A/N: Hi everyone, here is Chapter four. I am in college, if you don't already know from my Authors Note in A Hidden Vocal. But I hope to finish this story, so please review and support me in this long journey.
Chapter.4
Azure eyes snapped open, slowly but surely, they began to physically crack like a mirror before they shattered completely, unraveling the unfocused ebony orbs underneath. Bulma bit into her lip harder than intended, feeling the bitter taste of the crimson liquid. Her blood, pain blossomed, assaulting her mouth.
He was awake. Tears pricked her eyes, willing her hands to steady she grasped the hem of her shirt to decrease the trembling. Her tongue ran over her lip, when pain made her shudder she realized she wasn't in one of her dreams. He was awake, and as much as she blinked, silently pinching herself, that ocean of greyish- black slowly became brighter, eating away the greyish tint entirely.
"Vegeta." She whispered under her breath, his eyes blinked lazily before slowly turning to her. She blushed. Did he hear that?
Vegeta's mind was numb and hazy. Things seemed super blurry to him, harsh light made him blink but otherwise kept his eyes open as the room he was in came a little bit clear. What exactly happened? He didn't remember lying down, and by playing it by ear he could make out that he wasn't alone, actually far from it. The ceiling slowly became less blurry, a low throbbing course through his head before it stopped as the room became clear, the blurred edges of his vision soon vanished, and he could make out the line pattern in the ceiling. His eyebrow twitched when he heard the sharp intake of air before the rustle of clothing was heard, he assumed that he had been out for some time to get such a reaction. But what really got his attention, even though he didn't show it was the breathless whisper of his name.
Bulma? His head snapped slowly to the direction he heard it from, and what he found was his wife. Her cheeks tainted with an adorable blush, she had changed clothing, he noticed almost instantly. She was wearing a pale turquoise colored shirt that was long sleeved cotton, and dark tights that had golden leaf patterns scattering downwards. On her feet she wore cute black boots; his eyes took in the white fluffy scarf wrapped around her throat and finally his eyes settled on her face again. He blinked tiredly, but he noticed the pale lips. No lipstick, actually she only had mascara on which made Vegeta wonder. Her hair was pulled into a side pony-tail; it was tousled a bit loosing the soft curls. She was as beautiful as he remembered.
"Bulma." Blue eyes sparkled to life, she watched as Vegeta's took her in first before saying her given name, it sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She sniffled before wiping her tears, his eyes darkened slightly at the salty tracks, she smiled warmly.
"Hey." Was the whisper, her lips trembled with the effort. The overwhelming feeling that he was awake and she was actually speaking to him hadn't registered yet. Chichi felt herself squeaking with joy at the interaction between the two, even though they both were hot tempered and aggressive when they wanted to be, they both complemented each other without words. Vegeta's eyes softened for half a second before they became sharp and bottomless as he turned to address the rest of the people in the room with a scowl.
"What the fuck are you starring at?" Everybody on the right side straightened up and looked away. Even though some saw Vegeta's mask slip for that split second, they knew that they shouldn't say anything. They couldn't figure it out, but Bulma seemed to bring the best out of the stone hearted Prince. Vegeta felt slight relief when all the eyes avoid him, he sighed out before pushing himself forwards into a sitting position. His eyes scanned the room he was in, taking it all in with little amusement. Looking down at what he was wearing, he felt a tick mark pulse harshly over his brow and when he looked back up he found Bulma smiling sheepishly.
"I'm sorry about the clothes; I'll go pick one of your shirts up. It's just, you had a fever and the clothing you were wearing was making it worse." Vegeta's scowl darkened making Krillin, Dende, and Chiaotzu shrink before the Prince turned his head towards Bulma again.
"When will you get my shirt, it better be sooner rather than later. Because I can only assume you would hate me being indecent in front of our guests, right? Bulma puffed out her cheeks in response to his mockery as a tiny blush made its way across her nose.
"Don't you dare, Vegeta." She snapped out, a weak smirk lifts the corners of the Saiyan's mouth. It soon disappeared as he looked down at his current shirt with distaste.
"This stupid thing is coming off as soon as these people leave, you know that right." Bulma groaned in defeat, he just woke up and already he was a hand full. Saiyan's and their amazing recovery skills, she gave a small nod. The others smiled at the little teasing between the two, Chichi decided that she was going to take a chance and speak to the man. For some reason, she never could officially like Vegeta, or come across the mere thought as one of her friends even though Bulma was proudly married to him.
