6A/N: I thought it would be easier to take the more uhh... canon-ish path for this chapter. I don't really know what's going to happen so far in the future of Gemini Saga Eclipse, so I have to just work with what I know I'll be basing things around. I'm sure you all are fine with that, unless you're really hooked on knowing what happens in the sequel to GSE, well I'll guess you'll just have to stay tuned until then!!
Law Three
General Relativity:
A theory where instead of gravity being an invisible force that attracts objects to one another, gravity is a curving or warping of space. The more massive an object, the more it warps the space around it.
Need - Obsession
- 10 Months Later -
A silence had at last fallen after hours of hoarse, pained pants and cries, only the rhythmic breaths that Bulma made now could be heard in the maternity ward. Vegeta clasped her hand as he knelt down by the side of the bed, and watched the doctor raise the infant from beneath the sheet over her lap, his brown little tail curling around as he took his first lung full of air and made an energetic wail. Bulma sighed weakly with her relief, and Vegeta nodded to the doctor as they informed him the child was going to be taken to be checked over and cleaned up.
"Don't touch the tail, understand?" Vegeta said sternly, and the doctor nodded quickly. Bulma and Vegeta had discussed the risks and advantages of having his tail, and decided that if it became a problem, they would remove it, and if not the child could keep it.
"We did it, Vegeta," Bulma said with a smile, rolling her head of damp azure tresses towards him.
"Hn? 'We'? You did all the pushing and bellowing, woman." He said, and she shook her head gently side to side.
"That's not what I mean. You and I made a beautiful baby boy, and I'm so happy to have.. had him with you.." She said sleepily, and he nodded in understanding as her eyes fluttered shut.
"You bore our son with the strength of a true Saiyan Queen. I am... honored to be the father of the boy." He said huskily, pulling her hand to his lips and kissing the back of it tenderly as she giggled.
"Trunks, remember?" She reminded him, then Vegeta backed up and huffed. They'd both bickered over the name, him wanting a traditional Saiyan name, and her wanting to keep her family's tradition. They had at last come to a decision; Trunks Zorn Briefs. Vegeta had chosen the name of the buffoonish elite guard for his bravery and defiance at the tense time before Planet Vegeta's destruction. The other Elites had told him about his honorable acts, and he thought it a suitable name, and Bulma agreed, but also didn't want him to have such a science-fiction sounding name as his first name.
"Trunks, then." He agreed, and Bulma's grip loosened from his as she fell asleep, exhausted. Her pregnancy had been hard on her, and it was difficult for Vegeta to watch her struggle with bearing his child. Many nights he had stayed awake with her, exhausted from his daily training in preparation for the Androids. The mysterious half-saiyan boy from the future had come to inform them of their impending doom, and the majority of the last two years had been spent preparing for their arrival. Now, her battle was over, and his was just beginning.
-3 months later-
A loud clatter, followed by a child's cry startled Dr. Briefs as he sat in his study, reading. Due to recent developments, the kitchen table was no longer a suitable place for him to relax with the newspaper during his time off, unless he wanted his paper pelted with mushy peas, and other goopy substances, while his wife and their grandchild screamed and cried. There seemed to be no end to this conundrum.
All the helper bots in the house were currently out of commission. The reason being, why? A lavender haired little tyke named Trunks liked to destroy them, or as Bunny liked to call it, 'roughhousing.' Dr. Briefs had to thank his clever genes for one noticeable feature, that complimentary hair like his own. To surpass the dominant Saiyan traits of his father's with the spiky hair and dark, intense eyes, and instead come out looking like a Briefs. The doctor set down his paper as another distressed wail erupted from above, this time from his wife.
"Oh, consarn it!" He uttered with a huff, the cigarette he was puffing on sucked down to the filter with glowing embers, as he took a long inhale of breath, before bellowing:
"Keep it down, or I'm coming up there, dag-nabbit!"
