6
Finally! Vegeta flopped back on his bed in the Training Center. He loosened his tie and began to unbutton his shirt when he heard a knock on his door. "What?" He snapped as he opened the door, not too harshly in case it was Bulma. Piccolo shifted his weight from foot to foot as if he was uneasy and his speech was slightly slurred, "Con I come in?" Stepping aside, Vegeta motioned for the drunk man to enter, closing the door behind him. "Is there a reason you showed up at my door drunk?" Vegeta crossed his arms and leaned against a wall with one foot on the wall for a fast defense, while Piccolo slumped down on the bed. "I saw Freeza's speech. Did you see the look on his face?" Piccolo sighed, his tired body laying down on the soft bed. "Tch." Vegeta scoffed, "The only reason he didn't buy it is because," The teen tried his best to impersonate Freeza, "'Filthy monkeys can't feel petty emotions.'"
"Where would he ever get that impression?" Piccolo wondered irritably, rubbing a tired hand down his exhausted face. Snapping at the drunk man, Vegeta growled, "It's not my fault that Saiyans are naturally closed off to our emotions. My people were bred for battle and emotions on the battlefield makes one weak." Vegeta pushed himself off the wall and started pacing around the room, his voice rising with every sentence, "With what I did out there today, what I've done these past two weeks, has degraded me in the eyes of every Saiyan. Yes, we take Mates and give them gifts and shower them with affection. But we do it in private! Away for the eyes of friend and foe alike! And here I've been, breaking tradition just to bring peace?! Saiyans don't make peace, we make war!" He slammed his fist on the top of the dresser in frustration, inadvertently coving up the sound of the door opening.
"Vegeta?" Bulma's soft, quiet voice stopped his tirade as he turned to find her standing in the doorway in nothing but a silky lavender nightgown that left little to the imagination. Eyes as black as night raked up and down her curvaceous body, which caused a deep blush to appear on her cheeks that darkened when Vegeta growled, "What are you wearing, Woman?" Tucking her blue hair behind her ear as she stepped just inside the room, Bulma swallowed thickly, "It… It was laid out for me on my bed. I thought you had done it… I'll go take it off." Sitting up so fast that it made his head spin, Piccolo said, "No! Whoa… Okay, that's better."
Gazing at the young woman, the blond Winner motioned for her to come closer, "Close the door. Good. Now, you'll have to sleep in that until we get back to Region 12." "What? Why" Bulma asked, the shock and fear in her voice covering an underlying tone of anger. Vegeta hung his head, he already knew who left the purple negligée shift dress for his Mate, "Because Freeza left it for you." "That's even more of a reason to burn the thing." Bulma spat venomously.
Even though Vegeta wanted to rip the disgusting excuse of a nightgown from her body, he knew Freeza would find out if he did. Comfortingly wrapping his thick, muscular arms around her lithe frame, Vegeta whispered hoarsely, "We can't. Not without harming your family in the process." Tears welled in her crystal blue eyes, "So what? We're just going to let him control our lives now? All because he can't get over this idea that Saiyans can't love someone." "Yes." Vegeta sighed, adding as he peppered light kisses to the tear tracks on her cheeks, "Just until we get back home. And no, I will not push you away this time." Hope flashed in her clear blue eyes as she breathed, "Promise?" Smirking, Vegeta's gravelly voice rumbled, "On my pride as a Saiyan Prince. Besides, you are my Chosen Mate and there are certain things I am expected to do and to be seen doing them. More so of me because I'm the Prince of All Saiyans."
Grunting to remind the teens of his presence, Piccolo stood, swaying slightly, "G'night and don't do anything stupid." "Goodnight, Mr. Piccolo." Bulma called to the drunk as he staggered out the door, leaving the teens alone in Vegeta's bedroom. "Should we go back to my room or…" Bulma let her words hang in the air, hoping that Vegeta would understand that she really didn't want to sleep in her room tonight. Effortlessly scooping his Mate up into his arms, Vegeta carried her the short distance to his bed. He managed to arrange Bulma to where he could hold her with one arm while he pulled the covers back. Then he gently laid her down on the bed, kissed her tenderly, and tucked the sheets around his blue-haired beauty before crawling in on the other side. After Bulma was comfortable and asleep, Vegeta let his swirling thoughts keep him awake. No one will hurt you, Woman. This I promise.