"How are you feeling Vegeta?" She said with a small smile, the Saiyan in question turned to look at her which pleased her, she watched as he cocked a brow at her before looking at Bulma. Bulma laughed, she turned to Chichi, who was not as pleased. Vegeta turned again to address the one that had asked him.
"Like shit." Was the muttered reply as he turned slowly to look at Dende, who had been standing beside his bed the moment he had woken up. The smaller Namekin sensed the pair of steel eyes on him as he looked up at the face of the Prince. The face of the identical entity he had encountered flashed just behind his eye lids before melting into one with Vegeta who still stared down at him.
"That is to be expected... you did sleep for a long period of time. Tell me, do you remember anything before you passed out." Bulma spoke, breaking Vegeta's stare down with Dende as the Saiyan looked back in her direction with less of a scowl.
"Not much, just that my head was throbbing and I felt like my ears was plugged." Bulma nodded, she sat down in her seat with a determined look in her eyes. The Prince looked down again at his arms which were in his lap, his eyes trained on the one to find the IV drip and other medical tubes connecting to him that he found annoying but kept them attached. Goku smiled, Bulma turned her head slightly away, She felt the guilt inside her twist making her stomach hurt, she pushed pass it though. Facing forward again her eyes locked with dark calculating orbs as the Prince caught her in his gaze making her muscles freeze. Her throat squeezed closed and became unbearably dry.
Looking over at his wife, the Saiyan found his eye brow raise as he saw the guilt and confliction reflecting in her irises as she faced him again. Vegeta picked out the taunt muscles as they clenched under her clothing as she stared at him, his ears pick out the tiny noises of grinding teeth hidden away underneath plush lips. The Prince's sharp stare watched as the corner of her mouth twitched before he smelt the fear, and that's when his eyes narrowed. Black pools of ebony turned cold, as he finally figured it out. Goku and the others felt the change in the air as they watched Vegeta pick up the pieces pretty quickly, Chichi grinned. Bulma was not getting out of this one, because their favorite Saiyan Prince had already caught on to it.
"You been blaming yourself haven't you?" Came the harsh question that startled Bulma out of her superior, turning her head she shrank back from the angry look stretching across Vegeta's face, darken orbs glared daggers at her. Goku and Chichi smiled inwardly at the reaction, they knew that she would never admit it to anybody but when faced with the problem at hand then things would become a little bit difficult for her to lie.
"I'm sorry; it was j-just hard to get through a day knowing you could have died." Bulma said in a hushed voice that barely was heard by anybody but the Saiyan's in the room. Vegeta's glare didn't lessen; no it intensified even more to the others shock.
Vegeta felt bubbling rage, he hated when others pitied him. Now even his own wife doubted his strength, 'dying' was the last thing he was about to do.
"You are an idiot, Women." Yamacha growled at the insult but was taken aback when Bulma laughed and gave Vegeta a watery smile as tears rolled down her face. She couldn't hold it in anymore, just hearing that nickname and the usual angry voice was something she been wanting to hear for weeks now.
"You h-have no idea. I'm so glad that your back." Bulma said as she let her tears stream down her face, the room became lighter as the tension was lifted from every body's shoulders. Vegeta rolled his eyes but felt happy in away as the anger he felt before slowly melted away from his face. Leaving a tired looking man, the Prince moved his arm to his stomach which had lost the rock-hard abs. A frown shot across his face, his stomach tightened and cramped painfully, telling him he had been without proper food for a while. Just as he was going to voice his command for food, a slight movement made him looked to his side to find Trunks sitting there. The boy had been quiet since he had woken up, but a smile was on his youthful features making it known he was glad that Vegeta was awake.
"That's great and all, but since your all here can someone get me something to eat." Goku laughed as he stared at his friend, from where he stood he saw that Vegeta was slightly thinner in the waist area and arms but that could be fixed within time. Bulma dried her tears with a smile as she moved over to his bed side.
"Okay, just wait a few minutes while I take your blood and get a good listen to your heart and lungs." Vegeta deflated as he fell flat on his back for his wife to get a good look, Bulma chuckled as she grabbed the needle to acquire the needed blood from the Saiyan. Suddenly as she brought the needle close to her, something clicked in her head. Goku was still in the room, a smile split her face as she made eye contact with said person in the room. The younger Saiyan was pale in the face, his chocolate brown eyes shrinking in size as he stared in stricken terror at the object of his deepest fears. Chichi roll her eyes, she had one of the strongest being's for a husband, and yet he was deadly afraid of a single needle. She dreaded the day when she had to take them all to get the flu shot, Gohan chuckled as his father was dragged out of the room by his mother. Goten face –palmed.