A gleeful giggle was heard, then Bunny's gasp. Alright, he'd had it. The clever doctor looked over at the door to his lab, and had to grin to himself. This old dog may be old, but he still knew new tricks.
"Trunksie, oh darling how could you treat your dear granny this way?" Bunny pouted, wiping the lumpy oatmeal from her face with a dishcloth as Trunks sat in his highchair, smirking, a bowl upturned on his head where he'd plopped it, oatmeal and all, as some type of primitive crown.
"If only Bulma and Vegeta had more time to spend with you, we wouldn't be in this mess!" She sobbed, and Trunks' face grew solemn a moment, his sky blue eyes growing to sparkling saucers, as he stared raptly at his grandmother.
"What is it...? Do you feel bad for what you did now?" She asked him, still dabbing tears away as she sat on the floor, amongst a mess of dishes and split food, and whatever else he threw at her.
"Buh..." The baby began, and she perked right up.
"Bunny? Say 'Bunny'!" She urged, then Trunks smiled and said, "Blast!" Then giggled, as he shot a beam of light from his chubby hand. The child made a garbled sound of surprise though, when instead of going through his grandmother's head, it was deflected by some type of laser.
"Trunks Zorn Briefs! That is a violation of your grandmother's well-being. Code 42 on the list of Naughty Things You Must Not Do." A familiar, yet oddly robotic voice said, and there was a heavy thud, and hiss of air. The child lowered his hand, and Bunny was able to uncover her eyes, as she turned and gasped in awe. A massive, chrome sentinel stood there, holding a deadly looking assault laser. At the helm, was no other than her husband!
"I am the Grandfather-Tron 10,000. Trunks, I demand that you stop this insubordination at once, or suffer the consequences." Dr. Briefs said from within his mecha suit, then the arms of it extended to pick him up the dripping child.
"It is not a grandfather's duty to wash dirty descendants, this I deem a father, or mother's responsibility." He informed him, and Trunks slightly nodded, his cheeks puffed out in bafflement by the shiny exterior of his Pop-Pop. The Grandfather-Tron 10,000 carted him off towards the neighboring dome of the expansive property, and was greeted kindly by the secretary at the desk before Bulma's office.
"Good afternoon Mr. President, here to see Miss. B?" She said, and Dr. Briefs nodded. "Affirmative." He said with a beep, "You may address me as President Grandfather-Tron 10,000."
"Vice President. B says that absolutely no visitors are allowed in, be it business, family or otherwise, she has given strict orders that she is to be left alone."
"Not even her 'Trunksie-Wunksie' shall be permitted access?" The Doctor said, and the secretary had to take a pause, looking over Trunks a moment, before picking up the phone and sending Bulma a message over the intercom in her office.
"Miss B, the President Grandfather-Tron 10,000 and a Trunksie-Wunksie have arrived, and are awaiting your approval to have access your office." The tiny voice coming from the intercom announced, and Bulma looked up from a stack of papers, baffled.
"The WHAT?!" She exclaimed, screwing her eyebrows together. She shook her head, not needing any clarification, and buzzed them in. Bulma had begun taking on her Vice Presidential duties while her father took a vacation, it was only a sample of the work she was set to do in her future. Bulma had felt it necessary to share the weight of the company as she should, while her father could enjoy some time being a grandfather, and get herself out of the house and back on her feet again. As Bulma silently regretted all of this, in wheeled the alien amigulation that was her son, and his grand sire.
"What on Earth is going on here?!" She shouted, standing up quickly from her desk. Trunks saw his mother, and reached his arms out and began to whimper for her attention.
"This child has been a nuisance, and is impeding your mother's sanity, and making me begin to wish I had never taken a vacation." Dr. Briefs said, his voice somewhat metallic through his helmet.
"Oh, Dad," Bulma frowned, scowling as she de-encapsulated a hazmat suit from inside her pocket, donned the yellow rubber suit with a clear helmet, and held her arms out to take Trunks to get cleaned up, not wishing to dirty her fashionable office attire.
