Well, you all should know what will happen in this chapter...
I figured I wouldn't take a whole chapter to do this, but I wanted to give a shoutout to RoyalBlueRoses for giving me some well-needed feedback a few chapters ago.
And, if you've been wanting something to add to your reading experience...or just want good music selections for other fics, I have compiled a playlist of my go-to songs while writing this story:
*Interspace-Starcadian
*Running Up That Hill-Meg Myers
*Swim-Chase Atlantic
*Test the Waters-Autograf, WYNNE
*Modern Animal-Magic City Hippies
*Too Proud (Kito Remix)-Broods
*NASA-Ariana Grande
*365-Zedd/Katy Perry
*Flames- R3HAB, ZAYN
*Look What You're Doing To Me-BANKS
*Lights Low-RKCB
*Don't Let Me Go-Raign
(And some other soundtrack selections from Lord of the Rings (Evenstar) and The Witcher (The Great Cleansing) to name a few!)
**If you want more than even that list, I GOTCHU. Just PM me or comment lol
I don't know about you guys, but I gotta write and read to the good shit.
***And guys, please don't be afraid to leave a comment to tell me if you like something/don't like something. If it needs changing...I WILL GO BACK AND FIX IT. lol***
ANYWAYS, back to the fic. Enjoy...this chapter was weird for me to write but I had some fun with it for sure.
Over the next couple of weeks, Bulma kept herself busy with her newest project, an enhancement shot that would boost her body's production of creatine, beta-alanine, and carnitine and a mixture of other synthetic blends her father invented to help her build strength as she worked out in her home gym.
As soon as she understood what it would take to hold her own in a fight with Goku and Chi-Chi, Bulma wanted to keep a regimen to ensure she could at least stand a chance against a normal human. She wouldn't have to worry about going up against a Saiyan, so there was no need to train like one, but some enhancements for some skin in the fighting game wouldn't hurt either.
Her only problem with this after the incident was that now, she would have to do this with Vegeta, and it was intimidating as hell. The prince wouldn't let her out of his sight, as promised, and with that came little to no privacy. The only privacy he would allow now was the bathroom, and even that didn't matter because they were married. She wanted to train alone, but when he heard she trained with none other than his long-time adversary, he couldn't let it go. He fumed so hard that day, she worried about Saiyan blood pressure. From there on out, when she wanted to train, it was only with him, and he scrutinized everything.
"Stabilize that core, woman. Don't leave yourself open! Your form is weak, just like Kakarot's head!"
"Alright-ALRIGHT. Knock it off, time-out. That last one was unnecessary and you know it, mister!" Bulma declared, full of irritation.
"Preposterous. It's an accurate assessment, you're just sensitive to criticism," he taunted.
"No-you just can't stand that I didn't come to you for training! News flash- you were gone on some stupid sight-seeing fieldtrip in the mountains. So cool it, you nerd!" Bulma huffed, not taking any of his shit.
"I was busy thinking of how I was going to withstand being married to a headache like you! You are more work than a typical Saiyan woman, much less a Saiyan elite! Now, go again, and this time, show me you know how to block!"
Bulma wished she has the physical strength to take on an actual Saiyan right now to shut his big, fat mouth.
"It's not my fault your people's stupid, xenophobic curse took over my delicate, human body!" She defended, readying her stance exactly how he taught her.
"Tch. Delicate my ass! Have you paid attention to your eating habits lately? You aren't as strong as the weakest Saiyan, but you sure do eat like one!" He snarked.
That did it. A line had just been crossed.
In her mind, he just implied the "f" word. Bulma had never wanted to kick his ass harder in her whole life.
"Are you trying to call me FAT…?"
The air around them changed considerably as Bulma dropped her fighting stance and stalked towards the mouthy Saiyan prince.
He was beginning to look considerably out of his depth, as "fat" wasn't even an insult he would associate her with.
"W-what? No, I said-"
"Oohh ho-ho. I know what you said. I'm eating like a fat slob, right? Like-some pig-RIGHT? Oh I wish my punches could do some damage to that smug face of yours…If I was a Saiyan you'd be in some fucking trouble right now….NO ONE calls me FAT."