The trio of Winners and their Escort were back on the train by midmorning and racing towards Region 12. Although Bulma knew that she would either find Vegeta in his room or the lounge car at the end of the train, she didn't feel the need to seek him out as she had earlier in this trip. At least the Woman's finally giving me some space. Vegeta concluded as he glanced up at the clock after his 419th push-up. 420! He exhaled sharply as his stomach growled, It seems I've missed supper. Maybe there's still some food left out. After drying off and changing into a fresh pair of shorts, Vegeta went off in search of sustenance.
Eventually finding a tray of leftover white-filled chocolate cookies that he didn't have a chance to try at the Winner's Ball, the ravenous Saiyan quickly devoured the entire tray. Still hungry, Vegeta picked up a discarded mint garnish and started to suck on it, hoping that it would trick his body into thinking that eating time was over. Nappa had taught him this little trick for when he was out in the woods all day, 'A little bit of mint can make your body think that it's eaten something. So that way your stomach won't scare all the animals off, Vegeta.'
Chewing the herb as he made his way to Bulma's room, he passed by the control room for the train with the t.v. on; and unattended. It was showing a riot of some kind in a Region, there were blazing fires and Freeza Force mooks hosing down both the fire and the rioters. But what got his attention was when someone held up a sign with the flames behind it, making the Saiyan Royal Crest stand out against the flickering orange background. Luckily, all his years in the forest were paying off as Vegeta silently stalked from the scene that he was most definitely not supposed to see and slipped into Bulma's room unhindered.
There was a shuffling noise coming from the bed. "Vegeta?" Bulma called out sleepily as she propped herself up on her elbows, "I thought you wanted to be alone tonight." Chuckling as he crossed the room, Vegeta wondered, "What made you think that, Woman?" "Yooouuu weren't at supper." Bulma yawned, curling against Vegeta's warm chest. "I merely lost track of time while I was training. But we will not be able to do this when we get home." Vegeta sighed, he was dreading being back in 12; Nappa threatening to leave was just one of many reasons. That shocked the sleep right out of her, "Why not? It's not like my parents would mind. Granted, Dad'll probably make something to watch us sleep…" "It's not for your parents' sake that I will not share a bed with you in 12." Vegeta interrupted, elaborating on his statement, "Us laying together like this is looked down upon by even the most non-traditional Saiyans. And I've spit on enough traditions with this blasted Journey."
Bulma turned so she could see his face while still laying on his muscular torso, thoughtfully wondering, "What exactly are the Saiyan traditions that we're going to be following?" Closing his galaxy-like eyes, Vegeta recalled as many as he could, "First off, after the Chosen Mate accepts the gift, the pair has a small gathering of their families to announce their choice since the gift is to be given in private. After the families are told and introduced to each other, the male is to start gathering materials for the 'mating nest'; which is essentially furs and soft fabrics to cover the marriage bed. If the female wishes to assist in cleaning and tanning the hides and sewing the fabrics together, she can but there will always be one thing that the male will hide from her so he can surprise her on their Mating night."
Yawning great big, Bulma closed her eyes and nestled against his side, "What else, Vegeta?" Lovingly stroking her blue locks, Vegeta smiled as he continued to talk, "As the male, I must show that you are mine at all times. Now that may not be what you think it means; I may become more surly, or try to cut you off from other males, but at times my affections will get the best of me as well. But as the female, Woman, you should not challenge me in front of others unless I give you permission; however, once I give you permission with that person you are free to challenge me in front of them for as long they live." When he didn't get a response from his last statement, Vegeta figured that Bulma had fallen asleep not long after he started to pet her hair. She's always liked it when I played with her hair… Vegeta yawned as he blinked slowly, eventually joining his Mate in the realm of sleep.
