Yay, time has passed! Getting to the luuuurve... just kidding.. it's still a ways off. Don't hate me!
The ship door cracked open with a hiss and the heavy thud of boots announced the arrival of the Saiyan party. It had been three long years since they had stepped foot on the moon and when they stepped off the ship it was evident that time had taken its toll. The Moon Queen could not help the sad smile as she noted missing faces from their ranks and the scars that the warriors now bore. Even more disconcerting was the hard look in the faces of the young men she knew her daughter had befriended. The silver haired monarch glanced down at her daughter and she could see so many emotions tumbling in her eyes. Confusion, worry, resolve, sadness all warred inside the petite princess.
Usagi wasn't sure what to think, when she saw them walk off the ship to greet her mother. So many things had happened and so many things had changed. Not only for her it seemed as she studied the stoic faces of the three Saiyans she thought she had known so well. None of them even glanced in her direction. She felt a frown slip across her face but quickly forced it away. Why should it matter if they acknowledged her or not. Vegeta had made it clear with his lack of communication that the friendship they may have once had was long faded. Furthermore Endymoin had made it clear that he disapproved of her friendship with the Saiyans and he was her betrothed after all.
So she pasted on a polite smile while her mother went about executing the niceties that were required. The next thing she knew they were walking them to the guest quarters and leaving. She resisted turning around for a final glance at them and simply carried on down the hallway.
Behind her the Saiyans quickly divested themselves of their armor and most of their clothing before falling into bed. All of them had been dead tired from the constant threat of battle and things had only wrapped up days before the council was meeting. They took the opportunity of peace and quiet and all passed out within minutes.
Two days had passed before Vegeta finally bumped into the moon princess. Their meeting was not a happy one.
"Been avoiding me?" He knew she had not only by the guilty look on her face but by the way she had deliberately avoided any eye contact during any formal events they had both been at over the last couple of days. This evening though her mother was hosting a small get together in her personal gardens and it was inevitable they should run into each other. He was thankful at least that that Earth Prince who had been glued to her side was no where to be seen.
"I have been busy with other things." Usagi looked away from him down the path that she had come. She had been thinking of sneaking off back to her room but before she knew it her path had been blocked by the Saiyan Prince.
"Like your betrothed? You seem awfully cozy with him now?" He sneered as he watched her cheeks redden and her eyes squint angrily. She had not left his side during either the welcoming ball or the luncheon that had followed the next day. He had watched with mild irritation as she had seemed enraptured by the other prince's every word.
"Why should you care?" Her voice took a haughty tone and she continued to glower at the warrior in front of her.
"You know why Usa." He growled angrily at her and crossed his arms over his chest to keep from reaching out and physically reprimanding her. And he knew she knew what he was referring to the way the color drained from her checks and her eyes darted away from him.
"We came to an understanding.. and you.. you were ignoring me anyway!"
"I was in the middle of a war."
"So that means you can't take one minute of time to get back to me when.. when that happened?"
"That's exactly what it means! Gods, you may look like you've grown up but you are still such a child." Vegeta had taken a few steps closer to her and was now staring down at her while she glared angrily at him. For a moment it seemed like she was going to snap back at him but instead she took a step away, shook her head, and took off down the path behind him. He growled again running his hand through his unruly dark hair thinking back to the messages he had gotten while away.
He had been furious then and he could still feel the vestiges of that anger simmering just below the surface when he thought back. Seeing her now had just brought back all those memories.
(Two years ago..)
He stripped away the dirty armor and yanked off his black top while booting up his communicator. He chuckled when he saw the amount of messages he had waiting. Only one from his father and twelve from Princess Serenity. He had told her he would be out of range for almost a year but she had continued to contact him regardless. He did notice the last few messages had been recent, so she had probably assumed he had returned.
He began playing them as he finished stripping off his armor and running a shower. The first few were like all her messages. Updates on her training, her friends, the kitten he had left with her, and how her responsibilities continued to grow. Occasionally she mentioned the Earth Prince and for some reason he could not keep a frown from twisting his mouth whenever she brought him up.
He got out of the shower still listening to her ramble. Pulling on clothes he smirked when she mentioned the kitten had grown much bigger than she had thought and how it seemed to dislike the Prince Endymoin. He stretched out on the bed settling the communicator over his head to listen to the last few messages she had sent. One was from a month ago and as it began he could tell something was off.
"Mother has invited the Earth family to stay longer this time. Since I'm 15 now I'm allowed to spend time alone with Endymion. He's not as formal with me when it's just us. So that's nice. I guess. I.." her voice stuttered a little here".. I don't know if he really likes me as much as I thought though. He wants.. "again her voice trembled".. he's had girlfriends before so I guess he expected.. more.
Vegeta's hands clenched into fists. He knew exactly what she was trying not to say. That idiot was pushing her for more of herself than she was comfortable giving. She was still practically a child. His parents had probably told him to cut it out with any other females now that the marriage between him and Usagi was getting closer and he was feeling deprived.
