The Bond

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z.

By: Selenity Jade (Jadesama@aol.com)

Chapter Three: The Mark

Buruma stared at herself in the mirror, stretching her neck to the side. The bite mark that had been given to her a week ago, the last night they had made love, not counting the shower incident, was still present. It had healed but the mark hadn't faded. In fact, it was beginning to look permanent. It didn't look *that* bad, she decided, but it wigged her out. A scar was a scar, but this one should not be as prominent as it was. It was as noticeable now as it was the moment he gave it to her.

She sighed and let her hair fall over the mark, turning to leave the small bedroom. She couldn't even ask the stupid Saiyajin no Ouji about it, either. He had disappeared into the Gravity Room after their argument and hadn't, as far as she knew, stepped foot out of it.

She snarled softly to herself as she entered the ship's small kitchen and fixed a small dinner for herself. She frowned, suddenly worried. She began to wonder if Vejiita was even eating. He was, after all, a Saiyajin and ate just as much as Goku did. Vejiita missing a meal was almost unheard of when they were at Capsule Corporation. Now that she thought about it, she hadn't felt the usual bumps and shakes of the ship as Vejiita worked out. Usually they happened every few hours or so, sometimes continuously when he was upset. What if he had finally done it and killed himself?

She looked down at her half-made sandwich and sighed. She couldn't get the image of the irate Saiyajin lying hurt or worse on the floor of the gravity room, alone. She walked quickly down the short hallway, pausing nervously outside the closed door that had a red light blinking over it, indicating the gravity was in use.

When she didn't hear anything coming from the other side of the door, she began to get even more concerned, but a slight nervous feeling tittered in her stomach at the thought of interrupting him. He was very grouchy when he was interrupted. Her worry wouldn't leave her, however, so she quickly shut off the gravity using the emergency button she had installed beside the door and threw it open. She glanced around the darkened room frantically.

"What the hell are you *doing*?" a voice snarled from above her.

She snapped her head up in surprise to find her traveling companion floating in the air, his arms and legs crossed, looking a little like Piccolo did when he was meditating. She sighed in relief and turned to go.

Vejiita blinked and landed in front of her, barring her way out of the room. "You are just going to run in here as if your tail is on fire, shut off my gravity, look at me, then leave? What the hell is wrong with you, Onna?" he growled.

She looked away from the intensity of his gaze, cursing herself for the display of weakness. "I apologize," she whispered, attempting to move passed him, finding herself unable to do so.

"Onna, I am warning you-"

She snapped. "Warning me? Damn you, Vejiita! I know you haven't stepped out of this fucking room in a blasted week, no food is gone, nothing! I was worried you had killed yourself! Excuse me for caring!"

His scowl softened faintly. "Oh."

She snorted and went to walk around him, only to find he had moved to block her. She glared at him. "What?" she snarled.

He just stared into her eyes, making her fidget under the intensity of his gaze.

"Are you going to say something or just stare at me?"

"When is dinner going to be ready?"

"ARGH!" she screamed in frustration and stomped out of the gravity room.

~~~

Buruma sat at the small table, silently watching the top of it, when Vejiita walked in. She didn't look up or even acknowledge his presence. He frowned at her. "Onna."

No response.

He growled and padded over to her, pulling her chair away from the table, taking her with it. "Onna!"

She blinked and looked at him in confusion. "What?"

"What are you doing?"

She shook her head, seemingly to clear it and stood up. "Just thinking, Vejiita," she told him and turned to leave the kitchen. She was stopped by his hand gripping her arm, almost painfully. She looked down at his large hand that encircled her slender arm, and then looked up into Vejiita's eyes. "What?"

"What were you thinking about?" he demanded more than asked.

She shrugged. "Nothing you'd be interested in."

He frowned at her, but decided to change the subject. "Where is my dinner?"

She shrugged. "Sorry, I lost track of time. You'll have to make it yourself."

He blinked, completely startled.

"Oh! And Vejiita?"

He grunted.

"Why do I have this weird scar on my neck that won't go away?"

His eyes grew wide and he pushed her hair back swiftly, glancing at the bite mark. He snarled and dropped her hair as if it had burned him. He backed away from her and fled the kitchen.

Buruma's gaze lingered on the doorway before she blinked in shock. Was that fear she had seen burning in his eyes?

~~~

Vejiita sat on the floor of the gravity room, his arms crossed over his broad chest, his legs stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles, and a thoughtful scowl on his face. He had been like that for a few hours, since the confrontation in the kitchen with Buruma.

He hadn't even realized he had marked her that night. Even so, the mark should be fading! She wasn't a Saiyajin; he couldn't bond her, could he? Even if she was Saiyajin, he couldn't possible bond anyway... right? He couldn't form that kind of emotional connection! It wasn't possible. It just wasn't possible. Maybe the mark would fade. Kami, he hoped so. He didn't want to forge such a powerful emotional connection to her. Or anyone! He didn't want anyone to know him like that. Weaknesses like that would leave him vulnerable. And he would not have a weakness, damn it!

He growled softly. Why the hell had he bitten her, anyway? And why the hell hadn't he noticed before?

~~~

AN: *sigh*

Lovies!