Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Neapolitan Sky. ❯ 004 ( Chapter 4 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Milku 
Anime/Manga: Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 06.24.2012 | Pages: 2 | Words: 5.0K | Visits: 226 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 06.24.2012 | Pages: 2 | Words: 5.0K | Visits: 226 | Status: Work In Progress
ooNeapolitan Sky.
Disclaimer: I hold no rights to the concept, or characters of this story and it is strictly non-profit casual enjoyment only.
ATTENTION.
Just to clear something up for you all. I write in Australian English, so don’t panic if something doesn’t make sense completely to you, unless you’re Australian, then be very worried :D
I have been researching the 1960’s and 50’s as much as I can so I can be more accurate. It’s a tricky time period to get right, and then I have to consider that the story is portrayed in a southern environment during the 60’s so things in the north might be slightly different to things in the south and I want to portray that with the attitudes of the people who have lived in different areas. I’m enjoying writing it so far. The last chapter and this one were actually meant to be one, but I thought it might get a little long and I was eager to post the chapter before so… on with the show!
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Bulma tossed about in her tangle of sheets in the early morning. The sun was leaking through the heavy velvet curtains and dancing on her back as she tried to struggle away from it in vainly, grasping at straws for those last few minutes of sleep. Maybe she would have found it, if she wasn’t being kept awake by a rhythmic chomping that echoed in her brain again and again.
‘whack…..whack…..whack’
The noise was inescapable and in her defeat she flung her body onto her back and stared at the ceiling with an exasperated face. She tilted her head to one side and looked at the small brassy alarm clock on the old teak bedside table. It was 7:21am. Who, in their right mind was making such a racket before 10am in the morning?
She groaned heavily as she rolled around and finally found her feet on the plush thick carpet. Wiggling her toes to savor the fluffy feeling between then she stood and yanked on her morning rode made of silk. Daddy had gotten it for her when he had gone to Japan for a visit, and she loved it. She tied it tightly around her trim waist and then waded over towards the window to cast it open and let in some fresh air.
When she got to the large bay window she realized that the annoying sound was coming from outside, she would have noticed instantly if Bulma had been even an ounce of a morning person, but alas the night time ruled her waking moments of sanity. She grasped the smooth fabric in her hand and pulled it to the side slightly to get a better view on what was happening in the back yard that her window view was cast out on. When she noticed the source of her annoyance and she ran her teeth softly over her bottom lip and then nipped one side of her small plump mouth. There, bearing down with a shovel in all their bronzed glory was Vegeta. Not the Vegeta she knew well of cause. This was his more impressive specimen of a son. The Vegeta she had come to know…. and run down with her car…. wouldn’t have been to work until at least 10:30, and he most defiantly would not have dug around 25 holes about the garden bed. Bulma leaned into the window and kept the curtains partly drawn as she gave Vegeta a first real good looking over.
He looked about her age…. maybe a little older and was about the same height as his father, which meant he was probably the same height as her, something uncommon with Saiyans as they were usually hulkishly tall and chunky in their body frames. He was still dripping with muscles though, they criss-crossed all over his body in a neat well disciplined stream line. His hair was swept back in a crown of unruly spikes of hair, giving him many inches of height he probably needed when he was in the company of other Saiyans, but Bulma found herself kind of liking his height, it was going to be nice to not have to crank her neck to look at him every time she crossed his path, not that she had many plans on crossing his path, but it was sure to happen at some point. His skin was bronzed and carried a light sheen of sweat all over it, giving him a soft morning glow as the sun ascended into the sky.
She found herself slightly tilting her head in appreciation of his sculpted form. Unlike his father, Vegeta brought with him youth and vigor, as well as a shirtless back. He had tied a shirt around his waist and it hung like a small cape over his hip and down his loose denim jeans. Every so often he would lean back up from his continuous digging to wipe his brow or stretch his back. He had smears of dirt stuck to his body, dappling his cut abdomen, chest and brushed over his face in places that he had placed his grotty hands. When he did this, Bulma was able to get a better look at his face. True she had seen what he looked like yesterday, but she didn’t really get a good long eyeful, she had been too busy trying to play the polite girl next door to really take an eyeful. His face was lean and angular, hardened seemingly. He had a long straight nose that pointed down to a firm wide mouth coupled with full lips and slightly sticking out ears. It wasn’t entirely unattractive.
Bulma paused her ministrations for a second… Attractive? Did she just think of the gardener as attractive? Was there something wrong with that? He was a Saiyan. But didn’t she think of Saiyans as equal… or was she just pretending. She wasn’t sure any more. She thought she had known once, but after her little ramble yesterday she was feeling a deep disgust with herself. She sighed deeply as she watched him go back to work, chomping into the earth to bed full blooming rose bushes of scarlet red. That was what she realized he was doing now that she saw them all neatly lined up in the shade of a birch tree. Bulma wondered what he might be like to get to know, besides that rough exterior she had been exposed to so far.
She was in the midst of getting to admire and know his ass better, watching his tail tighten around his waist out of harm’s way when he suddenly snapped up and looked over his shoulder, right in her direction. At first she thought maybe someone had called him, but she would have heard that. It was when his and her eyes locked onto each other that she realized it was ‘her’ that he had noticed. Bulma flinched and flung the curtains closed, gasping slightly and completely embarrassed at being caught staring. However was she going to live that down….?
