The Bond

Disclaimer: I don't own... otherwise, I'd be better at titles.

By: Selenity Jade (Jadesama@aol.com)

Chapter Four: Stage Two
Rating: R

Buruma awoke to find the ship shaking violently. She shrieked as she was thrown from her bed, hitting the floor hard. She rubbed her backside before stumbling to her feet, grabbing a short robe, and rushing out the door. She pulled the robe on as she rushed into Vejiita's bedroom, quickly scanning the room. Finding it empty, she ran towards the gravity room, figuring he had destroyed something, but also found it empty. She frowned and headed towards the bridge.

She entered the bridge, stopping suddenly to gape at Vejiita, who stood with his back to her flying the ship. 'He knows how to operate this ship? What did he do, crash into something?'

"Vejiita, what's going on?" she demanded coming up beside him.

"Apparently a planet had been destroyed near here. We flew right into the rubble."

She blinked. "Oh," she uttered before the ship shook once more, flinging her into Vejiita, knocking both of them to the ground. Vejiita's arm came around her and his body cushioned her fall as she landed on him. He quickly picked her up and set her in her seat, buckling her in before returning to the ship's controls.

Buruma watched as he maneuvered the ship between the largest particles expertly, his face sporting a frown of concentration that she found incredible sexy for some reason. She tried to relax through the violent vibrations, and despite her fear, she did accomplish it somewhat. She was shocked to realize she trusted Vejiita to get them through it safely. And she even found herself trusting him to do it better than she herself could. He was doing a great job anyway, no need for her to step on his pride.

After what seemed like hours, the vibrations stopped and Vejiita straightened up from the controls. He flexed his shoulders and turned to glance at her. He smirked that arrogant little smirk of his, and Buruma was horrified to find that little expression gave her a shiver of excitement.

She pushed it away and unbuckled herself, stretching as she stood up. "I better see if the ship needs repairs," she told him and moved over to another panel, typing away at it furiously. She frowned. "I guess I have to go on top. We have quite a bit of structural damage from the impacts and a few tears that are going to lead us off course."

He grunted.

She rolled her eyes and moved towards the airlock where the suits were stored and proceeded to put one on. Her eyes grew wide as she watched Vejiita enter the room and do the same. "What are you doing?"

"Going with you."

"Why?"

He grunted as he pulled the suit on. "I would rather not have you die because you tripped and floated off or something equally stupid," he stated.

She glared at him and slapped her helmet on angrily. She waited as he finished putting his own suit on, fuming the entire time. When he was done, she secured the room, and opened the hatch. Buruma grabbed the toolbox and floated out, followed closely by Vejiita.

She methodically worked on patching the tears in the outer hull, Vejiita silently watching her the whole time. She was a little irritated at his silence and his stares at first, but soon tuned them out as her work took over her mind.

When she had finally finished, she floated back inside, the still silent Vejiita following her. She shut the outer door quickly and pressurized the room. She then began to remove her suit. Vejiita finished before her, and when she was done, she turned to him and glared. "I'm going back to bed. I'm exhausted," she stated and stomped out of the airlock and down the hall towards her room.

She entered her room and threw off her robe. She moved to crawl into bed when her door opened. She glanced at Vejiita, who was standing in the doorway watching her.

"What?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he padded softly over to her, stopping just short of her. She shivered slightly as she felt the warm body heat radiate from him.

She felt a bit flushed but stared at him curiously. "Vejiita?"

He smirked softly and leaned down, capturing her lips tenderly, and wrapping his arms around her waist. He pulled her to him as he continued to explore her mouth and Buruma sighed, allowing the contact. His hands roamed down her back to cup her rear and he lifted her off her feet and placed her on her back on the bed. He crawled over her, nipping playfully at her neck, and purring softly in her ear.

She moaned and arched against him happily, allowing his hands to pull off her nightgown. He licked her bite mark tenderly, before he whispered the one thing she thought she'd never hear him say, "I am sorry."

Buruma blinked through the lustful daze and looked at him. His intense onyx eyes met hers. "For what?"

"The mark," he muttered. "I did not mean to."

"Can I ask about it now?" she asked softly.

He nodded and nuzzled her, before he started to remove his own clothes.

"Why isn't it fading?"

He made an irritated noise in his throat, but didn't pause in his undressing. "I bit you to mark you as my mate, unknowingly, but I did. Generally, it will leave a faded scar, no big deal. But it seems that I somehow bonded to you and you accepted that bond. That is why it will not fade."

"Oh," she whispered.

He grunted and lay beside her, naked, trailing a finger softly over her exposed stomach. "Any other questions?" he asked her gruffly, but strangely serious and tender.

"What about when we get to Vejiita-sei? About the mark, I mean," she added hastily.

