Hi everyone! I'm very sorry for the wait! I worked 49 hours this past week, and I tried to work on this chapter whenever had the time! I've been just as antsy to get this out there for you! Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I'm thankful for your reviews, and I'm so glad you're still enjoying the story! I'm going to admit…I'm nervous about this next chapter, I feel it was very rushed since I haven't had much time to work on it. I hope you will leave me a review and tell me what you think.
As a friendly reminder, this is an AU, and although I offered Mr. Toriyama millions of bucks to own the exclusive rights to Dragonball Z, he declined. Whatever….I just wanted Vegeta anyway!
A/N: Let the dancing begin!
Legend says, when you can't sleep at night, it's because you are awake in someone else's dream.
Chapter 3: Technical Difficulties
Unbeknownst to Bulma, the damage had been done. The late-night talk with her mother, coupled with her revealing dream, started her on a troubled path that still had an undetermined outcome. Variables bothered her. They had no place in her work, or in her head. Her reason always added up to perfection. Now, she felt her world had been turned upside-down.
'I should try to get more sleep. The wedding planners will be here soon, and I've got a lot to do today. I can't keep thinking about ridiculous dreams.' Bulma scolded herself as she finished getting dressed. She walked into her closet, put on a pair of flip-flops, and gathered an extra pillow and a spare blanket to take with her outside. Fall was upon them, and it was starting to get cool in the morning. She made her way through the quiet complex, stepping outside to her beautiful backyard. She noticed dew on the grass that she walked on, and couldn't help but smile at the feeling of it as it nipped at her toes.
She walked over to her treasured hammock. Arranging her pillow just right, she lied down on it, feeling somewhat better as she covered herself with the blanket.
Being cocooned in her hammock was one of her favorite things to do, especially late at night, when she could stargaze out into the heavens and wonder what was going on out there in the universe, imagining what business and fun she was missing out on during the times she was bound to Earth.
Being outside on her hammock brought a thought to her. For spending as much time out in the wilderness as Yamcha did, she didn't understand why he never was fond of staying up late with her outside and join her in looking at the night sky. It was 'boring', he had said, always preferring to watch a sports game or a movie indoors, or go out clubbing, than spend time with her outside for no other reason that just to do it.
Reluctantly, she then thought of Vegeta, who would tend to join her, even when they were children. He always seemed to like looking at the universe as much as she did. Even as they grew older, if he was Earthbound and she was outside on a night she could not sleep, or had things to think over, he would eventually go out here with her. He would sit down on the ground, lean against one of the tree trunks that held her hammock, and just….be outside with her. The majority of the time they would be together in silence, and not really talk about anything, but the mutual companionship was nice, it was something that was…
'Always there.' Bulma half-heartedly admitted, as she sighed heavily. How could something so simple as relaxing outside with Vegeta, something that happened thousands of times, that didn't mean anything to her back then, look like it meant something now? Could that be what her mom was talking about? How one of them was always seeking out the other?
Bulma tried to reason that Vegeta came along to Earth with Goku for the hell of it, since Goku was also balancing two worlds as well. Goku and Chi-Chi decided to keep their home on Earth, for the benefit of Gohan's education, although Goku traveled extensively between both worlds with his son, making sure Gohan was as much Saiyan as he was human. Bulma couldn't help but smile at the thought of her godson. He truly was a child of both worlds.
That brought her to another thought.
Vegeta, in a way, was also like her. He didn't have to come to Earth when he wasn't supposed to be here, but he did anyway. He was always so busy with his training, and politics, and business, and so many other responsibilities. She would expect to not see him at all, whether she was planet bound on Vegetasei or not. And as she thought it over, she admitted to herself that she would still see him quite often. No matter what he was dealing with, he managed to squeeze some time out of his busy schedule to see her. Not that he was consciously trying to see her, but he did make his appearances to bug her about repairs or upgrades to his training equipment, or he would have some sort of interplanetary trade issue he had to speak with her about. He might have to talk with her about business, or have her come up with some new invention for some sort of issue, or might seek her input a vast selection of things. Even when he was bound to Vegetasei, he would still show up on Earth and join for dinner, or stay overnight for whatever reason.
