Chapter 4: Solace
For a week or so longer, Vegeta continued his usual routine, until one night, when he was caught off guard, his bleariness dulling his senses. He was wearing only his knee-length boxers. As he was headed to the kitchen, little did he know that Bulma was leaning against the countertop, opposite the fridge.
Just as he was about to open the fridge door, he was interrupted.
"Vegeta." Bulma had stress and exhaustion writ all over her face. She was wearing a pink, knee level, seamless, silken sleep dress that could be made out in the moonlight.
The Prince suddenly had his guard up and whirled around in a defensive stance. Dammit! How could he have been so stupid?! He let out an enraged snarl.
"What are you doing here?!" He demanded.
"Look, I'm not here to pick a fight." She replied, forcing on a amicable, but strained smile. The heiress was too exhausted to be vexed by his prolonged absence or his overt acrimony. "It's just... been so long since I last saw you."
Vegeta scoffed.
"Well now you've seen me." He changed direction, headed straight back for his room, more indignant than ever. He didn't even know why he was pissed. He just felt such a deep sense of self-loathing that he was ashamed of even being seen by anyone, most of all her. The last thing he needed was for her to rub his failure in his face. All he wanted was to keep to himself and slowly wither away and die... well, hopefully not too slowly.
"Wait." Bulma called out, in a desperate voice. Vegeta stopped where he was and let out an exasperated sigh.
"What now?!" He snarled, without bothering to turn around and face her.
"Just... let me say one thing." She pleaded.
His stiffened shoulders finally slumped and she saw that as her cue.
"I'm proud of you, Vegeta." She stated in a soft, yet fervent tone. Bulma figured that being mad or belligerent would only drive him away and she needed him now, more than ever. No one else could fill the void he'd left behind, since that somber day he'd taken off into space. Not Yamcha, not anyone. Just him. A little while after Vegeta had taken off over a year ago, her scar-faced ex had tried on more than one occasion, to approach her and make things right between them. He'd even offered to be the father to Trunks that Vegeta could or would never be. She couldn't deny that her mind was inclined to open her arms to Yamcha, but her heart just wouldn't let her. Despite all that Vegeta had done, she still loved him. No one had ever made her feel so... complete, on every level. Whether it was during their heated verbal battles or their passionate bouts of fervid love-making, a deep part of her knew that Vegeta was the one for her. The only one. And none of her ex's aspersions could convince her otherwise.
Of course, Yamcha didn't feel that way anymore. He had told Bulma that she was right about Vegeta, all along. That there was good in him, because he'd witnessed it himself in the battle with Cell. He no longer made any endeavours to try and coax or wheedle his way back into her heart or into her bed, not that it would work anyway. Still, she was relieved at the evolution in Yamcha's character and the two of them had rekindled their old friendship.
Vegeta felt his whole body transfix and his heart freeze. He was nonplussed. He had expected her to lash out at him or perhaps throw a frying pan or beer bottle at his head, but to say that she was proud of him... not in a million years would he have predicted those words to escape her lips. Why would she say that? He whirled around and frowned at her.
"What is there to be proud of?!" He scowled.
"You defended Trunks." She answered, smiling warmly at him.
"I failed Trunks!" He rectified, refusing to meet her azure eyes, that sparkled ever so brightly, under the glittering moonlight.
"You didn't fail him!" She adamantly narrowed her eyes at him. "You protected him, like a true father should and I don't care what you think, I'm proud of you for it!" Her expression softened, as she saw the look of surprise and bewilderment coalesce on his countenance. "And you helped Gohan beat Cell. No one can take that away from you."
"A half-breed boy beat Cell!" He spat in disgust, "He surpassed my strength and left me with nothing!"
"He surpassed everyone's strength, not just yours." Bulma argued, furrowing her brows. "Even his father's. And last I remember, Cell was so powerful that even Goku gave up. I really don't understand what you're so ashamed of or why you've been feeling the need to hide for the last two months."
"I'm not hiding!"
"Oh?!" She countered, "Then what do you call it?!"
Vegeta sputtered incoherent sounds, unable to argue back.
"It's hiding, that's what it is!" Bulma stated resolvedly, "The Vegeta I know never ran from anyone or anything."
The Prince sighed dejectedly.
"That man's dead." He stated, a cold and empty expression etched on his features.
"Do I have to spell it out for you Vegeta?!" Yelled the heiress, having had just about enough of his resigned behaviour, "You're acting like a fucking coward!"
A second later, the Prince stood in front of her, a menacing scowl embedded on his face.
"What did you call me?!"
"You heard me!" Bulma bore her teeth at Vegeta, not deterred in the least. "Need me to say it again?!"
"No one calls the Prince of-"
"Exactly!" Bulma interjected, "You're the Prince of Saiyans! So pull yourself together and act like it!"
"What the hell do you know about it?!" He was mere inches from her face now, gnashing his teeth menacingly, "Nothing!"
