*Mystery Years*
~Chapter Two~
[In the kitchen.]
"Vegeta." She said in a regular voice knowing full well he could hear her even though he was outside stretching. He trudged in covered in sweat and took a seat in front of a table full of food. 'All my favorite foods.'
"Woman, what is all of this?" He snatched an egg roll and took a bite but not before glancing at her swaying body in front of the sink.
"I wanted to do something nice for you to say thank you and what better way then to fill your tummy with all your favorite foods." She never turned to look at him; she just kept scrubbing the pans in front of her. When she finished she turned around to flash him a smile. Vegeta looked at her and became uncomfortable for about the thousandth time that day. Then all of a sudden she disappeared, then reappeared in a few minutes. Vegeta flinched when he felt something soft touch his cheek.
"What the?" He looked at the soft object; it was a hand towel.
"Oh sorry Vegeta, I didn't mean to frighten you."
"What are you doing now, Woman?" He looked at her but continued eating.
"Wiping the sweat off of you." Vegeta jumped up from his seat utterly freaked out. 'Ok now I know there's something wrong with her. Maybe that gash to the head.' "I didn't want you leaving sweat all over the place. That's the last thing I want. My house completely smelling of you." She lied to settle him down. She walked over to him and dragged the little towel across his forehead. 'Ok maybe she is okay after all.'
"Hmp." Vegeta sat back down and continued his attack on the table of food. Bulma went about wiping his arms and back, Vegeta had to do everything in his power to keep his breathing under control. Once in a while Bulma's hand would slip off the towel and she got to feel his well-formed muscles. She noticed however she wasn't the only one getting turned on by the closeness. 'Maybe I should be evil. Stoop to his level, it could be fun.' Bulma made up her mind to tease Vegeta. She placed her free hand on his shoulder that was opposite of her and bent over the other pressing her breast against his blade, her breath cascaded down his chest. Bulma let her hand slither down to slowly drag the towel lightly over his upper chest, her fingers gently and 'accidentally' gliding across his smooth skin. She heard and felt Vegeta's breathing quicken almost immediately. 'Ok either any woman could turn him on cuz he hasn't had any in a long time or he finds me attractive.' Bulma bit down on her lower lip hoping the latter part was true and the rest was hogwash.
Vegeta really started to run into a problem when she traveled south to cleanse his washboard abs. Bulma abruptly stood relieving Vegeta of his torments. She put the towel around his neck and picked up a pile of plates and headed for the sink. Carefully hiding her lightly flushed face. They spent the rest of the meal in silence. Vegeta had finished his meal long before she did with the dishes as expected. He felt bad for a second for leaving her to deal with all the dishes, but he had training to do plus how could a prince wash dishes. It just wasn't done.
"Vegeta aren't you going to go train?"
"Yeah." He sighed and rose from the table like a zombie. Bulma turned to study him. He walked to the door like a zombie and exited like one. 'Crazy Saiyan.' She reached over and turned on a radio. When Bulma was finished in the kitchen she went to the Prince's room. She gathered up all of his clothes and washed them. She vacuumed and dusted both his and her rooms. The only thing that slowed her was when she was stripping his bed of its linens. She loved his scent. 'Oh what am I doing? I don't have time for this. Besides I could never be with him. Though he was a completely didn't person today. I suppose 'that' man could love and care about me.' Bulma went into her room and out onto her balcony for a little break. She sat down on a chaise and took in a deep breath. She furrowed her brow and she took in another deep breath. She was covered in his scent. Bulma smiled and laid back, it didn't take long before she fell asleep. Bulma awoke some time later to muted cursing. 'Must be Vegeta.' The evening rays of the sun stunned her. 'I slept that long.' She bolted up and into her room and made her bed. Then she went into the Saiyan's; she didn't even bother to knock. She went straight to his bed and pulled out some linen from the drawers under the bed. She quickly made his bed and was smoothing it out when she heard another curse rant from behind the closed door of the bathroom.
"Vegeta?" She went over to the door only to have it open. She jumped back in surprise.
"What?" She stood up straight and tried to regain her composure.
"Are you all right?" She glanced at him then behind him to see if she could see the problem.
"Where are my clothes, woman?" Her eyes went big.
"Oh Vegeta I'm so sorry. They're still damp in the dryer." She cursed at herself under her breath and didn't realize Vegeta heard her.
"It's all right." He said in a plain tone.
"Huh?" She whispered looking up at him.
"You've had a bad day to say the least and yet you still tried to do your house chores. You're strong Bulma but not invincible."
"Look who's talking." Vegeta snorted at the comment and crossed his arms. She walked up to him and ran her fingers over a small scar on his forearm. "Don't forget you're not invincible either." She said in a soft and caring voice. Vegeta looked at her, sensing her concern for him. 'Her comment hadn't been an insult?' "But I think I have something to help." She said with a cheery voice.
"What!? Don't you think you've done enough for me already?" Bulma took a step back from him not sure it was still Vegeta anymore.
"What was that?" She whispered in a hopeful voice. Vegeta smiled his special smile that only she got to see. "You can be so sweet some times." She glowed with happiness.