"I'll take care of him for now, Dad. Why don't you and mom go out for once? I'm so sorry about this." She said, and toted the child towards the downstairs laboratory attached to her office. The doctor wheeled behind her, using the stick shift inside the suit to steer into the elevator.
"Wherever would we go, Bulma? I think what your mother would enjoy for now is some rest. She's always cooking, cleaning and doting on your men, and she refuses to use the Grandmother Tron 3,000 I made for her!" He harrumphed, stepping out of the elevator as they came down to the floor, needing to have some bad air, exited his suit and lit up a cigarette as Scratch stretched out on his shoulder.
"You know how Mom is, she's all about that Better Housewife life," Bulma sighed, and came down to the industrial sink to wash up Trunks, stripping his clothes away and using the convenience of the express dryer and washer made in the case that toxic substances got onto a person's clothes.
Trunks protested as she placed him in the sink and began soaping off the oatmeal that was jammed into his ears and encrusted in his hair.
"Whatever shall I say to convince her?" The doctor said with an exaggerated puff, watching the small washer sudsing up the child's clothing with veiled interest.
"Tell her... Oh, I know! Why don't you finally take mom to Ambrosia Arches!" Bulma blurted out.
"What, that drivel she's been going on about? I'm not a young stud like I once was-" He began, but Bulma cut him off quickly.
"Eww, Dad! Please listen! Yes, it is a resort for couples to rekindle their love life, but it's not just that! There's a... science exhibition there that would pique both of your interest!" She said, lifting up Trunks and rinsing him off. He had calmed considerably from the water, and his mother's soothing voice. Her father stroked his moustache thoughtfully, making a dubious snort of disbelief.
Bulma bit her lip; reminded of how she had fantasized about her and Vegeta going to the resort with those tickets, but she knew that deep down, it would never happen with him. As much as she loved Trunks, the baby was incredibly clingy, and sometimes spent nights in the bed with her. Vegeta had given up; thinking it was hopeless after the required 6 weeks of abstinence were long past, and she hadn't allowed him to touch her once afterwards due to embarrassment about her body's changes, and two, she couldn't just kick out her child to be intimate with him, knowing she would worry that Trunks would need her, and she would never get over the guilt if she were in Vegeta's arms, selfishly indulging herself.
Bulma shook her head, pushing those thoughts aside, and focused her efforts instead on strengthening her parent's love life, instead. She would have time, once Trunks was older, and the Androids were defeated... right? Of course she would, because they had all the best warriors on Earth, and Vegeta was going to become Super Saiyan very soon with all her help in his training. She was sure of it.
"I'm serious, Dad! I wasn't supposed to tell you this, but I already bought you guys two tickets. Look under my nightstand and you'll find them!" She said, and cooed at Trunks as he played with the bubbles.
Dr. Briefs puffed his cigarette studiously as he paced the lab, patting Scratch on the head.
"Bulma dear, you shouldn't have. Anything I talk about these days fails to pique her interest, what could Panchy possibly be interested with to do about science?" He said, and Bulma giggled softly to herself as she dried Trunks off with a towel.
"Many things, Dad. I'm telling you, Mom is a very curious woman. And, while you're gone.. well, I'll have to find a sitter or something I suppose." She lied through her smile, and her father's brows rose.
"Oh, I thought you were against anyone else watching Trunks..." He began, then they both noticed the beeping of the dryer having finished it's cycle. Bulma wrapped an extra absorbent sanitary towel around him as a diaper, and put the freshly cleaned clothes on him. She set Trunks on the counter, and stripped off the hazmat suit, wiping her forehead.
Dr. Briefs looked at the clock on the washing machine, and noted that it had only taken Bulma 1 minute, and 23 seconds to have Trunks fully cleaned and dressed. The boy was now completely calm, if not now realizing how hungry he actually was after wasting his entire breakfast. Trunks reached for her chest, tugging on the lapels of her blazer and softly whimpering for her milk. Bulma looked back over her shoulder at the time, and sighed.
