Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

To the guest reviewer who asked when I'd be adding a certain Namekian, he will be in the story. I promise XD Some other surprise characters will be too :3

"I can't believe we need to head back to school tomorrow," Chi Chi sighed leaning back on her couch. "The days just went by so fast."

Bulma agreed with her friend, but truthfully she wanted to get back to the school. She didn't want to say anything, but seeing the closeness between her friend and her father was beginning to weigh heavily on her heart, and both Vegeta and Nappa could tell something was off. It didn't surprise her that Vegeta would be able to tell, but the fact that his guard expressed his concern for her to her in private made her feel even smaller. "I just want to finish the semester out quickly. Then I can get back to Planet Vegeta."

"I really hope I can come this time," Chi Chi replied. She smiled slightly. "Kakarot said he wants to introduce me to his older brother."

"Raditz?" Bulma asked. She hadn't met the Saiyan during her stay there, but she knew of him. Vegeta had mentioned that Raditz had also been selected to join Frieza's ranks. "I didn't get to meet him, but I'm sure he's great."

Chi Chi only answered with a knowing but sad smile. Kakarot had told her a lot about his life with his brother and father, his fears of why his father refused to get along with him, and even the guilt he felt regarding his mother's passing. She knew he had told her father, and that Vegeta most likely knew, but trust was a major thing to a Saiyan, so Chi Chi could not answer Bulma's statement. Raditz was more than great. Kakarot looked up to him more than any other in his life.

The two girls looked outside, grinning when they saw the two Saiyans they had come to love having an all-out battle in the snow, using snow. Bulma felt a warm fondness in her heart. She could see that Vegeta was enjoying himself, grinning proudly and laughing as he tossed a large bounty of snow towards his younger friend. Off to the side, Nappa was chuckling at the two boys. Overall, everyone seemed very happy.

Chi Chi noticed the far off look on Bulma's face as the girl watched Vegeta in the snow. "I take it the two of you are officially dating now, or is that still just a trick for your father?"

Bulma looked over to Chi Chi, the smile never fading. "It stopped being a trick a long time ago," Bulma admitted to her friend. "To be honest, I don't think it ever was. I mean, I didn't expect things to turn out like this, but there was always a spark there."

The Ox princess nodded in understanding. She had always seen chemistry between Bulma and Vegeta. Even their airhead roommate had noticed that "spark." It was one of the reasons Maron had been more accepting. No one could deny the feelings that were clearly between the human heiress and Saiyan prince. "So it's more than the spark now, hm?" Chi Chi teased slightly. "Do I hear wedding bells in the future?"

The mention of a wedding left Bulma turning beet red. "Chi Chi!" the blue-haired girl shrieked. "Don't ask that! I mean…I…oh my gosh! I can't even think about that now!"

"Think about what now?"

It was a surprise to the Ox princess to see Bulma turned even redder because she didn't think it was possible. She had to force herself not to laugh at her friend's expense as Vegeta and the other two Saiyans came back into the house.

"N-n-nothing," Bulma stuttered. Vegeta's brow just quirked in confusion, the Saiyan blinking a few times at his girlfriend. "J-just talking about school stuff."

"Then why do you seem so nervous?" Kakarot questioned.

At this point, Chi Chi couldn't contain herself and released a quiet chuckle shaking her head. She hadn't meant to embarrass her friend, nor did she intend for the Saiyans to come inside at that precise moment. It was quite hilarious, though, and for that alone Chi Chi was glad she asked the question.

Bulma was blushing profusely, and Vegeta could sense her discomfort and embarrassment. He didn't know what Chi Chi had said to him woman, but he did not like how it made her feel. He also felt shame, though he couldn't understand why she felt that way. It was best to change the subject to get the spotlight off of Bulma. "When's lunch?"

Bulma was relieved when Vegeta asked about food. She really didn't want to discuss the topic of marriage when she couldn't even bring herself to say three little words to Vegeta. She was ashamed that she couldn't confess her feelings to him. It should have been easy to say, but every time she tried she wound up saying something else that subtly convey her feelings to the Saiyan. Why couldn't she tell him?

They were alone now, in the room provided to them in the Ox King's manor. It was quiet, and Bulma felt very anxious considering the awkward moment earlier that day. Vegeta tried to act casual, but her discomfort was radiating off of her in waves. The Saiyan wondered if she knew her anxiety caused him to feel anxious as well, because of their bond.