Bulma pushed her hair over her shoulders and then wrapped her arms around her waist tightly as she wondered over towards her cupboards to pull out an attire. She could feel it already that it was going to be an awkward morning as she ran her hands over her clothes trying to decide what to wear.
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Bulma finally came down the old creaking stairs 2 hours later. She had radded up her hair and pulled it back in a bee hive fashion with a side sweeping fringe. She was wearing a yellow sleeveless dress with orange floral print and a white pointed collar. It stopped just at her knees and even though it was a fitted a-line dress she had clenched it in with a thin white belt. She was feeling mighty fine about herself with her heavy eyeliner and made up lashes. She didn’t plan on going anywhere really, but just to remind herself that she did remember how to dress was nice once and a while.
“NO, no, no! I swear girl, I worry that there is something wrong with you” Bulma could hear her grandmother spitting words at Ellia in the dining room.
As Bulma rounded the corner to see the commotion he pulled onto her brow a deep frown. Ellia was standing ridged with her head bowed as Bulmas grandmother flung her hand condescendingly in the poor girl’s direction. Scattered on the floor were grayish blue like napkins made from refined cotton, they piled around Ellia’s feet and some where clenched in her hands.
“What’s going on?” Bulma asked with her hand planted squarely on her hip as she looked towards Ellia with a melting expression.
Her grandmother huffed and crossed her arms under her bust line, ruffling the silk folds of her blouse. “That girl is useless; I don’t know why I keep her. I said Robin shell blue! This is more like stormy sky blue!” Bulmas grandmother sneered as she narrowed her eyes down her slim nose at Ellia.
Ellia avoided eye contact completely and then sighed softly before dipping her head. “I’m sorry ma’am. I made a mistake, I’ll return them straight away” She said softly as she pulled at he thick spiking pony tail that was flicked over her shoulder.
“See that you do” Was the short sharp reply she got before Bulma and Ellia were left alone in the dinning room.
Bulma was a tinge of pink from gritting her teeth and clenching her fists. She let out a strangled huff and then dropped to the floor to help Ellia pick up the scattered napkins. “That woman, I swear. Those colours are the same!” Bulma fumed as she went to grab some of the cloths, but before she could her hand was beaten to them.
Ellia looked at her, crouched down on the ground in front of Bulma. Her armondy shaped eyes holding pit fall black eyes shrouded in thick long fringes of black lashes stared hard at Bulma. “It’s ok, I can do it myself. It was my mistake” she said firmly looking Bulma straight in the eye all the while.
Bulma was a little taken back. She had never seen a firm side of Ellia. “No please, let me help you” Bulma said with a weak smile as she again went to pick up another napkin, but one again Ellias hand was faster and snatched it up.
“It’s ok, I can do it MYSELF. It was my mistake” Ellia repeated, stressing the words harder this time with a touch of a frown brushing up on her young face.
This time Bulma backed off and rose to a standing position while Ellia very quickly picked up all the napkins and tucked them under her arm before pivoting on her heel and darting off. No doubts to catch the next bus into the town to replace the napkins.
Bulma could only watch her go. The girl had completely rejected Bulma help. It was baffling, why would she do that?
Bulma crunched on the inside of her cheek thoughtfully and then angrily. Slowly she could feel the pressure rising as she thought about her grandmother and just… well every damn thing that had been happening as of late. “Fuck” she mumbled gruffly as she stomped her foot forcefully to the ground and then stormed off to find her older relative.
Bulma didn’t have to go far. in the drawing room that faced off to the back garden she found her grandmother. The room was a green house of mirrors and potted plants with a white painted cast iron sitting set. Her grandmother was sitting in the basking morning sun with a still warmed tea tray. Had it not been for the grey look of her skin, the tired lines and the shallow panting that the woman was displaying Bulma might have very well tossed the tea tray off the table in the fit of black rage she was suffering. However she held it all back as she took a chair opposite her grandmother.
“Are you ok?” she asked trying to hid some of the disdain she was feeling, but it was proving to be easier then she thought while she watched those murky blue eyes crack open and look at her.
Her grandmother laid a hand flat against her chest and nodded a little “ too much excitement” she said plainly before closing her eyes again, looking like it had been her who had been scream and snorted at like a mule.
Bulma twisted her face uncomfortably and then reached out and placed her hand over her grandmothers. “I’ll go and fetch you some ginger ale if you like?” she said sweetly, finialy finding the love she did have but often couldn’t find for her grandmother.
“That would be bliss dear” was the reply that was given as her grandmother managed a slight lopsided smile.
Within moment Bulma returned with two glasses of ginger ale with ice cubes bobbing about in them. she handed one to her grandmother and then leaned back in the metal chair to enjoy her own. “Maybe if you were not so hard on Ellia, you wouldn’t ‘excite’ yourself so much” Bulma said as she looked up from her glass.
Her grandmother sighed as she sipped away at her drink. “I guess” she said humbly and then rested the drink in her lap.
