Thorns

Disclaimer: I own DBZ videos and DVDs, but none of the characters are mine.

By: Selenity Jade (Jadesama@aol.com)

Chapter Two: Fireworks

When Vejiita had finally finished his meal and was beginning to look a bit antsy, she poked him in the side. He glared at her. "Go train for about a half-hour and then shower. I'm going to have a conversation with my mother," she said cryptically, "and then get ready myself."

Snorting, he replied, "I should train for two hours then. You take forever in that bathroom of yours."

Shooting him a glare, she poked his side again, feeling him tense with the contact. Blinking, she cocked her head at him. "Are you ticklish?" she asked in surprise.

"Feh. Of course not, idiot! That is a human weakness," he sneered, pushing away from the table and standing up. "I am giving you one hour, Onna. And then I am pulling you out of the house, naked or not!" he warned, disappearing out the door hurriedly.

Rolling her eyes at his arrogance, she turned to glare at her mother's back while she finished her dishes. "Mom."

The blonde woman turned from the sink, and cocked her head curiously at her daughter. "Yes, dear? Would you like more?"

Rolling her eyes, Buruma shook her head. "Of course not, Mom!" she snapped.

"Then what is it?" she asked cheerfully.

"Leave Vejiita alone, Mom."

"Whatever do you mean, Buruma darling?"

"You know exactly what I mean, Mom! Stop groping him, stop eyeing him, and stop flirting with him! He hates it, Mom, and I think he's getting close to blasting you for it."

"Nonsense, dear. He's such a nice young man-"

"MOM!"

"Yes, dear?"