"Maybe I should just have you make me a Mother-Tron. I'm no good at this, what kind of mom has to wash her baby in the same sink where we clean beakers?" She said, dejected, and her father frowned at this.
"I'm sorry, Pumpkin, but I'm afraid that there is no such thing, a mother simply cannot be replicated. The boy needs time with you, and his father. And I'm going to be too occupied if I'm to take your mother to the resort for a three day weekend," He said, pointing at his wristwatch.
Bulma nodded, and turned away to breastfeed Trunks in private. She had milk stored away at home, but she was still producing milk after all, and just couldn't refuse his needy whimpers. As she looked down into her son's eyes, and saw the look of admiration and love that he had for her, she knew that her father was right. Her child needed her.
Heat surrounded them, as the three Saiyans sparred within the heavy space of the newly upgraded Gravity Chamber. Bulma had re-built the chamber from the ground up to be more spacious, as well as better reinforced. Nappa had been helpful with his memory of the training rooms on both Castle Vegeta, and Planet Frieza. The chamber was now capable of withstanding 500 times earth's gravity, with ki-absorbing walls that allowed for larger attacks without any dangerous bounce back. Bulma had created a new type of rubber that absorbed ki, a thick blue material which lined, and padded the walls of the large Chamber. She had also moved the core to lower down beneath the floor, and lift up when needed so that there was no risk to the core's integrity, resulting in a deadly explosion.
All of the Z fighters trained in their own zone, but Vegeta had gone back to what he knew was the best training of all, simply, fighting. He grinned as he dodged a punch by Raditz, ducking his head, and darting underneath his large arm before the long haired Saiyan had the chance to react, ramming into his abdomen with his shoulder, sending Raditz over his head, and onto his stomach on the mat as Nappa charged at Vegeta. This was exactly what he deemed favorable; having the two buffoons he had grown accustomed to sparring with all his life to battle it out with. There was no fancy skill set to it, simply bloody brawling.
Nappa came at him bellowing, and Vegeta stayed in place, brushing off his bare shoulder as the former general charged with all his might, forming a ki blast at his side. Vegeta smirked, just as Nappa was about to plow him over, Vegeta felt the wind rush out of him as Raditz kneed him in the back, and his body jerked up in mid-air. Heat suddenly scalded him as Nappa took the opportunity to blast him, sending him flying, hitting the outer wall, then crumpling as he had a moment of disbelief. Vegeta's head slumped as he coughed, and Raditz and Nappa stood back, oddly quiet as they exchanged nervous glances. Their tails puffed, and they shot out like bullets to opposite sides of the room, but there was no escape now from the enraged prince.
Vegeta made a terrifying roar, and the chamber shook from the outside as he chased the other two with blasts, shooting them in their reddened asses, where the short black spandex shorts they wore stopped. Screams of torment could be heard from within, as Kannon and Launch paused to listen from where they were out in the yard. The two blonde women were training as well, but in a much less violent way.
"Damn that Vegeta, why's he hafta retaliate back so violently?" Launch huffed, catching her mother's fist in her palm. Kannon glanced back, her green eyes like her daughter's narrowing.
"They can handle him. He'll tire himself out again, then Nappa and Raditz will be at the advantage again, but they won't strike their Prince again when he's down, you know that." She said, then surprised Launch with a kick from her back, which she quickly avoided by jumping over her leg, then grabbed it, and trapped Kannon.
"You've gotten really good, honey. Now, Leggo of me before I hafta hurt ya!" Kannon warned, and Launch giggled maliciously, her brown tail twitching playfully. She then pinched her mother's thigh through a rip in her camo fatigues, and she squealed in response; a pop was heard as with the pinch, Kannon transformed just as Launch did from a sneeze, her hair turning blue and curly, her sharp green eyes turning large and doey, a rosy hue of pink and red.
