The Beginning Of It All

AUTHOR: Ningyo no Misa
PAIRING: Bulma/Vegeta
RATING: G
WARNINGS: None
DISCLAIMER: i do NOT own anything related to Dragon Ball/Z/GT nor am i claiming ownership. i do, however, take all credit for this original story thought up and created by me.

~~~~~~~~

the beginning of it all 

ossu- hello
anata mo- you too
bishounen- pretty boy, hunk
nanda- what, exuse me?
doushitano- what's the matter?
nani mo- never mind
shimpai janai- don't worry about it
ittai- what the...!!!
nande kuso- what IS this shit?!
bakayarou- stupid idiot
doushite- why?
kusottare- piece of shit
sou na- that's all
arigatou- thank you
wakatta- it's understood

*these are all Juuhachi-gou's translations. i take no credit for these

I held back the tears, too proud and stubborn to admit I was in pain. I lay naked in bed, blinking up at the ceiling and listening to Yamcha snore lightly. I knew he was unfaithful; yet, I was scared to let him go. He was my first boyfriend and our relationship had lasted for over five years. I never expected us to get married. I might've said we would, but I could feel deep down in the pit of my churning stomach that it was just not meant to be. But I stayed with him. I stayed with him...

Yamcha rolled over on his side facing away from me. I turned my head slightly to look at him. He was pretty muscular, that I liked, and his arms were strong. I loved for him to hold me, something he rarely ever did, but even then it was like cuddling with a rock. He wouldn't kiss me lightly or run his fingers down my back or tousle my hair. He just lay there, rigid and unmoving except for the rise and fall of his chest. And now that he was turning away from me... I couldn't stand it. My eyes darted over to glance at the digital alarm clock: 2:47 am. I slowly got out of bed and tiptoed to the little bathroom connected to Yamcha and my bedroom. I slipped on my black silk bathrobe. The stitched in red and navy blue Japanese flowers illuminated and shimmered with the moonlight. I crept out and down the stairs.

Passing Mummy and Daddy's room, I heard a gruff snore as my foot stepped upon a creaky floorboard. I smiled to myself; you'd think of all people that Mummy'd be the least one to snore. Sometimes it was so bad that I would go downstairs in the morning and find Daddy asleep on the couch. The house was silent except for the distant whirring of the furnace that kicked on and off every few minutes. As I passed through the living room and into the kitchen, I stopped by the back sliding glass door. Vegeta was still in the second Saiyan replica space pod Daddy had made. He was in there most of the time, training in massive amounts of gravity. Ever since he had learned Goku-chan's secret, he worked diligently, sometimes not even stopping to rest. 

"Poor Vegeta," I thought out loud. "He's had to settle for second best."

It was true; Vegeta had been extremely bitter after his fight with Goku on Earth. And it really drove him crazy when Goku succeeded where he failed. Shrugging, I flicked the kitchen light on and squinted at the brightness. 

"Kami!" I moaned and rubbed my eyes.

As my pupils slowly got used to the increase in light, I went to the pantry and pulled out some hot chocolate mix. I started to fill the little blue and white speckled teapot with water then changed my mind and put milk in instead. Maybe it would help me fall asleep. I turned the fire on the stove and waited. It wouldn't take long for it to heat up, but I wouldn't have minded if it did. Not like I was going anywhere...

Vegeta had entered the house silently through the sliding glass door. I didn't hear him, I felt his presence. My back was to him as I sat at the kitchen table. I could feel his eyes burning into the back of my head and I craned my neck to face him.

"Ossu, Vegeta-san," I sighed.

Vegeta gave a slight nod and remained standing with his arms crossed. He leaned against the kitchen doorframe and smirked.

"You're up early," he rasped.

"Anata mo," I replied.

He unfolded his arms and took a few cautious steps toward me. My eyes trailed after him, noting the bulges of muscle that popped out when he moved. I smiled inwardly; he was quite the bishounen. Okay, so he was bad-tempered, rarely spoke and when he did have something to say it was usually an insult. But there was a hint of gentleness in his cat-like manner, a coolness that relaxed me.

"Would you like to join me, Vegeta-san?"

He turned to me. "Nanda?"

"I said, would you like to join me, Vegeta-san?"

