"It's boiling."

"Boiling? Are you quite sure about that dear?" Came her grandmother's sweet voice from the phone cradled in between her cheek and her shoulder as Bulla scanned the pages of Panchy's well loved cook-book in one hand and worked an electric hand mixer through a bowl of bright pink frosting with the other.

Marron's birthday was today and Panchy's homemade strawberry cake was her absolute favorite, Bulla's as well. There was just one problem. Panchy was not there to bake it. She, Dr. Briefs and Bulla's parents were all on some trip that Bulma had planned for weeks in advance. Bulla had offered to bake it in her place. How hard could it be?

"Uh, yeah, like, bubbling, how long is it going to do that before it rises?" She asked, placing the book back on the counter, shifting her focus to her confection of sugar and butter. "And for the frosting, it says to whip it until it 'forms stiff peaks'" she shut off the hand mixer, inspecting the beaters more closely. "When is that supposed to happen exactly? I've been mixing it for almost forty-five minutes and it's still not quite like yours."

"What does it look like right now?"

"Kind of chunky?"

"No dear, that doesn't sound right at all. Did you soften your butter before you started?"

"…No."

"Oh well, there's your problem, sweetie. If you don't soften your butter, you could mix it all day and get nowhere. It's all in the recipe."

She picked up the book once again, and sure enough, that's what it said. "… I guess I'll just have to start over."

"Well, I'll leave you to it dear! Your grandfather and I are taking surfing lessons this afternoon. Isn't that exciting? I got a look at the instructor and oh my, he's quite the tall glass of water! But what am I saying? I'm a married woman! "

"That's nice Grandma." Bulla said awkwardly as she scraped her useless pink goo into the trash. After saying goodbye, she dumped the dirty bowl into the sink and grabbed a fresh one. She peeked into the oven, and her 'cake' was still bubbling away. Perhaps the heat wasn't up high enough? She cranked it up a few degrees and moved to the fridge.

She was vaguely aware of the sound of the front door clicking closed as she dug a fresh package of butter out of the fridge, and then another, just in case. The caterers weren't due for a while and Trunks was out doing some last-minute shopping for Marron's birthday present. Perhaps a guest that misread the time on the invitation?

"the party isn't for another three hours!" Bulla called with an exasperated sigh.

Then Her neck prickled, and she felt his ki. Her heart clenched. The last she'd heard from her brother, he was on an assignment that would take weeks to complete. What the hell is he doing here?

Heavy footsteps clicked on the floor, and Bulla turned around.

Standing in the kitchen's entryway was Son Goten, wearing a clean, pressed button down and jacket that molded perfectly to his broad shoulders, complete with slacks and dress shoes. He was holding a brightly wrapped package and… he wasn't smiling. Which was odd for him.

"Oh, I didn't realize." He sat the parcel in his arms down on the island in the center of the kitchen and sniffed the air. "… is something burning?"

"Why are you here?" The words were out of her mouth before she could second guess them, her tone sharp. No one had said anything to her about him being here today.

It had been three months since Bulla returned to earth from her last galaxy patrol mission. Three months since she'd seen Son Goten. Three months since she made an absolute ass out of herself and ruined everything.

She cringed inwardly and her chest squeezed at the memory of the way he'd looked at her the last night they saw each other. Thinking of how his body had gone still against hers, how he hadn't kissed her back, and the look of shocked confusion on his face when he'd pulled away. His reaction only solidifying what she already knew, but refused to acknowledge, that he didn't return her feelings and he never would. She wanted nothing more than to go up to her bedroom, lock the door and never come out again, because that would be preferable to the uncomfortable tension souring the air between them.

It was exactly why when the time came to return to space. Bulla stayed behind. She couldn't stomach being on the same ship with him, day after day. Not after making such a fool of herself that last night off-world. When those cloying, burning feelings she'd so carefully kept secret for so long finally wormed their way to the surface and he'd promptly rejected her.

Couldn't stomach the thought of those pitying looks he'd give her, of the awkward silence that was sure to loom over all of their future interactions. The slow death of the bond they'd built.

