Gratitude

Summary:
Bulma can stand many things, but Vegeta doesn't appreciate having a place to live after Namak at all, the idiot!

Bulma had thought Vegeta was annoying while he thought he deserved to be sheltered by her family. Apparently, he had it in his head that it was her duty to take in a Saiyan Prince and she should be grateful for the opportunity.

She had felt bad for the guy, honestly, enslavement by his own people's killer until Vegeta was executed himself. But! A sense of sympathy for the cute and recently resurrected only goes so far. Even a perfect lady like herself couldn't deal with his fucking Royal Bullshit for more than a week without telling him Exactly where his ass stood.

A homicidal homeless man whose every bath, meal, and night not spent under a fucking bridge with the corpses of all the innocents he's recently killed used as a bed, was purely thanks to the Briefs family's pity. You did bleed for us and die for us, and we want to give something back. A place to rest and the chance to get stronger. However, it appeared that Saiyan Pride had never heard of giving back before, to not give even the slightest thanks.

The full explanation went on rather longer and more verbose, but Vegeta got the idea after the first twenty minutes. Bulma felt much calmer afterward, soothed from releasing the bottled indignity.

Vegeta was quieter after that, but he appeared nearby more often, at the edge of her vision. Looking oddly… pensive. While a quiet Vegeta is cute in its own way, this honestly got old within the day. An emo prince is much worse than a selfish one.

She caught him at one of his lurking corners and whirled on him, "Look, I don't know which injury finally made its way into concussing your brain, but if you don't stop moping I swear, on my frankly amazing figure, that I will find a scalpel and start cutting away until you stop fucking Hiding!"

Vegeta, for his part, looked baffled then righteously angry, "Woman! You tell me I, the Prince of Saiyans, owe you, but you don't approve of research into the subject!"

Bulma blinked, "Research?"

"To find what you could possibly need, in repayment, remember?!"

"Repa-? Look, you don't need to-"

"So you think I can't give you anything worthy?!"

"No, I just-"

"Vegeta, The Saiyan Prince, has nothing of merit to give!"

"I never said that!"

Vegeta visibly deflated, "I just… What do I have left worth taking anymore?"

Bulma watched, reminded that he wasn't really a screaming caricature, but a man like any other. "Well… I can think of one thing…" The words left her mouth before checking with her brain.

Vegeta looked up slightly, meeting her gaze again. A clear question within. Lips pursed ready to ask.

To both cut off questions and her own second thoughts, she leaned down and gave a gentle, quick kiss. Surprisingly soft lips met hers, for a second, then she straightened to view the damage of rash action. His lips were still parted and his eyes were widening. She met his eyes, and smiled warmly, "I think that'll be payment enough."

She started back toward her room, leaving him standing in place attempting to analyse sudden events. Over her shoulder, she saw his glazed look and added, "For starters, at least." Only a twitch told her he heard.

Bulma hoped she didn't break anything; he looked to be worth something, once properly house-trained of course.

Notes:
Bulma is so fun to write.
Especially when she's mean.

Head Canon: Vegeta is such a virgin. Frieza's death slave army is not the best way to meet hot singles in your area.
Think this is pretty canon actually because he thinks Bulma's mild flirting is "Indecent".