Bulma blinked in shock, had that been her grandmother agreeing with her, surely not? She wanted to ask for a repeat, but didn’t dare jinx the moment so she remained silent and just watched.
“She’s just so…they are so…” her grandmother trailed off looking disgusted for a moment.
Bulma could see that her grandmother was getting herself into a state again and decided to take control of the tide in which this conversation was flowing. “You know…while I don’t agree with whatever you were about to say… just think your birthday is next week. 70 years is no small feat” Bulma smiled softly as she placed her empty glass on the table and basked in the warming light.
Her grandmother nodded her head thoughtfully. “Yes well, after your grandfather died, I decided I needed a goal to aim for besides keeping the house” her grandmother said casually as she drank the remainder of her glass.
Bulma smiled briskly as she folded her hands over her stomach, she pulled a coy look onto her face as she spoke “what was that? To see great grandchildren?” she jested playfully, knowing that it was her grandmother’s favorite topic.
“No. To outlive you all” Her grandmother smirked and looked out the window happily.
Bulma couldn’t help the outburst of laughter as her grandmother threw her a spry wink.
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By midday Bulma had disconnected from talking with her grandmother. They had chatted way into lunch and by the time that Ellia had returned it was late enough for her to make both the women a small platter of club sandwiches. When Ellia had returned she had her causal aloof self back together and was happily serving them with her mild soft spoken mannerism once again. so either she had forgiven, or forgotten. Bulma suspected it was more suppressed.
Bulma had polished off her sandwiches’ quickly, she then returned to her room to freshen herself before venturing around the property on her own.
It wasn’t hard for her to lose herself in the garden, it was sprawling and grand if not a little over grown, just the way her grandmother licked it. With the cotton fields surrounding them it was easy to fel like you were alone in the world, and honestly, that how Bulma liked it. To be alone with her thoughts. Truth be told she was pitying herself currently. Whining in her own mind about the unfairness of being here. True her grandmother was turning 70…. not many people lived to 70, it truly was commendable but still. Why did the old git have to plant her feet here and refuse to move? She could live with them, although Bulma shuttered the thought. The woman just wanted to be difficult.
That wasn’t the only thing that was plaguing Bulmas mind. She’d agreed to see this Yamcha guy. She had no idea what that was going to lead to. She honestly hoped that maybe that something good was going to come out of it… but the chances were kind of slim in Bulmas opinion. nothing romantic ever worked for her.
Bulma sighed long and hard as she loitered around at her leisure. She was turning her gaze towards the Wisteria sinensis, or… as most people knew it as wisteria or purple hangy plant. It was actually a member of the pea plant family and grew in-
“ACK!” Bulma was broken from her train of thought when she suddenly fell of the earth, that or was swallowed by it.
Bulma floundered for a moment before she realized she had fallen into a 2 foot hole. She had stepped over it with her first stride, but had fallen short on her following step, and in thus, had fallen backwards with her leg wedged under her ass and her hands splayed backwards. She felt the very image of undignified.
Bulma huffed deeply before noting a shadow loom over her. She had to blink and squint her eyes as she looked up at the figure before her eyes adjusted to the sunny daze. As the sight returned to her she felt the need to sink further into the earth as the Saiyan gardener looked down on her unimpressed.
For a moment all they did was regard each other before Bulma registered a hand being thrust out towards her. It was large and callused as well as being caked in dirt. Bulma wrinkled her nose a little at the gritty looking limb casting her gaze down and sighing deeply “It’s ok, I can get up” she said weakly trying to avoid his dark gaze.
Vegeta set a deep frown on her, and when Bulma managed the guts to take a peek upwards she nearly folded in half. His scowl was so dark and demeaning towards her, like she was a meek caterpillar chewing up his garden. Like she was filth! “You don’t mind trying to help the poor Saiyan girl but when you are offered by one of us you turn your nose up. What scared you might be lowered to our standard” he said quietly but so firm that Bulma swore she felt it slap her in the face as real as a hand.
HOW DARE HE! How dare he say that to her! “NO!” Bulma flung back at him as she glared up at him from her hole in the ground. “It’s just your filthy grubby self I don’t wanna touch” she countered with a poisoned unattractive sneer.
Bulma instantly regretted her auctioned when that out stretched helping hand balled into a fist. The look on his face was like oil smeared in the night staring her down. The sneer that lifted in the corner of his down turned mouth made her want to curl into a ball. He was dark and menacing and she honestly thought for a second he was going to punch her. Bulma felt the need to piss herself.
She was taken off guard when she felt his iron grip hand snap around her wrist as he leant down and tugged her out of the hole all the way into a standing position, leaving her standing there blinking like an owl.
When someone once said to Bulma that sometimes things happen in the flash of an eye she wasn’t really sure what they meant. Well she did now as she and Vegeta regarded each other in the face. She was only a few inches away from him; if she leant in she would knock noses with him. His face was hard and smooth and it held that steadfast dark menacing gaze with those bottomless black eyes.
