A Blind Understanding

A Vegeta/Bulma story

It was a cool day in the new autumn that has fallen over New Hope City, the city was humming with life and the Earth had been left undisturbed for quite some time, peace was a good thing. With in the confines of the largest corporation Capsule Corp., Bulma Briefs was talking on the telephone to her friend in the outskirts of town. In Bulma's hand was a warm cup of tea and her sea-green locks were pulled back in a pony tail and glasses rested on the bridge of her nose.
"So you home alone again?" Bulma asked her friend Son Chichi.

"Well, not entirely, Goten is with me, but Gohan is at home and Goku has run off into the woods to get dinner."
"Ah, lucky you. At least you have a husband who helps around the house!" Bulma said with a hint of wistfulness in her voice.
Chichi laughed, "Oh Bulma! I still don't see what you see in him!"
Bulma smiled, "My secret."

"So what –is- he up to?"
"Training as always."
"Ah, trying to best Goku still."
"More or less."
The house shook and Bulma blinked, "I'm not sure whether to be worried for Vegeta or the house."

"Why?"

"It's shaking again."

Chichi sighed heavily, "You should just refuse to fix that thing once he brakes it."
Bulma rolled her eyes; "I've already tried, last time I did that, he decided to take it to my front lawn! Do you know I'm still trying to pay off a bunch of the people around here to silence!"
Chichi snorted, "Gods, Take a frying pan to his head."
"Yeah, and then have my wrist broken… I don't think so!"
"Wimp!" Chichi teased.

"Don't you eve-…"

BOOM!

"The hell?" Bulma blinked, "Call you back Chi. I think he just blew something up again!"

Bulma hung up before Chichi could reply; she was out of her seat and dashing down the hall towards the doors to the GM. Meeting her there was her son and daughter. Bra danced nervously in place. Bulma opened the doors using an over ride shut off code. When they entered Vegeta was sitting against the wall with his hands over his eyes, apparently trying not to scream.

Trunks spotted the cause of his father's discomfort he pointed at it. The battle android was sitting in pieces and a-flame, Bulma sighed, "Damn it must have malfunctioned and caught fire. Trunks get a fire extinguisher and put that fire out. Bra, help me get your father to the infirmary."

The two youngsters were quick to obey, when Bulma put a hand on Vegeta's shoulder and he growled, "Vegeta, It's me, Bulma. Come on; Let me take you to the infirmary. I've got to take a look at the burn."

"Don't touch me woman!"

Bulma growled, "Vegeta! Goddamn it! If you don't come willingly I'll take you out and –then- move you!"

"You mean drug me?"

"YES!" she yelled, "Now will you get up?"

Bulma was about to send Bra to her lap to get a sedative when he reached out for a hand, Bulma grabbed it and Bra returned to help haul Vegeta to his feet. By this time Trunks was done playing Fireman and joined the rest of his family on their way to the infirmary.

Upon arriving Vegeta was forced into a chair and forced to move his hand away from his face.

Bulma held up an antiseptic wipe and licked her lips, "Trunks, Bra…" she pointed to Vegeta's hands, they nodded and were ready incase he decided to take a swing. Bulma began to apply the liquid to the burn. He cringed but never once tried to lift a finger against her. When she was finished he opened his eyes and reached out. His hand found her bosom, and she rose an eyebrow, "Vegeta, dear this is no time for that!"

"I can't see…" his voice was barely above a whisper. Bulma blinked, "Eh?"

"I said I can't see!" there was panic in his voice now, something that caught everyone in the room a little off guard. She place a hand on his shoulder, "Vegeta, It's probably from the burn, there's a good change your sight will return when the healing process is completed."

"And what if it doesn't?" he asked hurriedly.

"Then… well, to be blunt, you're blind."

Vegeta's face twisted to a look of horror, but the cheerful voice of Bra broke his moment of horror and self-pity, "Don't worry Papa! We'll still be here for you!"

Vegeta grumbled, "That's just what I needed to hear."

Bulma grabbed a bandage, "Hold still now, I'm going to but a bandage around your eyes so you don't have to worry about infection."

He nodded and did not protest to the ministrations of Bulma.

