Chapter 1: New Love
Bulma yawned sleepily and stretched her aching body. Thoughts of last night formed in her head and she smiled. She winced slightly as she rolled over. She sat up abruptly when she realized she was alone. She quickly glanced around and saw that Vegetas clothes were no longer scattered across her floor. The blue haired beauty frowned as she wondered where he'd gone. She shrugged probably went to train.
She got up and went to the bathroom for a much needed shower. While she let the hot water cleanse the various new aches in her body she sighed. Kami, she thought to herself, who would have thought I'd be this sore.
It had a year for her to break through the proud saiyan princes defenses. She had immediately realized she loved him. A passionate woman by nature she did everything with a measure of abandonment. Even love. Sure she had thought at one point in time she had loved Yamcha. But that was a fantasy. While he was a very good man she just did not love him. He was annoyingly clingy. But that wasn't his fault she assumed. It was her fault she could not love him. He was no challenge to her and with a mind like hers she needed a challenge.
Now Vegeta. He was different. She loved everything about him. Even the way he baited her and argued with her. He was the only man who had ever excited her with an argument. Mostly cause he was the only one who would argue with her. Yamcha always wanted to coddle her. She just wanted passion. Not some simpering man giving in to her at every turn. Where was the fun in that? And Vegeta was most definitely a challenge. The minute she had set eyes on him on Namek, while a little scared of the fierce warrior hell bent on destroying everything in his path, she was also very intrigued about him. Thus was her insistence to the remaining Z warriors that he be brought back to life with all the rest of the people who had died in Frieza's short but powerful reign over the Earth and Namek alike. She just simply couldn't let a perfect body like that go to waste when there was no point.
She let the water run through her light blue hair and down her back. She reached over to her shampoo and generously poured it on her head. Then reached up and massaged her head. Just hours before a darkly handsome prince had run his long elegant fingers through her hair and she almost went weak with the memory.
She ran her hand down to her neck and winced even more when she felt a slight bite mark on her neck. She ran a finger across the spot and almost purred. Somehow it seemed...strangely important. She giggled when she thought about the way Vegeta had almost reluctantly bit into her delicate skin. In the heat of the moment all the bite did was serve to drive her crazy with lust. After that most of the night blurred together as she lost track of who was who in the dim moonlight.
After she had gotten out and toweled herself dry, she wrapped the towel around her chest and walked into her room. She hummed as she bounced over to her closet. Still humming she picked out a red dress. It was form fitting and low cut in the neckline. It rose just above her fingertips at her thighs. She went to her vanity and made herself perfect for her prince.
She walked down to the kitchen and was actually shocked to see Goku and Yamcha sitting at her kitchen table eating the mountains of food her mother was piling on the table.
"Hey guys!" She said smiling. Yamcha stopped and stared at her. She suddenly realized that she had done nothing to disguise the bite mark at the base of her neck. She waltzed over to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup, trying to steel her nerves.
"Hey Bulma. Do you know where Vegeta is? I came to spar with him today but he isn't in the gravity chamber." Goku said between mouthfuls of Bunny's wonderful cooking. Her eyes darted to her oldest friend. And she wondered if he knew something. But then shrugged and turned around to lean against the counter. This was Goku. And while he was the strongest warrior on the planet sometimes he was also not the brightest. But she loved him for who he was. He was so innocent. So she didn't have to worry about him for the moment. Yamcha on the other hand was glowering at her and his hands were balled up into fists.
"No. I have no clue where he could be. I'm sure you can find him by his ki." She suggested, taking a sip of the strong coffee to try and hide the smile that had made its way back onto her face.
He smiled in his usual Goku way and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Oh yeah. Guess I was to busy enjoying this amazing food."
"Didn't Chichi feed you before you left this morning?" Bulma knew full well that she had. Chichi was also an excellent cook. And she always provided for her clan.
Goku nodded. "Yeah. But I thought a light snack would do me good." He indicated the empty plates littering the top of the table, she snorted. He stood up and smiled again. "I better be going then. Thanks for the food." He said to Bulmas mother, she giggled and blushed. Then Goku hugged Bulma and flew off.
Bulma sighed and turned to face the other man unexpectedly sitting at her table. "Yamcha."
"So who was it?" He asked calmly.
"None of your business." She hadn't meant for that to come out as cruelly as it had. She cringed as she saw the hurt and anger blossom in his eyes.
"Well, you're right about that." He stood up and walked towards the door. "I loved you. I'm sorry you couldn't love me. I hope your happy. I just came by to tell you that Ill be moving next week. I think I may bump the date up earlier. Considering. I just thought..." He shook his head and walked out the door.
She made no move to stop him mostly because she couldn't bear to see the hurt in his eyes. It was not so long ago that she had been his girlfriend. And while she did not love him as a man she did love him as a friend. And he would move on. As they say she was not the only fish in the sea. She had used up all her energy trying to explain to him that it was not him it was her. Apparently he still harbored some hope. But that could never be.
Vegeta had awaked to find the blue haired vixen beside him, wrapped in his arms, her back to him. He grinned in a devilish way remembering the night. How she had opened up to him. It was like a flower unfurling to the sun. He hoped he hadn't hurt her. He knew instinctively this had been her first time. He was pleased her and that weakling boyfriend of hers had not shared this act.
He looked down at her and frowned slightly at a mark on her neck he had apparently made unconsciously last night. He felt panic rise up in him. Had he really done that? Did one night of passion mean that much to him that he would...mark her as his own? Mark her in a Saiyan ritual very rarely used by the nation of warriors except in very heavy bonding? Only strong feelings for ones lover led the prideful Saiyan males to mark their woman. His brow furrowed deeper as he searched his soul. Did he really feel that strongly about this weak human girl? He did feel something for her.
