A Light in the Darkness - part 21: Breakfast at Capsule Corp
by Mia Skywalker & Wataruo

PAIRING: Bulma/Vegeta
RATING: G
WARNINGS: None
DISCLAIMER: Neither of us owns any of the DBZ characters or anything about DBZ, but we both wish we owned the Saiyans. All of them. At least all of the ones with hair. These characters are owned by Toei, Viz, Akira Toriyama, and FUNimation, even though the last one is a crying shame. We do own what we've written here, and our specific storyline, just not Dragonball itself. We make no money off of any of these guys, nor off this fic. We just have fun writing it.
SUMMARY: Breakfast at Capsule Corp.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Thanks to saiyengerl for beta'ing!
NOTE: I've noticed that a lot of people assume that this is written by only one person. It is not. Although I do all the archiving and editing, my co-writer and I write equally on this. I couldn't write it without her. I do have several shorter fics that I've done by myself, but I could never have written this by myself.

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Last time on Dragonball Z: A Light in the Darkness....

Goku and Chi-Chi spend some quality time together.

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Day 2

Gohan ran downstairs, smelling breakfast being made. He ran into the kitchen, startling Mrs. Briefs briefly. She smiled down at him. "Gohan! Are you hungry?" He nodded eagerly, and she continued to smile. "Why don't you help me set the table?"

He helped her quickly, chattering at her as he did so. She set a platter of food in front of him as he sat at the table, and he began eating enthusiastically.

~~*~~

It really wasn't fair, Vegeta decided as he inhaled the aromas of food wafting up the stairs. All he really wanted to do was sleep. He opened his eyes and saw Bulma tucked in against him, still sound asleep. He found himself smiling down at her, watching her sleep for a few moments before he slipped from her embrace, got dressed and headed downstairs. He arrived in time to see Mrs. Briefs placing food on the table.

Gohan saw Vegeta, and smiled up at him happily. "Hi, Vegeta-sensei!" he practically shouted. "Are you going to train me some more today?" He was holding his cup with his tail, apparently unconscious of that fact.

Vegeta winced at the boy's volume and nodded. "Unless you make me go deaf first," he grumbled. ::Why do children have such loud voices?:: he wondered as he sat down. ::Maybe it's to annoy their parents to death.:: Vegeta picked up a cup, winced when he realized it was coffee, and poured himself tea instead. He had developed a taste for it a few months back, and it had a relaxing effect on him.

Gohan giggled. He knew Vegeta wasn't going to go deaf anytime soon. He looked at the older Saiyan curiously for a moment, and then asked him with the frank honesty of a child, "Vegeta, where's Bulma?"

Vegeta blinked, caught off guard by the question. "She is still sleeping," he said putting his cup down. "And don't go bothering her, she was up late." Vegeta couldn't help himself; he chuckled. The main reason she was up late was because of him.

~~*~~

Bulma stirred slightly, wondering why her body ached so strangely. Was she sick? She felt her forehead. She didn't feel warm.... She opened her eyes then, turning in her bed, and noticed the other indentation on the bed. She blushed, suddenly remembering everything that had transpired the day before. She and Vegeta, they had.... It was difficult for her to accept, the fact that she'd slept with him. They'd made love not just once, but numerous times. She realized that was why she was feeling so strangely sore.

She smiled, closing her eyes, remembering the sensations. Then she rolled out of bed and took a quick shower, before running downstairs eagerly.

~~*~~

Vegeta managed not to choke in his drink. "I am not so tired that I can't handle you, brat," he said dryly. He put his cup down on the table and grinned at him. "We'll spar after you get done eating."

Bulma paused at the foot of the stairs, hearing him, and heard Gohan's reply. "Okay, Vegeta. You'll teach me some more techniques?" he was asking the Prince, as he continued to eat, swinging his feet under the table.

Bulma took a deep breath and stepped forward, into the dining room. She tried to smile at them, but somehow it felt weak on her face. "Good morning, Gohan, mother... Vegeta." She slipped into her seat at the table, hesitating before serving herself.

Vegeta smirked at Bulma. ::Poor thing. I must've worn her out.:: He nodded at her in acknowledgement and answered Gohan. "I think you need to master that Masenko attack of yours first," he said. Although he was speaking to Gohan, he was studying Bulma intently. "It has promise."

Gohan nodded seriously. "Okay. Do you want me to teach it to you?"

Vegeta blinked. ::I must be losing my mind:: he thought as shock spread its way across his face. "You'll teach me?" He frowned. ::Why not? It may come in handy later.:: "Sure, brat. Why not?"

Gohan smiled happily, and completely innocently. "Okay! You'll teach me some of your techniques, and I'll teach you my Masenko!" 

He dropped his fork, having finished eating, and then politely carried his plate to the kitchen, putting it into the sink for Mrs. Briefs. He trotted back to the dining room. "Are you ready to go, Vegeta?"

Bulma glanced wistfully at Vegeta but she said nothing. She wasn't even sure what she wanted of him, but somehow she realized with a startled thought that she was going to miss him while he was training Gohan. ::Well, at least maybe I'll get some work done today:: she thought broodingly.

::I'll see you later woman:: he thought to her before following Gohan to the door. What he really wanted to do was drag her back upstairs and make her his again. He wondered where this sudden obsession came from, then dismissed it as unimportant. ::It will go away:: he told himself. Like all the relationships he'd had in the past. But as he looked back into Bulma's face, he wondered why he didn't believe it. 

"Let's go," he ordered Gohan.

~~*~~

Bulma watched the two Saiyans leave with somewhat ambiguous feelings. She was glad that someone was helping Gohan, and she had the oddest feeling that Vegeta was actually enjoying himself. She was glad for them, but she felt strangely pensive, as though she wanted them to stay with her. ::Why would I feel that way?:: she wondered. ::It's not like... it's not like he means anything to me, or I mean anything to him, right? It's just hormones, that's all. It's just physical attraction. Nothing more.::

Bulma's mother gave her a sympathetic look as Bulma left the table without finishing her breakfast, but Bulma didn't even notice. She headed to her workshop and worked on several inventions. She got more accomplished that morning than she realized. She didn't even get to the corporate books, as she got absorbed in some of the theoretical aspects of a couple of projects that ended up absorbing her attention completely.

To be continued.....

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And in the next exciting episode of DragonBall Z: A Light in the Darkness... Gohan surprises Vegeta.