He glanced at her and shrugged. "It could be hidden, I suppose, despite the dishonor in doing so. But it does not matter now."

"Why not?"

He stared at her, his eyes pained. "Because, Onna, we are stuck with each other now."

"Stuck with each other?"

He nodded slightly. "Stuck as in for life, Onna."

"Say what? Because of a scar?"

"It is more than that. It is a bond. It has not developed yet, but it will. The first sign is the mark." He looked away from her eyes, staring up at the ceiling. "I would like to keep this secret for now, Onna."

"Okay," she said softly.

"Which means that when we get to my planet, our plan is the same. Staying away from each other."

"Okay," she said again. She stared at Vejiita's profile silently for a few moments before asking him another question. "Why did you come here now?"

He grimaced slightly. "Felt like it."

She rolled her eyes. "Vejiita, just tell me."

He shook his head faintly. "It does not really matter, does it? I am here."

"I want to know."

"Watching you work is a turn on."

She blinked. "Then why haven't you jumped me yet?"

He growled. "Onna, knock it off. I am tired."

Her eyes widened. "You came here to sleep!"

He grimaced and nodded.

She smiled suddenly. "That's actually sweet," she told him, kissing his temple.

He growled. "I am not sweet and nothing I do is sweet. I do not do *sweet*."

She giggled and curled into his side. "You're different tonight."

"I know."

"Why?"

"I wish to sleep."

"There's another reason."

He closed his eyes. "I am tired, Onna," he murmured softly, and within moments all she heard was a soft purr. She blinked in surprise. He had fallen asleep. He really *was* tired. She frowned, suddenly concerned. Hadn't he been sleeping? And why did he come here only to sleep?

She blinked as a realization hit her. He needed her. Was it possible that his sleeplessness was because of her? She smiled tenderly and watched the Saiyajin no Ouji sleep. She brushed a finger lightly over his brow and felt her heart twist as a faint smile appeared on his face and he leaned into her caress. She closed her eyes and nestled into his side, starting in surprise when he arm came around her naked body and pulled her into his chest. He nuzzled her hair and sighed once before his soft purrs continued. She sighed happily and joined him in sleep, a tender smile on her own face.

~~~

"Onna!" a voice hissed.

Buruma blinked and stretched happily, turning to look at the irritated Saiyajin beside her. "What?" she asked sleepily.

"About fucking time!"

She glared at him. "Well, excuse me, grumpy, but I was sleeping!"

"I noticed," he drawled. "I am hungry."

She rolled her eyes and moved out of the bed, blinking down at her naked form. She blushed and grabbed the robe before stomping off to the kitchen. She grumbled to herself while she fixed his large breakfast, ignoring him when he sat at the table behind her.

She slapped his plate in front of him angrily, took in his gorgeous body as he sat clad only in his boxers, and stomped out of the room. All the while growling under her breath about stupid Saiyajin and their stupid stomachs. When she reached her room, she flopped back down on the bed and attempted to go back to sleep. After all, she hadn't slept well the night before, despite Vejiita's presence. Her sleep had been disturbed by nightmares.

~~~

"Onna!" Vejiita roared upon entering her bedroom, causing Buruma to sit straight up in bed, and glancing around wildly. When her eyes focused on Vejiita, she sagged in relief and lay back on the bed.

"Vejiita, leave me alone, please," she whispered, burying herself under the covers.

He blinked. "What is your problem?"

"Nothing, Vejiita," she mumbled. "Whatever you need, can't it wait?"

He growled and padded swiftly over the bed, yanking the covers off her. He blinked in surprise to find her still naked. He forced his eyes to her face and glowered at her. "That blasted machine is malfunctioning. Fix it."

"No."

He blinked again. "What?"

"I said no, stupid! I'm tired!"

"You have been sleeping all day!" he snapped.

"Not very damn well, moron!"

"Why not?"

"Not that you care or anything, but I've been having fucking nightmares, asshole. Just leave me alone!" she whined, making a grab for the blanket.

"Weakling," he mocked. "Nightmares are nothing."

She glared at him. "Well, excuse me. I'm only human and I don't usually have nightmares that lead to my death!"

"What?" he asked.

"You heard me. I'm dreaming of dying. Or damn near dying. Over and over again. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a shower, since your so hell bent on getting me up," she snarled, stalking passed him naked.

He grabbed her shoulder gently. "Dying?"

She looked up at him in surprise, blinking when she saw the odd look in his eyes. "Yes."

"How?"

"How am I dying?" At his nod, she sighed and crawled into bed again, wrapping herself in her blankets. "I'm being beaten, most times. The one most vivid is where I'm being strangled by something I can't see, and being beaten on my back. Over and over again. I can feel it. Like it is really happening. I'm beaten and tortured in all the dreams. I can't see who's doing it. I don't understand why it's happening. I survive most of them, but the last one I don't. I feel the pain and anguish. I feel so much pain, but I can't hear anything or see much. It's either too dark or whatever is hurting me isn't in front of me. I feel hopelessness and despair, but I can't understand why it's happening."