He would sit outside with her at night, if she was on her hammock.
To simply be with her, perhaps? The idea was unsettling.
And what about her? She supposed she did seek him out as well. She would monitor his vital stats and energy output while he was training, and if he injured himself, which he almost always did, she'd chastise him and make him go to the medical bay. It was almost like she was his own personal nurse, always tending to his wounds! Not that Bulma didn't trust her father or the Saiyan medics-because she did!-but she always preferred to take a look at his injuries herself, just to make sure. If he happened to be in the grand dining hall in the royal palace, she naturally gravitated to him, sitting with him as they shared a rare meal together. Many times he would be so busy that he wouldn't eat, and she would bother the hell out of him until he demanded that she bring him something to eat. Well, she reasoned, she couldn't be made to do anything, so she willingly brought him some food.
And when she was swamped with work, either at Capsule Corp, her lab at home, or burning the midnight oil back at her lab on Vegetasei, she always made time for Vegeta…whether it was to fix his machines, or do whatever work he needed her to do. She also found the time...between lack of sleep, helping her father run a massive corporation, being the lead scientist and inventor of the company, doubling over as an ambassador and top scientist and inventor to the Saiyan empire...to have Goku teleport her to Vegetasei when she was Earthbound, just to spend time over there for the hell of it.
And maybe just to see Vegeta, perhaps? To spend time with him and be around him?
She unwillingly admitted to herself that for whatever reason, Vegeta was around her more than Yamcha. Yamcha-who was bound only to Earth, who spent most of his time at his baseball practices, working on his career, and training in the wilderness for weeks on end. Yamcha-who couldn't manage regular visits to her at home or at Capsule Corp headquarters, or even a phone call to her at least once a week when he wasn't in town! Then again, she was guilty of the lack of effort on her part too. She couldn't be hypocritical. She could make more efforts to go to his baseball practices, and be at his games, she could go out to dinner with him more often, or go watch a movie…and even spend time with him in the wilderness. Was it bad that she didn't want to do that for him? That her thoughts immediately went to Vegetasei if she had any free time, or that she'd stay home and spend time with Vegeta, instead of making an effort to be with Yamcha?
She breathed and exhaled deeply. The realizations were weighing heavily on her mind, and confusing her heart. 'You really screwed up my head, mom.' Bulma thought, as she couldn't help but reflect and dig deeper on only a few of the dynamics her mother had mentioned that existed between her and Yamcha, and her and Vegeta. She was beginning to tread dangerous waters.
She sighed exhaustedly, stretching her hand down to the ground, rocking herself gently in her hammock, watching as the sky was slowly turning from a purple-blue to pink-orange. The general silence was comforting to her, since her own torrent of thoughts and feelings inside of her were quite the opposite. The irony was not lost on her that as the world was soon waking up, she was being lulled to sleep. Drowsily, she closed her eyes, hoping for no more nightmares. Bulma had been thoroughly convinced that her mind had some sort of a meltdown and had expressed absurd scenarios in her dreams to cope with the stress and lack of sleep she had been suffering from. But now…the quiet contemplation as she relaxed outside only proved that her mother was aware of truths that she was just now starting to consider.
Still, she was very sleep deprived, and reasoned that if she could only get a good night's sleep, she'd be feeling a whole lot better about Yamcha, her wedding, and would stop trying to see something in Vegeta's actions that might not really be there. Bulma was sure that once she started to see the wedding decorations, and tried on her dress for the final fitting, that things would change. She would finally see everything start to come together today...and she was sure that the excitement would start to fill her.
It just had to.
The Saiyan prince growled in frustration, as he slammed his fists into the control panel, effectively bending the metal inward and rendering the system even more unusable.
"You know, Bulma is going to kill you." Goku said worriedly, seeing Vegeta destroy another component of the gravity machine. Vegeta, in his earlier tantrum, had blown a hole straight through the power core, rendering the machine highly damaged and utterly useless.
"Tell me something I don't know, Kakarot." Vegeta replied sarcastically, as he stood, looking over the damage he caused. The woman was going to be pissed.
