Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Even Though Our Love Is Doomed ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Just my Husband, laptop, my 3 dogs and a very overactive imagination… Dragon Ball Z and Wuthering Heights characters and DO NOT belong to me. I'm just borrowing them for my own twisted amusement.

Alright, folks!! Here was my submission for The Prince and the Heiress Community Literature Challenge … It is entitled Even Though Our Love is Doomed and is heavily inspired by the classic novel Wuthering Heights! I have had this idea rolling around in my brain for YEARS… And only now have had an excuse to actually sit down and write it. I read Wuthering Heights about ten years ago, before I had even gotten into the world of Bulma and Vegeta fanfiction and it’s funny because when I was reading it, I pictured Vegeta as Heathcliff. I don’t exactly recall if I pictured Bulma as Catherine or not… But later on when I did discover Bulma and Vegeta fanfiction it did occur to me that he is the perfect Heathcliff and she would make a perfect Catherine.

It is also very important to note that I used Androids Seventeen and Eighteen as Edgar and Isabella Linton. I used their real, human names, Lapis and Lazuli and their last name is Gero. Please, please, please keep in mind that the original story was written in 1847 and I chose to keep with that time era for this because the drama factor is simply too good to pass up.. Though customs were quite different back then than they are now.

A huge shout out too to the amazing Dragonbabezee for betaing this for me!! I was so excited when she agreed and I cannot thank her enough for her time!! Be sure to check out her other works too!!

Anyway, here’s my submission. I split it up into two chapters just because it is very long. I am very proud of this piece. Enjoy!!

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Even Though Our Love is Doomed

Word Count: 41,318
Rating: M


Krillin finished unloading the rest of his belongings into the vast entryway of the massive home he was going to be occupying for the next few weeks. It was very late, and he had travelled well into the night through a terrible snow storm to make it to his destination.

“Sorry I am arriving so late,” he apologized. “The storm out there is beyond atrocious.”

“That is alright, your room is this way,” the hostess said. She was an older woman, possibly in her seventies, with a kind face and matronly way about her.

“What about my horse?” he asked.

“He will be looked after,” she assured him, heading up the stairs. It was well past her own bed time and she wanted to get the guest settled in as quickly as possible.

“Thank you,” he said as she opened a bedroom door and lit a few candles. There was already a fire going in the fire place, both warming and lighting the room up.

“Everything you need should be here. I am awake at five o'clock to begin breakfast. It is too late now to draw a bath, but I will begin warming water first thing,” she informed him on her way out.

“Thank you,” he said. Truthfully, all he wanted was to change into dry, clean clothes and get some sleep.

After changing into his night attire, he went to turn the sheets down with every intention of going to sleep. He was about to snuff out the candle at his bedside when he noticed a book on the night table. He hesitated a moment, not wanting to snoop, but his curiosity got the better of him.

He opened it, and he could tell by the way the spine cracked that it was old. On the inside cover was neat, careful writing of someone he assumed was female by the way the letters were specifically curled and slanted. Written there, all over was Bulma + Vegeta. Bulma and Vegeta. Bulma & Vegeta in different ways with heart shapes drawn outside and around of some of them.

Drawn in one corner was a crude, but detailed pencil sketch of a boy with black flame-shaped hair and pronounced widow’s peak. Next to him was a girl in a puffy dress and what looked like a veil in her hair, which he assumed was a wedding dress.

Interesting, he thought to himself as he studied it. Vegeta was the ex-military Admiral that Krillin had been sent here for.  He was to write an article about Vegeta's role in the Anglo-French war, all those many years ago. It had been a very difficult task tracking him down, being that after he had been discharged, he had practically vanished off the face of the earth. However it was rumoured that he still carried influence and had a say in the proceedings, thereby ensuring a reliable income for the rest of his days. Had he left the life of a soldier and high ranking general for the want of a bride who had been patiently waiting for him here?

Sleepiness gone and curiosity now piqued, he turned the page and noted that this was the journal belonging to none other than Bulma Briefs, the daughter of famous inventor Trunks Briefs.

Krillin set the journal down a moment, getting up to grab his own notebook and pencil to take his own notes before going back to bed and opened up to the first page of the journal, reading the first entry.

1767

Poppa returned home today after all these weeks! He brought back with him the best gift ever- another brother!

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“I expect you two to welcome Vegeta into our home and treat him like family,” Trunks Briefs told his two children as they looked curiously at the strange boy standing just behind their father, looking as unsure of them as they were of him. He was filthy, not very tall and quite thin. The only remarkable thing about him was his unruly thick, black hair that seemed to stand on end, defying gravity as it was swept right up almost like a flame and his eyes were the blackest black Bulma had ever seen. “He is six years old, the same age as you are, Bulma; and Tien, I expect you will be good to him.”

“He stinks,” Tien snorted in distain at the new familial addition.

“Well, if you lived on the streets for a better part of a year or two, so would you, son,” Trunks said firmly. “Go upstairs and find him some clean clothes to wear.”

“Nothing of mine will fit him,”

“Well find something for him to wear until I have a chance to take him to get decent clothes,” he sighed in annoyance. “Bulma, will you and Babba get a bath prepared for Vegeta?”

“Of course, pappa!” Bulma replied happily, taking Vegeta’s hand and dragging him up the stairs behind her.

“What are we to do with him?” Bunny, their mother asked, looking after the dirty child as their daughter excitedly left the kitchen with him.

“The city is struck with plague,” Trunks sighed. “I do not know what happened to his parents. Deceased I assume. I came to find him starving on the streets so I fed him and took him around locally with me asking of whom he belonged to but no one knew,”

“So you brought him home?”

“If it were one of our children, I would like to think someone would extend the same kindness instead of leaving them to die of plague and starvation on their own,” he said firmly. “It is not like we cannot afford it and it would be nice to have an extra hand to help out around the property as he grows older; not to mention Bulma desperately needs a playmate.”

“Very well,” she sighed in acceptance of her husband’s decision.

“I can give you some of my clothes to wear if you want,” Bulma offered, taking Vegeta to her room and began rummaging through her things in a whirlwind like fashion.

Vegeta watched her closely, she was a pretty but skinny little thing with curly blue hair, styled in a half up, half down do that had probably looked cute when it had been done but was now a bit of a mess and he doubted any of her clothes would fit him. “I am not wearing girl’s clothes,” he said to her.

“Well, not all of my clothes are girly,” she insisted, his comment not discouraging her as she tossed him a brown sweater and tried to find those riding pants her father had gotten her a while back. Bulma didn’t ride side saddle like most girls. She had been taught, but simply refused.

Sure enough, the pants would be too small for him, but the sweater would work and he took it from her. It was a start.

“Do you want to see your room?” she asked excitedly.

Vegeta shrugged.

Again, she grabbed his hand and dragged him into the hallway. “This one is Tien’s,” she pointed to the bedroom across from hers. “This one is momma and poppa’s, and the last one here will be yours,”

“Hmmn,” he grunted as she led him into the room. He looked around. It was spacious, yet cosy. A fire was going at the end of the room across from the modest-sized bed. There was a trunk next to the window and a wide empty closet.

“Do you like it?” she asked, wide eyed in excitement, slightly disappointed that his reaction was fairly dull.

Vegeta shrugged. “I've never had my own room before, so I guess this is alright.”

“You never had your own room?” she asked in shock. “Well, now you do!”

“Bulma, I’m sure the boy is tired,” Baba scolded her, bringing a washing basin into the room.

“I'm trying to help,” she said.

“You can help by bringing up the warm towels and soap while I bring up hot water,” she told her.

Bulma nodded and raced back down to the kitchen to find what she was asked for.

“You’re not seriously happy about this, are you?” Tien asked her as she ran past him.

“Yea, why not?” she asked, pausing to look at him.

“Because he doesn’t belong here,” her brother snorted. “I can’t believe dad brought home some homeless kid like a lost animal or something and is making him live with us instead of the barn where he belongs,”

“Well, everyone, kids and lost animals all deserve a proper home,” she said firmly, ignoring him and grabbing the towels and soap as requested.

From the day of his arrival, Bulma and Vegeta had become nearly inseparable, which made their father happy. They played each day and Bulma helped catch him up in her studies. He was very smart, the Briefs family had come to learn, and it was not long before he had caught up to Bulma, which made her happy because then they could study together.

Tien, on the other hand, never did warm up to Vegeta and detested him. Their father seemed to have taken to Vegeta rather quickly, seemingly favouring him over his own son. It was not long before Tien’s sour and disinterested demeanour encouraged his father to include Vegeta more and more with helping out in shopping and inventory as they grew older, and he had begun leaving Tien out of being taught to handle other, more important household duties that Tien had felt he should have been given priority to, like financial matters.

0-0-0

Vegeta is a bit of a strange boy, but I like him. He doesn’t talk very much, but he’s more fun to play with than Tien is because he likes to actually do things and play games outside with me.