Her emotions confused him, and now he was wondering why she still affected by the harpy's comments earlier, whatever they were. The two of them slipped into bed and Vegeta snaked his arms around her causing the human to tense. Okay, this is getting ridiculous, his mind snapped.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked sitting up.

Bulma turned to face him but remained lying down. "What do you mean?" she asked nervously while trying to keep a calm façade.

Vegeta shook his head and snorted a laugh. "You would have done horribly in my world, woman," he teased though his tone was serious. He looked to her with his arms crossed. "You are a terrible liar."

The human blushed slightly, but she knew he was right. She decided not to play a game she couldn't win and was a bit more cooperative. "How did you know something was wrong?" she sighed.

His brows creased in both confusion and annoyance. "You're kidding, right? I could tell because we share a bond, remember?"

Bulma did remember, but it surprised her that the bond would share even personal emotions like that. "Oh God," she muttered burying her head in her hands. "That means you knew I was nervous earlier today, too?"

"Yes," he replied stoically. "Just like you can sense my emotions."

Bulma removed her head from her hands and looked at Vegeta sadly. "Okay," she breathed out. "Do NOT take this the wrong way, because there's more to it than what we were talking about."

Vegeta nodded, though he wasn't sure he'd like it if she thought he'd be insulted. Still, she was willing to tell him, and that had to be a good sign. "Chi Chi asked me today about our relationship and asked me if we were going to get married anytime soon."

The Saiyan knew of the term "marriage." It was similar to his race's term of "mating." He now understood why she thought he'd take offense, and it actually hurt when he realized that her embarrassment and shame was directed towards a union with him.

"See? This is why I didn't want to tell you," Bulma said in exasperation. "I can already feel the fact that you're hurt by that. My emotions earlier weren't about you or even marriage."

"Then what?" Vegeta asked keeping his voice even.

"I…" she attempted to say again before she cursed under her breath. "I have feelings for you, Vegeta," she began to explain. "And it should be easy to tell you just how deep those feelings run, but I just can't find the words, or at least bring myself to say the words. When she asked me that, it just reminded me that I can't say it, and that makes me feel like a horrible person. It had nothing to do with you."

Vegeta was astonished as he watched his girlfriend curl up into a ball, as if he she really did have something to be ashamed of. "Is that all?" he asked, his voice full of genuine surprise. "Bulma, what do you think the bond is for? Do you honestly think that we Saiyans put any weight into words that we don't even have a translation for in our language?"

Bulma's eyes snapped open when she heard that, and then she finally sat up. "What?"

Vegeta couldn't help but chuckle. This human was certainly entertaining. "I've felt what you feel for me," he admitted. "I don't understand it, but I've felt it. You don't have to tell me."

It stunned Bulma that Vegeta had felt her loving feelings towards him, and actually became thankful for the bond. She noticed Vegeta smirking and looked at him questioningly. "You're more Saiyan-like that you know, woman," he remarked.

He could feel Bulma beam with pride at his compliment and he too felt content. At the same time, he sensed that he had confused Bulma with his earlier statement. His amused expression became serious and he felt compelled to explain to Bulma why he said what he had. "I lived in a world where that emotion didn't exist," he began. "As a child, emotions like empathy, remorse, and that emotion you feel for me would have gotten me killed. I just haven't experienced them. It took me a long time, almost a decade after I was rescued, to feel anything besides burning hatred and anger. Even at that, I was still cold and calculating. I still am…"

Bulma felt her heart break for the man in front of her, but she could only lean against him and listen to whatever he wanted to say. His gaze remained serious as he looked down at her, but softened when she smiled at him. "I don't know if I can ever offer you those emotions," he confessed.

She shook her head in response, the smile still on her face. "It's okay, Vegeta," she told him. "I understand; believe me. You make me feel things I never even believed were actually possible, and I feel like you make me a better me, if that makes any sense at all. I…I know you care about me, and that's enough for me. I wouldn't feel as complete as I do if I didn't have you by my side."

Vegeta sucked in a surprised gasp and looked at Bulma strangely. Bulma blinked in confusion as he looked down at her with wide eyes. "What? Did I say something wro-"

She didn't even get a chance to finish her statement as Vegeta's lips crashed down on hers as he kissed her desperately. Bulma couldn't complain, but she could feeling the lingering emotions of genuine shock and amazement. It made her wonder what she had said to evoke such a reaction from her Saiyan boyfriend. Likewise, Vegeta could sense that she didn't understand, but that was fine, for there was plenty of time for that.