"Maybe you should get some sleep..." Goku abruptly stopped in mid-sentence after seeing the glare from Vegeta.
"Maybe you should mind your own damn business." Vegeta warned, and Goku threw up his hands a bit, showing that he was going to drop the sore subject. He had found Vegeta hours ago, pacing back and forth in the gravity room again, restless as could be. Vegeta had been unable to sleep that night. Come to think of it, he was having a lot of trouble sleeping lately.
All that Goku knew was that Vegeta was on a short fuse. Well, shorter than usual, especially the last couple of weeks. And somehow, someway, Bulma had something to do with it. Goku had his suspicions about what might be causing Vegeta's insomnia, but he wouldn't voice it directly. Being best friends and rivals aside, he knew when to keep his mouth shut when it came to the prince.
Vegeta growled again, fisting his hands at his sides. His thoughts wouldn't escape him. Why the hell was he dreaming and thinking about Bulma so much lately? It was like she was constantly on his mind, and it was driving him mad. It was also driving him to exhaustion. His lack of sleep the past couple of weeks was straining what little patience and civility he already didn't have.
"Alright, well since the gravity room is no longer an option here, how about we use the one back on Earth?" Goku offered amicably, trying to break Vegeta's current train of disturbed thoughts.
Vegeta visibly stiffened at the idea. "I broke that one yesterday too, moron."
"Oh yeah…" Goku trailed off, bringing a hand to the back of his head to scratch it. "…but I'm sure she's got it fixed by now! Or we can stay here, and do some more of your Instant Transmission training."
"I don't need any further training, Kakarot. I know the technique!" Vegeta spat out irritably. He had already learned to teleport within Vegetasei and a few surrounding galaxies, and had that down to a science. Any further than that, and he was still having some trouble feeling out ki's and honing in on them right away. Maybe more training would be beneficial….at least it would make him clear his head and focus on learning how to expand his skill. He was already pissed that he hadn't gone to Planet Yardrat when Goku went, since he was stuck on another planet at the time with his father, talking diplomatic policy and drawing up trade agreements. Goku had learned the technique and had been working with Vegeta, teaching him everything he learned from them.
"Well then, what better training than going to Earth!" Goku chirped happily. "We'll test your transmission range, and you'll get to train in the gravity room! You can teleport us there, can't you?" Goku said, his voice laced with challenge. And a challenge it would be, since Earth was in a different quadrant of space.
"Of course I can!" Vegeta scoffed arrogantly, rising to the challenge.
"Are you sure, Vegeta? It's pretty far away. I mean, I learned to teleport to Earth pretty quickly….it's okay if you can't get us there yet." Goku baited.
"Fool, I am the Prince of all Saiyans! I can do anything better than some third-class clown!"
Goku couldn't help but chuckle, giving Vegeta a challenging look. "I'm not a third-class anymore. My power level makes me an elite, just like you."
"You'll always be a third-class to me." Vegeta said. He smirked at the saddened look on Goku's face. "Oh, quit pouting like a childish cub. We're wasting time, let's go." he ordered.
Goku nodded, walking over to him, placing his hand on his shoulder. Vegeta raised two fingers to his forehead, and his face took on a serious look of concentration. After a few moments, they hadn't gone anywhere.
"Try just to focus on one ki." Goku offered his guidance. "Feeling out too many of them will mess with the technique…" he began to say.
"Shut up, Kakarot, I know that!" Vegeta barked, trying again to concentrate on just one ki from Earth. The only one he could think of was Bulma. He was determined to show Kakarot that he could do this. He inwardly berated himself as he thought of her, aware of the irony that he spent most of his time trying not to think of her, and did so anyway. He let himself reach out across the vastness of space, thinking of her and her unique life energy. Once he had zeroed in on Bulma's ki, it seemed to stand out like a flicker of light thousands of light years away in the darkness. He smiled, proud of his accomplishment, as he teleported himself and Goku to Earth.
They appeared in an instant, in the middle of Bulma's backyard.
"I told you, Kakarot!" Vegeta boasted, standing regally, with his head held high, and the arrogance to back it up. He was quite pleased with himself.