We’ve played every single day since he’s arrived and we are best friends! Today we got into trouble for playing in the mud.

Tien is terrible to him and the rumours happening around church are not very nice.

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Sunday morning sermons were finished and everyone was slow to exit the church, as everyone was staring at the Brief’s family and the new addition to their family.

“I suppose it is very kind act of charity for Mr. Briefs to take an unknown child into their home like that,” Mrs. Gero said to her husband, taking their leave. “It is certainly admirable,”

“He looks like a gypsy,” their son, Lapis said dismissively.

“He will make the perfect playmate to Bulma,” his sister, Lazuli snorted. “She’s just as much a savage as any gypsy.”

Tien, having heard their musings became quiet and frowned and did not speak a word until they made it home. Once changed out of his formal clothing for church, he pulled Bulma aside.

“You need to not be spending so much time with Vegeta,” he cautioned her. “It is ruining your image,”

“Nonsense,” she snorted. “You don’t even know him! Maybe if you did, you’d realize he’s not as horrible as you think he is.”

“I do not trust him and neither should you!” he said. “He will destroy this entire family if you let him, mark my words. He has charmed and ensnared both you and father. Baba takes his side in most matters as well. Mother thinks I am being paranoid and I feel as though I am the only person who sees him for what he really is.”

“Which is what?” their father asked, standing in the hall not far from them, having overheard much of their conversation.

“Do you not hear the things fellow people in church say about him!” Tien objected. “That he’s really your bastard son and that he’s a gypsy!”

“And who do you think it was who started those rumours?” their father asked, glaring at him. Yes, he’d heard the murmurings and rumours of those at church and around town, but he did not care. “Can a man not perform one act of charity without it becoming the topic of malicious gossip and people assuming the worst?”

“They will not stop,” Tien whined, hoping the threat of humiliation over the false rumours would prompt their father to finally get rid of Vegeta.

Their father was silent a long moment in consideration. “Then we shall not go to church at all then,” he announced finally with a shrug.

“Yaay!” Bulma cried, jumping up and down. To her there was nothing more boring than church. Especially in the summer months when she could be outside playing or riding her pony with Vegeta.

“You do not worry about her reputation?” Tien objected. “Everyone calls her a wretch and a terror because she spends her time with him making mischief and running about like a wild thing. He is a bad influence on her!”

“Let your sister be,” he said, brushing him off. “She is only nearly eight years old, she is but a child.”

Tien glared after his father as he went downstairs for lunch.

“You should come out with us this afternoon, Tien,” Bulma offered. “We are going riding.”

“I would go riding with you, Bulma, but not if Vegeta is accompanying you as well,” he said. “I miss the days when it was just you and me without him lurking about.”

Bulma shrugged, ignoring the sentiments. “Well I am not about to tell Vegeta he is not allowed to come riding. We always go riding in the afternoon. You may choose to join us or not, it matters little to me.”

At that, without any further consideration to his request or feelings on the matter, she was gone, heading down the stairs, leaving Tien to glare after her and accomplishing nothing more than furthering his dislike of Vegeta.

-0-0-0-

1769

Things haven’t been the best here, which is why I have not written in so long. Momma hasn’t been feeling well, so I have been helping Baba around the house lots. The doctor is not sure what is wrong with her.

Tien is still being mean to Vegeta. They got into a fight in the barn over the ponies papa bought for us. Tien thinks papa likes Vegeta better than him because he gave him the better pony but papa did that because Vegeta is the better rider. I was not there because I was looking after momma, but Baba says that Tien hit Vegeta several times with a pitchfork in the barn today. It was a good thing she was there! Poor Vegeta didn’t do anything in retaliation, he just took it. One of these days though, he’s going to finally get mad and lash out in return.

Papa hasn’t heard about what happened yet, but when he does, he’s not going to be very happy.

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“Vegeta?” he heard Bulma whisper through the door of his bedroom.

“What,”

“Can I come in?” she asked.

He grunted in consent and she came in, closing the door quietly and running to his bed. “Are you alright? I heard that Tien beat you with a pitch fork!”

“I am fine,” he growled as she tried to look him over. The sun hadn’t completely set yet so it was still light in the room. “Quit fussing over me. Why are you here?”

“I wanted to make sure you were alright,” she said, quitting her prodding and settling in next to him in his bed.

“I am fine,” he said again, a little less irritably. She had been so busy recently with caring for her mother that he’d barely seen her. He missed her. “How is your mother?”

Bulma shrugged, not wanting to discuss it. “The same. I don’t think she is going to get better.”

“I am sorry,” he said, letting her rest her head on his shoulder and it wasn’t long before she fell asleep.

The next morning, they both woke up, curled together to the sound of the house in a kerfuffle. They quickly got out of bed to see what the problem was.

“Bulma! There you are!” Baba exclaimed. “Come quick, your mother has passed.”

Bulma swallowed hard at the news as she let those words sink in. She had known that her mother hadn’t been getting any better, but she hadn’t thought she was that bad off. She took Vegeta’s hand without even thinking twice and began to lead him down the hall towards her parents’ bedroom.

“Get out!” Tien shouted at Vegeta as soon as he came into the room with Bulma.

“No, you get out!” Bulma shouted back at him.

“He doesn’t need to be here,” he said, giving Vegeta a hard shove as Buma let his hand go and ran towards her mother, forgetting the boys all together.

“Boys, enough,” Trunks sighed in despair. “Can you not for once just get along?”

“She wasn’t his mother!” Tien argued, shoving Vegeta back towards the door more forcefully this time. “He has no business being here!”

Trunks got up and gently placed an arm around Vegeta’s shoulders, leading him out of the bedroom. “I’m terribly sorry, my boy,” he said apologetically. “This is a very difficult time, don’t take this personally.”

Vegeta grit his teeth and looked at Bulma, who was crying next to her mother’s prone form. He did not care all that much that Tien did not want him there and he wasn’t all that upset that the woman had passed. She had been alright to him and had tolerated his presence, however the only ones who treated him as though he mattered were Bulma, the old man and sometimes Baba when she felt Tien was being more unreasonable than usual.  

He was concerned about Bulma, and that was his only hesitancy in leaving the room. Frustrated, he retreated back to his own bedroom.

-0-0-0-

Momma’s funeral was today. I don’t know what I am going to do without her! Vegeta has been my only comfort and friend through this. I suppose he’s been through this, being that he is an orphan. I still do not know what happened to his own parents. He has been with us for two years now and still will not talk about it.

Poppa is so sad, he refuses to talk to anyone and spends a great deal of his time in his room or drinking. Tien and Vegeta have had to take over a lot of the responsibilities.

I am thankful to have Vegeta. He is my everything!

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1774

Things around the house have not been good. Tien and Vegeta are constantly fighting. Papa is getting angry with them. The thing is, it is not Vegeta’s fault. Tien does things to deliberately provoke or get Vegeta into trouble.

Today they were fighting in the stables. Tien said some terrible things to Vegeta and they got into a physical fight. I tried to break it up, but Vegeta accidentally hit me. I’m okay, my jaw is bruised, but Papa was so angry, he gave them both a bad lashing.

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Vegeta was finishing grooming his own, prized horse in the barn when Tien walked in.

“I am going out. Clean out my horse’s stall.” he demanded.

“Clean it yourself,” Vegeta replied, not pausing from grooming his own horse.

“You never did learn you proper place around here, did you?”

“I am your brother,” Vegeta replied simply, not wanting to raise to his baiting.

“No, you are not my brother,” Tien snorted. “You are a useless gypsy bastard my father happened to find on the street and should have left on the street!”

Vegeta shrugged, ignoring him. He was used the abusive speech from Tien by now.

“You know what the whole town and church says about you, right?” he pushed. “They all said you are the product of an illicit affair father had with some gypsy whore. That is the only reason he took pity on you and now we are left to suffer your presence.”

Vegeta sighed heavily, but still said nothing. He had heard it all by this point. It wasn’t true, but he did not care enough about the opinion of Tien or anyone else so long as Bulma and his father held him in high esteem. “Perhaps that is why father likes me more than he likes you,” he said finally after a moment’s thought.

“What was that?” Tien snapped at him, coming for him.

“Maybe you are the bastard he felt sorry for,” Vegeta repeated. “Everyone knows both he and Bulma like me more now that your mother has been gone, and you have no one to listen to your constant snivelling.”

Without warning, Tien punched him in the back of his head, causing Vegeta to fall into the straw, between his horse’s legs. Vegeta turned around and lunged for Tien, promptly bringing him down to the ground as well and began pummelling him.

“You boys need to quit it!” Bulma shouted at them as she had heard the argument from outside in the yard. She managed to slap Tien, but that did nothing. Then she tried to grab Vegeta’s shoulder to make him stop punching Tien before he seriously injured him.