He arched an eyebrow at me but took a seat across from me. His eyes flicked quickly over my body once and I thought I saw a slight grin of approval. I giggled and teasingly crossed my tan legs. Vegeta remained cool on the outside. After an awkward silence, I rested my head on my hand and stared blankly out the window. My thoughts shifted back to Yamcha. He didn't even sense that I was gone. Or, if he did, he didn't care. My ki level was pretty low, but still... I was laying right next to him! He had to have noticed. I sighed once more and my vision blurred. All Yamcha and I ever did was fight and end up in bed together that night. I told myself I loved him, so many I think my brain fooled my heart. Now I wasn't sure if I loved him. Maybe I never did. Maybe he never did. He was just using me...

A tear slid down my cheek and splashed on the table. Vegeta watched it fall, motionless. His face sort of relaxed then, a twinge of pain etched stealthily across his face. It was just the slightest change, but I could tell. I never knew what he was thinking then... perhaps the tear had caused his own mind to shift back to Namek as he lay on the ground in his final moments before he died. Gohan and Krillin had told me he cried, but I didn't believe it until Goku told me.

"He let it all out... all those tears and pains he'd bottled up since childhood. He can't be all bad, Bulma-chan; no one that cold-hearted could cry like he did." Goku's voice echoed through my brain. I looked up at Vegeta.

"Doushitano, Vegeta-san?"

Vegeta's mouth turned into a scowl and his brows met. "Nani mo, shimpai janai."

I rolled my eyes at him. He was so damn stubborn... 

"Ittai!" I said crossly, catching a foul whiff of air. 

"Ah, Kami!!! The milk!" I screeched and jumped up.

The milk had boiled over and was spluttering over the sides of the pot and onto the stove. The fire hissed and crackled. I grabbed a mug and a potholder and poured the milk and chocolate mix in. Vegeta watched me curiously, his face still set, and raised an eyebrow in question.

"You want some?"

Vegeta did not answer, so I poured him a cup and added the chocolate. I stirred it for a few minutes then took mine and his and resumed my perch on the kitchen chair. I slid his mug across the table at him. I tucked a strand of silky blue hair behind my ear and puffed my bangs out of my eyes. Vegeta watched my routine.

"Nande kuso?" Vegeta sniffed at his mug.

"Shhh, Vegeta-san. It's hot chocolate. Try it, it's good."

He eyed me suspiciously and I *tsked* at him. I took a huge gulp; big mistake. It was extremely hot and I nearly choked, but I forced it down and proceeded to fan my tongue. Vegeta chuckled and took a small sip. He smacked his lips, shrugged, then took a bigger sip.

"Mind if I talk?" I asked, wrapping my hands around the steaming mug. When Vegeta did not answer, I continued.

"I'm having problems with Yamcha again. Well, I don't know about again. We're always having problems."

Vegeta snorted. "He's a bakayarou."

"That's not the point." I was starting to get agitated. "I'm just so confused; I know he cheats on me all the time. But I'm afraid to give him up. Doushite? True, he's my first boyfriend... and he is a bishounen!" I giggled and grinned.

I became serious again. "And he never treats me bad. Well, not all that bad. I suppose it could be worse. I just don't think he loves me. In fact, I don't think he ever loved me." My eyes clouded up again. I blinked the tears away.

"Hmph! That kusottare!"

My eyes widened at Vegeta. Was he... was he actually being sympathetic toward me? Well, okay, so he was really just insulting Yamcha rather than comforting... but still, that was a big step for Vegeta.

"Sou na," I said.

"Then why are you with him?"

I paused. Why did Vegeta care? "I... I don't know."

I bowed my head. Suddenly I felt like such a fool for carrying on with Yamcha. I didn't even love him. But I felt secure in a relationship. It lasted so long... But I realized that it was lacking something: real love.

Vegeta had moved swiftly to my side and lifted my chin with his finger.

"Don't worry," he said as the tears streamed down my face.

"Arigatou," I sniffed and sobbed.

A large smirk passed over his lips. Maybe you could even call it a small smile. Whatever it was soothed me and I quieted. My heart skipped a beat for a second. What was happening?

Vegeta ran his thumb over my warm, smooth lips. "Wakatta," he said. Then, with a quick turn on his heel, he was through the living room and out the back door. I smiled to myself.

"Vegeta-san isn't all that bad, ne, Goku-chan?" I whispered happily as I cleaned up the kitchen, turned off the light and headed back upstairs to bed.

the end 

~~~~~~

disclaimer: i do NOT own anything related to Dragon Ball/Z/GT nor am i claiming ownership. i do, however, take all credit for this original story thought up and created by me.

~Ningyo no Misa~

Part 2

Please review the fanfics you read!  ^_^