"Well done, Vegeta!" Goku praised, patting him on the shoulder. "I knew you'd be able to focus on her ki and get us here!"
"How did you know I was choosing the woman's ki to focus on?" Vegeta demanded.
"Why do you ask questions that you already know the answers to?" Goku teased, as his laugh faded away, quickly hurrying into the Brief's household before Vegeta could respond….or punch him. Plus, he knew Bulma's mother would already be in the kitchen cooking up breakfast. He hoped she would have enough to feed two hungry Saiyans.
Vegeta's eyes narrowed dangerously, a scowl etched on his face. What the hell was he trying to say? If looks could kill, Goku would have been dead three times over. Vegeta turned his attention from Goku's hasty exit, to the blue-haired woman sleeping on her hammock. He looked at her peaceful demeanor while she slept. He smirked, thinking about flipping her hammock over and making her land ungracefully on the ground. He'd get an earful from her, but making her irritable when she first woke up always led to an interesting day.
"Yoo-hoo! Vegeta!" Bunny called out from the entryway of the patio doors, waving an arm to get his attention. "Come inside dear! Let her sleep!"
Vegeta sighed, and on a whim, decided to let the woman be. He turned and started to head inside his home...at least he could supervise and have Bunny made all of his favorite breakfast foods, and make sure Goku didn't eat all the food before he could get some.
Bulma had been asleep for a short while, until the Saiyan prince decided enough was enough.
"Wake up, woman." she distinctly heard Vegeta's voice next to her. Not consciously aware if this was a dream or not, and still half-asleep, she answered instinctually.
"Vegeta, it's too early…." she mumbled, "Can't even sleep in….honeymoon…." she complained softly, her voice muffled since her face was halfway buried into her pillow. She fell silent as her sentence trailed off, having fell back to sleep.
Vegeta's eyes widened, unsure if he had heard what he thought he heard. "What did you just say?"
"Shhh…" Bulma said irritably, lazily waving a hand in the air towards his direction, as if that would make Vegeta shut up.
He sighed grouchily. She had always been difficult to wake up. "It's time to wake up, woman. I didn't come here to watch you sleep away the day." he said loudly. His piercing voice forced her awake, as she opened her eyes and searched for the source of noise that jolted her awake. She looked into a pair of dark eyes. And a very familiar face.
"Vegeta!" she said, startled. "What the hell?" she complained, "What-what are you doing here?" She was hoping he wouldn't notice the alarmed nervousness in her voice. After her dream of him last night, she suddenly felt awkward in front of him. She knew it was just a dream, but his part in it was still fresh in her mind. A heightened feeling of embarrassment graced her features in a slight blush, remembering her previous thoughts about him before she had fallen asleep.
"I'm waking your lazy ass up, apparently." Vegeta clipped, crossing his arms across his chest, displeased.
Bulma rolled her eyes at him. "Well good morning to you too! What time is it anyway?" she grumbled, sitting up carefully in the hammock, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
"Time for you to get up." Vegeta answered, a scowl on his face, oblivious of the rough night she had. He took a moment to study her face after seeing her slight blush. He took on a moment of contemplation. "Why are you out here?"
"I had a nightmare." Bulma said, shaking her head a bit to clear it, still feeling groggy. She then realized her mistake, and hoped he wouldn't pry into what she dreamed about. She didn't think he would like hearing it. And she wouldn't like telling him.
"A nightmare? Did you stay up late and see a scary movie? Maybe I should buy you a nightlight." Vegeta's voice was laced with amusement.
"Ha ha, very funny!" Bulma stuck her tongue out at him childishly, earning a satisfied smirk on his lips. She was glad he did not delve deeper about her dream. Confusion then etched her face. "What are you doing here, anyway? I thought you were back on Vegetasei?"
"I was. I came to see if the gravity room here was repaired so I can train. I got tired of waiting for you. Color me surprised that you were taking your sweet time sleeping half the day away." he ground out.
"Put a sock in it, Vegeta! I got the repairs done last night. And you're welcome!" Bulma spat, getting up from the hammock and gathering her pillow and blanket in her arms. Then a thought stuck her. "What about the gravity chamber back home?" she asked suspiciously. "Why aren't you using that one?"