Buruma threw up her hands in frustration, and stalked from the kitchen angrily. It was completely hopeless trying to talk to her mother about things. Especially important things. She might just have to have a word with Vejiita later about not blasting her mother. And with that thought, she walked to her side of the compound to get ready for their shopping trip.

~~~

Buruma hurried down the stairs, nearly falling on her rear after she tripped in the heeled sandals she was wearing. Hearing a soft chuckle from the direction of the door, she shot a glare at Vejiita. He stood there, leaning against the large door, his arms crossed over his chest and his right foot crossed over his left. He was smirking lightly at her when she glared at him, which only caused the superior smirk to widen.

"Knock it off, Vejiita!" she snapped, taking notice of the tight pair of blue jeans the Saiyajin had put on, as well as the white t-shirt. She nearly gaped. Vejiita wasn't wearing blue or black, outside of the jeans. His small feet were wearing a well-worn pair of sneakers.

He chuckled again and pushed himself away from the wall as she came up to him. Double-checking her capsules, she nodded slightly to herself and led Vejiita out of the door. She looked into her capsule case, trying to decide which plane she should take when she felt an arm slip around her waist, and she was lifted into the air.

Shrieking, she wrapped an arm around Vejiita's neck tightly and gave him a good glare. He just smirked at her. "Idiot! Warn me next time!"

Snorting, he suddenly flared his ki and took off faster; Buruma's nicely curled hair was now flying wildly around her. She growled. "Onna, chop that shit off!" he snarled, pushing it out of his way with his free hand. She rather felt a bit like her father's cat as his hand moved over the top of her head in a petting motion.

Rolling her eyes, she let out a little laugh. "You're the idiot that decided to fly me this way! I'm not cutting my hair for you, grumpy!"

He growled again, his arm tightening around her waist as he moved the other under her legs. Buruma sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder. She watched lazily as part of the city flew by below her and within moments, he descended to land silently in a large parking lot. He had learned the way to the mall a few times before when she had taken him shopping, and for once, Buruma was glad he had. It was too big of a hassle giving him directions from the height he usually flew.

He set her down gently, holding her just a tad longer than necessary, and stepped away from her. "Let's go," he snapped.

Rolling her eyes, she pushed her messy hair down, hoping it didn't look *too* horrible, and led the way into the crowded mall. She was used to the stares they were getting for landing like that, and very used to the practically drooling women whose eyes followed Vejiita as he walk by them. He was gorgeous, muscular, and damn evil looking, so of course the female were drooling.

"Onna."

"Hmm?" she asked him, glancing at the Saiyajin from the corner of her eye.

"Let's just get this over with. I am about to blast all those fucking females!" he hissed, glaring at all of them to make his point.

Buruma smirked and suddenly stepped closer to him, wrapping an arm around his waist. Vejiita's steps stumbled and he stared at her in complete shock. She leaned closer to him and winked. "If they think you're with me, they'll be too busy glaring at me to drool over you," she whispered.

He frowned and took a quick glance at one of the females, a semi-pretty brunette wearing a seriously short skirt, who was, just as Buruma said, glaring at the blue-haired minx who was leaning her body to his. He nodded, accepting it, but gave her a slightly disturbed look. "I do not like the... public display, Onna."

She winked at him, and grabbed his bare hand, intertwining their fingers and pulled him along to her favorite shop. He was giving her an odd look, but his hand tightened slightly over hers.

He followed her from shop to shop, buying up half the mall, it seemed, and they were holding hands almost the entire time. By the sixth clothing store, where they found a pair of gloves he found satisfactory, he'd had enough. "Let's go."

She nodded at him, and purchased the gloves, putting them in one of the many capsules she had been filling as they shopped. She led him towards the entrance, their hands still clasped together.

"Buruma!? Vejiita?!" a voice exclaimed in shock.

Buruma stiffened and turned back to find Yamucha. "Hey, Yamucha," she replied nervously. "It's not quite what it looks like-"

"Like hell! I knew it! I fucking *knew* there was something going on between you two!" he snarled.

Vejiita released her hand, growling as he stalked over to her boyfriend. "Fool," he spat.

"Vejiita, don't," Buruma told him, coming up beside the angry Saiyajin no Ouji and reaching out a hand to Yamucha.

He slapped it away angrily. "You are such a slut, Buruma. Didn't even have the decency to tell me," he sneered angrily.

Buruma recoiled as if she had been hit. Vejiita noticed the hurt expression and his eyes narrowed as they landed on the human again. "You listen here, weakling," Vejiita hissed with barely controlled rage, picking Yamucha up by the front of his shirt. "Nothing was going on outside of her decency in acting like my mate to make those stupid, drooling females leave me alone. But," he began, smirking, "you didn't trust her or even let her explain. Your loss. How many times have you come over to see the Onna smelling like three or four other females? How many times have I resisted the urge to blast your dishonorable ass straight to Hell?"

"Vejiita," Buruma interrupted.

"Onna, shut up," he told her, almost gently, before turning back to the human he held in his hand. "Your loss, idiot. Your loss. No one insults her. No one, understand, fool? I see you near our home again, you die." He laughed cruelly dropping him to the floor. "You are a complete fool. She was completely faithful to you. Stay the fuck away from her," he snarled, turned away, and grasped Buruma's hand again, pulling her away from the thunderstruck Yamucha.

She kept up with Vejiita, a shocked, wide-eyed expression on her face. She was suddenly confused as to why the whole scene didn't bother her. Not in the least. Vejiita protected her, threatened the warrior, standing up for her, and then he let him live. Probably for her. She wasn't even angry he had just driven her boyfriend of ten years away from her. She wasn't even hurt that Vejiita had known he was cheating on her. Hell, she felt nothing when she found out he had been. Must be shock, she decided.

She allowed Vejiita to lead her outside, her mind not really comprehending anything outside of the scene she had been apart of moments ago.

His thumb caressed her palm softly, snapping her eyes into focus and she gaped at him. He gave her a mysterious smirk, and wrapped an arm around her waist. He didn't pick her up right away, he just held her pressed against his chest as he stared into her eyes.

She blinked a bit in confusion, gasping as he levitated slowly into the air. When he reached a height he liked, he suddenly smirked, moved his other hand from hers, and his arm snaked under her legs. Then they were off.

~~~

They landed outside of their home moments later. Vejiita set her down on the large porch and stepped away from her. He gave her a small smirk, the closest he would ever come to a thank you, and then he was gone. Probably to train. She growled softly to herself, still angry about the scene at the mall, and stalked into the house.

She walked hurriedly up the stairs to put away her many, many purchases, still fuming. That Yamucha. She supposed it *did* look a little bad the way they were holding hands, but it was a hell of a lot safer than letting those females eye him. He would have likely gotten seriously pissed by the end of the shopping trip, not to mention he'd be a complete ass the entire time, and he'd probably end up decimating the mall.