"I-I didn't! Bulma just stop it already, listen to me-I said you've just been eating more lately-" He cut off his defense when she reached for her pocket, watching her curiously.
She took her keychain out from her pocket and pressed the small button that gave an example of 1000x gravity.
The gravity-enhanced gloves on Vegeta's hands responded, instantly falling to the floor-Vegeta attached.
He hit the ground with such a force, he winced painfully. The weight was so extreme he couldn't even lift a finger to pull them off.
"Y-you could do that…this whole time!?" He grunted angrily.
"Yup" She said, releasing the 'p' with a pop, swinging her keyset around on her finger.
"You let me up this instant, woman!" He yelled, trying to gain leverage by pushing up off the floor with his legs.
"Hmm…maybe."
"NO MAYBE-LET ME UP NOW!" He roared, air sparking with Ki.
"Alright Vegeta, stop struggling or you'll break them. I'll let you up-if you take it back."
"Take it back- BULMA I DIDN'T CALL YOU FAT YOU IDIOT!" His anger spiked again as he went back to prying his arms up from the floor of the GR.
She didn't give him a chance to break out as she pressed the little button a second time. The force sent him flying, hitting the ceiling of the room with a loud thud. He hurtled back to the ground and landed on his stomach. He sat up, groaning from the fall.
"I'll be in the kitchen, eating a salad, you JERK." She walked to the heavy metal door of the chamber and slammed it shut.
Oh, how the female species still managed to baffle the Saiyan prince.
Or maybe it was just his female, he thought as he picked himself up, stomping out of the GR and storming angrily over to the main building.
"Honey, maybe Vegeta is right. You have been eating more lately," Panchy stated politely, as eating and weight was a sensitive subject with her daughter.
Bulma currently had a salad...and three chicken salad sandwiches on her plate, munching on a chocolate muffin.
"This is just a snack, mom. I'm fine, I haven't gained a single inch!" She cried, looking at the food in front of her.
She was far from wanting to admit it, but maybe they were right. She usually had one sandwich or one salad…not all this.
"Hmph. It's probably my supplement shots I'm giving myself. I'm probably needing more calories to keep up with my workout regimen!" She thought cheerily, knowing this meant she was probably going to gain some muscle now.
"I don't know, dear. Isn't it just exercise that triggers that?" Chaps chimed in from his place at the table.
"Well, if it's not my shots, what can it possibly be?" Bulma asked with annoyance.
Both of her parents shot glances to one another before Vegeta charged into the kitchen.
"Bulma, if you do that again-no more training for you. I won't stand for cheap tricks like that." His tone suggested he was not in the mood for banter.
She smacked her lips. "Fine. Whatever. My parents and I are trying to figure out why my appetite has increased, and it can't be my supplements apparently, and I don't think my exercise has anything to do with it…unless I'm being more active somehow." She put her fist on her chin and thought.
Everyone in the room but Bulma looked at each other now.
Vegeta surprisingly mouthed "pregnant?" to Chaps, who shrugged and mouthed a "maybe" in response.
Vegeta pursed his lips as Bulma hit her fist on her open palm, implying she had an answer.
"I got it! My body is just trying to make up for all the times I wasn't eating, and it's trying to balance out my appetite by having me eat more than usual! Does that even make sense?"
The room was still silent. Panchy broke out into a big smile but had enough sense to keep her mouth from blurting out what she wanted to say.
Vegeta cleared his throat to interrupt the quiet.
"I'm going to go take a shower. Panchy, prepare my lunch….please," he muttered at the end, but Panchy was overjoyed with his manner improvements.
"Of course, Vegeta honey! I'll whip up your favorites," she winked as he turned to walk out of the room.
Chaps sat his paper down and carefully assessed his daughter, adjusting his glasses.
"Bulma…maybe you should check your hormone levels-particularly your hCG levels."
She gasped and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Are you trying to tell me to take a pregnancy test, dad?"
The doctor looked to his wife, who was grinning profusely and barely able to contain her excitement.
"Oh, honey! I hope it's a boy! That will be so much fun!" Panchy squealed, clapping her hands excitedly.
Bulma visibly deflated.