Goku came back into the room once Vegeta had his blood taken; the Prince was now in an exercise of breathing in and out for Bulma, who had a stethoscope pressed right against the Saiyan's chest underneath his clothes, his heart.
"You seem extremely healthy for someone that just had a seizure. I want you transported into our room for resting up. I think that will make you stop complaining at least." Bulma voiced as she moved away from her husband with a smug look on her face as she put away the stethoscope. Vegeta glared at her as he grabbed the wires and tubes going into his arm, his face grimaced when he pulled it out but none the less felt better with it not irritating his skin anymore. He felt the tightening of his stomach, reminding of his little problem as he looked to his side with an irritated expression, singling to the people in the room that something was wrong.
"I'm starving here, can someone at least get some food in this room!" Bulma nodded before she left, Trunks still sitting beside his father turned to address him.
"I-I wanted to say, that even though you kind of trashed my birthday party, that you had every right to. I want you to know that I'm not mad; you took to your word and stayed for the party even though you were ill. Thank you, you're the best father I could ask for." Vegeta blinked as he felt pressure around his middle, and then it dawn on him, his son was hugging him. Now this might have been something most fathers would do and return the hug but this was him and... He felt embarrassed to say the least. The others watched, they hadn't expected Trunks to hug Vegeta, and now they think they saw the look of regret slowly cross the young Prince's face before he pulled back and blushed.
"I'm sorry about that, dad. I know how you are about the affectionate things in front of people. I'm just so glad that you're awake; it's been a depressing time without you. Especially for mom." Vegeta just stared at his son for gods know how long and the others began to fear that the Prince might hit Trunks just out of spite for hugging him. Vegeta then surprised them all when he cracked a smile, Piccolo even paled. Vegeta doesn't smile; it was weird to see on the usually stoic faced man but it was there, real. Chichi felt her cheeks heat up, the smile wasn't much but it made the Saiyan Prince look younger, livelier.
"Come here." Vegeta said as he lifted out his gloveless hand, and for the first time since the Prince woken up everybody took notice to them. The hands weren't what they had imagined; they were the hands of a strong warrior, yes, but what was around the wrist made them cringe and Goku simmered in rage. The hands themselves were hands that could make a swift death with just the flick of his wrist, but could also hold something delicate and fragile without it breaking, it was remarkable. Trunks walked closer in awe as his gaze stared at his father's hands, ever since he was small Vegeta never once took those gloves off, and Trunks saw why that was. Vegeta had deep cuts that dug deep into his wrists, like he was chained for ages, there were ugly scarring around the old wound, and Trunks understood why Vegeta didn't like taking off his gloves. Because he hid the truth of his slavery to Frieza and how horrible it was, Trunks felt his heart ache in sadness that his father didn't have childhood like he did.
Vegeta took noticed that he didn't wear his gloves but he wasn't as angry about the other's staring, annoyed that they didn't avoid right away but not mad. Somehow he knew they pitied him deep inside, but he could care less at the moment. All he wanted to do right now was ruffle his son's hair like his father use to do when he was a child. A slow ache wormed inside his heart at the mentioning of his dead man but felt proud he could pass on the gesture from his father, now he was a father and Trunks was his son. Trunks was closer now, Vegeta rest his hand on top of the boy's head with a smirk, the real smile fading.
"Yeah, your right. I don't like affection in front of people." Trunks looked up in curiosity before he felt his hair being ruffled back and forth; shock was the first thing he felt. His father was returning the gesture in his own way and for some reason he was satisfied with that. Goku felt some of the rage filter out as he watched with awe as Vegeta, their Vegeta, the same man that killed for the pleasure all those years ago returned affection back to his son. The others were one the same page as Goku, Piccolo smiled as he stared at Vegeta with admiration as the man put down his hand. Even though Vegeta was pure evil in the heart back then, he has slowly begun to soften however still have a tough demeanor towards his enemies. Piccolo noticed it when he saved Goku. Vegeta had done a one- eighty in such little time that Piccolo knew he could trust the Saiyan Prince when things went bad. Now the Prince has a Family to protect and think about when Earth is in danger.