That night while Bulma was getting ready for bed Vegeta was stumbling around the room, he too was trying to get ready. She leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom and watched with amusement, "You need any help?" she asked for the fifth time.

"NO!" he growled back as he stumbled over his shoe.

Bulma ignored him and went to the closet and fetched his bed shorts, She threw them at his face. He caught them and found the bed. He sat down and stripped down. She shook her head; "You could at least say thank you!"

He grunted, Bulma threw a bar of soap at his head. He turned in the direction of her after the soap connected with his head.
"Woman!" he growled to her, "Will you kindly cease and desist!"

She gave him a light shove as she walked by, "No."

He pulled his pants around his waist and crawled to his pillow, and she already tucked in, laughed at his lumbering ways. Vegeta plopped down on his back and crossed his arms, looking terribly much like a five-year-old pouting.

Bulma could not help but laugh harder, "Vegeta! You look like Trunks when he was five and throwing a hissy-fit!"

"Not funny…"

She bit down another giggle and nodded, "You're right, it's not!"

"Thank you."

She turned off the light and went to sleep. Vegeta was soon to follow; he was actually tuckered out from the day's activities.

The next morning when Vegeta woke up, he turned over to find his mate's pillow empty and himself all alone. He reached to find his bathrobe and slipped it on, and stumbling like a newborn foal, he wandered down to breakfast.

"Morning Papa!" Bra called waving, then she smiled sheepishly and put her hand down. Vegeta found the doorframe and hesitantly walked to his seat.

"You realize this floor is freezing…" He said to no one in particular. Bulma thumbed him on the back of his skull; "Of course it's cold! You're walking barefooted on the tiled floor!"

He grumbled and rubbed hi head where she had thumped him, "Woman, If you do not quit…"

"You'll what?" she asked waving a spoon in his direction. He wasn't able to say anything, he sat down and crossed his arms over his broad chest. Bulma put a plate down in front of him, he rose his head at her in question, "How do you propose I eat?"

"Preferably by putting the food in your mouth and chewing."

"I can't see it," he stated.

"Okay," she shrugged, "The eggs are at twelve, the pancakes are covering most of the plate and the bacon is at nine."

"What?"

"Like a clock Papa." Trunks said. Vegeta blinked and thought about it, his face fell in embarrassment. Beginning to eat, he ate with relative ease, and much more slowly. Bulma was highly surprised by this change in pace.

Afternoon rolled around and Bulma took her after noon tea out on the porch. Vegeta joined her, having nothing better to do.

"It's gonna rain," he said off handedly.

The tea cup stopped mid way to her mouth as she looked at him in confusion, "How do you know?"

"It feels like it will." He could feel the dampness

She shook her head, "So it's a bit over cast, that does not mean it will rain."

"What you wanna bet it will?" he gave her a smug look.

"A night of peace with out your running of the mouth."

"And IF I win, you fix that blasted machine."

"I won't, not until you can see what you're doing."

"And what if I can't?"

"Okay, how about I put it this way, I won't fix it until I'm sure you're healed."

He pursued his lips as he thought and smiled, "Okay, you do what I say for a day."

"You're on!" she smiled. He grinned devilishly and picked up one of her cookies put it in his mouth and walked off. Hand in pocket and cookie in mouth he found a nice shade tree and sat enjoying the after noon.

The day passed uneventful into the night and Vegeta actually made it to bed without much trouble, Bulma was already nodding off. He tried to follow her into dream land, but it never came. He laid there for what seemed like hours, thinking on everything that had happened. He turned over to his side and propped his head up on his hand. Bulma rolled over to him and curled into his form. He smiled a little and his hand began to follow the contour of her body. He'd always known her to be beautiful, even if he didn't tell her that; she was shapely, thin and plump, stout and fair, she was everything he wanted. His hand drifted to her shoulder, and his finger tips traced her collar bone and neck line, at least what he could get to. Then traveling up is fingers danced across her face. Her face was as beautiful as every sun set and sun rise. When his hands drifted through her hair, his brow ticked up in thoughtfulness, her hair was so soft, like silken waves. He recalled the color, if he did go blind, at least he'd know what a jewel he'd caught and claimed. He'd tell her so, maybe.