"But if you've already got something might as well hand it over?" His grin changed to a smirk. 'The boy still wants his toy.' "Come on what is it?" He begged. Bulma liked this new side of Vegeta. So she decided to give him a hint, she leaned forward and placed a velvety kiss on a small light scar on his chest.
"Guess?" She taunted him.
"With your skill and knowledge I could be here all day." She leaned in and kissed the same scar.
"Ah but it's no fun if you don't guess." Again she kissed the same scar for the third time.
"Something to do with that scar?"
"Uh-huh. And how did you get that scar?"
"Nappa got me with an attack just above my armor when I was a kid but you already knew that."
"Uh-huh." She kissed him again.
"You didn't?" The light bulb finally lighting up.
"Hm." She raised her eyebrows and smiled a bit. Bulma reached into her pocket and pulled out a capsule. She clicked the top and tossed it onto his bed. Two piles of blue material popped into view. Vegeta walked around her and over to his bed. It was then that Bulma noticed that Vegeta was only wearing a towel around his waist and instantly got warm. "I was finally able to match the material, well the best I could. There were some contents that Earth just didn't have so I had to hunt around for a substitute. Oh and I almost forgot." She said trying to suppress her lustful instincts. She dug into her pocket again and pulled out another capsule. This one she threw by his feet. The contents inside turned out to be two body armors, two sets of boots and two sets of gloves. Vegeta picked up a clump of blue material and snapped it open to reveal a long sleeved shirt with a slight turtleneck; prefect for his training and it was light as a feather too. 'She did an excellent job.' Just then the doorbell rang. Bulma exited his room and answered the door. "Oh hi Yamcha."
"Hey." Discovering who was at the door Vegeta quickly shed himself of the towel and threw on the pants and boots and a made a beeline for downstairs.
"Come on in." At that moment Vegeta walked in to make an embarrassed Yamcha turn into a nervous wreck. He sat down on the sofa never acknowledging Yamcha. Yamcha still couldn't help his shaking. 'Wow what's up with him?' Bulma thought, she didn't know Vegeta had come downstairs, seeing as he was off to the side and behind her.
"I came for my things." He said looking behind her. She pointed to a few boxes. When he started to his car with one Bulma took a peek behind her to see Vegeta sitting of the couch reading the TV guide. 'Well, well, well. He must have hurried down here; he didn't even finish getting dressed. And I know he really wanted try my new armor. How sweet of him to look out for me.' She picked up a box and helped Yamcha pack his car.
[By the door inside.]
Bulma picked up the last box and handed it to Yamcha. "See ya around?"
"Yeah." She sighed. He gave her a hug and turned to go.
"Ok, the nex–" He contorted his face and sniffed the air around him.
"Yamcha?" Bulma took a step forward and Vegeta looked up at them.
"YOU!" He yelled and turned around.
"What?!" She stumbled backwards.
"You smell like him!" He snarled and clutched the box so tight he started to crush it. At this point Vegeta was on his feet. "You're covered in his scent! So you were fucking him!" By now the box was no more and he was advancing toward Bulma.
"Yamcha I never slept with Vegeta. I don't cheat!"
"Then why do you smell of him?"
"Even if I did sleep with him this afternoon it doesn't mean I cheated. We broke up this morning, plus I didn't sleep with him! It's from cleaning his room. I told you that this morning."
"Right and I'm suppose to believe that! He's half naked and you've both changed your clothes. Plus you don't have his shower fresh scent, you have his…well…" He backed her up to the edge of the foyer, when she took another step it was onto nothing. She began to fall but to her great surprise never found the floor beneath her. Bulma opened her eyes to find herself eye level with Yamcha and some how flying. She looked down to her stomach where she felt something hard and hot pressing against it. What she saw shocked her. 'Vegeta's forearm?! He kept me from falling?!' She calmed herself and her senses came back her. She could feel his muscular chest behind her and something growing hard and pressing against her lower back. 'The close contact must be turning him on, which must be why he's not putting me down. The last thing Yamcha needs to see…is…Vegeta's…attraction to me.' Just saying it to herself made her heart skip a beat and she unconsciously smiled. Yamcha grew even madder.
"Leave." She barely heard Vegeta say through her daydream.
"Just admit it Bulma." He completely ignored the Saiyan.
"This is ridiculous Yamcha you know as well as I do that it wasn't working out and that I still would never cheat. I may look but I'd never act on it and you know it. Unlike some one else I know."
"But I just saw you smile!" He was completely enraged now. Vegeta lower his head to hide his mouth behind Bulma's head and let out the giant smirk he had been suppressing. Bulma could feel the upper back part of her head get warm. She moved slightly and felt Vegeta's nose. 'What the hell is he doing!?'
"Yamcha just trust me. Have you ever doubted my loyalty to you before?"
"No." Yamcha seemed to calm down for the most part.
"So why would you think now all of a sudden I would betray you? I don't betray my friends." She said the last part firmly.
"Yeah I suppose you're right." Logic finally taking its place in his mind.
"Suppose nothing. You know it." She tried to repress her anger.
"Ok, okay." He looked down at the floor and at the mess he had made smashing the box.
"Don't worry about it, I'll clean it up."