She screamed as she was clipped in the jaw by Vegeta’s elbow, as he was completely oblivious to her presence he was so angry by this point.

Immediately they stopped upon hearing Bulma crying.

“I’m so sorry,” Vegeta said to her, turning away from Tien and going to her immediately.

“Look at what you did, you!” Tien shouted at him.

“I didn’t even realize she was there,” Vegeta said, kneeling down in front of her to make sure she was alright, which she seemed to be.

“You stay away from her, you’ve done enough!” Tien said, shoving Vegeta away from her.

“You have done enough!” Vegeta seethed, pushing him back. That he had accidentally hurt Bulma because of an altercation with Tien, reignited his rage.

“Would you both stop!” she screamed at them, holding her jaw where she’d been clipped as they both began to fight again.

“What’s going on in here?” their father bellowed, running into the barn.

“Vegeta punched Bulma,” Tien replied instantly, standing and getting away from Vegeta.  

“I did not!”

He looked at the three of them suspiciously, though he did not believe for a minute that Vegeta had just hulled off and hit Bulma; the two were thick as thieves, just as he had intended when he had brought Vegeta home. “Tell me again, what happened?” he demanded, looking at Bulma in expectation when neither of the boys offered an explanation.

“Tien said that everyone in town and church thinks that Vegeta is your bastard so they began to fight,” she said. “I tried to stop them but was accidentally hit. Vegeta did not mean to.”

“Is this true?” he asked, looking at them.

“Yes,” they both nodded, ashamed of their actions, however Vegeta was angrier at himself over Bulma being caught in the crossfire than for actually fighting with Tien.

“Bulma, go inside,” their father said, gesturing to the barn door.

“But it was an accident!” she cried. “Vegeta didn’t hit me on purpose!”

“I am certain he did not, that is not the point,” he growled. “The point is, I am trying to raise two upstanding gentlemen here and they both cannot get along for five minutes without fighting. Go inside, unless you want to be included in their punishments!”

Bulma gave Vegeta an apologetic look before racing out of the barn and closing the door behind her. She had not meant to get him into trouble.

Both boys were sent to bed afterwards without their dinner. Their father did not want to listen to any of Bulma’s pleas that Vegeta was entirely blameless in the matter. She waited until everyone was in bed before going to see him with some bread and a piece of meat she had managed to hide.

“Vegeta?” she whispered, opening his door.

“What,” he grunted, still awake. He still sounded angry though and she was worried that it was directed towards her.

“I brought you something to eat,” she said, closing the door quietly behind her and finding his bed in the dark room; there was only a single candle lit. She looked around for him, finally seeing him sitting on his window sill brooding.

“I do not want it,”

“But you must be hungry,” she insisted, sitting on the side of his bed.

“Hmmn,” he grunted, coming towards her. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” she nodded. “It’s bruised, but I am alright. Are you? Papa wasn’t too hard on you, I hope,”

Vegeta shook his head, taking the candle and holding it up close to her face so he could see the damage. Indeed, her jaw was bruised and a bit swollen, but aside from that, she was alright. He still felt terrible that it had happened though. “I did not get it as bad as Tien, though he was still pretty angry with me for not only reacting to his baiting but striking you. I am fine. I am so sorry you were hurt in the middle of that. It will never happen again.”

“It was an accident,” she shook her head. “I did not want to go get Baba or Papa because I didn’t want you to get into trouble, except then I got you into trouble anyway. I’m sorry,” she stood up and hugged him.

Vegeta did not say anything and hugged her back. He was just happy that she was not angry or fearful of him.

“Here, eat,” she said, sitting back down on his bed and offering him a dinner roll she had saved for him.

He smirked at her, despite it being dark in the room and took it. Not because he was all that hungry, but because if he didn’t, he knew she would get offended and angry with him. It did not seem to matter what it was, he could never deny her. He knew she knew that too and she used his weakness for her to her advantage anytime she could.

They sat in companionable silence as Vegeta ate what she had given him before turning in for the night.

“Can I stay?” she asked.

Vegeta shrugged and grunted in consent. It wasn’t unusual for her to stay with him and share a bed. She still cried sometimes for missing her mother and storms always woke her up. He suspected she wasn’t as afraid of the storms as she let on because during the day they never bothered her, but he never objected when she’d sneak into his room and huddle under the covers with him. It felt good having her near.

The next morning, they were woken up to a pounding on Vegeta’s door and it being abruptly opened by Tien.

“See? What did I tell you!” he shouted, pointing at them.

“Get out of my room!” Vegeta snarled at him, sitting up, still hazy from the rude awakening.

Bulma started as well, getting out of his bed. Usually, she was up before anyone else and snuck back into her room so that no one would know they had spent the night together.

“What are you doing in his room?” Tien demanded as both their father and Baba came to see what the commotion was all about.

“Sleeping!” she shrieked at him in anger and embarrassment.

“Bulma, it is highly inappropriate for you to be sharing a bed with another boy at your age,” Baba scolded her. “You are thirteen years old, a young lady. Young ladies do not sleep in beds with other young men,”

“She does it all the time,” Tien practically sang. He had heard them on occasion talking into the early hours of the morning, except she was usually back in her own bed by the time anyone else awoke so he could never rat them out.

“I do not!”

“Enough!” their father yelled at them. “Bulma, from now on you are to sleep in your own room. Understood?”

“But it’s fine!” she cried. “Nothing inappropriate goes on!”

“We don’t know that,” Tien snorted and Vegeta launched himself out of his bed reaching a hand to Tien’s throat, and slammed him into the wall.

“I have never-” he snarled between grit teeth in deep offense at his insinuation.

“Let it go,” their father said, placing a hand on Vegeta’s shoulder firmly. The last thing he wanted was yet another physical altercation between the two boys.

Vegeta let Tien go, but looked at their father in hopes that he didn’t think anything improper had taken place between Bulma and himself.

“I’ll give you both the benefit of the doubt at this time,” he said, looking at them both individually. “However, Tien is right in that it does not look good, Bulma. At your age you should be able to spend the night on your own. If not, you will from this day forward.”

“Fine,” she huffed, exiting the room and slamming the door of her own bedroom.

Tien stood there looking triumphantly at Vegeta who still looked like he wanted to punch his lights out. Good, he thought to himself. He had finally exposed Vegeta to his father for what he was: an opportunistic gypsy out to take advantage of their family.

“Well, being that today is a day for growing up and making changes, today you will be packing your things and heading to school abroad, Tien,” Mr. Briefs said.  

“I’m sorry, what?” Tien asked dumbly. He was certain for a moment there that his father had meant that Vegeta was to be packing up and leaving for school.

“I have been giving it a lot of thought as of recently, seeing as you and Vegeta are fighting nearly nonstop,” he said. “I think it is time for you to begin the next stage of your education and learn to be a gentleman, as I seem to be unable to instil that into you.”

“Why don’t you send him?” he asked, pointing to Vegeta.

“He is not old enough and it is you who is constantly causing a problem around here, not Vegeta.” he informed him calmly.

-0-0-0-

Tien left for school abroad. The house is nice and quiet since he left a week ago and I feel guilty for not missing him all that much. He advised me to watch out for Vegeta and his supposed bad motives. I, of course, know he is full of utter nonsense!

With him gone, Vegeta and I spend nearly all day together after studying and chores.  

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1776

Today the best thing happened! Vegeta and I went out for a picnic and we held hands!

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It was a beautiful, warm, spring afternoon. Finishing their chores early, they decided to saddle up their horses and go for a ride and have lunch together by the brook that had become their favourite place to pass their afternoons. It had become a rendezvous point for them to meet each other in case one or the other was busy and they could not ride out there together.

They rode together, chatting about different things, Bulma about riding mostly. She loved her dappled grey gelding her father had recently gotten her, but longed for something else to ride, something more exciting than the old, reliable horse. She wanted to learn to do equestrian jumping.

Their father had gifted Vegeta with a stunning black Thoroughbred colt for the anniversary of his coming to live with them. Vegeta insisted that he did not know when his actual birthday was, so her father decided that the date he had come to live with them was close enough and so that was what they celebrated for him.

It was a high spirited, temperamental animal with a stormy personality, much like Vegeta himself, but Vegeta worked with him daily, teaching him to do jumps and obstacles. The horse suited him perfectly and while Bulma was glad her father had found such a perfect gift for Vegeta, she couldn’t help but be a little jealous of it. She was ready for another horse. One she could work with like how Vegeta worked with his, however Baba and her father would not have it. Apparently it was too dangerous and inappropriate for a lady.

So she admired Vegeta and his horse from afar and watched them longingly, hoping that one day she would have a horse like that. She would make Vegeta teach her how to do jumps properly and she knew he would.

They found their perfect place by the brook, slightly shaded by a large tree and let their horses go to graze as they put a blanket down and began to take out their lunch.