"I'm here for Marron's birthday," He said quickly, his brow pinching, "Are you baking something? Do you need some help I think-"

"No, I do not need help." She scowled, indignant, as she placed her hands on her hips. "I have the situation completely under control. Thank you very much!"

"Are you sure because it smells like that's…"

His words died when thick black curls of smoke began pouring out of the oven. Bulla yelped, rushing to turn off the appliance and flinging open the door to reveal the flaming, oozing remains of Marron's birthday cake. Bulla coughed and her eyes and sensitive saiyan nose burned at the gagging smell of burned baked goods. Fuck. This is just what I need.

Fortunately, the Briefs kept a fire extinguisher in their kitchen. Bulla frown down at the monstrosity. It was black and charred on the outside, yet a gooey, bubbling mess on the inside. She wasn't sure how she managed such a feat.

And it was just her luck that the very first time she saw the dark-haired demi-Saiyan in months, she would be failing so spectacularly at something so simple.

Bulla let out a whine of frustration, worrying a hand through her glossy teal hair, "This is fucking terrible. I should have just ordered a stupid cake-"

She stopped speaking when a warm, reassuring hand settled on the small of her back. She looked up to see Goten smiling down at her, and some of the panic twisting her stomach into knots eased..

"It's okay, don't be upset. You said the party isn't fore three hours. There's still plenty of time, we'll just clean this up and make another one." Goten said calmly, moving past her and she immediately missed the reassuring feel of his touch. He pulled off his jacket, folding it neatly and hanging it over the back of a chair at the island.

"You bake?" She arched a brow at the dark-haired Saiyan.

He grinned, rolling up the sleeves of his dress shirt. "I know a thing or two. Growing up, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my Mom. And I've cooked for you too, quite a few times..."

That was an understatement. He always cooked for her when they were off-world. It was a deal they'd worked out. He'd cook, and she'd clean up. At first she thought she was getting the raw end of the deal, but his food was so much better than anything she ever made for herself, so she didn't mind the clean-up. And she loved watching him cook. He always seemed right at home in the little kitchen on their ship. But they never did much baking in space, so this would be a first.


Soon enough, most of the burnt smell had aired out of the kitchen, replaced with the sweet sugary smell of her grandmother's famous strawberry cake.

It surprised bulla how easy it was to be in his presence again. She thought they'd never be like this again. But Goten had that way about him, she supposed.

She'd been so flustered when he'd unexpectedly shown up.

Dreading an awkward reunion.

But looking at them now, you'd think nothing had changed, and this was just another day. Her heart ached as she thought of their days in space, tinkering around on the ship together in their downtime or watching tv or playing video games or dumb pranks on Jaco. Her heart squeezed painfully in her chest. She'd missed that. Missed him terribly.

Then they'd set off on the mission that had only served to further blur the lines between them. When he'd held her hand and slept in her bed and given her a tiny taste of what it would be like to be his. When he danced with her and she let herself entertain the idea that he could ever see her as anything other than a partner or his best friend's kid sister. Let herself believe he could feel something real for her.

Goten had just finished piping the last -infuriatingly perfect- flower on the top of Marron's birthday cake when Bulla noticed a slash of shiny red skin on the back of his hand that hadn't been there the last time she'd seen him.

"What happened there?"

"I was doing some maintenance on the Heiress, cleaning the coils and all that, like you showed me, and my partner forgot I was working on it and fired up the engine-"

"-and you burned yourself." She finished his sentence, shaking her head with disapproval.

"Yep!" He nodded, chucking the empty piping bag in the bin.

"Who'd they partner you up with?" She asked casually.

"Osca."

Osca, for all that he was enthusiastic in his work, was a little dimwitted. A lot dimwitted actually. Dimwitted and accident-prone. A poor combination in their line of work.

"Oh."

"Yeah," He chuckled, "So… when are you going to come back and be my partner again?" He took the empty batter bowl and dunked it into the sink of soapy water, and got to work scrubbing it clean. "I've missed you." He added softly, and a sweet, achy warmth bloomed in her chest at those three little words.

"You… have?"

"Of course I have." He nodded, rinsing off the now-clean batter bowl and placing it in the rack to dry."Oh!" A look dawned on his face. "I know it's supposed to be Marron's day, but I got you something."