"Sorry, Bulma." He turned and left.
"Vegeta?"
"What?" He snapped.
"Are you ever going to put me down?" She teased, just then an awful smell crept their way. It was coming from the busted box on the floor.
"What's that horrible smell?"
"That box had his cologne, after shave and some hair products. Their mixture has to be causing it." By then the smell was giving Vegeta a headache and making Bulma nauseous.
"I can't take it anymore."
"Well if you'd put me down I could take care of it."
"Hmph." He tossed her over onto the sofa he had been sitting on as if she was no more then a bouncy ball. Vegeta floated over to the mess but cautiously kept his distance. Bulma had landed in a heap, but she was surprised to find that he had carefully aimed for a blanket that had been folded up at the end to soften her landing even more. Then it dawned on her that he had thrown her a side for some reason instead of just placing her on her feet. She looked over to see him kneeling about two feet from the pile. He had his hand stretched out aimed at the mess and gathering Ki energy.
"No! Don't do that, you'll put a hole in the floor." She hopped up and ran next to him.
"Don't worry woman I won't damage the floor." He said tiredly.
"You promise?" Giving him a skeptic look. 'What is it with this woman and promises? It's like she doesn't trust anyone.' Then it hit him. 'Because she doesn't you nit!'
"Yes I promise." He said gently. Then he turned his attention back to his hand. Bulma moved behind him to watch. Just as he promised he did not ruin the floor but he did get rid of the mess and smell.
"Amazing. There's not a scratch." She left his side to inspect the spot. "I had no idea you could do that."
"It's not a skill I like to brag about." He rose to his feet.
"Oh, ok." She almost whispered, getting the fact that she's not to say a word about this to anybody. She ran her hand over the spot further inspecting it and stood up. "Hungry?" Vegeta looked at her.
"Woman?"
"Yes?" She tilted her head to the side making herself look very adorable.
"Never mind." Vegeta crossed his arms and turned away from her.
"Don't tell me my high and mighty prince isn't hungry?" Vegeta was shocked. 'Does she know that she said MY instead of our?' He rotated his upper body around to glance at her. 'Did she just…' His concentration was disturbed when he caught her laughing at him.
"And what are you laughing at?" {Grrrrrrrrr.} Vegeta looked down at his stomach. {Grrrrr.} She laughed harder. "Oh shut-up." He roared.
"Are you telling me or your stomach?" Her laughter increased.
"YOU!" He turned completely around and clenched a fist. Bulma knew now she was hurting his feelings and slowed her laughter down to giggles.
"So do you want me to feed you?" Before he had a chance to respond his stomach answered for him. Bulma's laughter picked up. Vegeta growled at this, which only seemed to make her laugh harder. "Boy I couldn't tell one growl from the other." She sneaked out into between breaths. By this time she was laughing so hard she has hugging her ribs and gasping for air. Vegeta snapped and fazed in right in front of her. He grabbed that fragile little neck of hers and pulled her off her feet.
"Stop laughing!" Her laughter stopped only because she couldn't breathe but not because she was afraid of him. "That's better." He still didn't let go of her. When she coughed from lack of air he realized what he was doing and quickly released her. "I'm…" His pride and shock permitted him from apologizing to her.
"I know." Vegeta was taken back by her comment. 'She knows?' He looked her straight in the eyes. There was no anger or hatred but just some warm emotional…thing, was the only word to come to his mind. 'I don't understand.' "I'm going to tend to your clothes then fix something to eat." None of the words registered with Vegeta. All he could do was look into those beautiful gems. When she looked away from his intense onyx stare he become aware of four red marks plainly visible on the side of her neck. 'Look what you've done, jackass!' He couldn't bear to look at them anymore but couldn't move either. Right at that moment she decided to leave and he came back aware of his surroundings again.
"Where are you going?" His voice was filled with emotion, which was extremely rare, but apparently not rare enough because Bulma wasn't shocked at all. She simply turned around and gave him an odd look.
"I already told you, I'm going to tend to your clothes and then make dinner." She shook her head. "Weren't you listening?"
"Hmph." Was all she got from him.
"Fine then." She said out of frustration.
"I wasn't listening because I was thinking about something else." Knowing she had wanted an apology or at least an explanation as to why he had ignored her.
"Oh is that so!?" She turned to completely face him and placed her hands on her hips. "Really now!?" There was no mistaking it, she was mad. 'Good going moron, you've pissed her off.' "You don't say. Well gee I'm sorry I interrupted your train of thought. Please by all means go back to your little world, you jerk! Ahhrrrr!"
"What's wrong with you?"
"No man ever listens, no matter the species! It's like impossible for you guys! The only words that seem to grab and hold your attentions are food, sex and fight! God I hate men!" She stomped over to him and poked him in the chest. "You make me sick!" She half growled the other half just chalked full of genuine disgust. After that was said she stalked off towards the laundry room. Vegeta felt bad for whatever he had done to make her mad. What made it worst was the fact that she had forgiven him for when he had attacked her. Then an idea struck him. 'Yeah that should fix all of this.' He ran to his room and threw on his shirt and gloves, ran out onto his balcony and took off to Kami's lookout.