Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ A Worse Punishment ❯ Chapter 3: Changing Lives ( Chapter 3 )

A Worse Punishment

By: Nova Starlight

Chapter 3: Changing Lives

A month had passed since Vegeta had taken over the life of Vincent Redding, and he was not sure of his feelings about it yet. His life had quickly fallen into a routine of going to work each day, working out in the gym in the evenings after work, and spending his nights thinking of Bulma. Everything had been going well between them but it was hard for him to tell if she was really interested in him or not. It was this frustration that kept him going back to the gym to build muscle and spending hours thinking of ways to impress her. He was putting so much effort into his appearance and winning over Bulma, but the results were slow in coming. He guessed he would just have to face the fact that he had no idea what to do next.

Then he realized that while he was sitting there thinking he had stopped lifting weights. He sighed and looked around the gym one last time. As he reached for his towel he decided that he might as well just go home, if you could call his apartment a home. Walking out, he felt the eyes of a girl who worked at the gym observing him but he ignored it. There was only one woman he wanted, and right now he had no idea how to get her.

That same evening Trunks sat in the living room thinking about his mother and her strange behavior. There was nothing wrong with it, she just seemed much happier recently. He wondered what had changed in her life to cause it. He decided to do a little amateur investigating and find out. This way if he ended up looking like a worrywart fool, the only person who would have to know was him.

The next day, he went to the surveillance department and pulled up a video of his mother in her lab from a few weeks ago, since there was nothing out of the usual he then pulled up a tape from when she was in the main employee lab on the same day. The first thing he noticed is that she was laughing and talking with a man at the next station. Could he be the reason for her newfound happiness? He turned it off and found the camera with the live feed for the area. He saw his mother sitting there in a dress and heels, with the biggest smile he had probably ever seen on her face. She was definitely interested in this man. He walked out of the department and returned to the main house.

That night at dinner, she was humming as she placed his plate of food in front of him. He decided now would be as good a time as any to ask her about the man, she worked with, who he had discovered was named Vincent. "So how is everything between you and Vincent?" he asked nonchalantly. At hearing the question she nearly spit the water she was drinking across the room.

"I do not know what you are talking about?" she replied. "I get along well with all of the employees, and everything is fine." Then she coughed and tried to take another sip of her water.

Trunks laughed and replied, "Who do you think you are kidding? It's me, your son, I know you better than anyone. You are constantly laughing, smiling, and humming these past few weeks and the only difference has been the attention of Vincent Redding.

She blushed deep red at his comments. She had always thought that she would be the one to tease her son about his romances, not the other way around. "It's not really anything," she protested half-heartedly. Then she continued eating like nothing had been said. He could see that he was going to have to take matters into his own hands.

Vegeta was once again spending his afternoon working alone, when he heard someone enter the lab. As he turned to look, He saw the man had lavender hair and wore glasses. He also wore a lab coat that hid his body very well. He turned back to his workstation and was surprised when the man took the seat next to him, Bulma's seat.

He decided to be friendly so he reached out his hand and introduced himself, "My name is Vincent Redding." Then he asked, "Are you a new employee?"

"Not exactly," he replied. "My name is Trunks Briefs." At hearing that, Vegeta nearly fell out of his chair. Trunks laughed at what he believed was Vincent's shock at discovering he was Bulma's son and asked, "Are you okay?"

Vegeta nodded mutely, because he was not entirely sure he could speak. This was his son and he had not even recognized him. "Are you investigating me?" he asked cautiously.

"Well you have been doing a lot of flirting with my mom, but I think I can trust you," he replied with a smile.

Vegeta knew that he probably should have left well enough alone, but before he could stop himself he asked, "No loyalty to your father's memory huh?" He wanted to take back the question immediately but instead he held his breath and waited for the response.

Trunks sighed and said, "My dad has been dead for twenty years and only spent a few weeks with my mother anyway. If you make her happy, you have my blessing. I actually came here to give you these two theater tickets I picked up so you could take her on a date."

