This story is now on WattPad! If you would like to read this story on a slightly different platform, you can do it over there.

I posted a bonus chapter over on AO3 that's too raunchy for , but that was back in March so you might have already seen it there.

Bulma's eyes blinked open. She looked down, seeing the book she was reading still lying on the comforter. She rolled onto her side. Chi-Chi was fast asleep next to her. A small grin formed on her face, as her eyes ran up and down her sleeping form. She needed to invite the Sons over for the night more often - if it meant waking up next to this every morning, then it'd be worth it. She scooted as close to her as she could, being careful as not to wake her. Chi-Chi looked relaxed for once, and she didn't want to ruin it.

They had a thing together for a few months, now. Neither of them have made it official, but it might as well have been. Chi-Chi was slowly getting over her widow's guilt, and was opening up to her more and more everyday. They could kiss now, without her needing to be reassured that she wasn't betraying Goku.

She hadn't felt this deeply about a person since she and Yamcha first got together. She never pictured herself with another woman; she was always convinced that some tall, dark, and handsome prince would sweep her off of her feet, carry her away on a white horse, and all of that romantic garbage. She would throw herself at any man she could, thinking they would be the one. She desperately held onto that idea long past the point where she should have. It was such a toxic mindset, for her, and she never thought twice about who she threw herself at.

Yet it took her years to stop being in denial about her feelings for Chi-Chi. For her to finally come to grips with the fact that she might be in love with a woman.

She should have changed her outlook on this a long time ago.

She took one last look at Chi-Chi before she glanced at the clock. Her brow furrowed. It was two in the morning. She sighed; she hated nights like this.

Bulma quietly rolled out of bed, and grabbed an old blanket. She hung it over her shoulders, as she softly padded down the hallway, and into the kitchen. She took out a bottle of milk from the fridge, and poured it into a saucepan, letting it heat over the stove. She kept the lights dim, not wanting to risk waking up the whole house. She just needed one warm glass of milk, and she could head back to bed. When it was warm enough, she poured it into a mug, and leaned against one of the counter tops, taking slow sips.

"There you are."

She jumped for a moment, spilling a bit of her drink. She turned around: Vegeta was standing behind her, in front of the backdoor. She sighed, as she put her hand on her chest. "What do you want, Vegeta?"

He threw a bot on the ground. "Your latest bots are entirely insufficient. Fix them now."

She rubbed her temples. "I made you that holographic program so you wouldn't have to use the bots, anymore. Even then, could you make do with that until I have the time to fix them?"

His nostrils flared. "You will repair them now."

She laughed. "I don't work for you. You don't pay me. I have better things I could be doing with my time." She took her drink, and left the room. She would go to her lab and enjoy her drink there. Then, she could go back to bed.

"Still busy screwing around with Kakarot's harpy?"

She stopped. "That is none of your goddamn business."

"Honestly, I'm shocked you'd be so low as to go after a grieving widow." He laughed. "And you called me cruel."

She rolled her eyes, and kept walking away. Nothing he said mattered - he was just trying to get a rise out of her.

He suddenly phased in front of her. She groaned. "Vegeta, please..." It was way too late for this crap.

"You'll never replace Kakarot. She'll realize that she was just trying to find a substitute for him, and she'll put everything that you've been working towards behind her just like that."

"Wow, I never knew you cared..."

"Whatever. When you come looking for a shoulder to cry on, I promise I won't say 'I told you so'." He shoved her aside, and walked passed her.

Bulma stood there stunned, for a few moments. She wasn't sure she heard that correctly.

"Are you jealous?"

He stopped. She turned around. His shoulders looked tense - a telltale sign that she struck a nerve.

"Because... it sure sounds like you are."

"Not jealous," he bit out. "Pitying, more like it."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, when a woman is so deluded and in denial that she searches for solace in another woman, one almost has to be pitying."

She choked, for a moment. It sure sounded like he was accusing her of faking her attraction to Chi-Chi. "You're joking."

"Why else would you think a shrieking housewife is a suitable partner?"

If he was going to play this game, she could play just as hard. "Oh, like a whining, freeloading deadbeat would be any better."

He turned towards her, glaring at her. "What was that?"

"I didn't stutter."

He stalked towards her. She planted her ground. She told herself a long time ago that she would never back down against Vegeta. "You say this to the man who gave you child and security?"

"Gimme a break, you didn't even bother showing up to that child's birth. And security? Last I checked, you aren't the only super powered being on this planet. Get off your goddamn high horse for once, you arrogant prick."

He grabbed her arm, squeezing enough to make her yelp, making her drop her mug, and it shattered on the floor. He violently pulled her towards him. "You little wench! Someone ought to finally teach you some respect!"

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME!" She pulled away from him harshly. "THIS is exactly it, Vegeta! THIS is why I can never be with you! You can call me names all you want, but once I start defending myself, you get angry and put your hands on me!" He looked shocked that she snapped at him. As if he was expecting their normal verbal spats and not to get blown up at.

"I-I get that you're not human, and Saiyans are just different than us. But I just can't deal with it, anymore. I shouldn't have to fear that my partner might kill me for annoying them, or might hurt me while doing something mundane."

"And being with a screeching shrewd is somehow better?"