"No. No, you guys can't seriously think-"
"Bulma, it doesn't take genius intellect to put two and two together. When is your official wedding date? You should do it soon, wouldn't want the media hounding you with rumors. It could cause problems for your reputation in the company. You two need to hold an official ceremony to announce your declaration. Capsule Corporation is too renown for its heiress have a baby out of alleged wedlock, dear. It would be considered a scandal," he told her gently.
"But dad. It wouldn't be out of wedlock. Me and Vegeta are already married, don't worry. We married about two months ago actually." Bulma was too enwrapped by the conversation to realize the truth her father and mother had already discovered.
"I know," he said gruffly, picking up his water and taking a swig.
"You-you know already!? How?" Bulma asked, genuinely intrigued. She was shocked that they knew all this time and didn't say anything!
"Vegeta mentioned it to us briefly. We figured you'd tell us eventually."
"Wow, okay…wasn't expecting that-and I meant to tell you guys, I just figured I'd wait until we had an actual human wedding."
"Right. Human wedding…if you don't mind me asking, what is the difference?" He inquired.
She hesitated, before reaching for her collar around her neck and pulling it down, revealing the healing scar she now sported, showing the mark that bonded her to Vegeta. It was smaller now, but still quite visible.
"This," she said, showing her parents her husband's mark.
Panchy gasped, and Chaps' eyebrows shot straight up.
"It looks brutal, but it didn't really hurt. I usually keep it covered, but it's supposed to be displayed. It shows, at least in Saiyan culture, that I'm…married."
"Well, I guess I can't argue with an alien culture…but by Jove, I wish it didn't involve leaving a permanent mark on you like that, Bulma," he said.
Bulma shrugged, releasing her collar. She chose to avoid telling them about the curse the union brought. She figured this was enough in and of itself.
"Okay, honey. If that is what you want, I can't argue with you-and especially not him. We welcomed him into our home, we can welcome him into the family, too."
Bulma looked at her father, and broke into a teary smile, standing to reach her father and wrap him in a hug. Panchy skipped over and hugged them both happily. They all smiled and chatted while they ate. Panchy continued to cook Vegeta's lunch, and he came down the stairs after he sensed the conversation was over, smelling fresh from a nice, hot shower and ready for a good meal.
"Thank you..." Vegeta muttered under his breath, and Panchy grinned widely.
As they ate, they felt a comfortable silence take over, and were able to enjoy a peaceful lunch.
When lunch was finished, Bulma was the first to leave the room, heading to take a seat on the couch in the living room.
She pulled out her phone and anxiously made a call to Downtown Capsule Corp, making a request for a certain...specific type of kit.
Hours later, Bulma stood in her bathroom, holding the pregnancy kit she ordered.
Tonight was the night. The truth finally revealed, where she would learn if she was going to be a mother nine months from now or not. She took the kit into the bathroom and she decided she would wait until after Vegeta had gone to sleep to take it.
She set the kit on the counter and walked back into her room. He was there, waiting for her to return, laying on their bed.
"What was in the box?"
"Don't worry about it, just a new…supplement."
He shifted into a seated position, crossing his arms.
"Oh really? Bulma, you are probably the worst liar I have ever met," he stated with a sigh.
She shrugged sheepishly, walking over to him as he reached his hand out for her to take. She slid her hand into his and let out a moan as the relief crawled its way up her arm and the burning at her neck ceased.
"Thanks, I needed that."
He pulled her into his arms and when she was comfortably tucked into his body, he reached up to turn out the light.
It's a pregnancy test, she disclosed to him through their bond.
I figured, he answered.
It's just a precaution, just to rule it out. She didn't want to make him uncomfortable with the possibly.
Whatever helps you sleep better, mate. Goodnight, he replied. Little did she know, he kept his thoughts about this from their bond; she was being ridiculous, since this was a natural part of their progression together-silly woman.
They both drifted off, only for Bulma to wake hours later, stricken with anxiety.
Pregnant? She gasped, holding her mouth with her hand, trying not to wake her husband.
No. I can't. This can't be.