"Aww, Launch why'd ya do that? You always play dirty with me!" She whined, attempting to pull her leg away, her fists curled up to her red beater, where she was now twice as voluptuous.
"C'mon, Ma! You gotta train both sides of yourself!" Launch urged, then tossed her by her leg, flying up to take chase, before yelping, held in place by her tail by Nappa, as Raditz flew and caught Kannon before she could be thrown through the compound.
"Launch, you know you should be more gentle with your mother, she's not part saiyan!" Nappa reprimanded, letting go of Launch's tail so she could recover.
"I was just messin' around, pops! I didn't mean anything by it!" She groaned, then slightly flinched as Raditz approached, holding Kannon safely in his arms.
"You scared Miss Pinchie, you should know better, Launch." Raditz frowned, holding his non-blood adopted mother protectively. Launch's mouth moved soundlessly as she searched for an excuse, then she was saved by the bell, as the intercom on the front of the building suddenly made a musical sound.
"Lunch has been served for everyone, if you would, please report to the third floor for dining." A robotic voice sounded, and they all looked to each other in confusion. How odd, typically Mrs. Briefs would come out to personally inform them it was ready, or even tote the entire buffet out on carts for the hungry half and full saiyans. They looked back and forth at each other, then shrugged. The Briefs were the oddest of all the Earthlings they had met, perhaps beside the Turtle Hermit, Master Roshi.
"I should head in and check on Parzi," Launch said, walking off purposely, and the others followed.
"Oh Parznich, darling, whatever will I do?" Bunny worried, rocking the child in a chair. The little girl's green hair had grown long enough now that it was held back by a red hairband with a bow like her mother's, her brown tail wriggling as she watched Bunny with large, dark obsidian eyes with just the faintest hue of violet.
"We have to get your Auntie Bulma and Uncle Vegeta together! The both of them are so grumpy all the time, you know what they need, just between you and me?" She whispered softly, attempting to feed the nipple of a bottle into the little girl's pursed lips.
"They need to get.." Bunny began, but wasn't able to finish saying 'Frisky'.
Parzi growled in a high pitch, much like a frightened kitten, and turned her face away from the bottle. Bunny lowered the bottle, looking worriedly at the bottle, then the baby.
"What's wrong? Taste bad?" She questioned, and nibbled on the tip to give it a test, finding it tasted fine, she pulled it back and tilted her head, making a mournful sigh.
"Oh silly me, you're getting too old to have a baba, aren't you? Wittle Trunksie uses a baba, that's why Granny got confused." She said, then perked up as Launch entered the room, looking curious.
"I'll take the kiddo, Mrs. B." She said, and Bunny stood quickly, and handed her the child carefully.
"Lunch is ready, did you make sure Raddy and Nappa got theirs before Vegeta could?" She said, concerned, knowing Vegeta would sometimes attempt to squirrel away food, in some odd territorial manner, that the others would simply allow, long set in their hierarchical ways, but none of the women would allow that behavior.
"Yep. The fellas are all stuffing their faces, I was just curious why you didn't come out to tell us?" Launch said gently, holding Parzi against her chest, and stroking her spiky hair.
"Oh, I'm afraid I really do have to take a rest. Would you mind?" Bunny said, and Launch shook her head.
"Of course not Mrs. B, if you're sleepy take a nap, I've got Parzi. There's more than enough of us around to help out, you should take a break!" She reassured her, and led Bunny out of the nursery.
"Oh.. Okay then. Bulma and Trunks should be home soon." She said, a worrisome tone in her voice, and Launch gave her another little push.
"Yup, and Bulma will be fine, so will Trunks, they'll all get along just great and we'll all be one big happy family, as much as that idea sickens me... Now, go on an' take a bath, you've got somethin' in your hair." Launch urged, and Bunny touched her hair, gasping, and remembered that she still hadn't washed out the dried oatmeal, so she ran off to the master bathroom to ready a bath.