Her anger broke, hearing the woman she loved insulted like that."CHI-CHI makes me feel desired! She cares for me, and is always here for me! She doesn't treat me like a goddamn second-class citizen! I'm an equal with her, and she actually makes me feel wanted! I LOVE her, and none of your patronizing questions are going to change that!"

She marched off, before he could get another word in, leaving him alone in the parlor.

Bulma was still in a bit of a sour mood, by the next morning. Even she couldn't believe that he had the audacity to say any of that. Telling him off didn't make her feel righteous of content - it only made her feel worse.

"Honey, are you okay?"

She shook her head. "I'm fine. Just slept funny, last night."

"You know you can't get that past me. Now, tell me what's wrong?"

Bulma sighed. Chi-Chi seemed to always know when she was putting on a face. Maybe it was mother's intuition. "If you want to know, I had a fight with Vegeta, last night."

Chi-Chi's eyes narrowed, but she nodded. "Go on." Even after years of him being on Earth, she still didn't trust him. She had gotten used to everyone else - even Piccolo, who had killed her husband and kidnapped her son. And yet, she still didn't like Vegeta.

"He said some nasty things about you... about us. I got worked up over it. Apparently, he's been jealous this entire time."

She scoffed. "He should have considered that, before he ran out on you and Trunks. Don't listen to him - whatever he said, you know it's not true."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Sometimes, I wish I could just kick him out and be done with it. But... he has nowhere else to go. It would be cruel to send him out, like this. And he and Trunks have been getting along a lot better, lately. What kind of a mother would I be, if I split them up?"

"Oh, Bulma," Chi-Chi scooted closer to her, and wrapped her arms around her. "You don't have to keep putting them before yourself. I say that you should make it clear that you won't let this happen, again. If he can learn to behave himself, then he can stay. But if he starts insulting you, then he can't."

"I just want to do right by Trunks. He needs his father."

"And Vegeta could still be his father, even if he doesn't stay here. It's not like you'd be cutting him off completely. I say you make your rules clear, to him. Whether he wants to follow them is up to him."

As Bulma began to think about Chi-Chi's advice, she nodded. "Okay," she said.

Chi-Chi kissed her cheek. "Enough about Vegeta. How about we go out, today, to get your mind off of everything?"

She smiled. "I think I'd like that."

The day had ended far too quickly for both of them. Bulma dropped Chi-Chi back at her home late that evening. The day on the town was just what the both of them needed. It had been a high-stress time for everyone, lately; a bit of mindless fun helped make it a little better. Bulma ended up sticking around Mt. Paozu longer than she intended, and did not arrive back home until the early hours morning. Trunks might have been worried, if she wasn't there when he woke up.

As Bulma kicked off her shoes and dropped her belongings onto the couch, her good mood turned sour, once more. Vegeta had been standing in the parlor, waiting for her. She just looked the other way and walked past him, now wanting nothing more than to go to bed.

"Bulma, wait."

She paused on the staircase. His voice was uncharacteristically calm and quiet. She sighed. "What do you want?"

"I overheard your conversation with Kakarot's widow, this morning. If you don't want me here, then you should have just told me."

She turned around and shook her head. He must have gotten the wrong idea. She didn't want him to think that he was completely unwanted, here. "Vegeta, you don't have to go. I don't want you to. You don't have anywhere else to go."

He scoffed. "I've lived on my own far longer than you can comprehend. That's no problem, at all." As she started to speak again, he interrupted her. "The boy will be fine. I will still train him here, but I won't stay. I'll tell him where he can find me, if he ever needs to. I am not abandoning him; I wouldn't, even if you tried to keep us apart."

"I never wanted to-"

"Yes, I know, but I knew you would be concerned about our son."

Bulma didn't know what to say. Vegeta was countering every point she was trying to make. Had what he heard really been enough to set his mind so firmly? She didn't want him to leave so suddenly, even if she was upset. "If this is about last night, then-"

"I cannot live here, while I still have affection for you."

Those words struck her more than anything else. Was this the closest that Vegeta had ever gotten to telling her that he loved her? She had suggested it on a hunch, but she didn't think that was actually the case. Now, all of his comments were starting to make sense. She was always aware of the bitterness, but never to this degree.

"I regret leaving my feelings unchecked. I need to finally put them to rest. Perhaps in the future I may return, but not now." He paused. "You deserve more than this."

Bulma never thought that he could be so introspective or self-aware. With how high and mighty he always acted, she was sure that was not the case. Hearing him lay all of this out for her made her feel relief, almost. She was happy that he managed to tell her this; she knew it had to be difficult for him, and was proud that he finally could.

She nodded. "Okay. I understand."

"Good. The boy will tell you where to find me. If something ever happens, come to me first."

"You know that I can take care of myself, Vegeta."

"Says the woman with no survival instincts."

She laughed. "Yeah, I guess." It was odd; one conversation later, she felt relaxed around Vegeta. She felt more at ease now than she ever did, when they were together. Maybe once he got over this whole thing, they could become friends. Things probably were better this way: for everyone. "Well, goodnight. And good luck with... whatever you're going to do. My door's always open, if you need it, so don't be a stranger; just know that." She turned back around and started up the stairs.

"And Bulma."

Once more, she stopped and turned around.

Vegeta smirked at her. "Good luck with your woman."