Bulma wasn’t the only one caught with their walls down. Vegeta’s grip on her held firm and while he tried the fathom the situation with his still face. She was so white, like cream. Vegeta had admittedly never…EVER… been this close to a human woman before In his life and seeing Bulma up this close and personal was…not admittedly… a little nerve-wracking. Her eyes were much bluer this close up, and it was only enhanced by her scarlet flushed face.
And within those fleeting seconds suddenly Vegeta had snapped into his self and snatched his hand away from Bulma and put a decent amount of distance between them. He looked at her almost as if she had hurt him somehow and then suddenly seemed slightly out of breath as he frowned at her and then as suddenly has he had been looming over her only moments ago he stalked off like a big dark rain cloud into the lush of the garden grounds.
Bulma was left standing there looking a fool. She didn’t know how to react at first as she stood mouth agape.
“What the hell was that” she mumbled to herself before grasping her dirt covered wrist and holding it gingerly before she pulled a concerned and confused look onto her face. She suddenly felt hot and flustered. She needed to get out of there.
Bulma rushed towards the front of the house were her car was parked. She knew where she could go.
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Showing up at Juu’s house to play cards like they did every Thursday wasn’t something Bulma had planned on doing, but none the less she had as she sat in her seat that had been designated to her since day one.
She had just needed to get out the house… or more off the property. So here she was dealing cards with the other gaggling crew of women who made up the snobbery of Westville.
So far she had heard how the local butcher was cheating on his wife, that the book fair organized by some woman had been a complete flop and that the mayor’s wife was getting ill. However it wasn’t until the attention was turned on her that she actually cared.
Launch had just asked about Bulmas clothing, which had brought a smart smile to Bulmas face as she explained how the world of fashion was taking a twist in the city. She might as well have been some kind of alien the way they all regarded her as she spoke of leather jackets, shorts skirts and bold colours that were sure to come. It was almost hard for them to believe her as they all looked to one and other in their sheath dresses and clenched in granny skirts. Bulma had always been the daring one, and it was showing blatantly now with her leggy dress that she happily displayed before them.
While there was doubt about the fashion, there was also conviction that Bulma, while they were all sure was a virgin, was a bit tartish. However none of them could deny that they didn’t envy her a little in the way she was dressed and who she was. Truth be told in the following time they would all probably emulate her style anyway.
“But hey Bulma. What is it that I hear you ran a Saiyan over with your car?” Marith as skinny pointed faced red head asked as she rested her wrists on the table bile she looked over her dealt cards.
‘Noo…. I came here to get away from that!’ Bulma thought to herself as she visibly grimaced.
It didn’t take long for Juu to actually jump to Bulmas defense. Which shocked the round of the table, but not Bulma, she was sure Juu just wanted her voice to be heard on the topic.
“It’s not her fault you know. You really can’t blame Bulma. it was very dark that evening I think there was an over cast setting in” Juu said as she gave a stern look to Marith. “Besides. You couple that with the Saiyan being that dark himself however was she to see him” Juu finished with a serious tone and a sharp nod in Bulma direction.
Bulma couldn’t help but not smile at juu as she was expected to by all the others. “Juu…. it was completely my fault” Bulma admitted, earning herself a stunned silence from the group of 6. “ yes it was dark…. but it was duck… I could still see. I had been drinking you know that you were there, so was Launch! And well…. I was looking in the mirror not the road. That poor man almost lost his job because of me and now his son has to take his place” Bulma was starting to sound a little emotional as she tried to prove her guilt to the others.
For a moment no one said anything.
“Don’t be ridiculous Bulma” Juu said with a lowered gaze that was set up to intimidate.
“That man was darker then the ace of spade I hold in my hand” and for good measure she flicked up the ace she had been saving. So what if it threw the game. She was going to win one way or another. She always did.
“That’s no excuse” Bulma said shortly. She couldn’t believe that she was arguing against herself…it was ludicrous.
“Oh Bulma… just.. hrrrmmm…” Juu was getting frustrated with the situation. “You make up all thses stupid ideals about them Bulma. But really you don’t know anything about them do you? Have you ever been to that scraggly place they call home. I had to drive past it once. it’s a rubbish hole is what it is. children running around dirty with no shoes, some not even wearing clothes. I have seen their men fighting in town with ours and sometimes not even with our… often it’s with their own kind and the women… well…. I’m betting on my brass buttons that they don’t marry before they have children” Juu declared in her icy monotonous voice.
“Not many people in general save themselves for marriage now days Juu” Bulma quipped. “And yours right, I don’t know them, so how can I judge them?” she said in the heat of her back lash. Things were starting to boil over between them as they eyed each other from across the table.
Juu looked close to throwing something at Bulma at that moment. She may just had if it hadn’t been for Marron running by giggling madly, knocking the table harshly in her hurry and spilling Launches Cola into her lap.
It was like a lightning strike how fast Juu moved and grabbed the child by the shoulder and slapped her quickly 4 or more times across her rear. “Look at what you did!” She scolded in her temper fit.
Marron burst out into high pitched squeals of pain and then manic crying as she slumped to the ground with her mother still grasping her pudgy wrist tightly.
Everyone at the table stayed silent. This was something that was considered non of their business how someone punished their child.
It didn’t take long for ChiChi to rush in and take the child away from the living room where they had all gathered.