He blinked. "Strangled by something you cannot see? Like hands?"

She shook her head. "Something thick and white around my neck. Like a snake almost."

He growled something she couldn't catch and stomped out of the room. She stared after him in confusion. 'What the-?'

She sighed and grabbed her robe, following the Saiyajin, grumbling to herself while she did it. 'Damn stupid Saiyajin.' He woke her up then demanded to know of her dreams. Then stomps off. 'Damn him six ways to hell.' Making her chase after him. She growled and threw open the gravity room door.

Vejiita snapped his head towards her, his eyes wide, and Buruma blinked as she caught something before his expression went blank. Guilt, shame, and most of all pain.

"Vejiita? What's wrong? They are just dreams, weirdo. And my dreams at that."

He snorted and crossed his arms. "No, you are mistaken."

"What? What do you mean, Vejiita?" she demanded waspishly and advanced on him. She grabbed his arm tightly. "What do you mean?"

He looked down at her hand on his arm and blinked, before cocking his head at her. He smirked and grasped her hand, pulling it to his face. He nuzzled her palm before kissing it softly.

She stared open-mouthed at the rare show of affection, unable to form a single coherent thought.

He stared at her a few moments before releasing her hand. "It is stage two of the bond," he said.

"Huh?"

He sighed and kissed her roughly, pushing her to the floor. She knew this wasn't really about sex, anymore. It wasn't even about her. It was about him, and for some strange reason he needed the closeness.

Buruma lay there quietly, running a hand through his hair tenderly, another tracing small circles on his back. His head was nestled in the crook of her neck and he clung to her as they lay there. She decided to keep quiet for once and just let him be, despite the questions plaguing her. She didn't want him to shut down again, and he needed this.

She felt a small flutter in her heart. Vejiita wasn't cold and emotionless. He needed her. She felt tears fill her eyes. Despite what had been said before, he needed her. And although she didn't know what she felt for the angry Saiyajin, she would be what he needed. She suspected he'd close himself off again once they reach Vejiita-sei, but for now, he was willing to have a weakness, and she'd let him. And she wouldn't say a word about it, despite the questions she was dying to ask.

She sighed softly as she lay beneath him and kissed his temple softly. His hands clenched at their spot on her hips, but Buruma didn't protest. It was a little uncomfortable, but not too bad. Whatever was going on in his head was something he had to deal with. She knew she couldn't help, but she knew she could be there for him.

She actually didn't mind that he wasn't worried about her pleasures. She felt something akin to wonder and pleasure just being there for him even if it was only like this. She didn't feel used, surprisingly. She felt... needed.

She screamed out suddenly as he bit her neck sharply, reopening the mark that had been the cause of it all. He moved his hands from her hips to her back, pulling her to him, and sucking at her neck. She could feel the soft vibrations his purring released.

Suddenly, he licked her neck and pulled away from her. He looked down at her, his face an expressionless mask. She stared into his eyes silently.

He attempted his usual cocky smirk but it fell a bit flat. "You actually shut up? I would not have believed it," he mocked, the usual sting gone from his words.

She didn't say a word, only continued to stare up at him. She suddenly felt an overwhelming affection for the Saiyajin atop of her. She smiled softly and leaned up to kiss his lips softly. She felt his confusion, but he responded to her gesture and kissed her back, just as tenderly.

She pulled back, laying her head on the cold floor, and stared at him. She could see his brow furrow in confusion at her silence and her actions. She smiled at him gently.

"Onna," he began before her finger to his lips silenced him.

"You know my name," she told him softly. "Why do you not use it?"

He blinked at her.

"Say my name," she demanded gently.

He growled softly and looked away from her deep blue eyes, only to find her hand on his cheek, pulling his gaze to hers once more. He frowned. "No."

"Say my name," she repeated just as tenderly as before.

He stared at her a moment. "Buruma," he sighed out, her name sounding strangely painful and yet tender, before returning his head to her neck and nuzzling her. She closed her eyes, feeling herself drift off. His soft purrs echoing in her ears and she heard him speak once more. "Buruma..."

~~~

AN: I'm surprised, amazed, and kind of weirded out at how this chapter turned out. Way mushy too mushy for Vejiita :P. What the hell am I thinking you ask? Well, I don't know either, so that makes two of us! :P I think the whole insomnia thing is getting to me. I know he's OOC, but hell, he has to have SOME tender moments, otherwise, well, Trunks would not have been born. I mean come on! Do you think Buruma would have put up with Vejiita just coming into her bed, getting himself off, and leaving? No, didn't think so.

Lovies!