He shook the water from his hands before reaching into his pocket and pulled out a shiny, blue rock. He held it out to her. She carefully took it between her fingers. It was flat and smooth, oval shaped, with swirls and striations of shimmering teal. The same color as her hair. It was beautiful, like a little nebula had been scooped from the stars and frozen in time.

"It's just something small. It's not a big deal. I found it on a beach on my last mission. I saw it and it made me think of you."

It was so, so Goten.

She remembered how he used to collect things from the different places they visited, a bit of oddly colored sand, a leaf from an exotic plant. Endless, unique little stones of different shapes and colors, but none as gorgeous as this. All collected in a jar in his quarters. Souvenirs from their adventures.

For a girl who had everything, Bulla knew she'd treasure this gift more than anything else she owned.

"Thank you, that's really… sweet of you."

He nodded, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. "I called you. A bunch of times."

"I know." She said quietly, carefully slipping the stone into the pocket of her apron and dusting away the flecks of flour that had managed to get on her bright red chiffon party dress.

"I just didn't know what to say to you after… I was just… I was embarrassed!" She let out a frustrated sigh, throwing her hands up, "I got so trashed and then I kissed you and demanded you let me straddle your face-"

His eyes widened. "You definitely did not say that."

"I didn't?" She blinked, "you're… sure? I could swear-"

"Nope." He shook his head, letting out a little snort of laughter. "I promise I would have remembered something like that."

"Oh… Well I must have just been… thinking it then…" she trailed off, her face blazing with heat as she inwardly cursed herself up one way and down the other. Even now, "drunk Bulla" was wreaking havoc on her life, the little whore.

And now because of her, "sober Bulla" was going to have to do something that she always hated having to do.

Bulla Briefs was going to have to apologize.

"Look, I'm sorry I screwed up, and I confused things between us..." She plucked the wooden spoon from the frosting bowl and idly scooped the last of the creamy white frosting off the end with her index finger, needing something, anything else to focus on, and for a half-saiyan that usually meant food. "I shouldn't have done that and I'm just really, really sorry… I'm sorry about all those things I said and for ghosting you… It's just, I couldn't bring myself to pick up the phone because I… Ugh! I was embarrassed. It was a stupid thing to do-"Fuck, she was rambling, now "sober Bulla" was making her look like an idiot too. "- And you had just broken up with Valese and you were probably still thinking about her. And me throwing myself at you probably made that worse, and I'd like it if we could just never talk about it again and-"

She was just about to raise her frosting covered finger to her lips when strong, warm fingers closed around her delicate wrist. She looked up, and her breath hitched. He was gazing at her with such an intensity that she was sure she was imagining it.

"I wasn't thinking about her." He said quietly. "In fact, I haven't been thinking about her for a very long time."

His gaze never left hers as he brought her frosting covered digit to his mouth, and before Bulla knew what was happening he'd taken it between his soft, smooth lips. He sucked gently on the tip, swirling his tongue lightly around it, closing his eyes in bliss, savoring the sweetness as he cleaned away the sugary residue with his tongue. And a tremor of need rocked through her at the sight.

She watched him, stunned, as he pulled the digit from the wet heat of his mouth. "I didn't stop you that night because I didn't want you." He brushed his lips over the back of her knuckles.

She didn't dare breathe a word as he released her hand, advancing on her. The wooden spoon she was holding clattered to the floor as he ushered her back, stopping only when her backside bumped into the counter.

"I stopped you, because when I kiss you for the first time, I want your head to be totally clear that it's what you really want." He settled his hands on either side of her, trapping her against the granite countertop. Bulla shivered as he pressed his forehead to hers and she felt his hot breath fanning over her lips.

Her hands slid to his chest, bunching in his shirt, needing something to anchor herself in that moment, savoring the heat of his big body. Her throat went dry as his scent washed over her. It was slightly different, though. Something she'd noted in his scent before, that last night… It was arousal. The realization hit her. He'd wanted her too that night. She just hadn't realized it. She'd been too far gone from the wine.

And that was why he'd pushed her away and she'd been too ashamed of her actions to see it.

One of his hands rose to her face, skimming over her cheek and threading into her hair and he whispered against her lips, "do you still want it?"