“I think.. I think that will be all for today ladies” Juu breathed heavily as she flipped her hair back and stood rigidly.
Bulma couldn’t have greed more.
Disclaimer: I hold no rights to the concept, or characters of this story and it is strictly non-profit casual enjoyment only.
ATTENTION.
Just to clear something up for you all. I write in Australian English, so don’t panic if something doesn’t make sense completely to you, unless you’re Australian, then be very worried :D
I have been researching the 1960’s and 50’s as much as I can so I can be more accurate. It’s a tricky time period to get right, and then I have to consider that the story is portrayed in a southern environment during the 60’s so things in the north might be slightly different to things in the south and I want to portray that with the attitudes of the people who have lived in different areas. I’m enjoying writing it so far. The last chapter and this one were actually meant to be one, but I thought it might get a little long and I was eager to post the chapter before so… on with the show!
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Bulma tossed about in her tangle of sheets in the early morning. The sun was leaking through the heavy velvet curtains and dancing on her back as she tried to struggle away from it in vainly, grasping at straws for those last few minutes of sleep. Maybe she would have found it, if she wasn’t being kept awake by a rhythmic chomping that echoed in her brain again and again.
‘whack…..whack…..whack’
The noise was inescapable and in her defeat she flung her body onto her back and stared at the ceiling with an exasperated face. She tilted her head to one side and looked at the small brassy alarm clock on the old teak bedside table. It was 7:21am. Who, in their right mind was making such a racket before 10am in the morning?
She groaned heavily as she rolled around and finally found her feet on the plush thick carpet. Wiggling her toes to savor the fluffy feeling between then she stood and yanked on her morning rode made of silk. Daddy had gotten it for her when he had gone to Japan for a visit, and she loved it. She tied it tightly around her trim waist and then waded over towards the window to cast it open and let in some fresh air.
When she got to the large bay window she realized that the annoying sound was coming from outside, she would have noticed instantly if Bulma had been even an ounce of a morning person, but alas the night time ruled her waking moments of sanity. She grasped the smooth fabric in her hand and pulled it to the side slightly to get a better view on what was happening in the back yard that her window view was cast out on. When she noticed the source of her annoyance and she ran her teeth softly over her bottom lip and then nipped one side of her small plump mouth. There, bearing down with a shovel in all their bronzed glory was Vegeta. Not the Vegeta she knew well of cause. This was his more impressive specimen of a son. The Vegeta she had come to know…. and run down with her car…. wouldn’t have been to work until at least 10:30, and he most defiantly would not have dug around 25 holes about the garden bed. Bulma leaned into the window and kept the curtains partly drawn as she gave Vegeta a first real good looking over.
He looked about her age…. maybe a little older and was about the same height as his father, which meant he was probably the same height as her, something uncommon with Saiyans as they were usually hulkishly tall and chunky in their body frames. He was still dripping with muscles though, they criss-crossed all over his body in a neat well disciplined stream line. His hair was swept back in a crown of unruly spikes of hair, giving him many inches of height he probably needed when he was in the company of other Saiyans, but Bulma found herself kind of liking his height, it was going to be nice to not have to crank her neck to look at him every time she crossed his path, not that she had many plans on crossing his path, but it was sure to happen at some point. His skin was bronzed and carried a light sheen of sweat all over it, giving him a soft morning glow as the sun ascended into the sky.
She found herself slightly tilting her head in appreciation of his sculpted form. Unlike his father, Vegeta brought with him youth and vigor, as well as a shirtless back. He had tied a shirt around his waist and it hung like a small cape over his hip and down his loose denim jeans. Every so often he would lean back up from his continuous digging to wipe his brow or stretch his back. He had smears of dirt stuck to his body, dappling his cut abdomen, chest and brushed over his face in places that he had placed his grotty hands. When he did this, Bulma was able to get a better look at his face. True she had seen what he looked like yesterday, but she didn’t really get a good long eyeful, she had been too busy trying to play the polite girl next door to really take an eyeful. His face was lean and angular, hardened seemingly. He had a long straight nose that pointed down to a firm wide mouth coupled with full lips and slightly sticking out ears. It wasn’t entirely unattractive.
Bulma paused her ministrations for a second… Attractive? Did she just think of the gardener as attractive? Was there something wrong with that? He was a Saiyan. But didn’t she think of Saiyans as equal… or was she just pretending. She wasn’t sure any more. She thought she had known once, but after her little ramble yesterday she was feeling a deep disgust with herself. She sighed deeply as she watched him go back to work, chomping into the earth to bed full blooming rose bushes of scarlet red. That was what she realized he was doing now that she saw them all neatly lined up in the shade of a birch tree. Bulma wondered what he might be like to get to know, besides that rough exterior she had been exposed to so far.
She was in the midst of getting to admire and know his ass better, watching his tail tighten around his waist out of harm’s way when he suddenly snapped up and looked over his shoulder, right in her direction. At first she thought maybe someone had called him, but she would have heard that. It was when his and her eyes locked onto each other that she realized it was ‘her’ that he had noticed. Bulma flinched and flung the curtains closed, gasping slightly and completely embarrassed at being caught staring. However was she going to live that down….?