"I did. I broke it this morning. It needs to be repaired." Vegeta stated simply, earning an irritated growl from Bulma.
"Broke, huh?" Bulma emphasized, not buying it. "My machines don't break, you destroy them! You blasted through something, didn't you!"
"It doesn't matter if I did or not!"
"What did you do to it, Vegeta?" Bulma demanded, watching him cross his arms across his chest, and glare at her.
"I blew a hole through the power core, and the control panel is damaged." he said defiantly.
"Ugh, you're unbelievable, you know that?" Bulma scolded. "Can't you stop breaking my machines for at least one day?" she huffed, her voice raising in pitch as she stormed irritably back into the house through the kitchen, oblivious of her mother and Goku being in there. Vegeta followed closely behind her.
"I'll stop breaking your precious machines when you learn to make them stand up to the power of a Saiyan elite!" Vegeta said arrogantly. "And considering your shoddy workmanship, that will be never."
Bulma whipped around, pointing a finger into his chest. "Keep talking your shit, Vegeta! I'd like to see who else in this universe can provide your with such technology AND fix it just as quickly!"
"Tch." Vegeta scoffed, quirking an eyebrow as she poked his chest. "I'm sure I could find someone else. Like your father."
"My father doesn't have time to fix your machines! He's got tons of work to get done, just like I do! Plus I fix them WAY faster than he can!"
"Faster, perhaps, but not better."
"Oh really? Is that a fact?" Bulma challenged. "Then why don't you just have my dad fix your machines from now on, since apparently you aren't satisfied with my work!"
"I think I'll do that." Vegeta challenged back.
"Good! Then maybe I can actually get some things done around here for once, without having to waste my precious time fixing everything you destroy."
"Oh, so now it's a waste of time?" Vegeta remarked, uncrossing his arms, glaring at Bulma as he pointed at her. "Maybe your precious time wouldn't be wasted if you could learn to build me a gravity room that I can actually use. Having them break down almost everyday is a waste of my time!"
"They wouldn't break down if you would learn to control your power and stop blowing holes through it! And another thing, it doesn't help when you keep overloading the system! You always keep pushing it to the max, what do you expect?" Bulma yelled out in frustration, placing her hands on her hips, glaring at Vegeta.
"I'm always in control of my power!" Vegeta yelled back, standing firm, matching her glare. "I shouldn't have to limit my abilities just so that your precious machine can remain intact! You need to build me a gravity room that can withstand even higher gravity and that won't buckle under my power!"
"Why are you telling me, then? Have my father build it for you!" Bulma spat back smugly in his face. "You've made it more than perfectly clear that my work is not up to your standards!"
"Hn. Just like you to chicken out of a challenge." Vegeta sneered, smirking as he watched Bulma's irritation skyrocket.
Oh, that man drove her insane!
"I'm not chickening out of anything!"
"So this is the limit of your technological genius? You can't even build a gravity chamber that can last more than a week without breaking down? I have to say that I find myself disappointed in you."
Bulma began to get angry. "You jerk!" she shrilled, waving her arms up in frustration. The audacity he had to question her genius! "I'm the smartest woman on this planet! Hell, I'm probably one of the greatest geniuses in the universe! I can build a better anything, and you know it! But with your ungratefulness and rotten attitude, I don't WANT to!"
Vegeta's demeanor darkened, and he took a step closer to her, trying to intimidate her. "Then how about I make you."
It was a statement, not a question.
Bulma's eyes blazed with challenge. "You can't make me do anything, Vegeta."
"Oh, can't I?" he stated calmly, and Bulma took a step back, suddenly weary of what Vegeta had up his sleeve. Before she knew it, he grabbed her arm and pulled her outside with him, ignoring her protests. "We'll see about that." He turned around and faced her, mischief glinting in his eyes. "Still afraid of heights?"
Bulma's eyes widened, as she tried to pull her arm away from Vegeta's grasp. "You wouldn't dare!" she managed to squeal.
Vegeta laughed darkly. "I'll fly you up to 6,000 feet and drop you, and you know it."
He wasn't bluffing. He had done that to her a couple of times. He would follow through.
