Twists And Turns

Chapter 15

I couldn't think of a reason not to stay. There was nothing for me at home except solitude and conflict; and the boys would be fine under the care of ChiChi, they didn't need a reclusive, twisted excuse for a father hanging around and providing nothing for them. And I sensed that I was most needed here with Vegeta. After all, I had told him that I would stay with him as pregnancy ran its course with him, and honestly I wanted to do nothing more. It was frustrating being so close to him and forcing myself not to act on it, but it was also relieving somehow. There were times when I would wake up in his bed and just draw his scent from the sheets and pillows into my nose leisurely, relishing the warmth that spread through my body at the addictive smell.

There was a consequence for that, for submersing myself in my addiction over and over each morning and night... and it was that – being so close to the prince so frequently and willingly looking at him and enjoying his scent – I easily grew aroused, even when not in his presence, and hiding this fact as well as finding some relief from it was difficult. But I don't think Vegeta knew what he was doing to me. He had his own problems to deal with right now.

While the weekend drew close and Bulma and Trunks both talked about how they were going to spend it away from home, the prince was waking earlier and earlier in the morning with a churning stomach, disregarding me entirely in favor of staggering to the bathroom to empty it. I would often awaken to the sound of him coughing and heaving down the hall, and sensing his discomfort and disgust brought out my protective side even more, I just wanted to alleviate that unpleasant side-effect that pregnancy was causing in him, but there was nothing I could do. And though he never made any inclination that he even wanted help from me... I doubt he noticed that I silently steadied him by feeding him some of my ki whenever he emerged from the bathroom, giving him strength to carry on in the mornings.

He stayed in his room for much of the day, likely not wanting to speak to Bulma or Trunks with his unpredictable moods, and not wanting to be in the presence of food of any sort lest it upset his fragile stomach. ...Meanwhile I struggled to not be a nuisance as I stayed in Bulma's house. She said more than once that I was welcome here, but I still felt slightly guilty for intruding on her home without being invited.

Once or twice she spoke to me about Vegeta, mostly just saying that she was concerned about him and asking me for my take on what was happening to him. I told her what I knew, which wasn't much in this regard, and that I was doing what I could to help him. Aside from the morning sickness and the moods, there was no visible effect on him from being pregnant, and though I glimpsed him without a shirt more than once over the course of the week, I still couldn't make out the faint curve of his abdomen that I knew I would be able to feel if I were to reach out and touch.

The weekend came, and on Friday afternoon, Bulma and Trunks both left; Bulma to go on a business trip, and Trunks to stay at his grandparents' house, as I was told he sometimes did on weekends. I was alone in the house with Vegeta... and that thought itself brought on so many dawning impulses and unwise musings that I found that I couldn't stay there at the moment. But I didn't go far. I went outside to train, to try to lessen the tension of my muscles and loosen the knot of my mind. Attacking invisible opponents and banishing quiet desires from my head, I spent two hours just sparring with the air. And I felt much better as I walked back inside; out of breath and sweating, but relaxed.

When night fell, I went to Vegeta to ask if he wanted anything for dinner, and a look of nausea crossed his face as he told me to just go out to eat. I did as he said, though I felt bad for leaving him alone like that.

I returned to find the lights off, the prince asleep upstairs. I slipped into bed with him, emptying the automatic perking up interest at the closeness of him from my mind like I always did. After a few minutes, he moved unconsciously over to me and snuggled up close, a light, contented purr emanating from his chest. I didn't have the heart to move him or otherwise refuse, and if I could ease the protective urges thrumming through me by letting him curl up to me, I supposed I really shouldn't complain about it.

.

.

The next morning dawned with rain hammering on the windows, coming down in sheets from the glowering grey sky. I sighed softly and turned over in the bed, finding Vegeta absent as he always was in the mornings. The indentation where he'd been sleeping was still warm though, so he must have just gotten up. It wasn't long before I heard the telltale sound of the bathroom door closing, and I swallowed an instinctive rush of pity, glancing at the window streaked with pouring water. It appeared I would be stuck in the house with him today, and I felt a strange mix of reluctance and delight at the thought. I think the latter was the monster getting ideas in its – or my, I guess – head.

I shook off the opposing emotions and got up, changing into a pair of black jeans and a faded wife beater... and again, I had to pause and notice the change in my choice of clothing. It was a minor change compared to the ones of identity and habit, but I could tell that both Bulma and Vegeta had noticed, though neither said anything about it. Still I could sense that the prince, for one, was pleased, and I had often caught him watching me with something like fascination, as if he were admiring how the noticeably tighter and more form-fitting clothes showed off muscle deliberately, muscle that the baggier orange gi had almost hidden from view. I began to wonder if it was the monster influencing this switch in preference, but the prince's attentions certainly did something for my rather new ego... though I wasn't sure if I should disregard him or not, considering I still refused to act on the monster's wishes otherwise. Whatever. I liked the new clothes, and I didn't see a point in stressing over something so insignificant.

I figured I should do something so that Vegeta and I wouldn't be completely bored today, and though the rain was making me feel a little pent-up with the object of my internal battle remaining so close to me, I decided to make the day better instead of worse for it.

Remembering what ChiChi had done in the past when the boys were stuck inside on stormy days, I took a blanket from Bulma's closet and headed downstairs. I spread the comforter on the floor in front of the huge flat screen TV, and opened the cabinet beneath it, thumbing through a large collection of DVDs for the one I sought. I wasn't sure if Bulma had a copy...