Trunks had the biggest smile on his face; Vegeta just snorted before he turned his head sharply when he heard the door click as Bulma came walking in. Behind her were several people pushing serving carts with dozens of trays filled with meats and other food that made Goku green with envy. Vegeta sat up straighter as the carts were wheeled closer for better access for the weakened warrior, who's stomach spasmed with sharp pains. He was beyond starving, which was dangerous for their species, they build strength from food. Bulma came around to set a breakfast tray over his lap before she settled a large bowl of pork ramen in front of him. She also scooped some vegetables on the side and gave him a stern stare down before leaning away.
"Now I don't want no complaining, eat." She stated firmly before leaving his side completely and sitting down in her seat, Vegeta scowled but didn't respond as he picked up his spoon. As the Prince was eating, rather slower than his usual pace, Piccolo watched. The Namekian knew little about the Saiyan race, only little memory could serve him from late history passed down by the elders on New Namek. It was believed that a Saiyan can be aggressive because of their fighting nature, but one that is starving is one you don't want to cross paths with. A starving Saiyan is on another level, slightly higher than a mother Saiyaness protecting her child. Piccolo also recalled something that the elders said to him, something along the lines of 'keeping a starving Saiyan separate from other Saiyan's' Piccolo's train of vision snapped to the other's in the room to find Gohan fidgeting, Goten shifting from foot to foot with a look of nervousness shinnying in his eyes, and Goku, who was glaring at the trays of food. While Trunks didn't even show signs pointing to wanting to steal his father's food, just monitoring with a small smile.
"Bulma, can I have some?" Piccolo winced, which caught several people's attention in the room, Dende by than had moved away from Vegeta. Having caught on to Piccolo's body language, his own body tensing when Goku whined. The other Saiyan looked agitated, his wide gaze burning a hole in the various meats lined up on some of the carts.
"Goku, I don't think..." Dende began to warn, but was caught off when Bulma smiled warmly at her best friend.
"Sure, I don't see why not?" Goku light up, while the Namekin's in the room paled as he made his way over to one of the carts. The drop of metal again metal alerted the others to Vegeta, who has stopped eating and was now fiercely spiking his KI, his mouth baring his elongated incisors at Goku. Bulma made a startling noise in the back of her throat at such an animalistic expression on her husbands face, it also through the others in the room off a bit as well. Goku froze, his eyes blown wide in surprise as he retracted his hand from the meat cart. That seemed to calm the older Saiyan down a bit, but not by much. His KI still heavy in the air.
"Vegeta?" Goku questioned as he stared at his friend, the Prince shifted his gaze back down to his half bowl of ramen soup. All was quiet, Piccolo let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as Vegeta began to resume eating.
"Vegeta? Honey are you feeling alright?" Bulma asked after a moment, her eyes weary as she stood from her spot, all she got in return was a grunt. She was at a loss of words as she turned to the others, Piccolo was about to speak up and explain when all hell broke loose.
"Bulma, Vegeta isn't being fair," Goku pouted as he stared at one of his best friends, Bulma huffed as she glanced at the Prince, who was now eating the vegetables at a more normal pace for a Saiyan. "Bulma."
"Shut up Kakarrot, leave her alone." Vegeta snapped as he finished up what was given to him, before reaching forwards to the meat cart. But for some insane reason, Goku reached out with his foot and lightly pushed it away from Vegeta's reach. Dende yelped, his eyes widening in fear as Vegeta's eyes bleed to red, taking over his ebony irises. It was abrupt, as a powerful wave of KI shook the room and blazing crimson eyes pierced Goku in place. Piccolo had shield both Goten and Dende from the after shook, the two being the youngest in the room. While the others took their own form of cover, but what really impacted the moment was the fact that both Trunks and Bulma were unscathed, haven been surrounded by a sphere of Vegeta's own KI.
"Your interference once, that I can look pass, but denying me for your selfishness is another." Vegeta growled, as the Prince picked up on of his utensils and with deadly aim threw the butter knife at Goku. It grazed the younger's cheek, causing a small cut that sluggishly bleed, before being imbedded in the wall behind his head. Goku nervously raised his hand in a way of calming the older Saiyan, but that only seemed to make him anger. Vegeta picked up his fork this time, but before throwing it, he inspected it with a slight smirk. "Yes, maybe putting you in a coma would better suit you than I."
Goku paled, his Adam's apple bobbing as he gulped.