"You're a real jerk, you know that." Bulma pouted. It was too early in the morning, and she was too tired to deal with having a heart attack from being dropped from 6,000 ft, even though Vegeta always caught her well before she was in danger.
"It's one of the many things that I am." Vegeta smirked, letting go of her arm. "So, like I said, build me a better gravity room. Unless you really can't do it."
She knew he was baiting her with a trap. Her pride was as important to her as it was to him. For whatever reason, she inwardly took a step back, and looked at him. She saw the glint of challenge in his eyes, laced with amusement from having gotten her so riled up. She realized that despite his words, he still wanted her to do it. He still trusted her to fix and upgrade his machines…still trusted her to not have them malfunction, even under the absurd training he did. He trusted that she would limit any damage to his gravity room that might possibly kill him. There was so much trust and faith in her….all from a man who had a reputation of not trusting many people at all.
Her mother's words last night ran through her mind again, about how they always fought and yelled, but no hard feelings ever really remained. This squabble was nothing, really. Her mom was right. They did challenge each other. Seeing who would bend. Making each other better. The proof had just smacked her right in her face, in the form of a handsome Saiyan prince who came to Earth to seek her out this morning.
These critical realizations were quickly making their way into her heart.
"Ugh, I can't deal with you right now Vegeta!" Bulma uttered in exasperation, as she shook her head slightly, heading back inside the house. Her words held a double-meaning to them, and she knew it. This new point of view was really messing up her head.
She had too many things on her plate. She was exhausted. She wanted to rest.
She had a wedding to focus on. She had to get ready for the wedding planners, the decorators, and the florists.
She had cold-feet that she wanted to get rid of, and nightmares of Yamcha she wanted to rationalize.
She had dreams of Vegeta that she wanted to ignore.
She had feelings for Vegeta that she needed to realize.
Vegeta looked after her with a puzzled glance, following her back inside the house. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he respond to her strange outburst.
Bulma turned back around and looked at him, a troubled look on her face. "Nothing, just forget it. I'll consider building you a better gravity room when I have the time."
Vegeta didn't appreciate that response at all. "You have the time right now, so why don't you just fix it?"
"Because I have other things I have to do!" Bulma said, irritated. She couldn't bend to his whims right now, she had a wedding to focus on today, and for some reason she felt guilty and bad about putting Vegeta aside. The feeling didn't sit well with her. Neither did the fact that she'd rather go to Vegetasei today and work on his machine than stay on Earth and spend most of the day going over last minute wedding plans.
Being put on the backburner didn't sit well with Vegeta either. He had an idea on what she was putting him off for, and his mood turned sour. He looked like he was about to respond with a scathing remark, but Bunny interrupted him.
"Oh Vegeta, darling, it's so good to have here this morning!" Bunny rang in chipperly, going over to him, placing a motherly kiss on his forehead. Vegeta scowled slightly, letting her do as she wished. Her and Goku had been listening to only their millionth argument since they both could talk. Bunny had been carefully watching their argument and felt that right then was the correct time to intervene. "Will you be staying for breakfast?"
Situation neutralized.
"Of course he will, he only knows two things, fighting and eating!" Bulma grumbled. "Oh, and breaking expensive equipment! He's good at that!" Vegeta glared at her in annoyance. Bulma then noticed Goku's laugh, and she turned to see him, her mood improving as her face lit up at seeing her best friend. Well of course he would be there, he had to teleport Vegeta back to Earth! "Oh, where are my manners? Good morning, Goku!" Bulma walked over to him and gave him a friendly hug.
"Morning, sunshine!" Goku greeted back at her happily, giving her a hug back. From the corner of his eye he noticed Vegeta's demeanor darken, and his smile became awkward, letting go of Bulma and turning his attention from her to the food that was currently being cooked on the stove, earning a chuckle from Bulma. Bunny noticed the slight change in Vegeta as well, as she placed a hand on his forearm.
"I'm here to train, not socialize." Vegeta said firmly, taking his attention off of them, and back to Bunny. She decided to interpret that as a yes.