Once they were done, they laid side by side, next to each other and talked some more, joking around about various things and watching the clouds as they usually did for hours until it was close to supper time.

Today was different, however. Today, when there was a lull in the conversation, Vegeta reached for and took her hand.

Bulma’s eyes went wide and her heart felt as though it had skipped a beat as her stomach fluttered pleasantly at his touch, and she felt her face grow red as she snapped her head and looked at him in surprise.

Her fingers closed around his and they lay there quietly for some time, enjoying each other’s company and the nice weather until it was time to head back.

Later on that evening, when everyone was in bed for the night, Vegeta was woken up by a loud clap of thunder and a few moments later, he heard his door creak open and he noticed Bulma peeking into his room.

“Vegeta, are you awake?” she whispered hoarsely.

“I am now,” he growled. Without further word, she stepped into his room, closed the door and jumped into bed next to him. “What are you doing?” he objected.

“Be quiet,” she hissed, getting under his covers and snuggling in next to him. “I'm scared,”

“Sure you are,” he replied dryly.

“I am!” she insisted.

“You are going to get us into trouble,” he pointed out.

“No, we won’t,” she replied, turning on her side and resting her cheek on his shoulder. She strategically placed her one hand next to his, under the covers so the back of it was just barely touching his.

Vegeta relented a moment later and shuffled a bit, bringing his arm around her.

She took advantage of the position they were now in and snaked her arm around his waist, pressing herself firmly into him and he responded by lacing his fingers with hers as they rested their hands on his abdomen.

Her heart raced and she had to be mindful to keep her breathing steady she was so elated to be so close to him. It was funny because when they were little kids and she went to him and curled up with him she never felt like this. Why was it different now?

Vegeta clenched his teeth and swallowed hard, God she smelled good; her hair was still damp from her bath earlier on that evening and she smelled of wild flowers and jasmine. As much as he knew this was a bad situation, he couldn’t tell her to go. He didn’t want to let her go, he felt like she belonged here like this with him, always.

She fell asleep quickly, despite the thunderous storm raging outside and her excitement at being so close to Vegeta, but he remained awake for some time, absentmindedly stroking her arm with his free hand, wondering what this all meant. The old man would surely never allow them be together like this. It was wrong; sure they weren’t blood related, but they had been raised as siblings. However he knew he had fallen for her and had felt something different than the typical brotherly affection for her the moment he had first met her, and he was certain she felt the same way, as she did not act the same way towards Tien as she did with him. Sure she admired and looked up to Tien and had affection for him, but it was different than what she had with himself.

-0-0-0-

1777

Vegeta bought me a horse! Not just any horse, but a horse I can train with and jump! It’s a proper hunter. Papa was not overly amused, but I do not care! It is the most beautiful white horse I have ever seen and the most beautiful gift anyone has ever gotten me!

.
.

“Where are you taking me?” Bulma asked in annoyance for the second time in minutes. She was on Vegeta’s horse, blind folded. She knew something was up because Vegeta never let her ride his horse; the devil was usually far too fussy to allow anyone else near him to groom him, let alone ride, so it was odd to her that they were both riding him.

“You will find out soon enough,” he replied. “I will not tell you, so quit asking.”

Bulma sighed impatiently and tightened her grip around his waist and leaned her cheek into his back, secretly revelling in the close physical contact. At sixteen years of age, Vegeta was already more developed and muscular than most young men his age from his work around the property and she loved it. However, she never told anyone, Vegeta especially.

They finally stopped and she heard a horse snort, but assumed it was only Vegeta’s horse.

He finally separated her hands from around his waist and got off his horse, and a moment later indicated for her to get down as well; his hands on her sides reassuring her that it was safe and that he would catch her.

As soon as she began sliding off the horse, she instinctually wrapped her arms around his neck. Once her feet had hit the ground though, she found herself hard pressed to let him go.

Vegeta took off her blindfold and looked at her a moment. She couldn’t read the intense look on his face but she felt herself begin to feel warm from the way he was looking at her.

“So, why did you bring me here?” she asked. Her mouth felt dry, her stomach was fluttering and she didn’t know what else to say to him in her nervousness.

“I wanted to show you something,” he said placing his hands on her shoulders and turning her around.

In front of her, only a few feet away, was the most beautiful white horse Bulma had ever seen, tethered to the tree by their favourite brook.

“Oh, Vegeta!” she exclaimed, walking up to the horse quickly.

“You like her?” he asked, holding back a smile.

“Of course!” she cried, running her hands through the thick mane and petting her. “She is absolutely beautiful!”

“She is yours,” he said.

“Mine? Really?” she asked in shock. “You and poppa...”

“Father does not know,” he admitted. “I saved up and got her for you since you whine incessantly over how inadequate your own horse is,”

“Vegeta!” she exclaimed happily, racing up to him and throwing her arms around his neck. “Thank you! It is the most beautiful gift anyone has ever gotten me!”

“You’re welcome,” he said, hugging her back. He was going to try to kiss her, but in her excitement over the horse, she was gone from his arms and fussing over it again before he could react.

“Where did you get her?” she asked, looking the mare over thoroughly in interest. “She’s bigger than yours, thicker. I’ve never seen such a horse as white this before.”

“She is Thoroughbred crossed with a Percheron draft horse,” he said, coming up next to her. “I got her from the man at the market who breeds the Thoroughbreds.”

“This is that pretty one!” she cried, realization setting in. Every time she went to the market with her father or Baba or Vegeta she always had to stop and fuss over her when she saw her.

“Yes,” he nodded. “She was a fortunate mistake. I have had my eye on her for some time now. She is stable and reliable; I was waiting for him to finish fully breaking her in before purchasing her.”

“So she’s a field hunting horse!” she exclaimed in delight.

“She will be perfect for jumping, yes,” he replied. “The father was a Thoroughbred and very fast; grey like your old horse, and the mother a pure white draft horse.”

“She’s the whitest horse I have ever seen! Though she’s never looked this pretty before. Can I ride her?”

“Absolutely,” he said, walking past them towards a hump of blanket she had not even noticed until now. He threw back the blanket, revealing a sleek black saddle and matching bridle.

“Oh, Vegeta, I cannot accept this,” she said in awe. “It is too much,”

“Nonsense,” he grunted, handing her a black saddle blanket, which she put on her horse. “The tack came with the horse and father pays me well.”

“Even so, look at her and look at this saddle, it must have all cost you a small fortune!” she argued. “You work hard. Surely there is something else you would rather have spent your--”

“No,” he growled, beginning to feel insulted that she thought that he could not afford or know how to manage his own money so as to be able to spend it on such a gift. Besides, it was for her. No amount of money was too much if it was something that would make her happy. It was worth it to him. He knew how badly she wanted to learn to jump horses. She was almost just as good a rider as he was, the only thing she was lacking was the experience and a proper horse to learn on. He would have gladly let her learn on his, but he was far too skittish and temperamental; even he on occasion had troubles with the horse if it was in a mood. He had had his eye on this particular horse for Bulma a little over a year now. She had actually seen it herself one afternoon when they had been at the market and a few days later, when he was there alone, he had inquired about it. He had made the man an offer and a payment arrangement had been made.

They worked together, saddling her horse up so Bulma could ride her.

“She rides like a dream, Vegeta!” she exclaimed happily after a few minutes.

“I know,” he smirked. He had ridden the horse several times when going to check on the progress of its training. If he could have spared the time, he would have loved nothing more than to have trained her himself.

“Does she know how to jump?”

“Only small ones,” he replied. “She’s been started, but there will be lots of work to be done,”

“And you’ll teach me?” she asked coyly.

“Of course,” he nodded.

-0-0-0-

Papa died!

We all knew he was not well, but we did not realize how sick he truly was! He hid it well behind his drinking so we all assumed his foul mood and need to sleep was a result of that, not illness!

I am saddened, as is the rest of the household but Vegeta is absolutely devastated by father’s passing. He has been nearly inconsolable. I suppose that is because papa treated him as his own son. Other than me, Vegeta has no family. Papa’s passing has been that much more difficult to bear, being that Vegeta is taking it harder than anyone.

To make matters worse, Tien has returned.

He returned at once upon hearing about papa’s passing. He has returned with a wife as well! He has been somewhat more tolerant of Vegeta’s presence and did not simply throw him out, as I had feared. However he has demoted him and now Vegeta sleeps in the barn along with the other household staff. He has taken for himself a small storage room that no one uses but it is dirty and I think it is terrible he has to live there. I tried to intervene, however Tien claims his wife is ‘uncomfortable’ around Vegeta, which is laughable because she only met him the one time they were introduced.