"Minako says all guys want more than just kissing but to just tell him no and he'll understand but I don't think he does. I wish you were here, you're a guy. You could be honest with me. Maybe Minako just thinks that. I don't know what guys think."
He couldn't help but think that she wouldn't really want him there. Because if he was he'd be ripping the Earth Prince to shreds.
She moved on to less frustrating topics. Talking more about how she was fully able to lift herself up now but that she was keeping it from everyone. She wanted to master the ability completely before she showed it off. It impressed him when she said she had tried making ki balls like the Saiyans used and that she had managed small amounts of energy to collect between her hands.
It was the next message though that caused him to hang up the communicator and crash a lamp into the opposite wall.
It started off innocent enough. It was just a week after the last one. In between a story about how she had gotten the cook to sneak her extra dessert there was a knocking in the background. She said she'd call back but ended up not cutting off the communicator.
He heard the rustle of her clothes as she stood and opened the door.
"Prince Endymoin", her voice was faint but he could hear the surprise with just a hint of unease.
"May I come in?" Vegeta willed her to say no, even knowing the communication happened weeks ago.
"Just for a moment Serenity. I need to apologize." He could hear the dripping sincerity in the other Prince's voice and knew she would give in. She relented and he heard the door shut softly. His muscles tensed when their voices got closer. He knew that she sat in bed while she left him messages and so instead of going to the small sitting area she had in her room, Endymoin was sitting on her bed.
"Sere, I just wanted to apologize for pressuring you last week." He started and Vegeta could hear him shifting.
"Would you please sit next me, I feel terrible."
"I forgive you Endymoin. It's okay." He heard her settle next time him.
"It's hard for me though, you don't know how lovely you are. I just get so jealous."
"Jealous? I haven't ever.. you know even kissed anyone else."
Vegeta smirked at her lie.
"Serenity it makes me jealous to even see you smile at someone else. I want you to only see me. I just care so much about you. You see that don't you?"
"I suppose."
"And I know you are nervous but you trust me don't you? You know I would never hurt you. Please tell me you know that."
"I know Endy, I know you wouldn't," her voice became soft and sure.
"Will you let me kiss you one more time?"
Vegeta willed her again to turn him down, his fists clenched and his brow furrowed. He knew those lines. He knew where this was going. She must have nodded though because he heard the bed shift and her little gasp.
"See that wasn't so bad." Serenity giggled a little.
"One more Sere? I know you're nervous but I like being with you more than I've ever liked anyone else. "
"Okay."
He almost took the communicator and tossed it down but the next words made him stop.
"Enough Endy."
"Come on Sere, don't make me beg. You'll like it."
More shuffling came through and then a gasp.
"Endy! Stop!"
He heard a thump, "damn it Sere! You didn't have to push me."
"You wouldn't stop."
"Why should I? We're going to be married. You can't be a prude forever."
He heard heavy footsteps fade away and the door slam and then Serenity through herself on the bed. She cried for a minute and then he heard the communicator fall off the bed and her reach down and pick it up.
She swore softly and he heard her sigh into it.
"I guess you heard all that.. how embarrassing. Am I a prude Vegeta? Do all guys just expect that? I need you to call me back and tell me its not just me. Maybe it is though.. call me back."
The line disconnected.
He would have called her to. Called her and told her what an ass that Prince Endymoin was. Told her that she should not do anything she did not want to. First though he listened to his last message, the one from his father.
"Son, you need to come home immediately. There's been an attack at the capital we need your squad to handle it. Make no further communications. The enemy is monitoring our lines and I can't risk you being held up on your return. Make it fast."
He tossed the communicator down and tossed the lamp on his nightstand into the wall. A string of curses burst out and he growled in frustration. The dark haired prince considered disobeying his father's command but in the end he couldn't risk the lives of his team to contact her. He only hoped he didn't regret it as much as he thought he might.
(Present)
Vegeta stalked off to his quarters and couldn't help but realize that he did regret not contacting her. He thought it the moment he stepped off the ship and saw her.
He had been thinking of her in terms of a child having to press away the advances of a man and that alone was infuriating. However, as his eyes took in the sight of the blonde princess as they embarked off their transport, he was surprised at the change that three years could make. After catching sight of her, the dark haired Prince had fixed a blank stare on his face while trying to internally process the thoughts that had pounded through his head. One of the most prominent being that she had turned into quite the beauty. The second was remembering the kiss before he had left. He wondered if he would be so quick to turn her away now.
All of it meant nothing now he thought as he furiously marched into his room at the palace tearing off his formal attire as he entered. After that little encounter all thoughts of kissing the moon brat were gone. She had no idea what it had been like. No idea what things were like outside of these walls her mother built. And apparently she didn't need rescuing anyway, 'they had come to an agreement'. What did that even mean?
His chest heaved as he snarled silently, furious at himself for letting her get him this worked up. What did she matter anyway.
Phew. Done! Reviews keep an author going.. and wine.. and cake. Whatever you can offer :D