She knew Vejiita tolerated her more than any one else. She knew that, and that was why she suggested the facade at the mall. He'd rather hold hands with her than have those females gawk at him throughout the entire shopping trip, and he hated shopping enough as it was.

She sighed as she stepped into Vejiita room. Glancing around, she shook her head at the lack of personal items that were displayed. Nothing. His clothes, and that was about it. She removed his new training outfits from the capsules and began to put them away.

Maybe she should call Yamucha. Not to make up. Hell no. Not after finding out that he had been unfaithful. She sighed and when she came to her decision to call him, the phone rang. She blinked and picked up the cordless in Vejiita's room, not that he ever used the damn thing, with a, "Hello?"

"Buruma?!" Chichi's shrill voice exclaimed and the blue-haired female winced.

"Yeah?"

"How could you!? With that monster and everything, I mean, really, Buruma! Have you lost all your senses?" she screeched into her ear.

Rolling her eyes, she cradled the phone and moved to put away the clothes again. "I take it Yamucha got to you and Son-kun."

"Of course he did! He was nearly in tears, Buruma!!"

Buruma snorted. "Well, he's a fool."

"What?!" she gasped. "What the hell are you talking about, Buruma?"

"Well, did you ever think that maybe, just maybe, that Yamucha might be mistaken or lying?"

"What?!" she repeated again loudly.

"Well, you know I took Vejiita shopping, ne?"

"Yes."

"All the females in the mall tend to ogle him and drool over him. It really pisses Vejiita off, and you know how he can get. So, I just wrapped an arm around him and told him that if I acted like I was his girlfriend, they'd be too busy glaring at me to notice him that much. So, we held hands. That's it, Chichi. Then we were leave and Yamucha saw us. He didn't even give me time to explain or anything! Called me a slut," she growled out. "Vejiita got pissed off, picked him up, insulted him, threatened him, and stuff. Then dropped him. He then yanked me out of the mall and we flew home. That's it, Chichi. But Vejiita also let it slip that *Yamucha* was the one cheating on me!"

She could hear her friend's gasp on the other end. "No way! How did Vejiita know?"

"He smelled women on him he said. Anyway, so I suggest you let Goku in on that before he gets angry and yells at Vejiita or something."

"Actually..."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Actually what?"

"Goku was... happy about it."

"WHAT?!" she screeched loudly.

"It's odd, I'll tell you that. All he would tell me was that you'd be very good for Vejiita and that he thought Yamucha wasn't who you needed."

Buruma gaped.

Vejiita suddenly entered the room, frowning slightly when he saw her in his room, on the phone, and a pair of his white gloves in her hand. Her mouth snapped shut when he gave her an odd look. Shaking her head, she replied into the phone, "Son-kun is on drugs, Chi."

The woman on the other end giggled. "I thought so, too. Anyway, I'm sorry I yelled at you and-"

"Yeah, you better be! You actually thought I'd sink so low as to be unfaithful, although from what I now know," she said, shooting Vejiita a glare to let him know they would have a long talk about that one later, to which he smirked, "he would have deserved it. And tell your husband to butt out."

"Alright, alright! I'm beginning to think my husband is a few bricks short of a layer."

Buruma snorted. "You are just now figuring that out?"

Chichi laughed good-naturally, and both said their good-byes, hanging up. Buruma turned to Vejiita and stuck out her tongue at him, much to his obvious amusement.

"What did I say about that?"

"Right, whatever, Vejiita," she quipped, turning back to put the rest of his new outfits away. She suddenly stiffened when she felt his warm body heat from just behind her.

He leaned forward, his breath tickling her ear as he whispered, "And you think I am joking?" And after a wicked, sexy chuckle, he was gone.

She blinked rapidly trying to digest that little sentence. She finally shook her head. "Kami, he's odd."

~~~

Buruma sighed irritably as she continued to stare at the monitor in front of her, reading the energy outputs to the engine she was testing. Her mind was strangely occupied by the Saiyajin no Ouji, and his strange behavior yesterday.

She failed to notice the little red light in the corner of the screen.

~~~

A blood-curdling scream sounded out in the silent compound, and Vejiita's head snapped up. He rushed out of his gravity chamber with superhuman speed.

Just in time to see the Onna's lab explode.

~~~

AN: *evil smirk* How's THAT for cliffhanger? *Does happy dance*

Lovies!