Realization
The next morning, there was loud knocking at the front door. Vegeta, being a lighter sleeper than his wife, forced himself up, and pulled on a long white t-shirt. Normally, the shirt would've fit, simply because it was his shirt. But this wasn't a normal circumstance. Not by a long shot.
He staggered out of the bedroom, yawning, and walked down the steps. The living room was silent, the house not yet awake. It was eerie just as it was relaxing. With an annoyed grunt, he looked into the peep hole, and nearly groaned when he saw a familiar face. "What the hell do you want?" He growled at the younger Saiyan as he opened the door. "It's six in the damn morning." Not that he cared. He just didn't want to deal with him at the moment.
"Early to bed. Early to rise!" Kakarott let himself in the door, never one for manners, for he was raised without them. "Where's Vegeta? He said we'd train today. I know he always gets up early around this time."
The woman better have not done what I think she did. "Why the hell would she-I mean, he say that? And when?"
"At the grocery store! Is he in the Gravity Chamber?"
Vegeta rubbed his forehead. "He's not here." Alright, that's a start. Now what? "He decided to leave for awhile…" Earth men do that, don't they?
"Wait. You mean, he…left you?" Kakarott said, rather stupidly, and the prince resisted slapping him upside the head.
"No, I mean he's fucking right here, beside me." When the fellow Saiyan suddenly enfolded him in a hug, he was a bit confused. He isn't making a move on me, is he? If he is, I will kill him. Not just because it's me, either. But because I look like Bulma.
"I'm sorry, Bulma. It must really hurt to have him leave you like that, what with the two kids you have and everything."
He knocked him back, annoyed and confused. "What on God's green Earth are you talking about?"
Kakarott looked at him, cheeks already beginning to burn with pending embarrassment. "The…divorce?"
"We didn't divorce."
"So you meant that he…"
"Yes. I literally meant he left me."
They stood momentarily, in a silent awkward silence, the clown's cheeks still burning, a half smile on his goofy face. "Sorry," he finally spoke up, laughing as he scratched the back of his head in that old ritual he tended to have when stuck in one of his goofy moments.
"I'll tell him you stopped by, Kaka-Goku." He pointed out the doorway, but the tall man just put two fingers to his forehead and vanished into thin air. Of course he couldn't leave like a normal being.
Bulma came into the kitchen to find Vegeta cooking up some eggs into a buttery fry pan. "You don't intend to eat that, do you?"
"No, I'm making it for the birds," he said sarcastically. He shoveled the food between two pieces of toast, also loaded with butter, and set the meal on a plate. "Why, do you want some?" He sat at the kitchen table, picking up the sandwich, grease and melted butter running down his fingers.
"Absolutely not! That is loaded with fats and cholesterol! You're going to make me fat! Do you know how hard I work to keep that figure?"
"I can work it off," he mumbled through a mouthful. "So calm the hell down."
"I will not calm the hell down! I don't want any muscles on my body! They're gross on a woman!"
"There's nothing wrong with it. It's proof that you are a dedicated worker and trainer. Why do you think I keep my body in such good shape?"
"Because you're a guy! It's that whole ego thing-"
"Are you saying all men have an ego problem?"
"You sure as hell do!"
"No I do not. I accept that some are stronger than me. Well, one."
Bulma groaned loudly in annoyance, but accepted the fact and sat down at the table to join him. "Whatever," he grumbled.
Vegeta smirked as he gulped down some orange juice. "By the way, Kakarott was here for me."
"You mean, me-you, or you-me?" She asked, snagging a tidbit from the prince's plate and popping it in her mouth.
"Uh, you-me. I think."
"So he was looking for me?"
"No, he was looking for me!"
The heiress tapped her fingers on the table impatiently. "I'm confused. Was he looking for Bulma or Vegeta?"
"Vegeta. The body you are currently in." He finished the sandwich with a loud belch, and tossed the plate in the sink. He glared at Bulma, who had stolen his orange juice and was now drinking it.
"Oh. Why?"
"Because you obviously did something stupid and told him that you guys can spar sometime." He rolled his eyes. "Do you ever think?"