Because she said he completed her.

The next morning, Vegeta awoke early as per his usual routine. Bulma was still sound asleep and looked completely at peace. It amazed him that their emotions could be so in sync, for he too felt at peace from her words. In fact, he felt an almost euphoric feelings. Where words were usually empty in the Saiyan culture, the words she spoke were the most important between intended mates. There was no way she could have known, but at the same time it was what she felt.

He leaned down to kiss her forehead before he left the room. He ended up in the dining room and found Kakarot and Nappa already awake. They looked up when they heard his even footsteps and could see that he looked very proud over something.

Vegeta sat down at the table with his arms and feet crossed, a peaceful smirk gracing his features and his eyes closed.

Nappa snorted a laugh. "Do we have to guess what has you in such a good mood?" the elder Saiyan questioned.

The prince's eyes snapped open as he looked between his best friend and guardian. "She said I made her feel complete," he told them, both of their eyes widening.

Kakarot released and elongated whistle before his grinned at his friend. "Hey, that's awesome!" he cheered. "You must be over the moon right now."

"You never told her about those words, did you?" Nappa asked, still in a state of shock.

The smirk never left Vegeta's face. "No, I didn't," he confirmed. "It's something she felt on her own."

Nappa chuckled. "She must have been a Saiyan in another life," he joked. "Do you plan to enlighten her?"

Vegeta shook his head. "Not yet. Our relationship is progressing, as you are both aware. I do not wish to rush it."

"I understand," Nappa agreed. "Enjoy each step in the courting. There's no need to rush it."

"Courting?" The three Saiyans looked over and saw Chi Chi staring back at them. "What's courting?"

"It's the human equivalent of dating," Nappa explained. "It is a lot more complex, though."

Chi Chi decided to sit down at the table. "How so?"

Kakarot blushed slightly, smiling. "We've already started the courting process," he told her. "It all starts with a bond."

"I thought bonds were shared with everyone you're close to, though."

"They are," Vegeta spoke up. "The bond between mates progresses once full trust and understanding, as well as some other underlying emotions, have been established. After that, each of the pair must be willing to publically accept the other in front of the people who matter to them. It is a very big step."

"So like, meeting your significant other's parents?" Chi Chi asked.

Both Vegeta and Kakarot became serious. "If their opinion matters."

Chi Chi gasped when she realized what she had said. "Kakarot, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

Kakarot flashed her a cheeky grin. "Hey, don't worry about it," he said. "I know what you meant. As far as Earth customs, yeah, it's like that. It means the relationship is serious."

Chi Chi was really starting to get interested in the Saiyan courtship process and its similarities and differences from human customs. "What else?"

Both Vegeta and Kakarot were getting nervous by Chi Chi's interest. "Kakarot, let's go outside for a spar," Vegeta said, abruptly standing up.

"Y-yeah," Kakarot replied following suit. Both of them were the door in seconds, and it slammed shut behind them.

Chi Chi stared into space blinking before looking over to Nappa. "Was it something I said?"

Nappa released a booming laugh and shook his head. "No, nothing wrong," he assured her. "Saiyan courtship is very personal, and rarely spoken of. The only way for another Saiyan to know that Saiyans are courting is when the one initiating the courting allows his closest comrades to witness a moment, however large or small, between him and his intended. Everything that occurs after that is very personal and intimate and not easily discussed."

Chi Chi blushed. "You don't mean…"

"No, not right away," Nappa answered her unspoken question. He cleared his throat as he too was uncomfortable about discussing the intimacies of courting. Still, the humans his Saiyan charges were pursuing would need to know so that they wouldn't be taken by surprise.

"Once that step has past, the next path is relinquishing pride. Pride and honor are two staples we live by," he explained, "but a mate is the one person that can see you at your worst without devaluing you or bringing the flaw to anyone else's attention."

"How does one relinquish pride?" the human asked. She didn't understand as well as Bulma did, for Bulma once tried to explain it to her.

Nappa grew serious for a moment and stared at a spot on the table. "They need to know everything," he told her. "Maybe not in great detail, but every crime, every vulnerable moment, anything that would normally cause judgment, and that intended must accept it all without question.