"I do." She breathe, Kami she wanted it.

His mouth crashed against hers with a needy ferocity that made Bulla's core quiver with liquid heat, and she whimpered against his mouth.

Bulla's hands trailed up over his big, broad shoulders and into the short, messy spikes at the nape of his neck as his tongue swept over her bottom lip, begging for entry that she was all too happy to grant. His tongue slicked into her mouth, his taste sweet. Tooth-achingly sweet.

He groaned into her mouth, his hands sliding down the curves of her waist, trailing over her hips, squeezing her bottom before lifting her easily onto the counter.

Goten wasted no time in settling between her legs that she greedily wrapped around his hips, clasping him to her. He broke their kiss, burying his face in the crook of her neck before running his tongue up the column of her throat, and Bulla's hands tightened in his hair as he claimed her lips for a second time.

He worked the straps of her dress down, shoving the apron aside and drawing a rosy nipple into his mouth, licking, sucking and biting at the tender flesh as he squeezed its twin through the fabric of her apron. Bulla's head fell back, and her legs tightened against him as she rocked her hips wantonly against the hardness that had grown between them.

His hands roved all over her body as he laved his tongue over her distended nipple, trailing down over her chiffon covered thighs, grasping the fabric and dragging it up, bunching it at her waist to reveal her creamy white skin.

He pulled back, skimming a hand along the inside of her thigh, his hungry, consuming gaze steady on hers. She was so keyed up she jumped a little when his fingers brushed her cloth covered pussy.

"This okay?" he whispered, leaning in and dragging the tip of his nose over hers. She clutched the edge of the counter, biting her lower lip, nodding fervently. "Good."

He laid a tiny kiss on the corner of her mouth and a gasp fell from her lips as his fingers teased her through her panties, stroking up and down, groaning at the dampness that had bloomed there.

With aching slowness, he slid the silky fabric to the side, and she moaned when his fingers traced over her bare sex, caressing her wet entrance before dragging teasingly over her clit. It wasn't long before she was practically panting, her body burning with need.

And then he slid two thick fingers into her sinfully slick heat and she gasped out a moan that he smothered with a hot, searing kiss as he pumped them in and out of her weeping slit in a slow but steady pace.

Her knuckles were bone white as she gripped the counter and everything else fell away and there was only him. Only his all-consuming kisses, his scent, and his sweet fingers stroking into her. She didn't think about the party guests who could show up any second now. She'd never been so needy, so gluttonous for another person's touch as she was then. Every inch of her body was awake and simmering with lust. She was so lost in her desire that she could hardly string a thought together.

And then he abruptly tore his lips from hers, sinking down until his face was level with her hot, wet center, ripe and ready to be devoured by him. He slung a heel clad leg over his shoulder and when his smoldering gaze locked with hers from between her thighs, Bulla had never felt so exposed. He was waiting for her permission; she realized absently. She whimpered, nodding her head as he continued dragging his fingers over her sensitive inner walls and she gasped out a keening, "please!"

His eyes darkened and then his mouth was on her, and she cried out as he licked and sucked at her swollen clit. Her hands flew to his hair, grasping his raven spikes tightly as he mercilessly thrust his fingers in and out, over and over. And then all that building tension in her belly, winding tighter and tighter, snapped and everything blew apart. Her legs quaked as Bulla came against his face.

He groaned at the rush of wetness, lapping up every bit, the stroke of his fingers slowing as she came down from her climax. But he didn't stop licking her, even as he eased his fingers from her still sensitive sex, as if he couldn't get enough of her.

And then he wrapped his lips around her clit, giving it a hard suck and she gasped, her thighs squeezing his head and her fingers clenching in his hair so tightly she worried she might rip it out. Her body flushed with heat all over again and she wrenched his head away from her pussy, hauling his face back up to hers, pressing her lips to his in a series of frenzied, fevered kisses. She locked her legs around his waist as her fingers tore at the buttons of his shirt impatiently, seeking the taut, bare skin of his torso that she'd been dying to touch for so long.