Bulma pushed her hair over her shoulders and then wrapped her arms around her waist tightly as she wondered over towards her cupboards to pull out an attire. She could feel it already that it was going to be an awkward morning as she ran her hands over her clothes trying to decide what to wear.
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Bulma finally came down the old creaking stairs 2 hours later. She had radded up her hair and pulled it back in a bee hive fashion with a side sweeping fringe. She was wearing a yellow sleeveless dress with orange floral print and a white pointed collar. It stopped just at her knees and even though it was a fitted a-line dress she had clenched it in with a thin white belt. She was feeling mighty fine about herself with her heavy eyeliner and made up lashes. She didn’t plan on going anywhere really, but just to remind herself that she did remember how to dress was nice once and a while.
“NO, no, no! I swear girl, I worry that there is something wrong with you” Bulma could hear her grandmother spitting words at Ellia in the dining room.
As Bulma rounded the corner to see the commotion he pulled onto her brow a deep frown. Ellia was standing ridged with her head bowed as Bulmas grandmother flung her hand condescendingly in the poor girl’s direction. Scattered on the floor were grayish blue like napkins made from refined cotton, they piled around Ellia’s feet and some where clenched in her hands.
“What’s going on?” Bulma asked with her hand planted squarely on her hip as she looked towards Ellia with a melting expression.
Her grandmother huffed and crossed her arms under her bust line, ruffling the silk folds of her blouse. “That girl is useless; I don’t know why I keep her. I said Robin shell blue! This is more like stormy sky blue!” Bulmas grandmother sneered as she narrowed her eyes down her slim nose at Ellia.
Ellia avoided eye contact completely and then sighed softly before dipping her head. “I’m sorry ma’am. I made a mistake, I’ll return them straight away” She said softly as she pulled at he thick spiking pony tail that was flicked over her shoulder.
“See that you do” Was the short sharp reply she got before Bulma and Ellia were left alone in the dinning room.
Bulma was a tinge of pink from gritting her teeth and clenching her fists. She let out a strangled huff and then dropped to the floor to help Ellia pick up the scattered napkins. “That woman, I swear. Those colours are the same!” Bulma fumed as she went to grab some of the cloths, but before she could her hand was beaten to them.
Ellia looked at her, crouched down on the ground in front of Bulma. Her armondy shaped eyes holding pit fall black eyes shrouded in thick long fringes of black lashes stared hard at Bulma. “It’s ok, I can do it myself. It was my mistake” she said firmly looking Bulma straight in the eye all the while.
Bulma was a little taken back. She had never seen a firm side of Ellia. “No please, let me help you” Bulma said with a weak smile as she again went to pick up another napkin, but one again Ellias hand was faster and snatched it up.
“It’s ok, I can do it MYSELF. It was my mistake” Ellia repeated, stressing the words harder this time with a touch of a frown brushing up on her young face.
This time Bulma backed off and rose to a standing position while Ellia very quickly picked up all the napkins and tucked them under her arm before pivoting on her heel and darting off. No doubts to catch the next bus into the town to replace the napkins.
Bulma could only watch her go. The girl had completely rejected Bulma help. It was baffling, why would she do that?
Bulma crunched on the inside of her cheek thoughtfully and then angrily. Slowly she could feel the pressure rising as she thought about her grandmother and just… well every damn thing that had been happening as of late. “Fuck” she mumbled gruffly as she stomped her foot forcefully to the ground and then stormed off to find her older relative.
Bulma didn’t have to go far. in the drawing room that faced off to the back garden she found her grandmother. The room was a green house of mirrors and potted plants with a white painted cast iron sitting set. Her grandmother was sitting in the basking morning sun with a still warmed tea tray. Had it not been for the grey look of her skin, the tired lines and the shallow panting that the woman was displaying Bulma might have very well tossed the tea tray off the table in the fit of black rage she was suffering. However she held it all back as she took a chair opposite her grandmother.
“Are you ok?” she asked trying to hid some of the disdain she was feeling, but it was proving to be easier then she thought while she watched those murky blue eyes crack open and look at her.
Her grandmother laid a hand flat against her chest and nodded a little “ too much excitement” she said plainly before closing her eyes again, looking like it had been her who had been scream and snorted at like a mule.
Bulma twisted her face uncomfortably and then reached out and placed her hand over her grandmothers. “I’ll go and fetch you some ginger ale if you like?” she said sweetly, finialy finding the love she did have but often couldn’t find for her grandmother.
“That would be bliss dear” was the reply that was given as her grandmother managed a slight lopsided smile.
Within moment Bulma returned with two glasses of ginger ale with ice cubes bobbing about in them. she handed one to her grandmother and then leaned back in the metal chair to enjoy her own. “Maybe if you were not so hard on Ellia, you wouldn’t ‘excite’ yourself so much” Bulma said as she looked up from her glass.
Her grandmother sighed as she sipped away at her drink. “I guess” she said humbly and then rested the drink in her lap.
Bulma blinked in shock, had that been her grandmother agreeing with her, surely not? She wanted to ask for a repeat, but didn’t dare jinx the moment so she remained silent and just watched.