Tien has stopped allowing Vegeta to study with me, he claims he does not need to, that it is a privilege to be allowed to study that he must earn. He makes Vegeta work nonstop around the property. Apparently he has even stopped paying Vegeta a wage as father used to, saying that the point of Vegeta’s working is to ‘earn his keep’ and threatens to turn him out of he does not do a well enough job to his satisfaction. I barely see him anymore unless he gets his chores done, we are not to go riding together anymore and not only am scolded for any attempt at trying to help him get his chores done on time so that we can spend time together, if I am discovered helping, Tien takes it out on Vegeta.

Tien’s wife, Launch is nice, however I know she takes up my time so as to keep me away from Vegeta as per my brother’s request, I am sure of it.

I miss Vegeta, and I do not like riding alone. I fear that with no wage and the treatment he receives, Vegeta may leave one of these days; that I will wake one morning to find him gone. I should not know what I would do if he were to leave. I had a nightmare about it some weeks back and since then have been going to see him in the evenings when everyone else has retired for the evening.

.
.

1778

Today was eventful as it was exciting and confusing. It started out like any other day when I went for a ride on my horse. This afternoon, Tien and Launch went into town so I assisted Vegeta with the rest of his chores and then we went for a ride. I was trying to show him how good I’ve gotten at jumps. I have been practicing a lot on my own as Tien makes him work nonstop around the property as though he were nothing more than a slave.

Vegeta said I was not ready for the jumps I attempted today, however I have done them before with success. I wanted to show him, but fell off. I am alright. But something wonderful happened as a result.

.
.

The weather was glorious! Bulma was enjoying the sun and her horse with Vegeta as company.

They were approaching a part of the property they didn’t frequent too regularly. There was an old, broken down paddock that was interuppted by the broken fences of a weathered corral that no one had used for decades.

The fences were much taller than the ones Vegeta had her working on; they were more than likely

designed for the purpose of keeping livestock contained at one point rather than anything else. She had started jumping them on her own a few weeks ago. Not only were they taller than what she or her horse were used to, but the ground was not level either.

“You are not serious,” he said to her, realizing why she had brought him there.

“Why not?” she asked. “I’ve been practicing here quite a bit.”

“On your own?” he asked, his voice heavily layered with disapproval.

“Yes,” she nodded. “On my own,”

Vegeta frowned and shook his head. “This is not something you should be doing on your own. I have told you this,”

“You jump on your own,” she pointed out with a casual shrug.

“That is different,” he argued. “I have more experience, you do not. What if you fell and broke your neck? What if your horse stumbled and you were trapped beneath her, then what?”

Truthfully those thoughts had not even occurred to her. Vegeta was right, it was very reckless for her to be way out here, doing this on her own. “Well, good thing I have you to come look for me should something happen,” she replied snidely, not wanting to admit fault and secretly pleased that he was concerned for her safety and wellbeing.

“I may not have found this place for days,” he said, not finding her nonchalant attitude amusing in the least. Her father and Baba had not been pleased that he had gotten her a horse or was teaching her to jump. The only reason he had allowed it was because she was going to do it regardless, at least if he was teaching her to do it, she would learn properly. In any case, if anything bad happened to her, even if it was from her own stupidity, Tien would blame him personally and he knew he would never forgive himself. “It is not like we come to this part of the property frequently.”

“Okay, I got it,” she sighed, rolling her eyes at him. “I won’t jump without you.”

“Good,” he nodded, satisfied that he had the words out of her own mouth. “Now show me.”

“Hmm,” she nodded confidently, glad that he was going to allow her to show him despite his objections to learning she had been doing this anyway on her own.

She took her horse out a ways, the way she had been, making her canter in a circle a few times before approaching the first side of the fence. They cleared it nicely. Feeling confident, she then went on to jump the next one on the other side. She encouraged her horse to go just a little faster, gathered her as she approached and just as she managed to clear the fence, her horse tripped and she fell off. Her horse managed to regain her footing, but Bulma was left behind, on the ground.

“Are you alright?” Vegeta shouted. He was there, at her side not a moment later.

“My shoulder hurts, but I am alright,” she nodded, wincing as she sat up.

“Just relax a moment,” he advised, placing a hand on her other shoulder to keep her from getting up. “That was not a nice fall, however it could have been a lot worse.”

“I don’t get it,” she sighed. “I’ve done that jump about a hundred times and have never fallen,”

“Good thing,” he nodded. “The ground is very uneven and you were riding too fast. You also gathered her too soon; you should not be doing jumps like that just yet.”

“I know,” she snapped at him in annoyance. She was more embarrassed than physically injured, however it didn’t make her feel good to hear him rip her apart and tell her everything she’d just done wrong.

“Now you do,” he said in a softer tone. He had not meant to offend her. “Just be more careful next time.”

“I will,” she nodded, still feeling more embarrassed than anything. She looked away from him in self-consciousness at the way he was looking at her; she wasn’t sure if it was concern or lust. So she brought her gaze down to her skirts and noticed her white stockings were filthy with dirt. She quickly began rearranging her skirts so that her legs weren’t so exposed and she looked a little more modest.

Vegeta reached around to help her smooth out her skirts and cover up just a little so that she would not be embarrassed by her exposure. Really, she should have been wearing her riding pants for this sort of thing. His hand accidentally bumped hers as she continued to fret now needlessly over her skirt and she took it and squeezed it lightly.

Without thought, Vegeta leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips a moment later.

She was all dirty and messy from having fallen off her horse; why is he doing this now, Bulma thought as she kissed him back cautiously.

Feeling elated that she had reciprocated, he placed his hand lightly on her hip and pulled her closer to him as he continued to kiss her carefully, almost experimentally.

At the feeling of his hand on her hip and him bringing her close to him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and opened her mouth up and darted her tongue out just a little, brushing his top lip slightly with just the tip of her tongue teasingly. She had dreamed and fantasized about kissing Vegeta for some time now and a part of her couldn’t believe it was happening right now.

Taking the bait, he opened his mouth and let her take charge. She boldly slid her tongue a little further into his mouth, touching his own except when she went to withdraw, he began to suck on her tongue just a little, keeping her there.

She inhaled sharply through her nose in surprise at him and then giggled at his boldness as she kissed him back. It was clumsy and a little bit awkward, as most first kisses are, but their hearts raced as they slowly experimented and revelled in this new territory of affection.

Finally their mouths parted mutually, for they both needed air.

Bulma looked at him in wonder and he looked back at her with an almost wild look in his eyes.

They both froze, looking at each other as though unsure of how to proceed. Things had been building up and escalating between them for a while, but neither of them knew what to do about it.

Bulma looked away from his intense gaze and moved to fix her dress again; she was feeling warm and lightheaded and giddy all at the same time, almost as though she may faint from the excitement of what had just happened between them.

Vegeta noticed how awkward she looked and walked away from her, feeling confused. She had kissed him back, why was she acting shy now? He walked over to her horse and brought her back to her, offering her the reins.

“I'm a complete mess,” she huffed, brushing herself off still and avoiding eye contact with him as she took the reins from him. “Let’s go home,” she said as she climbed back on her horse.

Vegeta nodded once and didn’t say anything to her. They rode in silence, side by side for a few minutes before she reached over, took one of his hands in her own and smiled at him.

“I'll have to fall off my horse more often,” she said with a small smile and mischievous glint in her eye; her heart was still pounding a mile a minute and while she was embarrassed over what had just taken place, she did not want him to be under the impression that his actions had not been welcome.

Vegeta smirked at her and squeezed her hand lightly in response.

-0-0-0-

Vegeta and I have been seeing each other in secret.

No one knows. Not Tien, not his wife, not Baba, not any of the other house staff.

.
.

It was mid-afternoon before Vegeta showed up at their usual spot near the brook. Tien had given him extra chores to do and even then, the only reason he had been able to leave was because he had sent him on an errand into town to get something.

As soon as he dismounted his horse, Bulma ran to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him all over his face. “I thought you would never come,” she said between kisses along his jawline.

“I almost was unable,” he replied, hugging her back. “I am supposed to be heading to town.”

“Let me come with you,” she said.

“No,” he shook his head, kissing her back, his hands resting on her hips. “We cannot risk being seen together.”

“But we’ve gone to the town market together many times; no one would think anything suspicious about that,”

“Yes, but we are not supposed to be together right now, I was sent alone.” he said. “Should your brother go tomorrow or the next day and someone happens to casually mention that we were out together, he will question it.”

Bulma sighed in irritation. “I do not know why he has such a problem with you.”

“I will settle the score, one day,” Vegeta growled.

“Don’t talk like that,” she scoffed. “We will avoid him as we have been until we can figure something else out.”

“For how long?” he asked harshly, pushing her arm’s length away so he could look at her. “How long do you expect we will be able to remain like this before he figures it out? I loathe the man for everything he has put me through and will pay him back in kind at my own discretion when the time is right. I do not know how or when, but I will; you can be sure of it.”