"Then, after, there must be a fight. The fight is never arranged, but just happens. The intended mates must show their strength."

"What if the intended is weaker than her mate?"

"Inner strength," Nappa began, "is just as important as physical strength. You know how to fight, and Kakarot can restrain himself as Vegeta does Bulma. The fight is spontaneous, so not a sparring session or anything like that. It can happen any anytime, but the intended know, once the fight is over, that it has occurred and the other has proven themselves in their eyes. That's when the relationship begins to progress to a more physical relationship. And then mating happens, though with royalty it's a bit more complicated."

"How so?" Chi Chi asked and Nappa eyes her strangely. "What?"

Nappa was wondering if he should discuss the rules the royals had to follow when she herself was not involved with the prince. Then he figured it might be easier for her to know so that he wouldn't need to have this awkward discussion with Bulma over her relationship with Vegeta, the boy he watched grow up.

"I guess there's no harm in telling you," Nappa stated. "The royals are held to some standards and, though the relationship becomes more physical, mating cannot occur until after a ceremony is performed."

"Ceremony?"

"Like the wedding things you humans do," Nappa elaborated. "Just a public statement that the royal has taken a mate."

"Why do the royals need to follow that rule," Chi Chi wondered aloud, "and what happens if they break it?"

"The royal family is expected to follow the rule to display the quality of self-control," Nappa told her. "As for the other question…" He shrugged. "It's an old condition, but probably not as big a deal as it was when Vegeta's grandfather ruled."

Chi Chi got very quiet when he mentioned the former king, which made Nappa question what she knew. "How much of our history do you know, girl?"

The human smiled sheepishly as the Saiyan. "As much as Kakarot knows, I'm sure. I just kind of gathered that the former king made a mistake…"

Nappa released a bitter chuckle. "Mistake doesn't even begin to cover it," he remarked. "I take it he told you about his brother."

"Not in a lot of detail," Chi Chi assured him. "And I didn't ask for much detail anyway. I know how important trust is to all of you, but yes, he did tell me that Raditz ended up on that ship with you and Vegeta, and I know it was bad. That's as far as my knowledge goes about Raditz and the past. Mostly I know Kakarot trusts him a lot."

Nappa nodded. He was really impressed how two humans easily grasped the concept of trust and not giving out any information that was told to them unless it was generic that most people knew. "That's as much as you need to know," he told her.

"I know…" Chi Chi replied, looking away to see Kakarot and Vegeta flying midair firing series of punches and kicks. She was actually amazed when she saw this having never seen fights where both fighters had amazing speed that she almost couldn't keep up with. "Wow…"

"Yeah, they're impressive," both of them heard Bulma say. She was already dressed descending the stairs and not removing her eyes from the window. "Man, he really does go easy on me."

Nappa chuckled and smirked at the girl. It was true that Vegeta gave her a small handicap in addition to not using his ki in their fights, but he had still used all of his skills and tricks and Bulma responded accordingly. It was not her fault that she was born to a race where the normal power level was anywhere between two and five. She still knew how to handle herself in an actual fight, and that impressed both Saiyans greatly.

The Saiyan guard watched the two girls as they observed the spar between Vegeta and Kakarot. Chi Chi still looked impressed but dazed. Bulma, though, she was smiling as her eyes scanned Vegeta's form. Despite what had happened to her in the past week, she still looked incredibly happy reminding Nappa that she told Vegeta he completed her. A fondness for the girl washed over him, and he knew she would make an excellent princess for the Saiyan people despite her lack in physical strength. He was sort of happy he tricked the two into pursuing a relationship. Though it was possible one would have started between them, but this was it was happening much quicker.

The only problem was Bulma's father. Nappa didn't trust what the human would do, and he knew it was only a matter of time before they human tried to put a strain on the relationship with more rumors that would continue to keep the planet divided. He would keep his eyes and ears open while Vegeta and Bulma pursued this relationship. It was his duty to protect Vegeta, as it always had been, and that duty now extended to Bulma. If Dr. Briefs decided to try anything to interfere with his daughter's choices again, Nappa would make sure to intercept him. It was not only his duty, but his honor.

A/N: So, a little calm before the upcoming storm. Already three chapters ahead of this one, so hopefully I'll get them up sooner so the action can start ;) Thanks for reading and reviewing!