"Thank you, Launchie! I'll talk to you later!" Bunny yelled as she ran away frantically, and Launch giggled, taking off flying in the other direction. "There, now your granny can finally get some relaxin' in, Parzi." She said softly, and the baby cooed happily.
Vegeta had watched the proceedings of the day go by without complaint, he was certainly relieved when it sounded like the others were taking off back to Raditz and Launch's new residence, happy to see them go before Bulma could come home. It seemed even the Briefs elders were leaving, for a weekend getaway far away. Vegeta nodded, and let them walk away without as much as a wave. He was ready for a break from all their nonsense, as well as the training. He retired back into the house for a shower before Bulma could come home, hoping that perhaps having an empty house would be to their benefit, if only he could find a way to remove the child from the equation; or else he and Bulma would never get a moment of privacy or relaxation.
The old man had come home, seeming oddly more jubilant that what was typical for him, and not long later, he had heard Panchy's squeals of excitement when her husband had handed her the ticket, and told her to pack a suitcase, they were going on a vacation. Of course she had agreed, and was more than eager to hop in the hoverplane with him, off to Ambrosia Arches. Vegeta mulled over this while he toweled off, the situation sticking stubbornly in his head. Bulma had mentioned purchasing the tickets for them, Vegeta recalled, but couldn't sympathize with her desire to rekindle her parent's 'flame'. Vegeta thought that the two were more than agreeable with their arrangement, but perhaps like them, they were missing the comfort of intimacy with one another, due to a lack of privacy, and some small 'spark' to get that old blaze going once again.
Thus the question arose; what was it that could ignite their passion once again? Vegeta shook his head, and not much later he heard the familiar sound of Bulma coming in the door, with the babble of a happy baby, who had spent a few good hours entertaining the lab staff while Bulma finished her work for the day. Trunks had discovered a whole world of fun things to play with, and since he was on his best behavior for his mother, he hadn't broken anything important, thankfully.
Bulma carried both her baby, and her briefcase in the door, her arms were aching a little, but she found all that carrying a child around was doing wonders toning her biceps. Typically, she would smile through it, but today, her smile was getting a bit tight and uncomfortable. As much as she loved Trunks, and was delighted to see him transform from a naughty boy to a mommy's boy in just a few hours, she honestly wanted a break. But how? Her father and mother had left, and she only trusted someone who was another mother like her, and could handle a half saiyan child's strength.
Bulma set Trunks down, and fished around het pocket for her phone, kicking off her heels for a moment to plop on the couch. She scrolled through her contacts, taking a deep breath, and clicked the first one that her gut feeling didn't turn upside down with as a result.
Vegeta finished his look by undoing the top button of his shirt, having buttoned it, he quickly unbuttoned it, nervously fidgeting. He wore a black bowling shirt with white stripes, dark tan chino pants, and the cleanest sneakers he owned, the white and black of them matching, and making his dressy look just a bit more casual. He didn't want to intimidate his date, and make her think it necissary to overdress. What Bulma needed to do was let loose, let her hair down and ditch the frumpy act she'd been giving him the last few months.
As her mate, Vegeta found it just as important that they keep their bond alive, just as if it were formed yesterday. Just like Dr. Briefs and Panchy. Vegeta felt confident that Bulma would agree, and went to go walk downstairs, then surprised himself, and headed for her room to sort through the mess that was her closet while she was still chatting on the phone.
"Ok, we'll be over in a little bit. Thank you so much! Bye." Bulma said, smiling, then ended the call, feeling much better about having a babysitter for a few hours while she took a break. Work, and being a mother was taking a toll on her, plus she had this odd, inkling feeling that Vegeta could attest to that. She zoned out for awhile, texting her mother after she'd gotten her messages, and the photos from Ambrosia Arches. She was so glad her dad finally decide to take her. Bulma yawned, typing out a message to her mom, her finger resting there spewing out gibberish as her head tilted back and she began to snore softly.