“She’s just so…they are so…” her grandmother trailed off looking disgusted for a moment.
Bulma could see that her grandmother was getting herself into a state again and decided to take control of the tide in which this conversation was flowing. “You know…while I don’t agree with whatever you were about to say… just think your birthday is next week. 70 years is no small feat” Bulma smiled softly as she placed her empty glass on the table and basked in the warming light.
Her grandmother nodded her head thoughtfully. “Yes well, after your grandfather died, I decided I needed a goal to aim for besides keeping the house” her grandmother said casually as she drank the remainder of her glass.
Bulma smiled briskly as she folded her hands over her stomach, she pulled a coy look onto her face as she spoke “what was that? To see great grandchildren?” she jested playfully, knowing that it was her grandmother’s favorite topic.
“No. To outlive you all” Her grandmother smirked and looked out the window happily.
Bulma couldn’t help the outburst of laughter as her grandmother threw her a spry wink.
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By midday Bulma had disconnected from talking with her grandmother. They had chatted way into lunch and by the time that Ellia had returned it was late enough for her to make both the women a small platter of club sandwiches. When Ellia had returned she had her causal aloof self back together and was happily serving them with her mild soft spoken mannerism once again. so either she had forgiven, or forgotten. Bulma suspected it was more suppressed.
Bulma had polished off her sandwiches’ quickly, she then returned to her room to freshen herself before venturing around the property on her own.
It wasn’t hard for her to lose herself in the garden, it was sprawling and grand if not a little over grown, just the way her grandmother licked it. With the cotton fields surrounding them it was easy to fel like you were alone in the world, and honestly, that how Bulma liked it. To be alone with her thoughts. Truth be told she was pitying herself currently. Whining in her own mind about the unfairness of being here. True her grandmother was turning 70…. not many people lived to 70, it truly was commendable but still. Why did the old git have to plant her feet here and refuse to move? She could live with them, although Bulma shuttered the thought. The woman just wanted to be difficult.
That wasn’t the only thing that was plaguing Bulmas mind. She’d agreed to see this Yamcha guy. She had no idea what that was going to lead to. She honestly hoped that maybe that something good was going to come out of it… but the chances were kind of slim in Bulmas opinion. nothing romantic ever worked for her.
Bulma sighed long and hard as she loitered around at her leisure. She was turning her gaze towards the Wisteria sinensis, or… as most people knew it as wisteria or purple hangy plant. It was actually a member of the pea plant family and grew in-
“ACK!” Bulma was broken from her train of thought when she suddenly fell of the earth, that or was swallowed by it.
Bulma floundered for a moment before she realized she had fallen into a 2 foot hole. She had stepped over it with her first stride, but had fallen short on her following step, and in thus, had fallen backwards with her leg wedged under her ass and her hands splayed backwards. She felt the very image of undignified.
Bulma huffed deeply before noting a shadow loom over her. She had to blink and squint her eyes as she looked up at the figure before her eyes adjusted to the sunny daze. As the sight returned to her she felt the need to sink further into the earth as the Saiyan gardener looked down on her unimpressed.
For a moment all they did was regard each other before Bulma registered a hand being thrust out towards her. It was large and callused as well as being caked in dirt. Bulma wrinkled her nose a little at the gritty looking limb casting her gaze down and sighing deeply “It’s ok, I can get up” she said weakly trying to avoid his dark gaze.
Vegeta set a deep frown on her, and when Bulma managed the guts to take a peek upwards she nearly folded in half. His scowl was so dark and demeaning towards her, like she was a meek caterpillar chewing up his garden. Like she was filth! “You don’t mind trying to help the poor Saiyan girl but when you are offered by one of us you turn your nose up. What scared you might be lowered to our standard” he said quietly but so firm that Bulma swore she felt it slap her in the face as real as a hand.
HOW DARE HE! How dare he say that to her! “NO!” Bulma flung back at him as she glared up at him from her hole in the ground. “It’s just your filthy grubby self I don’t wanna touch” she countered with a poisoned unattractive sneer.
Bulma instantly regretted her auctioned when that out stretched helping hand balled into a fist. The look on his face was like oil smeared in the night staring her down. The sneer that lifted in the corner of his down turned mouth made her want to curl into a ball. He was dark and menacing and she honestly thought for a second he was going to punch her. Bulma felt the need to piss herself.
She was taken off guard when she felt his iron grip hand snap around her wrist as he leant down and tugged her out of the hole all the way into a standing position, leaving her standing there blinking like an owl.
When someone once said to Bulma that sometimes things happen in the flash of an eye she wasn’t really sure what they meant. Well she did now as she and Vegeta regarded each other in the face. She was only a few inches away from him; if she leant in she would knock noses with him. His face was hard and smooth and it held that steadfast dark menacing gaze with those bottomless black eyes.
Bulma wasn’t the only one caught with their walls down. Vegeta’s grip on her held firm and while he tried the fathom the situation with his still face. She was so white, like cream. Vegeta had admittedly never…EVER… been this close to a human woman before In his life and seeing Bulma up this close and personal was…not admittedly… a little nerve-wracking. Her eyes were much bluer this close up, and it was only enhanced by her scarlet flushed face.