"Oh good, so you're staying then! I'll make all your favorites, Vegeta. We all know the way to a man's heart is through his stomach!" Bunny giggled, giving his arm a motherly squeeze. She hurried off to the other side of the kitchen to keep an eye on the food she was already making, and to make sure that Goku didn't start eating it all. Bulma rolled her eyes at her mother's loud, off-hand comment.
Goku laughed, as he rubbed his stomach. "Yeah, that's how Chi-Chi won my heart. Her cooking is the best! Oh, yours is good too, Mrs. Briefs!"
"Now Goku, I've told you a million times, call me Bunny…" the conversation trailed off as Bulma walked away from them, and headed back towards Vegeta's direction, her scowl back on her face at seeing his displeased look with her.
"Well, what are you waiting for? You know where the gravity room is." Bulma snapped, seeing Vegeta continue to look at her. She was walking past him, towards the stairs, intending to head into to her room to change out of her pajamas and into some regular clothes.
Vegeta growled. "Going somewhere? Off to fix my machine back home while I train in the one here, I hope." Vegeta said in a veiled warning.
Bulma turned around, determination evident in her body language. "I'm tired, Vegeta. I didn't sleep for shit last night, and then your ass woke me up when I was finally getting some sleep. And for your information, I have a very busy day today, like I always do. I have a lot of wedding stuff to oversee and give my final approval on."
She saw the scowl on Vegeta's face, as he leaned casually against the bottom of the staircase railing. "I don't care how busy you are with your wedding crap, you better find time to fix my machine."
"It's not crap!" Bulma retorted. "And I'll fix your machine when I damn well please, and not a moment sooner!"
Vegeta's tail swished behind him, as it gently thumped on the railing he was leaning on. There was an air of danger around him. "Then you better hope I don't break the one here again. I'm telling you right now, if the gravity room fails in any way, you will fix one of them. I don't care if I have to pull you away from your wedding shit, I take priority above all else."
"Ha!" Bulma snorted, "Sorry to burst your royal bubble, but you are like 4th on my priority list right now, whether you like it or not."
Vegeta gave her a challenging look. "I could always kill the weakling. That will eliminate the top three spots and make me number one." Vegeta threatened, mischief flashing in his eyes. Bulma was about to counter with a rebuttal, but thinking about her dream and how Vegeta had replaced Yamcha, she couldn't help but smirk.
"Don't hate because you're not my number one anymore." Bulma said softly, sending him a playful wink. She turned back around and started up the stairs again to her room.
"Tch. I've always been your number one." Vegeta remarked smugly, his tail curling and uncurling in interest as he followed her up the staircase, intrigued.
She swore she could hear the smirk in his voice. "Whatever. But seriously, the wedding people are going to be here soon. I don't have time to fix your machine right now. So…just use the one here. I fixed it last night, it should be just fine. And for Kami's sake, don't take it to maximum gravity and don't blast a beam through anything!" Bulma warned.
"You don't tell me what to do, woman."
"Vegeta, I'm serious…" Bulma whined a bit, stopping and turning midway on the staircase, looking down at him. "…I have a lot of things to do today, and I'm exhausted to boot. So…" she paused, speaking to him genuinely, "…I would really appreciate it if you could not destroy the gravity room here. I'll try to get the one back on Vegetasei fixed today if I can, but no promises."
"Stop your whining, woman." Vegeta said, taking another step up, placing his arm on the railing, as his tail swished back and forth in a content way. "I'll refrain from destroying it. Last thing I need is for you to screech at me like a banshee."
"I don't screech like a banshee!"
"Yes, you do." Vegeta smirked, his eyes sparkled with playfulness.
Bulma not was not oblivious to it. She smiled slightly and rolled her eyes, turning back around and finished heading up the stairs to her room as she called back out to him.
"Shut up and go train, Vegeta."
So how'd you like it? I didn't realize how long the chapter was, but I hope it was still an enjoyable read for you! I'm going to start working on chapter 4, and I hope to have it posted much sooner this time. I already have the general outline in my mind, I just gotta type it out! Thanks again for reading! Leave a review and let me know what you thought, especially of Vegeta…I'm worried about making him too out of character, even though this is an alternate universe story. Your input is appreciated!