He shrugged the garment off, tossing it to the floor, and she raked her hands over his pecs, the rippling muscles of his abs, and the dips of his apollo's belt, needing to feel all of him. He dug his hands into her hair, possessively holding her head in place as he claimed her lips with ravenous intent. With that kiss, the last of her carefully curated resolve was forgotten, and she reached for the buckle of his belt, her excitement only heightening at the sound of leather scraping against the metal.

"Condom?" He asked in between kisses.

"I'm on birth control, it's fine," she gasped against his mouth. "Want you inside me?" As much as she'd enjoyed his fingers and tongue, she wanted this even more. She made quick work of his zipper, reaching into his pants and wrapping her fingers around the hot bar of his cock.

"Fuck!"He hissed, his eyes shutting tight as she rubbed his shaft against her slippery folds, getting it good and wet. "Okay, fuck the condom."

She fit the head of his cock to her entrance and his hands drifted down. His fingers dug into the meat of her hips and breathy little moans tumbled from her lips as he eased into her snug body inch by inch.

When he was finally fully sheathed inside of her, he let out a shuddering breath, as if trying to calm himself, to rein himself in.

Bulla slid her delicate hands sensuously up his torso to rest on his shoulders, lining her face up with his and laying an ardent, claiming kiss to his mouth, rocking her hips slightly, to let him know he could keep going, that she was more than ready.

He slid a hand from her hip down to the bend of her knee, slinging it over the crook of his arm. He spread her legs wide and rocked into her, rolling his hips into hers in a languid motion, easing into their coupling. His other hand slid between them to the apex of her thighs, pressing his thumb into her folds as he fucked her. Her tight walls clenched around him as she whimpered her pleasure.

She knew sex with Goten would be like nothing she'd ever experienced before, but she hadn't known what a giver he'd be. Worshipping her like she was his half-Saiyan goddess and her body was his altar.

She clung to his shoulders with sweaty hands, leaning back ever so slightly, rocking her hips to meet his movements.

Her body was still so sensitized from her first orgasm that it didn't take long for her to start ramping up for another between the insistent swipe of his thumb on her clit and the deep, languid strokes of his cock.

The dark-haired halfling couldn't tear his eyes away from her. Like he was soaking in her every response. Taking in the way her breasts shook with every thrust, the way she canted her hips to meet every thrust of his body. Reveling in every quivering moan that fell from her lips.

He picked up the pace, pounding into her faster, harder. She was clutching him so desperately; she knew there would be little crescent-shaped marks embedded in his skin long after they were through.

Her heady moans turned into desperate, intelligible bleats as he slammed his hips into hers, grinding his thumb steadily against her little pleasure button. Bulla could feel that deep fluttering in her core, her muscles flexing and contracting with her rapidly approaching release.

And when it finally hit her, she threw her head back and let out a choked cry of his name. It was only then that Goten's control snapped. His hips jerked wildly against her and he buried his head in the crook of her neck, shuddering as he spilled his release into her welcoming body.

For a while, neither of them moved or spoke, too exhausted to do anything but cling to one another, basking in the afterglow of their joining.

"So," Bulla breathed, her body still practically singing with joy. "That was amazing."

"We should have been doing that all along." He grinned, smoothing a lock of sweat dampened hair out of her face and brushing his lips over hers.

They heard the click of the front door and then footsteps sounded through the living room, and a ripple of panic trilled through the Heiress. The two half-Saiyans exchanged a look and Goten instantly released her leg and had the sense to tug her skirt back down to its proper place while she fixed the top of her dress and apron, before tucking himself back into his pants and snatching his discarded shirt off the floor and hastily threw it back on.

Trunks could be heard milling around in the living room, presumably talking to the caterers that were due any minute now.

"We should probably clean up before he gets in here," she giggled, snatching up the wooden spoon she dropped on the floor and plopping it in the sink. The older halfling nodded, throwing his jacket back on and helping her clear away the rest of the dishes.

"Bulla…" Goten said somewhat hesitantly, "Does this mean… that you'll come with me when I leave again? Because I don't want to spend another minute of my life without you by my side."

She blinked in confusion at the youngest Son, surely the answer to that question was obvious?

She leaned up, and pressed a kiss to his cheek and said, "After that, you'll never be able to get rid of me, Son Goten."