“Well do not include me in on it,” she bristled. “He may be terrible to you and I do not like that he puts such effort in keeping us apart, but he is still my brother and I will not have you two at odds any worse than you already are.

“Now enough talk of him, you came to see me, not discuss my horrible brother,” she said stepping into him again and kissing him. She loved kissing Vegeta; she could kiss him endlessly.

“Come see me later,” he said against her mouth.

“When, where?”

“Later, when the house is quiet. Come to my room, no one will know,”

“Hmmm,” she moaned as she felt his hands on her lower back caressing her gently through her dress and she knew she could not deny him even though the voice in the back of her mind warned her that meeting with him alone in his room was a bad idea. “When it is safe to do so, I will.”

“I will see you then,” he said, resting his forehead against hers, bringing his hands up to cradle her face delicately. Since they had started seeing each other it was as though he could not keep his hands off her.

“I promise,” she said, sighing in disappointment when he let her ago and stepped away from her.

-0-0-0-

I know I am not supposed to be visiting with Vegeta alone in his room in the barn, but when it is the evening time and there is nothing more to do to entertain myself, I go to visit. Tien and Launch retreat to their room almost immediately following supper and that is the last anyone sees of them. It is obscene how they conduct themselves at times in front of everyone!  However, this makes it possible to spend time with Vegeta alone and so I should not complain.

We have had this arrangement for some time now and I look forward to evenings with him almost as much as I used to enjoy riding with him. Though I wonder how much longer we can sustain things as they are without being discovered. I suppose I somewhat understand Tien and Launch from that stand point; all I want is to be with Vegeta in his arms, touching him and kissing him. He’s got me obsessed.

.
.

“I should be going,” she said to him, feeling as though she were going to doze off completely if she stayed any longer. They were reclined on his bed, laying in each other’s arms between kissing; Vegeta’s fingers running soothingly through her long hair absentmindedly, gently untangling the ends when they would get caught. He loved her long, unruly hair. This had become their daily routine instead of riding these days. However, caution had to be taken. If anyone discovered them, it would be an absolute nightmare for both of them. “Baba will notice and wonder where I am soon,” she sighed, standing up to leave even though she did not want to.

Vegeta got up in pursuit of her, wrapping his arms around her waist and began kissing her neck from behind as she walked half-heartedly to the door, not really attempting to free herself from his warm embrace and mouth as it travelled from her neck to her ear. “Stay a little longer,” he growled into her ear.

Of course, she turned around in his arms and kissed him back eagerly. Their kissing and make out sessions becoming progressively more heated with each day that passed since they had started this arrangement almost six months ago and not only was it becoming harder and harder to leave each other every night but it was becoming more difficult to refrain from wanting more from each other. She sighed blissfully as he kissed her, his hands now roaming over her body and groping her breasts through her dress.

What she wouldn’t give to get rid of all these clothes and finally feel his hands on her bare flesh. The thought occurred to her that perhaps it was a good thing she was covered, the electricity she felt whenever he touched her made her wonder if she would be burned if he made direct contact with her bare skin.

Then we shall burn together, she thought and didn’t mind, just as long as it happened together, she didn’t care.

She felt her knees buckle involuntarily as his kisses became more intense and his touches became more deliberate; the pleasure beginning to build and throb in her centre for him was almost unbearable.

Vegeta followed her down to the ground, his lips never leaving hers and his arm wrapped around her waist, supporting her from falling altogether. He settled her in his lap and she straddled him, her petticoats and skirts bundled up around her waist in between them as she continued to kiss him, fully aware of the fact that her legs and thighs were exposed and his hands were now on her rear end, and he began pressing her into his groin purposefully. She knew she should object, that this was crossing a major line, but she did not want him to stop; the friction of their bodies rubbing against each other brought such a feeling of pleasure and excitement she felt was such that she never wanted this moment to end. She would be happy to remain exactly like this, in Vegeta’s arms, for all time if it meant this incredible feeling never left her.

Beginning to feel braver, she moved her hips into his, eliciting a soft moan from him and she knew he was feeling the same thing she was.

Bulma broke their kiss and looked down at him and was touched by the look of intense desire and absolute adoration shining back at her. She cupped the side of his face and ground her hips into his lap again and took note of his eyes widening and his lips parting as he inhaled sharply at the movement.

He firmly grabbed her backside and pushed her centre into his own again and this time they both moaned, forgetting about the need to be discreet. She slowly began to rock her hips into his rhythmically, feeling sparks of pleasure pulse through her with every movement against him.

His hands left her backside and he cupped both sides of her face as they both continued to grind against each other, their pace picking up steadily into a frenzy and Vegeta knew that they needed to get rid of their clothes soon. He wanted to touch every inch of her skin and feel her against him. Fully clothed, they were driving each other insane.

Bulma was about to lean in and kiss him again when she heard Baba calling her.

Vegeta let her go immediately and she launched herself off his lap quicker than either of them would have ever thought possible.

He managed to grab her hand just as she finished straightening out her hair and skirts and began bolting towards the door. “Be my wife,” he said to her.

She turned and looked at him in shock. Her face was flushed still from what they had been doing not a moment ago. “I can’t... Tien would never allow it. You know that.”

“We are eighteen now,” he pointed out. “You do not need his consent.”

“I want to, Vegeta,” she sighed, looking longingly at his hand, holding hers.

“But..?”

“Bulma!” Baba called for her again, sounding closer than she had been before.

“I'll come to you later, Vegeta,” she said, pulling her hand out of his and rushing out.

Vegeta stood there a moment before throwing his fist into the stone wall, which he almost instantly regretted as soon as he felt the pain in his fist and it reverberated down through the bones of his wrist and arm painfully. That had most certainly not been the response he had been looking for from her. Damn that Tien was always ruining his life!

-0-0-0-

I am so excited!

Vegeta asked me to be his wife! There isn’t anything I want more than to be with Vegeta for the rest of my life. I think we almost made love and would have if Baba had not been looking for me and called for me when she had. Even now, my heart is still pounding and my body is feverish and feels like liquid gold. I’m not sure what it is, but when he puts his hands on me it’s like heaven and I don’t ever want to leave.

The only problem is, Tien would never allow it. He hates Vegeta. He’s always hated Vegeta from the moment poppa had sent word that he was bringing an orphan home with him.

What should I do? I love Vegeta, yes, but where will we go and what will we do? Westerly Heights is my home. I’ve never been outside of it. How will we survive?

Once I am sure everyone is asleep, I’m going to talk to Vegeta.

.
.

It was past midnight and Bulma carefully and quietly crept through the house to where Vegeta’s room was in the servant's quarters. They would have to take great caution to make sure that they would not be heard.

She knocked softly once and he opened his door immediately, letting her in. Unbeknownst to her, he had been nervously pacing his bedroom floor almost nonstop since her previous departure.

Bulma wasn’t sure what to say to him. Her stomach had fluttered so intensely when he grabbed her hand to drag her into his room to avoid her being seen, that her knees had nearly buckled and given out on her. She wanted to resume what they had started only a few hours ago, but she also needed to talk to him. They couldn’t be together and some sense had come to her in the last few hours. The more she dwelled on it, the more upset she became at the thought of not being with him but, if such was going to be the case, she was not about to ruin herself for him.

Vegeta pulled her towards him and kissed her deeply, causing her head to spin and fresh thoughts of lust to cloud the rational side of her mind again. “We will leave,” he said huskily against her mouth.

“When? Where will we go?” she asked, pulling away from him just enough to look at his face but her hands remained on his chest. There was a single candle burning in his room, allowing just enough light so that they could just make the other out.

“Now,” he said urgently. “The weather is fair, we would be long gone by first light.”

“But where would we go?” she asked again.

“Anywhere,” he answered almost impatiently. “Does it matter? So long as we are together, everything will work out as it should.”

“Oh, Vegeta” she sighed. “I could not exist without you!”

“Then let us leave,” he said. “We shall set up someplace far from here and I will take you as my wife and we will be together and be happy.”

Bulma thought for a moment. “I have a better idea,”

“What?” he asked, brushing his lips against hers.

“Let’s go on as we always do,” she said, kissing him back. “I will prepare for travel and we will leave at noon under the pretence of going for a ride as we frequently do; no one will think to look for us until supper time when we do not show up. By then, it will be dark and they will not send out a search until tomorrow morning whereas we will already be on the move again at first light and have nearly one whole day's travel advantage over them.”

“You brilliant woman,” he replied in agreement as his lips descended on hers again.

Bulma smiled against his lips. This was an insane plan, but as long as she had her Vegeta, they would always find a way to work through anything.

She felt his hands on her hips, pulling her hard against him. He smelled sweetly of horses and his own unique scent that she loved.