Rising from the bed and quickly dressing he hurried out of her room and out of her house, carrying the strange emotions he was feeling along with him. Though he looked for all the world like someone running away from something. All he knew was that he didn't want to face her now. Didn't want to have to face her smiling that smile at him before he could sort it out for himself.
He took off into the dim morning rays and headed to a small island just off the coast.
He sat on the beach for the rest of the morning. Neglecting to even train.
He groaned when he felt a familiar and unwanted ki headed his way. He growled when Goku landed in front of him grinning from ear to ear.
"Get lost." Vegeta was in no mood for the always sunny Goku. All he had in mind for today was to sit here lost in his thoughts.
"Hey Vegeta." As usual, Goku ignored the ever poised and haughty princes tone. He sat down beside Vegeta and started talking to him.
Vegeta tried to drown him out. He didn't care to spar with him today.
"…ChiChi said after we spar we can-" Vegeta interrupted him mid sentence.
"Kakarott? How do you and your woman get along?" He rolled his eyes at himself as soon as he spoke the words. He hadn't meant to speak to him. Especially to ask him that question. But since it was out there he waited for Goku to speak.
"You mean Chichi. We get along fine. Why?" Goku tilted his head in his ever present blank look.
And then Vegeta did something he never would have thought he could or would ever do. He began to talk with Goku. "I just was wondering. How did you two meet?" He guessed it couldn't hurt. After all Goku was the only other Saiyan alive. He didn't like these feelings for Bulma he was feeling but he needed to talk them out.
"It was when we were younger. She's a very strong woman." Goku smiled thinking of his mate.
"Do you...lo...love her?" Vegeta managed.
"Yes. That's why I married her. Well actually at first I was tricked into that, but yes. I love Chichi." Goku knew something was up. Vegeta usually just sat there and let him ramble on and as much as Goku hated to admit it he was curious about the Saiyan no Ouji. How could he not be? Vegeta was the only other Saiyan in existence. Goku was curious about his birth planet. Vegeta had never wanted to talk about it. Understandable. Since he'd been witness to the horrible massacre of their once proud race.
Vegeta sighed. A foreign sound coming from him. It didn't escape him. The irony that here he sat with the very person who he had every intention of besting at some point in his life, talking. Talking as if they were...friends. Vegetas mind paused at that word. He wasn't sure he knew what a friend was. Years and years of training from Freezia that friends and loved ones were weaknesses people used against you had banished from him the thought he could feel anything for anyone.
"Are you thinking about Bulma?" Goku asked. Causing Vegeta to almost choke on his next breath.
"What...are...you..talking about?" He asked gasping for the breath that had been forced from him with Goku's words.
"You and Bulma. You guys are...Something now. She seemed to light up when I asked where you were this morning. She never looked that radiant when she spoke to or of Yamcha." Goku's perceptiveness was worrying Vegeta. Goku had always acted simple. But apparently a Saiyan mind did lie behind that childlike mask of innocence he put on.
Vegeta snorted. He didn't think he could answer just yet. Which was alright cause apparently Goku wasn't through.
"If you love her you should tell her. Its not so bad. Love. I like having someone to go to when the wars over. Someone warm and inviting and soft..." He trailed off. No doubt thinking about his woman.
"How did you come to mate this woman of yours to you. How did you ask?" Vegeta hated the questions that were spilling from him. Had sex with that infernal, blue haired goddess opened something in him. They'd only had one night. Yesterday morning he had been yelling at her for his breakfast, last night he was crushing her against him lost in a need for her so great he couldn't contain it any longer.
"Its complicated. You just have to find out how to ask. Whether you use words or not is up to you. I think Bulma is smart enough to figure it out." Goku said, in a rare rush of insight, as he stood up. "Well, if you don't mind since we are not sparring today I think Ill go back to that warm and soft body better known as my wife." He flew off leaving Vegeta to ponder his thoughts on his own. For that Vegeta was grateful.
Bulma sighed as she tossed in her bed. Alone. She didn't know where Vegeta had gone but he wasn't here. And he wasn't with Goku. Chichi had called sometime after the sun had faded and told Bulma rather breathlessly that she could go out tonight. Her man had come home and she was sore all over if Bulma got her drift. Smiling, feeling her own stiffness from her previous nights activity, she excused her friend.
Now here in her bed she wondered what her Prince was up to. She didn't know she wouldn't have to wait long for the answer.
Vegeta watched her through her bedroom window. She turned over and didn't look as if she was getting any sleep. So he quietly flew to the balcony touching down softly trying to make no sound. He slipped in through the open doors. Her back was to him and he smiled at her. Her blue hair shone in the moonlight like water rippling over the bed.
She rolled over and blue depths, bluer than the sea met onyx eyes darker than the night.
She opened her arms and he willingly lay down in her arms. He in turn wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her soft curves to his hard muscle.
"Where were you today?" She sighed softly. He ran his hand down her thigh and gently kissed the spot where he had 'marked' her.
"Around." He growled. He couldn't tell her. Couldn't let her know how she affected him. How much he needed her. Instead of it being a physical thing. He would let her think it was just lust. That way neither her nor anyone else could hurt him. He'd been hurt before. So many times.
"Vegeta." She was breathless. It was a plea. He knew what she wanted. So he gave it to her. The only thing he could give her. Because tomorrow he would be gone again. And he would never come back.