I see that he didn't bother to come."
'Oh Yamcha, if only you knew,' she thought while biting her lip to stop herself from laughing."You know better than to believe everything Mom says, Yamcha."
"Maybe but you're not exactly denying it. And your blush isn't helping. Come on, tell," he teased, playfully smacking her on the leg a little harder than he intended.
"Ow! Yamcha that hurt!" Bulma cringed. There wasn't enough pain to indicate that anything was broken but she knew that it would probably bruise.
Yamcha's cheery mood instantly sobered at that. "I'm so sorry, Bulma. I'm not used to holding back after training so long."
Bulma stiffened as Yamcha placed his hand on the bruised area, gently massaging the tender skin. Not because it was sore but because she knew that it wouldn't end well for Yamcha. He fears were proven right as they heard a loud growl, barely giving Yamcha enough time to brace himself before Vegeta knocked him across the room and held him against the wall. Bulma quickly got up and grabbed Vegeta's arm.
"Vegeta, stop it. You have no right to attack Yamcha like this!" She yelled desperately, surprised when Vegeta turned to look at her.
"Like hell I don't! You're mine, Woman, and I don't want him touching you like that. It's bad enough that he lacks the control needed to not hurt you but to also think that it's okay to touch it like that. It's completely indecent and I won't stand for it!"
Silence filled the room as all the occupants tried to take in what had just happened. Yamcha, still being held against the wall, was floored by the fact that Bulma and Vegeta were a couple. Vegeta, panting at the intensity of his tirade, was appalled that he had lost control of his emotions and admitted to something he had been determined to keep secret. And Bulma, staring wide-eyed at Vegeta, was overwhelmed by the fact that her wish had come true; that Vegeta had just admitted that they were together in public. Thankfully the silence was broken when Mrs. Briefs, who had moved to the doorway to see what was going on, dropped the plate she was holding.
"Oh I just knew it! I knew that there was something between you two. After all, you went through all that trouble to make Valentine's chocolates but didn't leave the house to give them to anyone so I knew that you had given them to Mr. Vegeta. Oh, you're so perfect together."
"You…you made him Valentine's chocolates? You?" Yamcha stuttered out in complete shock of what his former girlfriend had done in one year of living with Vegeta that she never did in 15 years with him.
Vegeta turned back towards him, a smirk now on his face. "She's done more than make me chocolates. Not bad for someone that can't keep a steady woman, don't you think?" he said purposely acting smug to cover up his mortification. "Now I didn't want to go about talking about my personal business but the Woman informed me that if it's not painfully obvious that she's taken idiots like you will take liberties."
"You can't even call her by her name. How am I supposed to believe that you actually have feelings for her?" Yamcha asked while trying to get out of Vegeta hold.
"Whether or not I have feelings for her is not any of your business. As I said before, what happens between us is private and doesn't need to be told to everyone. You, however, are an exception because I can't control the company she has and you seem to have no sense of personal boundaries," he finished by tightening his grip as if to accentuate his point, his glare matching Yamcha's in its intensity.
"What's going on in here?" Bulma looked over to see her Father, clipboard in hand and cat on his shoulder, walk in.
"Um…," Bulma tried to explain but didn't know where to start.
"Bulma and Vegeta just admitted that they're in love. Vegeta is upset that Yamcha was making a move on his woman so he's defending his honor. Isn't it great, dear?"
"Mom! This isn't a soap opera," Bulma protested. Never mind the fact that Vegeta is being overly dramatic.
"It may as well be for all the tense drama and startling admissions," she stated joyfully.
Not wanting anymore of her Mom's comparisons of her life to TV, Bulma moved across the room and pushed her Mom back into the kitchen. "Let me help you cut that cake, Mom."
No longer in the room Bulma could barely make out her Father telling Vegeta that the GR was ready and the gasp of air she assumed was Yamcha as Vegeta let go of his neck. The last she heard from Vegeta was him walking out the door while muttering something to Yamcha. She knew that she should check and see if Yamcha was okay but forced herself to stay put knowing that her happiness at Vegeta's words would finally break through.
"Well now, Bulma," her Father said as he and Yamcha, who was rubbing his neck with a frown on his face, came into the kitchen, "it sounds like your birthday has been interesting."
Unable to hold it back any longer, Bulma let out a small laugh. "Trust me, Dad, interesting doesn't begin to explain it."
Bulma grimaced as she checked out the silky lingerie her Mother had given her. Sure it looked fine and fit her perfectly but it was a lot more revealing than anything she'd worn around Vegeta yet and she wasn't too sure what his tastes were. 'I wonder if something like this is just considered indecent to him.'
Sighing she moved towards the window, opening it to lean out. Looking over the right side she was surprised to see that the lights were off in the GR. 'That's odd. I figured that he'd be training through the night what with being denied the GR for half the day and having to deal with Yamcha's closeness.' She chuckled at that thought. Vegeta's threshold of patience had been crossed and redefined several times that day since he refused to leave her alone in Yamcha's company but it seemed that in the end he was as satisfied with admitting to their relationship as she was in that he was able to make his point about what was unacceptable to him without having to watch over Yamcha like a hawk.
Bulma's laughter instantly stopped as she heard the low rumble behind her. Turning around she saw Vegeta standing behind her with a towel wrapped around his neck. 'Wow, he actually used the door this time.' Noticing him checking out her new underwear with a frown on his face, she sighed. "I knew you wouldn't like it."
"I don't dislike it, Woman; I dislike the fact that you're wearing it in front of the window where everyone can see you."
She rolled her eyes at that, 'Some things never change.' Moving back inside the room, she walked up to him. "So, what are you doing inside so early?"
Vegeta looked off to the side, blatantly ignoring her question. After a few seconds he finally asked, "What did you wish for?"
'Sorry, Vegeta, that's a secret.' Knowing full well that telling him that her wish already came true would send him into a fit about somehow being controlled by the candles. "That a certain someone will be gentle with me until this bruise goes away."
He looked over at her, with an upset frown obviously not buying her answer. "Woman, you made the wish before the idiot hit you."
"Well I'm changing it. It may have been an accident but it does hurt. So what do you say? Think you can be careful and play without throwing me through the air?"
Bulma's smile nearly disappeared at the sight of Vegeta's playful look, seemingly unhindered by her taunt. "Trust me, Woman, my level of control is far superior to his. Trust me that, of everything that I make you feel tonight, the pain will be the last thing on your mind," he finished his promise by pulling her close to him, the look in his eyes making her shiver with anticipation.
Not wanting to be left out of the fun, Bulma smiled and placed her hands on his face pulling him in for a deep, slow kiss. She watched as he eyes showed how confused he was at her forwardness given that he had just 'threatened' her but slowly his eyes closed and he returned the kiss.
It had indeed been a full day for Bulma. Much like how Vegeta had refused let anyone know about their relationship but in the end was happy to see that it did have its advantages, Bulma had started off the day fully believing that her Mom was off her rocker about her being in love with Vegeta but now realized that she had fallen in love with him more than she ever thought possible. Sure it was foolish, after all he was training to defeat Goku after the android were dealt with, and she knew that he had no intents to stay here after that was taken care of. There was little chance of him ever returning her feelings but for now it was okay.
'Right now, it's perfect and I wouldn't trade this feeling for anything in the world.'
End of the birthday chapter. I hope it came out nicely. Please feel free to review if you want, I love to hear the feedback.