He could not get enough of her. He had not been able to think straight in the state she had left him in earlier and he wanted desperately to take her and claim her as his, to feel her body against his own, to celebrate their union in the most sacred of manner, however she was giving a lot up for him. Westerly Heights was her only home and while he knew they could remain there with the security of the estate, he also knew that they would have to forever hide their relationship and that was something he did not want for either of them; why degrade their unabashed love for each other? He didn’t give a damn about how their leaving would affect Tien, but he did appreciate what it meant for Bulma to leave everything she ever knew for him, and so made the difficult decision to push her away from him before he changed his mind and they took things too far, as they very nearly had earlier.

Bulma looked at him curiously, wondering why he was stopping. Her body was trembling and her centre throbbing in her need for him. If they were leaving together anyway, what was the harm in consummating their love now, she wondered. “Don’t stop,” she sighed, leaning into him again and began kissing the side of his neck seductively.

As enticing as she was, he grunted in reply. “We will be bringing great dishonour on your home and your name once word gets out that we have run away and eloped,” he said. “I will not have anyone say that I ruined you before committing ourselves to one another. I would not do that to you,”

“No one would know,” she said, still kissing him, her mouth now travelling along his jawline.

“We would know,” he insisted, pushing her away from him more firmly this time, despite everything else in his heart begging him to do otherwise. “Besides, we need to prepare to leave.”

“I suppose you are right,” she conceded, though she did not want to leave him now for even a moment. “We should do this correctly if we are to do it at all.”

He grunted at her in agreement before stepping away from her. “I will see you at breakfast, but we will leave at noon,” he confirmed.

“We will leave at noon,” she agreed. “I cannot wait!”

He kissed her chastely on her forehead in reply before letting her go. He stood alone in his room a moment in contemplation before he began to pack his things.

0-0-0

We are leaving! Vegeta assured me that we will be alright. We will leave tomorrow at noon and then we shall be married as soon as possible. I shall be Mrs. Vegeta and he shall make me the happiest girl in the world!

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1780

It’s been ages since I’ve had the opportunity to write! So much has happened, I do not know where to even begin!

Vegeta and I left Westerly Heights the next afternoon as planned from the last time I wrote. I was excited and so was he, we were about to start our lives together as planned when we decided to take a short cut through the Android Plantation.

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They had left a little earlier than noon, both being anxious to start their new life together and had been riding for a few hours now, crossing moors, ditches and neighbour’s fields, being very careful to keep off the main roads as must as possible so that no one would have hopefully seen them once the search started. They even jumped a few fences and hedges in order to cross property lines quickly and it was not until late afternoon until they halted, trying to decide the best route to take them far away and discreetly where no one would think to look for them.   

“We should go this way,” Bulma suggested after they deliberated for a few minutes. “We never go this way, or no one has ever seen us near here, so they will not assume we went off in this direction.”

Vegeta grunted in agreement and with their new course in mind, led their horses through the ditch and into the next field. They were currently about four miles away from Westerly Heights; the furthest Bulma had ever been from home.  

“Who lives here?” Vegeta asked, awhile later, noting the well kept looking property. Unlike the rugged, natural look Westerly Heights had, this place was perfectly manicured and boasted wealth. They were still a long ways off from the house, but they could see the white barns and fences from the distance on a hill they were on. It appeared that the path heading up to their home was stone paved as well, though the home was hidden by a thick brush of trees.

“The Geros’,” she replied in a disdainful tone. “You remember those snobby kids from church, too good to talk to us, but stared at us and said bad things about you?”

“I remember,” he nodded once. “The entire family has a stick so far up their asses I am shocked they can walk properly at all,”

Bulma chuckled. “I haven’t seen either of them in years, but I heard the girl, Lazuli, is said to be the most beautiful girl in the land.”

“Who said that?” he snorted.

“Baba,” she replied, rolling her eyes. “She said she’s a proper lady and could take any suitor she wanted and that they are already lined up at their door to court her despite her only being fifteen years of age. She hasn’t chosen anyone though.”

“I pity any man who ends up with that stuck up little wench,” he commented.

“You aren’t even a bit curious?” she taunted. “You sure you want to be with a girl as unrefined and unlady like as me?”

“I would not have you any other way,” he replied.

Bulma smiled in delight at him. “We should take a detour through their place and see what they do for fun,” she suggested, heading in the direction towards the house.

“Something lame, I am sure, though I have no desire,” Vegeta snorted. “Let’s go, we need to get as much distance as possible before it gets dark.”

“We have plenty of time,” Bulma insisted, brushing him off. “Besides, I am curious. She could not have gotten that pretty in the last few years. Last I recall, she was a skinny white-blonde, homely little thing.”

“And I am sure nothing has changed in that regard,” Vegeta sighed. “Baba was probably only saying that to get under your skin since she so desperately wanted you to act as something that you weren’t.”

That was true. Since the death of Bulma’s mother, Baba had tried hard to fill that role and bring Bulma up to be more of a typical lady and less of the independent spirit she was. However, nothing seemed to work and so on occasion, she attempted to play on her vain side to get her to reconsider her actions. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it had the opposite effect.

“Let’s just see if we can catch a glimpse,” she insisted. “If we don’t see them, we’ll keep going. What’s the harm?”

“Fine,” Vegeta sighed in annoyance as he gave in, though he did not understand her sudden interest.

Bulma smiled triumphantly at him as she kept on her current path towards the house. “Wouldn’t it be nice to have a place like this?”

“Too much work,” Vegeta deadpanned. “However if you wish it, I would find a way to get you a place even grander than this.”

“Oh Vegeta,” she laughed. “I do not need a place like this or grander. So long as you are with me, I should be happy anywhere.”

They rode on in silence the rest of the way until they heard people socializing in the distance. Instead of turning back, Bulma was not deterred and kept going until she was only a few feet from the tree line when she heard a low, dangerous growl.

“Bulma,” Vegeta whispered hoarsely, catching sight of a large, menacing looking black dog. “Let’s go.”

“Right,” she agreed, turning her horse around to follow Vegeta. However the dog decided to take pursuit of them, barking and growling.

It lunged itself into Bulma’s horse, spooking it so that it reared up, throwing her off and then took off before Vegeta could intervene. Instead of chasing the horse off, the dog decided that Bulma would suffice as his reward and bit her in her leg, thrashing and pulling her back towards the treeline.

Vegeta leapt off of his horse instantly, without a second thought the moment Bulma fell off her horse. Unfortunately, the dog had gotten a good hold of her before he made it and he was hoping that it only had the fabric of her riding pants, and she was only screaming from the shock of being attacked rather than actually having been bit.

They both kicked the dog, but that only served to anger it and the more Bulma struggled to get away from it or the harder Vegeta kicked it, the more forceful the dog became in his movements of dragging and thrashing, ensuring that the wound on her leg would be a good one. He did not open his mouth to take a snap at Vegeta, nor did it attempt to re grip on Bulma’s leg even giving her the opportunity to be released.

By this point, several people from the other side of the treeline had heard the commotion and had come running. They had been greeted by the sound of Bulma screaming bloody murder, Vegeta cursing and swearing such utterly vulgar words while kicking the dog that Mrs. Gero sent her daughter away immediately.

“Out!” yelled a young man to the dog. “Heel!” The dog immediately let Bulma go and stepped back into a heel position at his feet, panting from excitement as blood dripped from his jowls. “What are you doing here?”

“What does it matter?” Vegeta exploded, his adrenaline still going that he still had half a mind to beat the damned dog senseless. “That rabid beast of your nearly mauled Bulma half to death!”

The young man, whom Bulma recognized as Lapis didn’t even acknowledge Vegeta, only giving Bulma’s chewed leg his full attention. It seemed that the worst of the damage looked to be isolated to her ankle. “Archimedes does not like strangers wandering around the property, my apologies. Are you alright?”

Bulma felt herself somewhat taken aback by the calm demeanor of the snobbish boy she had remembered from her child years and could scarcely believe he was the same as this handsome young man who had come to her aid. He had matured. He was tall, thin, and had the most striking blue eyes she had ever seen. “My leg is hurt bad,” she said.

“What were you doing here?” he asked.

“We were…” she looked back, deferring to Vegeta a moment. She couldn’t well say that they had been running away together to elope, nor did she wish to embarrass herself by admitting to only want to make fun of them. “We went for a ride and got lost,”

Vegeta snorted in disgust at her false story. Now they would have no choice but to return to Westerly Heights. He knew that the Geros wouldn’t simply let her go, and he did not have the supplies or knowledge of how to treat her injury and prevent infection. Who knew how long it would take for her recover. He had told her not to come here, that they should mind their own business and keep on their way but she did not listen to him, as usual, he vented to himself. Now the pretty little fool had gotten herself badly injured. And for what? Vanity?

Tien would have an absolute conniption when he found out.

“Well let me help you in and take a look at that leg,” Lapis said, attempting to pick her up.

“Just what do you think you are doing?” Vegeta demanded.