Trunks babbled happily on the floor, managing to get into her purse while she fell asleep. He found a pretty little container inside, and when he opened it, he found something even more fun, a crayon!
Vegeta finished laying out the outfit for Bulma to wear on the bed, even going as far to pick out her bra, underwear, stockings, shoes, and the like. He knew she would want to be dolled up tonight, she always dressed nicely. Vegeta just wanted to make it easier for her to choose her clothes, plus, he didn't want to sit through another one of her little fashion shows that ended with her not liking any of the same outfits he liked.
He crossed his arms and sat on the bed, waiting for her to come up for what seemed like an eternity. It was quiet. Too quiet. After a moment of this, he grew impatient and went downstairs to see what was going on. What he came upon made him give pause, taking a sharp intake of breath. Trunks had managed to dump out Bulma's purse, find one of her red lipsticks, and climb up onto the couch and begin doodling on her face with it as she slept. How she didn't feel it, he didn't know, but that woman slept like a log once given the opportunity.
"Trunks!" He hissed, plucking him off of her immediately, and turning the infant about to glare down at him, still holding the crushed lipstick.
"No. That's very, very bad. Got that?" He intoned darkly, glowering down at the child, and pointing at his artwork. There was a brief pause, as Trunks looked back at his mother, then his father, and opened his mouth to scream. Vegeta was quick though, and covered his mouth with one hand, muffling his scream. Still, Bulma stirred, then Vegeta lost control over the child, and Trunks started blatting for her attention.
"Huh..? What's going on?" She murmured, blinking tiredly, one eye with a red ring around it.
"Nothing, he just woke up from his nap, and uh.." Vegeta stuttered to answer, and Bulma gasped.
"Is that my lipstick!? Trunks!" She gasped, and stood up, taking the boy from his hands.
"That's naughty!" She reprimanded him, taking it out of his hand. For whatever reason, this quieted him, and Bulma tossed the lipstick in the trash.
"Well, let's get ready to go to Chi-Chi's, she said she'll watch him for a few hours!" Bulma said chipperly, feeling relaxed after her nap. Vegeta hesitated to tell her about the appearance of her face, nodding and hiding his grin behind his hand.
"Oh, you look cute!" She said, and he held back his disapproval of the remark, shrugging. Bulma looked at him funny, and walked upstairs with a huff. Vegeta tapped his foot. Shouldn't be long now. He thought to himself, knowing Bulma's penchant for checking herself out in the mirror.
Sure enough, there was a scream, two of them. He flew upstairs quicker than he would like to admit, giving himself not much time to think about how was going to assist her.
"Oh Kami, Trunks! How could you make your mother look like a clown?!" Bulma wailed, rubbing her hands on her face frantically, only smearing the lipstick more, while Vegeta darted into the bathroom, retrieving two key items. He came up to her, opening a jar of vaseline, then swiping a cotton round across the top.
"You do not look like a clown, Bulma. More than anything, you look like that night you cried geysers at Raditz and Launch's wedding reception." Vegeta muttered bitterly, coming over to carefully start stroking her face with the wipe. Bulma looked away and pouted, feeling embarrassed about having such a ridiculous outburst so bad she cried and smeared makeup all over her face, several months into her pregnancy. Vegeta had to soothe her that night, cleaning her face, and taking off the uncomfortable bridesmaids gown while she slept.
What is the purpose of having a wedding when you're already mated, isn't it a bit redundant? Raditz is that harlequin's whipping boy. He thought to himself with a shake of his head, Pathetic.
"I was just a bit emotional, that's all. I was happy for them." She said, and he snorted at her.
"Bullshit. Just a bit? Then why did you crumple up the invitation?" He said pointedly, and she looked away.
"Hmph. Must be nice. How is it you know how to take off makeup?" She said, watching how he turned over the cotton pad to the clean side, taking off all her makeup from the day along with the lipstick. His cheeks flared, and he leaned close to her ear to whisper out of range from Trunks in her arms.