My eyes landed on a familiar title and I grinned; of course she did. The woman was rich, and she had thousands of movies.

I wondered how Vegeta would react...

It seemed overly simple and even stupid to just watch movies on a day where rain pelted relentlessly outside, and for a moment I thought Vegeta might sneer at me for suggesting such a thing. To my slight surprise, he was reluctant, but not scornful, and he agreed after a little persuasive reasoning.

He joined me on the blanket I'd placed in front of the television, and flipped a DVD box over curiously.

"What's all this about?" he asked perplexedly.

This is what ChiChi does on rainy days;" I explained, putting a disc in the player and sitting down next to the prince, resting my back against the couch behind me. "It's the only way to get the boys to behave when they're both stuck inside."

He looked at me, raising an eyebrow, "And you assume you have to pull out the big guns to get me to 'behave'?"

Oh gods, the stress he put on that last particular word was interpreted in the worst way by the fidgeting monster in my head.

"No," I said simply, shoving the thought aside, "But it beats sitting around doing nothing."

He still looked skeptical, but he said nothing.

"Trust me," I said slowly, and at the time, I didn't realize how much I really wanted him to trust me. I hadn't exactly cared how he reacted to me lately, but now I somehow felt I actually wanted his approval.

I was a little uncertain when the movie started, and Vegeta remained expressionless and doubtful for much of it. I was nervous. I had chosen a film that was one of the boys' favorites, a comedy called Monty Python and the Holy Grail; I had figured that the jokes would be easy for even a prince to appreciate, and that the ridiculous king character in it might spark some amusement from him.

At first I thought I had failed there, but about halfway through the movie, at a particular line or other, he burst out laughing; not the usual arrogant snicker I'd heard from him on a regular basis, but an actual genuinely-amused explosion of mirth.

After that I loosened up a bit, and I left briefly to get a bowl of fruit and some soda, remembering that Bulma said it helped with the nausea. I wouldn't think of making popcorn or anything with the prince's unstable appetite, and beer was out of the question.

Vegeta seemed relaxed, like he was starting to enjoy himself, and I handed him a can of soda, which he opened as he watched a scene of the movie with furrowed eyebrows, as though trying to guess where the ludicrous plot was going.

"Kakarot," he said eventually.

I brought my soda to my lips and responded, "Hmm?"

"Can you explain something to me?"

I was unsure for a moment, wondering what he could want to know, and I set my soda can down slowly.

"Sure, what?"

"If humans can create time machines and super computers and capsule technology," he said, "...why go through all the trouble to make things like this?" he gestured at the screen in time for one of the characters to say 'with... a herring!'

"Well it was made a long time ago, just for fun. Besides, not all humans can make stuff like that..." I hesitated before adding, "What's your point? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Nothing," he replied, "I'm just curious as to how humans have survived this long if they invest their time in something as asinine as 'The Knights of Ni'."

I blinked once, and then started laughing.

Vegeta crossed his arms over his chest, "What's funny?"

"Sorry Vegeta, but that was just so you." I said.

So passed the afternoon. The rain didn't let up all day, and when the first movie ended, I put in a different one, leaning back and closing my eyes leisurely. Hours went by, but I barely noticed, and I was able to forget for a moment all the things that had been eating at me for a month or so. It was a very trivial way to reach respite, but I was thankful for it either way.

After a long while, another movie ended, and I stretched, lifting my arms over my head and savoring the pull of muscle. I glanced at Vegeta, about to ask if we should watch something else or stop for today, and I was startled as he leaned over and kissed me.

Yes, I was startled, but about ninety-eight percent of my brain was ecstatic, and the urges I'd been suppressing all day reawakened. I wanted to kiss him back, to devour him, to reopen the mark on his shoulder and drown in the taste of his blood, to take it even further and fuck him hard into the floor, I could almost remember what it had felt like to be inside him...

The remaining two percent of my brain snapped me back to sanity, and I pushed him away, breathing unsteadily and aching with ignored desire. Vegeta made a soft sound of argument, trying to reconnect our lips, and I stood while I could still think, before I lost myself and gave in.

"No, Vegeta." I said dully, unable to put spite or disapproval that I didn't feel into the words.

"Why?" the prince asked quietly.

I looked at him in dismay, unable to deny that I wanted him... I wanted him very badly. And I hated myself for that. Hated that I couldn't make myself give him up.

"Did you think we were –? That you could just -?" I sighed and held the bridge of my nose in frustration, "It's only ever lead to trouble in the past. And I always end up regretting it."

"Why?" he repeated, looking reproachful.

"I don't like to say no to you... It makes my head hurt and leaves a bad taste in my mouth." I said, "But I draw the line here. I'll stay with you; I'll protect you and help you get through this. I'll even cook your meals, if you like. But I'll go no further. I don't want it to end up like last time." I let my gaze fall on the mark on his shoulder. I didn't want to make a mistake I'd regret again, I didn't want to do something worse, and I didn't want to do something so stupid without the prince's consent... again.

I had caused us both a lot of pain and difficulty when I marked him, and I didn't want to cause even more... It just felt wrong to want him, I couldn't explain why, but I wasn't going to question it.

TBC