"Shut up, Your Royal Pain in the ass. I was in a hurry, and didn't know what to say to him. I figured I could feign sickness or something."
"Yes, but I saw Trunks this morning as well. Said he couldn't wait train with Dad today." He glanced at Bulma, half-smiling at the reaction.
"Dammit. What am I gonna do now?!"
"You're on your own. I don't have that strength in this weak body-" smirked at the glare she gave him- "so there is nothing I can do. Try your best, and don't get killed."
"That's all the advice you have for me?" She put her hands on her waist angrily. 'Don't get killed' he says. What a nice husband I have! Not.
He stood up, and stretched his arms over his head, yawning. "No, I have one more piece of advice."
"And what would that be?"
"Learn to duck. It will come in handy."
"Gee. Thanks."
Bulma stood in the Gravity Chamber, amazed that the body was handling the extreme pressure so easily. Is there nothing a Saiyan can't do? Opposite of her, was Goku, looking like he was about to have the time of his life. I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die!
"Ready, Vegeta?"
"Hm? Oh, you mean me? Um. No. I-uh-have to stretch some more." She bent down and tried to touch her toes.
"But you already stretched! C'mon, I wanna fight!" He complained, folding his arms behind his head, standing impatiently.
"Alright. Fine. Let's go," she grumbled, standing straight. I must have seen him go into stance so many times, but I can't remember what he looked like! Damn, if I wasn't too busy ogling him… She put out her fists, spread her feet across like a boxer, and waited for the worst.
Goku grinned, and went into his own stance, the desire to fight shining in his brown eyes. And he lunged, fists ready.
Giving a squeal, she held up an arm, and blocked the hit, sending waves of pain through her body. "Ow! Stop, stop! I can't do this!" Bulma shouted, ducking down as she wrapped her arms over her head. "I give up, you win!" I guess strength and pain resistance are two different things. Who would've thought?
"…You aren't Vegeta, are you?" Goku said with a grin, helping Bulma to her feet.
She looked up at him with wide eyes. "How'd you know-I mean, did you know this whole time?"
He scratched the back of his head, laughing. "Actually, no, but I was suspicious. The way you called me Goku, and you-who-isn't-you called me Kakarott. And the way you guys hold each other is very different."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean posture." He smiled. "Your posture, your chi, and just the way you walk. It all depends on who you are. Not even your twin can perfect it. Vegeta tends to hold himself like royalty, head held high, direct eye-contact, eyebrows furrowed in a knot, and stoic, so his emotions are undetectable.
"And, of course, his chi is another story. It used to be dark, somewhat sinister, though I could see through it. Now, it's a swirl of things, usually too bundled to fully understand. Mostly, I get slight fury, respect and love."
"And me?"
"You tend to show your emotions more, probably given the fact that you're a woman-" he grinned and shrugged at the glare she gave. "Anyways, you're eyes give you away. You can usually tell what you're thinking. Though you do hold your head high, you will sometimes lower it when you're upset, or tired, or are just feeling low. You're only human, you're allowed to have your moments. Also, you tend to put your hands on your hips when upset. Depending on how you are feeling, you will make eye contact here and there.
"Since you haven't really trained with chi, it is harder to detect yours. But I can pick it up a bit, since you're a pretty strong woman. Not like my Chichi, of course, but close. It works like your eyes, easy to read."
Bulma stared at Goku with a new kind of respect. I guess I always kinda thought he was dumb. Probably for the reason that he never had any kind of education besides martial arts, and maybe because Vegeta is always going on about how he's a 'clown' and an 'idiot'. But I guess you don't need school to teach you things. "Wow. So, if you didn't know by that, what gave me away?"
"Except for the fact that you ducked and covered like a four year old?" He laughed as she swung at him. "Simply for the fact that Vegeta would never back out of a fight."
"Yeah. Him and his ego."
"He doesn't do it for his ego, Bulma. Just because Yamcha is a dick and an over-inflated egomaniac, doesn't mean we all are. He just does it to be stronger. He wants to be able to protect you guys should anything happen. That's why I do it."
"But, I thought it was because-"
"Well, I guess you could say it's because I like to fight. That's true, as well. But I love my family more than fighting. And being strong is what keeps them safe from danger."