"You used to leave red rings of lipstick around my... base. If you know what I mean." He whispered with a soft chuckle, and Bulma gasped, feeling his hot breath in her ear, she pulled back.
"Oh, jeez... sorry.." She blushed, looking away from him.
"Don't be. I never minded it back then." He grinned, and Bulma hesitated to smile back, feeling a sting at how he talked about their sex life as if it had happened centuries ago. Vegeta stroked her cheek with his thumb tenderly, gazing into her eyes with a heated look, that also spoke of his deep affection.
She figured there was a stubborn bit of lipstick on her cheek, and felt her blush spreading down to her chest and looked away again, gulping.
Good thing I'm red like a cherry right now, I don't want him to think I'm blushing for him.
"Bulma." He whispered, looking down, a crease forming in his brow.
"I've missed it. Our relationship, even if we were a mess at first. It was the best thing that ever happened to us. Yes, you too, boy." He said so softly, stroking the child's lavender curl on his forehead. She barely heard him, but it took everything she had to not bust out into tears, her arms shaking. He then held his arms out to take Trunks, and she handed him to his father, the baby barely stirring, simply looking up at his father curiously.
"Your face is clean. You can get dressed." He said, sitting on the bed. Bulma hesitated, looking at the plum colored dress he'd laid out there, with an hourglass cut, and a heart shaped neckline and halter straps. With it, was a matching set of hot pink lingerie, with garters, stockings and everything, something she hadn't worn for him since before her pregnancy. But when she had, it was to the nines, the finest kind.
"Vegeta... why did you...? I can't wear this.." She said in horror, not even wanting to imagine how hideous she would look, with everything bulging out in places, but she had a bit of body dysmorphia, because that simply wasn't the case, at least not to him. He looked down at the garments, then back at her, and sighed heavily.
"So, this is the end? You'll just let our bond fall apart like this? If not tended to, it's only going to continue to weaken, until its broken. I thought it was time we strengthened it." He bit out angrily, then looked away.
"Of course not! I just can't wear something l'll look terrible in! Maybe you need glasses if you can't even tell I'm much fatter than you remember!" She whined, crossing her arms.
"Seriously? My vision is perfect, and I don't see this vast weight difference you're talking about, I don't care what you wear, you'll look stunning in anything you choose. I just thought it would be easier for you to not have to decide. It's up to you what you want to do." He said, and Bulma blinked, not having heard him talk like this to her in some time.
"But my makeup-"
"You don't need any." He said quickly, and she smiled, picking up the bra and feeling the luxury of the lacy, pushup cups that peeled open to easily have access for breastfeeding, with no thick straps that she would have to unclip. Perhaps he hadn't noticed what type of bra it was.
"Ok. I'll wear it then, Vegeta. I don't want our bond to fade, either... I want.. back our happiness. Our.. romance." She whispered, her voice trembling. He turned back to look at her, his eyes red as he nodded, and uttered a husky, 'Yes.'
She quivered under his gaze, and nodded, yet still feeling self conscious.
"You should dress. I'll wait." He said, not moving from his spot on the bed, leaning back on his hands.
"In here?" She croaked, then cleared her throat.
"Am I not welcome?" He said, tilting his head. Bulma smiled, and shook her head, pointing to the door.
"I just...need to be alone for this." She said apologetically, and he nodded, understanding, not wanting to overstep their fragile boundaries.
"Trunks and I will be waiting in the.. hovercraft for you." He said with a curt nod, and turned about, closing the door behind himself, swearing in embarrassment when he almost closed his tail in the door.
Bulma giggled, and began to strip quickly, excited for what she hoped would be a date with her Prince at last.
Ok, so I decided I would split what I have written and release this chapter in two parts because it was going over 11k, and I thought by the time it was finished it would be way too long for one chapter. Plus, I feel like I've made you guys wait long enough, so I thought I'd give you something at least!Hope you all enjoy, part 2 will be coming soon!