"I know this!" Bulma replied back, refusing to give any ground. "Whatever you put your mind to, you can do it! But not if you sit around feeling sorry for yourself and avoiding everyone, like some... woman!"
There! She said it! And she had no qualms, whatsoever! Vegeta felt his entire body bristle in fury... It was taking every ounce of effort not to obliterate this presumptuous female where she stood.
"You're treading on thin ice, wench..." The Prince warned in a low, baleful and deceptively calm tone that promised death.
"Well, if that's what it takes, then so be it!" Bulma replied ardently, refusing to back away.
They glared daggers at each other for the longest time. Vegeta's fists were clenched so tight and his muscles were trembling with the effort to contain his mountainous ire. Bulma set her gaze downwards and let out a weary sigh, before softening her expression and looking up at Vegeta again and the latter narrowed his eyes at her.
"You've beaten the odds before Vegeta." She offered him a dazzling smile. "No one believed you could surpass Goku. Hell, I didn't even believe it. But you did it, anyway. You didn't let anything stop you and you worked tirelessly, until you finally did it. You broke that barrier and became a thing of legend."
Vegeta was taken aback by her sudden change in tone and his anger slowly slipped away. He felt his heart skitter, in response to her words, in that serene voice of hers.
Bulma tentatively placed her arms around his neck and drew him into a tight, passionate embrace, relishing in the warmth and firmness of his perfectly sculpted body. She let out a pleasurable shudder. She'd missed his feel. He didn't know how much she'd missed it.
Vegeta felt his chest constrict and jolts of electricity shoot down his spine. Every vein and capillary in his body, felt as though it were engulfed in liquid fire, as her soft, lithe body, pressed against his.
"You can do it again Vegeta..." She cooed into his ear, lightly scratching the back of his head with her right hand, eliciting a deep purring sound from the hollows of his chest. She smiled and with her other hand, she gingerly rubbed his back. "You can be the best. I know you can. I believe in you."
Vegeta's heart was racing so fast, he felt it would break out of his chest. He couldn't fight it anymore, as he placed his arms around her waist and pulled her flush against him. He felt his faded morale surge through the roof and his resolve heighten, as he heard those words from his... woman. Yes, that's who Bulma was... The Prince brought his face to the recess of her neck and inhaled in her sweet, floral scent. Oh how he'd missed that scent.
"Foolish woman." He mumbled.
Bulma let out a shiver and her legs weakened, as she felt her Prince scenting her. Yes, her Prince! Her annoying, obnoxious, uncouth, Saiyan Prince!
"Goku's gone..." She murmured. "He refused to return and now Gohan and his unborn brother will grow up without their father..."
She pulled back and looked imploringly at Vegeta.
"Don't make the same mistake, Vegeta..." She looked at him solemnly. "Trunks needs you... I need you."
Vegeta felt so belied with himself and yet... he felt so right, here and now, with Bulma in his arms. He never felt so right before, so... at peace. It felt good, in such a strange way. The Prince let out an exhale through his nose, before nodding weakly. Bulma twinkled at him, as she placed her hands on either side of his face and promptly pressed her lips to his. His eyes fluttered, before he responded to those soft, luscious lips of hers and began kissing back. The moment Bulma's lips parted, he slithered his tongue inside and began exploring the velvety cavern of sweetness within, as his hands began caressing the smooth, voluptuous curves of her breasts and then her hips and legs, making her tingle at every turn, while her hands roamed across his firmly knit arms and compact, chiseled out pecs and abs. He felt goosebumps at every inch of skin warmed by her soft, graceful hands. Their tongues danced jovially, as they swallowed each other's moans, misery, loneliness and tension, that had been brewing ever so greatly, for nearly two years. It had been far too long. She was right. He wouldn't act like a weakling anymore! He would not fail his son ever again, as he did his future counterpart! He would be the best! He would train his son to be the best and show Kakarot's brat what true power really was!
After many long moments passed, Bulma finally pulled back and let go, looking at him with a scorching, lust-filled gaze. She wanted him, badly. Vegeta felt his heart lurch as he saw that blazing look in her big, beautiful, blue eyes and couldn't help it, as he gulped and his face flushed three shades of crimson. Bulma couldn't resist the urge to smirk coquettishly. She tapped his nose with her index finger and ran off while yelling: "catch me if you can."
"What the?!" It took Vegeta a few moments to register what had happened. "Get back here, Earth female!"
He promptly chased after her and she laughed, as she continued trying to stay out of dodge. That night was the best night of heat-filled passion, in both their lives... Well, best night, so far.
A/N: LVR4Trunks-n-Vegeta: As far as the family in the previous chapter goes, let's just say that a day or two after this, Vegeta asks Dr. Brief for a couple million Zenis in cash and drops it off in their house, without letting anyone know.
So I guess that's it. What did you think?
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