He was not exactly happy about the comments Trunks had made about him, but he had to admit they were not unfounded. However, he was excited at the prospect of a date with Bulma. Now all he had to do was go ask her. He took the tickets, from Trunks's hand and said, "Thank You," Then he got up and went to look for Bulma's lab. When he found it, he burst in unannounced and said, "Will you go on a date with me?" Then he looked at the tickets in his hand and added, "On Saturday night?"

"Yes," she replied. "But is that the only reason you came in here?"

"Well, yes actually it was," he replied. "Unless you have something else in mind." She blushed brightly and shook her head.

"I'll see you Saturday," she commented. Then she shooed him out of her lab. As he walked back down the hallway he decided to clock out early. He felt like going to the gym and then he needed to go buy some decent clothes.

That Saturday he was a bundle of nerves as he walked up to the door of the main house. He had blown a decent chunk of Vincent Redding's savings on a stylish suit that he hoped would impress her. He wanted everything to be perfect tonight.

He rang the doorbell and waited patiently. When the door opened and he saw her, his jaw dropped to the ground. She looked sensational in a slim fitting red dress and matching strappy heels. Her long hair had been curled and now bounced around her shoulders. "Your too quiet and it is making me nervous," she said finally.

"You look gorgeous," he replied. He had no idea what else to say, but felt as if he should say something.

Then from behind Bulma he heard Trunks say, in a singsong voice, "Have a good time you two." Then he waved and said, "Don't stay out too late." Then he gave his mom a little nudge in Vincent's direction and shut the door behind him. Vegeta led Bulma to his aircar and one again hoped the evening would go well.

The critics may have praised the play but Vegeta was definitely finding it boring. He looked over at Bulma, unable to gauge her reaction. He just reached out his hand and held hers gently. When the intermission finally rolled around, he breathed a quiet sigh of relief and walked out into the lobby with Bulma.

"That was boring," she said with a smile.

"You thought so too?" he asked, shocked.

"Yeah," she replied. "What do you say we get out of here and get dinner?"

"Sounds like a plan," he said smiling, and then he put his hand on the small of her back and kept it there as they walked down the street to a nice little Italian restaurant.

As they were seated and wine was ordered she asked, "Did you pick out that play?"

"No your son came to see me and he gave me the tickets," he said. "You can blame him entirely for that. I was too unsure of myself to come up with an idea for a date." She laughed and let her hand caress his softly. He could feel his heart racing and he saw the couples dancing out of the corner of his eye. "Would you like to dance?" he asked.

"I would love to," she whispered softly. Then they stood up and he led her to the dance floor. As they danced she rested her head on his shoulder. He felt like a pubescent teenager, trying to calm his nerves. The time passed by so fast and before he knew it the date was over and he was walking her to her front door.

"Your son, will be upset with me," he commented. "I have kept you out much later than your curfew."

"Well, I think if I apologize to him tomorrow, he will not ground me," she joked. Then she looked into his eyes as if waiting for something. He leaned forward and kissed her. She kissed him back timidly at first but got bolder as the kiss progressed. He had forgotten how good Bulma's kissed were.

A few minutes later, when the kiss broke he whispered, "Good Night Beautiful," Then he smiled and walked towards the residential building. Bulma touched her lips in disbelief as she watched him walk off. She entered the house and saw the light from a lamp in the living room.

There was Trunks asleep in the chair with an open book lying across his chest. She walked over and shook his shoulders until he woke up. "Hu-what?" Trunks asked sleepily.

"Were you waiting up on me?" she asked.

"Yeah, just curious about your date?" he commented.

"You really should not worry about me so much," she admonished. Then she kissed his forehead and went upstairs to bed. He watched her walk away and realized that she was right. He looked around the house and thought maybe it was time he found an apartment or a house of his own.

To Be Continued. . .