Looking into the mirror she couldn't help but scowl. Her face was bruised, not only from being hit but her battered nose as well. Her eye wasn't as swollen as she thought it would be but her nose was pretty nasty to look at. 'Ice is nice.' She thought making the mental note to create a pack so that her aching face may stop the throbbing pain it was emitting. So far, Vegeta didn't know she was up and running, so to speak. At least she hoped he didn't. "Damn prince, thinks I owe him an explanation." She grumbled softly exiting the bathroom closest to her room. "Well I never did give a straight answer why start now?" She mused softly, stalking down the stairs she made surse to step on the left half of the fifth step so that it wouldn't creak. Hopping the last two, there was no other way to avoid their racket, she left for the kitchen. Glancing at the mess from the night prior she knew she had a lot of cleaning to do. Grabbing a bag and a towel she went about making an ice pack. 'All this money and they don't have a simple boo-boo-bear.' (We have one at my house. You keep them in the freezer. : Duh:) While digging in the icemaker she missed the entrance of her soon-to-be interrogator.
'Well I certainly have to give the man credit.' She thought with a hint of cynicism. 'No one has ever lasted this long before.' Blinking she kept her stubborn glare on Vegeta. He had confronted her shortly after her makeshift pain relief pack. Currently both were glaring at the other, both stating without words their stubbornness. He not leaving until he was given answers, she unwilling to breathe a word of the night before to him, but in the end it was the crash of the kitchen door that broke their war. Before Bulma could do more than jump from her chair she was in the arms of Mrs. Briefs.
"Bulma!" She cried face on her shoulder. Stiff and uncertain Bulma gingerly patted the older woman's back.
'How the hell am I suppose to know what to do?' She thought trying to calm the hysterical woman. 'I never let anyone comfort me.' She just didn't know how to relate. "It's alright mom, I'm fine. Jack hardly hurt me." In her mind it was true, she had gone through worse and thought herself in fine condition. But her mother seemed to be thinking something else all together.
"You called me MOM! Oh Bulma!" Bulma shook her head at the blond's mood but was all the same glad that she was no longer crying.
"Mom really, I've had worse beatings than that little bit of love taps I got last night. See? Only a few bruises." She caught the dark look being sent to her from Vegeta and sent one to him that told him to keep quiet. It would do her no good to tell them of her smashed nose and slashed leg. "I'll clean the mess…" She started but was cut off by her father this time.
"Oh no you won't, you're going to take it easy today. The 'bots will handle the mess."
'Forgot about that, automatic metal maids.'
"And I'm going to upgrade the security system. This should never have happened Bulma, I'm sorry. Vegeta will you make sure she gets to her room all right?"
'What am I made out of, glass?' He heard coming from her mind as he nodded. Normally he would have refused, if he didn't kill the person first for asking such an impotent question. But seeing as to how she had yet to answer him he figured it would be a good of chance as any. Lifting her into his arms he only smirked at the killer glare she sent to him. 'Arrogant asshole, he knows I don't need any help. Well I'm not going to answer him that's for sure.' He only shook his head slightly at her stubbornness. Did she even know that once his part of the stay on the planet was over she would have to come and live on his planet for the same length of time? Opening the door to her room he dropped her on her bed. She crossed her arms at him from the bed then spoke.
"Fine I'm here, thank you, now go."
"What happened last night?"
"I could be wrong, but I think that this doesn't concern you. Correction I know that this has nothing to do with you. Buzz off Vegeta, I don't see why you need to know my life's little problems."
"Someone trying to kill you is not a little problem Bulma." She started when he used her name but that only showed that contrary to her act she was listening. "And if our planets treaty is to be honored that means you need to stay alive."
"What contract?" She snapped moving to her feet, with a few limping steps she was standing in front of him. He scowled, she didn't know. "Why would it concern me and what do you care if Jack comes after me or not. Really Veggie I couldn't care less, I'm a big girl and can take care of myself. Besides." She added flippantly. "Its not the first time I've taken a beating, this was nothing compared to what I've lived through. I did after all live with the man for." She cut herself off hand covering her mouth. Eyes wide she looked to him in horror. He knew she had just slipped up and she knew he knew. Closing the door behind him, he approached her. Grabbing her hips, he forced her into the bowl chair that sat in a corner.
"Explain girl." He growled face near her own. Again he felt the now all too familiar want, the wish to have her pressed to him but he ignored it. He wanted answers, his desires could wait. After all, he was only going to be around her for a year on her own mud-ball planet then a year on his own. Plenty of time. Shaking his head mentally, he rid it of such thoughts.
"Not a chance." She hissed sitting up, so close that their noses almost touched. She tried to push him back but it did little good. "I have no reason to obey you prince, get used to the idea that not everyone wishes to obey your every whim." With her last word, she kicked out, but only to have her ankle in one of his hands. She had tried to catch him off guard only to have him halt her attack without breaking gazes with her.
"You have spirit and fire girl. But remember this, that temper of yours will get you into trouble." She snorted rudely at this and he took it to understand that it already had and she still had no plans on changing. "One day your fire will attract someone you won't be able to frighten off. And you may find yourself the desire of more than one fancy." Her eyes widened in shock at his veiled threat/promise/truth and she adjusted her position, distancing their bodies slightly.
"Don't threaten me Vegeta, they don't work. Don't bluff me, I call them. And don't you dare touch me ever again. Not like you did last night." Raising he stood straight. (Remember people the night before he kissed her.)
"Trust me girl, last night will be only that, but don't push men to their limits. They are not all as capable of restraining themselves as I." She got the underlined hint and she reacted to it.
"I am not hitting on you!" She used her fist on the pillow and looked indignant at the suggestions. "If I were I assure you, you would know." Taking a pillow she launched it at him, it missed. "I don't like you, and if I wanted to get laid there are plenty of guys I care more for than you who would be perfectly willing and even more who I dislike but could still easily bed. So don't think I'm a slut."
"I never said you were." He growled not liking the idea of her being with somebody else. Even though he had thought she was one at first he knew better now. Letting go of her foot he watched her adjust her seating for more comfort. Wriggling her tiny body most alluringly in the process. But by her expression he knew she was far from happy.
"Stay away from me. My life is my business. Yes I say Jack trying to kill me is a small problem, but with all the guys who want my head on a platter and my tits in their mouth I hardly think he tops the charts of my enemies. I've taken care of myself this far; I can handle myself and protect myself. So just drop the topic about my past, I don't see you spilling your guts out to me about your past."
"You speak vulgarly girl."
"Only when I'm this angry. Leave or you'll get an earful of my vulgar vocabulary." He could see she had been pushed to the brink, she would answer nothing accept with an insult. Meeting with her blue flames he left, through the balcony. But before he was out of hearing he heard her mutter.
"Nosy show off."