Her hand settled on the counter of her bathroom, under it was the pregnancy test she took. It now indicated two solid pink lines. She was still slightly reeling from this revelation as she looked at her abdomen in her mirror. There would now be a growing half-human, half-alien hybrid, and she couldn't tell you the first thing about what to do with a baby, let alone a hybrid one.
She stifled a sob with her palm. She let her body slip to the floor, letting the test fall to the ground with a small plastic clatter across the tile.
She didn't want this yet. It was too soon.
She ran through her options, assessing and weighing pros and cons. If she went to Chi-Chi, at least she's had experience and would tell her what she should do. So long as she didn't bring up the father immediately, since Chi still felt tension towards him, Chi-Chi could comfort her and understand what she was feeling.
She made her mind up to leave in that moment, forgetting that it was almost 5 in the morning; about the time Vegeta would be leaving to train.
Bulma figured that by the time she got to Chi, it would be around 7, so that was more acceptable. No time to spare, she quickly and very quietly collected herself as she prepared to run to her good friend.
She glanced at Vegeta with a worried expression, not wanting to outright abandon her husband, but too freaked out to change her mind now.
She carefully turned the knob and shut the door behind herself.
"Bulma…?" Vegeta got up several minutes after Bulma had made her hasty exit, feeling the sheets in front of him and finding no signs of his wife.
He found her test wrapper on the counter in the bathroom, curiously examining its contents. He read the small instruction leaflet for further intel, before looking to the floor, finding the test face down on the tile. He picked it up and inspected the lines.
There were two solid pink lines, telling him one thing: Bulma was now pregnant with their child.
Slightly panicked, he walked out of their room and down the hall, looking through the compound and searching for any indication that she was present.
"Bulma!" he called out, not caring about what time it was.
His calls did in fact manage to wake the parents of his wife, with which he broke the news to and told them that he couldn't find her.
"Oh, my dear boy. She probably freaked out and ran to a friend's house. My first guess would be to her friend Chi-Chi's house, since she's had a baby fairly recently. She always goes there, or the Kame house if she has a problem we can't solve. Bring her home safely, son."
Vegeta exhaled and cursed under his breath. There was no way his wife would go to the Kame house, with that perv Roshi lurking about, so that affectively leaves Kakarot's house to search.
Oh joy, this is going to be pleasant.
"I'll be back soon," was all he told his in-laws as he took off flying in the direction of his rival, hoping he could catch her before she got there.
Bulma was cautiously steering her hover car above the city, over trees and powerlines, making her way to Chi-Chi's place, so she could clear her mind and have a good talk about what she should do before Vegeta finds out about the baby.
She sighed.
Oh Vegeta, what am I going to do? I don't feel ready for this responsibility yet. In a year or two, sure. But 2 months after we got married?
Her stomach churned uncomfortably, and a moment later, the need to vomit made a strong presence in her gut and up her esophagus. She held it back as she quickly made to touch down in a grassy field.
She hopped out and proceeded to throw everything she had eaten the night before up and onto the grass.
It was a violent release, and she doubled over, away from her mess and laid herself down with care onto the ground. She thought she could nap a moment before continuing her journey.
The next time she opened her eyes, she saw a figure standing before her, and as she panicked, they came down upon her and scooped her up.
"Well, you tried, I'll give you that, mate. Why is your first instinct always to run?"
She was still feeling disoriented in his arms as Vegeta carefully cradled her.
She tested the need to vomit again by putting her hand over her abdomen.
When her head caught up with the rest of her body, she looked up at him. A glare was fixed on his face.
She frowned.
"Feel sick, 'Geta."
"I'll bet you do. That's what you get for running away from me, silly woman. Did you think I'd be upset?"
She thought for a moment. "Yes...Maybe?"
He sighed.
"Let's get you home and tucked back into bed. I have to train."
She struggled to get out of his arms and back down on the grass. She got him to lose his grip on her when she pushed against his chest and she tumbled down and immediately got on all fours to vomit once more.
She finally reached a stopping point and gagged, before spitting and wiping her mouth with her sleeve. Her eyes were streaming with tears, and she couldn't bring herself to look at him in her current state.
"I have to see her," she declared.
He shook his head.