Then a soft pitter-patter against the window pain caught his attention. With the grace and lithe only he possessed he snaked out of bed and in his shorts walked out on to the balcony. The cool rains his face with a slight stinging sensation he'd never felt before. What a wonder it was to stand blind to the world and only 'see' what the rest of your senses gave for you to see. Taking a deep breath he stretched his senses as far as he possibly could and felt something stir. He chased it, trying to catch this elusive thing. When he 'caught' it he gasped a little, it was a blade of grass not six feet from him. Was this what Kakorrot felt when he said earth had little life forces everywhere? Vegeta didn't know but he'd found something so small that it made him wonder what else he could find with his sense, so his concentration deepened and he found another life, this time it was a tree, and then he found a squirrel in that tree. A larger life force bounded by, that, he concluded must be a deer. He switched his attention to the city not far from his home's front door step. It was still bustling with life, all the same yet distinctly different.

It was a wonder how this planet with its weakling inhabitants ever managed to survive before he and Kakorrot ever showed up. He prayed it never went away, he was actually beginning to like this planet with all its weird customs and weakling inhabitants.

"Vegeta?" a drowsy Bulma called from the door way inside, "What are you doing?"

He came out of his deep state and turned to her, "You should be asleep, you have a busy day a head of you."

"What?"

"It's raining."

"I can see that… Oh… Damn."

He chuckled, "Don't sound so down."

She rolled her eyes, "You need to get in here before you catch a cold, and you've gotten the bandages all wet. Come on, I've got to change them!"

Vegeta shrugged and walked in, she handed his a towel and he shook the rain out of his hair and began to towel off, she glared, "I did not need a shower."

He dabbed his face dry and put his hand on her shoulder, "Lead the way."

"Your incorrigible!"

In the kitchen some 3 days later Vegeta was happily following Bulma around. She couldn't seem to loose him except when she went to take a shower or the bathroom. She was in the kitchen and he was sitting bored on a counter. She passed by him on her way to the fridge and on her way back his broad arm caught her around the waist. She blinked and was about to protest when his voice, soft and husky, drifted to her ears.

"I'll say this only once, so you'd better listen good woman."

"I'm listening."

"You are mine, and only mine. I do… -care- for you. So don't you forget it," he said it so bluntly it caught her off guard but she could pick out behind that mask of callousness there was that hint of a kinder him. It was all she could so to keep from tearing up, and she nearly lost it when she felt his lips press up against the back of her neck. She swallowed the hard lump in her throat and patted his arm. He gave her a gentle squeeze and then let her go. Bulma finished lunch and they ate in silence while Trunks and Bra battled it out on the video game Mortal Combat (poor Trunks, getting his ass whooped by his little sister).

"WOMAN, Can I PLEASE take this bandage off to get a shower! I'm filthy!"

Bulma looked up and sighed, "Okay, okay, hold still!" She reached up and began to remove the gauze from around her husbands face. He opened his eyes and hisses closing them quickly again, "Ah! Damn it! That was bright!"

Bulma smiled a huge smile, "Vegeta!"

"WHAT?"

"YOU CAN SEE!"

He blinked his eyes open and then shielded his eyes; at first her image was blurry and then he saw the woman with blue hair, her grin as wide as the Indian Ocean.

"Vegeta."

"What?"

"How many fingers am I holding up?" she held up all five of her fingers. Vegeta leveled her a playful glare, and then gave her a gentle shove. She only grinned wider and then threw her arms around Vegeta's neck in a big hug. He blinked but finally gave in, they were in their room, all alone.

"Bulma."

She rose an eye brow, "Yes."

"You never did carry out your end of the bargain."

"Huh?"

"It was raining."

Bulma blinked then glared, "By Kami! You really don't think!"

"Go get the bath ready, I'll be in there momentarily."

"Pig!" she snarled but did as told.

"Don't forget to strip and get in!" he called after her. He heard Bulma scoff and mutter insults at him. He grinned, it was good to be him.

"Vegeta."

"Hum?"

"I haven't forgot."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah…"

"Shh, go to sleep precious."

"Um-hum…"

He heard her take a deep breath and felt her ki drop and she drifted off to dream land. He was soon to follow.

Fin