“Nothing improper, I can assure you,” Lapis said to him easily, finally looking at him. “She needs to go in and be examined.”

“I will take her home back to Westerly Heights and have her looked at and treated.”

“Nonsense, this happened here, we are responsible for any and all guests whether they be invited or unexpected,” Lapis said cordially. “It is no trouble, I can assure you.”

“Then I shall take her,” Vegeta snorted, not liking the idea of having the other guy picking up and holding Bulma so close.

“It is fine, Vegeta,” she hissed at him, not wanting to make a bigger scene than they already had by this point. “Go and get my horse,”

He glared at her haughty tone.

“Please?” she added, suddenly feeling bad. She had not meant to sound so demanding, but her leg was throbbing and all she wanted was to make it stop. “Make sure she is alright. Bring her back here and we will be on our way,”

The way she looked at him when she insinuated that they could continue on with their plan of escape gave him some hope that she was possibly not nearly as injured as he had originally assumed and so he nodded in acceptance at her, glaring at Lapis a moment before turning to go back to his own horse and look for Bulma’s horse.

“I am shocked you are able to command him without a fuss,” Lapis said casually once Vegeta was gone, picking her up carefully.

“No one commands Vegeta to do anything,” she snipped back. “He is not my servant, he is my friend.”

“I see,” he replied. “A cursing, foul, rather possessive friend.”

“You need not mind Vegeta, he is simply very expressive, protective and does not mean to offend,” she said.

“Is she alright?” Lapis’s father asked.

“Not sure, we will take a better look when we get inside,” Lapis replied, still carrying Bulma inside the immaculate home.

Bulma looked around, wide-eyed at the beautifully furnished home. Their own home by comparison was simple and shabby.

They seated her by the fire on a comfortable, fluffy chair. A warm basin of water, soap, bandages and towels were ordered immediately from the house staff.

“Bulma, is that really you?” Mrs. Gero asked.

“Yes,”

“Oh my, what are you doing wearing trousers and associating with that horrid boy?” she asked, scandalized by the way she was dressed quite possibly more than the company she was keeping. “I’ve not heard language like that ever and to think your brother allows you to keep company with someone like that.”

Bulma shrugged, unsure of what to say. Truthfully all she cared about at the moment was getting her leg looked at and getting on her way with Vegeta. She was wishing now that she had listened to him and not stopped to foolishly spy on the Geros.

“Your horse is fine,” Mr. Gero informed her, coming into the living room. “That acquaintance of yours has brought her back.”

“Oh, please send Vegeta in,” she requested, wincing as they tore her pant leg enough to look at the wound. It was deep, and the flesh was torn badly mostly around her ankle, though there was a deep bite wound on her calf as well. The ankle though was so bloodied that it was difficult to tell whether or not any of the bones were broken or tendons damaged.

“Absolutely not!” Mrs. Gero exclaimed in a shocked tone. “He will have to wait outside, I will not have him coming indoors and polluting our home with his foul presence.”

“It is fine,” Bulma insisted. “He was only upset and if you do not allow him to come inside, he will only become more agitated.”

“I should still think not,” Mr. Gero said, shaking his head. “Besides, your leg needs immediate medical attention, you will not be able to walk for several weeks at least,”

“Several weeks!” Bulma exclaimed. “No, I must be on my way within a few hours, before it gets dark.”

“If you leave, you run the risk of severe infection, putting your life at risk,” Lapis informed her. “You will be quite alright here. We will send word to your brother, informing him that you are fine.”

“Send word with that crude companion of hers,” their mother said distastefully, noticing Vegeta beginning to kick up a scene again from the living room window at being refused entry into the home.

“Tell him to go back to Westerly Heights where he belongs, and inform Tien of the situation,” Mr. Gero said, watching Lapis attempting to wash her foot and lower leg in the basin of warm water. “Your horse may remain here and we shall care for you until you are well enough to return home.”

“No,” she cried both out of distress of their plan falling through horribly but the pain of her injuries was only now beginning to take root; not only was her leg throbbing but she realized that her wrist that she had fallen on from her horse was swelling as well and was only now beginning to hurt. “You do not understand!”

“My dear, you have suffered quite the injury,” Lapis said soothingly, placing a reassuring hand on her knee. “You cannot leave now. We have already sent for the physician and will be happy to take care of the cost no matter how much; it is not a problem if that is your concern.”

“You wouldn’t want to lose your leg or possibly die from a blood infection, would you?” Mrs. Gero said in a tone that Bulma had not heard since her own mother had been well.

“Well, no,” she answered.

“Good,” Mrs. Gero nodded. “Lazuli, bring in that pot of tea, it should be ready by now and have some biscuits brought in as well.”

“I need to talk to Vegeta,” Bulma said urgently.

“I will inform him of the situation, miss; you need not worry, we have everything under control,” said Mr. Gero.

“I know that, but he will not leave until I speak with him personally,” she insisted.

“Do not worry about a thing, dear,” Mrs. Gero said, shooting her a husband a look.

Vegeta was angry and borderline ballistic as he paced frantically outside in the front yard just in front of the Gero’s home. He could not believe what had happened and how quickly things had gone bad; they could have been miles away by now!

Not only had Bulma been bitten and mauled by a dog, but she had fallen badly from her horse. So far as he had been able to tell, the fall had been the least of her injuries but he did not know; they had been so focused on the angry dog that neither of them had taken the time to make sure she had not sustained any other injuries.

He was scaling the house now, wondering if there was another point of entry he could take to get in. If he did not get word within a few minutes, he would find a way in and simply take her with him. He had half a mind to go and look for the damned dog and destroy it for its actions, until he noticed an open window on the side of the house. While he was debating over whether or not he could climb up into it, Mr. Gero came outside to meet him.

“Where is she?” Vegeta demanded, taking long strides towards him.

“She is inside and quite alright, I can assure you,” he replied calmly, keeping a fair distance from the irate young man.

“Take me to her,” he demanded.

“She has suffered quite the trauma,” he informed him, placing his hands up in surrender, hoping it would calm Vegeta somewhat. “We have already sent for a physician to look at her ankle, but it looks pretty bad and her wrist may be broken or sprained, we are unsure at this point.”

Vegeta stomped his foot on the ground in anger and began uttering a long string of colorful curses.

“Yes, uhm..” Mr. Gero stuttered uncomfortably once Vegeta had quieted somewhat. “She is resting at the moment and we are treating her the best we can in the meantime, I can assure you. Please head back to your master and inform him of what has happened and that Bulma is perfectly safe to remain here for as long as recovery takes.”

“Tien,” he snarled, grabbing the man by his lapels menacingly and shaking him, “is not my master and I am not leaving Bulma here under any circumstances.”

“Please, young man,” he started, fairly calmly despite Vegeta’s rough manhandling. “Let us help. I understand you are upset, so are the rest of us. You do not wish her to die from infection, do you?”

Vegeta cursed and let the man go. He had forgotten that.

“I appreciate that you are concerned, but the best thing you can do for Bulma right now is to go home and let her brother know the situation. Inform him that we will cover any and all costs; she is in good hands,”

Vegeta glared at him, finally calming down enough to listen and let some of what he was saying sink in. He was in no position to help Bulma at the moment be it physically or financially. While it meant they would have to delay their plans for a little while, he nodded in agreement. “I wish to see her before I leave,”

“I regret I cannot allow you inside,” he said. “I’m afraid my wife and daughter are terribly upset by the scene you have made and Bulma has finally settled down, though she has insisted that you remain informed of everything that is going on.”

“I wish to see her,” he said again firmly.

“Very well,” Mr. Gero sighed and nodded, beckoning for Vegeta to follow him. Thinking that the man was going to lead him into their home, Vegeta followed, except he took him to a window and pointed to it. “There she is, as you can see, she is perfectly fine.”

Vegeta looked into the window and beheld Bulma sitting comfortably in an oversized chair sipping tea and fussing over the dog who had mauled her foot not even half an hour ago. Her foot was soaking in a basin and she was visiting with both Lapis and Lazuli.

He stood there, observing for several long moments. It seemed to him like she was truly not in any distress, nor did it appear to him that she was being kept against her will. “Hmmn,” he grunted, turning away and walking back to his horse. He was dreading informing Tien of this development and was certain he would more than likely receive a good beating over it. No matter, Bulma was going to receive the best medical attention available and that was all that mattered to him at the moment. He was about to grab the reins for Bulma’s horse as well, when Mr. Gero told him he could leave the mare there.

He nodded and mounted his own horse. “Tell her I will be by tomorrow to look in on her and I expect to actually see her in person when I call,”

“Of course,” Mr. Gero nodded. “It will be arranged,”

“You will tell her I am glad she is alright and will wait however long it takes.”

“Of course,” he said with a warm smile, touched that despite the young man’s terrible demeanor, he was truly upset and concerned for her. “I will do that.”

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