"No, your parents had you, they can help you for the time being with pregnancy information. You're coming back with me so I can put you to bed and have you safe and rested…and by the looks of it, a constant path to a toilet. Let's go."
He reached for her wrist, and she held firm against him.
"No, can't."
"Stubborn woman, you will come with me right now, back in this hovering contraption, and I will fly us home!"
"No!" Bulma said, now crying steady tears.
"Stop your foolishness! You're better than this. Pull yourself together, let's go."
She hiccupped.
"Better…than this? Hm. Kay," She decided and allowed her husband to put her in her hover car.
"Damn stubborn woman."
She giggled as she fell back asleep in the passenger chair of her hovercraft.
That night, after being awoken by a series of troublesome nightmares rife with screaming victims and dying comrades, Vegeta was now wide awake. He was watching Bulma as she slept and as he observed the serenity on her beautiful face, he reached his hand down to idly stroke his fingers across her lower abdomen while his heartrate returned to a steady pace. His movements and the calming of his mind allowed for him to guide his thoughts towards productive contemplation.
He reflected on all that had occurred over the last couple months, and he found it hard to fathom that they had come to this very predicament. It was sobering to say the least, and he was in no way prepared for what would come as him and Bulma navigated these uncertain times together.
He wasn't sure what new threats would be posed, and he would be naïve to assume those threats would be as easy to thwart as that spineless weakling, Yamcha. He wanted peace, but feared that together, him and Bulma attracted discourse like flies around rotting flesh. Dangers were unavoidable, and he would be ready to protect her with every fiber of his being, and though he wished that would be enough, he was afraid for her.
She was so delicate. If he squeezed her too hard, or pushed her harshly, she would bend and break and that would be the end of her fragile, human life, and in consequence, his child's life as well.
He wanted to break or fight something to relieve his frustration on the matter, but chose to channel the time he was still conscious into building harder training regimens in his head, thinking of ways to make him stronger and more resilient in order to combat what was very sure to lie ahead of them in the distant future.
When he was satisfied with his new mental training plan, his eyes drifted lower to focus on Bulma's second, rapidly growing Ki source nestled deeply somewhere inside of her. It was strong, even for something so miniscule, he realized as he concentrated on the energy there.
He was reluctant to linger too long on his newest mental investment for fear he would think too fondly on it and it would cease to exist, revealing itself to be merely a figment of his imagination. But despite his apprehension, he thought about this development in order to bring himself some sort of comfort:
It seemed that the universe, due in part to some sort of miraculous cosmic calamity, has officially decided he deserved some good in his life amidst the turmoil and uncertainty-one thing has been made certain; he was going to be a father.
He was going to be able to aid in the creation of the next generation of the Saiyan race, and he and Kakarot did not in fact have to be the last of their kind, forced into accepting the fate of their once strong and prideful people. His wife was the first assurance that he would never be alone, and his heir would be the proof of that assurance. This gave him a tremendous sense of serendipity, that after committing acts worthy of consequence and contrition, he was still granted mercy and a generous gift; a gift he could never work hard enough to deserve in any amount of time he was allotted to live.
He thought he originally earned some sort of compensation for all the atrocities committed against him, but he considered this to be the ultimate form of repayment, one he would never fully merit. He decided to commit himself to the protection of his new family, choosing to lay his life down for their betterment, and if he was going to die as a result of coming conflict, let this be the lasting legacy he left and let it be known that he never took this new trajectory for his life for granted.
In the middle of his rumination, Bulma had woken up, realizing where his hand was currently placed.
She searched his gaze with her own and after a moment she gave him a soft smile that reached her ocean-colored eyes, causing his breath to catch and his eyes to relocate their attention down between them; unable to hold eye contact without the reddening of his face.
You don't need to hide from me.
She reached over and held his chin gently in her hand. With some reluctance, he returned her gaze and, when she leaned in to plant a sweet kiss on his lips, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to revel in the rush it gave him, permitting the enjoyment in this tender gesture of affection.
He tested his tiredness, and finding the ability to lay his head back down without the intrusive thoughts of his night terrors to transfix him, he was lulled by Bulma; she began running her hand up and down his arm for added comfort, then pulling him in to hold him as he drifted back off to sleep.