Bulma smiled. "Somebody is in a preachy mood today. Anyone ever tell you that you're a sap?"
"Yeah. Your husband." They laughed, but the heiress was really thinking about it. Here I always thought Vegeta was fighting for himself. Can I believe that he's really doing this for us? Why are Saiyans so paranoid, as if danger comes all the time? Well, besides Freeza blowing up their planet. Guess I never thought he cared that much…
He pulled the dress over his head, and yanked a pair of jogging pants and a white muscle shirt. If she doesn't like me training, then it's too damn bad. She's going to at least work out a little. He hated being so powerless in the woman's body, he felt naked and vulnerable. So he had driven himself to train this body while he was stuck in it.
Before he pulled on the trousers, he noticed a marking sticking out from the panties. He lowered them, and saw a tattoo of a cherry on his hip. What the hell? When did she get this? And how did I not notice? He attempted to shrug it off, and slipped on the clothing.
Outside, it was a light blue sky, with a warm sun shining brightly, only a few sparse white cotton candy clouds puffing around like smoke. He turned his head up to the warmth, sighed, and began his training routine, starting with a kata.
"What are you doing?" Trunks suddenly said, and he nearly jumped ten feet in the air. There the eight year old was standing, arms crossed, staring suspiciously.
"Dammit, boy, what did I tell you about creeping in on me while I'm training?"
"Sorry, Dad."
"Just don't do it again…shit."
"Yeah."
Vegeta nearly slapped himself in the forehead. I walked right into that one. "How long did you know?"
"Since the beginning, when Mom ran into me in your body. No matter what, she will always run like a sissy. That, and you haven't worked at all, but I saw Mom bustling around, like always."
"She's a workaholic."
"Nuh uh. She just wants us to have lots of money and food so we can be taken care of. Mom says that money don't live on trees, and that's why she gotta work."
"Money doesn't grow on trees, boy." He has a point. She does work a hell of a lot. I always assumed it was something she enjoyed doing, but perhaps there is more to it.
"Are you sure? I'm pretty sure she said they don't live on trees."
"Who are your teachers?"
"Why?"
"Because I want to slap some sense into them." He kneeled down and embraced the little boy. "Because your mother can't spar, how about we train?"
"In that sissy body?" He struggled away, obviously embarrassed at being hugged by his mother, even if it's just her body, and not her soul.
"Your mother is stronger than she seems, son."
The moment they saw each other in the bedroom, they ran and embraced together. "I'm sorry," they said together.
"Even I can admit I was wrong. You are indeed a hard worker, and do have just cause for it," Vegeta said, looking into his wife's shining eyes.
"I do it because I love you." She struggled to keep the tears at bay, but was failing miserably. Damn my woman hormones! "And I'm sorry I called you a loafer. I know why you train. Because you want to protect us."
"Indeed." There was a momentarily silence as they held each other, staring into each other's eyes. Then, Vegeta leaned in, and kissed her, no longer seeing himself, but picturing his wife, his lover, and his soul-mate.
When Bulma returned the kiss, she didn't see herself, she saw her husband, her savior, and the love of her life.
The kiss was long, passionate, and relished. One ran his fingers through her hair, the other rubbed his back affectionately. And when they separated, Vegeta was looking into the bright blue eyes of his wife, and Bulma was looking into the ebony eyes of her husband. They were back in their bodies. "But…why?" Bulma whispered.
"Because we lived each other's lives, and found out it wasn't easy to each other. Learned why we did what we do everyday," Vegeta explained, embracing her closer, glad to be feeling the warmth of a woman once more.
"I see…I love you, Veggie." She expected him to just grunt, like he always did when that expression popped up.
He smiled an honest-to-goodness smile, kissed her cheek, and said, "I love you, too."
THE END!
~A/N~ Don't ya just love happy endings? *tears up* This story was originally meant to be just a humorous one-shot bit, but it turned into this longer, romantic comedy thing, somehow. Things always get out of hand like this… I suck at one-shots, anyways. Well, I hoped you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it! And I loved your reviews, darlings! *kisses and hugs*