And within those fleeting seconds suddenly Vegeta had snapped into his self and snatched his hand away from Bulma and put a decent amount of distance between them. He looked at her almost as if she had hurt him somehow and then suddenly seemed slightly out of breath as he frowned at her and then as suddenly has he had been looming over her only moments ago he stalked off like a big dark rain cloud into the lush of the garden grounds.
Bulma was left standing there looking a fool. She didn’t know how to react at first as she stood mouth agape.
“What the hell was that” she mumbled to herself before grasping her dirt covered wrist and holding it gingerly before she pulled a concerned and confused look onto her face. She suddenly felt hot and flustered. She needed to get out of there.
Bulma rushed towards the front of the house were her car was parked. She knew where she could go.
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Showing up at Juu’s house to play cards like they did every Thursday wasn’t something Bulma had planned on doing, but none the less she had as she sat in her seat that had been designated to her since day one.
She had just needed to get out the house… or more off the property. So here she was dealing cards with the other gaggling crew of women who made up the snobbery of Westville.
So far she had heard how the local butcher was cheating on his wife, that the book fair organized by some woman had been a complete flop and that the mayor’s wife was getting ill. However it wasn’t until the attention was turned on her that she actually cared.
Launch had just asked about Bulmas clothing, which had brought a smart smile to Bulmas face as she explained how the world of fashion was taking a twist in the city. She might as well have been some kind of alien the way they all regarded her as she spoke of leather jackets, shorts skirts and bold colours that were sure to come. It was almost hard for them to believe her as they all looked to one and other in their sheath dresses and clenched in granny skirts. Bulma had always been the daring one, and it was showing blatantly now with her leggy dress that she happily displayed before them.
While there was doubt about the fashion, there was also conviction that Bulma, while they were all sure was a virgin, was a bit tartish. However none of them could deny that they didn’t envy her a little in the way she was dressed and who she was. Truth be told in the following time they would all probably emulate her style anyway.
“But hey Bulma. What is it that I hear you ran a Saiyan over with your car?” Marith as skinny pointed faced red head asked as she rested her wrists on the table bile she looked over her dealt cards.
‘Noo…. I came here to get away from that!’ Bulma thought to herself as she visibly grimaced.
It didn’t take long for Juu to actually jump to Bulmas defense. Which shocked the round of the table, but not Bulma, she was sure Juu just wanted her voice to be heard on the topic.
“It’s not her fault you know. You really can’t blame Bulma. it was very dark that evening I think there was an over cast setting in” Juu said as she gave a stern look to Marith. “Besides. You couple that with the Saiyan being that dark himself however was she to see him” Juu finished with a serious tone and a sharp nod in Bulma direction.
Bulma couldn’t help but not smile at juu as she was expected to by all the others. “Juu…. it was completely my fault” Bulma admitted, earning herself a stunned silence from the group of 6. “ yes it was dark…. but it was duck… I could still see. I had been drinking you know that you were there, so was Launch! And well…. I was looking in the mirror not the road. That poor man almost lost his job because of me and now his son has to take his place” Bulma was starting to sound a little emotional as she tried to prove her guilt to the others.
For a moment no one said anything.
“Don’t be ridiculous Bulma” Juu said with a lowered gaze that was set up to intimidate.
“That man was darker then the ace of spade I hold in my hand” and for good measure she flicked up the ace she had been saving. So what if it threw the game. She was going to win one way or another. She always did.
“That’s no excuse” Bulma said shortly. She couldn’t believe that she was arguing against herself…it was ludicrous.
“Oh Bulma… just.. hrrrmmm…” Juu was getting frustrated with the situation. “You make up all thses stupid ideals about them Bulma. But really you don’t know anything about them do you? Have you ever been to that scraggly place they call home. I had to drive past it once. it’s a rubbish hole is what it is. children running around dirty with no shoes, some not even wearing clothes. I have seen their men fighting in town with ours and sometimes not even with our… often it’s with their own kind and the women… well…. I’m betting on my brass buttons that they don’t marry before they have children” Juu declared in her icy monotonous voice.
“Not many people in general save themselves for marriage now days Juu” Bulma quipped. “And yours right, I don’t know them, so how can I judge them?” she said in the heat of her back lash. Things were starting to boil over between them as they eyed each other from across the table.
Juu looked close to throwing something at Bulma at that moment. She may just had if it hadn’t been for Marron running by giggling madly, knocking the table harshly in her hurry and spilling Launches Cola into her lap.
It was like a lightning strike how fast Juu moved and grabbed the child by the shoulder and slapped her quickly 4 or more times across her rear. “Look at what you did!” She scolded in her temper fit.
Marron burst out into high pitched squeals of pain and then manic crying as she slumped to the ground with her mother still grasping her pudgy wrist tightly.
Everyone at the table stayed silent. This was something that was considered non of their business how someone punished their child.
It didn’t take long for ChiChi to rush in and take the child away from the living room where they had all gathered.
“I think.. I think that will be all for today ladies” Juu breathed heavily as she flipped her hair back and stood rigidly.
Bulma couldn’t have greed more.